Post by Sora Arrows on Jan 13, 2008 13:21:37 GMT -5
I've been writing this for a while now, and I figured I'd post it here. I'll start re-editting the chapters i have written already from Fanfiction.net so that the text doesn't all bunch up here, so don't expect a new chapter every day or anything.
Chapter 1: Dreams may come true
Well what do ya know? Some of you random folks out there have decided to start reading this. Congrats. Now you'll know how to save yourself when your world comes crashing down around you. Yes, I'm talking about you. I'm being serious, and trust me, that doesn't happen a whole lot.
This is my story, the story of my family and of our trials together. No, not THAT kind of trial. Are people getting more stupid or what? You're about to dive head first into my world, and believe me, you'll love the fact you're you, no matter how shitty your life is, after you read this.
Now, seeing as I've never been in a real school before, I'm gonna give this a shot. Name's Sora. I'm 16. I live in the middle of friggen nowhere with my family, which consists of a bunch of kids who aren't even related to me by blood. Well, one is, but more on that later.
I'm just gonna come out and say it. We're amazing. Not that I'm trying to sound like an arrogant ass, which I'm not. Well, not usually. Have you ever seen a movie revolving around mutants? I think it’s called X-men, not that I would know. Take the idea from that, but throw in some insane scientists, labs, very sharp and pointy objects, and stir well. You'll get me and my friends. Me, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, and Ollete. Yep, we were mutated at birth by a bunch of guys in really stupid looking black raincoats.
So, to sum it up, we’re 98 percent human. Of course, the other 2 percent came back to bite us in the ass. Well, something else did; the Heartless. And no, they have hearts. But our friends in black decided to screw around with them, and it seriously messed with them. Their blood can ooze out of pours and coat their bodies, and it turns all black when they do. Then there's the stupid antenna-tentacle thingies coming off their heads.
Basically, to them we're giant scratching posts for their claws. Pleasant, huh?
Anyways, these freaks have been hunting us down for over five years. Why, do you ask? Simple – five years ago we escaped from the lab, nicknamed the Institute, and have been on the run ever since. The Institute uses the Heartless for a lot of things, bodyguards, test subjects, and of course, executioners. Their life goal seems to be to have us ripped into tiny, bite sized pieces, which they will probably roast over an open fire. It wouldn't surprise me.
Of course, we're not down for the count just yet. I'm telling you this, right?
You know those epic stories you always read? About how good triumphs over evil, and that love is the ultimate power? Two words – Bull Shit. Trust me, I know from experience. When you've gone through what I have, you'll understand all too well.
Lets see…how to begin…well, you can probably tell I'm not exactly an English major, so I'm just gonna start out where all this began. No fancy introduction, no once upon a time, in a land far away, yada yada yada. You're about to dive into a story filled with adventure, blood, sweat, and, surprisingly, a little bit of magic. Now then….let's begin.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My feet, still in those ridiculously big shoes, pounded against the ground heavily, sending a spray of dirt into the night air behind me. Sweat poured down my brow like a waterfall, blurring the landscape in front of me. I could hear the branches scattered around the forest floor snapping as they chased after me, yelling and taunting me.
You know what's funny? When you're running for your life, the little things just kind of fade away. Your legs on fire from running for so long? No problem. Fingertips numb because the temperature is below freezing? Who cares? Blood oozing down the side of your face from a huge branch you ran into? Eh, I can deal with it.
Come on, faster!!!
I took a short, shallow breath and picked up the pace, weaving my way through the rows of trees that surrounded me. Ahead, I could barely catch glimpses of my friends, melting away into the mists ahead.
"Guys, wait up!" I called after them. Kind of a stupid thing to say, seeing as that would only give the Heartless chasing us a bigger meal. Instead, they only went faster, disappearing into the dark depths of the forest. "Guys!" I thundered after them, crashing through branches, my breath coming in short bursts.
"Come on, fresh meat, let's dance," a melodic voice yelled after me. I turned around just in time to see a massive Heartless claw falling like a brick towards my head. Me, being the genetically altered super freak I am, responded by lunging to the side, rolling through the fresh blanket of snow.
"Jeez, I am SO not in the mood for this." Jumping right back at the guy, I whipped around and dealt a powerful hook kick to his head. And down he went, like Liston. You know, the boxer? No, never heard of him? Figures. He screamed in pain, dropping to the ground and clutching the side of his face, which look like it had caved in.
Now, being smarter than the average bear, I knew that the other Heartless were right around the corner from the two of us, and were probably even more pissed. So I took off again, weaving through the tall trees and occasionally sliding on patches of ice.
"You can't get away!" A familiar Heartless cried out. Turning my head to the side, I caught a glimpse of the Heartless I thought I had killed. Why, do you ask? I basically smashed his brain in. And call me crazy, but that'll probably keep most people down. I mean, his face was LITERALLY caved in. His eyeball had even popped out of its socket for Christ's sake!!!
Too much information? I thought so.
"Why won't you die?!" I yelled after him, continuing to run. Now, I'm really fast. I can outrun even professional track guys. And the fact that the Heartless can keep up with me is no easy task, let me tell you.
Come on, come on! Need a clearing! Why do you ask? Would you rather fight in a forest where people can sneak up on you, or in a clearing where there's nowhere to hide? It’s a pretty simple question, even though I don't really have a chance either way. I kept bolting, hoping to catch a glimpse of light.
"Yes!" I yelled, punching the air. I saw a faint gap in the tree line, and anyone can guess what that means. I dashed forward, breaking out of the woods. "Shit!" And my change of heart? The fact I had almost just run off a cliff, a huge rock cut out of the land was visible hundreds of feet below me. I glanced over my shoulder, noticing hundreds of yellow eyes growing closer by the minute. So the other option was to be a play toy for a bunch of monsters. YAY! Both options suck ass.
It was really common sense, if truth be told. As far as I know, my friends and I are the only ones who can do this. I spread out my arms in a cross-like fashion, and leaned over the edge. And dropped like a stone.
The Heartless cried out in fury, pounding the ground where I had been moments ago. I could feel the air rushing past my face, the sheer adrenaline rush enough to mask the pain I was in.
Let me tell you, for a few seconds I was in Heaven.
Then, taking as deep a breath as my abnormally large lungs could take, I shot out my wings, and banked upward. 17 feet across, and pure, angel white. Yep, they're gorgeous.
Ow, ow ow!!!
Damn it! Rule one of flying, never shoot out your wings when you’re going this fast and bank hard!
Oh, right. Wincing, I pushed downward as hard as I could, slowly rising upward. I couldn't help but laugh at the looks on the Heartless' faces, they were priceless. As I continued to rise up, I felt a slow, burning sensation in the center of my right palm. I look down, wondering what it could be.
In a flash of white light, the weirdest thing I'd ever seen was sitting there – a giant key. I tired to drop it, but it was like my hand had taken on a life of its own and refused to let go. Then, it started tugging me back to where I was.
"No no no no no!!!" I screamed, grabbing it with both hands and flapping my wings as hard as I could. Still, it lured me to the Heartless, who were overjoyed to see me again. I was so close to them. Their claws could almost reach me.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I bolted upright in my bed, managing to slam my head against the top bunk. God, I hate that dream so much. And it's always the same, too. Running away from the Heartless, jumping off the cliff, flying away, and then that retarded key thing shows up. What the hell is that supposed to be, anyways?
Note to self: No more beef jerky before bed. Cursing under my breath, what a surprise, I threw the covers off my sweaty body and slithered out of bed. The house was silent, meaning everyone else was asleep. Holy crap, I'm the first one up. That never happens, ever.
Doing the usual, I slid down the railing and skidded along the tiled floor of the kitchen in my socked feet. I glanced out the window (or where the window should be, it was more of a gaping hole) and saw the sun breaking over the horizon. I've gotta admit, it's a damn cool sight. Watching the fiery sun burst over the tree line... How's that for imagery? I'm a poet and I didn't know it.
My friends and I live alone in this house, hidden away in the Appalachian Mountains. It overlooks a cliff, supported by wooden stilts. If it weren't for the fact the place was falling apart, it'd be like some movie star’s palace. That, and the rats don't help.
I stuck my head in the fridge, rummaging around the moldy food to find something to eat. I heard a faint shuffling noise behind me and a huge yawn. Five bucks says you can't guess who it is.
"Mornin' Sora."
My brother slid into view, stretching his arms over his head and yawning again. "Mornin' Roxas, rise and shine!" I yelled behind me as I dug deeper into the dark depths of the ‘mold machine’, as we called it. Roxas collapsed on the couch perfectly, something that amazes me. Well, he's blind. Wouldn't it amaze you?
"So, watcha makin for breakfast?" He asked, his voice muffled by the pillows. "Tell me it's not meat stew again. Was there even any meat in that thing?"
"Um…I dunno." I shrugged my shoulders pointlessly, seeing as he couldn't see me do it. I reached in and took out the first thing my hand hit, which happened to be our last carton of eggs. "How's eggs sound?" Roxas flipped over onto his back.
"Sure, whatev." He proceeded to turn on our ancient television and flip through the two channels we got – CNN and NBC. Yay, news! "By the way, we're going to need a few more bottles of chlorine later."
"Why would you need that?" I asked suspiciously. Roxas twitched, scratching the side of his head.
"Ummmm….no reason, just need some...for the pool!" He smiled faintly at me, wincing at the force of my evil eye. Trust me, you' d shit yourself if you were subjected to its gaze. I am that scary.
"We don't have a pool. Hell, we don't even have a yard!" I shouted back to him. "What the hell could you need chlorine for?"
"Ummm...I'm making a pool?" he offered. I didn't buy it, obviously. The last time he had asked for chlorine, he had left a giant gaping hole in the side of the house. Needless to say, I wasn't anxious to have a repeat of that again. "Okay then….would you buy it if I said I was going to do the wash?"
"You don't use chlorine to clean clothes, Numbnuts. Just shut up and listen to the news. Learn something." Roxas rolled over on his back, silently mouthing curse words. "I can see you doing that! Do me a favor – go wake up Kairi and Ollete." Roxas rolled his blank eyes and shuffled to a sitting position. He slowly got to his feet and crept up the stairs.
"Why don't you?" He asked me. I rolled my eyes.
"Because, I have an incredibly hot and heavy frying pan in my hand right now. Get it?" I shook the pan, a bit of a pointless gesture, but I'm sure he heard it.
"Sure. Just don't kill me with you're cooking," He shot back up and dashed up the stairs, and an audible crash rang out as he broke down the girls' door. "RISE AND SHINE!!!!" I almost winced, it was that loud.
Seconds later, Roxas came barreling down the stairs again, covering his head as the girls beat him over the head with fists. "Roxas! What did I tell you about coming into our room when the door's shut!?" Kairi bellowed.
"Ummm…It means either you're sleeping or getting changed," he muttered. "But I'm blind, remember? It doesn't really matter!" He threw the girls MY signature cheesy grin. How dare he? "Can we just let it go and live in peace?"
"How's about this – NO! Besides, it's common courteously!" Ollete said, falling back onto the sofa with her arms crossed. "Oh, look who's up.," she said glancing over at me.
"Yeah, I know. How do you guys like your eggs?" I asked casually, yanking a spatula out of the sink. "Wait, let me guess…..scrambled?"
"Why didn't you help me!?" Roxas thundered. I chunked an egg shell at his head.
"It's called karma, man," I shot back, tossing another shell at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" No, that wasn't directed at Roxas.
"How do you do it?" Kairi asked sarcastically, smiling at me. I grinned back, cracking more eggs open and watching them sizzle. There's something about the smell of eggs in the morning that just wakes me up. No, wait, that's my stomach, never mind.
"So how'd you guys sleep?" Ollete asked, glaring at Roxas, who had collapsed on our battered sofa next to her. "I was out cold all night. I swear, that jerky had something in it."
"Eh…not bad, "Kairi said, jumping up on the kitchen counter, "I kept on hearing these weird bangs from Roxas' room." Roxas grinned sheepishly, but remained silent. "Reminded me of grenades, actually."
Roxas looked like he was trying to blend in with the sofa.
"Grubs ready," I yelled behind me, and with the skills only I have, I hurled the eggs through the air, each blob landing perfectly on a plate. I'm gifted, what can I say? "Get it while there's any left."
"Damn, that smells good," Roxas said, vaulting over the couch and wolfing his portion down, narrowly missing Kairi's head with his foot. "Where would we be without you, man?"
"We'd be dead, cause you'd be cooking for us, "Kairi said. "Need I remind you of that?"
"Oh will you guys let that go already?" Roxas muttered. "You put the fire out, didn't you?" Everyone ignored this and tucked into the meals. "Besides, it wasn't THAT bad." He glanced around hopefully, noting the silence. "Was it?"
"Roxas, you served burnt salad. You DO know that you don't need to cook salad, right?" Kairi pointed her fork at him, jabbing it accusingly. Out of the corner of my eyes, I caught a glimpse of silver hair.
"Ah, our fearless leader has arrived." Riku flipped me the bird, casually sliding into his pace at the table and picking up the fork. Riku's the oldest one of us, being seventeen, so we just kinda follow his orders. Plus, there's his pretty, pretty hair. "NO, that's okay, don't say hello or anything," a muttered in a fake hurt tone. Kairi laughed and brushed a few strands of auburn hair out of her face.
"Fine then, good morning all," Riku muttered grumpily. Did I mention he's emo? Must have slipped my mind. "You guys are so friggen loud, I heard you all the way upstairs." I grinned. Success!!! "Roxas, we're searching your room later and you are GOING to hand over all the explosives you've been making."
"But what else am I supposed to do in my spare time? I can't look at porn like you!" He whined. Riku smashed the back of his head, ignoring the girls’ laughter.
"So, what's on today's to do list?" He asked, pointedly looking at me. His look basically said "How the hell are you related to him?"
"No idea. I think he was adopted or something," I said. "Then again, how would that work? We don't have parents..." I trailed off.
"Can we just sleep?" Roxas piped up. Yes, my brother and I love to sleep. It's a curse, I'm sure.
"No, you lazy bums," Ollete muttered around a mouthful of eggs. "If it were up to you, you'd sleep through the rest of your lives."
"Oh, I think that's exaggerating," I said. "Try through the winter. I've always wanted to hibernate." Riku shot me a death glare, and I fell silent. He's a very scary person.
"Well, I saw some apple trees a few miles away from here. Maybe we should go stock up?" Ollete suggested, picking up her plate and rinsing it off.
"You do realize what time of year it is?" Kairi piped up, resurfacing from the ocean that was her food. "Even if they're any left, there going to be all wormy and rotten." She seemed to retch at the very idea.
"Well, what else would you do?" Ollete shot back, frowning. "It's not like you have a date or something." She gasped in mock shock. "Are you and Sora going out!?" I sputtered on my sip of orange juice, choking.
"Oh come on! Grow up, will you?" My face, along with Kairi's, was flushed red.
"Aw come on, leave Sora alone," Riku said, coming to my defense. Wait time out. "Sora couldn't get a date if he tried. Isn't that right?" He ruffled my hair, and I shoved his hand away.
"Well, they're probably spoiled right now," Roxas muttered stabbing his plate in hopes of finding food that wasn't there. "But it's not like we have anything else to do, right?"
"Yeah, and if they're good, Sora can make apple pie again!" Kairi and Ollete cheered. Last year I had made an apple pie, which took like ten friggen hours to finish. Needless to say, I'm not eager to make another.
"That depends on your point of view," I muttered, throwing my dish like a discus to Ollete, who caught it just in time. "I still say banging a tree with an old stick is a good way to burn up time."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outside, it was cool and sunny. Personally, my favorite weather. I had change out of my pajamas into more fitting clothes. A pair of jeans so baggy I needed three belts to hold them up. And, of course, the hooded sweatshirt Kairi had given to me last Christmas, with golden crowns adorning the chest and shoulders. To top it off, a pair of dark sunglasses were perched on my nose.
Back in the Institute, the guys in black decided to try and give Roxas and me night vision. Unfortunately, all the experiment did for Roxas was make him blind. For me, it made my eyes super sensitive to light. Those heartless bastards... Get it? You know, cause they use the Heartless? Never mind.
"Come on, lazy bum!" Kairi yelled at me, giggling. "Pick up the pace!" Rolling my eyes, I trotted up next to her, yanking up my hood.
"Why do you guys always yell at me?" I muttered. Riku threw me a look.
"Because nothing else seems to work with you." He turned away.
"Nice weather, huh?" I said, jamming my hands into my pockets and smiling at Kairi.
"Yep, it's a good thing to. I thought I was going to go insane from all that rain." She shuddered, shoving her hands into the pockets in her jeans. "Oh yuck, "she lifted up her foot, which was covered in mud. "Maybe we should have waited for the ground to dry out before we went out."
"Probably!" Roxas yelled form up ahead. "Now will you two lovebirds get up here? I have no friggen idea where I'm going!" To emphasize his point, he ran straight on into a pine tree, making a sickening thud.
"Brilliant," Riku muttered, picking up Roxas by the back of his jacket. "Next time, do what I say and hold onto my vest."
"Ooooh. clingy," I said. "I didn't know you felt that way, Riku." Once again, he shot me a death look.
"Enough with the crappy jokes, Sora." I feigned a look of hurt, pouting slightly.
"But Riku-"
"NO!" He yelled before I even finished what I was going to say. Which, in retrospect, was probably a good thing. If I had actually managed to say it, he would have snapped my arms in half, the violent little thing. Ollete laughed and skipped ahead. She clambered up to the top of a tree and gazed over the horizon.
"Only a few more miles to go!" She yelled down happily. We all groaned, continuing to trudge on. How could Ollete pick out a grove of trees from this far away, do you ask? Easy, she's got this telescopic vision thing going on.
"Try a few more feet," I yelled back up, sitting on the ground with my arms crossed. "I'm taking a break, we've been walking for over three hours!"
"Aw, is wittle baby Sora tired?" Ollete cooed. I stuck my tongue out at her, wrapping my hands behind my head. Riku scowled, kicking me.
"Ouch! Dude, what was that for?" I asked angrily, rubbing my shin.
"For being such a lazy ass," he replied coolly. "Not get your rear in gear, I don't want to be stuck out here in the open for too long." I saw Roxas roll his eyes behind him, and grinned.
"What could you possibly be afraid of?" I asked., "We haven't seen any sign of the Heartless in over four years. I'm pretty sure they aren't going to show up any time soon."
"Better safe then sorry," Riku said, grabbing Roxas by the back of his jacket and dragging him along.
"Riku, let me go!" Roxas yelled, throwing random punches that didn't even phase Riku. Kairi and Ollete followed suit, grabbing my sweatshirt and pulling me along the muddy ground. I admit it, it was pretty embarrassing.
"Oh come on! I can walk, you know!" To my surprise they let me go. I got to my feet, brushing dirt off myself and shooting daggers from my eyes at the two girls. "Thanks a lot."
"Welcome," Kairi shot back, smiling wide at me.
Sooner than I expected, we were standing in a grove of short apple trees, each one full of strangely shaped apples. They were kind of lumpy, reminding me a bit of Riku's head. Riku had handed and apple to Roxas who, unable to see the strange shape, bit right into it. It didn't go over well.
"Oh God! I think something just died on my tongue!" He gagged loudly, scraping the diseased apple off his tongue. Everyone else, including myself, was rolling on the ground laughing.
"Okay, I've changed my mind. THAT was defiantly worth the walk." I was laughing so hard there was a stitch in my side. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one,
"Oh sure, laugh at me, I don't care," Roxas muttered, still retching. "It's not like I have feelings or anything."
"Aw, I think we hurt his feelings guys," I said, grinning at my twin, who shot me the bird. "Aw, now he's upset. I think someone needs a hug." I held out my arms, ignoring the howls of laughter.
After a few minutes, everyone finally got control of themselves. "So, the apples suck ass," I said, shooting a purposeful look at Ollete. "Now what do we do?"
"We should just go back home," Roxas said, still scraping at his tongue. "I really need to get some mouthwash or something." He spat.
"Elegant," Kairi muttered, pushing herself to her feet. "You want to take a dump while you're at it?"
"Nah, I went this morning." We all made eew faces.
Then I heard it, the sound of snapping twigs. I rolled over on my side and saw it. Surrounding us were dozens of humanoid figures, covered in a dripping black ooze and golden eyes. I admit it, I nearly wet myself.
It was them. The Heartless found us.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," one of them snickered, digging its claws into the ground. Everyone was back on their feet, knees bent and hands curled into tight fists. I tapped Roxas only the shoulder twice, our code meaning " Really big trouble". And even though none of us would admit it, we were scared shitless.
"I was about to say the same thing," Riku muttered, glancing over at me. Now, I'll be honest, we never thought the Heartless would find us. We live in possibly the most remote place in the US, with sheer cliffs land locking us into the valley. We hadn't seen head nor tail of anyone besides ourselves in four years. So when they charged us, we did the only thing that we could think of.
We shot out our wings and took flight.
Oh, did I forget to mention that dream was more truth than fiction?
Kingdom Hearts: The Angel Experiment
Chapter 1: Dreams may come true
Well what do ya know? Some of you random folks out there have decided to start reading this. Congrats. Now you'll know how to save yourself when your world comes crashing down around you. Yes, I'm talking about you. I'm being serious, and trust me, that doesn't happen a whole lot.
This is my story, the story of my family and of our trials together. No, not THAT kind of trial. Are people getting more stupid or what? You're about to dive head first into my world, and believe me, you'll love the fact you're you, no matter how shitty your life is, after you read this.
Now, seeing as I've never been in a real school before, I'm gonna give this a shot. Name's Sora. I'm 16. I live in the middle of friggen nowhere with my family, which consists of a bunch of kids who aren't even related to me by blood. Well, one is, but more on that later.
I'm just gonna come out and say it. We're amazing. Not that I'm trying to sound like an arrogant ass, which I'm not. Well, not usually. Have you ever seen a movie revolving around mutants? I think it’s called X-men, not that I would know. Take the idea from that, but throw in some insane scientists, labs, very sharp and pointy objects, and stir well. You'll get me and my friends. Me, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, and Ollete. Yep, we were mutated at birth by a bunch of guys in really stupid looking black raincoats.
So, to sum it up, we’re 98 percent human. Of course, the other 2 percent came back to bite us in the ass. Well, something else did; the Heartless. And no, they have hearts. But our friends in black decided to screw around with them, and it seriously messed with them. Their blood can ooze out of pours and coat their bodies, and it turns all black when they do. Then there's the stupid antenna-tentacle thingies coming off their heads.
Basically, to them we're giant scratching posts for their claws. Pleasant, huh?
Anyways, these freaks have been hunting us down for over five years. Why, do you ask? Simple – five years ago we escaped from the lab, nicknamed the Institute, and have been on the run ever since. The Institute uses the Heartless for a lot of things, bodyguards, test subjects, and of course, executioners. Their life goal seems to be to have us ripped into tiny, bite sized pieces, which they will probably roast over an open fire. It wouldn't surprise me.
Of course, we're not down for the count just yet. I'm telling you this, right?
You know those epic stories you always read? About how good triumphs over evil, and that love is the ultimate power? Two words – Bull Shit. Trust me, I know from experience. When you've gone through what I have, you'll understand all too well.
Lets see…how to begin…well, you can probably tell I'm not exactly an English major, so I'm just gonna start out where all this began. No fancy introduction, no once upon a time, in a land far away, yada yada yada. You're about to dive into a story filled with adventure, blood, sweat, and, surprisingly, a little bit of magic. Now then….let's begin.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My feet, still in those ridiculously big shoes, pounded against the ground heavily, sending a spray of dirt into the night air behind me. Sweat poured down my brow like a waterfall, blurring the landscape in front of me. I could hear the branches scattered around the forest floor snapping as they chased after me, yelling and taunting me.
You know what's funny? When you're running for your life, the little things just kind of fade away. Your legs on fire from running for so long? No problem. Fingertips numb because the temperature is below freezing? Who cares? Blood oozing down the side of your face from a huge branch you ran into? Eh, I can deal with it.
Come on, faster!!!
I took a short, shallow breath and picked up the pace, weaving my way through the rows of trees that surrounded me. Ahead, I could barely catch glimpses of my friends, melting away into the mists ahead.
"Guys, wait up!" I called after them. Kind of a stupid thing to say, seeing as that would only give the Heartless chasing us a bigger meal. Instead, they only went faster, disappearing into the dark depths of the forest. "Guys!" I thundered after them, crashing through branches, my breath coming in short bursts.
"Come on, fresh meat, let's dance," a melodic voice yelled after me. I turned around just in time to see a massive Heartless claw falling like a brick towards my head. Me, being the genetically altered super freak I am, responded by lunging to the side, rolling through the fresh blanket of snow.
"Jeez, I am SO not in the mood for this." Jumping right back at the guy, I whipped around and dealt a powerful hook kick to his head. And down he went, like Liston. You know, the boxer? No, never heard of him? Figures. He screamed in pain, dropping to the ground and clutching the side of his face, which look like it had caved in.
Now, being smarter than the average bear, I knew that the other Heartless were right around the corner from the two of us, and were probably even more pissed. So I took off again, weaving through the tall trees and occasionally sliding on patches of ice.
"You can't get away!" A familiar Heartless cried out. Turning my head to the side, I caught a glimpse of the Heartless I thought I had killed. Why, do you ask? I basically smashed his brain in. And call me crazy, but that'll probably keep most people down. I mean, his face was LITERALLY caved in. His eyeball had even popped out of its socket for Christ's sake!!!
Too much information? I thought so.
"Why won't you die?!" I yelled after him, continuing to run. Now, I'm really fast. I can outrun even professional track guys. And the fact that the Heartless can keep up with me is no easy task, let me tell you.
Come on, come on! Need a clearing! Why do you ask? Would you rather fight in a forest where people can sneak up on you, or in a clearing where there's nowhere to hide? It’s a pretty simple question, even though I don't really have a chance either way. I kept bolting, hoping to catch a glimpse of light.
"Yes!" I yelled, punching the air. I saw a faint gap in the tree line, and anyone can guess what that means. I dashed forward, breaking out of the woods. "Shit!" And my change of heart? The fact I had almost just run off a cliff, a huge rock cut out of the land was visible hundreds of feet below me. I glanced over my shoulder, noticing hundreds of yellow eyes growing closer by the minute. So the other option was to be a play toy for a bunch of monsters. YAY! Both options suck ass.
It was really common sense, if truth be told. As far as I know, my friends and I are the only ones who can do this. I spread out my arms in a cross-like fashion, and leaned over the edge. And dropped like a stone.
The Heartless cried out in fury, pounding the ground where I had been moments ago. I could feel the air rushing past my face, the sheer adrenaline rush enough to mask the pain I was in.
Let me tell you, for a few seconds I was in Heaven.
Then, taking as deep a breath as my abnormally large lungs could take, I shot out my wings, and banked upward. 17 feet across, and pure, angel white. Yep, they're gorgeous.
Ow, ow ow!!!
Damn it! Rule one of flying, never shoot out your wings when you’re going this fast and bank hard!
Oh, right. Wincing, I pushed downward as hard as I could, slowly rising upward. I couldn't help but laugh at the looks on the Heartless' faces, they were priceless. As I continued to rise up, I felt a slow, burning sensation in the center of my right palm. I look down, wondering what it could be.
In a flash of white light, the weirdest thing I'd ever seen was sitting there – a giant key. I tired to drop it, but it was like my hand had taken on a life of its own and refused to let go. Then, it started tugging me back to where I was.
"No no no no no!!!" I screamed, grabbing it with both hands and flapping my wings as hard as I could. Still, it lured me to the Heartless, who were overjoyed to see me again. I was so close to them. Their claws could almost reach me.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I bolted upright in my bed, managing to slam my head against the top bunk. God, I hate that dream so much. And it's always the same, too. Running away from the Heartless, jumping off the cliff, flying away, and then that retarded key thing shows up. What the hell is that supposed to be, anyways?
Note to self: No more beef jerky before bed. Cursing under my breath, what a surprise, I threw the covers off my sweaty body and slithered out of bed. The house was silent, meaning everyone else was asleep. Holy crap, I'm the first one up. That never happens, ever.
Doing the usual, I slid down the railing and skidded along the tiled floor of the kitchen in my socked feet. I glanced out the window (or where the window should be, it was more of a gaping hole) and saw the sun breaking over the horizon. I've gotta admit, it's a damn cool sight. Watching the fiery sun burst over the tree line... How's that for imagery? I'm a poet and I didn't know it.
My friends and I live alone in this house, hidden away in the Appalachian Mountains. It overlooks a cliff, supported by wooden stilts. If it weren't for the fact the place was falling apart, it'd be like some movie star’s palace. That, and the rats don't help.
I stuck my head in the fridge, rummaging around the moldy food to find something to eat. I heard a faint shuffling noise behind me and a huge yawn. Five bucks says you can't guess who it is.
"Mornin' Sora."
My brother slid into view, stretching his arms over his head and yawning again. "Mornin' Roxas, rise and shine!" I yelled behind me as I dug deeper into the dark depths of the ‘mold machine’, as we called it. Roxas collapsed on the couch perfectly, something that amazes me. Well, he's blind. Wouldn't it amaze you?
"So, watcha makin for breakfast?" He asked, his voice muffled by the pillows. "Tell me it's not meat stew again. Was there even any meat in that thing?"
"Um…I dunno." I shrugged my shoulders pointlessly, seeing as he couldn't see me do it. I reached in and took out the first thing my hand hit, which happened to be our last carton of eggs. "How's eggs sound?" Roxas flipped over onto his back.
"Sure, whatev." He proceeded to turn on our ancient television and flip through the two channels we got – CNN and NBC. Yay, news! "By the way, we're going to need a few more bottles of chlorine later."
"Why would you need that?" I asked suspiciously. Roxas twitched, scratching the side of his head.
"Ummmm….no reason, just need some...for the pool!" He smiled faintly at me, wincing at the force of my evil eye. Trust me, you' d shit yourself if you were subjected to its gaze. I am that scary.
"We don't have a pool. Hell, we don't even have a yard!" I shouted back to him. "What the hell could you need chlorine for?"
"Ummm...I'm making a pool?" he offered. I didn't buy it, obviously. The last time he had asked for chlorine, he had left a giant gaping hole in the side of the house. Needless to say, I wasn't anxious to have a repeat of that again. "Okay then….would you buy it if I said I was going to do the wash?"
"You don't use chlorine to clean clothes, Numbnuts. Just shut up and listen to the news. Learn something." Roxas rolled over on his back, silently mouthing curse words. "I can see you doing that! Do me a favor – go wake up Kairi and Ollete." Roxas rolled his blank eyes and shuffled to a sitting position. He slowly got to his feet and crept up the stairs.
"Why don't you?" He asked me. I rolled my eyes.
"Because, I have an incredibly hot and heavy frying pan in my hand right now. Get it?" I shook the pan, a bit of a pointless gesture, but I'm sure he heard it.
"Sure. Just don't kill me with you're cooking," He shot back up and dashed up the stairs, and an audible crash rang out as he broke down the girls' door. "RISE AND SHINE!!!!" I almost winced, it was that loud.
Seconds later, Roxas came barreling down the stairs again, covering his head as the girls beat him over the head with fists. "Roxas! What did I tell you about coming into our room when the door's shut!?" Kairi bellowed.
"Ummm…It means either you're sleeping or getting changed," he muttered. "But I'm blind, remember? It doesn't really matter!" He threw the girls MY signature cheesy grin. How dare he? "Can we just let it go and live in peace?"
"How's about this – NO! Besides, it's common courteously!" Ollete said, falling back onto the sofa with her arms crossed. "Oh, look who's up.," she said glancing over at me.
"Yeah, I know. How do you guys like your eggs?" I asked casually, yanking a spatula out of the sink. "Wait, let me guess…..scrambled?"
"Why didn't you help me!?" Roxas thundered. I chunked an egg shell at his head.
"It's called karma, man," I shot back, tossing another shell at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" No, that wasn't directed at Roxas.
"How do you do it?" Kairi asked sarcastically, smiling at me. I grinned back, cracking more eggs open and watching them sizzle. There's something about the smell of eggs in the morning that just wakes me up. No, wait, that's my stomach, never mind.
"So how'd you guys sleep?" Ollete asked, glaring at Roxas, who had collapsed on our battered sofa next to her. "I was out cold all night. I swear, that jerky had something in it."
"Eh…not bad, "Kairi said, jumping up on the kitchen counter, "I kept on hearing these weird bangs from Roxas' room." Roxas grinned sheepishly, but remained silent. "Reminded me of grenades, actually."
Roxas looked like he was trying to blend in with the sofa.
"Grubs ready," I yelled behind me, and with the skills only I have, I hurled the eggs through the air, each blob landing perfectly on a plate. I'm gifted, what can I say? "Get it while there's any left."
"Damn, that smells good," Roxas said, vaulting over the couch and wolfing his portion down, narrowly missing Kairi's head with his foot. "Where would we be without you, man?"
"We'd be dead, cause you'd be cooking for us, "Kairi said. "Need I remind you of that?"
"Oh will you guys let that go already?" Roxas muttered. "You put the fire out, didn't you?" Everyone ignored this and tucked into the meals. "Besides, it wasn't THAT bad." He glanced around hopefully, noting the silence. "Was it?"
"Roxas, you served burnt salad. You DO know that you don't need to cook salad, right?" Kairi pointed her fork at him, jabbing it accusingly. Out of the corner of my eyes, I caught a glimpse of silver hair.
"Ah, our fearless leader has arrived." Riku flipped me the bird, casually sliding into his pace at the table and picking up the fork. Riku's the oldest one of us, being seventeen, so we just kinda follow his orders. Plus, there's his pretty, pretty hair. "NO, that's okay, don't say hello or anything," a muttered in a fake hurt tone. Kairi laughed and brushed a few strands of auburn hair out of her face.
"Fine then, good morning all," Riku muttered grumpily. Did I mention he's emo? Must have slipped my mind. "You guys are so friggen loud, I heard you all the way upstairs." I grinned. Success!!! "Roxas, we're searching your room later and you are GOING to hand over all the explosives you've been making."
"But what else am I supposed to do in my spare time? I can't look at porn like you!" He whined. Riku smashed the back of his head, ignoring the girls’ laughter.
"So, what's on today's to do list?" He asked, pointedly looking at me. His look basically said "How the hell are you related to him?"
"No idea. I think he was adopted or something," I said. "Then again, how would that work? We don't have parents..." I trailed off.
"Can we just sleep?" Roxas piped up. Yes, my brother and I love to sleep. It's a curse, I'm sure.
"No, you lazy bums," Ollete muttered around a mouthful of eggs. "If it were up to you, you'd sleep through the rest of your lives."
"Oh, I think that's exaggerating," I said. "Try through the winter. I've always wanted to hibernate." Riku shot me a death glare, and I fell silent. He's a very scary person.
"Well, I saw some apple trees a few miles away from here. Maybe we should go stock up?" Ollete suggested, picking up her plate and rinsing it off.
"You do realize what time of year it is?" Kairi piped up, resurfacing from the ocean that was her food. "Even if they're any left, there going to be all wormy and rotten." She seemed to retch at the very idea.
"Well, what else would you do?" Ollete shot back, frowning. "It's not like you have a date or something." She gasped in mock shock. "Are you and Sora going out!?" I sputtered on my sip of orange juice, choking.
"Oh come on! Grow up, will you?" My face, along with Kairi's, was flushed red.
"Aw come on, leave Sora alone," Riku said, coming to my defense. Wait time out. "Sora couldn't get a date if he tried. Isn't that right?" He ruffled my hair, and I shoved his hand away.
"Well, they're probably spoiled right now," Roxas muttered stabbing his plate in hopes of finding food that wasn't there. "But it's not like we have anything else to do, right?"
"Yeah, and if they're good, Sora can make apple pie again!" Kairi and Ollete cheered. Last year I had made an apple pie, which took like ten friggen hours to finish. Needless to say, I'm not eager to make another.
"That depends on your point of view," I muttered, throwing my dish like a discus to Ollete, who caught it just in time. "I still say banging a tree with an old stick is a good way to burn up time."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outside, it was cool and sunny. Personally, my favorite weather. I had change out of my pajamas into more fitting clothes. A pair of jeans so baggy I needed three belts to hold them up. And, of course, the hooded sweatshirt Kairi had given to me last Christmas, with golden crowns adorning the chest and shoulders. To top it off, a pair of dark sunglasses were perched on my nose.
Back in the Institute, the guys in black decided to try and give Roxas and me night vision. Unfortunately, all the experiment did for Roxas was make him blind. For me, it made my eyes super sensitive to light. Those heartless bastards... Get it? You know, cause they use the Heartless? Never mind.
"Come on, lazy bum!" Kairi yelled at me, giggling. "Pick up the pace!" Rolling my eyes, I trotted up next to her, yanking up my hood.
"Why do you guys always yell at me?" I muttered. Riku threw me a look.
"Because nothing else seems to work with you." He turned away.
"Nice weather, huh?" I said, jamming my hands into my pockets and smiling at Kairi.
"Yep, it's a good thing to. I thought I was going to go insane from all that rain." She shuddered, shoving her hands into the pockets in her jeans. "Oh yuck, "she lifted up her foot, which was covered in mud. "Maybe we should have waited for the ground to dry out before we went out."
"Probably!" Roxas yelled form up ahead. "Now will you two lovebirds get up here? I have no friggen idea where I'm going!" To emphasize his point, he ran straight on into a pine tree, making a sickening thud.
"Brilliant," Riku muttered, picking up Roxas by the back of his jacket. "Next time, do what I say and hold onto my vest."
"Ooooh. clingy," I said. "I didn't know you felt that way, Riku." Once again, he shot me a death look.
"Enough with the crappy jokes, Sora." I feigned a look of hurt, pouting slightly.
"But Riku-"
"NO!" He yelled before I even finished what I was going to say. Which, in retrospect, was probably a good thing. If I had actually managed to say it, he would have snapped my arms in half, the violent little thing. Ollete laughed and skipped ahead. She clambered up to the top of a tree and gazed over the horizon.
"Only a few more miles to go!" She yelled down happily. We all groaned, continuing to trudge on. How could Ollete pick out a grove of trees from this far away, do you ask? Easy, she's got this telescopic vision thing going on.
"Try a few more feet," I yelled back up, sitting on the ground with my arms crossed. "I'm taking a break, we've been walking for over three hours!"
"Aw, is wittle baby Sora tired?" Ollete cooed. I stuck my tongue out at her, wrapping my hands behind my head. Riku scowled, kicking me.
"Ouch! Dude, what was that for?" I asked angrily, rubbing my shin.
"For being such a lazy ass," he replied coolly. "Not get your rear in gear, I don't want to be stuck out here in the open for too long." I saw Roxas roll his eyes behind him, and grinned.
"What could you possibly be afraid of?" I asked., "We haven't seen any sign of the Heartless in over four years. I'm pretty sure they aren't going to show up any time soon."
"Better safe then sorry," Riku said, grabbing Roxas by the back of his jacket and dragging him along.
"Riku, let me go!" Roxas yelled, throwing random punches that didn't even phase Riku. Kairi and Ollete followed suit, grabbing my sweatshirt and pulling me along the muddy ground. I admit it, it was pretty embarrassing.
"Oh come on! I can walk, you know!" To my surprise they let me go. I got to my feet, brushing dirt off myself and shooting daggers from my eyes at the two girls. "Thanks a lot."
"Welcome," Kairi shot back, smiling wide at me.
Sooner than I expected, we were standing in a grove of short apple trees, each one full of strangely shaped apples. They were kind of lumpy, reminding me a bit of Riku's head. Riku had handed and apple to Roxas who, unable to see the strange shape, bit right into it. It didn't go over well.
"Oh God! I think something just died on my tongue!" He gagged loudly, scraping the diseased apple off his tongue. Everyone else, including myself, was rolling on the ground laughing.
"Okay, I've changed my mind. THAT was defiantly worth the walk." I was laughing so hard there was a stitch in my side. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one,
"Oh sure, laugh at me, I don't care," Roxas muttered, still retching. "It's not like I have feelings or anything."
"Aw, I think we hurt his feelings guys," I said, grinning at my twin, who shot me the bird. "Aw, now he's upset. I think someone needs a hug." I held out my arms, ignoring the howls of laughter.
After a few minutes, everyone finally got control of themselves. "So, the apples suck ass," I said, shooting a purposeful look at Ollete. "Now what do we do?"
"We should just go back home," Roxas said, still scraping at his tongue. "I really need to get some mouthwash or something." He spat.
"Elegant," Kairi muttered, pushing herself to her feet. "You want to take a dump while you're at it?"
"Nah, I went this morning." We all made eew faces.
Then I heard it, the sound of snapping twigs. I rolled over on my side and saw it. Surrounding us were dozens of humanoid figures, covered in a dripping black ooze and golden eyes. I admit it, I nearly wet myself.
It was them. The Heartless found us.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," one of them snickered, digging its claws into the ground. Everyone was back on their feet, knees bent and hands curled into tight fists. I tapped Roxas only the shoulder twice, our code meaning " Really big trouble". And even though none of us would admit it, we were scared shitless.
"I was about to say the same thing," Riku muttered, glancing over at me. Now, I'll be honest, we never thought the Heartless would find us. We live in possibly the most remote place in the US, with sheer cliffs land locking us into the valley. We hadn't seen head nor tail of anyone besides ourselves in four years. So when they charged us, we did the only thing that we could think of.
We shot out our wings and took flight.
Oh, did I forget to mention that dream was more truth than fiction?
