C H A P T E R O N E - L A T E M O R N I N G
A/N: Well… It seems I’ve decided to create a new fan-fiction based off of my favorite video games, Kingdom Hearts. Doesn’t matter which version, but I’ll base it off the latest ones as of now, just because they are all so much more full of awesome in the last Kingdom Hearts. Ooh, who wants Days to come out sooner?
Ok, enough of my rambling… I do not own any of these characters, though I dream I do, though I may be adding some of my own in… Who knows, I’m not too sure myself, seeing as I’ve just begun. If you read this, I would appreciate a review of any form. I know I have many grammatical errors, I’ll try to fix them sometime, but at least try and enjoy it despite you may not be able to understand what I mean in some cases. XD
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Demyx could feel it. He could really feel it. The call of the wild, as it had been explained to him by Reno, a Lesser Shifter like Demyx himself. The blonde stood at the top of the cliff, arms outstretched on either side, eyes closed. It wasn’t like he’d ever felt this before; in fact, he hadn’t thought it was real. Had thought it was just an excuse to feel a certain way. But now he knew, and he would embrace it.
“Dem… Demmy…”
The blonde cracked an eye open, gazing up into the aquatic green color of his best friends eyes. The red-hair was put into its usual ponytail, tied at the base of Reno’s neck, an exciting grin plastered across his lips. As Demyx closed his eye again, he was aware of a sharp pain in his shoulder, and when he brought a hand up to the injured area and applied pressure, the pain obliterated, left as quickly as it had come. Phantom pain, as Vincent had once told him. It meant his other form needed healing.
“R-Reno.” Demyx murmured, this time opening both eyes. Reno’s hands were placed on his shoulders and the older man nodded once, his eyes taking on a more worried light. Demyx reminded himself Reno was quick to change emotions, even if he never seemed to take on a negative look at things.
“Yes Demyx?” The redhead asked, tilting his head ever so slightly, studying the blonde’s face. Demyx wanted to go back to sleep, wanted too go back to that dream he’d been having recently, about the figure standing on the hillock, greeting the wind with open arms. But Reno wasn’t about to let him slip away again, and the blonde was forced to accept his fate and groan. He put a hand over either of Reno’s and shoved him away, sitting up, rubbing the back of his neck with a tired hand. His glance swept around his small room; he was amazed it had stayed clean in the past week. It consisted of his bed, resting against the furthest wall from the door, a small closet, and a bookshelf. The bookshelf was conveniently placed against the wall too the left of the door, and the closet too the right. The walls were a dark blue color, with purple designs that danced up and down, directing his vision in whichever way they had chosen to sprawl. His blue and gold sitar lay against the bookshelf, looking lonely and disused. It was true he hadn’t used it in a while, hadn’t felt the need.
“What time is it?” Demyx finally asked, rubbing his face with the same hand he’d previously been rubbing his neck with. One swipe, and then he was sitting with his legs over the side of the bed, hands folded neatly in his lap. He swept the room once more with his eyes before letting them land on the grinning Reno, blinking away the gumminess that kept his eyelashes together, made him want to just close them and not fight to keep them open, to just let go again and sleep.
Of course, he was interrupted and snapped back into focus at the redhead’s overzealous voice. “It’s 5:50 in the morning, you slept in today, so I was sent to wake you up.” Demyx sent him a sardonic glare, and then proceeded to stand and stretch, one arm going up, one down. “Well gee, thanks.” Demyx told him, honing a sarcastic tone, mimicking Reno’s grin excitedly. “I mean, I wouldn’t have wanted to miss our morning routine or anything…” Both of them rolled their eyes and turned, walking towards the open bedroom door leading to the hallway. As they approached, Demyx could see the boring brown color of the hallway, as well as the closed white doors that lined either side, and he sighed. Morning really had come, and he couldn’t change that.
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He followed Reno down the hall. None of the other doors were opened, but he guessed they were already eating breakfast or hanging around outside, waiting for the group to be done so they could start patrol. Demyx rolled his shoulder once, grunting, as he felt no pain, and then ran a hand through his messy, bed-head hair. He’d do something with it later. For now he’d have to leave it sticking out at odd angles and hope no one took too much notice.
“Hey guys!” That voice, which pretty much matched Reno’s overzealous one, was walking towards them, and the perky little brown haired body that followed was also matching the redhead’s expression: a grin. “Yo, Sora.” Reno said to the younger boy, saluting him and slowing as the gap between the three of them closed. “How’s it going?” Demyx stood beside Reno, smiling at Sora. Though Sora looked young, he was already a Full Shifter, one of the best. Demyx couldn’t help but feel slightly exuberant every time he ran into one; they were usually doing important stuff and didn’t need help with anything.
“It’s pretty good.” Sora replied, waving back before nodding once at Demyx. Demyx nodded back, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall behind him. They had traversed nearly all of the hallway. What stood at the end was a door with glass windows, and a hint of a staircase on the left, just the railing running upwards at an odd angle. “Well that’s good.” Reno said, crossing his arms as well. “I guess, what I really meant was… What are you doing here? Looking for someone?” Demyx watched as Sora nodded. Both Reno and the brunette slowly backed up against either wall, Reno beside Demyx now. Demyx wanted to laugh, but he held it in. It was rather comical, all three of them leaning against walls casually, arms crossed. As though they were important people trying to look casual. Sora had an excuse, but neither the blonde nor the redhead did.
“Company.” Sora said blatantly, inclining his head towards the pair across from him. “It’s my first time in a while that I get to spend alone, but I thought I’d rather spend it with friends. You busy?” Reno turned, tilted his head at his best friend, inquiring silently that he would like to spend time with the brunette. Demyx knew neither of them had obligations at the moment, even if that’s where they were headed, and he nodded once, turning back to Sora. “Naw, we’re not busy.” Reno finally replied, standing up straight and clapping his hands in front of him, swinging his arms back to his sides after. “At least, not yet… Vincent may need us for something… But-“ “So we should probably just go check in first…” Demyx interrupted, knowing how easily his friend would put things off. He was eager too do the same, but the last time they’d done that, Vincent had tracked them down like a hound and punished them for slacking. He wasn’t a mean guy or anything, it was just everyone had duties that needed too be fulfilled, and no one was allowed to slack too much.
“Ahh.” Sora said knowingly, his chin connecting with his chest gently a mere second after, gazing at the floor. “Don’t want to get in trouble with Vincent I’m guessing…” “Well… Not really…” Demyx glanced up at Reno, who was jumping from one foot too the other, anticipating what was going to happen next. Sora looked up as well, raising an eyebrow at him before cracking into another grin. “Well, that was a rhetorical question Reno, but… It’s probably best you go make sure you have nothing too do. I know what its like to get one of his punishments, I’d rather not have to do a full twenty-four hour patrol shift again thank you very much.” Demyx stood up straight and uncrossed his arms, as did Sora, and then inhaled loudly. “Well…” The blonde stated, turning to first the redhead, then the brunette. “Then lets go. I still haven’t had breakfast, I’m starving!” As he began finishing their walk down the hall, Sora followed after him, chuckling. “Dude, breakfast was like an hour ago, you better hope there’s anything left for you!” “Oh there will be, everyone knows Demyx on an empty stomach equals bitchiness and over exuded hyperness.” “Oh shut up Reno! It’s the same for you!” “Yah, but when was the last time he swung a sitar at your face Dem?”
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After arriving in the kitchen, there had been nothing left of breakfast except empty and discarded dishes, which Demyx and Reno had disdain to touch. Sora leaned against a dish-cluttered counter, murmuring something about delinquents and responsibility while the blonde reached into the fridge, looking for something to sate his hunger and thirst.
“Dem, get me something while you’re in there, kay?” Demyx nodded absent-mindedly to Reno, leaning down into the fridge. One hand on the top of the fridge door, holding it open so it wouldn’t slam against him, and one hand by his face, tapping his lower lip, he searched for fruit and milk. He found both quite quickly, and closed the fridge door with a small bang, holding a milk jug and a carton of strawberries in either hand. He was facing the kitchen table now, his back too the fridge and the kitchen cupboards that were on either side of it, and he began walking forward, stopping at the island that stood like a barrier between him and the table just a few paces away from the fridge. It held a sink on the far left, and an open space on the right, which he promptly put his food down on and turned back around to search for some clean dishes in one of the many and overfilled cupboards lining the walls. It didn’t take him long too find two bowls, and he looked over his shoulder, arms up stretched towards the dishes, eyes studying Sora. “You hungry?” “No, I already ate earlier.” Came the response, and the blonde resumed pulling out the bowls and forks and piling them on the island beside the fruit and milk. It seemed Reno’s curiosity got the best of him and he walked over to the island, leaning over it on the opposite side of the blonde, watching as Demyx pulled out a knife from a drawer in the island and began slicing the strawberries after washing them in the sink. It didn’t take long for all of them too be cleaning sliced and placed evenly into the bowls, milk sloshing overtop them before turning the white liquid a murky pink a few seconds after. “Looks good.” Reno commented as Demyx replaced the milk and leftover strawberries in the fridge, returning only too pick up a bowl and fork and begin eating. “It is good.” Demyx echoed contentedly as he sat at the table, his back to the island, and glanced out the oversized window in front of him.
He could see a shape run past, a flash of faded yellow and pitch black, before another shape followed, dark green with flowy brown chasing after it. He concluded it was Yuffie and Tifa, at it again, probably playing tag or something dumb. He didn’t not like them, he just found them overly annoying. Plus, they were blocking the view. From the window, you could see all the way down the shoreline and to the forest. This was almost like a beach house, except that it housed far more than just one family.
“So, Sora… How’s it been going lately? Working hard?” Reno asked, breaking the silence, his chair squeaking against the ground as he dragged his body closer into the table. Sora finally stood and joined them at the table, sitting beside Demyx, Reno on his other side. “Yah, working hard, sure.” Sora answered, a far-off tone too his voice. Demyx tilted his head to the side, careful not to drip milk from his lips, and furrowed his brows slightly at the boy. “But… Sora said, interrupting his thoughts briskly. “I’ve haven’t been working too hard… It’s been, nice lately.” “Busy?” Reno asked lightly, eating a strawberry slice, watching the milk drip off it slowly. “Busy? No, not lately… Just, nice.” Demyx returned his head too completely overtop his bowl, licking his lower lip before the milk dripped off. “That doesn’t sound right.” He said jokingly, smirking a little. “What, no one’s decided to just show up and start something?” Sora didn’t even turn to him. He seemed to be looking out the large window as well. “Nope. It’s been pretty quiet. Vincent’s been doing his best to keep everyone who doesn’t belong here at bay, and I’ve been doing my best to keep our territory safe. It seems Xigbar got into a fight with a Lesser Vampire the other day, and Vincent had to resolve that with their leader. It seems he had to pay, homage.” Reno and Demyx both turned to him curiously, one eyebrow raised, strawberries and milk forgotten. The way Sora had said “homage” just didn’t sound, all that great. “Homage?” Demyx finally voiced, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. “Yah.” Sora said, shaking his head. “Xigbar was stupid. He was also punished, and it seems he isn’t keen on doing anything like this again anytime soon.” Demyx was still stupefied. Why had Xigbar started a fight in the first place? What was there to fight over nowadays? Was he trying to get them into another many year war? The first one had been bad enough, not to mention Demyx had been much younger then, not as experienced… He’d never forget that one who’d let him be free, who hadn’t gone all the way, who hadn’t finished killing him. Not that he’d liked being left in that unconscious close-to-death state, but at least he was alive today to tell the tale.
“So, what, exactly, was this homage?” Reno asked, folding his hands around his bowl, semi-circling it. Sora still didn’t look at him, just continued staring out the window, as though he was waiting for something too pop up. “Well… It wasn’t something that happens often, but.. It seems, Vincent offered some of, well… Their leader…” “Just say Axel, it’s not a bad word.” Reno pointed out, blinking when Sora audibly grimaced. “I know it’s not a bad word, it’s just… Never mind. But, Vincent had to offer some of himself for Xigbar’s mistake. You’re just lucky he’s strong enough.” Demyx shook his head, poking at a strawberry with the end of his four pronged fork. “We aren’t the lucky ones, Xigbar is… If Vincent had made him pay for his own mistake, I don’t think he would’ve survived. Not after the state he was left in leaving that last fight…” Reno began eating again, staring out the window as well. “Vampires are stupid. It’s not like we come after them thirsting for blood… Well, okay, only when I’m hungry, but still…” Sora turned to him, and suddenly his serious expression vanished, and he was left a chuckling and young looking boy again. “I wish I could be as carefree as you two, but you’ll never hear me saying something like that.. Vampire’s aren’t stupid, especially not the older ones, and you both know that firsthand. I just don’t like talking about them…” Demyx leaned his cheek against an open palm, stirring a finger from his free hand through his strawberries and milk. “And why not?” Sora seemed to sober again at his question, and the blonde suddenly regretted asking. He partially knew the reason why, but Sora had never told him straight out… It had been, more he’d found out through snooping, which he definitely had not done in the past week… Or so…
“Because… I just don’t.” Sora told him before standing. “I’ll be upstairs, come get me after you figure out what you’re doing with your lives today.” Demyx was sorry to see him leave in such a confused and bitter state, but he turned to Reno and stuffed five strawberry slices in his mouth, chuckling breathily as the redhead mimicked him. The slices hadn’t been small, and he could feel them taking up any empty space in his mouth, threatening to jump back out if he laughed. That snapped the tension that had been building in the room and they both couldn’t hold it in then, swallowing the strawberries. Whatever was left was spat out across the table before both boys hastily stood and began retrieving them.
Demyx was the first to finish, and the first to saunter over to the job list of the day. Of course, in bolded letters were everyone’s name, including Demyx’s, but not including Reno’s. Which sucked, because they usually did their jobs together. Demyx had to suck it up for today though; plus he was happy, his job was to find dinner for tonight, simple and fast. He’d get it done in no time. Every member had to get dinner more than once a week, as well as lunch and sometimes breakfast. Though for breakfast, most people just waited for Aerith to make them a buffet before scrambling off to do whatever duties had been asked of them.
“Aw, Dem, seems you’ve got something too do today. I’ll be up with Sora, we’ll wait for you.” Demyx turned around from his inspection of the list, slightly surprised that Reno was standing so close to him that when he’d turned their noses had almost met. Reno took a few hasty steps back before grinning. “See ya.” “You suck!” Demyx yelled after the giddy man as he raced towards the stairs, not wanting to be held back any longer. With a final sigh, Demyx turned and headed too the door with the glass windows that led outside.
As the door opened, he was greeted with a cold breeze. He stepped out a few paces and turned, closing the door quietly without locking it. He was standing on the patio, which ran all the way around the house, a pair of stairs on either side of the house. He chose the stairs that were right in front of him and began walking towards them, placing his hands in his pockets. Every night before bed, he would change into a new outfit, whichever outfit he was wearing the next day. It made sense, because any Shifter could be awoken at any time of the day or night in order to fight. It was a precaution, and he was suddenly glad he’d chosen jeans and a hoodie. The only thing he was missing was some form of music, which would have completed him, but he ignored the urge to go back inside and retrieve his iPod. He was headed for the forest, and as he walked down the shoreline, letting the water lap at his shoes, he sighed. It was peaceful out here, the forest lined like a wall beside him, a good hundred feet away. He had never been one too stare into its depths and enjoy the lurking shadows and stuff, but he didn’t mind them either.
He turned suddenly from his walk and began in a new direction, still headed to the same destination though. He enjoyed hunting from the same place every time, and his place was the part of the forest that was thinnest, which was easy to separate from the rest. It stood out like a receding hairline in the midst of a bunch of longhaired and good-looking men. Who would’ve thought that was the best place to find what he needed.
As he reached the first jutting and lifeless looking tree, he glanced behind him, then around, and then sank too his hands and knees. As soon as he’d done so, he closed his eyes…
And the transformation began.
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A/N: I know, I know. A cliffhanger. I wanted to write more, but my sister told me to stop, said it would be better that way. Plus she told me over three thousand words was Okay for a first chapter, so I chose to accept and move onto chapter two.
Yay me.
~Lupae
