[KH/FF] Treachery of Fate: Blood and Betrayal

Chapter 84

“I think…we should invade the syndicate,” you finally said, swallowing the piece of bacon you had been chewing on.

It was the next morning, and if you were being honest, you didn’t even know what day it was anymore. You just knew that Axel and Riku were now in captivity for forty eight hours.

Silverware that clinked together a second ago fell silent, and you looked down, avoiding eye contact. With a long sigh, you stood from the large wooden dining table in the extravagant room and made way to the exit leading to the kitchen when the squealing of another chair standing made you stop in your tracks.

“I’mma go train,” he muttered, passing by you swiftly.

“What’s…happened to him lately?” you inquired, watching the small boy’s figure as he retreated towards the gym, his brother joining you in the kitchen.

Kazuki sighed as he and you put your dishes in the dishwasher,” Hirokiyoshi has been really…tough lately. I tried to make him get outta here with Marlene and Denzel the last day of evacuations, but he snuck off board before takeoff and stayed here. That night you saved him… he changed—a lot. He’s trying to be tougher.”

“I can see it in his eyes though,” you shook your head sadly,” that what used to be innocence is now fear.”

The auburn hair teen nodded,” He can scowl, train, and be bossy all he wants, but he’s still a little kid no matter what.”

“I’m sorry Kazuki, but I don’t think he’s going to stay when we go fight,” you whispered, glaring outside the glass doors and towards the sunny sky of the Caelum backyard, trying not to cry.

“It’s not your fault,” he whispered back, pulling you into a hug. “Hiro’s tough, but he’s eight nevertheless. If anything, he still needs to learn—and I’m not the only one who’s making sure of that.”
“What…do you mean?”

Kazuki let go of you and gestured for you to follow him down the hall his brother had gone. Inside the ballroom though, rather than the gym like you thought, Hiro was found with his hands on Demyx’s sitar, the blonde sitting closely beside him with an arm around the child’s shoulder, soothing him as he played. With his eyes slightly dampened, Hiro nodded at Demyx’s instructions, and smiled slightly when the expert guitarist made a joke.

“Demyx saw Hiro crying one night, and now, he’s helping him with the stress by teaching him how to play,” the teen smiled slightly. “What I’m trying to say is, is that everyone here is here for each other. So even if they didn’t say it yet, just give them a little while before they agree—because I know they will.”

***

Axel fell—as did Riku—to his knees. The final fiend that stood before them vanished, and the crowd was rowdy as they waited for another competitor to approach the ring. However, they became silent when Ryuushin raised his hand and stood from his seat, the bandages wrapped around his head making him appear as if he was a mental patient. Though it was a rather hilarious sight, there were no laughs—not verbally of course.

“Fun’s over. Get back to training,” the ravenette ordered.

With grumbles, but not an argument, the shinobi shuffled off of the bleachers and dispersed into their respective areas of the syndicate. Ryuushin nodded towards the samurai guards of the area, and the benches retracted back into the walls, the gate ascending, and the weapons back on display.