Ok folks, I apologize for the lack of updates. I just have had a bit of writer’s block, and all that jazz. Not that anyone cares. O.o This fic has over 200 views, but only one review! Seriously, if you read, could you PELASE at least give me some constructive criticism? Anyway, this is not a real chapter. It’s more or less, an in-between thing to keep the readers occupied while I work on the real thing. It’s not my best, but it’s just meant to tie ya over and stuff. And, I admit it got a bit violent, but I tried to avoid describing anything that unpleasant. So, here’s the pre chapter.

Pre Chapter

Hayner POV

I couldn’t believe it. I just wouldn’t. Today was the day I would finally beat Seifer, the day everyone in twilight town would finally see me as more than some hard headed teenager who could only get into trouble. For once, I could have shown the whole town everything, but then, I wiped out at the last minute. While I was fighting Seifer earlier, things started out JUST fine. Sure, he had that cheap gunblade, but this time, I was ready. We started out rushing at each other, both of our weapons ready. Seifer had an advantage, but that was all the better reason to win this rumble.

I admit that I was somewhat scared, which is saying a lot, since I’m not a wuss; no matter how many times Seifer accuses me of being one. The only difference in my fighting strategy was that I was much more alert, after watching Sora in action. Who knew that simple maneuvers such as rolling around to dodge blows could come so much in handy? Anyway, as Seifer tried to swipe at my legs with his weapon, I managed to get out of the way by using that little roll technique. Funny thing is, because I moved so suddenly, Seifer ended up making a face plant in the center of the sandlot.

While my rival was busy eating dirt, I managed to get a few blows. Even with a pathetic struggle club, I was able to dish out some hurt. Sadly, my triumph didn’t last that long, as the head of the disciplinary committee finally got back to his feet, giving a good slash at my shirt. I was quite lucky that he didn’t open any skin. I mean, I already had one wound on my face from our last rumble. Still, Seifer ruined one of my favorite shirts, and I wasn’t about to let him get away with that… without a good beating from yours truly, that is.

I was pretty quick to make another move at Seifer, hitting him in his manliness with my club. Actually, that wasn’t even where I had been aiming, but at least it stunned the guy long enough for me to club him in the gut a few times before running out of his range. Man, I was on fire! Sadly, any success was cut short as I found myself playing coward as my rival began to lash out at me once again. It was only when I found the perfect opening for a finishing move that things began to change for the worst.

Everything had frozen. Seifer was stuck in mid air, the crowd still in their cheering positions. I knew that something was wrong. I mean, come on! Since when could time freeze itself? But then, something eerily familiar slapped me right in the face. An image back at The Usual Spot flashed before my eyes. I could see Pence and Olette, but there was another person. For some reason, though, I couldn’t see them… it was like they had been blurred.

Whoever this guy was, it seemed as if me, Pence, and Olette all knew him. In fact, we were all standing together with some photos and talking about them for some reason. But, when did that happen? I never remembered any photos like that. While my mind wandered, I heard Pence speak to this stranger.

“You know, I wonder what those things were… and why they stole those pictures of you, -----. Do you have any idea?”

“Uh…not really… They just, sorta jumped at me, and everything froze… well, besides them… and me.”

Before I could see what happened next, the vision faded, and I found myself standing in the sandlot again with everything still stuck. Nervously, I gave another look around, only to find that some man in a black trench coat as watching me. He seemed incredibly skinny, possibly anorexic, and he was definitely in his late teenage years, if not older. I gave the weirdo a good stare before he stepped forward, and pulled off his hood, revealing a mess of red hair and aqua green eyes. Judging by his appearance, this guy must have seriously layered up on the hair jell.

“So, you’re the one he called his ‘friend’,” snickered this stranger. “Tell me, uh… ‘Hayner’, do you remember anyone by the name of Roxas?”

Roxas… Roxas… there something about that name… but I just didn’t know what. As far as I knew, I had never met anyone named ‘Roxas’. Then again, the way things were these days, maybe I DID, but I couldn’t remember. I dunno. Right now, it seemed like the world was a mixed up mess. This spiky headed stranger asked me if I knew a Roxas, but there was only one answer I could give…

“I… don’t know…”

I looked back at towards guy in black, only to find him gone. Not only that, but the time had somehow unfrozen. It was only pure stupidity that I had forgotten about Seifer, and the fact that he had been frozen in a lashing position, only to be set back into motion too. By the time I finally was hit by realization, it was too late. The sharp end of the gunblade had made its mark across my back, and this time, it was more than a simple tear in my jacket. This time I was down for the count, my back fully exposed with an open gash. Pain surged down my spine, and the worst part is, I was surrounded by a crowd of people, which added that extra hint of humiliation.

“HAYNER!” I heard in the distance. Almost instantly, I found Pence and Olette rushing toward me. Each of them was equally worried about me. In all the rush that happened over the next few minutes, it was hard for me to see what was going on, but I knew that my two friends were there, and that was good enough for me. I could hear shouting in the background, though the sound was so muffled that it was impossible to know what was happening. I think I could here Olette shouting at Seifer, but it’s hard to say.

Pretty soon I blacked out, with the last thing I saw being a crowd of people looming over me. Yes, I had been totally thrashed by Seifer and most likely served with the maximum embarrassment. Whatever was in store for me next, I’d find out sooner or later. Anyway, the next thing I remember was waking up on the couch back in the Usual Spot. Everything was exactly the same from the dart board on the wall to the struggle poster. I guess Olette and Pence had carried me back here after I had blanked out.

Quietly, I took a moment to try sit up… try is the key word. When I tried to lift my body forward, sharp pains began to run down my spine. I guess THAT was yet another stupid idea on my part. Seifer sure chopped me up pretty well, and now I just KNEW I’d be a laughing stock if I showed my face around the sandlot again. Anyway, after hearing my pathetic scream from trying to move, Olette and Pence were quick to rush over to me. Between the two of them, they looked so worried that even a complete idiot could figure it out.

“Gee, Hayner, you need to slow down,” Pence rambled, waving his arms around like some weirdo. “Seifer was serious when he lashed you earlier.”

Pence was right. Even I knew when I was beaten. Alright, so I was more than just beaten. How about, thrashed to a point of disgust? Either way, Seifer had won and I had lost. End of story. But, it just wasn’t fair. If it wasn’t for everything freezing up, my rival would have been toast. With those thoughts in mind, I sorta went into a small fit of rage, which, obviously, didn’t help with the condition I was in. For the second time, I felt that stupid burning pain jolt up my spine. Obviously, anger wasn’t getting me anywhere, so, I pretty much went back to lying down for a bit.

As I was just moping around lazily, I kept thinking about what that dude with the cloak had said. This Roxas that he mentioned… I needed to know who he was. I dunno why, but something just told me that he was more than just some random person. But, for now, I’d have to wait. The pain in my back wouldn’t go away until I got some rest anyway. So, I started to doze off, but in my mind I kept thinking about this Roxas along with how I’d deal with Seifer once I got in better shape.

End Pre Chapter

AN: Also, I am thinking of breaking my chapters up into smaller chunks to keep things going quicker. No, I’m not shortening them, but rather, I plan on making each large chapter into about two or so smaller ones. And, I better not put previews up, cuz I dunno how reliable they are sometimes. -shrug- I may still give ya little hints, though. So, hope ya enjoyed my drabble. Please review, though it doesn’t really have to be on this pointless chunk of Hayner stuff. XD