Ichigo: We are back people. Sorry for the wait. Eminai was typing like heck to get this chapter done, so woot. She got it done.

Eminai: (Spazzes)

Ichigo: Ok then, onto the chapter.

Disclamier: Sadly we do not own anything.

It was an early morning of fall

With hastening of last summer’s withdrawal

Upon this sunrise city of Twilight.

Amongst the streets and beyond the castle

Lies the quiet aura of peaceful

Existence of a destined family-

BOOM!

“Ah Mom!”

“What did she do this time?”

A great plume of smoke rose from the small cottage and wallowed into the cool autumn’s air. Down below, beneath a thatched roof and wooden beams, was simply a suffocating haze. The air was gray in shock and disgust as it escaped through the chimney.

“Cough-Geez!-coughcough-You said you were taking a break for today!”

A torrent of light poured into the smoky room. Quickly the air-gobbling mist slipped through the opening and out into the world, only to dissolve. Slowly the room’s interior became visible once more: a hardy table made of some unknown wood, sturdy floor boards with patches of burns, and a woven rug with slight flames at the end. Clustered all around were pots and pans, tarnished silverware, and numerous gadgets not fit for a safe environment. There was a disgruntled sigh and another cough near the opened window.

“Yeah. Are trying to kill your children?” asked a boy with spiked brown hair.

“Seriously… And you call yourself a mother,” added the other boy, who other than his blonde hair, could be mistaken for the boy by the window. A small giggle answered them.

“It was just an accident. Don’t worry; I won’t put that in the stove next time.”

“You shouldn’t be putting chemicals in the stove in the first place!”

The brunette sighed as he snaked his way through the crowded kitchen. After jumping over a few dislodged cooking utensils, he managed to squeeze through the tiny opening to the living room. Though the weather was brisk outside, the fireplace was unlit; best save the pine logs for winter. The boy maneuvered past some toppled chairs and came to an oak door.

As he grabbed a book from a nearby table top, he yelled, “Mom, Roxas, I’m going now!”

“Hey, ask for people that are available while you’re at it, okay?” his brother shouted back. “Axel said his friend needed a lover!”

“All right! See ya!”

“Wow, today sure is busy,” Sora muttered to himself as he headed down a paved road in the center of town. Shops were opening up, and everyone was enjoying the cool air of autumn. People milled about, filling autumn air with energy and haste. In a way, Sora noticed, it was quite comforting; unlike their old home, isolation was no problem. He clutched the book tightly in his hands as he squeezed though a passing crowd. There were more residents out and about today. Winter could be glimpsed beyond the horizon, and many were preparing for another four months of crystal snow.

“Hey Sora!”

“Hello.”

“You’re mother doing well?”

“Oh, konnichiwa, Pence-kun! Yes Scrooge-san, Mom’s doing great! Your ice-cream was good by the way,” Sora quickly yelled back before he was pushed on by the morning rush. He heard a gruff laugh from the hardware store next to him and turned to see a man standing in front of the shop. The man balanced a cigarette in his mouth and straightened his goggles before replying.

“You say bonjour here, son!” Cid greeted. “Hey, mornin’ ma’am , how can I help you today…”

Sora grinned back and turned towards his right. He snaked through another tide of people and residents, and the aroma from a nearby bakery drifted near. Sora mentally noted to bring some change for a warm, toasty slice of bread.

“Morning Sora!” the baker greeted and placed another tray of fresh pastry on the counter. “How are you settling in?”

“K- Bonjour! I’m getting used to it. It’s lot livelier than Traverse Town!” Sora answered.

“That’s nice to know. Glad you’re liking it here; usually people are turned off by some of our weirder residents and- Hayner! Don’t touch my buns!”

A guilty blond with scruffy hair gave a nervous grin before dropping a few pieces of bread back to their respective trays. The baker raised a spatula threateningly over his head, and Sora hastily decided it was time to leave. The scent of pastries drifted away, and the crowd started to grow. Sora ducked and weaved between the sea of villagers, trying to get to an adjacent street. A spiky-haired blond slammed into him and scrambled away with a strange red string in hand.

“Ha, you can’t catch me! Pft!” the boy taunted as he blew a raspberry.

Sora was once again pushed aside, this time by a furious girl in pigtails.

“Tidus! Give me back my jump rope!”

Sora stared at the two then felt himself getting pushed by the crowd.

“Hey kid, watch it!”

“Wha-?” Sora asked. Suddenly, his legs hit a marble surface, and he wobbled. Another push by the crowd caused him to lose his balance, and Sora was sent tumbling into the fountain. There was a splash and cold water seeped into his clothes. Sora breathed a sigh of relief; he managed to save the book from a watery demise.

“You alright kid?” a villager asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Sora responded. He climbed out of the fountain and shook off the water droplets gathering in his hair.

It wasn’t usually this crowded; the coming of winter had brought worry and anxiety over the residents of Twilight. There were signs all around signaling a harsh four months of endless snow. Firewood and rations were being bought at a reckless pace, and neighbors wished each other the best of luck. Sora didn’t know how to respond to this. This was going to be his first winter here.

“Merlin, I’m here to return the book,” Sora called as he entered a wooden cabin. There were numerous bookshelves arranged neatly into rows. A small desk with a white feathered quill and some parchment stood near an open window. The floorboards were covered with rugs, and there were some shelves stacked against the wall. Merlin was nowhere to be seen. Sora gently placed the book on the desk, his blue eyes watching for any signs of the wizard.

“Merlin,” he called again, “Are you here?”

There was a startled scream and crash which sent age old dust flying through the air.

“Merlin!”

Sora quickly ran towards the noise to find the wizard flat on his bottom cursing. An old rickety ladder lied beside him with a couple of steps broken.

“Blasted thing… I’m going straight to Cid’s and getting me another one,” Merlin grumbled. “Oh, morning Sor- You’re soaking wet!”

“Oh… I just fell in the fountain, that’s all,” Sora dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Do you have any new books? I’ve been waiting for one so long!”

Merlin straightened to his feet and dusted off his sky blue robe. He pushed up his glasses then said solemnly, “I’m sorry Sora, but my orders have been delayed. Apparently a freak snowstorm has closed every travel route. That storm will be here in a matter of weeks.”

“Oh…” Sora hung his head. He kept on forgetting that Twilight was further north than Traverse Town. He couldn’t just assume that everything would go his way.

“But,” Merlin added, “I do know of an interesting tale that you might like.”

At once Sora was in a chair, his blue eyes bright with excitement.

“There was once a war, a terrible, bloody war. Country after country was pulled into the senseless madness, and many men were torn away from their families to enter battle. Wives became widows, children became orphans, and the old became sonless as the war grew into a catastrophic size. There was no neutral; you either on this side or that. There was no haven; you either died fighting or died waiting. Well, a young man born into this time decided enough was enough. He, along with eleven others whom he rescued, was blessed with strange powers that made them outcasts. Yet, these powers granted them survival and a will to end the war once and for all. For three years the group pressed on to their goal, stopping battles and convincing leaders and commanders to withdraw from this senseless bloodshed. At last, there were only two kings left to deal with. Both had an intense rivalry with one another, and both oppressed their own people for the war’s sake. Sickened by such behavior, the young man and his friends went up against two armies at once, with over three thousand soldiers each. All hope seemed to be lost, but the two kings misjudged their opponents. The group summoned storms, blazed fires, created storm surges, and distorted the very fabric of space. The kings gave up their thrones, and the dreadful war ended with unexpected heroes.”

Sora was about to comment, yet Merlin continued.

“However, the war left scars on the warriors, especially on the young man. They grew up learning that the weak died and the strongest lived. They grew up knowing the society was cruel and merciless, and that the only you could live in one was to be equally cold. They grew up with evil kings and rulers and countries filled with greed and lust. To them, the world they saved can never be changed from its dark ways. They have calloused to the suffering of the world for they suffered far worst. The young man became a lord, but in the end, a witch turned him into a beast for he had shown her his frozen heart. He is still waiting for the curse to be broken, and his castle became an illusion…”

“Wha? What kind of ending is that?!” Sora asked.

“That’s the thing: this story has yet ended! How exciting it is. To think that there’s still a tale out there waiting for an end,” Merlin happily explained. “All those stories just give you an ending, but this one; we’ll have to wait for it. Why, you can even make up an ending if it’s bothering you so much.”

At this, Sora’s disapproval disappeared in an instant. His usual optimistic grin was plastered upon his face, and his blue eyes were sparkling like they did every time he finished a wonderful novel. He sat restlessly in the chair, rocking back and forth as ideas spun around in his mind. Merlin left the boy alone as he summoned up a walking broom to clean the earlier mess. Wood chippings and dust were swept into a dust pan and dumped out the window, resulting in coughs and sneezes.

“Wait, I got it!”

Merlin turned around and directed the broom to the broken ladder. “And what have you thought of?”

“Well, what if that curse was broken by love, you know like Sleeping Beauty and stuff, and a really pretty, but weird, princess came to his castle on accident and broke the curse? And then, it’s a happy ending!” Sora said with a toothy grin.

“Sounds like a sequel, but I like it,” Merlin told the boy. “No, no, through the front door, not the window!”

The magic broom turned around and dragged the pitiful ladder to the door where it was tossed outside.

“I should be going now. Mom and Roxas are going to get worried- Hey wait- Merlin, you do know anyone that’s single? Axel has been asking about it apparently,” Sora inquired. He hopped out of his seat and started towards the front door.

“The only one I know is… well, you.”

Sora made a face and pretended to gag. It earned a light hearted chuckle from Merlin, and Sora waved a small goodbye before leaving the cabin. The crowd was dwindling now as the morning rush settled into the usual people in the town square. There were the proud soldiers on their usual patrol. Merchants from the northern cities set up stalls and enticed buyers in with exotic goods. Cid was already striking up conversations with a couple o shoppers; he was a good-natured man, and everyone had to visit his shop at least once. Hayner from earlier was cleaning pots and pans in the brisk weather while furious baker stood over him.

“Aw, Hayner, you should know better,” Olette scolded.

“Yeah,” Pence agreed. Hayner shot them both glares.

“Oh shut up.”

Beside the fountain, Tidus was sitting on the ground rubbing his cheek with tears in his eyes. A couple of soldiers stood around him; his father was in the army, so they knew him well.

“That Sophie… I was just kidding…” Tidus mumbled and he sniffed. A red hand mark was clear on his face.

“Tidus…” one of the soldier’s sighed.

Sora shook his head and continued down the street. The shops and cabins were quieter now, and Sora took a moment to enjoy the peace. It wouldn’t last long for the fall harvest was starting to reach its peak. At that time, everyone would be picking the last of their prized crops for food and for money. Sometimes they would even trade them with the merchants who would give them warm clothing and heavy blankets.

The smell of burnt furniture reached his nose. “Oh great… Mom…” Sora grumbled as he saw more smoke pouring out of his house. Inside, he could hear Roxas yelling and his mother’s frequent apologies. Then, another voice joined them, joking and coughing at the same time. Roxas gave a small laugh before more hacking ensued.

Axel was here.

When they first met him, Sora didn’t know what to make of him. He was rather eccentric, with flame red hair that made him stood out from the crowd. Teardrop-like tattoos were burned under his eyes, and his trademark smirk amplified his uniqueness. Not that Sora minded, really. Axel was the welcomed black sheep of the crowd; he brought some oddity to the usual, go-by-the-majority atmosphere. Sora however kept a watchful eye on him. Axel seemed peculiarly interested in Roxas, and if anything happened to his twin, Sora would be the first to act. Roxas sometimes reprimanded him about that, saying that ‘Axel is my best friend. He would never do anything to harm me’ (Exact words).

His thought train was suddenly interrupted by a small giggle coming from the bush. Actually, there were two of them, and the bush shook with anxiety as Sora came closer.

“Okay, what are you doing?” Sora asked. The bush shook a few more times before an arm reached out. The rest of the body followed, and Sora was staring at the girl in pigtails.

“Sophie? What are you doing hiding in a bush?”

“Well…” She cautiously glanced around, as if looking for any potential spies. “You see… Princess Kairi… She wants to talk to you about something… You know, face-to-face.”

Sora was about to explain he didn’t have time when the bush shook again. This time, a girl with mahogany hair and deep blue eyes stepped out the plant. Her usual attire of pink skirts and matching sleeveless tops was crumbled and a couple of leaves stuck to her shoes. Despite this, her expression was one of joy.

“P-princess! What are you doing here? I bet the castle’s a wreck since you snuck out again,” Sora whispered. Fortunately, his family had failed to notice his short outburst.

“Sora… I have to ask you something…” Kairi whispered back. “You know how I’m supposed to have a groom chosen by my sixteenth birthday? Well… I can’t think of anyone but-“

“How about Riku? He’s really dedicated to you,” Sora suggested.

“No, I mean-“

“Yeah, you’re right, he can be such a stiff at times,” Sora stated.

“Sora, listen. I mean, the only one I can think of… well, to marry… is… you.”

The boy stood there in silence, his mind trying to register what Kairi just said. He knew Kairi had become fast friends with him ever since he moved, but… marriage? That was just something he never expected.

“Kairi, you’ve only known me for a month. How can you say that I should be your groom? And what about the other guys that you’ve known longer than me? Look Kairi, I understand, kind of, about what you think about me, but this is just too… weird.”

Kairi’s mood of joy seemed to pop. She lowered her eyes to the ground and looked away. Sophie stood uncomfortably between the two, throwing glances at both sides.

“Kairi, I’m fifteen,” Sora continued as he tried to defend his reason. “I’m not ready to have my whole future decided. There’s someone out there who’s probably my perfect match, and I want to find her. I can’t do that if I’m engaged. Plus, I like you more as a friend than a lover.”

Kairi gave a small nod at this, but Sora doubted his words changed her mind. In fact, it seemed to make the girl more determined.

“Okay… Sora, how about this? I think about who else I could go with, and you think about this as well? There’s a lot of perks when you’re a prince-“

“I don’t want to be a prince,” Sora said strongly.

“Just think about it,” Kairi advised. She brushed off her crumpled clothes and walked glumly away. Sophie heaved a tired sigh, shouldered her red jump rope, and followed the princess down the dirt path. Sora watched their retreating backs till they disappeared from his field of vision. He kicked a stone on the ground and watched it roll into the grass. He walked over to it like a cat slowly sneaking up o its prey. Then, with a powerful swipe, he sent the rock flying through the air.

“Why me?!” he asked no one in particular. “Why do I have to be chosen?! There are a thousand men in this village, and she had to pick me!”

He assaulted another hapless stone. This time it clanked against the stone siding of the house.

“Telling me I should… Ugh, I hate this… Having my life decided for me…”

He took in a deep breath and stared at the autumn sky.

“There’s got to be something else… A more interesting life for me with the perfect girl…” He swiftly turned and headed back to his house. “Yeah… I wish.”

Ichigo: Well that's it, hope you guys enjoied the randomness, I can tell that some of our reviewers were dying to read this. So I hoped you enjoied.

Eminai: ...

Ichigo: Right, remember, all credit goes to Eminai! I just helped. x3

Read and Review!

Owari.