Fanfiction ► The Great Babysitting Adventure
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You could look at it that way. Both, neither... I'm leaving that up to interpretation because I'm too lazy to google it. o3o
;v; K~ I still have other characters I can try to give cameos to from RG, anyway.
The chapter was great Mega, nice job.
Been a while since I've been in this section. Even still ... It's good to see you've updated ... Since then -_-"
So, if the apprentices are stealing people ... Does that mean we might see some Emblems soon O_O?!(Heartless constructed from the Apprentices inhumaine experiments).
So, if the apprentices are stealing people ... Does that mean we might see some Emblems soon O_O?!(Heartless constructed from the Apprentices inhumaine experiments).
Nice job; can't believe it took me so long to figure out there was a new chapter. *shakes her head in self-disgust* Anyway, can't wait to see what kind of mischief Lea's getting himself into next time! *goes back to sitting on the couch and reading her book*
This story is cute! <3
And the characters are perfect. You did a good job Mega. ^^
And the characters are perfect. You did a good job Mega. ^^
I'm going to give the overall after the run-through this time. There really wasn't too much wrong with it, generally just some flow issues and perspective things that kind of got confusing. I'll comment as I find them. Also I'm posting the next part later due to time and christ I'm tired as hell hahaha.
It seems like a lot but really this is kind of the most of it.
It seems like a lot but really this is kind of the most of it.
Spoiler Show
Thank you so much for this, Annoyance, I really appreciate it!
;3; I'll try to cut down on the ellipses, I know I'm supposed to use them sparingly or they lose their effect.
Everything else was fixed to the best of my abilities as you suggested. :>
;3; I'll try to cut down on the ellipses, I know I'm supposed to use them sparingly or they lose their effect.
I was trying to set off a transition, since the scene was changing.
About 5 or 6 in this story.
I actually have a reason in mind, I'm just not sure how to work in into the story.
I'll try and think of a rewording, since I can't think of one right now, but that was supposed to be my poor way of showing that something would happen to the vase and the flowers later. o3o
Everything else was fixed to the best of my abilities as you suggested. :>
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Alright, so let me just preface by saying that I'm only reviewing the first chapter for now. It's always nice to see where a fic will go based on the first chapter; it's almost like a foundation or even a strong opening statement that will determine whether or not your readers will say "yay" or "nay." With that being said, I'm glad you're trying a multichaptered fic! These are always the hardest not because of the content but moreso updating, motivation, remembering where the plot is meant to go, etc. So congrats on taking your first step with this commitment.
Now onto the review, shall we?
Now onto the review, shall we?
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I love this story so much 
You did a great job including all of those characters, especially Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith; and I can't think of any characters from Radient Garden that would be better suited for the role of babysitters than Isa and Lea, haha, it's so much fun to read. Also, the way you included Namine's doll as "Nana" in the beginning was incredibly clever. You're truly gifted, and I'm excited to see more
You did a great job including all of those characters, especially Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith; and I can't think of any characters from Radient Garden that would be better suited for the role of babysitters than Isa and Lea, haha, it's so much fun to read. Also, the way you included Namine's doll as "Nana" in the beginning was incredibly clever. You're truly gifted, and I'm excited to see more
Alright I'm back. I'm sorry it took me so long to get to the 2nd half of my critique, but let's do this. Hopefully I'll get this all done. The first post was really the MOST of it, and you got most of what I had to say. Giving the overall at the end.
Duly noted, thank you so much for looking over this! uvu
I was trying to do third person omniscient, actually, but I guess I'm not very good at it.
In regards to Kairi not know she had two, I tried to imply that Kairi's grandmother had been left with these two(who were a package deal, apparently) and Kairi was too excited to ask about details. I edited it so I made that a little more clear.
Alright, so let me just preface by saying that I'm only reviewing the first chapter for now. It's always nice to see where a fic will go based on the first chapter; it's almost like a foundation or even a strong opening statement that will determine whether or not your readers will say "yay" or "nay." With that being said, I'm glad you're trying a multichaptered fic! These are always the hardest not because of the content but moreso updating, motivation, remembering where the plot is meant to go, etc. So congrats on taking your first step with this commitment.
Now onto the review, shall we?
Thank you so much, I went through and changed the suggestions you made as well. I really appreciate that you were willing to look through this and critique it for me!
Better suited, perhaps(Tifa would probably make most sense) but for comedic purposes, these two are perfect~I love this story so much
Very shortly indeed! Sorry for the break I accidentally took, I do still remember where I'm going with this, but hey, getting there is half the fun, so I'm not cutting any corners to save time! Thus, the next chapter! I know little of Rinoa's characterization, if I messed it up, please let me know.
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An older boy with silvery hair sat on a bench eating an almost perfectly-square turkey sandwich. Kairi had seen him once before, near the fountains, but he hadn’t said a single word then. She hadn’t even learned his name, in fact.
Unexpectedly, the boy stopped eating to stare at her now with an odd inquisitiveness. Kairi stared back for a moment before she smiled and waved at him. “Hi!”
“Hello,” he greeted with a slight nod. “Kairi, right?”
Kairi gaped at him, too surprised to respond at first.
“Staring is uncivilized,” he informed her as he returned his attention to finishing his sandwich.
“Oh, um,” Kairi stuttered for a second before a smile spread across her face. “You talked!” She ran to his side and pulled herself onto the spot next to him on the bench. “What’s your name?”
He swallowed the food in his mouth before he answered. “Ienzo.”
“Ienzo…” She wasn’t sure what else to say, so Kairi absentminded swung her legs in the air. Ienzo went back to silently eating his sandwich, so he didn't offer any conversation. In the silence, Kairi let her mind wonder back to her grandmother and the disappearances around town. “…Hey, Ienzo, did you know?” she said to break the silence.
“Do I know what?” Ienzo asked as he finished his snack.
“People have been disappearing!” she whispered, starting to shake. “Maybe they were kidnapped! Or grandmanapped!” Kairi touched her necklace gingerly and frowned. “We have to be really careful.”
“Oh, I have a feeling I’m safe,” Ienzo said, and for a split second Kairi would see a bit of a smile on his face. No, a smirk? A grin? A giggle? It was gone too quickly to tell what it was, or even be sure it had really been there.
She didn’t dwell on that, though. “That’s good,” she said, returning her signature smile to her face. “Why do you think they’re disappearing anyways?”
Ienzo shrugged, and this time Kairi was sure that she saw a smile. “Perhaps whoever is doing it has their reasons.”
“But kidnapping people is wrong!” Kairi argued.
Ienzo simply shrugged, seemingly expecting that response. “Maybe you are too young to understand,” he noted.
Kairi was about to argue that, nu-uh, she was a big girl, but an older man with long blond hair and icy blue eyes called out to Ienzo before she could get the words out. Kairi turned to him and noticed that he was in the same coat white coat as Ienzo. “Is that your dad?” Kairi asked instead. Evidently, this was the wrong thing to ask, as Kairi realised when she saw Ienzo's expression as the boy just sighed and shook his head. "Um, I-"
"That's a colleague of mine. Even," Ienzo interjected.
Kairi took the hint- that wasn't a subject he felt like discussing. "Colleague?" she asked, tilting her head and trying not to wonder why Ienzo was reluctant to talk about his dad.
"It's something like a partner," he explained patiently.
"Like a friend?" Kairi suggested.
Ienzo thought it over before answering, "No, not exactl-"
"Ienzo, are you listening?" The older man almost sounded angry about being ignored. "It's time to return."
Kairi hopped down from her seat and smiled up at Even. "I'm Kairi, Ienzo's friend! It's nice to meet you, Mr.Even!"
Even looked from Kairi to Ienzo, who simply stood back up and shrugged. Even turned his attention back to Kairi, studying her pensively.
Kairi stared back up at him, noticably confused, before she remembered why she came there in the first place. "Um, mister, have you seen my gran-"
"Kairi, I knew you'd be here!"
This time, Kairi recognized the voice. She ran behind Ienzo for protection. "Go away!"
Lea panted and stared at the three of them. He didn't feel like causing a scene over this, and Even was a pretty notorious stick-in-the-mud, so he tried to think of to just coax the girl to listen. Throwing on a friendly smile and forcing a chuckle out, he said, "Kairi, come on... I'm your friend."
Kairi shook her head and scowled at him from behind Ienzo. "You're not acting very friendly!" she argued, blowing a raspberry at him. Ienzo shied away, hoping she didn't get any saliva on his lab coat.
"Kairi, we're not playing the game anymore, you win, okay?" Lea tried, sighing.
"I'm not playing a game, I'm doing something important!"
"Oh, come on! You're just running around the town!" Lea crossed his arms, glancing at the little boy Kairi was with. "What, did you come all the way here just to meet up with your friend?"
"I have nothing to do with this," Ienzo denied, holding up his hands innocently.
"No, I have to find my grandma!" Kairi shouted at Lea, loudly and shrilly enough to make all three boys cover their ears for a moment. Kairi took the chance to turn around and run again.
As soon as his ears stoped ringing, Lea started running to catch her, Even stepped in his way. "Old man, I don't have time for this!"
"'Old man'?'' Even repeated, aghast. "You will do well to respect your elders, young man. You are one of those heathens Dilan and Aeleus caught sneaking into the castle, correct?"
"Yeah, yeah, I learned my lesson, I won't do it again," Lea said dismissively, trying to look past Even. Where had Kairi run to? "Will you just get out of my way?"
Even looked at the youth comtempuously before stepping aside. "Such insolence," he muttered in disgust.
Lea couldn't care less what about Even, but somehow Kairi had managed to disappear again. It hadm't taken him that long to handle Even, and there was no way she'd left the area again. Still, with another aggravated sigh and an quick glare at Even, Lea sprinted down the street he was pretty sure Kairi had gone down.
Even smirked at the glare before he turned down to Ienzo. "You seem to have made quite an interesting friend, Ienzo. A heart naturally void of even a trace of darkness..."
Ienzo responded, but they had started walking back to the castle, so the voices trailed off as they discussed more of the fragile nature of hearts and how their recently started experiments were going. When they were far enough away, Kairi took the chance to immerge from her hiding place, a low shrub, and patted some of the leaves off of her dress. She frowned at the stubborn green stains that stayed in the fabric of her dress, but she remembered that she had other, more important thing to take of at the moment. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, smiling when she didn't see anyone. Now she could focus on finding her grandmother again!
"Boo!" Kairi jumped at the suddenly shout that came from behind her, looking back to see who had snuck up on her.
"Squall," Isa greeted when he ran into the slightly older boy.
"Isa?" Squall asked, looking around for the fiery boy that always seemed to accompany him. "It's kind of weird to see you without Lea."
Isa laughed. He could say the same regarding Rinoa, but that was beside the point. "We had to split up to do a search. Do you know Kairi?" Isa held his hand to about Kairi's height. "This tall, red hair, blue eyes..."
"Why are you looking for Kairi? You don't seem like the type to like children very much, Isa."
Both boys turned to the girl with long raven hair and bright brown eyes that smiled almost mockingly at the two of them. "Well? I guess I was wrong about you, if you play with Kairi. She can be a little hard to keep up with."
"Rinoa?" Isa sighed. "No, I'm not a big fan of children. Especially not one so demanding. Lea and I were babysitting and he let her run off."
"Babysitting? Does this have to do with that thing you guys did before?" Squall asked curiously, trying not to laugh. "I guess you would need more than a little damage control after that."
"Aw, I'm sure you'll find Kairi. Squall keeps trying to give me the slip," Rinoa explained, walking over and putting her arm around him. "But I'll always find my way back to him!"
Squall shook his head. "And what if Kairi just wanted alone time?" He argued.
"Alone time is always better with a friend you can depend on there with you, right?" Rinoa said, pulling him into a hug.
Squall glanced at Isa. "Is Lea this bad?" he asked jokingly, earning a light smack on the head from Rinoa.
"Almost," Isa chuckled.
"That just means the bonds will stay, though," Rinoa said, letting go of Squall but not leaving his side. "I bet you that Lea and Isa, and me and Squall, will always be together. We won't let anything tear us apart, not even you guys," she joked.
"Well, that's a scary thought." Isa retorted.
"And sadly, it might be true," Squall said in the same tone, but he had a smile on his face. "Oh, right, you were looking for Kairi, right? If she's mad at you, it shouldn't be too hard to make her listen. She's a little stubborn, but not impossible."
"And she can be so sweet, too. She'll probably be anywhere where there are flowers," Rinoa added. "She's a nice girl once you get to know her."
Isa shook his head. He doubted it, but really didn't have time to waste here. He glanced at the sky, shielding his eyes a bit with his hand, to get an approximation of the time. Well, at least he wasn't particularly pressed for time, but he still had to find her. "If neither of you have seen her, I guess I'll just keep looking."
"Good luck!" Rinoa called, waving as Isa left.
Isa waved back half-heartedly, absentmindedly wondering about what Rinoa had said. Not about Kairi, of course, about the two pairs never separating. Well,Squall certainly couldn't lose Rinoa even if he wanted to, although most of the town knew he didn't. And as for Lea...
Isa smiled. He'd always be stuck with that loser. If nothing else, he knew that much.
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Chapter 5
The small girl looked around, still breathing a little heavily from the run here. Kairi’s grandmother was nowhere in sight, she realized. However, there was one familiar face.An older boy with silvery hair sat on a bench eating an almost perfectly-square turkey sandwich. Kairi had seen him once before, near the fountains, but he hadn’t said a single word then. She hadn’t even learned his name, in fact.
Unexpectedly, the boy stopped eating to stare at her now with an odd inquisitiveness. Kairi stared back for a moment before she smiled and waved at him. “Hi!”
“Hello,” he greeted with a slight nod. “Kairi, right?”
Kairi gaped at him, too surprised to respond at first.
“Staring is uncivilized,” he informed her as he returned his attention to finishing his sandwich.
“Oh, um,” Kairi stuttered for a second before a smile spread across her face. “You talked!” She ran to his side and pulled herself onto the spot next to him on the bench. “What’s your name?”
He swallowed the food in his mouth before he answered. “Ienzo.”
“Ienzo…” She wasn’t sure what else to say, so Kairi absentminded swung her legs in the air. Ienzo went back to silently eating his sandwich, so he didn't offer any conversation. In the silence, Kairi let her mind wonder back to her grandmother and the disappearances around town. “…Hey, Ienzo, did you know?” she said to break the silence.
“Do I know what?” Ienzo asked as he finished his snack.
“People have been disappearing!” she whispered, starting to shake. “Maybe they were kidnapped! Or grandmanapped!” Kairi touched her necklace gingerly and frowned. “We have to be really careful.”
“Oh, I have a feeling I’m safe,” Ienzo said, and for a split second Kairi would see a bit of a smile on his face. No, a smirk? A grin? A giggle? It was gone too quickly to tell what it was, or even be sure it had really been there.
She didn’t dwell on that, though. “That’s good,” she said, returning her signature smile to her face. “Why do you think they’re disappearing anyways?”
Ienzo shrugged, and this time Kairi was sure that she saw a smile. “Perhaps whoever is doing it has their reasons.”
“But kidnapping people is wrong!” Kairi argued.
Ienzo simply shrugged, seemingly expecting that response. “Maybe you are too young to understand,” he noted.
Kairi was about to argue that, nu-uh, she was a big girl, but an older man with long blond hair and icy blue eyes called out to Ienzo before she could get the words out. Kairi turned to him and noticed that he was in the same coat white coat as Ienzo. “Is that your dad?” Kairi asked instead. Evidently, this was the wrong thing to ask, as Kairi realised when she saw Ienzo's expression as the boy just sighed and shook his head. "Um, I-"
"That's a colleague of mine. Even," Ienzo interjected.
Kairi took the hint- that wasn't a subject he felt like discussing. "Colleague?" she asked, tilting her head and trying not to wonder why Ienzo was reluctant to talk about his dad.
"It's something like a partner," he explained patiently.
"Like a friend?" Kairi suggested.
Ienzo thought it over before answering, "No, not exactl-"
"Ienzo, are you listening?" The older man almost sounded angry about being ignored. "It's time to return."
Kairi hopped down from her seat and smiled up at Even. "I'm Kairi, Ienzo's friend! It's nice to meet you, Mr.Even!"
Even looked from Kairi to Ienzo, who simply stood back up and shrugged. Even turned his attention back to Kairi, studying her pensively.
Kairi stared back up at him, noticably confused, before she remembered why she came there in the first place. "Um, mister, have you seen my gran-"
"Kairi, I knew you'd be here!"
This time, Kairi recognized the voice. She ran behind Ienzo for protection. "Go away!"
Lea panted and stared at the three of them. He didn't feel like causing a scene over this, and Even was a pretty notorious stick-in-the-mud, so he tried to think of to just coax the girl to listen. Throwing on a friendly smile and forcing a chuckle out, he said, "Kairi, come on... I'm your friend."
Kairi shook her head and scowled at him from behind Ienzo. "You're not acting very friendly!" she argued, blowing a raspberry at him. Ienzo shied away, hoping she didn't get any saliva on his lab coat.
"Kairi, we're not playing the game anymore, you win, okay?" Lea tried, sighing.
"I'm not playing a game, I'm doing something important!"
"Oh, come on! You're just running around the town!" Lea crossed his arms, glancing at the little boy Kairi was with. "What, did you come all the way here just to meet up with your friend?"
"I have nothing to do with this," Ienzo denied, holding up his hands innocently.
"No, I have to find my grandma!" Kairi shouted at Lea, loudly and shrilly enough to make all three boys cover their ears for a moment. Kairi took the chance to turn around and run again.
As soon as his ears stoped ringing, Lea started running to catch her, Even stepped in his way. "Old man, I don't have time for this!"
"'Old man'?'' Even repeated, aghast. "You will do well to respect your elders, young man. You are one of those heathens Dilan and Aeleus caught sneaking into the castle, correct?"
"Yeah, yeah, I learned my lesson, I won't do it again," Lea said dismissively, trying to look past Even. Where had Kairi run to? "Will you just get out of my way?"
Even looked at the youth comtempuously before stepping aside. "Such insolence," he muttered in disgust.
Lea couldn't care less what about Even, but somehow Kairi had managed to disappear again. It hadm't taken him that long to handle Even, and there was no way she'd left the area again. Still, with another aggravated sigh and an quick glare at Even, Lea sprinted down the street he was pretty sure Kairi had gone down.
Even smirked at the glare before he turned down to Ienzo. "You seem to have made quite an interesting friend, Ienzo. A heart naturally void of even a trace of darkness..."
Ienzo responded, but they had started walking back to the castle, so the voices trailed off as they discussed more of the fragile nature of hearts and how their recently started experiments were going. When they were far enough away, Kairi took the chance to immerge from her hiding place, a low shrub, and patted some of the leaves off of her dress. She frowned at the stubborn green stains that stayed in the fabric of her dress, but she remembered that she had other, more important thing to take of at the moment. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, smiling when she didn't see anyone. Now she could focus on finding her grandmother again!
"Boo!" Kairi jumped at the suddenly shout that came from behind her, looking back to see who had snuck up on her.
"Squall," Isa greeted when he ran into the slightly older boy.
"Isa?" Squall asked, looking around for the fiery boy that always seemed to accompany him. "It's kind of weird to see you without Lea."
Isa laughed. He could say the same regarding Rinoa, but that was beside the point. "We had to split up to do a search. Do you know Kairi?" Isa held his hand to about Kairi's height. "This tall, red hair, blue eyes..."
"Why are you looking for Kairi? You don't seem like the type to like children very much, Isa."
Both boys turned to the girl with long raven hair and bright brown eyes that smiled almost mockingly at the two of them. "Well? I guess I was wrong about you, if you play with Kairi. She can be a little hard to keep up with."
"Rinoa?" Isa sighed. "No, I'm not a big fan of children. Especially not one so demanding. Lea and I were babysitting and he let her run off."
"Babysitting? Does this have to do with that thing you guys did before?" Squall asked curiously, trying not to laugh. "I guess you would need more than a little damage control after that."
"Aw, I'm sure you'll find Kairi. Squall keeps trying to give me the slip," Rinoa explained, walking over and putting her arm around him. "But I'll always find my way back to him!"
Squall shook his head. "And what if Kairi just wanted alone time?" He argued.
"Alone time is always better with a friend you can depend on there with you, right?" Rinoa said, pulling him into a hug.
Squall glanced at Isa. "Is Lea this bad?" he asked jokingly, earning a light smack on the head from Rinoa.
"Almost," Isa chuckled.
"That just means the bonds will stay, though," Rinoa said, letting go of Squall but not leaving his side. "I bet you that Lea and Isa, and me and Squall, will always be together. We won't let anything tear us apart, not even you guys," she joked.
"Well, that's a scary thought." Isa retorted.
"And sadly, it might be true," Squall said in the same tone, but he had a smile on his face. "Oh, right, you were looking for Kairi, right? If she's mad at you, it shouldn't be too hard to make her listen. She's a little stubborn, but not impossible."
"And she can be so sweet, too. She'll probably be anywhere where there are flowers," Rinoa added. "She's a nice girl once you get to know her."
Isa shook his head. He doubted it, but really didn't have time to waste here. He glanced at the sky, shielding his eyes a bit with his hand, to get an approximation of the time. Well, at least he wasn't particularly pressed for time, but he still had to find her. "If neither of you have seen her, I guess I'll just keep looking."
"Good luck!" Rinoa called, waving as Isa left.
Isa waved back half-heartedly, absentmindedly wondering about what Rinoa had said. Not about Kairi, of course, about the two pairs never separating. Well,Squall certainly couldn't lose Rinoa even if he wanted to, although most of the town knew he didn't. And as for Lea...
Isa smiled. He'd always be stuck with that loser. If nothing else, he knew that much.
Oh man this is pretty good. Kairi meeting Inzeo was interesting. I do hope Lea and Isa can get to her......oh God what his she meets him!
I enjoy little Kairi and Ienzo meetings, they are so fun to write~
Hehe, him? Whomever do you mean? c:
I think it went well, usually my tales of the two have completely one-sided conversations. Not sure if this is the preferable alternative, though~ ;P
Chapter 6
"Yuffie, that wasn't very nice!" Kairi pouted and crossed her arms at the older girl, but she could only keep up her serious demeanor for a second before she started laughing along with the older girl.
"What are you doing sneaking around?" Yuffie asked when she finally stopped laughing. "Are you trying to be a ninja like me? I knew I was the best role model." She grinned and proudly struck a pose.
"You're a real ninja?" Kairi whispered excitedly, as if it were a huge secret she was being let in on. She was fond of stories of all kind, and could remember reading with her grandmother a story about the mysterious and stealthy people who could hide in shadows and sneak up on the bad guys without ever being discovered. The more Kairi remembered the cool tales about ninjas, though, the less her friend seemed to match the description. Which was why it occurred to her that it may have been a secret identity, like in some other book she and her grandmother had read together. So, instead of saying, "But you're not in the outfits they had in the books," -since, admittedly, her a green and yellow hoodie and white shorts were pretty eye-catching- Kairi imagined Yuffie being quiet and stealthy and wearing one of the body suits the ninjas had worn.
It was a little hard to imagine, but Yuffie had just managed to sneak up on Kairi, right? Kairi giggled all the same at the idea, or maybe out of an excited giddiness she suddenly had. Maybe, if she couldn't be a knight, she could be a ninja, like Yuffie!
Yuffie grinned and pointed proudly at herself. "Yup, I am the champion of the earth and the sky! I am the conqueror of evil! The single white rose of Radiant Gardens! The great ninja Yuffie!" she bragged. "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Kairi clapped. "So you really fight bad guys?"
"Absolutely!" Yuffie lied, grinning even wider. "They'll run screaming when they see me! Radiant Gardens is safe in my hands!"
"Can I be a white rose, too?" Kairi asked, practically bouncing from trying to contain her excitement. "And Aerith, Aerith would make a good rose!"
"But I'm the single white rose of Radiant Gardens, remember, Kairi?" Yuffie reminded her.
"Oh..." Kairi said, standing still for a moment before regaining her excitement. "Then I will be a red rose! Or a blue tulip! Or a purple long-beaked filaree!" Kairi beamed as she managed to say the last flower's name just as Aerith had. Kairi didn't remember a lot about what Aerith had said about the plant itself, but the flower's petals had reminded her of her dress. Kairi imagined the three flowers growing side by side, the rose and tulip both taller than the little filaree.
As she was thinking about them, she decided that maybe she should make up with Lea and Isa after all... They would probably have a lot more fun if they were play together than if they were just running around like this.
"No, Kairi, you're too young to defend the town! It's my duty as the strongest and best fighter here!"
Kairi opened her mouth to argue that she thought that was Tifa or Leon, but closed her mouth and remembered what she was out there for in the first place. She didn't have to apologize to Lea and Isa- not now, anyway. Her goal- her duty, like Yuffie had said it, was to find her grandma and warn her about being kidnapped. She was somewhere all alone out there, after all! Kairi had to be brave and save her! "Yuffie, have you seen my grandma?" Kairi asked hurriedly.
"You mean you wandered off?" Yuffie asked, stretching. "No, I haven't, but I'll tell you if I do."
"I didn't wander off from grandma, but... my babysitters Isa and Lea were being mean and..." Kairi pouted and looked at her feet. "I wasn't being very nice either, I think, but then Lea broke my vase and I got in trouble for it, and there are kidnappers in town, and, and-"
"Whoa," Yuffie shook the little girl to calm her down. She had started speaking so fast that Yuffie could barely make out a word she was saying. "What about Lea?"
Kairi frowned and looked up at Yuffie. "Are Lea and Isa nice?" she said instead of repeating herself. Kairi had seen them around town plenty of times, since they were hard to miss, but the two of them never really paid much attention to her. "Because they're bigger," she was told, but Aerith and the others didn't seem to mind having her around. Isa and Lea, on the other hand, barely noticed her at all, even when she tried to play with them.
Yuffie thought for a moment about the two older boys. "Well, Isa can be kind of boring sometimes, but he's not bad. Keeps Lea in order. And Lea's almost as good at pranks as I am," she said with a smile. She got an almost dreamy expression as she went on. "Almost. They're both really cool once you get to know them! They're not really the type for kids, but if you were a little older, I'm sure you and Lea would make great friends. He's not hard to befriend, either –he's always 'picking up stray puppies' as Isa calls it. That's how we met, at least."
Kairi played with the front of her dress for a little while as Yuffie kept going on about Lea in particular. She wondered why she wasn't mentioning Isa very much if they were always together. But more than that, as Yuffie continued her reverie, Kairi wondered if she should have been a better friend. It wasn't very knight-like— or princess-like, as her grandma was always comparing her to a princess instead of a knight— for her to just run off on them like that. If they decided to apologize, she decided she would too.
But only after she found her grandma. "Thank you, Yuffie," Kairi said sweetly before she waved and walked off again. Where could her grandmother be if she wasn't there? Kairi thought about other places she and her grandmother had been recently.
“The fountains!” Kairi exclaimed.
"You're sure you haven't seen her run through here?" Lea asked again in exasperation.
Lea ran out, narrowly dodging a thrown wrench and ignoring more profanity from Cid. Rubbing the back of his head, Lea muttered, "A simple 'no' would have freaking sufficed!"
"Lea! You okay?"
Lea almost fell back when he recoiled from the shock of seeing Yuffie so suddenly. He tried to laugh it off and rubbed the back of his head nonchalantly. “No bumps or bruises. Either the old man's getting nicer or his aim is getting worse.” Hearing another thud from behind him that sounded like it almost broke the glass on the shop door, Lea added quietly, “But his hearing's dang near perfect.”
“Then let's get outta here before he hears anymore,” Yuffie suggested, just as quietly. She took his hand and run before he could even reply, so he had to run just to keep up with the hyperactive ninja.
“Hey, Yuffie! Why are we running? We’re far enough away now!” Lea argued, starting to pant. He hated being dragged along. Now that he thought about it, he was usually the one that dragged Isa along with him everywhere.
Yuffie suddenly stopped and let go of his hand, turning around quickly and starting with, “So, Lea—” and Lea struggled in a failed attempt to stop as quickly as she had, ending up almost falling on top of the smaller girl. He managed to catch himself at the last moment and straighten up after a moment of being awkwardly close to the younger girl.
Yuffie laughed, seeming to forget she had been in the middle of saying something. “Oh, oh wow, your face is as red as your HAIR!” she managed to say between chuckles, ignoring her own blush.
“Yeah, yeah,” Lea said, glancing away indignantly. “Weren’t you in the middle of saying something?”
Yuffie held her hand up and kept laughing. “Okay, okay…” She coughed and straightened up, making a show of how hard she had to work not to start laughing again. “You’re like a tomato! Or a bell pepper!”
Lea rolled his eyes. “Well, that was a very enlightening conversation, but I really have to go. See ya around, Yuffie,” he said, waving and turning around.
“Are you sure?” Yuffie said, having somehow rushed in front of him. He stepped back, startled, but she seemed a bit more serious now. “I’ve heard some whispers here and there, you know. It may not be safe to be alone.” Yuffie grinned mischievously. “After all, people have been disappearing more and more lately, and what about that rumor of a monster seen running around?”
Lea rolled his eyes. “That’s just some scary story. Ansem The Wise, himself, said it was nonsense.”
“Did he? Or did we hear that from his lackeys?” Yuffie asked, as if this was a quiz. “Besides, I heard you and Isa certainly seemed to believe it. Why else would you—”
“You guys have got to let that die eventually!” Lea interrupted.
Yuffie held up her hands innocently. “Point taken, but you still did it, and you’re even in hot water for it. All because you wanted to see if there really was a monster. Well, I heard some interesting whispers from people who live in the castle, and for the right price, I’ll tell you everything I know. It might be the difference between life and death for you and Isa.” Yuffie thought for a second and added, “And for Kairi, too, you know. You guys are babysitting her, right?”
Lea sighed. “Fine, what’s your price?” he asked, just wanting to get rid of her quickly. “…Wait. How did you know we’re babysitting?”
“Kairi mentioned it.”
“Where is she?!” Lea demanded.
Yuffie snickered mischievously. “Top-class information like that would cost extra, you know.”
“…Didn’t you say she might be in danger, though?” Lea argued. “Didn’t you say you were the great hero ninja of Radiant Gardens or something? It would be on your head if she’s abducted, too, oh great hero.”
Yuffie thought for a minute or so before relenting, “I’ll collect my payment later, but she was at Central Square last time I saw her. I’d hurry if I were you, though. She’s quick for such a little kid.”
Lea was about to point out that Yuffie was practically just as much of a little kid as Kairi, but opted to rush to Central Square instead. Kairi was almost proving to be more trouble than this job was worth –almost.
"Yuffie, that wasn't very nice!" Kairi pouted and crossed her arms at the older girl, but she could only keep up her serious demeanor for a second before she started laughing along with the older girl.
"What are you doing sneaking around?" Yuffie asked when she finally stopped laughing. "Are you trying to be a ninja like me? I knew I was the best role model." She grinned and proudly struck a pose.
"You're a real ninja?" Kairi whispered excitedly, as if it were a huge secret she was being let in on. She was fond of stories of all kind, and could remember reading with her grandmother a story about the mysterious and stealthy people who could hide in shadows and sneak up on the bad guys without ever being discovered. The more Kairi remembered the cool tales about ninjas, though, the less her friend seemed to match the description. Which was why it occurred to her that it may have been a secret identity, like in some other book she and her grandmother had read together. So, instead of saying, "But you're not in the outfits they had in the books," -since, admittedly, her a green and yellow hoodie and white shorts were pretty eye-catching- Kairi imagined Yuffie being quiet and stealthy and wearing one of the body suits the ninjas had worn.
It was a little hard to imagine, but Yuffie had just managed to sneak up on Kairi, right? Kairi giggled all the same at the idea, or maybe out of an excited giddiness she suddenly had. Maybe, if she couldn't be a knight, she could be a ninja, like Yuffie!
Yuffie grinned and pointed proudly at herself. "Yup, I am the champion of the earth and the sky! I am the conqueror of evil! The single white rose of Radiant Gardens! The great ninja Yuffie!" she bragged. "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Kairi clapped. "So you really fight bad guys?"
"Absolutely!" Yuffie lied, grinning even wider. "They'll run screaming when they see me! Radiant Gardens is safe in my hands!"
"Can I be a white rose, too?" Kairi asked, practically bouncing from trying to contain her excitement. "And Aerith, Aerith would make a good rose!"
"But I'm the single white rose of Radiant Gardens, remember, Kairi?" Yuffie reminded her.
"Oh..." Kairi said, standing still for a moment before regaining her excitement. "Then I will be a red rose! Or a blue tulip! Or a purple long-beaked filaree!" Kairi beamed as she managed to say the last flower's name just as Aerith had. Kairi didn't remember a lot about what Aerith had said about the plant itself, but the flower's petals had reminded her of her dress. Kairi imagined the three flowers growing side by side, the rose and tulip both taller than the little filaree.
As she was thinking about them, she decided that maybe she should make up with Lea and Isa after all... They would probably have a lot more fun if they were play together than if they were just running around like this.
"No, Kairi, you're too young to defend the town! It's my duty as the strongest and best fighter here!"
Kairi opened her mouth to argue that she thought that was Tifa or Leon, but closed her mouth and remembered what she was out there for in the first place. She didn't have to apologize to Lea and Isa- not now, anyway. Her goal- her duty, like Yuffie had said it, was to find her grandma and warn her about being kidnapped. She was somewhere all alone out there, after all! Kairi had to be brave and save her! "Yuffie, have you seen my grandma?" Kairi asked hurriedly.
"You mean you wandered off?" Yuffie asked, stretching. "No, I haven't, but I'll tell you if I do."
"I didn't wander off from grandma, but... my babysitters Isa and Lea were being mean and..." Kairi pouted and looked at her feet. "I wasn't being very nice either, I think, but then Lea broke my vase and I got in trouble for it, and there are kidnappers in town, and, and-"
"Whoa," Yuffie shook the little girl to calm her down. She had started speaking so fast that Yuffie could barely make out a word she was saying. "What about Lea?"
Kairi frowned and looked up at Yuffie. "Are Lea and Isa nice?" she said instead of repeating herself. Kairi had seen them around town plenty of times, since they were hard to miss, but the two of them never really paid much attention to her. "Because they're bigger," she was told, but Aerith and the others didn't seem to mind having her around. Isa and Lea, on the other hand, barely noticed her at all, even when she tried to play with them.
Yuffie thought for a moment about the two older boys. "Well, Isa can be kind of boring sometimes, but he's not bad. Keeps Lea in order. And Lea's almost as good at pranks as I am," she said with a smile. She got an almost dreamy expression as she went on. "Almost. They're both really cool once you get to know them! They're not really the type for kids, but if you were a little older, I'm sure you and Lea would make great friends. He's not hard to befriend, either –he's always 'picking up stray puppies' as Isa calls it. That's how we met, at least."
Kairi played with the front of her dress for a little while as Yuffie kept going on about Lea in particular. She wondered why she wasn't mentioning Isa very much if they were always together. But more than that, as Yuffie continued her reverie, Kairi wondered if she should have been a better friend. It wasn't very knight-like— or princess-like, as her grandma was always comparing her to a princess instead of a knight— for her to just run off on them like that. If they decided to apologize, she decided she would too.
But only after she found her grandma. "Thank you, Yuffie," Kairi said sweetly before she waved and walked off again. Where could her grandmother be if she wasn't there? Kairi thought about other places she and her grandmother had been recently.
“The fountains!” Kairi exclaimed.
"You're sure you haven't seen her run through here?" Lea asked again in exasperation.
Lea ran out, narrowly dodging a thrown wrench and ignoring more profanity from Cid. Rubbing the back of his head, Lea muttered, "A simple 'no' would have freaking sufficed!"
"Lea! You okay?"
Lea almost fell back when he recoiled from the shock of seeing Yuffie so suddenly. He tried to laugh it off and rubbed the back of his head nonchalantly. “No bumps or bruises. Either the old man's getting nicer or his aim is getting worse.” Hearing another thud from behind him that sounded like it almost broke the glass on the shop door, Lea added quietly, “But his hearing's dang near perfect.”
“Then let's get outta here before he hears anymore,” Yuffie suggested, just as quietly. She took his hand and run before he could even reply, so he had to run just to keep up with the hyperactive ninja.
“Hey, Yuffie! Why are we running? We’re far enough away now!” Lea argued, starting to pant. He hated being dragged along. Now that he thought about it, he was usually the one that dragged Isa along with him everywhere.
Yuffie suddenly stopped and let go of his hand, turning around quickly and starting with, “So, Lea—” and Lea struggled in a failed attempt to stop as quickly as she had, ending up almost falling on top of the smaller girl. He managed to catch himself at the last moment and straighten up after a moment of being awkwardly close to the younger girl.
Yuffie laughed, seeming to forget she had been in the middle of saying something. “Oh, oh wow, your face is as red as your HAIR!” she managed to say between chuckles, ignoring her own blush.
“Yeah, yeah,” Lea said, glancing away indignantly. “Weren’t you in the middle of saying something?”
Yuffie held her hand up and kept laughing. “Okay, okay…” She coughed and straightened up, making a show of how hard she had to work not to start laughing again. “You’re like a tomato! Or a bell pepper!”
Lea rolled his eyes. “Well, that was a very enlightening conversation, but I really have to go. See ya around, Yuffie,” he said, waving and turning around.
“Are you sure?” Yuffie said, having somehow rushed in front of him. He stepped back, startled, but she seemed a bit more serious now. “I’ve heard some whispers here and there, you know. It may not be safe to be alone.” Yuffie grinned mischievously. “After all, people have been disappearing more and more lately, and what about that rumor of a monster seen running around?”
Lea rolled his eyes. “That’s just some scary story. Ansem The Wise, himself, said it was nonsense.”
“Did he? Or did we hear that from his lackeys?” Yuffie asked, as if this was a quiz. “Besides, I heard you and Isa certainly seemed to believe it. Why else would you—”
“You guys have got to let that die eventually!” Lea interrupted.
Yuffie held up her hands innocently. “Point taken, but you still did it, and you’re even in hot water for it. All because you wanted to see if there really was a monster. Well, I heard some interesting whispers from people who live in the castle, and for the right price, I’ll tell you everything I know. It might be the difference between life and death for you and Isa.” Yuffie thought for a second and added, “And for Kairi, too, you know. You guys are babysitting her, right?”
Lea sighed. “Fine, what’s your price?” he asked, just wanting to get rid of her quickly. “…Wait. How did you know we’re babysitting?”
“Kairi mentioned it.”
“Where is she?!” Lea demanded.
Yuffie snickered mischievously. “Top-class information like that would cost extra, you know.”
“…Didn’t you say she might be in danger, though?” Lea argued. “Didn’t you say you were the great hero ninja of Radiant Gardens or something? It would be on your head if she’s abducted, too, oh great hero.”
Yuffie thought for a minute or so before relenting, “I’ll collect my payment later, but she was at Central Square last time I saw her. I’d hurry if I were you, though. She’s quick for such a little kid.”
Lea was about to point out that Yuffie was practically just as much of a little kid as Kairi, but opted to rush to Central Square instead. Kairi was almost proving to be more trouble than this job was worth –almost.
Im glad to see this back. You haven't missed a step Mazy. It's short but to the point. Very good work on the characters. Cid for when he was in made me laugh. And Kairi talking with Yuffie made me laugh my head off. Hope Lea and Isa find Kairi before something happens to her. I see Lea really liking her...sad that years later the pair end of kidnapping her. Oh fate, how cruel you can be.
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