//------------------------------// // CH4: A New Friend // Story: Kingdom Hearts F.I.M: Days Long Past // by Spirit Shift //------------------------------// After bringing the three kids into the living room in the back of the shop, and checking them to make sure that they weren't hurt, Ms. Jade breathed a sigh of relief. Turning to the small girl, Ms. Jade took on a serious expression. “Rachelle Dash, what have I told you about picking fights with those boys. You know they just want a reason to get you into trouble.” The girl, named Rachelle apparently, had short, messy, rainbow colored hair, and wore a simple sky blue shirt with jean shorts. She sulked as she leaned back into the couch that she was sitting on, and crossed her arms in defiance. “I didn’t do anything. Those guys were asking for it by always picking on me!” Twilight took up a seat on the couch next to her. But when she heard what Rachelle had just said, she out an audible gasp of surprise and leaned close to her. “You mean this isn't the first time?” Rachelle scoffed and rolled her eyes. “No!” she spat, “I see those guys like, every other day. They only pick on me because I have wings or whatever. They’re just jerks.” Ms. Jade let out a small sigh that was a clear sign that she had went through this situation countless times. It was a sigh that any adult would give when they finally realized that nothing they could say would make any sort of impact on the child. This sigh was the one that signaled the forthcoming of a lecture the next day when the one they were talking to was in a better listening state. However, for now, the only thing following the sigh, was Ms. Jade crossing her arms and turning for the door. “I need to go back to managing the shop.” She turned back to the kids and gave them a kind smile. “You should all get to know each other. I have a feeling that you three might have something in common.” With that, she left, and Rachelle instantly turned her head to Spike, who, for the majority of the time in that room, was trying to get comfortable on a recliner chair. Not used to such comforts, he wasn't entirely sure how to feel. Since he always had his guard up, he wasn't really familiar with the term "relaxing". Eventually, he simply stopped squirming and sank into the chair. Only then was he made aware of the girl’s piercing gaze. “What?” he asked. Rachelle simply continued to stare at him, her face a mixture of emotions. “Dude,” she began, a small smile appearing on her face, “can I just say, that what you did out there was awesome!” Rachelle jumped up to stood on top of the couch. “I mean, you just flipped him with no problem. I mean, I could do that too, but the way you did it was so much cooler! How’d you learn to fight like that?” Excited the girl hopped from the couch and leaned her face close to his. “How’d you get so strong!” Spike honestly didn't know what to do at this point. There was a girl, probably about Twilight’s age, with rainbow colored hair and sparkling red eyes, standing too close to his face. His first instinct was to simply shove her away, but something also told him that doing that wasn't really a good idea. One glance over at Twilight’s giggling face told him that he was on his own. Eventually, logic told him that his only option was to answer her question. “I-uh. I taught myself how to fight. I was raised on the streets,” he admitted hesitantly. His decision worked because Rachelle leaned back with a surprised expression. “You don’t have any parents?” she asked. Spike shook his head. “Not that I know of. I might, but it’s not like I know where or who they are.” Rachelle looked sad for a second before huffing in anger, throwing herself back onto the couch and crossing her arms. “At least you don’t know them. I wish that I didn't know my parents.” Twilight covered her mouth with a horrified expression. “Rachelle, that’s terrible. How could you say that?” The rainbow haired girl gave Twilight a venomous look that made her flinch. “My parent’s were horrible people that made me wish I was never born…” Rachelle‘s expression softened and her eyes fell. “So I ran away… let’s just leave it at that.” Silence fell over the room for a time. Spike glanced over at Twilight, who had a concerned looking expression. Finally, he spoke up. Leaning his head on his fist, he said, “Yeah, I guess then we do have something in common.” Rachelle lifted her head in curiousity. “Really? what?” Twilight saw where Spike was going and smiled. “Well… technically, Spike and I are runaways as well.” Twilight opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when Spike began chuckling. “Well I don’t know about Twilight, but I sure as hell hated the whole goddamn town I was in.” “Spike!” Twilight yelled, offended at his language. She was about to say something further when Rachelle leaned forward in excitement. “Woah, why the whole town?” she asked. “Well, for one thing,” Spike smirked, leaning forward himself, “I’m half dragon. That’s ticked a few people off. Apparently, I’m some kind of sign of impending doom. Twilight isn't there something about that in your dragon book?” Twilight thought about it for a second before looking around her backpack. “I think I remember some sort of prophecy about a half dragons arrival…” she lifted her head out of her bag and shook her head sadly, “but I think the dragon book was one of the things we had to leave behind when the townspeople chased us away from the house.” Rachelle hopped from the couch and hovered in the air with an astonished look. “Woah… they chased you out of town? Wait… your half dragon!” She began ruffling her hair and moving around the room wildly. “I don’t know which of those things are cooler!” Spike smiled and raised his hand. “I saved Twilight from a burning building and learned that I’m fireproof.” Rachelle pointed towards Spike and gave him a huge grin. “That’s it! This guy wins!” While Spike fist pumped in victory, Twilight sighed and shook her head. “This isn’t a contest. I really liked that house…” she said sadly. Twilight’s sad face caused Spike to flinch. Scratching his head embarrassingly, he quickly apologized. “Yeah... sorry Twi.” Slowly, Rachelle lowered herself back down to the couch, all the while giving Twilight a strange look. “I guess you had cool parents then?” “Yea... I did,” she said, a soft smile accompanying her melancholy tone. Shaking her mood off, Twilight lifted her head and her small smile turned into a big one when she looked directly into Rachelle’s eyes. “But let’s talk about you! You’re an avian!” Rachelle gave her a confused look. “I’m a what?” “You can fly! An avian is a human who can use flight magic,” she explained. “From what I remember reading in one of my books, there are three main types of humans in the world.” Twilight pointed to the a six pointed star on her forehead. “There are humans like me, called mages, who can use various kinds of magic, these are the most common.” Then she pointed to her shoulder. “Then there are earthans who have great strength.” Finally, in a surprise move, Twilight turned Rachelle around and pulled up her shirt to reveal her bare back. Like she expected, the girl had a mark sitting between her shoulder blades. It appeared to be a lightning bolt descending from a cloud. The bolt itself was colored in three distinct colors; red, blue and yellow. “See! Avians are humans who have a special kind of aerial magic that enables them to fly and manipulate the atmosphere. From what I’ve read there aren't many of you around. I wonder why...” Rachelle craned her head around and tried to look at her back. “Oh, is that what that meant. I was wondering about that. I always thought it was a weird birthmark.” Twilight looked up with a surprise look on her face. “Seriously, how could you not know what you were?” “Pfft,” she scoffed. “Reading’s for eggheads.” She chuckled before looking over at Spike. “Hey, do half dragons have marks on them somewhere too?” Spike reeled back in surprise when Twilight instantly snapped her head in his direction. The hungry look in her eyes suggested that she didn't know, but that she desperately wanted to. Spike quickly waved his hands out. “I don’t know. I never thought to check before. I was never curious about the whole mark thing anyway.” “Yeah…” Rachelle turned to Twilight with a sly smirk. “I still kinda wanna see what it is though.” “I wonder what a dragon’s mark even looks like,” Twilight wondered. Giving Spike a pleading look, she asked, “Spike can you show us?” Spike groaned. “I told you, I don’t know where it is. I’ve never checked. I don’t even know if I have one.” After sharing a quick glance at one another, Rachelle and Twilight slowly got up from the couch. Spike noticed that Rachelle’s shirt was still half raised and that her stomach was exposed. Before he could tell her to pull it down, his instincts alerted him that he was about to be jumped by both girls, as they were both approaching him with predatory looks. Not knowing what else to do, Spike hopped out of his chair and made for the door. Unfortunately, Twilight’s magic kept him from making it. He fought against it, but her power held him just long enough for both girls to get the jump on him. He fell on his stomach, caught. Rachelle pulled up his already tattered grey shirt. “Think it’s on his back like mine? Or on his shoulder?” Twilight sat herself on the back of Spike’s head so that he couldn't get up. “I don’t know. I think I would’ve seen it if it was on his shoulder. he doesn't have sleeves afterall,” she giggled. Rachelle and Twilight shared a mischievous glint in their eyes. Deciding between them that it would probably be best if they checked everywhere. Spike groaned and tried to struggle, but soon found himself powerless against their rampant curiosity. His only hope was that Ms. Jade would show up before they pulled off something that they shouldn't.