KH: Ficlet: Part 1 (b)

[size=1][justify]Once outside the dormitory, Sora had no idea where to even begin. The campus was huge with tons of buildings. He just knew he would be lost for days trying to find his way around this place. He came from a small town on a small island. But there was nothing else to do but start wandering around the campus. Crossing his arms behind his head, Sora started walking a random direction. The campus was much quieter now with most of the students in class, though a few students still walked leisurely around the campus. Sora turned the corner.

Wam!

Sora fell backwards, meeting the ground for the second time that day. At least he didn’t smash his face into the ground this time.

“When did they start letting clowns into the academy?” The man let out a bark of a laugh.

Sora flushed brightly as he glanced up at the man into whom he bumped. The man was tall and had scars on his face. His dark hair was tied back in a ponytail. “Sorry,” Sora mumbled.

“Don’t go apologizing to him,” another man said, coming up them. This man had vibrant red hair slicked back in spikes. He wore a cocky grin.

“Oh, you’re still here,” the first man commented with a sneer. “I would have thought they kicked you out by now.”

Sora didn’t like the hostility he felt between the two men. He didn’t want to get caught up in their problems, so he decided to get up and leave. But before Sora could make his quiet escape, the redhead hooked an arm around his neck.

“They won’t get rid of me that easily,” the redhead said with a smug smirk. “Besides there was no evidence that I did anything wrong. So why don’t you go and run back to your little gang?”

“We’re not a gang,” the man argued angrily. “We’re the disciplinary committee.”

“Say what you like.” The redhead shrugged like he saw no difference between the two.

The man glowered. “We’ve got our eyes on you, Axel,” he warned then stalked off to another part of the campus.

The redhead, or Axel, waited until the man was gone before he loosened his grip. He tossed back his head as he laughed. “Sorry about that, kid.” He ruffled Sora’s hair then freed him completely of his hold. “I saw Xigbar and thought he might be giving you some trouble.”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Sora said confidently, even if he felt more than a little lost by everything. “And it’s Sora, not kid.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Axel said, holding up his hands. “Name’s Axel. Got it memorized?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Sora nodded, but his brow creased.

“Good!” Axel leaned down toward Sora, who leaned away from him. “There’s something,” he tilted his head in thought, “about you.”

Sora arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“Axel!” a woman’s shriek pierced the air.

Axel paled at the anger in her voice. “And that’s my cue to get out of here.” He rushed off, and several moments later a blonde woman raced by him.

Sora felt his head spin. It seemed the True Heart Academy had several unusual characters attending it. He wondered what exactly Axel had done to get on people’s bad side. He seemed relatively nice. Sora shook his head. This was all too much for him all at once. So far, he hadn’t gotten the chance to talk with the people he met for no longer than a few minutes. Axel seemed to have his own problems at the moment. But maybe Sora could catch up with Kairi again. If he could find her in this huge academy, that is.

By the time night fell, Sora hadn’t even explored a fourth of the campus by his estimation. But he, at least, managed to find the way to the academy’s cafeteria to grab some dinner. It wasn’t all that hard to find with all the delicious aromas drifting out from it. He didn’t see Kairi or Axel, or even that guy Xigbar, though he was certain he didn’t want another run in with that man. He ate alone, scanning the cafeteria. There were plenty of other students there, all talking and joking with each other and filling the cafeteria with lots of noise. Sora’s gaze halted on a blonde girl on the other side of the cafeteria. She sat alone, too, and spent more of time drawing rather than eating the food in front of her. She almost reminded him of Kairi, just something in her looks and body language. Before Sora could get up to go and see if she wanted some company, the girl packed up her things and left the cafeteria.

Sora sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He felt alone. He really wished he had gone with Tidus and Wakka instead of letting his parents send him here. But Tidus and Wakka got scouted to be on a professional blitz ball team. Sora knew he wouldn’t have even made the team. But he would have gotten to hang out with his friends. After he finished his dinner, Sora headed back to his dormitory, somehow finding his way there. Once he got to his room, Sora checked for his roommate but find the whole place empty. [i]So much for getting to meet him[/i], he thought in disappointment. He went to his bedroom, stripping out of his uniform. He draped his clothes over the back of the chair at his desk. Then he collapsed onto his bed and burrowed under the blankets. The bed was soft and warm, but it felt foreign to him. He missed his own bed already. With a tired sigh, he tried to get to sleep.[/justify][/size]