Summer Days *38*

You paced the floor. Back and forth back and forth. You really didn't know what else to do. Roxas and Ven had just left to find the others, they said that they could convince them all that you were right.

So far they'd been gone around 20 minutes.

You sighed and continued to pace.

Thoughts swamped your mind.

Where was Cloud? Is he ok? What if everyone thinks you're weird because you can see auras?

What's gonna happen next?

You bit your lower lip as you thought long and hard. What was up with the tan aura? It looked just like Seifers...did that mean it was Seifer?

But if so how would that even be possible?

A light creak made you whip around the face the front door.

The door was slightly cracked open.

Your breathing sped up.

It was probably just the wind, you convinced yourself.

'Run!'

The door slammed open.

"Guys!" Ven yelled.

Roxas echoed him.

They chased down the group, it looked like they were all heading to the mall. Most likely Seventh Heaven. The group finally slowed down and stopped as Roxas and Ven caught up.

"What's going on?" Auron asked.

"[Name] is right." Ven stated.

Everyone's faces froze for a minute before they realized what he meant.

"That guy in the casket today wasn't Cloud." Ven continued.

"What are you guys talking about?" Riku shook his head.

"We saw him though!" Sora cried out.

"We dont know what you saw, but it wasn't Cloud." Roxas sighed.

"Ha! [Name] was right!" Zack cheered.

"How did she know though?" Angeal asked.

"[Name] is something called a Gazer." Roxas answered.

They looked at each other in confusion.

"A person who sees auras." Zexion said.

Roxas and Ven nodded.

"Everyone has a different aura so [Name] noticed when Cloud's wasn't the same." Ven nodded.

Tifa stepped foward, "So Cloud is ok?!"

It was silent for a moment.

"I don't know. All I know is he wasn't the guy you just buried." Ven sighed.

Cid patted Tifa on the back, "He'll be fine Tifa don't you worry."

Terra crossed his arms, "Well we all owe somebody an apology."

"Yeah no joke yo." Reno agreed, "Where is [Name]?"

"Home." Roxas said.

"Well let's go. The faster we get there the faster we can apologize and not look like complete-" Axel strted but Leon began to speak halfway into Axel's sentence.

"You left her alone?" Leon asked.

Ven and Roxas nodded.

"What if whoever did this to Cloud-" Yuffie began to yell but was cut off as everyone began to run towards the house.

Most of the guys were the first to get there, considering all the running and training they did for sports.

Zack was the first one inside with the others only seconds behind him. The door was swinging open wildly.

And the house was in ruins.

The couches were flipped over and chairs were overturned. The TV was on the ground, face down probably cracked. It looked as if a twister went through the house.

"[Name]?!" Everyone began to yell looking for you all throughout the house but you were no where to be found.

Everyone gathered in the living room.

"We're so stupid! Why did we leave her alone?!" Ven yelled at himself and Roxas but mostly himself.

"Who could've taken her?!" Sora yelled.

"I'll give you one guess." Riku growled.

"No! Do you think it was Xemnas??" Yuffie asked.

"Who else would've done it!?" Axel and Reno yelled.

Xion rolled her eyes, "Dont forget his two lackeys dumb and dumber."

"I hope [Name] is ok.." Demyx said.

At his words the room became silent.

"Do you hear that?" Auron asked standing.

Everyone was quiet, trying to listen.

"No I don't-" Everyone shushed Yuffie.

"You don't think..." Leon began.

"But they haven't rang that bell since 20 years ago I'm sure!" CID cried.

"Arent they extinct?" Tifa asked worridly.

"Whats going on??" Terra asked along with everyone else.

"We have to leave. NOW!" Auron roared and everyone began to file out of the house quickly.

The sky seemed a dark orangeish red with black clouds scattered around.

"Leon, Cid come with me we're going to the dojo to collect weapons. Zack, Angeal you're in charge here. Get everyone to Seventh Heaven! Lock the doors create a barricade defense, don't let anyone in but us. Understand?!" Auron yelled.

They nodded.

"Good, go!"

The group spilt into two. As the first group neared the mall, they could distinctly hear a bell tolling in the distance.

Zack and Angeal got everyone inside Seventh Heaven. They locked the doors and barricaded all the windows with the tables and chairs. The room was basically bare minus all the stuff stuck up against the front and back doors.

"Is everyone ok?" Angeal asked.

"What's going on exactly?" Axel asked trying to keep his temper from spilling over.

"It's an attack." Tifa said, worry filling her voice.

She looked at each face in the bar. Aerith, Yuffie, Xion, Olette, Hayner, Pence, Zexion, Terra, Zack, Angeal, Sora, Riku, Ven, Roxas, Demyx, Axel, and Reno. '[Name] and Cloud should be here.' she thought. "Heartless are attacking."

This woke everyone up.

"Those things are extinct!!" Sora yelled.

"Not any more I guess." Tifa replied.

There was a loud bang near the front and everyone jumped some even let out a cry. Auron, Cid, and Leon were at the front door. Reno, who was closest to the door, let them in then locked it back up. Cid was carrying to black duffel bags, Auron was pushing a wheel barrel, and Leon had one black duffel bag and a few long black bags on his back.

"We tried to bring weapons we know each of you know how to use." Auron began taking weapons out.

Roxas, Ven, Riku, Sora and Xion each were given the keyblades they used when in training with Auron.

Axel got back his two chakrams and Reno his Electro-Rod.

Yuffie cheered when Auron gave her back her long ninja star.

Zack and Angeal each used the buster blades they were taught with.

Auron used his sword, Leon had grabbed his gunblade, Cid his long fighting stick and they even grabbed Cloud's sword.

Demyx sitar, what he normally used, was at his house. He offered to get it but they told him he couldn't and to just use his elemental skill.

Zexion also ended up using his illusions.

Those who didn't train with a specific weapon took small swords from Auron. Aerith said she'd just heal and didn't take a sword but Tifa declined the sword and pulled out her black fighting gloves from the counter. She said she'd protect Aerith.

People began to warm up, doing small drills just getting used to holding their weapons again.

An hour passed, as did another.

It wasn't until the third hour passed when they first attack occurred. They heard screams from afar. Unknown to them it wasn't very far at all, the heartless had hit the movie theater on the other side of the mall.

The sound of a glass bottle falling to the floor and shattering made everyone whip around to the back entrance. They could see the tables begin to shift as something pushed through. Everyone tensed into their battle positions and prepared themselves for the fight of their lives.