Crisp Leaves

by AVeryBoredOtaku

Summary:

"For those of us who will be soon leaving, remember where you came from. No matter how far you run, how long you have been gone, or how much you want to leave it behind, you will always come back here."
~*~*~*~
Miss Smith said that on the last day of Sophomore year to my fellow members for the restoration committee. Those words hit hard because of how true they would become in the following year. The past I had tried to hide so badly-Hojo, the deaths, and all I had lost.- it all came rushing back. I had done so much to forget: joining the Reapers, becoming a high school student, and trying to live a normal life but none of it could erase the past and the scars it had left. I wasn't surprised when I became a hunted animal, but what transpired was something that I could have never predicted.

Notes:

This is a rewrite of something I wrote when I was 12 and I hope you like it. Thank you for reading it.
~*~*~*~
The whole last day of school being lawless is based off what the last day of school at my HS looks like so yeah. It is crazy.

Chapter 1: Prologue or Brand New Days

Summer was just three hours away. The "borrowed" movie comes to a close on the teacher's projector as the freshman enter the classroom with food in their arms. Chips, soda, candy, coffee, and anything they could grab at the convenience store across from the school was there. 

"Ventus." Aqua sighs with an exasperated tone, seeing the boy with food in his arms. "You aren't supposed to go off campus. You're just a freshmen."

"But Aqua, none of the teachers are enforcing the rules or even taking attendance." Ventus begs.

As you were about to respond, Riku calls your name and tosses you the drink you requested and a bag of donuts. Walking towards Riku, you see Axel setting down the boxes of pizza, salad, and chicken wings. 

Dante, detecting the smell of pizza, walks to where you stood and reaches to grab a slice until- SMACK. "What was that for, (y/n)?" Dante asks, miffed.

"That pizza can be eaten once we get through the end of the year's closing speech." You snap at him. "Why are you even here?"

"Well, I did help your little group." Dante says. "When is she going to speak?"

Mrs. Smith, in all her glory, stands on a desk and says, "As soon as you two quiet down." Smith looks over the crowd with warm eyes. "The school year will be coming to an end soon, and I can't say how proud of you I am. All of you, every one of you have grown so much, and many of you are going to your next stage of life." Her amber eyes drift to Cloud, Leon, Tifa, Aqua, and Terra. "For those of us who will be soon leaving, remember where you came from. No matter how far you run, how long you have been gone, or how much you want to leave it behind, you will always come back here. Thank you for making this school year one to remember, all of you. At the start of next school year will be brand new days." 

Prompto snaps a few pictures before June Smith steps down from the table, and then everyone dives for the food. 

"Who got pizza with olives on it?"

"Coffee!" Yells Miss Smith as she swipes a can.

"There should be one without olives, Dante!"

"This looks like a good picture."

"That's it. I've come up with a new recipe!"

"Is there any Cup Noodles, Iggy?"

"Hey, who stole my Bubba Tea?!" Yuffie shouts.

Riku, seeing Sora running to the bowl of candy, dives to keep him away from it with the help of Roxas and Kairi. "No, Sora!"

Aqua, unsure what to do, buries her face in her hands.

Then, as sharp as thunder, Lightning yells. "Everyone, calm down!" The room grows quiet, "We are supposed to be the last defense for this town, not a bunch of squabbling people fighting over food."

Smith speaks up, "Thank you for that reminder, Lightning. Now, who is ready to watch something?"

~*~*~*~

Screams fill the room as the movie,  Sinister , shows a rather gruesome death. Prompto hides behind a pillow on the couch in the back of the classroom. Riku, Sora, and Kairi share a blanket, similar to the other trios in the room. You, however, are situated between Lightning and Prompto with your head on Lightning's shoulder.

"That death wasn't so bad, Prompto." You yawn, tired from your late work night. "I've seen worse on the job."

"(y/n). This movie is basically torture porn. HOW have you seen stuff worse than this?" He asks.

You chuckle, "You're a spring flower, Prompto. You're lucky you never had to work with Alucard and Sera. That teaches you never to be afraid of blood... or guts... or really anything."

Lightning mumbles, "Remind me not to get assigned a mission with you."

As you were about to respond, you get a text from Reno. ' Yo, you and Dante have a job. Go to headquarters for the briefing.'

You sigh and get up. "Gotta go."

You hear a few byes as you kick Dante in the shin to wake him up. "Mission, Dante. I'm driving today."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get there." He mumbles, dragging his feet.

Chapter 2: Breathe in that lovel- COUGH! Smokey air.

Summary:

You go to pick up stuff at school only to see Genesis.

Notes:

I'm ALIVE! Somewhat... I may have shaved a few years off my live because of classes but I live to write some more. I'm going to try to write more consistently and I think I will have decent plan on how to do that. So I will be most chapters in these short little blurbs that build some of the character's relationships, introduces elements of the story, and are just easier to edit. These shorter bits will mainly focus on a character or two beside (y/n) and the emotions related to the situations that they are in. During that period of short chapters I will also in the background write the larger chapters where large story events and large group character interactions occur.

I hope you all are doing well and enjoy what I have in store for you. I might do a little sepreate book that tells the stories that take place before the events of this but don't tie into main story, so like why did they fish out a shopping cart.

~Three Months Later~

Pulling up to the student parking of the school building, you grab your black messenger bag, a gift from Prompto for your 17th birthday. The familiar feeling of the leather bag was welcomed after spending two weeks in the hospital after the car accident that occurred while you were on a mission with Dante.

“Just picking up books today.” Your eyes glaze at the clock in the car. “Crap, book pick up ended seven minutes ago!” Sprinting out of the car, you pull your wallet out of the bag to reveal your student id. As you turned the corner, you spot Vincent and Genesis holding paper bags with what you could guess was the stuff you were supposed to pick up. 

“I am so sorry I’m late.” She panted out as she stopped in front of the guys. 

“Please don’t tell me you ran here, (y/n)?” Vincent looks towards you with a somewhat disappointed face. 

“I only ran two blocks. Nothing that would kill me.” 

“You just got out of the hospital. What were you thinking?” The midnight haired man asked clearly exasperated.

Genesis laughed “Knowing her, the only thing on her mind was she was late.”

“Okay, that was not the only thing I was thinking about, Loveless.” You mutter out having finally gotten your breathing under control. “I was thinking, “Oh crap, this hurts so much. Why does Junior parking have to be so far from the school?”

“That is a very valid question but never mind that. You’re moving in today right?” Genesis grabs your student ID from your hand and scans the card. Handing back your card, he said “I’m gonna go. Have to make sure this one doesn’t get herself killed.”

“Good idea,” Vincent said in his flat voice.

“Okay, I may not be able to fight like I normally could, Loveless, but I promise you I can still kick you up and down the street.” The words despite their meaning came out in a light tone as you grabbed one of the bags. “Have a good day Vinny!”

“Sure.”

“If you say so (y/n).” Genesis chuckles.

Playfully punching his shoulder, you smile and couldn’t help but feel happy. These light hearted moments were always something special, but after all that time in the hospital, all that time of sitting in bed and reading, they meant something more to you.

~*~*~*~

Your living space, a gift from Rufus Shinra due to your poor treatment, was relatively empty having only recently been permitted to live off a private Shinra building. During that time, personal items had to be approved due by security in a lengthy process. Many personal items like guitars, snow globes, and other objects were not allowed. Instead of mountains of boxes waiting to be unpacked a small stack of three office boxes greeted Genesis and you. 

“I think I can take care of myself at my own house, Geny.” You throw the house keys onto the kitchen island.

Genesis waves his hand in an overdramatic nature very fitting the drama student. “I shall go if you wish it.”

“I have to head to work and I’m gonna see you at the party later tonight anyways. No one is going to get a shortage of seeing me cause chaos.” You laugh at the memories of the last party. The look on Smith’s face when you and a few others managed to fish a pair of shopping carts, a sign with rather profane language, and other oddities out of a river was unbelievable.

“I suppose you are right,” Genesis somehow elegantly shrugs. “I still have to make sure Kairi isn’t blowing up the kitchen with Axel again.” A frown grows at the memories of smokey scent that engulfed his house. 

“If Axel is involved, fire will surely follow.”

Chapter 3: Uh... Status of this and where am I

Yes, hello! I'm alive somewhat. I feel like I'm on the verge of death with how tired I am.

 

So yeah let me give a quick update where I am personally.

So I'm a senior in high school and I've been preping for college and stuff. Then I've had get ready to testify in court. I've also been dragged into help with development of this one game and I'm an editor at my school's magazine which has taken a lot of time since grits teeth most people don't do their work so I have to pick up the slack. Besides that I am also working on my own personal projects. I've just been all over the place and that's a very short list of what has happened since I've last updated.

Now, I haven't abandoned this and I have no intention too. I actually have a decent amount of notes on where I want to go with this. I'm working on this but I can't promise consistent updates, I'm already trying to juggle a lot of different stuff and I don't want to make promises I can't keep but I want to assure you that this project isn't going to be left to collect dust on a self.

 

Anyways thank you for reading and please look forward to what I have in store.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Changing Seasons