Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons in Life with Kuroki Kaze ❯ Lessons in Life with Kuroki Kaze ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Lessons in Life with Kuroki Kaze
By: Liv

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy: Unlimited belongs to Square/GONZO.

Warnings: Random other-anime-and genre-inserts are present. And...this is sorta like a pre-FFU: After Spiral thing. So...Kumo doesn’t have the mist and...they’re looking for Kaze. :) And...a VERY OOC Kaze and a slightly OOC Kumo.

*****

How long has he been walking these dry barren lands...?

Looking for that one single person...

Whose name he remembers to be...

“Shiroi...Kumo...”

*****

Hayakawa Yuu continued to run through the vast greenery, arms outstretched and a wide smile worn while he watched the plastic red disc fly towards him. Then he jumped and caught the play thing then spun upon landing. “I caught it!”

“Throw it back to me! Throw it back to me!” The pink-haired girl waved her arms.

“Unn!” Yuu nodded to his sister and threw the frisbee after positioning it somewhere near his shoulder.

Hayakawa Ai laughed and chased the frisbee while Yuu ran closer.

As for the ‘elders’ or the ‘chaperones’, they were both seated under the tree on a red checkered picnic blanket with a sleeping Chobi just beside the tree.

Lisa Pacifist was enjoying her gysahl tea while she had thoughts of the man they were looking for, Kuroki Kaze. Her feelings for him had not died yet. And she was happy to have the assistance of the man beside her, Kaze’s sworn enemy, Shiroi Kumo.

Ai laughed as she caught the frisbee and spun a couple of times before she threw the toy once more to her brother. She waved happily to Lisa before she ran towards Yuu.

Lisa waved back, a warm smile worn. She settled her tea on the little plate and turned the silent man beside her. “Isn’t it wonderful? To see them enjoying their youth...”

Kumo turned to Lisa. “...yes...it is.” He returned to watching the kids play, leaving his tea untouched.

He never WAS a tea drinker in the first place. Why start now?

Sensing movement to his right, he turned to that direction sharply and waited for what he believed was there.

Lisa blinked and gave him a strange look, turning to the same direction. “Makenshi, what is it?”

Kumo did not answer. His eyes widened and he stood up. “Crux.”

“Crux??” Lisa imitated the gesture.

“Kukuruyu! Kukuruyu!” The little puppet hurriedly flew towards and around Kumo in alarm.

Kumo’s eyes widened. Soon, he was sprinting towards the direction from where Crux flew from.

“M, Makenshi!” Lisa called. She turned to her left to see Ai and Yuu approaching with a jog, the latter holding the frisbee. Confusion was visible on their eyes.

“Lisa, where is Makenshi going?” Ai asked.

“Kukuruyu! Kukuruyu!”

Yuu turned to Crux and listened to her repeated ‘kukuruyu’s, then called her when she flew towards Kumo.

“Where is she going??”

“I think she wants us to follow her!” Yuu dropped the frisbee and jogged behind Crux with Ai and Lisa calling him, then eventually following him after being ignored.

Chobi, on the other hand, had finally awoken due to the noise. He looked around, and stood, and ran behind them. “KWEHHH!!!”

*****

Kumo panted and looked around him. *Where is he...?* He heard footsteps approaching and looked in front of him.

There stood the man with a black cloak.

Kumo paused. “Kuroki...Kaze.”

“Shiroi...Kumo.” Immediately, Kaze drew his red gun and aimed it at Kumo, glaring at him. “Die!”

Kumo wielded his sword to deflect the bullets that were flying towards him but stopped in surprise.

Was his sworn enemy, Kuroki Kaze, actually missing him?

As the bullets continued flying either on his left or right, Kumo stood on one leg. He held his slender waist with the back of his sword holding hand while he watched Kaze continue his (as Kumo would call it) ‘Show of Idiocy’.

Kaze hissed in frustration and fixed his aim.

“Did it ever occur to you that no matter how many bullets you waste, you will never be able to shoot me with even the slightest graze?”

Kaze paused.

“Maybe it’s about time you notice that your pair of shades are broken and you need to buy a new one.”

“Oh?” Kaze took his shades off and studied it. “Well, what do you know? It IS broken...”

Kumo stared incredulously. “What...?!”

“Oh well, I’ll take that advice of yours.” Kaze shrugged and kept it behind his cloak. “No wonder it’s day in one eye and night in the other. Thanks for-- I mean, DIE!” He casted his gun on Kumo again.

Kumo groaned, rolling his eyes as the bullets started flying beside him once more. He equipped his sword back to his belt and started approaching Kaze.

“Makenshi!” Finally arriving, Yuu called and gasped as he saw what was happening. “K, Kaze...!”

“Makenshi and Kaze-jisan are fighting?!” Ai had arrived next. “Kaze-jisan is back!”

“But Makenshi...” Lisa came in. “Why does Makenshi...have the mist back?” Her eyes shook and her heart started pounding.

“Kukuruyu...” Crux, who had long been there, said.

“I...think it’s not Makenshi but Kaze.” Yuu gulped and bit his lower lip.

When Kumo had finally reached the man, he gave the gunner a punch and watched Kaze fly backwards to the grasses. “Give it a rest, Kaze!”

“What was that for?!” Kaze exclaimed angrily, half-sitting. He turned to the people watching them and paused.

Lisa stood in silence. And in surprise. Something was definitely wrong with Kaze.

“L, Li...sa....”

“K, Kaze...!”

Kaze stood up and jogged towards the woman, a happy smile worn. “Lisa! It’s been a long time, Lisa!” He slowed down, the smile not wavering upon reaching Lisa.

Lisa didn’t know what to say or do even.

Kaze frowned. “Lisa, is something wrong? Don’t you like me anymore?”

Lisa gasped. She couldn’t believe what Kaze had said. “K, Kaze I...” Then she smiled and started laughing.

“Again.” Ai and Yuu sighed and slapped their foreheads in unison.

“KWEHHH!!!” Chobi had finally caught up with the group, breaking the awkward silence.

“Don’t you see what’s wrong here?” Kumo approached them and glared at the undoubtedly taller man. “What’s happened to you, Kaze?”

Kaze gulped and looked away, scratching his head. “To tell you the truth...I don’t know...”

“W, what do you mean you don’t know?” Yuu asked. Somehow, he didn't like to hear what the man was about to say.

Kaze gulped.

*****

“You WHAT?!”

Kumo had wanted to faint after hearing the news. But he stood motion-less with wide eyes. *P, partially...amnesiac...?!*

“You forgot how to fight and how you used to act?!” Ai exclaimed. “But, but that makes you...useless!”

Kaze panicked. “Useless??”

Lisa laughed. “Umm...let’s not make it sound so harsh on him, shall we?”

“Wait, so you also forgot why you’re angry at Makenshi?” Ai followed up.

“Makenshi? Who’s Makenshi?” Kaze asked looking around him.

“It’s ME!” Kumo wielded his sword once more and attempted to attack the cowering man. He was getting frustrated with this kinder Kaze.

“Ku...ku, kukuruyu...” Crux tried to calm the steaming Kumo down.

“Wait, wait, wait...” Yuu came in between everyone; especially Kumo and Kaze. “W, we have to do something about this.”

“Like what? Train him?” Ai asked, almost hopeless.

“Well...that CAN be arranged...” Lisa turned to Kumo.

Kumo’s eyes widened. “What...do you mean...by that...?!”

*****

“Are you planning to get me killed?!”

Lisa laughed her nervousness off as Kumo stood in front of everyone with an empty milk bottle balanced on his horned head.

“K, Kaze...” Yuu gulped. “Y, you can shoot the milk bottle, right?”

“Makenshi! Don’t panic!” Ai called, hands covering the sides of her mouth. “I’m sure Kaze-jisan can shoot correctly!” She meant to calm him down, but somehow it didn't look like it's working...

Crux was most worried.

Kumo could feel his blood boiling.

Kaze wielded his gun and aimed it at the milk bottle. Without further ado, he pulled the trigger.

“Kukuruyu!!” Crux covered her eyes and turned around.

Kumo clenched his fist, his hand's vein popping. “S...s...stop JOKING AROUND!!!” He glared at a gulping Kaze. “Do you have any idea how painful it is to lose a bone?!”

“Kukuruyu!” Crux rejoiced upon Kumo’s survival.

Yuu was surprised, blinking and leaning forward to checking the black thing sticking out of his white head. “That’s a bone??”

“Of course it is!” Kumo hollered over Yuu.

“I thought it was a prop!”

Kumo mustered all his patience for the boy. “Once more, these horns aren’t PROPS! Unlike that red guy in the 'Episode One' movie!”

“Come to think of it, Makenshi DOES kinda look like him.” Ai noticed, nodding while rubbing her chin.

Kumo sighed hopelessly.

Kaze, on the other hand, remained silent. He noticed that one of Kumo's horns were smoking from the friction of it and the wind of his bullet.

Yuu sighed, dropping his head and arms. “This isn’t working at all...”

“KWEHHH!!!” Due to some random reason, Chobi decided to bite Ai’s pigtail and dragged her away, running with wings outstretched.

“Chobi!!” Yuu called and chased his wailing sister with Crux following.

“Ai! Yuu!” Lisa called, arm stretched out to them. She turned to Kumo who was attempting to throw the milk bottle to a shielding Kaze. “Makenshi! Please continue this.” Then she ran off to join the chase.

Kumo snorted and tossed the bottle over to Kaze.

Kaze caught it after juggling it clumsily a few times.

The horned man stood laxly, left arm around his waist, right arm folded as he looked at his nails. “If I were going to attack you now, what would you do?”

Kaze gulped. He knew his gun wouldn’t save him from this man who’s not suffering any identity crisis. “You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

Kumo looked at Kaze with a mixture of arrogance and boredom. “What if I would?”

“Um...run?”

Kumo drew his sword and sped towards Kaze as if almost flying, ready to attack him.

“Ahhh!!!” Kaze spun and rushed away from the impending danger, shouting still.

Kumo slowed down and stopped and watched with wide eyes. He noticed how Kaze could run as fast as a Chocobo.

Or a cactuar, even...

*****

“Yuu~!!!”

“Neesan!” Yuu called as he continued to chase Chobi with Lisa. But he panted and stopped, using his legs as support as he pushed his palms against it.

Lisa stopped as well and held her heart. “Who could be as fast as that Chocobo...?!”

“Kukuruyu...”

“...aaaAAAHHhh!!!”

“Huh?” Yuu and Lisa turned around and watched a running man zoom pass them.

“Who, who was that??”

“Kuroki Kaze.” Kumo arrived behind them, walking. “I charged at him and he ran off.”

Lisa turned to look at Kaze’s direction.

“He has a unique speed of a Cactuar.”

Yuu turned to Kumo. “Does that explain why he appears out of nowhere a lot of times?”

“Maybe.”

*****

Kaze continued to shout as he ran pass a yellow thing dragging along a pink thing.

“K, Kaze-jisan!!”

“What?” Kaze turned around and saw Chobi running towards him.

*****

*BAM!!!*

“Kurkuruyu!” Crux flew backwards, startled.

Lisa and Yuu gasped.

“Ai!”

“Kaze!”

Kumo sighed and covered his face with his hand, head bowing. “Ahou da...”

*****

“Ai!” Finally reaching the girl, Lisa knelt beside the dizzy child. “Are you okay??”

Yuu reached them and slowed down. He turned to a sprawled Kaze.

“Orooo...”

Yuu sighed. He turned to see Kumo arriving. “What are we going to do, Makenshi?”

“Kukuruyu...” Crux flew over to Kaze and studied him.

Kaze blinked back to reality and smiled. “Crux, hi.”

After a few minutes, everyone was standing and grouped, thinking of what to do with Kaze.

“If his partially amnesiac, there should be something we should say or do that will make him remember something.” Yuu started.

Kaze was scratching his head. “I’m sorry.”

Kumo groaned. “You should be.” He muttered.

Just then, the earth shook causing everyone to bend slightly for balance.

“Kukuruyu!!” Crux flew around, looking at the earth.

Kaze saw the earth beneath him cracking and crumbled. “Ahhh!”

“Kaze!!” Ai, Yuu and Lisa called as they approached the chasm along with Kumo, Chobi and Crux.

Much to their relief, Kaze was hanging for his life.

Lisa sighed loudly. She turned to Kumo. “Makenshi! Please help him!”

“And get my outfit dirtied for an idiot?” Kumo raised an eyebrow.

“Makes me wonder how you fight.” Yuu muttered.

“Idiot?!” Kaze dangled. “I’ll make sure I break a sorry from your mouth, Makenshi!”

“Go-men-na-sai.”

“CHIGAU!!!” Kaze felt the rock he was hanging onto weaken. “W, whoah...!”

“Makenshi, please!” Lisa asked once more.

“He’s Kaze, isn’t he? I’m sure he’ll be able to save himself and appear out of nowhere, again.” Kumo turned his back and crossed his arms.

“Umm...in his current condition? I don’t think that’s possible.” Yuu said. Then paused. “But he IS Kaze.” Another pause. “But then, again...” He paused.

“Heeelp~!”

“Makenshi!!” Everyone shouted.

“Save him!”

“Ya~da~”

“Please??” Lisa begged on.

Kumo turned around. “I thought Chobi has that ‘Super Star Power Make Up’ or that ‘Magical Princess Holy-Up’ skill?”

“Chobi!” Yuu turned to the chocobo. “Save Kaze!”

“Kwehh!!” With that, the chocobo started dancing and showing off his brand new accessories. Soon, he was armored and flying to save Kaze.

Kaze stretched out his sealed Demon Gun and was saved. He clung on tightly to the bird and got off Chobi when they were on stable ground. He sighed in relief and glared at Kumo.

A low growl came from the chasm shaking the ground once more and out jumped a many-eyed monster.

Ai and Yuu shouted and rushed behind Lisa, the latter turning to Kaze. “Kaze, save us!”

“Kaze-jisan!”

Kaze heard a ‘ting’ sound and turned to the golden metal on his hand. His eyes widened as he saw the green orb on it shine. “It moved.”

Lisa gasped. *Could it be...??*

“Soil!” Kaze moved it to his left shoulder. “My strength!”

As if it was a magic word, the metal disassembled and re-assembled itself into a new shape, Kaze’s hand outstretched. When the formation was finished, he spoke once more. “Demon Gun, dissolve.”

Everyone stared at the gun they had not seen for so long.

Kumo closed his eyes as if in approval. “It is...as beautiful as always...”

“Hey! I have a right hand, after all!”

Kumo’s eyes widened. “What?!”

“And with those random words I just said, it looks like magic!” Kaze studied his new weapon and tried to pull the trigger but nothing happened. “Huh? What’s wrong?” He tried to take it off but noticed it was stuck on him. “What??” He tried to shake it off. “...ahhh! I can’t get it off! I can’t get it off!” He started running around.

Kumo wanted to cry.

Lisa watched Kaze run around and shout the same thing over and over again. She sighed and turned to Kumo who shrugged.

Chobi watched Kaze and thought it was fun. “KWEHHH!!!” So he followed.

“Chobi!” Yuu called and chased the bird.

“What’s happening?!” Ai wailed and turned to Lisa. “Hurry and tell him what to do!” She commanded, pointing the man.

Lisa nodded and started chasing the frantic Kaze.

Kumo, in the meantime, decided to finish the monster off before he could finish Kaze off. And before the monster successfully pulls out its progressing first attack.

Ai decided to watch the foursome run around.

“Say ‘I’ve chosen the soil for the likes of you!’ and pick a bullet and say it’s name!!” Lisa shouted.

Now, Ai turns to Kumo.

*CRASH!*
*POW!*
*BAM!*
*mreow...!*
*TOURYA!*
*BOOM!!!*
*iyuuuu-----BOOOM!!!*

Ai turns to the Kaze side and saw Lisa instructing him. She turns to Kumo and sees him re-equipping his sword and dusting his outfit. “How was it?”

“Cheap.” Kumo took the loot from his belt and gave it to Ai.

Ai counted it. “Only 50G??”

“That’s it!”

Kumo and Ai turned to Lisa.

Kaze pointed to space. “I have chosen the soil for the likes of you!” He took a bullet and showed it. “Bullet no. 1!”

Kumo wanted to die.

After inserting the bullet into his gun, Kaze went on. “Bullet no. 2!”

“Does Kaze even know who he is summoning?” Yuu asked, turning to Lisa.

Lisa shouted. “Take the black one!”

And so Kaze did. “Bullet no. 3!”

“Why is he numerating them?!” Yuu went, growing desperate.

Kumo lifted a finger. “Umm...Lisa?”

“Then shout ‘Burn! Summon creature, Phoenix!’!”

“Lisa...!”

“Burn!” Kaze started. “Summon creature,” He casted his gun to space. “Phoenix!”

“I have a baaad feeling about this.” Kumo sung and turned away.

As he pulled the trigger, the glowing bullets flew and spiraled around each other until they have collided and released a bright explosion. And Phoenix was born.

“Yayyy! I did it!” Kaze danced and turned to Lisa. “What’s next??”

“Exactly my point.” Kumo approached them with his arms crossed. When he stopped, he stood on one leg. “Just WHO or WHAT does it kill?”

Lisa blinked and looked behind Kumo. “...where is the monster?”

“I killed it.”

Lisa’s eyed widened. “Why did you kill it?!”

Kumo raised an eyebrow. “And risk receiving an attack or getting MORE of its species?”

Kaze looked around. “Hey, umm...what’s gonna happen next?” He saw everyone look at him. “...guys?”

“Umm, Kaze-jisan, we have a problem.” Ai approached the tall man. “You see, summoned creatures like Phoenix usually needs someone or something to attack before it leaves. But, uh...the one that it was supposed to attack had been killed by Makenshi. So, uhh...”

Kaze blinked at the child who was looking away with her index finger on her lip, her lower lip bitten. Then he turned to Kumo, pointing at him. “Can’t Phoenix just attack him?”

Kumo raised his eyebrow once more. “And you think Phoenix can defeat me because...?”

“Umm...you’re just a half-bred human with the genes of a Cactuar in you?”

Kumo’s eyes widened. The fact that he was compared to a Cactuar (thanks to his horns) had offended him. “I don’t think you’d like to die now, you...VincentValentine-ripoff!”

“Hey! That’s not true!”

“Makenshi, Kaze! Please stop!” Yuu came in between them.

Lisa groaned and approached Phoenix.

As for Kumo, he turned and yawned, stretching his arms while Lisa did her kigenjutsu.

*****

Kumo was back in the picnic blanket with Crux who had followed him after debating whether to do so or not. He saw the others approaching and asked. “Well? How did it go?”

“We talked to Phoenix.” Lisa answered.

“So,” Yuu spoke. “What do we do next?”

“Wait!” Kaze interrupted. “What about Makenshi and I? Why are we angry at each other?”

Everyone turned to Kumo.

Kumo snarled.

“Kukuruyu...”

+owari~+

Note: Hope you guys enjoyed that. :) You may have noticed that I didn’t give any further info on why they hate each other’s guts ‘cause you see, I don’t know, myself. ^^;;