Seven Deadly

Chapter 14

This is too long for any kind of real intro, so let's just get to it. No chocbucks to hunt for in this one really, but you can still get some for leaving comments or pointing out a mistake if you see one (though you have to make a comment about the story along with your mistake sighting, so you're not just just going "their*, dumbass" and peacing out with your chocobuck). Please tell me what you think, it's been such a long time since I've published anything new, I kinda need that sweet sweet validation...otherwise it feels like I'm just writing hundreds and hundreds of pages for nothing and nobody. 

Happy reading and godspeed!

∞

Dusk was starting to settle over the city of Luca when Sora and Roxas reached the meeting point. 

"I don't like this. It's quiet." Sora said, taking out a candy cigarette from the pouch of his hoodie as he glanced around the dimly lit street. There were a few street lights, but visibility was generally low. "Too quiet." He sighed, putting the cigarette between his teeth and pausing for a dramatic moment before munching on it. He had been down roads like this too many times to trust them. He knew he was stepping into some real trouble this time, but he was in too deep. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ and Riku had gone missing, and he couldn't just let that stand. He had laid down his badge years ago... but they were just too important to him. If it meant bringing them back home, he'd happily go running back into the life he left behind to––

"C'mon man, get your head out of your ass." Roxas shoved Sora as soon as he noticed Sora was doing his annoying inner detective monologue again. At least he finally stopped doing it out loud, but he would still stop dead in his tracks and just gaze around dramatically. The restaurant they were supposed to be meeting everyone at was just a few blocks away from their hotel, but they were already late because of Sora's messing around.

Zack, Gippal, Axel, Reno, and Demyx were sitting outside the restaurant at a table on the patio with a jumbo pizza in front of them. There were a few empty chairs left around the table for them and for Cloud's group, and Sora took special notice of that.

"We're not the only ones who are late. I just hope nothing's happened to them." Sora said in a melancholic tone. He nibbled the candy cigarette down to a small nub that barely stuck out between his lips anymore just for added drama.

"Knock it off before I knock you out." Roxas sighed, wondering with an insane amount of jealousy why you had picked Riku to run off with and not him. Or maybe, it wasn't so much that he was jealous. He was just bitter that he had been left behind with Sora, and now had to deal with him while you two were off having fun.

"Oh good, you guys are here." Zack said as Roxas pulled up a seat between Zack and Axel to get away from Sora — who chose the seat between Demyx and one of the empty chairs.

"'Bout time. Where's my baby girl?" Gippal grumbled at them while reaching for another slice of pizza to make an even four stacked up on his plate. Between him and Zack, there really wasn't much left for the rest of the table, but Axel had at least two slices, Demyx had snagged a large piece before Zack could get to it, and Reno seemed content to just eat the garlic breadsticks.

"How should we know?" Roxas shrugged, wondering if he should even try to go for the last remaining slice or just order something else.

"You guys were the last ones to see her, so... where is she?" Gippal pressed, like he thought they were just trying to hide the information from him or something.

"That's what we're here to find out." Sora said, pulling out his magnifying glass and beginning to look over everyone at the table with it for clues.