Eraqus' office was in the front being the first large, rectangular, maple brown door you encountered. From there, the rooms were along a large rectangle that opened at the back through equally maple brown, double doors. That was where the kitchen and dining room was. At least, that's what Cloud was told as they took a left down the hallway, turning the corner and coming to a door that was painted white. On each side of the door were two large, gray, humanoid, marble statues that had a very surprised look on them. Almost as if they accidently walked into Medusas' lair and she quickly gazed at them, freezing their fates forever. They were as tall as Cloud's hip and he couldn't help but stare at them, almost waiting for them to come to life.

"Don't mind them," assured Eraqus, brushing them off with a scoff and a hand wave." They're her guardians."

Eraqus took a very pitiful moment to look for any trace of amusement in Cloud's face, but all he got was the same look, so he turned his attention back to them, patting the left one's head.

"I'm afraid I forgot their names. You'll have to ask her when she comes back."

"Where is she?" asked Cloud then took a moment to think." Where are they?"

"They're on a field trip to a neighboring world….Destiny Island, or something like that. They've been complaining to our volunteer that none of them-except three of them-had been to a beach before. So, he decided to take them in a rather convenient manner. They all should be back here by midnight."

"Why couldn't-"

"He's only temporary and I wish to repay him for this by getting a new teacher for the kids. He didn't have to stay-as if it isn't obvious already."

They looked at the each other, an awkward moment filling the air as Cloud walked around the right statue and turned the doorknob. He turned to Eraqus, a look mixed with annoyance and caution.

"There won't be any confetti coming out at me, right?"

"None that I am aware of."

Cloud shrugged before opening the door, the smell of roses and freshly coated paint invading his nostrils like a Mongolian army. The room was very expansive despite its outside appearance and cluttered with a thousand canvas'-some painted on, some empty and some having unfinished or abandoned works. There was a queen sized bed covered to the brim with all sorts of stuffed animals-whales, dolphins, elephants-and paint stained smocks and blankets on the left side. On the right side, the canvas', empty paint jars, filled paint jars, half-filled paint jars and virtually every artistic instrument Cloud could recognize threatened to spill onto the left half. The right side was dirtier than the left with paint splattered here and there on the floors and the walls. For some reason, there was a clear bottle with a set of wilted roses in it standing in the middle of the floor. It was as if it was a divider for the war on cleanliness and comfort.

"Namine is a bit of an artist," remarked Eraqus, eager to break the silence." When I first found out that she could paint and such, I immediately set out to buy as many art supplies as I could find. Then, I deciding to share her artwork with the world, so I entered her into many art contests."

"I take it she wins every time?" questioned Cloud.

Eraqus shrugged." More or less. All of the prize money goes toward getting her better equipment and upkeep. She has a habit of going through everything within a week or so. It's made her a kind of hermit among the kids-not that it really matters anyway. She's terribly scared of everything."

"Pantophobic?"

Eraqus was suddenly taken aback." Yes, that is correct? Might I ask how you know that?"

"Lucky guess."

"Anyway, that's basically all I need to tell you about her. Now come, let us go upstairs where most of the other kids stay."

The upstairs was very different from the downstairs as it was just one long hallway and the stairs were in the middle of it all. A little strange and boring, but Cloud wasn't one to talk-his own home wasn't any better. They walked to the right and to the end of the hallway coming up to a door with a bronze, rectangular name tag. Inscribed in big print were the words ROXAS' ROOM-KEEP OW! This made Cloud raise an eyebrow.

"He ran out of room a little too late and his friend slapped him for the comment he made at them," explained Eraqus, smirking." Roxas is a little of a smart Alec, so be careful around him. Especially when Riku edges him on. Anyway, open the door at your own peril. Roxas has a security measure installed whenever he's away."

Following his advice, and his movements, Cloud switched sides with Eraques and stood to the side before opening the door. A giant ham flew out from the inside of the room before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Eraqus shook his head.

"That Roxas. Always with the jokes," muttered Eraqus, shaking his head before grinning like an idiot at Cloud." Talk about….a smoked ham."

The Man began to guffaw at his own joke, causing Cloud to roll his eyes as he peered behind his head through the door. It was a typical boy's room, dirty clothes scattered here and there with a messy bed on the right side and an equally messy closet on the other. Clothes oozed out of it like puss out of an open wound. There were dried crusts of pizza sprinkled on top of the clothes and there were at least a couple bugs crawling among the pile of clothes in the middle of the floor. Cloud stared at it for about ten seconds before closing the door.

Cloud turned to the door on the left side of Roxas' room and gazed at the name tag that read: Kairi's Room before slowly opening the door. He quickly had to clear his throat as the smell of rose scented perfume covered his mouth with its hand. The room was neater than the one that he had the pleasure of looking into; he smiled at the bed on the right side with its pretty pink blankets neatly made with two stuffed cats sitting in the middle of it. It was like they were locked in an eternal tea party without their mistress. Two book shelves neatly filled to the brim with books were on the other side, on both sides of the closed closet that was painted pink. There was a chest across from where the door was and in the middle of the floor was a small, plastic tea table with a pink cloth draped over it. On top of the cloth sat a vase of shiny roses that seemed to complete the almost princess-like look of the entire room.

"This is Kairi's room," translated Eraqus, gazing over Cloud's shoulders." She's the middle girl of our three females and is a little of a stereotypical girl. Despite that, she embraces activities with Sora and Riku as if she's one of the guys. Quite interesting."

They both turned their attention to the door across from the one they were gazing into, and Cloud marveled at teh painted words that were splattered on it. They read: No.I, Xion the Magnificent.

"This is Xion's room and she sometimes refers to herself as the greatest of the six kids whenever somebody new comes around. She's a little below average compared to everyone else, but as they say: whatever helps your ego."

Xion's room was a mixture of both neatness and messiness in some aspects except her bed. The walls were painted black and seemed to house an inner fire that Cloud couldn't explain. There were two key blades leaned against her bed on the left side, a chest that was opened directly across from the wall the front door was on that was filled with clothes forcibly stuffed into it. As for the closet, it was halfway opened and it seemed to have undergone a brief avalanche as a mountain of clothes was standing in the entry way of it. All in all, it was a little plainer than the other two, but had its own style.

"Xion's more of a tomboy than Kairi is as she hangs out with Roxas, who is the oldest of the three boys. Every now and then, the two of us spar together as he is the only one I feel comfortable enough to battle, but we sometimes add Xion in. Her fighting style is the same as Sora's, so it's very interesting watching the two work together. Now, if you'll follow me, we shall go to the last room on our tour."

They walked to the lone door on the other side of the hallway, a red and blue door with a bronze name tag that read: Sora and Silver Surfer's Room and Cloud narrowed his eyes as he read it a second time.

"Silver Surfer refers to Riku and not the person you are thinking of," replied Eraqus." The two of them are the best of friends and it shows through the name Riku's earned. Riku knows how to surf fairly well."

Cloud opened the door and was amazed at how clean it was. At least, the right side was; the other side fell into the same void that Roxas' room was in. While the bed on one side was neat like Kairi's and everything in an organized fashion, the other was like a tornado and earthquake hit it at the same time. The bed was sloppily made and covered in clothes and there was what appeared to be a deer head by the side of it. What made this room different was that there were two dressers placed together against the wall across from where the door was. Along with the white tape that cut the room in half.

"Riku is like a bigger brother to Sora and it also shows from the way they act. More so how their room is the exact opposite of how they are. Sora keeps his side clean while Riku has trouble with his. Strange, but there's not much one can do about it. Now, allow me to show you to your room."

Cloud forgot what Eraqus said to him or what he himself did, but he did remember that he crawled into bed and quickly fell asleep. What he did remember was the sound of a door opening then closing and somebody calling his name. When he opened his eyes, a man with short, thick black spikes that framed into bangs from his face like overgrown weeds was standing over him. His eyes were a bright blue that was filled to the brim with excitement. He wore a SOLDIER uniform with two silver pauldrons, black gloves, a brown guard over his abdomen and blue pants and turtle neck that was significantly brighter than his usual clothing. He was smiling at Cloud with a familiar warm smile that caused the blonde to rub his eyes.

"I must be dreaming," muttered Cloud, sitting up in his bed.

"So am I!" exclaimed The Man, chuckling loudly." Never thought I'd run into YOU here out of all people." The Man thought about it for a minute." Maybe Tifa, but that's beside the point."

"But I thought that you-" began Cloud.

"I did too, but a little after you left, I was surrounded in a bright light. At first, I thought I was going to heaven, so I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the ride. Then I came to on the same bed you're sleeping on. Eraqus explained that I was selected as a sub for the kids here, since they didn't have a teacher anymore. So, yeah, that's about the gist of how I'm here."

Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out causing The Man to shake his head in disbelief. He walked over to Cloud and grabbed his wrist.

"I. Am. Real. Cloud. Now quit staring! You're making me uncomfortable, almost as if you wished I was dead."

Cloud turned a light shade of red." Sorry, Zack, it's just that-"

BOOM!

"ROXAS YOU JERK! THAT WAS MY FAVORITE PAIR OF JEANS!"

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT! READ THE SIGN: NO GIRLS ALLOWED AND ALL THAT ENTER WILL BE GUNNED DOWN BY GRAVY!"

"YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!"

"I TRY TO, BABE, I TRY TO!"

Zack sighed loudly, shaking his head." Hold that thought."

And with that, he ran out the door, leaving Cloud to himself.

This is going to be a long year…. Thought Cloud as he turned over in his sleep.

PROGRESS UNTIL CLOUD'S LEAVE: THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE DAYS

Anyway, hoped you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review and all that jazz! It'll help me make the story a little better. The next update should be in a month and after that my noted will finally end! Nstorm signing off and haveagoodone!