Island Life
By Muzai
Characters from FINAL FANTASY © 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002 SQUARE CO., LTD.
The rest is probably owned by Disney
So who exactly owns Sora?
All I know is it's not me …
Chapter 1 Welcome home
Kairi
It happened without warning. The last thing I saw was the small house. One minute I was speaking with Aerith, the next I was stranded in black nothingness. Gray rock was the only thing I could see. The sharp face jutted out from the blackness, a stark contrast to the sky. Water spread in front of me. I pulled back slowly as the water ebbed and flowed. I was stuck on a tiny island, drifting amidst the darkness. I heard him before I saw him. Searching I noticed Sora running towards me. Shocked, I moved towards him calling his name. Just as I reached him the ground shifted. A harsh rumbling hummed in my ears. He caught my arm before I fell. The grip on my arm was rigid. I'd never seen him so serous before; his clear eyes bore into mine.
"Kairi" his voice was firm as if he was trying to convince himself.
"Remember what you said, I'm always with you too."
He was insistent; he wanted to make sure I knew, before it was too late.
"I'll come back to you, I promise."
He held on till the last possible moment, even as distance threatened to tear us apart, vainly clutching my hand till the last second nearly falling into the distance that separated us.
"I know you will"
His hand slipped from my grasp. I saw him standing there calling my name. He kept yelling even though he knew I couldn't even hear him. His promise echoed in my mind as we drifted farther apart. Further and further the gap between us grew. Still he called out to me. We couldn't hear each other but he still called. When there was no hope of reaching me, he just waved still smiling.
The first one caught me of guard, but that didn't last. Looking up I saw the whole emptiness was filled with tiny little glowing things raining from the sky. Fascinated Sora stared as well. They drifted slowly, sinking down from above. Slowly I realized what the things were. The small particles were sand. I watched them spiral towards the ground. The grey rocks slowly disappeared beneath the pooling sand. Just then I heard a rushing sound. Behind me trees erupted from the sand. Bushes sprouted and the tree house appeared. I watched as Sora disappeared in the growing horizon. As he vanished stars flew thru the air rocketing from the water. They were filling the inky blackness above with bright twinkling lights. Tiny sparkles speckling the entire sky, so many worlds returning from the darkness. Like our own, Destiny Island was reborn.
It was the cry of the seagulls that woke her. She rolled slightly as cold water splashed against her ankles.
"I know you will," She murmured into the crook of her arm. Lazily her eyes cracked open. The first she saw as her eyes focused was sand. Sitting up quickly, she looked around taking in the details of her surroundings.
Everything was just the same as when she had left.
Except she was all alone.
Not all alone.
He had said he was always was with her.
But she couldn't help missing him…feeling….
The tide washed back in bathing her feet, shoes and all in the salty foam. Tearing her shoes off she flung them away; jumping up she strode into the shallows. She danced into the water, spinning wildly and kicking up spray. The cool surf rushed up, drenching the girl in water. She was giddy. It was good to be back.
In her reckless abandon she slipped and went tumbling into the water. The biting chill to the sea quickly made her sober. Sitting on her butt, cold water seeping into her clothes she realized
"Mom's probably really worried"
Shivering slightly Kairi clambered out of the water and back to the beach. Gingerly picking her shoes up by the heels she cast a joyful look at the island before sprinting for the boats. Her bare feet thudded against the wooden slats as she dashed down the length of the dock. She very nearly fell into the water when she threw herself to the deck.
Dripping fingers pried at the coiled rope binding her little boat. After an eternity the knot came undone, grabbing her shoes and the rope; she dropped into the boat. Pushing off she couldn't help looking back at the island, her island, and their island.
Tears came unbidden to her eyes as she thought of them, Sora and Riku. They were out there somewhere, but they'd be back. Sora was always with her, if that was true, Riku was too.
As she neared the shore, she could hear the sounds of panic. Something was going on she realized but she couldn't tell what. Islanders were gathered on the beach .She could see a lot familiar faces in the crowd. Moving the boat to the dock, she tied it off. A lone figure ran the length of the pier sweeping her into a bone-crushing hug as soon as she stepped out of the boat.
"We were worried about you" Wakka whispered into her ear, refusing to let her go.
Even wrapped securely in his arms she heard the cry pass through the villagers.
"Kairi's been found!"
Tears welled up in her eyes, "No" she thought clinging to Wakka's neck,
"I've come home"
She'd just shown up, there was no sign of them. Everything was just strange and no one could figure how everyone couldn't remember anything. There had been a storm that night. And suddenly everyone woke the next morning feeling disorientated and understandably confused. That coupled with the fact three children had disappeared in the night, caused widespread panic. Nor did any one find any trace of them, a search party was slowly gathering to scout the surrounding islands.
That's when she appeared sailing back from the small island of Fate. She climbed up to the dock with a wide smile on her face. Wakka was the first to see her, he caught hold of her and refused to let go until the girl's own mother appeared through the crowd.
That was always the way with that boy. When he was orphaned at the age of seven, he and his brother were sent to Destiny , the main island of the archipelago. When the boys arrived they were quickly accepted by the children of the island. Wakka looked after Kairi as a younger sister, saying she reminded of someone back on Besaid.
She embraced her mother shushing the older woman, insisting she was fine. Pulling back she saw what she feared the most, striding towards her were the mothers of her two beast friends. Slowly releasing her mother she went to them. Stopping before them, she gave a small smile.
"They are safe"
It was the only thing she could say. For the one with any answers she couldn't give them the ones they were seeking. An archipelago wide search began. Jecht did his best to ease the fears of the bereaved mothers.
"Boys will be boys"
He assured them they would return. Boys their age were apt to wandering. It was only natural they would go our on an adventure. His son had yet to, but he did expect it of him one day.
