Shades of Destiny

Half-Empty

I was only sixteen… Sixteen is so young to be living alone in the Dark Meridian. I was not always trapped here. I… I don't remember how I ended up here. All I know is that a year or so after my parents were both gone, I ended up here. I ended up on the bridge between the Realm of Darkness and the Realm of Light. I ended up in emptiness… loneliness… void. Yes. I suppose void is the best word for the Dark Meridian. I have a right to talk about it. As much as it disgusts me, it is very much my home and the Heartless living in it my family. I could never bear to hurt them—not after everything they had done for me. At that point, in the midst of a philosophical moment, I wondered Heartless really were or not.

I never did come to a conclusion about that one; decided that it didn't matter as long as they weren't killing me or trying to turn me into Dusk.

One morning, which was hard to discern from night in a world composed of darkness, I woke up with an itch to explore—to get out of my world. I was sick of it, really. You couldn't blame me, either. How would you feel if you lived in a realm of total darkness and misery? I wanted to open a door to the Realm of Light and venture there. I knew from the schools that I attended prior to being locked away in the Dark Meridian that there were other realms. My home… If I recall, I am of a place called Traverse Town. I don't remember much about it now; it feels so long ago I lived there. I don't even remember how I used to act around my friends, if I even had multiple. With the help of a Heartless- a bubbly Neoshadow with a tendency to freak me out –I managed to find a door to the realm of Light and when it opened, the monster helped me through.

As my body was compressed into the size of a shoebox and glowed like a firefly, I did my final mental-goodbyes to the Dark Meridian, hoping that I would never have to go back, but knowing that the road of life would lead me back there again. It's funny, pessimism. Before my parents left me, I was the happiest adolescent in the world. I had everything anyone could ask for—a loving set of parents, a beautiful home with the most spectacular view of the morning sun, and I was taught by some of the best scholars that were available. My parents refused to let me end up like the students at the local school and told me that they were naïve and would spend life living in a dream world while they stood in quicksand, being pulled down into desperation when they weren't looking. At a young age I began to pity those around me, wondering why anyone would choose to live in a blissfully ignorant matter, virtually wearing a kick me sign on their back.

Pity might have been what got my mother killed when he blindly offered help to a murderer that suffocated her then threw her body into the ocean.

Pity might have been what stole my dad from me shortly after my motherwas officially dead and gone when he ran off with a woman he hardly knew after mom's funeral.

I refused to be like either of them by letting myself pity others or vice-versa. Sadly, though, it was this type of sympathy that was leading me away from the Dark Meridian. I pitied myself, knowing that if someone else had been with me all that time on that border between Light and Dark that they would feel bad for me. This excursion to the Realm of Light would be my only allowance—the only exception to the most sacred rule I held myself to.

Suddenly, the air began to grow thin as my body started to unravel. I was tossed straight into the ocean as a flash of white light with a scream and a massive splash mistakable for lightning and thunder respectively. When fully submerged, I open my eyes slowly. This ocean… It was not saltwater, but freshwater. A freshwater ocean… Weird, it was.

My feet could touch the beach floor so I used them to push off and quickly make it to the surface before I ran out of breath. Above the water, I shook out my hair with heaving breaths, all painful in both my chest and stomach. I treaded water a bit until I was fully stable and could see the isle before me. I could be sure, if my genius of a former geography teacher/gypsy was right, that this place, with its beautiful bright blue sky and balmy breeze, was one of the Destiny Islands.

Above me, said fireflies I claimed to look like swirl in the sunset, dancing in the light pushes of wind gusts travelling through the air. Some of the lightning bugs were carried off with the breeze, doing the back-float on playful drafts. A bemused smile lights up my face for the first time in a long time. As I edge toward the shore, the soft shore composed of shimmery white sand, I notice that I was tossed into the water fully clothed. Normally, I'd be mad about this. But instead I find myself in laughter; I find myself in cheerful, genuine, childish laughter that hasn't touched my lips since before I can remember. I collapse to the beach in stiches, laughing for no visible reason. Why is this funny? Why am I smiling? I haven't smiled in what feels like years. Actually, I haven't smiled in years. The foreign expression floods my ears, and the ears of the anonymous person belonging to the shadow blocking my light.

I abruptly cease laughing and rub my teary eyes. I blink a ton of times to clear the blurry vision. Above me is a man. I mean, I guess he looked about my age but he was seriously manly looking, silvery tresses falling over his shoulders and face. Jade green eyes are darkened by shadows. I blush. This is the first human being I've seen in over a year and it's a boy and he is staring right at me. I don't even know how I look anymore! I could be hideous! Oh my gosh this is not even funny.

"Can I help you?" I manage to ask somehow, someway, unable to rid myself of this denigrating heated face ailment.

"Are you okay?" he asks, kneeling down behind my head. "You look really pale."

No duh I was pale—I hadn't seen this much sun since before my mom died. "No, it's okay. I'm fine." I prop myself up so I'm half-sitting. Just to make sure that I'm not crazy, I ask where I am.

"Destiny Islands; why do you ask?" he says, walking around to the front of me and offering up his hand to pull me up.

I gratefully take it. "Just wondering," I say.

With all the strength I can muster, I try to pull myself up. Not knowing my own power, I end up yanking the boy down on top of me. I squeal as he lands, straddling me. Great; my first time with human contact in ages and I'm already embarrassing myself in front of someone hot. I have the worst luck in history—especially since this guy's eyes are wide and he looks just as startled as I do, but doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.

"Hi," he suddenly holds out his hand once more, this time as a gesture of gentlemanly behavior. "I'm Riku. It's nice to meet you."

I blink at least a million times before shaking his hand. I yelp when he skillfully leaps to his feet and pulls me up with him like some kinky dance move. I feel swept away for a moment, but introduce myself. "I'm Cara. It's nice to meet you too." I dazedly turn my head this way and that, rushed to take in the scenery. "So this is one of the Destiny Islands? Man, it's even prettier than I thought it'd be."

Riku tilts his head. "No wonder you're so pale—are you from a different world?" he asks, still hanging onto my hand even though I'm still drenched from my little dip in the pond.

I nod. "Yes. I'm… I'm from way out there." I wave my hand in the direction of the ocean to emphasize the point. Riku nods knowingly. I scratch my wet head, imagining a bug crawling in it.

Riku raises an eyebrow. "Would you like a towel, fresh clothes or something?" he asks with a chuckle.

I blush more furiously than ever before. He was on top of me while I was wet… "Uh… Sure, if it isn't too much trouble."

By the hand Riku never let go of, I am gently tugged offshore towards a neatly tropical area of homes. There were three that stood out, all grand compared to the others around it. One had a large lily growing in front of it. One had this really wild clump of weeds in front of it that knotted abstractly. The third, presumably this guy's home, had a baby tree growing next to it. I smiled at its cuteness, catching Riku blush. He pushed the door to the cabana open with one hand, released mine, and waited for me to enter first.

I muttered a thank you.

The inside of the home was a huge surprise, mostly because it reminded me of the home I lived in as a child before the Meridian. The floors were all square, wooded tile. Walls were white. Lighting were little lights stuck on the ceiling with knobs to turn them up or down in brightness. Kitchen and dining room were the same room. Sliding glass door beyond the dining table led out to a porch looking over the ocean. Furniture and appliances were white. Everything else was various shades of yellows and light blues. I followed Riku to a bathroom whose color-scheme was the opposite of the rest of the house; the flooring was white, the fixtures sapphire blue with white speckles.

My mouth hangs open. "Your home is amazing!" I gawk. A towel promptly hits me in the face. It smells like lavender.

"Thanks. I don't do much living here, but it's a place to eat and sleep."

"Riku!" I hear a door shut behind the feminine voice echoing from the other room. "Sweetheart, I'm home!" I look at Riku, whose face is turning a flashy shade of red. "Riri, are you here honey? I have dinner!"

There you have it--an awkward ending to the first chapter. I know I act like the characters are so familiar, and if you haven't read Heartless I suggest you do. This story is going to take place during the week described by Raxca during Day 37/2. But Raxca didn't remember the details quite right, so I'm writing this to clear everything up. If you have read Heartless, throw away whatever Raxca said. Her memories are warped. This is the real deal! This is it, man!
By the way, reviews are good things. Just throwing that out there.