Chapter 1: *New York Girls*
**Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any fits of uncontrollable laughter,
falling over, wanting to kill someone (especially me), talking to inanimate
objects, or undeserved suspense that may occurring while you read this
fanfic. You've been warned. Read at your own risk.**
"Sashi!"
"What!?"
"What are you doing!?"
"Nothing!"
"If I come down there and find you playing that Kingdom Hearts game, you're in for it!" Sashi could hear her mother's feet walking briskly across the upstairs floor towards the staircase.
"Oh shit. Becky, quick, out the back door."
"You haven't saved yet!"
"Becky! My mom is going to kill me!"
"Right, that would be the most important thing at the moment. Come on over tonight. We'll finish up our summer project and then we'll sneak in an hour or two of Kingdom Hearts. Okay?" Becky added as she ran over to the door awaiting Sashi's answer.
"Yeah, okay. Here, take this." Sashi pulled out her memory card and passed it along with the CD-ROM to Becky. "My mom would kill me even more if she found that down here."
"Tay. See you later Sashi." Becky yelled back as she opened the door, ran outside, hopped the fence, and bolted down the block to her house. As soon as Becky was out of sight, Sashi grabbed a book off the bookcase, and plopped down on the sofa. Just as she had opened the book to a random page, her mom walked in. She gave a sly smile as she looked at her daughter. Sashi believed that she had finally beaten her in the war of trickery when she said, "There you are, my little master of trickery. All right, where is it?"
Looking very innocent and trying to sound very angelic, Sashi replied, "Where's what?"
"You know what." Her mother countered her. She could always tell when Sashi was lying.
"No, I really don't."
"Kingdom Hearts. And I'll bet fifty bucks Becky is here as well. Now, where did you hide her?" Sashi's mom started to look around the room.
"Becky isn't coming over till tonight to pick me up mom. Are you feeling all right? Here, let me feel your forehead." She walked over to her mom and put the back of her hand lightly against her mom's forehead.
"Sashi!"
"What!?"
"Do you really expect me to believe that you've been down here reading this whole time?"
"Well, I have" Sine you took my game away, I've had nothing better to do."
"She's behind the bookcase, isn't she?" Her mom said, giving the slightest hint of a smile.
"Mom, Becky is not here. She never was here. Well, today at least. And I've been down here, bored as hell, reading." Sashi held her breath and crossed her fingers in hopes that her mom would believe her.
"Okay, you've managed to pull this off today." Sashi gave a sigh of relief. "But next time, I won't call out your name."
Just then, a small boy's voice came from upstairs. "Mom, the noodles are bubbling over!"
"Okay Todd, we're coming up now." She put her arm around Sashi and walked upstairs. Upstairs, Sashi's little brother, Todd, was standing over the oven watching the noodles bubble over. Next to him was a small, oval- shaped, wooden table. On it, there was were four places set. On the floor was the fifth place. And next to her bowls laid Lee, Sashi's faithful German Shepherd. "Sashi, feed the dog please."
"Sure mom. Come on girl. Dinner time." Lee looked up at Sashi and began to wag her tail.
"Todd, why are there four plates out?" Sashi asked as she placed Lee's bowl back on the floor.
"I thought daddy might be back tonight. I'll put it away." Todd heaved a heavy sigh as he picked up the extra plate and began moving towards the cupboard. Just as he was pulling the step stool toward the cabinet, a voice interrupted the silence.
"Now, Toddy boy, if you put that plate away, what am I supposed to eat on?" Sashi and Todd ran right over to their dad and knocked him down. They had missed him so much. He had been away on business in Dublin, where he'd been for the last three weeks.
"We missed you daddy."
"I missed you guys too. Hello Melody."
"Hello Brad. Come on, dinner's getting cold." Sashi and Todd got off their dad and went to the table. Brad went over to his wife and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Then he whispered something in her ear, making her giggle.
'God, my life is good.' Sashi thought to herself. Her parents sat down and they began to eat.
"So, dad, how was Dublin?" Sashi asked attentively.
"Amazing."
"Are you going to have to go back?" Both Sashi and Todd looked at their father with wide eyes.
"Sometime in the near future, yes."
"Sashi and her brother looked very disappointed and depressed at the answer the had received. "Oh."
"But, I told them I'd only come back if..."
"If?"
"If... I get to bring my family with me." Todd went bright-eyed and Sashi was speechless.
"Really?"
"Yep, in two months we'll all be in Ireland. As long as it's okay with your mother that is."
"Oh, please mom, can't we go!?" Sashi put on a great, big smile.
"Please mom, I don't want daddy to leave again." Todd said, going over the his dad and sitting on his lap.
"Okay, okay. We can go..."
"Yes!" Todd yelled with glee, hugging his father tightly.
"Only..."
"I know there'd be an 'only'." Sashi said, putting her head down on her hand.
"Only, if you guys behave really good and you start off the new school year really well."
"But school's so far away."
"Not as far away as you think, Sash." Her dad said, spooning a bunch of noodles for Todd.
"Yeah, it's already the end of July."
"Don't remind me." Sashi sighed. The door bell rang. "That's Becky. I'll see you guys later." Sashi called out as she ran over to the sink with her plate, and then ran over to the stairs.
"Hey, Sashi, as soon as you get home, this dog needs to be walked."
"Okay dad!' The door slammed and she was gone.
--~*~--
"Hey Becky, have you seen my keys?"
"Umm, I think I saw them on top of the fridge."
"Thanks."
"No prob, bro."
"Where's Luke going?"
"I think he's going to pick up his friend at the airport."
Becky and Sashi had been working on their summer project for about an hour. Becky's mom then walked in.
"Okay girls, you've worked long enough. You can finish up tomorrow. Go do what you want now."
"Yes! Thanks mom!" They put their project under the table of the living room and quickly turned on the PS2.
"Okay, where were we?"
"We were in the Olympus Coliseum. We were just going to fight the boss and seal the world."
"Oh, that's the good part."
"Oh, look who is it. It's your big sister and her best friend. Tag, you're it." Becky's mom came over to them and placed a small baby in each of the girls" arms. These were Becky's little brother and sister, Nick and Ruby.
"Oh, it's my favorite pair of twins in the world." Sashi said as she cooed and cuddled the little baby.
"You like them so much, Sashi, you can have them."
"Oh, come Becky. You know you love them. How could anyone not love these little faces? Isn't that right Nick?" Sashi smiled at Nick, then they started the game.
About forty minutes had passed by. They defeated the boss and sealed the world. Now, they were in Halloween Town.
"Save point! Save point!" Sashi began yelling excitedly pointing at the tv.
"I can see it Sashi. I have beaten the game three times already. I know where the save points are.
"You guys are still at this game?" Luke walked in with his keys in one hand and nothing in the other.
"Good, you're home." Becky said as she ran over to him and placed Ruby in his empty arm. "Your turn."
"Oh that's harsh."
"I know, But I've had them since you left."
"Wait, what time is it?" Sashi asked suddenly looking very worried.
"It's eight forty-five."
"Oh shit!"
"What's the matter?"
Sashi dropped everything and bolted towards the door. "I was supposed to be home thirty minutes ago!" She yelled back as she ran down to the front yard. She sprinted down the block and up to her door. 'Okay, if I just get Lee, they'll think I was walking the dog this whole time.' Sashi thought to herself. All of a sudden her thoughts were interrupted by a small boy's voice.
"Mommy's gonna kill you Sashi."
"Todd, shh, be quiet! You wanna get me caught?"
"Too late my dear." Sashi looked up and saw her dad standing over her. "You're lucking I like you."
"What?"
"I won't tell your mother."
"Thank you dad! Todd, why are you holding me sleeping bag?"
"Becky called and wanted to know if you wanted to sleep over in order to save you from a sudden and painful death for being late."
"I would suggest taking your stuff and running for your life Sash." Brad gave his daughter her stuff and pointed toward the sidewalk.
"Sashi! You'd better not let me catch you!"
Sashi took one look at her mother's shadow and took of down the street.
--~*~--
"They're pissers, aren't they?"
"You can say that again, Ki Ki."
Becky's mother and father watched the two girls sleep in wonder. They had never seen two better friends.
"God, they're so much alike. You'd think they we're sisters. Twins even." Ki Ki pulled the blanket over her daughter and took the PS2 controller out of Sashi's hand.
"Same likes. Same dislikes. Same smile. Practically the same personality. Hell, they even got the same scar, on the same arm, in the same place."
"Don't you find that a bit scary, Andy?"
"Very. I guess these girls were just meant to find each other."
"Yeah, I'm telling you, fate designed these girls for each other. There's no doubt about that. It was fate."
--~*~--
Fate. Was it really the thing the brought Sashi and Becky together? Or was it just chance? Just two girls finding each other out of nowhere? No. Fate was the only way the explain why Sashi and Becky were for each other. Everyone knew that.
But what about destiny? They knew that their destinies had something to do with each other; but what was it. No one could know for sure. The only thing that was sure was that their destinies were intertwined. What it was, had to be found. And, a little hint here and there never hurt either. Even if it came from the darkness...
Sashi had been sleeping for a while now. But something was happening. She began to fall into a deeper sleep. Deeper and deeper she went, until the voice from the darkness.
"Sashi." It was a cold voice. One that shot a shiver up her spine. It was a low and dark voice. One that was drenched in the venom of evil. It was a hidden voice. One that could only belong to the cloaked figure that was walking toward her.
"Wh-who are you? Wha-what do you-what do you want?" Sashi found herself stuttering in fear.
"How is it that you know so little about what you really are? How is it that you can't see what your destiny really is? What possibilities it holds?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't. You know so little about your true being. So little. How is it that you can be one of the true Protectors? There is so much to learn and yet you know so little."
Sashi stood there paralyzed in fright. She didn't know what to do. And what was a Protector anyway?
"I don't understand."
"It seems as though destiny had really screwed up this time."
"I may not know a lot, but I do know that destiny is never wrong. It never makes mistakes. And I also know that you are a very scary person, and I still don't know who you are."
"So little. How could it possibly be true?"
With that, Sashi slipped out of the darkness. However, as she slipped out, Becky slipped in. Deeper and deeper she fell, until the voice from the darkness came once again.
"Becky." Becky looked around for the voice. But all she found was the darkness. Then, the cloaked figure revealed itself.
Becky couldn't move. She was too scared. All that came out of her mouth was a small "What-what are you doing here?"
"You know even less than your friend. How is it that you were chosen for this destiny?"
"What destiny?"
"I was right. So little. You know nothing of who you are. Who you always were destined to be. Who you could become. How is it true?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"A Protector. How is it that you and your dull-witted friend became destined to be the Protectors of the Kingdoms? It doesn't make sense. You know so little and yet you have won this destiny. It's impossible."
Again, the figure disappeared. But instead of Becky slipping out of the darkness, Sashi slipped back in. Now, both girls stood in an endless realm of nothingness. They looked at each other blankly. They waited. Waited for something to happen. Anything. And then, the voice came back one last time.
"So, you think that destiny can never be wrong!? Well, we'll have to see about that!"
"What do you want from us!?" Sashi retorted, stepping in front of Becky to protect her from whatever was about to happen.
"Two little girls destined to be leaders. Destined to be Protectors." The voice gave a tiny evil laugh.
"We're not little!"
"Yeah, Sashi's sixteen and I'm fifteen and a half!"
"So little. You two won't make it through one week. But, it will be fun to watch you try."
"Try what?" The girls began to cringe back into fear.
"Try to fulfill your destiny. But how could you? You know so little about the kingdoms. The light. The darkness. You know so little about who you really are. Who you have always been destined to be. Who you can become."
"You said that already!"
The cloaked figure once again disappeared. But the voice remained. The girls could hear it chuckling evilly.
"Protectors of the Kingdoms, welcome! Welcome to your destiny!"
objects, or undeserved suspense that may occurring while you read this
fanfic. You've been warned. Read at your own risk.**
"Sashi!"
"What!?"
"What are you doing!?"
"Nothing!"
"If I come down there and find you playing that Kingdom Hearts game, you're in for it!" Sashi could hear her mother's feet walking briskly across the upstairs floor towards the staircase.
"Oh shit. Becky, quick, out the back door."
"You haven't saved yet!"
"Becky! My mom is going to kill me!"
"Right, that would be the most important thing at the moment. Come on over tonight. We'll finish up our summer project and then we'll sneak in an hour or two of Kingdom Hearts. Okay?" Becky added as she ran over to the door awaiting Sashi's answer.
"Yeah, okay. Here, take this." Sashi pulled out her memory card and passed it along with the CD-ROM to Becky. "My mom would kill me even more if she found that down here."
"Tay. See you later Sashi." Becky yelled back as she opened the door, ran outside, hopped the fence, and bolted down the block to her house. As soon as Becky was out of sight, Sashi grabbed a book off the bookcase, and plopped down on the sofa. Just as she had opened the book to a random page, her mom walked in. She gave a sly smile as she looked at her daughter. Sashi believed that she had finally beaten her in the war of trickery when she said, "There you are, my little master of trickery. All right, where is it?"
Looking very innocent and trying to sound very angelic, Sashi replied, "Where's what?"
"You know what." Her mother countered her. She could always tell when Sashi was lying.
"No, I really don't."
"Kingdom Hearts. And I'll bet fifty bucks Becky is here as well. Now, where did you hide her?" Sashi's mom started to look around the room.
"Becky isn't coming over till tonight to pick me up mom. Are you feeling all right? Here, let me feel your forehead." She walked over to her mom and put the back of her hand lightly against her mom's forehead.
"Sashi!"
"What!?"
"Do you really expect me to believe that you've been down here reading this whole time?"
"Well, I have" Sine you took my game away, I've had nothing better to do."
"She's behind the bookcase, isn't she?" Her mom said, giving the slightest hint of a smile.
"Mom, Becky is not here. She never was here. Well, today at least. And I've been down here, bored as hell, reading." Sashi held her breath and crossed her fingers in hopes that her mom would believe her.
"Okay, you've managed to pull this off today." Sashi gave a sigh of relief. "But next time, I won't call out your name."
Just then, a small boy's voice came from upstairs. "Mom, the noodles are bubbling over!"
"Okay Todd, we're coming up now." She put her arm around Sashi and walked upstairs. Upstairs, Sashi's little brother, Todd, was standing over the oven watching the noodles bubble over. Next to him was a small, oval- shaped, wooden table. On it, there was were four places set. On the floor was the fifth place. And next to her bowls laid Lee, Sashi's faithful German Shepherd. "Sashi, feed the dog please."
"Sure mom. Come on girl. Dinner time." Lee looked up at Sashi and began to wag her tail.
"Todd, why are there four plates out?" Sashi asked as she placed Lee's bowl back on the floor.
"I thought daddy might be back tonight. I'll put it away." Todd heaved a heavy sigh as he picked up the extra plate and began moving towards the cupboard. Just as he was pulling the step stool toward the cabinet, a voice interrupted the silence.
"Now, Toddy boy, if you put that plate away, what am I supposed to eat on?" Sashi and Todd ran right over to their dad and knocked him down. They had missed him so much. He had been away on business in Dublin, where he'd been for the last three weeks.
"We missed you daddy."
"I missed you guys too. Hello Melody."
"Hello Brad. Come on, dinner's getting cold." Sashi and Todd got off their dad and went to the table. Brad went over to his wife and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Then he whispered something in her ear, making her giggle.
'God, my life is good.' Sashi thought to herself. Her parents sat down and they began to eat.
"So, dad, how was Dublin?" Sashi asked attentively.
"Amazing."
"Are you going to have to go back?" Both Sashi and Todd looked at their father with wide eyes.
"Sometime in the near future, yes."
"Sashi and her brother looked very disappointed and depressed at the answer the had received. "Oh."
"But, I told them I'd only come back if..."
"If?"
"If... I get to bring my family with me." Todd went bright-eyed and Sashi was speechless.
"Really?"
"Yep, in two months we'll all be in Ireland. As long as it's okay with your mother that is."
"Oh, please mom, can't we go!?" Sashi put on a great, big smile.
"Please mom, I don't want daddy to leave again." Todd said, going over the his dad and sitting on his lap.
"Okay, okay. We can go..."
"Yes!" Todd yelled with glee, hugging his father tightly.
"Only..."
"I know there'd be an 'only'." Sashi said, putting her head down on her hand.
"Only, if you guys behave really good and you start off the new school year really well."
"But school's so far away."
"Not as far away as you think, Sash." Her dad said, spooning a bunch of noodles for Todd.
"Yeah, it's already the end of July."
"Don't remind me." Sashi sighed. The door bell rang. "That's Becky. I'll see you guys later." Sashi called out as she ran over to the sink with her plate, and then ran over to the stairs.
"Hey, Sashi, as soon as you get home, this dog needs to be walked."
"Okay dad!' The door slammed and she was gone.
--~*~--
"Hey Becky, have you seen my keys?"
"Umm, I think I saw them on top of the fridge."
"Thanks."
"No prob, bro."
"Where's Luke going?"
"I think he's going to pick up his friend at the airport."
Becky and Sashi had been working on their summer project for about an hour. Becky's mom then walked in.
"Okay girls, you've worked long enough. You can finish up tomorrow. Go do what you want now."
"Yes! Thanks mom!" They put their project under the table of the living room and quickly turned on the PS2.
"Okay, where were we?"
"We were in the Olympus Coliseum. We were just going to fight the boss and seal the world."
"Oh, that's the good part."
"Oh, look who is it. It's your big sister and her best friend. Tag, you're it." Becky's mom came over to them and placed a small baby in each of the girls" arms. These were Becky's little brother and sister, Nick and Ruby.
"Oh, it's my favorite pair of twins in the world." Sashi said as she cooed and cuddled the little baby.
"You like them so much, Sashi, you can have them."
"Oh, come Becky. You know you love them. How could anyone not love these little faces? Isn't that right Nick?" Sashi smiled at Nick, then they started the game.
About forty minutes had passed by. They defeated the boss and sealed the world. Now, they were in Halloween Town.
"Save point! Save point!" Sashi began yelling excitedly pointing at the tv.
"I can see it Sashi. I have beaten the game three times already. I know where the save points are.
"You guys are still at this game?" Luke walked in with his keys in one hand and nothing in the other.
"Good, you're home." Becky said as she ran over to him and placed Ruby in his empty arm. "Your turn."
"Oh that's harsh."
"I know, But I've had them since you left."
"Wait, what time is it?" Sashi asked suddenly looking very worried.
"It's eight forty-five."
"Oh shit!"
"What's the matter?"
Sashi dropped everything and bolted towards the door. "I was supposed to be home thirty minutes ago!" She yelled back as she ran down to the front yard. She sprinted down the block and up to her door. 'Okay, if I just get Lee, they'll think I was walking the dog this whole time.' Sashi thought to herself. All of a sudden her thoughts were interrupted by a small boy's voice.
"Mommy's gonna kill you Sashi."
"Todd, shh, be quiet! You wanna get me caught?"
"Too late my dear." Sashi looked up and saw her dad standing over her. "You're lucking I like you."
"What?"
"I won't tell your mother."
"Thank you dad! Todd, why are you holding me sleeping bag?"
"Becky called and wanted to know if you wanted to sleep over in order to save you from a sudden and painful death for being late."
"I would suggest taking your stuff and running for your life Sash." Brad gave his daughter her stuff and pointed toward the sidewalk.
"Sashi! You'd better not let me catch you!"
Sashi took one look at her mother's shadow and took of down the street.
--~*~--
"They're pissers, aren't they?"
"You can say that again, Ki Ki."
Becky's mother and father watched the two girls sleep in wonder. They had never seen two better friends.
"God, they're so much alike. You'd think they we're sisters. Twins even." Ki Ki pulled the blanket over her daughter and took the PS2 controller out of Sashi's hand.
"Same likes. Same dislikes. Same smile. Practically the same personality. Hell, they even got the same scar, on the same arm, in the same place."
"Don't you find that a bit scary, Andy?"
"Very. I guess these girls were just meant to find each other."
"Yeah, I'm telling you, fate designed these girls for each other. There's no doubt about that. It was fate."
--~*~--
Fate. Was it really the thing the brought Sashi and Becky together? Or was it just chance? Just two girls finding each other out of nowhere? No. Fate was the only way the explain why Sashi and Becky were for each other. Everyone knew that.
But what about destiny? They knew that their destinies had something to do with each other; but what was it. No one could know for sure. The only thing that was sure was that their destinies were intertwined. What it was, had to be found. And, a little hint here and there never hurt either. Even if it came from the darkness...
Sashi had been sleeping for a while now. But something was happening. She began to fall into a deeper sleep. Deeper and deeper she went, until the voice from the darkness.
"Sashi." It was a cold voice. One that shot a shiver up her spine. It was a low and dark voice. One that was drenched in the venom of evil. It was a hidden voice. One that could only belong to the cloaked figure that was walking toward her.
"Wh-who are you? Wha-what do you-what do you want?" Sashi found herself stuttering in fear.
"How is it that you know so little about what you really are? How is it that you can't see what your destiny really is? What possibilities it holds?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't. You know so little about your true being. So little. How is it that you can be one of the true Protectors? There is so much to learn and yet you know so little."
Sashi stood there paralyzed in fright. She didn't know what to do. And what was a Protector anyway?
"I don't understand."
"It seems as though destiny had really screwed up this time."
"I may not know a lot, but I do know that destiny is never wrong. It never makes mistakes. And I also know that you are a very scary person, and I still don't know who you are."
"So little. How could it possibly be true?"
With that, Sashi slipped out of the darkness. However, as she slipped out, Becky slipped in. Deeper and deeper she fell, until the voice from the darkness came once again.
"Becky." Becky looked around for the voice. But all she found was the darkness. Then, the cloaked figure revealed itself.
Becky couldn't move. She was too scared. All that came out of her mouth was a small "What-what are you doing here?"
"You know even less than your friend. How is it that you were chosen for this destiny?"
"What destiny?"
"I was right. So little. You know nothing of who you are. Who you always were destined to be. Who you could become. How is it true?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"A Protector. How is it that you and your dull-witted friend became destined to be the Protectors of the Kingdoms? It doesn't make sense. You know so little and yet you have won this destiny. It's impossible."
Again, the figure disappeared. But instead of Becky slipping out of the darkness, Sashi slipped back in. Now, both girls stood in an endless realm of nothingness. They looked at each other blankly. They waited. Waited for something to happen. Anything. And then, the voice came back one last time.
"So, you think that destiny can never be wrong!? Well, we'll have to see about that!"
"What do you want from us!?" Sashi retorted, stepping in front of Becky to protect her from whatever was about to happen.
"Two little girls destined to be leaders. Destined to be Protectors." The voice gave a tiny evil laugh.
"We're not little!"
"Yeah, Sashi's sixteen and I'm fifteen and a half!"
"So little. You two won't make it through one week. But, it will be fun to watch you try."
"Try what?" The girls began to cringe back into fear.
"Try to fulfill your destiny. But how could you? You know so little about the kingdoms. The light. The darkness. You know so little about who you really are. Who you have always been destined to be. Who you can become."
"You said that already!"
The cloaked figure once again disappeared. But the voice remained. The girls could hear it chuckling evilly.
"Protectors of the Kingdoms, welcome! Welcome to your destiny!"
