The Keyblade War felt like so long ago now. More like a story from Sora's childhood than an actual memory.
Perhaps it was best this way. Sometimes, when he closed his eyes, he could almost feel tracks left by years-old tears, as if burned into the skin of his cheeks forever.
Not that coming back had been easy. He had known the cost of rescuing Kairi would be huge; he just hadn't anticipated…this. The worlds he had seen, worlds whose magic was so unlike the one he knew, full of crystals and legends and people who hurt each other, not in the name of darkness but because of some twisted ideals.
He had made friends—he wouldn't be him if he hadn't. He had fought side by side with Terra, and Ashe, and Lightning, and Noctis, and Cecil, and many others. Against madmen and monsters, and people who were a bit of both. Against creatures who cared for naught and were not evil so much as empty. Against beings who called themselves gods, but who, unlike Hercules and his family, used their powers only to control and enslave. And finally, after five years, he had found his way home.
There was still something uncomfortable to Sora, even after a couple years of knowing Snow Villiers, about riding a motorcycle that he knew was a sentient creature—or maybe two? those summoned beings were confusing to Sora. Still, he was appreciative for the ride, especially when the goddess of order turned out to have opened a portal on the far side of Sora's island home. He could have walked back, sure, but this was nicer.
With Snow driving, Sora could let his mind wander as he took in the sights of his hometown. The old dirt roads, surrounded by bushes and flowers and palm trees. The cozy little homes further ahead, bathed in orange by the setting sun, and the mountains towering in the background. The scent of salt and the warmth of the breeze, above all else, felt like home, even after all this time.
There were new things, too. The town had grown, spreading further out than it used to, and it was now dotted with large, new constructions. In them, Sora recognized the influence of other worlds: the tidy, white houses from Scala ad Caelum, the huddled-together houses of Twilight Town, a clock tower not unike Traverse Town. And, looming over the entire city, a single skyscraper, so reminiscent of the Organization's world's Dark City as to send a shudder down Sora's spine, even after so long.
Still, he hadn't changed so much as to stop following his heart, and his heart pointed him to that building.
"You sure you don't want me to come along?" Snow asked when he dropped Sora off at the bottom of the tower, but Sora shook his head.
"I'm home!" He couldn't help but smile as he said the words. "I'll be fine now. You should go home too. To your family."
"Right." Snow hopped back on the cycle, but didn't start the engine immediately. "One last piece of advice? From one hero to another."
Sora couldn't help but chuckle that Snow still called himself a hero, but he nodded. "Sure."
"You should tell that friend of yours how you really feel. As a guy who took the leap, let me tell you: no matter what happens afterwards, no matter how tragic…it's worth it."
"I—yeah." No point telling Snow that had been his plan all along. "Thanks."
Snow's optimism carried him through the skyscraper's entrance hall, past the shocked expression on the receptionist's face as she let him in on an elevator, and stuck with him for the entirety of the elevator ride, all the way to the magician's office at the top.
Master Yen Sid, unsurprisingly, hadn't changed a bit with the years. Sora wasn't sure he was capable of change, and maybe things were better that way. Still, he was glad that, for once, the rare surprise on the magician's face was a happy one—and one of Sora's making at that.
"You've returned, Sora!" His voice even betrayed a hint of warmth, Sora was certain, even if his gaze was teasing when he added, "and you've lost the clothes the good fairies made you."
Sora couldn't help but smirk. "Grew out of them, actually. Miss me?"
"Not as much as your friends have, I'm sure." A smile formed on his lips. "That you should return to us today, of all days—"
"Yeah, about that…where's Riku?" Sora couldn't help but blurt out. "I wanna…I mean…there's something important I have to tell him."
"He's still on the beach, on the other island, I would assume," Yen Sid said. "Along with all of your friends. I only left them because I sensed…an opening between worlds." He said the last few words with a pointed look at Sora, as if piecing things together. "Well, I suppose that mystery is solved. Perhaps I can take you there myself?"
"I—whoa, yeah, thanks!" Sora couldn't believe his luck. At Yen Sid's miffed gaze, he regretted his outburst. "I mean…thank you, Master. That's very generous."
Yen Sid rose from behind his desk, coming to stand next to Sora. "It will only take a moment."
Sora waited as the wizard waved his hands, but that was enough silence for his brain to figure something out. "If I may ask, Master…is something happening?" If Yen Sid had come to the other island—the play island—it had to be important.
"Why, yes. A most joyous occasion, indeed. You'll see."
Magic smoke erupted from him, surrounding them both until Sora couldn't see anything in the office. Then, just as suddenly, it faded, and the two of them were on the beach. His beach. The one where it had all started.
Part of Sora's brain registered all the people who were there—all his friends, met throughout his adventures. But they were all promptly dismissed when his eyes narrowed in on the one he'd been eager to find, to talk to. The one whose memory who had kept him going, all those years.
"Riku!" he called out, running towards him. His speech—his declaration, carefully prepared—was coming to his mind all jumbled, so he didn't say anything right away. He'd only get one shot, and he wouldn't waste it—
His eyes landed on the fruit in Riku's hand. The star-shaped, yellow fruit. And next to him was Kairi, holding one of her own. Both were looking at him, stunned and full of disbelief.
Sora wasn't looking back at them. His eyes were fixed on the fruit, and on the hands holding them. On the metal bands glinting in the sunset around their ring fingers.
"Riku, I—"
"You're back," Riku said, sounding equally horrified and happy.
"Indeed," Yen Sid said, coming up from behind Sora. "And on the day of your wedding, no less—a blessing far greater than anything I could have conjured up."
Sora stared silently, the word echoing through his mind, burning every part of his thoughtfully-crafted speech.
"I'm home."
His voice broke, along with his heart. Then his tears started to fall.