The Path Between Light and Dark

Chapter 1: Little Brother

I awoke to the waves lapping against the shore outside my window. Sunlight filtered into my window and lit the room with a golden glow. A large yawn escaped from me as I stretched. I inhaled deeply and got out of bed to shower. It took me a few minutes to get ready for my first day of high school.

I gazed into the mirror over my dresser. A boy with tan skin, crystal blue eyes, and long spiky blond hair gazed back. The school uniform was a white shirt with plaid pants and matching tie. I slipped on black, blue, and white sneakers on and clipped on my chain with a "T" pendant on it around my neck.

"Tidus, honey! Hurry up or you'll going to be late for your first day of school!" my mom yelled.

"Coming, mom!" I called back. I took a quick glance around my room to make sure I hand everything I needed: backpack, pens, pencils, and etc. I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs to the kitchen. A brunette woman with bright emerald green eyes smiled at me.

"Good morning, honey! Are you excited for about today!"

"Yeah, mom, I am!" Truth be told I was looking forward to high school. Meeting all kinds of people at one time fascinated me.

I turned around as footsteps entered into the kitchen. "Morning', Aerith." My father Cloud drawled as he sat at the table. She leaned down, and he obliged her with a kiss on the lips. He smirked, "Now that's a wake up call."

He ruffled my hair: "Hey, Ti, ready for your first day?"

"You bet!"

"That's my boy!" He grinned.

I smiled and glanced around the kitchen almost immediately my smile faded. Noticing this my mom walked over to me. "What's wrong, Ti, are you sick?"

"No, I just miss Sora and Roxas." I muttered.

"Oh. Don't worry, Tidus, your brothers will come back."

"But when, mom? Its been a year now and still nothing."

"Don't fret, kid, Sora and Roxas will be back before you know it. You know they would never miss your birthday." my dad voiced.

I thought for a moment and smiled, "You know, dad, you're right."

"Now go to school, so you won't be late on your first day." My mom urged.

"Thanks, guys!" I hugged them both and ran out the door to Destiny Island High School.

I slowed to a walk, and my thoughts shifted back to my brothers. 'I hope they're alright.' The last time we saw each other was before Destiny Islands suddenly disappeared, and all the people including myself were put in some weird suspended animation until the islands returned. Sora, Roxas, Riku, and Kairi never returned though. Well, Kairi did come back around the same time the islands reappeared but others did not. She also brought another girl with her named Namine. Namine happened to be Kairi's twin sister even though she was blond. However, she looked exactly like Kairi.

Consequently, these thoughts brought me to my own family. I am the adopted son of Cloud and Aerith Strife and younger adopted brother of Sora and Roxas Strife. My biological parents Jecht and Suki Hikari died in a car accident when I was two. Although I don't remember them much, they left me two plush toys: an Ixion and a Bahamut. The toys were almost lifelike in appearance. I chuckled to myself: "I'm almost 14, and I still admire plush toys."

I looked around to see where I was going. Destiny Islands was to my left and Twilight Town to my right. The latter city was like the downtown area of the metropolis. However, the two cities were entirely different. I reached my new high school in a matter of minutes. Destiny Islands High was huge. I saw five orange buildings with white trimming. Tropical plants surrounded it. A multitude of teenagers were standing in and around it. I sighed because I was the only person going here besides my brothers and some of their friends. Roxas's friends, Wakka, and Selphie all went to Twilight High in the inner city.

"Hey are you okay?" a voice asked. I turned and gasped at how pretty this girl was. She had long brown hair that was tied into a single braid and brown bangs framed her face. She had unusual eyes: one was light blue and the other emerald green.

"Um, yeah, just a little down, I guess." I breathed.

"Oh, well my name is Yuna." She held out her hand.

"Tidus." I shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Tidus. I hope we meet again sometime. Well, see you later." She walked off into the school.

"Yeah." I breathed. "Nice meeting you to." I smiled and jogged into another building. 'Maybe this isn't as bad as I thought it would be.'