Reaping Day: Destiny Islands

I stand in line with the rest of our island's residents to get our blood samples taken. When I reach the front, she inserts the syringe into my forearm, it buzzes and then she put the sample in a section that says: "Shore, Riku F."

"Good, next," The woman says. I walk off and stand with everyone. I spot Sora, and I rush by the crowd to stand next to the terrified brunette.

"You okay?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," He says, wiping a layer of tears from his eyes. He looks at me. "I guess I'm just scared. I took a lot of paopus this year."

"It'll be okay," I look up from the ground. "Even if you get drawn, I'll take your place, okay?"

"No, Riku, don't volunteer for me!" He exclaims. "I'll survive just fine in any arena they set up! After all, I am the key bearer."

"I'm a key bearer, too, Sora. And it's fine, I'd go into the games for you any day."

"Whatever, Riku," Sora says.

Then a sudden voice thunders through the microphone. "Testing, testing! Okay, so the time has come to pick this year's wonderful tributes from Destiny Islands," Says Minnie.

She visits every world that participates in the Annual Heartless Games every year and pulls the tributes from a big bowl with a bunch of slips with names on them.

She reaches into the bowl and grabs one of them. She examines the name, and says aloud, "Riku Shore?"

My eyes widen. Me? Why me? No, this isn't happening..

As I'm slowly heading for the stage, Sora yells, "I volunteer!"

I snap my head to look at him. "Sora, shut up!"

"Ma'am, Minnie, I'll volunteer in Riku's place!"

Since I'm not that close to the stage, I cover his mouth with my hand. I look at him and mutter, "Sora, I'll be fine, I promise."

"Riku!" He cries and hugs me tightly. "No, I'll take your place. No.."

"It'll be okay.."

A peacekeeper then forcefully takes me away from him, and shoves me up on stage.

"Lets hear it for this year's first tribute." There's no cheering, or even applause. Just utter silence and slight signs of respect and sadness, like always. "Now for our second."

She pulls another, looks at it and says, "Sora Highwind."

How.

Damn.

Ironic…

Immediately, I wanna punch the slip out of Minnie's grasp. No, not Sora. And I can't even volunteer! Damn it!

I look off, trying not to cry. No need to show weakness for people watching the reapings.

Sora is ushered up next to me by peacekeepers.

I frown at him. I just can't believe it..

I want to volunteer, but I can't even do that..

"This year's tributes from Destiny Islands!" And again, utter silence.

Next, I am shoved into a room and we are told to remain seated until our visitors come, whoever they might be.

My first visitor just so happens to be my mom.

"Riku," She murmurs quietly and locks me into a big hug.

"Mom," I say back, my lip muscles aching from frowning so much. Suddenly, the tears come pouring out. Without thinking, I bury my head on my mother's shoulder.

She pulls away and looks at me. Using the end of her sleeve, she dabs away my tears. "You're a key bearer, so go out there and win for me, okay? I know you can. I believe in you, Riku."

I nod. "I'll try," I say, the corners of my mouth still twitching.

"Time to go," The peacekeeper says, pushing us apart.

WHAT? No, that was a little too fast, you rotten little peacekeeper…

"No," I suddenly snap, pulling my mom back towards me, away from that filthy peacekeeper. "She hasn't even been here for a full minute."

The peacekeeper reaches out and smacks me across the face. "Dude, we're running on a very tight schedule. You have 5visitors to see in less than 3 minutes. Now, unless you don't want to see them all, make 'em upset, I suggest you shut it." He pulls my mom back from me, and shoves her out the door, and this time, I actually let him.

Five visitors? Really? Who'd wanna visit me?

Then, a cute girl with auburn hair, wearing a white tube top and short purple designers skirt comes busting through the door. "Riku," She says close to tears and runs closer to embrace me.

"Kairi," I say. I hug her back, those tears drawing their way back into my eyes. But this time, I blink them away. "I gonna miss you," I mutter.

"I just got back from visiting Sora," She says, pulling away. She looks off.

Before I remember my mom saying words of advice.. Like, "Win for me," and such.. But as I look into Kairi's tear-filled eyes, recalling that she just visited Sora, I know she wants him to win. And that's why she's close to tears - If she's routing for Sora, she knows that means I have to die.

"Well if-" She says, trying to put what I already know into words. "I-if.."

Her pretty little face is now infested with tears. "Good luck, Riku," She says quickly, and hugs me a second time.

That peacekeeper says, "Times up," And takes her away by force, and slams the door on her tear-covered face. "Next," He mutters, carelessly leaning against the wall by the door.

Then, as if cued, Tidus walks in, holding his cute little sword. "Hi, Riku," He says, swinging it. Probably the least emotional visit so far..

"Hey, Tidus," I say. I get closer, then I kneel down to get to his level.

"Win, okay? For me. I know you're gonna, you're like my role model, y'know?"

I grin, actually showing off a bit of teeth. "I will."

Tidus smiles too. Then he looks off, swallowing, forcing his tears too find a new home. "I know I'm gonna be strong like you one day." He hugs me and I hug him back. "I'll get into the games, too. And whenever that day comes, I gonna win, like you, too!" Then, a single tear streams down his check. He looks away, trying to fight off the look of a weakness.

"It's okay," I say, and I take his chin and force him to look at me. I then wipe away his tear. I'm really close to tears, too. I'm sure I look horrible, as my tear stains from earlier are probably still present. And nevermind, this is quite emotional..

"Times up, again," The peacekeeper says, and Tidus actually gets up and goes without even being forced to.

Then my next visitor comes in. It's my friend, Sara, who is Wakka's sister. I gotta tell you, I hate her brother, though.

"Hey you," She says, calmly, actually, approaching with a hug. Then she pulls away after about 3 seconds. "Win for me, kay?"

"Yeah, I will," I say, looking off.

"I'll be watching, then," She says, smiling slightly, then a tear comes out. She hugs me again. "You'll be winning, like Charlie Sheen."

I laugh a bit. "It's the sheen disease!" Then we both laugh.

The peacekeeper walks over. "Times completely up. You've wasted so much time that," He pulls out a note. "'Selphie' doesn't get to visit. Now, go."

Sara hugs me a bit tighter. "Bye," She whispers and leaves.

I am then ushered onto a train to the Disney Castle.