"Wow", Kairi panted as she helped her boyfriend, Sora, pushing a wheel barrow with a giant corpse of a bird in it. "This is sure one giant Chocobo!"
Sora gave her a grin. "Tidus' dad is selling his Chocobos cheaper than the one in the Moogle store. Besides, everybody knows that Tidus' dad run the best Chocobo farm on Destiny Island."
"I've to agree with you on that one", Kairi said as Sora gestured he should do the pushing leaving her to walk beside him and the wheel barrow. "Not to mention that they're a lot fatter and juicer. I wonder what Tidus and his dad been feeding them."
Sora grunted as he gave the wheel-barrow a push up the hill. When they reached the top of the slope, Sora just shrugged, "Maybe it those bitter weeds that you use in your potato salad last picnic trip."
"You mean Chocobos actually eat them?" Kairi looked aghast. Sora tried to hide a grin.
"I thought the potato salad tasted as bitter as pickles."
He was rewarded with a punch on the shoulder from Kairi. "Shut up! There were in the Grocery so I assume that people eat them so…"
"And just chuck them in your potato salad assuming other people will mistake them as spring onions." Sora finished with a grin.
Kairi looked slightly offended. "I thought it will improve the flavor."
They have finally reached Sora's house where Sora's mom and Kairi's grandmother were preparing for the Thanksgiving dinner they will be hosting for their neighbors. A group of Moogles were putting up decorations and setting up tables and chairs for the guests. One Moogle was mixing their special juice in a pot and a few of them breaking a giant cube of ice into smaller cubes. When the two women saw Sora and Kairi with the Chocobo, they smile and walked towards them.
"Good", Kairi's grandmother said. "You brought the Chocobo."
"Thanks you two", Sora's mom smiled warmly at them. Kairi returned the smile.
"It was nothing."
"We can start marinating the Chocobo after we are done with the potato salad", Sora's mom said. When she saw her son grinning, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing", Sora said with a grin. "It's just that I can't stop thinking of Kairi's pickle salad."
Kairi punched in the shoulder, hard.
Kairi grandmother arched an eyebrow at her granddaughter. "Pickle salad?"
"He meant 'potato salad'", Kairi told her grandmother and then flushed. "I just didn't know that those weeds I used were meant for Chocobos."
Sora was now laughing quietly to himself. Sora's mom said dismissively, "Oh those herbs! I always used them when marinating Chocobos or put them in salads."
Sora abruptly stops laughing and his jaws dropped. "Mom… all these years I've been eating Chocobo's fodders?"
Kairi giggled as her grandmother snorted, "Chocobo's Fodders? When I was small, I used to drink a glass of meshed up of those weeds. It was believed to make you younger and more beautiful." She added with a grin at Sora's repulsive look on his face. Kairi just threw him a triumphant smile.
"Maybe I should start drinking those things", she said with a grin.
"Don't rubbed it in." grumbled Sora.
"Enough you two", Sora's mom said as a group of Moogles pushed the Chocobo into the house. "Why not you get ready for the party? You two did a good job already."
"Just make sure you're in time for the party." Kairi's grandmother added.
"We will", Kairi promised as she pulled Sora with her. "Come on Sora, let see how the others are doing."
Sora's mood lightens up as he followed Kairi. "Sure. I go and check on Roxas, Wakaa, Tidus and Riku. You check on Namine and Selphie."
At the mention of her best friend's name, Kairi's smile faded. "I'm worried about Namine, she have been depressed recently."
Sora frowned. "Now that you mention, Roxas have been more surly and moody every time we meet up. It got nothing to do we them having a problem with their relationship."
Kairi shrugged. "I hope not. I try to cheer her up when I meet her later." Kairi smiled as she pecked Sora's on the cheek. "See you later."
That night, the entire neighborhood was at Sora's Thanksgiving Party. This was partly that Sora's house was one of the biggest household on the Island. So it was practical that parties should be held in this household. Besides Sora's mom and Kairi's grandmother's cooking of Cranberry Pies, Potato Salads, Pumpkin Pie, and the Giant Chocobo, other residents also brought their own specialty so there a lot for everyone. The Moogle Catering Team busy serving drinks to guests and cleaning up dishes. Children were running around while their parents were having conversations of any interesting gossips or stories they had in store. The elderly were sitting on chairs smiling at their younger generation.
In the midst of the merry-going, Sora and his friends, Riku, Wakaa and Tidus, were clumped into group as Riku told them about his part time job in one of the stores: "So I was cleaning up the store when I overheard my boss complaining that all the ice-creams in his office have melted even though the air-conditioner was on. Then I just remembered that he forgot to pay his electricity bills so…"
The group laugh as Sora made his excuse when he saw Kairi with a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. He walked towards them and smile in greeting.
"Hey Kairi, Namine; enjoying the party so far?"
"We're", Kairi said. "This year food is better than last year's one!"
Namine mutely nodded in agreement and then asked, "Sora, do you know where Roxas is? I can't find him anywhere."
"Well…"
"Sora, Kairi, Namine!"
All three of them turned around to see a blonde boy walking towards them. To their surprise, there was someone else behind him.
"I'm sorry I'm late", Roxas panted and smiled at his friends. "I was waiting for Xion when he party started."
"Xion?" asked Kairi.
Roxas step aside revealing a girl with short black hair and ocean-blue eyes. She was almost the same age with everyone in the group. She wore black jeans and a sleeveless blue shirt.
"Everyone, this is Xion", Roxas introduced. "She just moved a few days ago and I thought it would be best to introduce her to you guys at the Thanksgiving Dinner."
"I hope its okay since I'm not officially invited." Xion said with a radiant smile.
"There is no problem", Sora said shaking her hand. "My name is Sora."
"Hi, I'm Kairi", Kairi smiled as she shook Xion's hand. "Welcome to Destiny Island."
Namine was staring silently at Roxas and Xion during the entire confrontation. When she finally spoke, "My name is Namine."
Her voice betrayed jealousy and both Sora and Kairi noticed it. She didn't even offer a handshake. Fortunately, Roxas and Xion were oblivious to her reactions.
"Roxas took me on a tour of the Island. I didn't realize Destiny Island is this beautiful! You must be lucky to live in a beautiful environment." Xion said.
"Yes", Kairi said. "I doubt you can find a place that has beautiful sky and sea."
"So how did you and Roxas meet?" asked Sora.
Roxas took Xion's hand. "I was walking when she and her parents first moved in and I show almost everywhere on Destiny Island. Later, I had dinner at her house."
Namine was clenching her fists. Sora noticed her reactions and quickly asked, "So where are your parents Xion?"
Xion gestured at the entrance of Sora's garden. They saw a couple with black hair talking jovially to Sora's mom. It looks like they were having a good time.
"My folks are talking to your mom now. She is very nice."
"She always is", Sora said. "Can I meet your parents? Then I take you and Roxas towards the serving table."
Xion nodded happily. "They will love to meet you."
"Lead on Sora." Roxas said.
As Sora led Roxas and Namine towards the entrance, Kairi watched Namine. Namine was still staring at Roxas and Xion. Her fists were clenching and un-clenching like a machine. There was a flare of anger in her ocean-blue eyes.
"Namine…" began Kairi. Namine snapped from her thoughts and mustered a smile. It was half successful.
"I'm sorry Kairi, but my mom is expecting me to be back early." Kairi knew she was lying. "Can you please say thank you for Sora and his mom for me? The dinner was fabulous."
Before Kairi could reply, Namine ran into the crowd of people receiving looks from the guest. Kairi was about to follow her but then stopped. She gave a sigh. She just hope that Namine will cool down for a while.