WORKING TITLE: Time's Up
PAIRING: Sora/OC
RATING: K+
SUMMARY: Graced precious few moments with the Keybearer, Aelsin Cacetera knew all too well that the sands of time were ticking against her. She just never expected them to run out so quickly…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is VERY drabblish. First in a series of more or less unrelated Sora/OC stories that may or may not be submitted. Fair warning, this IS a self-insert. However, she actually DOESN'T end up with Sora. Read and find out-or not. Your choice.
STORY START
Crash! Aelsin winced, forced to break the fall of all three of her companions. "We need a new strategy," Donald squawked, simultaneously casting Thundra at the large Heartless. "Ya think?" Aelsin growled, shoving out from under the pile of heroes. Sora blocked another projectile of darkness and spared her a concerned glance, "You okay?"
"I will be when we kill the thing," Growling again, the girl pulled herself to her feet, re-adjusting her grip on the boa staff. "Time for a little power, methinks," she muttered, rolling into a blindspot and closing her eyes.
Tk….tk….tk… The only sounds were her breathing and the soft, never-ending tik of her pocket watch. Beneath closed lids, she could see the entire ballroom from a bird's-eye-view. The chandelier glowed a vibrant golden color as soon as Sora passed beneath it.
Muddy brown orbs flew open as Aelsin rolled back into view, "Sora—the chandelier!"
Grunting in acknowledgement, Sora waited until the Heartless was distracted before activating his Wisdom Form. Using the aquired glide, he shot himself like a bullet onto the chandelier. In a surge of magic he felt it respond to his drive form, spinning around and around the ballroom, offering the best angles for Sora to strike the Heartless with his Keyblade.
The beast gave a piercing shriek, twitching in the middle of the room. Aelsin shared a cheer with her partners, racing over just as Sora struck the final blow.
Tik-tik…tik-tik…
Her feet stumbled suddenly, smile falling as she recalled the haunting words without a voice. The less time there is, the faster it goes.
Tik-tik…tik-tik…
Grinning like a fool, Sora raced over to Aelsin, "Did you see that? We did it!"
"Don't you mean you did it?" He didn't notice her grin was forced. She tried to act natural.
Tik-tik-tik….tik-tik…
He turned to look at her, still grinning like an idiot, "We did it. I would've never known I could do that without you!" Sora was so happy, he grabbed her hands and spun her around in a sort of mock-waltz.
Tik-tik-tik-tik…
She couldn't take it anymore. Witholding a cry she pulled away, wrapping her hands around her midsection. Sora's face fell into genuine worry. "What is it?"
"N-nothing…"
Tik-tik-tik-tik.
Sora pulled her back to face him, keeping his hand gentle and firm around her wrist. She wouldn't be able to run away…
"Sin, what's wrong?"
Tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik.
"I have to g-go…" She couldn't look at him—or at anything. The world began to loose color, starting with his eyes. How she loved the color of his eyes…
"Sin, what are you saying?" She still hadn't moved. Her knees shook, ready to give out. Yet still she could feel his hand on hers, soft and warm and safe. That presence gave her just enough courage to look at him, though she could only see his outline now.
She let the tears fall, mouth curling in a small, sad smile, "…Time's up…"
The clock stopped ticking.
Sightless eyes closed to block out the colorless world.
Deaf ears could swear they heard him calling her name.
Mute vocal chords worked to say what could never be said.
The girl simply….stopped existing. Sora's hand closed around misty air, and he stumbled from trying to catch her. Something landed with a dull thunk on his foot, and he bent to gently pick it up.
He'd seen her carry it everywhere—glancing at it was her nervous habit. The pocketwatch was small and bronze, etched with a moon on the front cover. Sora pressed the release, opening the watch to reveal a folded paper covering a handless, glass-less watch face with backwards numbers.
Hoping there was some form of explanation within, Sora quickly unfolded the paper.
Sora…Forgive me. I was never supposed to be there. I made a deal…and if you're reading this, that deal is over. By now, I'm back where I belong—where, unfortunately, you can never be.
I know our time was short, but I do truly care about you. Where I am, I will watch over you. Always.
Sincerely Doubtful.
"Sora…?" Donald's voice called Sora back. It seemed like he was missing something…but he couldn't for the life of him think what. Glancing down at his hands he found only an odd, broken pocket watch and a folded piece of blank paper. Odd though they were, he felt some sort of attachment towards them. "Coming…"
Putting the paper and watch in his pocket, Sora jogged to catch up with Donald and Goofy, oddly at ease despite how much journey he still had ahead of him. "That was some Heartless, huh?"
"I'll say. Took my entire stock of ethers!" Something about the duck's statement seemed off to Sora, but he shrugged it off and continued on. He was probably just hungry…
Dimensions away, a teenage girl placed her hand on the screen of her television, smiling sadly as a cutscene to a videogame she knew word-for-word played on. "Sora…" the girl sighed and rested her forehead against the glass, clutching one hand close to her heart. Muddy brown eyes closed, a single tear falling. "…Thank you…"