The horror, the tragedy. He couldn't even begin to express how devastatingly empty he felt. He felt almost as empty as the pantry shelf he stared at.
Sora stood in front of the empty cabinet, willing it to magically fill itself with splendid treats, but he was hoping against hope. The wooden shelves were as barren as ever. His stomach grumbled ruefully, causing his face to contort in frustration. A final sigh of frustration, and he slammed the pantry door, smashed his fist on the nearby countertop, and stormed out of the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Sora traipsed lithely through the dirt pathways at the local market, perusing the many stands and kiosks peddling a variety of knick-knacks and collectables, clay pots and wooden baskets. And, most appealingly, the mounds of fruits and vegetables scattered throughout.
The intermingling scents of fresh banana and coconut and washed over him, an olfactory siren call beckoning him closer. He began to examine the fruit with the curiosity and wonderment of a child, losing himself in the many textures, colors, and shapes. As he dug through a mixed pile of mangoes and melons, he noticed a flash of warm yellow buried near the bottom. He shifted a few mangoes to the side and picked up the golden, star-shaped fruit that had caught his eye.
"Paopu," muttered a grizzly-looking old man sitting behind the stand.
"Huh?" Sora asked, breaking his gaze away from the yellow pome he cradled in his hands.
"That there, it's called Paopu. It's food, you'll like it," assured the man.
Sora raised the Paopu fruit towards his face and inhaled deeply. The scent was a mixture of pineapple, lemons, and something else he couldn't quite place. Something familiar, sweet, the kind of sweet that tugs on the back of your tongue and makes your jaws ache. He dug in his pocket and fished out some munny, handing it to the man and twirling about, sliding the Paopu in his pack and heading out of the market.
The sun was beginning to set by the time Sora approached the usual spot on the beach. He squinted, just barely able to make out the silhouette of his best friend against the glare. Riku didn't move an inch as Sora sidled up and flopped down in the sand next to him, sliding the curious fruit out of his bag and casting the bag away.
"Hey, Riku. Check this out," he said, proffering the Paopu to the taller boy.
"What's this?" Riku asked, turning it over in his hands.
"I dunno, some kind of fruit. The guy at the market said it was good," Sora replied, grinning and shrugging.
Riku smirked back at his friend, playfully jostling his shoulder. "Leave it to you to buy something for us to eat and not have any idea what it is! How do we know it doesn't taste like fish or something?"
"Nah, more likely it's poisoned!" Sora mocked, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, let's just eat it, I'm starving!"
As the two boys split the Paopu into pieces and began to enjoy the sweet, sticky fruit, the sun slipped lower on the horizon, bathing them in a honeyed pink warmth. Gentle waves tickled the shoreline, and the boys joked back and forth, their chortles and chatter carried along the slight breeze.