~~~
Moonlight glinted off the rippling surface of the calm night surf as the trio made their way through the shadows. A pair of eyes went unnoticed, watching their every move from a jumble of bushes. The three adolescents started as the figure in the bushes shifted, unwittingly snapping a twig. The sound echoed eerily through the still night air, causing all parties present to stand motionless in a mingling of fear and curiosity.
"W-what was that?" Kairi stammered, her violet eyes wide with fear as she clung tightly to Sora's arm. Riku waved his hand, seemingly unworried by the mysterious sound.
"Probably some animal. Who cares? C'mon, we're wasting time," Riku cast one last glance of amusement at the uneasy Sora and his charge then turned and continued on in the same direction. Kairi still hung nervously on Sora's arm, refusing to budge.
"I d-don't think it was an animal . . . Oh Sora, I'm scared," Kairi whined in an obviously exaggerated fashion, inching closer to Sora all the while. Sora blinked, unsure of what to say.
"Uh-er . . ." he patted Kairi's hand awkwardly. "S'okay Kairi, Riku and I will protect you. Speaking of Riku, we'd better catch up," Sora gestured toward Riku's receding figure. Kairi nodded in silent agreement as the pair continued on behind their companion. Ahead of them they could see where Riku had stopped, waiting near the entrance of what looked to be some sort of cave. Vines that clung stubbornly to the rock walls and gave it a look of foreboding shrouded the small opening. As the two approached Riku grinned wickedly and disappeared into the darkness of the cave's opening.
"Riku!" Kairi shouted, turning hysterically toward Sora," There is NO way I am going in there! A cave? In the middle of the night?! What the hell was he thinking?! I knew this was a bad idea, I just knew it . . . sneaking out in the middle of the night for this . . ." Kairi went on ranting, mumbling under her breath as Sora waited for her outburst to end.
"Aw, c'mon Kairi, I'm sure it's fine. Riku wouldn't take us anywhere unsafe. Let's just go, before he gets too far ahe-" Sora was cut short by a muffled yell from inside the cave.
"You cowards coming?" Riku's voice rang through the hollow tunnel, "I'm not gonna wait here all night for you."
"Cowards?" Kairi snorted indignantly, facing the cave in a stance of defiance. "I'll show him cowardly." she grumbled as she marched into the cave without a trace of her former resignation. Sora watched in amused amazement at her total change of personality and shook his head, entering to follow closely behind. In moments they emerged on the opposite side of the cave, blinking in the bright moonlight. Riku stood proudly, gazing in the opposite direction at a seeming scene of wreckage on the shore in front of them.
"What the hell is that?" Sora raised his eyebrows questioningly at Riku. In response, Riku laughed, further puzzling his friend.
"Can't you see, Sora? I've finally found us our ship . . ." Sora stared skeptically at the pile of junk that Riku claimed to be 'their ship' and wrinkled his nose. Riku let out another laugh, hopping from the bank of sand on which they stood and moving toward his so-called ship.
"We're always talking about finding a way to leave this island, to explore, to be free and go on adventures, and now . . . now we can. We can get away, see the world. Don't you understand how perfect this is?" Riku's eyes shined with excitement, his voice reflecting that same emotion. Understanding dawned in the eyes of Riku's two friends, but Sora still looked unsure.
"You expect us to go places in that . . . thing? How is that pile of junk going to get us anywhere?"
"Alright, I know it looks like a mess, but come on, with a little bit of work this baby can take us anywhere. I can't do it alone, we all have to work together to get this done. Please guys, I promise it will all be worth it in the end. Besides, it'll be fun. Don't you want to get out of here?" Riku grinned almost pleadingly, an expression so rare to the platinum-haired boy's face that the other two found it hard to resist his proposition. Riku held out his gloved hand, watching his companions expectantly. Kairi was the first to place her hand on his, Sora following suit; the three now joined in soundless agreement. Riku pulled his hand away, nodding.
"Alright then, lets get started!"
"Wait just one second, mister. Just because we agreed to do this doesn't mean we're gonna start right now! It must be near 2 in the morning! I'm all for this plan of yours Riku, but let's be logical here, we're tired, its dark, and who knows when one of our parents will figure out that we are not exactly where we should be. Let's go home for now, we have all tomorrow to start this . . . quest . . . of yours," Kairi eyed him, hands on hips. Riku sighed in submission, knowing she was right.
"Fine, fine," Riku waved his hand impatiently, "But don't think I am gonna let you get out of working later on."
"Fair enough," Kairi turned toward the cave, then paused, facing Riku again, "Oh, I meant to ask you . . . how did you find this place any way? I'd never even noticed that cave before . . . and this cove . . . we must be on the other side of the island." Riku stared absently into the distance, a dreamy look in his brilliantly blue eyes.
"I came across it by chance one day. The cave seems to be the only way to get here, the rest of the cove is surrounded by cliffs and high rock walls. I don't think we could get over them very easily, if at all, even if we tried. I was tossing a ball around with Wakka when it flew into the bushes in front of where the cave was. When I went to get it I noticed the sound of the ocean echoing through something hollow beneath the leaves. I realized what I had found and would have explored then and there, but Wakka was with me and I decided it would be best to go alone. I came back later and found this," he gestured to take in the entire small, hidden cove. "All the wreckage you see was here. It seems like this place is a magnet for parts of old ship wrecks. There's all kinds of stuff, I swear there must be pieces from tons of different ships down there. It doesn't make sense, I mean, where could it all have come from?" Riku stood, seemingly lost in thought.
Sora shook his head, "It's odd . . . almost as if . . . this was meant to happen." A shiver ran up the spines of the three friends as a cold wind swept ominously through the whispering palms. "Let's get out of here, this place is starting the give me the creeps," Kairi wrapped her arms about herself, glancing around warily. Sora nodded in agreement and started toward the exit. Riku urged them to go on, still unmoving from his present position. "You guys go on . . . I'm gonna stay here for a bit. I'll be fine . . ." The other two knew better to argue with the stubborn Riku and headed on, leaving their friend to his thoughts. Riku watched without truly seeing the incoming tide lapping against the sandy shore. As his mind was on other things, he did not hear the silent stirring in the plants near the entrance to the cove. The entity that had earlier caused the twig to snap crouched silently in hiding, having witnessed every moment of the three friends planning and noting it all with interest. It chose this moment to step from the shadows, revealing the slender form of a young girl, her pale form outlined in moonlight. She walked hesitantly toward Riku, intent on revealing herself, but before she had reached him, Riku turned deftly and grabbed the newcomer, pinning her to the ground before she could register what was going on. When Riku saw what it was he had blindly pinned, he blinked, loosening his grip slightly at the sight of the lovely girl in front of him. He never the less kept her pinned. Beauty or not, she was still a stranger to him, a potential enemy and obvious unknown. The girl stared at him in wide-eyed shock, maintaining an other-wise calm demeanor, " Riku, -it is Riku right? - I meant no harm. My name is Aliane and I am in a rather strange predicament . . . I've been following you and your friends in hope that you could help me . . ." She watched him, waiting to see what the youth's reaction would be. Riku considered what she said, looking her over untrustingly. She seemed innocent enough, so Riku released her, getting to his feet and offering her his hand to do the same. She took it and stood gracefully before him. Riku's curiosity overcame his mistrust as he took in the mysterious young lady in front of him. "Aliane . . . a strange name . . . You're right my name is Riku, nice to meet you . . . I think," he extended his hand to Aliane in a friendly gesture, trying to make the situation as normal as possible. "Now I believe I am entitled to a few questions, but first, what is this 'predicament' you claim to be in?" Aliane shifted nervously, " Well . . . you see, I came to these islands a few days ago, the only problem is, I have absolutely no idea how I got here." Aliane hung her head, "You probably think I'm mad, but it's the truth . . . One day I was home, and then . . ." she trailed off, sadness in her blue-green eyes. Riku stared at her with a mix of pity and disbelief. He didn't know whether to believe her or not, but he decided to ask more questions first before jumping to any conclusions. "Uh, how exactly did that happen? I mean, you must have done something . . ." "I don't know, I was just walking through the woods as I always did back home when I came across this . . . door hidden amidst the roots of the trees." Riku perked up at the mention of the door, reminded of the childhood hiding place of he and Sora. Aliane continued, not noticing Riku's reaction, "It was the strangest thing; I pass that way all the time, but I'd never seen that door before. Of course I was curious so I tried to open it. The next thing I remember I am in some cave with drawings all over the wall next to a door that looks exactly like the one I saw in the forest, but this one won't open." "This door, can you find it again?" Riku looked excited for some reason as Aliane nodded, motioning for him to follow. They came out on the other side of the tunnel, Riku following Aliane across the soft white sand to a destination he already knew. They made their way up the steps to a sparkling waterfall that pooled at the base of towering cliff and followed a path to the left of the crystalline waters toward an opening in the cliff wall. They followed a winding path into a wider chamber, lit by small openings that let in the shining light of the full moon. Though the cave was dimly lit, a strange door was still apparent on the other side of the room, gold etchings on its smooth surface glowing faintly. "Well, here it is." "I always knew there was something about this place. That door, it had to lead somewhere, and now I know. It leads to other worlds; your world." Aliane stared at him in puzzlement. "This door . . . Sora and I used to come to this cavern as kids, but we never knew what that," he indicated the door, " really was. But now I understand. Oh, if only I could open it!" He walked to the door searching in vain for some kind of latch or opening and when failing to do that pushing on it with all his strength. The door did not budge. He groaned in defeat, stepping away from the door. Aliane sighed sadly, lowering herself to the ground and placing her head in her hands. "I am never going to find a way home." Riku closed the distance between them, feeling a responsibility for this lost girl, and stooped to rest a comforting hand on her knee. "Whatever it takes Aliane, I'll help you find your home, even if we have to sail away on my ship to get there." He wasn't sure why he felt so inclined to help this stranger, but the gratifying smile she gave him was enough to melt any suspicions he might have had. He believed her wholeheartedly and would loyally stick to his promise to aid her in any way he could. "Really? You'll truly help me?" he nodded, "Oh thank you!" she threw her arms about his neck, surprising both him and herself . . .
~~~
Moonlight glinted off the rippling surface of the calm night surf as the trio made their way through the shadows. A pair of eyes went unnoticed, watching their every move from a jumble of bushes. The three adolescents started as the figure in the bushes shifted, unwittingly snapping a twig. The sound echoed eerily through the still night air, causing all parties present to stand motionless in a mingling of fear and curiosity.
"W-what was that?" Kairi stammered, her violet eyes wide with fear as she clung tightly to Sora's arm. Riku waved his hand, seemingly unworried by the mysterious sound.
"Probably some animal. Who cares? C'mon, we're wasting time," Riku cast one last glance of amusement at the uneasy Sora and his charge then turned and continued on in the same direction. Kairi still hung nervously on Sora's arm, refusing to budge.
"I d-don't think it was an animal . . . Oh Sora, I'm scared," Kairi whined in an obviously exaggerated fashion, inching closer to Sora all the while. Sora blinked, unsure of what to say.
"Uh-er . . ." he patted Kairi's hand awkwardly. "S'okay Kairi, Riku and I will protect you. Speaking of Riku, we'd better catch up," Sora gestured toward Riku's receding figure. Kairi nodded in silent agreement as the pair continued on behind their companion. Ahead of them they could see where Riku had stopped, waiting near the entrance of what looked to be some sort of cave. Vines that clung stubbornly to the rock walls and gave it a look of foreboding shrouded the small opening. As the two approached Riku grinned wickedly and disappeared into the darkness of the cave's opening.
"Riku!" Kairi shouted, turning hysterically toward Sora," There is NO way I am going in there! A cave? In the middle of the night?! What the hell was he thinking?! I knew this was a bad idea, I just knew it . . . sneaking out in the middle of the night for this . . ." Kairi went on ranting, mumbling under her breath as Sora waited for her outburst to end.
"Aw, c'mon Kairi, I'm sure it's fine. Riku wouldn't take us anywhere unsafe. Let's just go, before he gets too far ahe-" Sora was cut short by a muffled yell from inside the cave.
"You cowards coming?" Riku's voice rang through the hollow tunnel, "I'm not gonna wait here all night for you."
"Cowards?" Kairi snorted indignantly, facing the cave in a stance of defiance. "I'll show him cowardly." she grumbled as she marched into the cave without a trace of her former resignation. Sora watched in amused amazement at her total change of personality and shook his head, entering to follow closely behind. In moments they emerged on the opposite side of the cave, blinking in the bright moonlight. Riku stood proudly, gazing in the opposite direction at a seeming scene of wreckage on the shore in front of them.
"What the hell is that?" Sora raised his eyebrows questioningly at Riku. In response, Riku laughed, further puzzling his friend.
"Can't you see, Sora? I've finally found us our ship . . ." Sora stared skeptically at the pile of junk that Riku claimed to be 'their ship' and wrinkled his nose. Riku let out another laugh, hopping from the bank of sand on which they stood and moving toward his so-called ship.
"We're always talking about finding a way to leave this island, to explore, to be free and go on adventures, and now . . . now we can. We can get away, see the world. Don't you understand how perfect this is?" Riku's eyes shined with excitement, his voice reflecting that same emotion. Understanding dawned in the eyes of Riku's two friends, but Sora still looked unsure.
"You expect us to go places in that . . . thing? How is that pile of junk going to get us anywhere?"
"Alright, I know it looks like a mess, but come on, with a little bit of work this baby can take us anywhere. I can't do it alone, we all have to work together to get this done. Please guys, I promise it will all be worth it in the end. Besides, it'll be fun. Don't you want to get out of here?" Riku grinned almost pleadingly, an expression so rare to the platinum-haired boy's face that the other two found it hard to resist his proposition. Riku held out his gloved hand, watching his companions expectantly. Kairi was the first to place her hand on his, Sora following suit; the three now joined in soundless agreement. Riku pulled his hand away, nodding.
"Alright then, lets get started!"
"Wait just one second, mister. Just because we agreed to do this doesn't mean we're gonna start right now! It must be near 2 in the morning! I'm all for this plan of yours Riku, but let's be logical here, we're tired, its dark, and who knows when one of our parents will figure out that we are not exactly where we should be. Let's go home for now, we have all tomorrow to start this . . . quest . . . of yours," Kairi eyed him, hands on hips. Riku sighed in submission, knowing she was right.
"Fine, fine," Riku waved his hand impatiently, "But don't think I am gonna let you get out of working later on."
"Fair enough," Kairi turned toward the cave, then paused, facing Riku again, "Oh, I meant to ask you . . . how did you find this place any way? I'd never even noticed that cave before . . . and this cove . . . we must be on the other side of the island." Riku stared absently into the distance, a dreamy look in his brilliantly blue eyes.
"I came across it by chance one day. The cave seems to be the only way to get here, the rest of the cove is surrounded by cliffs and high rock walls. I don't think we could get over them very easily, if at all, even if we tried. I was tossing a ball around with Wakka when it flew into the bushes in front of where the cave was. When I went to get it I noticed the sound of the ocean echoing through something hollow beneath the leaves. I realized what I had found and would have explored then and there, but Wakka was with me and I decided it would be best to go alone. I came back later and found this," he gestured to take in the entire small, hidden cove. "All the wreckage you see was here. It seems like this place is a magnet for parts of old ship wrecks. There's all kinds of stuff, I swear there must be pieces from tons of different ships down there. It doesn't make sense, I mean, where could it all have come from?" Riku stood, seemingly lost in thought.
Sora shook his head, "It's odd . . . almost as if . . . this was meant to happen." A shiver ran up the spines of the three friends as a cold wind swept ominously through the whispering palms. "Let's get out of here, this place is starting the give me the creeps," Kairi wrapped her arms about herself, glancing around warily. Sora nodded in agreement and started toward the exit. Riku urged them to go on, still unmoving from his present position. "You guys go on . . . I'm gonna stay here for a bit. I'll be fine . . ." The other two knew better to argue with the stubborn Riku and headed on, leaving their friend to his thoughts. Riku watched without truly seeing the incoming tide lapping against the sandy shore. As his mind was on other things, he did not hear the silent stirring in the plants near the entrance to the cove. The entity that had earlier caused the twig to snap crouched silently in hiding, having witnessed every moment of the three friends planning and noting it all with interest. It chose this moment to step from the shadows, revealing the slender form of a young girl, her pale form outlined in moonlight. She walked hesitantly toward Riku, intent on revealing herself, but before she had reached him, Riku turned deftly and grabbed the newcomer, pinning her to the ground before she could register what was going on. When Riku saw what it was he had blindly pinned, he blinked, loosening his grip slightly at the sight of the lovely girl in front of him. He never the less kept her pinned. Beauty or not, she was still a stranger to him, a potential enemy and obvious unknown. The girl stared at him in wide-eyed shock, maintaining an other-wise calm demeanor, " Riku, -it is Riku right? - I meant no harm. My name is Aliane and I am in a rather strange predicament . . . I've been following you and your friends in hope that you could help me . . ." She watched him, waiting to see what the youth's reaction would be. Riku considered what she said, looking her over untrustingly. She seemed innocent enough, so Riku released her, getting to his feet and offering her his hand to do the same. She took it and stood gracefully before him. Riku's curiosity overcame his mistrust as he took in the mysterious young lady in front of him. "Aliane . . . a strange name . . . You're right my name is Riku, nice to meet you . . . I think," he extended his hand to Aliane in a friendly gesture, trying to make the situation as normal as possible. "Now I believe I am entitled to a few questions, but first, what is this 'predicament' you claim to be in?" Aliane shifted nervously, " Well . . . you see, I came to these islands a few days ago, the only problem is, I have absolutely no idea how I got here." Aliane hung her head, "You probably think I'm mad, but it's the truth . . . One day I was home, and then . . ." she trailed off, sadness in her blue-green eyes. Riku stared at her with a mix of pity and disbelief. He didn't know whether to believe her or not, but he decided to ask more questions first before jumping to any conclusions. "Uh, how exactly did that happen? I mean, you must have done something . . ." "I don't know, I was just walking through the woods as I always did back home when I came across this . . . door hidden amidst the roots of the trees." Riku perked up at the mention of the door, reminded of the childhood hiding place of he and Sora. Aliane continued, not noticing Riku's reaction, "It was the strangest thing; I pass that way all the time, but I'd never seen that door before. Of course I was curious so I tried to open it. The next thing I remember I am in some cave with drawings all over the wall next to a door that looks exactly like the one I saw in the forest, but this one won't open." "This door, can you find it again?" Riku looked excited for some reason as Aliane nodded, motioning for him to follow. They came out on the other side of the tunnel, Riku following Aliane across the soft white sand to a destination he already knew. They made their way up the steps to a sparkling waterfall that pooled at the base of towering cliff and followed a path to the left of the crystalline waters toward an opening in the cliff wall. They followed a winding path into a wider chamber, lit by small openings that let in the shining light of the full moon. Though the cave was dimly lit, a strange door was still apparent on the other side of the room, gold etchings on its smooth surface glowing faintly. "Well, here it is." "I always knew there was something about this place. That door, it had to lead somewhere, and now I know. It leads to other worlds; your world." Aliane stared at him in puzzlement. "This door . . . Sora and I used to come to this cavern as kids, but we never knew what that," he indicated the door, " really was. But now I understand. Oh, if only I could open it!" He walked to the door searching in vain for some kind of latch or opening and when failing to do that pushing on it with all his strength. The door did not budge. He groaned in defeat, stepping away from the door. Aliane sighed sadly, lowering herself to the ground and placing her head in her hands. "I am never going to find a way home." Riku closed the distance between them, feeling a responsibility for this lost girl, and stooped to rest a comforting hand on her knee. "Whatever it takes Aliane, I'll help you find your home, even if we have to sail away on my ship to get there." He wasn't sure why he felt so inclined to help this stranger, but the gratifying smile she gave him was enough to melt any suspicions he might have had. He believed her wholeheartedly and would loyally stick to his promise to aid her in any way he could. "Really? You'll truly help me?" he nodded, "Oh thank you!" she threw her arms about his neck, surprising both him and herself . . .
~~~