Chapter 1: Kairi and Hobbes
She found him on the beach one morning. All covered in sand and unconscious, he reminded Kairi of what it was like all those years ago when she lost her home. She rushed to help him, drying him off with her beach towel and carrying him to old beach shack for some shade. He was rather heavy, so it took some effort to move him by herself. But Kairi didn't give up. She couldn't abandon him, even to get help. It would take too long to row back out to the mainland. No, she was determined to help him by herself. Sora wouldn't hesitate to do the same. Neither would Riku.
It took a lot of effort and a few breaks, but eventually, Kairi succeeded. She managed to pull the stranger along the sand by cleverly rolling him onto her towel and drag it towards the shack. Inside, she dusted him clean of some sand and had a water bottle at the ready for when he awoke. While she brushed free the sand, Kairi noticed several large scars along his body and some open wounds that looked painful. Without a first aid kit, she couldn't do much. But at the same time, it felt wrong to just leave him like that.
"What would Sora do?" she wondered. He would probably cast Cure, but she didn't know any magic spells. Riku would probably use a potion, but she didn't carry any of those. Why would she? Life on Destiny Island was simple, easy, and tranquil. There was nothing a bit of rubbing alcohol and a bandage couldn't fix. Battle scars like this stranger's were something from another world—another life. How could she possibly hope to mend his wounds while sitting in the middle of a peaceful, serene beach?
Kairi mulled over her options, which weren't many. And then it suddenly struck her. When she and her friends were kids, Sora's dad would always lead them on nature hikes around the island. He would point out all the various plants, some of which had medicinal purposes. With a clap of her hands, Kairi shot to her feet. She knew what to do. After leaving some water and snacks in case her visitor awoke before her return, she dashed out of the shack and ran a lap around the island. She collected several plants to make antiseptic and some large leaves for makeshift bandages.
When she returned to the shack, she heard rustling from behind the door. She cautiously opened it so as not to startle the stranger, but a sudden force sent her flying into the sand. The door shot open and a powerful figure pounced on top of her, pinning her down.
"Where are the others?" growled the grizzled voice of the panicked stranger. The entirety of his muscular frame was straddling Kairi, preventing her from moving and making it almost impossible for her to breathe. She couldn't even choke out a single plea.
"What year is this? Who are you?" The stranger didn't seem to notice or care that he wasn't getting a reply. A sudden revelation hit him while he was probing around his back.
"It's gone!" The stranger jumped up and darted his gaze around the beach in a panic. "Where is it? What did you do with it?"
Kairi coughed, sputtered and wheezed. She took several deep breaths and tried to get back on her feet. Dozens of questions buzzed around her head but only one made it past her mouth. "What are you looking for?"
"Protection," came the curt reply. The stranger bounced along the shore, searching everywhere. He left no stone unturned and no sandcastle untrampled. And then he let out the most hysterical yelp. "Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
Shaken yet curious, Kairi slowly approached like a doe checking to see if the coast was clear before cantering to the other side of the woods. She saw the stranger tug at a long piece of metal that was half-buried in the sand. She gasped. Upon closer inspection, it was a shotgun.
"But where the hell are my bullets?" the stranger muttered as he patted his bare chest. He then inspected the gun. "Dammit. Waterlogged."
"Excuse me." Kairi's voice sounded almost foreign to her. How could she even speak without realizing it?
The stranger's dangerous eyes darted to her, almost drilling holes into her. He stood stock still, waiting for a follow-up response.
"Who exactly are you?"
The stranger said nothing.
Kairi took a step forward. "My name is Kairi. This is Destiny Island. What world are you from?"
Still no reply.
"Are you perhaps looking for the Keyblade?"
That elicited a response, but an unusual one. The big, burly man started booming with laughter.
"I fail to see what's so funny," Kairi said, doing her best to disguise her irritation.
"He can't save you," said the stranger with a cunning yet somehow melancholic smirk. "Not from what's coming. Why do you think he hired us?"
"And who is 'us' exactly?"
The stranger brought his shotgun to rest on his meaty shoulder. "They call me Tigger the Trigger. I'm with the Fellowship."
"Fellowship...?" Kairi thought for a moment. Where had she heard that word before? The memory felt so far and faint now.
"It doesn't matter if you don't remember," said Tigger as if reading her mind. "Pretty soon, you'll forget just about everything. Without your memories, you'll be like a totally different person—a husk of your true self. That's when she'll get you."
"Who will?"
"The witch," Tigger growled with disdain. "She's already killed a bunch of your friends. But don't worry; the Fellowship's been killing plenty of hers in kind."
"That sounds like a war."
"It is, and we've been fighting it for a long time. It's been years. We've lost a lot of good people, but their corpses won't know rest unless we win this thing. It—"
Tigger suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" asked Kairi. She could feel a sudden change in the air. Something was wrong. The sun was still out, the waves still rolled like always, and a light sea breeze fluttered through the trees. But something felt off.
"You can still sense it," Tigger said in a low, husky voice. "That's a good sign."
"What are you talking about?"
"We've been through this once before, Kairi," he said while inspecting his gun once more. "This isn't the first time I've been here."
Kairi's mouth went dry. "What...do you mean?" There was a memory hidden away somewhere in the back of her mind. It taunted her. But no matter how far she reached or how hard she tried to catch it, it always escaped. It was getting farther now...
"There isn't time," said Tigger. "If we're going to survive this, I'll need more ammo. Do you remember what you did with the cache I gave you?"
Cache? What cache? What was he talking about? The look of confusion told him everything he needed to know.
"Dammit, I was hoping this wouldn't happen. They gave me the wrong portal."
"What are you talking about?"
Tigger reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.
"What are you going to do with that?" Kairi asked, backing away slowly. The dark aura enveloping the island made her feel skittish and weird.
"I'll try to kill as many as I can," he said while turning his back to her. "If we're lucky, I can save you for just a little longer."
Kairi opened her mouth to speak, but the sky exploded and sent her trembling to her knees. A dark portal opened across the broken sky and monsters rained from above. They plonked onto the beach and hungered for Kairi. One came up to her its slimy, muck-ridden hand grabbing her as she screamed.
"Oh no you don't!" Tigger launched himself at the monster and slashed it with his knife. He then used his defunct shotgun as a bat and bludgeoned the monster to death. Blood and guts stuck to Tigger's thick coat of fur, but he didn't care. He reveled in the gore. One more death on their side meant one more life on his. Like a war crazed berserker, he bounced from one monster to the next, tearing out their throats, slashing their entrails, and bashing out their brains. But as the fight wore on, he eventually grew weary. With his old wounds still not mended, his body could only take so much abuse. But he held on fast. There was only one way to win this battle. He just prayed he could last long enough for it to appear.
Tigger was soon out of breath and Kairi watched him with agony. She felt useless and hopeless. How could she fight these monsters by herself? If she got kidnapped or worse, it would just make things harder for Tigger. So she did the only thing she could do: she prayed. As a Princess of Heart, she poured all her good will, hopes, beliefs, optimism, and light into one ultimate prayer. Kingdom Hearts must've heard her wish, because a bolt of lightning struck the Paopu tree and a single branch fell from its trunk.
"That's it!" Tigger howled. He tossed two monsters from off of him and bounded after the branch. There it was—the holy branch transformed by the power and might of Kingdom Hearts. It was just lying there, all innocent and ripe for the taking. Tigger reached out to grab it, but a boot crushed it.
Tigger looked up and his bloodied, furry face lost its sheen. "No..."
"Yes," cackled the witch with a wicked smile. She crushed the branch with her boot and then grabbed Tigger by the snout. "Where's your trigger finger now, hmm?" she taunted.
"Damn you!" Tigger tried to take a swing at her, but just body wouldn't move. She put a curse on him the moment she touched him. His muscles started to melt and his body began to shrink. "You disgusting tramp! You'll get yours one of these days! Laugh while you can! The Fellowship's got your number and we—"
Tigger lost his voice. It was ripped from him by Death's icy hand. His body went limp and he plopped to the ground motionless.
The witch then set her sights on Kairi. "Come, my dear. I have plans for you."
Kairi wanted to try. Hot tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them back. She had to fight. Tigger's death had to mean something.
The witch found Kairi's defiance amusing. She toyed with her, sending her monsters to corner the princess and torture her for a bit with their gruesome sludge. They gnawed and pawed at her, goo covering her like some kind of membrane. But the witch eventually grew bored. Once the island had lost its charm, the witch took her minions and left. She got everything she wanted, and Kairi was left face-down in the sand in the same position she had found Tigger earlier that morning.