A Promise

"You promise you'll get me off this island?" Riku asked, standing at the seashore. The waves crashed against the sand with a ravenous intensity.

"We promise," the voice responded. Its dark, melodious tones echoed across the beach, radiating from no particular source. Luckily, all the others had returned home. There were no witnesses to wonder whether Riku had gone insane and picked up ventriloquism or some more sinister form of insanity. "Little do you know, young fool. Mha ha ha!"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I thought I heard you laugh maliciously."

"No, we didn't."

"I heard you."

"We were just thinking of the pathetic others that would be stranded here on these godforsaken islands. Poor Riku," the voice crooned, "to have been stuck here for so long. But fear no more. You will see the other worlds and sights even you had not dreamed of."

"Yeah… But are you sure I have to leave Sora and Kairi?"

"Those losers-uh, we mean, those children? They are such children, Riku. They had no desire to visit other worlds; no initiative to even leave this island without your leadership. You are much better off without them."

"Yes… I guess you're right," Riku murmured, lifting his head. "Very well then, I'm ready to go."

"Excellent! We just have to wait for the most auspicious-"

"Riku!" a new mysterious voice cried.

"What was that?" Riku asked with surprise. He looked around him for the source, but the beach was as deserted as a health club. He glanced over at the secret cave, but not even Sora was there to tease him.

"We didn't hear anything."

"It was a strange, squeaky voice, calling out my name."

"The salt air must be getting to you, Riku. No one's here but us."

"Riku! Don't go!" the squeaky voice cried from behind.

"There it was again! Where's it coming from?"

"Riku, I'm mph mphth-"

"I'm sure you're imagining things, Riku," the familiar voice assured him. "Shut up, you stupid key!"

"Did you say something?"

"Umm… yes, we think it would be best if you return tonight. We'll be able to make true contact and carry you off this island."

"Good. I'll see you then." With one final suspicious look around, he shrugged his shoulders and headed off to the docks.

"Riku! Wait!"

"It's no use, you dumb key. We won't let you interfere with such a delectable victim, uh, we mean, brainless future soldier. He wants off this island, and we just so happen to have a way."

"But I can get him off this island, too. Isn't it better that way?"

"Do you honestly think we're daft enough to give a damn about your quest and that fool's well-being? We're out for our own interests here. Take your recruit fund elsewhere. We got here first."

"But he's the one."

"Well, you can't have him. We have dibs. And you can't have his gloves either."

"Could you help me out just a little here, please? I have to find somebody."

"Well, you could go- hey! Scratch that! We're not helping you; you're our enemy! You're fighting all the hard work we're doing destroying this place. You can look elsewhere for help. So there!" The speaker stuck its tongue out immaturely.

"Well, fine! I don't need you anyway! I'll find my own master! Your butts are so toast! You'll rue this day, mark my words!"

"Go on; go then! Find your stupid master! You'll still be little more than a second-rate scrap of metal!"

"Not if I get to Riku first! You don't have dibs until you get him! Nah nah nah nah nah!"

"That's cheating! You're supposed to be for the side of good here!"

"Fight fire with fire, morons!"

Author's Kinda Long Note: Yeah… my very first- well, not very first, but close enough- fanfic ever! It all started when I told my friend about Riku's outfit o' evil that he wears later in the game… not knowing how to describe it, it became known as Riku's grass skirt. Thus, this product of a deranged mind was born! So… anyway, just thank your lucky stars that Disney and Square Enix own Kingdom Hearts and all its characters and not me… despite how much I might try to convince myself otherwise… This is just my slightly bizarre idea of what might have happened to Riku. I don't care if that's not what really happened or if the parts that did actually happen are even using the words used in the game. Just to forestall any flames, I am a fan of the entire Kingdom Hearts Series, with Axel brandishing my heart like a ring on his little finger. I love Riku, too, and, although I am not that excited about Sora's character in Kingdom Hearts 1, I completely love him in the second one (not CoM). Let me know what you think… and thanks for taking the time out of your day to read all of these scrambled and weird thoughts I've compiled into a story. I appreciate it! Even if you didn't chuckle once…