Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or anything else Squaresoft has ever made. So there. . Meanies…
Author's Note: This is my second ficcy! Woot. And I still haven't finished my first one… If there any Reverse Images readers here, I'm sorry I haven't updated. Long story.
And to my new readers- Welcome! Thanks for checking this story out. It's not the best you've ever read or will ever read, I'm sure, but it's not all *that* bad, right? Well, how can you know…
Oh, my computer won't upload italics for some reason, so I put everything that should be in italics in these- * thingies, ok? It's the only way I can get my point across.
This story wasn't really based on anything, though you can attribute credit to the secret ending if it will make you feel better- but I bet you it doesn't play along for too long. The idea actually came while listening to Faint by Linkin Park, if you would like to know.
There are gonna be a lot of things in here you notice that weren't in the game (other chapters as well). I have a tendency to warp plots to fit my style better. Ignore something that seems odd to you and just read on. And if it bothers you that much, DON'T READ THE STORY. Thank you.
Kairi sorta comes off a little melodramatic and wimpy in this chapter, and I apologize. She will have under gone "the change" by next chapter and will no longer be what she is in *this* chapter. And I'm no angst writer, so the "angst" in this chapter is really messed up. … Don't look at me like that! I'm admitting it!
Please leave a review. That gets annoying, sure, but I have to reason to keep writing if I don't get a response. Thanks. ^_^
Hope you enjoy!
-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-
Delicate and pale fingers dipped into the cool seawater. Slowly, they traced the turbulent surface, making circular patterns that remained visible only a moment before being torn apart by the soft waves. A playful wave jumped up to fill a palm, gushing through the crevices between the fingers and over the back of the hand before retreating to the sea again.
Blue-green eyes stared up at the sky through fuchsia bangs, futilely trying to blink back tears. A shaky sob escaped pale pink lips, followed almost immediately by a half-hearted sigh.
It was a year to the day- the day Sora and Riku disappeared. And although she was not inclined to admit it, some part of Kairi was sure that it was for good. That hadn't stopped her from hoping, it was true, but it hadn't helped the overwhelming feeling of depression that constantly surrounded her either. She awoke every morning with a feeling of hope, or renewed energy. But the day would drain that away in due time, forcing her to break down, and eventually, cry. That was how she fell asleep every night- pillow wet with teardrops.
Her friends were worried about her, she knew. They tried to help, but it would always end up in a frustrated argument. They couldn't, or perhaps wouldn't, understand. All they ever told her was the same old thing- that she should move on, let go of useless hopes and dreams. They didn't understand.
She hated the world. It seemed so long ago that it had seemed a bright and happy place- a place she so desperately wanted to explore. Now… Now it was dismal and depressing. It only existed to torture her, to remind her of the pain she was constantly in. Every day was a test. And so far, she was barely passing.
But today was the worst. A year to the day, and still no sign of their return. The usual hope that had come in the morning had been given amiss, leaving her with a numbing pain throbbing inside of her heart. She had only come out here to watch for them for the sake of doing so. To get away from her house. From the stares and whispers that followed her everywhere she went.
Kairi dragged her hand out of the salty water, shaking the clinging drops off automatically. And just as automatically, though maybe a little bit forced, she managed to push herself up from her position of lying flat on her back. She turned to face the setting sun, bare feet dangling off the pier and sliding along the surface of the Sea of Destiny.
Her face was set into an expressionless example of grief. Although she looked out over the beautiful sea, which any newcomer would have spent hours gazing at, she looked over it without seeing it, unfocused.
By no means was she expecting them to come back. She would have thought, even only a few days ago, that this would be the day where the most hope would be, but in an ironic fashion, all of it had left her.
The sky directly above was a dark crystal blue, while the horizon turned a deep hue of orange, glittering on the top of the ocean. For one brief moment, Kairi felt relieved of her grief as she gazed at the beautiful spectacle. But the sun slowly disappeared under the ocean, and with it went that feeling.
Clear teardrops found themselves on Kairi's face, and before she could wipe them away dismissively, they slid down her ivory cheeks and landed among the seawater.
Why had she even bothered coming today? She was only worsening that sickening sadness inside. It would have been better to stay in her room, locked away from the world and the harsh reality it brought with it.
*They're never coming back,* whispered an evil little voice inside of her head. *Why are you doing this to yourself?*
Normally, she would have fought it, no matter how quietly. But today, she let it talk her into a darkened corner. A void had filled her soul, sucking out any human feeling. She didn't care anymore. It didn't matter. Not to her.
Kairi found herself on her feet before she was aware of moving. The sky was still illuminated, although the sun itself had vanished. She turned to leave- knowing she would end up at home and sobbing- but her eyes remained on the horizon, gazing at the lingering light of the sun. She stopped before taking a step, squinting to look at the edge of the sea.
Something was wrong.
The light of the sun had suddenly changed from its usual cheery orange to a shockingly dark purple. Streaks of this purple shot across the sky, covering it quickly in smoky darkness. No star dared peep out from behind the curtain of blackness, no light penetrated the dark. Kairi couldn't see an inch in front of her nose.
She stood stock-still, afraid to move. She wasn't quite sure why, but fear consumed her nevertheless. She could hear nothing, feel nothing, see nothing. It was as though time itself had stopped, waiting until the darkness subsided to start up once again.
Kairi reached out in front of her, opening her eyes as wide as she could to try and see something- anything. Slowly, carefully, she lowered herself to her knees. She could not feel the pier beneath her, though she knew it was there.
Something brushed against her arm, sending goose bumps prickling up and down. She started, crawling backwards. She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat.
A sudden flash of light illuminated the sky, cracking and roaring louder than any thunder Kairi had ever heard. She saw a sudden movement in front of her, and startled, she looked to where it had come from.
A creature, roughly the size of an adolescent young man, sat in a animal-like fashion on the edge of the pier. It resembled both human and Heartless; a strange cross of the two. It had no distinguishable features, as it was consumed in an impenetrable shadow. It had no face, save for a pair of gleaming red eyes that stared Kairi down maliciously. Long, pointed ears poked out from underneath a mass of shiny black hair. Instead of fingernail or toenails, it possessed menacing claws that dug through the wood easily. Too easily.
It was crouched down in front of her, tilting its head to one side as it observed her with an air of superiority. Kairi froze as she watched it, eyes wide with surprise and fear. It lunged for her just as the light died out, leaving Kairi in terrifying darkness.
Another flash of light, another roaring sound, and the creature was revealed inches from her face. She yelled out, reeling back and preparing to kick it in the face. Before she could connect the fear-induced blow, however, the creature was sent flying backwards by a sudden swing of a previously unseen sword.
Kairi looked up, eyes ever wider. A figure, dressed in a billowing red coat, towered over her. He stepped in front of her gracefully, his back to her, a sword resting on his right shoulder. He looked briefly at her, his face covered by a high-standing collar and his eyes obscured by a pair of cobalt sunglasses.
"Run."
The way he said it left no room for argument. Not that Kairi would have protested, in any case. She jumped to her feet immediately, looking once over her shoulder before taking off down the pier and towards the sand.
The sky fell into darkness again, taking the rest of the island with it, and Kairi no longer felt the sand underneath her feet. She was in complete isolation. Reality and time dared not puncture her dark and dank prison. She was running, but she was sure she wasn't going anywhere.
Not until another flash of light made itself known with a thundering crack. The beach was once again seen, and although Kairi could have sworn she was not on there when she was running seconds before, it was obvious she had indeed moved. She ran forward as fast as she could, panting shrilly. Another one of the creatures that had appeared before now jumped in front of her. It made a low hissing sound, though the absence of a mouth made this entirely impossible. Kairi stumbled back, clutching at her chest.
"Leave me alone!" she shouted, turning to run around the monster. It jumped after her, thought, swiping at her heels. She felt the sting of the cut, recognized the cool feeling of blood flowing down her ankles. Turning quickly on her heel, she kicked at its face, smirking a tiny bit as the tip of her shoe met with what would have been a cheek. The creature roared in anger- which was, again, impossible- as it stumbled back. It looked astonished for a very brief amount of time before its red eyes narrowed in rage. Just enough time for Kairi to turn and run.
She scrambled up a hill, not really aware of what she was doing, nor where she was going. All she knew was she needed to get out of here. No matter what.
Darkness. Nothing. The light had disappeared, faded into the distance. But seconds- or perhaps minutes, Kairi could no longer tell- it returned as dramatically as before.
She found herself lying face-first in the sand, though she had no recollection of ever falling. She looked up, startled, to see another of the infernal creatures. This one was not as slow as it's brother, however, and did not hesitate to swipe at her. She cried out as impossibly sharp claws raked across her face and blood trickled over her chin. The pain became blinding. All Kairi was able to see were red smears and blurred colors.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders, yanking her to her feet just as the monster prepared to strike again. Kairi was lifted into the air, slung unceremoniously over a shoulder clad in red- no doubt the man who had saved her before. Quickly, she managed a look over her shoulder. Sword met with flesh as blood sprayed out across the sand, turning it a light crimson. Kairi cried out as she saw the creature wriggle in pain as more and more of the red liquid spilled out around it. It let out a final shriek before becoming very still.
There was not enough time to register what she had just seen before the man began to move again. He said nothing her as he lugged her across the beach. Before the light failed them once again, Kairi was able to see the beach was teeming with these strange shadow creatures- all of which were racing in their direction.
The man raced over the hill easily, Kairi watching the shadowy-creatures crawl across the beach.
Her hands clutched the back of his jacket nervously. They were getting closer.
Darkness conquered again., but it was different this time. She could feel the man beneath her still, the fistfuls of cloth in her hands. She could still see his frame underneath of her, but nothing else was visible.
A flash of light stabbed Kairi's pained eyes. She bit back a scream, shutting her eyes against the glare. And in the moment that they were closed, Kairi's feet met with ground.
She reeled backwards, opening her eyes reluctantly. Cool darkness washed over her vision, stomping out some of the flames that had spread across her eyes. But it was a different kind of darkness than what had been happening on the beach. Shapes and figures were visible, colors vaguely distinguishable. Within moments, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and Kairi was able to tell she stood in the Secret Place.
The man who had twice saved her once again had his back to her. Kairi watched as he hastily shoved the largest rock he could move over the opening to the outside. He did it easily and within moments, the entire opening was covered as effectively as it was going to be.
Kairi heard the muffled sound of something moving down the passageway to the cave-like area and had no doubt about what it was. The large rock shuddered as something large and heavy rammed against it. She wheeled around, searching for a route of escape in the prevailing darkness even though she knew there was none.
"How are we going to get out of here?!" Kairi screeched. "We're trapped!"
The man looked briefly over his shoulder as the rock shook again. With one hand, he steadied it, then turned his head to look at Kairi.
"Hey, are you listening to me?!" Kairi shouted, her voice high and panicked. "There's no way out! They're gonna kill us an-"
"The door," he said. "Open the door."
Kairi turned to look where he was pointing, and sure enough, set against a wall of stone, was a perfectly normal looking door- as though doors in caves could be called normal. She turned to face the strange man.
"Are you crazy?! That door won't work. It's-"
"Are you going to open the door and get us out of here, or would you like to argue about it first? May I remind you of what lies outside this door?" He was staring at her over his sunglasses, though she could not see his face because of the dark. The rock behind him gave a particularly violent shudder, and he threw all his weight against it. "Open it! Now!"
Kairi didn't hesitate- she knew arguing was useless. She raced to the door, grabbing for the knob. She could hear the creatures outside hissing and growling, could feel the tremors the shuddering rock sent through the floor. Hastily, she turned the knob, yanking the door out. It opened harder than she would have thought, and with whatever force a door could have, it threw her back.
But she had scarcely hit the ground before she was *yet* again picked up by the mysterious man in red. The rock he had been holding was hurled forwards as the creatures made their way into the cavern. They hissed and squealed as they crawled over to them, ready to--
But Kairi never finished her thought. For in that crucial instant, the strange man had stepped through the door, and all fell silent and black.
-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-
Alright, there's chapter one! Not really good at beginnings, so I know this chapter wasn't that great. . Gomen. Next chapter could take a while, but then again, it could be up early. You never know with me. ^^;;
Leave a review, blah blah blah. Gonna go get a cookie.
Author's Note: This is my second ficcy! Woot. And I still haven't finished my first one… If there any Reverse Images readers here, I'm sorry I haven't updated. Long story.
And to my new readers- Welcome! Thanks for checking this story out. It's not the best you've ever read or will ever read, I'm sure, but it's not all *that* bad, right? Well, how can you know…
Oh, my computer won't upload italics for some reason, so I put everything that should be in italics in these- * thingies, ok? It's the only way I can get my point across.
This story wasn't really based on anything, though you can attribute credit to the secret ending if it will make you feel better- but I bet you it doesn't play along for too long. The idea actually came while listening to Faint by Linkin Park, if you would like to know.
There are gonna be a lot of things in here you notice that weren't in the game (other chapters as well). I have a tendency to warp plots to fit my style better. Ignore something that seems odd to you and just read on. And if it bothers you that much, DON'T READ THE STORY. Thank you.
Kairi sorta comes off a little melodramatic and wimpy in this chapter, and I apologize. She will have under gone "the change" by next chapter and will no longer be what she is in *this* chapter. And I'm no angst writer, so the "angst" in this chapter is really messed up. … Don't look at me like that! I'm admitting it!
Please leave a review. That gets annoying, sure, but I have to reason to keep writing if I don't get a response. Thanks. ^_^
Hope you enjoy!
-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-
Delicate and pale fingers dipped into the cool seawater. Slowly, they traced the turbulent surface, making circular patterns that remained visible only a moment before being torn apart by the soft waves. A playful wave jumped up to fill a palm, gushing through the crevices between the fingers and over the back of the hand before retreating to the sea again.
Blue-green eyes stared up at the sky through fuchsia bangs, futilely trying to blink back tears. A shaky sob escaped pale pink lips, followed almost immediately by a half-hearted sigh.
It was a year to the day- the day Sora and Riku disappeared. And although she was not inclined to admit it, some part of Kairi was sure that it was for good. That hadn't stopped her from hoping, it was true, but it hadn't helped the overwhelming feeling of depression that constantly surrounded her either. She awoke every morning with a feeling of hope, or renewed energy. But the day would drain that away in due time, forcing her to break down, and eventually, cry. That was how she fell asleep every night- pillow wet with teardrops.
Her friends were worried about her, she knew. They tried to help, but it would always end up in a frustrated argument. They couldn't, or perhaps wouldn't, understand. All they ever told her was the same old thing- that she should move on, let go of useless hopes and dreams. They didn't understand.
She hated the world. It seemed so long ago that it had seemed a bright and happy place- a place she so desperately wanted to explore. Now… Now it was dismal and depressing. It only existed to torture her, to remind her of the pain she was constantly in. Every day was a test. And so far, she was barely passing.
But today was the worst. A year to the day, and still no sign of their return. The usual hope that had come in the morning had been given amiss, leaving her with a numbing pain throbbing inside of her heart. She had only come out here to watch for them for the sake of doing so. To get away from her house. From the stares and whispers that followed her everywhere she went.
Kairi dragged her hand out of the salty water, shaking the clinging drops off automatically. And just as automatically, though maybe a little bit forced, she managed to push herself up from her position of lying flat on her back. She turned to face the setting sun, bare feet dangling off the pier and sliding along the surface of the Sea of Destiny.
Her face was set into an expressionless example of grief. Although she looked out over the beautiful sea, which any newcomer would have spent hours gazing at, she looked over it without seeing it, unfocused.
By no means was she expecting them to come back. She would have thought, even only a few days ago, that this would be the day where the most hope would be, but in an ironic fashion, all of it had left her.
The sky directly above was a dark crystal blue, while the horizon turned a deep hue of orange, glittering on the top of the ocean. For one brief moment, Kairi felt relieved of her grief as she gazed at the beautiful spectacle. But the sun slowly disappeared under the ocean, and with it went that feeling.
Clear teardrops found themselves on Kairi's face, and before she could wipe them away dismissively, they slid down her ivory cheeks and landed among the seawater.
Why had she even bothered coming today? She was only worsening that sickening sadness inside. It would have been better to stay in her room, locked away from the world and the harsh reality it brought with it.
*They're never coming back,* whispered an evil little voice inside of her head. *Why are you doing this to yourself?*
Normally, she would have fought it, no matter how quietly. But today, she let it talk her into a darkened corner. A void had filled her soul, sucking out any human feeling. She didn't care anymore. It didn't matter. Not to her.
Kairi found herself on her feet before she was aware of moving. The sky was still illuminated, although the sun itself had vanished. She turned to leave- knowing she would end up at home and sobbing- but her eyes remained on the horizon, gazing at the lingering light of the sun. She stopped before taking a step, squinting to look at the edge of the sea.
Something was wrong.
The light of the sun had suddenly changed from its usual cheery orange to a shockingly dark purple. Streaks of this purple shot across the sky, covering it quickly in smoky darkness. No star dared peep out from behind the curtain of blackness, no light penetrated the dark. Kairi couldn't see an inch in front of her nose.
She stood stock-still, afraid to move. She wasn't quite sure why, but fear consumed her nevertheless. She could hear nothing, feel nothing, see nothing. It was as though time itself had stopped, waiting until the darkness subsided to start up once again.
Kairi reached out in front of her, opening her eyes as wide as she could to try and see something- anything. Slowly, carefully, she lowered herself to her knees. She could not feel the pier beneath her, though she knew it was there.
Something brushed against her arm, sending goose bumps prickling up and down. She started, crawling backwards. She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat.
A sudden flash of light illuminated the sky, cracking and roaring louder than any thunder Kairi had ever heard. She saw a sudden movement in front of her, and startled, she looked to where it had come from.
A creature, roughly the size of an adolescent young man, sat in a animal-like fashion on the edge of the pier. It resembled both human and Heartless; a strange cross of the two. It had no distinguishable features, as it was consumed in an impenetrable shadow. It had no face, save for a pair of gleaming red eyes that stared Kairi down maliciously. Long, pointed ears poked out from underneath a mass of shiny black hair. Instead of fingernail or toenails, it possessed menacing claws that dug through the wood easily. Too easily.
It was crouched down in front of her, tilting its head to one side as it observed her with an air of superiority. Kairi froze as she watched it, eyes wide with surprise and fear. It lunged for her just as the light died out, leaving Kairi in terrifying darkness.
Another flash of light, another roaring sound, and the creature was revealed inches from her face. She yelled out, reeling back and preparing to kick it in the face. Before she could connect the fear-induced blow, however, the creature was sent flying backwards by a sudden swing of a previously unseen sword.
Kairi looked up, eyes ever wider. A figure, dressed in a billowing red coat, towered over her. He stepped in front of her gracefully, his back to her, a sword resting on his right shoulder. He looked briefly at her, his face covered by a high-standing collar and his eyes obscured by a pair of cobalt sunglasses.
"Run."
The way he said it left no room for argument. Not that Kairi would have protested, in any case. She jumped to her feet immediately, looking once over her shoulder before taking off down the pier and towards the sand.
The sky fell into darkness again, taking the rest of the island with it, and Kairi no longer felt the sand underneath her feet. She was in complete isolation. Reality and time dared not puncture her dark and dank prison. She was running, but she was sure she wasn't going anywhere.
Not until another flash of light made itself known with a thundering crack. The beach was once again seen, and although Kairi could have sworn she was not on there when she was running seconds before, it was obvious she had indeed moved. She ran forward as fast as she could, panting shrilly. Another one of the creatures that had appeared before now jumped in front of her. It made a low hissing sound, though the absence of a mouth made this entirely impossible. Kairi stumbled back, clutching at her chest.
"Leave me alone!" she shouted, turning to run around the monster. It jumped after her, thought, swiping at her heels. She felt the sting of the cut, recognized the cool feeling of blood flowing down her ankles. Turning quickly on her heel, she kicked at its face, smirking a tiny bit as the tip of her shoe met with what would have been a cheek. The creature roared in anger- which was, again, impossible- as it stumbled back. It looked astonished for a very brief amount of time before its red eyes narrowed in rage. Just enough time for Kairi to turn and run.
She scrambled up a hill, not really aware of what she was doing, nor where she was going. All she knew was she needed to get out of here. No matter what.
Darkness. Nothing. The light had disappeared, faded into the distance. But seconds- or perhaps minutes, Kairi could no longer tell- it returned as dramatically as before.
She found herself lying face-first in the sand, though she had no recollection of ever falling. She looked up, startled, to see another of the infernal creatures. This one was not as slow as it's brother, however, and did not hesitate to swipe at her. She cried out as impossibly sharp claws raked across her face and blood trickled over her chin. The pain became blinding. All Kairi was able to see were red smears and blurred colors.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders, yanking her to her feet just as the monster prepared to strike again. Kairi was lifted into the air, slung unceremoniously over a shoulder clad in red- no doubt the man who had saved her before. Quickly, she managed a look over her shoulder. Sword met with flesh as blood sprayed out across the sand, turning it a light crimson. Kairi cried out as she saw the creature wriggle in pain as more and more of the red liquid spilled out around it. It let out a final shriek before becoming very still.
There was not enough time to register what she had just seen before the man began to move again. He said nothing her as he lugged her across the beach. Before the light failed them once again, Kairi was able to see the beach was teeming with these strange shadow creatures- all of which were racing in their direction.
The man raced over the hill easily, Kairi watching the shadowy-creatures crawl across the beach.
Her hands clutched the back of his jacket nervously. They were getting closer.
Darkness conquered again., but it was different this time. She could feel the man beneath her still, the fistfuls of cloth in her hands. She could still see his frame underneath of her, but nothing else was visible.
A flash of light stabbed Kairi's pained eyes. She bit back a scream, shutting her eyes against the glare. And in the moment that they were closed, Kairi's feet met with ground.
She reeled backwards, opening her eyes reluctantly. Cool darkness washed over her vision, stomping out some of the flames that had spread across her eyes. But it was a different kind of darkness than what had been happening on the beach. Shapes and figures were visible, colors vaguely distinguishable. Within moments, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and Kairi was able to tell she stood in the Secret Place.
The man who had twice saved her once again had his back to her. Kairi watched as he hastily shoved the largest rock he could move over the opening to the outside. He did it easily and within moments, the entire opening was covered as effectively as it was going to be.
Kairi heard the muffled sound of something moving down the passageway to the cave-like area and had no doubt about what it was. The large rock shuddered as something large and heavy rammed against it. She wheeled around, searching for a route of escape in the prevailing darkness even though she knew there was none.
"How are we going to get out of here?!" Kairi screeched. "We're trapped!"
The man looked briefly over his shoulder as the rock shook again. With one hand, he steadied it, then turned his head to look at Kairi.
"Hey, are you listening to me?!" Kairi shouted, her voice high and panicked. "There's no way out! They're gonna kill us an-"
"The door," he said. "Open the door."
Kairi turned to look where he was pointing, and sure enough, set against a wall of stone, was a perfectly normal looking door- as though doors in caves could be called normal. She turned to face the strange man.
"Are you crazy?! That door won't work. It's-"
"Are you going to open the door and get us out of here, or would you like to argue about it first? May I remind you of what lies outside this door?" He was staring at her over his sunglasses, though she could not see his face because of the dark. The rock behind him gave a particularly violent shudder, and he threw all his weight against it. "Open it! Now!"
Kairi didn't hesitate- she knew arguing was useless. She raced to the door, grabbing for the knob. She could hear the creatures outside hissing and growling, could feel the tremors the shuddering rock sent through the floor. Hastily, she turned the knob, yanking the door out. It opened harder than she would have thought, and with whatever force a door could have, it threw her back.
But she had scarcely hit the ground before she was *yet* again picked up by the mysterious man in red. The rock he had been holding was hurled forwards as the creatures made their way into the cavern. They hissed and squealed as they crawled over to them, ready to--
But Kairi never finished her thought. For in that crucial instant, the strange man had stepped through the door, and all fell silent and black.
-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-~:~-
Alright, there's chapter one! Not really good at beginnings, so I know this chapter wasn't that great. . Gomen. Next chapter could take a while, but then again, it could be up early. You never know with me. ^^;;
Leave a review, blah blah blah. Gonna go get a cookie.
