Beyond the Kingdom

the afterstory.

Shortcomings:

Sometimes things don't always go as planned, you know how it is, right? Sometimes things just don't go right, they can't its how the world works. Just like eveyone has their own destiny, and everyone makes their own mistakes. Well, I wish just once... just this one time, I could choose what was happening to those around me, influence their actions in some way, but I can't. I have all this power, all this strength and magic, and I can't even tell my best friend not to leave me alone again... you'll go no matter what I say, just like before... but this time I don't think I have the ability to go looking for you.

And I think... I think that's what your counting on, isn't it? 'Sora I don't want to drag you into this again,' he says, 'you have finally begun to live a normal life.' Screw normal Riku, SCREW NORMAL! Three and a half years ago I found you again, trapped in the body of another... but you none-the-less, I admit I didn't understand your sacrifice at first, but now I do... I really do. You were freed by Ansem... and we were together again, I can't describe how happy I felt... though you probably remember don't you? Those tears... heh, I always was a sap... when I thought you were gonna give up, I couldn't bear it... I stayed with you on that dark island because I decided... that being alone in an eternity of darkness with you wouldn't be so bad after all. If it weren't for Kairi's letter... I don't think we'd have made it back... and truthfully, I don't think I'd have cared.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be home, glad that for once I can rest and have fun... go swimming, play on the beach, we finished our raft didn't we? Heh, I didn't enjoy the part were the sail broke and hit me on the head... gave me a good bruise, but we did finish it, like we had always planned. But now... everything I wanted pales in comparison to this simple need... I don't want you to go Riku... I don't want...to be alone again. Finding Kairi, I thought, was what I wanted all along... and I was happy... so happy when I found her... I felt warmer then I would have ever thought I could.

Though now things have changed, oh have they changed. You and I grew closer... I don't know what had changed between us but somthing did, and I'm not complaining. I-I'm not sure exactly what these feelings are... fear, regret, and loneliness... if you leave... I don't think I can stand being away from you again. Donald, Goofy... they are off fighting again... aren't they? And you are going to our twin world as well... aren't you? To save us, our town, Kairi, Selphi, all our friends and family... and me. But you see... I want to help too, I was ment to help... I am the weilder of the keyblade, maybe not the original, but I know how to fight, I'm not some frail porcelin doll you need to protect.

So I've decided... to go on ahead of you, silly right? But for once I was thinking... I know your going to go regardless, and unless I go before you then I won't be able to go at all, you said your were closing the portal to our shadow world right? I wouldn't have the ability to open it, to follow you... but since I know where it is I can clear a path of all the heartless and nobodies, what do you say? Doesn't really matter... by the time your done reading this letter I'd have been long gone... see you on the other side Riku...

- Sora

Wide, aquamarine eyes stared down in disbelief at a simple sheet of discolored yellow paper sitting under the hilt of a candle on the table. Had Riku not returned home to get his cloak for the journey to the shadow world, he'd never had known of Sora's letter... it was all chance he'd read it. How could Sora take such a gamble! What if he gets hurt, or worse, killed? The silver haired youth snarled and snatched the paper off the table re-reading through the contents. Another growl of frustration escaped him as he glanced over his shoulder at the door...

He sidestepped his table and walked semi-hurridly towards his closet in the living room, opening it to retrieve his black trench. All the while his mind was racing as his hands worked on thier own to slip the leather cloth over his lithe form, Sora, you idiot! You don't understand, you couldn't... BAH! I'll just have to postpone closing that gate until I find you... If only the nieve brunette truly knew why Riku was leaving by himself, he'd never have gone ahead... or so Riku supposed.

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Things had gotten complicated in the past month or so. The world of Kingdom hearts had a few years of calm, of odd serenity and a false sense of security. Things went back to normal as best they could but some damages took a while to repair... still, all was well. It wasn't until the children of destiny island began having reoccuring nightmares that first alerted Riku of an underlying issue. He wasn't sure at first, and went on living his days as usual, but at night he'd patrol the streets looking for anything out of the ordinary. Eventually weird shadows and unexplainable bumps and groans aroused the townspeople into a semi-panic.

Riku investigated the children, those of the purest hearts and open minds... asking what exactly happened in thier dreams. Almost all replies were the same, the beautiful seaside down os Destiny islands being shrouded in a veil of darkness... then strange people and weird creatures would appear from this abyss and all the stars began to die... before even one child could see the last star dim, they'd wake in a cold sweat, in tears or on the floor.

Disturbed and perplexed, Riku sought Sora for help and council on said events, his first mistake. Indeed, Sora, Kairi, and Riku made a good team, but some things are best done on your own. The days of playing and sunshine had gone, and it seemed as if an ever looming fog had enveloped the town, very few went outside any more, if only to get food and necessities. Sora would go without speaking to Riku and Kairi for days, doing his own bit of clue finding. Then he found something interesting, something that would greatly influnce what was happening at the present time.

There were small, almost unnoticable markings on the sides of buildings, like scratches, they could barly even be felt by the most sentitive of fingertips... actually sora found on on accident after resting against the side of the well in the town square... lowe and behold he found five others on seemingly random buildings. Each symbol different, but seemingly useless on its own. Not sure what to make of the discovery, Kairi was sent to the island to search for more, as it was a smaller area, and Riku and Sora continued their search through the town.

There were staggering numbers, and more in places that Sora could swear there weren't before. In a matter of days, each and every building was covered in one, every rock, every tangible object... and yet no one noticed them... not even the symbols on their china or clocks... they were blind to these signs. When asked if they'd seen any odd markings, they'd reply no, and thus sent Riku and Sora down the wrong path of theories...

Then at night it happened... the door in the cavern on Destiny island began to radiate a deep purple glow, and on Kairi's rountine inspection, she discovered that not only did the door glow, but it emitted a sinister aura from its depth. The news quickly reached her friends... and they went to investigate... Riku remained almost deathly silent... almost fearful as he stayed back and watched Sora and Kairi poke and prod the surface. Riku was no where to be seen for a few days after the discovery, but in his absence the darkness grew, and the entire cave was now so dim the white drawings could no longer be seen. When Riku resurfaced, he came with bad tidings.

He would not divulge all the information, but he did say somthing about an alternate, shadow realm, locking some sort of gate, and that he had to go immediatly. Sora was less then pleased with this, and when he asked if a new keyhole had appeared, he was answered with silence and a cold shoulder. The courageous teen stood to his feet and smiled, regardless of the problem, he would make short work of it with Riku at his side, and with that in mind, he asked when they would be leaving..When Sora's companion finally did reply, he felt his heart stop..."I'm going alone... this is no place for you ..." and then he said those ever peircing words,'' Sora I don't want to drag you into this again... you've finally began to live a normal life...''

Riku left shortly after, leaving the confused and slightly heartbroken hero of old behind. It was the next day, when Riku's journey was to begin that Sora wrote the letter, and whilst his friend was in town buying supplies, he slipped said paper under the candle in plain sight of the door, and then left more swiftly then he'd arrived...

"I still can't believe this Sora,'' Riku murmured, slipping the note into his pocket and donning his hood.

He wasted no time to a sentimental look around his home, even if it were the last time he'd be seeing it, he had more pressing matters to attend to. All he cared about right now was getting to Sora before he could pass through that door, or getting him back if he'd already made it through. Huffiing angerilly, he turned heel and made way towards the door, flinging it open and rushing out. The frame crashed against the wall with tremendous force that shook the walls and stirred dust from the floor. A picture wobbled on its hook and despite the fact it had endured manny door slammings in its day, and playfights gone awry, its time had come to fall. With a short clank and a loud crash, the glass of the frame shattered and spilled into hundred of sliver across the harwood floor... leaving a worn picture of Riku and Sora as children exposed to the elements and the harsness of the outside world... a small sliver of glass had torn through the center of the picture, two happy children seperated by a void.

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Wrote this in a half hour, so sue me! Right after defeating kingdom hearts two... loved the ending the best so far, nearly had a heart attack several times thinking Riku was going to die or leave... lol.