DUSTIE: Hey! The name's Dustie - Dustie Paige! I originally only had a fictionpress account but after serious persuading from one of my friends, I decided to join this site and post my fics! But anyhoo, this story, KINGDOM COME, features a lot of the characters from Kingdom Hearts Riku, Sora, Kairi, Tidus, etc. and I give Square Enix n everybody full credit for them! The other characters, Jo and Rina, are my own. So, enjoy and drop me a note! On with the story!

KINGDOM COME

Chapter One

The waves lapped up against the shores of beautiful Destiny Islands and the sun pounded down on Rina, Jo, and Tidus. They couldn't have asked for a better day, and they were taking full advantage of it. The three had hit the beach early and planned to stay there all day. That was, until curfew. Rina picked up a tiny piece of sea glass and put it in the bag she was carrying up and down the beach as Tidus took to chasing his twin sister, Jo down the shoreline for hitting him in the back of the head with a rock from her slingshot. Rina giggled and took off after them.

An average day on Destiny Islands, an island paradise for the kids that lived there; full of having fun and exploring. Jo hiked up her black capris and jumped onto a ladder, closely followed by her brother. They climbed to a platform high above the water, and Jo pulled herself up on the wooden railing.

"Come and get me, Tidus!" she laughed.

She leapt off and curled herself up into a cannonball, plummeting toward the clear blue ocean.

Tidus leaned over the railing. "You're crazy!" he shouted after her.

"I know!" Jo said, getting in a good laugh before she hit the water with a splash.

Rina shed her outer clothes, revealing a pretty blue bikini, and stepped into the tiny waterfall that flowed over the side of a hill, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. More than anything, she loved the water. Well, not more than her friends. She opened her eyes and gazed out wistfully over the ocean, remembering the countless times she, Tidus, and her friend Riku had swam miles out to sea; so far that they couldn't see the shores of the island.

Rina craved adventure. Not like the little things she and her friends did around the island; always exploring caves, venturing through the forests. Sure, it was endless fun, but she wanted to go to new places, see new things, explore strange new lands. And, it seemed, she wasn't the only one.

Jo broke the surface of the water and laughed again. She probably was crazy. Always the daredevil, constantly taking risks and pushing herself as far, or further, than she could go. Not like Rina, who was forever curious and trying new things to no end; or Tidus, who wanted to prove his worth, no matter what the task. She liked the rush, the feel of her adrenaline pumping. Blowing a strand of wet brown hair, the complete opposite of her brother's surfer blonde, out of her face, she swam toward the shore. Jo walked up onto the sandy beach, her wet shoes sloshing under feet and her clothes dripping wet. One day she would get off this island. One day.

Tidus climbed back down the ladder and ran over to meet Jo at the shore, deciding not to use the ramp and hopping the short ledge to the sand. He was eager to duel somebody, and his sister was his best opponent. There was something about winning that he couldn't get enough of. Sure, he knew, he had an ego problem, and if it got any bigger, his head might explode, but what was wrong with being confident? That was what he called it; everyone else called him arrogant.

"Jo!" he shouted, his blue eyes sparkling excitedly in the summer sun. "Let's settle this how we always do!"

Jo smiled mischievously. "It's on!"

"You feeling lucky today?" he asked, taking his position across the beach from her.

His sister shrugged, grinning. "Who needs luck with this skill?"

Tidus shook his head, laughing quietly. "Ready?"

"You bet."

"1..."

Jo removed her slingshot from her pocket and took out a stone from the pack that hung around her waist. Tidus grabbed his weapon of choice, a long red staff that was lying in the sand, and slammed an end to the ground.

"2..."

Jo put the rock in the slingshot and pulled it back as Tidus raised his staff; both at the ready. Tidus opened his mouth to shout "three!" and charge at his sister, when suddenly there was a loud banging sound followed by a few more quieter thuds. Rina, who'd been daydreaming, snapped out of her trance and looked around, startled. Jo let out a frustrated sigh and spun around to find their friend Sora lying in a heap at the bottom of the winding staircase that lead to the island's tree house.

"Umm… hi guys!" he said, standing up and brushing himself off.

"Are you alright?" Rina asked.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, fine."

There was a quiet rustling sound as someone emerged from the "Secret Place" beneath a tree, panting.

"Is everything alright?"

Riku, another friend of the three, now stood in front of them, a worried look on his face. When he saw it was only Sora, he sighed of relief and sat down on the edge of the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall.

"So, what's up?" he asked, draping his feet into the cool water.

"Not much," Tidus answered.

Sora took a seat on one of the wooden steps he'd just fallen down. "I wonder where Kairi is this morning?" he thought aloud.

As if on cue, Kairi came running up the beach, waving. "Morning!" she called, walking up the ramp and sitting down next to Sora. "How are you guys?"

The islanders talked happily amongst themselves about what to do with the beautiful day they now had on their hands. Six friends sat together under the warm, summer sun, never expecting the terrible yet wonderful adventure to come.