Sora leant back against the papou tree. He bit his tongue a few times in concentration.
Describe tonight's sunset.
That was tonight's English assignment. It was just Sora's luck he got Ms Fairhall, a teacher who taught English because she loved it. She was always giving out things like this.
Describe the sunset…
"Blood red."
"Shut up Roxas." Sora wrinkled his nose up. Trust Roxas to say something like that.
"You describe it better."
"Uh…"
"Exactly."
"Nobody troubles?" Sora leapt into the air at his friend's voice.
"How can you tell?"
"Whenever you and Roxas are arguing, you kind of space out." Riku grinned. "I could have thrown you in the sea before you realised I was here."
"La la la la la la la!!!"
"OH MY GOD SHUT UP!!!" Sora yelled, hitting himself on the head with his book.
"What's he doing now?"
"Singing. Which he can't."
"Hey!"
"Where's Kairi?" Riku tried to stop Sora from having a massive argument with his head.
"She felt ill. Went home early."
"Oh right. Wanna go see her?" Sora sighed.
"Got to be better than doing this."
"Now Sora, you should have more of an interest in your school work…"
"Oh my god Roxas, I swear, if you wind me up one more time, I shall knock your non-existent block off." Riku laughed, unsure wheter or not Sora could actually do that. However, the threat seemed to work as they headed to Kairi's house.
"The doors open." Sora frowned for a moment. "They don't normally leave the door open…"
"Paranoid!"
"Shut up. I can and will knock your block off."
"That is duly noted…" Roxas trailed off. "Something's wrong."
"Now who's being paranoid?" Sora walked up to the door with Riku.
"Sora. Don't go inside."
"Too late." Sora walked inside. Riku and Sora were allowed in anytime, as they had been told several times before, so they didn't feel weird about just walking in.
"KAIRI!!! HELLO!!!" Riku bellowed.
No response.
"KAIRI!!!"
"Maybe she's asleep."
"Better check on her." Sora nodded, and the duo walked up the stairs.
On the first step…
On the second step…
On the third step…
On the fourth step…
Sora shook his head, trying to shake that childish horror story that Kairi had told him at a sleepover when he was 7. He had thrown his sister's doll out the next day.
On the last step…
In your hallway…
Coming to find you…
Coming to get you…
Coming to get you…
Sora walked into Kairi's room and froze.
She lay there, perfectly still.
The purple bullet was lodged in her stomach.
And the leering figure was wearing a black cloak.
"Xigbar?" Roxas whispered in Sora's head. "He's… he's…"
"Back from the grave, XIII." Xigbar loaded his gun. "And ready to send you there."
Sora couldn't move. He felt a hand grab his arm and pull him away.
Kairi…
Kairi…
I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.
I should have known. I could have…
I'm sorry.
Naminé?
Naminé?
Are you gone too?
It's my fault.
First Axel, then you…
I'm a death trap.
And I don't know what to do.
Naminé.
You're gone, aren't you?
Maybe… In the next life…
Was that what Axel meant?
Naminé…
I am so sorry.
"Oh my god…"
Riku had always been the calmest out of the trio. He could be trusted to take charge in a bad situation. It was him who had clicked back into the real world fast enough to grab Sora and run. He had shoved Sora into a boat and rowed as fast as he could to the island. Then he pulled Sora out of the boat.
"Sora. Sora!" Sora didn't respond. "SORA!!" His face was chalk white. Riku was scared out of his skin, but he had to focus…
"SORA!!!" Riku lost patience, and slapped Sora hard around the face. "SNAP OUT OF IT!!!" Sora looked startled, and near tears.
"Sorry." He whispered.
"Look, just…" Riku breathed out, trying to calm himself. "I'm sorry I slapped you, O.K.? Just try and stay in this world."
"She's gone…" Sora's voice was quieter than a whisper. "I promised I'd look after both of them… I failed."
"It's not your fault. Listen. We have to get to the Gummi ship. If the Organization is back, we have to tell the king." Riku couldn't say any more, his throat was clogged up with held back tears. He shook a little.
"It's my fault…" That voice didn't belong to Sora. "I never should have listened to them…"
"Roxas. Sora. Stay calm. We have to get out of here."
"Are you guys okay?" Selphie wandered up to them.
"Get lost."
"But I…"
"Selphie, I'm telling you to get lost." Riku didn't want anyone else dead. Hell, Kairi dead was more than enough. If anyone from the Organization saw Selphie talking to them, she could be next. Anyone could.
"No need to be rude." She sighed. "Just to let you know, there's some bloke looking for you on the main island."
"What!" Riku felt himself freeze.
"Yeah. You know, one of those people from the Organization that want revenge on Roxas."
"Oh my god… How many are there?"
"Everyone from the Organization except Axel. So that's eve-"
"How do you know about the Organization?" Sora asked, raising his ashen face to stare at Selphie. She smiled.
"Guess." Trails of darkness raced away from her. The two friends stared.
"Shit." Riku knew what was happening. It was him. Number VI. Zexion. The illusionist.
"So. This is what your home looks like. I must admit, it is nicer than when I was last here."
"Why are you doing this?" Riku spat then words out.
"We're nobodies. We don't forget." Zexion pulled out the Lexicon.
"RUN SORA!!!" Riku grabbed his friend and shoved him forwards as the sky darkened. Heartless began to appear.
"No…"
"Sora it's not real! He's an illusionist."
"How can you tell what's real then!?" Zexion mocked from behind them, laughing sadistically. "And by the way. You other little friends are already dead. So no hope for you there."
"SHUT UP!!" Riku ran faster. Sora was barely in this world.
"All dead…"
"Sora just run!" Sora was stumbling, one step after another. They were almost there.
The secret place.
Riku pulled them both into the place, breathing hard. He ran over and pressed the conceled red button. The doors to the hidden Gummi ship gargage opened.
"Sora, you have to help me, you're the only one who can fly the Gummi ship." He didn't get a reply. Riku breathed. He didn't want to do it, but it was the only way…
"Don't let Kairi down." The blue eyes stared at him. Sora silently walked towards the controls, and prepared the ship for launch.
"Can you leave me alone?" Riku nodded, and wandered into the engine room. He needed time on his own as well.
He needed to breathe.
He needed to bleed.