This fic contains the pairing Sora x Riku. It has spoilers for KH1 and KH2 as well as some Chain of Memories. I hope you enjoy reading it!
Desolate: The Prelude
I guess I never really thought that we'd be able to go back to our life, our world and just be able to pick up from where we left off. Everything was restored and everyone remembered us alright, but it could never be the same. In a way, I didn't want it to be. Wait, no. I'm glad that the events that happened from the moment Destiny Islands was destroyed until the time Sora and I came back through the door to the light. If not, where would we be anyway? I would probably have been the same stubborn, selfish bastard that I had been. Am I being too harsh on myself? Sora would probably say so. Of course, I did spend over a year trying to make it up to my two best friends. If I hadn't helped Diz, I would've never allowed myself to go with Sora to the light. I very nearly didn't go.
I guess in a way I owe myself this, if not only for Kairi and Sora who have an attachment to me. Like I was saying, though. It's weird to go back to somewhere you grew up, after leaving not by choice, and then having grown up along the way. Who was I to judge, anyway? I was the one who wanted to leave. Just me. I'm not stupid; I heard Kairi talking to Sora when the sun was setting back before anything happened. It still hurt to think that as gentle and pure as Kairi seemed, she would leave me behind, even if I was on the wrong side. In that way, she and Sora are so different. With Sora it's always been in the moment action, with your loyalties and morals to back him up. Funny how it works, that the one with no darkness in her heart is the one I end up being hurt by.
Sunlight bounced all around the fresh green leaves of the island trees. It was rather hot in the direct sun, but in the shade was the perfect temperature to just hang around. Birds flew high in a melted-ice sky as they caterwauled their ocean song. The pulsing slosh of water was a beat like the heart, pushing life into the veins of a tropical world. Across the waves, you could barely make out an island dotted with identical houses because of the low-slung angle the lesser island sat on. How ironic was it to find the same teenager with silvery hair who used to perch on the broad trunk of a paopu tree, once again reclining above the ledge of the land? A flicker of something in his eyes belied the fact that he was, in fact, deep within his own mind and memories. That might've been why, when a feathered white hand tapped his left shoulder, he fell off the tree trunk and into the water.
Upon surfacing, he heard the sound of a duck cackling and the gwaffs of….a dog? Or what? Who cares. Spitting out a stream of water and glaring up at the two other-worlders, the silver-haired teen spit a stream of water from his mouth, making them laugh harder.
"Riku," Goofy called, "Good ta' see ya'."
"Yeah," agreed Donald, "But Sora and the King said to hurry. We can say 'hi' later!"
"Well gee, Donald. At least let Riku get out of the water."
"Don't be silly," Donald countered. "But I wanna talk to Sora."
"Gee, thanks," Riku stated, sarcastically. He was already on the beach and trying to shake water off his hair and clothes. Donald and Goofy jumped off the wooden bridge connecting the miniscule island to join Riku. With an Aero spell from Donald to dry his clothes, Donald and Goofy were rowing their boat alongside Riku, who was feeling a bit foolish in his undersized watercraft.
The awkward atmosphere between the three was just growing until they finally made their way to town hall, where Sora, Kairi and the King were chatting amiably. Donald immediately ran over and hugged Sora, while Goofy scratched the back of his head and grinned widely, seeing that Sora was already straining under the weight of a duck.
"Aw, c'mon Donald. It hasn't been that long," Sora humbly stated in an attempt for the hugging to recede a bit.
"We still miss ya', Sora," Goofy added. "You're our best pal. No offence, your highness."
"None taken, Goofy," the mouse stated, "Sora has been through a lot with you two."
Kairi and Riku looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment, before making eye contact and silently agreeing that it was an ok thing to talk about out loud for now. They were all standing by the fountain outside of the great grey marble that made up town hall. The cobbled road clicked in a certain way when people walked on it.
The group of keybladers decided to go inside town hall and sit in one of the meeting rooms to have dinner. Kairi's father set it up for them, especially because of King Micky and how he's the only one to have ever visited Destiny Islands from an outside world besides Kairi, who wasn't really visiting. It was already about 5:00 P.M., despite how sunny it still was. The sun set fast on days like these.
Once everyone had settled around the far end of a long wooden table, the real business started. Mickey was seated at the head chair while Riku and Sora shared a side. Kairi had situated herself on the far side of Donald and Goofy with the mindset of getting to know them a little better. Dinner was still being made, so everyone was just sitting.
"King Mickey," Sora started, sensing the silence was about to get awkward, "What brings you back here so soon? I though you would've wanted to stay at the castle for quite a bit after that two year 'vacation'."
Mickey laughed a little, but nodded and answered, "Oh, Sora. You're so right. It's just that, I can't help but feel like we left things…open-ended."
"What do you mean by that?" Asked Kairi and everyone turned their heads back to Mickey to see what he'd say.
"Riku-" He began, but Riku cut him off.
"Look, your majesty, if it's about me, I can just say right now that I'm good."
Mickey frowned. Sora seemed a bit understanding, but Kairi, Donald and Goofy were a little puzzled. In that moment, the doors on the opposite side of the room opened and the group was brought some dinner. The receiving of the meal and getting into it took about five minutes of dropping the subject.
"So, Kairi. I know we don't really know each other that well, but I can't help but wonder what it was like while your heart was hiding in Sora's body," Mickey broke the silence in a polite way, as if easing himself into talking to Kairi. Kairi was blushing a bit at the part about her heart hiding in Sora's body. Riku snorted.
"O-oh. Well…I don't really remember. I wish I could describe it better, but it was sort of like I could hear moments of what Sora's heart was calling out. At the same time, I could feel another heart very close to ours that was in pain." She paused for a bit and stared off into space, "Maybe it was just my imagination."
Kairi felt a comfortingly heavy weight on her shoulder. Goofy was looking at her with sympathetic eyes. She smiled back at him with her delicately pretty smile that made her plush cheeks raise in an endearing way.
"Ansem the Wise always told me that all hearts are connected. Though, he did mention some having a stronger connection than others. There was a legend passed through many worlds that said eating a star-shaped fruit entwined hearts' destinies forever. It was legend, but perhaps by eating that fruit, the hearts of those people were making the connection permanently." Mickey was thoughtfully sharing this, not noticing everyone wince a bit when he first said 'Ansem'.
"Hey!," Sora responded and bounced in his seat a little, "That's the paopu fruit! It grows here, on Destiny Islands. Since it's so 'legendry' and everything, we can go take you to see one tomorrow if you want. Riku and I used to have competitions on who would get to eat one with Kairi. Too bad I never won any of them. Of course, Riku has always been better at things like that than me."
Kairi looked flattered and somewhat surprised. While she knew there was something motivating the two to compete against each other, she never actually knew what it was. Donald was looking very thoughtful.
"I know," he suddenly stated, "I'll bring one home to Daisy and maybe she'll forgive me for being gone for two years!"
"Haha, Donald. It's not like you betrayed her and everyone in the castle, now did you? In that case, I would never forgive you," Mickey joked. Sora nodded and Goofy covered his mouth with his hand in silent laughter as Donald shouted in protest.
Suddenly four heads whipped towards the other end of the room as they heard a loud, sudden sound that send vibrations through the room. Riku's chair was empty and thrown a bit to the side. Everyone stared at it for a good minute. Suddenly, Sora laughed nervously.
"It's okay, guys. I'm sure he's just grumpy from being with a bunch of happy people for a long period of time. I'll be right back after I-"
"Sora," Sora had stood up and now Mickey did too, grabbing the edge of his shirt. "Let me talk to him." Sora looked like he wanted to object, but the mouse shook his head and left the room more ceremoniously than his comrade had previously.
"What was that about?" Kairi whispered to Donald and Goofy, all three of which were still sitting at the table watching events unfold. Sora wasn't facing them. Goofy and Donald looked at each other then shrugged. Just then the grandfather clock in the room went off, chiming the fact that it was indeed 9:00 P.M.
"Hey, Kai," Sora said, turning around and grinning, "I'll walk you home, kay? Sorry we couldn't talk more, Donald, Goofy, but I promise we'll meet again tomorrow before you guys leave."
Kairi and Sora walked side by side into the fading sunlight in the direction of their homes. Truthfully, Sora's house was the far one, but he still liked to call it 'walking Kairi home'.
Donald and Goofy found their rooms in the motel adjacent to the town hall and went to sleep. Meanwhile, at the orange-crested beach sat a silver-haired boy on the sand and his mouse friend next to him. The waves lapped at their bare feet.
"The only person who has ever blamed you, Riku, is you."
"I know that."
"You knew that from the very moment we were locked inside of Kingdom Hearts." There was a silence between the two. The wind whistled by, flipping annoying pieces of hair into Riku's face. "What would make you accept yourself again?"
"…I don't think I can answer that. I don't understand my feelings right now."
I really don't. At times, I feel like my life couldn't get any better. But, whenever someone brings up betrayal, pain and the darkness, I can't help but feel like I should be punished for what I did again.
I guess I never really was punished, per se. Helping a friend isn't punishment. Even if you hadn't wanted the friend to find out it was you. It's just that, even before that I would've done anything for Kairi and Sora. It feels like my debt is yet to be repaid. The problem is, debt doesn't matter to either of my best friends when it's me.
Perhaps that is why I am so conflicted. I can't help but be reminded of how I feel when I used to do things for Sora secretly without him knowing. The protective feeling, as if I have the power over evil. Sora believes that my heart is the light kind. But can I wholly trust that opinion?
AN: Oops, i replaced this chapter and forgot to take note of the original author's note. oh well! hopefully its improved. Please review? I hope you find it interesting.