Alkenet: Okay, this chapter's going to be pretty easy-going in the beginning, and I'll be skipping some small parts
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.
"talking"
'thinking'
7 years later
Do you wish to see darkness?
'Wh-what?'
Are you ready to accept your fate?
'I-I don't understand…'
You shall create the path to the heart of all worlds.
'Please tell me what you mean!'
The Door will soon be opened…
A pale-skinned girl woke up and held her head, 'That dream again,' She opened her eyes to reveal cloudy, unseeing, grey. The girl sighed, "It's such an odd dream…"
"Hey Aerin!" A voice came from outside her window.
"Hm?" the girl, Aerin, turned her head towards the voice, she reached for the lock and opened her window and turned her head to the source.
"Hey, I brought breakfast!" It was Riku. Said boy was holding a large plastic bag.
"Oh!" Aerin jumped off her bed and masterfully walked downstairs to the front door, "Good morning Riku," she greeted.
"Morning bed-head," Riku teased, "My mom made extra waffles for you, eggs and bacon too."
Aerin chuckled, obviously ignoring the bed-head comment, "Your mom's sweet." She stepped to the side of the door, motioning Riku to come in.
"Yeah, well she doesn't want you to starve," Riku said as he stepped in, "Either that, or she didn't want you to hurt yourself trying to cook."
Aerin gave a small scoff, "You mean she didn't want me to kill myself trying to cook," She went into the kitchen, "How can anyone cook when they can't see?"
"I can teach you," Riku offered, "I don't mind."
"You can cook?" Aerin asked, her dumbfounded expression looked a bit odd due to her eyes, "Is there anything you can't do, oh seemingly-perfect-one?"
Riku chuckled, "Don't call me that, you know I hate being called 'perfect', besides, my parents taught me how to cook, they said that I need to have a lot of talents so I'll have a lot of job options," he took out a plate and unwrapped the foil to reveal his mother's home cooked meal, "Waffles at three, bacon at eight, and eggs at ten."
"Thank you, but, that's good," Aerin replied while sitting down, "They're helping you get ready for the future," the black-haired girl poured a generous amount of syrup over the waffles with help from her silver-haired friend.
Riku 'hmphed', "Right, I just think they want me to grow up and move out," he passed Aerin a fork, "I'm only fifteen, I should worry more about school and the raft we're making."
"There's no harm in thinking about the future every now and then is there?" Aerin said as she nibbled on a crispy strip of bacon.
The cyan-eyed boy sighed, "No, I guess not," he leaned back in his seat across from Aerin, "You mind if I get some orange juice?"
Aerin shook her head, "Help yourself," She stabbed her last waffle with her fork and ate the thing in one bite.
"You sure seem hungry this morning," Riku placed a cup of orange juice next to Aerin's plate, "Juice at three 'o clock," the boy announced as he sipped from his cup.
Aerin swallowed with slight difficulty, "Thanks," she coughed out, "And be quiet, you have your fat days too."
Riku laughed, "True, but I don't stuff a whole waffle in my mouth and swallow it all at once."
"What, are you implying that I'm fat?" Aerin retorted playfully.
"How can you be fat when the only time you eat is when I come over with food?" Riku teased, "You'd starve if it wasn't for me."
"Ah, you got me there," Aerin scratched her cheek.
Riku stood up and collected the plate and utensils, "Come on, if you're done we should wash these dishes and head to the island."
"Right," Aerin nodded, "Oh, wait, I'm still in my pajamas, hold on a second," she ran upstairs to change.
"So what do we still need?" Aerin asked, now wearing a black and white vest over a sleeveless black top, black and white board shorts, black wristbands, grey sneakers and a necklace with a paopu fruit as the pendant. Her hair, now brushed, stopped mid-back, with her fringe partially covering her eyes.
Riku crossed his arms, "Logs, that's a given, more rope, a sail, and some food."
Aerin sighed, "Even if it's a small list, there's still so much to do."
"That's true," Riku pulled Aerin towards their boat, "So what was your dream about anyway?" He asked as the two were untying the boat.
"Hm?" Aerin looked up from the ropes, "Um, I don't know, it was basically the same as all the other dreams, but the only thing that was different was the last thing that voice asked me."
"What was it?" Riku helped Aerin into the boat and pushed away from the shore.
"Instead of saying, 'The Door is yet to be opened', it said, 'the Door will soon open'," Aerin answered, she picked up an oar and passed it to Riku.
"That's…kind of creepy," Riku responded while rowing.
"No kidding," Aerin shook her head, "I don't even know what it means by 'the Door'."
"We're almost there," Riku stated.
"Already?!" Aerin exclaimed.
"Time flies when you talk a lot," Riku teased.
"I do NOT talk that much," Aerin retorted. Riku just chuckled as he pulled the boat to shore. The silver-haired teen saw two other boats tied to the pier, "Looks like Sora and Kairi are already here."
"They sure came early," said Aerin while she tried to tie the boat, "Grr…"
"Need help?" Riku took the ropes from Aerin and tied them tightly to the pier.
Aerin sighed and stood back waiting for Riku, "We better hurry up, those two might be playing around like the lazy bums they are." She joked, they both laughed.
"Actually, why don't we start finding some logs first, then check on those two," Riku suggested.
Aerin shrugged, "Sure, I don't mind, let's go!" She started walking in a random direction. Before she could go any farther, Riku grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back.
"You don't know where you're going, do you?" he asked.
Aerin blinked, "Ah…no," she rubbed the back of her head and blushed, "Ehehehe…" Riku shook his head and grabbed the girl's hand, "I know where to find more logs, just come with me."
"You okay back there?" Riku called. He was carrying a log over his shoulder.
"I'm fine," Aerin answered, she dragged a large log with slight difficulty due to its size.
"Come on, we're almost there," he said, "I can see the two lazy idiots."
"Okay, just hold on," Aerin stated before falling flat on her face after tripping on a pebble, "…Ow."
But Riku was already talking with "the two lazy idiots", also known as Sora and Kairi, their childhood friends. He didn't hear her fall, "Were you guys just going to leave all the work for me and Aerin?" he scolded lightly, "We're the only two working on the raft," Riku none too gently tossed the log he was carrying at Sora who yelped and said to Kairi, "And you're just as lazy as he is."
"So you noticed," She giggled.
Sora sat up and looked around, "Riku, where's Aerin?"
Riku froze and he quickly turned around, "Aerin?!" She was no where in sight, "Hey, Aerin! Where are you!?" He shouted. Then the three heard a soft 'oomph' coming from the direction Riku came from. Aerin had tripped on a small twig.
"Sorry," Aerin brushed off some sand while getting up, "I tripped on a rock…or was it a pebble…?"
"Aerin!" Sora latched onto her waist, "Are you okay?"
"Sora let go of her," Riku said, "You aren't bleeding are you?"
Aerin blinked, "I don't know, you tell me."
"Ah!" Kairi ran over and raised a hand over a red spot on Aerin's forehead, "It isn't bleeding but it's pretty red, it doesn't hurt?"
"…" Aerin blinked then her eyes twitched, "Now that I think about it, it does…ow."
"Sorry for making you think about it," Kairi apologized.
"It's okay, I don't mind," Aerin gently rubbed her forehead. She sighed as Riku and herself sat down.
"Well, since we're all here, why don't we have a race?" Kairi suggested.
"What, are you kidding me?" Riku asked.
"They just got here Kairi," said Sora.
Kairi brushed off the comments, "Ready? Go!"
The two boys looked at each other and immediately sped off to the other side of the beach. Riku had grabbed Aerin's wrist and was dragging her along, 'Ow, my head…' she thought.
After the race, the four split up to gather the remaining items. Aerin was off collecting more logs with Riku, and Kairi was bossing Sora around to collect other things such as food, rope and some cloth. While looking for some mushrooms inside the Secret Place, his blue-eyed gaze landed on a drawing he and Kairi made when they were younger. He lightly brushed fingers over the chalk portraits.
"…This world has been connected…" came a voice from behind the spiky-haired teen.
"Wh-who's there?!" He demanded, he turned around and saw a cloaked figure. The figure paid his shout no mind and continued.
"Tied to the darkness…soon to be completely eclipsed…" the man's deep voice rang throughout the cave.
"What are you talking about?!" Sora shouted, his tone laced with confusion.
"You know not what lies beyond that door…One who knows nothing…understands nothing," the man finished. Sora was about to ask where the mysterious man came from and how he discovered the cave but Kairi had entered and interrupted him.
"Sora!" She scolded and placed her hands on her hips, "Are you goofing off again?"
"N-no!" Sora stammered, "I-I just, there was-!" he tried to explain.
"We have to get ready for tomorrow!"
"I-I know," Sora answered, "Look I even found some more mushrooms!" The two walked out and into the sun.
Before they knew it the sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful red-orange glow in the sky and a shining deep orange reflection on the surface of the calming ocean. The quartet was gathered together on a small island connected by a wooden bridge to their play island, their eyes were looking out towards the darkening horizon. Of course Aerin couldn't see anything, but just being with her friends was enough for her.
As the sky darkened, the four went to their boats and left the island to go home and rest up for the next day. They retreated to their rooms and prepared for the long journey ahead. Unfortunately, they were unaware that something was threatening the safety of their paradise.
Riku was standing on a balcony just outside his room, "…The door is opening…" he murmured, before departing for the island. His eyes held no emotion, his expression was blank.
…
Kairi was at her desk contently working on a small charm made of shells and thread. Soon, she felt the need to go to the island, and so she left.
…
"Let's see…" Sora was on his knees packing various items into a large sports bag, "swimsuit, float, umbrella, beachball…" a shiver suddenly ran down his spine and he sharply looked up, and outside his window Sora saw a large dark cloud surrounding the island, it seemed like it was going to engulf everything in it's wake, "What the-? Oh no! The raft!" Sora jumped out the window and sped toward his boat.
…
Aerin was in a light doze before a tremor wracked her form. She shot up and looked around frantically before realizing, to both her horror and surprise, she could see, "How…?" she looked outside and saw the island surrounded by a large, dark cloud, "The raft!" She quickly changed and ran outside to the port where she untied her abandoned boat and rowed to the play island.
Sora docked his boat, he saw two other boats already tied to the pier, he recognized them as Kairi's and Riku's, "They're already here? But I wonder if Aerin noticed anything…" He ran around the island to look for his friends and saw Riku standing on the small island with the bent paopu tree. "Riku!"
…
Minutes after Sora arrived, Aerin showed up, still unnerved from her recent sight recovery, "Looks like everyone else his here," she examined the area before seeing Sora running towards Riku, "Sora!" she shouted. He cut off the conversation he and Riku were having and saw Aerin running towards the two.
"Aerin!" he yelled, shocked at Aerin's approaching form and grey eyes that were now clear.
"What's going on?" Aerin asked with heavy breaths. Behind her black creatures with beady yellow eyes peeled themselves from the wooden bridge and began to crawl erratically to the three. Sora and Aerin gasped at the sight of the ant-like creatures and their ever growing army.
"Sora…Aerin…" Riku said, "Come with me…" he raised a hand in their direction.
"Don't worry, Kairi's coming too!" Sora shouted.
"Sora!" Aerin screamed, "Look out!" The black creatures had grabbed their shoes and began to pull them down.
"Aerin…" Riku called again. She looked and Riku and saw thick tendrils of darkness surround her friend, "Come with me…" Aerin stared, frightened at what was covering him. She began to breathe faster and she shook her head, not moving from her spot despite being pulled under by the dark monsters.
"…Don't fear the darkness…" Riku said before completely disappearing.
"Riku!" Sora shouted, he soon disappeared as well.
"Sora, Riku!" Aerin gasped, she struggled to get away, tears streams down her cheeks and she disappeared along with the small island.
Alkenet: So what'd you think? Good? Bad? I'd like to know if there's anything you think needs improving.
