Chapter 2: On the Outside Looking In
Hello again! Once again, I'm back with this story. I wanted to jump back on this story after I finished the second chapter of Unwritten, seeing as how they're both the new stories. This story is meant to quite long, but I still have yet to determine on how the timeline of it all will work in terms of story, so there's no odd time jumps.
Genre: Adventure/Mystery
Disclaimer: The following characters of The End of Eternity are from the video game, Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix and Disney have the legal rights of owning the Kingdom Hearts franchise while the plot is fictional and inspired from the Persona series.
Today was officially Sora's first day at Destiny Islands High School since yesterday's disturbing event disrupted that one. As the same as yesterday, Roxas and him walked on their way to school as Kairi and Namine joined in halfway through their walk. This time, Sora felt like getting to know the girls than before and vice versa. "Wow, you were the top of your track team? That is so awesome!" Kairi cheered in joy. "Now we got a shot at winning the sports festival! It's time we put that bitch Olette in her place! Ugh! Just saying her name boils my blood!" she gritted through her teeth. Sora expected someone to give him a reason for her behavior and looked at Namine.
"They have been rivals since grade school," she answered. "I forgot what it was about though."
"That girl stole my spot in the school play! Ever since then, she's been trying to beat me at everything. Man, if Selphie was still here, we would make continue to take her out."
"I think she will be proud of us if we do," Roxas told Kairi.
"Then it is settled! We will be fulfilling her last wishes, so now it's personal!" Kairi shouted with energy.
"Geez, she sure is randomly fired up," Sora pointed out.
"Maybe she is PMSing," Roxas whispered to him, which made Sora blushed timidly, and Roxas got a smack on the head for saying such a sentence.
"I heard that Roxas," Kairi growled. The school came into view and the four of them still saw the some police at the scene of the crime. "Hm, your dad is most likely there huh Roxas?"
"Yeah. We didn't see him at breakfast this morning." Now that he mentioned it, Sora never did see his uncle. It sucks to be a detective if you spend more time at work than at home with your family; nevertheless, the day must continue. By the time they reached the campus, an announcement was made.
"Attention all students. Please report to the auditorium for a school wide assembly when the first bell rings," the intercom announced with the principal's voice and the same message repeats in case no one got it the first time. The four teenagers go inside, blending in with the other students while heading for the auditorium. It was passed the main building on the left with an outdoor passageway leading to it. Sora entered this and looks on his right to see a green field surrounded by a track for the track meet team. On the other side was a beautiful average size garden with a tree in the middle with open space. A great place for some shade.
"A lot students hang out underneath that tree," Kairi told him as they slowly walked. "Mainly because there is shade, the comfy grass, and the nice breezy wind that passes by that place." Sora felt the cool breeze passed by him and it soothed him.
"Oh wow. That actually felt good," he said while entering into the auditorium filled with air conditioning. He figured he had to sit with his class since the teachers were in the walking aisle standing in certain rows. He saw his homeroom teacher, Miss Yumi, standing at about midpoint. He passed by her and took a seat with Kairi on his left. Followed by his cousin and Namine. In front was a stage with a lone podium in the middle. "So uh… are we doing that thing tonight?"
"Thing?" Namine wondered. "What thing?" Then it hitted her. "Oh! The rumor you mean. Yeah, but let's be there together, so we don't have to end up calling each other to see if it is fake or not."
"But whose house?" Kairi asked and thought of an idea. "Hey! Let's hang out the boys' house!" she frolicked.
"Are you sure you're not finding some excuse to clean out my fridge and snacks?" Roxas asked being skeptical.
"Ahahaha! Of course not!" Kairi laughed in amusement.
"Then you are," Roxas bluntly said, looking at her laughing self.
"May I please have your attention," the principal talked in the microphone, silencing the students with all eyes on her. "As you may have already heard about the shocking news about one of students, Selphie Tilmitt, was found dead." Of course, this sentence caused an uproar for everyone, including the teachers. "I know how you all feel, but we must continue our daily schedule. A memorial will be held next week for Miss Tilmitt, followed by the school's sports festival."
"Selphie…" Namine frowned on and Kairi hugs her friend in comfort.
"I swear is Death following me," Sora thought. He kind of wished he had met this girl named Selphie. She seemed to be a great person among the student body. "I pray these tragedies end or I will break."
"I strongly advise for all of you to head home before it gets dark. The police are now calling the case a homicide and are trying to find the culprit behind it. Now you may continue to your classes. End of assembly," the principal announced and walked off stage. The teachers were guiding their students back to their homeroom. By the time Sora and his friends get to their desks, Miss Yumi had to make a statement to her fellow students.
"Due to the untimely events, Kairi is now our head class representative. All we now need is a vice representative we will aid her in her duties."
"I elect myself Miss Yumi!" Roxas shouted, standing out of his seat, but the classroom was silenced. No reaction.
"Sit down Roxas!" He does what she told him while Kairi walked over to Miss Yumi's side and whispered something in her ear. "Ok. Since most of you guys lack leadership skills—" The class stared her down. "Oh! Hahaha! I'm kidding!" she laughed off, flaunting off her hand. "But really, Kairi and I have decided to choose the new kid so he can get more involved here."
"Say what now?" Sora said in disbelief.
"You'll do fine Mr. Motou. I already see that you are acquainted with Kairi anyways. This will give you the chance to talk to her and maybe even get—"
"Ok! I say we stop from there," Kairi interrupted. "We shouldn't talk such things."
"Then I guess it's official. Sora, you are our new vice representative," his teacher called.
"Ohkay… I will do my best?" he unsurely answered. "What the heck just happened?"
"Since we're running short on time, it's time for me to head to my next class while you guys stay here," Miss Yumi said, leaving the room. The students in the room had question marks above their head because she was their first period of the day. She appeared again through the door and tiredly said, "Oh that's right. I have you guys huh?" The class nodded. "Ok class. Please turn yours books to page 30 as we will be reading an excerpt of the legendary Eidolons." The class cheered at such an interesting topic. "Followed by a three paragraph summary on the whole thing." The class then awed. Sora opened his book to the given page and saw a full on spread of the topic. On the right page was the text while on the left is an artwork of various Eidolons together. He was fond of these creatures that they even had a television on them simply named Eidolons. His favorite was Bahamut the Dragon Emperor. He looked out his window that overlooked the ocean and stared into the distance and saw something appear from afar, but it soon disappeared.
After two classes had pass, it was time for recess for about thirty minutes. "Oh my god! That was dreadful!" Roxas complained. "I want to go back to sleep, but it can't be helped or my mom would be all over my ass if she found out."
"I thought it wasn't a boring hour. We got to learn and talk about the Eidolons," Kairi said. "I remember my favorite was Leviathan on the show. Good times! What was yours Namine?"
"Um… Shiva… I think," she replied unsure of her answer.
"Alexander cuz' it's so big!" Roxas cheered.
"That's what she said," Sora added, making the girls laugh and him too.
"Sicko!"
"Um… Kairi and I have something to do so we'll be back," Namine told the boys. Kairi is about to say something, but Namine gave a strange look and the auburn hair girl got what she meant. Too bad Sora doesn't know what is going on. "We'll see you boys in class." The two then leave to somewhere else.
"What was that about?" Sora asked his cousin while watching the girls walk away.
"I'm not sure, but—oh! Of course! How could I forget?" Roxas panicked.
"Huh? Forget what?"
"Hmm… I don't know if I should tell you or should she do it herself…" Roxas thinks. "She might kill me if I tell you."
"It's ok. You don't have to tell me if she doesn't want me to know."
"Alrighty then. Hey! Sports sign up are next week after school so we have to get in there," his cousin excitedly informed him. "But I bet I know which one you are going to do."
"You're not gonna join the same sports as me are you?"
"Oh no. I don't want to be running. I'm joining the boxing team so I can learn how to fight!"
"You don't have a particular reason why you want to join that sports club do you? Like to get stronger because of something?"
Roxas stared into the distant space and looked back at his cousin. "Nope. I just want to punch people."
"What a good reason!" Sora falsely cheered. For most of the time, Sora and Roxas hanged out with each other around the halls for the rest of the day. The rountine was go to class, learn the lessons, grab some lunch, and then school ended right before Sora knew it. "So where are we going guys? I don't want to go home yet," he said.
"The beach?" Roxas recommended since it's right by them, but he got hit on the arm by Kairi. "Ow! What was that for?"
"I can't tell if you're joking or being serious," she mentioned. "Did you already forgot about the recent incident?" Roxas blankly stares at her. "Food?" she lamely asked him, taking out a bag of gummy bears and holding it out for him, which he gladly took away from her. "Why aren't you fat yet?" she told him, rolling her eyes. "Damn, I want your body." An awkward silence followed with the three looking at her. "W-wait! That came out wrong!" Everyone giggled at her last sentence, making her quiver in shame.
- The End of Eternity -
The four decided to just go to Roxas and Sora's house because they didn't have enough money to be around the mall. One day they will go to show Sora the place, but it wasn't the right time. For the time being, the girls went home to pack up their things for a sleepover while Roxas and Sora settled in the house. "Mhmm… yes a sleepover mom," Roxas said over the phone to his phone. "There's nothing wrong having two girls over. I have Sora with me. Yes… I promise we'll be safe. You're gonna be home later anyway." Meanwhile, Sora was cruising around the kitchen, looking for something to snack on. The only sound going through the house is Roxas' voice, so Sora decided to turn the television to hopefully drown it out.
"Police are still currently investigating the cause of Selphie Tilmitt's death and so far nothing has come up," the new reporter said on the screen. Since when was there this new at this hour in the afternoon? It must be a repeat. "There is no solid evidence of what killed her, but police can rule the victim did not kill herself. Our news reporters gave out interviews…" Sora immediately changed the channel while he walked to the couch with a bag of chips in hands and a soda. He didn't want to be hearing this tragedy since it happened yesterday. He continued to flip through channels. "Boring. Lame. Seen it. What the heck is that? Next. Fake. Trashy. Wanna be celebrities. Ew… Rebecca Black. Oh, hello again." Finally he managed to find something entertaining.
"Watcha watching?" Roxas said, taking a seat next to him and grabbed his chips out of his hands.
"You know there's a thing called 'get your own food'?" Sora glared at him. "I worked hard for this by walking around to look for it and coming here to sit down. That's quite a work out if you ask me."
"I know, but that's too much work. We're better off like this." Sora groaned, but decided to share. "Oh! I remember this episode! This is the part where Titan is under a spell and the other Eidolons try to save him!"
Once again, Sora just blankly stared at him and said, "I know the episode. We all watched it when we were kids. Now shut up and watch the show." He popped a chip in his mouth and the doorbell ringed, making him sigh. "Just when I was finally settled down. I'll get it." He got up sluggishly and walked to the door. "I wonder who it is…" He opened the door with a loud greeting from a female voice.
"Wassup!" Kairi happily shouted, dropping her bags and storming in while saying, "Now where's the snack room?" This left Sora with a sweat drop as she disappeared from his sight except her voice still talked. "Woohoo! Found it!"
"Heeyyy! Don't you dare go in there?" Roxas shouted at her, but it was too late. From afar, Sora could hear numerous noises of struggle and food being collected with Kairi and Roxas bickering with each other. "That's mine!"
"I don't see your name on it!" Kairi snapped.
"What're you doing? That's my favorite!"
"Oh hush up! You're mom will buy you a new one!"
"They're already fighting?" Sora jumped at the voice behind. He turned to see Namine standing by the door. She flashed a smile and entered inside with her bags. "Kairi's always like that when it comes to food. You'll get used to it."
"Here, I'll help you," Sora offered, grabbing her bag, but he forgot about Namine's little issue. She immediately shrieked and slapped his hand away. "S-sorry!" he said. "I forgot about your… uh… stuff."
"It's ok. Maybe one day I'll get over my little fear," she assured him. "So uh… is there are certain place we are staying?"
"Not that I know of. Why don't you leave your bags here in the front and we'll save Kairi and Roxas."
"But they're already sitting in front of TV," she said, pointing to the living room.
"Hm?" Sora looked to where she was pointing and saw the two calmly sitting on the couch, eating their food. "Those two sure are fast paced." For the rest of the afternoon, the small gang watched the TV to kill time, seeing as how the reason for the sleepover was to check out the rumor that everyone had been talking about, but of course the television had its limits.
"I'm home," Sora's aunty shouted. Everyone else said 'hi'. "What does everyone feel like eating tonight?"
"Can you make your famous somen noodles mom?" Roxas asked, gleaming in excitement.
"Anything for you son," she sweetly replied.
"Yay!"
The hours passed by and everyone was at the dinner table eating from the bowls in front of them. "Thank you so much Mrs. Hikaru! It's been a long time since I've been here," Kairi said. "I forgot how great your cooking skills were. What do you use for this recipe?"
"It's a secret," Tifa brightly said. "So what brings you girls you here that Roxas' had to call me for a sleepover?"
"We… uh…" Kairi stumbled upon her words. She couldn't truly tell her of why they were there and she looked on over to her friends. They were staring at her as if they want her to answer the question. "We wanted to get to know Sora better since he's new here."
"That makes sense cuz my nephew did just arrive. He's only been to the island a few times in his life." Kairi felt a heavy weight lifted on her shoulders. It wouldn't be a great idea to tell your friend's mom that you are checking the rumor that's been floating around the locals with a dad that's a detective. Just then, the phone rung and Tifa answered it.
"Hello? Oh it's you. When are you-I see. Yes, Roxas and Sora are home. The two are having a sleepover with Kairi and Namine. You remember them right?"
"I guess dad is taking the night shift," Roxas yawned. "Well, I'm done. Just leave your guys' bowls. I'll wash them since my mom will be busy on the phone with my dad. Sora, guide them to the guest room upstairs."
"Okay." He left his seat, including the girls, and helps lift up some of their bags. "Don't worry. I have most of your stuff," he said as Kairi and Namine take theirs backpacks to upstairs. "Just head on up." As the girls head on upstairs, Sora watched the two go up and then looked at the clock. It read: 8:37 pm. "Less than four hours to go."
Moments later…
Sora was in his room putting away a few things to finally settle in his own room. While the others were doing their own business, he was doing his. He managed to put all his clothes in the closet since he only left them out when he first arrived here. His uncle and aunt told him they're gonna bring in a desk and bookshelf to make the room feel complete. He looked out his window, but there was only darkness. Nothing special. Next, he looked over his clock to see it was almost midnight. "Huh? Did time pass by that fast?" Then he heard people talking near his door.
"Hey Sora!" Roxas barged in, dressed in his pajamas of a white shirt and black basketball shorts. "It's almost midnight and you know what that means!"
"Do you have to shout out at this hour? Isn't your mom sleeping?" Sora questioned.
"So I'm guessing we're doing it here?" Kairi asked, coming in with red plaid pajama shorts and a pink tank top. Namine was trailing behind her with both a baby blue shirt and pajama pants. "Anyway, I can't believe we're doing this! The rumor has to be true!"
"Great! Did you bring your camera?" Roxas asked. Everything in the room became silent. "You did bring right?"
"Ahehehe… sorry. I was excited to come here that I forgot it at home," Kairi confessed, scratching her head.
"What about you Namine?" Sora asked, but she shakes her head.
"We only got three minutes till midnight!" Kairi said. "How are we gonna do this?" Roxas replied, but Sora ignored it to look for a camera. While the noise emitted in the room, he went through his other luggage. He rummaged through scrapbooks and photo albums, pushing it to the side until he discovered stacks of photos. He raffled each one to discover a polaroid camera. It didn't appear old, but he doesn't remember taking it with him on the ship.
"Is that a polaroid?" Kairi asked. All eyes were set on Sora. "That's quite an antique you got there."
"But it doesn't look that old. It's probably a modernized version of the originals," Namine examined. "Probably early 2000, but we should hurry before it's past midnight."
"Namine's right. Close the door Roxas," Kairi ordered and she did.
Sora prepared the polaroid camera in his hands and takes a look at his clock as it reaches to 12:00 a.m. (midnight). He looked at the mirror in front of him and immediately took a picture, revealing a bright flash and as a picture came out. He took it and looked as the photo starts to process, but nothing was coming up. "Heh, figures."
"What?" Kairi asked. He reveals nothing, but a black space. "It's a polaroid. It takes time for the picture to show up." Slowly, but surely, something was starting to fade out. "Look!" Everyone was glued to the photo as it revealed a person in a blue overlay. Sora didn't know who it was, but the others did. "Huh? This a picture of Wakka. Ew! Is he suppose to be my soulmate?" she cursed out. "I cannot accept that! Wait! Sora's the one who took the photo! He's gotta be… his… soulmate?" Kairi's voiced slowly died down with each other, pointing to Sora. It made Roxas and Namine stare at him too.
"Why are you all starting at me? I've never seen this guy before!" he fired back.
"True," Roxas said. "Sora's never met him, but there's something off about the photo." He took the photo from his cousin's hands and examined it. "I mean, it is Wakka, but I haven't see him wear those beach-like clothes, including that blitzball. I never saw him hold one before."
"He's right." Kairi looked over the blonde's shoulder. "Wakka belongs to one of the families who owns a big hotel here on the island. He's next in line to inherit the big fortune. This kind would kind of ruin his family's image unless it was some event or indoors of his house. Although, why is there a blue overlay on it?" Sora snagged the photo from the two, examining it.
"Really? It seems to fit him perfectly," he said, placing the photo on the mirror until the mirror felt to have no solid surface and he fell inside screaming. However, before he was completely engulfed by it, his cousin managed to catch his leg, but he was getting pulled in as well and the girls jumped on Roxas to add more weight except it didn't help, so all of them got sucked in screaming. It felt like they were falling non-stop until each hits a surface in pain, grunting at it. All of them groaned and try to get up.
"Ow… I'm gonna feel that in the morning," Roxas groaned, rubbing his side.
"W-where are we?" Namine shuttered, looking around the area. The unknown place felt immediately eerie and creepy, representing a room from a royal palace with a chandelier hanging above them. "Are we in some kind of palace?" she wondered, getting up. "It looks like some kind of hall of fame." It was a circular room with shiny wood flooring where you could see your own reflection, yet at the same time, there was an artwork display within it of numerous creatures grouped together as one. Namine knelled down to examine it and said, "I've never seen this before. But it is similar to that artwork we saw in our books today except these are not Eidolons." The walls mostly consisted of mirrors alone, but there was a doorway to who knows where. Also, there were eight supporting columns that were covered in a mirror, so it was like looking at circular mirror. In addition, twelve pedestals were surrounding them and behind them were blank spots as if a huge portrait goes on it except two were already filled in.
The four slowly walked as their footsteps echoed in the room. "It's almost as if we're in a museum," Sora pointed out, looking around and came across one of the pedestals. It had a silver statue of a creature, which looked familiar to him. He took a look at it as it was woman with six pairs of wings. She seemed to be holding up two pieces of her dress and appeared to be on some kind of flying machine. He looked behind the pedestal to see a huge picture in front of him, which shocked him. "Hey guys! Look at this!"
"Hey! I know that small statue," Roxas said, looking at it, including the girls. However, Sora's eyes were stuck on the portrait. "That's Ultima, the High Seraph. She's one of the villains of the show we used to watch."
"Eidolons," Kairi softly said. "But what does that gotta deal with of what's going on?"
"Look at the picture behind it," Sora told them. The three lifted their heads and almost have a heart attack.
"B-but that's…" Kairi stammered.
"It can't be!" Namine gasped.
"It's Selphie!" The three screamed together in shock. Yes, right in front of them was a picture the size of the Mona Lisa. It was a photograph that was close up on Selphie with a depressed face while looking out in the rain through her window.
"Why is this here?" Kairi screamed. "Although that is a beautifully shot photo despite the sadness," she calmly said and Namine slaps her the shoulder. "Right! W-what the hell? This place is freaking me out already!" Sora walked around and came to see the ten empty pedestals. Wait? Ten? He walked on over to the next one to see another small statue, but this time it was male-looking creature with tree-like qualities, standing on a platform with a scale, including two small meteors on each side of the scale. He inspected behind it to see the Wakka guy as well. This time it was a formal picture of him in suit as if it was a high school yearbook photo.
"This place gets freakier by the minute," he said. Suddenly, a noise ensues, freaking all four of them and the three clinging onto Sora in fear. "Uh… why me? And why am I even holding you in my arms Roxas?" Sora immediately dropped him hard on the ground.
"Hey! Respect your family!" he shouted from below, looking at his cousin. Then another noise occured as it seemed to be coming from the open doorway.
"Quiet and follow my lead," Sora whispered, taking his friends near Selphie's picture. Something flew out of the doorway, revealing a floating white being with head bigger than its body, closed oblique eyes, a big salmon colored nose, pale pink cheeks, small ears, purple bat wings, and a black antenna with crystal pompom on top, carrying a staff consisting of a small satellite scanner at the top adorned with the same crystal on top its head and a blue stick.
"Is that a Moogle?" Namine muttered, taking a step forward, but Roxas tried to stop by pulling her left arm. However, it was a little too hard, so when she came to him, it caused a small chain reaction for all them to fall back and into the Selphie's photograph. "That's no way to treat girl!" Soon, they found themselves inside another world.
Kairi groaned and said, "A world within world of another one? Can this get anymore complicated?" However, her mood suddenly changed when noticed the place happened to be Selphie's room, but the atmosphere seemed dark as if the room felt like a prison.
"I think we'll be safe here," Roxas said. Although, Sora spotted a peculiar thing.
"Safe? There's constant cracks in the window!" he shouted in fear. "What does this all mean?"
"Trapped," Namine softly replied, making the boys look at her. "Selphie may have appeared our fearless leader in the class, but deep down, she wanted to run away. From her family since they treated her like Cinderella and Rapunzel all in one."
"She tried every way to find a way to go out and her family is crazy," Kairi continued. "I was at her house and let's say I don't wanna talk about it. Namine had a small experience with them too, but it was over the phone."
Sora walked around the room to see a classic family portrait and saw Selphie's mom, dad, two sisters' faces ripped out of the picture except hers. He later discerned to find others in the same condition. "I can see she was willing to cut them out of her life."
"She was saving up on money for college out of the islands," Kairi explained. "She has a secret stash of the money, but not even me or Namine know where it is."
"I knew there were people here!" an unknown yet adorable voice shouted out of nowhere as something fell from above. It was the Moogle that they saw earlier in the first room. "What are you guys doing here? And how did you find this place?"
"We fell through a mirror?" Roxas' voice cracked. "And here we are now in this creepy place. Do you happen to know an exit?"
"Oh my god! A Moogle!" Namine rushed towards the flying creature, hugging it. "I can't believe it's real! Wait? It is real right?" She then started to pull it in every direction to see it if it was some type of machine. "I was gonna hug you in that other room, but now is the perfect time!"
"Other room? You've been in the Chamber of the Espers?" he angrily shouted, flying out of Namine's arms, which made her feel a little empty for a short moment.
"Well… that is the room we first fell in," Sora answered, but was taken aback from one sentence. "Hold up! Chamber of the Espers? You're telling me that room was real? It's nothing, but a fictional place from a kid's show."
"Fictional? In the name of her Empress Eidolon, I'll have you know that place is not a sham!"
"Eidolon?" Kairi says. "Those are real too? Now you're just pulling our string little kupo."
"But we did get sucked into a mirror," Sora said. "Kind of wants me to believe that everything around us is real." A creepy noise was head from afar, causing everyone to look for the source. "Did you guys hear that? It sounds like it is coming from outside that door."
"Oh no. I have to get you guys out of here," the Moogle worries, waving his little staff and bright white appeared, blinding Sora and the others. Soon after, they found themselves back in the room that they first entered. "Thank gosh I got you guys outta there. You wouldn't be able to face them."
"Them?" Sora wondered.
"I should not be the one telling you that information. Now I'm gonna create portal, so you can return to your world. It's best you don't stay here or this place could destroy you," the small creature informed them. It soon flew to the middle of the chamber, waving the staff around and gave off a tap. The ground shook and was engulfed by a bright light, sending small breezes upward as Sora, Kairi, Roxas, and Namine's hairs flew up. There were small pints of light coming off the ground and the teenagers saw something rise in the middle of the room right in front of them. It was a platform made of the same shiny wooden floor with a set of stairs consisting at about seven steps. At the top lays a large mirror with rounded edges at the top left and right corners. The mirror was surrounded by a crystal frame with a fancy design and the platform had the same artwork of the creatures together on all its sides.
"Is this real? Somebody pinch me…" Roxas trailed off, looking up the stairs while Sora pinched him. "Ow!"
"Oh boy, it must be real," Sora crudely said, walking up the steps. He made his way to see the so called Moogle and saw the mirror with reflection of himself and the entire room. It was extremely clear than any other mirror he had seen in the past. "So this our exit?" he asked as his friends showed up behind him.
"Yes! Now you must go and you mustn't come back to this world," the Moogle advised. However, Sora was thinking of coming back here. It intrigued him since it seemed to be connected to Selphie's murder and he wasn't willing to stop to solve it. "Uncle can't find out, but I'm definitely coming back here." He wasn't sure if his new fond friends were willing to come with him. Snapping out his thoughts, he looked at the floating creature and walked into the mirror calmly and found himself in his room again with everything the same as it was before. Three more people come out and fell to their knees.
"Oh my god," Sora worriedly said, looking over everyone. "Are you guys okay?"
"J-just fine," Kairi stuttered. "What time is it?" Sora looked over at his clock to see only ten minutes have passed by since they were gone. Although, there was something off about that. He thought they spent at least an hour in that other world unless time was different between the two. Slowly, but surely, Kairi got up shaking in fear. "I think I'm gonna go sleep now. Let's go Namine." Sora saw the girls head off, but found his cousin already knocked out on the floor, snoring with his mouth open and drool coming down. He shook his head at the sight and then he found the photo that he took right next to his cousin. He picked up to examine it and looked both sides, discovering an interesting thing. The back had black markings, but it looked incomplete, as if it was a piece of some puzzle. At that instant, he reckoned that there is more to this little rumor than meets the eye, but what was it? It seems to have a connection to Selphie, but right now, all this thinking is giving him a headache. He gets into his bed and closes his eyes for the next day.
- The End of Eternity -
The next day, Sora was the first one to wake up. He had no alarm clock because he was an early bird. He didn't know why he was one, but he liked it and the small adventure he had earlier still lingered in his mind. He yawned and looked over to see his cousin in the same position. He rolled his eyes and walked out the room, scratching his back and into the kitchen to find a note on the fridge from his aunty. It read: I was called in early for work, so help yourself guys to whatever is in the fridge. Sora loved the fact his aunt was gone because he had the chance to talk about what had happened. For the next thirty minutes, he decided to make breakfast of the usual eggs, beacon, and rice. The minutes pass by and finally someone comes in; it is Kairi.
"Man, I had this weird dream where you got sucked into your mirror and me, Namine, and Roxas got sucked in too where we were in this room with pictures and statues," Kairi groggily said. Apparently she thought it was all fake. "And then we saw a Moogle who told us to never come back."
"Count your blessings Kairi. That really did happen," Sora told her, putting three pieces of beacon on each plate and she groaned.
"Ugh, I know. I was just hoping you would play along to forget about it," she said, taking a seat next to the island and laid her head on it. "I'm still tired."
"But it did feel unreal yeah? It's almost as if our childhood was based off some fantasy," he said, giving her plate of food.
"Thanks…" she bluntly said. "I was craving beacon when I woke up. Is your aunty home?"
"Nope. She got called early for work and I am pretty sure my uncle isn't home," he said, holding his plate and placing on the island. He planned to eat while standing and talk at the same time. "What do you think about the whole thing."
"Honestly, I felt like I was drunk from a non-alcoholic drink. I had hard time believing, but then I saw Selphie's picture and I had the thought that place could have some connection to her death," Kairi explained. "I mean, what if there is more to this than we thought?" Sora was amazed that she had the same perspective as him. "The answer has to be that there if not in ours."
"Wassup guys…" Roxas dopily said, scratching his hair and taking his food. He took a seat next to Kairi and said, "I had the strangest dream-"
"That you were in some other world with pictures and Moogle?" Sora interrupted.
"Yeah!" Roxas shouted. "Did you have the same dream too? It's almost like we're twins." Sora and Kairi were dumbfounded by his claim. "But it couldn't be because all that stuff about Eidolons and Espers is nothing, but a show." He dives into his food and puts some eggs into his mouth.
"Did I pinch in your dream?" Sora asked.
"Yeah," his cousin mumbled through his food.
"Check your left arm."
Roxas looked at his left arm to saw a mark, making his eyes widen in horror as he shallowed his food. "Oh crap! It was real?" The two nod their heads at the same time. "But! What? Huh? It can't be!"
"What's with the noise?" Namine asked, rubbing her eyes. "I can hear all of you from upstairs." She too takes a seat, but next to Roxas.
"We're talking about what happened after midnight. You know, the rumor."
"That Moogle was so adorable," she said, admitting that she too thought it was real. "I wanna go back," wheezingly said as Sora gave her plate. "Thank you Sora. Anyways, what do we do now? Do the same thing again tonight?" she blurted out without really thinking about it.
"That's exactly what I have in mind," Sora said, making the blonde girl immediately rise up. "I know you're thinking that I'm crazy, but I'm not. I mean, think about it. It has a connection to your friend and you're just gonna back down to find out some answers behind her death?" He got Namine there with that question. "I may not have known Selphie, but from what you told me back there, I say she didn't deserve to die like that."
"He's has a point Namine and Roxas," Kairi said, looking at the two. "Selphie was our friend and if the police can't figure it out, then we'll do it ourselves since we got a lead."
"I should show you guys something," Sora told them, leaving the three with puzzled looks as he ran into his room and came back with the picture he took. "I know you guys saw this, but it's the back you should take a look at." He putted the photo in the middle of them as they all look.
"What are these black markings?" Roxas asked, chewing his food.
"That's what I'm wondering," Sora said.
"It looks incomplete," Namine pointed out.
"Like a piece of a puzzle?" Sora asked, smirking.
"Exactly!" Kairi said. "You think if we take another picture at midnight then it could connect with this one? It can provide us a vital clue!" The thought excited everyone, but it also frightened them. Getting into a murder mystery could result into a few issues, but that wasn't the problem right now. They wanted answers, which was what they tend to do in order to understand of what's going on. "So we will take another picture tonight and visit that world again."
"We should go in prepare though," Roxas told them. "Should we bring some sort of weapon with us?"
"And exactly how do you plan on hiding it?" Sora asked. "Underneath your clothes? Now that won't look suspicious!" he sarcastically said. "It's not like those RPGs where the characters' weapons magically appear for combat and disappear at the end of it. Throughout my whole of playing them, I've only seen a few characters where you can actually see them taking it out and putting it back in. I'm pretty sure we'll figure out something along the way."
"Figure out what?" his uncle unexpectedly asked, startling the four teens.
"D-dad! I thought you were at work?" Roxas asked.
"I came in last night," his dad answered. "I told the team to take a rest for the day because we were all getting restless on the your friend's case."
"Any leads?" Namine asked.
"Nope, but we will notify as soon as we do." The man goes through the fridge to grab a cup of orange juice while the teenagers eat in silence. As soon as he leaves, they start to talk again, but with whispers.
"Okay, we cannot have my dad find out about this or he will kill us!" Roxas whispered. "Trust me. I've grown up with the man."
"Then it's settled," Sora said. "We're going back in."
I went on and off on writing this chapter because I was having a hard time thinking of what this fantasy world should look like. Obviously this story is going to be more descriptive on imagery than my others, so you guys can get an image of how these fantasy worlds look like the Chamber of the Espers. There is definitely more to come than just that room and Moogle.