Standard disclaimers apply.
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As a response to a reviewer, yes, a little stuff from the original plot is retained, but I've twisted a lot of things. They'll gradually be revealed in the next few chapters though.
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CHAPTER 2: Note from the King
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SORA
Riku's residence- doorway, Thursday, 11:05pm
I looked at the person before me in utter disbelief.
"W-What are you doing here?" I pointed at her accusingly. She wasn't thinking of condemning me of harassment for holding her hand, was she?
"What are you talking about?" she put her right hand on her waist, the other one clasped tightly onto her umbrella, "I'm the one who's supposed to ask that!"
"Hey!" I blocked the door once again when she tried going in. "This isn't your house! This had been Riku's as far as I can remember!"
She titled her head. "You know Riku?" she asked, tone becoming gentler.
I had been with him as far as I could remember; that is, after I had some kind of amnesia.
Riku said that he found me afloat in the shore, and he took care of me after that. He said that I was such an idiot, but very lucky nonetheless, because I would've died in the shore if I wasn't.
Soft taps on my cheek woke me up. As I opened my eyes, light azure eyes met mine. "Hey, kid, you okay?" his somber voice rang into my head continuously.
Dazed, I leisurely sat up and rubbed my eyes. "W-where… am I?" I tried to distinguish the place I was in, but to no avail. All I could see was the vast ocean, stretching across the horizon. The land was full of verdant trees; I sprawled on chaste sand.
"Destiny Island," the white-haired lad filled me in. "You should get a hold of yourself. You got bruises along the way."
I gazed at him quizzically. Destiny Island didn't actually ring a bell.
"It appears like you just got washed away to the shore. Good thing I decided to come here," he shrugged. "What's your name?"
I hung my head low, pondering on the question. Even my name was unknown to me.
Riku crossed his arms over his chest. "Whoa, this is bad."
"…Sora," I blurted out to my own astonishment. How the name registered into my mind, I know not.
"Okay, Sora, I'll get you to my place." He pulled me by the waist and I slung his arm around his shoulder, and then we headed to his home. He nursed me to back to health and from thereon, I decided to go help him on his tasks, for he was asked by the king to do things for him from time to time.
I looked up to him to a great extent; he always did things better than me, so I truly wanted to be like him. I owed him so much that I did whatever he asked me to. I would be dead meat by now if it wasn't for him, you know.
"Well, Riku's my best friend!"
I couldn't afford to be under the same roof with someone whom I made an embarrassing act to!
She arched an eyebrow. "Best friend, eh? Well for your information mister, I'm just his---"
"…Cousin."
A staid voice came with a hand on the redhead's shoulder. She jerked up in absolute astonishment.
"I was gone for a minute and you two are here already?" Riku was in a black polished jacket, his face shadowed by the hood.
"Riku!" we said in unison.
I finally let the two in. "You didn't tell me about her."
The white-haired simply shrugged and hung his dripping wet jacket on the ledge. He then helped the girl with her bag.
"And you didn't tell me about him either," she said, arms crossed over her chest, foot impatiently tapping the wooden floor. She tailed him to his seat and sat beside him. I heard her whisper briefly in his ears.
He gazed at her reassuringly. "That's of no importance. I'd rather keep it a secret."
"Secret?!" the redhead abruptly stood up, "I think that's the most significant thing and you want to keep it a secret?"
I watched the two in absolute amusement. Something seemed wrong, but heck, why would I get myself into their business?
I tiptoed my way to the stairs and strode to the ridge of the first step. "Hey, Sora," Riku called out.
I scratched my head. If he tries to give me some more errands then I would have to turn them down. Heck, it was already almost midnight.
"It's your turn to clean the house again tomorrow."
"Yeah," I rolled my eyes.
"It's to atone for what you did to Kairi. She's just from a flight; you should've let her in at once."
I nodded in slight exasperation, then headed upstairs. I stopped dead on my tracks when I heard Kairi speak.
"Well, now that you mention it, I remember, he was in the same ship as me."
My heart skipped a beat. What if Riku finds out that I held the hand of his cousin? He would be mad! It would be a riot! Yet I decided to just eavesdrop.
Riku sighed. "So you knew him initially?
It took seconds before Kairi was able to answer. "We didn't talk as much, you see."
"Oh."
Silence.
"So how did your flight go?" Riku asked yet again.
Another sigh ensued. "The ship was horrendous; I'd rather ride the chipmunks'. The weather's terrible too."
Hah! She was frantic just because of minor turbulence!
"And the king?"
Seriousness enveloped her voice. "He said something very essential came up. You should go see him personally."
"I see."
"And he's got a message for you too."
I yawned. I didn't get a thing of what they were saying. I should really go to sleep, it was midnight after all.
I went to my bed and dived onto the welcoming sheets.
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RIKU
Living room, Thursday, 11:55pm
Kairi handed me a bottle with a paper inside. The paper had the kingdom emblem, so it truly had to be from the king.
I gaped perplexedly at the brownish parchment in my hands. King Mickey really had a way of things; and in giving letters, nothing beats the classic message-in-a-bottle style.
"What does it say?" Kairi peeked from behind my shoulder. She then gasped noiselessly, "Ooh, I remember, he told me not to read it. My bad." I ignored her nevertheless.
My eyes scanned the paper. I gave out a grunt.
There was this unusual feeling that King Mickey's usual jolly tone was non-existent in the letter. It was noted that I shouldn't worry, but his clear pitch of anxiety belied that.
There seemed to be quite a commotion in the castle. No, not just the castle, but the world was at stake--- the whole world which is comprised by many more miniature worlds.
And the situation appeared to be critical.
…because it once again concerned Kingdom Hearts.
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To be continued