Hey everyone, sorry I'm taking forever to update. Busy busy busy. So this is the first actual chapter of my new story. Sorry if the parts with Riku are weird, I don't normally write in third person.
I do not own any of the characters, places, or elements of Kingdom Hearts. But I do own Rae, and this idea is original, and my own.
Thank you for giving my story a chance!
One
Riku groggily opens his eyes. He is lying on his back, and he found himself gazing up into an endless expanse of diamonds. Riku sits up, stretching his arms over his head. He was on the island, sleeping near the paopu tree.
Riku scratches his neck drowsily. For the past year, he'd found himself unable to sleep at home. The only place he could find peace was at the island.
Riku stands and turns east. The sun is on the very edge of the horizon, slowly clawing its way into the sky.
Riku sighs and walks across the small bridge. He opens the door to the shack and walks downstairs. He grabs his bag from the floor of the shack and, pulling out an apple, goes out the door and walks towards the docks.
Riku walks to his boat and tosses his almost-empty bag into his boat. Finishing his apple, Riku inspects his boat. It was a small boat, but it was sturdy, and served his purposes fine. Riku finishes his apple and tosses it towards the island before climbing into his one-man boat. He grabs the oars and begins his slow ride back to the mainland to continue his facade.
I roll out of bed, yawning, and stumble into the shower. I'd had to work late the previous night at the theatre, and was completely exhausted.
I finish my shower and get dressed, still longing for the steaming water. Lately it seemed I never had time to take a break, and that if only I could stay in the shower a bit longer, maybe the hot water would loosen my ever-tense muscles. But it was never to be. I banish these foolish wishes from my mind and pull my hair into a high-ponytail before staring into the mirror at my reflection. My eyes were hollow from exhaustion, and smudgy bruises happily sat under my dark violet eyes. The silver specks that sometimes showed in my eyes had not made their appearance in weeks, due to extreme fatigue. My long black hair was lacking luster, and its usual curl. I stare at my reflection sadly, before glancing at the clock. It was time to start another long day.
I leave the bathroom and, grabbing my purse from my room, head towards the front door to the apartment. Passing my roommates room, I push the slightly ajar door open and glance in. My foolish roommate, Sophia, was sprawled across some random guy, both of them stark naked, and dead asleep.
I look away, disgusted, and pull the door shut. Sophia was a spoilt brat with as much of Daddy's money as she wanted, to spend however she wished. I banished these thought from my head. She wasn't completely bad. She had a bubbly, energetic personality, and things were never boring with her around. She was an extreme romanticist, but unfortunately, she never stuck with one guy long enough to get to know them. She didn't even stick with one guy at a time. One day her irresponsible lifestyle was going to bite her in the butt. But until then, she had been paying half of the rent, and without her, /I wouldn't be able to stay in the apartment.
I flick the lights off and walk out of the apartment, locking the door behind me. I check the clock on the wall in the hallway. 4:00a.m.
'Shoot' I thought, jogging down the stairs. If I didn't hurry I was going to be late to my second job at the Coffee Shop. I jogged out of the apartment complex and, looking both ways, began jogging to my job.
When Riku paddles back to the island, after stopping at his house to shower, change clothes, and grab some food, Riku notices that only Sora's boat is at the dock. Riku climbs out of his boat and ties it to the dock before glancing around looking for Kairi's boat.
'It's not here' He thinks to himself. 'Maybe she stayed at home today'
Excited, Riku runs through the shack on the beach, across the bridges to the paopu tree. Only to stop short upon finding Sora and Kairi entangled beneath the tree.
Riku bites his lip in frustration and waits for them to notice him. Sora nibbles on Kairi's neck, and she throws her head back in pleasure. Sora starts pulling Kairi's dress down.
Riku clears his throat.
Kairi jumps, and stares at Riku, eyes unfocused. Sora groans softly and detaches himself from Kari.
Sora sits up and looks at Riku, while Kairi continues to stare at Riku, dazed.
"Oh, hey buddy. What's up?" Sora asks, scratching the back of his neck casually.
Kairi blinks, and upon realizing she is flashing Riku, struggles to pull her dress up and cover herself.
"Nothing much." Riku says, forcing his fury down. "Where's Kairi's boat?"
Sora stretches and yawns. "Oh, her mom said she needed to stay home and do homework," Sora says, before standing and walking to the base of the paopu tree and leaning against it.
Kairi snickers, and having fixed her dress, turns her gaze to Riku. "Apparently she doesn't approve of my grades."
'Which are only so low because you spend every free moment exploring Sora's mouth,' Riku thinks with distaste.
"Anyway, she came to me because her mom locked her boat up, and I brought her over here on my boat," Sora says, giving Riku a wide grin.
Kairi stands and straightens her dress before moving and sitting next to Sora.
"Don't you guys think you should go to school?" Riku asks irritably. "Graduation is only a few months away."
Sora shrugs, wrapping his arm around Kairi's slim shoulders, "So?"
Riku sighs, "When was the last time you went to school?"
Sora looks at Kairi who frowns and shrugs.
"I dunno, few months ago. Why?" Sora says nonchalantly, turning his gaze back to Riku.
Riku rolls his eyes, "You guys are never going to graduate."
"Then we'll drop out," Kairi trills, grabbing Sora's hand over her shoulder and entwining her fingers with his.
"And we'll buy a house, and move into it, and get married, and live together forever," Sora smiles, gazing down into Kairi's eyes.
Riku grinds his teeth, scowling, before turning and storming away.
Things had been like this ever since Sora and Kairi announced their undying love to each other and, finding their feelings were mutual, started dating. They had been dating ever since… that. Riku shudders, remembering how helpless he had been to the demands of Ansem's Heartless, how completely powerless he had been, like a puppet, being controlled by someone else. Riku shakes his head, purging the horrid memories before they could go further.
Since then, Sora and Kairi had always been together, they were inseparable. Leaving Riku all alone.
Sure, they said they cared, tried to involve Riku, but when they started exploring each other's tonsils, Riku could tell he was unwanted.
Riku walks along the beach, kicking the sand as he heads to the tree he and Sora used to race to.
Riku knew things would never be the same. Too much had changed, Riku had changed too much.
But was it too much to ask for his best friend back?
"Thank you, come again!" I say, handing the customer their chai latte. I keep a big grin as they smile at me and drop their change in the donation jar for a local family whose house had burnt down. I thank the customer again and continue grinning until they leave the shop.
I sigh tiredly and turn to wipe off the counter. I shake loose coffee ground that had stuck on the rag into the trash and start wiping the counter again.
I hear the bell above the door jingle, signaling a customer. I shake the rag out again and set it next to the cappuccino machine and turn around to greet the customer, plastering a fake grin on my face
"Hi! Welcome to the Coffee-" I'm shocked into silence when I see who is standing at the counter, red-faced and eyes blazing with fury. It was Sophia. A barely dressed, eyes-red-from-crying, angry Sophia.
"Sophia, what are you doin-" I start to ask. Sophia was never up before noon, and she never left the house without getting dressed and putting on make-up. Her theory was that she had to look the best, no matter what, because it was our job as women to give the men something beautiful to look at.
"Don't Sophia me!" she screeches.
"What? What's wro-?"
"I just woke up! You know what woke me up?" she cries.
'Morning sickness' I think. But I asked, "What woke you?"
"Jake threw my phone at me and told me he was breaking up with me!" She screams at me, her face turning red, eyes filling with tears.
"Why would he do that?" I ask softly.
"Because I got a text from Donny, saying HE was breaking up with me" She screeches, shoving her phone in my face.
I blink at the phone, unable to decipher the text from so close. I look back to Sophia.
"I'm sorry?" I say cautiously.
"Sorry? Sorry! You'd better be a whole lot more than sorry! You told him! Didn't you? Didn't you!" Sophia screeches in my face.
I hold my hands up defensively. "Sophia, I didn't even talk to him."
"Well then how did he know about Kyle? Or Ryan?" She screams, spitting in my face.
"I don't know," I say, trying to remain calm as I wiped her saliva off my face. Her breath reeks of alcohol.
"He told me someone tipped him off here at this coffee shop!" Sophia screams. "Why would you do such a thing Rae? Why? I loved him!"
'Like you love every other man in the world,' I think, but restrain from saying it.
Sophia glares at me as I try to think of what to say to calm her down. Unable to think of anything I shrug in defeat.
"That's it? You won't even defend yourself" Sophia cries. "Fine! I'm leaving. You can pay the rent yourself Ms. High and Mighty! I only stayed in that dinky apartment because I pitied you!" Sophia storms out of the shop, before stomping back angrily.
"I hope you're happy Rae," she murmurs, eyes filling with tears. "You ruined my last chance at true love." She furiously swipes at the change jar next to the cash register, knocking it off the counter.
The jar falls to the ground and shatters, scattering change everywhere. I stare at the broken jar in shock, before turning my stunned gaze to Sophia.
A look of regret crosses her face and she steps forward, reaching out her hand, before shaking her head and turning to stomp out of the shop.
"What was that?" I turn to see Mr. Smith storm out of his office, neck bulging angrily.
"Oh! I'm sorry sir1 I'll clean it up right away!" I cry, leaping up and dashing around the counter and falling to my knees to start picking up the mess.
"You'd better. And don't let it happen again, or your sorry ass is fired." Mr. Smith growls, storming back into his office.
I bite back a tear and pick up a piece of the broken glass. I stare into the glass forlornly. What was I going to do now? There was no way I could afford to keep the apartment alone, and there was no time to get a new roommate. There were no other cheap apartments within walking, or jogging distance of either of my jobs. I couldn't get an apartment further away because I didn't have a car.
I blink as my tears threaten to spill over, but they plop out and fall onto the glass and change on the floor, creating little mirrors. I stare into the piece of glass in my hand, but it offers no answers. I blink back more tears and continue picking up the pieces.
Riku stares out at the afternoon sky. From his perch above the beach, he could see Sora and Kairi under the paopu tree, still making out. He supposed he should be happy that they only made out, and hadn't committed the act yet, but it still meant that Riku was by himself ninety percent of the time.
Riku leans against the cool cliff wall and stares down at the waterfall. The afternoon sun reached through the mist and splayed rainbows across the pool.
Riku sighs and continues staring at the waterfall. He had hoped to practice sword fighting with Sora today, but Sora had been…preoccupied all day.
Riku turns his gaze back to the sky. The sun was getting to be pretty low. He looks towards the paopu tree just in time to see Sora and Kairi start walking away from it. Riku watches as Kairi straightens her dress and Sora pats his hair into place. As if anyone would notice if his hair was messed up. Sora and Kairi walk down to the docks. Sora unties his boat and climbs in, before waiting for Kairi to climb onto his lap. She does, and they push away from the dock and start paddling towards the mainland.
They'd never even noticed Riku's absence.
Riku stands and climbs down to the shack on the beach. Once there, Riku opens the door and goes in the shack.
The shack was dark as the last rays of daylight made their way through the cracks between the boards making up the wall. Riku walks straight to the stairs and walks up them, and heads outside. He crosses the bridge and walks to the paopu tree.
Riku climbs onto the tree and walks along the trunk as far as possible, and sits down. Sighing he closes his eyes, as a memory surfaces. A memory from right before it all began that horrible night three years ago.
"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asks; sitting near the leaves of the paopu tree, leaning forward on his hands placed on the tree trunk between his legs.
"Could be," Riku responds, leaning against the trunk of the paopu tree, arms crossed in front of his chest. "We'll never know by staying here.
Sora leans forward to look over Kairi to Riku. "Bur how far could a raft take us?"
Riku waves his hand dismissively, "Who knows? If we have to we'll think of something else."
Sora leans back and resumes watching the sunset, reassured.
Kairi leans forward and grins impishly. "So, suppose you get to another world," she says, giggling. "What would you do there?"
Riku re-crosses his arms and looks to the ground, pondering Kairi's question. "Well, I haven't really thought about it." Riku's gaze travels up and he stares out to the ocean. "It's just… I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds… Then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else," Riku looks at Kairi triumphantly. "Right?"
Sora flings his left leg over the tree trunk and leans against the tree, crossing his hands behind his head casually, and looks up at the sky. "I don't know."
Riku uncrosses his arms and looks towards the ocean. "Exactly. That's why we need to go out there and find out," Riku straightens from leaning against tree and steps forward. "Just sitting here won't change a thing."
Kairi rolls her eyes and sighs softly while Sora turns his head and looks to the ocean as well.
"It's the same old stuff," Riku continues. "So let's go."
Kairi looks at Riku, who by this point is a few paces away from the paopu tree. "You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?"
Riku turns around and looks at Kairi. "Thanks to you."
Sora glances down to Riku and Kairi, before looking back out to the ocean.
"If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks." Riku says.
Kairi turns her gaze to the sea and giggles nervously. "You're welcome."
Riku sighs opening his eyes. That was when the problems had all started; with the three of them and their cursed curiosity. Riku turns his gaze from the ocean angrily, and looks at the bride behind the paopu tree, remembering what had happened later, once the three of them had left the tree.
Sora is crossing the bridge from the paopu tree when Riku hollers from behind him.
"Sora!"
Sora turns and hastily catches the object Riku has tossed to him, before staring at it, uncomprehendingly.
Riku stops a couple of paces away from Sora and points to the object in Sora's hands. "You wanted one, didn't you?"
Sora stares at the fruit in his hands questioningly, "A paopu fruit…"
Riku lowers his arms and casually starts to walk forward. "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," Riku passes Sora. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what.
Sora stares at the fruit before glancing up to Riku.
Riku stops and turns to Sora and waves his hand dismissively, "C'mon, I know you want to try it."
Sora glances back down to the fruit before looking back to Riku, then back to the fruit. "What are you talking - - -" Sora pauses before reluctantly tossing the fruit into the ocean.
Riku laughs, turning and running away.
Sora runs after him. They race through the beach shack, and run down the beach, racing past a startled Kairi.
Riku sighs longingly. Why couldn't things be that way again? Simple, fun, careless. Why could things never go back to the way they were before?
Riku looks back to the ocean longingly, and watches the sun set over the crystal blue water.
Once the sun had long since set, Riku stands and begrudgingly walks back along the trunk of the paopu tree. When Riku reaches the trunk, he pauses and glances up at the stars. After a long, silent moment, Riku looks to the ground in front of him to climb off the tree.
Suddenly everything turns black. Blacker than the darkness that had consumed him three years ago. Riku blinks furiously, panic rising in his chest as he tries to clear his vision. When color returned to the world, it was twisted and warped. Riku reaches out, seeking something to grab for support, but there was nothing, as he still stood on the paopu tree, and was alone.
Riku bites down his panic and steps forward blindly seeking solid ground.
A horrible burning pressure rips out from Riku's chest and he cries out in surprise, and stumbles forward. His foot misses its intended destination, and Riku falls to the hard ground, where he immediately curls into a ball as the pain continues to rip through his heart.
Riku's vision swirls and flickers as the pressure in his chest constricts tighter and tighter. Riku tries to breathe normally and presses a clenched fist to his chest, directly above his heart. He felt as if a huge force had been trapped inside of him, and was now trying to escape.
The pressure rips down to his stomach, and up to his head, as Riku closes his eyes and tries to breathe. The pain prevented him from getting anything but short, shallow breaths.
Riku gasps as the pain intensifies, and travels even further through his body.
The world flickers as Riku attempts to fight the pain, to push it back. But whatever was happening would not stop, would not slow. All Riku could do was retreat into himself and hope for the end. Whatever that may be.
A shiver runs down my spine as I step out of the air-conditioned theater into the humid air outside.
I had yet to come up with a solution about what to do with the apartment. I could not afford to pay the rent on my own, that much was obvious. But what could I do instead?
I ponder my dilemma as I walk along the dark streets, on my way home. Well, home for at least another couple of weeks, until the rent was due.
Shadows creep into the street and force themselves into my path, inviting me into the darkness.
One in the morning was not an inviting hour for people. I continue along the road, ignoring the shortcuts the shadows offered. I still searched for a solution to my problem.
It was only when I gave up on finding a solution, at least until I could get to sleep, that I heard the footsteps. It was one in the morning, what kind of people would be up at one in the morning? Well… Apart from me that is. My instinct told me that no one with good intentions would be up at this hour. Especially since the person who produced the footsteps didn't want me to know they were there, as the footsteps stopped when I stopped, and continued when I walked. I glance over my shoulder, to see nothing. Yet the footsteps were still there. I glance the other way, and my heart leaps to my throat. Not fifty feet behind me, hugging the shadows on the side of the road, was a man. He wore a black trench coat, and a dark fedora, tilted down to hide his face.
I gulp and start practically jogging down the road. Stories of kidnappings, and horrible rapes and murders began to flash through my mind. However, when I glanced back again, the man was even closer than before, and didn't seem the least bit exerted.
I swallow past the lump in my throat and try to slow my racing pulse. There was no one besides the two of us, anywhere for miles. We were alone. If he attacked, no one would hear me scream. Newspaper headlines flash through my head, about the finding of my dead, mutilated corpse. Or even worse, my mysterious disappearance.
The shadows reach out further, inviting me in. I glance over my shoulder to see the man not twenty feet away. I look out into the shadows and spot an old abandoned barn. I glance over my shoulder again and swallow nervously, feeling sick from my racing pulse. He was getting closer. I veer off the road and sprint towards the barn.
The man cries out in surprise, before he starts pounding after me. I ignore the front doors to the barn, as they are shut, and I run to the side. I look around anxiously, my vision fuzzy, but my head cleared by the adrenaline. I spot an open stable door and dash through it. I hear the man at the barn doors, pulling them open. I look left and right, before spotting a stack of hay. I duck behind the stack; right as the man flings the doors open, flooding the barn with moonlight. I hear the man walk forward, and am forced to bite back a scream. Suddenly unsure about my hiding place I glance around; searching for a new, better place to hide. My heart pounds in my throat, until I spot a ladder. I glance up and see a hayloft. I dash to it.
My foot falls through the floor and I cry out, before shoving my fist in my mouth and glancing around nervously. I couldn't hear the man moving, but I was positive he'd heard me. I look down to my foot and squint. I couldn't see anything, as I was in part of the barn that the moons rays did not reach. I try to pull my foot loose, but it was stuck.
I reach down, expecting to feel broken, splintered wood. Instead I feel nothing. Cold air surrounds my foot as I try to pull it loose. I hear the man's footsteps, slowly getting closer to me.
Fear clutches my heart, as I continue to try to free my foot.
The cold air was starting to encompass my calf, and my hands. I bite my lip to keep the panic that was rising in my chest from escaping.
The cold air soon reaches my waist, and I notice that I am sinking into the barn floor. I desperately reach out for solid ground, but feel nothing. I look around desperately for something, anything, to grab a hold of to pull myself out. But there was only hay. Before I realize it, the cold air has encompassed my torso, and was tickling my neck.
I search desperately for an escape, or to wake up and realize it was all a nightmare. But nothing happens. Panic continues to claw its way up my throat, and by the time my eyes are level with the barn floor, it escapes.
A bloodcurdling scream escapes my throat as I sink further into the cold air, and the barn disappears from sight completely.
My eyelids become heavy as I sink further into the cold. I force my eyes to stay open, as another wave of panic escapes my throat. The cold invades my mouth then, and travels down my throat, blocking my airway. I claw at my throat, spots dancing before my eyes as the cold suffocates me. Panic grows inside me, unable to escape, and my heart skitters around inside me, before I go limp and pass out from lack of oxygen. The cold encompasses me and drags me further down.
Riku groans and rolls over, clutching his stomach.
"What was that?" Riku grumbles, his voice course, as he sits up.
His head screams in protest, subsequently causing Riku's stomach to lurch violently. Riku scrambles to the edge of the island and vomits into the sea.
When his dry heaves had settled, Riku sits up slowly and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
"What the hell," Riku whispers, voice dry. Riku clears his throat. The pain was gone, and everything was back to normal. Except Riku still vividly remembered the 'attack'.
Unsteadily, Riku got to his feet. No wave of nausea ambushed him. Riku frowns and tilts his face towards the sky. A cool breeze caresses his face as he searches for the moon.
The moon was high in the sky. A smooth, full disk surrounded by twinkling diamonds.
Riku groans. It was late. By this time of night Riku was usually on his way back to the mainland. He had found the only place he could sleep was the island.
Utterly exhausted, Riku stumbles across the bridge, and yanks the door to the shack open. The shack was pitch black, and Riku is forced to feel his way down the stairs.
He finds the door without much trouble and pushes it open. Riku pauses in the doorway and lets his eyes adjust to the light of the full moon. Once his eyes were adjusted, Riku steps forward, and pulls the door shut behind him. Riku the turns and strides toward the dock.
But before he could go three steps, Riku finds himself stumbling over something, and does a face-plant into the sand.
Riku pushes himself up on his elbows and spits out sand. Riku wipes his mouth disgustedly, trying to get all the sand out, before slowly climbing back to his feet.
Riku turns and stares in shock at what he had tripped over.
Lying not two feet from the door to the shack was a girl.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
