Pampu Fruit in the Secret Place

"Sora, breakfast is ready." Said the sound of his mother's voice coming from the kitchen.

Sora opened his eyes as he let out a loud yawn. He stretched arms and legs after a long night sleep. All he wanted to do was just continue to stay on the bed and sink deeper into the nice warm sheets and cushions. His eyes drooped and he felt water on his mouth from all the drool he gushed last night.

"Ouch." He grunted while getting up feeling the pain under his bum. "What the heck?"

As he got on the bed he felt his feet press up against something hard, taking a step forward he stumbled and tripped bumping his head on the edge of his bed as he landed on the ground. He saw one of his toys flying into the air landing on a nearby cubbies. His room was always a mess. The walls blue to match the ocean it was washed with toys, laid about clothes and a few other random nick nacks Sora had collected over the years. To bad he never tried to clean it, instead leaving that job to his mother.

"I'll get it later." Sora grumbled rubbing his eyes

Getting dressed, he got on his favorite jacket and red onesie along with a good pair of big yellow boots as he headed down stairs to smell the scent of freshly grilled bacon coming from the kitchen.

"Morning mama." He said as he rushed to give his mother a morning hug. "Smells good."

"Thank you." She said giving her son a kiss on the forehead.

He snuggled his face into her stomach as she gently rubbed the back of his head the two held each other tight in morning embrace.

Sora's mother, a young woman named Aiko, thin frame with long brown hair and blue eyes like Sora's was his favorite person in the whole world. He loved his mother, loved her more than anyone else in his life.

For most of his life she had raised him. Ever since his father passed away when he was young, she was the only parent and family he had left. Having to balance a job and taking care of him, Sora sometimes wondered how she managed to do it all and keep the house from falling apart. Yet somehow she did, and he was all the more thankful for it. In many ways she was his hero, he admired her, looked up to her and loved her more than anything. She of course loved him, and was quite the protective women, even when she seemed to be very laced from the offset. Though she always supported him and his endeavors and for that he would always be grateful.

"So are you going to be with Riku today?" Aiko asked as she prepared breakfast.

"Maybe."

Over the years she learned to keep her space with Sora allowing him to play on the play Island and have fun with Riku, yet she always had a eye on him. Normally she'd make sure Riku would look after him or Kairi. When they had dinner she'd always ask him how his day went, eyeing for any cuts or bruises. Sora appreciated this, if he found it a tad annoying from time to time.

Once she put breakfast on the tabel the two sat down close to one another as they ate. Sora of course stuffing down his food as fast as he could.

"Sora honey, you'll choke." Aiko scolded.

Sora rolled his eyes taking another bite of egg. "No I won't."

"Sora, remember what happened last week when you choked on that turkey leg and Kairi had to perform the heimlich on you."

"Just went down the wrong pipe, was all." He now had the juice while stuffing two pieces of toast.

"Sora." Aiko tone became stern.

Sora sighed. " Yes, mama."

"Good." She cheered up and gently scratched his head which he greatly appreciated as he got in a bit more cuddling.

Sora loved to cuddle his mother and didn't care who knew it.

"Extra butter please?" Sora asked

"What is it with you and butter?"

He slobbered the butter all over his toast and pancakes "You can never put enough butter on things."

The two of them enjoyed there breakfast together. It was one of the few times of the day they had before Aiko had to go to work. Since his father died she had been caretaker and breadwinner of the family. Sora wished he could help in whatever way he could but his mother always made sure that he wouldn't have to work to hard and have time to be a kid. As she said "you're only a child once". How she managed to balance it all was beyond him and he admired that about her.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Riku and Kairi on the play Island lately, doing anything exciting." Aiko said as she gently took a bite of toast.

Sora frooze drooping his fork. "Uh, n-no not really."

"Oh," She raised a eyebrow. "Are you sure."

"Yeah, nothing…."

A moment of silence.

"So…." His mother said looking for a conversation. "Are you developing feelings for one of them?"

Now Sora choked on his food. He had a coughing fit for the next few minutes before finally being able to calm down.

"Mom!' Sora gasped. "W-Why do you ask that."

"Well Sora it's only natural, you're at that age were these feelings start to develop, Kairi being the only girl you've known for the last few years…Riku being your best friend….I'd think it be lovely if you had feelings for one of them, or both."

"I don't have feelings for anyone." Sora lied.

This wasn't entirely true. He did have feelings for Kairi, at least, he wasn't sure. Lately he started to get a bit more emotional being around her. Noticing how pretty she looked, how her red hair was so fiery and how her eyes twinkled in the sunlight. Just being around her tended to make him smile. As for Riku well, he always saw Riku as his protector, someone to always have his back no matter what. He always considered him a brother but maybe, could there have been more?

Riku was handsome, from his sleek grey hair, those green eyes that always had such fire to them. His cheeks turned red thinking about.

Though one thing was for sure, he certainly wasn't telling his mother about any of it that was for sure.

"Alright if you say so." She said in a sing songy voice. "Though if you two share a pampu fruit please tell me."

"Pampu fruit?"

Aiko nodded. "Yes, it's what your father gave me during our first date, it was so romantic...Then he accidently broke my leg when he tripped on my trying to drive a motorcycle. Still, he was quite the charmer"

"Ew mom."

Aiko just laughed. Sora hated it whenever she got all gushy about her and his father. "I'm sorry, one day though you'll get to experience something like that eventually."

"Hopefully not for a while." Sora muttered.

It wasn't that he hated hearing stories about them. But sometimes it just got a bit too much at times. However the idea of the Pampu fruit did him the idea. Legend had it that if you share one of these tasty treats with anyone then there lives would be tied together with yours forever.

Again a moment of silence of just silent eating before the talking resumed.

"Mom uh-" Sora hesitated to speak instead looking down playing with foods. "Do yuh know, how far did dad ever go during his travel."

Aiko raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, I mean, he was a sailor, so...The Island can't be the only place out there isn't it?"

"No but…." Aiko sighed. "I know what this about... the call to adventure isn't it?"

"Huh?"

" You've been getting the call to adventure haven't you. Don't think I don't notice you looking out your window at the ocean all the time when I come in to pick up on the weekends. You're father had it, I had it. It's a very alluring call Sora. Seeing what's out there and discovering all knew and dangerous things."

Sora frowned and looked down. "And I shouldn't go for it right?"

"No, far from it-" Aiko said putting her arm on his shoulder smiling. "I want you to see everything one day Sora. You deserve to see everything, your father knew that, it's one of the many reasons he loved being a sailor. However ...Just remember your only fourteen. You have many years to just enjoy what you have now. Don't feel forced to go just because you here the call, go...Go when it's proper, go when it's right."

"Did you-did you ever go out to him at sea?" Sora asked.

Aiko nodded. "A few times, I was never into it but I understood the appeal. The world's a big place, scary at times, but I always knew that if we were together we'd be safe. Plus what's life without risk? Right?"

"Right."

"But that doesn't mean you're ready for those risks, sometimes you need to wait before taking them. Caution isn't always a bad thing either. I know that sounds confusing now, but one day you'll get it. Just...Follow your heart."

Sora looked at his mother and smiled back. He was only fourteen. Riku always acted like they were all adults. Yet there weren't there were kids. Kids didn't know how to handle surviving on their own. They didn't need supplies, or plans.

Still, he didn't want to disappoint Riku, he did promise that he would go with him. However he'd have to wait for he heard a knock coming from outside.

"Oh, someone's at the door." Aiko got up to see who it was.

Waiting outside, Riku stood their, hands behind his back with a polite innocent looking smile as he gave Aiko the most respectable of bows. Sora couldn't help but seem disgusted at this false behavior.

"Good morning." Riku said.

Aiko smiled. "Hello to you too Riku, here to take Sora to the play Island again?"

"How'd you guess." Riku smiled innocently but with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Motherly intuition." Aiko chuckled patting his head as she headed back inside.

Riku chuckled as he entered the dining room

"I have some leftovers if you want, Sora I have to get to work now I'll see you for dinner okay."

Aiko planed a small kiss on Sora's forehead and gave him a hug before she headed off. Now it was just him and Riku sitting at the table eating whatever food was left over.

"By mama." Sora turned to look at Riku with a annoyed expression the moment his mother left the door. "You are such a fake you know that."

"What?" Riku said shrugging. "Your mom loves it and you know it."

"Yeah because she doesn't know how much of a fake you are. Trust me if she knew how much of jerk you can be, she'd probably never let me hang out with you."

Riku laughed. "Come on Sora, I'm not that bad, beside your mom would still love me. She's' too nice, like you are."

Sora rolled his eyes.

"So what are we going to work on today." Sora asked taking a bite of his eggs. "Sure the raft is almost done."

"It is, but I need you and Kairi today to handle getting supplies. Water, coconuts, the works. I can handle first aid stuff and weapons, will need them to defend ourselves if we're gonna survive in the outside world."

"What kind of weapons?"

Riku shrugged having some juice. "Not sure yet, I'm making a list."

"Okay-" Sora grimace taking another bite of eggs, "Well sure me and Kairi can do that, just uh- when do you thin when will leave."

"Soon."

"How soon…."

"Very."

Sora felt his heart skip of beat. If they were getting closer then he was going to have to think of a way to tell his mother and soon.

-000-

"Come on Sora, hurry up." Kairi said as she carried her wait in supplies through the Island's jungle.

Sora tried to keep up the wait of the amount of coconuts and wood planks were quite heavy. He struggled to keep steady as he traversed the muddy ground. Holding several coconuts, a rope, and a bucket of water as well it was difficult to keep everything in balance. The jungles were cold and the trees were blocking the sun keeping the light to certain areas that would blind him when beaming through.

"I'm trying." He said through battered breath.

Kairi sighed. "Come on Sora, put some leg into it, you have to carry your weight just like me."

"I'm trying, but this stuff his heavy."

"It shouldn't be that bad, you have better muscle dexterity than I do."

"Maybe, but for some reason you're stronger." Sora was struggling to keep it together. "Oh boy, I think I'm gonna lose it."

He tried to hold, until finally it became to much. Sora found himself falling onto the ground all the supplies he carried falling on top of him.

Kairi rolled her eyes before helping him backup, picking up his now scattered supplies. Sora looked down with embarrassment, ashamed he couldn't carry a few coconuts and wood planks. Made him wonder what all that sparing with Riku was for if he wasn't getting any stronger.

"Hey Sora," Kairi said taking a moment to break and sit down, "Can we talk?"

"What's up?" Sora asked sitting down next to her.

"It's just, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, about what Riku said and all that?"

"Yeah?"

Kairi expression becoming sad, "I-I do wan't to go, really, it's just…I feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Because I shouldn't be interested in where I came from? Why should I? I have it great here, my dads love me, I have a home here, I have you and Riku, even when he is stubborn." Kairi chuckled, "Yet, I wanna know, I wanna know, just because ….Does that make any sense."

Sora nodded. "Sure it does, your curious, I wanna see the worlds, even if I don't want to leave my moms. But I just really, really wanna know."

"Still…" Kairi sighed, "I just hope that even when I do go I have something of this place to remember it by.

Sora looked down before he saw twinkle out of the corner of his eyes, he looks up to see a orange star shaped fruit dangling from the leaf of a tree. It took a few moments to recognize what it was, though when he did his eyes widened in shock.

"Look." Sora pointed to it. "A pampu fruit."

"Pampu fruit?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna get it."

"Wait Sora!"

To late Sora rushed up and leaped onto the trees bark and started to climb. He managed to make it a few feet up before losing his grip and falling down flat on his back with a loud thud. Kairi stood over him giving him a snarky look.

"You know you can't climb trees you bum." Kairi said.

Sora groaned. "Oh yeah, you'll see."

He got up again this time getting some good distance before he and tree, analyzing the amount of time he would need to get a good height in order to catch the delicious fruit. This time he doubled his speed and leaped a few inches before he was too close to tree. Except he went to fast, his face hitting the tree branch with epic force, causing his nose to get scrunched by the gravity.

Slowly Sora peeled over the branch and fell back on the ground.

"Ouch." He moaned.

"Can't we get going?" Kairi asked.

"Nope!"

Sora leaped into the air trying to grab it and failed.

"Almost got it."

He leaped gain.

"This time!"

Failure.

"Okay...This time."

Failed again.

"Sora this is getting ridiculous, why do you want a pampu fruit so badly." Kairi asked.

Sora grunted. "I want to something to remember the Island by."

Suddenly Kairi's expression softened as she began to understand.

"Oh I see." She seemed sad. "I get that, I've been thinking of something fun to take too before we go. You know to remember home."

Sora froze and looked at her concerned. "Really?"

"Yeah." Kairi shook her head perking up. "But we have some time. Hey! Could you go the secret place and find some mushrooms in there, I'll bring the other stuff back to the raft for Riku. I'm sure you can carry a few mushrooms now can you?"

"Of course!" Sora said smugly.

Kairi snickered. "We'll prove it."

"I will."

"Good."

"Yeah."

"Then go."

"Going."

Both laughed as Sora headed off, his mind still thinking about that pampu fruit. He was going to get it eventually no matter what.

Now the secret place was not so much a secret to most of the Islanders who played around the area. Most of the people who knew the play Island knew about it for quite some time. But kids called it that for how unique it was. From the outset it was nothing but a small cave. However once you went inside it ended in a small cavern area with one single wooden door ebbed into the rock.

He was about to enter before finding himself being trampled over by two other people landing on top of him.

"Waaka! Tidus!" Sora yelled pushing them off him. "What are you doing!"

"There's a ghost in there!" Tidus shouted pointing to the cave.

Sora raised an eyebrow. " A ghost?"

"Yeah man!" Waaka cried. "Evil spirits of the dead are haunting this place."

"I always knew this place was haunted." Tidus said looking at the cave in fear. "I just never thought I'd actually see one."

Before Sora would ask another question both ran off screaming.

"Uh-" Sora shrugged it off and kept going, he'd been in the secret place plenty of time to know there were no ghost.

A long time ago, Sora and Riku had found this place when they were five. Once they thought it was a home of a monster, only to find out to there disappointment that it was just wind coming from a open crack in the wall. Yet it was so cool that they decided to make it a personal hangout area. A place to escape their parents and other islanders and just be alone together. Always the two of them.

That was until Kairi came into the mix.

Sora remembered that day too. He came to the secret place to meet Riku like normal only to find her sitting on the ground doing something with the rock. He remember saying "you can't be here your a girl" only to find out Kairi had been drawing a picture of herself on the rock and instantly saying "that's amazing you and i should be best friends". It was the first time the two of them really actually talked since she arrived.

All day the two of them drew pictures of each other on the rocks, two smiling faces looking at one another. A symbol of there new found friendship.

Now the cave was filled with images, as other kids drew pictures on the wall. Pictures of castle and dragons, and underwater kingdoms. Right now though all Sora cared about was that one image from all those years ago of him and Kairi. He saw it in the same place it always ways as he entered the small cave, having to bend down for he was getting taller now.

"Ah memories." Sora sighed as he sat down next to the image taking one of the smaller rocks and began chiseling inside.

Several minutes passed, he even forgotten why he was here in the first place. Instead he was fixated on the picture and the new addition he made to it. Now instead of just the two of them looking at each other, Sora was now handing a pampu fruit to Kairi and she was taking it. Once done he stepped back to look at his handy work with pride.

That was until, a cold chill came behind him and familiar horrible scent began to permeate the air.

"I've come to see the door." Said a cold voice.

Sora jumped around and looked toward him, standing in front of him in the shadows was a figure, dressed in a brown cloak, his face covered underneath the hood. He just stood there gazing at him.

"W-Who are you."

"This world has been connected, tied to the darkness, soon to be consumed by it."

Sora just stood there confused, his words were normal but they made no sense. "Excuse me?Look whoever you are, stop freaking me out."

The figure pressed forward, he moved like a ghost as he cloak swayed back and forth with each step he took. Sora looked closer at him to see pinned to the neck of the robes was a small Heart shaped emblem with an X going straight through it.

"W-Where did you come from?"

"You do not know what lies beyond that door."

Sora turned towards the wooden door and then back at the figure. "Are you, are you the boy in the legend...Are you from another world!"

"There is so much to learn, so little you understand."

Sora glared at him. "Well, oh yeah, you'll see I'm going to find out and learn what's out there."

The man chuckled darkly. "A meaningless effort, for one who knows nothing can understand nothing." He pointed a bony almost clawed looking finger to the door.

Sora slowly turned around to look at it again, yet he didn't see anything different from before. A long time ago he wondered why someone would put a door in the middle of a cave. Riku has tried to open it a few time when they were younger, yet nothing ever came of it, so nobody bothered to do anything about it. So the reason this figure was here interested in it made him wonder.

"Sora!" Riku ran into the cave, the figure had vanished.

"Riku, uh what the -" Sora looked for the figure yet didn't see anything. "Did you see him?"

"See who?"

"The guy?"

"What guy?"

Sora shook his head. "The guy in the cloak."

"Did you hit your head today or something?" Riku asked raising a eyebrow checking Sora's forehead. "Kairi said you fell."

"No I didn't…" Sora pushed him off him. "Never mind.

A moment of silence as Sora just fumed at not being beloved. Riku just rolled his eyes and began to walk around the cave looking the images.

"Lot of memories here." He said moving his hand across the door.

Sora nodded. "Yeah."

"Remember the first time you came, had to pretty much drag you inside kicking and screaming. Think you cried too."

"Did not." Sora huffed. "I was five okay, it was scary."

"Yeah but aren't you glad I made you, otherwise you wouldn't have all the fun times we've had here."

Sora chuckled. "Yeah, still did you have to be so rough on me."

"I'm only rough on you because I want you to reach your full potential. Your a capable of a lot more than you think Sora, I know you are...Why would I stay your friend if I didn't think that."

"I don't know."

"Well it's not out of poor taste." Riku smirked.

Both boys laughed.

"Here, I got you something." Sora looked at Riku's hand to see a single pampu fruit held in it. He gasped and looked at his friend completely confused.

"Why did you-"

"Don't mention it." Riku put the fruit in Sora's hand. "Kairi told me you were eager to get one as a souvenir. So i thought I'd get one for you."

"Riku I?" Sora wasn't sure what to say

"Maybe I'll be lucky and you'll share it with me," Riku snickered causing Sora to blush.

"Y-you don't wanna share one with Kairi too do you?" Sora asked.

Riku laughed. "Nah you know I don't feel that way about her."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend" Sora asked.

"Never been interested in girls you know," Riku shrugged.

"Oh. Boyfriend?"

Again Riku shrugged, "Not yet, maybe someday."

"Oh, well thanks."

"Again don't mention it, were friends Sora, you should try it, share it with someone, you deserve to be happy." He patted his shoulder and turned around. "Come on, let's finish up the raft for today."

Sora looked at the fruit and smiled putting it back in his pocket. He had many questions regarding who that mysterious man in the cloak was. Whether it was a ghost of the missing boy from the legend or just his own imagination acting up on him. But one thing he did know, he had one of the best friends in the world.

Before he walk off Sora rushed up to Riku and pull him in for a large hug. For a moment he could feel Riku flinch, hugs not always being something he was back at.

A few seconds passed before Riku wrapped his arms around Sora and smiled.

"Thank you." Sora whispered.

Riku held onto him for a moment tightening his grip for a few seconds rubbing his back before pulling back smiling, genuinely smiling. "I just want you to be happy Sora, you've been to good of friend to me all these years, I know I don't say that as often as I should."

Sora turned a bit red. "Thanks, that's what friends do."

"Sorry if I don't show that I appreciate you Sora, I do, you mean alot to me, I feel like I've been getting too wrapped up in myself lately." Riku said scratching the back of his head, being heartfelt, it wasn't in his nature "Just know that whatever happens I want you there by my side.

Sora smile and nodded. "Always."

"Good," Riku smile then became sly, "So uh...Wanna race?"

"Sure!"

"Cool, if you lose you have to share the Pampu with me…"

Sora chuckled before realizing what he said, "Wait what?"

"Kidding…" Riku laughed as he ran off, Sora chasing off after him. "Oh am I."

"RIKU!"

-000-

Sunset on Destiny Island had come once again and the day had gone without much drama for Sora after his little encounter with the strange figure in the cloak. Most of the day was spent collecting materials on the Island with Kairi while Riku spent his day working on the raft.

If Sora though was calm during the first half of the day, the latter half had his nerves wracking.

Ever since Riku had given Sora the pampu fruit his mind had been going in and out of various scenarios wondering just how he would be able to give it to Kairi and now whether or not maybe he should just give it to Riku.

Now though he felt like it should go to Kairi, this was the reason he got the thing in first place. Still how to go about it? Would he ask? Should he perhaps lead a conversation that ended in taking the fruit. What if she no? Sora dreaded that scenario and tried to block it from his mind. Instead he just let the day go by and hope that the conversation would just come up eventually.

It never did.

When the day was about to end Sora was going to try and give her the fruit no matter what. Now would have to be the time. Thankfully he saw Kairi alone standing on the docks looking at the beach, tinkering with something in her hand.

Sora walked over to her to see a tiny shell like necklace in her hand. Already he was taken in by it. It was shaped in the image of the star, even twinkling a bit as the sun hovered over it. The small size and simple nature was adorable to behold that he just wanted to take it and just stare at it for hours.

"What's that?" He asked startling her. "Oh sorry."

Kairi chuckled. "That's alright, this is a special charm, a wayfinder."

"A wayfinder?" Sora asked sitting down next to her to get a better look at it. "Looks cool."

"Sailors used to make this and send up a prayer, a prayer that they would one day return home after a safe voyage."

Sora frowned. "Oh...I see."

Kairi was confused for a moment before gasping, realizing what she had said quicky holding his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Oh Sora I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I forgot about your dad and…

"No, no, it's fine." Sora smiled bitterly. "Really it's fine, I like it Kairi, it's really cool, can you make one for me and Riku."

"I'm going to make one for all three of us."

A brief moment of silence as the two of them looked out onto the sun setting against the water. It was strange not watching with Riku that night, all three had been watching together for the last few days. They were getting closer now, closer to the big day when they would leave the Island, and set out into something unknown. Still the question of how to explain it to there families loomed in Sora's mind.

"You know, Riku's changed." Kairi sighed, tilting her head down to see the water twinkle.

Sor raised a eyebrow. "Huh?

"He's just, I don't know." Suddenly Kairi stood up her mood changed instantly to a cheerful one. "Hey Sora, let's go on the raft just you and me."

"WHAT!"

Sora felt everything freeze. His heart race began to beat ten times fast. His hand slowly went over to his pocket as he looked at Kairi who just smiled down at him. She was looking more beautiful now than he had ever seen. It was now or never.

"Just kidding."

"Huh?"

Time resumed as Kairi sat down giving her a light punch on the shoulder and laughed.

"Ouch." Sora chuckled, the moment passing, putting his arm back on his knee. "You're the one who's changed Kairi."

Kairi sighed looking out at the sun one more time, Sora hoping that maybe he could just give it to her. But she got back up and walked off before he could say anything.

"Sora." She paused to look at him. "Don't ever change.

With that she left, leaving Sora standing their.

"Coward." He sighed to himself. "Stupid, coward...Stupid."