Kairi flinched in her sleep. She heard screaming and immediately shot up, turning to examine her surroundings. They had fallen asleep on the island, it seemed. She turned to see Sora fidgeting restlessly, and her eyes softened at the sight. He was still having nightmares. Riku lay on the other side of him, turned facing them, and he at least seemed to be sleeping alright.
With a hand Kairi nudged Sora gently, prodding at his shoulder gently.
Instinctively he grabbed her hand, holding it tight in his grasp. She let him do so, simply because he stopped his restlessness when he did. At least, that was the only reason, though her mind easily countered that she liked holding his hand.
"Sora…" She sighed, facing the ocean. Before they had left she decided to change, and she was glad she did, seeing as how high the sun was that the three of them slept easily into noon. She had sand all over her, but at least she wasn't walking around in her pajamas. That would be unusual to explain. She decided to explore, dusting off particles of the brown gritty dust, and strolled to their secret cave. It was a place she enjoyed and loved to come to just think. Her eyes strayed over the drawings, her hands occasionally tracing them.
"Kairi?"
She turned, looking around curiously, but found no one standing there.
"Kairi!"
"Ow!" She grabbed her head, trying to shake off the voice, but it was persistent.
She flipped around, the cave fading away into darkness. She drew back, holding her arms close to her, and warily staring at the tendrils threatening to grab her.
"Kairi."
She blinked at the voice. "Aqua?"
The girl stepped out from the darkness, her hands at her sides, and her blue eyes roaming carefully. "You're alright!" Her expression radiated relief.
"Of course I'm alright. Did…how did you get here?"
Aqua smiled gently. "You came here actually. Your pendant...I could sense it in your dreams. I could sense your light."
"My light?"
She nodded. "It's quite strong. Even in this darkness, I can see it, shining brighter than any light I have ever seen."
Kairi came towards her, covering the distance between them. "Aqua. Are you…why are you in here? In the Realm of Darkness?"
"It's…a long story."
"You keep saying that. Can you not tell me?"
"I'm not sure I should. Though you do have a right to know." Aqua spoke quizzically, looking at the floor beneath them. Kairi felt slightly disoriented when she looked down, and held a hand to her head.
"It's dangerous to come here Kairi, even when you are only dreaming."
"I'm…I'm dreaming again?" She murmured, her hand still held against her head. "Wait, even when I was exploring? Was that just a dream?"
Aqua nodded, smiling gently. "You seem to have an adventurous personality. It is probably good considering the company you keep. Here in dreams, the darkness doesn't consume you. It just makes you ill. Your light is too strong to penetrate. Still, you shouldn't be here if you can help it. It can still affect you if you are in it for too long." She frowned.
"But…why are you here? Aqua, can you leave?" Kairi questioned. She feared the answer. The girl in blue shook her head gently.
"I'm afraid I can't. I'm too far in this darkness. I'm surprised you were able to reach me." She murmured, smiling at the red head. "Kairi, I know you're curious. But for now you mustn't stay. I gave this pendant to you when you were a child on Radiant Garden. That is where you used to be, before the darkness engulfed it. I assume you ended up wherever it is you are now." She pressed her hand against the girl's pendant again. "It led you to someone who could protect you. Now, you must return to that person."
As if reading her voice the darkness began toe engulf Kairi's legs. She squeaked in response and backed up, realizing it wasn't her they were ensnaring; it was Aqua. Still, a few tried to grab at her legs, and some even took shapes of human hands. It was quite the terrifying sight.
"Wait! Come with me!" Kairi pushed back her fear and reached a hand out, but Aqua stepped back.
"I can't. I'm afraid this is only a dream. I'm meant to stay here in this darkness."
"I'll find you then! I'll find you, and I'll pull you out! I can return you to the light again!"
Aqua's eyes hardened. "Please, Kairi. This isn't the usual darkness. You mustn't come."
"But-"
"Please, just listen to me." She pleaded, eyes begging.
Kairi didn't have a chance to answer, and was left to watch her form disappear. She couldn't wake up yet. She hugged her hands together, trying to keep her eyes on the already gone form. "Aqua!" Kairi ran forward, feeling an unusual pressing on her chest. Sudden darkness swarmed her entire being. She felt it pushing against her and just that struggle left her feeling weak in the knees. Still, she tried to push into the darkness. Her pendant sparked, shining a bright purple. It brightened the more she tried to go in. She gasped when she felt it press further, falling to her knees and holding her chest.
"Kairi!"
"Kairi, you have to wake up!"
She concentrated on the sudden voice; it kept her stable in the dark.
"Sora…"
Her eyes looked helplessly to where Aqua had disappeared, beforeher vision blurred. The last thing she saw were a pair of golden eyes.
"Kairi! Kairi!"
Sora's eyes grew worried when her pendant suddenly shined. It was nearly blinding, and he grabbed the girl's shoulders, trying to shake her from her sleep.
"Kairi! Wake up!"
"I…have to save her..." She slurred. "The darkness…"
Sora only grew more concerned, and he grabbed her hand. "Kairi!"
A white light shined between both their hands. It felt warm to the touch, like the gentle rays the sun on their island shined on them in the late evenings. Then by some miracle he was met with her violet blue eyes. He saw a strange play of emotions run across them.
"Aqua!" She gasped, jolting up. He immediately released his grip on her hand.
Sora blinked, afraid to touch her, and finally noted something attached to her leg. It looked like a dark hand. It was wrapped around her ankle, digging into her skin. Before he could investigate further, it disintegrated into the air, and he realized with a sinking feeling that it was a piece of darkness. Concerned he examined her for any further traces, sighing in relief when he found none, and taking her shoulders. She was still lost in that trance she had. Her eyes were wide, and he peered at her carefully, his gaze far from playful.
"Kairi. You need to breath and relax. It was just a dream."
She swallowed but nodded.
"What happened?" He pressed. It took all his control not to dig his fingers into her shoulders. He needed to know what had happened.
"I keep having a dream…about a girl." She glanced down. Her expression looked frustrated. "She's in the darkness. She can't escape, but somehow, I can reach her in my dreams." Confused she looked at her hand. She felt suddenly drained from the encounter. As if on cue Sora seemed to sense it the exact moment.
"Kairi? Are you feeling alright?" He tilted his head, his spiky hair shifting slightly.
The girl nodded in response. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."
"It's because of the darkness. You were deep inside it." A voice suddenly spoke.
The two turned to Riku, and Kairi looked at him questioningly. He had been sitting nearby idly, observing carefully.
"How did you know?" She tried to sit up but Sora was insistent she take it easy. She moved to retort that she was fine but Riku had drawn to her other side, putting a hand to her forehead.
"I know, because I could sense the darkness emanating from you." He responded. "I can still feel it lingering in your clothes."
Instinctively, Kairi looked down at her ankle. Nothing was there but she still remembered the pressure applied. It felt like her ankle was going to snap earlier. As if reading her thoughts Sora grabbed her ankle and examined it closely. The look of relief that washed over his face put Kairi at ease.
"You can sense the darkness pretty well, can't you?" Kairi said softly. It came off as more of a statement than a question. Riku bore a grim expression. She had a vague idea of what had happened in the last year, but there were things Riku still sworn to secrecy inside himself, things even Sora did not know\
"I'm able to sense it for what it is. It has a distinct smell. You have to be careful in dreams, Kairi. They can be dangerous if you wander into the wrong areas." he advised. He sat cross legged next to her, and Sora released his grip to let her sit alone. "I had to assist you getting out in the dream; it nearly consumed you."
Sora paled at the thought. His fists tightened, unable to conceal his worry over both his friends.
"I was fine. The darkness...was just a bit hard to get out of." Kairi pursed her lips in thought. But even Sora could see she was slightly shaken by the experience. "Aqua is still in there. She...knows me. From before the island."
"You yelled her name when you woke up." Sora looked curious. "Who is she?"
The red head simply smiled. "Someone important. At least, that's what's what it feels like." She looked out to the horizon, her eyes searching the rising sun for an answer.
"It's her…" Rku suddenly spoke.
Kairi looked at him with an inquiring look and Sora did the same, leaning around to peer at his friend.
"Riku…is she who I'm thinking of?"
Riku nodded and Kairi looked between them. "I'm missing something here. Do you know who she is?"
"We've heard of her. She wielded the keyblade before us, from what I've heard." Sora nudged the sand between his feet with the tip of his shoe. "Master Yen Sid said she's been in the darkness for quite some time. That, and there are two others who also wielded the keyblades before us. He won't tell me much more than that."
"He's only trying to protect you, Sora." Riku murmured. "There are a lot of things."
"I can handle it! I've told you that before, but you won't!" Sora pouted. Kairi bit her lip to hold back at laugh.
She grinned and poked his cheek with a finger. "Your face is going to freeze like that if you keep pouting."
Sora shook his head and waved her hand away "I'm not pouting!" He huffed and leaned around to peer at Riku again. "You can tell me!" He poked him playfully. "I've been battling heartless for a little over a year now. I think I can take some heavy news," Sora smirked.
Riku looked down, cursing the fact that he had cut his bangs. His friends could see each and every emotion playing in eyes. "It isn't your physical being I'm worried about." He said softly.
Sora frowned. He tried to press Riku for more information, but when that didn't work, he looked to Kairi for an answer.
She pulled away, "Oh, Sora! Don't give me that face!" She pleaded, trying to avoid his eyes.
His puppy eyed face softened at first, then finally saddened. "Even you know things I don't. Why? Why is it everyone knows but me?"
"I don't think your heart is ready for it, Sora." Riku finally stated. Before Sora could make a comment he continued. "Yen Sid told me these things because the darkness had already hardened me. Honestly, I can barely take it now. Even after all I've been through, I'm still having trouble accepting all this information."
Sora grumbled, facing the ground in defeat. He didn't like being out of the loop; yet her he was, exactly in that position. "Even Kairi knows though. I feel like, by the time someone does tell me, it will have already affected me."
Riku said nothing at the morbid thought. Kairi nudged him with her shoulder, nearly knocking him over. He couldn't help but laugh and shove her back, effectively breaking the momentarily tense atmosphere.
"Really though Sora," Kairi brushed some strands of red behind her ear. "Riku has only told me about Namine. I….don't really know much else. I mean, I know some, but it's confusing to me."
Her eyes met briefly with aqua ones, before averting to the ground.
"Oh well." Sora finally chimed. He laid back to look at the blue sky above them, and the other two complied as well. He wasn't done trying to get information. For now he was letting it go though. The three of them laid back on the beach, cloud gazing and enjoying the rays of the sun, a slight tension lingering in the air.
