You know what I just realized? Through out this entire fic, I haven't put a disclaimer/claimer! I should probably do that now, huh?
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS! It is owned by Square Enix and Disney.
Claimer: I DO own this story, plot, idea, and the OC's. Do NOT use any of them without my consent.
And a big thank you to Wings of Avalon for beta reading this!
-TG:HoaN-
Chapter Ten:
Destiny's Beginning
How ironic is it that a young boy, who was too innocent for his own good, ended up being the savior of the universe? And yet, Sora achieved the impossible. The thousands – maybe even millions – of worlds that shot out of the darkness, that settled back into the cosmos, that re-connected what was severed when darkness so brutally destroyed them and stole their hearts, was all evidence of the extraordinary victory of the young Keyblade Master. The sky that had been so barren and dark for far too long was now set aglow with countless stars, their light shining euphorically for all others to envy.
It was in this manner that the world known as Destiny Islands, the Keyblade Master's home world, was restored to its former glory. The rolling waves reflected the light of the worlds, as if trying to imitate the night sky. The cool sea breeze played with the soft green leaves of the palm trees, and continued its flight through the sleeping town, weaving its way between homes, flower gardens, and any other obstacle that lay in its wake. The bright white sand seemed to glow in the pale light of the moon and stars; the ripples created by the gentle wind made the beach look like a piece of art. The tide lapped at the shore line, leaving behind smooth, soft sand.
Yes, all was peaceful on Destiny Islands. It seemed the small world had no recollection of ever being destroyed. The present serene atmosphere supported that fact. With a quick glance of the small island, everything seemed to be in place; in truth, the black lump that lay crumpled upon the white sand was as conspicuous as a ball of light in the darkness.
With closer inspection, it was blatantly obvious that the body was that of a teenage girl (age sixteen, to be exact). She lay on her side, her hands delicately resting next to her head, her face turned toward the ocean, and her dark chocolate hair fanned out over her shoulders, spilling over her peaceful face like a dark shroud. She wore a black leather hooded-coat, black high-heel boots, black leather gloves, and black form-fitting pants. The outfit twisted around her quiescent body as if she were a doll that had been roughly tossed aside.
Risa lay on the beach, sleeping peacefully, her body exhausted from the previous battle that reclaimed her heart. She was completely oblivious to the world around her, only stirring when she felt the feather light tickle of the wind on her face. With a small, exasperated groan Risa slowly opened her steely blue eyes; her blurry vision could only make out the deep blue of the ocean, and the bright white of the sand. Risa squinted her eyes shut in an attempt to clear her vision, then blinked repeatedly as her sight began to focus.
Risa gave a small gasp when she saw the all too familiar ocean that lay in front of her. Slowly, Risa adjusted herself into a sitting position, her body aching fiercely with the effort. The girl could only sit numbly on the beach, watching with blank, unbelieving eyes as the waves rolled over the shore. Hesitantly, as if expecting to see something absolutely terrifying (or worse: nothing), Risa peered behind her, only to be greeted by the sight of the dirt pathway that lead to the town, the many cozy homes lining the path, the tall palm trees that grew near each house, and the majestic brown mountains that towered high above the village. A single tear slid down Risa's cheek, and it was soon followed by another, and another, and another, until Risa sat on the beach, silent tears of happiness streaming from her eyes like a raging river.
Risa was so relieved, so happy that she was finally home…but it still felt like something was missing…or rather, someone. Risa had a fairly good idea who that was.
With a shaky breath, Risa turned her attention back to the rolling waves. She hugged her knees to her chest and continued to silently cry, the salty water painting paths of sorrowful happiness down her cheeks. Risa didn't know why she was being so emotional now. She had rarely ever cried during her life, yet now it seemed like her emotional dam had been broken, and the tears that had been suppressed for so many years were emptying their imprisoned sorrow. Risa did have a perfectly good reason to cry, though. She had just experienced the horrible, numbing, consuming power that was nothingness, something most people would lose their minds in. And, in addition, her little brother was gone.
Risa did accept this fact, though solemnly. She wouldn't dwell in the feeling of emptiness that would surely come with Sora's absence, but she would find comfort in the knowledge that he would return home, safe and sound, as a hero. And, true to herself, she would relentlessly tease him about it, just like the 'loving' older sister that she was.
A small, tear strangled laugh escaped Risa's lips. She just thought the idea of Sora returning home, acting like a big-shot hero, was amusing. And the fact that their parents would practically smother him was also a very mirth induced thought.
…Wait…
Their parents…
Awww, crap. I'm in HUGE trouble…Risa thought, suddenly remembering that she had run out on her parents. She knew for a fact they wouldn't appreciate that, and she really didn't feel like listening to one of her father's rants.
The man was frightening when he was angry.
Considering all that had occurred recently, Risa didn't think she could handle so much emotional stress. Risa tried to think of someplace she could go, someplace that wasn't home. And that's when she remembered: her older brother, Haru, had his own apartment, and he'd certainly let her stay the night.
Good old Haru, always looking out for his younger siblings.
Her mind made up, Risa lumbered to her feet, swaying slightly. She still felt lightheaded, but she was done moping. Tears still glistened on her cheeks, and she wiped them off with her sleeve. Risa turned her glassy eyes to the night sky, a glum, yet satisfied smile graced her lips. Despite accepting her brother's absence, Risa still couldn't come to terms with the fact that she wouldn't see her exuberant little brother for quite some time. Nevertheless, deep down, she knew Sora would return when he completed his quest.
"He'll come back…his heart will guide him home someday," Risa whispered to herself, her tone holding absolute confidence in her little brother. She brought her hand up and clutched it over her heart. "…Just like mine did."
"You think Mr. and Mrs. Tenshi will mind us coming over so late?" a girl of sixteen years asked her friend. She had shoulder length, curly black hair, the ringlets bouncing as she walked. Her warm milky brown eyes gazed nonchalantly at the starry sky; her pale skin only seemed whiter in the light of the moon.
The girl traversed the old dirt path that wove through her island home with one of her best friends. The silvery light of the moon and the countless starts in the otherwise pitch black night illuminated their path. The crisp, nighttime wind ruffled their cloths, and tossed their hair as if the strands were feathers falling in the air.
"Aw, c'mon, Amaya, you know they never mind! Besides, it's not like we can go to my house…" Amaya's seventeen year old friend answered. She had her long, sandy blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail, her hands stuffed into her black hoodie's pockets. Unlike her friend, she kept her sea green eyes focused on her feet; her slightly tanned skin offering minor contrast to that of her friend's.
Amaya nodded her head at her friends answer. "Yea, you're right, Kasumi. And Risa'll be happy to see us, too."
Kasumi smirked. "Of course she will. We're her best friends, after all." It was then that Kasumi caught something in her peripheral vision. It looked like a girl wearing a black hooded coat. She wandered slowly down the path, stumbling occasionally, looking as if she were about to pass out.
Amaya, still staring at the stars, oblivious to her surroundings, didn't notice the approaching girl.
"Hey, Amaya, look." Kasumi nudged her friend with her elbow, trying to get her attention. Kasumi's elbow dug into Amaya's side, causing the girl to snap back to reality.
"What?" Amaya asked, slightly annoyed.
"Look." Kasumi pointed to the black clad girl in the distance, only now she was close enough that they could, just barely, make out her face. Amaya and Kasumi peered closely at the girl and recognized the chocolate colored hair, and lithe figure, as their friend Risa. She had, apparently, not yet noticed her best friends studying her with worried expressions. Amaya and Kasumi exchanged confused looks.
"Is that Risa, or am I going insane?" Kasumi began slowly, as if unsure of something.
Amaya nodded. "Yep. That's Risa."
"She looks like crap…"
Amaya nodded. "Hey! Risa! You okay?" She yelled with her hands cupped around her mouth.
Amaya's yell successfully brought Risa out of her daze. Risa looked up, and snapped her head towards her friends, alarmed by the sudden voice. It took Risa a second to recognize Kasumi and Amaya, but when she matched their names with their faces, her face lit up. She took a step towards them, but a sudden dizzy spell spread over her and she found herself tripping over her own feet and falling to the ground with a soft grunt of pain.
"Risa!" Kasumi and Amaya yelled in unison and ran to their fallen friend, fearing for her wellbeing.
Risa pushed herself to her hands and knees, her body trembling with exhaustion. She felt so weak, so drained. All she wanted to do was curl up someplace warm and sleep for eternity. Risa jumped when she felt a hand be laid on her back. She looked up, startled, but relief rushed over her when she met the concern filled face of Kasumi. Risa let her older friend help her into a sitting position, keeping a supporting hand on her back in case she were to fall over again.
"Risa, what happened to you?" Amaya asked. She was kneeling down on Risa's other side, her concern for her friend equal to that of Kasumi's.
Risa shook her head, trying to clear it. "…Nothing…I'm just…really tired…"
"Oooohhh, no, don't go pulling that 'nothing' crap on us!" Kasumi said sternly. "Risa, we know something happened. You look like you were caught in a hurricane, you're wearing a random black coat, you're about to pass out, and you think we're gonna believe that nothing happened to you? We're not dumb. Something happened, Ri, and we're not leaving till you tell us."
Risa was taken aback by Kasumi's words. She couldn't just tell them about Xaris, the Heartless, the Nobodies, Sora's adventure, Hiro and Hideko, this 'Guardian of the Key' stuff, and…and Axel…could she?
"Kasumi, Amaya, is Risa alright?"
All three girls jumped at the sudden voice. They turned around to see Risa and Sora's older brother, Haru, standing behind them, his ocean blue eyes staring at Risa critically. The nineteen year old boy's raven black hair was wavy, but his bangs were slightly spiky.
"Haru, what are you doing here?" Amaya asked.
"I just got off my shift, and was on my way home." Haru answered. "Are you going to tell me what happened or not?" Haru asked as he strode over to his sister. When he got close enough, Haru bent down and gently laid his hand on Risa's forehead.
"We don't know. She didn't tell us," Kasumi sighed.
Haru pulled his hand back, looking relieved, yet still confused. "Well, she doesn't have a fever, but we should get her to a bed."
Risa immediately shook her head. "No, no, I'm okay, I-"
"You are not okay. We need to get you home," Haru interrupted Risa.
Risa's eyes widened. "Not home!" she yelled, surprising her brother and friends. "Take me to your apartment, but not home."
Haru looked at his sister strangely. "Okay…but why not?"
"… Because mom and dad'll be mad at me…" she said, barely above a whisper. She looked very guilty, and a bit frightened – like a child who had misbehaved – so Haru decided to comply with her request. It would be better to save Risa the stress of facing their parents when she looked like a drunk. And, knowing Risa, once they got her to Haru's apartment, she would tell them everything.
Haru sighed. "Alright, but once we get there, you're telling us what happened." His tone left no room for argument, so Risa nodded in agreement. "Good. Kasumi, Amaya, help me get her on my back."
The room was filled with a stunned silence. Haru, Kasumi, and Amaya had various expressions of shock on their faces; none of them could believe what Risa had just told them. They sat staring at Risa, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to react to the information they'd just been given. It all seemed very surreal, so they couldn't help but question if Risa was going crazy. But their suspicions were quickly washed away when Risa showed them her weapon, Elegant Reaper, which had literally appeared out of thin air. They were further convinced when they touched the weapon and it was completely solid.
Risa fidgeted awkwardly in her place on Haru's couch, in between Kasumi and Amaya. She was getting very uncomfortable with the deafening silence, as well as the way her friends and older brother were looking at her. Risa was still exhausted, but she had to stay awake long enough to answer any of their questions. The whole situation was strenuous, and very unnerving.
"Please say something…" Risa murmured.
Haru – who was sitting in an armchair adjacent to the couch – sighed, and looked at Risa with compassionate eyes, something very rare for Haru to do. "Sorry, Risa, we're just kinda…overwhelmed by all of this. It all seems pretty far-fetched…but I believe you."
Kasumi and Amaya nodded, both expressing their belief in Risa's story, yet they were still too shocked to speak.
"But the part I can't understand is about Sora and this Keyblade thing. He really saved the world? How the heck did he manage that?" Haru scoffed. By all means he loved his little brother, but Sora being a hero was like seeing their father in a dress…it was highly unlikely to happen.
Risa smiled. "Oh, the dimwit's stronger than we'd think. You see, it's not physical strength that makes a person strong, but the strength of their heart, and Sora has an incredibly strong heart."
Haru chuckled at that. "I agree with you there."
"Wait, Risa, if your Nobody, Xaris, was very powerful, and only people with strong wills and hearts can create Nobodies like that, then that means you have a strong heart, too," Amaya pieced two-and-two together.
Risa contemplated this for a moment, then decided that she must have a strong heart to create a Nobody like Xaris. How else could Xaris have been born? "Yeah…I guess I do."
"Speaking of Xaris…when you got your heart back…what happened to her?" Kasumi asked.
Risa was caught off guard at the question. What had happened to Xaris? She couldn't have just disappeared, right? Xaris didn't deserve that. But there was a thought that contradicted everything Risa hoped. She remembered Axel telling Xaris that Nobodies were doomed to fade back into darkness; such was the fate of a Nobody, so Xaris was no different. Risa felt her heart twist painfully at the thought of her Nobody being swallowed by darkness, a fate she did not deserve. Risa hoped that Xaris hadn't fallen into darkness, and if she had, Risa would find a way to bring her back.
Let's not get too rash, Risa. I'm still here in your heart, not in darkness, a familiar voice echoed in Risa's head.
"Xaris!" Risa yelled out loud, surprising the others.
Xaris's disembodied voice sighed in annoyance. You don't have to talk, just think. I can hear you.
Oh… So, um, how are you still here? Risa asked. Risa was glad that her Nobody was still with her and able to communicate, but she was also confused as to why Xaris hadn't disappeared completely.
… I honestly have no idea. I thought I was supposed to fade back into darkness and let you take over, but I guess destiny has other plans for me, Xaris answered, sounding perplexed, but the happiness was not lost in her words.
I think it has other plans for all of us,Risa answered her Nobody.
"Uh, Risa, you okay?"
"Huh?" Risa was snapped back to reality when she heard Kasumi's voice. "Oh, I'm fine…just talking to Xaris."
"You mean she's still there?" Amaya asked, relieved that her best friend's Nobody hadn't faded into darkness. From what she'd been told of Xaris' endeavors, Amaya knew that Xaris did not deserve the fate of a Nobody, and was joyous at the knowledge that she had not suffered that fate.
Risa nodded, a smile on her face.
"That's good. It'd be terrible if she was gone," Kasumi said, equally relived that Xaris hadn't disappeared.
Haru chose that moment to laugh, gaining strange looks from the three girls on the couch.
"What are you laughing at, Haru!" Risa spat.
Haru waited for his laughter to die down before he answered. "Nothing, just that now we have two Risa's to deal with, and Risa had better be careful where she talks to Xaris, or people will think she's a lunatic."
Risa, Kasumi, and Amaya smiled and started laughing.
"I'm pretty sure people already think I'm insane," Risa said through her laughter.
The four islanders enjoyed conversing about random subjects for another few hours, only stopping when Haru, Kasumi, and Amaya noticed that Risa had fallen asleep, a soft smile on her face.
Kasumi and Amaya carefully got off the couch, trying not to stir Risa. Haru walked over to his sister and removed her black coat, and her boots and gloves, but he left Risa in the black tank-top and the black pants. He then proceeded to gently lower Risa into a more comfortable position on the couch, a pillow under her head, and then he reached down to gather up her flaccid legs and lay them on the couch as well. And so she didn't get cold, Haru spread a warm blanket over Risa.
Risa unconsciously clutched the blanket closer to herself, snuggling into its warmth with a contented smile.
Haru smiled at his sister, his ocean blue eyes brimming with serenity, and a protective instinct that all older siblings hold for their younger siblings. From what Risa had told them, Haru knew that there was a sort of divine power at work and it had a great destiny planned for them. Haru also knew that their destiny would lead them to a grueling battle between light and darkness, one that would decide the fate of the light. Knowing this, Haru promised to protect his siblings and friends, even if it meant giving up his life.
Haru turned to Kasumi and Amaya, both girls sharing similar expressions of gallantry. They were aware that they were destined for something great, and when the time came, they would be ready.
Author's Note: Holy crap… I actually finished this story! But, man, was it a long time coming. This tiny fic took me an entire year to finish! That's just… wow… I didn't think it'd take me so long… Well, I had a good time writing it, at least. ^_^
Sooooo, now you all can look forward to the re-write of the sequel! The Guardians: Key of Destruction -REWRITE- will be underway soon! Until then, I hope you have a wonderful summer, and don't forget to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!