Disclaimer: You know I don't own Kingdom Hearts… or do I? NO
For all nine reviewers thank you and first of all, let me apologize for lying to you about when this chapter was going to be put up. A lot of stuff happened during the last few weeks of school, but now *Thank GOODNESS* school is out and I have plenty of time to write. YAY!
On with the chapter!
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Chapter 4: A Door Never Closed
"Okay, now here are the rules: No pushing or tripping any of the contestants." Kairi said in a game-show-announcer-voice. She shot Selphie a knowing look remembering the crash fall she had suffered at the 'accidental' shove that she had gotten from Selphie at the last race they had had.
"Where will you be racing?" asked Wakka who was accompanied Melody. They all said short greetings before Selphie answered.
"Just along the shore and through the thickets of trees; the finishing line will be the Seaside Shack."
"Wow, that's a long way to run." Said Melody. "Here, why don't you give us a minute and Wakka and I can take the short cut to the Shack and we'll be the judges of who wins." Every one automatically looked at Tidus, who just shrugged. He tried to look as if he had forgotten about the time Selphie had beat him, but he had insisted that it was the other way round.
They allowed Wakka and Melody five minutes before readying them selves into starting positions. Kairi bending her knees leaned forward, Selphie followed suit, and Tidus crouched down while digging his hands into the sand- he looked so much like Riku did when they used to race as kids. And that's when Kairi's smile faltered, and at the exact time Selphie began to count down.
Three
Two
One
GO!
(())()(())
Tidus pushed off with such force that the he nearly tripped when Selphie came barreling up beside him. He was going to win; he wasn't going to be beaten by the girls again. Or at least that was what he thought before Kairi swiftly maneuvered her way in front of them. She ran so fast, that they barely had time to notice a wide grin on her face. She knew she was beating them bad, and she loved it.
())()(()
"GO!" Selphie and Tidus began to run with all their might along the ocean's shore. Kairi hesitated before she too began. 'It's okay to have fun, Kairi, so stop thinking about those stupid boys. They're not here and you are. That's that, so live with it.' Her conscious, or whatever that little voice was, was right. She'd prove it too.
Her legs at first felt like they were loaded with lead but after a few steps she began to feel as light as one can with a world of worries on her back. And for once she felt great and wanted nothing more than to beat her two competitors.
Selphie and Tidus had fighting skills that, by far, surpassed her own, but they lacked the great speed that she had gained over the year. And soon Kairi had passed the two with a great grin on her face. She was going to win, or so she thought.
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"Damn…" breathed Tidus as Selphie touched the Shack. He had been in front of her at the shore but in the thicket a tree branch had hit him, making him stumble backwards giving her the advantage she needed to win. 'Dammit.'
"Congratulations Selphie, you're the winner!" exclaimed Melody patting the tired girl on the back. That's when Tidus noticed something missing, or someone.
"Where's Kairi?"
"She must be behind you."
"No. She was in front of us."
"Well we haven't seen her." Selphie just looked at Tidus.
"Dammit."
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The wind rustled Kairi's hair and her dress flapped around the edges. She laughed as Tidus and Selphie were out of sight and she entered into the thicket. She decided to slow down to a steady walk and made her way through the trees. The hem of her dress got caught on one of the prickle bushes and when she turned around to undo it she nearly fainted.
It was like a huge shadow. Just darkness and getting darker. Kairi, terrified, backed up before completely turning around and running for dear life. Her dress ripped up the side, but who really cared, because she sure as hell didn't! She soon found herself running through the opposite side of the thicket and out into the space of a cave opening. 'No. That couldn't be right. This is the same cave.' But as she turned around the Dark Shadow changed her mind and she went rushing into the damp cave.
Thankfully, the cave wasn't as dark as she thought it might be so running was definitely a good option. After a few strides the cave's passage began to curve and slope up and down until the chamber of chalk drawings was where she stood.
"No way…but how?" she asked herself. This cave was supposed to be on the other side of the island. That's when she noticed the 'door' that had always been in that cave. It had been a talked about mystery until Sora and Riku had disappeared. Now everyone avoided it, out of respect maybe? But now was not that time and if it was a door, then by God she was going to open it. It was the only way out.
Kairi ran up to it and felt around the smooth sides before digging her nails into them. She pulled but nothing happened. She pushed-nothing, she pushed harder- nothing. She tried her hardest to pull the damn thing but instead lost her grip and stumbled to the ground.
"OPEN! Please…" she cried hysterically. She could feel something behind her and with a yelp turned around.
She gasped. "Sora?" At the entrance to the chamber stood that boy. He wore a dark red jumper with a black shirt under a dark blue hoodie (a sweater with a hood). His shoes were no longer the goofy yellow ones but they were now black, and his gloves were a dark red color with finger holes and a strange medallion on the right glove. His hair was a bit longer and was very untidy. Then he smiled.
"Sora!" Kairi scrambled to her feet with tears in her eyes and started to rush forward when Sora's smile fell and a look of pure anger crossed his face.
"NO!" he wasn't screaming at her but behind her. That's when Kairi realized that the 'door' really was a door and it had opened. Sora sprinted forward just as some one wrapped its arms around her. Pure coldness ripped through her body and she couldn't help but scream as hard as she ever had. Sora was in front of her and through the reflection in his great blue eyes she say the Great Shadow standing in the door way with her. Sora did some kind of magic but it rebounded unto himself sending him crashing into the wall. That's when the Shadow's blackness began to slither around Kairi's legs, then her chest and arms leaving only her hands and head visible. She couldn't move her eyes wouldn't close. The coldness came again, but this time it felt like the way the ocean had. The ocean…it had been the Shadow.
"Leave her alone!"
"Sora…" she whispered and managed to move her left hand out a bit. Now Kairi was mad. 'Oh, no you don't.' She tried to move, but only her left hand seemed to function. 'Fine I'll work with this.' And then she dug her fingertips into the darkness unsure if it would hurt it, but she didn't care. She had waited too long and wanted so much to see her friend again and now that he was here she wasn't going to let some stupid shadow take her away. That's when she felt painful shocks go down her body and the blackness covered her head. She whimpered as the waves worsened and dug her nails in deeper. A warm soft something took hold of her hand and pried it out of the Shadow. Sora. He then worked some other kind of magic that felt like it went through her.
"Singing Fira!"
A rush of warmth went up and down Kairi making the blackness disappear altogether. Sora still had hold of her hand and balanced her before she threw her arms around him.
"Sora! I'm so happy to see you!" Her tears fell freely now. "What was that? Where have you been? What did you do? Where's Riku? Are you all right? I'm so glad you're back." She asked these questions so fast that Sora simply smiled. He hugged the girl back, but then pulled away frowning.
"We must not stay here, it's not safe." Kairi was about to question why when her hysterical part calmed down a bit and she nodded.
"We can go to my house." She ventured, but before he could answer something wrapped around her waist and pulled her with such great force through the open 'door' and into darkness.
It's a good thing Kairi never let go of Sora's hand.
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A/N: I hope you all like this chapter! Now I will be updating by tomorrow or the next day. Promise. Sorry if this is a cliffie… but that's how the world turns!
Puuuuuulease REVIEW!!!!!!!!!
