Author's Note: Happy summer to everyone out of school, and good luck to
everyone else still in class! I've had writer's block for a while, so bear
with me! Now that school's finally out, expect lots more chapters, longer
chapters, and maybe even another fanfic...not for Kingdom Hearts though. Eh,
too lazy to make up more people, so expect to see some Final Fantasy VII
characters in this chapter, and maybe some from X-2. Warning: There are a
couple of Final Fantasy VII spoilers in here, but as long as you're past
Cosmo Canyon and the first disk, you should be all right. On to the fic!
Tamaru wandered through the level, Kairi and Sora at her heels, before stopping at a small store. It was called 'Sith's Magic and Weaponry', and a small bell jingled as Tamaru entered. The store was full of shelves, almost like a library, except the shelves were full of stands carrying weapons of varying size, shape, and function. Normal weapons were there, like bows and arrows and swords, but Sora also saw nunchaku, slingshots, daggers, staffs, and even a couple of keyblades. Torches lit the store, but it was still slightly dark, the mahogany wood walls and carpets giving it a mysterious air. Shields decorated the walls, and there was a small wooden sign next to a stairwell. It had a moogle on it, and said, 'Kupo'. Sora and Kairi were so busy exploring the store that when the shop owner came up behind them, they were a little surprised. Kairi squeaked and Sora looked scared half to death, but they turned around anyway. The shopkeeper was a little strange himself. He was a black and white cat wearing a small yellow crown and funny red vest. He looked to be carrying a golden megaphone, and was riding on an oversized stuffed moogle with ridiculous looking tiny wings and huge arms and legs. "Welcome to my store. I'm Cait Sith, and you are?" Sora was the first to speak. "I'm Sora, and this is Kairi." "Oh, so you defeated Ansem? Good job!" The moogle clapped slowly, the sound echoing throughout the store. Cait Sith seemed to be hopping from foot to foot; he was so full of energy. "So, I'm assuming you came in here to buy something...what are you looking for?" Just as Sora was about to say that he had no idea, Tamaru came over and interrupted. "Hey, Cait Sith!" "Tamaru! So good to see you! What were you looking for?" Tamaru thought for a moment, then replied, "Actually, I'm looking for a lot of things. I need to get an attachment for my staff, an attachment for Sora, a weapon or combo weapon for Kairi, same for Griff, some sort of barrette for Mimiru, and just polish everyone's up. I also need four ribbons and several minor magic repellants. If you could throw in some throwing daggers too, that'd be great." She said this all very quickly, and Cait Sith finished writing down the order with a flourish. "Lemme get this straight." He said. "Weapon polishing, two weapon attachments, two new weapons or combos, a barrette weapon, four ribbons, five minor magic repellants, two throwing daggers. Is that all?" Tamaru nodded. "That'll be 300,000 gil please." Tamaru groaned in annoyance, but reached into her bag and pulled out a wallet. She began pulling out bills and gave them to Cait Sith, who put them in a zippered pocket. Cait Sith beamed. "Nice doing business with ya! You can browse and pick whatever you want for weapons and attachments and things. I already got the amulets and ribbons." He said, gesturing at the pile of objects on a table. Tamaru looked at Sora and Kairi. "Come on. Let's pick out some weapons." Tamaru had obviously been there before, as she quickly grabbed two sharp throwing daggers and her own weapon attachment, a retractable long dagger, jagged and sharp. She also helped Kairi choose her weapon, a simple silver sword that was extremely lightweight and slim. Sora chose a small magic orb to increase his magic power, and Tamaru got a new one to replace the one already on her staff. Kairi also grabbed one, and they decided on a bow and arrows for Griff. They were ones that had an automatic refilling quiver, and arrows tipped with Holy, which would instantly defeat any shadow they came across. Tamaru found a barrette weapon for Mimiru. It clipped on tightly, and had high defense and room for three small marble-sized magic orbs, which Tamaru put in a pouch. They then carried all of their supplies to Cait Sith, who nodded. "Nice choices. Set down the bow and arrows, and you can combo everything else upstairs." Tamaru did as she was told, and they ascended the stairs, Cait Sith following them. Upstairs was completely different from downstairs. The main colors were green and light brown, and huge windows were everywhere. Comfortable armchairs were along one wall, and small worktables with benches were situated around a large furnace. Tools of the trade hung from the ceiling or were placed in large baskets on various tables. Several Moogles were working on weapons, some being melded in the furnace while others were being taken from large metal trays, ready to begin the process. The finished weapons were hung on brackets on the wall, some slightly red while others were completely cool. Surveying all of this was a tall man. He wore a simple white shirt and loose, leather pants and shoes. His hair was dark brown, and when he turned around to greet them, Kairi noticed that he had bright green eyes. "Tamaru, isn't it?" She nodded. "And who are the rest of these people?" "Sora and Kairi!" Cait Sith said in a singsong voice. He nodded. "My name is Reeve, and I created Cait Sith. I also run the synthesis system up here."
"Created?" Sora asked. He was confused.
"Yes, Cait Sith's a robot. I'm quite proud of him, myself." He walked to Tamaru. "Just place each weapon in separate trays, and you can have a seat. Feel free to stay here as long as you want, though I doubt all of them will be finished by morning." Tamaru nodded, and organized everything before sitting back down. Sora and Kairi sat next to her, and Cait Sith simply sat on his moogle. "So, have you heard from the others?"
Sora was about to interrupt by asking who "the others" were when Tamaru responded. "Yep. Aerith and Cloud met up in Traverse Town, and Yuffie is working there as well. Tifa owns a bar here, and runs it with Barret and Marlene. Cid owns a Gummi Ship shop in Traverse Town, and his daughter, Rikku, though I don't think you've met her, runs the best machine shop anywhere. Vincent owns a ship and is a trader, going from Traverse Town to Peregrine, and everywhere in between. Red XIII, or Nanaki, as he calls himself now, lives on the Tetra Islands and had the best magic defense accessories anywhere around."
For a while, there was silence in the shop as Cait Sith pondered all of this. At last, he nodded. "Sounds like everyone is doing well. I'm surprised that Aerith left the Lifestream, but Traverse Town was where almost everyone showed up. Haven't seen Vincent or Red XIII in a while, and I didn't know where anyone else was. Maybe I should take a day off and visit everybody. I've always wanted to meet Cid's daughter." Then, he lowered his voice. "And, about Sephiroth?"
Tamaru sighed. "Still alive, but virtually harmless. He lives at the Olympus Coliseum, as one of the challengers. The platinum match, I think. Aerith refuses to go there, and I honestly don't blame her." Cait Sith nodded grimly. "Apparently, though we destroyed him, he ended up here. Perhaps he was a Heartless?" Sora shook his head. "No. He wasn't a shadow, but I doubt he's even a human...he moved so fast...it was nearly impossible to beat him." The cat looked over at him. "You defeated him alone? It took Cloud, Vincent and I all of our strength to finally defeat him." Cait Sith stared at Sora with newfound respect.
Tamaru looked down at her watch. "Oh, we're late! We were supposed to meet Tifa at her bar now! I've gotta run. It was nice seeing you two again." Reeve nodded. "Come back any time. We still have to finish your weapons, just don't lose your receipt." Cait Sith handed it to Tamaru, who stuffed it in her bag and ran out the door, Kairi and Sora following.
Luckily, Tifa's bar was nearby. A bright neon sign proclaimed: "Tifa's 7th Heaven" in light blue, and small white angel wings adorned each side. The sign was mounted on a cloud, and a halo rested on the middle word in the sign. Tamaru walked through the door, and beckoned the others inside. Soft panels of light adorned the walls, and a mural of a blue sky with clouds and angels was on the ceiling. The tables and chairs were black and silver, and the bar was made of light-colored wood. The maitre-de smiled at the three of them, and led them to a small booth away from the other diners, with room for Tifa to sit. After ordering, the petite waitress walked off to the kitchens.
A moment later, Tifa appeared. She had long brown hair; a ribbon was tied in it a few inches from the end. She wore a tight white top and black pants, and a small amount of makeup. She beamed when she saw Tamaru. "Hey Taru! Hi Sora and Kairi!" Everyone greeted Tifa, and she sat down with the rest of them, next to Kairi. "So, what's up?" Tifa said, arms on the table as she leaned towards Tamaru, who was sitting opposite her. Tamaru told their entire story to Tifa, who listened intently, and took a while to reply. By that time, dinner came, so there was silence at the table for a little while.
Finally, Tifa broke the silence. "Hmm, interesting. So, Ansem's still alive and has one of your friends captive?" Sora nodded. "Yeah, that's right. Riku got turned against me when Maleficent found him in Traverse Town, so he was in Hollow Bastion for a while. I had to beat him twice, and then Ansem tried to kill Kairi and I. Riku saved us, and we escaped. The last time I saw him, he was sealed in Kingdom Hearts." Sora looked worried, so Tifa tried to comfort him. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find him. After Sephiroth killed Aerith, she helped us defeat him, and then came back to life. It's amazing what can happen. I'm sure that you can find him, and if you need help, I'll be happy to lend a hand." Tifa grinned, and Sora grinned back. "Thanks."
Tifa then looked at Kairi. "So, you're a princess right?" Kairi shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everyone's told me that I am, but the only home I remember is Destiny Islands. Even if I could go back to where I was, I'm not even sure that I want to all that much. I loved living on the island." Tifa nodded sympathetically. "No matter what life throws at you, you've just gotta bounce back and roll with the punches. Maybe, if you do end up ruling a world, you'll find out that you like it more than you'd think." Kairi nodded, and smiled.
Before they knew it, their plates were empty and the waitress was bringing them some dessert. Sora looked at the plate curiously. "What's that?" Tifa grinned. "It's Barret's and Marlene's specialty: 7th Heaven Pie. It's got chocolate crust, cookies 'n cream ice cream, chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, and tons of whipped cream. Try it!" Kairi took a tentative bite, and her expression proved that it lived up to its name: heavenly. Quite a while of blessed silence ensued as everyone savored the pie. Once it was finished, Tifa looked over at Tamaru.
"So, where are you going next?" Tifa asked. Tamaru shrugged. "Dunno. Leaving here tomorrow, as I've still got some shopping. Then, it's probably to the Tetra Islands, and then probably Spira." Tifa nodded. "Well, say hi to Nanaki for me, and if you need help, don't hesitate to call me." Tamaru smiled. "OK, it was nice seeing you!" Sora and Kairi chorused, "Bye!" and they left the bar, tired out from a long day.
Tamaru led the way back, and before everyone knew it, they were back at her home. Sprawling on the couch, Tamaru grabbed a remote, and turned on the TV. Flipping through the channels, she stopped on a random anime series. Kairi and Sora found chairs to sit at, and for the next hour they stared at the TV screen and watched anime. Tamaru looked at Sora and Kairi. "You liked it?" Sora shrugged, but Kairi nodded. Tamaru yawned. "I'm so tired, I can hardly think. Help me set up your beds so that we can all get some rest." Sora and Kairi nodded, too tired to do anything else. Kairi and Tamaru put some blankets on the couch for Sora, and they were ready to go. Luckily, the guest bed and Tamaru's bed were already made, so they could sleep. Everyone changed into more comfortable clothes, and fell into bed. Mimiru curled up next to Tamaru, and she turned off the lights. "G'night!" Tamaru called, hearing answers of varying awakeness, and fell asleep instantly.
Everyone was asleep by midnight. Or, at least, everyone was supposed to be asleep. Sora wasn't. He was staring out the window, watching various nighttime birds fly past the window. His head was still reeling from everything that had happened that day. This time yesterday he had been asleep in King Mickey's castle after rescuing him, without Kairi or Riku and not knowing how to get back to find them. Now, he was with Kairi, on his way to find Riku, meeting whole new people and going to whole different worlds. He should have been excited, but he honestly wasn't. Instead, he felt foreboding. It wasn't that he didn't trust Tamaru or Griffin or anyone else that he met, but it was that he was surprised. Why would so many people be trying to help a boy and his friend from a tiny island? It didn't make sense. True, they would have to fight Ansem again, but nobody was rushing to attack him the first time, either. He had a feeling that Tamaru had her own score with Ansem to settle. Still unsure of what the next day would be like, Sora fell into an uneasy sleep.
"Wake up!" Tamaru called in a singsong voice. Sora groaned and stretched. The couch groaned with him as he sat up, blinking and rubbing his eyes. Kairi came out of the bedroom, looking well-rested and ready to go. Tamaru smiled at them both. "Morning! Want some breakfast?" She gestured to the plates of pancakes and bacon, and Sora nodded enthusiastically. Kairi and Sora sat next to each other, Tamaru finding a seat across from them. Mimiru looked to be growing already, as she now came up to Tamaru's knee. Tamaru set some bacon in a small bowl, poured syrup in it, and gave it to Mimiru, who purred happily before eating. Tamaru then passed the syrup around, and began to eat. "So, what's the plan for today?" Kairi wanted to know. Tamaru cleared her throat, and said, "After breakfast, I have to go a couple more places, but you can stay here. After that, I'm taking you clothes shopping." Sora was about to protest, but Tamaru held up one finger. "Lemme talk. After that, we're gonna have lunch somewhere, and wait for Griff back here. When he gets here, we're leaving for the Tetra Islands."
Sora looked confused. "Why there?" Tamaru responded, "A couple of reasons. For one thing, it has the best magic accessories and repellants. For another, it may be where Ansem is hiding Riku. Actually, it's probably where he is, since magic is extra strong there. Also, everyone there lives so far apart from each other that Ansem could easily hide out there. Now, I need to get going, so I'll see ya later. You can hang around here if you want, or get Cait Sith to take you somewhere. Directions are over there." She pointed to the table. "Bye!" Kairi and Sora called as Tamaru went out the door.
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Tamaru wandered through the level, Kairi and Sora at her heels, before stopping at a small store. It was called 'Sith's Magic and Weaponry', and a small bell jingled as Tamaru entered. The store was full of shelves, almost like a library, except the shelves were full of stands carrying weapons of varying size, shape, and function. Normal weapons were there, like bows and arrows and swords, but Sora also saw nunchaku, slingshots, daggers, staffs, and even a couple of keyblades. Torches lit the store, but it was still slightly dark, the mahogany wood walls and carpets giving it a mysterious air. Shields decorated the walls, and there was a small wooden sign next to a stairwell. It had a moogle on it, and said, 'Kupo'. Sora and Kairi were so busy exploring the store that when the shop owner came up behind them, they were a little surprised. Kairi squeaked and Sora looked scared half to death, but they turned around anyway. The shopkeeper was a little strange himself. He was a black and white cat wearing a small yellow crown and funny red vest. He looked to be carrying a golden megaphone, and was riding on an oversized stuffed moogle with ridiculous looking tiny wings and huge arms and legs. "Welcome to my store. I'm Cait Sith, and you are?" Sora was the first to speak. "I'm Sora, and this is Kairi." "Oh, so you defeated Ansem? Good job!" The moogle clapped slowly, the sound echoing throughout the store. Cait Sith seemed to be hopping from foot to foot; he was so full of energy. "So, I'm assuming you came in here to buy something...what are you looking for?" Just as Sora was about to say that he had no idea, Tamaru came over and interrupted. "Hey, Cait Sith!" "Tamaru! So good to see you! What were you looking for?" Tamaru thought for a moment, then replied, "Actually, I'm looking for a lot of things. I need to get an attachment for my staff, an attachment for Sora, a weapon or combo weapon for Kairi, same for Griff, some sort of barrette for Mimiru, and just polish everyone's up. I also need four ribbons and several minor magic repellants. If you could throw in some throwing daggers too, that'd be great." She said this all very quickly, and Cait Sith finished writing down the order with a flourish. "Lemme get this straight." He said. "Weapon polishing, two weapon attachments, two new weapons or combos, a barrette weapon, four ribbons, five minor magic repellants, two throwing daggers. Is that all?" Tamaru nodded. "That'll be 300,000 gil please." Tamaru groaned in annoyance, but reached into her bag and pulled out a wallet. She began pulling out bills and gave them to Cait Sith, who put them in a zippered pocket. Cait Sith beamed. "Nice doing business with ya! You can browse and pick whatever you want for weapons and attachments and things. I already got the amulets and ribbons." He said, gesturing at the pile of objects on a table. Tamaru looked at Sora and Kairi. "Come on. Let's pick out some weapons." Tamaru had obviously been there before, as she quickly grabbed two sharp throwing daggers and her own weapon attachment, a retractable long dagger, jagged and sharp. She also helped Kairi choose her weapon, a simple silver sword that was extremely lightweight and slim. Sora chose a small magic orb to increase his magic power, and Tamaru got a new one to replace the one already on her staff. Kairi also grabbed one, and they decided on a bow and arrows for Griff. They were ones that had an automatic refilling quiver, and arrows tipped with Holy, which would instantly defeat any shadow they came across. Tamaru found a barrette weapon for Mimiru. It clipped on tightly, and had high defense and room for three small marble-sized magic orbs, which Tamaru put in a pouch. They then carried all of their supplies to Cait Sith, who nodded. "Nice choices. Set down the bow and arrows, and you can combo everything else upstairs." Tamaru did as she was told, and they ascended the stairs, Cait Sith following them. Upstairs was completely different from downstairs. The main colors were green and light brown, and huge windows were everywhere. Comfortable armchairs were along one wall, and small worktables with benches were situated around a large furnace. Tools of the trade hung from the ceiling or were placed in large baskets on various tables. Several Moogles were working on weapons, some being melded in the furnace while others were being taken from large metal trays, ready to begin the process. The finished weapons were hung on brackets on the wall, some slightly red while others were completely cool. Surveying all of this was a tall man. He wore a simple white shirt and loose, leather pants and shoes. His hair was dark brown, and when he turned around to greet them, Kairi noticed that he had bright green eyes. "Tamaru, isn't it?" She nodded. "And who are the rest of these people?" "Sora and Kairi!" Cait Sith said in a singsong voice. He nodded. "My name is Reeve, and I created Cait Sith. I also run the synthesis system up here."
"Created?" Sora asked. He was confused.
"Yes, Cait Sith's a robot. I'm quite proud of him, myself." He walked to Tamaru. "Just place each weapon in separate trays, and you can have a seat. Feel free to stay here as long as you want, though I doubt all of them will be finished by morning." Tamaru nodded, and organized everything before sitting back down. Sora and Kairi sat next to her, and Cait Sith simply sat on his moogle. "So, have you heard from the others?"
Sora was about to interrupt by asking who "the others" were when Tamaru responded. "Yep. Aerith and Cloud met up in Traverse Town, and Yuffie is working there as well. Tifa owns a bar here, and runs it with Barret and Marlene. Cid owns a Gummi Ship shop in Traverse Town, and his daughter, Rikku, though I don't think you've met her, runs the best machine shop anywhere. Vincent owns a ship and is a trader, going from Traverse Town to Peregrine, and everywhere in between. Red XIII, or Nanaki, as he calls himself now, lives on the Tetra Islands and had the best magic defense accessories anywhere around."
For a while, there was silence in the shop as Cait Sith pondered all of this. At last, he nodded. "Sounds like everyone is doing well. I'm surprised that Aerith left the Lifestream, but Traverse Town was where almost everyone showed up. Haven't seen Vincent or Red XIII in a while, and I didn't know where anyone else was. Maybe I should take a day off and visit everybody. I've always wanted to meet Cid's daughter." Then, he lowered his voice. "And, about Sephiroth?"
Tamaru sighed. "Still alive, but virtually harmless. He lives at the Olympus Coliseum, as one of the challengers. The platinum match, I think. Aerith refuses to go there, and I honestly don't blame her." Cait Sith nodded grimly. "Apparently, though we destroyed him, he ended up here. Perhaps he was a Heartless?" Sora shook his head. "No. He wasn't a shadow, but I doubt he's even a human...he moved so fast...it was nearly impossible to beat him." The cat looked over at him. "You defeated him alone? It took Cloud, Vincent and I all of our strength to finally defeat him." Cait Sith stared at Sora with newfound respect.
Tamaru looked down at her watch. "Oh, we're late! We were supposed to meet Tifa at her bar now! I've gotta run. It was nice seeing you two again." Reeve nodded. "Come back any time. We still have to finish your weapons, just don't lose your receipt." Cait Sith handed it to Tamaru, who stuffed it in her bag and ran out the door, Kairi and Sora following.
Luckily, Tifa's bar was nearby. A bright neon sign proclaimed: "Tifa's 7th Heaven" in light blue, and small white angel wings adorned each side. The sign was mounted on a cloud, and a halo rested on the middle word in the sign. Tamaru walked through the door, and beckoned the others inside. Soft panels of light adorned the walls, and a mural of a blue sky with clouds and angels was on the ceiling. The tables and chairs were black and silver, and the bar was made of light-colored wood. The maitre-de smiled at the three of them, and led them to a small booth away from the other diners, with room for Tifa to sit. After ordering, the petite waitress walked off to the kitchens.
A moment later, Tifa appeared. She had long brown hair; a ribbon was tied in it a few inches from the end. She wore a tight white top and black pants, and a small amount of makeup. She beamed when she saw Tamaru. "Hey Taru! Hi Sora and Kairi!" Everyone greeted Tifa, and she sat down with the rest of them, next to Kairi. "So, what's up?" Tifa said, arms on the table as she leaned towards Tamaru, who was sitting opposite her. Tamaru told their entire story to Tifa, who listened intently, and took a while to reply. By that time, dinner came, so there was silence at the table for a little while.
Finally, Tifa broke the silence. "Hmm, interesting. So, Ansem's still alive and has one of your friends captive?" Sora nodded. "Yeah, that's right. Riku got turned against me when Maleficent found him in Traverse Town, so he was in Hollow Bastion for a while. I had to beat him twice, and then Ansem tried to kill Kairi and I. Riku saved us, and we escaped. The last time I saw him, he was sealed in Kingdom Hearts." Sora looked worried, so Tifa tried to comfort him. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find him. After Sephiroth killed Aerith, she helped us defeat him, and then came back to life. It's amazing what can happen. I'm sure that you can find him, and if you need help, I'll be happy to lend a hand." Tifa grinned, and Sora grinned back. "Thanks."
Tifa then looked at Kairi. "So, you're a princess right?" Kairi shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everyone's told me that I am, but the only home I remember is Destiny Islands. Even if I could go back to where I was, I'm not even sure that I want to all that much. I loved living on the island." Tifa nodded sympathetically. "No matter what life throws at you, you've just gotta bounce back and roll with the punches. Maybe, if you do end up ruling a world, you'll find out that you like it more than you'd think." Kairi nodded, and smiled.
Before they knew it, their plates were empty and the waitress was bringing them some dessert. Sora looked at the plate curiously. "What's that?" Tifa grinned. "It's Barret's and Marlene's specialty: 7th Heaven Pie. It's got chocolate crust, cookies 'n cream ice cream, chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, and tons of whipped cream. Try it!" Kairi took a tentative bite, and her expression proved that it lived up to its name: heavenly. Quite a while of blessed silence ensued as everyone savored the pie. Once it was finished, Tifa looked over at Tamaru.
"So, where are you going next?" Tifa asked. Tamaru shrugged. "Dunno. Leaving here tomorrow, as I've still got some shopping. Then, it's probably to the Tetra Islands, and then probably Spira." Tifa nodded. "Well, say hi to Nanaki for me, and if you need help, don't hesitate to call me." Tamaru smiled. "OK, it was nice seeing you!" Sora and Kairi chorused, "Bye!" and they left the bar, tired out from a long day.
Tamaru led the way back, and before everyone knew it, they were back at her home. Sprawling on the couch, Tamaru grabbed a remote, and turned on the TV. Flipping through the channels, she stopped on a random anime series. Kairi and Sora found chairs to sit at, and for the next hour they stared at the TV screen and watched anime. Tamaru looked at Sora and Kairi. "You liked it?" Sora shrugged, but Kairi nodded. Tamaru yawned. "I'm so tired, I can hardly think. Help me set up your beds so that we can all get some rest." Sora and Kairi nodded, too tired to do anything else. Kairi and Tamaru put some blankets on the couch for Sora, and they were ready to go. Luckily, the guest bed and Tamaru's bed were already made, so they could sleep. Everyone changed into more comfortable clothes, and fell into bed. Mimiru curled up next to Tamaru, and she turned off the lights. "G'night!" Tamaru called, hearing answers of varying awakeness, and fell asleep instantly.
Everyone was asleep by midnight. Or, at least, everyone was supposed to be asleep. Sora wasn't. He was staring out the window, watching various nighttime birds fly past the window. His head was still reeling from everything that had happened that day. This time yesterday he had been asleep in King Mickey's castle after rescuing him, without Kairi or Riku and not knowing how to get back to find them. Now, he was with Kairi, on his way to find Riku, meeting whole new people and going to whole different worlds. He should have been excited, but he honestly wasn't. Instead, he felt foreboding. It wasn't that he didn't trust Tamaru or Griffin or anyone else that he met, but it was that he was surprised. Why would so many people be trying to help a boy and his friend from a tiny island? It didn't make sense. True, they would have to fight Ansem again, but nobody was rushing to attack him the first time, either. He had a feeling that Tamaru had her own score with Ansem to settle. Still unsure of what the next day would be like, Sora fell into an uneasy sleep.
"Wake up!" Tamaru called in a singsong voice. Sora groaned and stretched. The couch groaned with him as he sat up, blinking and rubbing his eyes. Kairi came out of the bedroom, looking well-rested and ready to go. Tamaru smiled at them both. "Morning! Want some breakfast?" She gestured to the plates of pancakes and bacon, and Sora nodded enthusiastically. Kairi and Sora sat next to each other, Tamaru finding a seat across from them. Mimiru looked to be growing already, as she now came up to Tamaru's knee. Tamaru set some bacon in a small bowl, poured syrup in it, and gave it to Mimiru, who purred happily before eating. Tamaru then passed the syrup around, and began to eat. "So, what's the plan for today?" Kairi wanted to know. Tamaru cleared her throat, and said, "After breakfast, I have to go a couple more places, but you can stay here. After that, I'm taking you clothes shopping." Sora was about to protest, but Tamaru held up one finger. "Lemme talk. After that, we're gonna have lunch somewhere, and wait for Griff back here. When he gets here, we're leaving for the Tetra Islands."
Sora looked confused. "Why there?" Tamaru responded, "A couple of reasons. For one thing, it has the best magic accessories and repellants. For another, it may be where Ansem is hiding Riku. Actually, it's probably where he is, since magic is extra strong there. Also, everyone there lives so far apart from each other that Ansem could easily hide out there. Now, I need to get going, so I'll see ya later. You can hang around here if you want, or get Cait Sith to take you somewhere. Directions are over there." She pointed to the table. "Bye!" Kairi and Sora called as Tamaru went out the door.
Review! Just press the little buttons and write me a small thingamabob...you can be insulting, flaming, or whatever...just make my day!