Authoress's notes: AGH! Get back here! chases the writer's block demon, which managed to get untied somehow, around the room

Shady and that Red Nocturne from last chapter's notes: watches, looking amused
Ahem. I've had writer's block again… I took a little break from writing in hopes of getting rid of it. --

I made a couple little changes to the first chapter- nothing major, just fixed a couple things, made a couple sentences clearer, y'know?

thingies separate Riku's memories from what he's doing in the present. Just thought I'd mention that.

The story, or at least my part in it, begins at the Destiny Islands. They were (and still are, even if I'm worlds away from them) my home, but I wasn't satisfied with staying there.

Ansem once called the islands "a prison surrounded by water". And I hate to say it, but I agreed with him. Don't get me wrong, they're a great place- but they're an isolated great place, out in the middle of nowhere, and when you know that there has to be so much more out there you can't help but start to feel trapped.

I'd wanted to see the other worlds ever since Kairi came. Me and Sora would often ask what her home was like, but she didn't remember- only that it was "another world". That started me thinking. There has to be more than this. More places to see and explore… I want to see what all I'm missing, stuck here.

I remember when she first showed up on the islands. She just… appeared one day, really- that's the only way I can find to put it. The mayor and his wife took her in.

Kairi never told us exactly how she got to the islands, either. Again, she "didn't remember". Back then, I thought traveling between the worlds was simple- that you could sail across the ocean and find yourself in another world. We didn't know that the worlds were cut off from each other then.

I paused in my reflection. Hmm. If travel between the worlds was supposedly impossible then, how did Kairi arrive on the Destiny Islands? Just another question for me to wonder about, since there wasn't anything else to do around here besides fight Heartless- and that was pointless since they always came back. Kingdom Hearts was where they first spawned; the Heartless would probably live here until the end of time.

I'd spend countless hours sitting in the paopu tree, staring out at the waves and just thinking: about what I did that day, Tidus and Wakka's futile attempts to get a blitzball team together on the island, Sora and Kairi, other worlds… anything that came to mind.

The tree was also one of my, Sora, and Kairi's favorite places to just hang out and talk. It was where we first got the idea for the raft.

Building a raft was actually Sora's idea. I remember that evening perfectly. It was sunset, and the three of us were at the paopu island, as usual. Sora was hanging upside down from the tree branch, Kairi was sitting on the branch, and I was leaning against the tree trunk because there was only room on the branch for two of us. As I often did, I eventually ended up bringing up the subject of other worlds.

"You know, maybe instead of just standing around here wondering what might be out there, we should try to get to another world," I remarked.

"Yeah, but how?" Kairi asked.

"I dunno… take the boats?" I was referring to the old rowboats we used to get from the main island where the town was to the "playground island" (Tidus's name for the island us and the other kids hung out at most of the time).

"No, they're too small… especially since we'd have to bring food and stuff too," said Kairi.

"Maybe we could build a raft or something to put the supplies on and tie it to one of the boats," Sora suggested.

"Nah, I don't think one of the boats could pull it, and that'd slow us down too much. But a raft… that's actually a good idea," I admitted. "If we can find enough logs and stuff, we can build a raft big enough for all three of us…"

"Then it's a plan- ack!" Sora slipped off the branch, landing on his back in the sand and making me and Kairi laugh.

"Alright," I said. "We start building the raft tomorrow. But… don't tell anyone, okay? Or they'll all want to come with us."

"Okay."

I fell asleep that night dreaming of the places we'd see. They were nothing like the worlds we actually ended up going to.

The next morning, I walked down the beach in search of Kairi and Sora, carrying a log I'd found near the cove that would work well for the raft. I spotted them sitting at the water's edge, and a bit of their conversation drifted to my ears.

"Well, I'm happy here," Kairi said cheerfully.

"Really…" Sora sounded skeptical.

"But you know... I wouldn't mind going to see it."

Hmm… They're probably talking about Kairi's home.

"I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I

want to see 'em all!"

"So what're we waiting for?"

I think you can guess what they were talking about.

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about me?" Grinning, I strolled over to them. "So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft." Just to emphasize my point, I tossed the log to Sora. He tried to catch it, but just ended up being knocked over. Geez, it wasn't that heavy, was it?

I glanced at Kairi. "And you're just as lazy as he is!" I joked.

"So you noticed." She giggled. She's so cute when she does that… Anyway. She jumped to her feet. "Okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!"

Sora blinked. "Huh?"

"What, are you kidding?" I sat down on the warm sand as well. Of course, I was just joking around- a race sounded like fun. Especially since I could easily win.

Kairi wasn't taking "no", even an insincere "no", for an answer. "Ready? Go!"

I caught Sora's eye, he grinned at me, and we both jumped to our feet and took off towards the cove where we'd be building the raft.

We actually got most of it finished that day. Tomorrow we'd be putting the finishing touches on it, and gathering food, and then we'd be able to leave the day after that. The three of us were pretty damn proud of ourselves for getting so much done already as we relaxed at the paopu island that evening.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asked.

"Could be. We'll never know by staying here," I replied. How many conversations had started like this? I'd lost count.

"But how far could a raft take us?"

My mind was set. "Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."

"So, suppose you get to another world," Kairi said. "What would you do there?"

"Well, I haven't really thought about it," I admitted. "It's just... I've always wondered why we're here, on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds... Then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Sora lay back against the branch, looking up at the clear sky. "I don't know."

"That's why we need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So let's go." I didn't take my eyes off the ocean as I spoke. It seemed endless.

"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Kairi remarked.

I smiled at her. "Thanks to you. If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks."

Kairi did her trademark giggle. "You're welcome." Sora glared at me.

The sun was setting; it was about time we went home. Mom was making her famous pizza for dinner, and I'd invited Sora and Kairi over.

"Sora." I tossed him one of the yellow, star-shaped fruits that grew on the paopu tree. He caught it, looking bewildered. "You wanted one, didn't you?" I asked. Really, I was teasing him. After we'd finished talking about the raft, Sora mentioned that he wished he knew what the paopu fruits tasted like- he didn't know the legend.

"A paopu fruit..."

He was probably the only one on the island that didn't know the legend of the paopu fruit, in fact. "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives- no matter what. C'mon, I know you want to try it," I teased, knowing he'd probably want to share one with Kairi.

Or maybe he didn't get the meaning (and now that I think about it, that did sound a bit funny.). "What are you talking-"

I laughed and ran past him. He threw the fruit into the ocean and followed.

We'd agreed to meet at the cove the next day. Kairi had wandered off to collect shells by the time Sora got there.

"Sorry I took so long," he said. "I overslept, and Tidus wanted to duel me, and-"

"No problem," I interrupted. "The raft's almost finished. It needs a name."

"Yeah! How about… um… Excalibur."

"I like Highwind better."

"How about-"

"The usual?"

Kairi ran across the rickety bridge connecting the sections of land. "You guys at it again? All right, I'll be the judge. The usual rules apply: Take any route you want... First one to tag that tree and make it back here wins."

"If I win, I'm captain! And if you win..." Sora looked at me expectantly.

This was a perfect opportunity. "I get to share the paopu with Kairi."

"Huh?" The look on Sora's face was hilarious.

I couldn't help grinning smugly. "Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi."

"Wha... Wait a minute..."

Either Kairi hadn't heard us, realized I was joking, or didn't really mind the thought of me sharing a paopu with her. "Okay. On my count…"

Of course, I won the race. Sora might have had a chance if he hadn't tripped over his own shoes.

That afternoon, I was on my way to the dock where we tied up our boats. As I passed the gap in the tree roots that opened into the "secret place", someone behind me spoke:

"Come here, boy."

I whirled around, startled. There hadn't been anyone there a minute ago!

The speaker was a tall man, wearing a long black hooded robe that obscured his features.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" I asked, taking a wary step towards him.

"My name does not matter. I am here to warn you."

"Warn me? Nothing interesting ever happens here, let alone anything dangerous… Fine. I'll play along. What is it?"

"This world has been tied to the darkness… Soon to be completely eclipsed."

I glared at him. "That doesn't make any sense-"

"It will happen tonight," he continued.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The door will open. It will take you to the other worlds you long for, if you let it."

"Other worlds?! How do you know… ?"

"I know many things," the man said coolly. "Be prepared for the storm. The darkness is coming- embrace it." And with that, he turned his back to me and ducked into the secret place.

"Hey! I'm not letting you go that easily!" I followed him, but he had disappeared.

I watched the storm outside my window. Brilliant flashes of lightning arced through the air and the trees shook, lashed by rain and wind. The sky was a violent shade of deep purple.

Waitaminute… purple? Since when was the sky ever purple other than at sunset and sunrise?

Be prepared for the storm.

I couldn't shake the hooded man's words from my head. It just felt like there was some strange importance to them…

Then I noticed the swirling mass of black-and-purple… something in the sky.

Dark energy. A name for whatever it was formed in my mind.

The darkness is coming…

I had to know what was going on. I ran downstairs and out the door, not even bothering to grab my windbreaker.

"What do you think you're doing, young man?"

"No time to explain, Mom. I gotta go."

"Riku! You get back here-"

I shut the door.

I ran to the dock to find that Kairi's boat was gone. She must have gone to the playground island… it seemed the logical place for me to go now, too. I jumped into my boat and rowed furiously towards the smaller island, ignoring the chill wind and the rain that stung my eyes. I wasn't even worried about the lightning. It wouldn't hit me.

I hurriedly tied up my boat at the dock. The beach was swarming with strange black creatures, looking rather like cuddly bugs, with creepy glowing yellow eyes.

Shadows.

Most of them completely ignored me, though a couple swiped at my ankles as I ran by. A door, white with fancy trim, had appeared where the entrance to the secret place was.

"What the hell…?" I approached the door.

No. Go to the paopu island.

I could almost hear the hooded man. I stayed where I was, looking around for him.

Go now!

But his voice was in my mind…

"Get out of my head!" I yelled, not caring if anyone heard. "You're freaking me out!"

The Shadows gathered around me, trying to bite my pants. I kicked one, then turned and dashed towards the paopu island. The Shadows didn't follow me as I splashed into the freezing water, waded around the side of the chunk of land, and climbed the ladder.

And I waited for something to happen. I saw Kairi, looking terrified, run to the door and I called out to her, but she didn't hear me. She flung the door open and ran through, escaping a band of Shadows that was pursuing her.

Sora arrived last, as usual. He swatted at the Shadows attacking him with his toy sword, but it had no effect. He ran to the door, found it wouldn't open, and looking frantically around for somewhere to hide from the Shadows, saw me. He rushed into the little shack next to the waterfall, up the stairs, and across the bridge to the little island where I waited.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" "The door has opened..." I wasn't sure what I was saying; the words escaped from me without thought.

"What?" Unsurprisingly, Sora was completely confused.

"The door has opened, Sora!" I repeated. "Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about? We've gotta find Kairi!" Sora said urgently.

"Kairi's coming with us! Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance." I didn't know where this was coming from… like the dark energy and the Shadows, I just knew. "We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

A pool of dark energy formed around our feet, shadowy tendrils grabbing at our feet.

"Riku!"

I held out my hand. He reached for it as the dark clouds engulfed us completely.

And then… nothing.

A/N: As you can see, I edited this. Didn't want anyone crying "Mary Sue!" at a minor OC. Besides, even if Jenna does appear in any other fics besides Of Romance And Stuffed Crust Pizza, she won't have a very big role.