No reviews.( Me not loved.
Killer Deals and Lover's Chills
Chapter 4: Lose a Father Gain a Friend
Sora and Al glanced at each other, then back to the TV and back again.
"Terra.you're not Terra. You're Sora. Aren't you?"
"Er-"
"Oh. My. GOD. I don't believe it! I have a real-life Kingdom Hearts character sitting right beside me in my sister's body!" Then he thought about it. "Ewww."
"Think of how I feel," Sora muttered under his breath. "At least now we know what's going on."
"You will. That little flashy light thingie's gonna happen over my head soon enough and you'll become Sora and I won't remember that you're, well, Sora."
The screen went black in the set. The light, just as Al had predicted, flashed over his head. Al, however, was waiting patiently next to him. Sora did not change as Terra had.
He was still a girl.
"I thought we were going to play Lord of the Rings?" Al said.
"Oh, uh."
"Never mind. Let's go get something to eat."
"Um."
"Never mind."
Sora watched as Al left.
"SORA! IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE?!" Mom shouted, the house ringing with her voice. "GET DOWN HERE!" At least Mom knew his name.
Sora, trying to think back to what he'd done, raced down the single stair to the family room. The bathroom. The-uh, oh-laundry room. He blinked in shock. The clothes he had put in the washer, all different colors and shades, were now all white. Every last bit of it. Stark white.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Um.I was getting tired of black?"
"You didn't have to die all of the clothes in here!"
"Um.Sorry?"
Mom sputtered, trying to find words for her wrath and got lost herself. She shoved the white clothes into the dryer. Glared at him.
"Go order some pizza."
"Okay. Come on, Al, help me out here."
*Scene*
"Sora, you'd best get to work on that English paper," Mom said once everyone was feeding their face with pizza. "Trading Spaces is coming tomorrow to start shooting. Edward will be here to measure this afternoon." She pressed her fingers to her face, squealing. "I wonder what he'll do to my family room? Ooh, this is soooo exciting!"
Sora, however, wasn't paying attention. How come Terra got her body back, but he didn't? He was still in the girl's body, without eyelashes and lacking a left eyebrow. What happened to her to loose those things, anyway?
"Oh, Sora, your friend Blank is coming over to spend the night, I totally forgot," Mom said. "Did she tell you when she was coming?"
"Er.no."
"Then go get the phone and do it. Her new number is in the speed dial, on 3. Ask her to bring her sleeping bag-you need your sleep tonight. No telling what Frank will give us for homework."
"Um.okay."
Sora really wasn't cut out for this. What was he going to do? He probably should start referring to himself as a girl anyway. Looks like he'll be one for a while. Why didn't he get to be a guy?
Perhaps this was all in the twisted destiny ideas Terra's friends and his had. And, if he was such a strong Anomaly, then why didn't he remember this conversation? Or the way his "destiny" in the Kingdom Hearts world went?
"Hello, Blank?"
"This is she."
"Er.this is Sora. Mom said to ask when you were coming to spend the night here."
"I'm headed over now, SJ," she said. "Did you enjoy our little twist on the deal?"
"Oh, yeah, sure, loved it," Sora said, her voice oozing sarcasm. "Your one of the people who sprung this on us?"
"Yup. Look, I'll explain more later. See ya in a few!" Click.
Sora put the phone back in its cradle and headed back to finish his pizza. He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all.
Blank arrived with a sleeping bag and a small bag full of belongings. She grinned at Sora as soon as she saw her, but didn't talk. In a flurry of welcomes and hellos on the parts of Mom, Al, and Sora (quite sullenly), they finally retreated into "Sora's" bedroom. Well, I guess it really is his. Hers. Whatever!
"Why am I still in Terra's body?!" Sora hissed to her.
"Because it makes the whole thing ten times more interesting," Blank smiled. "Did you know that Terra-that's you, in all fact here and now-and my brother have what we girls-that's you and me-call a history?"
"I'm not a girl!" Sora whispered frantically.
"On the contrary, Sora Jem, SJ, you are a sixteen year old woman with a great deal of a back story, as you would yourself say."
"Back story?"
"A story not written into a story. What happened before the tale began," Blank smirked. She was very similar to Riku, in many ways. And, as Sora would soon find, similar to Kyle, her brother. "I suppose you're wondering why you don't have eyelashes, or a left brow."
"You could say that."
"It has everything to do with why Terra doesn't have a father," Blank sighed. "Just like you, Sora."
Sora kicked his feet against the bed.
"They lived in Florida until she was eight years old," Blank said. "There was a forest fire. It took several residences, and her family's house was right in the way. Her father refused to leave. Terra's just as stubborn and bull-headed, you'll find. Her mother took five-year-old Al to their grandparents, but Terra wasn't going without her dad. She hid in a cupboard in the kitchen."
"Did the fire get them?"
"Yes. The fire overtook faster than either of them could have predicted. Terra decided against staying any more. She went to find her father, who was in her parents' bedroom. That room was closest to the fire."
"Did she save him?"
"She managed to drag him out of the house, all right. Her lashes and brow were burned off, but she didn't get close enough to get more than a few minor scrapes and burns. Terra's father wasn't so lucky. He'd inhaled too much of the smoke."
Blank stared at Sora, true to her name in every way.
"He died in the hospital from toxic fumes. He spent the last of his breath telling her to watch over her brother, and listen to her mother, and get through school, as he hadn't. She's followed that advice to the letter since. So much so that she is completely selfless. You can tell it in her eyes that all she wants to do is draw and write and paint. She wants to settle down soon. She needs someone to break her from that stupid pattern of servitude. She couldn't save her father from his own stubbornness. Terra needs to learn that she can be herself and follow what her father said."
"So that's why you chose her?"
"Oh, no," Blank giggled suddenly. "She's got a certain little crush on a certain pal of yours. I won't say who, but let's just say.he's got the goods."
Sora cocked his head to the side. "What?"
Blank sighed. "You really have a lot to learn. We've got all night."
***
"Well, that's all we'll need, I think," Kairi said. She looked up at Terra and Riku and smiled. "We'll cast off tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah," Riku nodded. "Sounds good. Up to it, Terra?"
"Sure," she said.
How long did Riku, or whoever, stall the disappearance of Destiny Islands? Would it just come tomorrow night instead? Or would they be out at sea, trying to keep that rickety raft afloat? Or would they reach another island?
Or would it be by minutes? Seconds?
"Terra? You okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine," she smiled. "Why?"
"You don't look too good," Riku said. His eyes widened a little, followed by his smile. "C'mon. I've got an idea."
"Wha-"
"C'mon!" He grabbed her wrist, almost with the same force as before. Her silver eyes widened. What was Riku doing? The world was a blur of tan, green, and blue. The only thing she could see clearly was Riku, wearing a tight-fitting yellow jumpsuit and a silver belt languidly tied instead of latched.
"Riku, where-?"
He stopped short, catching her momentum with his arms. A silvery white glove covered her lips, quieting her question. Motioning for her to follow him, he crept into the waterfall near the Secret Place Terra knew all too well.
"I found them this morning when I was getting mushrooms," Riku said softly. "Be careful, I don't know where the mom is right now."
Nestled far against the wall of the shallow cavern were three small kittens, completely white. Each one was wrapped firmly in ribbons and rested on top of sun-dried grass.
Terra crept up close to them and smiled.
"They're so adorable," she said softly. "I wish I could have a kitten. My mom-"
"Is allergic, I know," Riku nodded, smiling. "I knew you loved them, so, when I found them, I had to show them to you."
"Thanks, Riku," Terra said. "C'mon. We'd better leave before their momma gets back."
"Yeah," he wrapped an arm around her. "You're shivering."
"I guess I didn't notice before," Terra giggled nervously. Now that he mentioned it, it was like a freezer behind the falls. She glanced back at the kittens. "I guess, um. Could we stay? Until their mom gets back, at least?"
"Terra, you're freezing already."
"I know. But I don't want to just leave them."
"If we get our scent near them, she won't come back, Terra," Riku said. "You know that. They'd die."
"If we just sit near the falls, the water will wash our scent away," Terra pleaded. "Please, Riku?"
"Oh, fine," he rolled his eyes. "You'll stay here whether I do or not, I might as well keep you company."
"Thank you," Terra smiled and sat down next to the falls. "So.we're leaving tomorrow. How do you think Excalibur will handle?"
"Three great craftspeople worked hard to make it. There's no doubt it will handle well."
"We should bring your boat with us."
"Why?"
"In case, if something happens."
Terra looked up at him, standing with his weight shifted ever to the right. He stood like a king, regal and poised. Like a great warrior, prepared to fight to the death to get what he wanted.
Like her. "Riku?"
"Hmm?"
"Why did we become friends?"
"Huh?!" He stepped back, shocked. "What do you mean?"
"We're so similar.You'd think we would be fighting every step of the way." Terra smiled, throwing her gaze at the waterfalls.
"I remember when we first met," Riku said, sitting down next to her. "You were eight years old, all alone in the world. You'd saved your father, only to have him die. So shy . . . the only thing you'd do in school was draw and write, draw and write, that's all you thought of.
"You were drawing me and Tidus in a fight, remember? He was actually winning-or so he thought. And I fell on top of you. My sword nearly sliced off your arm. But you didn't care. You cared about getting your sketch finished."
Riku laughed, not looking at her. He smiled at the falling waters. "And you gave it to me. I've still got it, in my room. I-I-"
"You kept it?"
"Of course," Riku smiled. "We've been friends ever since."
************************************************************************
O_O I scare myself sometimes. I've no idea where I got the idea of her not caring about her arm getting cut. O-~ Take it any way you want to! Critics, please! SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELLOOOOOO! *echo*
Killer Deals and Lover's Chills
Chapter 4: Lose a Father Gain a Friend
Sora and Al glanced at each other, then back to the TV and back again.
"Terra.you're not Terra. You're Sora. Aren't you?"
"Er-"
"Oh. My. GOD. I don't believe it! I have a real-life Kingdom Hearts character sitting right beside me in my sister's body!" Then he thought about it. "Ewww."
"Think of how I feel," Sora muttered under his breath. "At least now we know what's going on."
"You will. That little flashy light thingie's gonna happen over my head soon enough and you'll become Sora and I won't remember that you're, well, Sora."
The screen went black in the set. The light, just as Al had predicted, flashed over his head. Al, however, was waiting patiently next to him. Sora did not change as Terra had.
He was still a girl.
"I thought we were going to play Lord of the Rings?" Al said.
"Oh, uh."
"Never mind. Let's go get something to eat."
"Um."
"Never mind."
Sora watched as Al left.
"SORA! IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE?!" Mom shouted, the house ringing with her voice. "GET DOWN HERE!" At least Mom knew his name.
Sora, trying to think back to what he'd done, raced down the single stair to the family room. The bathroom. The-uh, oh-laundry room. He blinked in shock. The clothes he had put in the washer, all different colors and shades, were now all white. Every last bit of it. Stark white.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Um.I was getting tired of black?"
"You didn't have to die all of the clothes in here!"
"Um.Sorry?"
Mom sputtered, trying to find words for her wrath and got lost herself. She shoved the white clothes into the dryer. Glared at him.
"Go order some pizza."
"Okay. Come on, Al, help me out here."
*Scene*
"Sora, you'd best get to work on that English paper," Mom said once everyone was feeding their face with pizza. "Trading Spaces is coming tomorrow to start shooting. Edward will be here to measure this afternoon." She pressed her fingers to her face, squealing. "I wonder what he'll do to my family room? Ooh, this is soooo exciting!"
Sora, however, wasn't paying attention. How come Terra got her body back, but he didn't? He was still in the girl's body, without eyelashes and lacking a left eyebrow. What happened to her to loose those things, anyway?
"Oh, Sora, your friend Blank is coming over to spend the night, I totally forgot," Mom said. "Did she tell you when she was coming?"
"Er.no."
"Then go get the phone and do it. Her new number is in the speed dial, on 3. Ask her to bring her sleeping bag-you need your sleep tonight. No telling what Frank will give us for homework."
"Um.okay."
Sora really wasn't cut out for this. What was he going to do? He probably should start referring to himself as a girl anyway. Looks like he'll be one for a while. Why didn't he get to be a guy?
Perhaps this was all in the twisted destiny ideas Terra's friends and his had. And, if he was such a strong Anomaly, then why didn't he remember this conversation? Or the way his "destiny" in the Kingdom Hearts world went?
"Hello, Blank?"
"This is she."
"Er.this is Sora. Mom said to ask when you were coming to spend the night here."
"I'm headed over now, SJ," she said. "Did you enjoy our little twist on the deal?"
"Oh, yeah, sure, loved it," Sora said, her voice oozing sarcasm. "Your one of the people who sprung this on us?"
"Yup. Look, I'll explain more later. See ya in a few!" Click.
Sora put the phone back in its cradle and headed back to finish his pizza. He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all.
Blank arrived with a sleeping bag and a small bag full of belongings. She grinned at Sora as soon as she saw her, but didn't talk. In a flurry of welcomes and hellos on the parts of Mom, Al, and Sora (quite sullenly), they finally retreated into "Sora's" bedroom. Well, I guess it really is his. Hers. Whatever!
"Why am I still in Terra's body?!" Sora hissed to her.
"Because it makes the whole thing ten times more interesting," Blank smiled. "Did you know that Terra-that's you, in all fact here and now-and my brother have what we girls-that's you and me-call a history?"
"I'm not a girl!" Sora whispered frantically.
"On the contrary, Sora Jem, SJ, you are a sixteen year old woman with a great deal of a back story, as you would yourself say."
"Back story?"
"A story not written into a story. What happened before the tale began," Blank smirked. She was very similar to Riku, in many ways. And, as Sora would soon find, similar to Kyle, her brother. "I suppose you're wondering why you don't have eyelashes, or a left brow."
"You could say that."
"It has everything to do with why Terra doesn't have a father," Blank sighed. "Just like you, Sora."
Sora kicked his feet against the bed.
"They lived in Florida until she was eight years old," Blank said. "There was a forest fire. It took several residences, and her family's house was right in the way. Her father refused to leave. Terra's just as stubborn and bull-headed, you'll find. Her mother took five-year-old Al to their grandparents, but Terra wasn't going without her dad. She hid in a cupboard in the kitchen."
"Did the fire get them?"
"Yes. The fire overtook faster than either of them could have predicted. Terra decided against staying any more. She went to find her father, who was in her parents' bedroom. That room was closest to the fire."
"Did she save him?"
"She managed to drag him out of the house, all right. Her lashes and brow were burned off, but she didn't get close enough to get more than a few minor scrapes and burns. Terra's father wasn't so lucky. He'd inhaled too much of the smoke."
Blank stared at Sora, true to her name in every way.
"He died in the hospital from toxic fumes. He spent the last of his breath telling her to watch over her brother, and listen to her mother, and get through school, as he hadn't. She's followed that advice to the letter since. So much so that she is completely selfless. You can tell it in her eyes that all she wants to do is draw and write and paint. She wants to settle down soon. She needs someone to break her from that stupid pattern of servitude. She couldn't save her father from his own stubbornness. Terra needs to learn that she can be herself and follow what her father said."
"So that's why you chose her?"
"Oh, no," Blank giggled suddenly. "She's got a certain little crush on a certain pal of yours. I won't say who, but let's just say.he's got the goods."
Sora cocked his head to the side. "What?"
Blank sighed. "You really have a lot to learn. We've got all night."
***
"Well, that's all we'll need, I think," Kairi said. She looked up at Terra and Riku and smiled. "We'll cast off tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah," Riku nodded. "Sounds good. Up to it, Terra?"
"Sure," she said.
How long did Riku, or whoever, stall the disappearance of Destiny Islands? Would it just come tomorrow night instead? Or would they be out at sea, trying to keep that rickety raft afloat? Or would they reach another island?
Or would it be by minutes? Seconds?
"Terra? You okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine," she smiled. "Why?"
"You don't look too good," Riku said. His eyes widened a little, followed by his smile. "C'mon. I've got an idea."
"Wha-"
"C'mon!" He grabbed her wrist, almost with the same force as before. Her silver eyes widened. What was Riku doing? The world was a blur of tan, green, and blue. The only thing she could see clearly was Riku, wearing a tight-fitting yellow jumpsuit and a silver belt languidly tied instead of latched.
"Riku, where-?"
He stopped short, catching her momentum with his arms. A silvery white glove covered her lips, quieting her question. Motioning for her to follow him, he crept into the waterfall near the Secret Place Terra knew all too well.
"I found them this morning when I was getting mushrooms," Riku said softly. "Be careful, I don't know where the mom is right now."
Nestled far against the wall of the shallow cavern were three small kittens, completely white. Each one was wrapped firmly in ribbons and rested on top of sun-dried grass.
Terra crept up close to them and smiled.
"They're so adorable," she said softly. "I wish I could have a kitten. My mom-"
"Is allergic, I know," Riku nodded, smiling. "I knew you loved them, so, when I found them, I had to show them to you."
"Thanks, Riku," Terra said. "C'mon. We'd better leave before their momma gets back."
"Yeah," he wrapped an arm around her. "You're shivering."
"I guess I didn't notice before," Terra giggled nervously. Now that he mentioned it, it was like a freezer behind the falls. She glanced back at the kittens. "I guess, um. Could we stay? Until their mom gets back, at least?"
"Terra, you're freezing already."
"I know. But I don't want to just leave them."
"If we get our scent near them, she won't come back, Terra," Riku said. "You know that. They'd die."
"If we just sit near the falls, the water will wash our scent away," Terra pleaded. "Please, Riku?"
"Oh, fine," he rolled his eyes. "You'll stay here whether I do or not, I might as well keep you company."
"Thank you," Terra smiled and sat down next to the falls. "So.we're leaving tomorrow. How do you think Excalibur will handle?"
"Three great craftspeople worked hard to make it. There's no doubt it will handle well."
"We should bring your boat with us."
"Why?"
"In case, if something happens."
Terra looked up at him, standing with his weight shifted ever to the right. He stood like a king, regal and poised. Like a great warrior, prepared to fight to the death to get what he wanted.
Like her. "Riku?"
"Hmm?"
"Why did we become friends?"
"Huh?!" He stepped back, shocked. "What do you mean?"
"We're so similar.You'd think we would be fighting every step of the way." Terra smiled, throwing her gaze at the waterfalls.
"I remember when we first met," Riku said, sitting down next to her. "You were eight years old, all alone in the world. You'd saved your father, only to have him die. So shy . . . the only thing you'd do in school was draw and write, draw and write, that's all you thought of.
"You were drawing me and Tidus in a fight, remember? He was actually winning-or so he thought. And I fell on top of you. My sword nearly sliced off your arm. But you didn't care. You cared about getting your sketch finished."
Riku laughed, not looking at her. He smiled at the falling waters. "And you gave it to me. I've still got it, in my room. I-I-"
"You kept it?"
"Of course," Riku smiled. "We've been friends ever since."
************************************************************************
O_O I scare myself sometimes. I've no idea where I got the idea of her not caring about her arm getting cut. O-~ Take it any way you want to! Critics, please! SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELLOOOOOO! *echo*