Destiny Islands.....
Sora snapped awake, only to find one of his closest friends, Kairi, laughing at him. She was quite pretty, with short brown hair that covered her face. She wore a white shirt lined with violet and violet shorts.
He was in a place very familiar to him; the local beach. The sun was shining and the palm trees were waving slightly in the break. A few buildings had been erected with cheep timbers, but beyond that the place was wild and free.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Sora as he tried to regain his senses. Kairi continued to giggle. "Give me a break, Kairi." He checked himself, making sure everything was still there. His brown hair was as spiky as ever. His weird assortment of red clothing had not been damaged at all by the fight he thought he had just been through.
"Sora, you lazy bum! I knew I'd find you snoozing down here," Kairi lightly scolded.
"No!" protested Sora. "This huge black.... thing swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't....ouch!" He rubbed his head. That was still sore from the battle.
"Are you still dreaming?"
"It wasn't a dream!" insisted Sora. "......Or was it....? I don't know. What was that place.....so bizarre....."
"Yeah, sure," said Kairi, who wasn't convinced.
Sora decided it was time to change the topic. "Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up." Kairi was fairly new to the area and Sora had constantly been trying to find out more about her.
"I told you, I don't remember," answered Kairi.
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing...."
"You ever want to go back?"
"Well, I'm happy here," she answered with a shrug.
"Really?" asked Sora. Somehow that idea made him happy.
"But you know," said Kairi, "I wouldn't mind going to see it."
"I'd like to see it too! Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see them all!" This was Sora's dream. His friends were convinced that there were other dimensions, other realities beside their own. And they were determined to find them.
"So what are we waiting for?"
"Hey, are you guys forgetting about me?" a new voice asked. Sora's other best friend, Riku, walked over. He had on a surfer's tropical wet-suit. His platinum blonde hair hung by his ears like it was wet, even though it wasn't. Beneath the clothing a few muscles bulged.
"So I guess I'm the only one working on the raft?" he said. His tone was light, but it still carried a slight edge.
He threw a log he had been carrying at Sora. Sora tried to catch it, but the weight of it caused him to fall.
"And your just as lazy as he is!" Riku turned to Kairi.
"So you've noticed," said Kairi, good-naturedly. "OK, we'll finish it together! I'll race ya!" She took off running down the beach.
"Huh?" asked Sora as he stood up from under the log.
"Are you kidding?" asked Riku, equally shocked.
"Come on!" teased Kairi as she looked back. That was all the encouragement the boys needed. They started running too.
After racing across the beach Riku walked off, leaving Kairi and Sora to work on the raft.
"So can you gather the rest of the supplies?" asked Kairi. "Sora, are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, I heard you," replied Sora with a shrug.
"OK, here's what you need to find," said Kairi, "two logs, one cloth, one rope. Bring everything back here. If you need any help, just ask. I'm counting on you." Sora smiled at the last line.
"Don't worry, I won't let you down," he said as he walked off.
He had a general idea about where to find everything. He first ran into a nearby shack and took the mat off of the wall, that would serve well enough for their sail. As he left he saw Wakka playing with his beach ball on the beach.
"Hey, Wakka," greeted Sora.
"Hey," Wakka waved back. He held up his ball. "Care to go one on one?"
"Sure," said Sora after a moment's thought. He walked down and drew his weapon. It was a wooden sword he had carved out of a piece of drift wood. "Let's go!"
Sora swung, but Wakka was able to deflect it with his ball. The broke apart and circled each other. Sora then swung again. But in the process he dropped his guard. Wakka threw the ball and it hit Sora directly on the head.
"Ow!"
"Gotcha!"
"I'm not done!" said Sora. Wakka was already retrieving his ball. Sora took off after him.
He thought he had the element of surprise so he swung. But once again Wakka deflected it with his beach ball.
"Your too predictable," said Wakka. He maneuvered his ball from hand to hand as he waited for the right moment to strike.
Sora swung again and Wakka threw. But Sora planned this. He swung the wooden sword in a figure eight and connected with the ball. He sent it straight back at Wakka with double the speed! It connected and Wakka dropped to the sand.
"Looks like I won," said Sora as he offered to help Wakka up.
"Yeah, you did," said Wakka with a slight groan.
"Later," said Sora as he walked off.
"Yeah," waved Wakka back.
Sora kept walking along the beach until he tripped over a piece of drift wood. He stood up and kicked it. Then he did a little dance as he toes started to hurt.
"Hey, maybe this will work for one of the logs," he said. He picked it up and dragged it over to Kairi. He was sweating when he got there.
"Well, I have the cloth and a log," he said as he handed them to her.
"I knew you would," she said. "I'll put these together while you go find the rest."
"OK," said Sora. Kairi smiled at him as he left. Sora felt new energy.
Sora walked off, heading back along the beach. He was in a sort of daze and he didn't notice when he almost walked into the dock. Selphie looked down at him and giggled.
"Hi, Sora," she said, still laughing.
"Hi," replied Sora, rubbing his head. "Have you seen some decent drift wood around here?"
"No," she answered. "I up for a one on one match, how about you?" She held up her jump rope.
"Sure," said Sora as he brandished his make shift sword. The faced off.
"I warn you, I'm tricky," she said as she flung her jump rope at him.
Sora jerked left and missed, while swing. His stroke was far off and Selphie giggled at the attempt.
"You can do better than that!" she said as she danced out of his reach.
"Then watch this!" Sora exclaimed as he struck high. Selphie threw her jump rope and managed to deflect his attack.
"Not good enough," she said lightly. She swung again and grazed his ear. Sora backed away, the side of his face smarting.
"Poor Sora," cooed Selphie. She swung the rope wildly around her head before hurling it at him.
This time Sora was prepared. He held his sword up and deflected the attack right back at her. It hit her on the forehead. Selphie slid to the beach, stunned.
"You're so mean!" she pouted.
"Sorry," he apologized as he helped her up.
"You're getting better," said Selphie as she rubbed her head. "But Riku is still better than you."
"Hey!" protested Sora. Selphie gave him 'the look.'
"Sorry, I've gotta go," said Sora. "I need to find some more things."
"Bye," waved Selphie.
Sora walked off. He decided to climb around the treehouse to find some rope. There always seemed to be some rope there for the boats. As Sora walked around the treehouse he saw Tidus lounging around.
"Hey Tidus," said Sora. Then he notices some good, strong rope in the corner. "Some rope!" He pounced on it.
"Sora," chuckled Tidus as he shook his head. "Hey, I'm bored. Care for a round?"
"Sorry, no I have to get back to Kairi," Sora answered.
"Good, I think I am too sore for that stuff," said Tidus as he reclined some more. "Selphie, Wakka, and I challenge Riku three on one, and he still beat us!"
"So that's what Selphie was talking about," muttered Sora. "Well, bye!" He ran off.
"Sora," muttered Tidus, again shaking his head.
Sora jumped out of the treehouse and began to run along the stretch of palms towards Kairi. He was again so focused on her that he tripped over one of the fallen palms.
"Ouch," me moaned as he stood up. "Hey a log!" The pain was forgotten as Sora drug it back to Kairi.
As he went across the beach, Sora looked up. On a high outcropping Riku was laying on a half fallen tree. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Sora looked down and refocused on his task.
"You did it! I knew you could!" said Kairi when she saw him. She was in the middle of the other pieces, lining them up.
"I'd never let you down," Sora replied as he dropped the log in the sand.
"Thanks, Sora," repeated Kairi. "Lend me a hand." Sora knelt down and they began to assemble the raft.
"I found something for you today, too," said Kairi. "Here." She handed him a Hi-Potion. "In case you ever get hurt."
"Me, get hurt?" said Sora.
"You're accident prone," replied Kairi with a sweet smile. The finished the raft as the sun began to set.
"Tired?" asked Kairi as they sat back to admire their work. "Want to call it a day?"
"Yeah," agreed Sora, feeling the soreness set in in his muscles already. "Let's go home."
"OK," said Kairi. She walked across the beach. Then she looked back and waved. "Good night, Sora." She turned and headed home.
"Huff," Sora heard on the wind. He looked up to see Riku in the same spot he had been in the afternoon. Sora decided to delay coming home for a moment and took the stairs up to Riku.
He sat down next to Riku and they looked at the sky. Finally, Sora had to say something to break the silence.
"So, Kairi's home is out there, somewhere, right?" he asked.
"Could be," said Riku with a shrug. "We'll never know by staying here."
"But how far could a raft take us?"
"Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."
"So," said Sora, pausing to think how to word his comment. "Suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?"
"Well, I haven't thought about it....." replied Riku, just as thoughtfully. "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 easily end up somewhere else, right?"
Sora leaned back. "I don't know."
"That is why we need to get out there and find out," stated Riku. "Just sitting around here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So, let's go."
"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" asked Kairi as she appeared from behind them. She sat down and made herself comfortable.
"Thanks to you," answered Riku. "If you hadn't come here..... I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks."
"You're welcome."
They sat around a little longer, then truly decided to call it a night. Sora watched as Kairi walked off. Riku snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Sora!"
Sora turned in time to catch a flying object that was coming straight at his gut.
"You wanted one, didn't you?" asked Riku.
Sora turned the item over in his hands. It was a golden yellow, star shaped fruit.
"A paopu fruit," muttered Sora.
"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," said Riku as he explained a common folklore. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what. Come on. I know you want to try it."
"What are you talking.....?"
Riku broke into laughter and raced passed Sora. Sora dropped the fruit and took off after him.
**************************************************************************** ****
Metro City.....
Verity raised her head from the book she was reading. Actually, she fell asleep while reading it and she was only now just waking up.
"Sleepyhead," muttered her friend, Meg, who was reading a manga next to her. She had golden hair and blue eyes. She had a natural grace, which was the complete opposite of Verity. Her clothing was stylish, from Deb. Verity looked like her clothing came from Goodwill. They were so different it seemed hard to believe they were close.
"What happened?" muttered Verity as she stretched. She then pulled her stringy forest green hair out of her face.
"You fell asleep reading," replied Meg. "Well, I guess there's a first time for everything."
"No, I mean those shadows and the you all sounded like robots, and..... my shadow!" she jumped up, looking at her shadow. It remained like it always had.
"Must have been a weird dream," replied Meg. "So have you come up with any new ideas for our project?"
"Project?"
"Making the costumes for Shakespeare's Tempest in our English class....." said Meg, somewhat sarcastically. She turned to manga around to show some fairies. "Stuff like this."
"A wand......" muttered Verity, remembering the dream.
"Well, we do need a staff," said Meg. "Listen, I am going to scan these books. You need to find some more. We need one on fairies, one on magic, and one on costume making."
"Sure, I'll be right back," said Verity as she stood up. She looked around. It was her library, everything was normal, the people, the books, the computers. Then why could she not shake the feeling that everything had changed?
She walked around a bit, reacquainting herself with everything. She knew where to find everything in the library, but she needed reassurance that everything was normal.
"Hey, Ver," said Willis as he turned away from the shelf. Willis was older than she was and worked at the library.
"Hi," she said.
"What? Speak up, I can never hear you," said Willis.
"I said 'hi.' Are there any new books on magic?" she asked.
"We have a few," said Willis. "Check in the fiction section. But you might have to pry a few away from Samantha." Samantha spent every waking minute in the library. She was even more of a bookworm than Verity.
Verity walked to the fiction section. Samantha was there, nose deep in a book.
"Hi, Sam," greeted Verity. No response. "Hi, Samantha." Samantha did not reply. "Samantha!"
"Oh, what?" asked Samantha as she looked up. "Sorry Verity, I didn't hear you."
"Willis said something about some new books being in," answered Verity. "Any on magic."
"Sure," answered Samantha. She picked a few off of the shelves. "These. But get them back soon. They look good and I want to read them."
"Thanks."
"Oh!" Samantha pulled another one off of the shelf. "Take this one. It looks really interesting."
"OK," agreed Verity before returning to her seat with Meg.
"So, what did you find?"
"Some stuff on magic."
"Good, but we still need some stuff on how to make costumes," said Meg as she took the books. Verity sighed and stood up again. She walked to the non-fiction section. As she rounded a corner, she bumped into someone.
"Watch where your going!" that person snapped. It was Hannah.
"Sorry, Hannah," replied Verity.
"Huff!"
"In a bad mood today?"
"Whatever," retorted Hannah before walking off. Hannah was a nice girl, at times. But when she was in a bad mood watch out.
Verity decided to ignore her and turned her attention back to finding books on costumes. Several minutes later she returned to Meg.
"You found them!" exclaimed Meg. "What do we have....." She dove into one book and began to make notes.
"Hey, girls," said Scott as he walked over. Scott's family was from Japan, so he looked the part. He was short, and that fact he was never allowed to forget. His clothing was neat, despite the fact he had survived all day in school in it.
"Did you get the stuff?" asked Meg as she set the book down.
"Yep! Now we work," he threw down a craft store bag. In it was cloth and various other necessities for their task.
"Oh, and Ver," said Scott. Verity looked up. "I got this for you." He handed her a Hi-Potion. Verity laughed.
It was an inside joke. When they first met Scott had fallen off of his bike. Verity pulled out a Hi-Potion and tried to help him. It was one of those memorable moments.
"Verity, you said you wanted to make the staff?" asked Meg as she handed her the stuff. Verity shrugged and started on the task.
It was silent while they worked. Meg was busy taking notes and making sketches as she came up with ideas. Scott was busy trying to make Meg's ideas practical. Verity had her hands full making the accessories. She worked especially hard on the staff, trying to remember the one from her dream.
"The library is closing in ten minutes," a voice said over the PA a few hours later.
"Eight already?" asked Scott. "Wow! We'd better go."
"I'll say. My mom is going to kill me for being late," agreed Meg and they gathered their stuff.
They exited and started to walk home together.
"This is going to be great. I have so many ideas for fairy costumes and....." jabbered Meg.
"Most of which are so fancy they could never happen," interrupted Scott.
"But they are pretty," said Verity.
"But I like your wand," said Meg. She took it out of Verity's hands and started to swing it through the air. "Although it may be a little too short for the stage."
"Here," said Verity as she held her hand out. Meg handed it back. But as Verity gripped it, a tingle ran through her hands. A few sparks jumped from the wand.
"What was that?!" asked Scott.
"It had to be static electricity," said Meg. Verity was too busy staring at the wand to answer.
"Why did you check out this book?" asked Scott. He held up a book called Our Other Worlds (AN/ I made up the name).
"Oh, Samantha suggested it," answered Verity.
"This is funny," he said as he read the back cover. "Worlds out there besides our own? Other dimensions? Sounds completely sci-fi."
"I wish it was real," sighed Meg with starry eyes. She was a dreamer though and through.
"I kind of like things this way," said Verity. "It's easier. I like figuring out how things work and why. Other worlds? I can't find any logic behind that. That is why the book is fiction." Verity loved science and logic. This was another area she was different from Scott.
"But, can you imagine the possibilities?" asked Meg. "Dragons, fairies, magic, chivalry, true love, mages......"
"You need a reality check," scolded Scott.
"Can you prove there aren't other dimensions?" challenge Meg.
"How can you prove something as weird as that?" asked Verity.
"Until you can prove me wrong, I'll believe we are not alone," insisted Meg.
"So, now do you believe in aliens? Or how about Santa Claus?" teased Scott.
"That's not what I meant!" protested Meg.
"Oh, here's my turn. See ya later," said Scott. With a wave he walked down his home street.
Meg sighed. "Do you think he notices me?"
"What?" asked Verity.
"Do you think Scott notices me?" she asked.
"He was just talking to you."
"Not that. I mean, do you think he likes me?"
"I don't know...... I can't deal with people, they are so irrational. That is why I like science. You can make sense of that."
"I wish he'd notice me."
"Do you still wish on a star?" asked Verity as she pointed to the first few as they appeared.
"Sure, it's magic," said Meg. She picked a star and made a wish. The star twinkled brightly, then disappeared.
"What was that?!" she gasped.
"What?"
"My star disappeared!"
"Huh?" asked Verity, looking up. "It probably went behind a cloud."
"I don't like it. Let's hurry home," suggested Meg. They lived next door to each other, and they hurried back.
**************************************************************************** ****
Forgotten Forest........
Lee snapped awake. He jumped up, only to hit his head on a branch before getting twisted in the bush he had fallen asleep under.
"Ouch! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he protested as he tried to pull his way free. His navy blue Chinese dragon over shirt had snagged. He could also feel branches in his already messy black hair.
"You goofball. Maybe next time you watch where you fall asleep," teased a girl who was sitting in a tree branch. She looked perfectly at home up there. Her dark brown hair had several leaves in it. Her jeans were torn and mud stained. She wore a T-shirt commemorating some forgotten event. She looked beautiful. Lee felt himself blushing.
"I didn't fall asleep!" he protested. "I was attacked by my own shadow. But I had this shield and...."
"Dreaming again?" asked Adeola, the girl. "You never change."
"It wasn't a dream!"
"It wasn't?" she asked, skeptically.
"It didn't seem like one......" he said, his protests dying.
"Here the two of you are!" a boy walked over. He was clearly built up. His white T-shirt had the sleeves cut off. His hair was crew cut, hiding its true color. "I should have known Lee would be sleeping and Adeola would be acting light a bird."
"Lighten up," she said as she jumped down. "This is our vacation."
"And you are spending it miles away from the camp," said Devan, the boy.
"The lake isn't that far," said Adeola. "And we should have it all to ourselves! None of the others like hiking enough to get there!" With that she took off running.
"Hey!" protested Lee.
"Come on!" exclaimed Adeola. She looked back, never once breaking pace.
"Let's go," said Devan with a shrug as they started off after her.
It was about a half a mile to the lake. Three minutes later the guys were there. The lake was beautiful. The waters were pure from the lack of human visitors. The sky above the lake was beautiful. The trees around it only made it more picturesque.
"Where is Adeola?" asked Lee.
"Cannonball!" exclaimed Devan as he jumped in with a huge splash, simultaneously soaking Lee.
"Hey!" protested Lee. He heard giggling above him. Adeola was in a tree, looking down at him.
"You boys are so funny!" with that she gracefully dove into the lake, hardly leaving a ripple. She emerged, completely soaked considering she had dived in fully clothed.
"Come on!" she waved Lee in. Lee kicked off his shoes and followed them in.
After swimming most of the morning they crawled onto some rocks to dry.
"I love it here!" sighed Adeola. "I wish we never had to leave. When we leave we all have to go to our own homes and we'll probably never see each other again.
"Until the next camp out," said Devan. For the past six years their families had seemed to camp out the same weekend in summer. They had become close friends despite the short times they had spent together. But lately Lee wanted something more with Adeola.
"I wish it could always be that way," sighed Adeola.
"Don't sound so negative," said Lee.
"Do you know the forest is one living thing?" asked Adeola.
"What are you talking about?" asked Devan.
"It may seem that the trees and the animals and the sky, water, and plants are all different, but they are all connected," said Adeola. "The tree roots are all intertwined. You hurt one tree, the rest feel it. The tree take in the water, earth, and sky. And the animals live in the trees. All different, but all the same. They all need each other, they are all important. Their lives are woven together..... Sort of like us..... We can't seem to stay apart if we try."
"I know," agreed Lee. "No matter what happens, we'll always remember to be friends."
"It's a promise," agreed Devan.
"We should be heading back," said Adeola as she began to walk away.
They walked the distance back to the camp grounds. There, they were greeted by an unexpected surprise.
"Take that!"
"Bombs away!"
"Die!" Nyx, Nathan, and Xan began to pelt them with water balloons.
"Hey!" protested Adeola.
"I'll protect you!" said Devan as he stood in front of her.
Lee's reaction surprised him. He picked up the lid of a nearby trash can and began to use it as a shield. Then he jumped in front of Devan and Adeola, trying to keep them as dry as possible.
"No fair!" protested Xan.
"More ammo!" demanded Nathan. He grabbed a bucket and dumped it over the lid, all over Lee.
"Hey!" protested Lee. But by that time everyone was laughing too hard to fight or defend.
"That was good, that was real good," compliment Adeola.
"Hey, Lee was a genius, with that lid and all," said Nyx.
"But he can't beat the H2O Master!" said Nathan as he waved his empty bucket.
"How long have you guys been planning this?" asked Devan.
"Since last summer," answered Xan with a shrug.
"Come on," said Lee. "Let's go find some towels."
Later that night the group was gathering around a campfire. It was tradition for them to make s'mores each night. Most of them had already gathered, everyone except Adeola and Xan.
"Do you know what they say about the forest?" asked Nyx.
"What?" asked Devan.
"The entire forest is connected," she answered.
"That's what Adeola said!" exclaimed Lee.
"Yeah, but they say if two people can make themselves a part of the forest, then they will forever be connected, that their lives will be as conjoined as the roots of the trees," continued Nyx.
"How does someone do that?" asked Nathan.
"The most common way is to carve your initials into a really old tree," said Nyx.
"I don't see what good that does anyone," said Adeola as she walked over with a fresh chocolate bar. "The trees would all feel the same pain. That means those two lives would be linked by pain."
"Is there anything else?" asked Devan to Nyx.
"Well, I've heard of one, but it is much harder," answered Nyx. "If you can find a fallen branch of a Starli Tree and carve two rings out of it, but the rings must be connected, then you have to bury the rings beneath the roots of the forest, then your lives will also be connected."
"Wow," muttered Nathan.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Xan as he walked over with a bag of marshmallows, from which he was eating.
"A story that Nyx knows," answered Nathan.
"Another one?" asked Xan. "Last time she told stories they were about ghosts and they gave you guys nightmares for a week." Nyx giggled.
They continued to hang out into the late night. The fire burned low and one by one they went back to their tents. That only left Devan, Adeola, and Lee by it.
"How big do you think the forest really is?" asked Adeola as she looked into it, despite the looming shadows.
"It's hard to say. I don't think I've ever seen a map of the entire thing," answered Lee.
"Where do you think it ends?" asked Adeola. "Or, does it not end?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Devan.
"I mean..... I'm not sure. How deep do the roots go? They could connect to something else far beneath, be a part of something much more, something unknown. The forest could go to cities, or countries, far away places. There may be a place where the trees touch the stars."
"That is kind of hard to believe," said Devan.
"How much more is out there?" asked Adeola, who was lost in her thoughts. "How small are we compared to everything else? But, we are part, connected by the forest, so we have to be important!"
"You're making my head hurt," moaned Devan.
"I just feel..... I don't know......." muttered Adeola.
"Maybe we could take a hike and try to find the end?" suggested Lee.
"Yeah!" agreed Adeola.
"That could take days!" protested Devan.
"Maybe we should get some sleep and figure it out tomorrow," suggested Lee.
"Sure," agreed Devan.
They put out the fire and headed back to their tents. Lee watched as Adeola and Devan disappeared inside of theirs. Then he turned away from his and walked into the forest.
"A Starli branch," he said. "I wish I knew what it looked like. Adeola knows that stuff......"
He continued to walk with only the light of a flashlight. The forest was strangely quiet and a low wind blew through the branches at times, chilling him. Lee kept pausing to look at the branches on the ground, but that proved to be a fruitless effort.
Some long time later he found himself at the lake where he had went swimming with his friends earlier that day. Lee paused for a moment, looking across it. It was beautiful. The trees and the stars were reflected like a mirror. Lee smiled.
Then a breeze came and disturbed the surfaced of the lake. The stars seemed to dance in the sky. It almost looked like a meteor shower. Lee looked up and gasped. It was a meteor shower!
"Woah!" he exclaimed, stunned.
The falling stars were beautiful. They'd be even more beautiful if they weren't falling right his way!
"Yikes!" exclaimed Lee as some hit the lake, creating steam. He wanted to head back, but the scene held him spellbound.
He heard a crack over his head. The tree above him lit up, then faded as a piece of star hit it and went out. Lee then heard another crack. A branch broke out of the tree and fell down, hitting him straight on the head. He fell to the ground.
"Wow! A Starli branch......" muttered Lee as he fainted.
**************************************************************************** ****
Northern Shoal.......
"Crysta!" a voice yelled in her ears. Crysta woke up, jumping to her feet.
"What happened? Where is it? What happened?" she demanded, looking frantically around.
"You were having a nightmare so I woke you up," said her friend, Tamsin. Tamsin had on a tight pair of jeans and wore her navy hair in an equally tight ponytail. She pushed her glasses further up her face.
"Was it a nightmare?" asked Crysta. "There was this really cool razor ring and....."
"Oh, no. Crysta's talking about weapons again," said the person next to Tamsin. Her name was Faye. She had red hair that went wherever it pleased. She also wore denim capris with a vine pattern around the cuffs. She had a zip up black sweatshirt that was opened to reveal her white T- shirt.
"But it was so weird....." muttered Crysta as she brushed a stray lock of platinum blonde hair out of her eyes. She wore a pair of khaki shorts and a pale green T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
"You've overslept, our group is heading out," said Tamsin as she threw a hiking pack at Crysta. Crysta caught it hard and went down.
"Luckily we only have a half a day before we reach the Northern Shoal," said Faye.
"Yeah, but we leave the forest, hit some rocky foothills, all of which are in the sun," countered Tamsin.
"Are you guys coming are not?" asked Crysta as she started to head towards the rest of the group.
"Hey!" they both protested as they threw on their packs and ran up to her.
"So look who decided to sleep in," teased Corey, their guide.
"It was Crysta," pouted Faye.
"Then why was she the first here?" asked Tuan.
"Are we going?" asked Tamsin. "I am looking forward to seeing the Northern Shoal before sunsets."
"We're coming," said Celia and they pulled out.
They hiked single-file, enjoying the thin forest as they walked through it. But too soon the forest gave way to powdery white rocks and semi-steep slopes. All conversation died at this point as the group focused on not falling.
"Break time!" called Corey who was in front.
"Thank the Lord," muttered Tamsin as they all sat down.
"I'm not that sore," said Crysta.
"So what do you think the Northern Shoal is going to be like when we get there?" asked Tamsin.
"I guess it is supposed to have some beautiful rock formations," said Crysta. "There is also supposed to be an underground spring that results in deep, dark pools of water. But the area is supposed to be completely exposed."
"You sound like a tour guide," commented Celia. Crysta shrugged.
"I still can't believe the two of you talked me into it," sighed Faye as she looked at Tamsin and Crysta.
"Why?"
"Because this is supposed to be one of those 'find yourself' trips," she sighed again. "I can find myself perfectly well at a mall."
"But don't you ever wonder if there is something more?" asked Crysta. "I mean, there is so much out there, so much that science cannot explain. What is the purpose to everything? What is the reason for us being here, at this one spot? What are we meant to do?"
"Now you are sounding like a philosopher," said Tuan.
"Move out!" yelled Corey. The group groaned, grabbed their packs, and started to walk.
"This is really starting to hurt my feet," complained Celia.
"At least we are getting in shape," said Tuan.
"I think it is because my pack is too heavy," Celia opened a side pocket that was in reach and began to pull out stuff. She then began to throw it on the rocks. But one item hit the rocks and ricocheted right back at Crysta.
"Ow!" moaned Crysta as she caught the item. It was a Hi-Potion.
"Keep it!" yelled Celia, who was further behind her. "I don't need it."
An hour later Corey called for another break. The land was beginning to level out, meaning they were close to their goal.
"I am going to need you people to find some supplies now," he announced. He began to list off names and items. "Crysta, find me the leaves of a Gamu plants, for scratches, and a piece of flint. The first one back wins a prize! Go!" The group took off, some faster than others.
"Great, how am I supposed to find a plant in an area like this?" asked Crysta as she began to roam up the slope. Several minutes later she saw a plant growing in the crevices of the foothills. Climb up and took it.
"This has to be a Gamu plant, there's nothing else growing here," she said as she climbed down.
Crysta continued her search. At one point in time she started to slide down the slope. Her left foot caught a rock and struck it against another. Sparks flew.
"That has to be flint," she said. She took a gamble. She let one hand go, reached out and grabbed it. Then she somehow managed to kick and squirm her way back onto the path. She hurried back to the group.
"I found them," she said. Tamsin and Tuan were waiting for her with Corey.
"Good job, but it looks like you need the Gamu plant. You got pretty scratched up," commented Corey. Crysta shrugged.
When the group was assembled Corey told them to begin the hike again. It was easier now that they were away from the rocky places, and people found their voices enough to complain.
"I'm tired and I have no idea why I am doing this," whined Faye. "I am allergic to sweat."
"I just want a nice hot bath," said Tamsin.
"We're there!" yelled Corey.
It was truly beautiful. It was everything Crysta described and more. The rock formations were huge. It seemed amazing anything so big could stand by its own weight in such contorted patterns. Several deep navy blue spots speckled the primarily white landscape. Even a few wildflowers found the strength to grow here.
"Set up camp and then have fun," said Corey.
"With pleasure!" exclaimed Tuan as the group broke into action.
A half an hour later they were exploring, playing, or talking.
"I must admit, this is beautiful," said Faye. "I don't want to leave it."
"Say it, 'Crysta was right,'" coaxed Crysta.
"That's not what I meant. I mean I don't want to hike all the way back," said Faye.
"Well we have three days here, we'd better enjoy it while we can," said Tamsin.
"Heads up!" yelled Tuan.
Crysta jerked her head back. Her hand instinctively flew forward. She caught the Frisbee that would have beamed her.
"Nice reflexes," complimented Corey, who was playing with Tuan. "Want to play?"
"Sure," she agreed with a shrug. She threw the Frisbee like she threw the weapon from her dream. She watched it intently as it circled through the air. She was disappointed when it didn't come back to her. Tuan caught it.
"Ready?" he asked as he threw it to Corey. The continued until sunset.
After dinner the group spread out their sleeping bags and began to drift off. But Crysta couldn't. She eventually gave up. She walked over to an outcropping and sat, staring at the stars. Some time later she heard someone approach her. It was Tamsin.
"A penny for your thoughts?" asked Tamsin.
"I thought I could find some answers while I was here, but I am still just as confused," sighed Crysta. "I want to know why I was born, what purpose I serve. Why I am part of this planet. Why things are this way. What is the reason? Why? Why? Why?"
"You'll think yourself in circles with questions like that."
"But don't you ever wonder? The universe is so big and we are so small. How can what we do matter? I just feel so unimportant....."
"Then maybe you should quit trying to change the entire world. Maybe that isn't your purpose. Not everyone can change the world, you know. Maybe you're meant to help just one person live a better life. That has got to be just as valuable."
"Are the two of you still awake?" asked Faye as she climbed onto the rock with a yawn.
"Go back to sleep," said Tamsin.
"Can't, knowing you guys are here jabbering away," she said as she stretched. "So what are you guys talking about?"
"Crysta is looking for the purpose of life," answered Tamsin.
"I don't think anyone knows that," said Faye. "Well, maybe we figure that out after we die. Stuff like that depresses me. I am perfectly happy being a small fish in my own fishbowl. It is easier than trying to figure out how the world works."
"I want something so much more!" exclaimed Crysta, quiet enough not to wake anyone else up.
"Crysta, we're your friends," said Tamsin. "We don't like to see you agonize over this stuff."
"Completely," agreed Faye.
"Just promise us that you'll be our friends forever. That way we can always help each other," continued Tamsin. "Together we can handle anything, the universe or the fishbowl. Whatever happens, for whatever reason, we'll be there."
"It is a promise," agreed Crysta as she held out her hand. The did a three- way shake.
"You know, they say what happens to you is only 10%," said Crysta.
"Huh?" asked Faye.
"Most of our lives are determined by how we react, by our choices," she explained.
"So the universe doesn't determine our reason for living, we determine it ourselves?" asked Tamsin with a smile.
"Yes..... I think your right," said Crysta, returning the smile.
AN/ This may take some time to update. Why? Two reasons; #1 Reviews. Reviews determine how fast a story gets updated. #2 Length. These chapters are some of the longest I've written, so it is going to take me a bit more time to do each one. And, as always, please read, review, and enjoy! (
Sora snapped awake, only to find one of his closest friends, Kairi, laughing at him. She was quite pretty, with short brown hair that covered her face. She wore a white shirt lined with violet and violet shorts.
He was in a place very familiar to him; the local beach. The sun was shining and the palm trees were waving slightly in the break. A few buildings had been erected with cheep timbers, but beyond that the place was wild and free.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Sora as he tried to regain his senses. Kairi continued to giggle. "Give me a break, Kairi." He checked himself, making sure everything was still there. His brown hair was as spiky as ever. His weird assortment of red clothing had not been damaged at all by the fight he thought he had just been through.
"Sora, you lazy bum! I knew I'd find you snoozing down here," Kairi lightly scolded.
"No!" protested Sora. "This huge black.... thing swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't....ouch!" He rubbed his head. That was still sore from the battle.
"Are you still dreaming?"
"It wasn't a dream!" insisted Sora. "......Or was it....? I don't know. What was that place.....so bizarre....."
"Yeah, sure," said Kairi, who wasn't convinced.
Sora decided it was time to change the topic. "Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up." Kairi was fairly new to the area and Sora had constantly been trying to find out more about her.
"I told you, I don't remember," answered Kairi.
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing...."
"You ever want to go back?"
"Well, I'm happy here," she answered with a shrug.
"Really?" asked Sora. Somehow that idea made him happy.
"But you know," said Kairi, "I wouldn't mind going to see it."
"I'd like to see it too! Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see them all!" This was Sora's dream. His friends were convinced that there were other dimensions, other realities beside their own. And they were determined to find them.
"So what are we waiting for?"
"Hey, are you guys forgetting about me?" a new voice asked. Sora's other best friend, Riku, walked over. He had on a surfer's tropical wet-suit. His platinum blonde hair hung by his ears like it was wet, even though it wasn't. Beneath the clothing a few muscles bulged.
"So I guess I'm the only one working on the raft?" he said. His tone was light, but it still carried a slight edge.
He threw a log he had been carrying at Sora. Sora tried to catch it, but the weight of it caused him to fall.
"And your just as lazy as he is!" Riku turned to Kairi.
"So you've noticed," said Kairi, good-naturedly. "OK, we'll finish it together! I'll race ya!" She took off running down the beach.
"Huh?" asked Sora as he stood up from under the log.
"Are you kidding?" asked Riku, equally shocked.
"Come on!" teased Kairi as she looked back. That was all the encouragement the boys needed. They started running too.
After racing across the beach Riku walked off, leaving Kairi and Sora to work on the raft.
"So can you gather the rest of the supplies?" asked Kairi. "Sora, are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, I heard you," replied Sora with a shrug.
"OK, here's what you need to find," said Kairi, "two logs, one cloth, one rope. Bring everything back here. If you need any help, just ask. I'm counting on you." Sora smiled at the last line.
"Don't worry, I won't let you down," he said as he walked off.
He had a general idea about where to find everything. He first ran into a nearby shack and took the mat off of the wall, that would serve well enough for their sail. As he left he saw Wakka playing with his beach ball on the beach.
"Hey, Wakka," greeted Sora.
"Hey," Wakka waved back. He held up his ball. "Care to go one on one?"
"Sure," said Sora after a moment's thought. He walked down and drew his weapon. It was a wooden sword he had carved out of a piece of drift wood. "Let's go!"
Sora swung, but Wakka was able to deflect it with his ball. The broke apart and circled each other. Sora then swung again. But in the process he dropped his guard. Wakka threw the ball and it hit Sora directly on the head.
"Ow!"
"Gotcha!"
"I'm not done!" said Sora. Wakka was already retrieving his ball. Sora took off after him.
He thought he had the element of surprise so he swung. But once again Wakka deflected it with his beach ball.
"Your too predictable," said Wakka. He maneuvered his ball from hand to hand as he waited for the right moment to strike.
Sora swung again and Wakka threw. But Sora planned this. He swung the wooden sword in a figure eight and connected with the ball. He sent it straight back at Wakka with double the speed! It connected and Wakka dropped to the sand.
"Looks like I won," said Sora as he offered to help Wakka up.
"Yeah, you did," said Wakka with a slight groan.
"Later," said Sora as he walked off.
"Yeah," waved Wakka back.
Sora kept walking along the beach until he tripped over a piece of drift wood. He stood up and kicked it. Then he did a little dance as he toes started to hurt.
"Hey, maybe this will work for one of the logs," he said. He picked it up and dragged it over to Kairi. He was sweating when he got there.
"Well, I have the cloth and a log," he said as he handed them to her.
"I knew you would," she said. "I'll put these together while you go find the rest."
"OK," said Sora. Kairi smiled at him as he left. Sora felt new energy.
Sora walked off, heading back along the beach. He was in a sort of daze and he didn't notice when he almost walked into the dock. Selphie looked down at him and giggled.
"Hi, Sora," she said, still laughing.
"Hi," replied Sora, rubbing his head. "Have you seen some decent drift wood around here?"
"No," she answered. "I up for a one on one match, how about you?" She held up her jump rope.
"Sure," said Sora as he brandished his make shift sword. The faced off.
"I warn you, I'm tricky," she said as she flung her jump rope at him.
Sora jerked left and missed, while swing. His stroke was far off and Selphie giggled at the attempt.
"You can do better than that!" she said as she danced out of his reach.
"Then watch this!" Sora exclaimed as he struck high. Selphie threw her jump rope and managed to deflect his attack.
"Not good enough," she said lightly. She swung again and grazed his ear. Sora backed away, the side of his face smarting.
"Poor Sora," cooed Selphie. She swung the rope wildly around her head before hurling it at him.
This time Sora was prepared. He held his sword up and deflected the attack right back at her. It hit her on the forehead. Selphie slid to the beach, stunned.
"You're so mean!" she pouted.
"Sorry," he apologized as he helped her up.
"You're getting better," said Selphie as she rubbed her head. "But Riku is still better than you."
"Hey!" protested Sora. Selphie gave him 'the look.'
"Sorry, I've gotta go," said Sora. "I need to find some more things."
"Bye," waved Selphie.
Sora walked off. He decided to climb around the treehouse to find some rope. There always seemed to be some rope there for the boats. As Sora walked around the treehouse he saw Tidus lounging around.
"Hey Tidus," said Sora. Then he notices some good, strong rope in the corner. "Some rope!" He pounced on it.
"Sora," chuckled Tidus as he shook his head. "Hey, I'm bored. Care for a round?"
"Sorry, no I have to get back to Kairi," Sora answered.
"Good, I think I am too sore for that stuff," said Tidus as he reclined some more. "Selphie, Wakka, and I challenge Riku three on one, and he still beat us!"
"So that's what Selphie was talking about," muttered Sora. "Well, bye!" He ran off.
"Sora," muttered Tidus, again shaking his head.
Sora jumped out of the treehouse and began to run along the stretch of palms towards Kairi. He was again so focused on her that he tripped over one of the fallen palms.
"Ouch," me moaned as he stood up. "Hey a log!" The pain was forgotten as Sora drug it back to Kairi.
As he went across the beach, Sora looked up. On a high outcropping Riku was laying on a half fallen tree. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Sora looked down and refocused on his task.
"You did it! I knew you could!" said Kairi when she saw him. She was in the middle of the other pieces, lining them up.
"I'd never let you down," Sora replied as he dropped the log in the sand.
"Thanks, Sora," repeated Kairi. "Lend me a hand." Sora knelt down and they began to assemble the raft.
"I found something for you today, too," said Kairi. "Here." She handed him a Hi-Potion. "In case you ever get hurt."
"Me, get hurt?" said Sora.
"You're accident prone," replied Kairi with a sweet smile. The finished the raft as the sun began to set.
"Tired?" asked Kairi as they sat back to admire their work. "Want to call it a day?"
"Yeah," agreed Sora, feeling the soreness set in in his muscles already. "Let's go home."
"OK," said Kairi. She walked across the beach. Then she looked back and waved. "Good night, Sora." She turned and headed home.
"Huff," Sora heard on the wind. He looked up to see Riku in the same spot he had been in the afternoon. Sora decided to delay coming home for a moment and took the stairs up to Riku.
He sat down next to Riku and they looked at the sky. Finally, Sora had to say something to break the silence.
"So, Kairi's home is out there, somewhere, right?" he asked.
"Could be," said Riku with a shrug. "We'll never know by staying here."
"But how far could a raft take us?"
"Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."
"So," said Sora, pausing to think how to word his comment. "Suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?"
"Well, I haven't thought about it....." replied Riku, just as thoughtfully. "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 easily end up somewhere else, right?"
Sora leaned back. "I don't know."
"That is why we need to get out there and find out," stated Riku. "Just sitting around here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So, let's go."
"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" asked Kairi as she appeared from behind them. She sat down and made herself comfortable.
"Thanks to you," answered Riku. "If you hadn't come here..... I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks."
"You're welcome."
They sat around a little longer, then truly decided to call it a night. Sora watched as Kairi walked off. Riku snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Sora!"
Sora turned in time to catch a flying object that was coming straight at his gut.
"You wanted one, didn't you?" asked Riku.
Sora turned the item over in his hands. It was a golden yellow, star shaped fruit.
"A paopu fruit," muttered Sora.
"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," said Riku as he explained a common folklore. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what. Come on. I know you want to try it."
"What are you talking.....?"
Riku broke into laughter and raced passed Sora. Sora dropped the fruit and took off after him.
**************************************************************************** ****
Metro City.....
Verity raised her head from the book she was reading. Actually, she fell asleep while reading it and she was only now just waking up.
"Sleepyhead," muttered her friend, Meg, who was reading a manga next to her. She had golden hair and blue eyes. She had a natural grace, which was the complete opposite of Verity. Her clothing was stylish, from Deb. Verity looked like her clothing came from Goodwill. They were so different it seemed hard to believe they were close.
"What happened?" muttered Verity as she stretched. She then pulled her stringy forest green hair out of her face.
"You fell asleep reading," replied Meg. "Well, I guess there's a first time for everything."
"No, I mean those shadows and the you all sounded like robots, and..... my shadow!" she jumped up, looking at her shadow. It remained like it always had.
"Must have been a weird dream," replied Meg. "So have you come up with any new ideas for our project?"
"Project?"
"Making the costumes for Shakespeare's Tempest in our English class....." said Meg, somewhat sarcastically. She turned to manga around to show some fairies. "Stuff like this."
"A wand......" muttered Verity, remembering the dream.
"Well, we do need a staff," said Meg. "Listen, I am going to scan these books. You need to find some more. We need one on fairies, one on magic, and one on costume making."
"Sure, I'll be right back," said Verity as she stood up. She looked around. It was her library, everything was normal, the people, the books, the computers. Then why could she not shake the feeling that everything had changed?
She walked around a bit, reacquainting herself with everything. She knew where to find everything in the library, but she needed reassurance that everything was normal.
"Hey, Ver," said Willis as he turned away from the shelf. Willis was older than she was and worked at the library.
"Hi," she said.
"What? Speak up, I can never hear you," said Willis.
"I said 'hi.' Are there any new books on magic?" she asked.
"We have a few," said Willis. "Check in the fiction section. But you might have to pry a few away from Samantha." Samantha spent every waking minute in the library. She was even more of a bookworm than Verity.
Verity walked to the fiction section. Samantha was there, nose deep in a book.
"Hi, Sam," greeted Verity. No response. "Hi, Samantha." Samantha did not reply. "Samantha!"
"Oh, what?" asked Samantha as she looked up. "Sorry Verity, I didn't hear you."
"Willis said something about some new books being in," answered Verity. "Any on magic."
"Sure," answered Samantha. She picked a few off of the shelves. "These. But get them back soon. They look good and I want to read them."
"Thanks."
"Oh!" Samantha pulled another one off of the shelf. "Take this one. It looks really interesting."
"OK," agreed Verity before returning to her seat with Meg.
"So, what did you find?"
"Some stuff on magic."
"Good, but we still need some stuff on how to make costumes," said Meg as she took the books. Verity sighed and stood up again. She walked to the non-fiction section. As she rounded a corner, she bumped into someone.
"Watch where your going!" that person snapped. It was Hannah.
"Sorry, Hannah," replied Verity.
"Huff!"
"In a bad mood today?"
"Whatever," retorted Hannah before walking off. Hannah was a nice girl, at times. But when she was in a bad mood watch out.
Verity decided to ignore her and turned her attention back to finding books on costumes. Several minutes later she returned to Meg.
"You found them!" exclaimed Meg. "What do we have....." She dove into one book and began to make notes.
"Hey, girls," said Scott as he walked over. Scott's family was from Japan, so he looked the part. He was short, and that fact he was never allowed to forget. His clothing was neat, despite the fact he had survived all day in school in it.
"Did you get the stuff?" asked Meg as she set the book down.
"Yep! Now we work," he threw down a craft store bag. In it was cloth and various other necessities for their task.
"Oh, and Ver," said Scott. Verity looked up. "I got this for you." He handed her a Hi-Potion. Verity laughed.
It was an inside joke. When they first met Scott had fallen off of his bike. Verity pulled out a Hi-Potion and tried to help him. It was one of those memorable moments.
"Verity, you said you wanted to make the staff?" asked Meg as she handed her the stuff. Verity shrugged and started on the task.
It was silent while they worked. Meg was busy taking notes and making sketches as she came up with ideas. Scott was busy trying to make Meg's ideas practical. Verity had her hands full making the accessories. She worked especially hard on the staff, trying to remember the one from her dream.
"The library is closing in ten minutes," a voice said over the PA a few hours later.
"Eight already?" asked Scott. "Wow! We'd better go."
"I'll say. My mom is going to kill me for being late," agreed Meg and they gathered their stuff.
They exited and started to walk home together.
"This is going to be great. I have so many ideas for fairy costumes and....." jabbered Meg.
"Most of which are so fancy they could never happen," interrupted Scott.
"But they are pretty," said Verity.
"But I like your wand," said Meg. She took it out of Verity's hands and started to swing it through the air. "Although it may be a little too short for the stage."
"Here," said Verity as she held her hand out. Meg handed it back. But as Verity gripped it, a tingle ran through her hands. A few sparks jumped from the wand.
"What was that?!" asked Scott.
"It had to be static electricity," said Meg. Verity was too busy staring at the wand to answer.
"Why did you check out this book?" asked Scott. He held up a book called Our Other Worlds (AN/ I made up the name).
"Oh, Samantha suggested it," answered Verity.
"This is funny," he said as he read the back cover. "Worlds out there besides our own? Other dimensions? Sounds completely sci-fi."
"I wish it was real," sighed Meg with starry eyes. She was a dreamer though and through.
"I kind of like things this way," said Verity. "It's easier. I like figuring out how things work and why. Other worlds? I can't find any logic behind that. That is why the book is fiction." Verity loved science and logic. This was another area she was different from Scott.
"But, can you imagine the possibilities?" asked Meg. "Dragons, fairies, magic, chivalry, true love, mages......"
"You need a reality check," scolded Scott.
"Can you prove there aren't other dimensions?" challenge Meg.
"How can you prove something as weird as that?" asked Verity.
"Until you can prove me wrong, I'll believe we are not alone," insisted Meg.
"So, now do you believe in aliens? Or how about Santa Claus?" teased Scott.
"That's not what I meant!" protested Meg.
"Oh, here's my turn. See ya later," said Scott. With a wave he walked down his home street.
Meg sighed. "Do you think he notices me?"
"What?" asked Verity.
"Do you think Scott notices me?" she asked.
"He was just talking to you."
"Not that. I mean, do you think he likes me?"
"I don't know...... I can't deal with people, they are so irrational. That is why I like science. You can make sense of that."
"I wish he'd notice me."
"Do you still wish on a star?" asked Verity as she pointed to the first few as they appeared.
"Sure, it's magic," said Meg. She picked a star and made a wish. The star twinkled brightly, then disappeared.
"What was that?!" she gasped.
"What?"
"My star disappeared!"
"Huh?" asked Verity, looking up. "It probably went behind a cloud."
"I don't like it. Let's hurry home," suggested Meg. They lived next door to each other, and they hurried back.
**************************************************************************** ****
Forgotten Forest........
Lee snapped awake. He jumped up, only to hit his head on a branch before getting twisted in the bush he had fallen asleep under.
"Ouch! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he protested as he tried to pull his way free. His navy blue Chinese dragon over shirt had snagged. He could also feel branches in his already messy black hair.
"You goofball. Maybe next time you watch where you fall asleep," teased a girl who was sitting in a tree branch. She looked perfectly at home up there. Her dark brown hair had several leaves in it. Her jeans were torn and mud stained. She wore a T-shirt commemorating some forgotten event. She looked beautiful. Lee felt himself blushing.
"I didn't fall asleep!" he protested. "I was attacked by my own shadow. But I had this shield and...."
"Dreaming again?" asked Adeola, the girl. "You never change."
"It wasn't a dream!"
"It wasn't?" she asked, skeptically.
"It didn't seem like one......" he said, his protests dying.
"Here the two of you are!" a boy walked over. He was clearly built up. His white T-shirt had the sleeves cut off. His hair was crew cut, hiding its true color. "I should have known Lee would be sleeping and Adeola would be acting light a bird."
"Lighten up," she said as she jumped down. "This is our vacation."
"And you are spending it miles away from the camp," said Devan, the boy.
"The lake isn't that far," said Adeola. "And we should have it all to ourselves! None of the others like hiking enough to get there!" With that she took off running.
"Hey!" protested Lee.
"Come on!" exclaimed Adeola. She looked back, never once breaking pace.
"Let's go," said Devan with a shrug as they started off after her.
It was about a half a mile to the lake. Three minutes later the guys were there. The lake was beautiful. The waters were pure from the lack of human visitors. The sky above the lake was beautiful. The trees around it only made it more picturesque.
"Where is Adeola?" asked Lee.
"Cannonball!" exclaimed Devan as he jumped in with a huge splash, simultaneously soaking Lee.
"Hey!" protested Lee. He heard giggling above him. Adeola was in a tree, looking down at him.
"You boys are so funny!" with that she gracefully dove into the lake, hardly leaving a ripple. She emerged, completely soaked considering she had dived in fully clothed.
"Come on!" she waved Lee in. Lee kicked off his shoes and followed them in.
After swimming most of the morning they crawled onto some rocks to dry.
"I love it here!" sighed Adeola. "I wish we never had to leave. When we leave we all have to go to our own homes and we'll probably never see each other again.
"Until the next camp out," said Devan. For the past six years their families had seemed to camp out the same weekend in summer. They had become close friends despite the short times they had spent together. But lately Lee wanted something more with Adeola.
"I wish it could always be that way," sighed Adeola.
"Don't sound so negative," said Lee.
"Do you know the forest is one living thing?" asked Adeola.
"What are you talking about?" asked Devan.
"It may seem that the trees and the animals and the sky, water, and plants are all different, but they are all connected," said Adeola. "The tree roots are all intertwined. You hurt one tree, the rest feel it. The tree take in the water, earth, and sky. And the animals live in the trees. All different, but all the same. They all need each other, they are all important. Their lives are woven together..... Sort of like us..... We can't seem to stay apart if we try."
"I know," agreed Lee. "No matter what happens, we'll always remember to be friends."
"It's a promise," agreed Devan.
"We should be heading back," said Adeola as she began to walk away.
They walked the distance back to the camp grounds. There, they were greeted by an unexpected surprise.
"Take that!"
"Bombs away!"
"Die!" Nyx, Nathan, and Xan began to pelt them with water balloons.
"Hey!" protested Adeola.
"I'll protect you!" said Devan as he stood in front of her.
Lee's reaction surprised him. He picked up the lid of a nearby trash can and began to use it as a shield. Then he jumped in front of Devan and Adeola, trying to keep them as dry as possible.
"No fair!" protested Xan.
"More ammo!" demanded Nathan. He grabbed a bucket and dumped it over the lid, all over Lee.
"Hey!" protested Lee. But by that time everyone was laughing too hard to fight or defend.
"That was good, that was real good," compliment Adeola.
"Hey, Lee was a genius, with that lid and all," said Nyx.
"But he can't beat the H2O Master!" said Nathan as he waved his empty bucket.
"How long have you guys been planning this?" asked Devan.
"Since last summer," answered Xan with a shrug.
"Come on," said Lee. "Let's go find some towels."
Later that night the group was gathering around a campfire. It was tradition for them to make s'mores each night. Most of them had already gathered, everyone except Adeola and Xan.
"Do you know what they say about the forest?" asked Nyx.
"What?" asked Devan.
"The entire forest is connected," she answered.
"That's what Adeola said!" exclaimed Lee.
"Yeah, but they say if two people can make themselves a part of the forest, then they will forever be connected, that their lives will be as conjoined as the roots of the trees," continued Nyx.
"How does someone do that?" asked Nathan.
"The most common way is to carve your initials into a really old tree," said Nyx.
"I don't see what good that does anyone," said Adeola as she walked over with a fresh chocolate bar. "The trees would all feel the same pain. That means those two lives would be linked by pain."
"Is there anything else?" asked Devan to Nyx.
"Well, I've heard of one, but it is much harder," answered Nyx. "If you can find a fallen branch of a Starli Tree and carve two rings out of it, but the rings must be connected, then you have to bury the rings beneath the roots of the forest, then your lives will also be connected."
"Wow," muttered Nathan.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Xan as he walked over with a bag of marshmallows, from which he was eating.
"A story that Nyx knows," answered Nathan.
"Another one?" asked Xan. "Last time she told stories they were about ghosts and they gave you guys nightmares for a week." Nyx giggled.
They continued to hang out into the late night. The fire burned low and one by one they went back to their tents. That only left Devan, Adeola, and Lee by it.
"How big do you think the forest really is?" asked Adeola as she looked into it, despite the looming shadows.
"It's hard to say. I don't think I've ever seen a map of the entire thing," answered Lee.
"Where do you think it ends?" asked Adeola. "Or, does it not end?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Devan.
"I mean..... I'm not sure. How deep do the roots go? They could connect to something else far beneath, be a part of something much more, something unknown. The forest could go to cities, or countries, far away places. There may be a place where the trees touch the stars."
"That is kind of hard to believe," said Devan.
"How much more is out there?" asked Adeola, who was lost in her thoughts. "How small are we compared to everything else? But, we are part, connected by the forest, so we have to be important!"
"You're making my head hurt," moaned Devan.
"I just feel..... I don't know......." muttered Adeola.
"Maybe we could take a hike and try to find the end?" suggested Lee.
"Yeah!" agreed Adeola.
"That could take days!" protested Devan.
"Maybe we should get some sleep and figure it out tomorrow," suggested Lee.
"Sure," agreed Devan.
They put out the fire and headed back to their tents. Lee watched as Adeola and Devan disappeared inside of theirs. Then he turned away from his and walked into the forest.
"A Starli branch," he said. "I wish I knew what it looked like. Adeola knows that stuff......"
He continued to walk with only the light of a flashlight. The forest was strangely quiet and a low wind blew through the branches at times, chilling him. Lee kept pausing to look at the branches on the ground, but that proved to be a fruitless effort.
Some long time later he found himself at the lake where he had went swimming with his friends earlier that day. Lee paused for a moment, looking across it. It was beautiful. The trees and the stars were reflected like a mirror. Lee smiled.
Then a breeze came and disturbed the surfaced of the lake. The stars seemed to dance in the sky. It almost looked like a meteor shower. Lee looked up and gasped. It was a meteor shower!
"Woah!" he exclaimed, stunned.
The falling stars were beautiful. They'd be even more beautiful if they weren't falling right his way!
"Yikes!" exclaimed Lee as some hit the lake, creating steam. He wanted to head back, but the scene held him spellbound.
He heard a crack over his head. The tree above him lit up, then faded as a piece of star hit it and went out. Lee then heard another crack. A branch broke out of the tree and fell down, hitting him straight on the head. He fell to the ground.
"Wow! A Starli branch......" muttered Lee as he fainted.
**************************************************************************** ****
Northern Shoal.......
"Crysta!" a voice yelled in her ears. Crysta woke up, jumping to her feet.
"What happened? Where is it? What happened?" she demanded, looking frantically around.
"You were having a nightmare so I woke you up," said her friend, Tamsin. Tamsin had on a tight pair of jeans and wore her navy hair in an equally tight ponytail. She pushed her glasses further up her face.
"Was it a nightmare?" asked Crysta. "There was this really cool razor ring and....."
"Oh, no. Crysta's talking about weapons again," said the person next to Tamsin. Her name was Faye. She had red hair that went wherever it pleased. She also wore denim capris with a vine pattern around the cuffs. She had a zip up black sweatshirt that was opened to reveal her white T- shirt.
"But it was so weird....." muttered Crysta as she brushed a stray lock of platinum blonde hair out of her eyes. She wore a pair of khaki shorts and a pale green T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
"You've overslept, our group is heading out," said Tamsin as she threw a hiking pack at Crysta. Crysta caught it hard and went down.
"Luckily we only have a half a day before we reach the Northern Shoal," said Faye.
"Yeah, but we leave the forest, hit some rocky foothills, all of which are in the sun," countered Tamsin.
"Are you guys coming are not?" asked Crysta as she started to head towards the rest of the group.
"Hey!" they both protested as they threw on their packs and ran up to her.
"So look who decided to sleep in," teased Corey, their guide.
"It was Crysta," pouted Faye.
"Then why was she the first here?" asked Tuan.
"Are we going?" asked Tamsin. "I am looking forward to seeing the Northern Shoal before sunsets."
"We're coming," said Celia and they pulled out.
They hiked single-file, enjoying the thin forest as they walked through it. But too soon the forest gave way to powdery white rocks and semi-steep slopes. All conversation died at this point as the group focused on not falling.
"Break time!" called Corey who was in front.
"Thank the Lord," muttered Tamsin as they all sat down.
"I'm not that sore," said Crysta.
"So what do you think the Northern Shoal is going to be like when we get there?" asked Tamsin.
"I guess it is supposed to have some beautiful rock formations," said Crysta. "There is also supposed to be an underground spring that results in deep, dark pools of water. But the area is supposed to be completely exposed."
"You sound like a tour guide," commented Celia. Crysta shrugged.
"I still can't believe the two of you talked me into it," sighed Faye as she looked at Tamsin and Crysta.
"Why?"
"Because this is supposed to be one of those 'find yourself' trips," she sighed again. "I can find myself perfectly well at a mall."
"But don't you ever wonder if there is something more?" asked Crysta. "I mean, there is so much out there, so much that science cannot explain. What is the purpose to everything? What is the reason for us being here, at this one spot? What are we meant to do?"
"Now you are sounding like a philosopher," said Tuan.
"Move out!" yelled Corey. The group groaned, grabbed their packs, and started to walk.
"This is really starting to hurt my feet," complained Celia.
"At least we are getting in shape," said Tuan.
"I think it is because my pack is too heavy," Celia opened a side pocket that was in reach and began to pull out stuff. She then began to throw it on the rocks. But one item hit the rocks and ricocheted right back at Crysta.
"Ow!" moaned Crysta as she caught the item. It was a Hi-Potion.
"Keep it!" yelled Celia, who was further behind her. "I don't need it."
An hour later Corey called for another break. The land was beginning to level out, meaning they were close to their goal.
"I am going to need you people to find some supplies now," he announced. He began to list off names and items. "Crysta, find me the leaves of a Gamu plants, for scratches, and a piece of flint. The first one back wins a prize! Go!" The group took off, some faster than others.
"Great, how am I supposed to find a plant in an area like this?" asked Crysta as she began to roam up the slope. Several minutes later she saw a plant growing in the crevices of the foothills. Climb up and took it.
"This has to be a Gamu plant, there's nothing else growing here," she said as she climbed down.
Crysta continued her search. At one point in time she started to slide down the slope. Her left foot caught a rock and struck it against another. Sparks flew.
"That has to be flint," she said. She took a gamble. She let one hand go, reached out and grabbed it. Then she somehow managed to kick and squirm her way back onto the path. She hurried back to the group.
"I found them," she said. Tamsin and Tuan were waiting for her with Corey.
"Good job, but it looks like you need the Gamu plant. You got pretty scratched up," commented Corey. Crysta shrugged.
When the group was assembled Corey told them to begin the hike again. It was easier now that they were away from the rocky places, and people found their voices enough to complain.
"I'm tired and I have no idea why I am doing this," whined Faye. "I am allergic to sweat."
"I just want a nice hot bath," said Tamsin.
"We're there!" yelled Corey.
It was truly beautiful. It was everything Crysta described and more. The rock formations were huge. It seemed amazing anything so big could stand by its own weight in such contorted patterns. Several deep navy blue spots speckled the primarily white landscape. Even a few wildflowers found the strength to grow here.
"Set up camp and then have fun," said Corey.
"With pleasure!" exclaimed Tuan as the group broke into action.
A half an hour later they were exploring, playing, or talking.
"I must admit, this is beautiful," said Faye. "I don't want to leave it."
"Say it, 'Crysta was right,'" coaxed Crysta.
"That's not what I meant. I mean I don't want to hike all the way back," said Faye.
"Well we have three days here, we'd better enjoy it while we can," said Tamsin.
"Heads up!" yelled Tuan.
Crysta jerked her head back. Her hand instinctively flew forward. She caught the Frisbee that would have beamed her.
"Nice reflexes," complimented Corey, who was playing with Tuan. "Want to play?"
"Sure," she agreed with a shrug. She threw the Frisbee like she threw the weapon from her dream. She watched it intently as it circled through the air. She was disappointed when it didn't come back to her. Tuan caught it.
"Ready?" he asked as he threw it to Corey. The continued until sunset.
After dinner the group spread out their sleeping bags and began to drift off. But Crysta couldn't. She eventually gave up. She walked over to an outcropping and sat, staring at the stars. Some time later she heard someone approach her. It was Tamsin.
"A penny for your thoughts?" asked Tamsin.
"I thought I could find some answers while I was here, but I am still just as confused," sighed Crysta. "I want to know why I was born, what purpose I serve. Why I am part of this planet. Why things are this way. What is the reason? Why? Why? Why?"
"You'll think yourself in circles with questions like that."
"But don't you ever wonder? The universe is so big and we are so small. How can what we do matter? I just feel so unimportant....."
"Then maybe you should quit trying to change the entire world. Maybe that isn't your purpose. Not everyone can change the world, you know. Maybe you're meant to help just one person live a better life. That has got to be just as valuable."
"Are the two of you still awake?" asked Faye as she climbed onto the rock with a yawn.
"Go back to sleep," said Tamsin.
"Can't, knowing you guys are here jabbering away," she said as she stretched. "So what are you guys talking about?"
"Crysta is looking for the purpose of life," answered Tamsin.
"I don't think anyone knows that," said Faye. "Well, maybe we figure that out after we die. Stuff like that depresses me. I am perfectly happy being a small fish in my own fishbowl. It is easier than trying to figure out how the world works."
"I want something so much more!" exclaimed Crysta, quiet enough not to wake anyone else up.
"Crysta, we're your friends," said Tamsin. "We don't like to see you agonize over this stuff."
"Completely," agreed Faye.
"Just promise us that you'll be our friends forever. That way we can always help each other," continued Tamsin. "Together we can handle anything, the universe or the fishbowl. Whatever happens, for whatever reason, we'll be there."
"It is a promise," agreed Crysta as she held out her hand. The did a three- way shake.
"You know, they say what happens to you is only 10%," said Crysta.
"Huh?" asked Faye.
"Most of our lives are determined by how we react, by our choices," she explained.
"So the universe doesn't determine our reason for living, we determine it ourselves?" asked Tamsin with a smile.
"Yes..... I think your right," said Crysta, returning the smile.
AN/ This may take some time to update. Why? Two reasons; #1 Reviews. Reviews determine how fast a story gets updated. #2 Length. These chapters are some of the longest I've written, so it is going to take me a bit more time to do each one. And, as always, please read, review, and enjoy! (