There was some confusion in the last chapter. D'oh. Okay, so, the thing is, Sora's supposedly been there the whole time. , hanyan, I'm sorry! I should have explained it better!
Let's save the rest for later and just dive in.
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Sora stood, bewildered.
"What do you mean, 'who?', Kairi?!"
She didn't look like she was lying. Kairi was a horrible liar.
"Sora, stop it." she growled, then turned and went into the house, leaving the door open for him.
He stared at the door, slack-jawed. He shook is head angrily and leapt up the stairs, when into the house, and shut the door behind him.
Kairi's house always smelled like flowers, though he could never find any. He walked hurriedly down the stretch of hallway and came to a large room. Off to the side of the room was the kitchen, where Kairi and the others were standing. Kairi talking to herself about what to make, Corben staring out the window, Nyx sniffing around the pantry.
He spotted Kairi and crossed the kitchen to where she stood skimming through cookbooks.
"Listen, Kairi, I..-" he paused, trying to find the right words. "I'm sorry if you think I'm being weird, but you don't get it, I.."
Her eyes were fixed on the pages of the book.
"Kairi.."
"Listen, Sora, I'm a little busy."
He glared at the back of her head
"Right.. well, I'm gonna go see if my mom's home, so…"
She offered no sign that she was listening, so he didn't bother to finish. He muttered quick goodbyes to Corben and Nyx, and left.
- -
Sora pushed his front door open slowly, letting the creak echo.
"Hello? Anyone home?"
He glanced around the foyer. A brown coat had been hung lazily from it's hook and a pair of woman's shoes were by the doorway.
"Mom?"
No response.
He took his shoes off, leaving them my the door, and crept into the kitchen. Coffee pot on, packages of ingredients set out for dinner. He peered around the corner into the living room. There she was, asleep on the couch. He smiled sadly at his overworked parent, tiptoed to the couch, kissed her forehead, and went to his room.
He walked up the stairs, looking at all the pictures on the wall. The timeline of their lives, starting at the bottom and working its way up. His parents on their wedding day, smiling and hugging. His mother, swollen but glowing with happiness, giving the camera that "please don't" look. Bald baby Sora, chubby face looking up at the viewer, blue eyes so pure they could see into the soul. Birthdays, weddings, new babies.. They were all on the wall. It only showed the happiness. There was no death, no divorce, no fighting on this wall.
Sora hated it.
In his room he lay on his bed, staring at the sky.
The shooting star.. Could it have been them?
Maybe.
He sat up and stared up at forever.
She doesn't remember Riku..
He slammed his fist into his pillow in frustration. Something really wasn't right. He needed to talk with Donald and Goofy.
If they were still there. He hissed curses at himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid…. He had to see if they were still on the island.
He walked down the stairs as quickly as he could without making noise. He slipped his shoes on and glanced towards the living room. As far as he knew, his mother was still passed out on the couch. He reached for the doorknob, but as soon as his fingertips touched the cold metal, two resounding knocks came from the other side of the door, making him jump several inches.
He wrenched the door open and came face to face with Nyx, her gray eyes large.
"Wow, you're quick."
He glared at her. "What do you want? Did Kairi kick you out or something?"
She shook her head. "Nah, she's asleep. We kicked ourselves out."
"Wha..?"
Nyx grabbed his hand and jerked him out onto the stoop. "We're leaving!"
"Okay.. Um.." he frowned. "So soon?"
She nodded. "Yeah. This world is attracting heartless already, so we gotta amscray." and she tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the street.
"How do you know about the heartless?" he asked, shutting the door to the house.
"Well, duh, everyone does."
"Kairi doesn't."
"Kairi knows about the heartless, she just doesn't remember." she said, making it sound like there was a sign somewhere.
"She reme- Wait, how do you know what she doesn't remember?"
Nyx suddenly found the ground very interesting and didn't say a word.
"You asked her?"
"Um.. Yeah." she didn't make eye contact.
"Look at me when you answer me."
"Listen, Sora, we seriously gotta leave."
"You're behind this! You're why she doesn't remember!" he exploded, clutching her wrist tightly.
"Not me!" she cried, looking up at him. "And let go, that hurts!" she wrenched her arm away.
He glared at her. "Well, whatever, have fun wherever you're going."
"You're coming too."
He looked at her with disgust. "Not me. I didn't sign up for this."
"You signed up as soon as you became Keyblade master. I don't care if you want to come or not, it's not your decision."
"Now you know about the Keyblade?!"
Nyx growled and massaged her temples. "We really do not have time for this, Sora."
- - -
She was standing on the beach. No.. not the beach. Sand under her feet, but the ocean, the trees.. They weren't there. Just emptiness, a void. She backs away from the non-ocean, looking around. She sees that she is really only standing on a small area of sand that's about ten feet long and six feet wide. There is some, ocean. Small, blue waves lapping the shore in front of her. But beyond that.. Nothing.
"Kairi!"
She looks up.
A boy with brown spiky hair runs to her.
"Sora!"
She steps forward a couple steps to meet him.
The ground lurches and crunches, throwing her forward. He catches her hand, and she stands, their hands still clasped.
"Kairi, remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too!"
The ground starts to pull apart, stretching their arms.
"I'll come back to you! I promise!"
They're straining to keep their holds.
But the strain is too great.
"I know you will!"
The bond is broken and she stumbles back.
The worlds are separating quickly as walls go up.
He reaches out to her. She rushes to the edge of the world as his rushes away, his arm still out.
Soft, white powder, like snow, starts to fall down around her.
She breaks eye contact with him and looks up.
Stars.
She looks at him and sees that he, too, is looking up.
I love you. but she keeps her thoughts inside.
A burst of light, and trees starts to form, flying from the ground like the undead in a monster movie.
The ocean grows, flying up the shoreline.
She looks at him again. He calls her name, but she doesn't hear a word.
He looks around, as if in a panic. He cups his hands around his mouth. His lips move.
No sound.
The blue light of the sky grows brighter and she can't see him anymore.
"Sora!" she sobs, sitting straight up. She remembered …the heartless, the pain of separation..
But not the pain of being away from him. How old had they been in the memory? Fourteen… yes, that was right. Fourteen.. But she was going on sixteen, how..
"I missed you so much, Kairi. I'm glad you're okay."
"What are you talking about?"
He remembered.
"What?! Two days? Kairi, I've been gone for over a year!"
"No, two days. Quit exaggerating."
She didn't.
Riku.. That name…
Was it familiar? Maybe..
She pushed herself out of bed and pulled on a jacket over her clothing. She'd been so tired, she hadn't changed.
I have to find him!
- - -
"So.. You have a gummi ship, too, I suppose?"
They were on Kouhai now, speed walking across the sand. The shore crashed hauntingly on the sand.
Nyx nodded. "Yeah, Corben's getting it ready."
"You said the heartless were coming, right?"
"Yup."
"So.. aren't we bringing Kairi?"
"No." she replied, her voice suddenly cold.
"She can't defend herself against those things!" he said loudly, stopping.
She stopped as well and turned toward him slightly. "Donald and Goofy have agreed to stay here and keep an eye on her."
"Donald and.. So they're here?"
A nod.
"I need to talk to them."
"Then keep walking, they're helping Corben out with the ship."
He followed. They walked past the secret place to the mountain. Nyx lead him up the shaky ladder and down the path to the old ship wreck. Sure enough, a young man, a duck, a dog were all huddled around a brightly colored ship.
"Looky what I found!" Nyx called, stepping aside to show off Sora like a trophy.
"Lovely." Corben muttered dryly. "You ready to go?"
She nodded and looked at Sora.
"Donald, Goofy, come here for a second."
- - -
Nyx and Corben leaned against the gummi ship and waited for Sora to return. They stared up at the sky and all it's millions of stars, worlds, really, that winked down at them. Their eyes scanned the heavens carefully.
"Ah!" she gasped, pointing almost straight up. His eyes followed her directions, and sure enough, there was a small, flickering dot. It flipped on and off for a few moments, but then went out completely. He swore bitterly under his breath and looked around for Sora.
The gray-eyed young woman cupped her hands around her mouth and called for Sora. "Hurry up! We gotta book it!"
Sora, having seen the death of the star world, nodded. He started towards them, but then hesitated. He turned to his former companions.
"Take care of her."
And joined the others, who waved curt goodbyes to the dog and duck standing off by the rail. Nyx and Corben piled into the ship, Corben in the pilot's chain, Nyx in the copilot's.
Sora cast a final look over the night-tinted landscape. Homesickness started to form a lead ball in his throat, along with something else. Regret..?
The wind, like a heart that swam in the accumulated words
A small figure was running across the beach.
The clouds, a voice that was shot into the holding future
"Sora.."
The moon, a shaking heart in an unsteady mirror
She was close… but.. Why was she here?
"Sora!" she called, speeding up. "Sora!"
He turned to the two people in the ship, eyes pleading for a few extra minutes. Nyx looked away from him, pretending to study the control panel.
"Sora!"
The stars, gentle tears in an overflowing stream
"It's for her safety that we leave now."
"Why?!"
Kairi could run any faster. Her eyes were fixed on the brunette boy. She was so close..!
Isn't it beautiful, to walk together in each others hands
"Get in."
His mouth moved slowly, trying to make words, but none came. He looked at her one more time, then turned away.
That heart..
She stopped dead when she saw him boarding the ship, slipping between two strangers to leave her in a clown ship.
"We'll explain later."
"Why not now?"
..held within your body
She was at the top of the ladder.
The wind, its halting words are a gentle illusion
She was behind the King's loyal servants.
The clouds, the broken future like a distant voice
Her rage overwhelmed her, making her forget the words she so badly wanted to say.
I love you
The moon, a heart flowing in the clouded mirror
"Sora.. I…"
Nyx's hand was on the hatch, hesitating to close it.
"I.."
"Nyx, shut the damn door."
But she faltered, chewing her bottom lip.. They both knew what was coming. The muscles in her arm tensed as she jerked on the handle, but they still heard the awful, heartbreaking message.
The stars, broken and swaying, like tears unable to be hidden.
"I hate you!"
SLAM!
Isn't it beautiful, to walk together in each others hands
His blue eyes glistened in the glow of the switch board. He wanted to look away, but they were fixed on her.
I do so want to go..
The ship lifted off the soft, rotting wood of the ship and the engines roared painfully.
Kairi glared at the sky, red mists of anger turning the ship and the starts blood red.
..to your city, your house, into your arms
Sora sat dumbfounded, blank eyes threatening to overflow. Nyx bit down on her lip until she tasted blood. Corben went about his work, his eyes glinting with memories of what had been, so many years ago.
That face
The ship blinked and was gone into the sky.
A soft touch
Nyx leaned over the back of her chain and put her thumb to Sora's lower eyelid and wiped away the moisture that had gathered in his eyelashes. He looked at her oddly, as if he had only just noticed her.
"It'll all be okay." she said softly.
The only response he could manage was a look of pure disbelief.
Dissolving into morning
She touched her fore and middle fingers to his forehead, emitting a soft blue glow. "You just need rest. You'll be okay."
Sora's eyelids slid down slowly as she laid him down on his side.
I dream
She settled back into her seat and looked at Corben uneasily. "I screwed up."
He paused, then nodded once.
"I just.. I didn't think she would say it. She seemed too kind.." she shook her head.
"He'll manage.", which earned him an angry look. "I mean, well, he's got to be strong, right? I mean, look at everything that went on the last time the door was opened. And he can still smile and act like a regular kid."
She considered this a moment. True, she didn't know the whole story, but she knew enough of it to understand where her friend was going. "Yeah.. But you shouldn't call him a kid. He's too.." she looked back at him, reaching back to move a stray bit of hair.
"He's not your baby." he teased.
"Yeah? Well, he really needs a mom right now."
He gave a rare smile. "Misha's gonna love that."
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END CHAPTER 6!!
AHH!
I'm sorry I wasn't very clear last chapter! I forget that not everyone knows what I've got in mind, which is good because if you did you wouldn't read the story, now would you?
Okay, so the song I used was "Suteki Da Ne" by Rikki. It's from Final Fantasy X, yo! I'm not sure why I used it, seeing as how that's supposed to be a sad part, but the song (and it's original use) are both kind of happy, but I thought it fit.
Speaking of Final Fantasy X, stay tuned for our next chapter! R&R in the meantime!
P.S.! You can find character designs for Nyx and Corben on my DA account! I can't figure out how to put a link up here, so I'll put one on my profile!
