"Whew, lookin' snazzy," Zidane said as he looked in the mirror. "Though I wear these all the time, you gotta admit that I look damn good looking in them." Zidane grinned.
"Er, right," Sora said, scratching his head. "So, how long 'til we get to Alexandria?"
"About an hour. The festival is gonna be so big, I can already hear the music playing." He looked to Sora. "I need you to do me a favor."
"Sure, Zidane, anything."
"You see, we're going to give her a surprise visit. We'll be performing a play this evening called 'I Want To Be Your Canary.' We performed it back earlier, which is where we first kidnapped her." He scratched his head. "Long story, but anyways, we're one actor short. Don't worry, you'll be masked if you're worried about anyone seeing you, but we need you to do the fight scene with Blank because I'm supposed to be the ugly old beggar."
"Blank doesn't even know me, does he?"
"Blank gets along with everyone.. well, except me because I annoy him, but you seem to be a likeable person."
"And Terra?"
"I'll get you to Terra as soon as possible, but we need to get to Alexandria first." Zidane smiled lightly, then whispered to himself "I have something to give her."
"Zidane, you forgot about me! You almost died back there!"
"Huh?" Zidane said, looking around.
"Ah, stop her, she'll squeel on Garnet!" Baku yelled.
"What are you--" Zidane was taken down by a midget girl.
"Zidane! I'm soo glad you're safe! Don't ever pull of any stunt like that again!" She shuffled her foot along the ground. "I told you.. I loved you, right? Is that why you came back?"
Zidane blinked. "Eiko, I love Garnet, you know that."
"Yeah, yeah, but what about my feelings?!"
Zidane pat Eiko on her blue-haired head. "Eiko, I'm eleven years older than you." He frowned. "And how'd you get on the ship?"
"I've been on the ship. I've been on for a year, but Baku wouldn't let me to you."
"How come?"
She shrugged. "I dunno, but it was pissing me off because I really wanted to see you, but they said I'd spoil it if I got out in the open and went to Garnet."
"You know about the play?"
She nodded. "I love easedropping, you should know," she said with an innocent smile.
Zidane smacked his head. "Oy." He looked to Sora. "Eiko, this is Sora. He'll be helping us out with the play."
Eiko looked up to the brunette and her eyes got wide. "Ooh, he's cute, too!" She tugged on Sora's shorts.
"Yes?" Sora said.
"Do you uhm.. got a girlfriend?"
"Erm.." Sora started.
"Yeah, he does, Eiko. He's going through several worlds to see her."
"Er.. okie.. dokie," Eiko said. She sniffled. "I'll never find anyone."
"Sure you will, Eiko," Sora said, knelling down to the seven-year-old. "You're so precious, someone will have to notice you."
Eiko's eyes perked up. "Aww, Sora! You're so romantic!" She took his long hair, pulled at it, and kissed him on the cheek, then ran off as quick as her legs could carry. Sora scratched his head and laughed.
"Eheh, I've got too many admirerers."
Zidane nudged him in the side. "It's alright. So do I."
Kairi went to the waterfall the following evening and looked around for anyone to notice her. The sun had fallen out of the sky and the moon was rather bright and full, even behind the clouds in the sky. There were several lights flickering here and there on the island as people got ready to go to bed, but she didn't worry about it.
"Whew," she said relieved. "I haven't had a shower in a while."
She stripped off her clothing and lied them to the side next to the waterfall that fell in front of the hidden caves. The sun wasn't out to heat the water, so it was slightly chilled, but still rather warm. She shivered, and looked up to the moon.
"I hope I can get a little bit of sleep tonight. It's always relaxing to take a shower and then go to sleep."
She rung her hair out and sat down in the crisp water when she heard footsteps. She jumped, and listened. She sank lower into the pool.
"Come out, come out, whereever you are," she heard someone whisper.
She didn't dare answer back. She couldn't figure out who was talking.
"Kairi.." someone called in a menacing voice.
"Cheisu?" she whispered.
"Yep," he said behind her. She screamed, and he held a hand over her mouth. "Chill out," he said.
"Cheisu, do you mind?! I'm trying to have some alone time here."
"But you look too lonely," he said, and knelled at the waterfalls. He stroked her cheek with his dry hands. He couldn't see that she was narrowing her eyes.
"Cheisu, please go away."
His lip was pouted out. "But why?"
"Because you make me feel uncomfortable," she admitted.
"Well, if you got to know me better, you'd learn that I'm not such a bad guy."
"I don't want to know you better," she mumbled.
"Are you saying something?" he said.
She didn't respond. She turned her back on him, and he ran his fingers down her back and along her sides, close to her bare breasts. Her eyes widened.
"I'm really not as bad as you think, Kairi," he said, moving his hands further down her spine. "If you were with me, I'd treat you with respect. Far more respect than that other guy has for you. Running off and leaving you all alone. The nerve of that guy."
"Then why don't you respect her now?" Kairi heard someone call closely.
Cheisu turned around to find the blade of a crafted sword at his chest. His eyes widened.
"Get away from her, Cheisu," Navani said in the darkness, his eyes glowing in the radience of the full moon. "Don't think I won't hesitant to cut you open."
Cheisu swallowed a lump in his throat, backed away from Navani's blade, and ran as soon as he got to his feet as quickly as he could.
When Cheisu was out of sight, Navani dropped his sword and looked down to Kairi. "Are you okay?"
He couldn't see her face, but saw that she was nodding. She wouldn't stop nodding. He knelled to her side. "Kairi, did he.. touch you somewhere?"
She slowly turned her head and her scared eyes made contact with his. She didn't nod, nor shake her head, and she didn't say anything. Tears ran from her frightened eyes. Navani's eyes burned with anger.
"I'll take care of him," he said standing.
"No, Navani! Don't hurt him! He's just confused."
"Kairi, I'm really worried about you. I don't want some creep like Cheisu being around you."
Kairi lowered her gaze away from him. "I'm alright. I can take care of myself."
"But you're too passive--"
"Navani, please.." she pleaded.
Navani didn't respond, turned, and walked away from her. A considerable distance away from her, he said "Goodnight, Kairi."
(Check out my drawing if you want on !)