Kairi stuck her tongue out, looking utterly disgusted.
"Gross, a mouthful of carpet." She said, sitting up. She blinked, he room spinning around her. Her little tumble had made her more than a little dizzy. She could see three blurred shapes sitting in front of her. She was rubbing her eyes when one of the people spoke.
"Where'd you come from?" When Kairi opened her eyes again, her vision was clearer. Two women, looking 2 or 3 years older than Kairi were staring openly at her, and a third who looked to be about Kairi's age, if not a little older, was looking at her curiously. It was the younger of the three who had asked the question. Kairi swallowed.
"I'm, umm, from some small islands a long way from here. You've probably never heard of them."
"I think I do know what you're talking about. I'm from Besaid Island, if that's what you mean." One of the elder two said kindly. She pushed a stand of brown hair out of her striking, mismatched eyes. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Umm, sorry, but the...Baseed Island isn't what I was talking about. The place I'm from is called the Destiny Islands. I've lived there since I was little. I don't really remember where I came from before that." Kairi said, standing up.
"I know what you mean. I was born in Bevelle, but I don't exactly have any fond childhood memories of it."
"Who are you, anyway?" The other elder woman asked, seeming to be not impressed. She made Kairi rather uncomfortable.
"I'm Kairi." She relplied, smiling at each of them.
"Nice to meetcha!" The blonde, younger one exclaimed, shaking Kairi's hand vigorously. Kairi was expecting them to introduce themselves to her and when they didn't she had to ask.
"What are all your names?" The three of them looked surprised for a moment, then the brown haired one smiled.
"Of course," she whispered. "We're not in our Spira any more. She wouldn't have any idea who we are." The other two nodded. "My name's Yuna, pleased to meet you."
"I'm RIKKU!" The blonde one announced, throwing her arms into the air and giggling.
"Paine." Kairi smiled timidly at Paine, slightly intimidated by her. Rikku slung her arms around Paine's shoulders.
"Aww, don't be such a spoil sport! We're supposed to be having fun, remember?" Paine rolled her eyes.
"Oh that's right. I forgot." She replied sarcastically. Rikku didn't seem to pick up on the sarcasm, however. Everyone stopped as the door opened. A black haired man looked inside and nodded.
"Ten minutes, girls." All three of the Gullwing girls were instantly reminded of their dilemma.
"Thank you." Yuna replied, a signal for the man to leave. As soon as the door was closed, Yuna slumped down onto the floor. "What are we going to do? We still don't have a plan!"
"Think think think think think!" Rikku muttered, starting to pace. Kairi seemed entirely confused. Only Paine seemed to see that their prayers had just been answered.
"Can you sing?" She asked Kairi, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Well…" Kairi started, unsure of herself. "I mean, I'm not the greatest in the world I'm sure, but…"
"Show us!" Yuna said happily, watching Kairi expectantly. Kairi sighed.
"Alright…" She cleared her throat. "Turn it inside out so I can see, the part of you that's drifting over me, and when I wake you're, you're never there, but when I sleep you're, you're everywhere, you're everywhere" She was going to keep going, but stopped as Yuna jumped to her feet.
"Yes yes yes yes yes! Kairi, you've saved us!"
"Excuse me?" Kairi asked, now thoroughly baffled. Yuna calmed herself down.
"Look, we need you to do us a favour."
"What kind of favour?" Kairi asked, still slightly on edge due to the outburst.
"I'm looking for someone, and he's going to be here tonight, but we need to catch his attention. I was going to sing but I need you to sing the last song in the set, please?" Yuna bit her lip, wondering whether she should be even asking this girl that she'd just met to do something so huge for her. Kairi's eyes went wide. Riku was telling the truth! These people really are going to take me to Sora!
"You're looking for Sora aren't you?!" Kairi asked, a little too excited. Yuna's eyes dropped.
"I'm sorry, I've never heard of anyone named Sora…"
"But…but Riku said you'd take me to him…"
"I did?" Rikku asked, bewildered.
"No, not you, " Kairi replied quietly. She stood up, and turned to face the stairs. "No, it was a very different Riku who did this to me! A Riku who was supposed to be my best friend! A Riku who was consumed by evil! A Riku who tried to KILL Sora! MY RIKU! MY Riku, who betrayed me and left me in a world that I don't belong in, with no clue of where I am and no hope of ever going home again!" she cried, frustrated. She dropped to her knees, trying to keep herself from sobbing. "I should have never listened, I should have never listened to him. He lied to me. He lied, I should have known…" She murmured, her voice thick with tears. She felt Yuna's hands on her back, and Rikku's arm around her shoulders.
"Please don't cry Kairi. Please don't. We'll help you find him if you'd like." Yuna offered, troubled by Kairi's tears.
"It's no use. Sora's probably not even anywhere close to here. He said he'd come back to find me and when he does, I'm not even going to be there waiting for him…" Kairi whispered, wiping her eyes. Yuna's heart felt like it was going to break in two.
"Don't cry. I know what it's like." She offered. Kairi sighed.
"You couldn't possibly." she replied quietly. She felt like no one could ever understand what it was like, to have lost Sora like she did. Yuna was silent for a moment, her own voice unwilling to speak the words that would make her relive the memory of loosing Tidus.
"…Back when I was a summoner…" She started, wondering how to say what she needed to. She tried again. "Ever since I was little, I knew I was going to be a summoner, and with that I knew I was going to die to give the world of few years of peace. When I started my Pilgrimage, I met someone named Tidus…" She paused, trying to control her own tears. Kairi was watching her intensely. Yuna cleared her throat and continued. "After I fought what should have been my last battle, I didn't die...Tidus did." Both of them stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Yuna swallowed and spoke again. "But, now, we're here, Rikku and Paine and I, because I was given a chance to find Tidus again." She smiled, half crying. Kairi was gaping at her, oblivious to the tears still rolling unchecked down her cheeks. Yuna sighed. "So I guess what I'm trying to say…" she paused. The two girls looked at each other for a moment longer, and Yuna, unable to stop herself (not that she wanted to), pulling Kairi into a hug, whispering, "Don't give up. I know what it's like and I'll go to the end of the world with you to help you find him, just, please; never, ever, ever give up hope."