It was somewhat of a struggle for April to help her son upstairs to bed but they made it.
"Thanks mom." Sora said.
"Do you need help changing into your pajamas?" She asked.
"Nah. I just sleep in my clothes anyway." The boy replied.
"You sure?"
"Yes mom." Sora hugged his mother. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Sora." April replied.
She made sure her son was comfortably in bed before leaving his room. The woman closed the door behind her. Sora folded his arms behind his head and smiled slightly. He hoped his ankles would feel better tomorrow.
----------------------
Riku grinned as he sneaked into Sora's room. It was noon and the brunette was still snoring away. The older boy ran up and jumped on Sora's bed, careful not to land on any part of his friend.
"Sora! Wake up!"
Sora bolted awake and sat up.
"Ha. Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you that much."
The brunette smiled wryly at his friend and lay back down. "S'ok."
"How do your ankles feel?" Riku reached under the covers to gently touch Sora's wounded ankles.
"Not bad actually. They ache but not badly."
"That's good. It feels like the swelling has gone down as well."
"Yeah."
"Now get up. We're going to Destiny Island."
"My mom said it was ok?"
"Yup. I'm amazed she's letting you go out the day after you got hurt."
"Yeah, me too."
Sora yawned, stretched, and sat up again.
"Hey Sora..."
"Yeah?"
"Ever think that maybe there's...other places out there?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the world has to be bigger than Destiny, Plum, and Calypso island right? Are there other islands out there...other worlds even?"
Sora blinked sleepily at his friend. He had no idea where this all came from all of the sudden.
"I don't know, Riku." He replied. "Maybe."
"Wouldn't you like to see those other places?"
"I don't know." Sora answered. "I don't know if I'd want to leave my mother and friends behind."
"We'd come back stupid." Riku said. "We wouldn't be gone forever."
"Well...in that case, yeah...it might be fun. Why do you ask Riku?"
The teen shrugged. "I don't know. I've just been having dreams about leaving the island lately and going on an adventure alone isn't any fun."
"Well...as long as we wouldn't be gone too long." Sora bit his lip slightly.
"You're such a momma's boy." Riku teased.
"I am not!" Sora whapped his friend with a pillow.
"Angel."
"Argh! Only my mother gets to call me that!" Sora bopped Riku with the pillow again.
Riku laughed and moved backwards out of Sora's range. "Momma's boy."
"Riku!!"
The older teen laughed. "Come on. Everyone is waiting for us. Think you can manage sitting on my bike?"
"I hang on with my hands, Riku. Not my ankles." Was Sora's sassy reply.
Riku smiled wryly and reached out to mess Sora's already unruly hair.
"Keep your hands to yourself!" Sora laughed.
The boy got out of bed and carefully stood up. His ankles throbbed but if he didn't walk that much he would be fine. Sora straightened his clothes, put on a clean pair of socks, and walked downstairs with the help of Riku.
"I want you home for supper." April said.
"Okay mom." Sora replied. "Bye!"
"Bye Sora. Bye Riku. Have fun."
"We will." Sora replied, putting his sneakers on.
Riku tried not to blush. Sora's answer had been so innocent, but Riku's mind had dirtied it up. The duo walked outside to where their friends were waiting.
"You're walking today." Kairi smiled. "How do you feel?"
"My ankles hurt, but I think that if I don't walk too much I should be ok." Sora replied.
"Did you have any of Kairi's cookies?" Selphie teased.
Sora and Kairi blushed. Riku inwardly plotted to maim Selphie.
"Yes. Mom and I had some for dessert last night. They were really good, Kairi."
Kairi giggled softly. "Thank-you, Sora."
Riku grit his teeth, but didn't say anything. Wakka looked at Riku, raised an eyebrow, and cleared his throat.
"Let's get goin', ya? Last one there is a rotten egg."
And with that everyone took off pedaling. Sora almost fell off the back of Riku's bike, but he clung onto the older boy's belt loops tightly.
"Sorry Sora." Riku said. "Didn't mean to almost dump you off."
"It's all right, Riku." Sora smiled.
This time Selphie won the race. No one was really surprised though. The girl had been munching on candy all morning.
"I'm surprised your teeth haven't rotted." Tidus said.
"I brush my teeth three times a day that's why!" Selphie exclaimed.
The girl hopped into her rowboat and took off at high speed. Wakka shook his head and helped Tidus into his boat.
"I'll take you out on my boat." Riku said quickly before Kairi could even think of opening her mouth.
"Okay." Sora nodded.
Kairi smiled, got into her boat, and rowed off. Riku felt like an ass. Kairi didn't act like a jealous jerk when Riku did something nice for Sora.
"You ok, Riku?" Sora asked.
"Yeah." Riku answered.
The boy helped Sora into his boat then got in himself. He smiled at his friend before rowing off. Once they reached the island everyone sort of branched off. Wakka, and Tidus went seashell hunting, Selphie went to look for flowers to bring home to her mother, and Sora and Kairi sat on the beach to chat. Riku frowned slightly. He didn't feel like he fit in anywhere.
The teen sighed heavily and decided to just go for a walk. He was barely past the secret place when he felt drawn to it. Riku sighed again and headed inside. It was dank and smelled like wet earth and chalk. The drawings they had made as children stood out greatly against the dark stone walls. Riku stopped when he came to the door in the wall. The weird door with no handle, no keyhole, yet seemed to lead somewhere. Since he was young Riku thought it was a way off the island. He asked his parents about it but neither knew where the door led. No one had ever been able to open it. Riku approached the door and touched it. The wood felt really smooth and worn. There was a shuffling noise behind him. The teen whirled around. His eyes widened, it looked like a shadow was moving towards him. Riku tried to back away but his back made contact with the door behind him. The shadow sprouted two yellow eyes then antennas. A head, body, arms, and legs followed.
"This is not happening. I'm dreaming." The silver-haired teen murmured to himself.
Riku cried out as the shadow-thing leapt at him, clawed-fingers outstretched.
To be continued...
Bua ha ha ha! Major cliffhanger! (dodges fiery objects) You can tell I'm feeling better. My cliffhangers are intentional now ;p. R&R Please :).
