" Okay, Sora, today I want you to find provisions for our trip," Kairi said. It was morning and Sora and Kairi were standing by the finished raft, which was sitting on the sand. " I need you to get us three mushrooms, two coconuts, three fish, a seagull, and fill this bottle with drinking water. So no sea water!"
" Sheesh! Are even sure that we won't have so much food that some of it will start to spoil?" Sora asked.
" I don't want to take the risk that we won't have enough," Kairi said.
" You don't even know how long it will be till we find land again," Sora said.
" Just go find those things!" Kairi said.
" Hey, Sora!" Wakka said. Sora had now found everything except one more mushroom. He had just walked by Wakka. " Check it out. See that cave, right there?"
" The one half hidden by bushes?" Sora asked.
" That's the one," Wakka said. " Me and Tidus, we're gonna do some explorin' today. There's gotta be something in there, ya?"
" Me, Riku, and Kairi used to go in there often," Sora said.
" Really?" Wakka said. " What's it like?"
" Nothing special, but I'm headed in there right now to see if I can find some mushrooms."
" Hmmm…" Wakka said. " Well, seeya later, then!"
Sora walked over to the entrance to the cave that was barely visible through the branches. He crawled through. It was a slightly tight squeeze, since he is now much bigger than he was when he last visited this place.
There was a small tunnel at the entrance. Sora followed the tunnel to an open chamber. He could see white scribbles on the stones and walls. Sora and Kairi used to make these scribbles when they were young. They would come in here to draw different things according to what their mood was.
He noticed a wooden door at one end of the chamber. Oddly enough, it did not have a knob. Sora already knew about this mysterious door, of course. You can't expect him to come in here often and not notice it once.
He then saw what he came in here for. Near the door were a bunch of mushrooms. He walked over to them and stooped down to pick some. After picking some mushrooms and sticking them safely into his bag, he noticed a particular drawing on the wall he was by that he and Kairi made.
It was simply a picture of Sora's head and Kairi's head. Both were smiling happily. The strange thing was that Sora remembered making this picture. It was when he and Kairi were very young, about eight or nine. Sora suddenly felt tempted. He found a small white stone on the ground. He picked it up and began to scratch on the wall. He drew an arm onto his own head. It was holding a star shaped object, a paupu fruit.
" They become apart of each other's lives, no matter what." These words echoed in Sora's mind. He thought about this for a few minutes.
" I came to see the door to this world," a voice said.
" Wha, who's there!" Sora said in surprise. He turned around to see a cloaked man standing next to the weird door.
" This world has been connected," he said.
" What are you talking about?" Sora said.
" Tied forever to the darkness," the man said.
" So, you're from another world," Sora said.
" You do not yet know what lies beyond the door," the man said.
" Well, whoever you are, stop freaking me out like this!" Sora said. " Wait, where did you come from?"
" There is so much to learn," the man said. " You understand so little."
" Oh yeah? Well you'll see!" Sora said. " I'm gonna get out and learn what's out there!"
" A meaningless effort," the man said. " One who knows nothing can understand nothing."
" What's that mean?" Sora said.
" You young fool," the man said. " It's only a matter of time."
Sora looked at the door. All he could think of doing was get off the island and prove this man wrong. He could learn anything if he got the chance! He looked at the man to say something to him, but the cloaked figure was gone.
" Ya know, Riku's changed," Kairi said. Her and Sora were sitting on the end of the pier that evening looking at the sea, both eager to set sail.
" Changed? What do you mean?" Sora asked.
" Well… Hmm…" Kairi said. " I don't know, he just seems… different…"
" Does it bother you?" Sora asked with a sense of hope. He was hoping Kairi would feel free to express her feelings to him. That would give Sora a very special gift: her trust.
" Well…" Kairi said. There was a moment of silence.
" You okay?" Sora asked.
" Yeah, it's just…" Kairi said. " … I don't know."
" You can tell me anything," Sora said reassuringly, " You know that, right?"
" Yeah…" Kairi said. There was another silence, one longer than the first.
" Sora! Let's take the raft and go!" Kairi said all of the sudden. " Just the two of us!"
" Huh!" Sora said in shock.
" Heh, just kidding!" she said.
" What?" Sora said with a slight laugh. " You're the one that's changed, Kairi."
" … Maybe…" Kairi said. There was a moment of silence for a third time.
" You know, I was afraid at first, but now I'm ready!" Kairi said. " I'm not afraid anymore, cause I know that no matter what happens, I can always come back here, right?"
" Yeah, of course!" Sora said.
" That's good," she said and started getting to her feet. " Sora, don't ever change."
" Huh?" Sora said and looked up at her.
" I just can't wait!" Kairi said. " Once we set sail, it'll be great!"
For a moment, they just watched the sun set.
" Well, best get rested, tomorrow's the big day!" Kairi said. " Good night, Sora."
" Good night," Sora said quietly.