Word: Count 657
Challenge:(at lj's kh-drabble community) 72. Desperation
Notes: Spoilers for KH1-ending

Kairi had begun feeling uneasy a few days after Sora had left Traverse Town for Hollow Bastion. It wasn't worry for Sora that she felt, not at all, her heart told her he was more than capable of defending himself. It was just… a feeling,

She couldn't explain exactly how it felt, it was like being seasick, but there was this strange comforting sensation of home. This feeling made her crumple to her knees when at its worst, but left her with the greatest sense of joy at the same time.

Aerith had come home that night after helping the duckling triplets with the herbs they needed to mix up a fresh batch of potion, to find Kairi by the back wall, one arm braced against wall, the other around her stomach. Her skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and her eyebrows drawn together, looking for all the world like she was about to throw up.

The flower girl uncharacteristically slammed the front door shut, and nearly ran to the other with worry.

That feeling had come again, and this was by far the strongest Kairi had felt before. Through her nausea, she vaguely noted that someone had come home when the door banged against its wooden frame harshly. Cid? She thought.

Then feeling hit her again, this time making her knees buckle, causing her to collapse a bit more, but as quickly as the nausea came, so did that aura of euphoria, turning her small whimpers into peals of laughter.

Aerith could only stand there, stunned, surprised, and unnerved by Kairi's sudden mood swing. She tentatively reached out a hand to touch the latter's shoulder, calling out to her softly, "Kairi?"

The younger one settled down at that, and looked up, surprised, eyes watery and unfocused from having them shut so tight before. "A-Aerith."

Kairi relaxed a little more, in her spot on the floor, so it wasn't Cid after all, she thought.

The taller girl offered her hand, silver bangles clinked as they slid down her arm. Kairi took it and stood up on still shaky legs. She cringed slightly, when asked the inevitable, "Are you alright? What happened?"

She flushed out of embarrassment for being seen in the state that she was, but counted it as a blessing it wasn't Yuffie, Leon, or Cid, that saw. She slowly met Aerith's eyes, still a little shy, "Since Sora left, I've been having these sudden flashes of—"

The room Kairi stood in suddenly warped away, along with Aerith in it, cutting her explanation short. She looked around, wide-eyed and baffled. The space was endless, with chunks of grey rock punctuating the stark black. She turned to her right, all the while inspecting what she was standing on.

Sand.

She took a few experimental steps back. It's sand, she thought, the back of her mind noting how the edge of her tiny island suddenly changed into white rock. Her eyes trailed up this path when—

"Kairi!"

That voice. Her head snapped up. "Sora!"

She took the few steps they needed to close the gap between them.

"Augh!"

Her island shifted, her arm flailed to help her regain balance, but it was Sora's grip that finally steadied her.

"Kairi,

His tone of voice wasn't right.

"Remember what you said before?

How could I forget? The islands are moving.

"I'm always with you too.

Then stay with me! She tightens her grip,

"I'll come back to you.

Jump the gap!

"I promise!"

Her left arm was held up behind her, as she strains to hold on.

Why won't you come? Her eyes pleaded with him silently.

"I know you will." All her emotions poured out and muddled together in those four words.

She couldn't tell who let go first, or if the opposing forces were just too strong.

The stars began to fall, Destiny Island was springing back up, restoring itself to how it had always been, and all too quickly his figure was lost in a storm of light.