A/N: Oh joy. Next chappie! It took really long to update though… sorry about that.
Riku sighed, looking disappointedly out the window to his right. This trip was taking an awfully long time… he wanted so much just to shout "ARE WE THERE YET!", but he didn't want to be a nuisance.
"You okay?" A voice asked from beside him.
Riku snapped from his dazed and turned to look at his companion.
"What? Oh… um, yeah. I'm fine…" he replied, shaking his head as if to banish any negative thoughts.
"You don't look fine…" the voice retorted.
Riku took a deep breath. "Leon… trust me. I'm just a little nervous, that's all."
"You shouldn't be nervous… you'll do fine."
"I'm not so sure…"
Leon gripped the steering wheel tighter and shifted his glance over in Riku's direction. "What do you mean? You're wonderful with a sword… I'm sure you'll…"
"That's not it!" Riku cut him off. His voice was sharp, and for a moment it made Leon flinch.
"Well… then what is it?" Leon asked.
Riku hesitated. He hesitated because he didn't really know how to answer. Why did he feel this way? He was scared… and angry… and sad… all at the same time.
And he hated it.
He wanted nothing more than it to go away.
"I just…" he began, "I… I guess I just don't know what to expect."
It almost surprised him how terribly weak his voice sounded.
Leon looked at him sympathetically. He of all people knew what it felt like to be lost or confused. It's an awful feeling… one that you can never understand until you've felt it yourself.
"Well… then try not to expect anything at all." Leon said calmly, keeping his eyes on the open darkness of space ahead of him. "Just let the feelings come as they come."
Riku cocked a brow. "But that doesn't make any sense!"
"Of course it does. Just think about it." Leon sighed deeply.
Riku frowned. That wasn't exactly the answer that he wanted to hear. No one really told him what he wanted to hear anymore… it was all like one big disappointment.
Except…
Well…
Sora and Kairi, that is. King Mickey had notified him that the two would be helping him on this mission. The mission explained in that vague letter signed by a king.
Riku couldn't help but wonder...
Wonder what was in store for him with those two.
They've probably changed…he thought. I wonder what they look like…
Riku closed his eyes and tried to imagine his friends as what they might have become after an entire year without them.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but imagine them just as they were when he last laid his eyes on them.
Sora… with his comely smile and huge sapphire eyes. The courage of a warrior... and the persistence of wild fire.
And Kairi… with her contagious laugh and beautiful amethyst colored eyes that seemed to go on forever.
It's the kind of thing you never forget.
What will they say when they see me again?
Are they the same fun-loving kids I always knew?... or have they changed?
And… do they…
Do they hate me?
It would be hard to blame them…
Riku took in another sigh and leaned back in his seat. He didn't want to think about this anymore.
"We're here!" Cloud announced.
Sora lifted his head excitedly and looked out the window ahead of him.
A round, blue sphere floated out ahead amongst the darkness of space. It was beautiful… yet strange. Sora had never seen anything like it.
When they had finally landed safely on the surface of the strange planet, Cloud opened the cockpit and unlatched his safety restrained.
Sora followed, and got up out of his seat anxiously to see what this world had in store for him.
Cloud quickly reached into his pocket to pull out a small piece of paper.
Sora stopped suddenly to look at the paper. "What's that?" he asked.
Cloud handed it to Sora. "Directions." He replied. "Use them to get to the old bus station where your friends will be meeting you."
Sora accepted the paper gratefully and smiled.
He then looked excitedly out the cockpit to see the strange landscape out ahead of him. It was so odd… yet almost beautiful. Beautiful and lonely.
There seemed to be nobody around for miles.
"Does anybody even live around here?" Sora looked curiously at Cloud.
Cloud ran his fingers through his hair and pulled his cape a little farther over his shoulders. "Yes. There are a couple shops and houses farther down… plus the orphanage where you will be working."
"Oh… right."
"Are you ready for this?"
Sora straightened his back confidently. "Of course! I was born ready."
Cloud chuckled. "Alright then…" he stepped back slightly to let Sora pass.
"Good luck, keyblade master."
Sora nodded reassuringly and walked out of the ship.
I'm ready.
yay! Next time... the reunion of our three heroes! Thankyou so much to ShadowShapeshifterAndherCat and to genericsoda for your reviews! They really encourage me to write more.
Sora: Thank goodness... you finally freakin' updated!
Me: Shut up! I don't always have time... I have a life you know!
Riku: No you don't.
Me: 0o... he's right...