Another beautiful day began on Destiny Islands. The sunlight streamed in from the perfect sky, reflecting off of the perfect water, and seducing me with the perfect sand. Destiny Islands was, well, perfect. Yet, somehow, I knew that I needed to get out. I had to get out of this paradise before it attains a tighter grip on my life. On all of our lives.

I stretched, pulling myself limply from my bed. Exhaustion kicked in, and suddenly I found myself regretting staying up all night to discuss plans with Sora and Kairi. We had worked all night on a plan to get off the island, to see other worlds.

We were building a raft.

Okay, a little anticlimactic, but give us a break. We were kids, the two of them 14, and myself 15.

It seems like ages ago, now that I think about it. In truth, however, I'm still 15. They, wherever they are, are still 14. Moments in time can flow as white water rapids, sweeping up the tiniest of rocks, the tiniest glimmers of hope, and within the time that it takes to get only half way up stream, years and centuries can pass in the forest of the mind. It is also amazing how much one can grow in a single year.

So, we had the plans for our raft. Seeing as it was still early, I decided to get a head start on the group. By noon, I had found most of what we would need. I decided to take a break and leave the rest for Sora.

Walking down the ocean lining, two forms began to take shape. Shielding my eyes from the blazing sunlight, I noticed the forms to be my best friends. They were laughing together, and all seemed to be perfect between the two of them.

While the three of us are looked at by all of the residents as "best friends", I have always felt a little left out. Sometimes it seems as if the two of them have their own little world in which no one else fits in, no one else joins the laughs, but most importantly… no one else matters.

I think that this was the thought that first submitted me to Darkness.

Regardless of what my opening thought was, I always knew I was my own person. I was having serious thoughts of exploration, while it always seemed that Kairi and Sora were just along for the ride.

As I got closer, I could hear their conversation.

"I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see 'em all!" Sora claimed.

"So, what're we waiting for?" Kairi giggled. They seemed to be in their own world, as usual.

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about me?" I butted in. The two of them turned to me, attempting to hide their surprise at me being there. I had interrupted their world. I smiled, to hide my annoyance, and reminded them that we still had work to do, "so, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft". Tossing the log to Sora, I turned to Kairi, "and you're just as lazy as he is!"

I plopped down onto the sand as Kairi giggled her response, "hehe…so you noticed…okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!" Her sheer adorableness brightened up my mood. That was always something about Kairi; the light she shined forth was incredible.

Sora let out a "huh?" which I followed with an "are you kidding?". Kairi giggled again, barely getting out, "Ready? Go!" Sora and I looked at each other for a moment before taking off.

I won the race, of course, just as I always did. I've always been physically stronger than Sora. Physically and mentally. But…he was my best friend. So I didn't think anything of it. Afterwards, I handed the list of what materials were still needed to Kairi, and headed off to the smaller island where I could think.

After a while, Sora and Kairi caught up with me at the smaller island. The sun was beginning to set, and the two of them took a seat on the bent tree that I was leaning against.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asked.

"Could be, we'll never know by staying here." I replied.

"But how far could a raft take us?"

"Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."

That seemed to make Sora content. Kairi decided to get into the conversation, "So, suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?"

"Well, I haven't really thought about it. It's just…I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds…then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Sora leaned back against the tree, sighing "I don't know."

"That's why we have to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So let's go."

Kairi looked at me with a sense of awe, "you've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?"

I looked at her, smiling, "thanks to you. If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this, Kairi, thanks."

She giggled again, god, I loved when she did that. "You're welcome."

As the three of us decided to call it a night, I grabbed a paopu fruit. Once Kairi got ahead of Sora and I, I called to him to come back a little and walk with me. I tossed the fruit to him, to which he muttered, "a paopu fruit?" "You wanted one, didn't you? If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined…They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what. Come on, I know you want to try it."

I could see his mind working. "What are you talking-" I cut him off with a laugh. He threw it aside, looking somewhat awkward, and we ran back to our houses.

The next morning, I awoke with a gut feeling that something was going to happen. Today was going to be a day of destiny. Boy, how right did I end up being.

The three of us met down at the beach. I had been thinking all night about what to name the raft. I feel as if I had spent the most of the time on the contraption, so why shouldn't I name it? Sora disagreed, however, and we decided to race again.

Kairi approached with her typical smile and laugh, "you guys at it again?" she shook her head, "Alright, I'll be the judge. The usual rules apply; take any route you want…first one to tag that tree and make it back here wins."

Sora turned to me, "If I win, I'm captain. And if you win..."

"I get to share the paopu fruit with Kairi" I butted in.

"Huh?"

"Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu fruit with Kairi."

"What?...wait a minute…"

Kairi seemed not to notice what we were waging, and jumped in, "okay, on my count! 1…2…3!"

We took off, both of us running our hearts out. I believe that Sora knew I was kidding about the whole paopu thing, but it sure did get his blood boiling.

After collecting the rest of the supplies for our trip, we all decided to call it a day early, with promises of leaving early in the morning. If only we had known it was the last time we would all three see each other in which we would be friends…

In the middle of the evening, dark clouds suddenly appeared above the islands. A storm was brewing, and our raft was prime bait for the lightening and wind Gods.

I made it to the island, where I noticed that I was the first to tie my boat to the dock.

Making my way to the smaller island where I spend most of my time, the small shadows began to appear. They took form, and soon, they were walking alongside of me. It was incredible, they didn't attack me, nor did they befriend me. We were in a simple state of coexistence. There was an incredible sense that filled me at that moment, a sense of inner strength.

The fact that these creatures had the ability to emerge from nowhere could only mean one thing…the door had opened. Somewhere, there had to be a door to this world…and a door to all other worlds. Exactly. That has got to be how Kairi came here. The skies were perfectly clear; it was an impossibility to get here any other way.

It was happening. Everything was happening; it was finally possible to get away, to escape this "paradise". Doors would open, and what was once a faint idea was a reality. It was time to go; it was time to explore, to open my heart.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" I heard Sora's voice interrupt my thoughts.

"The door has opened…" I said, feeling like it may take a second to sink in.

"What?" he obviously didn't understand.

"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about? We have to find Kairi!"

My mind was screaming, 'damn you! Why can't you understand? The time is now!'

"Kairi's coming with us! Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again! There's no turning back…but this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us. I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

My words seemed to come out faster than I thought them. I felt as though I was speaking before realizing what it was I was saying. Was I truly not afraid of the darkness? Was I read to brave the unknown?

Yes. And I was willing to risk whatever it took.

I felt the darkness below me. It had heard my words…it had read my thoughts… it had seen my desire. It opened, and I accepted the sinking sensation it pulled me under with. I held my hand out to Sora, who called my name…but his voice sounded faint. He sounded distant, yet he was right in front of me.

I sank into darkness. I sank into a world that welcomed me with open arms. My soul became weak, yet flourished at the same time. My heart began to beat at a more wild rate. Adrenaline rushed over my body, a tide in which I was being pulled away from reality further and deeper.

And darkness became my reality.