/DISCLAIMER/

I don't own any of the following characters, locations, items, or any other Square Enix or Disney objects. These stories are based off ideas from the game and in my head.


It was practically noon by the time they saw each other again. Sora had slept in late (not really much of a surprise), Riku (through a strange burst of energy) had been inspired to help his father clean the house, and Kairi...well, Kairi had been out in town most of the morning. When they did see each other, it happened like this:

Riku had hurled a fistful of fish bones up at Sora's window, reminding his friend that they were supossed to go fishing, whenever he cared to wake up (it was an expert throw, though, must congratulate him on that). This of, course, failed to rise Sorta out of the comfort and warmth of his bed. When Kairi arrived a few minutes later (after completing her mysterious issues in town), they proceeded to call Sora's name together. As one might have guessed, Sora's parents were none to happy, and they went up to wake their son (whether to give him the pleasure of seeing his friends or to get the noise outside to stop, the world shall never know).

Sora soon stumbled outside, having trouble pulling a shirt over his head as he exited the house. This ecnouraged Riku to let out a burst of mocking laughter and sent Kairi into a fit of hysterical (yet observing) giggles. While waiting for his friends to stop laughing, Sora poted and sat down on a rock to tie his shoes.

"Chill Sora, we weren't the ones sleeping until the middle of the day," Riku tossed into the air, taunting the Keyblade Master. Sora didn't answer as he pulled the shoelaces sharply together, creating a crisp snap!ing noise. "You still want to go fishing, right?"

This was received with a more positive reaction as Sora leapt to his feet with a grin on his face. They walked to the side of Sora's house,w here they had propped up their fishing poles the night before, coming back from the cafe. "Alright," Sora said as they ambled towards the poles and nets. "If I was sleeping, what were you doing?"

Riku looked away and make incoherant mumbling noises. Sora started to grin and nudged Riku with his elbow. "Come on Rikuuuu, you can tell me, your buddy, ol' pal!"

Riku coughed and said, suddenly investigating his shoes, "I was...er...cleaning..."

"HA!" Sora shouted gleefully, taking his turn to mock his best friend. "Since when does Riku, the almighty powerful king, clean?"

"I think it's nice that Riku actually knows what to do with a mop and a sponge," Kairi said, picking up her romd from where it leaned against the wall.

Sora's face immeadiately changed into one of reverance and seriousness. "Of course. Cleaning's great. It makes thing...clean. I can clean too! I'm great at raking up leaves. A PRO really." Kairi looked over at him as Riku bent over to pick up his net. She winked at him. Sora smiled again. "But then again," Sora continued, "it seems a bit early for Riku to be starting his maternal duties."

Riku stood up sharpyl, glancing back and forth between the two, a look of rebellion and confusion on his face. "But I'm not--!" he started to protest.

Kairi giggled, tucked her hands behind her back, and leaned forward. "It's okay Riku," she whispered. "We won't tell anyone about your guilty pleasure."

Thoroughly entertained, Sora and Kairi laughed as they started the walk down the beach. Needless to say, Riku was not as amused...although, the corners of his mouth twitched into the beginning of a smile.


Having caught nothing for almost three hours, the boy stared bordely out at the ocean, sitting on the sand, their fishing poles cast aside and forgotten. Kairi had gone back to the main island, claiming she'd be back within the hour, after she had finished another "errand".

"So," Sora said in a blank voice, his body hunched over as he watched the tide flow back and forth with little (or no) interest.

"So," Riku said in return, using the same tone and sitting in the some position.

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I dunno."

"Well. ... Let's think of something."

"Okay."

"Riku?"

"Yah, Sora?"

"Think of something?"

"No."

Sigh. "Oh. Okay."

"Hey Sora."

"Yeah?"

"I've got something."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"...well?"

"Well, what?"

"What's your idea!"

"Oh. That. It's not very fun."

"Like this is fun?"

"Well. It's still a bad idea."

"Tell me anyway."

"Okay. Let's toss rocks in the ocean."

"You're right."

"About what?"

"That is a bad idea."

"Shut up. Can you come up with anything better?"

"Yeah."

Sora splashed Riku, his hand reaching forward and spraying water in the older boy's direction.

Riku was motionless before he said in a monotone voice, "Hey. That felt good. Do it again."

So Sora splashed him a second time. Riku splashed Sora back. Then they sat still.

"This sucks."

"Yeah."

"Let's race!"

"Does that mean I'd have to get up?"

"Yes, Riku."

"Oh. Fine. If you insist."

Jumping to their feet, they both ran. Neither one of them stated a destination, but they both seemed to know where they were going. When they stopped, they found themesleveson the other side of the wall, the back part of the island. As they stood panting for a moment, Riku started looking around.

"Hey Sora," he said, nudging his friend's shoulder.

"What?"

"Look."

Sora glanced up from where he stood. "Yeah," he replied, "so? It's the landing. It's alw--" His mind briefly flicked back to the storm before he shook away the though. "Always been here."

"But don't you remember? Or are your thoughts filled up with somethin' else?" Riku teased. Sora turned away so Riku couldn't see the tinge of pink clouding his cheeks. "This is where we used to race, for real."

Sora turned back, nodding. "Right! Hey, remember that race right before we left?"

"The one with the naming of the boat and the starfruit as the stakes?"

"Mhmm," Sora responded.

Riku pondered the situation. "Who won that race?" he asked absentmindedly.

Sora shrugged. But he remembered it just fine.

"Wanna do it again?" Riku suggested.

Sora looked at him before glancing back in the direction of the decaying bridge and the watch tower. "You mean the obastacle course race?"

Riku nodded and affirmative.

"Okay," Sora said, already crouc hing into ready position. "You're on."

Riku bended down too. "Same stakes."

Sora glanced at him, his face a mixture of anger and hope flashed across his face. Riku was looking ahead, away from Sora. "But, wait," Sora started, "We don't have a raft to name."

Riku rolled his eyes and shook his head, but still didn't looka t Sora, only at the racetrack ahead. "I never cared about the name of the raft."

Surprise flitted across Sora's face before being soon replaced by determination. "Deal," he said, grinding his feet against the sand. Without Kairi to count down, it was Riku who was the one to shout 1, then GO. And the race began.

They sprinted forward, grains of sand flying into the air, giving the landing a faint haze. In retrospect, it might have been the signal of something greater. Something greater...hazing over. Sora and Riku leaped over the familiar part of the bridge, which immeadiately broke off again, falling to the water with a satisfying splash! They knew they would fix it after the race was done. Sora leaped forward, climbing up the ladder to the watchtower, and Riku sprinted across the beach. They reached the stony walk up at the same time, leaping across the grass and touching the star tree. As suspected, Riku began leaping across the trees while Sora, meanwhile, leapt down to run across the pale white sand. At the moment, their paces were the same, they were perfectly tied.

"Sora! Riku!"

Three things happened. One: Riku and Sora glanced behind them. Two: Riku fumbled over the edge of the palm tree and landed on the beach with a thud, sand confetti bursting into the air. Three: Sora tripped and landed in the water.