Homecoming

I sat in the pilot seat of my gummi, adrenaline still pumping through me, Keyblade still in hand. It was now fully dark, and I stared out the cockpit, taking one final look at the Soralight. Its golden haze shimmered wherever I didn't look, which was mainly the pink glow of the lantern-lit town. It was all that was left of the Keyblade Master - well, it and me.

I clenched my fist and renewed my vow.

"I will get you back, Sora."

Putting the Keyblade away in a flash of light, I gripped the controls probably tighter than necessary and hit the ignition. I was sucked into my chair as the engine flared up and I rocketed into the black sky. It was time to go home.

Stars sparked outside my window, comforting with their constant glow. Each light was a world, home to millions of hearts, most likely saved by Sora. I watched as they passed by, my heartbeat slowing finally, when one of the lights winked out.

"What-! No!"

I rubbed my eyes, hoping I had imagined it, but the star remained gone. Another world lost to the Horde. I pounded my fists into the steering wheel, kicking the engine into high gear.

"Faster! Faster! Time's running out!"

The ship streaked across space, whining like an angry child, pushed to its pitifully weak limits. I couldn't get home fast enough and it seemed like forever before I finally jumped from the cockpit and landed loudly on the cobblestones of Station Heights. A sunset glowed on the horizon as it always did and a cool breeze blew through, but it smelled weird. There was the salty smell of the beach, but where were the whiffs of fresh breads from the bakery? The burning smell of the train smoke? And it was quiet, really quiet. Not even a bird could be heard there.

"Hello? Helloooo-ooooooo?"

I hopped on my skateboard and pushed off, panicking as all I heard was the clacking of my wheels on the road. The sound echoed like more and more voices laughing at me. The town square was deserted, the abandoned stores almost seeming left mid-business. I peeked into the window of the item shop, cupping my hands to my face. Glass potion bottles were shattered on the floor and the shelves, the greenish liquid dripping and pooling everywhere. The armor shop was in the same condition; weapons laying in heaps on the ground, accessories dangling from the racks.

"No! Not here! No, no, no no no no no! Not here!"

I was freaking out now, running headlong through the alleys of Twilight Town, hurtling past bags of groceries and toys where they lay scattered in the streets, untouched for days.

"Hayner! Pence! Olette! Answer me! Hayner! Pence! Olette!"

I reached the Usual Spot, tearing back the curtain, terrified of what I knew I would find. The normal tidy mess of the hideout was now a disaster, ripped to shreds and tossed everywhere. The darts, instead of being stuck in the broken board, were buried deep into various parts of the walls; given Hayner's aim, they had probably become make-shift weapons. Three small crystals glinted in the dim light, green, yellow and red. I snatched at them, clutching them tightly in my hand as my vision swam.

"HAYNER! PENCE! OLETTE! NO! No..."

My voice cracked and I collapsed to the ground. I pounded my fists on the floor, cried, screamed, curled into a ball.

"No! Not you! Not here! Not here...no...no-oooo..."


I rocked back and forth, hugging my knees, the crystals hard lumps in my palm. They were gone and I couldn't stop the new flood of memories.

I had just woken up, finding myself on the outskirts of Twilight Town. Three kids were returning from the beach and had stumbled over me.

"Hey, what the- you alright?" Hayner glanced worriedly at me from his own seat on the dirt road, confusion on his face. "Do I know you?"

"I'm fine, really, but-"

"But, do I know you?"

"I'm new here."

"His brain's scrambled. Can't answer a simple question."

Olette had put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, come on. He's just a little shy, that's all. I'm Olette, this is Pence and that numbskull there is Hayner. Who're you?"

"Uh, I'm...I'm Roxas."

And we had instantly became friends, just like last time. Only I didn't remember last time. Fleeting images of before would rise to the surface of my mind, mixing the past with the present.

"What's so funny, Roxas?"

"Nothing," I had answered after wiping tears from my face, avoiding a punch from Hayner. "Nothing, Pence, I was just remembering when everyone thought that the Station Heights stairs were haunted and we found out it was just Rai being stupid! Man, that was hilarious!"

"What are you talking about?" Hayner had drawled, trying stubbornly to look as if he hadn't just missed the last stair.

"You know, when we did that independent study? With the...the Seven Wonders...?"

"Roxas, we've never done an independent study. Your imagination is acting up again."

"Yeah, my imagination..." I had frowned, vividly remembering the incident. I did this so often it had become a running joke. "But it wasn't my imagination that Hayner fell!"

"You're gonna wish it was real soon if you don't shut up!"

Months, years had gone by, and the memories finally all came back. I knew if I were alive, Sora had once again become a Heartless. Soon after, news of the Heartless Horde came drifting into town.

"Yeah, there's this big black cloud that just flies across space, swallowing up stars and making them go out!"

The merchant had walked around, flinging his arms as he spoke.

"Yeah, right. And there's a little man who blows so hard he makes the wind."

"Aw, Seifer, I wanted to hear more!" Pence had complained, but I only sat there, good mood spoiled, a feeling of danger sinking in rapidly.

"Hey Roxas, snap out of it! You look like the world's going to end!"

I had told them then of Sora, the Heartless and the Nobodies. I had told them everything.

"So this Sora guy is the only one who can stop these things? Man, that bites!" Hayner had kicked at the dirty floor of the hangout, a depressed sort of bored look plastered on his face.

"Yeah, he's kinda like Superman..."

Confused faces all around.

"Super...man?"

"You know, a superhero..."

Hayner had turned as if seriously wanting to leave, pretending not to care. Olette had stepped in as usual to patch things up.

"But Roxas is like a hero, too! He's the one that's gotta save our savior!"

He had turned around, still trying to act cool but his usual smirk was back.

"Whatever. Doesn't matter if he can't go anywhere, right Pence?"

"I guess so..." Pence had shrugged.

Hayner frowned irritably, sighing.

"Yeah, the great hero can't go anywhere, he's stuck and can't fly off to the rescue!" His elbow had jammed itself deep into Pence's jerseyed side.

"Oh, yeah! Hey Roxas, guess what? You know that computer in the old mansion? Well, I finally figured out how to work it!"

Pence had found gummi blueprints and a giant stock of the blocks. With what knowledge I scraped from Sora and what he could understand from the computer, the four of us had built a ship. Superman, Hayner had dubbed it.

"What! You let Olette paint the ship! Man, Roxas, she's gonna have it pink and purple with little white flowers!"

Hayner and Pence had exchanged horrified glances before dragging me off to the mansion where the ship was held.

"Olette! You are not sending Roxas, hero of the universe and all-around-cool-dude out in a whacked-out girly flowermo...Whoa..."

The girl's head had popped out from the cockpit grinning. The ship was gleaming black, silver and slate blue trim helping to hide the cut-and-paste build.

"Awesome!" Pence had yelled, jumping into the air while Hayner had only smirked again.

"Yeah, well, I got you something even cooler. Check this out!"

He had led me into the ship, reaching into a small compartment and pulling open a door.

"Ta-da! See, it's a freezer! 'Cuz you can't live without good old seasalt ice cream, right? I already stuffed it full, you can thank me later."

"Hayner! What about real food!"

"Oh yeah. There's some of that, too, in the back."

Pence had proudly set to downloading all the world and star maps he could find into the ship. Then, with a few tears on Olette's part, I had said goodbye.

"You better come back soon with that guy; you never know, this place may be next and we'll aaaa-ll be dead tomorrow."

"Knock it off, Hayner!"

"Jeeze, sor-ry."

Olette had wiped the streaming tears from her eyes, Pence trying as hard as he could not to join her, and she had grabbed me in a big hug.

"Oh, Roxas! Come back, promise?"

"Yeah, promise?" Pence had almost wailed, Hayner humphing in agreement.

"I promise, guys."

As I had begun to lift off, the make-shift engines roaring in the garden of the mansion, they had waved goodbye. And just before the ship had sped away, Hayner had shouted after me.

"You better keep that promise, Roxas! 'Cuz we'll be waiting, just you see! We'll be waiting for you!"


"You said you'd be waiting! You promised!"

I wailed into the silence, anger rising to mingle with my sadness. My tears had stopped, my throat was dry and I just lay there dejectedly for a while. A crash came from somewhere and a music box started to play in the distance, having finally fallen from some unstable perch. It plucked out a tune that I recognized, a soft, gentle lullaby one of the townswomen sang to her baby. The song echoed eerily in the streets, but it was comforting all the same. Its words drifted into my head, a sweet but stern voice singing in my mind.

Come dreaming with me, sweet child of mine

To a place 'tween tonight and tomorrow

Where the world is much softer and calmer and slow

And the crickets sing 'long with the swallow

My nerves calmed somewhat as I focused on the chiming notes, letting it soothe me as if accompanied by a gently rocking hug. My resolve hardened into determination and I forced myself to rise to my knees. I was still trembling from everything, and as I reached out to steady myself, I saw it.

There, in front of me, was the door to Kingdom Hearts, glowing and shining, inviting me in.

Come dreaming with me...

Come dreaming with me...

Come dreaming...