Chapter 2: Preparing to Set Sail

"I got here first!"

"No way, dude! I beat you, like, by a millisecond!"

"Nuh-uh!"

Another typical day on Destiny Island, Kairi thought. Birds singing; the temperature was nice and warm; Sora and Riku having a trivial dispute over who won the race. Sounded about right. She arrived not too long after her friends finished their race. They were standing by a wooden door that led to the other side of the island.

Their arguments were never in malice; it was about as childish as you'd expect from two friends who grew up together like brothers. The boys' argument continued until they noticed Kairi out of the corner of their eyes. Immediately, they turned to face her. She frowned, knowing full well what they were about to say.

"Oh, no!" she said. "I'm not playing ref again. Count me out. Besides, you both left me in the dust."

Sora sighed. They were getting nowhere settling this argument. Then, he had an idea. "Hey, let's settle this argument by racing to the dock. That will determine the winner."

"That's pointless, man," Riku said with a chuckle. "We're deciding who won a race...by having another one?"

"Uh...well...I...okay, good point," Sora said. "So what do we now?"

Riku smirked. "Settle this the old-fashioned way?"

Sora knew exactly what he was implying. The thought filled him with both excitement and worry. Ever since they were kids, they would always spar with their toy swords. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, Sora couldn't beat Riku in a match. But he wasn't discouraged; Sora was never a quitter, and he knew victory would one day be crowned upon his head.

"Yep!" Sora clenched his fist in excitement. "You're on! Usual spot?"

"You know it!" Riku said with excitement.

"Guys, what about the raft?" Kairi asked, growing annoyed.

Sora and Riku winced. They had climbed a bit too high on the competitive ladder.

"Oh, right," Sora said, rubbing his head in an apologetic manner. "Kinda important we finish that, huh?"

"Shouldn't be too hard," Riku said. "We just need certain materials to complete it. Kairi, do you have that list we made earlier?"

Kairi pulled out a small piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. "Yep. We're all set. Why don't you take a break since you did most of the groundwork? Sora and I will gather the materials."

"Alright," Riku said. "Just make sure he doesn't fall asleep again."

Kairi snickered. "Will do."

"Hey!" Sora said.

Riku turned around to face a tall island, which was located next to the beach. The kids would frequently occupy it to look out at the horizon. Or, in Sora and Riku's case, have their duels. A bridge connected the tall island to a wooden pillar located on the main one.

"And when you're done, meet me over there," Riku said. "That's where we'll have our match!"

"You got it!" Sora said energetically.

Sora threw a fake punch at Riku, who caught it with his palm.

"Look forward to beating ya," Riku said.

"Dream on!"

After saying good-bye, Riku headed for the tall island. Kairi couldn't help but roll her eyes with a smile.

"Is everyday like a competition for you two?" she asked.

Sora grinned. "Can't help it. Makes the day even better!"

"Heh. I admit, it doesn't get old cheering you two on, either," she said. "In fact, I've already been working on a few cheers for you."

"Really?" Sora asked. "Cool. Can I hear them?"

"Well, I was thinking either, 'you did your best,' or 'you'll get him next time, Sora."'

"Aw, c'mon, Kairi. Can't you be a little more optimistic? I know I can beat him! I feel it in my gut!"

Kairi giggled. "I'm only playing. I think you can beat him, too. You've come close before. I think you're about due for a win."

Sora smiled. "Thanks."

"Sure. Well, let's get started," Kairi said.

The two looked through the list of materials they needed for the raft. In order to expedite their work, they decided to split up and search for items assigned to them. Then, Kairi headed for the dock, while Sora headed for the beach (Kairi was slightly dubious about him searching at the beach; he might fall asleep again).

Sora strolled along the beach, taking in the sights of his island. Familiarity is both a comfort and a discontentment. On one hand you feel safe and happy knowing where you are – it's a part of human nature. His island was the shining example. Nothing bad ever happened on it. It was a place he could escape to after a rough day. Many other kids knew that, too. It was like living in a permanent paradise.

For all fourteen years of his life, this island brought him laughter and joy. Every time he stepped on the dock, his ears were embraced by the soothing sounds of the tide; in the distance he could hear the jovial cries of his friends playing, or gossiping over the latest rumors circulating about at school. He, Kairi, and Riku were always on the island together, day in and day out. Their lives were easygoing.

And that was the problem.

They loved their island, but it became mundane to sit around and look at the familiar sights. How many times are we going to hear those same kid's gossiping? How many times are we going to watch the same tide go out to see? It was time for a change.

Riku came up with the idea many years ago to leave home and discover other worlds. It wasn't until they became teenagers that they decided to enact their childhood dream. Sure, they did stop and think about the ramifications of leaving everyone behind; their parents would be fraught with distress. But teenagers always found a way to rationalize their reasoning. We're just going on a little vacation, Sora convinced himself. We'll be back in no time!

As Sora continued his search, he couldn't help but think about the dream. He was trying his best to dismiss it from his memory. That was a challenging task. Especially since he kept envisioning that giant monster hovering over him, growing closer and closer to his face – those empty yellow eyes never leaving his line of sight.

Sora was too busy in his thoughts to notice that one of his friends, Wakka, had snuck up behind him and pulled him into headlock. For a second, he flinched, but then recognized the playful grip.

"Hey man!" Wakka said. "Wassup?"

Sora, regaining his senses, chuckled. "Knowing you, Wakka, probably your hair style."

"Very funny, brudda." He released Sora from his grip.

Wakka and his friend Tidus were a part of their school's Blitzball team – a sport that Sora didn't follow too much (he wasn't much of a sports person, anyway). But since he was Tidus and Wakka's good friend, he had to be somewhat invested. Especially since they would ramble on for hours at a time about Blitzball, talking about complicated strategies that made Sora's head spin in confusion. All he could do was smile and nod.

And they were just that – good friends. Nothing more. No one ever came close to the incredible bond he shared with Riku and Kairi. Why was that? Maybe it was because they hung out all the time; and through their daily interactions, they've come to have a deep understanding of one another. Sora couldn't explain it, but they weren't just friends; they were his family.

"How's your day going?" Wakka asked.

"I'm fine," Sora said. "Can't stick around. Have to get some stuff for the raft. I'm already slacking off."

Wakka, Tidus, and their other friend Selphie knew about their plans to leave the island. How could they not? The raft was partially formed, resting on the other side of the island. Despite Wakka's booming mouth, he was a loyal friend, and would not utter a word.

Wakka looked disappointed. "Aw, man. We never hang out much anymore. You're usually off to watch the sunset with Riku and Kairi. Or your face is in the sand after Riku wallops you."

"Hey!" Sora said, somewhat annoyed. "I'll have you know he's been throwing me into the ocean these days."

He realized the blunder of that sentence. Wakka tried containing his laughter.

Sora blushed. "Erm, you know what I mean. But that all changes today. I've been practicing all week. I'm finally gonna take him down!"

"Sure, brudda," Wakka said with a hint of sarcasm. "But don't let that get you down. I still can't beat Tidus at Blitzball. He gets me every time with his….Subliminal Magic Jelly…Shot?"

Sora chuckled. "The Sublimely Magnificent Ject Short Mark III?"

"No way! You remember the whole thing?"

"Of course. He only beats it into my head every time we talk."

"Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out what happened to Mark I or Mark II."

"Maybe III just sounds cooler," Sora said with a shrug. "Hey, I promise to hang out with you more often. Especially before we leave."

"Okay, man," Waka said, feeling reassured. His expression then turned to worry. "Still think you three are loco for doing this, but I guess sometimes you have to be crazy to achieve your dreams."

"Wow, Wakka." There was a cheeky grin on Sora's face. "Who knew you were quite the philosopher?"

Wakka responded with a playful punch to Sora's shoulder. "Ahh, get out here! Before I put you through an intense Blitzball session."

Sora hurried off to continue his mission. While walking along the shore, he found one of the logs needed for the trip. He picked it up between his right arm and walked over to the lone island, which he then placed on the ground.

He walked towards the dock, hoping to find another log. Looking to his right, he could see the giant trees standing tall over the island. Large wooden structures covered a majority the area. There were ladders and stairs that lead to higher grounds, allowing everyone to get a breathtaking view of the island. It was like having their own personal playground. Nearby the bridge was a little shack for the kids to go in if they needed to cool off from the heat's unrelenting wrath.

Sora walked over to the dock. Selphie was sitting on the edge, starting out at the bright blue horizon. She was always a daydreamer, letting her thoughts freely roam throughout her mind. No one knew what she thought about, but it had to be something pleasant. A permeant, content smile seemed sewed to her mouth. She let the breeze blow through the two giant curls of her brown hair.

Sora approached her and said hello. They started making small talk.

"I've been fine, "she said. "Just enjoying the breeze. You still working on that raft?"

Sora nodded.

"Still can't believe you're going out there," she said. "Think you'll find another world?"

"I'm counting on it!"

Selphie giggled. "You never let anything get you down, huh? I could never imagine myself on a raft. Too much action for me."

"Could be worse," Sora said. "Tidus and Wakka could be with you."

She glared at Sora in horror. "Don't get that thought into my head! I'd be hearing about Blitzball in stereo."

After they both let their laughter poor out, Sora said good-bye. He didn't want to waste any more time. The others were sure to grow impatient. Kairi was probably preparing a whole speech on why he's a lazy bum. He shuttered at the thought.

Sora walked over the giant wooden structure at the far-left corner of the island. He climbed the ladder, walked down a suspended pathway, and arrived at a small island bridge. Tidus was there, practicing his fighting skills by swinging around a long red sword, known as a bokken. To the right of him was a rope – one of the items needed for the raft. How convenient, Sora thought.

Tidus noticed Sora and turned towards him; his face was frozen with excitement. He enjoyed a good duel, and he knew Sora was exceptional with a blade. Not as good as Riku, of course, but this would be Tidus' chance to move up in the ranks of strongest kid on the island.

"Hey, man," Tidus said. "Whatchaya up to?"

"Just need to grab that rope," Sora replied.

"Have time for a round?"

Sora shook his head. "No can do. Working on the raft."

Tidus smirked. He was not letting Sora off that easily.

"That so?" Tidus asked. He leaped over to the rope and grabbed it.

Sora felt his teeth clinch together in frustration. He could already hear Kairi's faint voice in the back of his head, nagging at him for taking so long. The longer he lingered, the louder her voice became.

Before Sora could get a word in, Tidus, still letting his mischievous smirk protrude, said, "Then I'll let you have it. After one battle. Come on. You guys will be leaving soon. Might not get another chance for a while."

Sora opened his mouth to argue, but nothing exited. He realized there would be no point. Tidus was not one to convince through words; he was all about action. If it was a fight he wanted, then Sora would gladly give it to him. Besides, he couldn't stare at Tidus' grin any longer; the overbearing pride was so bright that Sora found himself squinting.

Sighing, Sora said, "Alright, alright. I'll take you on. Down on the beach?"

"You know it!" Tidus said, his voice filled with excitement.

Sora went into the shack and pulled out an old wooden sword. It had been in his possession for years. Ever since he was a kid, he always loved stories of knights in shining armor brandishing their swords against evil doers. He wished to be as great a fighter as them. A childish illusion, but the thrill of the fight felt real to him. Riku was the same way.

Sora's mind was so focused on the upcoming fight that he wasn't worried as much about finding the remaining items for the raft. It's still a sunny day, he rationalized. There would be plenty of time later. It was a detour, sure, but he wanted to travel down it.

Sora met up with Tidus on the sandy part of the beach. Both competitors never took an eye off each other. Excitement was in the air.

"Maybe this isn't a bad idea after all," Sora said, "I do need a good warm up before facing Riku."

"Warm up nothin'," Tidus said "You're not going to beat me! Even if you do win – which you won't – all that 'warming up' will be for nothing when Riku beats you."

Sora couldn't help but let a moan escape his mouth. He was getting tired of hearing the same old sentence. "What's with everyone lacking faith in me? Don't you have a sliver of confidence that I can beat Riku? I'll even settle on a draw."

"Dude, Selphie, Wakka and I took him on three to one last time. He creamed us!"

"But I've been practicing every day. I know it's going to pay off today. Wait and see."

Tidus held his bokken out at his side. Sora knew he didn't want to wait anymore; now was the time for action. Sora grabbed the hilt with both hands and bent down into his fighting stance.

"Well, I'm going to be waiting even longer after I beat you!"

They ran right for each other. Tidus swung his bokken directly downward; Sora leaped right to avoid it. He countered with a horizontal strike to Tidus' ribcage. After recovering from the shock, Tidus elbowed Sora's blade to the ground. Taking his chance, he thrust the blade right towards Sora's face. Sora jerked his head back just in time to miss the attack. The blade was almost touching his nose.

Sora jerked his right arm, allowing his blade to knock Tidus' backwards. Tidus staggered back for a moment. Now Sora was on the move. He thrusted his blade right at Tidus, who recovered quickly. He swung his blade inward and parried Sora's attack away. Next, Tidus brought his blade up and swung it down at a diagonal angle. Unfortunately for him, Sora was quick to counter; he held his blade with both hands parallel to his left hip and brought it up, also diagonal, to catch the bokken.

The two were in a lock for a moment. Tidus thought he had the advantage; he soon realized that his eyes were being deceived. Sora was pushing his blade upward. Struggle as he might, Tidus could not make Sora's blade budge.

"Not bad," Sora said. There was a smug tone in his voice. "Try a little harder, and I think I'll have a decent warm up."

Tidus, feeling like he just got a huge kick in the gut from Sora's oversized shoes, said, "Oh, it's ON now!"

Tidus tried countering; Sora brought his blade up from the right side to knock Tidus' back. Sora went for another attack; Tidus dodged it. Sora continued swinging at Tidus, who continued dodging all his attacks. If there's one thing that impressed Sora, it was Tidus' amazing speed. At one point he managed to hit Sora on the hip.

"YEOW!" Sora shouted.

"Still think this is a warmup?" Tidus asked; a confident smile appeared on his face.

"You bet! Just got distracted, that's all!"

Their fight continued to the shore; Tidus' back was facing it. He brought his blade down onto Sora's left shoulder, but he put his blade right above it, protecting it from the strike. Sora side stepped the next strike, grabbed Tidus' wrist, and knocked the bokken out of his hand.

"No way!" Tidus shouted.

Tidus tried to dodge Sora's swings, but they were quick and powerful. Sora figured out that, while Tidus was fast, his movements were predictable. He brought his blade down at every turn to stop Tidus from escaping. Finally, Sora deliver a powerful strike that knocked Tidus straight into the water. Sora grimaced; he might have put too much force into that attack.

Tidus sat up, coughing out water that tried to find refuge in his lungs. His body was covered from head to toe with water. Drops drizzled down from his sandy blonde hair, almost as if it was weeping from the embarrassing defeat for him. Brushing his hair back, he looked up to see Sora sticking out an apologetic hand.

"Might've overdone it a little bit." Sora helped him onto his feet.

"Nah. Kinda deserved it after forcing ya to fight. Sorry 'bout that."

"Forget it. I had fun," Sora said.

Tidus smirked. "Glad I made your little warm up worthwhile. But seriously! You've improved! You might have a slight chance after all. Slight."

"Guess I'll take any compliment I can get," Sora said with a chuckle.

Tidus handed him the rope, and Sora hurried off to find more logs. Which he came into contact with moments later near the shore. After gathering them all up, he thought about the other item they needed. A sail for the raft. He recalled there being a cloth inside the treehouse. It was in good condition, too. Would be perfect, he thought.

The top of the treehouse yielded the best view. You could see the endless clean ocean ahead of you, and sometimes watch the seagulls ascend into the sky. It was one of Sora's favorite spots to visit. He would dangle his feet over the edge, feeling like he was floating on air. It was as close as you could get to the sky.

Sora found the cloth hung in the corner. A thorough scrutiny revealed not a single tear. It was perfect! Sora, being careful not to rip it apart, removed the cloth from the wall, and exited the treehouse. He stopped short, however. Kairi was making her way up towards the treehouse. Given how much time he wasted, it was safe to assume that she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Sora's lips curved into a smirk. A playful little idea had squeezed into his head. He deserved to have some fun after searching for those logs, right?

Kairi stepped into the treehouse. To her surprise, she saw the vacant spot where the cloth once hung. She was about to leave when a huge shadow darkened the light below her feet. Confused, and somewhat unnerved, she turned around to see what was behind her. Her nervous expression was replaced with a look of mild amusement. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at what loomed over her. It was Sora concealed by the cloth, wiggling his fingers dramatically at her.

"OooooOoooooh, I'm the ghost of this treehouse," Sora said in an overdramatic tone "You shouldn't have disturbed my nap. I get very cranky."

Kairi smirked, placed both hands on her hips, and said, "Wow, Mr. Ghost. What abnormally large shoes you have on."

"Abnormal!?" Sora asked; there was a slight squeak in his voice.

"And it seems you're going through puberty, too," she continued.

Sora paused, trying to think of a good comeback. Then: "OooooOoooooh, you've done it now, Kaiiiirrriiii. Prepare for a big, scary tickle attack!"

Sora lunged at Kairi, tickling her from head to toe. She was in complete hysterics. Every second she was losing breath from laughing so hard. Her only way to stop him was a counterattack. Soon the two of them were in tears. Their laughter was so loud that most of the island probably heard them. Not too long after, they both fell onto the floor, and sat across from each other, catching their breath from all the laughing.

Kairi always enjoyed Sora's company. While she cared deeply for Riku, Sora was fun-loving and full of energy. He knew how to cheer her up on a depressing, muddy day. There was something about his friendly grin that made her happy. Sora felt the same way with Kairi; funny, friendly, and understanding. Sometimes when he needed guidance, Sora would turn to her. Deep down, a strong feeling was brewing inside of him – a feeling that made itself apparent a few years ago.

He didn't know what she would say if he confessed those feelings. Would she laugh? Would she feel the same way? Or would she feel awkward around him, forcing them to grow apart? Those thoughts made Sora anxious. It's hard to imagine that only a few short words can sometimes change lives forever. For better or worse. That wasn't his concern right now. His focus was on finishing the raft. Regaining focus, he handed the cloth over to Kairi.

"Never make things boring, do ya?" Kairi asked.

"It's what I do," Sora said. "Wasn't my ghost impression spine tingling?"

"About as spine tingling as Casper. So, Mr. Ghost, did you gather everything else?"

"Yep."

Kairi stood on her feet. "Then we should meet up with Riku before he calls us both out for being lazy again."

"Yeah!" Sora rose to his feet in a hurry. He was excited. "We still have some unfinished business, after all!"

"Oh, right," Kairi said. "I forgot. Sure you don't want to leave it unfinished?"

Sora glared at her with a determined expression. A giggle escaped her mouth. Once Sora set his mind on something, he'll never stop pursuing his goal. He was like a stubborn mountain; you could try breaking his spirit, but it would never falter. In a way, it gave her confidence. Sora seemed to leave this positive impact on people, and she would need it when they traveled outside of this world's boundaries.

Kairi shook her head. "Don't know why I bothered asking. This is YOU I'm talking to. Always have to be competitive."

"Like you said, I never make things boring," Sora said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kairi said.

"Same here."

It was near the end of the afternoon. The sun began its slow, inevitable decent towards the horizon; soon the moon would emerge as its substitute, illuminating a gentle light upon the forthcoming deserted island. While the air was becoming cooler, the summer heat would not dwindle.

Riku was on the small island adjacent to the main one. He sat on a gray palm tree that was bent over, waiting for both Sora and Kairi to return. His eyes were fixed on the bright blue horizon. What lay beyond it was a question he often pondered. Riku, while sociable and friendly, chose to let his thoughts do most of the talking. As a child he had a strange interest in the world around him. He enjoyed searching his island for secrets – clues that would help unravel a huge mystery about his home.

Nothing. No matter where he looked; which led to the conclusion that his world was plain and ordinary. Life became boring. He loved his island, but everything became so mundane. Seeing the same people and places can become dull after fifteen years.

But, then, someone changed his entire perspective on life forever.

Riku's thoughts started becoming muffled over the casual chatter approaching him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Sora and Kairi walking over the bridge. Sora was bragging to Kairi over his victory against Tidus.

Riku spun around to face them. "Was wondering when you'd show up. Get everything?"

"Uh-huh," Kairi said. "We would've been here sooner if a ghost didn't slow us down."

Riku glared at Kairi in slight bewilderment. Kairi's eyes darted towards Sora in response.

Riku smirked and released a small puff of amusement from his nose. "Oh. This ghost didn't happen to have spiky hair, did he?"

Sora placed his arms behind his head, grinning. "Maybe."

"Good." Riku hops off the tree. "Because I feel like busting that ghost right now."

Riku picked up his wooden sword, which rested against the bent tree. A wave of giddiness splashed over Sora's body. Kairi saw the spark light up in his eyes. Deep down she hoped Sora would win at least once. Judging from his confident demeanor, there was a good chance; seemed like he was ready. Sora hurried over to the middle of the island. His back tensed with excitement.

"I've been waiting for this all day!" Sora said, excited.

"To lose?" Riku asked, smirking. "I agree. I'll make this quick then."

"Not too fast," Sora said. "I want to savor my victory as long as possible."

Both Sora and Riku stared each other down, and brought themselves into their fighting stances – Sora gripping the handle with both hands, knees slightly bent; Riku stood tall, holding his blade over his head. Kairi felt the heat of their competitive spirits slide over her skin. Nothing new to see here, she thought.

"Welp, it was inevitable," she said with a sigh. "I'll be over here, guys."

Kairi leaned against the bent over tree. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out some Thalassa shells. Ever since their plan was conceived, she wanted to make a special charm – one that would give that luck as they traveled out into the uncharted sea. On occasion she would glance up to see how the fight was progressing. For some reason they always sparred around her; and at times, she was convinced both were looking right at her.

The only sound heard was the high pitch cries of the seagulls. Which did nothing to break the boys' concentration. They both wanted a taste of victory. Sora more so; he was positive that he could do it. Riku would soon be admitting that he was the better sword fighter. Strains of sweet dripped down Sora's brow. He wasn't waiting another moment, and decided to go on the attack.

Sora swung upward at a diagonal angle; Riku stepped back to dodge the attack. He thrust his blade in retaliation. Sora retracted his blade towards his chest, catching the incoming strike. Next, he swung inward, still gripping the hilt with both hands. Moving slightly backwards, Riku twisted his wrist to make his sword point towards the ground and block the incoming attack. He raised his arm, which forced Sora to release his blade from Riku's.

Taking this opportunity, Riku twisted his wrist again, making the blade face upward, and brought it straight down. Sora turned his blade horizontal and caught the strike; his right hand was pushed against the tip for control. Summoning every ounce of strength, he pushed Riku's blade upward. Sora swung again, but Riku leaped towards one of the bigger palm trees; his back was pressed against it.

Sora once again attacked, only to miss, as Riku spun away. He started falling towards the tree, but caught himself by pressing his hand into it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Riku swing right at him. Sora pushed himself off the tree to dodge the attack. Riku brought his blade down from a diagonal angle, while Sora, holding the blade horizonal, brought it up to block. After performing a complete one hundred and eighty turn, he brought it down from over his shoulder. Sora readjusted his blade to counter again.

Riku's strikes became relentless; there wasn't the slightest opening Sora could expose. Even after all his training, defeating Riku was still an exercise in endurance. Their blades slid along one another as they both pushed back and forth, trying to reach the other. Soon enough they found themselves in a blade lock. Their eyes were glued to one another; they were trying to predict their opponent's next move.

"Don't tell me that's all ya got," Riku said in a mocking tone.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Sora said, grinning, "but I'm just getting started."

Sora pushed Riku back, who was stunned by the sudden surge in strength. He was impressed by how much Sora had improved. But there was no cause for concern; Sora's techniques were seeded in his brain, so he knew how to counter each swing.

Sora went on the offense, hoping to back Riku into a corner. Much to his dismay, Riku was able to dodge many of his attacks. As Sora swung another attack, Riku side stepped him and hit his rib. All Sora could do was shout from the sudden burst of pain. Riku continued his assault by striking him right in the back. Kairi, who stopped her project for a moment to check in on the fight, shook her head; a pessimistic sigh snuck out from her lips.

Making a fast recovery from the hit, Sora spun around and smacked Riku in the arm. The silver haired boy hissed as he felt the jolt of the wood against his skin. He thrusted straight towards Riku's chest, but the silver haired boy swung down with all his might, and knocked Sora's blade onto the ground.

Everything happened so fast. Sora had no time to react as he watched Riku kick his sword towards the edge of the island. Nerves bubbled in Sora's stomach; he'd come too far to be put at a disadvantage now! Sora ducked underneath Riku's blade; then jerked his head left and right to avoid more attacks. It was impossible to dodge this flurry of attacks forever. He needed his sword back to stand a chance.

Then, an idea struck him faster than any of Riku's attacks. While Riku continued his assault, Sora, with the utmost subtly, forced them both to rotate around the arena, so that he was facing his abandoned sword. When Riku swung from below, Sora dove over the attack, landed into a roll, and stood up, dashing towards his sword without looking back. He could hear Riku's heavy panting closing in on his ears.

Upon reaching the edge, Sora leaped onto his stomach, rolled over onto his back, and caught Riku's attack just in time. It seemed that Riku had his best friend pinned down, and he was not going to let him make another move. Sora gritted his teeth, struggling against the weight of Riku's body.

"Looks like I got you," Riku said with a look of triumph on his face.

Sora's struggling expression morphed into a clever grin.

"On the contrary," he said, "I've got you."

Time froze as Riku felt a giant foot press against his chest. Every voice in his head yelled at him for missing the obvious counterattack. Before his reflexes could react, he felt Sora push him straight over his body; Riku went tumbling towards the edge. A surge of excitement pushed Sora to his feet. Did he finally do it? No, Riku had grabbed the ledge. He was nothing more than a loose tree branch dangling right on the edge – one small move would send him falling into the ocean.

Sora's eyes glimmered with pride. He had never seen his best friend in such a discomfited state during one of their spars; usually it was the other way around. Finally, he beat Riku. Or so he thought. A thick haze of overconfidence had blinded his judgement. Riku hadn't fallen off the island yet, so technically the match was still in progress.

"You done staring?" Riku asked, growing impatient. "Give me a hand, man."

"Sorry," Sora said, his grin growing wider. "Moments like these should be cherished."

"Very funny," Riku said.

Sora strutted over to his friend, kneeled over, and stuck out his hand.

"No hard feelings?" Riku asked, after grabbing Sora's hand.

Sora was confused. "Um, isn't that my line?"

Riku tightened his grip on Sora's hand. "I know what I said."

Before another word was uttered, Sora found himself being pulled right over the edge, and fell headfirst into the ocean. Kairi tried her hardest not to laugh from that blunder. Riku pulled himself up and looked down, seeing Sora swim to the surface. He gasped upon emerging, rubbed his eyes from the water, and glared up at Riku in irritation.

Riku smirked. "Better luck next time."

"No fair!" Sora shouted. "That was a cheap trick!"

"Cheap nothing," Riku said. "You did that to yourself. Never show mercy to your opponent until they are beaten. That's my sage advice for the day."

Sora rolled his eyes from that statement. Still, he was right – had Sora not finished him off, he would have won. Disappointment pecked the back of neck. But it wasn't a total loss; there'd be more days to spar with Riku. It was their favorite pastime. No other person gave him a rush of energy like him did during a fight, even if they've been doing it for a little more than a decade.

Little did Sora know that he was about to receive a consolation. Riku stood tall above his friend, convinced that, no matter how hard he trained, victory would never come to pass. Suddenly, he felt someone push him off the island, and he landed in the water. The splash hit Sora right in the face. After emerging, Riku glared up at the island to see the culprit: Kairi. A playful smile formed on her lips.

"Here's some more advice for the sage," she said: "show-offs never watch their backs."

Sora laughed. "Ha! Looks like you're all…washed up."

An evil glare appeared on Riku's face. Sora swam over with a teasing smile.

"Get it? Washed up." He creeped up to Riku's ear and whispered, "Wasssshheeeedd u—"

In what felt like a microsecond, Sora found himself in a headlock. With a devious grin on his face, Riku rubbed his fist all over the spiky brown hair of his friend. The two were in uproarious laughter, playing and fighting in the water. Soon it was interrupted from Kairi's own hysterical laughter. Sora and Riku glared at each other, smirked, and use their combined strength to splash water all over her. She was drenched from head to toe. Her shoulders were slumped over and she frowned.

The boys stood frozen, wondering how she was going to respond. Now she had a devious smirk on her face.

"Oh, you two are going to get it!"

"RUN!" Sora cried.

Sora and Riku hurried away as Kairi pursued them. Their laughter echoed throughout the entire island – a sound they hoped to hear for the rest of their lives.

Nightfall was coming. The sun's pilgrimage to the horizon was near its end. A beautiful pink tint lit the clouds, foreshadowing another beautiful day tomorrow. Wandering eyes that gazed up at the stratosphere were met with a purple sky, which was sprinkled with trillions of starts. Working on the raft took its toll on Sora and his friends. Despite the unexpected diversions, they prevailed in completing it.

Ropes were securely fastened around the logs, and the sail stood high and mighty in the middle. It was a feat that commanded pride from such hard labor, and they knew it was going to pay off it the end. Their excitement elevated to new heights. Now they needed supplies to satisfy their basic needs. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. Everyone was exhausted. They felt aches and pains from the physical toil.

Every day before heading home, they would relax on the small island. It was a place of repose – to unwind and reflect on what transpired today. Sometimes they would talk to each other, other times they would stare out into the quiet sea. They loved being in the moment together. It was like their own personal safe space. No one dare disturbed it.

Sora and Kairi sat on the bent over tree; Riku was leaning against it, arms crossed. A lot was on their minds about this trip, and they didn't want to keep their enquiries to themselves.

"As much as I enjoy hanging out here every day with you two," Kairi said, "I can't wait to finish this raft. I want to know what's out there. Maybe I'll even see my home."

"You think her home's really out there?" Sora asked Riku.

"We'll never know by staying here and yapping about it," Riku said.

Sora leaned forward to see Riku. "But how far could a raft take us?"

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

Sora hoped that wouldn't be the case. What else could they do? Build an airplane? He never stopped to think about a raft's reliability. What if a storm emerged? Would it break? Either way, he had to remain optimistic. The goal was well worth the gamble, he thought.

"So, suppose you get to another world," Kairi asked. A slight giggle escaped her mouth. "What would you there?

Riku glanced down at the ocean, in deep thought.

"Well, I haven't really thought about it," he said. "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've just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Sora laid down on the tree, giving an indecisive, "I don't know."

"Exactly," Riku said. "That's why we need 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 was amazed by Riku's words. He was always eager to go through with this voyage, but hearing the incredible weight behind those words made her realize how resolute he was to pursue this endeavor.

"You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?" she asked.

Riku turned to her with an appreciate smile. "Thanks to you. If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks."

There was a hint of red in Kairi's face that was brighter than her hair.

"You're welcome," she replied.

With the sky growing darker, the three headed for their rafts. Reaching the island was never a chore; just paddle straight across. They could do it with their eyes closed. Kairi walked across the bridge, with Sora and Riku trailing behind her. Sora's jaw stretched open to unleash a loud yawn, and he titled his neck to loosen the muscles. Bed was sounding good right now.

He was soon stopped by Riku's voice. Upon spinning around, he saw Riku throw something to him. He caught the strange item with both hands and glanced down at it. His eyes widened in both surprise and confusion; it was a star shaped fruit.

"You wanted one, didn't you? Riku asked.

"A paopu fruit?"

Riku walked pass him, explaining, "If two people share one their destines become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives forever."

Sora stared at Riku as if demanding an answer.

"C'mon, I know you want to try it," he said, waving a casual arm; there was a joking tone in his voice.

Sora felt the temperature of his cheeks rise at a dramatic rate. He knew that, according to legend, the fruit did more than bridge a platonic relationship. What was the implication here? Did it have something to do with Kairi?

Flustered, Sora asked, "What are you talking—?"

Riku laughed in response. However, Sora wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of the last laugh. Composing himself, he threw the fruit away, walked up to Riku, and put an arm around him, grinning.

"Riku, it's a nice gesture and all, but….I don't swing that way, man."

Riku throws a playful punch at Sora, who caught it with the palm of his hand.

"Don't make me throw you into the water again," Riku said.

"Heh, don't worry. Next time we battle I'll be the one that stays dry."

"Sure, bud. Sure."

The three hopped into their rafts, said good-bye, and headed for home. While paddling Sora started to wonder if there was some truth behind Riku's joke. Both knew they had deep feelings for Kairi. It was never stated explicit, but their longing expression towards her made it as clear as the sky. What was Riku trying to accomplish? Nothing more than a light jab at their rivalry, or was he daring Sora to make a move and see what happens? Especially since they'll be on a raft together soon. He didn't want to picture the awkward image in his head.

Mulling over this was frivolous. Finishing the raft took priority. Even as he tried to throw the memory of Riku's playful banter out of his mind, something was still itching inside, and the rhythm increased in small intervals – these strong feelings he had for her. Trying in vain to change the subject, he thought about what other worlds he'd be visiting.

His imagination exploded like random bits of fireworks. He saw giant looming castles made from indestructible stone; medieval towns home to the friendliest of people; succulent food perfumed the air; and valiant knights rode by on their robust stallions, heading out to fight dastardly villains. His thoughts were ambitious, but anything was possible, he thought. Right now, all he had was his imagination; one day soon, it would become reality.

Unbeknownst to him, beyond the stars, another adventure was about ensure; in a magical world inhabited by fantastical creatures.

This place was known as The Mushroom Kingdom.

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