The Magic of the Earth and the Sky
by Flare Haynekie
Disclaimer: …………
Warnings: AU, OOC-ness, shonen-ai, Kairi-bashing?
Author's notes: Sorry for the wait, nya! Read why at the end, kay?
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Chapter 16: Vows
Sora bounced into the store, quickly saying hi to Caroline as Riku and Cloud walked in.
"Sora? Don't waste all your energy before we get to the beach!" Riku called, Sora nodding.
"Grandma, look, this is Cloud, my cousin." Sora said, pointing at Cloud who was currently walking around the store.
"Well, isn't that nice? Is he here to visit you?" Caroline asked, patting Sora's hair.
"Yup! He came to do a report for his class."
"Well, you know you're always welcomed here. I'm just glad I have more family on your father's side. Too bad I only had one daughter. I would've loved to spoil more grandchildren."
"That's okay, grandma. You can spoil me and Cloud! My dad's mother, my other grandma, died last year. She died happy, but Cloud didn't have a grandma to spoil him anymore. So, I think you could spoil him too."
Caroline chuckled. "That's sweet of you. And? What are you guys doing today?"
"We're waiting for Selphie and the guys to come out of school so we could all go swimming!"
Riku walked over to them, grabbing Sora's hand. "Come on, Sora. The bell will ring any minute."
"And what's the hurry? Can't we wait for them here?" Sora asked.
"Of course we can, but we need to leave in a hurry so we don't run into Kairi again."
Sora nodded. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, grandma." Caroline nodded to them, as Sora turned towards Cloud, who was on the other side of the store. "Hey, Cloud! We're leaving!"
"I'm coming. Hold on a minute." Cloud called back.
"We might not have another minute." Riku said.
Cloud groaned and walked towards them. "What's the hurry?"
Sora gasped. "Kairi! She's coming! She's coming!!! What do we do, Riku??"
"Wait it out?" Cloud asked.
"Run for it?" Riku asked.
"Okay, we run for it." Sora agreed. "Come on Cloud." Sora looked at Caroline. "Grandma, if you see Selphie, tell her we went ahead. Thank you!"
Riku ran out, dragging Sora with him as Cloud went after them. They reached the beach, and looked around. Kairi hadn't seen them. With a sigh, they rested under a bent palm tree, taking comfort in the shade.
"This is a weird palm tree." Cloud suddenly said. "Why does it have star shaped coconuts?"
Riku rolled his eyes. "They aren't coconuts, they're fruit. Those are the Paopu fruits."
Sora curled up next to Riku, closing his eyes, as Cloud and Riku talked.
"They're fruit? Why do they grow on a palm tree them?" Cloud asked, looking up at the Paopu.
"I don't know. They've always grown on palm trees. I guess they're special palm trees."
"Well, the bark is slightly harder, but the leaves look softer. Like a cloud…"
"Riku!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Selphie called as she ran towards them with Tidus and Wakka following her.
Sora looked up with a sigh. "Louder Selphie. I don't think they heard you in London."
Selphie pouted. "You sleepyhead." She looked at Cloud curiously before poking his head.
"Hey!"
"It's alive!!!!!" Selphie exclaimed with a giggle. Cloud glared at her. "Hello, mister blond-Sora-look-a-like."
"My name's Cloud Strife, you hyperactive girl."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Selphie, and these two are Tidus and Wakka. Are you new to the island too?"
"Yes, but I'm not staying for too long."
"Too bad, so sad." Selphie replied. "Anyway, are we going to swim or what?"
"Yes, Selphie. That's what we're here for." Riku said, getting up dragging Sora with him.
They all changed into their swimming wear (in other words, they took of their clothes and piled them) and went to swim. Like last time, Sora hanged on to Riku for dear life (although, not as tight as last time), while Cloud gladly floated, Selphie moving him into the deeper areas while Tidus and Wakka played volleyball on the water with the blitzball. At one point, Cloud stopped floating so he could take a look at how his little cousin was faring. He just didn't expect Sora to have his arms around Riku as they both laughed, Sora forgetting the fact that he was in deep water. Well, he did forget until he screamed that something touched his legs.
"Sora, that was probably just a fish. It's harmless." Riku reassured him.
"Are you sure?" Sora asked, looking down into the waters to see if he could find the culprit.
"Yes."
"Hey, it bit me!"
"They do tend to bite a little. Don't worry, they won't eat you."
Sora looked at him worried, then back at the waters. He circled his legs on Riku's waist. "Can we go to the island now? I don't wanna be bitten anymore…"
"Fine, fine." Riku chuckled. "Selphie! Let's go to the island, it's storytelling time already!" he called.
Selphie perked up at that. "Finally!" She exclaimed, following Riku to the island, the others swimming after her. Once they were all sat around the small fire Tidus build, Selphie asked the typical question. "Does anyone have a request for a story?"
Everyone looked at each other before Cloud spoke up. Riku holding Sora's hand, while the brunet closed his eyes.
"I do." Cloud said.
"Well?? What story do you want me to tell you?" Selphie asked him.
"The Paopu Legend. I want you to tell me the Paopu Legend."
Selphie "eep"-ed, while Tidus and Wakka found that to be their cue to go down and look for the clothes they had piled up earlier, leaving the other four to deal with the current problem Cloud had suddenly created. Selphie chuckled nervously. "Are you sure? Don't you want to hear anything else?"
"No. I'm doing research on that legend, so I need to hear it from the one that knows it." Cloud said.
Selphie sighed. "I guess I have no other choice." Selphie started her narration. During the middle of it, Tidus and Wakka had returned with the clothes, sorted out and sand free. They took a small break so they could get dressed, before Selphie continued, Cloud's eyes widening as the story went, and ultimately, end. "So… what do you think?"
"I think that's awful!" Cloud suddenly exclaimed. "Who in their right mind makes a fruit to tie you together, which you can't eat in the end?! That's stupid."
Sora growled, obviously not thinking of the consequences and the questions this would later bring to his curious cousin. "Well, I'm sorry if it was stupid, but for Rikue and me, it was a very important thing at the moment, until those three suddenly decided to tell us that we couldn't share the stupid fruit in the end!" Sora exclaimed before running off, leaving Selphie and Cloud to stare at him with wide eyes before watching Riku run after the brunet.
Riku found Sora at the swing in the brunet's porch, looking at nothing in particular. He walked up to him, sitting next to the oblivious burnet. "Are you okay, Sora?"
Sora looked at him, fear clear in his sky-blue eyes. "Why did I say that?"
"Because you panicked." Riku said softly, wrapping an arm around the brunet's shoulders, making him lean on the oldest. "Besides, I highly doubt they'll think of looking at your house first."
"What makes you so sure? You came rather quickly…"
"I'm not sure." Riku chuckled. "I came quickly because I know you. Maybe not as much as Scion, or Cloud, but I know you. And besides, I had a feeling you would be here."
"You had a feeling?"
"Yeah. There was this tugging feeling that told me exactly where I needed to go." Riku placed a soft kiss on Sora's forehead. "You are mine, as I am yours. I shall always place your happiness before mine, as well as your health and your safety. I vow to stay always by your side, through all eternity if needed, because my love for you will be with you always." Riku whispered to Sora, who sighed before nodding.
"You are mine, as I am yours. I shall always place your happiness before mine, as well as your health and your safety. I vow to stay always by your side, through all eternity if needed, because my love for you will be with you always." Sora repeated. (1) He snuggled closer to Riku, his heartbeat lulling him into a soft sleep.
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To be continued!
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--Author's note--
The moment you've all been waiting for! My whining! Not!!! Okay, apparently, the university is against me continuing this fic for the insane reason that they give me these unexplainable and completely weird homework, that make me spend sleepless nights fighting over what the heck I'm supposed to do, only to end up with Zuzu on the phone to gain some "help". Aside from that, I'm sadden to say that the homework have left me, not only sleep deprived, but also computer/internet deprived! Which, is not fair. So, I only get to write when I'm home, and that's not much these days…. But I will try! I won't stop 'till it's over, nya! Oh, I wanna know, what of the many mysteries of this weird fic would you like me to explain?? 3
--Things you should know--
1. This is a slight copy of what Darius says to Tempest in the novel "Dark Fire" by Christine Freehan
--Thanks to--
1. Kidie, Vanessa, Rei, and Kai – hehe, you guys are so much fun! makes me soo happy! So, lots of thanks!!
2. cammy-world666 – kfc?! O.o oh? Well, that's certainly, very, very, original! You're gonna paint (or better yet, already did?) your nails pink and green? Um, okay!
3. DarkYoaiFox – sankyu, sankyu!
4. piggiesofdoom – yay, sankyu!!! Cloud… he's gonna make the story soo much interesting! I'm soo glad I made him go to the island!
5. Legolas19 – um, kay! Sankyu!! Like I always say, I'll update as soon as I can..
6. Sora Jr – thanks!
7. yaminakathy – I can't asap, but I do try! Thanks for the review!
8. Siggie – thank you, thank you!!!
Thanks for all the reviews, and thanks to all those who still wait for the rest!
----Flare