The Road to Dawn
By Ariana Aislinn
Chapter 9: Autumn Sunset

Here you go, chapter 9. I took a few creative liberties with this chapter, fleshing out a little background. Also, returning characters, by popular demand!

Standard disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and its characters are the property of Square-Enix and Disney, not me.

"After the wars of 586, the Unirians joined forces with the Jakaltans and sailed south. Some say that this alliance was a direct result of the Conference of Ailbin…"

Kairi stared at Professor Eisen through half-closed eyes, trying to listen but not taking much in. Her pencil twirled idly in her hand over her notebook, whose few scrawled lines bore testament to her difficulty in concentrating this afternoon. It was surprisingly warm for this late in the fall, and Kairi's shoulder-length brown hair stuck to her neck with sweat. She'd rolled up the short sleeves of her white school blouse, and that helped a little, but she was still rather uncomfortable. Tomorrow was supposed to be cooler, at least.

"…The original charter of the Destiny Islands was drawn up in 589. It was only two months after this that the Great Hurricane destroyed the ships and cut off contact with the north."

Kairi sighed and scribbled "Great Hurricane - 589" in her notebook. She really didn't want to be back at school. Still, Selphie and the others were going out to Waterfall Island this evening for a bonfire and cookout, while the warm weather still held. That should be fun, at least.

"The charter makes vague mention of the existence of the Seekers of Wisdom and outlines rules regarding apprenticeship and trade among them, but it does not go into the details of what, exactly, the Seekers did. Most think they were an early form of scientist, experimenting with chemicals and organics. The paopu tree is a result of these early experiments. There are some, however, who still say that the Seekers were magicians of a sort, with command over powers we have forgotten how to use in modern times. There is some evidence that this is, in fact, true, but it is sketchy and difficult to support…"

Well, I know magic exists, for a fact, Kairi thought as she jotted down "Seekers mentioned in charter, created paopu - why paopu?" She reread what she'd just written. Why had they created it? It served no practical purpose, as its fruit took years to grow. For this reason, and because of some general taboo surrounding the whispered legends of it, no one on the island ever ate the fruit - though it was said to taste good. Kairi had heard of lovestruck girls who had gone out to sneak a small bite off one of the fruits on the vine, then had tried to sneak a second bite into their crush's lunch. It never worked. She wasn't entirely sure why. After all, she knew magic was real - why not the legend of the paopu?

Still, magic didn't exist in the Destiny Islands. Kairi wasn't sure if it had once, but it certainly didn't now. If it did, she thought, I'd find a way to hunt Sora and Riku down myself! It was so frustrating, just sitting here these last few months, not knowing what was happening or where either of them was. They were all right, she was sure of it…she had a feeling she'd know if anything had happened. She wasn't really sure what had happened to Riku in the end, but she was sure Sora had found a way to help him get his heart back. No matter what, Kairi had confidence in Sora.

But I can't hear his voice anymore. Not that Kairi had ever been able to hear Sora, exactly - she would have given anything to be able to talk to him and find out if he was okay - but she'd had a certain sense of him. She recalled warmly how he had reminded her that no matter what, he was always with her - and she knew he still was, in a way. But for the last few weeks, that feeling had changed. Before, she'd been able to almost sense his presence in a way she couldn't describe, but now all she felt was a vague feeling that was barely more than a memory. She had absolutely no idea what that could mean, and it frustrated her all the more.

Sora will come back, though. He promised. She sighed. I just wish I could be sure he didn't need a little help.

Kairi shook herself, trying to stay awake and focused. Class wouldn't last too much longer, and if she could just finish taking notes she wouldn't have to borrow Selphie's to copy later. Selphie's handwriting was a pain to try to decipher.

History class didn't take much longer, but it was late when Kairi finished with swim practice and extra rehearsals for the upcoming choir concert. Her stomach growled, demanding dinner, as she and Selphie walked along the beach toward the dock where their boats waited.

"So, you gonna change clothes and meet us back at Waterfall Island after dinner?"

"Yeah, I'll be there, Selphie. Don't worry." Kairi covered a yawn. "What a day! I'm really missing summer."

"Me too…but at least now you're too busy to brood!"

"Who, me? When do I ever brood?" Kairi stuck her tongue out at her friend.

Selphie giggled. "Well, you do have your moments."

They stopped, looking out at the sunset. "Beautiful, isn't it? Tonight's going to be a great night for a bonfire."

"Probably our last before the rains start. We'd better make the most of it!" Selphie paused, eyeing Kairi. The other girl was silent for a moment, staring out at the water. "Um…hello? You okay there?"

"Yeah, I…" Kairi slowly brought a hand up to her ear. She thought she could almost hear something, far away…like someone calling her. "Is that…do you hear anything?"

"No…" Selphie leaned over to look at Kairi, frowning worriedly. "Are you sure you're okay? You're acting funny."

"I…think I can hear him again."

Selphie sighed. "Not that again. Kairi, it's not good to dwell on this stuff!"

Kairi shook her head. "Well, it isn't as if I can forget them, you know! I know you don't entirely believe everything I told you, but you do believe me when I say that they're alive, right?"

Selphie nodded. "Yes, I believe you about that. But…come on, Kairi. I'm not sure I can grasp the idea of someone being literally in someone else's heart. Not that it isn't perfectly romantic…" She ducked as Kairi swung her schoolbag at her. "Hey!" Selphie grinned.

"You just be quiet," Kairi grumbled, but she was chuckling as she said it.

"Well, I'm going to run on ahead - I said I'd go to the marketplace Palm Island and grab a few supplies for tonight. See you later, okay?"

"All right, bye!" Kairi waved as Selphie ran off, but she stayed where she was for the moment, still looking out at the sunset.

She'd stood like this often, watching the horizon in silence, as the last weeks of summer slipped away. She hadn't often had time since school started. Every time she stood there, though, she would remember another time recently, just a few months back, when she'd stood on the beach at night, watching the horizon as a storm of stars swirled around her. A misty nebula of light dwindled in the distance, carrying a familiar figure out beyond the sea as she watched him call to her, able to see him but not to hear his voice over the rushing wind. Stars flew into the air and settled into the sky as rocks and trees rose out of nowhere in a shower of sparkles. Kairi had watched as her island was restored to all its former glory, even as her best friend was carried away from her despite all her efforts to hold on.

Kairi shook her head, making a face. It wasn't like her to brood, as Selphie had said, and she didn't really like herself much when she was depressed. Kairi had always been upbeat and peppy, and she liked being that way. Besides, she had to have hope. She was sure their promise would hold. Rummaging in the pocket of her blue plaid skirt, Kairi pulled out a shell. Shaped like a shooting star, it had the same shape that had seemed so very sacred to those who had first settled the Destiny Islands. She'd kept it as a good luck charm of her own, to remind her that there was another charm out there that would hopefully bring Sora back to her one day.

Over the gentle sound of the surf, Kairi heard the soft, muted sound of footsteps in the sand. She turned, expecting to find Wakka or Tidus trying to sneak up and scare her, but to her surprise it was someone completely unfamiliar. The tall man was rather intimidating, in fact, not least because he wore a heavy, black leather coat that fell to his ankles, with a hood that was currently thrown back. Green eyes flashed underneath a shock of red hair as he grinned at Kairi in a way she wasn't sure she liked. "Boo."

Kairi took a step backward, hearing the squelch of her school shoes in wet sand. "How did you get here and what do you want?"

The man laughed. "Straightforward, aren't you? And quick, too. I suppose I should have expected as much."

"That's not an answer." Kairi paused. "You're not from the islands at all, I'm pretty sure. Are you from offworld?"

"Oh, very quick! A bright kid like you definitely seems worthy of the company you keep, in that case. Good, that'll make things easier."

"What do you know about Sora?" Kairi suddenly burst out, losing patience. "If you're from offworld, then you must know something about him! Otherwise, why are you here? You don't exactly set me at ease, you know, so I'd prefer it if you just came out and said what you came here to say."

"Hmm. I am a bit intimidating, aren't I? Well then, fine - we'll talk. Now, I couldn't tell you what Sora's up to these days - sorry, Kairi." The man grinned. "But I do have some advice for you."

Kairi clutched her schoolbag to her chest defensively. "Advice? Who sent you? How about Riku, do you know anything about him?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, I sent myself. As for Riku, we've met." He grinned. "Nice kid, a bit too much temper, though. Anyway, nice to meet you, my name's Axel. Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way…how are your studies going?"

Kairi blinked, taken aback. "What?"

"School, kid. You been working hard in history class?"

"Yes…" she said slowly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Axel crossed his arms over his chest. "I've been doing some research. Interesting history your islands have got here. Seems there's some debate about these Seekers of Wisdom though, isn't there? No one seems to agree on exactly what they did."

"Well, yeah. Supposedly they could do magic, but there's no evidence for it. And no one can do it anymore, either."

"I wonder." Axel leaned forward. "Maybe they just need a jump start, a little push."

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked cautiously.

"Think about it. How can you learn how to do something if you haven't seen it done? If you haven't experienced it? But I think you have. You know magic exists…in fact, you watched the entire process of learning and developing one's magic from a front row seat. Lucky kid."

Now Kairi was really perplexed. "What do you mean, a front row seat?"

"Now don't pretend you don't remember. Your pal Sora didn't know a spell from a limerick when he left these islands, and now he thinks he's all kinds of hot stuff with magic. So, tell me this. Who was with him all that time while he was learning to do his little hocus pocus tricks?"

Kairi blinked. "That was me. But…how did you know about that?"

"Ah, ah." Axel wagged a finger back and forth. "That's a secret! The point is, you, girl, were hanging out in Sora's heart the whole time he was learning magic."

"Yes, but it's not like I remember much of what happened all that time!" Kairi's voice was getting defensive. She didn't really like discussing something that felt so personal with a man she didn't know, especially one who put her on edge. There was something about him that made her distinctly uneasy. "What's your point?"

"My point, sweets, is that there's a very good chance some of that magic rubbed off on you. How could it not? A lot of the power for magic comes from the heart, after all."

She crossed her own arms, rubbing her shoulders briefly, as if feeling a chill. "So what are you saying, I can use magic?" She eyed him doubtfully.

Axel shrugged. "Who knows? You can't use it yet, that's for sure, but you might be able to learn. In fact, you might have the seeds of that learning inside you already, just waiting to be explored. Why don't you give it a try sometime?" He grinned.

"And what's it to you?"

"Oh…let's just say I'd be interested to see what direction things take. We'll call it…a wild card. To keep the game interesting."

"Sora and Riku are lost, I don't have any idea where they are, and you think this is a game?" Kairi's eyes flashed. "Who are you, anyway?"

Axel shrugged. "Nobody. I'm just a spectator, that's all…a spectator waiting to see how events will unfold. I just give them a little nudge now and then." With that, he suddenly vanished, dissolving into thin air. The only signs he'd been there in the first place were a few shallow footprints in the sand.

Kairi looked all around her, whipping her hair around her face as she turned this way and that. There was no sign of Axel. She stamped her foot angrily, but the splutch it made in the wet sand was not nearly as satisfying as it would have been on firmer ground. She had no idea who that man was, but he certainly had a talent for being gratingly annoying! Kairi had to admit she could be fiery when her temper was roused, but it usually took a lot to get her worked up. How could this stranger make her so angry so quickly? She wasn't usually that touchy.

"Oh well," Kairi muttered, kicking the sand. "Better get home for dinner, or Granny will worry."

There was a lot to think about. With thoughts of the charter of 589, the Seekers of Wisdom, Sora's magic, the annoying man named Axel, and the upcoming bonfire swirling in her head, it was almost enough to make Kairi dizzy. She sighed and headed towards the docks, where her little rowboat waited to carry her to Star Island.

As Kairi climbed into the boat and set the oars in their sockets, she stopped. Come to think of it…maybe she ought to tell her grandmother about this. Who knew? The old woman might actually believe her. Granny sure does know how to surprise me, after all. She might even have some advice.

With that plan in mind, Kairi set off for home, her steady, even strokes carrying the boat out into the strait. Leaving the school behind on Rainbow Island, Kairi set out for Star Island.

There you go! Chapter 10 will be about Kairi as well, and then I think I'll take a break to catch up on Riku. We'll see once I get chapter 10 finished.