Riku lead the three across the beach to where the sand became dark and

underbrush began growing. People rarley came to this part of the beach

but the three knew every root and rock by heart. Further in, where

small trees were growing, Riku uncovered their old handmade boats used

to sail out to the well know but scarcley visited (except by them),

Destiny Islands. The islands had been their special secret hang-out

since they were seven. The whole of Destiny Islands was made up of one

small island, and three even smaller ones, one of which was connected to

the bigger one by a wooden bridge they made with help from Riku's dad

three years ago.

They each had their own boat and each with a distinct characteristic.

Sora's had a crown carved into the bow of his because he used to be the

noble prince in all their games. Riku had a sheild carved into both

sides on the outsides of his boat to show that he was their fearless

warrior. And Kairi had a magical wand on the stern of hers to show her

magical princess role in their games. The three laughed as they looked

over all of their insignia and remembered the embarassing games that

went along with them.

They each dragged their boats to the ocean and thankfully began rowing

out through fairly calm waves towards the largest of the four islands.

The islands could be seen from the shore, but it was just a dark green

blur from there. The trip was less tiring than usual, but still seemed

to take forever as they gradually approached what they had been

anxiously waiting for for weeks.

They planned on staying on the islands until around three o'clock and

then taking the boats back to the beach for some boardwalk ice cream,

hanging around on the beach, and then dinner before heading back out to

Destiny Islands for the traditional sunset viewing.

When they finally reached the dock on the northern most part of the

largest island, Sora hopped out of his boat and jumped off the far end

of the dock and onto the sand, landing and rolling onto his back with

his hands behind his head.

"Yeah don't worry about it, we'll tie up your boat for you!" Riku

sarcastically yelled as he began tieing both boats to the dock.

Kairi tied her own boat to the dock and then slid to Sora's side,

laying back-down on the sand.

Riku joined them a moment later but stayed sitting, holding onto his

knees. "Wow, it's exactly the same." He said, looking around.

After a moment, "Race to the tree?" Sora asked, half joking. But

after a quick laugh, all three suddenly took off at the same time but

stumbled on eachother and came crashing back down not ten feet away.

They layed in a pile laughing to tears and cramps as they thought of how

seriously they would have taken the race a year ago.

Riku was up first and began walking towards the smaller island that was

connected to the one they were on. Sora and Kairi followed, knowing the

paopu tree was the real reason they had all come here. None of them had

ever eaten a paopu fruit, nor did they ever plan to. They knew now that

the fruit growing on the tree was the same as the kiwi-like fruit that

they could purchase at King Kullen, but the legend made that tree

magical. Just sitting on the trunk's peculiar curve made them feel

connected. The fruit itself had no magic, but the story was what bound

their hearts so that they knew they would always be together. All three

of them believing such a legend was enough to make them realize their

souls had become intertwined durring their times with, and even more so,

without each other.

Riku climbed up the raised wall of the tiny island after wading knee

deep into the water and Sora and Kairi went around the raised island to

the latter on the far side. The three of them just stared at the paopu

fruit for a moment, then Kairi said, "Let's go check the Secret

Place."