I know this will not remain forever

However it's beautiful

Your eyes, hands and your warm smile

They're my treasure

It's hard to forget

I wish there was a solution

Don't spend your time in confusion

I'll turn back now and spread

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A white blanket of snow was draped over the cold ground, falling endlessly from a clouded blue sky, the sun nowhere to be seen, the moon resting just above the horizon of the crystalline ocean. It was a story book scene, with the stars and the crescent reflected in the beautiful water; when the pure snow hit its surface, it would disappear, sink away, becoming one with a greater being.

"Maybe a human life is best thought of as a snowflake" Kairi wondered aloud, gazing about at the beautiful scene.

"Where am I?" She whispered flakes of snow on her beautiful dress, fit for a princess, and in her flame colored hair. "Wasn't I with Aisu, and Namine before? And Riku…"

Vividly, Kairi could remember the sight of the eerie tower to which Namine had been chained, Riku unconscious at her feet. Her heart fretted with worry for both her friends and now Aisu as well.

"Where am I?" She wondered again, this time a bit more of a statement than a question.

Taking a few looks around, the princess gather up the ends of her beautiful golden gown, tossed her slippers aside, and began to run through the pristine snow, bare footed and full of purpose.

It seemed to go on forever, a beach covered in snow, an ocean the color of glass. The moon never moved the stars seemed to stay still, as if Kairi hadn't moved at all. Hours could've past, but had she moved at all? Forever snow falling, waves crashing, stars shining.

Eventually, the world had to change. Kairi, breathing hard, ran on. And eventually, she saw far away a form, black, running towards her, and as she came closer, it seemed as if a dress flowed around her, wide and beautiful like Kairi's own gown.

"Lady Kairi!"

It confused her why Aisu and now this person were calling her by such polite terms, but Kairi smiled anyway at the sight of a familiar face. Selphie from the islands raced up to Kairi, breathing very hard, dressed in a pale blue gown that matched the color of the sky.

"Hurry!" She proclaimed, taking hold of Kairi's hand. "Lady Namine is waiting!"

"Hurry?" Kairi whispered, running along behind her friend. "Why is she waiting? And for what?"

Selphie didn't answer as they rushed through the snow, but they needn't rush. Their destination was in sight; it was a long staircase, leading up towards a tower. Selphie kept pulling Kairi towards it in a rush.

"What's wrong, Selphie?" Kairi asked, very frightened. "What's going on?"

When they were within twenty feet of the tall structure, Selphie halted, turning hurriedly towards Kairi.

"I'm sorry I can't explain" She whispered. "I'm not long for this world"

"This world?" Kairi whispered, holding tightly to Selphie's hand.

Selphie nodded. "Only the people with hearts that withstand weakness can stay here. I'll fall asleep soon"

"What do you mean, withstand weakness?" Kairi questioned.

"You know. There are strong people, but then, even they have weaknesses. To put it simply… when you're tired, you let yourself fall to sleep, right? This place is only for those who are strong enough to fight off the darkness… of sleep. The temptation of rest."

Kairi blinked, confused, but nodded, pulling Selphie into a quick, needy hug. The girl smiled. She pulled away.

"Now hurry" She whispered sadly. "Namine needs you"

With that she froze her body turning to glass for a second, before shattering into thousands of pieces of thoughts.

As they fell to the ground, Kairi could hear them.

What will we do tomorrow in school?

I'm going to fall that test

I hope Wakka likes my gift


I wonder if Tidus and Wakka are doing anything tomorrow

When are Kairi and the others coming back?

I didn't do my homework

The dreamy, sleepy thoughts that were delicate like shards of glass slipped away into the snow, and before Kairi's eyes, Selphie was gone.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with

My broken wings How far should I go drifting in the wind?

Higher and higher in the light

My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with

My broken wings How far should I go drifting in the wind?

Across the sky, just keep on flying

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

What lie on top of the tower? Kairi wondered as she climbed the steep, cold steps, hurrying towards her unknown destination.

Almost as soon as she begun to climb, Kairi arrived at the top. The steps were not as long as they seemed, but they were cold, and slippery. When she reached the top, Kairi slipped, falling to her knees, wetting the golden gown.

"Are you all right?"

Smiling, Kairi recognized the voice, and leapt to her feet. Again, she slipped slightly, but still she latched her arms round the girl who stood before her.

Namine stood in front of her, in Kairi's embrace, and her gown mirrored Kairi's own. The only differences were the black bows on her collar, and the color; it was whiter than snow.

"Namine! What's going on, I'm so confused." Kairi leaned away from her friend, and gasped to her great surprised.

Namine's eyes were red, and her cheeks were wet from more than just snow. Kairi placed her hands on Namine's shoulders, concerned.

"It's all right" Namine insisted, taking hold of Kairi's hands. "I just wanted to see you. I'm fine."

Kairi blinked, looking Namine over.

The girl was reserved, shy. She seemed to be hiding something, seemed to be uneasy. Tightly, she held to Kairi's hands and their warmth. She was shivering, but not from the cold; from fear of something.

"It's okay" Kairi murmured, smiling lightly. "I'm here. And I'll stay as long as you want."

Namine laughed quietly, and looked up to Kairi, full of gratitude. "Thank you."

The two walked over towards a vine covered bench that was on the edge of the tower, overlooking the ocean, and they sat down side by side. Both dressed royally and regally, both wet and out of breath, from running or crying. Both weak… and yet, they seemed so strong, sitting on their perch overlooking the ocean that was the color of light.

Kairi smiled eyes full of light as she looked down on the water.

"You know…" Her eyes seemed far off, her tone of voice nostalgic. "This reminds me of home. The water… but the water on the island was darker, deeper, almost like… it was infinite."

"Mmhmm" Namine smiled. "I know."

Scoffing, Kairi rolled her eyes. "Of course you know. Silly me."

Laughing, Namine shook her head. "No, I didn't mean it like that." Kairi laughed in return.

"I know" She smiled. Turning back to the water, she leaned forward on her hands, legs swinging back and forth like a child.

Namine looked out onto the water, almost nostalgic herself. But her eyes seemed to echo sadness, or pain. It worried Kairi that her sister self was so pained.

"Please tell me what's wrong" Kairi whispered.

Shifting uneasily under her friend's gaze, Namine sighed. Slowly, she reached out and in her hand appeared her sketch book. Kairi watched in silent fascination as Namine flipped the pages, finally turning to one.

It was off a very far off, bright light; standing in it was a form, a black one, a person with spiky hair who was running towards the light.

Kairi's eyes danced over the page, confused, yet fascinated and also impatient. "What does it mean?" She wondered, looking up to the blonde.

"I know things" Namine whispered, looking away as she shut her note book. Nodding down towards it, she spoke. "I don't know how I know them. But I draw them. They come to me, and it's my job to make them real. And then, one day, they happen. Sometimes I don't even know it. Sometimes I watch it happen."

"You… know things?" Kairi whispered.

"I'm afraid" Namine's eyes were wide, and her voice shook slightly. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Namine let the notebook fall into the snow. Kairi gasped, leapt up, and lifted it up out of the wet ground.

"Namine" She gasped. "I'm scared too."

The girls sat in an awkward silence as Kairi slipped an arm around Namine, holding the notebook under her arm.

"Please" Namine whispered. "Don't forget me. Don't ever forget me."

"I won't" Kairi shook her head, her voice wavering between strong and utterly miserable. Her arm tightened around Namine's shoulders. "I could never forget you."

The pain that cannot be measured, the flow of time that cannot be measured

Even if that may fill up everything

I can still feel

What falls from the sky is not the rain. . .

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"What's going on?!"

Yuna gasped as the ground split and shook, trembled and rumbled. "It's an earthquake, again!" She sighed looking towards Tidu hurriedly. They both landed on the ground, looking about in worry.

"I don't see it. Why don't I see it?" Yuna shook her head. "This is where it's supposed to be, right?"

"I know it is. I feel it here." Tidu whispered. "It's a part of me."

"Part of you?"

"This earthquake – its summoning the gate back. And it's angry. All the sleeping – they'll wake up! Their dreams will shrivel up, and die…" Worried, Tidu looked to Yuna, black feathers floating in the air.

"What do you hear?" He whispered, looking at her intently.

"What?" She asked.

"What do you hear?"

Confused, Yuna closed her eyes. "I hear rumbling!"

"And beyond that?"

The woman scrunched her face up, straining her ears. There was a faint echo, like the sound of shouting in a canyon. She could hear… was it singing?

"What do you hear?"

Yuna looked down to Tidu.

"I think someone's singing." Smirking widely, Tidu nodded, looking ahead.

"Yes. It's you."

Blinking in confusion, Yuna shook her head. "I'm not…"

Tidu nodded. "You will be. What do you hear? Sing what you hear… The song you sing determines whether or not the gate will show up."

"I thought you said the gate was coming. Isn't that what this rumbling is?"

Slowly, the boy stepped forward, his foot over the edge of a growing crack in the earth. Sighing, he brushed his hair back. Tidu let his eyes gaze over everything.

"Auron is out there. And he's with… someone you know. I think." He whispered. "I can't feel everything when the world is shaking."

"Why must I sing?" Yuna asked, trying to gain back Tidu's attention. He turned to her.

"Just… sing. The gate will come to you, if you choose the right song."

The brunette rested her eyes on the innocent, pure gaze of the black winged boy standing ahead of her, and sighed, confused yet willing. She closed her eyes. It's just like my concerts, She told herself, shaking her hair back, her long braid dancing in the air. Just another concert.

Straining her ears, Yuna tried to listen for the song. What was she supposed to sing?

For a few moments, neither person made a sound, but stood silent amongst the insane rumbling of the earth.

Yuna's eyes slowly opened and gazed down. She didn't speak, didn't move, yet slowly let her arms rise.

Tidu's mouth flickered into a smile.

Her mouth opened, and words spilled out like water.

Passion (Future Passion Mix)

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If you've never heard the future mix, look it up. It sounds awesome!

I'm going out of town for the weekend, but I wrote this up for you guys real quick.

Hoping the waves are stellar at the beach,

SULHADAHNE