You know this is sad... this has got to be the first fan fic I've ever come up with, (or my first oc atleast)... and i've been horrible with updating it. lol no seriously, I'm always writing little odd end scenes for this every time I replay the games and yet I'm so "blahhhhh" with writing the story.

Well! you can thank my trip to otakon and the up coming release of BBS ( birth by sleep) for getting me into gear and mood for this story again! ( that or I'll just make this a "yearly" thing lol

ENJOY!

fun facts : in keeping in spirit with the video game cameo's of kh, the "Dart" in this story is the same Dart from Legend of Dragoon. Although, you'll never see him physicaly and this it pretty much his one shot apperence XD

Destiny Island : Episode 3

I always thought my life was pretty normal. I had a normal family, a older brother who bugged me to no end, and friends . Just your adverage kid. All of us were.

We were all still kids that believed in our dreams and wishes. Who treated summer like it was pure freedom.

When you live on an island, surrounded by water, you can help but dream of far off lands that are just waiting for an adventure. For something different and exciting to happen. ...

"Sara, your brother is on the phone!"

At the sound of her mother calling up the steps Sara rushed from her room and downstairs into the kitchen. She snatched the cordless phone off the receiver above the counter and huffed " It's about time you called."

There was a chuckle from other end of the line. " Heh, sorry squirt."

Behind her Sara's mother let out a light laugh as she continued to set the table for dinner " Oh come-on now Sara, you know Dart is busy studying for his classes."

Sara just rolled her green eyes. " If you can call staying up till 2 in the morning to beat a video game "studying'".

"He better be studying." warned her dad as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. " I'm not working my but off down at the docks just so he can have gaming tournaments."

All in all, Sara's family was... well a colorful cast of characters. Her mom was a slender and beautiful woman who looked much younger than her actual age. Sara looked almost exactly like her mother – minus the hair color difference. While her daughter had milk-chocolate shade of hair, she had and sandy-brown, almost dirty blonde shade; but both of her children had inherited the pricing emerald color of her eyes. Sara's mom was also the most " no-nonsense" parent. She almost always ended up being the "Bad guy", the one who gave out the groundings, forced that awful cough medicine down her kids throats , or just plain yelled to the sky when her kids weren't listening to a word she was saying and her famous temper well... snapped.

" Hell hath no fury, like a women's scorn. Which is why you should always, always, ALWAYS agree with them -otherwise you'll head will just explode." was her dad's favorite lecture to give to her older brother.

Her father was just as extreme as the rest of the family. Honor, loyalty, and living life to it's fullest was her father's life motto. He was more laid back than his wife, and his personality was a changing as the sea that he worked on. He was fishermen and captain of one of the main boats that ferried people between their large island and the main land. Still, her dad would rather be out sailing the sea and wrangle with monsters of the deep than dealing with annoying land-folk who didn't know their bow from their stern. Sara's father may have been his late forties, but his personality was still in his early twenties,.

Her mother's comment was always " I have three children to look after. Two are my own, the other one I married."

Sara had gotten her brown hair from her father, and like her mom – he also looked far younger this actual age. His eyes were as bright as the sea, a blue that was somewhere in between Sora and Riku's eye colors.

"Tell Dad to stop worrying. I am studying, even though it almost killed me." Dart grumbled over the phone.

"Oh stop being a drama queen!" Sara teased. "Are you coming home?"

"Next weekend, after finals." Dart told her. " I hope you and the others haven't destroyed the island in a fit of joy when summer vacation started.."

"I'm behaving myself. I can't say the same for Sora, Tidus, and Wakka though ; but it's nothing Kairi, Riku and I can't handle. Sora and Tidus avoided summer school this year though" She giggled into the phone.

Dart chuckled. " Better watch it. The end of the world might be coming. Well, on the brightside, atleast you can go through on with the raft." Her brother was kept very up to date about the raft, in fact he was the one who gave Riku tips on how to built it. " I'm sorry I won't be there to see you guys off. Did you pick name for the raft yet?"

"Yes. Sora and Riku had a race and Riku won; So it's called " Highwind" - as usual..."

Talking to her brother made Sara happy, but it also reminded him how much she missed him. He was several years older than her, but they had always been close. It also reminded her of that dream she had the other night. Of all the flashes of images that attacked her in the secret place when that cloaked person showed up.

That uneasy feeling of that something bad was coming hadn't gone away either. It was eating and festering at the back of her mind, and kept growing as night got closer – as darkness moved in.

Darkness.

It was always something at terrified her, but it was always chalked up to the fear of the dark all little kids had. Sara had grown out of it, built up a resistance to it, but she always got a shiver up her spine when she went into shady places like the secret place, or went downstairs at night to get a drink of water. It was like there were eyes watching her from the dark.

She could easily imagine them. Always bright, glowing hungry yellow eyes.

That foreboding feeling was still around even after dinner. In fact, it had gotten worse. It felt like a pool of lead was in her stomach and it made her so uneasy that she hardly touched her food. And since it was roasted chicken, one of her favorites, her mother instantly picked up that something was wrong.

"Are you feeling alright?" She asked, concerned while they were washing the dishes.. She turned off the sink and placed a sud- covered hand on Sara's forehead. Her thin sandy-colored brows slightly frowned judged her daughter's temperature.

Sara smiled half-heartily. " I'm fine, Mom. " she said . "I guess I'm just anxious about the trip. Stop worrying so much." She laughed, but that didn't seem to convince her mom. Her dark spring green eyes still watched her like she would keel over any second.

Sara groaned. She knew that look, just like she knew there would be a bottle of some kind of horrible tasting potion after it. But before her mom could get to the shelf and get it, she quickly dropped the towel she was using to dry the dished into the drying rack and bounded for the back door.

"I'm going to head over to Sora's and make sure he remembered to pack!" She chirped "Be right back, Love you!"

She pulled open the door and dashed out just in time to hear her mom call out behind her " Now wait just a minute!"

Yep, she was going to be in for it when she got home – but that was the last thing on her mind right now.

The creepy feeling she had inside seemed to grow ten times now that she was outside. It was dark out and her back yard was swimming in shadows. She picked her way down the small trail that led to the shore and Sora's house, but stopped at the bottom. Sara finally noticed that a wind that was whipping around. She rubbed her arms, but there was more to her shivering than just the cold.

Something wasn't right.

She tipped her head back and looked to the sky. It was murky and churning with dark clouds. "A storm? " That was weird, she hadn't heard about anything like that on her father's radio, but then again she didn't listen to the news that much and the topical weather on Destiny Islands could be unpredictable sometimes.

Still.. there was something she didn't like about those clouds. She had seen many storms before ,but none of them looked this bad. The wind picked up and pulled at her hair as she shivered again. It didn't get this cold either.

That itchy feeling at the back of her head was back again. Tugging and pounding at her memories, and Sara felt a sense of familiarity wash over her as she watched the storm. She HAD seen something like this before... but where...

Whatever it was... she could tell it wasn't good.

There was a flash and the wind picked up stronger. Sara's head instantly snapped to the play island and gasped. Above the island was a giant black swirling abyss. Purple lightning flashed around it.

"THE RAFT!" She gasped before she bolted down to the shore where her little rowboat was. They had worked so hard on the raft, there was noway they could let it become destroyed. They had poured all their summer dreams into it!

As soon as she reached the beach she spotted Sora running towards the docks as well. " Sora!" There was a distant rumble of thunder as the wind howled slightly.

Sora skidded to a halt and whipped around. "Sara!" He yelled back, sounding relived. The brown haired girl ran up to him and he asked. " You were going to check on the raft too?" Sara nodded. " Yeah, come-on well go together. It'll be safer that way."

The two of them headed for the shore line and pulled one of their boats into waves. Sara quickly doubled back to the supply shed and grabbed a set of flares, rain coats, and a survival kit which she shoved under one of the seats. " Always be prepared." Was her reply to the confused look Sora gave her. She titled her head to the choppy waves. " You never know, we might have to stay over on the island until the storm clears if the water becomes too rough."

"Good idea!" Sora said.

Sara hopped into the dingy as Sora pushed it past the breakers and then helped him in. It was a difficult ride to the smaller island, the sea was rough and choppy, but they manged to make it. They pulled up to the pier and tied the boat off before jumping on to it.

Sora then noticed the two other rowboats. "That's Riku's boat...a-and Kairi's." Sora turned to Sara, but paused when he saw her looking nervously up at the giant black ball in the sky. He had never seen anything like it. It was like a swirling mass of black and purple, with a center of red, pink and orange – like a giant pulsing black hole in the sky. Sora also noticed that the wind became stronger the closer they got to it.

" What is that?"

Sara shook her head and clasped the keyhole shaped pendant around her neck. "I-I don't know." Her insides were screaming at her. ' Run! RUN! Get away!' Everything was telling her to run.

"Come-on!" Sora urged as grabbed Sara's free wrist and gave it a tug. " We have to find Kairi and Riku!"

The tug was enough to snap her attention away form the thing in the sky and back to Sora. She blink, confused at first, but then Sora's words sunk in. Her eyes hardened into determination and she nodded. "Right!"

The head for the end of the dock, but stumbled to a halt when black creatures with huge yellow eyes melted up out of the ground. The brown-hired teens instantly recognized them " Those are those things from the dreams!" Sora shouted, dumbfounded. "What are they doing here?"

Sara froze and panic started to wash over her. ' Eyes... those eyes... yellow eyes...' There were about a dozens of them.

Sara shook her head, shaking away the panic that mutteled her head. She spotted two wooden swords laying on the planks from where they left them earlier that day and quickly snatched one up. She tossed Sora the other one. "Here!" She said as she lunged forward and swung out at the shadows.

But it didn't hit them. She swung out again, but it just it didn't do anything. It was like slicing air. No mater how many times she or Sora attacked, they just wouldn't go away.

"I don't get it! We were able to hit them before."Sora said ,bewilered.

"Ignore them then. We have to find Riku and Kairi!" Sara bolted past the heartless with Sora following at her heels. More of them pooled up from the ground blocking their way, but they dodged those too.

When they rounded the base of the giant tree, they skidded to a halt. Where the entrance to the secret place use to be was now a ornate door. It almost the same as the one from their dream. " Where did that door come from?" Sora asked.

Sara took a step toward it, but hopped back when more shadows swarmed up under her feet. Sora called her back. " Well check it out later! Lets go fine Riku!"

"Come-on let's check the by the tree." She pointed to the smaller island that connected to this one , which was right under the shadow sphere. They bolted across forward and scrambled over the roof of the seaside shack and dashed across the bridge. Riku stood with his back to them, looking out to the grey and wild sea.

"Riku!"

They came to a stop, but they sensed something was off. Sora glanced around. " Where's Kairi? " He asked worried. " I thought she was with you!"

Riku didn't respond to the question. He just kept looking out into the sea. Sara had a uneasy feeling again. "The door...had opened.." Riku's voice was distant when he spoke.

Sora and Sara looked bewildered, but at the same time something dinged in their heads at the word "door". "What?"

Finally, Riku turned around, he looked to be out of whatever trance he was in before, but there was something wild in his eyes. " The door had opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about?" Sara asked. This wasn't Riku. Something wasn't right. "Come -on Riku, we have to go before this storm gets worse!" She had to shout over the wind now.

Sora tired to make his best friend see reason. " We have to find Kairi!"

"Kairi is coming with us!" The older boy cut in. He looked up at the black hole above him at was seemed to be the center of the storm. Once again his voice took on a distant tone. " Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never be able to see our parents again. There's no turning back..." Riku had always been a dreamer, but this was ridiculous. He then continued with more vigor. " But this may be our only chance! We can't let fear stop us! "

'How does he know this. What is he talking about?' Both Sora and Sara were growing more concerned as they watched Riku. That wild look in his eyes kept growing.

"I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

"Riku..."

"Riku, no.. You're staring to scare me.."

The silver haired boy looked at them steadily and held out a hand. The moment he did a pool of darkness appeared at this feet and dark tendrils spiraled up and started wrapping around his body.

"Riku!" Sora surged forward, ready to grab him, when another puddle formed and struggeled against it as he kept reaching for his friend.

"Sora!" Sara lunged to him and grabbed the back of his jacket, ready to pull both her friends out of the darkness. But the more they struggled , the harder it became to move. It was like they were in quick sand.

As the two of them trashed, Riku stood there pensively. Darkness crept high on them, consuming them. They felt like they were drowning, but they kept fighting.

Sora could almost grab Riku's hand when they were completely swallowed by the dark.

For a moment there was nothing. Nothing but darkness. Sora kepy gropping blindly forwards for Riku while Sara , who had lost her grip on Sora's jacket, tried to find him. Then at the same time there hands touched something solid and warm, without thinking they grabbed hold of it tightly.

Then there was a flash light.

A bright blinding light, and seconds later Sora and Sara were back on the island, stumbling backwards as if they had been forcefully shoved out of the darkness. That's when they noticed the weight in their right hands.

Each of their hands was gripped tightly around the handle of a odd shaped weapon that looked like a giant key. Something coursed through them, some kind of mystic surge that left them light headed and distantly they could hear voices whispering, chanting something.

"Keyblade..."

"Keyblade..."

"Key..blade...?" Sora looked down at his keyblade dumbly, Sara did that same titling it this way at that. It felt right in her hand, almost like it was molded for it. Both keyblade were simple; a bright yellow square shaped hilt with a blue band at the base and a rounded straight blade that had teeth shaped like a crown. They seemed to emit a light that repeld the darkness around them.

"W...What?" Sora shuttered, shell shocked. Sara snapped out of it when she heard a faint whooshing sound and then noticed more dark creatures had surrounded them. "Sora!" The both of them dropped into a attack stance. ' Time to put all those spars to the test!'

"We can take them!"

"Sora, we don't have time! We have to find Kairi!"

Sora faltered for a moment, ashamed he had forgotten their friend... and his crush. "R-right!" Sara ran forward to the bridge and slashed at a group of the creatures in her way. This time that attack hit them and they vanished. "This way!" She jumped off the bridge to the beach below and headed to the door at the entrance to the secret place. Both she and Sora cut down the creatures in their way to clear a path.

The stopped in front of the door and Sora glanced at the green-eyed girl behind her. "Are you sure she's in here? " He asked.

Sara nodded. She reached for the door handle, but before her finger even brushed it – it opened on it's own. The duo stumbled backwards in surprise and glanced at each other. "Ready or not." Sara quibt. Sora barreled right by her , but she hesitated at the entrance as a brief bout of panic shot up in her as gazed in to the dark tunnel.

"Ready or not." She repeated to herself and ran in, head first.

The small tunnel seemed longer than they remembered, bigger too. The bursted into the chamber in time to see Kairi standing in front of the large odd stone on the other side.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted.

Kairi turned, but everything about her moved sluggishly. Her eyes were unfocused ,and she looked dazed and sick. Like with Riku, there was a terrible feeling that something was horribly wrong with her.

"So..ra.. Sa..ra.." Her voice was distant and for a moment it looked like she was about fall over. There was a violent rattling sound and suddenly the door Kairi was standing in front of burst open and a power gale of wind rushed out as well as dark vapors.

"AH!" Sora rushed forward and opened his arms to catch Kairi who went sailing through the air, but the moment she almost collided with him .. she vanished. The wind knocked Sora back, sending him tumbling through the air, striking Sara, and the two of them were carried by the high speed gale back through the tunnel.

Along the way, Sara's head smacked against a rock and she passed out.

It felt like a few seconds later when the two of them came to, and when they did it was like waking to a nightmare. The wind howled in their ears as they took in the ghastly sight. Their entire island – no their entire WORLD, had been shattered to bits.

Debris was everywhere and there was several jagged little islands floating in mid air, the one they were on being the biggest.

Sora staggered to his feet and helped Sara up. She was alright, minus a few scraps against her cheeks. Her large green eyes shimmered in fear. " O..our island- " she choked out.

Sora opened his mouth to try to say something when he felt something behind them. Both of them spun around and there minds went blank at the gigantic, black creature looming behind them. "T..This can't be right!" Sora cried in disbelief. "That was the thing in my dream! The thing that dragged me in the darkness! What's it doing here?"

' This isn't right..' Sara thought, panicked. ' nothing is right! What's going on?' Sara felt frozen as she looked up at the creature, and felt a chill race up her spine when she noticed that she could see the sky on the other side through the gap in it's chest.

The creature then lurched forward and Sara snapped out of it. "MOVE!" She shoved Sora and jumped out of the way just a clawed hand snatched for them. She hit the ground and automaticly dropped down into a deffensive stance as her hand shot out and keyblade from eailer flashed into her hand. Sora did the same.

She was shaking, but the adrenalen rush was starting to take effect. ' fight or flight. Well... flight doesn't look an option since we probably just fall to our deaths- so fight it is!'

"Well.. we took care of him in our dreams. We should be able to it again!" Sora said cheekily.

Sara glanced at him. " Aim for the hand?"

Sora nodded at the two surged forward. "Watch it!" Sara warned as the hand soared over them again. Sara dunked out the way just in time and Sora swung away at the wrist.

It didn't take long before they defeated the creature, but before they could land the final blow a monstrous wind knocked them back. Sora grabbed hold of a piece of debri burried into the ground while Sara clung on to a tree root, hunddleing her head into her chest to keep sand from blowing into her eyes.

The wind lifted the creature like it was a toy and lifted it to the hole in the sky. They both held on for dear life, but Sara's grip slipped. "AH!"

One of Sora's hands snapped out and grabbed hers. Sara felt like a kite flapping in the wind, and gripped his hand for dear life. " Sara, hold on!" Sora hollered back

"Sora, don't let go!"

There was a crack and the plank Sora was holding on to snapped. The two of them were ripped upwards, and Sara lost her grip on Sora's hand. "!"

After that...everything went dark.

I guess we should have been careful what we wished for.

Next chapter : Traverse Town - where the story and plot really starts.