Sora sat upon his bed unable to sleep, his mind racing with the days events.

Sora recalled returning to Kairi with the mushrooms needed, the girl had looked up from the

shells she had been threading with a bit of string, explaining that she was making a necklace that

sailors would wear for protection upon long voyages.

The girl had thanked Sora once he concluded that all the supplies needed were gathered and the

raft ready for their coming voyage.

Sora and Kairi had then made their way back to the docks and to their waiting boats. Sora had

noticed that the girl seemed troubled, when she should be happy that came that time tomorrow

they would be out sailing to other worlds as they had always dreamed.

"Is there something wrong Kairi?" the boy had asked her, causing her to stop in her tracks and

turn back to face him.

"I am fine, why?" the girl asked, her eyes searching deep into his won.

"Oh its nothing" Sora said in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his sun burned neck.

"Can we sit for a second?" Kairi asked suddenly, flustering the boy.

"Ya...ya....sure, of course" the boy stuttered, wondering why he was acting like he was?, had he

fallen ill? Why was he suddenly acting so strange around the girl?

"Thanks" the girl said, slipping off the shoes she wore in order to allow her feet to soak in the

cool tide.

"I wonder where Riku went" Sora said, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"He left earlier when you were busy in the cave, he said he some stuff to do at home before

tomorrow's voyage came" the girl answered, her eyes focused intently upon the sparkling Ocean.

"Oh, I was wondering --" Sora began, until the girl interrupted with words of her own.

"Riku has been acting different. He has changed a lot since the day I first met him here on

the Islands" the girl said sadly, bringing Sora to look over at her with shock on his face.

What had come over the girl? Why was she suddenly sad about Riku changing? Everyone

changed at some point in their life, didn't they?

"What do you mean....changed?" Sora asked the girl curiously.

"Well...." the girl began, pausing to think a moment.

"Are you sure you are okay, Kairi? You are acting very strange all of a sudden" the boy asked,

hoping the girl didn't take his words as cause to be insulted.

"Sora, lets just take the raft and go, it can be just the two of us!" the girl said with a sudden burst

of excitement.

"Huh?" Sora said, even more confused than ever.

"Just kidding" the girl said with her usual giggle, she then kicked some water at the boy with a

laugh.

"Hey, what's gotten into you Kairi?" the boy said with a laugh, shaking droplets of water from

his sopping hair.

"Sorry" the girl said, a smile still lighting her face.

"You are the one who changed Kairi" Sora said as a joke, but the girl seemed to take the

statement with seriousness.

"Maybe....you know I was a little afraid at first, but now I am ready. Because no matter where I

go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?" the girl asked, turning toward

Sora with shining eyes.

"Yeah, of course!" Sora answered, enjoying the smile he brought to the girl's face.

"That's good" the girl said, she then turned back to look at the setting sun and the sparkling waters.

"Don't ever change, Sora" the girl said softly, she then pulled her feet from the water and stood

on the dock.

"Huh, Kairi?" Sora said, looking at the girl in the twilight glow.

"I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great" Kairi said with a smile, she then entered her

boat alongside Sora and together they had rowed back home.

Sora looked back on the memory and thought of the strange way Kairi had acted, could it be

possible that she had a liking for him? Or was it Riku she liked?

Sora looked up at the ship hanging from his ceiling and Kairi's words came back to him.

"I just can't wait. Once we set sail. It'll be great" the words of Kairi spoke hauntingly in his

head.

Suddenly Sora heard a low rumbling, he then glanced out his window and saw dark clouds out on

the waters, alongside the illuminating flashes of lighting.

"A storm? Wait, the raft!" Sora said with a sudden dawning, what if one of the lightning bolts hit

their ship, then there plan's would be ruined.

Sora quickly slipped on his sneakers and climbed out his bedroom window, praying that he

arrived in time to save their vessel from the might of the storm.