You're not alone
Kaity stared at me blankly for a moment, blinked slowly, and continued to stare. "Say what now?"
With my new revelation as a fuel source (and frustration at the fact that I hadn't thought of this before), I stomped off the platform and walked rapidly down a random passageway of books. I hope I'm going the right way, because I'm really not sure exactly where I'm going. I heard Kaity's rigid and bemused steps trail after me a few feet behind.
"Come on, Sam," She said impatiently, "I'm not a mind-reader; you have to explain to me what's going on inside your head!"
I continued to walk on in a daze. My eyes shifted restlessly over the many books searching for...searching for what? I don't have clue what I'm really looking for. I just know that there is something here for me to see... something I need to find. It was just...that feeling again. The tingle echoing through my nerves. The ache on the edge of my mind...
I just knew that I had to keep walking.
"Sam! What the hell is up? What has you so wound up like this?"
We turned around a few corners of the spacious aisles. I was still not responding and Kaity was almost stomping around in aggravation like a five year old because of it.
Ah, I knew it, I thought looking ahead of us as we came upon what my instincts have been bugging me about.
"SAM! I swear, if you don't tell me this instant what the hell is in your head, I'm going to-"
"Shush!" I snapped turning around with a finger against my lips. "This is what was on my mind." I said waving my hand in the space ahead of us.
It was another circular space like up front, but it was different then the part of the library we just came through. The tall book case's formed a circle around us, but the shelves behind us were blue and the shelves in front of us were...red. A bright crimson red. Almost like blood. No books moved between these shelves. There was no sense of movement at all. As I looked on, the case's seemed to become swallowed in shadows, making it impossible to tell how long it went on. A chilly breeze came from the shadows, wrapping around our bodies and leaving goose bumps on our legs and arms. Kaity and I stood in the circular area, gazing at the strange district before us.
"Um, yeah, I volunteer you to scout out the creepy library." Kaity piped up from behind me.
But I ignored her and slowly walked up to a case. I rested a hand against it and peered into the shadows. "These shelves seem to go on longer then the blue ones." I muttered to myself.
"What are these bookcases?" Kaity said as she walked up to me.
"I think...these bookcases contain the books of worlds that are not Disney oriented..." I told her as we cautiously stepped into the aisle in front of us. "Worlds of other realms and universe's that either don't belong or had been banished or rejected." I explained as my eyes slid over the large books. I recognized every other title.
"How do you know all of this Sam?" Kaity asked as she matched her steps to mine.
"That last line on the screen before it went black was about our worlds' location." I told her. "It said: 'This is a restricted world. All inhabitants, forces, and anything relating to its existence in any way is banished and sentenced'."
"Banished?" Kaity questioned. "For what? Where did it-"
"Get banished from?" I finished for her, glancing at her.
"Yeah..." She said slowly as she watched the thoughtful expression on my face. She gasped, "You're not thinking that it was banished from this universe, are you?"
"I don't know." I admitted looking away. "At this point, I'm not sure about anything except for the fact that we need to find that book. Then we'll know the truth." Maybe we are here for a purpose...
"Right..."
Kaity and I walked side by side as we hunted for the book on Earth. Locating the aisle with all the 'E's, we looked up and down the shelves that towered over us. We probably walked down the 'E' aisle for about twenty minutes before I heard Kaity make an exclamation to my left.
I turned and saw where her eyes were trained and saw a large brown leather book sitting at least eight shelves high with 'Earth' printed in gold writing on the side. Kaity had already pulled over one of those ladders and was climbing up to get it. A cloud of dust cascaded down from the shelf as she pulled it out of the space and steadily climbed back to the ground.
Once her feet touched the floor again, she held out the object for us both to see. The book was worn and tattered with cursive script lettering on the front. A shimmery force field swirled over and around the object, casting a small glow over us both. The strange part was that thick chains bound the cover in an X with an, I don't know, iron lock or something. It was weirdly shaped. It didn't have a key hole or anything though.
"This is it?" Kaity asked as she lightly dusted the strange shield.
"This is it." I murmured. I slid a finger down the chain. How are we supposed to read it with it all chained up?
"How do we read it?" Kaity said. Reading my thoughts again, I see?
I dropped my hand to my side. "Guess we have to get the password." I sighed in defeat. Can't anything be easy?
"But that could take ages!" Kaity cried out in frustration.
"I know." I groaned. "We can't crack into the book without it though. We need a password." But what the heck could it be? Would the king be the one that knows it? It is his library after all. "It has to be something the king would put, I think."
"Great," Kaity said yawning. You know how yawns are, their chains. I yawned as well and felt a weariness wash over me. "God knows that helps us." She muttered, holding the book out in front of her. "So, how are we going to sneak out with this bulky thing? It's not going to fit under our shirts or in our pockets, that's for sure."
"We can't." I sighed grudgingly. "It's too big. Hopefully Sora won't want to leave tonight. Then maybe we can have a chance to think this over."
Kaity let out an irritated sigh and started climbing the latter to return the book to its place. We then slowly shuffled through the labyrinth of books to the front. On the way, we discussed possible passwords, but none of them seemed to go. We were completely stumped.
When we were back to the entrance, we exited the world archives. There's nothing more we can do in there until we come up with the password. Walking into the smaller library, Kaity and I looked to see Sora, Riku, Roxas, and the king waiting for us. They all were just hanging out, talking. How long had we been in there? It didn't feel like more than an hour at the least. But now came the hard part. Kaity and I exchanged a sad knowing look. Will the lying ever end?
"Hey..." I said stopping a few feet away from them. Kaity stopped behind me.
Realizing that we had entered the room, all the guys immediately shut up. Hm, I wonder what they were talking about...
Sora tilted his head a bit to one side in curiosity. "So, what did you find out?"
I looked back to Kaity then slowly back to the guys. "We found our world..." Kaity muttered loud enough for them to hear.
"But it's been destroyed." I muttered with my eyes down cast so they had no chance of seeing the lie in them. I hate this. I really do. "I don't understand how," I went on with a touch of sadness over my tone, "There wasn't enough heartless there to pose much of a threat. How could they have destroyed our world?" I finished with looking up to them with my best distressing eyes.
"Maybe you just didn't notice them as they multiplied." Roxas said trying to comfort me. "I'm sorry about your world... it's got to be tough."
"Could..." I really didn't want to start the waterworks, so I let hope come over the sadness and looked to each of them before resting on the king. "Could more people have escaped before it happened like we did?"
"Yes..." The king answered this time. "But only a small chance, I'm afraid."
I looked over to Kaity as she glanced to me. I sighed and leaned back against a chair that was close to me before sliding down to the ground and pulling my legs to my chest with my arms around them. Was I convincing enough for them? I sure hope so, because I'm not going to cry just to win them over. I'd rather tell the truth.
"Well, because of this unexpected and unfortunate event," Riku voiced, crossing his arms thoughtfully, "You two are now stranded without a world to return to. The only question is: What happens to you now?"
He's right. What does happen to us now? We were homeless with no place to go. We don't know what to do next. It's like we're in the middle of a unknown country without a clue about what to do next.
"Sam," piped up the king. I looked up to him. He was watching my hands as they subconsciously fiddle with my necklace. Another tell tale sign of me being nervous. "Where did you get that charm?"
I looked down at the gleaming silver and gold trinket in my fingers. "I don't know." I answered truthfully. Well, half truthfully at least. "Why do you ask?"
Confusion crossed the kings' face. "You don't know?"
"Yeah," I said shrugging my shoulders. "It was just there."
"When did you find it there?"
"After I woke up on the Island. I looked down and saw it hanging there." I explained. Why was he asking me this?
"I have one too." Kaity piped in. Reaching up, she pulled the chain and a charm similar to mine came out from hiding behind her tank top. Instead of a moon, hers was a sun with a darker blue gem placed in the center of it.
The king looked them both over thoughtfully. "I've seen that design somewhere before." He said resting his chin on his hand and closing his eyes. "I just can't remember where."
"Hm..." I gently ran my thumb over the reflective, glittering surface of the cold charm. So, this thing has more meaning to it than just a pretty accessory? I would think so since that strange look-alike girl was wearing it and now I am, but still... The king recognizes it. That's interesting.
"Yeah, okay, off topic." Riku interrupted. "What happens to them now?"
The king went back to his regular posture. "I thought it had been obvious," He said looking to the boys. "They will be going with you on your journey."
...Huh?
"What?" The three of them cried out.
The king nodded sternly. "They would prove useful for you on your mission." Mission? What mission?
"They would just be a burden." Riku stated stubbornly.
"Can they even fight?" Roxas pointed out glancing over to us.
"They'd just get in the way." Sora said crossing his arms.
Oh, no they did not just say all that with us sitting right here.
"Uh, hello!" I said waving an arm in the air to catch their attention. "We do just so happen to be sitting right here, you know."
Kaity just put her hands on her hips and scoffed at the rudeness. I crossed my arms and glared at them. They don't even know us. I mean, yeah I don't know if we can fight or anything, but saying all that while we're in the same room? That's a big no-no right there mister. Didn't their mamas ever teach them manners?
"They will be going." The king said to them definite.
Sora and Roxas ducked their heads, pouting like they were five, and Riku closed his eyes. I didn't think they despised us that much...It's kind of hurtful, actually...
At his words, the king left the room and instructed one of the many enchanted brooms to show us to some guest rooms and then to dinner. We all followed the broom silently to some nice bedrooms on the second floor. They were simple with two full beds that were covered in white sheets with purple and gold blankets. Each room had its own king sized bathroom themed in gold and white.
Kaity and I took one room while Roxas and Sora shared one and Riku got his own. Lucky. He doesn't have to listen to someone snoring all night (coughKaitycough). After that, we headed to the dining hall and had some dinner with the king, queen, and the other inhabitants of the castle. It was kind of awkward, but we made it through.
Once we were finished, we retreated to our own rooms to get to bed. Kaity and I discovered spare silk pajamas in a wardrobe and had a game of rock, paper, scissors for who got to take a shower first. I won, of course.
The moment the steaming water fell onto my sore muscles, I was caught in its searing hot embrace. Most of the knots in my shoulders and back unbound and the salt from the ocean water was rinsed away from my hair and skin. After a few moments of just standing under the water, I actually got to taking the shower I was supposed to be taking. Twenty minutes later, I turned off the torrent of water and stepped out in a big white towel, smelling of some strange mixture of mango and apricot shampoo.
I wiped a large circle in the fogged mirror and picked up a brush that was lying on the ceramic counter. I pulled it through all the tangles until it lay plastered to my head before messing it up vigorously so that it would dry faster. Also, when I messed it up after brushing it, it let my natural waves and curls come out while it dried.
Pulling on the black tank top and white satin sleep pants I had found, I turned back to the mirror and pulled my hair out of the back of the shirt. I slipped back on my necklace. I don't know where the king had seen it before or what it means, but I just felt like I had to wear it. It was a weird feeling, but it was there. I brushed my teeth with the provided tooth brushes and paste and the exited, feeling completely refreshed.
Kaity was sitting on one of the beds and looked up to me as I came out of the bathroom followed by a billowing cloud of steam.
"You used up all the hot water, didn't you?" She accused me as she grabbed her clothes.
"Yup." I said sighing happily as I stretched my arms above my head in the air. "It felt wonderful, too."
"Jerk." She said irritated while walking into the bathroom and slamming the door shut.
"Love you, too!" I shouted at her before the water started up again.
I shuffled over to the bed Kaity hadn't been sitting on and plopped down onto it, rolling over so that I could stare at the white ceiling. My mind wandered to the possible answers of the password again. We needed to figure it out before tomorrow. Who knows when we'll be able to come back here. But what could it be? My eyebrows were mashed together as I stared thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Ten minutes later, Kaity came out of the bathroom. By then, I was glaring at the ceiling. Blaming it for all my problems. Kaity saw this and looked from me to the ceiling and back again.
"What did the ceiling ever do to you to deserve such a look?"
I turned my death glare to her.
"Alright, alright." She said with her hands in front of her in surrender. "It's between you two. I can take a hint."I picked up one of my shoes and threw it at her, aiming for her face, but smacked her in the knee because I have awesome aim like that.
She laughed and slipped into her bed. Nothing else was said as she settled down and switched off her lamp light. Surprisingly, I wasn't tired, but I turned the lamp by my bed off out so that Kaity could sleep.
I tried to sleep. I really did. But the sandman really didn't like me tonight. I tossed and turned, counted sheep, and even tried to sing myself to sleep in my head, but sleep would not come. I laid on the bed with my face pressed into the cool sheets and narrowed my eyes at them. Too much crap was going through my head and wouldn't let my mind rest. Besides, it was starting to get uncomfortably warm in here.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, I roughly pushed away the sheets and pulled myself off the bed to stand on the cold floor at the edge of my bed. I didn't bother putting my shoes on, the ground felt nice. I headed for the door and went to open it, but stopped when a grumble came from the other bed.
"Where you going?" Kaity mumbled.
"Can't sleep." I explained. "Going out for some air. I'll be back later."
"'Kay." Then she drifted out.
I opened the door and slipped out into the cool night air and gently shut the door. I turned on my heel, took a long deep breath and started down the dimly lit corridor. After some time, I just was kind of wandering around the hall aimlessly until a staircase came up on my right. Curiosity getting the best of me, I went up and followed wherever it might take me.
Turns out the stairs came out on another landing. Except this landing was open to the night. Over the edge was the garden/courtyard about three stories below. I leaned on the stone guardrail and peered up to the open starry sky that shined down upon the castle. The moon was almost in the dead center of the sky. I also noticed that it was almost at its zenith.
I tilted my head at the pale lunar object. The moon of this world is so different than the one of Earth. It seemed to be bigger and have more craters. Whatever it was that made it the way it is, it gave off enough light to bath everything it touched pale silver.
Staying close to the rail, I walked around the rectangular walkway. My feet made little sound as I suddenly seemed to float weightlessly along the way. My hand trailed along the flat stone of the rail, only leaving it to trance around a short column that stood in its path. I watched my fingers run across the stone in thought, but...not really. I mean, I wasn't really thinking. Or something like that... My mind was blank. I guess I was zoned out. Thoughtlessly walking in a circle.
Sometime during my daze, my eyes become unfocused. But instead of seeing blurry shapes and what not, I was seeing... something. Or more like seeing past reality to something beyond it, I guess. That's what it felt like, at least. A memory, perhaps? Or a vision? I'm not too sure. But it felt very real.
The garden below me disappeared and in its place was an almost completely covered stone courtyard three times the size of the garden. Pale sliver light swept the shimmery new stone flooring. At the edges of the stone yard, grassy areas lined the walls with various colorful trees, bushes and flowers scattered over it. To add to it, a crystal clear stream wound its way through the yard at one corner with fountains on the walls pouring water into it. It was beautiful.
As I continued to stroll, a small figure with long dark hair and pale skin walked gracefully across the stone courtyard. Her movements were so smooth and light, she seemed to dance as she walked. It almost wasn't human. The young girl couldn't have been over the age of nine. A sleeveless silk white dress fell just above her knees with a thick black bow wrapped around her waist with black lace trimming the bottom of her dress. This mysterious little girl carried a small bouquet of pink and purple flowers in her hands.
The little girl looked up to the moon and stars, I was too far up to clearly see her features, but I could just make out a glint of gold where her eyes were supposed to be. There was a feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like I knew her or something. I was completely confused though. What is going on? Who is this girl?
Looking up to the sky, I saw that there seemed to be more stars here then at Disney Castle. Like there were more worlds or something. I watched as the little girl walked to the stream and knelt next to it. She lifted the flowers to her nose before bringing them down to her lap and staring into them. I couldn't see her expression, but from her body language, she seemed to be...sad.
"I don't know where you went..." A soft voice said. I almost didn't hear it, it sounded perilously close to the wind. It was weird though. How can I hear her from all the way up here? "And I don't know why. But I miss you. You were my only friend. So please...come back soon..." she reached over and dropped the flowers in to the stream. "Okay, Kairi?"
I stopped abruptly in my tracks and stared at the little girl as she stood and slowly walked back across the courtyard. Now I'm just baffled. What the heck was that and how does that little girl know Kairi?
Then I noticed the almost silent sound coming from somewhere around me. I hadn't noticed it before while I was watching the little girl. It was like a song, but then again, it wasn't. I was used to the stupid music following me everywhere I went in this universe, but this background song sounded different. It was drums, like Native American or African drums. A few piano keys chimed in with... a Pan flute? Yeah, it was. The instruments hummed in the air, softly rising. It was beautiful. It reminded me of the culture festivals I used to go to. The Native American and Celtic ones. My parents thought it would be cool for me to know my ancestors cultures.
As I listened, a voice seemed to join in, but... I didn't hear it. It seemed to be flitting through my thoughts:
Dance in the courtyard while the moon hangs low,
Dance to a rhythm no one knows,
The beat goes on like the spirit drum,
A long past story already sung...
It was talking about the girl. I was sure of it. But what does all of this have to do with me? And how does she know Kairi? I closed my eyes, shook my head to clear my thoughts, and opened them to Disney Castles walkway and gardens. The stone courtyard was gone along with the girl.
That was strange, to say the least. My head hurts now. I pressed a cool hand to my forehead and took a deep breath. Ever since we arrived here, all I've had are headaches. They were ether from stress or some weird crap happening to me. Looking up, I saw someone leaning on the guardrail about twenty feet away staring up to the starry night sky. The moons shimmery light being reflected into aqua blue eyes the color of the Caribbean.
Riku.
I hesitated before deciding to walk up to him. I made an effort to make some noise while I was walking so that he knew that he wasn't alone. If I wasn't so light headed, I wouldn't have to make the effort. But whenever I feel light headed, my steps are light as well. I know, it's weird.
I halted a yard or two away from where he was standing, suddenly nervous. Hey, he may be Riku, but that means nothing. I don't know anything about him at all and being alone, at night, with a guy I don't really know is something I would usually avoid. Although...I don't think that he would hurt me. From what I do know about him, he wouldn't do that. He's a ask-questions, attack-later kind of guy.
A sigh brought me out of my thoughts and I watched as Riku turned his eyes to me. His silver colored bangs, more white than silver in the moon light, fell over his eyes a bit. Covering just a small part of his eyes. My bangs were like that, but not quite as long. I shuffled my weight nervously from one foot to the other, but I met his gaze steadily and tilted my head a bit to the side casually.
"May I join you?" I asked politely.
His eyes left mine to trail back to the sky while he shrugged. "Only if you want too."
Well, I'd say that by my question, it would seem that I wanted too, but whatever. If he wants to be like that, fine. I levered myself onto the wide flat surface of the guard rail and straddled it, letting one leg fall to one side and pulling the other up to my chest to wrap my arms around it. A column rose up behind me and I rested my head against the stone. My own gray green eyes turned to the stars. No, not stars, I thought gazing at them. They were worlds.
The two of us stayed like that, silence dancing in the moonlight. Until Riku broke it.
"I went to the world achieves and looked up your world," Riku said flatly still starring up. "Just to be sure you weren't lying."
At that moment, I was completely thankful that Castaway Cay was an actual world.
"I looked at its status and saw that it had been destroyed, like you said." He continued, turning to face me with his arms crossed and a expressionless face. "But it was destroyed three years ago."
And now my world plummeted into chaos. I could just crawl under a rock and rot there. How was I going to explain this one? I stayed silent under his gaze, to scared to meet his eyes.
"Are you going to tell me why you lied to us?" He was angry. But you know what? I'm tired. Tired of all these lies. Tired of this mask I'm starting to build. I'm tired of fighting against it.
I closed my eyes against the breeze, still refusing to meet the accusing glare. Taking a deep breath, I leaned my cheek on my knee and reopened my eyes to watch the wind rustle the leaves on the hedges far below us.
"I have my reasons." I finally whispered.
"None of which you are going to tell me." He stated annoyed.
"Bingo."
"Why not?"
I half smiled, "Because I don't know them." I said simply, turning to rest my chin on my knee so that I could see him. So that I can see what he's not saying. "We don't know what's happening, Riku. You have to understand that," I said glumly, making him look me in the eye. "Just a few days ago, our world was ripped right out from under our feet. A few days ago, we didn't even know that any of this existed..." I said while gesturing to my surroundings. "We do know, however, that we were sent here for a purpose, we don't know what it is, but until we do, you're just going to have to trust us."
Riku stiffened and narrowed his eyes before sharply turning his head away. He was silent for a moment, and then he exhaled through his nose as if trying to calm himself down. I couldn't see his face very well, but it looked like a battle of emotions was taking place.
"Last time I trusted a stranger, my heart gave into the Darkness and was taken over and almost lost."
My eyes widened in shock. Then, slowly, they softened. Sympathy clouded my thoughts as I looked at him, although I knew he didn't want it. I had forgotten. Is this why he's so closed up? Why he's been secretly suspicious of Kaity and I ever since we arrived? Why he won't believe us until he knows everything?
He's just protecting his friends' safety. I'm sure that's what it is. He doesn't want to lose them again. Ansem was supposed to be gone from his heart now though. The blast from Ansem the Wise' data contraption was supposed to have taken care of that. At the time, he said he didn't feel him in his heart anymore, but... Riku doesn't say things that will make his friends worry about him. He seems to always think that he has to take care of his problems on his own.
Yup, Riku's an idiot like that.
I let my other leg fall to the side of the rail, using my hands to grasp the edges to balance myself. I peered at him carefully.
"Is he still in your heart, Riku?" I said in a quiet voice. "You know, Ansem? Did you mean it when you said he was gone?"
Riku looked at me in surprise. Oh...yeah. He doesn't know that I know about that yet. My bad. I caste down my eyes. "I know a lot more then you could possibly believe." I said, answering the silent question.
"No." He answered after a moment. He rested a hip on the surface of the rail with his arms still crossed. "I don't feel him there anymore. That doesn't mean that he can't find his way to me again though."
Silence fell between us as we sat there. I had been gazing at the gardens below us, but my eyes had at some point strayed to Riku. I just stared thoughtfully at him. You know, I had a feeling that if I actually knew Riku and grew up with him, we would have been friends. I might have even seen him as an older brother. Someone to look up too. Like Sora does. But for now... he's just a familiar stranger.
"Why are you up?"
I snapped out of my daze and met his eyes once again. "Huh?" I said brilliantly.
"Why are you up?" He repeated.
I shrugged at his question. "Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Too much going on in my head." He said before yawning. "But I think I'll head in now anyways. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning." He turned and walked past me to the staircase.
After a brief thought, I squeezed my eyes shut tightly before opening them, got down from the rail, and turned toward Riku's retreating figure.
"You know, Riku," I called after him. "You're not alone. Or, at least, you weren't."
Riku stopped and turned half way back to look at me. "Alone?"
"You're not the only one living constantly in a battle against the Darkness..." I said quietly. I should know, I thought sadly, I've been battling it for years. "You're not the only one walking the middle road. Even now. After all that you've been through."
"That's... comforting to know." He said with a smile before turning to continue down the path. I sighed and leaned my head against the cold stone column and let my thoughts wander.
Wait a second...
My eyes snapped open suddenly. That's it! Sudden excitement and realization pulsed through my veins and washed away and feeling of exhaustion. I raced down the stone path to the staircase and down the steps until I reached the bottom floor. After a few minutes of navigating my way to the library, I came upon the closed doors. When inside, I saw the bookcase hadn't been shut. I thanked whatever God watched over here and proceeded into the dim chamber.
Books still floated gently around the shelves and a glow echoed off the cases. I stepped onto the circular platform and waited while the machine came to life before brushing my hand across the keypad to search earth again. When it came up, I clicked on it. It freaked out again and went to the black screen with the little white box. My hands hovered over the keys as I thought of the word. Then, with a deep breath, I tapped in the letters and pressed enter.
It didn't do anything for a few heart stopping seconds. Then green words of approval flashed across the screen. I let out a disbelieving breath and did a silent victory dance. Not wanting to scroll and read the words on the monitor, I pressed the summoning button. A few minutes later, the book floated out of an aisle and into my hands. The red force field was gone and when I grasped the object in my hands, the chains fell from and dissolved into gold dust.
I stepped off the platform and walked over to a bare wall. I slid to ground and held the book in my lap. My hands trembled as I opened the cover and started to read the secrets of my own world.
Silence followed for the next few minutes as I read. Emotions crossed my face and disappeared and flew back across again. Disbelief was one that returned again and again. As I read, though, my eyes widened and my mouth dropped open more so that I looked almost like a gaping fish.
"H-how..." I stuttered out. "How can this be?"