Note from forevermagik13: Sora's Shadow is way too fun to write. Eff. Moving on. Ya'll should check out my blog if you haven't already. There's a link on my profile. Rarmaster also has a blog and there's a link on her profile. There's loads of interesting stuff.

And now I feel like I'm pressuring you... don't feel pressured.

I'll go ahead and let you read the scene with Kairi and Joseph (and Shadow, since he's wormed his way in) now.

"I'm Kairi, but I get the sense you already know that," Kairi said, looking at Joseph.

Joseph shrugged. "I know Riku and Namine."

Kairi's eyes lit up. "Really? How are they doing? I figured she'd gotten to him by now…"

"They're…" Joseph began, making the face he always made when this subject came up. "Fine, I guess."

"What was that face for?"

"They're gross sometimes," Joseph replied.

Yeah, sick NASTY gross. As much as I don't like this kid, I have to agree with him…

"Wait, have they actually… like… gotten…"

Joseph snorted. "Yeah right. I have to wonder if they'd be less gross if they did."

He was internally relieved that Kairi seemed to see the same things that he did. And she was someone he could talk to about it! Since he obviously couldn't talk to Namine or Riku about it. And, well, none of the other Replicas cared…

By now Kairi had bought Joseph a chocolate ice cream bar and herself a strawberry one. They went to a little outside table thing just to the side of the ice cream parlor and began to eat their ice creams.

"So, how do you know Riku and Namine?"

"Well, Riku showed up at Castle Oblivion a long time ago looking for help to find Sora after he'd fallen into…"

Kairi grimaced.

"To look for Sora," Joseph corrected. "And somewhere in there, he got put in charge of the Rebellion against Saix. He kept saying he'd only stay until we found Sora, but even after that, he still stayed. Sora and I were gonna convince him to come here and see Namine because it was…"

"Wait, you've seen Sora?" Kairi asked.

Damn, I was hoping she was going to miss that. Stupid kid for bringing that up. Now I'm gonna have to start all over again…

Wait a second, how come this KID can mention him and she gets all excited-looking and the minute…

Aw fu—

Joseph swallowed a rather large bite of ice cream. He wiped his chin. "Uh, yeah, actually…"

"How is he? Where is he? How's he doing? Has he said anything about me? Has he gotten any of my letters?"

Too fine for my liking. Olympus Coliseum. You asked that question twice, sweetie. He hasn't SAID anything, but he surely has THOUGHT a ton of stuff. And no, he hasn't gotten any of your letters. But I have…

"Erm," Joseph said. "Well, he was at Castle Oblivion for a bit, but then he said he had to go away. I think he felt like he was getting in between Namine and Riku. I haven't seen him since. Though, he left a letter saying that Riku should go help out at Hollow Bastion and help with a Heartless problem there. And that was just a couple of days ago…"

Kairi sighed. "I just wish he'd come home."

No you don't. Because the Sora that Sora's turning into is the Sora that you're scared of. And you know it.

"If I knew where he was, I'd bring him here. Then he could go to that dance with you!"

Dammit! That's MY job.

Kairi laughed. "No, I'm sure that whatever he's doing is important and…"

"You're not telling the truth," Joseph said blatantly.

Kairi sighed. "Did he appear to be dealing with his darkness okay?"

Joseph nodded. "I even gave him a star shard so he wouldn't have to make dark corridors anymore."

Shit! You're giving her hope. Now I've gotta work even harder… Grarg…

Kairi sighed.

"Do you want to talk about something else?" Joseph asked.

"Yes, please," Kairi said. "Thank you though. You've at least let me know he's okay."

Joseph nodded. "So, do you want to hear about how Riku kills anyone anytime someone mentions that Namine is defective?"

I wish Riku would show up and kill you right now, kid…

Kairi laughed. "Why am I not surprised? Though, why would they say such a thing about her? She's so… I don't know, not defective-looking to me."

"You ever been around her when she has a meltdown?"

"Those weird memory things?" Kairi asked.

Joseph nodded. "Apparently, that means she's defective."

"That's horrible! I'd kill them too if I were Riku. So, you've mentioned a Rebellion and killing people, what's all that about?"

So, Joseph began to explain the Rebellion, as well as any other thing that came to Kairi' s mind. Joseph was glad to be able to talk to her. It was oddly like talking to Namine. Both girls were just so kind and made intelligent conversation. He wondered why that was. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that in another universe… Kairi and Namine were the same person…

Well, sort of.

Meanwhile, though no one noticed, there was a cocky black shadowy thing leaning casually against the building, watching the whole conversation go on. He was very miffed.

"So, do you know any place that I could get a wooden sword?" Joseph asked.

Kairi cocked her head to one side. "What for?"

Joseph looked down at his shoes. "Well, before Sora left Castle Oblivion, he gave me his. He said he didn't need it anymore with the Keyblade. However, in the last raid, it got broken by a stupid Larxene Replica. I want to buy another one to replace it."

"Well, if you go to that shop right there, you can get one," Kairi said, pointing to the woodworking shop that Joseph had almost gone into earlier.

"Sweet!" Joseph said, his eyes lighting up. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure! Why not? It's not like I'm doing anything else this afternoon."

You could be spending it with me… but oh no… you'd rather spend it with some kid who you've just met… Though, granted, you CAN see him…

The two of them went off in the direction of the woodworking shop. Sora's Shadow followed after them.

Well then… he thought. The kid's got a lot more darkness now than he did before. The Rebellion's getting to him. Hey! Darkness that I didn't even have to mess with. Heheh.

Kairi and Joseph selected a new sword for the boy and he paid for it using the munny 29 had given him. He had just enough.

"Hey, were you planning on showing up at the other Island today at all?" Sora's Shadow asked Kairi, knowing she could hear him.

Her head whipped around to his general direction. She was still a foot or so off like she always was, but he'd learned to get used to that.

"Something the matter?" Joseph asked.

"I thought I heard…" Kairi began.

However, there wasn't any thought about it. She had heard him. And he knew it.

"Let me guess, you're not going to respond because that kid's there."

Sora's Shadow wasn't entirely sure why he was goading her, but he was sick of the brat and wanted to spend some time with just Kairi before he had to go and try and drag Sora into the darkness again. He had an appointment at Olympus Coliseum to keep.

"Someone's there, who's not there," Joseph said.

He looked in the general direction of Sora's Shadow.

Really, now HE can hear me too? Great… Though, that would mean I'm getting stronger.

He wanted to ask if Joseph could hear him for sure, but he wasn't sure how to go about that…

"Wait, you can hear him too?" Kairi asked.

Never mind. He wouldn't need to.

"I can, sort of," Joseph said, frowning.

"I'm not crazy!" Kairi exclaimed.

"You've seen him before?" Joseph asked.

"Well, not seen, just heard. Can you see him?"

"No…"

Don't mention that Namine's drawn me… don't mention that Namine's drawn me…

"Is something wrong?" Kairi asked.

"I don't think so," Joseph said, shaking his head. "Anyway, thanks for ice cream and stuff. I really should get back before 29 starts to worry or send someone after me."

"Okay, well, thanks for visiting!"

"Yeah! I should come back sometime!"

"Yes, you should!"

Joseph saluted and activated his star shard.

I thought he'd NEVER leave…

"Have you run into Joseph before?" Kairi asked, walking past him.

He started to follow her.

"Literally, yes, actually. Well, it was more like I ran through him. It was an accident. I was distracted."

Kairi laughed. "Smooth one there. So he can hear you too?"

"Only sometimes. You're one of like, five people who can hear me all the time that I've noticed. Though, maybe more could if I tried. I'm picky about who I talk to."

Kairi reached the dock and began getting into her boat to row over to the other island.

"So you'll talk to me now that he's gone?" he continued.

"Well, I didn't want to look like I was crazy. Sorry."

He shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. He sat across from her on the boat, even though he didn't need to. "No matter. I understand."

"Though, I have to wonder why he was frowning at you like that… Was he frowning at you? He seemed to be frowning in your general direction…"

Oh, he was only frowning at me because from what he knows of me… I'm 6's worst nightmare. Damn, that kid could have blown my cover so bad…

And then I wouldn't be able to come back here…

"He was a bit off," he replied.

Of course, he was closer than you. But sometimes, I wonder if you pointedly DON'T look at me…

"So, why pick today to show up? Out of curiosity."

"You thought of me. Generally, I show up when people think of me."

Kairi frowned, trying to remember when he'd come up in her thoughts.

"Oh yeah," she said. "Were you there for the whole conversation then?"

"Well, sure. I was nice and didn't eavesdrop though."

He actually felt bad for that lie. He also felt bad that she was the one rowing them out to the other island, even though he didn't present any more weight to her. It must be the…

What. The. Heck. Why was he trying to be chivalrous?

"So," she asked, getting out of the boat. He confessed that he enjoyed the view.

"What do you want to talk about today?"

"Anything you want to," he replied.