**Post Kingdom Hearts 3***
Come With Me: Part 1
Hinata leaned back against the crescent shaped window sill, gazing out at the swirls of sparkling stars in the sky. It was a gorgeous, breathtaking sight that often led her into getting lost in thought. Barely a month had passed since she began living at the Mysterious Tower. The others had left on the Highwind, her mission with them was done. They were moving on and she was staying behind to aid her Keyblade Master in his own missions.
She loved being by his side. After all the years being forced apart, they were finally together. She went to sleep beside him, awoke in his arms, ready for whatever lay ahead of them. Despite it, she missed the others… Sam, Velcia, Ben… they had become her home. All of them on that ship, going from world to world, never knowing where it would lead them next. This new life in comparison was something she had yet to get used to.
"Something on your mind?" Riku's voice brought her gaze to the hall to see him approaching.
Her thoughtful frown curved into a smile as she moved her legs to allow him room to sit along the edge of the sill. She waited for him to take the invitation, his hand resting along her knee as she looked back outside.
"Just thinking," she told him, sighing. "I wonder what the others are up to."
"Sam still not texting back?" He asked, smirking when Hinata scoffed with a laugh.
"She's horrible at it." She told him, her gaze downcasting as she admitted, "But I get it. She's always busy with something. Even Jim has a hard time getting a hold of her."
Riku hummed, joining her in looking out at the swirling galaxy outside. "It also doesn't help that the world they're on doesn't have technology like the gummiphone."
"Yeah, I gue- wait," Hinata darted her eyes to him, noticing the obvious smirk on his lips despite his gaze focused outside. "How would you know that?"
With a shrug, he stood from the window sill. "You'll just have to wait and see."
With a huff, Hinata scrambled to stand and grabbed his arm as he turned to walk away. "What are you up to?"
Riku chuckled, "Patience has never been your strong suit, huh?"
"Riku," she nearly scolded, her eyes narrowing. "You can't drop that on me and just leave."
"I guess not," he admitted, placing his hand over hers along his arm before bringing her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "Alright, come with me."
She grinned, beaming as she allowed him to lead her through the halls of the tower towards the gummi bay. "Where are we going?" She asked, giving his hand a squeeze.
"You'll find out," he smirked at her huff. "Somewhere fun."
"Are you sure we have time for it?" She asked, "What about training?"
"Let's just say that Master Yen Sid insisted and it coincides with our new mission."
"Which is…?" She tried to pry, promptly quieting down when Riku sent her a look.
"You ask again and I'm leaving you here." He told her, struggling to keep his in laughter at her gasp in response.
"You wouldn't!" She objected, laughing along with him. "Rude."
"You're the one that keeps asking," he shrugged, coming to a stop in front of the hangar bay.
Hinata looked up at the double silver doors. They were interlocked, engravings of golds and blues along them that helped them blend in with the rest of the tower. Even with the design, the entire hangar bay was a stark contrast to the rest of the mystical tower. Riku typed in a code to the holographic control board, a cheery chime ringing them welcome as the doors slid open.
The hangar itself was much smaller in size compared to the one in Radiant Garden, where Ansem the Wise was continuing his research on creating newer and improved models. This one was merely built to house the incoming ships from other Masters and visitors. Three other ships were scattered throughout the bay, one in particular that belonged solely to Hinata and Riku. It was sleeker than most gummi ships they encountered, one of the newest models as a gift from Ansem.
The doors to the ship slid open as they approached, a voice welcoming them aboard. Lights automatically illuminated the lounge of the ship. It seemed almost like a cozy, futuristic bedroom, with a double bed along the center wall with bookshelves and couches surrounding the room. Riku released Hinata's hand, walking through the room towards another set of doors that led to the more practical, mechanical parts of the ship.
The engine whirred awake as Hinata followed him out of the room. The main hall was metallic, lined with gold details and glowing blue veins that led towards the cockpit of the ship. It was a larger control area than any of their past ships. The navigation was holographic, run by an intelligent VI that could easily direct their course by request. Hinata went to the glowing map of the worlds around them, a smile curving her lips as she recognized the planet it was focusing on.
"The Carribean?" She asked, glancing up at Riku where he was seated at the controls of the ship. "Is that where we're headed?"
Riku sighed, slinging his head against the back of the leather seat. "You know, technically, that's a question and I should be making you get off the ship for that."
Hinata laughed, coming up behind him and placing her hands on his shoulders as she kissed his cheek. "Yeah, it's too late now though. You're stuck with me."
"Oh poor me," he joked, turning his head and capturing her lips in his for a short kiss. "Buckle up, let's get going."
"Of course, Captain," she giggled at the roll of his eyes, standing back up straight and taking her seat across from him.
The hangar bay doors creaked open as the engines whirred. Light poured in from outside, the ship rumbling as it lifted off of the ground. Riku worked the controls with practiced ease, piloting the ship out of the hangar entirely and into the stars above. The tower shrunk behind them, disappearing as they went higher and higher into space. Stars surrounded them, swirls of blues and purples illuminating the galaxy. The rumble of the ship softened, until everything was smooth and nearly silent, spare for the mechanical hum of the ship.
Hinata gazed out at the breathtaking sight. It didn't matter how many times she saw it. Her heart still yearned to explore the countless stars, to see what was out there with Riku at her side. Being there in the ship, sitting beside him in the vastness of space, it was the closest thing she felt to home.
"Ready?" Riku asked, his gaze dancing over the stars along with hers.
She hummed, reaching her hand over his on the armrest. "Yeah, I think I am."
He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles before speaking up, "Computer, activate the FTL Drive."
"Activating… please remain seated." An accented feminine voice replied.
With a short rumble, the engines blasted with a higher intensity. The stars turned to streaks of white, everything outside their windshield blurring together. It was still a wondrous sight, but nothing compared to the natural beauty of space. Riku kept Hinata's hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her fingers as he kept an eye on the navigation to make sure everything was running smoothly.
"How long until we arrive?" Hinata asked.
"Estimated time of arrival is… four hours and thirteen minutes… I suggest resting for the remainder of the journey, Hinata."
Riku glanced over at her as Hinata sighed. "I'm never going to get used to my ship telling me what to do."
"Master Ansem programmed me like this-"
"I know, don't worry," Hinata interjected, chuckling as she stood up. "Sleep doesn't sound half bad though."
"I'll join you," Riku agreed, standing with her to head back to their room. "Computer, let us know if anything needs attention."
"Of course, Master Riku."
"Yes, come on Master, let's get some sleep." Hinata sent him a smirk.
He huffed with amusement, the door to the cockpit sliding shut behind him. "You're never going to let me live down that title, are you?"
"Of course not," she told him with a giggle at his smile in response. "Where's the fun in that?"
Riku rolled his eyes as he pulled back the comforter to their bed. Him and Hinata sat along the edge on opposite sides, taking off their shoes and coats before settling under the covers. Hinata hummed in contentment, rolling to her side and resting her head along Riku's chest. His heartbeat served as her most calming lullaby whenever she had trouble falling asleep. Riku trailed his fingers up and down her back, his other arm propped behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
"Can you tell me about the mission?" Hinata asked, a small yawn ending her words.
His hand paused along her back before continuing. "There's not much to say yet. Master Yen Sid isn't even sure what exactly is going on."
"But it warranted sending all of us there?"
"I'm not completely clear on his reasoning." Riku admitted, letting out a breath. "Once I heard that you'd be coming with me and we'd meet up with the others, I didn't really question it."
Hinata nodded, her eyes sliding shut as she listened to his heartbeat mixing with the rumble of his voice in his chest. "I don't blame you… So, what do we know?"
"A few days ago, apparently Mickey got a signal of a swell of Darkness. It wasn't anywhere in particular, just in space between the worlds."
"A swell of Darkness… like pure Darkness or just Heartless?" She asked, propping herself up on her elbow to see his face.
He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "I have no idea. Mickey didn't either. He couldn't tell what it was. And when he went to go towards it to figure it out, the signal disappeared."
Her eyes drifted to the bed as she thought about it. "So… then I imagine it reappeared on the Carribean. And that's why we're being sent to it?"
With a nod, he looked to her, pushing her hair back behind her ear. "Yeah. That's what they told me anyway. It might disappear again when we get there, so this might just end up being some vacation. But in case it is still there-"
"We're going to need Sam and Velcia's help to take it down." She finished for him.
"Exactly," he agreed with a yawn. He slid his hand behind her neck, tugging her back down onto the bed. "Come on, let's get some sleep. There's no sense worrying about it."
She sighed, her worries and uncertainties melting away as she nuzzled back against his chest, his heartbeat calming every part of her. "I suppose you're right…" She whispered, smiling as Riku kissed the top of her head.
Riku pulled her closer, allowing the hum of the ship to lull him to sleep as the lights to the room dimmed. It didn't take long for either of them to fall asleep in the others arms. The computer managed the ship on its own, navigating the asteroid fields and upkeeping the FTL Drive until it let out a cheery chime.
"We will be reaching the Carribean in ten minutes."
Hinata grumbled, nuzzling further against Riku's chest. "I don't wanna-"
Riku chuckled, yawning as he rubbed his eyes. "You're saying you don't want to relax by the beach?"
With a long sigh, she glanced up at him, both of them with weary, glazed eyes from just waking up. Her tired frown melted away into a smile as she sat up and kissed him. "I guess that does sound nice."
Riku smiled, the backs of his fingers brushing along her cheek and over her tattoo, causing it to dimly glow as she leaned into his touch. He closed the distance between their lips, smiling as she hummed into the kiss. "Come on, they'll be waiting for us."
Hinata grinned, nodding as they broke apart and got up from the bed. She stretched her arms with a yawn, before helping Riku make the bed. It was an unbreakable habit of his. Once it was a proper clean, they headed back up to the cockpit.
"From the pictures Sora showed us, the magic drive will change our appearances here, right?" Hinata asked, looking at the blue planet below.
"It should," Riku agreed, fastening the device to his belt that would allow them to contact and beam up to the ship at any time.
"I wonder if we'll get to meet that pirate he always talked about." She mused, standing tall and proud as she recited, "The brave and grand Captain Jack Sparrow."
Riku chuckled, "You never know. But we probably don't want to get too caught up with pirates."
"True," she agreed with a laugh.
"Are you prepared to depart?" the computer spoke up.
Their eyes met, both of them nodding.
"Ready," Riku replied to the computer.
The moment he gave the confirmation, a bright, white light surrounded them, beaming them completely off the ship. Hinata had expected to be greeted by the sound of seagulls, the waves of the ocean splashing against the sides of ships docked at the pier. Instead, the scent of alcohol filled her senses, laughter, and yelling mixing with the sounds of instruments that played joyous, nautical tunes. She fluttered her eyes open, gasping and stumbling out of the way from a runaway pig being chased by drunken men screaming out insults and curses.
"What the-" she muttered under her breath, looking around to see woman in tight, revealing dresses and lace laughing and speaking with high pitched tones as they seduced each other and drunken men. The ground was muddy, sticking to her feet and making it difficult to take a single step as she tried to gather where she was.
"Are you sure this is the right place, Riku?" She asked, looking over when she didn't get a reply. Her heart dropped, he wasn't beside her. "Riku?" She repeated his name, turning around and scanning her eyes over the crowds. "Oh my God…"
The dread began settling in the pit of her stomach. Riku wasn't there… Perhaps he hadn't been beamed down along with her, or perhaps he was somewhere else in the world. Either way, he was the one with the device to communicate with the ship, all she had was her gummiphone packed away in her satchel. Taking in a shaking breath, she reached into her bag. She noticed that her clothes had changed, that her satchel was now leather and scuffed, but she paid it little mind.
Her hands trembled as she pulled out her gummiphone, paying no mind to the chaos around her as she unlocked the screen to call Riku. She clicked on his icon, a picture of a rare smile as she kissed his cheek. The sight of the picture on her screen did little to ease her rising anxiety as the phone rang, just waiting to be picked up. With a breath of relief, the call connected and she brought the phone to her ear.
"Oh, Riku, thank God, I thought I-"
"Hin- w- som- Dar-..." Static mixed with his breaking up voice before the call went dead with a dull dial tone.
Hinata's breath caught in her throat, moving the phone from her ear to see the call dropped. Swallowing hard, she tried to call him again, getting nothing but a dull tone in response. She scrambled to call Velcia and Sam, only to get the same. Whatever had happened… she was completely alone.
"Alright… great…" she muttered, slipping her phone back in her bag. "I'm on my own this time… with absolutely no idea what happened to the others or where they could be… great."
"Whachu got there pretty lady?" A drunken, slurred voice made every muscle inside of Hinata to tense.
She barely glanced over her shoulder, seeing the man in question, swaying side to side with a bottle of rum sloshing in his grasp. The sight made her sick to her stomach with a mixture of disgust and annoyance. Her hand was still over her closed bag, she was sure the thing he was referring to was her gummiphone. In her panic, she had completely forgotten to keep such technology out of sight.
"It's nothing," she simply replied, walking away without giving him another glance.
"Didn't look like it wer nothin." He continued, stumbling after her. "Seems like tha could fetch me a pretty penny."
"That's nice," she sighed, her eyes scanning the chaotic town.
He said something else to her, something that she didn't feel the need to understand or listen to. Instead, she continued on, weaving through the crowd of mischief. There were yells behind her, cursing mixed with laughter and bottles clinking together. The likelihood that any of the noise was pertaining to her was unlikely, so she didn't bother to check.
The town seemed to be teeming with movement at every turn, with no indication of where exactly she was. Sora had countless stories and tales about his time in the Caribbean, none of them seemed to be remotely close to a place covered with drunken pirates. Of course, it was a whole world they were talking about, she couldn't blame Sora for not exploring every little town.
"Come one, come all for a chance to sail aboard the Pearl!" A voice bellowed over the chaos, everyone falling silent for a single moment before going right back to their shenanigans.
Hinata looked towards the voice. It belonged to an older man with a thin grayed beard around his chin. He was shorter in stature, plump around the waist, but something about his face seemed familiar. A sparse few of the townsfolk stumbled into the pub where the man had been yelling atop a table. With a swallow, and a tight grip on her bag, she followed suit.
The pub itself was calmer than outside, if ever so slightly. There was still music being played, laughter and joyous voices in every corner, but at least Hinata could hear herself think. She looked around the warm place, before her eyes settled on a single table with a line of people standing in front of it. Her eyes widened, her feet stopping midstep. Sitting in front of the table was a pirate she'd recognized from Sora's stories. The notorious, Captain Jack Sparrow.
He lounged in his seat, a worn scroll laid out in front of him on the table with a quill beside it, dripping with black ink. Empty bottles and jugs of rum surrounded him, some of them tipped over with drops of alcohol dripping from the rim and staining the scroll. The sight was different from the tales Sora had told. If Hinata hadn't been shown the pictures, she would have assumed he was just another drunken pirate. By the looks of the way he was swaying and slurring his words, a part of her was sure that she wasn't too far off. But she was alone… and he was the only person she recognized.
Swallowing her uncertainty, she stepped into the line, her eyes focused on the pirate. He was gaudy, to say the least. Thick black eyeliner was smudged around his glazed eyes, beads and trinkets were braided into his dreads of hair. His pirate hat was a simple leather, perfectly fitted, unlike the rest of his clothes that ranged from rags to something Hinata was sure he pillaged from another unlucky soul. Of course he'd be the pirate Sora raved about.
The line went swiftly, the Captain didn't seem to need much time to decide whether or not he wanted to grant a place on his ship to the newest recruit. One by one, the line lessened and Hinata scrambled to try to figure out the words to say. Before she could settle, she found herself right in front of him.
Sparrow's eyes looked her up and down as she stopped in front of the table. "You fancy a trip aboard the Peal, eh?"
Hinata opened her mouth to reply, before another pirate beside Sparrow leaned over and remarked, "Bad luck to bring a woman aboard, Captain."
"Look, I'm not here for a ride, or a trip, or whatever," she cut in, placing her hand on the table before Sparrow could shoo her away. "I need your help."
An uproar of laughter gave her response from the surrounding townsfolk. She could hear them mocking her, a young woman coming to Captain Jack Sparrow for help, but she didn't take her eyes from Sparrow's who had remained silent.
Sparrow put up his hand, his crew immediately falling silent as he cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, placing his feet up on the table. "Despite what you might've heard from a couple Turners, I'm not in the business of helping."
"I didn't hear about you from the Turners." She told him, recognizing the names. Letting out a breath, she whispered. "I know you from Sora."
His eyes narrowed as he sat up, his eyes looking her over. "Well, that certainly would explain the appearance."
She tilted her head to the side in confusion, looking down at her clothes that were admittedly cleaner and more pristine than anyone else there. Shaking her head, she looked back to him, both hands on the table. "I know you helped Sora-"
"Helping is not the correct word," he cut her off, putting up a finger to quiet her down as he took a swig of rum from a bottle. "More- allowing him on my ship, for… business purposes."
Hinata's brow quirked up as she stood up straight, crossing her arms. "You exploring the seas on Sora's ship was for business purposes?"
"Of course the scallywag would tell you that," he grumbled under his breath. "Either way," he waved his bottle of half drinken rum at her. "Still not helping."
"Look, I know it's not the most exciting idea." She told him, not stepping aside despite the next person in line telling her to move. "But I don't have anywhere else to go. I was supposed to be here with three other people, but they didn't show up."
"Perhaps they're lost at sea." The same man that had made the announcement earlier suggested.
Hinata shook her head, looking back to Sparrow who was mulling over her words. "You know that Sora wasn't from around here, don't you?"
Sparrow averted his eyes, taking another swig of his drink as the pirates around him bickered over what Hinata was telling them.
"Something is here," Hinata leaned forward, placing both of her hands against the table again. Her voice was lower, knowing only Sparrow could easily hear her. "Something that I can't explain, but it's dangerous. It's why I was sent here with the others, and if Sora was still here, you know he'd be here asking for your help."
He visibly winced from her words. "Still not back, eh?" He asked, his voice nearly distracted and solemn.
Hinata paused, downcasting her eyes as she shook her head. "That's why he isn't here instead."
Sparrow hummed with a grumble, taking another drink of the rum and tossing the empty bottle behind him. "Well then, welcome aboard, Lady-"
She blinked rapidly, looking down at his open hand towards her. It was covered with bandages and various metal rings. With a hesitant acceptance, she put her hand in his, "Hinata."
He smirked, "Hinata." His eyes darted behind her, "How's your fighting skills?"
"What?" She asked, following his gaze behind her to see the same man that had been harassing her when she first arrived.
His eyes were widened and glazed with alcohol, a sword in his hand with a group of pirates at his side. "Theree she is, boys!" He yelled, pointing towards her with her blade.
"Oh shit," she ripped her hand back from Sparrow's, putting up her hands. "Look, whatever you're mad about-"
"She has somethin!" The man cut her off, getting the attention of nearly everyone in the pub. "Somethin that'll make me rich!"
"Not if I get er first!" A parton from the other side of the pub sprang up, the motion causing a near uproar as person after person decided to join the chase.
The first man lunged for Hinata, missing as she disappeared in a blue, sparkling mist and reappeared just a few feet to the side.
"She's a witch!" Someone yelled from the crowd, causing even more people to get up from their seats.
"A witch?!" Hinata exclaimed, summoning her dao blades in a flash of light, blocking the next sword that came swinging at her.
She pushed the pirate back, kicking them in the stomach to send them tumbling back into the growing crowd. Gripping the hilt of her blade, she spun and threw it straight into the ceiling near the open exit of the pub. It embedded the top of the wooden frame, shaking as Hinata disappeared in a flash and reappeared by her blade. People screamed curses at the witch as she swung from the hilt of her blade, pulling it from the doorway before she hit the ground running.
She pushed past the townsfolk, apologizing over her shoulder as she made her escape. The crowd from the pub didn't cease their chase, convincing others to join in from the sheer fun of chasing a newcomer. Dissipating her blades, she instead summoned her shield and climbed on top of a cart of barrels of rum. She took in a sharp breath, focusing her attention and strength as she spun and threw her shield. It stuck into the side of the tallest pub, serving as the perfect platform as Hinata teleported to it. She sat along the edge of it, taking a moment to look at the forming crowd below.
It was larger than she had expected to see. All because one person saw her using the gummiphone.
"I guess that whole World Order might have a point." She admitted breathlessly, leaning her head back against the wall.
The moment of reprieve was short lived as a gunshot rang through the air. Hinata gasped as the bullet hit the wall a few feet away from her. It was more than just a mere chase now. She jumped up, gripping the edge of the flat rooftop and pulling herself up to cover before more gunshots rang out.
Grumbling under her breath, she summoned her shield back to her grasp, running towards the other side of the rooftop. When she overlooked the crowd, she hadn't seen Sparrow among them. Part of her was convinced he somehow knew the attack was coming and had made his getaway. If he were like any other pirate, that would be the case, but Sora trusted him. Sora always talked up what an amazing place the Carribean was, how thrilling it was to sail with a pirate like Sparrow. Hinata could afford to give him the benefit of the doubt… right?
She carefully climbed down the side of the building, settled in an alleyway out of sight from the mob. Her blades were summoned at her side as she set her foot back down on the muddy ground. A hand gripped her wrist, making her gasp as she spun around, blade at the ready. She stopped short, seeing Sparrow jump back with his hands up on either side of his head. Letting out a breath, she dispelled her blades.
"Thanks for the help." She told him with her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"I am only here to settle a debt for Sora," he told her, making Hinata dart her eyes to his. "After this… no more favors. Savvy?"
Hinata swallowed, nodding, "Yeah, I got it."
"Good then," he smiled, the uneasiness melting away as he spun on his heel. "Come with me."
She looked around at the alleyway, momentarily wondering if she was making a mistake. If she was… it was too late to turn back.
**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading this little story and I hope you enjoyed it! This is from a dialogue prompt, Come with me, and it led into this! I have more already written and will be posting the other parts as they are finished.
It's been so much fun to write this! I got inspired for this in a way that I haven't been in quite some time. While it did distract me from finishing up the newest chapter of Forgotten Traveler, it was a fun change of pace, too.
Thank you again for reading and I hope everyone has a great week!**