Re-sketch

Chapter 4: Bustin' Up on the Beach

The sun was already inching high in the sky when a knock came at the bedroom door the next morning. At first Hikaru barely open her eyes, sleep beffudling her senses. Uneasy dreams drifted through her mind, and coupled with the ache in her muscles and the fatigue weighing down her eyelids, she was ready to fall back asleep.

But it was a few seconds later that the knock came again, this time accompanied by a girl's muffled voice. "Hikaru? Are you up?"

"Hnng?" was all Hikaru could muster as she lifted her head from her drool-stained pillow. She squinted at the door, barely registering the speaker's words until she realized it wasn't her sister or her mother coming to wake her.

Hikaru bolted upright and looked around in confusion. W-where am I…? Oh. The memories were coming back to her now, making her heart sink. She wasn't at Uncle James's house. It was a different room—no clutter of souvenirs or suitcases, or her father's old belongings, or her sister's reluctant company.

So… Yesterday wasn't just a dream.

Hikaru blew out a sigh, rubbing her face with a bandaged hand. "I'm awake, Kairi," she croaked.

The door cracked open just enough for the auburn-haired girl to peek her head in. "Good morning," Kairi chimed. "Did you manage to get some rest?"

"Ah… Fair enough," Hikaru said, forcing a smile as she massaged her neck.

"That's good! Breakfast is almost ready. Dad already went to the office, so it's just the two of us today."

Kairi departed on that note, closing the door behind her and leaving Hikaru to her own thoughts. For a few minutes Hikaru sat there, knees pulled to her chest and teeth nibbling at her nails as she stewed over her situation. As much as she had hoped otherwise, it was undeniable; she was in the Destiny Islands, stranded and alone.

Well… It could be worse, she told herself. She was still alive, after all. At least the world was nice. And the people who lived there weren't half-bad either.

She headed downstairs after finally dragging herself out of bed and found Kairi placing the last dish down on the coffee table in the living room. She had already set two places at the table, along with an odd array of breakfast foods: a rolled omelet neatly sliced, a bowl of sausages doused in soy sauce, a plate of skinny grilled fish, and half of an orange-yellow fruit smothered in cottage cheese.

"What is all of this?" Hikaru asked, intrigued.

"Just some things I threw together!" Kairi said proudly. "I wasn't sure what kind of food you like, so I thought you could try a 'best of the Destiny Islands' breakfast—or at least, the best of what I know how to make," she amended with a laugh.

"Well, I do like trying new food." Hikaru took a seat on the floor, legs crossed and elbows propped against the table as she looked over the spread. "What's this?" She pointed at the yellow fruit covered in cottage cheese.

"That's a papaya," Kairi said, sitting across from her. "One of our neighbors from down the street dropped them off this morning. Ever eat one before?"

Hikaru shook her head. "It smells… interesting, though."

They started on their breakfast, Hikaru scarfing her food down while Kairi ate with a bit more restraint. The omelet was soft and sweet, while the meat offered a salty bite—but the crisp texture of the grilled fish and the sweet taste of the papaya had to be Hikaru's favorite parts of the meal. Though it was no Polarian breakfast, she rated it a solid seven out of ten.

"So, do you feel like doing some shopping today?" Kairi asked as she set her empty rice bowl down. "We can pick up some new clothes for you."

"Shopping?" Hikaru paused mid-chew with the last grilled fish head sticking out of her mouth. She supposed she did need new clothes; though Kairi was kind enough to lend her some of her own, they were a size too small… "Sounds fun."

They were out of the house by ten, with Kairi leading the way through the quiet neighborhood. Wild chickens weaved between the bushes along the side of the road, herding their little chicks to safety as the two girls passed by. Up in the trees, noisy brown birds—mynahs, Kairi called them—squawked relentlessly. They reminded Hikaru of the birds back on Polaris—beady-eyed crows and inquisitive starbirds that would watch over the pedestrians going about their daily lives.

It took only ten minutes to get to the town. People young and old wandered the streets at a leisurely pace. A group of kids in tank tops and shorts jogged towards the beach, while farmers hauled their produce over to the open-air market and businessmen lined up at a yakisoba food truck parked on the side of the road.

Something about it all seemed so… relaxing. Hikaru had always thought that Hart's Haven was a small town, but the town at the heart of the Destiny Islands was somehow even smaller. No hustle and bustle of tourists seeking new sights, or airships soaring through the clear sky. It was different… But not unpleasant.

"The theater is just a block over if you ever feel like catching a movie," Kairi explained. She'd spent most of their walk pointing out the hole-in-the-wall shops and businesses. "There's a shave ice shop next to it too that all the kids go to after class. And… Oh. This is the high school," she added, coming to a stop as she looked at the wide green campus across the street.

"It seems… cozy?" Hikaru said for lack of a politer word. She'd spent a year at the academy on Akhfa, and that campus had been rather sprawling and gloomy in comparison, but school was still school. Academics had never been her strong suit.

"Sora and I are still in middle school," Kairi said. "Riku's a year older than us, though, so he started here back in April. He says it's fine, but I know he misses us." Her smile seemed a little less playful this time. "What grade are you, Hikaru?"

"Ehm… Whatever someone 15 years of age should be, I suppose," Hikaru said. "I've attended regular schools a few times, but we travel around so much that I've mostly taken private classes or done homeschooling."

"Homeschool?" a voice behind them said. "That's pretty cool."

"Sora!" Kairi turned around in pleasant surprise. "Wow, you're up early for once."

Sora grinned as he linked his hands behind his head. "Thought you guys might be exploring the town. Glad to see you're up and walking, Hikaru! You two going to the island later?"

"Maybe. What do you think, Hikaru?" Kairi tapped her chin as she thought. "We've been going to Thalassa's Rest basically everyday since vacation started."

"Thalassa's Rest…" Hikaru looked out towards the little islet that rose up from the blue just off the shore. She'd wanted to see the place she washed ashore anyhow. Maybe she would find something they'd missed. "I'll go."

"Then we'd better hurry up with the shopping before it gets too late," Kairi said. She hooked an arm through Sora's and started down the street. "You're coming too!"

"What? No, wait, Kairi! I don't wanna go shopping… Hikaru, help me!" Sora flailed his free arm, giving her the biggest sad puppy eyes she'd ever seen.

Hikaru stood there a moment, letting the sounds of Sora's pleas and Kairi's giggles sink in before she gave a snort. "Sorry Sora, but I'm taking Kairi's side on this one. I am in dire need of new clothes."

"Aww, man…"


"Gods, thank you so much Kairi," Hikaru said for probably the sixth time since they'd left the final store. It had taken an hour of wandering before their shopping trip wrapped up with Hikaru lugging around two hefty paper bags.

"Really, it was nothing!" Kairi said, her hands folded behind her back as they walked through the residential neighborhood once more. "Dad specifically left that munny to help you get settled in. I'm sorry we had to go to the thrift shop for most of it, though."

"Yer joking! This is like Christmas again!" Hikaru beamed. It was just a relief to have something she could call her own that wouldn't make her sweat waterfalls in the island heat. "And thank you too, Sora," she added, a spring in her step as she turned to look at him. "For putting up with us today."

"It wasn't so bad. Got some food out of it at least!" Sora said, taking a bite out of one of the dense little donut balls he had gotten from the andagi truck. "You sure you guys don't want any?"

"Can't overload on food too early," Kairi replied. "We just ate breakfast."

He grinned. "Breakfast? What's that?"

"Something people who wake up at a reasonable time eat," she said, reaching out to give him a poke in the back of his head. Her eyes lit up a moment later. "Oh, I know! Since Hikaru is here, we have to make waffles some time. Remember how fun that was?"

"I dunno if I'd call that fun," Sora said, rubbing his head. "Didn't the fire truck come because we set off the alarm?"

"Only because someone forgot a waffle in the press."

"Oh. Right." Sora lowered his hand awkwardly to his side. Kairi giggled, and Hikaru had to laugh at Sora's sheepish expression as well.

It felt like forever since she'd laughed this much. From goofing off with Kairi in front of the thrift shop mirror with giant sunglasses and gaudy clothes, to watching Sora fend off an angry seagull that had tried to steal his food, the whole morning had been a refreshing break from the dark cloud that had been hanging over Hikaru's head since even before she had ended up in the islands.

"I wouldn't mind some waffles," she said as they turned up the empty driveway to the house. "Though I should warn you now… I am a downright abysmal cook."

"Nah, don't worry," Sora said. "That just means we can all be bad together! If we do a group cooking day, we should invite Tidus and the others too."

"Oh, right," Kairi said. "We still have to introduce you to them, Hikaru—they were with us too when we found you. Maybe we'll see them later when we…" She trailed off abruptly when she noticed someone lounging around on the front porch steps of her house.

"Riku!" Sora and Kairi exclaimed, while Hikaru couldn't help the faintest scowl when she spotted the silver-haired boy.

"Hey," Riku said, giving a casual wave, his elbows propped up against the steps as he leaned back.

Kairi rushed over to the porch, rummaging through her pockets for her house keys. "What are you doing here, Riku? You didn't say you were coming over!" she said, a little flustered. "You weren't waiting long, were you? Gosh, I'm so sorry."

Riku, however, didn't seem bothered. "Don't sweat it, Kairi. Just figured I'd try to catch you guys early. Guess my timing was off, though." He gave the three of them a careful once over, his turquoise eyes probing. "What have you been up to?"

"Just some shopping," Sora said through a mouthful of andagi. "Hikaru needed some new clothes."

"Hah, maybe it's better I waited here then," Riku said as he looked at Hikaru. "How are you feeling?" he asked after a moment.

Hikaru pursed her lips as she recalled their little talk the night before and the belongings of hers she'd caught him holding. "Grand," she said flatly, all of her previous cheer vanishing from her voice. A flash of surprise—followed quickly by a hint of annoyance—crossed Riku's face, making his eyes narrow. Sora and Kairi exchanged looks with each other.

"Well… We were planning on going to the island later," Kairi said. "Are you going too, Riku?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Riku replied, very pointedly looking away from Hikaru—an action that made her cheeks puff with indignation, which Riku seemed more than happy to ignore.

"We can all head there together, then," Kairi said as she unlocked the front door. "You guys can wait downstairs—just give us one sec to get ready. Hikaru?"

"Right behind you," she said, trudging after Kairi into the house.


There was a feeling to this place that Hikaru couldn't put into words. She wandered barefoot down the shoreline of Thalassa's Rest, pausing every few steps to wiggle her toes in the gritty sand. It feels so strange, she thought—but not in an unpleasant way.

She'd never seen anything like it—not on Polaris, where the world beyond the valley and mountains ended in the frozen waters of Lake Bresha; nor even on Kochab, where sprawling cities were built upon a vast fresh water ocean. Here, the trees still had their leaves, and the islet's mountains stood lush and green. The overwhelming tang of salt hung on the breeze as cool water washed against her ankles.

The Destiny Islands were amazing. She only wished she'd actually found something of use to her predicament.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed her arms as she looked out at the sea. At least the wind felt nice now that she had more weather-appropriate attire. She'd found an open-back tank top that was her size, and a rather nice white and red cotton overshirt and skirt that cooled her off much better than her old sweater and trousers did. But in spite of her earlier excitement at treating herself to a new outfit, she was still left wanting.

Kairi and the others had left her alone at her request after she had mentioned needing time to explore the beach by herself, but part of her was beginning to regret going off on her own. All she had found so far were seashells, kelp, and a few pieces of driftwood. And while the shells at least were pretty, they weren't what she was looking for.

… Not that she knew what she was looking for in the first place. There wasn't much for her to go off of, other than her mother's instructions to stick together and find a king—and Hikaru had already failed miserably on both accounts. With a sigh, she crouched down and ran her fingers through the wet sand, half-heartedly searching for any clue to her predicament. But when all she found was another seashell, she felt the frustration sink in.

Maybe there's nothing here, she thought as she stared at the petal-shaped shell that fit neatly in the palm of her hand. Maybe I'm just… stuck here.

She clenched her hand until the seashell dug hard into her skin, casting away the questions and fears creeping into her mind. If there is nothing, there's no use in scouring the beach any longer, she told herself. I should find the others.

She turned away from the ocean and headed further inland. A small wooden shack stood crooked and weather-worn next to a waterfall that trickled down the mountainside. Sora had gone this way, she was certain—and if she found him, she would surely find the others. She pushed open the door and ducked into the musty gloom.

She emerged one floor higher where a wooden bridge connected the islet to a tree-dotted sea stack just off shore. For a moment the sun stung at her eyes, and she raised her hand to squint through the brightness. But a certain noise caught her attention, the irregular clacking of wood striking wood that sounded all too familiar. She looked out across the bridge to where she caught a glimpse of Sora and Riku, and seeing the latter she almost decided to turn around and search for Kairi instead.

But something made her pause as she watched them. They're… sword fighting? She raised an eyebrow. Oh, now she was interested.

The two boys were engrossed in their duel, their wooden swords clashing together again and again, rendering her quiet approach unnoticed. There was a distinct difference in the way they fought. At first glance the two boys seemed to be on equal footing, but even when Sora went on the offensive, swinging away with his sword like a baseball bat, Riku never lost his composure—or his confidence.

"You call that a swing?" Riku's taunt came as he backed away from the onslaught, putting a safe distance between the two of them until his heels brushed the very edge of the sea stack. "Come on, Sora—I know you can do better than that!"

"Oh yeah? Look which one of us is winning!" Sora snapped, but despite his bravado, his chest was heaving. He lunged forward for another swing, and Riku dodged out of the way with a single step, knocking Sora in the back with the hilt of his sword—

—and sending him straight over the edge of the sea stack.

"W-waaaah!"

SPLASH!

Hikaru's eyes widened. Riku peered over the edge, laughing heartily. "Who's winning now, Sora?" he called out.

"Riku, you jerk!" Sora's strangled voice came.

Hikaru rushed over, her bare feet pounding against the wooden planks of the bridge. She stopped next to Riku, looking down into the water. But when she saw that Sora was just shaking out his spiky hair, her concern turned into a narrowed squint. "That wasn't very nice," she said, looking at Riku.

He merely shrugged. "He's used to it."

"Screw you, Riku!" Sora's voice rang out below.

Hikaru huffed, rolling her eyes. Of course… Of course Riku was good at sword fighting too. Why was it that this boy seemed hellbent on hitting every one of her nerves, whether he knew it or not?

"I know you're still upset with him," Kairi had said to her back at the house when it was just the two of them in her room getting ready for the beach trip. "And I don't blame you since he took your things without asking. But he didn't mean any harm. I know Riku can be a little… rough around the edges sometimes, but he means well."

Yeah, sure, Hikaru thought with a frown as she watched Riku's smug grin. But Kairi's concerned expression drifted back into her mind, and she couldn't help feeling a little… guilty.

Are you sure you're not just overreacting?

It was a few moments later that Sora rejoined them, climbing up a rickety ladder propped against the sea stack. His arrival helped Hikaru cast away those nagging thoughts, at least briefly. "You all right, Sora?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He gave a thumbs up and an only slightly pained smile as he walked over. "At least someone cares about my physical well-being. Riku."

"Hey, you're a big boy, aren't you?" Riku propped a hand against his hip. "You'd better not be asking me to go easy on you."

"No way! I just… wasn't planning on swimming today."

"This happens often, I take it?" Hikaru asked, gesturing vaguely between the two of them.

"Every day, more or less," Riku replied. "What's the score now, Sora? 12 to 3?"

"12 to 5, thank you very much."

"Same difference."

"Well, aren't you cocky?" Hikaru scoffed. Sword fighting and banter. It was almost like she was back home, taking potshots at Akihiko and getting her arse kicked again.

"Aki, stop!" she whined, spinning around to face her brother and stomping her feet for good measure. "I won't do it! I hate training!"

"Come on, Hikaru," Akihiko pleaded. He carried both of their swords in one hand and his mask in the other. "Tomorrow's the competition, and that guy from Anwar is left-handed. Please? I'll owe you. I'll do your chores for a day."

Hikaru paused. "… A week," she said.

"Three days," Akihiko countered.

She held her hand out, gesturing to her saber. "Deal."

"You know what, Riku?" she said after a moment. "I'll take you on."

"Huh?" He blinked. "What, like, sparring? You sure you're up for it?"

Sora lobbed a light punch into his shoulder. "Don't be a wimp, Riku. Hikaru, catch!" He tossed his wooden sword to her, prompting Hikaru to hurriedly fumble to catch it before it could hit the ground. "Show him who's boss!"

"Will do," she said, giving the sword a test swing. Definitely weighted differently from the ones her parents used to have her practice with… but she could make do. "And of course I'm up to it," she added stubbornly, aiming her sword at Riku in a bold challenge. "Unless you're afraid of losing."

Whatever uncertainty Riku had shown before vanished. "All right, but I'm not gonna go easy on you just because you're a girl." He raised his sword into the air. Hikaru backed up, gripping her sword in her left hand as she fell into an old familiar stance.

"Deep breaths," she recalled her mother's words, back when Hikaru had still believed she could make a name for herself in the family sport. "Clear your mind. And when you lose yourself in the fight…"

Nothing else in the world will matter.

She took a deep breath—

—and snapped back to reality just in time to block Riku's swing.

She staggered, the force of the impact trembling through her arm. Quickly she backpedaled, slipping into familiar motions as she put a wide space between them. Damn, she thought, adjusting her grip as the nerves in her arm tingled. This guy was strong.

"You sure you're up for this?" Riku asked, keeping his distance, his sword lowering ever so slightly.

"What, scared you'll lose?" Hikaru shot back, rolling her shoulder. "You should be worried for yerself!"

Riku smirked. "All right, you asked for it."

"Get him, Hikaru!" Sora called.

Hikaru took her time. They circled each other slowly, waiting to see who would make the first move. She took another deep breath, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, the adrenaline lightening the weight from her body.

"Three," Hikaru counted. "Two. One."

"Go," Akihiko said.

She lunged forward with a quick jab of her sword, and Riku's blade twitched to meet hers. He blocked, letting the wooden blades slide across each other as he twisted his sword in an effort to knock Hikaru's out of her grasp. She pulled back, stepping away and regaining her footing in one fluid movement.

"Not bad," Riku said, spinning his sword around in one hand. "Seems like you know a thing or two about sparring."

"A bit, maybe," Hikaru replied, a traitorous smile threatening to break across her face. She adjusted her grip, keeping her eyes on Riku's hands and feet as she watched for an opening.

She hazarded a step forward, moving to catch him in the shoulder, but he turned out of the way. Again she swung, short and fast swipes seeking to land a solid hit, though for all her effort none did more than the briefest brush against his shirt and skin. Come on! Just one hit—

As Riku dodged her next lunge, she stumbled, and her eyes went wide. Immediately she raised her blade in front of her, blocking Riku's counterattack.

Their swords clashed together, and suddenly Hikaru found herself on the defensive. She scrambled back, deflecting the incoming swings as fast as her arms could manage, but each blow sent a shockwave to her shoulder.

"Parry," Akihiko ordered, jabbing out. Hikaru raised her blade, deflecting the strike just inches from her face and jabbing out in return.

But this wasn't Akihiko's familiar finesse. Riku swung again and again, forcing Hikaru back with brute strength before she could find a single opening. She could only block, holding back the force of the next blow with both of her hands before shoving forward with all her strength.

Riku shoved back, and Hikaru lost her footing.

"Too slow!" He jabbed out, striking Hikaru in the chest and knocking her back. But the smirk on his face disappeared the moment she felt the ground vanish under her feet. "Watch out!"

He grabbed her by the wrist before she could tumble over the edge of the sea stack. Hikaru gasped in panic, her heels scraping against the ragged stone as she teetered there, suspended at an angle for a single moment by just one arm. With a quick tug, Riku pulled her back onto solid land.

"You okay?" he asked, releasing her arm and leaning in to get a better look at her.

"I'm… I'm fine," Hikaru choked out, averting her gaze. She was crouched over, hands braced against her knees as the blood slowly returned to her limbs. Her heart pounded madly, and she still felt the tingling bruise in the place where she'd been poked by the sword. "That was… a lucky hit," she said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Sure, if that makes you feel better," Riku said. Hikaru turned her head to look up at him, glaring as words of indignation sprang to her tongue. But before she could speak, he held out a gloved hand. "You're not half-bad, though. Been a while since I sparred with someone other than Sora who put up a decent fight."

Hikaru stared at his offered hand for a moment, her anger momentarily sputtering out. Beneath his smug smirk was a sincerity in his eyes—a sincerity that she didn't know how to respond to.

"What?" Riku's hand lowered an inch as a trace of uncertainty began to creep into his face. "Don't tell me after all that trash talk, you're going to be a sore loser."

Hikaru's cheeks burned even hotter. "Of course not," she said stubbornly, giving his hand a firm shake before allowing him to help her upright. "Next time just won't be so easy. And… thanks for the save too, I suppose."

"Don't mention it," Riku said. "Don't want anyone to get hurt, right?"

"Gee, thanks," Sora remarked as he walked over with his hands folded behind his head. "Where was that chivalry when I was being pushed into the ocean?"

"So you want to be treated like a damsel in distress?" Riku asked.

"Oh, so I'm a damsel in distress now?" Hikaru placed her hands on her hips and raised a carroty brow.

"Uh…"

"… Joking," Hikaru said, dropping her hands when she saw the looks on both of the boys' faces. "I'm only coddin' ya…"

It seemed to be enough to settle Riku's apprehensions. "That wasn't the first time you've handled a sword, was it?" he asked.

"No, but it's been a while," Hikaru replied. "Should've figured I'd get my arse handed to me… I've never been good at swordplay." She rubbed the ache out of her shoulder with a grimace.

"Well, I thought you did pretty good," Sora remarked.

"Yeah, you could probably even give this guy a run for his munny," Riku added, earning himself an indignant "hey!" from the spiky-haired boy.

"Oh, there you are!"

They turned towards the bridge as Kairi's voice carried over the sounds of the waves and seagulls. She came jogging over from the seaside shack's door, stopping when she reached the tiny sea stack. "Are you guys goofing off again? Oh, Sora, you're all wet!"

"Sorry, Kairi," Sora said, scratching his head. "We were just sparring."

"And here I thought we were supposed to be working on the raft," she said, though by the tone of her voice she didn't seem particularly bothered. "Well, I guess we'd better get you dried off. I'll go find some towels. In the meantime, you can look for some rope for the logs," she added, turning to Riku. "I won't be the only one doing raft work today. Hikaru, you can just rest. You must be tired after walking around so much."

Hikaru shook her head. "No, I'm fine. If you want me to help…"

"Just leave it to me," Riku said, cutting her off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You guys go help Sora. I'll be right back."

He headed across the bridge, casual and unhurried, leaving Hikaru to watch him go in silence. I can handle myself, she grumbled in her head despite the way her muscles ached from being on her feet all day.

Kairi looked at her with her brows creasing. "Hikaru…?"

Hikaru released a blustery sigh. "I know, I know," she said as she started forward, not even waiting to hear what else Kairi had to say.

It was time to swallow her pride.


"Well, that was a bust," Riku muttered to himself as he climbed back down the treehouse ladder. A quick search of the makeshift fort had turned up empty; whatever materials they could use had already been stripped away back when they'd first started the project. Now all that was left were bare planks and old rusty nails. If he took anything else, he was pretty sure the whole structure would come tumbling down.

Which would not have been ideal; but if it came down to it, would the others really mind if they lost one measly treehouse?

He considered his options and ran through a list of potential supply spots in his head. But just as he was deciding on the next place to search, something caught his attention—something bright and orange emerging from the seaside shack's bottom door.

Oh. It was Hikaru. Riku watched as the girl paused outside the shack and looked around for something until she spotted him. Hesitantly she lifted a hand, not quite a wave, but a small gesture of attention. It made his eyes narrow ever so slightly. What does she want now?

He propped a hand on his hip as Hikaru made her way across the beach. "Wandering around, huh?" he asked once she was close enough to hear him. "I thought you were supposed to be resting."

"I'm fine," Hikaru said. She rubbed her shoulder, looking thoroughly uncomfortable. "I don't need to be coddled. Thought I could help look for… whatever it is yer trying to find."

"Really?" he said, not entirely sure if he believed her. After the way she'd reacted after losing to him in their sparring match, he'd been starting to think Hikaru genuinely disliked him. Usually such a thing wouldn't have bothered him—he wasn't the type to let the opinions of other kids get to him. It just would've been a shame to lose one of his only connections to the outside world.

Plus… even he had to admit, it did rub him the wrong way that she seemed to hold such a grudge against him when she'd become such quick friends with Sora and Kairi.

"Well, I don't know how much help you'll be if you don't even know what you're looking for…" he said. "But sure, if you want."

Hikaru looked like she wanted to say something—a retort, perhaps, or some kind of protest. But instead, she took a deep breath. "Just tell me what we're looking for."

"We need supplies to build a raft. Rope to be exact."

Hikaru nodded once. "All right. Let's get to looking, then."

At least she's not glaring at me anymore, Riku thought—though he still wasn't sure what to make of her. They slowly made their way towards the other end of the island, checking the barrels and crates that lined the pathways—remnants of junk hauled in from the shallows over the years.

"So," Hikaru said after a stretch of only moderately awkward silence. She tipped a crate over on its side with her foot, letting sand and twigs spill out into the bushes. "How long have you been working on this raft thing?"

"Since summer vacation started," Riku said as he tossed a few items of junk back into their container. "But I've had the idea for a while."

Ever since he'd moved on to high school, he didn't have much opportunity to spend time with Sora and Kairi. Sure, they hung out most weekends when they weren't swamped with homework, but it wasn't the same. He figured now was as good a time as any to set his plans into motion.

"Really," Hikaru said, skepticism heavy in her voice as she sifted through the debris. "So you decided to just… build a raft? What're you planning to do with it?"

"To see the outside world," Riku said simply.

Hikaru lifted her head to look at him, interest suddenly bright in her eyes. "Oh? Isn't it dangerous, going out in search of… well, in search of other worlds?"

"Don't you travel around to other worlds?"

"On airships, not shoddy oul rafts. And the airships can't go further than the Ursid Sea."

"Maybe those airships aren't all they're cracked up to be, then," Riku replied. "Destiny Islanders have been sailing the ocean for as long as there've been people on this world. Up there is just another sea for us to explore." He gestured at the sky, the endless expanse of blue that hid the stars.

"Hmm…" Hikaru watched him for a few moments. "You seem eager to leave."

"I've wanted to leave for a long time," Riku said. "To see what else is out there… and to get away from this boring place." He paused. "What about you? Do you want to explore?" You've already had a taste of it, haven't you? Traveling between worlds, seeing new sights, a chance to live a life that actually meant something.

But Hikaru frowned at his question. Her gaze slid over to the horizon, where the sea and the sky seemed to blur together to create an endless field of blue. "I don't know," she said. "When I was younger, I wanted to go to the edge of the world. See what sort of adventures were out there, even beyond the Ursid Sea. But right now I… just want to go home."

There was a tremor to her words—a crack in her unconcerned exterior that made Riku's fervor waver. "I… guess that makes sense," he said. This whole ordeal must have been a shock for her, he reminded himself. She'd been separated from her family, and unlike Kairi, she still remembered them. Riku could only imagine what being separated from Sora and Kairi would be like.

Would he ever get homesick? It was a question he'd never asked himself before. He'd spent his entire life on these islands, knew every nook and cranny, and all of their secrets.

Silence lapsed over them once more as they continued across the island, slowly making their way towards the other tree houses. More questions sprang to Riku's mind—mainly about the worlds Hikaru had been to—but hearing her last answer made him wonder if this was the right time.

"So," he said, both to test the waters and to sate a different question he'd been holding onto since their duel, "where'd you learn to use a sword?"

"From my parents," Hikaru replied. "My dad was a professional sword fighter, and my mam used to be a soldier."

"A sword fighter and a soldier?" Riku repeated, eyes widening. Though Hikaru had displayed at least some sort of basic knowledge about sword fighting techniques, he would never have expected her teachers to have experience like that.

Hikaru nodded. "They taught all of us—me and my siblings. Sword fighting is sort of a big deal where I'm from, so my parents wanted us to keep the legacy going, I suppose." She paused. "My dad… He used to compete in all sorts of tournaments back in the day. They said he was the best swordsman to come from Polaris in decades."

"And you learned from him. Wow…" Riku said. Getting hands-on training from a professional? Riku would have killed for an opportunity like that. But at the same time, he had to admit that it also made him feel good for winning against someone who'd had actual formal training. A kid from an island in the middle of nowhere, winning against a trained student from another world. It was the sort of scenario he'd always dreamed of.

Hikaru, however, did not hesitate to drag him back to reality. "I was never good though," she said as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her skirt. "Never liked sword fighting. Honestly, I loathed it. My siblings were both leagues better than me. My brother especially—he's the one you'd really be impressed by."

"I take it he's a pretty good fighter," Riku said.

"Oh, that he is," Hikaru replied. "He's the real golden boy. Places high in all sorts of tournaments across Ursa Minor, like some sort of prodigy."

There was a bitterness to her words, but it was coupled with the hint of another emotion. Pride, maybe? "Well, if he's really as good as you say he is, I wouldn't mind fighting him some day," Riku said.

"Yes, you do that. I would love to see how that goes."

"What, you don't think I could beat him?"

"I think that regardless of whether you beat him or not, it would be a winning situation for me," Hikaru replied. "Either you kick his arse, or he beats someone who isn't me. And I'm fine with either of those outcomes."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Riku said, the beginning of a smile crossing his face as he came to a stop at the next tree house. This was the one that Tidus and the others usually claimed for themselves, and he was pretty certain that they had some extra beach supplies up there.

But rather than starting the climb up the ladder, he hesitated, another thought occurring to him. "You know… if you hate sword fighting so much, why'd you decide to fight me today?"

Hikaru shrugged. "Dunno," she said, lowering her gaze. "I guess I thought it would be a good way to get my mind off of everything that's happened… And also a chance to get back at you for taking my things."

"You're still mad about that?" Riku asked, brows furrowing as a hint of exasperation escaped into his voice.

"No, I… Mostly I'm over it," she replied. Another pause had her struggling to find her words. "Look… You and yer friends have been trying to help me since I woke up here. I figure I owe you enough to at least… not be a complete arse on only my second day here. And I suppose I may have possibly… maybe… overreacted… a bit last night. So… I'm sorry."

"Oh." Riku fell silent. So, this was the real reason she had decided to seek him out—a stilted apology forced through gritted teeth, but one that felt sincere enough beneath it all. To be honest, it was more than he had expected. "It's… It's fine," he said, scratching his head. "I'm… sorry too. Keeping your stuff was my idea; Kairi kept telling me not to, but I thought it would be okay if it meant finding out more about where you came from." Obviously it wasn't, he realized now. Maybe he needed to listen to her more often…

Hikaru released a steady breath, her shoulders relaxing. "I figured as much," she said. "Honestly, I'd have probably done the exact same if I found some mysterious stranger washed up on the shore, so I shouldn't be so angry. Look where it landed me—plenty of embarrassment and a nasty bruise." She patted the spot on her sternum where Riku had struck her with his sword.

A sort of self-deprecating smile crossed her face and helped to alleviate the awkward tension that had permeated most of their interactions since the night before. It was enough to allow Riku a tentative smile of his own. "Well, it wasn't all bad at least," he said. "Could've been worse. Could've ended up in the water like Sora."

Hikaru huffed. "Yer lucky I didn't, otherwise I most definitely would not be talking to you right now."

"Oh, no, what would I have ever done," Riku said dryly.

"Shut it," Hikaru said, her cheeks turning red as she pushed his arm. "Just get yer arse up that ladder already."

"Hey, hey, no shoving," Riku said, waving the offending hand away. Hikaru stuck her tongue out at him in response, and he held back a snort.

He climbed up to the wooden deck while Hikaru remained on the ground. A quick glance around told him he was right to check there. It was the treehouse that Tidus and his gang usually claimed for themselves, and they had a few toys and supplies scattered around—including a coil of rope that they used as a line to dry their beach towels and clothes.

He scooped up the rope, looping it over his shoulder as he made his way back down the ladder. "Got it," he announced as he started back towards the paopu sea stack. "I'm sure they won't miss it."

"Oh, so this is a thing you do regularly then? Nicking belongings that aren't yours?" Hikaru asked, raising an eyebrow as she followed him. "Why am I not surprised?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku started to say.

"Hey, Riku!"

He blinked, turning towards the boyish voice that called his name. A new boat had just pulled up at the docks, and its three passengers scrambled up onto the platform, waving. Riku promptly slid the coil of rope off his shoulder and hid it behind his back—a motion that did not go unnoticed by Hikaru.

Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie jogged over, carrying their usual gear: a short pole, a blitzball, and a jump rope respectively. "You up for a duel?" Tidus called out. He slowed down, however, propping his short pole over his shoulder when he spotted Hikaru. "Oh, it's you! The girl from yesterday!"

"Good to see you up and walking!" Wakka added.

"Does everyone here know about me?" Hikaru asked, looking rather surprised at how amiable the newcomers were being.

"Small island," Riku replied before he turned back to the other three. "Her name's Hikaru. Hikaru, this is Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka. They're the others who were with us when we found you yesterday."

"It's nice to meet you, Hikaru!" Selphie was the first to move in, leaning forward with her eyes wide and curious. Riku had to hold back a snicker when he saw the way Hikaru recoiled. "You have got to tell us how you ended up on the beach like that! Tidus was saying it must've been a shipwreck, but I told him there's no way. You're not from one of the other islands, are you? You sure don't sound like it with that accent of yours."

"Hey, Selphie, slow down!" Tidus said. "Leave some questions for us to ask, will you?"

"Oh, you two can just wait your turn," Selphie said. "I call first dibs. Finally, someone else for me to talk to!"

"What, Selphie, we not good enough for you?" Wakka asked, tossing his blitzball up in the air and catching it behind his back.

"You guys are great and all, but sometimes a girl needs to have a little girl talk," Selphie said, turning around to face the boys as she promptly linked her arm around Hikaru's. "Don't you agree, Hikaru?"

Hikaru seemed a little uncertain how to respond as she slid her arm out of Selphie's grasp. "Ehm… sure, I guess?"

"Well, while they have their girl talk…" Tidus rolled his eyes. "Riku, you and me, sparring match right now."

"You sure you want to lose again? Fine, you're on," Riku said, dropping the rope on the ground and stepping forward, hopefully with enough bravado that they wouldn't notice his pilfered prize.

To his surprise, though, Hikaru shifted her feet to stand in front of the coil of rope, hiding it from view as best as she could. Though she said nothing, the nod she gave Riku communicated enough. Hah. Maybe she isn't so bad after all, he thought as he turned to Tidus, a smirk tugging at his face.

"Let's just make this quick."


The day at the beach wrapped up at sunset, when the little rowboats departed from the islet's docks and returned to the mainland. The town, the hills, and the distant mountains took on an orange glow under the fading sunlight. Long shadows stretched across the sand as all of the kids climbed from their boats and headed to the footpath back to town.

"We should totally have a barbeque tomorrow," Selphie said, leading the way with an excited spring in her step. She came to a stop in front of the empty driveway to Kairi's house, turning around to face all of them. "Ooh, we can do a movie night too! Kairi, can you bring your projector?"

"I'll try to remember," Kairi said with a laugh.

"We're definitely having another rematch tomorrow too," Tidus said, aiming his short pole at Riku. "I'll win this time."

Riku seemed utterly unfazed. "Good luck with that," he said. "I could take all three of you on, no sweat."

"Oh, yeah? You wanna make that a bet?"

Wakka gave Tidus a sharp nudge in the back, pushing him ahead. "Come on man, don't go draggin' us into this! If you gotta fight anyone, fight Sora."

"Hey!" Sora pouted.

"No offense, Sora," Wakka said, thought he didn't sound all that apologetic. Tidus grumbled under his breath, but Wakka just gave him another shove. "Well, we'll see you guys later!"

"Tomorrow, party," Selphie said. "Don't forget!" She departed with a cheery wave, chasing after her friends. "Oh, and nice meeting you, Hikaru!" she called back as she disappeared over the crest of the hill.

Hikaru's eyebrows creased as she gave a weak smile, waving after them.

Well, that was quite the colorful group. Hikaru couldn't remember the last time she'd talked to so many people. After everyone had gathered up on the beach towards the end of the day, it had been non stop chatter and storytelling. Exhausting, she thought, stretching her arms out at her side. But it was nice having people who wanted to listen to her ramble.

"You guys heading home?" Kairi asked, looking at Sora and Riku. "Or do you want to hang out inside?"

Riku shook his head. "Can't tonight. Gotta clean the house before my parents get on my case again."

"I can't either. My uncle's picking up chicken for dinner," Sora added.

"Oh, yeah, like that's a good excuse," Riku said, crossing his arms.

"What? It's hard to beat a good chicken wing."

"Sora's right," Hikaru said with a sage-like nod. "Chicken is very important. Savor it."

Kairi giggled. "Well, enjoy your dinner then. We'll just meet up with you guys tomorrow, okay?"

"Yup!" Sora gave her a thumbs up. "See you Kairi! Bye Hikaru!"

"Later," Riku added, a casual wave and one last nod in Hikaru's direction

The two boys hurried off down the main road, leaving Hikaru and Kairi alone in front of the house amongst the fragrant flowers and the soothing buzz of the evening insects. "So," Kairi said, turning to Hikaru with her hands folded behind her back. "How was it today? Did you have fun?"

"Loads of fun," Hikaru said. Shopping, sword fighting, and listening to Selphie talk for two hours…

It was actually really nice.

"I'm glad to hear that." Kairi started for the front door. "And I'm glad you and Riku seem to be getting along."

"He's all right," Hikaru said, crossing her arms and looking away, though her pout felt more performative compared to before. "Still a cocky jerk, but I know how to handle his type."

Kairi laughed. "Well, that's better than nothing," she said as she unlocked the door. "You must be tired though. Dad's still at work so I'll heat up some soup. Ooh, soup and grilled cheese. That sound good?"

"Sounds amazing. I'm starving," Hikaru said, her stomach growling at the thought of something savory after being out all day. She plopped down to unbuckle her boots, but as her leg pressed against the porch's wooden floorboards, she felt something hard dig into the side of her thigh. She emptied out her pockets until her watch, a collection of seashells, and a handful of loose change clinked in a pile beside her.

The sound must have drawn Kairi's attention. She turned her head, stepping away from the door with a curious look in eyes. "What's all that you got?" she asked, moving closer to get a better look as Hikaru shook the sand out of her boots.

"Hm? Oh." Hikaru glanced down. "I found some shells when I was looking around earlier. Thought they looked nice."

"Can I see?"

"Sure."

Kairi sat down beside her, carefully going through the pile and lining up the shells in a neat row next to the pocket watch. Hikaru must have gathered half a dozen seashells, each a different shape and color, but there was one in particular that Kairi seemed intrigued by. "Wow, you found one?"

"Found what?" Hikaru asked.

Kairi picked up the shiny petal-shaped shell off of the ground, holding it carefully between her thumb and index finger. "A Thalassa shell," she said. "Have you ever heard the stories about them?"

"Never," Hikaru said, shaking her head as she crossed her legs and got herself settled down. "But I love a good story."

Kairi's eyes gleamed as she smiled. "Well, they say that the shells are named after an old sea goddess. Sailors used to make charms out of them to pray for a safe journey. They'd tie them together until they made a star. Supposedly it had something to do with navigation… Like symbolizing a guiding star to lead them back home."

"A guiding star," Hikaru repeated slowly. She looked down, her gaze sliding over the star-shaped engraving in the cover of her pocket watch.

"Maybe you should make one for yourself," Kairi said as she placed the shell back down. "A charm, I mean. I've been trying to make one myself for the raft, but I still need a couple more shells. They're pretty rare, so you're lucky you found one."

"Is that so?" Hikaru said, tipping her head to the side. "You can have it, then."

"Huh?" Kairi seemed surprised by the offer. "Oh, no, you're the one who found it. It's yours to keep."

"I'm not going to be using it for anything though," Hikaru said. "The charm sounds like a cute idea, but I am not what you would call an artistic person. Plus… I think I already have a good luck charm of my own," she added, giving her watch a little wave before slipping it back into her pocket. "Just take the shell, Kairi. Think of it as… as a thank you for helping me so much the past couple days."

Kairi smiled. "Thank you, Hikaru," she said. "I'll be sure to put it to good use."

"That's all that I ask for," Hikaru replied with a smile of her own as she turned back to the wide evening sky and the first stars blinking into existence in the heavens above.

Even if she wasn't where she was supposed to be… She was glad that she had at least ended up there.


A/N: Thank you for reading!