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kingdom hearts: ETERNAL FATE
12.18.07, 14:59:58
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ImageShack - Hosting :: efcoverua6.jpg
kingdom hearts: ~ETERNAL FATE~
Fate is...everlasting... devastating... powerful... binding... ETERNAL...
KINGDOM HEARTS: ETERNAL FATE
a kingdom hearts fanfiction by cait and courtney
When your fate catches up... you have no choice but to live on...
story by cait and courtney
writing by cait
rating:PG for mild language and some crude humor
Novel Length WIP 8 chapters of _____
Pairings (don't be put off by this please)
OFC/OMC, OFC/Riku, Sora/Kairi, OFC/Ansem
Prologue Lyrics:
After Dark by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
from the anime BLEACH
WARNINGS:
Yaoi: none
Mary Sue:moderate
**Cross posted on DeviantART and Kingdom Hearts Ultimania Forums. (Chitiliti and shonenchicklets, usernames respectivley)
PROLOGUE
A boy stands on the edge of a clock tower, surrounded by darkness.
He takes a step, and then another, falling falling
senaka no kage ga nobi kiru sono aima ni nigeru
hagare ochita hana ni mo kidzukazu ni tobou
machikado amai nioi ryuusen tooku mukou kara
dokoka de kiita you na nakigoe
He falls until he breaks through glass, pure crystal shards flying everywhere and suddenly he is surrounded by light.He is in a pure and innocent place, surrounded by the hearts of thousands, floating upwards into the invading darkness, towards their final resting place.
Falling against the current of a thousand hearts is a blood red rose, losing petals as it collides. The boy reaches up to touch the flower, rose petals swirling around him. And suddenly he is gone with a flash of light
yokaze ga hakobu awai kibou nosete
doko made yukeru ka
sore wo kobamu you ni sekai wa yurete
subete wo ubau sa
yume nara sameta dakedo bokura wa
mada nani mo ****e inai
susume
.He is falling, spinning, surrounded by thousands of rose petals, the one rose still clasped to his chest.Through the light again, and suddenly there is a young girl in his place, bursting out of the light with a trail of petals...But as the girl's eyes fly open, you can see past the innocence into a past of pain. In her eyes, we see another girl, fighting off hordes of monsters, her own demons coming back to her by the thousands.
mahiru no taida wo tachikiru you na suburi de ukabu
umareochita kumo made miorosu you ni tobou
machikado chi no nioi yuusen tooku mukou kara
dokoka de kiita you na nakigoe
We see another boy trying to help her, trying to grasp her hand from above and pull her out of the pit, but she strikes him with her weapon and falls back down, the darkness pulling her to the point of no return.The scene switches to another boy, staring at glass figurines. With one hand, he swipes all the glass off the shelf and it falls to the ground, the shards reflecting the face of a girl from his past.
dorodoro nagareru fukaku akai
tsuki ga arawarete furareru sai
detarame na hibi wo tachichikiritai
nani kuwanu kao de owaranu you ni
The glass dissolves, leaving the boy alone. His hand goes to his chest, and he looks up, and closes his eyes. His surroundings dissolve and suddenly is in the same white place, hearts raining down upon him and the girl from the glass, who reaches up and touches his face, dissolving into him.
The boy fades, the boy from the beginning taking his place. He opens his eyes and is looking upon a girl from his past, a different girl. He reaches to touch her face, only for her to fade away. He cries out something and falls to the ground. The view flies upward, to the girl swallowed by the darkness.
yokaze ga hakobu awai kibou nosete
doko made yukeru ka
sore wo kobamu you ni sekai wa yurete
subete wo ubau sa
yume nara sameta dakedo bokura wa
mada nani mo ****e inai
susume
She closes her eyes and smiles, stepping off the ivisible ledge on which she stands, surrounded by white blossoms.
The whole world turns upside down and flashed to a scene of the first boy standing on a beach. Around his feet...red rose petals. He looks out to the ocean, the breeze blowing his hair, and smiles.
~-|Chapter One|-~~-|A Family Emergency|-~
Karen Kano loved candy. She had a sweet tooth the size of Texas and used it often. And today was the grand re-opening of the Candy Store down in the Tram Common. It was a very good day for Karen. Candy Stores were her idea of heaven.
It was summer and most of the students at Twilight Town School were gone for the summer. Except Karen, her best friend and roommate Emi, and a few other boarding students who couldn't make it home.
The alarm clock went off at 7 am sharp. Karen sat up in bed, having already been awake for an hour, and hit the "off" button on the clock. Emi sat up, too, but all she did was shove a pillow over her poofy black hair and fall back down.
Karen hopped out of bed, so excited she couldn't stand still, and smiled. She was a natural optimist, the exact opposite of Emi. Emi slid back under the blankets, muttering something about alarm clock homocide.
Karen, on the other hand, strolled into the bathroom they shared with the two girls next door. The other girls were gone for the summer, so Emi and Karen got the bathroom to themselves. Karen's cosmetics and other things were lined neatly on the shelf, where as Emi's were strewn all over the place. Karen grabbed a wash rag and her tooth brush and went about brushing and washing up. She thought while she groomed herself. It was May...barely summer. Emi's seventeenth birthday was in July. One more year, she would say, until I can get out of this place and travel the world. Karen decided Emi was indeed a very independent, if a little pessemistic and selfish. But she really was a good person.
Emi shuffled into the bathroom. Her wild, bushy black hair stuck up all over her head like a rain cloud. She was tall and athletic looking with strong arms. At six foot two, she was actually quite big for a sixteen year old girl. She was exactly a foot and two inches taller than Karen.
Karen was small and slender with a dancer's long arms and leg. She had short, lightly razored brown hair and clear dark blue eyes. She combed her hair and and then helped Emi's brush her's. The brush got stuck in her hair a few times, but they managed it.
"What are your plans for today?" asked Karen, as she pulled on her black shirt and purple skirt. Emi pulled a green and purple tank top over her head. "Well, I have mandatory band practice. Amd then I figured I might bring my quads down the common and play for a while to add to my beach fund."
Karen chuckled gently. It wasn't anything Emi had said, it was just her voice. Her accent was slightly different than everyone elses'. Maybe that was because, like Karen, she wasn't from Twilight Town originally. She had a very sophisticated, airy voice. She enunciated very crisply, it was almost British sounding. She'd arrived in Twilight Town at age two and just never lost her accent. And, on this early
summer morning, it was funny to Karen.
"Let me guess," Emi said, slipping her feet into some shoes. "You are going to the candy store?" "Right," said Karen, grinning. "Do you want me to get something for you?" Emi nodded. "Yes. Some Starbursts, please." "Okie dokie, have fun at band practice," said Karen, grabbing her munny purse and bouncing out the door. Emi grimaced and mumbled "Whatever."
While Karen went on her merry little way to the candy store, Emi trudged to the Sandlot. She dragged her quad case big enough to hold a small child in, and frowned. She was part of the Twilight Town City Marching Band and Orchestra. That was the bright idea of the city's Arts and Music Council. What a load of crap, she thought.
She used to only play drums for fun...but then she got arrested for beating up the accessory shop owner. She was sentenced to one year of anger management therapy and counseling. Her therapist suggested she join the orchestra... actually, she forced Emi to join, but whatever.
The therapist also insisted Emi visit the beach. Emi had cringed at this idea. She was afraid of water. She couldn't swim. "But," the therapist insisted. "That is exactly why you must visit the ocean. I think that some repressed fears may be what is causing your anger."
Emi had laughed at that comment, but her therapist insisted. So here she was on her way to practice for the big Struggle Tournament preformance. She actually wanted to sign up to fight. She allowed herself a small, secret smile. Hayer would probably compete this year. Maybe if he saw her fight, he would give her the time of day. Emi didn't really care that Hayner was younger and short than she was. She thought he was cute and funny. Emi never smiled for long. She frowned. Too bad he was wrapped around Olette's little finger.
She was still frowning as she walked into the Sandlot. And then she sneered. Other than the pathetic excuse for a marching band, Seifer and his "disciplinary comittee" were there. Emi didn't like Seifer. She never had in the ten years she'd known him. But he was very fond of her. She tried to ignore him as she unpacked her quads. But he was drawn her like a moth to a candleflame. "Hey," he said, looming over her crouched back.
She ignored him. When she stood, the quads hung from her strong shoulders, she was just as tall as he was. She gave him her ugliest grimace. He didn't give up. He was almost a year older than her, and they were the same size (which turned a lot of guys off) but he was still attracted to her for some strange reason. "I was hoping you'd be here, Emi," he said. Emi just glared. "Bummer you're stuck preforming with
this lamer band. You would make a great cheerleader during the Struggle."
It took every ounce of Emi's almost non-existent self-control not to haul off and punch his smug face. She clenched her jaw and hissed "I am not a cheerleader." Seifer made a tisking noise and shook his head. "Too bad. You would've looked great in one of those little pleated skirts."
Emi's bright green eyes widened in anger. She clenched her fists and arm muscles and then whirled, counting to ten and deep breathing, just like her therapist told her. She threw herself into a warm-up, drowinig out anything Seifer might have said after that. She tipped her head back, feeling the sun warm her face and her hair tumble from her shoulders down to the backs of her knees. She had contemplated cutting it, but everytime she did, a little voice in her head said "Never cut your hair." So she didn't. And now it was waist long. It would have been longer...except once, last year, she got gum in it and Karen had to chop it off to her shoulder blades.
She stayed that way until the director called everyone to attention. While she fell into formation with the rest of the drummers, she noticed Seifer, Rai and Fuu all standing beside the big chalkboard. Seifer had his arms crossed. When he saw Emi, he lifted one hand, waving at her with two fingers.
She was sorely tempted to give him the finger, but she restrained her self.
The director had a very important announcement to make before they started. After a protesting screech of feedback from the ancient megaphone, the directore called "Attention!" We're at attention, thought Emi, rolling her eyes. The director continued his annoucement. "We've moved from three months of practice to...three weeks," he called out. Emi's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. There were loud protests from everyone, but Emi's shrill voice as loudest as she shrieked "WHAT!? WHY?!"
The director calmed everyone down before continuing. "Due to a conflict in scheduling, the city board has pushed the date of the Struggle three months," he said. Emi threw her drumsticks to the ground, screaming, losing control of her anger. She was a VERY good drummer. And she knew that the rest of the drummers, no, the rest of the BAND sucked. She was angry because now they weren't going to have enough time to practice and get better and THEY were going to ruin this for her. Her first big preformance.
"Let's not waste time now, people," said the director. Everyone settled down enough to play. Emi stooped to pick up her stick. Might as well make the best of this sucky day.
While Emi was at band practice, Karen was heading to the candy store. She grinned as she walked along, greeting everyone she saw. She was known around down as "that happy girl with the purple coat".
Even though Karen was relentlessly happy, she had a small rebellious streak. She'd been with Emi when she snuck out and got a tatoo. No fake ID or forgery needed... the tatooist didn't even care or seem to notice that Emi was hardly sixteen and Karen, younger than that. Sh'd gotten her three ear piercings from the same guy.
She hadn't been there the night Emi was arrested, though. She'd been in her room, obeying curfew and studying.
There was already a crowd in the common. Mostly small children and their exaspertated parents. Karen was happy to see Hayner, Pence and Olette there. She ran over to meet them.
"Hi, you guys," she called, waving. Olette smiled and waved back, yelling "Karen!" Hayner grabbed and shook Karen's slim hand and another jaunty wave came from Pence. Out of this particular group of friends, Karen realated to Pence the most...she didn't know why.
"I wonder if the store carries sea salt ice cream," said Pence. Karen grinned and laughed her tinkly laugh. "Emi will be really happy. She adores ice cream." "Speaking of Emi," mentioned Hayer, looking around warily. "She's not with you?" "Nope," said Karen. "Band practice, for the Struggle."
"They moved the Struggle up a few months. It's in only three weeks now, can you believe it?" remarked Olette. Karen tilted her head . "Really? Are you guys competing this year?" she asked. Olette grinned and looked over at Hayner. Pence punched him lightly on the arm. "I am," Hayner said, proudly. Karen smiled gently. "Great. Good luck. I heard Setzer's been training like crazy since he got defeated last year."
Suddenly, there were cheers and shrieks of joy. Not to mention sighs of relief from the parents. The store had opened it's doors. Karen smiled, thinking about the candy. She hoped there would be taffy, her favorite.
Twenty minutes later, Karen finally got to go inside. It was like walking into heaven. It was warm, just like a candy store was supposed to be. The warmth felt good even after the summer heat. She breathed deeply and sighed. She picked up a box of salt water taffy and some Starbursts. More candy to add to the stash under the floor boards in their room.
She left, taking one last deep breath, savoring the smell of the shop. She decided to hurry back before the sweets melted.
Back in the Sandlot, the band was taking a break. The tuba player had passed out in the heat. They still had several hours of practice in front of them. Emi was sitting on a bench. Her quads were laying on the ground. She was attempting to gather her hair and push it through a rubber band. If she succeeded, she would have to cut the rubber band out later, but she had to get it up off her neck.
She felt someone take her hair out of her hands and gather it up, pulling it off her shoulders. She snapped her head around, growling. Seifer was holding her hair. "What are you doing?" demanded Emi. Seifer smirked. "Nothing. Just trying to help you out,: he said, using her shoulders as a brace to hop over the bench and sit next to her.
Emi stood as he sat, putting her hands on her skinny hips. "Look, Seifer, what the heck do you want? I've told you once if I've you a million times, I'm not going on a date with you."
Seifer stood up and grasped Emi's shoulders. Emi growled and sneered at him, but he started talking anyway. "I'm not going to give up. I'm going to be persistent. I'm going to have you, Emiline DesCoteaux."
Emi's jaw dropped. How the heck did he know her full name? With a cry of indignation, Emi brought her hand back and then snapped it forward, slapping Seifer across the face. He stumbled a little, and Emi turned and ran. So what if she missed the rest of band practice? The worst they could do was kick her out, which she wasn't opposed to.
She did kind of wish she'd grabbed her drums before fleeing. Hopefully some kind soul would see the ID tag and bring them back to her. She really hoped Seifer didn't take the liberty to.
She sped into the Tram Common, searching for Karen. She wasn't there, so Emi started off towards the school. She saw Karen as she ran. She skidded to a stop and grabbed Karen by the shoulders, dragging her backwards into an alleyway. Karen screamed and swung her money purse around, thinking she was being mugged. The purse narrowly avoided Emi's face and Karen whirled around, blushing. "Sorry," she muttered. "Help me," hissed Emi, looking around. Karen groaned, wondering what kind of trouble Emi had gotten herself into this time. "What happened?" she asked.
Emi bit her top lip. "I slapped Seifer and ran away," she sighed. "I left my drums in the Sandlot and I don't want to go back and get them. I might get myself arrested again. Can you go get them?"
Karen gave a pert nod. "Yup," she said, shoving the bag of candy into her friend's arms. "Go back home and put this in the stash. I'll be there soon." Emi was gone in a heart beat, the only thing left to remind anybody she'd been there was the sound of her rapid footsteps. Karen walked back to the Sandlot to retrieve Emi's drums. She thought as she walked. Why didn't Emi just humor Seifer? Just one date would be enought if Emi played her cards right...but then again, Emi sucked at poker. Besides, Seifer wasn't THAT bad...it wasn't as if Rai were asking for a date.
When Karen got to the Sandlot, practice had resumed. Karen ran against the wall, behind the band so she wouldn't get caught.She saw Emi's precious quads still laying in the dirt.
Unfortunately, Seifer was standing guard. Karen groaned and walked over. Seifer looked angry, and there was a red hand print across his cheek. He confronted her. "Hey," he said, angrily. Karen tried to ignore him as he walked over. She started putting the quads up. The case was on wheels and was sitting next to the bench. It has huge, and Karen hoped she could make it up Market Street with it.
She stood up, and looked squarely into Seifer's face. Well, as squarely as she could when she could only see his chest when she looked straight ahead. "Tell your friend," he hissed. "That I'm not giving up." Karen sneered and said, loudly so he could hear her over the band, "She's interested in someone else, Seifer. Forget it."
Now it was Seifer's turn to sneer. "Then I guess I'll have to elimanate the competetion." He pushed past Karen and waved for Rai and Fuu to follow him. The bad was so loud. Karen called after him "Why are so facsinated by her anyway?
Seifer was only a few paces away. He turned and walked rapidly towards her. He got in her face so quickly it was frightening. "Emi has a certain charm that I find very attractive," he hissed into Karen's ear. "No other girl around here has that rebellious streak."
And then he was gone. Karen ran back to the dorms, dragging the quads behind her.
Emi was playing her snare now. Karen could hear it from down the hall. She fished the key out of her jacket and opened the door. She loved their room. They had lived in it for nearly twelve years. There were two twin beds, with a window in between them. Two desks, two sets of drawers, two footlockers at the foot of the beds, and two bedside tables. There were also two closets, and the room was split evenly down the middle.
But that's where the similarites ended. Emi's side was the left side. Her unmade bed had a green and purple quilt and butterfly shaped pillow. Her desk was messy, covered in sheet music and various drummer things, including her five pairs of drumsticks. Her closet was also a wreck. Her snare and quads were usually stored in there. Her drumset was set up in the corner.
Karen's side was neat and tidy. A lavender down comforter was spread neatly acorss the bed. The desk was clean, her homework and books in all the right spots. All of her clothes were clean, ironed and folded.
Emi was sitting on the bed, attacking her snare drum. She had an ugly grimace on her face. Karen waved over at her and walked over to put the quads in the closet. She was almost crushed by all the stuff that fell out of it. Emi stopped playing adruptly, the sticks falling to the floor, and hopped up to hug her friend.
"Thanks. You didn't run into any trouble with Seifer, did you." she asked, breaking the hug. Karen sighed, going over to collapse in her desk chair. She tipped her head back and groaned. "Actually," she said. "I collided right smack into it. Seifer finds your rebellion attractive. I told him you were interested in someone else." She cringed and continued. "And then he said he would have to get rid of the competetion."
Emi roared in anger. "Oh my gosh...YOU TOLD HIM THAT? KAREN, DARN IT!" She started pacing. She could feel her pulse quickening. "Settle down, you can handle this. I didn't tell him who exactly you were interested in. There IS a way around this, you know," reassured Karen.
Emi whirled, sucking in a breath through clenched teeth. "TELL ME A WAY AROUND THIS, THEN, GENIUS! Seifer and his gang are going to beat the CRAP out of every guy in town, and it's YOUR fault." Karen's complexion reddened. Just settle down, thought Karen. It's just Emi being Emi. "The way out is obvious," said Karen, spining around in her chair. "Go on a date with Seier."
Emi roared again. "No way! NO WAY!!" she screamed. "That would only make my problem WORSE." Karen smiled evilily. "You didn't let me finish. You go on a date with Seifer...and totally bomb it. He'll never want to go on a date with you again." Emi setttled down a little. She sat on her bed. "That might work. Might," she
sighed. "Darn it... I don't want to go on a dare with him. But...I don't want Hayner beaten to a bloody pulpm either. She fell backwards on to the bed.
They hung out in their room for the rest of the morning and into the early afteroon. Emi practiced her quads, trying to justify missing practice. She would have to hope the director didn't see what happened. And she would have to come up with good excuse, too. She asked Karen for a good excuse. "You could say you had cramps," said Karen, taking a bite out some taffy. Emi shook her head. "No good. I used that one last week.
She laughed bitterly. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to blame it on a family emergency. Too bad everyone in town knows I'm a freaking 'ward of the state' or whatever crap they told me." "Hush, Emi. You'll get yourself all worked up again. Besides, it's lunch time. Your favorite...noodles!"
Unfortunately for them, the headmaster also decided to have lunch. He ambushed them as they entered the cafeteria. "Miss DesCoteaux...Miss DesCoteaux!" he called in his annoying, too-shrill-for-a-man voice. Emi rolled her eyes and turned around. "I got call from your therapist, Miss DesCoteaux. She got a call from your band director. Apparently, you missed most of band practice today. Is this true?" he asked.
Emi gave that same bitter laugh she was always did when she did what she was about to do. "I had a family emergency," she said, hanging her head. The headmaster sighed heavily. "Don't give me that, Emi," he moaned. He wagged his finger at him. "I know what you are trying to do. You're trying to make me feel guilty. Well, that's not going to work. One more slip-up, Miss DesCoteaux, and you will be stuck in your dorm for the rest of the week."
Emi didn't bother to tell him that she would love nothing more than to stay in her room all week. At least then she didn't have to go to practice. They ate their noodles in silence. Emi was in one of those moods. She was angry at the world.
This was one of the places Karen very much related with Emi. They were both wards of the state. Emi had come to Twilight Town at age two. They found her on the steps of the school, alone. She had been finishing the remains of a ice cream. She had only one memory of her past life.
Karen had come along four years later. They also found her on the steps of the stairs, very sick and hardly breathing. She had a very weak heart. Clasped in her little five-year old hands was a a typed note with very specific directions for her care. Emi was actually the one that found her. And, after Karen spent two years in the hospital recovering, they became the best of friends. Inseperable. Karen had only one memory of her past life, as well. Unfortunately, Emi took abandonment a lot worse than Karen did.
It was May. It was summer. And the Struggle was three weeks away. |
______________________________________
leaving for the summer. Will try and pop in everyonce in a while. It will only get worse once school starts, so go ahead and wrap your head around me not being here. Please don't PM while I'm gone. I hope I can clean the slate with you all before I leave. Um... I guess that's it. Have a happy and safe summer and God loves you!
Last edited by shonenchicklets : 01.07.08 at 20:46:36.
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| wow thats a story, both characters are really detailed and believable. Just read through it carefully again, you'll find some small typos like "amd" instead of and. |
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Yes, I know of these typos. Just to lazy to fix them. Thanks for the tip tough.
And thanks for the nice comment. When you work two years on the plot, you get stuff like this. So let it be a lesson, little fanfiction newbies... work hard! Don't just start writing! The secret to a good fic is a) obsesssion (it's good to know EVERYTHING about something before you start writint) b) hard work c) planning. |
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~-|chapter two|-~~-|circles in the sand|-~
Sora loved summer. It was his favorite time of year. The ocean was the perfect temperature, and he loved the hot sand on his feet. He loved the waves and the ocean and the sky and the sun. And he also loved his friends. Here they all were on the beach, fresh out of school. Next year, Sora and Kairi would be juniors. Riku would be a senior. But, thankfully, thought Sora, selfishly. He's not going to go away to college so we still have another summer to hang out!
Sora sprawled out on the sand, deciding to take a nap. But just as he was dozing off, Kairi ran up. "Sora," she called, with a wave. Sora sat up. "Kairi," he said, smiling. "What's up?' Kairi grinned. "You know what's coming up in three weeks?"
"Sure," Sora said. "The Summer Seasons Dance. Why?" "Well, you're going, aren't you? Because Riku says he's not going and I don't want to be there alone," said Kairi. She looked at Sora expectantly. Sora laughed. "I shoulda figured. Riku's not really into the 'party scene." Kairi plopped down into the sand next to him.
"So, you're going?" asked Kairi, her voice heavy with implication. Sora looked at her and laughed again. "Yes, I am, but I don't see why it matters. You won't really be alone. Selphie's going, right? And Tidus and Wakka?"
Kairi blushed and there was a small awkward silence. "Oh, I get it," said Sora after a while. "Kairi, you wouldn't want to be my date to this thing, would you?" Kairi grinned, relieved. "Yes," she said. She grinned and hugged him and pecked him on the cheek. Then, she hopped up and ran off. Sora presumed it was so she could go call Selphie and the rest of her girlfriends. "See you later," she called over her shoulder. Sora gave a small wave and then let himself fall backwards. He closed his eyes and tucked his hands behind his head, letting the sun warm his face.
Then, he wrinkled his nose, annoyed. Somebody else was calling his name, now. He opened his eyes and turned his head and saw Riku walking up the beach, barefoot. Sora sat up and waved. He shook his head back and forth and sand snowed down. Riku walked up and sat down next to him, looking out onto the ocean. He looked thoughtful. Sora knew that look. "What's up?" he asked. Riku tilted his head and shrugged. "Nothing, I've just been thinking. Do you remember everything that happened last year?"
"Well, sure," said Sora. "I woke up after sleeping for a year. Then, me and Donald and Goofy had to track down Organization XII and stop them from taking over Kingdom Hearts. We found you before that, and I cried like a little girl. Then, we beat the crap out of Xemnas and came home through the Door to Light. Why, did you forget?"
"No, of course not," said Riku, with a chuckle. "But, yeah, the Door to Light. That's what I was thinking about. We locked the Door to Darkness, right?" "Well, yeah," said Sora, trying to find the point. Riku absently drew circles in the sand. "But," he said. "We didn't even close the Door to Light, did we? I wonder, is that okay?"
Sora thought for a moment, and watched the waves. "Well, I don't know," he finally admitted. "But, I'm sure it's fine. And if not, we can cross that bridge when we come to it. Don't worry about it. Instead, why don't you worry about who you're taking to the Summer Seasons Dance, huh?"
Riku smirked and looked away, slightly embarrased. Sora punched him lightly on the arms. "Come on, man! You know the tradition. Guys are offcially allowed--" "Yeah, I know," groaned Riku. Sora had given him this lecture three times this week alread. "Guys are offcially allowed to bring girls as dates to the Seasons Celebrations at age sixteen. I know, I know. You must be pretty excited. This is your first Celebration since your birthday."
"Too bad Kairi's not sixteen until July," pouted Sora. "Yeah, because Destiny Islands needs another student driver on the road, Mr. I-hit-another-palmetto-again," chuckled Riku. Sora pouted. "I still want to know why a palmetto was in the middle of the road." "Maybe you should be wondering why you were on the sidewalk and not the road. You can fly a gummi ship but you can't drive a car. Just give up, Sora."
"How about you give up trying to change the subject?" said Sora, trying to change the subject. Riku persevered. "So, you asked her?" "Yeah," said Sora. "So, yeah, I guess were going to the dance together. As dates. That's just so weird." Riku got up to leave, but not with out one more smart-aleck comment. "I'll be sure to lock up all the paupo fruit on the entire island."
Sora laughed bitterly and then said "She said you weren't going." He stood up and Riku shrugged. "I dunno," he sighed. "There's just too many people there. It's really uncomfortable." " You didn't ask anyone at all? Oh, come on Riku, you chicken-wuss," groaned Sora, shaking his friend's shoulder. Riku shrugeed him off. "I just haven't found anyone worth asking," he said, walking away. Sora sighed and shook his head, running after him.
That night, Riku was feeling a little stir crazy. So he decided to go to the island. Despite Sora telling him not to, he still worried. Had they left loose end? What was going to happen now anyway? Was this crazy world just going to let them live peacefully on the island for the rest of their lives?
He sighed, planting his hands on the dock and hauling him self up. He crouched for a moment. Then, he stood, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He just wished someone could answer his questions. He looked out over the black ocean. The moon was full tonight and it reflected on the choppy water.
He'd only been home for a year, but already he sort of...missed...going on adventures, travelling to other worlds. Maybe he was always going to be like this. Maybe he would always feel closed in and claustraphobic.
A small breeze kicked up, blowing his silver hair off his shoulders. That's what got them into this whole mess in the first place. That dumb, insaitable curiosity. He wished he could stop, wished there was a cure for claustraphobia.
Riku shook his head, trying to think of something else. His thoughts turned to what Sora had said earlier that afternoon. Riku would've liked to bring some special girl to that Summer Seasons Dance. Riku smiled. Ah, the Seasons Dance. Seasons celebration actually, but the young people of the island called it a dance. The celebration was a island tradition, celebratiing the turn of the seasons, a new start. One each for summer, fall, winter and spring. Everyone on the islands turned up, young and old.
When a young man turned sixteen, he could ask the girl of his choice to be his date. It was sort of a big deal. And Riku still hadn't found anyone to ask to go with him on that special night.
Maybe, one day, when Riku got old enough, he would travel the world by himself, the right way. Maybe then he find the right girl for him.
He walked down the beach, holding his shoes in his hands, letting the waves wash up against his bare feet. He felt like swimming, so he shed his coat and shirt, folding them up neatly on the sand. Then, he waded out, relishing the feeling of pushing against the current.
He just started swimming. Back and forth, diving and surfacing. He did this several times, going down as far as he could and letting his hands touch the sand at the bottom. He surfaced once more, breaking through the dark shimmering water, gasping for breath. He treaded water for a moment and something bobbed against his chest. He blinked, salt water dripping from his lashes and burning his eyes. He grabbed the mystery object and examined it. It was a bottle. There was a piece of paper inside.
Was it meant for him? He didn't know, but he wanted to find out. There went his dumb, insatiable curiosity. He swam back to shore with the bottle. When he stumbled onto dry ground, he pulled the cork out of the bottle. He couldn't read it here in the moonlight, but he saw the King's Seal and knew it was for him. But he actually wasn't sure if he wanted to read it. But, he knew he needed too. He put on his shirt and jacket and shoes and dashed back to his little row boat.
He rowed back home and ran up the streets, back to his house. He entered quietly, trying not to wake his mother. He sped up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and into his room, pulling the bottle out of his jacket pocket as he ran. He pushed the door closed and unfurled the letter. He read it quickly.
Riku--
I need your help again. The Door to Light is open and the darkness from the other side is pouring in. I'm sorry to ask you this, but you must close the door and stop the darkness, again, Riku. Somebody can help you. I can' tell you much. A long time ago, I was honored to meet two scientists named Brixey and Jordana Kano. They were mutual friends of Ansem the Wise, and they studied the links between worlds. I was studying Ansem's work and found remnants of the Kanos' research. Like I said, I can't tell you much, but the Kanos had a daughter named Karen, who was very sick when she was young. Her parents put her life in Ansem's hands. She now lives in the Twilight Town computer. She is very important to the world, Riku. The only way to find the Door to Light is through her. You MUST find Karen. You know what to do Riku.
Don't be afraid of the darkness.
--
Riku's mouth dropped open. He knew it. He knew it. His head was spinning now. He read the letter again and again. Then, he looked at the window. You know what you have to do. He did. But he really didn't want to. He was now totally skittish and hyper. He sat on the bed and then hopped back up. He paced. He wrung his hands. Then, he grabbed the phone and punched in Sora's number. It took a few tries before he got it right.
Sora answered on the third ring, sounding tired and irratitated. "Sora, you need to get over here now," hissed Riku into the mouthpiece. "What? Why? Come on, Riku, my parents are sleeping," said Sora, in a whisper. "Just get over here. Sneak out, you do it all the time. I...I got a letter, from the King."
There was silence on the other line, until Sora grunted. "On my way," he said. Riku could only guess Sora was pulling on his shoes and opening the window. There was a click as Sora hung up. Riku tried to put the phone gently down on the cradle, but ended up slamming it. He ran downstairs to meet Sora at the door so they wouldn't wake his mother. Sora came running down the drive, throwing gravel everywhere. Riku slipped bewteen the door and the jamb, closing it quietly so the screen wouldn't slam.
Sora skidded to a stop as Riku stormed past him, handing off the note like a runner's baton. Sora turned to follow Riku and asked "Where are you going?" "The island." Sora ran to follow him.
On the island, Sora read the letter by monlight, even though it would probably help ruin his eyesight. "Whoa," he said, dropping the letter. It fluttered down and landed on the sand. "You know what we have to do, Sora," said Riku, quietly. He sounded agonized, like he'd been punched in the gut. Sora tapped his chin and thought. When Riku didn't hear an answer, he whirled. "We have to open the door, Sora. Again," he said, clenching his fists.
Sora shook his head. "No! If we do that, darkness will take over again! We'll lose the island. We have to think of another way," he yelled. Riku shook his head. Sora looked at him strangely, and he glared up at the sky.
"If we don't do it, Sora, we can't get to Twilight Town. Unless you have a gummi ship hidden in those poofy pants of yours, we have to. If not, one by one of thos stars will go out," ranted Riku. Sora shook his head again, agonizing what to do. "But," whined Sora. "We'll have to close the Door to Darkness again. I'll lose you... and it will start all over again. Don't you see?"
Riku sighed. "It's the only way. King Mickey told me I know what to do, and this is it. The only way." Sora sighed as well. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Can Kairi come with us?" he asked. Riku looked skeptical. "I... I don't think that's a good idea."
Sora's jaw dropped. "But...when we open the door...she... she'll..." yelled Sora, unable to get the words out.
Riku moaned, reaching over to shake Sora's shoulders. "I hate this. I really, really hate this. It's your call, Sora. Either she stays or comes. If she stays, you know she'll return with the island. But if she comes with us... what if something happens to her? We could lose her forever."
Sora kept his arms crossed, standing his ground. "How long do I have to say goodbye?" "Take as long as you need. I'm not going to rush you," answered Riku. Sora dashed back to his boat. "I bringing her here," he called over his shoulder.
It felt right that they would all be together when it happened. He didn't want Kairi to be alone in her room when the storm started. He would make sure she was safe (well, as safe as she coud be) in the secret place. A comforting place, so they could be surrounded by memories as their home fell apart. Again. It was also nice to think she would be the last thing he saw before they were swept away to another world.
While Sora was off retrieving Kairi, Riku paced around the secret place. He stopped and looked at all the pictures they had drawn on the walls. It was so much different this time around. Riku started pacing again and then stopped and looked at the giant wooden door in front of him. It was going to be harder this time. He knew what he was getting into. And it was going to be so difficult to look at Kairi and open that door.
He heard rustling and looked over his shoulder. Kairi was pushing away some vines, and Sora was right behind her. Kairi looked as though she had been crying. "Are you ready to do this?" asked Riku to Sora. "Heck no," he answered. Riku took a deep breath and turned around. Kairi smiled sheepishly and held out her arms for a hug. Riku took advantage of the free hug.
When they seperated, Riku felt a little better. But not much. Kairi turned to Sora. "Do you have to go?" she asked. Sora nodded sadly. "Why?" she asked. Sora smiled gently. "I'm the Keyblade master. What else am
I supposed to do? It's my job."
He looked at Riku. "She's not coming," he told him "You were right. She is actually safer here." Riku wasn't sure how to feel about that. He turned back to the door. Sora turned to face the door as well, but Kairi ran to hug him from behind. Riku placed his hands on the door and closed his eyes.
Sora felt horrible when he felt Kairi's hands on his stomach, clenching two handfuls of his shirt. She buried her nose in his back and began to cry again. He felt like a totally bad monster. A giant heartless.... Heartless.
The door was glowing now, but it was a strange glow. Some how lacking light. It was disturbing. Sora grabbed Kairi's hands, holding tightly. She let go of his shirt and they intertwined their fingers. Sora turned around, situating his and Kairi's arms. For a moment, they looked as if they were dancing. Then, he dropped her hands and took her face into his hands, studying it. Trying to burn one last image into his mind.
Then, it happened. There was a strong gust of wind that pushed Sora into Kairi's arms. The door had been blasted open by some force on the other side. Riku yelled something to Sora, but he didn't hear it. He stepped backwards from Kairi and once again took her face into his hands. He could feel Riku tugging on the hood at his back, but he had to do this.
He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, but only briefly, then Riku hauled him backwards. Or, at least, he thought it was Riku. They both dissapeared into the darkness beyond the door. Kairi could do nothing but stand there. She set her jaw and clenched her fists at her side.
Tears welled up in her clear blue eyes. She blinked and they rolled down her round cheeks. Nothing to do now but wait for them to return. And watch as her island fell apart at her feet.
It was some comfort to replay Sora's kiss in her mind, over and over again. An endless loop, like a stuck CD.
Outside, it began to thunder.
It was May. It was summer.
And the Summer Seasons Celebration was three weeks away.
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Author's Notes: Woot, finally, some Sora and Riku and Kairi!
Stay tuned for the next chapter, to be posted... after I get comments on this one! |
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Oh what the heck? I'm posting the rest of what I have. It's a lot, so if you really like this story and don't have time to read it all, please book mark the page and come back. Comments are HIGLY appreciated, and are sometimes even rewarded by comments on YOUR stories.
~-|chapter three|-~~-|cross over|-~
Unfortunately for Emiline Soleil DesCoteaux, she didn't have a cute bone in her body. It wasn't like she had a cute face, and God knows she NEVER acted cute. She left that sort of thing to Karen. Which is exactly why Emi was skipping band AGAIN. To get cuteness lessons from Karen. But, before she could start her lessons, she had to actually ask Seifer out. One a date. How gross.
She paced around their room, gripping her drumsticks. The sticks bounced up and down in the air as she beat an invisible drum. Or Seifer's big, smug, head, as she imagined. "So...not...cool," she muttered. Karen, from the bathrrom, yelled "Either you do it, or Hayner gets his face punched in." Emi collapsed into a bean bag chair on Karen's side of the room. Just the thought of Hayner's bloodied face made her sick. Then again, so did the thought of her and Seifer reenacting the spaghetti scene from "The Lady and the Tramp".
She groaned and slipped her feet into a pair of foam flip flops. She stood up wearily and yelled "All right, all right, I'm going." "That's what you said the last five times," called Karen, with a chuckle. Emi laughed sarcastically and stalked out the door, slamming it. Karen busied herself in the bathroom, getting stuff together. Every bit of make up she owned was spread out on the counter. She had a cute outfit picked out for Emi and the flat iron was plugged up and warming. Not that Karen thought it could actually help Emi's seriously poofy hair.
How was Karen so sure all of this would be needed tonight? Karen had watched Seifer... there was no way he was going to turn down a date with Emi. And there was no way he was going to wait another day. So... she would have to be quick with Emi's torture.
Emi made her way to the Sandlot. It was twilight. Huh, thought Emi. It's twilight in Twilight Town. How ironic. It had finally cooled off a little. She hoped sweating like a pig was a big turn off for Seifer. Which she doubted. Can pigs even sweat? she thought.
Emi peeked around the corner into the Sandlot. There he was, looking all...ticked off. Emi had to admit, being able to stay angry THAT long was sort of endearing. Ew, no, she thought, shaking her head. Against her better judgement, she stepped out into the open. Seifer's head snapped towards her, like he had some sort of homing beacon inside his head. Emi started sneering, but she remembered just in time to force her thin lips into a sour smile.
She walked up to him, taking long strides. He walked up to meet her in the middle. Rai and Fuu had obviously been told to stay back, because they weren't attached to Seifer at the hip, as usual. "Hi, Seifer," she said, averting her stare and trying to sound sweet. Seifer chuckled. "What are you doing here," he asked. Emi almost gagged. Seifer was so close to cooing. "Did you come to apologize?"
"Uh, yeah," mumbled Emi. Okay, she thought, better make this realistic. "Actually, yeah. I'm really sorry , Seifer. But, you know how it is..." She ducked her head and looked up at him under her eyelashes. She was going for a shy schoolgirl feel here. And Seifer ate it up. The look on his face was begging for more. All right, she thought. Maybe this won't be so bad. He'll be crushed when I rip his heart out. It's not everyday you got to torture Seifer.
Emi held her forearm and poked at the ground with her foot. "I was just...um...so nervous. Being around you makes me that way," she said, forcing out the sweetness. "I'm always so terrible to you. But really, you know it's just because I really like you, Seifer-kun." Seifer smiled. Emi was in hysterics on the inside, but maintained a calm, shy composure. "Why did you turn me down if you like me so much?" asked Seifer. Emi pretended to get weepy, putting a finger to her eye. "Oh, Seifer, I'm sorry, I really am. It's just that I was so afraid I would mess things up."
She sort of got carried awasy. She put both her hands to her face and made crying noises. Seifer said, trying to be consoling, "Oh, you didn't mess anything up at all. All you need to do to redeem yourself is agree to go on one little date with me. After one date, I'm sure you won't want anyone else."
Emi looked up like she was unbelieving and relieved. "Really? That's all?" she exclaimed. She had to force her self, but she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She could strangle him SO easy, but she didn't. She knew he was smiling smugly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. "I would love to go on one, little date with you," she said, pulling away from him. "Tonight? I...don't think I can wait another day."
"Sure, tonight," said Seifer, reluctant to let her go. When he finally did let her go, he said "Meet me at the Tram Common at eight. Beside the Synthesis Workshop." Emi nodded, batting her eyes for good measure. By the way Seifer's eyes lit up, she was guessing it looked realistic and NOT like she was trying to get something out of her eye. Maybe she was TOO good at being cute. Seifer suddenly stroked the side of her face. Emi stiffened, her breath catching in her throat. With a nervous laugh, she ran. As she sped off back to her dorm, she swore she heard Seifer say "See, Rai? I told you she'd come around."
Karen was waiting at the door when Emi burst in. She looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel in her forehead. She stormed past Karen and flung herself onto her bed. "That was the most embarrasing, mortifying, humilating thing EVER," she yelled, muffled by the pillow. Karen giggled and sat on her own bed. "I'll take it it worked then, huh?" she asked. Emi sat up, pulling strands of black hair out of her mouth. "Yeah, it worked," she spat. "It worked a little TOO well. I really laid it on thick, I'm afraid."
"So you and Seifer are going out on a date?" Karen asked. Emi groaned. "Yeah. Do you think you can work a miracle in three hours?" Karen laughed "Tonight? Geez, Emi, you're really good at this." "Dang it, Karen. Quit mocking me and make me up and teach me the way of the Care Bear." "Rightio," said Karen, hopping up and grabbing her best friend's wrist. Emi was forcibly hauled into the bathroom and forced into a small stool in front of the mirror. Her knees came almost up to her chin.
Karen got to work with a bottle of detangler, a comb, and the flat iron. It took nearly an hour and forty five minutes, but finally, Emi's hair was slightly less poofy and a little more shiny than usual. And Emi had an hour and forty-five minutes worth of Care Bear lessons. Everything from body language to the proper use of giggling. Karen insisted she practiced, but Emi felt like a total idiot.
After forcing Emi into a pleated khaki skirt and poofy sleeved lavender blouse, it was back to the bathroom. Emi NEVER wore make-up. Not even lip gloss. Or perfume. Just Chapstick. But, she had to admit when
Karen was done with her, she looked good. Karen looked at her smugly. "I would like to see Hayner reject you now," she muttered. Emi fingered the hair tumbling down her shoulders. It was held back from her dark complexioned face with some butterfly hair clippies. She checked the time, brushed her teeth, checked the time, sprayed on some perfume that smelled like Care Bears and ponies and lollipops in summer, checked the time and shoved some things into a handbag. Her cell phone, chapstick, munny, a manga (which she always carried with her anyways) and her drumsticks (which she also always carried with her).
She tried to sneak past Karen in flip-flops but Karen dragged her back inside and forced her feet into some strappy, high heeled sandals. With a hug for good luck, Emi was on her way. One of the straggling boarding students was lounging in the hallway. He looked up at her through his bangs and his jaw dropped. Emi stuck out her tongue and kept walking.
The Tram Common was bustling at evening. Emi walked across, her long legs feeling bare in the skirt. She hung around the Synthesis Shop, leaning against the wall. She felt a hand settle gently on her upper arm. Her head snapped up and she found herself looking into Seifer's eyes. She averted her gaze, genuinely blushing. His eyes WERE nice.... Emi stood up straight, holding her amrs close to her like she was cold. Seifer looked at her, unbelieving. It was like all of his wildest dreams were coming true.
"You look really nice tonight," he said, taking her hand. Emi resisted all urges to snatch her hand away, snatch that stupid toboggan of his head and smack him with it until he was lying on the ground in a fetal position, begging for mercy. Instead, she did what Karen told her to do. She acted cute. She giggled and turned her head away. She looked back shyly, expecting to see a look of disgust on his face.
She didn't. All she saw was happiness. Which was stange to see on Seiger's face. Emi's heart sank. She didn't think she was going to have to hurt him. And, why wasn't being cute working? If Seifer found Emi's rebellious attitude attractive, why didn't the cuteness turn him off? Maybe, she thought. Maybe I just need to give it more time.
Seifer tugged on her hand and started walking. This date was going to be very simple. Just walk around and look at the shops. Emi was totally out of her element. Seifer kept looking at her strangely. And he kept a tight hold on her hand, very tight.
They walked around for an hour while Seifer talked about stuff Emi couldn't have honestly given a crap about. She was SO glad when her cell phone rang, the polyphonic ringtone barely audible over the clamor of voices in the Tram Common. She jerked her hand out of Seifer's and excused her self. She got out of ear shot and answered. It was Karen. "How's it going?" she asked. Emi bit her lip. "Not good. I'm being as cute as I can, but he seems to like that just as much as the, uh, real me."
Karen thought for a moment while Emi looked over her shoulder nervoudly. Seifer was leaning against a wall, his gaze turned downwards. He looked a little ticked. "Okay. The only thing I can think of is....well, you'd yell at me if I told you," said Karen. She sounded like she was eating something. Emi sighed. "I promise I won't yell. I'm desperate, just tell me."
So Karen told her and Emi broke her promise. "NO! I'M NOT DOING THAT. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY!" she screamed. People stared with raised eyebrows. Karen winced. Emi had sceamed so loud the speaker on the phone distorted. "Look," said Karen. "Unless you can think of something better, you basically have two choices. Either my way, or you run away. Which isn't really a chouse, because you know Seifer will follow you. He'll want answers. But you need to hurry up and make a decision. It's past curfew."
Emi bit her lip. "Crap," she said and hung up. This was going to kill her, absolutely kill her. She turned on her heel and stalked back towards Seifer, shoving her phone in her purse as she went. She switched from totally ticked off to totally weepy. "Oh, Seifer," she sobbed, running to him. She covered her face. "I'm so sorry but... this isn't working. I can't be with you. You're just too good for me."
Seifer looked utterly confused. Emi draped herself across his shoulders, resting her nose on his chest. "But," she she said, her voice high and breathy. "I would...like to leave you with at least one good memory of me."
Seifer was trying to look non-chalant, but Emi could feel his hearts racing under her face. Emi internally kicked herself, hard, and then grabbed Seifer by the back of his head. She squeezed her eyes shut and crushed her lips against his. Seifer's eyes widened. Three seconds later, Emi ripped her face away from his and FLEW.
When she turned the corner, she stopped and spat on the ground. She wiped the back of her hand against he rmouth. "Ugh. Gross, gross, gross," she whined, | | | |
