#Expanded Worldbuilding | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sblass05 · 8 days ago

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—Warriors of Light— Kingdom Hearts

When Destiny Islands fall, Kairi is the one who summons a Keyblade and travels with Donald and Goofy to save the worlds from the Heartless. Sora is the one who hails from a different world and guards a pure light. And Riku… Well, he’s dealt with a lot even before the fall of the Islands, and it leads him to make some bad decisions.

An alternate universe where two (for now) characters are swapped and several things are added based on what I want to add.

Chapter 1: Home Is Where The Heart Is

In the small world of Destiny Islands, Kairi sat by an old statue admiring a messy and beautiful picture. The buildings of the town were a clash of colors, the vegetation was lush and the people smiled as they went about another peaceful day. The stone figures of a wistful woman with her arms around a joyous girl and a boy with determined eyes, a star at their feet, sheltered Kairi from the sun. Each element was beautiful on its own, but when they came together, they formed something truly wonderful: home.

The clock on top of the town hall struck ten and reminded Kairi she should get a move on, so she took to ambling along the dirt path. She still occasionally paused to admire some flowers or run her hand through fountains gushing water, and in turn, the world seemed to pay attention to her.

Her clothing wasn’t unlike what many girls on the islands wore — breezy top, tight shorts, violet skirt, slip-on shoes, a black sleeveless jacket she modeled after Sora and several handcrafted accessories. Her short, bright red hair and cheery disposition made her stand out though, even amidst the colorful and sunny environment. People on the streets stopped to greet her or thank her for the last time she helped them carry groceries or clean their houses, watched over their kids, or just kept them company.

Eventually, she reached a two-story building and entered to the welcoming click of a bell. The place was filled with shelves and displays, where charts, compasses and other navigation tools were placed side by side with postcards, seashells, flower pots and all sorts of handcrafted items. A woman wearing beads and pigtails stood at a counter. Upon seeing her enter, the woman smiled.

“Hello, Kairi!” she welcomed her with a grin. “In need of more Thalassa shells?”

“Hi, Vanille. Actually, I’m here for Sora.”

“Figured. That sleepyhead’s still in his room.”

Kairi rolled her eyes, said thanks and took the stairs in the backroom to the second floor, which housed a cluttered apartment full of picture frames of Vanille and Sora from over the years since he was five.

Speaking of which, Kairi stood by the door to Sora’s bedroom. There was faint snoring and moaning on the other side. Normally she would just break in and drag Sora out of bed, but this time, she had a better plan.

She tapped on the door. “Sora, it’s me, wake up.”

There was no answer.

She knocked harder. “Sora, Riku is waiting for us.”

The sound of someone rolling over blankets.

She knocked even harder. “Come on you lazy bum. Wake up.”

He rolled over again and groaned something that sounded like “Five more minutes.”

Kairi gave a sigh of false disappointment. “Looks like Sora isn’t coming. What a shame. I even brought him a piece of Grandma’s fubá cake. Oh well, guess there’s more for me.”

“WHAT?” There was a thump and seconds later Sora came out, the spikes in his brown hair even messier than usual. “I’m here, give it to me!”

Kairi laughed as she handed him a paper bag. “Here you go, you lazy bum.”

He tore it open and devoured the cake with the enthusiasm of a starving man. It was over in five seconds. “Hmm, so good! Vanille’s food is fine and all, at least when she doesn’t burn it, but Auntie Yara’s is on another level.”

“So now that you’re awake, how about we go meet up with Riku?”

“Alright, alright, just a second.”

Soon the two were exiting the shop, Sora now sporting his usual inconspicuous red jumpsuit and yellow shoes, as well as the short hoodie Kairi had hoped to emulate. As they chatted along the way, she told him about the dream she had that night. As was common with dreams, the details had gotten foggy since she woke up, but she remembered a castle in the mountains that felt like home. Sora listened intently, not cutting her even once, something most other people would consider a miracle.

“Hmm…�� Sora tilted his head in that adorable way he did while thinking hard. And then his eyes shone. “What if that place is out there somewhere? And you dreaming about it means we’ll see it soon!”

“If anyone was gonna dream about the outside world, I’d expect it to be you.”

Sora chuckled half-heartedly. “I don’t know. It’s not like I remember anything from before I came here.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Nothing. But maybe we can still find it. The place where I came from.”

“We can find more than just that. We’ll find all sorts of worlds out there.”

“I can’t wait!”

They arrived at a small wooden pier, where a silver-haired boy waited impatiently. He was leaning on a light post with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed. When he noticed the two, the boy stood straight.

“Finally,” he said. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“Sorry, Riku. But you know Sora is a lazy bum who refuses to get out of bed without leverage.”

“Hey! You’re late too!”

Kairi giggled and ran over to Riku, leaving a pouting Sora to trail behind.

“Unbelievable,” Riku said. “I do most of the work on the raft and you can’t even be here on time.”

“Sorry, mister punctual.” Kairi patted him on the head and laughed off the annoyed glare she received. “Let’s finish it together then.”

She and Sora went for the small boats moored on the pier. Before following them, Riku picked up something resting on the ground. A long wooden pole almost twice his size.

“What’s that?” Sora asked.

“This light pole fell down during the latest storm. I thought it could be our mast.”

“Good idea,” said Kairi.

“Cool!” Sora got closer to admire their new find and his hands went to touch it. “I’ll carry it!”

“No need, I got it.”

“But I wanna do it! Gimme!” Sora grabbed the pole and tried to pull it, but Riku pulled back.

“Hey, stop! You’re gonna mess it up.”

“I won’t! Just let me do this!”

“I can do it by myself!”

“Stop it, you two.” Kairi’s voice cut through their argument. “This thing doesn’t even fit in one boat.”

She took the pole from their hands and showed her point. It was too long for a single boat. So instead, she rested each end on one boat, like a bridge connecting them.

“There. See? Now both of you can carry it.”

“Great idea, Kairi!” Sora beamed.

“It’s not that impressive, really,” she said.

“But we’ll have to row together,” said Riku. “Think you can keep up, Sora?”

“Of course I can!”

“You’ll help by not going too fast,” said Kairi. “And I’ll signal so you know when to row.”

Her strategy worked very well. Whenever she said “row”, Riku and Sora moved their oars in sync to propel their boats evenly. They kept a steady pace and eventually reached Kealoha Island. It was just off the shore of Tuatahi Island, where they lived, way smaller and uninhabited. The island was instead a site for festivals and other celebrations, as well as a playing ground for the children of the town, which granted it the nickname Playing Island.

Once there, they raced to the cove on the other side of the island and uncovered their secret project. What had once been a pile of driftwood and planks now looked like a proper raft, albeit with a few key components missing.

One such component was the mast, so Sora and Riku worked to secure the pole they brought to the hull and tie the other spars. Or rather, Riku did. Sora came up with a game of throwing nails like darts at pebbles, shells and even a poor crab that peeked out of its hole every few minutes. The only way Riku would get him to focus on the task at hand was by threatening to tell Vanille about his cookie jar heists, but even then he mostly hummed to himself or daydreamed about their future adventures.

From her spot, Kairi laughed at the boys’ shenanigans. She sat by a palm tree sowing pieces of leftover fabric Riku got from his seamstress mother to create the sail for the raft. The pieces originally all had different colors and patterns, but Kairi had managed to bleach them white to make the sail uniform. She’d hidden her reasoning for doing so from her friends, instead saying she just thought it looked better like that.

Hours went by and in what felt like no time, the sun reached its peak.

After a supposed-to-be-short lunch break at Kairi’s, where her grandmother’s seafood with mashed potatoes and fubá cake held them for way longer than Riku would have liked, they returned to the Playing Island, but they weren’t alone anymore.

Some of their friends from school had come to the beach as well. They arrived to Ryukku and Yuna staring at each other in anticipation, and Tidus, Wakka and Selphie watching from the sidelines.

“Alright ladies.” Wakka, a tall boy with orange hair, raised his hand to give the start out. “Aaaand go!”

The two girls closed in on one another and started to dish out attacks. Ryukku dealt fast punches with her toy claw and Yuna dodged them with graceful moves. In her white floral dress, it almost looked like she was dancing.

“Go Yuna! Go Ryukku!” As Selphie hopped, the curls at the end of her hair bounced.

“Look, the other Riku’s here too,” said Tidus, whose hair was the color of the sand. Riku rolled his eyes at the common joke made with their names. He, Sora and Kairi had stayed to watch as well.

Eventually, Ryukku landed a hit and Yuna’s rod fell from her hands. Wakka announced the winner and the two joined the rest of the group.

“That got me pumped!” Sora turned to Riku with a grin. “Let’s go Riku, me and you!”

“Sure. If you wanna lose.”

After picking up some wooden swords from the seaside shack, the two faced each other on the “dueling ground”. Everyone else was just as excited to watch, even if the result was predictable. Sora and Riku just carried so much energy whenever they competed, it was hard not to get pumped.

Wakka gave the go-ahead and Sora charged.

Riku stepped out of the way and jabbed Sora in the arm. Sora paid that no mind and went at Riku again. The swords met with a clack, over and over, all while the two boys smiled and threw taunts around. Then suddenly, Riku made a swift and powerful swing. Sora’s sword leaped out of his hand, spun in the air and landed point down in the sand.

“Sora’s disarmed, Riku wins!” Wakka announced.

Everyone else had unsurprised looks, but Kairi smiled at Sora. Even though this was the result nine times out of ten in every competition, she admired how he kept trying regardless, so she always did what she could to show her appreciation for him.

“Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that.” Riku had a different approach.

“Hmph… Let’s go again!”

“No way, you always lose Sora. It’s no fun watching!” Ryukku complained. She was a blonde girl with a high ponytail. “Hey Kairi, why don’t you fight?”

Kairi shook her head. “There’s no need, I don’t like fighting all that much.”

“C’mon, don’t back down!” Tidus grabbed his pole and went to the dueling ground. “Take me on!”

She tried to deny it, but everyone else started chanting her name. Finally, Sora came in and offered her his wooden sword.

“Just give it a shot,” he said with an encouraging smile.

She couldn’t say no to him. She took his sword and went to meet Tidus. Before the match started, he turned to their audience with a cocky smile.

“This win is for you, Yuna!”

Her bicolored eyes widened, she covered her burning cheeks and gave him a little smile. Ryukku laughed and nudged her, while Selphie sighed and said, “What a gentleman.” Kairi smiled at her friends’ excitement.

“GO!” Wakka’s voice started the match.

Tidus lost no time and swung at Kairi. His attacks were slow and predictable, easy for Kairi to dodge, but she only swung back haphazardly at him once or twice. On the third time, she was disarmed.

“Ha ha! I win!”

Everyone cheered for him, Yuna even clapped. Tidus ran to her and asked if she saw how good he was, and Kairi smiled despite her loss.

“Don’t be upset, Kairi,” Sora comforted her when she joined them. “You did great.”

“I’m not upset,” she assured, and she wasn’t lying. “Like I said, I don’t find fighting so fun.”

Riku frowned at her. Before she could ask what was wrong, he grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the dueling ground.

“Riku?! What are you—”

He stood a few meters from her and raised his wooden sword. “We’re fighting.”

“What!?” Her surprise was mirrored by everyone else. “But I don’t—”

“You’re wide open!”

Kairi barely parried his strike. She took a few steps back but Riku quickly closed the distance and swung, so she jumped out of the way. He wasn’t gonna let her walk out of it.

“Come on, Kairi,” he said. “I know you’re stronger than this.”

From the sidelines, Sora jumped and shouted like crazy. “Go, Kairi! I know you can do it! Just do your best!”

Hearing him cheer for her lit something inside Kairi. She gripped her sword harder and took on a proper stance. Riku smiled and came at her again. This time, she met his sword with a firm guard.

She continued blocking and dodging, but she wasn’t running away. This was how she fought, a defensive style that tired her opponent until she found an opening or weakness to take advantage of. She wasn’t a powerhouse like Riku or a well of energy like Sora, so she had to make do with her agility and creativity.

But Riku was the best of them for a reason. His moves weren’t just strong, they were quick and precise. Kairi didn’t think she could tire him down before he disarmed her. She’d have to create an opening herself. Fortunately, she’d watched him fight for years.

She put some distance between them and Riku closed it with a thrust like she expected. Kairi threw her body backward and cried as if she lost her balance. But when Riku’s hand was furthest from his body, she planted her hands on the sand, raised her feet and kicked his sword away.

For a moment, no one said a thing. They just stared at the fallen sword. Then Sora erupted into cheers and the rest of them followed suit.

“That was awesome!”

“It was like a martial arts move!”

“Where did you learn that?”

Sora all but tackled her into a hug, which made her heart skip a beat. She was so happy though, she paid it no mind.

“I knew you could do it!” he said. “You’re amazing, Kairi!”

“Thanks, Sora,” she replied with a giddy smile.

Riku had a neutral expression. When Kairi looked toward him though, he gave a rare genuine smile, the kind reserved for her and Sora alone.

“Man, I can’t believe I beat someone who beat Riku,” Tidus commented cheekily. “Does that make me the strongest on the island?”

The smile dropped from Riku’s face and he stared Tidus down with intense eyes. “Wanna test it?”

Ten seconds. That’s how long it took for Tidus to be disarmed. Nobody even cheered, they just told him not to worry about it.

“Huh. Funny,” said Wakka. “Tidus can’t beat Riku, but Kairi can. And Tidus can beat her.”

“You win some, you lose some, I guess,” said Ryukku.

Kairi and Sora looked at Riku with worry. It wasn’t like him to be that serious during a duel. They competed for fun, not for show.

There was a twinge in Kairi’s heart.

“Kairi, Sora,” Riku called. “Let’s go back to work.”

“Alright. See you later, guys!”

“Wait, what work?” Wakka’s question went unheard as the three ran off.

Selphie put her hands on her hips. “Those three are up to something.”

“Must be why we barely see them these days,” said Yuna.

“Well, as long as they have Riku, they’ll be fine,” said Tidus.

“Aw, I want to be in on it too!” Ryukku protested.

Back with the three in question, Sora still wasn’t over his friends’ duel.

“And the way you waited until the last second and then kicked Riku’s sword like a ninja! It was so cool!”

“Your fight was cool too, Sora,” said Kairi.

“Thanks, but I lost. Like usual…”

“I think you’re really cool for fighting even though you lose. That’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.”

Sora’s smile became even cuter when he was blushing. “Thanks a lot, Kairi. You really know how to make a guy feel better.”

Now it was Kairi’s turn to blush. “It’s nothing. And besides, I lost to Tidus too.”

“It’s easy to lose when you’re trying to,” Riku said sharply.

Kairi and Sora turned to him. “What do you mean?”

“Cut it out, Kairi. I know you lost on purpose.”

She looked away. “What makes you think that?”

“Because you’re good and I know it,” he said. “The girl I fought wouldn’t go down that easily. You let Tidus win.”

Kairi didn’t say anything. Sora came into her field of vision with a curious expression.

“Is that true, Kairi?” Blast, why did he make it so hard to lie?

“He was much happier than I’d be winning. Yuna was too.”

“So you let Tidus win to show off to Yuna?” Riku asked skeptically.

“Yeah, I did,” she admitted. “Now can we go back to the raft?”

Her friends gave her looks but didn’t say anything. She was thankful for that.

They resumed work on the raft. All that was missing now was the sail and some reinforcements to the hull. Riku and Sora got to work on the reinforcements with planks, and Kairi went back to sewing the sail.

A few hours later, she got up to move to a different spot. Riku and Sora asked where she was going and she said she wanted to take in more sunlight. Since hills cut the island in the middle with the cove facing east, there was naturally less sunlight in the later hours of the afternoon, so it was a believable excuse.

Kairi headed to the seaside shack, away from anyone’s sight. Once she made sure she was alone, she uncovered the paint cans and brushes she hid there for this exact moment, lay down the already sewn sail and got to work.

When she rejoined her friends, the sky was beginning to turn orange and the raft was practically finished. The only thing missing was in her hands.

“There you are,” Riku said upon her arrival. “What took you so long? I hope you weren’t slacking off again.”

“Sorry,” Kairi said. “It just took a while to include the final touches.”

She unfolded the sail to reveal her surprise: three emblems painted on the white fabric, one yellow and two light grey — the closest she could get to golden and silver. Riku and Sora marveled at her work and compared it to the emblems they wore.

Riku’s was just like the golden pin attached to his right wristband: an anchor with a rope around the shank and a nautical star in front of the right arm. Sora’s was a simple three-pointed crown identical to the pendant around his neck. Kairi also wore her emblem in a necklace, though hers was much more elaborate and took the longest to draw. A heart with a feathered wing on the left side and vines of flowers entwined around the right.

“Since we built the raft with our own hands, I figured we should sign it,” Kairi explained. “So I thought of including symbols from our families. Or just our past.”

She added that last bit after Sora looked down and fiddled with his chain, his last reminder of wherever he came from.

“I also thought of a name.” Her friends eyed her with curiosity at that. “Destiny Voyager.”

“Destiny Voyager?” Sora echoed. “Because we’re from Destiny Islands and going on a voyage?”

“Well, yes, but not just that. People say the Voyager was the name of Koa’s boat. And with our raft, we can sail the entire Ocean, just like he did. Go wherever we choose, while still remembering that this is our home. We can make our own destinies.”

For a moment, Riku and Sora stared speechless at her. They soon smiled though. It wasn’t unlike Kairi to say something like that, a bit corny perhaps, but completely earnest.

“That’s such a cool name!” said Sora, another big proponent of such attributes.

“Doesn’t sound bad,” Riku agreed in his cool manner. Kairi beamed at their support.

Together, the three tied the sail to the mast and marveled at their creation, finally complete after weeks of work. Kairi and Sora thought it looked perfect. Riku was pretty satisfied too, but then he noticed something that made him raise an eyebrow.

“Hey Kairi. Why is Sora’s symbol above ours?”

Indeed, the crown was slightly higher than the anchor and the heart, but that hadn’t been a mistake.

“It’s because he’s Sora,” she said.

When she was a child, her mother taught her some words in her grandparents’ language and explained the meaning behind each of their names. Sora for sky, riku for land, and kai from the word for sea. Around the same time, her grandmother told her of the importance of each of the three domains that made up the Islands.

“The Sky carries the wind that blows our sails and the stars we use to tell where we’ve been and where we’re going,” she continued. “Like how Sora shows us the way to new and old places.”

He puffed out his chest proudly at her explanation. Kairi giggled while Riku played it cool.

“So basically, he’s an airhead.”

“Riku, stop teasing me!”

As Sora complained, Riku just smirked. He had always been hard to faze, steadfast and reliable.

“The Land gives us ground to stand on and take shelter in. And Riku keeps us safe and focused when times are rough.”

So long as we take care of him, she thought but didn’t say it, knowing he wouldn't like it.

“Then what does Kairi do?” Riku asked. Before she could shrug her role off, Sora spoke:

“Kairi makes it all possible. After all, the Ocean connects us to everything out there.”

He really thought that about her? Her cheeks felt warm at the mere thought. Riku looked sideways.

When they returned to the seashore, it was just the three of them again. Even though they were old enough to go to the Playing Island alone, they were always instructed to return before dark. Still, Riku, Sora and Kairi agreed to stay to watch the sunset. So they headed for their favorite spot, a crooked tree on an islet accessed via a wooden bridge, and sat on the trunk. Kairi sat in the middle, with Sora to her right and Riku to the left. For her, there was no better place to watch the sky go from blue to orange as the sun settled on the Ocean’s embrace. They’d done this countless times over the years, and she still loved it.

As she was absorbed in the sight, Sora started humming. He often hummed when he was distracted — which was frequently — and it was always the same tune. He couldn’t remember where he heard it. A thought crossed Kairi’s mind.

“Hey, Sora.” He stopped humming and turned to her. “Maybe you learned that song of yours in your original home.”

“Maybe…” He smiled sadly and fiddled with his chain again.

“Do you miss it?” Riku asked.

“I’m not sure I can miss a place I don’t remember,” Sora admitted. “It mostly feels weird not knowing where I’m from, even if this is my home. But sometimes… I wonder if there’s someone there who misses me. Someone I can’t even remember…”

Kairi placed a hand on Sora’s shoulder and offered a sympathetic smile. This gesture lightened his unusually solemn mood and he found it in him to smile too.

“But still, whatever brought me here, it brought me to you guys. So even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing. And who knows… If coming here made me meet you two, then imagine how many friends are out there that we haven’t met yet!”

“That’s a really sweet sentiment, Sora,” Kairi said.

“Tch. That’s so like you.”

“What’s THAT supposed to mean?” Sora asked. “What about you, Riku? What do you want to do out there?”

Riku went silent for a moment. An old memory of these very shores came to him.

(“Outside this tiny world, there’s a much bigger one,” the stranger said, smiling down at him. He had an air of strength the young Riku had never seen before. He wondered if the stranger also had something he wanted to protect.)

“I’ve been thinking… If there really are as many worlds out there as there are stars in the sky, then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. I want to see what this greater World is. If we just sit here doing nothing, then nothing will change. So let’s do something different. It’s like you said, Kairi. We’ll make our own destinies.”

Sora and Kairi shared looks, not sure what to make of Riku’s words. Even for him, it all sounded weirdly serious.

“You’ve been thinking a lot lately, haven’t you?” Kairi broke the silence.

“I just don’t want to remain stagnant my whole life. Keeping still is the same as going backward.” There was a brief pause, and then Riku looked at her. “What about you, Kairi? What do you want to do?”

“Me?”

Kairi took in the world around her. She saw the ocean, the beach, the sky, heard the waves crashing and the seagulls settling down for the night, felt the salty breeze and the last rays of the sun. She thought of everything else her senses couldn’t reach, the town, her family, their friends, all the other islands. All the little pieces of something greater. Something wonderful.

Kairi held Sora and Riku’s hands and pulled them closer. With the two there, the picture was complete.

“Maybe we’ll meet new friends, and maybe things will change. But I hope that in the end, we can still come back here. Together.”

Her friends returned her smile and the three went back to watching the sunset. No more words were exchanged. They didn’t need to be.

Sora was the first to leave minutes later, hopping off the tree to pick up his things. “Sorry guys, but I promised Vanille I’d go home by six. See ya tomorrow!”

Riku and Kairi waved him goodbye until he broke into running. Kairi watched him stumble on the sand on his way to the docks. As she did, she inadvertently started caressing her own right hand — the one that held Sora’s moments prior.

“We better head back as well,” Riku said, hopping off as well.

“Yeah…”

But instead of going, Kairi stayed on the tree. In a half-conscious act, she reached for one of the yellow star-like fruits growing and held it, her gaze shifting between it and Sora.

Her gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Riku. His heart stinging, he spoke amicably:

“And what’s with the Paopu fruit?”

“You know I like them. ‘A bloom of love sowed with an oath, nurtured and kept by friendship’. Grandma used to tell me that story all the time. It says that if you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like them, you’ll always find your way back to each other. And if you share them with someone you really care about…” Her eyes were dreamy and her cheeks flushed. “That’s an oath to remain a part of each other’s lives, no matter what. A way of saying they are your destiny.”

Riku clenched his fists and put on a playful smile.

“So what? Don’t tell me you have a crush.”

Now Kairi’s whole face was red as if she was about to faint. “Wh-What?! No! Of course I don’t!!”

“Oh, I think you do. You’re into someone and want to share a Paopu with them before we leave. Who is it?”

“NO ONE! It’s no one! I’m not into anyone!”

Riku closed his eyes and cupped his chin as if thinking very hard. “Hmm, there’s Ryukku, Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, Yuna… Or how about my cousin Noct? I know you find him hot.”

“No! I can find someone hot without having a crush on them!”

“Wait… Don’t tell me… Is it me or Sora?”

“WHAT?! N-NO! Stop, I told you it’s nothing like that!” Kairi covered her face with her hands. Smirking, Riku played along.

“Relax, I’m just joking. There’s no way you’re into one of us, right?”

“R-Right! There’s no way.”

“Just had to be sure. We’re setting sail soon. Once we leave, it’ll be just the three of us. If it turned out one of us has this kind of feeling for another, it’d be weird, don’t you think?”

Kairi lowered her head. “Yeah. It would.”

“Anyway, I’m heading back. You should come too.”

“In a minute,” she said.

As Riku walked away, Kairi got off the tree and approached the edge of the islet while gazing at the Paopu fruit. With a heavy sigh, she dropped the fruit into the ocean and watched it sink before turning away.

~♡~

Already at nighttime, Sora and Vanille prepared for dinner. No walls separated the kitchen, dining and living room, so the two could chat while Sora set up the table and Vanille put grilled cheese sandwiches on the stove. When he told her that Riku had challenged Kairi to a sword fight, Vanille turned away from the stove to give him her undivided attention.

“He challenged her out of nowhere!” said Sora. “At first Kairi was in trouble, but then she began standing her ground in that awesome way of hers when no one can land a hit! And then just as it looked like she was about to lose, she disarmed Riku with a cartwheel! I’d never seen anything like it!”

As he spoke, he remembered Riku’s accusation and Kairi’s admission that she threw the previous match with Tidus so he could have a moment with Yuna. The memory made his smile widen.

“Man, Kairi is so cool. She’s strong, smart, fun, and she’s always doing everything she can to make people happy.”

“She certainly makes you happy,” Vanille said suddenly.

“Of course she does! She’s my best friend!”

Vanille gave him a knowing grin. “That she is. But are you sure you don’t want her to be something else? Something more than just a friend?”

It took Sora a moment to understand her implication. When he did, his face turned red.

“W-What?! No, no, I mean, where did you even get that idea?”

“Oh, don’t try to fool me, you’re an open book! And one I’ve known for over nine years now.”

He looked away, embarrassed. Vanille chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“It’s okay. Kairi’s a great girl and cares a lot for you. But if you really want something more with her, you gotta tell her.”

“You really think so?”

Vanille opened her mouth to answer but stopped when she noticed a strange smell in the air. Sora looked behind her in horror.

“Vanille, the grilled cheese!”

There was smoke coming out of the frying pan where she had left their dinner. Vanille cried and hurried to turn the stove off, but it was too late. What was originally a sandwich now looked more like a lump of coal.

“Sorry I distracted you…” Sora said.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she assured. “How about we get takeout again?”

“Yep. Takeout sounds great.”

~♡~

The palm leaves moved at a sluggish pace. Clusters of small houses sprawled through the hills like pebbles on a road. All the way down, a sabulous beach met an ocean that went on forever.

Riku’s entire world fit on the frame of his window. He could see all matter of life on Destiny Islands while sitting on his bed. It was a trite view, it had been for quite some time, but Riku took comfort in the fact that he didn’t have to bear it alone.

Soon he wouldn’t have even that.

(“That’s an oath to remain a part of each other’s lives, no matter what. A way of saying they are your destiny.”)

Kairi’s words buzzed in his head so much they threatened to tear a hole through his skull. His heart ached at the thought of his two closest friends holding out Paopu fruits to each other, delighting in some unmatched intimacy that was their alone, all while Riku could only watch from afar. Next thing he knew they were locking lips. His stomach twisted at the idea and he cursed his imagination for subjecting him to it.

A creaking sound broke through his thoughts. The door opened and a head of silver hair peeked inside. His mother.

“Hey.” Her voice was low, as if she were speaking to a cornered animal. “There’s some leftover pasta in the fridge. How do you feel about mac and cheese again?”

“Whatever. It’s fine,” Riku said without looking at her.

Instead of leaving, she stepped into the room.

His mother was a slim woman with a face partially obscured by strands of hair loose from her long braid. She wore old patched-up clothes in hopes of saving extra money to buy good materials to make Riku’s clothes. The golden earring on her left ear had the same emblem as the one on her son’s wristband.

“Are you sure it's fine?” she asked. Like Kairi and Sora, she always seemed to know when something was wrong with him.

“Yeah.” He still didn’t make eye contact.

“Do you want anything else?”

“No, I’m all good.”

“If there’s something I can get you, I’d be happy to—”

“I said I’m good, Mom!” Riku snapped. “Just go already!”

His mother froze for a moment. Her shocked expression soon shifted, first to one of worry, and then helplessness at the wall between her and her son.

As if to try and pierce through that wall, she sat on the bed, tucked some strands of hair behind his ear and held his face gently. This time, Riku met her eyes. They were the same tint of bluish-green as his, tired too from the everyday stress. Yet even after all the struggle and heartbreak life had subjected her to, they revealed a hidden spark, a sort of quiet strength Riku didn’t fully understand.

“Look, I know the last few years have been hard and I haven’t always been the most present parent. But I want you to know that I am here, and you can talk to me about anything that’s bothering you.”

Riku leaned his head on his mother’s hand, the warmth of her touch soothing his mind and his heart. But in some deep corner, the ache persisted. His mother’s affection was familiar and comfortable. It made him feel at ease like a little boy again, in a world that was small and safe. But didn’t he want the opposite? Didn’t he want to leave that safe and stifling place and go into a larger world, away from someone else’s wing?

Didn’t he want independence?

He turned away from his mother’s touch. She gave a heavy sigh and headed for the exit.

“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” she added before closing the door.

A twinge of shame crept in when he heard how distressed she sounded, but Riku continued gazing stubbornly out the window. At an unchanging world that trapped its residents with an endless moat of saltwater. And in that prison, people deliberately chose to further chain themselves with meaningless promises of love and a life spent together. And those who had no one to tie themselves to were left behind and forgotten.

His hand met glass when he tried to reach out. Somewhere out there, either beyond the sea or among the stars, was a World bigger than anything he could imagine. If only he could reach that place, then he wouldn’t be trapped anymore. If only Kairi and Sora also had meaningful things to see and do instead of leading an aimless life in the same static place, they wouldn’t want to be together so badly.

“This place is the problem,” Riku said solemnly. “This world is just too small.”

~♡~

Kairi laid out Thalassa seashells, threads of flax, a small block of wood, and tools for sewing and carving on the dining table, then took a seat. While waiting for the front door to open, she picked up the flax and began weaving them into a braid. It was a stiffer material than what she normally used, but a lifetime of crafting had made her a skilled artisan.

She was so lost in her weaving that it surprised her when her grandmother suddenly sat by her side. She had completely forgotten she was in the room too.

The old woman’s smile carried all the warmth of a tray of freshly baked cookies. The scent that stuck to her dress was just as comforting, a mixture of all the herbs and flowers from her garden with a slight touch of flour and cinnamon. She always wore an apron and her grey hair tied in a high bun as if to tell the world that despite her advanced age, she was still kicking.

“I see you’re making Wayfinders,” Grandma said, looking at the materials on the table. She raised an eyebrow when she realized there were only ten shells. “Are these for Riku and Sora? Why not for yourself?”

“Well, it’s hard to find shells of the same color and size, let alone five of them. And I know how important it is to use Thalassa shells. So I’m making theirs first.”

Her grandma nodded in understanding and watched Kairi work. She had watched over her like this since the day she was born. It was amazing how two people could enjoy each other’s company for so long.

A ringing broke their comfortable silence. Kairi and her grandmother looked at the telephone with uncertainty before Kairi went to pick it up.

“Hayazaki Amada residence. How may I help you?”

“Kairi?” her mother’s voice answered. “It’s so good to hear you!”

“It’s good to hear you too, Mom. But why are you calling? I thought you and Dad were on your way home.”

“Oh, right…” Kairi didn’t like the dismay in her mother’s voice. “Some unexpected things showed up and… They need us here in Origo Island. We’ll probably stay a few more days to help them sort everything out.”

Kairi’s heart sank. They weren’t coming again. Something stung in the back of her eyes but she held it back. She wasn’t about to cry like a little kid because of some petty grievance. She put on a smile and hoped her voice wouldn’t betray her disappointment.

“I understand. Those people need your help. You guys have got to do everything you can for them. Grandma and I will wait for you.”

“Oh, dear. We are so blessed to have you for a daughter.”

The two said their goodbyes and then her mother ended the call. Kairi put the handset on the base and her smile fell. Her grandmother’s disappointment was plain on her face.

“They’re not coming, are they?”

Kairi shook her head. Her grandma gave a heavy sigh and shared a sympathetic look. But then a spark flashed through her eyes and she smiled.

“I’ve got something that might cheer you up.”

Kairi waited in the living room while her grandma went to her room. She returned moments later with something small wrapped in gift paper.

“I was talking to Vanille the other day and she told me Sora asked her for crafting tools and building materials. And when I talked to Fuyuko, she told me Riku asked for any leftover fabric she might have. Some time later, you were in the yard bleaching and measuring pieces of cloth. Isn’t that curious?”

Kairi’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know about the raft, did she? Had they been that obvious the whole time?

“After that I thought, those three must be up to something,” Grandma continued. “I wasn’t sure what though, until Vanille was cleaning Sora’s room and found a drawing of a boat with three people and the words ‘our raft’ above it.”

“Damit, Sora!” Kairi cursed under her breath. For as fond as she was of him, he was a pretty lousy secret keeper.

Now it was too late. Grandma, Vanille and maybe even Riku’s mom knew about their plan and would probably forbid them from going through with it. That’s what Riku feared would happen at least, and what he told Sora and Kairi to convince them to keep the raft a secret.

But instead of scolding her or even scowling at her, her grandma just chuckled and handed her the bundle. Confused and anxious, Kairi opened it and uncovered a burgundy-colored notebook. Golden letters had been embroidered on the cover, forming phrases in the language her grandma and her father sometimes spoke. After struggling a bit to decipher the words, Kairi realized they were the lyrics of a song her grandma used to sing her to sleep.

“‘What is written in me will be kept with me, if it pleases you. Life always goes on, what can we do? I only ask you one favor, if you will. Don’t forget me in a corner somewhere.’”

Kairi looked at her smiling grandmother and felt like crying. She all but threw herself at the woman, squeezing her in the biggest hug she could give.

“Thank you so much, Grandma! I’ll never forget!”

Her grandma returned the hug with one arm and ran her fingers through Kairi’s hair with the other. Some tears escaped her eyes as she did. It felt like so little ago, she could cradle the girl before her in her arms.

“On the road ahead, you’ll encounter all sorts of people and places that will shape who you are. Those connections you forge will lead you to your destiny. There will be hurdles and hardships along the way, but you must press on. As long as you keep moving forward, you’re bound to find many wonderful things.”

She moved away just enough to look at Kairi’s face.

“Whatever you find on that road, I just hope you’ll continue the kind and loving Kairi I love so much.”

Kairi made an affirmative noise in response. More than imagining what the road ahead might hold though, she was just happy to be in the arms of someone she loved.

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