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It was hard to believe they could ever adjust to their old lives again. It was all so surreal, being spirited away by darkness itself and setting off onto a journey to rid not just their world, but many, of evil. The sights they’d seen, the battles they’d fought, and the friends they’d come to care so much for…
It was hard to not ache with the thought of knowing the connections that could unite them were gone, probably forever.
Yet somehow, the trio managed. Kairi had had more time back on the islands than Sora or Riku, and she wasn’t at all bothered with explaining to them how things had changed in their absence. Kairi was simply happy to finally have her two best friends in all the worlds back. But even after all that time separated form each other, confronting their own fears and concerns, some things never changed…
“Come on Riku! You can do better than that!”
While their personalities had changed little, some things about their home had, like the new sport the others had came up in their absence. Since they had no idea of your concept of surfing, dear reader, they merely referred to the activity as riding the waves, or Wave Riding. Their own versions of surfboards, being pieces of wood with rounded fronts, were shorter than what a knowledgeable person like yourself would expect. Nonetheless, both Riku and Sora had excelled at this sport a soon as they were back home. It wasn’t long before they fell back into the routine of their lives on the island. They were growing up, and their world seemed just that much smaller, but still all three had an ache in their hearts for adventure, for wonder, and for surprises. All three still wondered every day and every night just what they might have found had they had the chance to use the raft they built so long ago.
“Oh yeah? Watch this!”
The two still tried to best each other at every turn. So far, Riku was showing up Sora’s wave riding by doing a handstand as he skimmed across the waves. Sora did not look amused. Tidus and Wakka were there as well, skimming along the waves like Riku while passing Wakka’s blitz ball back and forth between each other; Wakka had a knack for making the ball skip across the water like a flat stone. Selphie and Kairi watched from the shore, the boy having claimed dibs on the few boards they'd brought with them, but the girl’s were content with sitting back for now.
Well, at least Selphie was. Kairi was just itching to show up both her pals with her own skill. The two Keyblade wielders weren’t the only ones around here to change quite a bit. They’d been out here for most of the afternoon, curious how neither Kairi nor Riku, the palest of the group, seemed to burn under the constant sun. Maybe it was because of the clouds steadily blowing in. The weather fluctuated quite a bit on the island; it had done so ever since they came back. Not that it was that much of a bother. It was just a bit of rain here and there, nothing to truly worry about.
Selphie shut her book abruptly as a few large raindrops fell across the pages. She sighed, apparently enjoying her novel, before gathering up her things.
“I’ll see you later, Kairi.” She told her friend, “I want to get under a roof before the sky falls."
Kairi stood up to tell her good-bye properly, and to call to the others. All four of those boys were always so reckless, that had definitely stayed the same.
"Sora, Riku! Come on, the weather's not look so good! We'd better get going!"
"You too, guys! Get your scrawny butts out of the ocean."
"Ah, lighten up, Selphie!" Wakka laughed, tossing his blitzball under his leg at Tidus, who caught it just as easily, "It's just'a bit o' rain! Not like you're gonna melt!"
"Well, Kairi won't but I can't say the same about Selphie!" Tidus snickered.
"What did you say? Come over here and tell it to my face, you scrawny piece of seaweed!" Selphie shouted back. The other boys laughed heartily, knowing the blond boy would probably be beaten senseless once he got back to shore. A steady thunder rumbled across the sky, causing them all to look up.
"But... Selphie's gotta bit of a point." Wakka pointed out, "Might be best if we did get outta soon. Things are startin' to look a bit nasty out here."
"You guys can go in now if you want!" Sora said, grinning from ear to ear, "But I have to beat Riku first! I can do better than that."
"Why try? You're fighting a losing battle, Sora." Riku shrugged smugly.
"I'll never give up!" The brunette shot back, shaking his fist.
"Try if you want, but I'm going back to the beach now too. Someone has to be responsible enough to help Kairi clean up." Riku teased. Sora puffed up his cheeks comically as he thought of what to do.
"Okay, one more try, and then I come help too." He proposed, holding up one finger.
"Deal, but hurry or we'll leave you!" Riku replied, paddling back towards shore, "Hurry up, slowpoke!"
Sora grinned as he waited for Riku to get back to shore. He wanted to be sure his friend saw what he was going to do to settle who was the best wave rider here today. Of course, he wanted to hit one of the much bigger waves before they shrunk down into the midget waves that splashed along the island. He'd have to move out much farther for that!
"What is he doing?" Kairi asked, watching him paddle away. Riku had just arrived at the shore.
"He said he wanted to try and do something better than me, why?"
"Because if he keeps going that way, we're going to lose sight of him."
Riku wheeled around, sand and sea water flying from loose stands of hair.
"Man, the waves are big back there! What's he thinking?" Wakka added, cupping his hand over his eyes to look farther.
"You're going to far!" Riku shouted, waving one of his hands, "Sora! It's not safe! Sora!"
Sora glanced back to see many of his friends waving at him or yelling through cupped hands. He could make out his own name, but he was too far to really hear them.
But to Sora, he was in the perfect position. Any wave that came back here would probably shoot Sora all the way back to shore. With this, he could do several tricks before it died down, not just one or two like the others. He could almost see Riku's smug look being wiped off. Then they'd go home and enjoy some good home cooking, probably at Kairi's, and then they, meaning Riku, Wakka, Tidus, and himself, would' probably have an eating contest. Yes, it would be a good ending to the day.
Too bad Sora was now aware of the fact he wouldn't be walking back to the shore today.
Sora heard the distant rumble of the waves coming closer, growing, and surging towards the tiny island. For a while he'd been kneeling on the board, sitting on the backs of his legs while leaning forward and paddling with his hands. Now that he could see the wave beginning to grow, he carefully got to his feet, testing the movements of the water and matching it as he rose into a low, crouched position. It was just the angle he needed to control the board beneath his feet. He looked back at the shore, his friends still yelling and possibly egging him on, and waved back. He'd be seeing them soon, and then they could all go home together.
The water beneath him dipped suddenly, making way for the wave to come forth. Sora tensed and moved with it, not anticipating the churning water to descend so rapidly. This wave was going to be big! Sora couldn't help but grin broadly, to him this was going to be so awesome.
The crest formed first, slowly before picking up and growing far past Sora's height, even farther than he could ever recall jumping. The board began to move back with it, sucked up into the surge. Sora crouched lower, holding it straight with one hand and peddling with the other to level himself out at the proper spot to stand. The wave began picking up speed, he could feel his short hair, spiky despite moisture, whipping against his face as he moved against the current of the wind. A few short moments later and he was on his feet, his heart racing with adrenaline and joy.
The pure excitement of the moment took tight hold of him. He angled his board to the side slightly, going higher and higher against the front of the wave as he beat a path forward. He reached out with his fingers and felt a sting as they skimmed across the surface. He knew it was real then, this seemed so surreal that he could do this. Even after the events of the past two years there were still some things, while as simplistic as this, that amazed him. This definitely topped the list he'd mentally planned out.
He mimicked Riku's earlier motions by doing a handstand on his board, but he added his own twist by lifting one hand away. He knees were slightly curled, his whole body shaking as the wind threatened to knock his lanky form aside.
From the shore, the others seemed to have lost their voices. They were all still surprised to see their friend skimming across a massive wave without a care in the world. Riku was the first to interrupt their stunned silence. He could foresee something they'd yet to notice.
"Get up into the tree house." He said, grabbing Kairi's shoulder.
"What?"
"That wave's huge. We'll get washed out to sea if we stay on the beach, go get in the tree house. That should be high enough."
"What about Sora?"
"I'm going to go drag that idiot back myself." Riku answered, running into the coming sea foam without waiting for Kairi's reply. Those left on the beach watched as another of their friends plunged into the surf.
Meanwhile, Sora was preparing for the next part of his little trick. His legs were already bent, leaving him to wonder for a split second that if he lifted his head, could he scratch it with his toes. He banished that thought immediately as he placed his otherwise free hand back on the board. Normally, he would have gone flat onto his stomach before trying anything else. This time, he was going to flip forward, taking the path he feet were already facing, and stand right on the front tip of his board as it came to the shore. It'd be a great finish to what he was sure had already put Riku to shame.
So he went right into it. He feet continued forward as he pushed off with his hands. His thin body followed the path in a single fluid motion, his feet quickly touching back on the surface of the board...
And then suddenly he was airborne.
He'd gotten to close to the top of this massive wave. Just as he was to land, he reached the peak, which flicked him off the wave a human flicks away an insignificant insect. Sora's board was gone to him now, sent sailing higher than even he had gone. He waved his arms and legs wildly, trying to find purchase in the thin air, but there was nothing for him to get a hold onto now. He was too shocked, the air torn form his lungs with the sudden upheaval, to even yell in shock.
Sora and his board came down at the forward base of the wave. Sora fought valiantly to keep his head above water as he hit the icy waters, and for a while he was winning. Then, his board hit the water tip first and was sent spiraling across the way as it curled back into the ocean.
There was a resounding crack that puncture the air as he came down across the side of Sora's head. It was loud enough for Riku, and even the others back on the beach, to hear.
Both Kairi and Riku, two who were closer to Sora than perhaps anyone else, felt a momentary pain in their chests, in their hearts. Something was wrong, something had gone terribly, horribly wrong.
The instant Sora hit the water Kairi was off as well. She snatched away Wakka's board and followed after Riku. She didn't need to wait for their friend to disappear beneath the waves to know that he needed them desperately. The last three, unsure of what action to take, were herded up to the ladder to the tree house as Selphie took control of the situation from their stand point.
Riku was paddling through the water as furiously as he could. He arms screamed in protest as he urged the forward and against the waves. Many times he had to look away as the water splashed against his board and into his face. Repeatedly he shook his hair form his eyes, and every time he looked away he prayed in his heart that he was still looking at the same spot he'd seen Sora gone under. He sputtered, spitting out the salty water as he continued to search for their friend who foolishly challenged the ocean.
Before he knew it, Kairi was beside Riku, her own thin arms slicing through the water expertly. Every breath of the icy air stung at her lungs, her energy seemed all but spent as she tried to keep up.
"Kairi! Go back to the beach!" Riku yelled, shocked to see her out here as well. She was a good swimmer, but her feared she'd be swept away as easily as Sora had been.
"No! He's my friend, too, Riku!" Kairi answered, eyes locked ahead.
"You'll get swept away! You have to go back now!" He retaliated, reaching out to grab her arm. Kairi twisted around him and continued forward.
"I can't just sit by and wait again, Riku! If we wait, there might not being anything left to wait for!"
For a second, he thought she'd fallen off her board into the water, but it was not the case. She'd willingly dove into the rumbling ocean, fearful for her friends more than her own safety.
The water had become oddly dark in the wake of the coming storm, but Kairi could see him clearly now. Sora rolled limply underwater, the current of the water taking him where it wished. He hadn't varied far from the spot where he'd hit the water, but of course, any longer and his lungs were sure to be filled with water.
Ignoring the pain in her limbs, Kairi fought against the current to reach him. Sora's foot had become tangled in a tuft of seaweed, anchoring him in place. The current was aimed toward him, making it easier of Kairi as she swam towards him. Glancing back, she could see the bottom of Riku's board in the water, but he was going in the wrong direction.
At that point, Kairi has become acutely aware that she could not hold her breath in much longer, but if she surfaced again, it'd only take longer to get to Sora. He was already in trouble, a reddish haze swirling around his head as his right arm hung lazily above his head. Her lungs cried for air, but her vision was still clear. She pumped her arms and legs, almost close enough to touch her friend's limp arm, held up as if he was waving at her, just as before this had begun.
A sudden push of the underwater current caused Kairi to nearly be swept past Sora. She flung her arms out and caught onto his arm, the strands of seaweed around his ankle being the only thing at the moment to save them from being swept too far out to sea. She held on tightly, nails digging into her friend's skin, until the current changed directions and slowed. Kairi righted herself quickly and let go of Sora's arm to try and free him form the clump of seaweed. Frustrated, , she ripped the weeds right out of the ocean floor and wrapped her arms around Sora's middle. All she had to do was get him to the surface and hope he had the strength left in him to fill his lungs with air, not water.
Kairi kicked off from the bottom, her advancement slowed by he friend's weight. By now her lungs were on fire from a lack of oxygen. It seemed like ages since she'd last taken a breath. She was nearly there, she could see a glare from the bright, gray clouds above looming over her. Just a few more feet now, And Sora would be safe.
Then the current turned again, spinning the two around mercilessly. Kairi hung tight onto Sora, fearing he'd be taken away from her again. She shut her eyes as they spun head over heels. She was no longer sure where the surface of the water was, and the ocean water had forced its way into her lungs. She tried to cough, only to take him more salty water.
Thoughts raced through her mind; Sora, she had to help Sora, and Riku, they couldn't leave him alone. Not Riku, who'd face a loneliness that she and Sora never had. After what they'd all gone through, she wouldn't let something from their own home disrupt what they fought so hard for! She wouldn't allow it!
Kairi was suddenly yanked out of the water as something took hold of her under her arms, lifting both her and Sora easily. It was Riku, who'd found them just as the water current had spun the two out of control and leapt off his board to help. He hoisted them onto his board, watching with concern as Kairi coughed and spat out the water that had started to fill her lungs. The response to being out of the water was different for Sora. There was no response.
"Hold onto him!" Riku ordered, grabbing the back of his board as he propelled them back to shore. Kairi didn't need reminding, and held tightly to her friend to keep him from slipping off the board. The water on her face mixed with her tears as she sat there, Sora's cold and unmoving form in her arms. There were still traces of that broad smile on his face, his jovial attitude refused to leave him, even at a time like this.
Many of the larger waves had already hit shore before they had arrived, and part of their seaside shack had been swept away. Kairi found it hard to stand, her legs were sore from the time shed spent trying to get to Sora. Riku helped her carefully, the both of them taking hold of Sora’s arms and dragging him out of the water. The stopped just outside the entrance to their secret spot, the entrance now a tad bit small for them to go through. The planks of wood that marked the man-made walkways of their tree house provided a little cover from the rain. Sora was laid flat on his back, having yet to move. Kairi shook his shoulders firmly a few times, a steady wave of panic rising up her throat.
“Sora! Sora! Open your eyes!” Kairi begged, staring at his face. There was nothing there not. Not a faint twitch to his lips, not the tiniest sounds of a breath, nothing. Before she realized, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She looked to Riku, but he was in no better condition than she was. He was too shocked now, after their moment of action, to know what to do next. This was Sora after all… how could he just…?
“Riku!” Kairi said shrilly, “What do we do? Sora, he-”
“…I-I… Kairi, I think he’s-”
“Don’t say it! He’s not! He can’t be! Don’t even think it!” She shouted back. Riku couldn’t find it in himself to look at her or Sora any longer, even as Kairi threw her arms around him and cried more loudly than before. He couldn’t believe this was happening, he felt as if his mind was shutting down. This wasn’t really… it just couldn’t be… how cruel could fate really be, after everything they’d sacrificed, all they’d done!
It wasn’t fair!
“You are going to open your eyes! I won‘t let you go like this!” Riku heard behind him. Kairi was not only upset, but she sounded angry. Riku, still feeling a numbness creeping up his being, turned to see what had motivated her to speak so harshly.
Kairi was kneeling over Sora, both hands linked together and pushing down on his chest. She was trying to force the water out, it was the only thing she could think to do. As futile as it may have seemed, there was simply nothing left for them to do. Kairi was desperate to save his life.
“Kairi…” Riku began, reaching out. She was denying the reality of this, she was only making things worse for herself. Riku knew that.
“Kairi, he’s-”
“Don’t say it, Riku! “ She spat angrily, “Don’t say it! I’m not done yet!”
“Kairi, stop! He’s gone!” Riku told her, weakness lacing through him as the words escaped his lips. He’d always been the most sensible of the trio, but this was so difficult to acknowledge, he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t acting just like Kairi. He may have been the most sensible, but Kairi was the most caring… Sora…
He was the strongest.
“I won’t let him go, Riku!” She said, shaking her head as she continued to rhythmically press down on his chest. She felt his hand brush her arm, and jerked away, “Don’t touch me!”
Riku was surprised, pulling back his arm as if Kairi had just tried to bite him. Her tone was so full of anguish, so desperate and in so much pain. Riku kept the anguish he felt now in his heart, but Kairi perfectly reflected what he now bottled up.
But as violent as her yell was, it didn’t surprise Riku nearly as much as when a raspy gasp sudden came from Sora. It shocked Kairi so badly she nearly fell over backwards. Sora coughed more, torrents of clear water spurting from his throat. Riku grabbed his shoulder and turned him on his side to help him get the rest of the water out.. Kairi merely sat still now, her hands poised over her mouth.
“Sora…?”
The brunette continued to cough, gasping after finally emptying his lungs of water. He lay still as his breathing slowed to a normal pace, his eyes still shut, but both his friends didn’t care. They knew he was alive, he was alive!
“That was amazing.” Riku finally told her, “What did you…?”
“I-I don’t know, I just did the first thing that came into my mind.” Kairi answered, looking at her palms. She grinned crookedly, before turning Sora onto his back and allowing his head to rest in her lap instead of the hard ground, “But he… he’s…”
She began to cry more now, but the torrent of joyful tears easily drowned out all the others she’d shed that afternoon. Riku carefully wrapped his arms around her, comforting his friend as she sat there, shoulders hunched as they shook with her repressed cries. Kairi put her arms around Riku’s middle. Sora coughed again as the three of them rested there. They’d come so close to losing the peace they’d fought so hard for, and it’d left them shaken.
“L-Let’s move him somewhere else; out of the rain.” Kairi suggested, her lips trembling as she stalled her own tears, “He’ll get-!”
Kairi had only just touched Sora head when she saw a tinge of red gather on the tips of her fingers. Part of her leg bore the same substance.
“Riku, he’s bleeding!” Kairi said, lifting his head carefully.
“Wait here, I’ll go get the others to help.” Riku said, getting to his feet. He practically flew up the three house ladder to find Wakka and the others. Left alone with Sora, Kairi let him rest his head on her lap again. She didn’t want any dirt getting into the cut on his head.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” She whispered quietly as she straightened his hair. He noticed at that moment his necklace, his favored crown-shaped charm on a thick chain, was gone. Most likely, it was washed away when he fell into the ocean. Kairi shook her head, that didn’t matter as much as his own safety. It was just a silly necklace, it could be replaced. Sora murmured something incoherently as he slept, perking Kairi’s curiosity.
“Sora?” She asked quietly, “Sora, are you awake? Please say something.”
Sora seemed to fall back to into a deep sleep for a moment, his breaths slow and steady. Kairi sighed, feeling it’d likely be a while before he really woke up again. He deserved a good long nap after today.
“What are we going to do with you? I’m banning your from going near water for a month after this. Only the bathtub and nothing else.” She told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. He skin was still a bit cold.
“I hope Riku comes back soon, you’re going to catch a cold…” She added, glancing behind her.
Kairi suddenly jumped as something brushed her hand before squeezing it gently. Sora, he was holding her hand.
“Sora?”
A pair of bleary, ocean blue eyes stared up at her. He blinked a few times, feeling it was hard to focus when she looked to be upside down.
“Welcome back,” She whispered, grinning down at him. Sora still looked highly confused, and merely blinked a few more times.
“Kairi! Kairi, I got Wakka and Tidus. How is he?” Riku asked quickly.
“He woke up, come say hi!” Kairi replied excitedly, “He still seems a little dazed from his accident.”
“Nah, his is Sora… he’ll bounce back in no time.” Riku told her, secretly relieved.
“Man, Sora, you had all our hearts skippin’ beats when Kairi and Riku dragged you outta the water like that.”
Both Kairi and Sora soon found themselves surround as the other joined them. Since it seemed Sora was alright, they all relaxed greatly. The cut on his head seemed to be long gone.
“No more wave riding for you after this, eh?” Tidus joked, grinning heartily.
“He’s lucky if we let him near a wading pool.” Kairi told him, “What you did was really dumb, Sora, you could have gotten killed!”
Sora said nothing as he continued to stare at them all with a dumbfounded expression. Kairi was getting worried again. She squeezed his hand tightly.
“Sora? Say something, you’re scaring me.”
Sora raised his other hand and put it to his head. He looked to be in pain.
“Oh, your head must still hurt. Let me borrow our bandana, Wakka. Sora cut his head.”
“No problem.” Wakka said, whipping of the blue cloth he routinely wore around his head. Kairi carefully tied it on, covering the cut on the side of his head.
“Better?”
“Who…?” Sora moaned, hand still on his face.
“What? It’s you. Do you feel any better?” Kairi repeated. Sora moved his hand away, looking up at her again. Kairi remembered the look he’d given her when their island was restored, separating her from her two closest friend for more than a year. She remembered the look in his eyes when they finally found each other in the castle controlled by Organization XIII. He’d always had a kind look, even as a child, when he looked at her.
Except for now. Now… Sora merely looked bewildered. His usual light seemed… gone. What he said next felt like someone had just tried to rip her beating heart out of her chest.
“No…Am I… am I…” He said slowly. He blinked a few more times, looking to all of his friends around him.
“…Sora? And… who are all of you? “
