Riku's Journey

Chapter 1

summary: We saw Sora's mission through Kingdom Hearts, through his eyes but now it's time for the true keyblade ruler to be in the spotlight. This is his story.

"Sora!"The young blue-haired boy ran up to his friend, a wooden sword on his hip. He couldn't have been more than ten. His long silverish blue hair shone as he ran. "Sora! I found a secret passage! Come check it out!"The other boy, Sora, had short brown hair and baby blue eyes the color of the sea which surrounded his tiny home. Sora smiled and stood up brushing the sand off his shorts. Sora followed Riku who was so excited he could barely contain himself.

"Really Riku! Show me!"the two young boys ran along the beach just as the sun was setting and finally stood beside a waterfall. A small entrance was covered immensely with vines so that it was hidden quiet well. Riku crawled inside and Sora followed. Once inside Sora was aghast and Riku put his hands on his hips, a smile on his face. "This is amazing!" His eyes went from the many rocks and finally landed on a wooden door with yellow markings around the edges. Sora walked over to it followed by Riku, both of there eyes were filled with intense curiosity. Sora reached for the door handle but there wasn't one, not even an indication that there was ever a knob. Riku traced the markings with his finger, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. "Where do you suppose it leads to?"Riku shrugged and looked to his friend.

"I don't know. It wont open. I've already tried."Both of the boys looked at the door a final time before yawning.

"We'll check it out more tomorrow. Lets go home."Sora and Riku left the cave and stepped into the cool night air. Riku smiled and closed his eyes, letting the chilling wind blow the hair from his eyes. He loved to be outside. Being inside constantly was like a prison, he had such a free spirit. He and Sora walked towards the small boats that would take them home. "You okay Riku?" Riku stopped on the beach and looked towards the ocean, his thoughts wondering.

"Have you ever wondered...if there's more here than this island? There can't just be us...were did we come from? Where did our parents come from?"Sora joined his friend and placed a hand on Riku's shoulder.

"Other places? I've...I've never really thought about it."Riku shrugged and continued towards the dock were there boats were tied.

"Never mind...my head has a habit of running away."

Riku paddled the wooden boat towards the small island were his home and family was. He stopped paddling and looked down at the dark water. He removed his glove and touched the surface of the glassy sea. His eyes strained to see the mysteries beyond but all he could see was his own reflection. Were life full of mysteries? He dried his hand off on his pants and slid his glove back on. He began to paddle again and he could finally see the soft glow of his house. To some, the soft glow of the light from his bedroom would comfort them but for him it was a sign of his imprisonment. He hated being inside...some days he was just like this...it was nothing he could help.

Riku looked out over the water, remembering his childhood. He hadn't changed much. He usually spent the night on the beach , taking in the salty smell of the sea water.

He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. The wind blew through his hair as he sat perched on a tree that sat on a small island away from the main one. His fear of imprisonment had escalated and he now felt trapped on this tiny island of his home. Now fifteen he had explored every inch of his island home and there was nothing left for him here.

He watched the sun set beyond the horizon and his thoughts wondered again. 'Is there anything beyond this tiny island? Were did we come from?' those are the two questions that kept his mind always wondering. This one never left his thoughts. 'Where did she come from?' He sat up and laid down his back along the trunk of the tree. (It's the poupu tree in the game where Riku gives Sora the poupu to share with Kairi as a joke.)

Riku heard approaching footsteps and looked towards the bridge that lead to the island. He was surprised to see a very distressed Kairi standing there, her eyes filled with tears. Riku sat up once again and slid off the tree and walked to her, worry in his eyes.

"Kairi? What's wrong?"She shook her head and he tilted her chin up so he could see her face. They were best friends and it was unusual for her to keep something from him. She had washed up on the beach, soaked from coming from the ocean. He and sora had been looking for sea shells to give to their mothers for a present.

"Sora. Look."Riku pointed to a young girl, around ten, who was laying on the beach, the waves crashing on her hard. Sora looked with amazement and then fear.

"Is she...is she dead?" Riku who, unlike Sora, wasn't afraid of a corpse.

"I don't think so."Riku walked over and looked at the girls pale face. She was in a long white dress that come to her knees. Her face was pale and her lips were blue but he knew she was alive. He picked her up and went towards the boats. "Sora, I'll hold her and you paddle. We'll go to my house."That only seemed fit because his parents were the doctors on this small island. Riku waded through the water, Sora close behind him, and got into to boat. Sora climbed onto the dock and untied the small boat and tied his boat to riku's. Riku set the girl on her stomach and began patting and rubbing her back, trying to press the water from her lungs. He was only ten and did not know what to do so he improvised. Sora began paddling the way to Riku's home.

Once they arrived Riku ran through the water and onto the beach, running as fast as he could to his house. Sora followed and when they got to the house, threw the door open to let Riku inside.

"Father!"Riku's dad was in shock when his only child ran in with a girl in his arms. Riku laid her on his bed and his father began to look at her.

"Is she alright?" Sora asked worriedly. Riku's dad did not answer but began compressing the girl's chest.

"Father, me and Sora were collecting sea shells for Mother when we found her laying on the beach. We brought her here hoping you could help."Again his father did not answer. He was blowing into the girl's mouth and jerked back. The girl coughed up water and Riku's dad rolled him towards him so it would come up easier. Water was all over the floor and she turned and laid down without so much as opening her eyes. Riku and Sora looked at Riku's father in worry.

"She's exhausted boys. She'll be okay by morning."Riku watched as his father got up. "She's not from around here, that's for sure. That was a brave thing you kids did out there. I am very proud of the both of you."Riku shrugged and looked back towards the girl. Sora walked towards the door.

"Bye Riku. See you tomorrow."Riku waved and looked at his father.

"Who do you think she is?"Sora's departure was assured by the closing of the wooden door.

"I don't know son. I don't know."Riku bit his lower lip. "Maybe you were right Riku. Maybe there are other worlds."Riku nodded. His father had always condemned his ideas foolish but now the accepting of that theory felt extravagant. "Stay with her Riku. No doubt she will be frightened when she wakes up."Riku was very smart for his age and nodded walking into the room and closed the door. He took an extra pillow and blanket from his closet and made himself a bed by his bed, on the floor. He covered the girl in the blanket on his bed. He smiled and looked at her. Her appearance confirmed that she was not of this realm. She was from another realm and when she awoke she would tell him about the distant world in which she lived. Everything had been laid out right in front of him and to this he smiled.

"Kairi...tell me."He wiped the tears from her cheeks and she smiled.

"It...I keep dreaming of things. Terrible things."he smiled and pulled her close to him. She cried on his chest and he smiled. He loved when she needed him.

"Tell me..."she stopped crying and smiled.

"Something...I don't know what it is. I'm laying in bed...in a strange place. There are...stone walls...I kept hearing my name being called...I got out of bed and opened the door to the outside and there stood a man...he was tall and I didn't like the look in his eyes. He smiled at me and rubbed my shoulder. He said that I had to remember...I ran past him and out the door and I fell...into the sea."Riku thought about the dream she had just described. She had to remember, remember what?

"Kairi...I want to help you find your home. I want to help you..."she nodded and hugged him tighter.

"I know...I don't want to find were I came from...I just want to remember..."He smiled and kissed the top of her head and then tilted her head up.

"No matter what happens Kairi, you can count on me to be by your side."Kairi smiled and nodded. She realized how close they had become and they both took a step back, their faces red with embarrassment.

"I...I better go..." Riku nodded and she turned, walking towards the small boats that would take her home. She stopped and turned slightly and watched him, his back to her. "Riku?"He didn't move.

"Yes, Kairi?"Kairi reached across her stomach and held her opposite arm. She swallowed hard and looked at him.

"I..."She stopped and looked to the ground. "I just want to say...goodnight." Riku turned a smile on his face.

"Goodnight. Want me to walk you home?"She looked up from the ground and nodded.

"Alright." She smiled and let a light hearted laugh escape her lips and fill the night air. He walked towards her and they began to walk towards the boats that would take them home. Kairi got into her boat and Riku climbed onto the dock and unfastened the small boats. He got in his own and they began to row back home.