Disclaimer: No own, no sue.
Twenty-two-year-old Kairi straightened her mussed hair and groggily squinted at the small print on the document laid out before her. Twenty pounds of freshly ground cinnamon shipped from the home base: 20 munny. She blew out a tired sigh. Well, I suppose that's reasonable enough. At least I don't have to pay for the shipping expenses. This island is small enough to just take a ten minute drive to the cinnamon factory. Another sigh came out as she flicked her pen quickly across the line marked with an x. Ten pounds of raw catfish straight from the home base again: 100 munny. Kairi frowned at the price and decided to reject that offer. It was not hard to get 20 pounds of catfish from the Destiny Islands; she could have if from Disney Castle in about a week and it would only cost 50 munny! Her agitation growing, she snorted at the paper and happily put it into her shredder.
The happy mood dissipated as she looked at the tiny mountains of paperwork that had yet to be finished. A strong feeling of hopelessness clouded her judgment to just get them done and over with. After all, Kairi had always been the one to procrastinate. I always work better under pressure anyways. That had been her excuse for the last ten years and she was sticking to it. So with that in mind, and her mood starting to lift once more, she grinned and stretched back, her arms flopping to her side in a pile of messy, tired flesh. I love procrastination.
"Kairi!" Said a small, squeaky voice from her right.
The woman in question just felt like moaning and rubbing her eyes with frustration, but resisted the urge and put on a humble smile. "Why, Mrs. Naiko, how nice to see you this lovely evening!"
The old woman known as Mrs. Naiko wobbled up to Kairi and slapped some precariously typed papers atop her already paper-filled desk. In despair, the younger woman looked at the fresh pile of paper. Think about how many trees I've killed just today. She felt like whimpering but retained any ounce of dignity she had left and resumed her generous smile.
"Don't you get too comfortable, young woman!" Mrs. Naiko's voice was high pitched and strung to the point of almost breaking.
Kairi nodded. "Of course not, Mrs. Naiko." She humbly said and lightly bowed to the older woman.
In return, said older woman just let out a humph and diligently crossed her arms, signaling that she wanted to talk with Kairi more than the latter would have liked. "As you know, our business has been blossoming."
She felt like telling Mrs. Naiko that it was her business, and she had a right to take care of it how she pleased but kept her mouth shut tightly. "And I for one am seeing you incredibly stressed." The old woman motioned to the small valley of paper hills on Kairi's desk. "I mean-look at this! It's a horrible mess!"
Well, I try. Kairi thought sourly.
"And look at you! You're twenty and supposed to be thriving, not picking over whether you should order thirty pounds of seaweed curry or not!" Twenty-two…
She sighed tiredly and unconsciously arranged mussed papers back into order. "What are you trying to say, Mrs. Naiko?"
"If that's what you want, then I had best just get down with it." A steady frown came to nestle itself on the older lady's lips. "Kairi, you need a break."
Dead silence filled the room as the younger fiercely gazed at Mrs. Naiko.
"No." Came Kairi's immediate answer, and the old woman felt a pang of remorse. "I can't leave all this paperwork behind, and I certainly can't leave you behind to take care of the business!" An accusing finger pointed at the agape mouth of Mrs. Naiko. "I have too much to do as it is! Leaving this place is like setting it on fire and waving goodbye to it. Nope, I will most certainly not do that. It's unethical and preposterous. To leave the company alone without any of my assistance? It's…It's blasphemy!"
In her disbelieving state, Kairi unconsciously started to organize her messy mountains of paper and wipe dust off of her dark wooden desk. She even left her chair, still rambling, and occasionally glanced at the shocked older woman. "To leave it in the hands of anyone but me would be suicide! I might as well give up all my money now and think of a way to hang myself on the streets of destitution!"
"Now you're going too far, missy…" But the woman's statement went unnoticed by the enraged Kairi. Clearly, Mrs. Naiko did not take a liking to this Kairi; she preferred her humble, sweet but cunning version of the pretty girl.
"And-and then I'll have no home. And I'll blame you!" The younger woman pointed another accusing finger at her elder, glancing down and sizing the old woman up. "And then we'll see who is also in unemployment. And Sora, and Donald, and Goofy, and the King, and the Queen, and Riku will all be sore when they hear who convinced me to leave and take a vacation! I haven't had a vacation in two years and you think I need one now? I doubt it! This company would go to shreds without me here and I'll be damned to see my father's hard work go through the nasty sewers of this island. Nope, I am going to stay, and you, nor anyone else, can convince me otherwise!" Just for added emphasis, Kairi slammed her palm on the desk, making the papers rattle uncomfortably.
"Are you quite done now?" Came a fluid masculine voice like steel, and Kairi's anger fizzled and popped. "Who said I would be sore against this poor old lady trying to give you a break?"
She didn't even have to turn to look who it was; the steely voice and lazy drawl gave him away. "Riku!" She exclaimed happily, turning to see her smirking handsome friend. Her earlier anger gone and forgotten, Kairi rushed up to him and squeezed him around his torso tightly. When she let go, the excited woman had a barrage of questions for her best friend. "How is everyone? The King? Sora? I'm sure Goofy and Donald are doing just fine… What about the Queen? Have you guys seen any more heartless? No more Organization members running about, right? Of course not, you guys got them a long time ago. No more ugly Ansem-seeking business, right? Because if I find out they put our other best friend on another long journey without me knowing, I'm going to give them an earful when I order my next shipment of catfish from Disney Castle." She grinned and happily clapped her hands. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Riku, with his bewildered face plastered on and his eyebrow raised high, said slowly, "No, I don't remember them putting Sora on another quest. And…everyone is alright I guess, but I had other news for you." He nodded his head, determined to get the information out before Kairi even had to have time to ramble again. "Donald finally proposed and the wedding is in three months. Daisy wants you at the castle pronto to help arrange the whole thing."
It was Kairi's turn to have her mouth drop open stupidly. "H-he proposed?" Riku nodded, actually a bit wary about her reaction. "When did he propose?"
"About a week ago, as far as I'm told." Riku shrugged and clashed eyes with the mounting paperwork on Kairi's desk.
"No one told me!" Kairi whispered angrily, but she decided not to vent out her anger on poor Riku. Oh no, the Court Magician of Disney Castle was going to get it. "The wedding is in two months? That's not nearly enough time to get everything planned and sorted out!"
The male shrugged again and curiously poked around the dead trees she helped to kill. "I don't envy you." Was the first thing that came out of his mouth. "But that's exactly why Daisy and the King sent me to you. They knew you were an excellent organizer, as they have dealt with agreements and have exchanged with you for your business in the past." He poked through some more files and quizzically turned around. "How do you deal with all this paperwork?"
It was Kairi's turn to shrug. "You get used to it after a while."
"I'm sure. Well, anyways, I was supposed to actually ask you, but I decided that you would come if you wanted to or not. As either way would be fitting to get you there. I don't want the duck's little mating process thing be ruined just because you're stubborn and won't leave your business." Riku stood to his full height and raised an eyebrow at the stock still Mrs. Naito. "Why are you still here?"
But before she could answer, Kairi stepped into his line of vision, and he could clearly see the raging burn of anger searing through his pupils. With an exaggerated sigh and a cross of arms, Riku leaned against the counter and waited for her speech. "First of all," she started, pointing a finger towards her cowering secretary, "Mrs. Naito did nothing to you." The old woman, seeing that the infuriated Kairi was on her side, sniffed and curtly nodded. Riku shrugged again and gave an indifferent glance towards her direction before calmly meeting Kairi's melting gaze. "Second of all, I will not leave my company to just sit and let it rot."
"And third of all?" Riku quirked an amused eyebrow.
Kairi was caught off guard. "I didn't know I needed a third of all…" She murmured.
His sarcastic snort was a typical Riku thing to do. "So now, when will you be ready to leave?"
She quickly held up an anxious finger and hotly glared at her best friend. "Now Riku, you can't go ordering people around and telling them that they are coming with you whether they like it or not. You should at least ask and try to be civil." She grumpily crossed her arms. "I have tried to teach you that for so many years and days that I can't even count them. I guess I could make that my third of all. Alright, third of all, you can't go barging into somebody's office and just demand them to come like a dog!" Kairi beamed and laughed, clapping her hands together happily.
Contrary to her elated mood, his own darkened at being rejected and told he was doing things improperly. "Look, woman." He pointed a finger towards her and advanced. "You can't just go around obsessing over your stupid hotel company. It will brain wash you and you won't be Kairi anymore. You'll be some giggling madwoman that I find in the street."
Kairi tilted her head to the side curiously. "It sounds like you've done that a few times."
"Yeah," He pinched his fingers together to just leave a tiny amount of room, "just a few."
"But I'm still not going."
Gleefully, the young woman decided that she had won. She watched her best friend mutter in frustration and pound on her papers, which she thought was quite unfair to all the dead trees she had to order to accommodate her large business. Finally, after his silent tirade was over and dealt with within the complex mind that is the sarcastic and pessimistic Riku, he whipped towards her and briskly flung her over his shoulder. "What-what are you doing, Riku?!"
"Taking you to the gummi ship."
Kairi gulped. She had worried something like this would happen, and to tell the truth, she was not quite ready for it. For Kairi the all-powerful businesswoman and struggling captive was quite afraid of flying and anything to do with changing worlds, actually. Even portals scared her half to death, especially dark and dreary ones that just look creepy. But in the past she had readily ignored Axel's words and just jumped straight into the dark depths of a portal. Inwardly, Kairi frowned. Goodness, she had been stupid.
"I will get Mrs. Naito to take over the business for you while you're gone for however many months you will be gone." The word "months" and "Mrs. Naito" floated around her head drearily, and suddenly she felt like she just wanted to nap and hope this was all a dream. "Daisy needs you and Minnie more than your stupid company needs you."
"But why me?" She moodily asked, the abrupt tired feeling seeping into her every pore and making her feel intoxicated. "Riku, did you drug me?"
He snorted and shook his mane of silver hair. "No."
"Are you using magic on me?" She murmured, resting her swaying head of mahogany hair on her best friend's back.
"Just a little to make you sleep on the journey over there."
Even in her sleepy state, Kairi felt a pang of anger flare up, but it was burnt out before she could even grab it and make it grow. "That's…" She slurred, "not fair." And everything became calm.
Sora stretched his arms above his head and gave a sigh of satisfaction. Donald was running about, shouting hurried orders to anyone who would actually listen. He had even tried to get Sora to help, but the spiky haired twenty-two-year-old would have nothing to do with what the duck was planning. Holding up his hands in modest apology, Sora had continued to refuse Donald's requests until he hit home with, "So you'll help other worlds without a second thought but you can't even give one of your best friends a hand?"
But besides, the King's royal fighter wasn't holding any grudges; it was just in his nature to help people. So after many tiring hours helping to soothe and calm Donald's jilted nerves, Sora decided that he himself needed a little break and decided to go strolling through the Castle's gardens. With his hands leisurely clasped behind his head, the young man had welcomed the fresh air and green plant life. He often thought of a house far off in the woods on some exotic world to be his home, but when he was awed by big cities he often visited, his view changed from a quiet life in the woods to a busy life situated right in the center of the city. Basically, Sora had no idea what he really wanted to do, much less settle down with a wife and kids at twenty-one.
Besides, he flicked his gaze to the gummi room's door wistfully, Kairi would be coming soon to help with Donald and Daisy's wedding. Of course he was anxious to see her after two years; at eighteen Sora had moved away from the Destiny Islands, leaving his family and Kairi to watch him become the King's best fighter. He didn't regret his choice, necessarily; it was just that he missed the quiet humdrum of life back on the islands.
Like all normal teenagers, Sora and Kairi had dated after rescuing her a second time and finding Riku. Sora narrowed his eyes at the memory, even though it was crystal clear in his head. They had been about sixteen when he had mustered up the guts to ask her out on a date. He remembered being extremely nervous and wringing his hands together uncertainly. He had dropped off Riku first after a late night of sitting around and talking between the three best friends. The silver haired boy had laughed and had punched Sora in the arm with a wink, but the latter had chosen to ignore his best friend's silly antics. Kairi had happily called an enthusiastic goodbye to her friend, waving as Sora had driven off.
The now twenty-two-year-old lopsidedly grinned at the sixteen-year-old version of his spiky haired self. He had nervously turned off the car and looked the beautiful girl straight in the eye. Present Sora sighed and lay down in the grass, folding his arms behind his head and situating himself comfortably. "K-Kairi…" He had nervously started. "You know that I…that I care for you. A lot."
The shocked look he had received had almost stopped his determination short. "And I want you to-" His voice seemed failed and cracked to him. "-to please go out on a date with me." He had blushed so hard that he thought Donald had lit his face on fire again.
Sora sighed again and picked at the bright green grass. Kairi had, of course, said yes. If she had not, he would probably still be in mourning right now, yet it was he who had broken them up. After getting the offer to fight alongside the King in a final stand against all the heartless that still existed, he had been torn between the blossoming relationship between Kairi and the future he could have if he just reached out and grabbed it. With a depressed sigh, the young man rolled on his stomach. If could have had both, he would have taken Kairi with him to Disney Castle to help the Queen out with…well-with whatever a queen like her does. He missed her smile and laughter, her ticklish spots that took him a year to find, her tender but violent temper that simmered after a few well-calibrated kisses. He missed the way she would just walk; he used to tease her for being tempting just by walking. Sora did a Riku-like snort and picked at the grass some more. He had always gotten a sly look and a bit more of a drastic shake of the hips as she walked since then. It had made his blood boil and his stomach knot.
They had been like fire and ice; one was boiling and then reduced to a simmer constantly, while he was carefully cool but friendly with everyone he was acquainted with. Occasionally they had burned each other out, but Sora was always the first to cave and apologize.
But what he missed most was just holding her. A few years ago were the happiest he could remember. Kairi and Riku were with him again, and Kairi was actually dating him.
"Stupid job." Sora muttered to the green grass and angrily picked more than a few blades of the emerald plant. "Way to ruin a perfectly good relationship."
But it was still an excellently paying job, and he was definitely not going to complain to the King. With yet another depressing sigh, he lifted himself to all fours and puffed out his cheeks with air before releasing it. Sora would get no rest as long as Kairi would be here; she would only distract him, and quite frankly he didn't need that right now. A fairly large heartless swarm was conjugating in Hollow Bastion, but, too excited about Kairi's arrival, Sora had neglected to check it out and eliminate it. That girl would always be a distraction for him.
Suddenly, the gummi ship's room door opened rapidly, revealing a frowning, grouchy Riku shouldering a yawning Kairi.
A/N: I know. A little slow, but you get some background info on Kairi and Sora. So yay. Definitely gets better next chapter. ;D
Just a random thought that I've been secretly working on for some time...
Tell me what you liked. Tell me what you didn't like.