Disclaimer: If I owned Kingdom Hearts this wouldn't be fanfiction. I'm dead broke and can't even afford Chain of Memories for GBA, so don't sue 'cause I'll cry...
Warning: This story may contain traces of nuts and dairy products... Only not...
He was floating, contained within the translucent white capsule like a prisoner, and yet completely unaware of his confinement. Sora's consciousness was drifting, desperately grasping onto the fragmented memories drifting between his dreams. His thoughts were abstracted, leaving the mental line between dream and reality blurred to near-nonexistence.
"Roxas"
A dull buzzing filled his head, shattering his thoughts and slicing through his already fragmented consciousness. Sora was ripped out of his dream-like state, but even so his dazed senses failed to focus on the voice. He couldn't even tell if this voice was audible or not; whether the voice was real, or the product of his disorientated thoughts.
"Come back to us, Roxas."
It was almost pleading, this voice.
"… Please."
His footsteps echoed throughout the room as he made his way forwards, never shifting his gaze from the capsule in the centre. Slowly, as gently as a flower blossoming for the first time, the translucent layers fell away to reveal the small form still floating and newly awakened within its confines. He continued moving towards the now-opened capsule, the hem of his black coat grazing the ground as he walked.
The hooded figure stopped and silently stared upwards. Sora's eyes flickered open, instantly taking in his surroundings. Completely unaware of his watcher, the boy launched himself free from the capsule; his feet coming into contact with the tiled ground and making a resounding dull 'thud'. A single pair of eyes never left him, focusing on Sora intently, taking stock of his every action.
Spotting the figure before him adamantly moving forward, he instantly began to lapse into a state of quiet panic. There was some nagging feeling of unease, bringing with it a feeling that there was something he hadn't fully remembered – however much he desperately called upon himself to remember. Something important about this person who stood before him, hooded and clothed all in a black coat. Sora began to turn to the left and right, desperately hunting for something that would make him less vulnerable. Stronger.
Almost of its own will, a keyblade appeared in his grasp.
"It's so nice of you to join me, Sora." The figure said, ceasing their approach and stopping some distance away from their target, "I've been waiting."
"Who are you? Tell me!" Sora demanded sharply.
"Why Sora, you don't remember me. I'm almost hurt." The figure stated almost mockingly, holding their hands over their heart for unnecessary dramatic effect.
Slowly the figure's hands reached up and pulled back the obscuring hood, as the Sora's eyes widened in recognition of the person standing before him. Sora had hoped he wouldn't return after their last encounter in Castle Oblivion. It wasn't – it shouldn't be possible. Only one word repeated itself again and again in Sora's thoughts… "Why?"
"Why are you here?" Sora challenged, grasping the keyblade tighter in his hand as if to be reassured of its continuing presence.
"I don't really have any intention of letting you know that just yet." The other responded offhandedly - almost amused by the boy before him.
"… and in any case," Sora had failed to notice the person before him still talking, "you probably wouldn't like my purposes."
Sora glared. He didn't know what to expect. This person standing before him was completely unreadable, the meanings behind his thoughts and precisely chosen words heavily veiled.
Given the circumstances, Sora was at a loss. Assuming he attempted to run and escape, he would most likely be caught and killed, not even taking into account the potential for magic barriers to be surrounding the room. On the other hand, he was in no condition to remain and fight, his senses and wits still dulled from his long sleep. It seemed to Sora, however, as though he wasn't the one who was to be given the choice. So he fell upon his last resort, earnestly hoping that it would be enough.
Raising his head and taking a deep breath, he cried with all his capacity-
"Donald!"
"Goofy!"
"… Riku?"
The only reply he received was a bitter laugh from the person before him, followed by another remark. "What's the matter, Sora? I thought you were going to stay and fight. You usually do, you know?"
"…" Sora had no response. There really was nothing he could do this time.
"Relax. It's not like I'm going to fight you or anything." Sora eyed the speaker distrustfully, not wanting to believe his words.
Sora's feet suddenly felt cold, he could feel the sensation of slippery tendrils winding their way around his ankles. There was darkness… darkness all around him. He began to loose feeling in his legs as the tendrils of darkness wound their way around his body, and he began to panic and struggle – fighting against the darkness that threatened to overcome him. "N-no… Don't do this to me…"
The darkness was growing. Overtaking him. All his emotions, his feelings and memories, they were all taken by the darkness surrounding him – thrown back at him as anger and hatred. He couldn't do this, Sora knew he couldn't allow the darkness to take him, but he was powerless to stop it. The darkness already had too much control. Even the purest of hearts could be taken by the darkness.
Pleadingly he looked over at the black-clad figure one last time before the darkness engulfed him, and one last sentence reached his ears.
"Don't worry. I only wanted to show you a little something."
The portal of darkness closed over Sora, leaving the only the remnants of the darkness to disperse in his wake. Only then did the observer allow himself a satisfied smirk.
Two friends sat side by side on the worn wooden planks of the dock, staring out at the far-off mainland. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a red tinge across the waters and the distance roofs of the distant town.
A voice spoke, and the fragile silence that hung between the two girls was broken.
"Man, I can't believe Tidus and Wakka wouldn't come with us… for old time's sake, ya know?" Selphie complained, idly tossing a nearby rock into the ocean and listening to the sharp 'plop' it made as it hit the water.
Kairi grinned weakly, her thoughts straying to her memories. Looking over at the sand inlet, she realised it hadn't changed a single bit. She could almost visualise the three of them racing each other, laughing. Like it used to be.
…
"Sora, you lazy bum." Kairi giggled, standing over a newly-woken Sora lying stretched out in the sand.
"You still have to gather supplies for the raft," Riku jokingly accused.
"…And you," He continued, turning to Kairi, "you're just as lazy as he is."
"Hehe. So you noticed." Kairi said, laughing.
…
"Do you remember the raft, Selphie?" Kairi whispered softly to her friend, not turning her eyes away from the water. Selphie furrowed her forehead, trying to remember.
Her face lit up with enthusiasm as she remembered, and she predictably jumped to her feet and started making wild hand gestures.
"Yes! You were making that when you all disappeared! I remember!" She cried out enthusiastically.
Kairi continued to gaze pensively across the water, her feet swinging absently from the end of the dock.
"You know," Kairi started, not even knowing if she wanted to talk for her own benifit of for Selphie's, "its kind of strange how everything works. We really did end up travelling to other worlds." At this she gave a feeble, pathetic laugh. A laugh that almost showed her deepest insecurities and regrets, before she continued on.
"… who would have know that it all meant nothing if we weren't together."
And she knew it wasn't the three of them that she was referring to, as her thoughts directed themselves exclusively at Sora. His smile, his laugh. The way his eyes filled with a glow of determination as he was competing with Riku.
Without realising it, a single tear slid down over her cheek and fell through the air towards the wood below, marking the wood with a single round dot.
Selphie was lost for words, the breaking of the waves the only sound that cut through the silence.
"Selphie?" Kairi asked softly over the waves that hit the beach.
"Yes?" Selphie responded, turning to Kairi, eager to find a way to help. It was never any fun when people were depressed.
"They'll come back right? Sora will come back to me?"
Selphie smiled to reassure Kairi, the only thing she could think to do,"Of course."
Authors Note: Yo! I can only assume that if you have read this far, you will have formed an opinion on the above randomness. I swear, there is a plot... Somewhere... I promise I'll dig it up before next chapter.
So anyway. Please review/rant/flame/give advice... you know, whatever. Cause attention makes me feel loved. .
Oh yeah, and any suggestions on characters/plotline etc are greatly appreciated.