Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance

Chapter I: Beyond the Sea

The smell of salty air. The bright sun smiling down on us. My heart felt a familiarity. It was the Destiny Islands. Riku and I were back home. We were working on the raft all over again. My hopes were set high this time. And I couldn't help but smiling at the sea.

"But how far could a raft take us?" I asked, thinking of all the adventures we were about to have.

"Who knows?" Riku's eyes were deadlocked on the sea as well. I think he was feeling the same as I was. "If we have to, we'll think of something else." He finished. And thus, we had begun on the raft.

It was such hard work under the heat. So I took lots of naps, and I was always busted for it. But that's Riku for you, always keeping me on my feet. So I was put in charge of the food. It wasn't too hard finding some eggs, mushrooms, fish and all that stuff. So I stuck to it. But whenever I looked back. I felt something was missing, perhaps somebody I knew?

As the days passed, the raft was finally finished! I was super excited to see the new worlds. My mind drifted as I made my way to the islands, sneaking out my window in the middle of the night. Mom would be worried sick. But that would not stop me.

But the sky was darker than usual...

"A storm's coming!" I yelled over the howling wind.

"I know. The waves are getting steep." my friend said calmly next to me as another crack of lightning filled the air.

I kneeled down to get a closer look at the water, making sure the raft wouldn't sink. My heart was racing. What would happen if the raft sunk? My stomach couldn't take that thought.

"Furl the sail." Riku turned back to the sail as he said it.

"Right" I nodded, keeping my worry inside.

Just then, a large gust of wind destroyed our raft, sending the sail flying. I let out a yell as I toppled over and blocked my face from any wood that could wound me badly.

I got back on my feet quickly as I rethought the situation.

"Riku!" I called out over the rampaging winds. I felt worry, but my eyes locked onto him just a couple yards away.

He looked up to meet my eyes. "I'm fine!" he panted. "What's that?"

I then realized the whirl pool forming just next to us. Could things be worse? Yeah. The whirl pool became a funny looking purple/black color. And then out of nowhere, a large figure arose from the water, followed by hectic laughter. It was Ursula.

"Oh, he was right. Those wretched guppies are here." She smirked down at us. "Well, it's about time we settled the score!"

"Ursula? But how – Is this the test?" I asked, completely shocked.

"Come on! You can work it out later!" Riku yelled back to me.

"All right!" I summoned the keyblade to me, ready for action. But then I remembered. I lost all my abilities so I can start anew. Well, I've learned before, I've got it this time.

"Sorry, dearies, but I won't fall for that trick!" The large woman called down to us.

And just like that, she took a swoop at the piece of wood I was standing on. My reflexes told me to hit her hand away. She yelped in pain.

"Sora, go for her face!" Riku called to me, sending another tentacle back down to the water. "I'll keep her at bay!"

So I did my best, trying to use fire and blowing it at her. It worked well enough, because well...she disappeared.

Riku jumped to the piece of wood I was standing on, but a current knocked us off our feet. So we sat on our fours as the storm kept raging.

"Whoa!" we yelled simultaneously as a current brought us downstream. Our raft – or what was left of it – began shaking like crazy, threatening to topple over any second.

Another current came our way. I yelled as the raft flipped right over us, plunging us both into the deep water.

Sinking, sinking, deeper into the dark water. My mind went blank as I watched Riku sink with me. Would we ever surface? My lungs felt like a weight had been placed on them. And one by one I watched the bubbles filled with air pop...

Then suddenly, a light appeared before us. It was shaped like a keyhole. I felt consciousness slip away as the keyblade reappeared in my hand, knowing what to do.

Both of our keys aimed at the light away from us, and began to glow, sending rays of light at the keyhole. And then...well, our bodies began to glow as we fell into the light.

In the distance, something didn't feel right... Like something – or someone was watching us. It looked like a man in a cloak... A sharp wave covered his face.

"This world has been connected."