Hey all here we go for chapter 7! Im hoping it's to your liking, lol. I have changed my mind I think on how this chapter was going to go, scrapping my entire original idea, mainly cause I thought it was kinda lame and maybe even boring. lol. So, here goes nothing!
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Chapter 7 - Stars in the Sky
As Sora paddled, he and Jiminy looked up at the brightly shining stars.
"It's truly remarkable tonight." Jiminy said smiling at it. He turned to Sora who was still gazing in awe up at the sky. He was still paddling but not really taking much notice of what was infront of him.
"Yeah, I can't remember the last time I was out in the open ocean when it was dark. Without the lights of the town you can see the stars really well." Sora's eyes showed the sky's reflection. He barely blinked.
"Did you know, that every star is really actually another world." Jiminy said looking at Sora. Sora turned to him to see that Jiminy wasn't pulling his leg.
"Really?" Sora asked and Jiminy, still smiling nodded.
Sora turned back to look up at the stars, "Wow..." His smile was jsut about as bright as the night sky. "I knew that there were a lot of worlds out there, but to think, there are that many. I bet some may not have even been explored yet!" Sora said. He imagined all the posiblities of places out there. These thoughts use to make him sad and long for freedom, he still wanted it, but he'd come to terms with it that even though seeing new places was exciting he knew there were a lot of not so nice things out there. Of course it was be a whole lot of fun bringing peace to other worlds, but it wouldn't be fun without his friends. They were the most important thing to him, besides, his own world needed protecting first! Sora's head went down "They share the same sky..."
"Uh... Sora?" Jiminy looked down to see his face to try and work out what was going through his head.
"It all makes sense now!" Sora said looking up towards Jiminy. "I get it! I mean... I sorta understood before... but now I really get it!" Sora said sounding excited.
"Get what?!?" Jiminy said sounding rather confused.
"There are many worlds, but they share the same sky! Kairi's letter!" Sora said paddling much faster now.
"Oh, right I remember now!" Jiminy said jumping up and down.
Sora was so keen to get back and talk to Kairi, he despretly wanted to know how she knew about the stars and other worlds. Somthing stopped him, Sora accidently dropped his oar into the ocean but he quickly grabbed it again. His eyes remained fixed on the sky though. A shadow of fear crossed his face.
"Sora what's the matter?" Jiminy looked over at him. Sora slowly raised his arm and pointed at the sky. "Oh..." Jiminy' eyes stared up at the sky too. Up there in the sky was a shooting star, it appeared to be burning and shriveling up. The star began to disapear. Sora's face fell. He stopped paddling and sighed. Jiminy sat down on Sora's shoulder and tapped it, "Y'know Sora, you can't save em' all."
Sora looked away from the sky, "Yeah but..." Sora's voice went weak and raspy. "What if that was our world..." He seemed really down hearted again.
"Sora, Stars are born and die everyday, That's the way life is." Sora's head was down. Jiminy began to grin. "But, the worlds that are worth visiting wont perish." Sora looked up to see what Jiminy had to say. "So long as our friends remain in our hearts, they'll never die. You know that! If it's in our destiny to see others, those worlds will never die." Jiminy said smiling.
"But what about the inhabitants of the worlds though, do they just die too?" Sora said still sounding concerned.
"Ofcourse not! You didn't die when your world became a victim of the Darkness. Infact it brought you many friends and adventures. If a world perishes, forever, it means there isn't any hearts to keep it going. It takes many hearts to make a world." Jiminy pointed out. Sora smiled and began to feel a whole lot better.
"Yeah, wha's the point of a world if no one lives there!" Sora grinned.
"My point exactly!" Jiminy agreed.
Sora was about to start paddling when he heard a scrape. He looked straight ahead. The waves had carried him to the home island. Sora dragged his boat well onto shore and began running up the path. Jiminy was having trouble holding on so he jumped back into Sora's hood like he always did during adventures. Sora continued running all the way onto Kairi's porch. He knocked excitedly on her front door. Kairi's dad being the Mayor meant Kairi's house was run my maids and cooks, or what not. The maid opened the door. Her name was Caroline. She was the mayor's longest employee and she had a soft spot for Sora and Riku. She was the only adult on the island that knew he was home but she was sworn to secrecy.
"Hello How may I help... Oh Sora! It's you! How are you going?" She said looking up at Sora. Her tone changed dramatically, like she was now talking to an old friend.
"I'm great!" He said still trying to catch his breathe. "Yourself?"
Caroline smiled a little tired. "Oh not too bad, not bad at all. Working hard as usual. Oh I'm sorry you're probably wanting to talk to Miss Kairi aren't you?" She asked looking towards her boss who looked up from his work papers and gave an authoritive stare.
"Uhh.. Yeah... If it's not too much trouble.
Caroline sighed and replied "Well, I'm afraid she's busy at the moment studying. Sora's face fell. He knew Kairi's dad made her do extra study on the holidays so that she could remain a top grade student. Caroline looked as glum as Sora did but a smile grew on her face. "I shall tell her you came by." She said bending her head motioning for Sora to go round the side of the house near Kairi's window. Caroline gave Sora and wink and Sora's face lit up again with a bright grin. He ran off the porch and around the side of the house towards Kairi's room. Caroline smiled and closed the door. She glanced over at the mayor who just shook his head and sighed. She went up to Kairi's room and told her.
"Look outside." She said smiling and pointing to the window.
Kairi ran up to the window as Caroline closed the door and went back downstairs to continue on with her chores. Kairi looked out the window to see Sora grinning looking up at her. She smiled back and slid down the palm tree outside her window.
"Hey! You're out late!" Kairi said walking up towards him.
Sora nodded "Yeah, Riku and I got talking. "
"What you haven't been home yet?!?" Sora seemed shocked.
"Nope" Sora replied shaking his head, "I only just got back from the island."
"But it's like eight a clock, your parents will be freaking out by now!"
"I know, but I had to talk to you first." Sora sounded a little guilty but Kairi just smiled back at him.
"Well, alright then. What is it you want to talk to me about?" Her hair shined under the moonlight. She smiled and tilted her head to the side with curiosity.
"I need to talk to you about a few things actually... First, I wanted to know, how you knew, about the stars in the sky. In your letter."
"You got to read my letter? The one I sent in a bottle?" Kairi was thrilled.
"Yeah I did, the letter was what got Riku and I back home from the realm of Darkness!" Sora grinned.
"Really?" Kairi's eyes with excitement and curiosity.
"Yep!" Sora nodded. "Jiminy told me that all the stars in the sky is a different world! How did you know that?"
"Well... I don't really know, I just wrote down what was on my heart. My heart was telling me to write that letter. I helped me remember you."
"Remember me?" Sora sounded a little hurt.
"Yeah..." Kairi said looking slightly guilty. "I never wanted to forget you, I think it must have been the time you forgot about me.... Are you angry?" Kairi said her eyes looking like they were about to well up.
"Of Course not! We're even now! It makes me feel a whole lot better! Besides it makes a lot more sense now!" Sora grined at her, she lifed her head and smiled.
"How?"
"Well, our hearts, are connected. I realise now, I forgot you not by choice, Namine destroy the link. Kairi, our link was so strong. You remembered I should be in your heart, like I thought Namine was the one in my heart but she's part of you. You were always there in my heart all along!"
"Yeah! You're right!" Kairi smiled at him. "What was the other thing you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Ohh... That..." Sora's face fell. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. He was going to tell Kairi he wasn't happy here. She'd be crushed. He shook those thoughts away. Sora knew he was going to do somthing about it. "Kairi, you know how I've been... err... kinda... not myself lately?"
"Yes." Kairi said looking with Sora in concern now.
"Well, It's cause... it's cause I miss adventuring and exploring other worlds..."
"I know.." She said softly.
"You did?" Sora was shocked. Was he really all that transparent?
"Yes, I could see it in your eyes. I didn't say anything cause I knew you'd tell me in your own time." She said still smiling.
"Oh..." Sora's guilt began to hit hard. He swallowed. "I want you to know, I never ment to hurt you. Comming back to you was what I always wanted... It's just now Im here..."
"There's no adventure. There's no journey." She finished, she didn't look all that hurt which surprised Sora.
"I'm sorry..." Sora couldn't look at her anymore, it hurt. He faced his feet.
"Don't be, I never wanted you back." Kairi replied
"What?!?" Sora was now well and truly surprised. Did Kairi hate him? He never saw that comming. He'd been knocked to the ground really hard.
"I wanted to come with you." She said quietly. Sora looked up at her. She was now looking down sadly.
"But you did come with me. It was you who got me through everything!" Sora said trying to cheer her up.
"I wanted the adventure. I got sick of waiting. That's why I took the first chance I got to get off the island. I missed you two so much. I thought... maybe waiting for you was never going to bring you back. I had to find you myself. I wanted the excitement of finding you." Kairi looked up. Sora began to think really hard.
"So... you really did want the adventure? You too wanted to see new worlds?" Sora said finally. He was still thinking. He had been so busy protecting Kairi, he had completely forgotten about what she wanted it.
"Yes! It's not fair, you and Riku get all the fun!" She was smiling at him now.
"Well, that's good cause, we're going on an adventure tomorrow!" Sora grinned. Kairi looked puzzled.
"How? You said we can't get anywhere without a gummi ship..."
"We aren't leaving the islands,"
"Sora..." There was a slight touch of scarcasm to her voice. She looked at him skeptically.
"I know what you're thinking, I thought that too, but hear me out!" Sora was trying really hard to get her to go along with it.
"Okaayy..." Kairi said still with a fair amount of skeptisim in her voice.
"We are going to find the Keyhole!!!" Sora was really beaming with excitment.
Kairi laughed "Keyhole?"
"Yeah! Remember how I told you, each world has it's own keyhole? Let's find ours so we can save this world from darkness, forever!"
Kairi pondered on this for a while. "Hmm... Okay!" She grinned. "It sounds like fun!"
"Great!" Sora looked towards the stars. "Hey Kairi..." Sora was a little unsure he was supposed to tell Kairi this, but he had to know.
"Yes?" Kairi studied Sora's eyes a bit. "What's up?"
Sora looked up. "Did you know Riku had a girlfriend?"
Kairi took a step back. "A girlfriend? Riku? Are you sure?"
"Yeah, he told me today... So was a nobody."
"A... Nobody? but aren't they the ones without hearts? How could he fall for her? I mean she could never love him back..."
"I know, that's what I thought." He could see she was feeling the same things he did about it.
"So that's why he hasn't been himself latley, I guess there's more up with Riku than we thought..."
"Yeah I know, I almsot wonder whether the organisation was using her to use him. I mean it makes sense doesn't it?" Sora looked to see Kairi's reaction, she appeared to be thinking really hard.
Kairi finally found words. "Maybe... but... what would they want Riku for?"
Sora pondered on this and finally shook his head. "I really don't know, but who does? I mean... This is Orangisation XIII we're talking about."
"Yeah I know... I mean how cruel would it be to mess around with somone's heart like that..." Kairi seemed a little sad.
"They're nobodies, they've forgotten what it's like to have a heart. They forgotten how to care." Sora felt just as bad for Riku. Still, he really couldn't understand how Riku would let himself in for that.
"Yeah, I guess you're right... Was she part of the organisation too?"
"She was the fourteenth member." Sora replied.
"Fourteenth?"
"Yeah I don't get it either..." Sora said shaking his head. The two looked up at the moon. There was scilence, but it wasn't the uncomfortable type, it was peacful. Sora cleared his thoat and finally said "Well, I better be off. I'm well and truly late for dinner now"
Kairi laughed, "Ok, well... Do you want to meet here, tomorrow morning and we can go to the island together?" She looked down from the sky and smiled at him.
"Yeah! Sound's great! We will begin our adventure first thing!" Sora smiled back at her and began walking in the direction of home. "See you tommorrow!" He called and waved.
"Yep! I can't wait!" Kairi shouted back excitedly also waving.
Sora began running towards home. He ran up to his front door and slammed in. His stomach growled with hunger. When he got in there his parents were sitting anxiously at the dinner table. His mother got up seeing her son walk in.
"Sora!" His mother threw her arms around him. She was in tears.
"Mum?" Sora was kinda surprised. He expected them to be a little worried but not THIS worried. Their dinner plates were barely touched but cold. Sora felt a little guilty. "Mum, it's alright." She stopping hugging him and stepped back whiping her eyes on her aipron.
"We were worried son, You've never neen this late home before. We'd been begining to wonder if somthing happened to you again." His father said with a rather serrious tone. He took his glasses off his face and stood up. Sora knew this was a bad sign.
Sora couldn't look them in the eys. He bent his head down and replied "I'm sorry, I was talking to Kairi. I lost track of time. He looked over at the clock, it read 9:30. Sora knew it was only half the truth, he hoped though they wouldn't catch him out.
It was Sora's mum's turn to speak. "We rang Kairi's house, she was home hours ago." His mother was frowning at him aswell. Sora gulped. He knew he couldn't say he was out with Riku, it would blow his cover. Sora knew his parents would never keep the secret of Riku being back home. They'd never understand why Riku didn't want them to know he was back. Sora had trouble understanding it himself somtimes. Sora thought hard, he really didn't want to lie but how could he escape it? Sora knew the longer he stalled the more his parents would get suspicious. He replied with this first thing that came to his head.
"Well, I guess, I kinda hung around the island a bit after Kairi left. It was quiet and I was thinking about some stuff." Sora clenched his teeth together, he hoped they'd buy it. They did.
"Well, just try and come back a bit earlier next time. You know how rough the seas can get at night." His father replied smiling. Sora felt like sighing with relief but that would give it away that he partly lied to them.
"Well, I'll go heat these up and we'll eat, you must be hungry." His mother said cheerily.
"Yeah, I'm starved." Sora grinned. They sat and talked for quite a while. Sora then excused himself and went up to his room. Jiminy jumped onto his shoulder.
"You know Sora, I don't much aprove of lying. Especially to parents. Remember, a...
"lie grows bigger and bigger plain as the nose on your face." Sora finished Jiminy's sentence. He grinned as Jiminy stamped his foot angrily.
"I've said that before haven't I?"
"Yes, to Pinochio. I'm not a wooden puppet though, I have my own concience."
"Yes you do, but you weren't listening to it were you?" Jiminy was being a little persistant.
"Oh I was, but you know exactly why I couldn't tell them the truth. If I did, Riku would be discovered. He wouldn't thank me for it."
Jiminy sighed. Sora was right. "I know but still..."
Sora grinned and sat down on his bed. Jiminy jumped off his shoulder and hopped into his little bed aswell. Yawning, Sora lay down. "What d'you think Donald and Goofy are doing now?" Sora said staring out at the stars.
"Well, I suppose they'd be snoring away in their beds by now." Jiminy replied looking the clock. Sora rolled over and looked at it. It said 11:30.
Sora laughed "Yeah you're probably right!" He turned to the stars again. Sora felt really excited about their mission tomorrow but, would it be enough? All the friends he'd met everywhere flashed through his mind. Sora wished despretly Riku and Kairi could meet them. It might cheer Riku up a bit and Kairi would get the adventure she'd wanted but then he though, It's way too dangerous, especially for Kairi. How he missed his friends though... Sora fianlly said, "Hey Jiminy?" There was no reply. Sora rolled over to see Jiminy had dropped off. Sora rolled back again smiling to himself. He watch the stars untill they eventually went fuzzy and Sora himself dropped off.
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Well, that was a lot shorter as far as my chapters go aye? Well to be honest I split this one into either two or three. A reason for that is that Im still not sure whether I want to go with my original plan or not for a chapter. Anyways, this is the end of day two, If you remember I said it starts two days before the king's letter... Hmm.... Let's think anyways there's a thought to dwell on I hopfully will get another chapter up in a couple of days considering this one maybe a little shorter than your liking, who knows it could be a perfect size! lol.
