(no subject)

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[The newest addition to the Dressing Room is a redhead of seventeen, and unlike most, she does not immediately realize that she is in a strange place. She has no reason to suspect the Destiny Islands room of being a fraud, and while she can't remember how she came to be lying on the trunk of the paopu tree, she doesn't worry. Stranger things have happened before.

Kairi looks up to the sky, raising a hand to her brow to shield her eyes from the sun as she picks out the shapes of the clouds passing over her head. There's a keyblade, fluffy and white but resembling a keyblade still. The girl grants it a small smile, and she wonders how much longer it will be before she'll be able to sit in this spot with Sora and Riku again.]

Comments

[sunrisingly.livejournal.com]

[Though he doesn't think of it as home anymore, this Riku keeps making stops in the Destiny Islands room for nostalgia's sake. And from time to time, there's someone in here first.]

Enjoying the view?

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[Caught up in her thoughts, she doesn't hear the approaching footsteps, but as soon as Riku's voice is in the air, Kairi turns her head in his direction to make sure she isn't just been imagining things. Her face brightens up, and she hops off of the tree trunk.]

Riku! You're home!

[She's trying to throw her arms around his middle within seconds, grinning widely.]

[sunrisingly.livejournal.com]

[He just blinks a few times in surprise, though by instinct he hugs back.]

You're not... [A pause.] Are you new?

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[Her grin fades a little when he asks her that question, and she lifts her face to gaze into his eyes.]

I'm not what? And what do you mean, "new"? Aren't I the same as you remember me?

[sunrisingly.livejournal.com]

[He has an almost pained look for a moment, before closing his eyes and letting out a sigh.]

I mean, do you know where you really are?

[fearsnodarkness.livejournal.com]

[Is that...?

No, it can't be. She has to be a fake, like all the others.

Nonetheless, there's a fifteen-year-old Riku watching her from the other end of the bridge. He'd come to investigate this room, but this is an odd sight.]

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[She can feel him there, a strange sensation of darkness. The light hairs on her arms stand up, and she rubs her palms over them to try to make them settle once again as she sits up, peering over toward the boy on the far side of the bridge.]

Ri...ku?

[He's too young, she thinks, and she wonders if he's a memory. Kairi already knows she can't keep herself from him and that she has to find out for herself, though, and so she's slipping off the tree, keeping her eyes on Riku.]

Is that... really you?

[fearsnodarkness.livejournal.com]

[He hesitates for once. There's no way this is the real Kairi. She's too old, and since when did she get a Keyblade? Besides, Kairi lost her...

Rather than approach her, he crosses his arms and watch her carefully.]

Yeah, it's me alright.

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[For a second, she doesn't understand why he's staying put and not showing any sign of being as eager to reach her as she is to reach him, but then Kairi remembers Riku often held the very same stance as the boy across the bridge when he was that age. If he is a memory, he's fitting in both body and soul.

So she crosses the bridge at a walk, eyes still locked on the boy's face to monitor whether or not he begins to disappear as she closes in on him.]

What happened to you, Riku?

[connectingheart.livejournal.com]

... I really missed home. Traveling was nice, but it was never the same.

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[Kairi jolts upright, looking toward Sora with wide eyes for a moment before her mouth pulls into a smile.]

Sora! When did you get back?

[Holding out her arms to offer a hug, she's beaming as she looks him up and down. She does find it a little odd, though, that he'd been gone so long and yet hadn't grown an inch. All those times she'd imagined what Sora would be like now, she'd expected he'd had the same growth spurt Riku had when he was that age.]

[connectingheart.livejournal.com]

B-back? A few weeks ago, but...

[Hang on, this Kairi seems older. Not the... one he was with a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, he walks over, looking a bit puzzled.]

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

Weeks?

[Kairi places her hands on her hips and shakes her head, but breaks into another smile soon after.]

Well, how have you avoided me? The island isn't so big, Sora. I've missed you since the day you left!

[twilit-kid.livejournal.com]

[there's a squeal of laughter from the beach below the little tree island, and if Kairi happens to look down she'll see a very small, scrawny Riku with blow-up arm floaters on and a wide grin as he races toward the water.]

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[She perks up when she hears the squeal. There hadn't been kids young enough to make that sound on this island in years. She walks to the bridge, peeking over the edge to spot the silver-haired youngster running toward the sea.

He looks like Riku, but perhaps even younger than the age he was when she first met him. Even if he's just a kid resembling her best friend, it lifts her heart to see him. She continues down along the bridge, making her way down toward the shore the boy had been rushing toward.]

Hi there!

[twilit-kid.livejournal.com]

[he'll be splashing at the water's edge when she reaches him, stomping the water and trying to jump over the little waves that reach the shore. when she speaks his head pops up and he gives her a wide grin]

Hi! Are you gonna go swimming too?

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[That face makes her heart skip a beat. The resemblance is just so uncanny. Kairi returns the grin.]

Well, I put my swimsuit with my towel an other things a while ago... I'll change, then I'll come swim with you!

[She turns her head to try to spot her towel and beach bag she'd left on the sand, but it's mysteriously gone missing. She scratches her head, looking back toward the boy.]

Have you seen my things?

[mizu-melody.livejournal.com]

[Demyx is exploring when he finds this room. It suprises him to find a place like this indoors. But hey, how can he complain when this place looks so beautiful. He passes Kairi right by without so much as a glance and settles down to put his feet in the water.] Ahhh! Refreshing!

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[Kairi catches sight of him out of the corner of her eye and immediately sits up to focus in on him. He's one of those Nobodies from the Organization, but didn't Sora defeat him? Kairi's cautiously walking toward him in no time, but she's a little surprised that he seems to be doing nothing more than enjoying the tide.]

Who are you?

[mizu-melody.livejournal.com]

Hmm? [He looks up at the voice.] Who me? [A quick glance around shows him he's the only person there aside from her.] I'm Demyx. Who are you?

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

Kairi.

[She frowns, looking at his attire.]

Aren't you... from the Organization?

[stilleatsbugs.livejournal.com]

[there's another Destiny Islands room occupant at the moment, who was looking to get away from the hallways of doubles and faces he doesn't recognize. he'd been seated by the shore a few yards away, but could see Kairi lounging up there, and he found himself glancing in that direction every other minute, wondering what exactly she's doing.]

[suffice to say curiosity got the better of him, so Sora's now standing at the edge of the island. sorry if he startles when he pipes up.]

Hello?

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[Kairi doesn't show any sign of being startled by the greeting, but her heart swells at the sound of the greeting. She sits up on the tree trunk, looking over at Sora, younger than he should be. Still, she grins at him, helping herself down and starting to make her way over toward him.]

What is this, Sora? Is this real?

[stilleatsbugs.livejournal.com]

It definitely feels that way.

[he opens his mouth again to say something else, but stops himself. "Who are you?" would probably be rude, especially because this girl seems to know who he is, and because he has an odd sensation standing here, right next to her. he feels like he's supposed to know her, too. Sora snaps his mouth shut and just grins awkwardly instead.]

[seabelight.livejournal.com]

[If he isn't going to do it, she is. She's suddenly wrapping her arms around him to pull him into a hug.]

But you're so... young.

[She giggles, and somewhere inside of her, there's another part of her that knows exactly what's going on, who this boy is, and why he wasn't the one pulling her into a hug. But even Naminé couldn't explain why he's here now, when this Sora is someone of the past.]