Riku
"Sora, I'm heading down to
the cave," Riku hollered up to the 15 year old boy, while climbing down the
ladder of the tree house. He slung a towel over his shoulder and added, "So
be sure to tell Kairi to steer clear, alright?"
"Sure thing!" said Sora,
grinning out from the tree house window. "But I'll be there in a sec, so
don't worry about it!"
Yeah, right, Riku thought to himself, laughing, more like half
an hour.
He put his arms behind his
head and began down the boardwalk. He walked past Selphie, a short brunette
wearing a yellow dress, who was once again gazing out at the ocean, humming
happily.
"Hey, Selphie!" he called
out to her.
Turning around and giving
him a big grin she said, "Hey Riku! By the way, when are you gonna teach
me to swim? You know I still sink like a rock!"
Riku laughed. Selphie had
always admired the ocean and she was also very fond of Riku (but only because
he was such a good swimmer).
"Sure Selph, but you really shouldn't sit on the dock like that; you're so
close to the water. It really is dangerous on the island for you, you
know..."
She stuck her tongue out
at him, "Don't worry, I'm not that stupid! Besides, you already won't let
me near Paopu Island, and that's not fair! You'll see! Even if I can't swim,
I'm gonna go there someday! Maybe even today! So there! "
Ha, ha, sure she
will...
"Oooookay Selph, you do that..."
Riku said mockingly as he left a pouting Selphie standing on the dock. She
then flipped her brown hair, which was parted into three sections, and stuck
her nose in the air as she turned around and sat down again.
Walking along South Beach,
he passed Wakka and Tidus, two boys who lived on a neighboring island, but
spent most of their time on Destiny.
"Hey Riku, going to the
cav-OWWWW!" yelped Tidus, the younger blonde boy, as Wakka hit him in the
back of the head with a blitzball.
"OWWWWWWIEEEEE!" he wailed,
tears pouring from his blue eyes.
"Heh, heh, I win!" the 14 year old red head taunted. "So stop actin' like
yo' three, ya?"
"FYI Wakka, that means for your information stupid, I'm 10. You're such a
jerk wad!" snapped Tidus, his eyes now just brimming with tears.
"Jerk wad? Is that the best your little brain cam come up with?" he mocked.
The little boy got up and charged at his 'ex-best friend', who held him by
the head and dodged the swinging fists, chuckling.
Sigh, there they go again...
"But be careful Wakka, he'll get back at you someday!" Riku cautioned with
a wink.
Wakka burst out laughing, "Wahahahah! Oooookay Riku, I'll take your word
for it! Hahahahahaha!"
Riku rolled his eyes and continued towards the push door.
He soon arrived at the tall
wooden wall and walked through the door, coming to the cove side of the islands.
He walked over to the boardwalk when Sora came bursting through the push
door, making it smash against the tall wall and frame.
"Wait! Riku, don't go on
the board walk! I haven't re-YAAAAH!"
The door, while swinging back, caught the back of his heel, causing him to
stumble right onto the rotting piece of the walkway, (which broke) and sent
him crashing down into the shallow water below.
"Smooth," Riku smirked hopping
down next to Sora and heading toward the cave.
"Hey! Wait up! Riku, you
can be such a jerk!" said Sora, dripping wet as he got up, and raced after
the 16 year old.
They climbed into the small
opening; against the crystal water's current, and into the gigantic cave.
Walking over by the three waterfalls pouring into a hot spring-like pool,
he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, soaking in the melodic rhythm
of the cascading water on rocks.
His silence was broken as
Sora called out, "Hey Riku, whatcha watin' for? Come on!"
"Huh, alright, alright, I'm
coming," He slipped off his shirt, shoes, and socks and placed them on a
rock.
"Whoa! Holy shit Riku! Have
you been working out or somethin'?" Sora exclaimed, looking at Riku's well
toned body, "Damn, you even have a six pack!"
Riku smiled, "Maybe," he
said, "a little" he added with a wink.
"That's so not fair; you
gotta lemme in on your secret! For Kairi's sake!" Sora pouted.
"Who says I'm not still after
Kairi?" he grinned, a mischievous glint flashing in his eye.
"WAH?!" Sora exclaimed, bright
red, "Kairi's mine! I thought we settled that a year ago!"
"Did we? Ha, ha! Hey, don't worry Sora, I'm just kidding!" He quickly added,
noticing the tears forming in Sora's eyes.
Geez, talk about
overprotective...Ha, ha, but he's so much fun to toy with!
Riku headed into the hot
spring. The place would've been a suffocating sauna if there wasn't an opening
in the top of the cave. The sun poured into the hole and sent a ray of light
bouncing off the water, creating a beautiful assortment of blues and pale
greens dancing on the walls of the cave.
Riku swam over to one of the rocks under the surge of crystal water and was
beginning to relax when he got a strange cold rush, and it wasn't from the
water. His eyes went cloudy and he saw a figure coming towards him. He couldn't
exactly make out her face, but she has shoulder length dark hair that was
layered and flipped out. He couldn't tell what she was wearing, if anything,
but she was about a little over five and a half feet tall.
Sora glanced over at Riku, puzzled at his friend's glazed-over expression.
"Uh, Riku? You ok?" He asked his friend, and when no response came, he started
to walk over to him.
Riku stared at the girl as her form came closer and closer. Soon, her lips
were almost touching his. But she leaned in further, to his ear instead.
As she passed him, he caught a glimpse of her hazel brown eyes with strikingly
bright emerald green flecks in them. Then she whispered, "Riku, you have
forgotten me...but do not worry, for we will see each other...soon..."
As her image faded, a name echoed throughout his mind, Azumi...Azumi..."
it chanted, "Azumi..."
As his vision began to clear he saw Sora headed towards him through the
water.
"Hey, uh, Riku? You ok? You were muttering to yourself for a second there.
You had me worried!" he chuckled.
"Hm? Oh, uh, yea, I'm ok..." he said subconsciously, for his mind was fixed
on trying to remember the name which has slipped beyond his memory's grasp.
Sighing, and deciding to think about it later, he began to relax again, but
was interrupted when Kairi came dashing in red eyed and yelling for him and
Sora.
Great.
"Sora! Riku! You gotta hurry!!" She cried anxiously, a hint of worry in her
voice.
"Dammit, Kairi, what the hell are you doing here?! Geez..." said Riku grabbing
his towel and getting his clothes together.
"What? Kairi! What's wrong?! Are you ok? Did you get hurt?! Tell me what
happened!" Sora shouted, rushing over to her and grabbing her shoulders.
"There was this explosion in the water and-" she started.
"What?! An explosion?! Where?!" he cut her off.
"O-on South Beach," she
stammered.
Grabbing her hand and spinning
her around, he slid out the cave opening and splashed through the water to
the ledge. He leapt up and then turned around, extending his arm for Kairi.
She grabbed it with a shaky hand and held on tight as he pulled her up. She
loosened her death grip on his arm, but still grasped his hand tightly as
they ran through the push door, letting it swing behind them.
Meanwhile, back in the cave...
"Yeah you guys; don't forget
about me." Riku mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes, as he threw on his
shirt and slid out of the cave after them.
Kairi's earsplitting scream
echoed throughout Destiny Islands.
Dammit Sora, don't do
anything stupid!