Kingdom Hearts: Those Left Behind

It was a bright and sunny day at the Destiny Islands, the air smelled of salt and was filled with the tranquil cacophony of waves gently crashing against the white sandy shore and the cries of seagulls as they flew across the cloudless, cerulean sky above. There was a gentle, cool breeze that disturbed the dark-green leaves of the palm trees that were littered across the island. The sun’s glorious rays would shine down on the peaceful island below, reflecting off the clear, blue surface of the sea that stretched on to what looked like infinity. All was quiet here, even more so ever since Sora and Riku left the islands on their little wooden raft which they named “Highwind”.

“Ugh, man, the boredom is –killing- me!” Groaned a young teen as he looked out at the vast ocean before him, his head resting on the palms of his hands. “Tell me about it.” Said his friend who was sitting beside him, a Blitzball in his hand. “This place hasn’t been the same ever since Sora and Riku left, ya’?” There was a brief moment of silence between the two before young, blond man spoke, “Wanna’ fight? I brought my pole.”

“Nah, we already did that Tidus. You whooped me, remember? It was this morning after school, ya’?” Replied the rather gruff-looking teen with the bright-orange hair. “Oh, right…” Said Tidus in disappointment, sighing as he ran his gloved hand through his spiky, blond hair, scratching the back of his head. “Hey, Wakka?” Said Tidus.

“Ya’?”

“Where’s Selphie? Isn’t she supposed to be meeting us here?”

Wakka grabbed his Blitzball, setting it between his legs, holding onto it as he replied with, “Oh, she said somethin’ about meeting the new girl.”

Tidus perked up, turning his head to look down at Wakka. “New girl? What new girl?”

Wakka looked up at Tidus. “What? Did you fall asleep in-class again, ya’?”

“No!” Shouted Tidus. “Well, maybe a little…”

“You’re hopeless man.” Said Wakka with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Hey!”

Wakka guffawed, flashing a bright, teeth-filled grin as he then continued with, “Well, there’s a new girl at school. Accordin’ to some rumors floating around, this girl’s from another world.”

“Seriously?” Asked Tidus, quirking a brow. “Like Kairi, right?”

“I guess so.” Wakka would then get up on his feet, his Blitzball still in hand. He stretched, letting loose a loud, long, drawn-out yawn.

“You ‘guess so’?”

“Hey, they’re just rumors, ya’?”

Tidus groaned before letting himself fall back onto the hot, white sand beneath him, arms and legs outstretched. He looked up at the sky, taking in the smell of saltwater that was in the air. “Hey man, you alright?” Asked Wakka, holding the Blitzball to his side as he looked down at Tidus.

Silence.

“I was just thinkin’, ya’ know?” Said Tidus after a few moments. “I was thinking that, I don’t know, if maybe…That maybe this girl –is- from another world, ya’ know? And that, I don’t know…”

“An’ you were maybe thinkin’ she might know somethin’ about your father?” Finished Wakka.

“Well…Yeah, I guess so.” Said Tidus. “Maybe she’s seen him.”

“Yeah, maybe…”

There was another period of silence as Wakka scratched the back of his head, looking out at the sea. He would then look down, noticing a hermit crab walking across the sand, minding its own business. Wakka moved his foot, allowing the hermit crab to continue on its merry way across the beach, completely oblivious to everything going on around it, its glorious pink shell glistening in the light of the tropical sun. Wakka sighed and then spoke up in a rather somber tone, “Look man, I’m sorry about what happened to your old man…” “Don’t be.” Said Tidus, sitting up. He then reached down and picked up a smooth, shiny pebble, rolling it around in his grasp before reaching way back and then tossing it across the water, the pebble skipping across the ocean’s surface, leaving behind a rather long trail of ripples before finally sinking down below. “I’m glad he’s gone.” Said Tidus in a huff, resting his arms on his knees.

“So, uh, why do you want to find him?” Asked Wakka, raising an eyebrow. “Because I want to smack that deadbeat for everything he’s done.” Answered Tidus. “Just thinkin’ about my old man makes me –so- angry, ya’ know?” Wakka opened his mouth, ready to speak, but was soon interrupted by a familiar voice off in the distance.

“Hey!”

Both Tidus and Wakka perked up, the two of them quickly turning around to see what looked like two figures off in the distance, all the way on the other side of the sandy shore.

“Hey! Tidus! Wakka! Come over here! I brought a friend! Come say hello guys!”