Kingdom Hearts: Those Left Behind

It was noon and the S.S. Liki continued to drift across the bright-blue ocean, a calm, gentle breeze blowing against the makeshift sail. The sun was high and its warm rays of light shined down on the ocean below, reflecting off its surface. There was nary a cloud in the sky and there were gulls circling overhead.

“I’m bored.” Whined Tidus as he laid back against the long wooden mast, his sword impaled partway through the wood of the raft next to him.

“Me too bruddah’.” Said Wakka as he placed the Blitzball between his legs. He was sitting right beside Lulu. “Are we in another world, ya’?” He would ask.

“It doesn’t feel like it.” Answered Lulu as she played with Moggie, grabbing its arms and making it “walk” across the raft.

“I wonder how we’ll know?” Asked Selphie as she laid back against the mast, opposite to Tidus. She had her notebook open and was writing her first entry, scribbling words across the page after writing the date at the top left.

“Maybe there’ll be like an explosion or something or big, bright light.” Said Tidus. “Or maybe there’s like, some sort-of portal just waiting for us out there. Yeah! And then, all we have to do is just go inside and it’ll take us to another world, ya’ know?”

“Bruddah’.” Exclaimed Wakka. “I be thinking that maybe the heat’s starting to get to ya’…”

“Well, do –you- know?” Asked Tidus, turning his head to face Wakka.

“Well, no. But…”

“Well, alright then!”

“How did Sora and Riku travel to another world?” Asked Lulu.

“I don’t know about Riku, but Sora said he traveled between worlds using something called a Gummi Ship.” Said Selphie, tapping her chin with the eraser of her #2 pencil.

“Gummi Ship?”

“Yeah, Sora said that it was like a spaceship, kind-of, but like, it was made from Gummi Blocks.” Answered Tidus.

“What are Gummi Blocks?”

“Sora said that they’re the shattered remains of some “cosmic wall” that surrounds each world, I think. I don’t quite get it myself.” Said Selphie. “But, Sora and Riku said that there’s a “wall” or a “barrier” or a “shield” that surrounds each world, and that when it’s broken, its pieces fall in the form of shooting stars.”

“Interestin’ stuff, ya’?”

“Indeed.” Said Lulu.

“Yeah, I remember when me and Wakka tried to find some around the islands after Sora and Riku told us about it.” Said Tidus. “We couldn’t find any.”

“Ya’, and we were going to make a Gummi Ship and everything.” Said Wakka. “But that didn’t happen. Bummer…”

“Maybe we’ll find some on other worlds.” Said Lulu with a smirk.

“Ya’, maybe. Who knows, ya’?”

The S.S. Liki continued to sail across the seemingly endless expanse of ocean. Though it has only been a few hours since they all set sail for another world, it felt like an eternity. Tidus groaned, his stomach growling, it filling the air with a series of icky noises. “Man, I’m hungry…” Said Tidus. “Again? But didn’t you already eat an hour ago?” Asked Selphie. “Ya’ bruddah’, we don’t have a lot of food with us, ya’? An’ somethin’ tells me we got a long trip ahead, ya’?” Said Wakka as he spun the Blitzball on the very tip of his finger, his hand wobbling as he tried to balance it. “I’ll just take one more fruit.” Said Tidus. “Tidus…” Whined Selphie, closing her notebook. Tidus would quickly sit up and then lean across the raft to grab the bag of fruit that was placed near the edge of the raft. “Just one more, I promise! This’ll be the last one.” He would say as he opened the bag and then reached inside to grab a fruit. He chuckled, licking the side of his lips as he inspected the delicious yellow fruit in his hand.

However, just as he was to bite into the fruit, he felt something wet and slimy tapping him on the shoulder. Tidus would turn around only to be greeted by what looked like a dark-purple appendage that was sticking right out of water. It was a tentacle! It wiggled and writhed before him as Tidus leaped back, yelling as he very quickly scooted away as far as possible without falling off the raft. “What is that!?” Shouted Tidus. The strange, slimy appendage would then wiggle around some more before actually waving at him. Then, in the blink of an eye, it reached out and wrapped itself around the fruit in Tidus’ hand, snatching it away. “Hey!” Shouted Tidus. “Give that back!” Tidus attempted to take back the fruit, but failed, the tentacle quickly retreating back into the water.

The others took notice and were just as baffled as Tidus. “I’m just gonna’ pretend I didn’t see that, ya’?” Said Wakka. “What was that?” Asked Lulu, clutching Moggie close to her side as if she was afraid that thing would try and take it away as well. “M-Maybe it was a sea monster…?” Said Selphie. “Or worse, a Heartless!” Tidus groaned, shaking his head before getting up on his feet. “Whatever it is, I’ll be ready for it.” He would then approach the side of the raft from where the tentacle appeared, reaching out to grab his sword by the hilt, dislodging it from the raft. “But what would a Heartless want with a lousy piece of fruit, ya’?” Asked Wakka. “Do Heartless even eat?”

Then, with a loud splash, that very same arm rose from the depths and wiggled about, coiling as it “looked down” at Tidus, waving again. “There it is again! Tidus!” Shouted Selphie. “Got it.” Said Tidus. Then, with a yell, he swung his sword, the hooked blade slicing the air in half before viscously slashing the tentacle. “Hiii-yah!” The tentacle wiggled and writhed wildly, coiling about in pain. “Yeah! Take that!” Tidus would yell out. “Bruddah’…It looks pretty angry, ya’? I wouldn’t be doing that…” Warned Wakka as he slowly rose to his feet, Blitzball at his side. The tentacle continued to twist about before slipping back into the water.

Tidus grinned triumphantly and chuckled. “Well, it’s gone, whatever that was. See? There’s nothing to worry about. You guys just leave it to me.” Tidus would then turn around, his back against the ocean. “My hero.” Mocked Lulu. Wakka guffawed, stretching. “You’re just jealous.” Said Tidus, impaling the wood of the raft partway with his sword. “Uh, guys, look!” Shouted Selphie as she pointed to something stirring up the waters ahead. Lulu got up and joined the others at looking where Selphie was pointing.

Not far from the S.S. Liki was a strange, purple object poking out of the water. Whatever it was, it was stirring up the water and was forming bubbles. “I don’t like the looks of this, ya’?” Said Wakka grimly. “It’s moving!” Shouted Lulu before blowing away her bang. The strange, purple object began to move, making its way swiftly around the little wooden raft before coming to a stop at the opposite end of the raft. Then, after a few seconds of inactivity, there was a great, big splash of sea water, and then a high-pitch voice.

“NOW THAT WAS RUDE!”

The four of them all looked on, absolutely bewildered by what they saw in the water. It was an octopus! Even stranger was the fact that it was not only a big, purple octopus, it was a talking octopus! It had many writhing tentacles that wiggled about under the water and it had long, sharp teeth that stuck out from beneath its mouth in a ring around its body. It had bright-red eyes and it looked at the four of them rather angrily. It thrashed about in the water, stirring it up, causing the S.S. Liki to wobble and shake. “It is a sea monster!” Shouted Selphie.

“Sea monster!? Where!?” Shouted the octopus, its eyes darting about. “Oh! Are you perhaps talking about little ole’ me?” It would ask, pointing at itself with one of its many arms. “I’m no monster! I’m Ultros! Nice to meet you.” It would say with a big, goofy grin. “Now who’s the big, dumb jerk who attacked me!?” Yelled Ultros, his face turning red, clouds of steam coming from the sides of his big, purple head.

“Yeah, uh, heya’, that would be me.” Said Tidus, reaching down to pick up his sword again. “Um…Sorry?” He would then apologize, a look of utter confusion on his face.

“You’re going to be sorry!” Shouted Ultros. “I mean, what’s wrong with you!?”

“H-Hey! You took our food!” Replied Tidus.

“Oh? Was that yours? It was mighty tasty!” Ultros would say with another big, goofy grin. He would then take a look at the other three, examining them all closely before his curious gaze fell on Selphie. He began to giggle.

“Wh-What’s so funny, ya’?” Asked Wakka.

“Oh me, oh my! What a pretty girl!” Shouted Ultros, blushing, his cheeks turning a bright pink as many small, pink hearts rose out from the top of his head and began drifting upward towards the sky. Selphie pointed to herself and gulped. “M-Me…?” She would ask. “That’s right my pretty! How about you ditch these losers and come with me?” He would ask. “WHAT!?” Shouted Tidus. “I-Is he serious?” Asked Wakka. Selphie visibly shivered and shook her head out of disgust. “Ewww, no! Are you crazy!?”

Ultros began to throw a tantrum, yelling as he thrashed about in the water. “Oh come on! Why not!? Is it because I’ve been a bad octopus?” He would ask.

“Okay, I don’t about you guys, but I’ve had enough.” Said Tidus, spreading his legs as he brandished his sword, assuming a battle stance. “Agreed.” Said Wakka, holding out his arm while clutching the Blitball at his side, putting one foot forward before the other. “Oh that is just so gross…” Whined Selphie, a mortified look on her face. “I can’t believe he just said that. Ewww, just, ewww…”

“Well, he’s obviously not a Heartless.” Said Lulu.

“Hey! Who’re you callin’ heartless!? That’s Mr. Octopus to you!” Then, with a splash, a couple of his long, slimy tendrils would rise from the depths, the both of them wiggling and writhing in a rather gross faction as Ultros bared his teeth at the gang, ready to strike. “I think you kiddies need a spanking!”

“Heads up!” Shouted Wakka, reaching way back before hurling his Blitzball at Ultros. It soared through the air at high-speed, spinning rapidly before hitting Ultros hard between the eyes.

“OW!” Ultros would shout as the Blitball bounced right off his face and into the air. Ultros’ bright-red eyes turned to swirls as stars formed around his head, circling it as he began to mutter rather incomprehensibly to himself. “Ha! I-Is that all you got…? I barely felt a thing! I’ll take you all on! All…All ten of you…Alright, here I goooo…Ugghh! B-But first, beddy-bye time…Oi.” Ultros groaned in pain before finally losing consciousness, sinking back down beneath the gentle ocean waves with a small splash. Wakka chuckled, a big, bright smile on his face. “I said, “Heads up!” ya’?” He would say, holding his arm up high in the air to catch his Blitzball after it finally fell back down.

“Nice shot.” Said Lulu.

“Heh, it was nothing.”

Selphie let out a sigh of relief, still a little shaken. “What a creep! I hope we never see him again.” She would say.

“I wonder though…” Said Wakka. “Maybe he knows Sora and Riku, ya’? Maybe we shoulda’ asked him, ya’?”

“No thank you!” Shouted Selphie.

“Yeah, I’m going to have to agree with Selphie there, Wakka.” Said Tidus. “If knowing where Sora and Riku are means having to talk to that weirdo, I’d think we’d be better off not knowing, ya’ know?”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Said Wakka with a chuckle.

“Wh-What if he comes back?” Asked Selphie.

“Then I’ll use my magic.” Answered Lulu with a comforting grin. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“Yeah! What Lulu said! If Ultros wants to pick a fight, we’ll give him one, right guys!?” Said Tidus, impaling the raft with his sword.

“Right on bruddah’!” Shouted Wakka with a smile.

Selphie grinned, nodding as she then said, “Thanks guys.”