Stolen Serenity

"Sora!" Serenity called. She couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face as she watched Sora and Riku race against each other in the direction of what appeared to be a paopu fruit tree.

"You can't beat me!" Riku shouted back as he hopped over a log, leaving Sora in the dust.

"You wanna bet?!" Sora protested as he gained speed.

"Hey, Kairi" Serenity shyly spoke as she walked over to her, standing by the waters edge with a timer in her hand.

"Hey Serenity!" Kairi chimed as she smiled her way.

"Doesn't she hate me?" Serenity thought to herself as she took a seat on a rock beside Kairi.

"Hey, I'm sorry for the way I acted to you when we first met. I really didn't mean anything I said. I guess I was just kind of grumpy because I was sick. Not to mention Riku tried making me soup and he almost caught the whole house on fire." Kairi giggled as she looked out to the horizon.

Serenity laughed at this and spoke, "S'alright. No harm taken. I don't blame you for getting mad though. You and Sora seem to have something going on."

"Had something going on," Kairi corrected as her eyes lowered to the ground. "Riku had a problem with jealousy. We didn't want to ruin the friendship, so we kind of just broke up."

"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be." Serenity added, feeling Kairi's pain.

"Maybe," she sighed.

After a long pause of silence filled with seagull calls and waves crashing against the shore, Serenity began laughing as Sora attempted to throw a coconut at Riku to trip him up.

"What are they doing?" Serenity laughed as they watched the two run through the sand, kicking it up behind them as they went.

"Racing," Kairi simply stated.

"I can tell that much. But why?" Serenity wondered.

"Oh! That's right. You didn't know about the raft," Kairi paused before continuing. "Sora told you about Riku's idea of there being other worlds out there, correct?"

"Yeah, he mentioned it." Serenity spoke quickly, wanting Kairi to finish what she was saying.

"Well we all decided to set out and see if it was true. Riku created the idea of us building a raft and setting sail out in the ocean, just to see what we could find. We've been gathering materials for the raft, but Sora mentioned it needed a name." Kairi spoke as the wind began to pick up and blow their hair around.

"And that results in a race because..." Serenity pressed as she watched Kairi glance down to the timer.

"Riku wanted to name the raft Highwind. And of course, Sora wanted to name it differently. They both agreed to race and the winner chooses the name." Kairi finished as she watched the two.

Sora clung to a wooden pole attached to a rope in the air and began to slide down at a rapid pace as Riku hopped from ledge to ledge. Sora was suddenly in the lead and he was almost in reach of the paopu fruit tree when Serenity called out.

"Go Sora!" she shouted out towards their direction. Sora spun around with a smile plastered on his face, forgetting there was even a race going on.

"Serenity!" he cheerfully exclaimed, glad to see she had fully recovered.

"Thanks for the lead, buddy!" Riku laughed as he rushed by, already having tagged the tree.

"Damnit!" Sora cursed as he spun around and tapped the paopu fruit tree and raced back towards the girls.

"Come on, Sora!" Kairi cheered along with Serenity as Riku gained speed towards them. Sora wasn't far behind, sweat started to bead on his forehead.

"I'm gonna beat you, Riku!" he shouted from behind as they ran into a clearing. Only a couple hundred more feet and the winner would be chosen, along with the name of the raft.

"In your dreams!" Riku laughed as he jumped atop a bridge. He leaped from ledge to ledge until one snapped underneath him, but he caught his grip onto the wooden side of the bridge and rushed back up.

Sora, seeing Riku doing this followed suit, thinking it must be a faster way. Sora leaped from ledge to ledge until he fell through a large gap, not paying attention or noticing Riku had almost fell through. He landed into the shallow pool of water beneath and he was soaked to the bone.

He cursed under his breath as he raced through the water after Riku.

"Almost there," he spoke to himself as he rushed up behind him. He was only a few inches away from the lead, but cheers had already begun to fill the air.

"Congratulations, Riku!" Kairi and Serenity exclaimed as they gave him high fives and hugs. Riku held onto Serenity a moment more than she would have liked, and Sora didn't like it either.

"Psh, whatever," Sora muttered, clearly annoyed.

"Aw, someone upset because they can't win a silly race?" Riku poked fun as he messed up Sora's hair. Sora slapped his hand away and began to walk away in the sand.

"Highwind is a stupid name, anyways!" he shouted back as Riku hurried behind him.

"Someone doesn't like to lose," Serenity chuckled as her and Kairi walked behind the boys, side by side.

"Yeah, especially when it comes to Riku," Kairi laughed.

The sun was gradually descending through the sky.

"It must be late afternoon," Serenity thought as she watched the large ball of yellow fire lower from the peak of the sky. The day had gone by faster than she would have wished it to.

After a moment of silence, Serenity was suddenly burdened by a question she was just itching to ask Kairi.

"Hey Kairi?" Serenity began as she kicked a seashell through the sand.

"Mhm?" Kairi answered as she turned her attention from the sea. "What is it?"

"What did Sora want to name the raft in the first place?" She asked as she dug her hands into the pockets of her shorts.

Kairi quietly laughed to herself before she answered.

"Serenity," she smiled.