A Meeting Between Old Friends (Plot/Xion/Invite)

[deshitana5]

Where am I now? Riku thought as he opened his aquamarine eyes slowly and stared up at a crystal clear blue sky. The skies were calm and tranquil as large white clouds drifted by lazily in that sea of blue. They were similar to those found on Destiny Island when no storms were coming and the place was at peace; however, wherever this was was not the islands of his childhood. Here there were no calls of sea gulls, no breezes that held the scent of salt, no sand, no waves. It was almost silent here. The only sounds were the occasional chirp of a bird and the whisper of gentle warm breeze playing through the grass under him and the trees somewhere in the distance.

Riku was not hurt per say, but he found he could not move either. His body was paralyzed by the calmness of the area, but his mind was a chaotic mess of thoughts. He struggled to make sense of it all as he laid there on the grass on his back with his arms outstretched to either side of him. He remembered all the world hopping and the different people that he met along the way. He remembered fighting alongside King Mickey to defend the castle from Darkness…and then…Isa.

That’s right. He remembered now, how he had gotten to this new place. He had encountered Isa when the Light took him to the islands to think and reconsider his plans for the future. He was thinking of ways to find out exactly what Xehanort was up to while thinking of ways to search for clues on the whereabouts of the remaining forces of Light…both efforts had been leading him to brick walls thus far. Just when he was running out of ideas an unexpected opportunity had arrived in the form of Isa….a puppet in Xehanort’s master plans. He had been so close to perhaps gaining just the smallest hint of where to look for one of the Seven from the man when they had been rudely interrupted by a woman named Jessica.

The woman wielded a keyblade, but had shattered any hope of gaining information from Isa with her attack. The situation had more or less spiraled in its own direction, but now Riku was left once more without a lead. To make matters even worse, the Light had decided to remove him from the island before he could even attempt to see if he could get Isa to meet him elsewhere to finish the chat…and what happened after that was really just a blur.

He remembered the Light had left him in Radiant Garden, but for whatever reason he was overcome by exhaustion. Perhaps it was too much world hopping using this method of light that did it or maybe it was simply because he truly had not had a good rest since he began his journey. What little rest he did allow himself was restricted to short naps and quick bites to eat before he was on the road again trying to play catch up against a clock that had no mercy. He had wandered around the Garden and ended up in a strange house full of even stranger things. He remembered briefly exploring the place before finding a strange book that sat alone on a table within the room.

For whatever reason he had been drawn to the book and so had drifted over to it and without really thinking, opened it. As soon as he did this, he was assaulted by a bright light that he thought at first was the light that had been sending him to different worlds; however, the pull of the light from the book was different…and now…now he was here.

Riku’s thoughts came to a halt as he blinked sleepily at the sky as a strange thought hit him. That light had pulled him inside of the book he had opened. As odd as the thought was he knew it to be true somehow. He was inside of the book he had opened and now so relaxed he could not move. Was he mad about this? Being unable to move when he had other pressing matters to attend to? Not really.

Sure, this did nothing to help him make progress on his current goals, but he did need the rest and this place…this land within a book felt like the safest place he had been since starting his journey. While his mind worried about the time constraints, his friends whereabouts, and Xehanort’s movement, his body was being to relax even more as the heavy drape of sleep began to fall over him. The last thing he remembered thinking before his eyes began to shut was how he was going to double his efforts in finding the remaining Seven and also finding a way to halt Xehanort’s plan, but to do that he needed some of his strength back.

After the thought had crossed his mind, he let himself relax fully as his eyes closed completely and he fell into a light doze….

[Deleted]

The World was a peaceful one..a place that seemed to invite you to stay, to sit down and watch the clouds go by across the blue sky that was edged by trees as far as Xion could see. How had she gotten here? She thought back, remembering seeing a book left partly open, and, curiosity getting the better of her, had to have a look. And that's how she found herself in this alternate location.. A storybook World? Was this one perhaps removed from everything and everyone who would bring Darkness to the inhabitants who dwelt here?

The breeze blowing through the trees seemed to wipe away the troubling thoughts that were in her head, clearing it, making things more carefree, lighter. She wandered, simply carried along by this newfound sense of relief of any burden. Something about the place...

Xion was so preoccupied with her wanderings that she nearly tripped over a person lying in the grass in the clearing she had been aimlessly walking across. She regained her balance and looked down at the person. The sight triggered an immediate reaction of recognition and surprise, but also delight.
Riku..!
She stopped herself before the words could come out. Quiet was better, since he seemed to be sleeping..and who knew when sleep would be found again? Indeed it seemed a very good idea. So, following the example set, Xion lay down on her back in the grass, and turned her head to watch him, half-drawn toward a rest herself.

The clouds continued their lazy drift overhead across the sky, passing beyond the trees. Xion drifted toward sleep, her mind at ease for once, but in the very back of it, that small, nagging sense that guard should not be let down. She ignored it. This world was one accessed by a book. It was safe enough for the time being. She closed her eyes, and relaxed, simply glad to be near a friend.