Memories of the Past [Sora]

[Xion]

As the sun glared down at the beach below and played off the water in an array of sparkles bathing everything it could in a warm bright glow a small cloaked figure perched on top of the crooked paopu tree was no exception. A slim gloved hand gripped the rim of the cloak's hood to give it a quick tug, trying to pull it further over her face to block at the blinding rays.

The waves crashed gently against the small slab of land only a short distance away from the beach before retreating back into the larger mass of water, the sweet salty scent of the ocean lingering and gently drifting through the air filled her nostrils as she took in slow deep breathes. "If I could.. I'd stay here forever.." She quietly whispered as her bright blue eyes peeked out from under her hood to stare longingly at the ocean.

How long had it been since she had come here? She had been here briefly once before but had neglected to sit on the awkwardly bent tree as she usually did. It was like a second home to escape to, much like the clock tower was whenever she needed a few hours to herself. It allowed her the peace to clear her mind and forget all the worries that tagged along behind her. Here, she wasn't anything but some random person minding their own business. But the island brought more than peace. It also brought back memories. Memories of back when things only seemed to get worse and life had seemed to crumble from underneath her. Roxas, Axel, Riku.... Sora. His name running through her mind gave her a sense of unbelonging, like she really wasn't suppose to be, and it was true.

Xion quickly tried to shake the thought from her head but it had already planted itself firmly into tFhe depths of her thoughts. Even if she hadn't been herself, she had attempted to take Roxas' life which in consequence, would've meant Sora would have never become whole. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her hands folded neatly on her lap as she fought to keep the sadness and anger back. "Things are.. okay now.." Xion told herself, trying desperately to convince her mind that things were, for the most part, fine. For now at least.

But how was Sora doing now that both Roxas and herself were no longer apart of him? And what was to become of them after this 'Alliance' had been broken?

The thought of losing everything again made her hands tremble as they closed tightly around the other, suppressing the urge to scream into the open air. After a few moments her finger began to gently ease up, still stiff from the sudden pressure put on them and refusing to budge any further than what they had already allowed. Perhaps coming here alone had been a bad idea.. This island held so many memories, and each one of them connecting to even more, even some that hadn't been her own. It linked together the good and the bad, but every memory still led down to the same story ending, the same outcome.

The only question was, what to do now?

((Sorry if that post is kinda lame. Haha ^^; ))

[Sora]

(OOC: Don't worry, it's a lot better than any of my museless posts have been lately, and forgive the lateness of my reply.)

Soft, muffled footsteps in the near-white sand, the gentle repetitive sound of small waves crashing on the distant shore. The brown spike-haired boy that had so much of a destiny to bare upon his shoulders did not hear these sounds, buried in his own troubled thoughts. It was the day after his midnight rendezvous with his Nobody, Roxas, who he had found sitting on the dock in the middle of the night after he had woken up and found Two Across in his hand. The keychains Sora had now only appeared when someone whom had a strong connection with Sora's heart appeared nearby, since Sora's friends were his power, so he had known Roxas had been somewhere nearby. The conversation they had was a mixed one, and while Sora tried to remain optimistic about where he and Roxas stood now as different people altogether, the fact remained Roxas did not see Sora and his friends and the Organization as two different sides. Only that of his friends and his enemies, both of which he had in the Organization, and those that were not.

That was not the only matter of what their allegiances were - Sora also had another question for his Other friend about the Organization. A long time before he was reunited with his Nobody after the longest of times, he had come across a strange cloaked Organization member - one of which he did not remember seeing at Radiant Garden before. He met her in the place where ironically, he had first met Xemnas and that of Organization XIII for the first time, in the Castle Chapel of the original Hallow Bastion Castle. She had her hood up at the time, her face forever masked away in shadow, and while she did not give her name she coldly mocked Sora before revealing only that she was looking for her friends - Axel, and Roxas. After that, she mysteriously vanished when Sora turned away for one second, and ever since then Sora had started to experience - memories that he hadn't had before. Experiences with his friends that he didn't remember having before, until now, and yet were almost identical to the ones he already had.

As he started to recall that particular memory, a familiar sensation that he could not explain came over him as he found himself walking towards the crooked paopu tree he had subconsciously been walking towards, and he found himself clutching his head in pain as he doubled over in the sand. A rush of memories came over him expectantly, of him, Donald, Goofy and Jiminy standing in a white room, and someone else was there - standing out of place in contrast to the white in their black, hooded Organization cloak. But who it was, he couldn't kiss at all, all he could recall were that they were talking about memories that they were struggling to remember. And then a flash of yellow - Sora suddenly recognised the shape as it jostled him out of his unwanted slide-show of memories, the shape of the yellow object in the sand in the shape of a star.

Sora slowed his rushed breathing as the scenery of Destiny Islands came back to him, finding himself kneeled over in the sand, the yellow paopu fruit in the sand near his face. Carefully, he reached down to pick it up, and held it delicately in the palm of his hand as he examined it carefully. The paopu fruit had been his own, and it had fallen out of his pocket when he had leaned over during his involuntary daydream. A sad look washed over his face as he remembered what he had been carrying it for - he had made a promise to himself that when the time was right when he found her, he was going to share the paopu fruit with the girl that had always been the closest to his heart. But how could he do such a thing now, when he was such a wreck with these oncoming memories he was having, and keep her safe with him always when this had affected him now so greatly? And why was the paupu fruit so significant to him, more than just the myth behind it that the people who shared it would have their hearts bound to each others destiny forever? It had something to do with his memories, and he wasn't sure why, but as Sora picked himself up and dusted himself off he saw it - a black-hooded figure was sitting on the crooked paopu tree, back to him and hood up, looking out to sea. Sora immediately ran into the nearby sea shack and raced up the stairs, the door creaking open to the elevated peninsula, his scratchy footsteps behind the shrouded person heard distinctly in the sand. Sora knew that the person would be able to tell by now that his presence was here long before the sounds of his arrival, but from here he couldn't tell who it was, or even if it was an Organization member from this angle.

"Who's there?" he called over to them, his tone a mixture of bold cautiousness and curiousity, his fingers tingling in the air in anticipation as he felt his Kingdom Key wanted to be summoned to his hand for some unexplained reason, in case the person decided to become hostile. Was it a member of Organization XIII on Roxas's trail, come to berate Sora about communicating with his Nobody? Was it Riku being Riku again, wearing his Organization Cloak given to him by Diz? Or was it someone... else?

[Xion]

Xion quickly became lost in her own thoughts, sitting nearly motionless on her perch. The salty ocean breeze rushing past her face in short gentle bursts, the rythmic sounds of the waves lapping against the beach shore, and.. the faint sound of feet rustling against the sand? A twinge of pain shot through her head as her slim gloved hand reach up to rub at her temple as images from unclear memories began to flood into her mind. This hadn't been a new experience to her.. The last time she had run into the Keyblade Master she had had a similar sensation, though it seemed to have gotten worse since the last.

Could it be he was nearby? This was his home after all so the possibility of it were high. And why else would this be happening? Xion shifted uncomfortably on the crooked branch unsure of what to think or do. Should she stay and meet with the spiky haired boy or leave before things complicated themselves? If not now it would only be a matter of time before she'd come face to face with him.

As the door creaked in protest as it was opened and the footsteps had become much more audible, Xion realized that every muscle in her body had begun to tense, even having the knowledge that someone had been there long before they had made their way to the small landmark. Her fingers began to close tightly around one another, wanting so badly to flee and avoid the painful memories. Taking in a deep breath, she managed to collect herself and let her body relax.


"Who's there?"


There was no doubt in her mind now that her discoverer was none other than the brunette Keyblader. The sound of his voice was forever burned into her mind. A small smile crossed her lips as her gaze continued to focus on the vast ocean scene, not even bothering to turn and look to confirm that it was indeed who she thought it was. "Hello... Sora." She hadn't bothered answering his question at this very moment. He'd find out soon enough who she was. "Don't worry.. I'm not here to fight." Her voice was soft and reassuring, even sounding oddly similar to someone close to the Keybearer. Surely the dark cloak had made him curious as to who from the Organization could possibly be here on his island and why.

Tossing one leg after the other over the bent tree, Xion turned to face her original self, her face still concealed and hidden away behind the shadows of her hood. "It's nice to finally get to meet you again." She had met Sora once before this, though it had only been briefly and she had been a bit hostile towards the brunette. She had done it absentmindedly in her desperate search for her friends and hadn't realized until later how harshly she had treated him. "I'd also like to.. apologize for our last encounter. I wasn't exactly being friendly." Xion slid down from the paopu tree, her feet landing on the ground below with a soft thud before leaning back to allow the tree's trunk to support her weight and keep her upright.

[Sora]

There was a pause, and then a soft feminine voice came from the person in the black cloak, a voice that was hauntingly familiar to that of his special sweetheart. But it wasn't her - at least, he felt it wasn't, and Kairi wasn't known for dressing that way. It had to be her, the one he had met in Hallow Bastion, and the Organization weren't known to recruit any female members - that he could remember. She greeted him, and told him she wasn't here to fight. In reaction, Sora relaxed slightly, his hands unfurling as he stepped cautiously forward.

He came to a stop a a foot or so behind the girl, as she swiveled around on the tree to face him. Sora could not see her face underneath her shrouded disguise, so her identity remained a mystery to him, which only served to make him more curious. "I'm not sure I can say the same," he said hesitantly when she extended her courtesy to his arrival, and then listened to her apology in reply to him. At this apology, he could see she was trying to atone for her past mistakes to him, and a hint of a smile crossed his lips. "It's okay. You're making up for it now, that's what matters." he reassured her, feeling a little more comfortable with her presence.

Or was it just a trick of the Organization to gain his trust? No, the Organization were on their side for the moment, he had to trust them for making up for what they had done in the past. But did this girl even feel bad for what she had done? Sora couldn't forget that the Nobodies in the Organization didn't have feelings, because they had no heart. He looked on at the hooded girl, not sure if he was making eye contact, trying to figure out what her intentions were. "Is that why you came to my island? To say you're sorry? I'm glad you did, but... I thought Nobodies had no hearts to feel bad with. Or... this about something else, isn't it? Did you do this to me, make me remember... these false memories I've been having lately since I met you?" he asked all at once, blurting out a rush of endless questions that came to his mind.

[Xion]

A smile crept upon her lips as Sora began to ease up a bit as she talked. A sense of relief washed over her as the brunette accepted her apologies for her previous run-in with him. He was so forgiving to someone he didn't know; from the Organization even. How he could just forgive and forget amazed her.

"Well, the real reason I came here was to get a few moments of peace away from the Organization. I'm sure you, of all people, know how much of a pain they can be, Sora." A light giggle escaped her lips as her smile widened a bit more, trying to lighten the mood floating in the atmosphere by joking about something they could both agree on. "Running into you just happened to be a bonus and gave me a chance to apologies for the way I acted.." She knew she'd run into him eventually though, and here was definitely the most likely place of all considering it WAS his home. His next question was a bit more unavoidable. How, or if she really did, feel a range of emotions and about the false memories he seemed to be plagued with lately ever since their run-in.

Slim fingers slowly reached up and grabbed hold of the rim of her hood, giving it a light tug backwards to let it rest on her shoulders. Bright blue eyes peeked out from under her cropped raven hair. Her hands slid back down to rest at her sides as her eyes met with Sora's. Introduction were always a nice start to things. Besides, he deserved to know since she was technically a part of him. "My name is Xion. Number XIV of the Organization."

Xion took in a deep breath, letting the silence linger for a few passing moments, trying to collect the right words in her head. How exactly was she going to explain all of this to the brunette? "It's true Nobodies don't have emotions because they have no hearts. But.. I'm unlike every other member of the Organization, Sora. I'm not a nobody. I-I'm a replica.. Of your memories that had been leaked. So while my heart may be fake, it still exists." Speaking of the past again brought painful memories back to her, scenes of herself turning on her own friends played in her mind. She quickly shook them away to continue with her story. "Our memories are connected in a unique way, even I don't fully understand how it works.. They seem to jumble themselves up between us which results in the false ones we both experience.." And the only way she knew how to stop it was returning to Sora, but she couldn't stand to leave her friends.. not again. She fiddled with the small chain attached to her hood, casually looking away from the Sora to avoid eye contact for fear that he wouldn't take the news well. Her bright blue eyes swiftly flickered up to Sora's face to get a glimpse at his reaction. "I'm sorry if I'm causing you any trouble.."

((BAH that post was horrid! Haha.))

[Sora]

(OOC: That post was not horrid! It was great, I love it! Don't think otherwise. And sorry I took so long to post, but I was trying to work up not only the muse but the right way for Sora to react. The fake memories he was experiencing was my sub-plot for him that the leaked memories from Castle Oblivon are returning to him, but I like your idea it's has to do with Xion not merging with him, but she won't have to of course. ^^ )

"Yeah, I guess... but if they apologize like you did, I think I could fogive them. They weren't all bad..." Sora replied to the mysterious Organization member about the rest of her fellow members being annoying, and smiled unsurely, rubbing the back of his head. Her giggle was... so familiar, and at the same time so different. "Well I'm glad I got to forgive you too, but there really wasn't anything to forgive... I'm sure you had a reason, right?" he reassured her. Whoever she was, she sounded so much like her, he couldn't quite put his finger on how it wasn't.

Then came a defining moment, something Sora hadn't expected, but had been hoping for. When the Organization member reached back to lower her hood and finally show her face, it took him by surprise. It also left him speechless, which was good, or else he would have interupted her as she finally introduced her name to him. Sora tried to make sense of the name as his blue eyes locked with hers for the first time, but it didn't sound at all like who she looked like the most. "Xion... nice to meet you... you look so much like... Kairi."

But this Organization member couldn't be Kairi's Nobody, could it? Kairi already had a Nobody, Namine. As he remembered the name, images shot through his head of the girl, as well as that of Riku, in a white room. He came out of his recollection of the memory and looked up back at Xion, trying to make sense of this. Why that memory now, and was it real, or a fake? Why was he getting fake memories in the first place? And if Namine was Kairi's Nobody, why did Xion look so much like her?

Xion's words filled the silence, and Sora could only listen to her as she started to help him unravel the mystery of her identity and her origins. When she was finished, Sora was stunned at first, not sure what to say. He wasn't sure what to make of it all, feeling so confused."Whaaat? You mean... you're... you're fake? Copied from my leaked memories?" he repeated Xion's explanation how he interpreted it, as if it would make more sense for his mind to process. Fake.... why was that word so important to him? "Wait... so where are all these memories coming from, why am I remembering them? All I keep seeing are white rooms... Riku, and Jiminy, Donald and Goofy are in those rooms... and my friends in each world, but things are different... and... and...something else..." he struggled to remember, but he couldn't reach it, but it was on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head, as if to shake the memories away, the sounds of Xion playing with her chains bringing him back to reality. He had gotten so caught up with solving the mystery, he hadn't noticed how Xion was feeling about bravely exposing her personal secret. Sora felt rather sorry for her then, as she apologized to him, and he suddenly smiled.

"It's okay, Xion. Even if your heart is fake, it's yours, and you were true to it. It feels real to me."

[Xion]

((Haha. Well, it can be a little of both! With them both being connected through his memories, it only makes some sense that a few of them would get mixed around when they got close.))

"There's no excuse for how I acted. True, I was searching for my close friends but, that wasn't any way to treat you." She had been in such a frantic rush to make sure her friends were alright that she hadn't thought twice about anyone she ran into along the way and slowed her down. And fate just had it that Sora had been one of few she had crossed paths with. But he didn't deserve to be treated the way he had been.

Ah, so he HAD noticed. But then again how on earth would he not? Her features nearly mirrored Kairi's in every way with only a few minor details differing between the two girls. "Kairi.. The girl who I resemble so much and the girl who you so deeply care for.." How she envied them both, really. They had the life she had longed for; a true existence rather than the fake one she lead. A life that had at one point had been a factor in driving the poor girl insane and driven her to attack Roxas.

As she finished her short story she allowed the silence to settle in once again. Surely the brunette would be at the very least a little overwhelmed with the vast amount of information he had just received and the quiet air would help him sort out the jumbled story. Her eyes returned to Sora as he began to repeat bits and pieces. "That's correct.. I'm a replica, a fake.. Born from your memories.. Kairi was the strongest memory you had at the time, which is why I look the way I do." She watched as Sora began asking questions to himself about memories he couldn't quite grasp. "Look deep within your heart, Sora.. All of those memories are there, just locked away." He didn't need help remembering the events that took place at Castle Oblivion. He would eventually remember them on his own, which was the way it needed to be.

Sora's words forced a small smile to creep onto Xion's features. Those words meant so much to her. A hand gently reached up to rest over the place where her false heart was beating. "Thank you, Sora." Her voice trailed off as she looked away and back out to the ocean. "Sora.. What do you think is going to happen? After this new threat is gone..?" Her voice was suddenly filled with concern and worry. Surely the Organization wouldn't keep their peace treaty with the Light long after it was all over. Then what?

[Sora]

(I agree! Makes perfect sense, let's go with that.)

"No, there wasn't any excuse for the way you acted. But... you said you were sorry, and that means that your heart is in the right place. And that means a lot to me, that you would go out of your way to say that for me and not knowing if I would forgive you... at least that's how I feel. You're forgiven, just smile and be happy, and try to stay that way the next time I see you." Sora smiled, the tips of his spiky brown hair having like the branches of the paopu trees above them as the breeze blew in from the sea. It was so bizarre, to think that Xion was his living memory with Kairi's appearence, memories that could be changed so much that they could become a person... but Sora had to look just at that, that she was a living person, and nothing more. It didn't matter what she was, or how she came to be - just that she was Xion, her own special person, and nothing more. Xion hadn't given him any hints about how she had been upset at the time, but Sora could imagine that it had to do with her friends Axel and Roxas, which provoked him to speak of something he was reminded of. "I don't know if this helps you, but... if you're looking for Roxas, he was here last night. Just don't tell anyone else about it, okay? It can just be our secret." he grinned suggestively, putting one of his gloved hand on one side of his mouth as a gesture while he hushed the last part of his sentence to her.

His smile faded away, though, when Xion spoke of Kairi. That made sense why she looked like Kairi, and because of that... Xion knew. So, because of who she was, she... she was living proof, besides a certain small chalk drawing in the secret cave, of Sora's deep feelings for the Princess of Heart. His blue eyes lost their shine for a moment, and then they lowered to the sandy floor, as his thoughts dwelled for a moment on the girl with red hair. He hurriedly walked past Xion to the crooked Paopu tree she had been sitting on, and swung his legs over it to sit on it himself, his azure eyes now looking out to the same colored hues of the sky above the ocean. "Kairi... I... I think she knows how I feel, but... I feel now, it doesn't matter how I feel, or what I did." was all he could bring himself to say, as he felt brave enough to share with Xion the paopu fruit he brought out of his pocket, watching as the sunlight shone off the ripened yellow fruit. He wanted to share the paopu fruit with Kairi and be a part of her life as she would be in his, but Kairi had grown tired of waiting around for him and Riku to come home, and had gone off on her own to seek out adventure that would make her happy. She did not want Sora by her side as she sought her independance, and Sora felt pushed away... and he was prepared to wait for her as she had done for him, but it had been a long, long time since he had seen her. And Sora doubted if after all this time away, if their feelings were strong enough that she would still feel the same about him as the day she had left.

Sora needed the silence Xion gave him, and he appreciated it, as it helped him to think as he looked out upon the waves. Xion spoke again about how she was a fake, and that the very memories she was made from would come back to him. "Xion... you are more than just a fake... you are a tribute of my memories to her. If one day, I am gone, and the darkness takes me again... Roxas will be here, that's true, but he's his own person now... but if she ever needed someone to tell her and reminder of how I... felt about her, it would be you. You don't need to be the connection between us, you can be your own person now, but... everything you do, every moment you are living, is a dedication to all that's good and right in this world. A reason that we all fight for." he reasoned, and went quiet, looking out into the ocean once more. A tear dripped from the corner of it's eye and down into the water, to join the rest of the salty liquid. He made no movement to wipe it away, until Xion spoke again, jolting him back to reality.

Having just spoken of the darkness, Sora laughed sheepishly, wiping away the tear with the back of his hand. "Gotta keep it together." he chuckled, and then turned fully to face Xion so she could see his expression. "You're welcome, Xion. And actually, I asked the very same thing to Roxas, to see how he felt now he's back with the Organization. And you know what he said?" he laughed, as he put on a mock expression of a serious face that was meant to impersonate his Nobody. ""Right now, I'd prefer to think of my alliances to be with my friends, not with one side or the other,"" he said in a Roxas-like voice, smiling away his earlier sadness, and looked at Xion. "I've been away from my Nobody for so long, I forgot that friends are the most important thing to me, not who's with the darkness or the light. As long as I know who my friends are, everything will be okay in the end, no matter what happens... I think you'll make a good friend too, Xion." he grinned, and then turned back to the horizon, content for the moment as his mind became lost in the hypnotic, calming rhythm of the waves crashing gently on the shore.

[Xion]

(OOC: Woo, finally posted! xD)

A small smile crept along Xion's lips as Sora confirmed that her apology had indeed been accepted. To be accepted in anyway was a wonderful feeling. The only other people that had ever showed the small doll any kindness had been Roxas and Axel. "And it means so much to me too, Sora.. It means so much to me to even have the chance to apologize.." She took in another deep breath of the sweet salty air, enjoying the nice moment while it lasted, only to focus her attention back to the brunette as he began again. "Roxas was here?" Why she sounded so surprised, she didn't know.. He WAS Sora's Other after all. Of course he'd want to come talk with him every now and again.. "A secret? So.. tell everyone I know right?" A small giggle of laughter left her lips as she attempted to muffle them with a few slim gloved fingers. "I did manage to meet up with him finally, but, it's nice to know he wasn't getting into trouble. And I promise! Not a word!" Xion pinched together her index finger and thumb and traced a small curve over her lips before tossing an imaginary key over her shoulder.

She watched as Sora's mood suddenly dove, his happy demeanor losing its luster. She knew how much he truly cared for the Princess of Heart, and knew how hard it was to be away from a loved one. She remained silent as the brunette went to sit on the crooked tree trunk and stare out into the vast blue sky. She allowed a few more moments of silence before daring to speak. "Of course she knows how you feel, Sora.." As she spoke, Xion slowly began walking her way towards him. "It DOES matter how you feel and what you did.. Don't ever doubt yourself for a minute." Her bright blue eyes slowly drifted down to the paopu fruit resting gently in Sora's hand. A soft smile spread across her features as her eyes looked back up to Sora's, her hands slowly reaching out to him, one resting below his hand, the other on top of the bright yellow star shaped fruit. "Your lives were always intertwined, Sora.. Ever since that fateful day so many years ago.. I'm sure Kairi still loves you, she just.. needs to go find herself first. Just don't give up hope." Her hands slowly slipped away from the brunette's, as Xion took a few steps back to give him his space. She had hoped her words would help sooth the Keyblader's mind and heart. It was hard to be torn apart from a person you cared so much for..

She listened quietly and with awe as Sora began to speak again, giving her existence a.. meaning. A tribute to his love for the red haired Princess. Every word, every sentence meant so much to the replica. Knowing someone saw her not just as a failed experiment, but her own person was all she could hope for. "You have.. no idea how much is means to me to hear you saw that, Sora... I feel.. whole." A gentle smile played across her lips.

A small uncontrollable fit of laughter erupted from Xion's throat as Sora attempted to imitate his blonde counterpart. "Very nice Roxas you have going on there! You sound just like him!" Her laughter slowly died down to a few giggles. "Friends.. yes. That's very true. Friends are dear and important. As long as we keep our trust in them, things will be fine.." She repeated. Her grin widened. "I think we'll be great friends!"

A soft sigh left the doll's throat as her eyes watched the sun slowly retreating downwards, plummeting into the ocean. She'd been here quite awhile now... She wouldn't have much time to stay. "Sora.. it was so nice to meet you.. I'm so glad I had a chance to apologize to you in person.. and become.. friends." Friends. That word had such a lovely ring to it. "I would love to stay longer, but.. I'm afraid if I'm absent any longer someone might notice.." And being on thin ice already did not help the situation at all. "I hope we get the chance to meet again and talk. Over some sea salt ice cream, next time, perhaps?" Her smile was still prominent on her face as she took a few steps forward and lightly wrapped her arms around the brunette's torso in a quick and friendly hug before retreating a few steps back and calling forth a portal and slowly making her way in.

"Take care, Sora."

[Xion has left the thread.]

[Sora]

(OOC: Thank you Xion! It was a great thread!)

Sora simply smiled, as Xion felt relieved to give her apology to him, even if Sora didn't feel it was necessary. "Again, you're welcome." he welcomed her, and felt that would be the end of that. He closed his eyes and felt the wind through his hair, enjoying the moment's relief, only to open them again when Xion relied to him. He nodded at her surprise, then laughed at her joke, her giggling and the silent imaginary gesture she made. It was the little things like this, seeing a girl happy, that made Sora the happiest of all. "That's good you got to see him. I'm glad he's keeping out of trouble too... for now." he added humorously, mirroring Xion's amusement in the joke.

It was little jokes like this he missed with Kairi, when all had been well... her enthusiasm in seeing him, her giggling, her smile. Seeing Xion do the same couldn't help but remind him of her red-headed look-alike, and the fact she was still absent in his life made Sora sad. As he went to sit on the paopu tree during the silence, his brown eyebrows furrowed, so deep in concentration he almost didn't hear half of what Xion said. He stared out into the deep blue beyond the island, his shoulders heaving a deep sigh. "What if she doesn't?" he questioned quietly, and when Xion followed up with another reply, quiet settled in as he thought about it.

What if these were the same thoughts Kairi had once, long ago, when Sora had left her to go keep his promise to bring Riku back? He'd been gone for a whole year, and then during that year for some reason she along with his friends had forgotten him, but did that soften the blow of the loneliness and dejection for when those memories came back? It had been her letter he had found in the Realm of Darkness that had helped him find the door to the light, but what thoughts had she gone through during their time apart? Did she have her own doubts, her own fears, that Sora could tell her when he found her he was having now? Or did she stop believing he was coming back, and only started to believe that again when her memories returned? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but now he was back, did she leave him to rediscover those feelings of him again, or was she reversing roles to make him feel like she did when she had been waiting for him, only this time she wasn't coming back for him?

Sora thought about this until he gasped, realizing Xion was cupping her hands around his, having heard her words about her assurance of Kairis love and self-discovery. His heart started beating erraticly, and his cheeks flushed slightly, a wave of euphoria washing over him. Was this...? As the feeing quelled and subsided, still looking their intertwined hands with his soft blue eyes, Sora felt Xion was right. If Kairi had been this patient and loving with him for the time he had been gone, surely he had to do the same for her. He had to believe that the day when he saw Kairi again, after everything that had been said and done, all would be forgiven and she would be thrilled to have him in her arms again.

Sora wanted more than to make her happy, after all - he wanted her to want to be happy that she had rediscovered herself, and him all over again, and together share the exilerating yet peaceful moments they once shared.

But it wasn't just all about Kairi in that moment he shared with Xion. He had made him realize this, and he had to thank her in some way, something more than the right thing to do by not just acknowledging her existence, but appreciating it. "Of course. You're my living memory." he said simply, and smiled back at the raven-haired girl. Making her laugh again was another plus to their encounter, and he chuckled softly at her complement at his imitation. "Well, he was once me, after all, so I'd guess I know." he replied humorously, the traces of the tear he had made no longer visable. "Know our friends... and trust them. That's important to remember." he nodded, making sure he wouldn't forget that important lesson, his smile growing wider. "In that case, you'll always be my friend, Xion. Because I can't forget you... you're more than just a memory."

He noticed as Xion's eyes drifted behind him, and as he turned his spiked head to look, he realized her words of farewell had come about because of the sunset. He turned back and stood up from the paopu tree. "It was nice to meet you and make friends too, Xion... you better go then. Yeah, me too, I hope I get to see you more often. Of course, first batch is on me!" he answered back energetically, a big Sora-ish grin covering his face. But what came next completely wiped it off his expression as much as it was unexpected - he suddenly felt Xion's arms around him, her small figure pressed against him, locked in her embrace. Slowly, in contrast to his beating heart, Sora wrapped his arms around Xion's slender waist. He leant his head against hers, smelling her hair involuntarily as he breathed in through his nose, the entire experience not unwelcoming at all. She reminded her so much of... but soon enough she had broken the hug and stepped back to summon a portal, saying her final goodbye before she was gone.

"Xion... thank you."

The thread has ended.