Kingdom Hearts {Reader Insert}

15. Space Whales and Seafood

While landing at Olympus Coliseum you sat anxiously in the seat closest to the ramp off the ship. You were excited to actually see Sora again. That morning you had woken up fairly early and gotten ready quickly so that you could rush down and ask Cid what time he expected to be landing the ship. Now it was about an hour to noon and you hoped you would get to eat lunch with Sora.

You were the first one off when the door opened and the ramp came out. Across the valley you spotted a smaller gummi ship and a red checkered blanket spread out in front of it. You took off at a run.

Donald and Goofy sat on the blanket facing your direction while the brunette that was your target had his back turned to you. Donald and Goofy waved and smiled and you smiled back before shouting, "Sora!"

He turned and stood before catching you in a hug. "[Name]!"

You both separated and Sora's eyes caught some of the small cuts and scrapes that the potions you had taken after the last fight weren't able to heal.

"Are you okay?" His hands reached toward a scrape on your arm but you pushed it away.

"I'm fine," you told him. "You aren't exactly in pristine condition, either." You nodded at some of his scrapes and a dark bruise on his arm.

He glanced at the bruise, "Long story," then returned his gaze to you. His smile dimmed. "[Name], I have to talk to you about something."

"Is it Riku? Or Kairi?" you asked, worried by his expression.

"Uh, yes..." Sora answered awkwardly.

You heard feet swishing in the grass behind you and turned to see that your group had caught up to you. They greeted the three in front of you.

"Oh, a picnic!" Yuffie smiled at the little meal laid out.

"That's a pretty good idea," Tifa smiled. "Mind if we join you?"

"Go ahead!" Donald nodded. "I've been eating with just these two for too long!"

Everyone laughed a little and Tifa, Yuffie, and Leon turned back to gather things for a picnic.

"Why don't we eat lunch and then-" Sora started, but you interrupted him.

"No. Just tell me."

Sora glanced around at everyone before conceding. "Okay, come on." He led you around to the other side of his gummi ship.

"On the way here," he started, "we ran into a giant whale."

Uh. What. "A space whale? A giant space whale?"

"Weird, I know," he grinned. "Anyway, it swallowed our ship whole and we found this old man named Geppetto and his little son Pinocchio, except Pinocchio is actually a living puppet."

"Creepy."

"He's actually one of few puppets that isn't so bad," Sora told you with a shrug.

You shook your head and laughed. "I thought this story was about Riku and Kairi."

"Just hold on, I'm getting there," Sora put a hand up. "Pinocchio ran off into the whale so we chase after him, but then Riku's there."

"In the whale!?"

"Yeah, in the whale. He said he was 'playing' with Pinocchio, but it looked to me like he was trying to lead him somewhere. You were right, he wasn't himself. He asked me if I even wanted to save Kairi and it sounded like he thought the keyblade had gone to my head or something. I mean, it might've a little 'cause it's pretty cool," Sora grinned and looked off the side for a moment, "but how did he even know I had it? I hadn't seen him since before all of this." Sora thumbed back at the gummi ship. He thought for a moment before continuing. "There was this point when we were both chasing Pinocchio and he got caught by this heartless-slash-whale-organ monster and Riku helped me fight to get him back. He has a keyblade too, I guess. Riku, I mean. He thought he could use Pinocchio's heart to 'save somebody who's lost theirs.' I think he was talking about Kairi."