A Heart Unbound

Chapter 19: Fate

"Please promise me you'll come home." I pleaded Kairi.

"I promise." Kairi and I hugged each other tightly.

"We have to go now, Hana." Sora approached me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Sora." I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed his torso as much as I could.

"Hey, we'll be back soon." Sora's words did reassure me.

"I know. I'll just miss you. This will be the first time in a while when we actually get separated."

"It'll be alright." Sora half expected me to let him go then, but I didn't want to. "Hey, Hana, would you hold on to this for me?" Sora pulled the Wayfinder charm I made for him from one of his pockets. "I don't want anything to happen to it."

"Yeah. I'll keep it safe." I smiled and threw the looped string around my neck.

"See ya later, Hana." Riku took a step closer to me.

"Yeah. See ya, Riku. Don't worry, I won't hug you this ti-."

Riku unexpectedly pulled me in for a hug, but I didn't hesitate to return the favor.

The air blew rapidly as the Gummi Ship hovered a couple feet over the ground. Donald and Goofy stood just inside, waiting for Sora, Kairi, and Riku to climb aboard.

"See you soon, Hana!" Sora waved to me before entering the ship, and I waved back.

The Gummi Ship zipped back into space, and it felt so unusual, being alone, that is. I always had Sora, Donald, and Goofy by my side, through the bad times and the good. Knowing that, I knew I wanted to be there with them, supporting them, fighting with them. However, I knew I didn't have that capability anymore, and I couldn't learn in the small amount of time I had. So there I was, waiting.

I sat on the beach for hours upon hours, waiting for my friends' return. Even at dusk, I still sat there all alone with only the waves and soft sand to keep me company.

Suddenly, my loneliness changed at the distinct sound of the formation of a dark portal from behind me. Who could it have been? Xehanort? Maybe Vanitas? At first, I didn't know, and I didn't want to know.

"You don't have to be afraid of me anymore." It was that creepy voice. The darkness, or rather, the dark fiend. The one who stole Hayner's heart and appearance.

"You! What are you doing here?!"

"I've come to warn you that the prophecy has come true."

"What prophecy?"

"On that land shall darkness prevail and light expire."

"What? You're lying! They wouldn't lose!"

"They have, and Xehanort is close to victory."

"No..." I planted my knees into the sand and cried. "This can't be happening."

"He can still be stopped."

"Huh?"

"You have the power to give light a second chance."

"What? How?"

"With that special Keyblade, The Other Side."

"Why are you telling me this? You hate me, and Sora."

"You forget, I have a heart now. Isn't that how feelings surface?"

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

"Would you rather sit here and do nothing while Sora suffers alone?"

"Alone?!" I gasped. "What happened to Riku and Kairi...and everyone else?!"