The Songs in Our Hearts Book One: Reaching Out

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Glimpse

When Kairi saw the image the woman put on the projector, there was a strange warmth that spread through her being. A smile tugged at her lips as her pale, blue eyes gazed at the silhouetted, towering castle in the picture. It felt so familiar to her, even at the lack of clear details or the slightest idea of what that place was.

It had been a few days since Kairi's last contact with Sora back in Traverse Town. When she wasn't in that empty space where she had no access to the outside world, she was observing from a vantage point of some sort. At least, that was the best way for her to describe it. Sometimes she could only see through Sora's eyes. Other times – like right now in front of the projector – she could walk around his surroundings, but she could never stray far from the boy. Sora could never see or hear her as well, and this always made Kairi upset. She was right there with him, but she had no way of telling him.

She walked closer to the picture since there wasn't anything else for her to do. As she approached, she could hear faint voices, but it was hard to make out what they were saying. Each step seemed to make them clearer and louder. Maybe if I get closer...

Kairi placed her hand on the image. To her surprise, she didn't phase through the canvas to the other side. Her hand seemed to move within the picture itself. The voices were louder now, but still not distinct enough for her to make out clearly. Letting out a shaky breath, Kairi hesitantly stepped forward into the image. As she passed through, she found herself in that strange space again, where she virtually no contact with Sora. The voices had gone silent. Kairi turned around to try and make her way back to the tent, but the canvas and picture were gone.

"What was that?" the red-head wondered out loud, looking above her. While she could not make sense of those voices, she was sure that castle in the photo was familiar to her. Looking at that image created a sense of comfort, like the relief one feels when coming home from a long day of work. Kairi slumped to the floor as she tried to figure out what that place was. "It feels like I know that place..." she murmured to herself, playing with her bracelets. "But, I don't remember anything from before the islands." Her fingers traced the inside of her bracelet as she thought. That feeling from before— was it nostalgia? Kairi's face scrunched up. She tried desperately to hold onto that warm feeling. It was the happiest she had been since the islands were destroyed.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Kairi's head snapped up as she heard an elderly woman's voice break the silence of the space. Her eyes darted left and right as she tried to find the source, but there was nothing.

"Hello?" she called, her voice echoing through the space. The fourteen-year-old waited for a response.

"Picking flowers again?" the voice came again, ignoring her call. It seemed to laugh, but in the way a parent would laugh as they watch their child play.

Kairi looked around in confusion. From what she could tell, there weren't any flowers. Besides her, the space was entirely empty. She took a couple steps forward. A frown formed on her face at the unchanging scenery, and her hands balled up into fists. The only other person the girl was able to speak with was somewhere here, and she had no way of finding them.

It was lonely in the space. Whenever she found herself there, Kairi always felt so small and lost. The space seemed endless, with no borders aside from the floor. Kairi could feel her throat tighten as her head slumped in frustration. Falling to the ground, the girl hugged her knees close to her and buried her face. More than anything, she missed the islands. She missed her family. She missed Riku and Sora. Kairi could feel tears forming in her eyes. The girl blinked, letting them roll down her cheeks as she let out quiet sobs.

"I thought I'd find you here," the voice repeated. Kairi's eyes shot open. She lifted her head to scan the area again. There was no way she was gonna let this opportunity pass. With renewed determination, Kairi wiped her tears, stood up, and began running. She could hear those two lines repeating over and over. They never seemed to sound any closer, but they never got further either.