songerein | [closed] when the night has come. and the land is dark.

[Sora moves to sit with her on the sand. Sitting next to her and looking over the water that seems to be moving slower than a real ocean might. But it's pretty all the same.

A fond smile appears on Sora's lips as he thinks about the first time he met Cloud.]

Would you believe it that the first time we met he kicked my butt into the ground?

[It was a weird day for Sora that day.]

He was really hard to read back then. Really edgy and mysterious. But... really cool.

I would, yeah. Though he probably had a pretty good reason for it?

[There's that hint of a teasing sing-song in Tifa's voice somewhere, and when she looks to Sora, the corners of her eyes crinkle with a smile. That definitely sounds like a story he should tell???]

Doesn't sound all that different from the Cloud I know, though. Bit hard to read still. Mysterious. He thinks he's got that hard edge, but I think he's lost some of it since back when I first ran into him.

Thinks he's got a hard edge but he's actually got a soft spot. Right?

[Sora chuckles in response looking just as fond about the guy.]

Back then he was always looking for someone or something. I didn't know what it was back then but a bad guy named Hades tricked Cloud into working for him with the promise of helping him find that thing.

[He shrugs a bit.]

It didn't take Cloud long to figure out he was being tricked to do that guy's dirty work. Then he saved my life when Hades sent a huge three headed dog after us. I knew pretty quickly that he was a really good guy from then on.

Mm-hm.

[Cloud, deep down beneath all of that "edge" is really just a big, huge dork with a giant soft spot on his heart. Although, there have been some things that she's questioned since she met Cloud again, but... she's not going to let those thoughts consume her.

There's something else that Sora tells her instead that has her looking at him with a gentle, fond look in her eyes, her head resting on her knees as she tucks them close to her chest.]

Did Cloud ever find what he was looking for?

You know what? I don't know for sure.

[~~because Kingdom Hearts has some pretty big plot holes when it comes to some of the Final Fantasy characters~~ Because Sora was always watching him chase after this one thing. Always looking like he was missing something. Like he was haunted about it...]

At first, I thought he was looking for someone. But maybe... He was looking for his light.

[His light...

She looks out to the water at that, and she feels her heart do a little thump in her chest. This is a different Cloud than the one she knows, or so Sora says, but it does give her pause to wonder what that might have been... What it was that he'd lost that he was looking for.]

I'm sure he'll find it. He's pretty stubborn once he sets his mind on something.

[And strong-willed, too...

Tifa laughs gently, whimsically, and her chin dips to rest on her knees.]

Just waiting for him to find this place in his dreams.

[Sora feels that same sort of fondness for Cloud too. Hoping for the best for him even if he's so far away. Cloud is hard to understand sometimes but Sora knows that Cloud is a very important friend.]

Yeah, he sure is. I hope he comes here.

[He admits that as easily as ever. He'd do anything to see Cloud again. And everyone else too.]

Hey, Tifa? If you could meet Cloud here in this world what would you say to him? Would you tell him everything about this place or jump right to kicking his butt?

[He jokes but it's a sincere question. He always wondered what she might say to Cloud if they were reunited in this place. Sora knows he would have a lot to say. And probably a lot of hugs to force.]

Me?

[She's... actually never stopped to think about what she would say to Cloud if he ever dropped into Reverein one day. She questions if she'd even still be upset with him over the things he didn't even know he had control over or if she's forgiven him, but Tifa supposes she'd find out in the event he did.]

I'd probably get straight to kicking his butt.

[A joke. Or maybe a half-truth. Either way, there's an amused glint in her eyes.

For real, though?]

... I think I'd tell him... first not to worry about me. That I'm happy here. But I'd also tell him how much I've missed him, and how glad I am to see him. [A beat, and she stretches her legs out in front of her over the sand.] It's silly. Sometimes I sit there and hope he'll make it in time for the wedding, but I doubt it.

[Sora smiles cheekily at first knowing that Sora would probably want to do the same thing. Kick his butt for taking so long in finding them again. But also because he's missed Cloud very much. He knows it must be a little different for Tifa and that's why his smile softens when she continues.]

I think it would be really good for him to hear that.

[Since Cloud worries about other people even if he hides it a lot in his own weird ways. Takes a lot of blame for things he probably shouldn't.]

But, married huh? I didn't know about that, Tifa? What's the scoop?

Not many people do.

[She hasn't exactly told anyone except for those closest to her, and she thinks that Sora could probably count among them. He has known her for quite some time, after all. Longer than she's even aware of.

There's a distantly whimsical look in her eyes, and she kicks her feet a little in the sand.]

Eustace and I are getting married in the winter. In a few months from now. I'm a little nervous, but I think it'll be fun. [She spins to face him with a glimmer of hope.] You'll be there, right?

[Sora's blue eyes light up with joy.]

Will I ever be!! That's so great, Tifa! Congrats to you guys! That's pretty huge!

[Little sparks of warm light crackle like happy little fireworks around Sora's head.]

If you need any help with stuff I can help out too! Give me all the hard work you don't wanna do!

[It's amazing that Tifa is getting married. Sora knows by now that travelling to these other worlds can really change which way your heart leans. Just look at Sora and Vanitas... The most unlikely pair there is.]

[It really does change where the heart goes. She still, in her heart, cares deeply for Cloud and no matter where she is, that part of her—that young, teenage girl who would gaze up at the stars and wish—would always love him. That much is evident simply by the way she talks about him with Sora or the way her whole face lights up when she says Cloud's name.

But things change, people change. They grow, and they shift with the way the waves move like sand. If they didn't, would they really be human?

She smiles, warm and genuine, and instinctively leans a little closer to Sora.]

Well. Have you ever been to a wedding before? This'll be my first one.

[Sora would understand where she's coming from completely. When he was a little younger he used to think that he would be with Riku and Kairi forever. But it's been so long now that he's changed. His heart still holds them both so close and he loves them with everything he can muster and that will never change. But people do grow up. People do fall in love with the people who are in their lives and who make up their experiences. Sora fell in love too.]

Uh, yeah! This will be my third one, I think?

[He blushes a little with a smile on his face.]

I think I'm technically married to Vanitas. And we've gone to a wedding before too.

[...

......

????

If there were a record scratch in her expression, it would be happening right now.]

Wait.

[There's a stretch of silence, and a surge of warmth around them, but there's also the buzz of confusion that flits around Tifa's head like the crackling of static.]

You're married...? [She shakes her head.] To Vanitas?

[What's really funny about this is Sora's kind of used to that sort of reaction to it. For various reasons. Hah.]

Haha! Yeah! I think we've been married for a couple of years now! We're both nineteen so I guess we're really young for that sort of thing.

[Sora tilts his head. Wondering if Tifa and Vanitas have ever talked before. He knows Vanitas can be quite the personality sometimes. Sora and Vanitas are literally polar opposites.]

In the last world we were in? We had a magical bond that bound us together with the vows we promised each other.

[That's... sweet.]

A magical bond, huh?

[Tifa's voice sounds wishful and light. She wonders if there is some sort of magic bond or promise that they all make in these worlds that will continue to draw them back to one another. It happened to Tifa and Eustace, and now, Sora and Vanitas?]

So, you two also found each other in another world, with your memories, I'm guessing...?

Yeah, exactly! We never had a wedding party or anything like that, though.

[Sora and Vanitas have been very lucky when it comes to this sort of thing. They know that too since not everyone gets lucky enough to be swept off to another world and still remember each other...]

We did. When we woke up in this world we really thought we wouldn't remember each other but when I found Vanitas we both realized nothing changed for us. We remembered everything from before. I know we're lucky.

You are. Not everyone can be that lucky, but I guess it just means you were meant to be together.

[She still isn't sure how much is just a coincidence and how much of it was truly written in the stars, but it's very possible that it's entirely the latter. She knows the feeling well, although she hadn't been blessed with Eustace remembering at first.

There's a thought that occurs to her in that moment, but... she'll tuck it away and save it for a certain journal post conversation...

Tifa gives a little laugh.]

So, is this place special to you two? Where are we, anyway?

[He smiles at her and tucks the little note away in his heart. He really hopes that the fact that Sora and Vanitas found each other again really means they're meant to be together. Sora knows that Vanitas would be a mess without Sora and Sora would be very lost too. At this point... He's pretty sure he'd rather fade away than forget Vanitas.

Then he perks up at her second question. He'll have to tease her about Eustace more later.]

Oh, yeah! This place is called Destiny Islands! It's where I grew up.

[He glances around and looks out at the ocean water.]

But you know, I wonder if I'm getting some of the details wrong at this point. Like were those trees there? Didn't I build a fort over in those bushes? Stuff like that... Want me to show you around a bit?

Oh. You told me a little about this place.

[Her own expression lights up from the softer, more subdued one that she had been wearing. Excitement colours it now, and she seems to already be on her way to getting up as she brushes the sand from herself.]

You did promise you'd show me around here someday, didn't you?

I did!

[Sora grins and hops from to his feet and offer his hand out to her to help her up.]

Come on, let's see how much I can remember about this place.

[Something about what he says pangs at Tifa's heart, and she tips her head up at him before she's accepting her hand to lift herself to her feet. This is his home, isn't it? They've talked briefly about it before, so...

She quickly shakes the thought away and looks around them.]

Lead the way! I'm guessing this is the beach.

[She says with a grin. How very observant of her, but she's teasing.]

[Unfortunately it's a pang that Sora has too. He's been away for so long that he's not sure of all the details anymore. When Sora's memories have been jumbled up like scrambled eggs before too... But he's not going to frown about it. Instead, he's going to show a friend what he can remember of this this special place.]

Haha! You got it, Tifa! You're a natural at island living already!

[Sora laughs along with her teasing and then points at the large docks that are going out over the water. He can remember how far they stretched out. Almost like they go right into the sunset. And the little beach house that sits there at the start of the docks too. But he can't remember how the roof looked. Therefore it seems to be missing...]

Over there is the beach club house. Riku, Kairi and me used to spend the entire weekend out there. It took us so long to build everything too.

You built that!?

[Even with the roof missing, it's still impressive that they had managed anything at all. Something that they could call their own, something that they worked hard for with their own hands. Tifa knows the value of something like that.]

Was it just somewhere you could all hang out? Or was it a special club house for a special club?

We did, yeah! All the kids built it together. It was our special place to hang out just for us kids.

[Sora looks up at it fondly. It's pretty old and a bit broke down but it's put together well enough. Sora wonders how old it really looked the last time he saw it. Maybe some of the wear and tear aren't really there? Or maybe he's dreaming it because it's been so long.]

It was where everything started when I left home too. [Sora laughs. That's a story for another time.] But there's one more really important thing I wanna show you. Follow me!

[And off Sora runs towards the huge jungle of palm trees!]

[closed] when the night has come. and the land is dark.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

🎀