The next couple chapters are just going to be "fun" ~ There's a reason for all of this, and it furthers the main plot! But for now, enjoy :3
And merry belated Christmas!
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The rest of the day was a strange blur, conversations and class time blending together in such a way that makes their memories confusingly merge. Now, as you follow everyone on your walks home, you actually find yourself relaxing. The peacefulness is intoxicating, a welcomed reprieve.
"You guys should have seen poor [Name] fending off Seifer in Xaldin's class today," Riku states with a chuckle.
The mention of your name causes you to drift back into the ongoing conversation. You glance back at the silver-haired male, rolling your eyes dramatically at the memory. It sadly made sense that Seifer is here as well; nothing can ever be too perfect, after all.
"Not as bad as all of those girls following you around during lunch," Sora points out teasingly, earning a glare and a light shove from Riku.
You start to laugh, though you're cut short when your gaze is inexplicitly drawn away from your friends. Standing in the distance near the ocean is the same strange girl you saw earlier. A lazy breeze is gently blowing her dress and hair backwards as she watches the crashing waves on the beach. She looks angelic. Something is drawing you to her, like a moth to the flame. You must speak to her, now.
"Shoot, I just remembered I left something back at school," you blurt out, coming to a stop as you turn to everyone. "See you guys tomorrow?"
"Uhhhh, sure?" Axel agrees.
Before he's done speaking you've already taken off, running towards the intriguing stranger.
"Hey, you're going the wrong way!" you hear Roxas call out to you, but you merely wave a hand dismissively, your eyes locked on the girl.
You can feel them watching you with curious gazes but you keep moving, jogging forward. As you get closer, you realize that the girl has a sketchbook resting on her forearm as she draws gracefully, a thin pencil grasped between her delicate and pale fingers. You slow down, suddenly unsure of your intrusion. Would she find you strange, running up and bothering her as she draws in peace?
Before you can escape, she glances over her shoulder. Her bright blue eyes lock with yours, a small smile on her face as a tinge of pink rises to her cheeks. You instantly come to a stop, mesmerized.
"I've been waiting for you, [Name]," she says, her voice a soft whisper against the sound of crashing waves.
She's young, maybe a few years younger than you, and looks nothing but innocent. Her smile is carefree, unburdened.
"Who are you?" you ask, taking a step towards her. A chill runs through your toes, and you glance down to notice you stepped right into the water, which has soaked through your shoes to your socks. Somehow, the water avoided her. "And how do you know my name?"
"I know everything," she tells you, turning her body so that she's fully facing you. She hides her notebook behind her back, slowly rocking on her heels. "I know who you are. What you're destined to become. Your struggle to avoid that fate."
Your voice is caught in your throat as you watch her with a sudden feeling of distrust. She continues to smile, as if she can see right through you.
"Don't worry, I don't mean you harm," she adds, holding out a hand.
You stare at her hand, marveling at how smooth and unblemished her skin is, before you hesitantly place your hand in hers. Her fingers lightly wrap around yours, her skin warm to the touch. Her smile grows.
![Paper hearts (Sora x reader) [DISCONTINUED] by toldem](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/122204719-80-k113240.jpg)
"My name is Naminé," the girl continues, the hand gripping her sketchbook pressed against her chest. "I'm sorry that you're stuck here, but it's nice to finally meet you."
You can't help but smile a bit at her softness. Her light is almost blinding.
"Where is 'here'?" you ask as she gently drops your hand.
"Purgatory. A dream. Limbo. It doesn't matter," she says with a laugh. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure where we are. All I know is that I was sent here by Xemnas, as safe keeping until I'm needed by him again."
Your eyes widen.
"You know Xemnas?" you murmur breathlessly.
"Oh, yes," she giggles, hiding her smile with her hand. "I know him, and some of your friends – Roxas, Sora, Riku, Axel..."
She quickly opens her notepad, flipping through a couple pages before coming to a stop. She turns the booklet towards you, and you glance down. On the page is a sketch of Roxas and Sora, holding hands as they look up at Kingdom Hearts in a starry night's sky. On the next page is Axel, consumed with flames as he charges towards an army of Heartless.
"H-How?" you blurt out, your gaze darting up to hers.
"I'm a Nobody, [Name]," she replies as if it's obvious "... Kind of. I have a gift, that Xemnas uses. When I'm not needed, I live here. It gives me time to draw."
She sounds content, despite how lonely her world seems. It's a sign of how crazy your life has become that you barely bat an eyelash as her admission. Nobodies with special powers are par for the course for you now.
"Well, then how do we get out of here?" you ask, placing your hands on your hips as newfound determination flows through you.
"We?" she repeats in surprise. "I can't leave here, unfortunately. But you can."
She looks down at her notebook, continuing to flip through the pages. She pauses, a small smile growing as she stares at the page in question.
"It's not finished," she warns, turning the book towards you.
You glance down, immediately recognizing a sketch of yourself. Your chest looks like it's on fire, with light shining out as a beacon. The sketch of you is looking down at someone with a smile, your hand holding onto theirs.
"Is this... a boy?" you guess, [his] smile flashing in your mind.
"Perhaps," Naminé replies with a sly grin. "This is all I can tell you, [Name]. To go back home, you need to figure this out on your own. I'm sorry."
Her body starts to disintegrate, a sad smile on her face as she watches you. She's disappearing slowly, into wisps of black smoke.
"Wait, where are you going?!" you exclaim, reaching a hand out to the girl.
"We'll meet again soon, [Name]. Good luck."
With one last glimpse of her smile, she's gone in the blink of an eye. You sigh, gazing out at the ocean as her sketch is burned into your memories. Clearly, you have to do something to wake up, something to make your heart awaken.
You glance back at the town in the distance with a frown. Somewhere on this island, the answers hide.
But where?
[RESULTS]
[SORA]
After a few minutes of standing in silence at the ocean's edge, watching the incoming waves as they ebb and flow closer and closer, you finally leave, walking through the sand back towards the town. Sand turns to a dirt path, winding through a neighborhood lined with adorable homes just far enough from the ocean that you can smell the salt but not hear the crash of waves.
