Chapter Text
Spending sleepless nights in Hollow Bastion still wasn't enough. Even looking out in all the other worlds still no clues or signs of Sora. Riku sat in his bed, hands racking through his hair as he stared out the window out towards the starry sky.
"Come home Sora." He whispered to himself.
Riku's eyes watered as he tried his best to hold back the emotions he had bottled up. He needed to stay strong for both himself and Kairi who woken not too long ago. They couldn't even find clues using her memories. What were they meant to do?
Riku picked up his phone to look through all the texts and pictures Sora had sent him during their adventures. Staring at the brunettes endless smile made him bitter.
A ping on his phone startled the silver haired teen.
** Riku🌠, Kairi🌺 were added to a group chat by King,🐭👑**
**
King🐭👑:
There's something important you two should come see.
~ Mickey
*Location Pinged: Mysterious Tower*
Kairi🌺: On my way!!!! 🚀🌌💫
**
Riku quickly raised and grabbed his jacket before running out of his room. Bumping into Aerith in the hall who was heading to bed herself.
"Ah, Riku?" She let the boy run passed as she looked at him confused.
"Sorry! Something's going on, can't talk." Riku shouted as he ran down the steps. He made haste for his Gummiship and quickly opened up the portal. It was gonna take him all night to head over to Master Yen Sid's tower but it will be worth it. A new lead is all he needed to get him out of this funk. Sora will be found. He had to be out there…!
The ride was long, by the time he got there Kairi was already there waiting for Riku on the steps. Her eyes were red and swollen, she looked just as tired as he did.
Riku approached her, "Kai." His voice faint but she ran over to him, hugging him tightly around the middle.
"Riku!" Her head was tucked under his chin, squeezing him tight. Kairi's body was shaking. Riku hesitantly put one of his hands on Kairi's back, not really sure how to comfort her, before he slowly brought his arms around her to awkwardly hug her back. She was obviously crying but it was soundless
Riku rested his head on the top of her head. "What's going on?"
It was silent before he glanced up to see Mickey coming out from the tower. The king looked as if he was about to cry as well. Something was up.
"Master Yen Sid has passed away." Mickey's words shook Riku to the core. "But he has left something for you, Riku." The king opened the tower's door. "When you're both ready come up to his study." Mickey left the two out in the orchard and headed back inside.
Kairi and Riku stood holding each other for a big longer. Yen Sid was gone meaning… no new leads… no more Master to guide them. They were lost. What were they meant to do now? They were just two kids from an island looking for their friend.
Riku wanted to scream, wanted to fall apart, wanted to turn his back to the light but what good would that do? Nothing. He needed to be stronger than ever. He had Kairi to protect and what good of a master would he be if he didn't protect those who needed it during hard times as these.
Kairi pulled back from Riku, sniffling as she looked up at him. "Sorry." She mumbled.
Riku sighed, "For what Kai?"
"I never was as strong as you and Sora." Her words were faint as ever. "Plus I got your shirt all wet."
Really? She was upset that their master passed away and yet she's apologizing for crying all over his shirt? Riku broke into a weak laughter, tears running down his cheek. "Of course you'd be apologizing over this," he gestured to his shirt. Riku ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about that, it's what I'm here for right?"
Kairi startled giggling herself. Apologizing over something that wasn't a problem, that's something she had always done when they were kids. "That's right. Always here to dry my tears. Just like how I'm here to dry your's." She reached up and wiped her thumbs across each of Riku's cheeks as he slowly crumbled into a sob. Every year had grown more and more tiring than the next and finally Riku could let it all out. Sora was gone, Yen Sid gone, who would be next? Kairi? The king?
Kairi brought Riku's head down close to her. He buried his face into her shoulder as he pulled her back into a tight embrace.
"We're losing everything…" Riku cried out between sobs.
"It's okay. We have each other. We'll be okay." Kairi rubbed his back as her lower lip quivered. She had never heard Riku cry like this. She wondered if he been like this on his own? While he was struggling with the darkness for so long.
When Riku calmed down he pulled himself away. "You're right." He said with a nod. "If it's you and I, there's no way we won't be okay."
Kairi nodded with a big grin. "Our hearts are strong." She took a step back with her hand held out. "Let's go see the king."
Riku took her hand with a small smile. "Yeah."
They both walked up the tower together up towards the study. Riku held the door open for Kairi as they entered. Some reason Riku was ready to see Yen Sid sitting at his desk like he was ready to tell them both something. Yet the chair was empty. Mickey was standing by the window in the back, before he perked up hearing the two friends enter.
"Oh good! Beginning to think you both ran off." The king joked.
"Never!" Kairi played along with a laugh. "Riku and I are ready to face anything." Riku only nodded along with her. She sounded like Sora.
Mickey smiled. "Of course." He approached the desk and picked up two envelopes. One addressed to each of them.
"Master Yen Sid left us all letters. I have already read mine." He handed over the envelopes.
Riku held the envelope tightly.
"Whenever you both are ready, please read them."
Kairi began to cry again. She held the envelope up to her face as she cried, dropping to her feet. "I can't." She cried out. "I can't be strong like this."
Riku stuffed his letter in his pocket. He knelt down next to Kairi and placed his hand on her head. "You're much stronger than you believe. Master Yen Sid believed in your strength of heart and so do I."
Kairi looked up to see Riku and she held her letter out to him. "Read it out loud to me."
Riku sighed giving her a small smile before accepting the letter from her. "Sure Kai."
Opening up the letter he began to read.
"One's heart is the key to another's. Destined to one another. Sky and ocean both connected to the shore. Your heart is a stronger weapon than you have known.
You may not have faith but I know both you and Riku will lead the new keyblade wielders well.
May your hearts be your guiding key, Master Kairi."
Riku quickly scrambled to pull out his letter. Reading it carefully.
"That old man." Riku clicked his tongue. "We haven't even found Sora and he wants us to train some kids? We can't just abandon Sora!"
Mickey sighed. "Riku please calm down. I know it's hard but it has been about three years. If he wanted to be found we would of found him already."
Kairi sat quietly, staring at the floor.
"Sora looked everywhere for me before and he never gave up! I'm just doing the same. Sora is out there and I'm not stopping my search for him. Not to train some set of kids, not to be a new master. Kairi and I have to find Sora." Riku was beginning to shout.
"What did he write to you? Convince us to stop searching?"
Mickey glared up at Riku. "I believe Yen Side knew something we all don't. Something that we have to wait and see."
"I don't have time to wait. Sora us needs us. He needs me." Riku held his chest tightly. "I'm still having those dreams. About the stars."
Kairi stood slowly as she placed a hand on Riku's arm. "Then don't you think this is a perfect place to wait? The stars are always out." She smiled faintly. "My training is done and I'm-, I'm a master now. So, why shouldn't we wait here and train some new keyblade wielders, we always need more people to brighten the world's."
Riku looked down at her, his face softening. "What you think waiting will do us any good?"
Kairi nodded. "If we have patience, yeah, I think he'll come back. Aren't you tired Riku?"
He turned his head away, refusing to look at anyone.
"It's time for us to wait for destiny to bring us together again. Nothing wrong with passing time with becoming someone else's keyblade masters, hm?" Kairi tried her best to settle her friend down. She slowly ran her hand down his arm before lacing her fingers in Riku's. He held her hand back instantly.
Turning to look into her eyes, Riku softly smiled. "Just passing the time till we see him again."
Her smile grew wide. "Yeah."
Mickey clapped his hands together. "That's the spirit! Now why don't you both settle in here? When you're both ready I think Yen Sid has already found some candidates to be under your training."
Kairi and Riku both are grinning wide at each other.
They were told to be masters, so masters they become.
*Tens years later*
Riku had his arms tucked behind his back as he walked down the steps of the tower, his robes dragging along the tower steps behind him.
As he stepped out to the courtyard grounds he saw his two students on the ground laughing their wooden blades tossed aside.
"Training hard I see." Riku raised a brow, his expression blank.
Pavan stood first. Bowing low. "Master Riku." He was the most respectful and the only one who actually listen to his teachings.
Kishi sat there on the ground, cross legged and glaring up at his master. "Master Riku." He bowed his head slightly. Kishi was more of a stray cat, always running around with his claws out, going by his own rules, something Riku knew well.
"We were just taking a break." Kishi piped up. "Nothing wrong with that, right~ master Kairi?"
Kairi was sitting off to the side lines. Giggling. "Nope both of you were great today."
Riku glanced over at Kairi scowling. "Your day has just started. Both of you upstairs." Both kids went to go back up the tower. Riku put his hand on Pavan's shoulder. "Can you make sure Kishi finishes his readings this time? No goofing off."
Pavan nodded. "Yes sir, Promise."
Riku sighed with a smile. "Thank you."
Kairi crossed her arms, pouting at Riku as the kids went back into the tower. "You gotta let them be kids you know?"
Riku rolled his eyes. "When they take their studies seriously then maybe I'll give them the rest of the day off."
Lightening up Kairi patted Riku's arm. "There he is, mister softy. Maybe you should take them out for a spin on the Gummiship? Take them to Uncle Scrooge's Bistro."
Sighing Riku rubbed the back of his neck. "Sticking me with babysitting duty for the rest of the day? Both of them are such a handful."
Kairi laughed. "Reminds me of how you and him were as kids."
Riku glared at his best friend. "We weren't as bad. I remember you clearly being as troublesome as us."
Kairi laughed walking back to the tower with a bounce in her step knowing she got under Riku's skin. "I just went along with you both. Don't worry I had fun too. Still got those dreams of sailing the ocean with you both. Now if you don't help those two out with that paper work assignment you'll be stuck with two kids making a mess of old master's library."
Riku remembered the last time he left the two in there alone… paper planes all over the place and the two standing on the oak table getting ready to use an aero spell.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he dragged himself back to the tower. "Don't remind me."