Chapter Six - The Island

Hikaru awoke to the sound of three knocks on her door. She sat up groggily and stepped out from her covers. She slowly walked and opened the door.

Cloud was standing in the doorway. �Good morning,� he said, unusually cheerful.

�How can he be so happy this early in the morning?� Hikaru wondered. �It�s only nine o�clock! Is he crazy?� She scratched her head. �Yeah, good morning,� se said tiredly and yawned.

Cloud blinked at her. �She really did forget her birthday�� he thought. He shrugged his thought aside for the moment and walked to the cockpit.

Hikaru followed him, and looked out the window-wall. It seemed as if they were surrounded by ocean, nothing more. The ship was still in motion, but moving very unhurriedly. She watched the waves pass below them through the floor. �Where are we going?�

Cloud still looked straight ahead and focused on the ship buttons. �You�ll see.�

Soon enough, land appeared in the distance. Hikaru could see that sand covered most of it, and there were numerous palm trees scattered around like it was a beach. She spotted a lone cabin in the middle, totally out of place. Hikaru had never seen anything like it her whole life, and she smiled.

Cloud looked at her. �Well, happy birthday, Hikki,� he said.

Hikaru shot a look at him, confused. �What?� but then she remembered that it was today. Then she was even more confused. �Wait. You�re giving me this for my birthday?�

Cloud just nodded.

Hikaru stared at him in awe. �This�island?�

Cloud grinned. �It�s all yours.�

Hikaru was still in shock, and then shook her head in disbelief. �What am I going to do with an entire island?�

Cloud shrugged. �Anything. Here, let�s go check it out.� Cloud then landed the ship and they both walked out to the door. Cloud opened the door to find a middle-aged man in a black trench coat and boots walking towards them.

Cloud sighed in agitation.

As the man walked closer, Hikaru could see that he was dark-skinned and bald, and he had interesting circular-shaped glasses. He placed his hands behind his back and smiled a gapped-tooth smile at Hikaru.

The smile started to become a hearty chuckle. �Well, Cloud, I see you�ve brought a friend along.�

Cloud was clearly annoyed. "Morpheus, I thought you were going to leave the island,� he said as he and Hikaru stepped down from the doorsteps of the ship.

The man called Morpheus looked back at the cabin that Hikaru saw through the window before. Then he looked back at Cloud. �There seemed to be a change of plans.�

Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but then bit his lip and tried to control himself. �Change of plans?! What, did you suddenly get a girlfriend or something?!�

Morpheus gave Cloud a sideways look. �It�s not like you to get a temper, Cloud,� he said evenly. �And why are you so tempted for me to leave anyway?�

Cloud looked at Hikaru, then back to Morpheus. �It�s�none of your business.�

Morpheus�s eyebrows raised and tried to hide a smile. �Well then, might I say that you haven�t introduced me yet?� he nodded towards Hikaru.

Cloud tried not to roll his eyes. �Morpheus, this is Hikaru; an old friend of mine. Hikaru, this is Morpheus; just�Morpheus.�

Morpheus gently took Hikaru�s hand and bowed down to kiss it. �A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hikaru.�

Cloud immediately put his arm out in front of Morpheus and stopped him. �Hey, lay off.�

Hikaru was so taken aback that she blushed.

Morpheus obeyed and stepped back. He grinned at Cloud. �Ah, I didn�t realize you two were together, hmm?�

Cloud looked down and rushed the words out of his mouth, �What? No�we�re not�but�she deserves a lot better than you!�

Morpheus let out an enormous laugh. He shook his head and looked to Hikaru. �I apologize for the behavior he must have had when you two were younger. I can�t begin to imagine how he was back then.�

Cloud clenched his fists, and Hikaru smiled friendly.

Cloud pushed his anger aside. �Now can you finally tell me why you didn�t leave yet?�

Morpheus nodded politely. �I meant to tell you. A young lady by the name of Yuna Braska stopped by my cabin a few months ago, and was in desperate need to stay somewhere. She has quite the incredible past, I must say.�

Cloud finally closed the door behind him and Hikaru, and then crossed his arms. �Ah, so you did get a girlfriend.�

Morpheus chuckled. �The thought even frightens me, Cloud. No, no, she is not my girlfriend. She�s about your age. Actually, she might be a year older,� he said as he started to walk to the cabin. Cloud and Hikaru followed him.

�Sure, sure,� said Cloud. Hikaru elbowed him.

As they proceeded into the cabin, Morpheus raised his voice to call to Yuna. �Yuna, we have company,� he echoed throughout the house. They walked into the living room, supplied with couches and chairs, and a lone television on the wall.

Hikaru and Cloud followed Morpheus into the kitchen next door to the living room. �Well, make yourselves at home,� Morpheus said kindly. �I sense that you both have nowhere else to go. You can stay as long as you like.�

Hikaru cocked her head at Morpheus, completely puzzled. He was psychic too? Just like the scraggly bounty hunter at the tavern years ago? �How did he�?�

Cloud saw Hikaru�s blank stare and whispered in her ear, �Just don�t ask him aloud how he knows things�he just does.�

A nineteen-year old girl with feathered light brown hair came running into the kitchen. Her outfit was complete with revealing, yet relevant clothing; each fabric containing a pattern entirely different from the others. �Guests?! Are you kidding me?!� She stopped and smiled embarrassingly when her eyes were laid on Hikaru and Cloud. �Heh�hi, there! I�m Yuna,� she waved.

Hikaru smiled. �I�m Hikaru, and this is my best friend, Cloud.�

Yuna smiled sweetly at them. �Nice to meet you guys.�

Cloud was growing impatient and started to tap his foot when silence consumed conversation. �Okay, so what are we going to do?�

Yuna shrugged. �Who knows how long you guys will be here? Let�s get to know each other better!�

Cloud wasn�t sure if he groaned in his head or aloud, but Yuna didn�t give him a dirty look, and Hikaru didn�t elbow him or anything. So he just said nothing, and obeyed.

� � �

Soon it was dinnertime, and Yuna asked Cloud to go out and get some fish from the sea of the island. Cloud accepted unenthusiastically, grabbed his sword, and walked outside. Hikaru waited a few moments, and then walked out after him.

She shut the door behind her and turned to look at the view outside. It was a beautiful night: the stars were sparkling, making the sky seem like a bowl of a million dreams just waiting to burst into space and come true. She wrapped her arms around herself as she breathed in the cold night air, and spotted Cloud in the sea, keeping watch of any fish that might swim by.

Hikaru walked toward the sea quietly, her bare feet deepening into the soft sand without a sound. She stopped walking when she felt the water against her toes. Her hair blew gently in the wind as she watched the waves brush over her feet: on and off, on and off.

Cloud turned around to see her staring at her feet. �They�re called feet. I don�t know if you forgot about them during your time as a wolf, but they�re very interesting parts of the human body,� he smiled for the first time in a while.

Hikaru looked up at him. �Very funny,� she tried not to smile.

Cloud�s eyebrows rose. �Well, well, well, I guess I�m not the only one who has a �temper,� huh?�

Hikaru ignored his comment and eyed his sword. �I thought you were trying to catch fish for Yuna.�

Cloud squinted to look at her for a moment. Then a laugh escaped him, making Hikaru uneasy. �Just for Yuna, huh? What, do you think I like her or something?�

Hikaru shook her head hurriedly. �No, of course not!�

Cloud pointed at her. �Ha. Yeah, right. Of course you don�t.� He turned back to his work.

Deep down, Hikaru actually did want to ask him if he really did, but she didn�t, and hoped he would answer anyway.

Cloud�s back was turned as he continued the conversation. �I don�t, if you really wanna know.� He smiled, but his back was still turned to Hikaru, so she didn�t see. �I know you were thinkin� about it.�

Hikaru looked down, unsure of weather or not she was shameful or relieved -- or maybe both.

Cloud turned his head toward her direction. �Come on, Hikki, admit it.�

Hikaru cracked a tiny smile. �Okay, fine, I was. Now get back to your work,� she jokingly scolded him.

Cloud turned his whole body in her direction, and bowed deeply. �Why yes, of course, your majesty.� Then, without rising, he swiftly stuck his massive sword into the waterbed and then brought it back up. A dozen fish were struggling to survive, trapped on the blade. He smiled to himself with pride. �Looks like dinner�s ready.� He started to walk toward the shore near Hikaru, but placed his sword in the sand for a moment when he was in front of her. �I almost forgot, I wanted to give this to you.� He reached into one of his pant pockets and held out his hand.

Hikaru held out her hand, and Cloud placed the object into her palm. He then grabbed his sword again, and walked into the cabin.

Hikaru watched him return into the house, and then finally looked down at her open palm. It was a necklace with a silver chain, and an emblem of a lion�s head was hooked onto it, staring back at her with bitterness in its eyes.

� � �

�Oh yes, I want to show you two something,� Yuna said to Cloud and Hikaru after she and Hikaru cleaned the dinner dishes. Hikaru sat back down, and Yuna went upstairs. When she came back down, she was carrying a large book in her hands. She placed it on the kitchen table.

Morpheus made eye contact with her, nodded, and walked out of the kitchen.

�What�s this?� asked Hikaru.

Yuna opened the book. �This is a scrapbook of my past.�

She turned to the first page, which contained a photograph of her, five other people, and a blue-haired wolf-like man. They all had pleasant smiles and seemed very content. �These were my guardians when I was High Summoner of my homeworld named Spira,� she said, and then pointed them out individually. �That�s Tidus, Lulu, Wakka, Auron, Rikku, and Kimahri.�

She turned the page, to find a photograph of Yuna, the Rikku character, an unfamiliar woman about their age, two new men, and one child in a very baggy suit coat. �This is the Gullwings. We protected Spira, after Sin was defeated, of any other enemies that were still lurking anywhere. This is me, Rikku, Paine, Brother, Buddy, and Shinra.�

Cloud�s eyes lit up as he heard the name �Shinra.� Hikaru and Yuna didn�t notice.

She turned the page again, and Hikaru eyed it intensely. It was a photograph of Yuna and the man named Tidus. Their arms were on each other�s shoulders, and they had huge smiles on their faces. �Aww,� Hikaru cooed. �That is a very cute photo. Why isn�t he here with you?�

Yuna broke her eye contact with Hikaru uncomfortably, and frowned. �He�disappeared some time ago. He wasn�t even a man, but a dream created by the Fayth. After we defeated Sin and Yu Yevon, he vanished,� Yuna tried to hold back tears. She wiped her eyes and looked at a confused Hikaru. Yuna chuckled lightly. �I�m sorry, I probably have been making not much sense at all. I guess I�ll tell the full story some other time.� She closed the book. She breathed a ready sigh. �So, now, what about you two? Morpheus told me you guys were best friends when you were little. But, what happened?�

Hikaru anxiously started to tell Yuna about Kotake and coming to Zokujin. Cloud just sat in his chair, his thoughts wandering all around him. Who would have thought, that what happened to Cloud happened to Yuna too. She lost someone she loved, just as Cloud lost Hikaru. To Cloud, it seemed as if everyone who got close to him always disappeared in the end.

Cloud suddenly got up from his chair, pushed it back from the table, and walked out of the kitchen. Hikaru stood up in surprise, but stopped and looked at Yuna. Yuna nodded in understanding, and Hikaru followed Cloud out of the front door. She stayed on the porch and watched him walk into his ship, and close the door behind him.

Hikaru walked toward the ship, hoping he never locked the door. Relief washed over her when she opened it.

She stepped in, and looked to her left to see if he was in the cockpit. He wasn�t. She closed, and locked the door behind her. She turned right, into the doorway to the living room, and walked to his bedroom door. She turned the doorknob and her eyes focused on him lying on his bed.

�What the hell was that about?� She asked crossly, walking over to the side of his bed with clenched fists.

Cloud didn�t look at her, and gazed up at the ceiling. �I�I don�t belong here in Zokujin,� he lied. �I mean, I can�t even get a job here.�

Hikaru shook her head. �Don�t give me that crap.� She sat down at the edge of his bed. �Why did you just walk out in the middle of me telling Yuna our past?�

Cloud sighed, sat up, and looked down at his hands. He fiddled with his fingers and tried to think of something to say that would make her believe him. Without having to say what he really thought.

Hikaru moaned. �You�re hopeless. Well, if you�re leaving Zokujin, I�m coming too. Living in this universe for five years is getting pretty insane anyways.�

Cloud ignored her. He didn�t really want to leave Zokujin; it just pained him that he needed to tell her what had happened to him while they were separated. �Listen, Hikki��

Suddenly there was a pounding on the ship entrance door. It was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire ship. A man�s voice, unfamiliar to Hikaru, yelled: �Cloud! Open this door right now!�