When Darkness Turns to Light

Breaking Through

The yellow-eyed girl continued looking at the Inferno Band on her wrist as he let her hand rest in her lap.

"Um . . . Hiki?"

The girl glanced up from her wrist, wearing a small smile as a result of the reverie. Sora was standing in the doorway and rubbing the back of his head, seemingly discomforted by something. Realizing that she had been staring into space and that she wore a sweet grin, she looked back down at her weaponry and began putting good kunai into the pouch.

"What is it? Donald get us lost?"

The brunette shook his head. Truthfully, he did not know whether or not they were on course; the duck had been insistent that he was not lost, but they had well surpassed their Estimated Time of Arrival. That was not his reason for coming to her, however.

"Then what?" She paused. "If you're having boy issues, I might be the only other human on this Gummi, but I'm not exactly familiar with them."

A furious suffusion colored his cheeks and his shoulders tensed with embarrassment. He clenched his fists. "NO, it's not anything like that!" He uncurled his hands and averted his eyes, blushing still. Awkwardly, he scratched the back of his head. "Howwww . . . are you?"

The final shuriken to be holstered remained in her hand, a momentary hesitation before she put it in its place. Angling her head in inquiry, she commented, "I'm confused. I've been able to move for a couple days. Why would you ask me that?"

"Well, Jiminy told us what you said to Cloud, and . . . y'know, we thought maybe. . . ." He trailed off, losing his train of thought. Turning his head toward her, he placed his hand on his chest and said, "You know, if something's bothering you, ever, you don't have to go through it alone." He shook his head. "I. . . . We're here for you."

There. That should have done the trick. His words were sincere, completely truthful and from his heart; however, he had also hoped that saying them would touch her heart and aide him in his small side-mission to make her feel more like part of the group.

Her expressionless countenance did not waver; the membrane to Hikari's "heart" was untouched. "Nice sentiments. Not necessary, though. Truthfully, I find it strange that you'd even ask, since I'd obviously already talked to someone, according to your source. What do you care, anyway?" She set aside her pouch and began holstering shuriken.

He was visibly taken aback; shock and awe was written all over his face. Forget that she was unfazed-there was a prominent aching in his chest, bitten by her query. The loss for words was plain, but fleeting. "I. . . . Wh . . . what? We're-what do you mean? C'mon, Hiki! Stop kidding around!"

"I can't stop what I haven't started, can I? It's impossible. I really don't understand; why you care enough about me, that is, to say that." She looked down; the clip on her holster did not wish to close. "You seem to care about me too much, under the circumstances."

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that he was hurt; he stared at her with an open mouth and furrowed brow. Fury mixed with that expression, both from the harsh and rather nasty expressions she used as well as his confusion as to wherefore she was acting so. He clicked his tongue. "Because we're FRIENDS!"

A tear in the membrane was made; her hands immediately stopped moving. More earnestly, and almost melancholy as compared to her previous speech, she said, "Sora-that's where you're wrong. We're not friends. I don't have friends." She paused and looked down, her lips, pursing minutely. "I-can't-have friends. . . ."

Sora clenched his jaw and turned his hands to fists. He was blinking wide eyes rapidly, stepping back. With more conviction, he said, "Well, if that's how you feel-!"