The Girl With Wings Like Glass (A Kingdom Hearts Story)

Past and Present

The experience had left her shaken, but there was a reason she chose not to tell Sunny about the thing she saw.

She didn't want Sunny to be worried about her. She wanted her friend to feel safe.

She reasoned it was another phantom of her past. She sometimes heard things that didn't exist, saw things that weren't actually there. It was just one of those, she told herself. Just an illusion.

So why did she feel so uneasy?

Why did it feel so real?

She tried to drive it from her mind as she sat with Sunny in the home they had made for themselves, Sunny reading a book, Iris drawing.

"Hey," Sunny said, bookmarking the page she was on with her finger and leaning over Iris' shoulder. "Whatcha drawing?"

Iris moved her hand so that Sunny could see.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Sunny exclaimed.

Her drawing showed a sparkling, clear lake. Trees as green as emeralds lined the sides of the lake. The lake itself was a sapphire color, and the sun rose over it all, a bright yellow sphere that seemed to shine.

"It's like I can almost touch it...you're such a good artist!"

"Oh, thanks." Iris smiled. "This lake...it was on my world."

"Oh?" Sunny asked.

"Yeah. It was called Lake Dewflower. A bit of a silly name, I know. But it was named for the flowers that were prominent on the lake. They looked like dewdrops." She swallowed trying not to cry. "My family and I...we constantly went to the lake to swim, and to have picnics. When we swam it was a bit of a nuisance that our wings got waterlogged, but it was always so much fun..."

She didn't even realize she was crying until she felt a tear fall on her arm.

"Oh Iris...it sounded so lovely." Sunny hugged her, looking her in the eyes. "I'm sorry...that the good times had to end there...and, I know what it's like to have everything taken from you. When my own home was invaded..." She swallowed. "It's awful, to live like that, with memories of something you can never get back. I...wish I could help you..."

"Sunny, you've always been here for me" Iris said. "And...I can't stop expressing how grateful I am that you're here, that you always listen. You're my best friend, and nothing can ever separate us, no matter what."

Sunny smiled, and Iris could see that she had tears of happiness in her eyes. "Oh Iris...I'm so glad I can be there for you"

"And I'm glad I can be here for you" Iris smiled, and hugged Sunny.

They stood like that for about a minute before breaking away.

"I'm gonna go for a walk, ok?" Sunny said. "I'll be back soon. I just need to...think about some things. You want to come?"

"No, but thanks. I'll still be here, I'm still drawing"

"Alright. I'll be back!" Sunny skipped out the door.

Iris smiled and went back to her drawing.

But it had only been a few minutes before Sunny's scream cut through the air. It was cut off suddenly.

Iris jumped to her feet, and putting her drawing to the side, ran out the door.