#sokaiweek2021

[amyhayanora]

I would have done so much for this @sokaiweek😭, but at least I'm taking the chance to post this one, based on a @phoenix-downer fanfiction

[teganberry]

SoKai Week 2021 | Day 3 - Treasured Memories

Here it is! My piece for @sokaizine! It was such a wonderful project to be part of, and what better time to share it than SoKai Week! And don’t forget to check out the leftover store before the all the extra SoKai goodies are gone!

[lightwithinthedarknessu]

“Salty, no- sweet!” to celebrate @sokaiweek some icons!

I am so thankful to have been able to create a #sokai pair icon sea-salt ice cream set for @sokaizine as part of the digital bundle, which you can still get in the leftover sale going to 8/11!

[hallsth-eien]

Kiss me once,

kiss me twice,

kiss me three times

Be mine~

[miiiuw]

Sokai week always feels like a week long christmas and I love it! I got inspired to draw something for it too :D

[phoenix-downer]

The Princess of Light Chapter 1: Without Warmth

~2670 words. Angst, Romance, Fluff, Fairy Tales. For SoKai Week 2021, Day 1. 

Summary: Princess Kairi is cursed to be without love when she is a baby. She grows up cold and without a heart to help her understand other people’s feelings, no matter how hard her parents try to help her. One day, however, she meets a mysterious prince from a faraway world, and he just might hold the key to breaking her curse.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful world called Radiant Garden. The very Heart of the World was enchanted, with light flowing out of it and nourishing the land. In olden days, this light formed streams and pools and rivers and lakes, and it was said that if you bathed in this light or drank of it, you would feel rejuvenated, and all your ailments would be healed.  

Of course, the practicality of doing such a thing was never questioned, as these things never are, and it wasn’t like anyone nowadays could prove it. The final remaining light pool was on the castle grounds, and access to it was quite restricted to the royal family. It was their duty to protect it and guard it, for without the light, the world would die. All the other light streams and pools and rivers and lakes had dried up, though there were prophecies that someday, a visitor from a faraway land would restore the light. For this reason the people of Radiant Garden did not build on these empty hollows but commemorated them as holy places instead.

Other than that, the common folk didn’t seem to mind that they didn’t have access to the light, because the waters of Radiant Garden themselves were rather magical thanks to the light pool the royal family tended, and taking care of the waters was a good deal easier than maintaining the light pool. Canals of clear blue water flowed through the world and provided water to its inhabitants, and lovely fountains and waterfalls dotted the landscape. All that water made it very easy to grow things, and the kingdom was known for its breathtaking flowers and gardens. Everyone who drank the water was supposed to be healthy and fertile, and indeed the people of Radiant Garden were known for their long lives and large families. 

Perhaps it was a surprise, then, that the king and queen of Radiant Garden had no children. There were rumors about a curse, a curse cast by the king’s jealous sister, but curses were such a rare thing nowadays that most people doubted they even existed. While blessings were in abundance, the sole records of curses were in crusty old tomes that only the fairies and philosophers really studied anymore. 

Besides, after years and years of waiting, the day finally came when the queen announced to the kingdom that she was pregnant with her firstborn, and there was much rejoicing throughout the land. All talk of curses ceased, drowned out by speculation about whether or not the baby would be a little prince or a little princess, whether the child would take more after the king or the queen, and other such gossip that people like to indulge in about the lives of the famous and wealthy.

The king was quite beside himself with excitement over the queen’s pregnancy. Every evening, before bed, as the queen was brushing her hair and he was putting on his nightcap, he would ask her how many days were left till their child was born. This he did the night our story begins.

“Patience, my love,” the queen playfully teased, as she did every night. “A child is not grown in a single day.” 

“But it is made in one.”

“That may be so, but our child needs time to grow. She will be here soon enough.” 

The king sat on the bed and rested his hand on his cheek. “Who do you think she’ll look like?”

“Perhaps she will have hair like mine and eyes like yours, or maybe she will have your golden hair and my green eyes. Or maybe she will look nothing like either of us and will take after your sister instead.”

The king’s sister was a very beautiful woman indeed. She had striking yellow eyes and glossy silver hair that flowed down to her waist. The blood of fairies was said to run through the veins of the royal family, and the queen could believe it. The inhabitants of Radiant Garden were far from ordinary, and the royal family was the least ordinary of them all.

At the suggestion that their daughter might look like the king’s sister, the king frowned and waved his hand. “I don’t think she’ll look like Malia, no.”

The queen set her hairbrush down and sighed. “You still haven’t talked to her, have you?”

“Not since my father died.”

“Darling, you have no proof she was involved. I know she’s a mage, but no one has used curses in this kingdom for 500 years, and your sister has only ever used her magic for good. I think it would do you some good to make amends with her. She’s our daughter’s aunt, for goodness’ sake, and she might wish to be her godmother.”

“No. Absolutely not,” the king ground out. No matter what the queen said to him, she could not convince him that his father’s death was natural. 

“If you say so,” she said, picking up her hairbrush once more. “I just hate for you to be estranged from your only living family.”

“I have you, and soon I’ll have our daughter too,” he pointed out. “You’re all the family I need.”

The king was right about their daughter coming along soon. She was born strong and healthy, and she had her mother’s red hair and her father’s violet eyes. She was a very warm and cheerful child, always giggling and making people smile. Her christening was to be held in the main chapel of the castle, and everyone who was someone was invited to attend. 

First the guests came into the chapel and took their seats, then the priest went to the baptismal font, and at last the king, queen, and little princess arrived. The princess was carried by her nurse Aqua, a kind young woman with calm eyes and short blue hair tucked behind a kerchief, and she held the princess and rocked her as the king and queen greeted the guests.

Out of the corner of her eye, the queen spotted the king’s sister Malia. Her hair was done up in an elegant style that the queen had only seen in older books, and her clothing was downright ostentatious with its high-backed collar and flowing cape. She gave the striking impression of royalty and regality that the queen herself had never been quite able to manage, despite her own royal lineage from a different world. Still, she was quite pleased to see her husband’s sister here; she wondered if perhaps they had made amends after all.

As the guests filed by to greet the little princess and offer their congratulations, the king and queen had trouble keeping track of everyone. So it was little wonder that the king did not notice his sister, nor did the queen have a moment to tell him she had spotted her. 

When the guests had all sat down again, it was time for the fairies’ blessing. At least two fairies always came to bless the christening of a child (only one just won’t do), and since this was the daughter of the king and queen, five were in attendance. 

The first fairy stepped forth. She was the Fairy of the Wood, clad in a long green dress that reached to her feet. Her brown hair was covered by a veil, and her green eyes sparkled as she placed a white lily over the princess. 

“My dear princess, this is my blessing. You shall be beautiful of countenance.”

With this, the priest sprinkled a little water from the baptismal font onto the princess to seal the blessing, and it was the next fairy’s turn. She was the Fairy of the Lake, and she wore a flowing blue dress with her silver hair tucked in a bun. A pointy hat was perched on her head, and round glasses rested on her nose. In her hand was a purple iris, and this she also placed over the princess.

“My dear princess, this is my blessing. You shall be very clever.”

The priest repeated the water-sprinkling process, and with that it was the third fairy’s turn. Her dress was as red as blood, and her hair was a brilliant vermillion that almost looked as if it was on fire, which was rather fitting, as she was the Fairy of Fire.

She reached into her cape and said, “My dear princess, this is my blessing. You shall have a big heart,” then left a red rose for the princess. 

The next fairy was cloaked in yellow robes that shimmered like the sun, and her golden hair flowed to her feet. She was the Fairy of Light.

“My dear princess, this is my blessing. You shall be full of light, and take on the role of Guardian of Light like your ancestors before you.” 

She placed a sunflower on the princess, and the priest blessed the child again. Just as the fifth fairy was about to give her blessing, however, a commotion from the back of the room interrupted everything.

“Not so fast!” Malia cried. She sprung to her feet, and the king’s face went pale when he saw her. “Don’t you think it’s rude to not invite your sister to her niece’s christening?”

A general gasp sounded throughout the audience at this revelation. Snubbing Princess Malia was something people just didn’t do. It was the very height of bad manners. Estranged or not, the king should’ve at least extended an invitation to her.

“You didn’t invite her?” the queen whispered as she clung to her husband, her heart hammering in her chest. If Malia hadn’t been invited, and she showed up anyway, this could go badly quickly. 

“No need to be alarmed, Your Majesty,” Malia said, then sneered. “I simply have a gift of my own I would like to give the princess.”  

“No need,” the king said through gritted teeth. “We’re quite alright, thank you.”

“Oh, no one refuses my gifts.”

“Guards!” the king cried. But Malia was quick. She held her hands out, and every single guard in the room froze. The guests cowered away from her, and a few even tried to make a run for the doors, but she slammed those shut with another wave of her hand. 

“No one is leaving here till I am through. And relax, the guards will wake in due time. But if anyone dares try to interfere with my gift, I won’t show such compassion again.”

Everyone was frozen in place as she strode to the baptismal font. Reaching into her cape, she pulled out a small vial of something dark and foul-smelling. She poured it into the baptismal font, and a ghastly black smoke poured out of it and filled the room. The king and queen searched everywhere for their daughter and for Malia, but could find neither of them. Malia succeeded in snatching the child away from her nurse, and the poor princess cried and cried and cried. 

“My gift to you,” came Malia’s icy voice, her words a series of daggers that overpowered the princess’s cries, “is not a blessing but a curse. You shall be without a heart. Or should I say, you shall be unable to feel the things that make a heart worth having. You shall be outwardly beautiful, but that beauty will mean nothing without a beautiful heart. You shall be clever, but without any of the wisdom a compassionate heart provides. You shall have a big hole where your “big” heart should be. And you shall be full of light, it is true, but that light will have no warmth to it, nor will you be able to feel the warmth of others.” Her eyes gleamed, and a cruel smile twisted her features. “In short, you will be unable to love.”

With that, the princess stopped crying. The king and queen were horrified by Malia’s awful curse, but what could they do? Every person in this room was held hostage, and Malia was hidden by smoke. If they had been able to see her, they would have seen her sprinkle the princess with cursed water and rest a ghastly rice lily on her. Now, rice lilies are not nice like most other lilies are. Rice lilies smell awful and have drooping brown blooms that constantly look as if they are about to drop off, and as such they have become associated with curses. 

“There,” Malia said, then laughed so chillingly everyone felt the coldness of the curse. “Do come visit your Aunt Maleficent sometime.” 

Malia, you see, had chosen a new name for herself. And indeed it was a fitting one, for what kind of person curses a baby? Certainly not a kind and caring aunt. With the curse done, the black smoke finally dissipated, and the little princess was magically back in her nurse's arms. 

“She’s so cold! Like ice!” Aqua yelped. Her mother and father touched her chubby little arms, and sure enough, it felt like dipping your hand in a glass of ice water. 

Thankfully, there was still one fairy left to go, so there was hope that Maleficent's awful curse would be alleviated somehow. This is why it was important to have more than one good fairy at a christening, in case something like this happens.

The fifth fairy, the Violet Fairy, was shaking quite badly, but she bravely stepped forth. She was a short, plump woman wearing a purple frock, her curly dark hair as exuberant as she was trying to remain composed. 

“My dear princess, all hope is not lost,” she said as she reached into her frock and placed a little clump of forget-me-nots over the rice lily. “The curse will be broken and your warmth shall return should you cry.” 

From a little vial around her neck, she poured a few drops of tears onto the princess, as the water from the baptismal font was still quite spoiled. These were no ordinary tears; they were the tears wiped away by the fairy herself when she came to a person’s aid. She carefully collected them into the vial so she might never forget them and used them to bless others in need. The priest seemed to think this sufficed well enough as holy water, and he blessed the princess again.

The king and queen wondered at such a strange remedy to the curse. How could their daughter cry if she had no heart? Wasn’t that a contradiction? But it was rude to question a fairy’s gift, and they’d already angered Maleficent quite thoroughly today, so it seemed bad form to offend a fairy on top of that. 

But the questions, despite being unspoken, did not leave their minds. Even if they could get the princess to cry, how could they do so without hurting her? They were hardly about to make their poor daughter suffer so that she might shed tears. Already they loved her more deeply than they could bear, as any good parents do, and they couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her. 

The part of the christening after Maleficent left was better, despite the curses, as they finally got to reveal their daughter’s name: Kairi.

Some said the princess was named for her mother’s love of the sea back on her home world; others said Kairi had a name that meant separation because she was separated from her own heart. The latter theory grew in popularity when word spread about the strange hole in the shape of a heart roughly where her physical heart should be. You could put your finger through it and reach out the other side, and it neither bothered the princess nor hurt her. 

No doubt it was from Maleficent’s curse, but as little Kairi seemed alright despite the heart-shaped hole in her chest, being cold to the touch, and never crying like other babies do, her parents and nurse got used to it and hoped for the day the curse might break.

~~~

A/N: For SoKai Week this year, I’ll be releasing one chapter of a seven chapter fic per day instead of writing to a specific prompt. This story is basically a SoKai retelling of The Light Princess by George MacDonald, and I also took some inspiration from one of his other stories, Little Daylight. He has such a fantastic sense of humor, snark, and whimsy, as well as a real warmth and humanity to his stories and a wonderful sense for romance that I really admire. The Light Princess in particular just felt like a story that would fit SoKai so well when I read it, and this is my humble attempt to pay homage to his writing.

Thank you @scoobysnack1107​ for reading over this story for me, and thank you, dear reader, for reading! I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters!

[sokaiweek]

SoKai Week 2021 Prompts and Rules

Announcing this year's prompts and rules! A big thank you to everyone who gave their input:

Check below the cut for the text version!

SoKai Week 2021 Prompts 

Day 1 - July 11

King & Queen OR Be Mine

Day 2 - July 12

I'll Keep You Safe OR Let Me Keep You Safe (or both if you'd like!)

Day 3 - July 13

Melody OR Treasured Memories

Day 4 - July 14

AU Day (Superhero, Role Reversal, Coffee Shop...)

Day 5 - July 15

Distance OR Journey

Day 6 - July 16 

Celebration OR Eternity

Day 7 - July 17

Destiny OR An Oath to Return

Bonus

Angst, Crossroads, Map, Paopu, Pets, Wedding...

Rules

👑 Be respectful. 

👑 No ship or character bashing.

👑 No NSFW.

👑 No other pairings (SoKai only).

👑 Feel free to share your art, stories, gifs, edits, graphics, cosplay, or other fanworks! 

👑 Use the tags #sokaiweek or #sokaiweek2021.

👑 Have fun!

[khlegacynexus]

I wasn't quite sure what to do for this one so I thought about basing it off the Jijan bird a little bit but if you take your finger and trace from one wing tip to the other you get the infinity symbol

[ladygabes]

SoKai Week 2021

Day II - Let ME Keep You Safe!

[amyhayanora]

it’s SoKai week and I didn’t know, lol. I’m pretty sure I’ll not be able to do all the week but at least a couple of sketches... 

[cypjj]

Ending this year’s sokai week with this comic spread, which was the main piece i did for the @sokaizine​ 💖 What a wonderful experience it was to be a part of this zine, and the final product is simply gorgeous! 😍

Leftover store for the zine is still open until August 11th, get yours while you can!

Twitter post: [X]

[vannahfanfics]

Ocean Melody

Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Characters: Sora, Kairi

Additional Tags: Soulmate AU

Hey, everyone! Here’s today’s SoKai story for @sokaiweek​, this time based on the AU prompt— and since soulmate AUs are my favorite, of course, that’s what I decided to do! <3

A song— Kairi had heard it in her soul ever since she was old enough to recognize it as song. Everyone was born with a song in their hearts, and that song linked them to their soulmate; every pair was unique, possessing their own melody that linked them in love and eternity. Every morning, Kairi would stand upon the beach below her house with her feet in the surf, humming the tune of her melody in the hopes that the wind would carry it across the ocean to the person she was meant to love— and every day, that melody went unanswered. So she waited, all alone in her house near the sea, for the day her solo would finally become a duet. 

Many days, she found herself staring out her window down at the beach like this. She wasn’t sure why, but the sea called to her like another melody, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves a song that tried to entice her to its endless blue. A cup of tea long since cold rested in her hand as she gazed unblinkingly through the glass, watching the sand dunes ruffle in the salty breeze and the sea foam spray with each crash of the waves. 

“Kairi?” 

Kairi jumped as Selphie suddenly spoke. The cup rattled against the saucer in her hand, spilling cold tea all over the counter, her hands, and her front. Kairi cursed under her breath and hurriedly set the dishes in the sink, then grabbed a dish towel to mop up the brown liquid. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much she could do about the brown spots dotting the front of her pink-and-white sundress. She would just have to attempt to wash them out later. 

���Sorry,” she apologized, dabbing at the wet spots on her front while she turned to her friend, who was sitting at her kitchen table with an amused look. “I got lost in thought… What were you saying?” 

“I was talking about Tidus!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. “How lucky can he get? I mean, how many people’s soulmates are pop stars? He heard his soulmate song on the radio, and whadaya know, his soulmate is that up-and-coming popstar, Yuna. I would kill for it to be that easy for me!” Selphie complained, pushing her fist into her cheek once she finished venting. Kairi chuckled, walking over to join her friend in the wooden chair. She picked up one of the petit fours sitting in the middle of the table and brought it to her mouth to take a small bite of the rich, sweet cake before answering. 

“I’m sure you’ll find your soulmate soon, Selphie. It happens every day.” 

“Yeah, well, I wish it would happen to-day,” her friend sniffed disdainfully, and Kairi chuckled again. She certainly shared Selphie’s sentiments, but it was amusing how enthusiastically her friend was willing to complain about it. She continued to munch on the petit fours while her friend lamented her loveless woes, but all the while, her heart yearned to gaze upon the ocean. She knew not why it called her so; sometimes, she wondered if the ocean was her soulmate, with how much she stared at it. 

Of course, that would be silly. Nonetheless, she was drawn to it, day after day after day. 

It was the next morning when Kairi found out why. 

She just stood there gaping, still holding the long hem of her sundress bunched up in one hand in preparation to step into the swirling surf. The wind ruffled her hair, the fabric of her dress, her short auburn hair— and the few spikes of dry brown hair of the man who lay face-up on the beach, half-in and half-out of the water with seaweed still clinging to the drenched fabric of his sailor’s uniform. It took Kairi a few precious seconds to realize that it was in fact a person lying there, and when she did, she scrambled across the sand with a startled gasp. She fell on her knees beside him, hands fluttering over his chest, and she was relieved to find both a steady heartbeat and a pattern of breathing. 

“Oh, I am so glad you’re not drowned,” Kairi sighed with a smile, though he was totally unconscious and couldn’t hear her. She reached up to place her hand on his clammy cheek, and though it was pale and cold and wet with seawater, she still fancied the softness of his skin. He just continued to sleep on, serene aside from the way his hair and clothes clung to his body. “Where did you come from?” she murmured. 

And why did the sea bring you to me?

Kairi managed to haul him up to her house, though she dragged in half the beach with her. She brushed as much of the sand from his back as she could before she lowered him onto the couch, then tore across the house gathering every blanket she could. Once she had cocooned him up nice and warm, she called the nearby doctor. While she waited, she swept all the sand back out of the house, though she was certain she would find grains of it for years to come. That was okay; each one would be a strange little reminder of the strange man on the beach, the strange call of destiny. 

The doctor assured him that he only had a mild fever, and with proper care, it should break by the morning. Kairi dutifully remained by his side through the highs and lows, whispering to him through his shaking and sweating fits and dozing in the sparse hours he slept peacefully. By the time the dawn broke, her eyes were droopy and laced with exhaustion and her hair a bit frazzled, but he’d been fever-free for four hours. 

Just a quick nap, she told herself while her eyes drifted shut. She descended into the gray-black haze of sleep. In the void, she heard the tune of her soulmate song, the gentle chiming of piano keys that always lulled her into a sense of peace. 

“Where… Where am I?” 

She jolted awake to see him staring tiredly up at the ceiling, blue eyes hazy with post-fever confusion. The sun was spilling brightly into the room now; her quick nap had actually been a few hours. She hurriedly leaned forward to pat the blankets over his chest, pulling his muddled gaze to her. She couldn’t help but blush at the way his eyes brightened just a little. 

“You’re all right. You’re on Destiny Islands. You washed up on the beach and have been very sick for the past day,” she explained, laying the back of her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He blinked blearily at her, taking a few minutes to process what she’d just told him. 

“You… You saved me?” he rasped. Kairi nodded, then got up to grab a cold glass of water for him from the kitchen. She coaxed him to drink, and he greedily sucked down a total of three glasses before he finally collapsed back against the throw pillow with a sigh. “Thank you… My name is Sora.” 

“I’m Kairi. Do you need anything, Sora? Would you like more water, or…?” Her voice faltered as he smiled sweetly at her, and her heart thumped against her ribcage. 

“No… If you’d sit and talk with me a while, that would be good enough.” 

So they sat and talked for a while. Sora told her that he was a sailor traveling the world to explore different sights and cultures with his friends. They had run afoul of a thunderstorm, and in trying to save the ship from floundering, he’d been thrown overboard. He managed to cling to a barrel, but he’d lost consciousness within the shallows— thankfully, the sea had been merciful and brought him ashore. 

As his strength returned, he told her so many things about what he’d seen in his travels— snowy mountain peaks that pierced the sky, deserts that stretched to the horizon, jungles with a thousand creatures and torrential rains— and the people. He loved talking about all the amazing people he’d come across. He spoke of a shaman who’d performed ritual dances, of a princess who hunted with hawks, of a circus performer who did death-defying stunts with fire, of a world-renowned artist who painted the most gorgeous landscapes. Kairi hung onto his every word, drinking in all the things he’d experienced like it could make up for the fact that all she’d ever been was this sleepy house on the sea.

“Your life sounds so amazing, Sora,” she sighed, relaxing into the coffee table once he’d finished telling his latest story. He was sitting up now, the blankets loosely wrapped around him and a warm mug of tea in his hands. 

“Yeah, I’d consider myself pretty lucky,” he nodded and then sipped at his tea. “But to be honest, I think it’s just to make up for the one thing I’m missing.” 

“Missing?” she echoed, and he gave her a sheepish look. 

“My soulmate, you know? I’m sure you’ve felt it too… Like there’s a void in your soul that you can never fill.” Oh, Kairi had felt it. She felt it every day when she sang to the sea, begging the winds to carry her melody across the oceans to her special someone. She nodded sagely, but she didn’t realize she’d started crying until the tears dripped down onto her face. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Sora chuckled apologetically and reached out to gently thumb them away. She found herself leaning a little into the caresses, savoring the calloused pad of his finger. 

“It’s all right…” she murmured once he sat back. “I guess it’s just because I don’t have something to fill the void.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah… I just sit here waiting. It’s kind of depressing, now that I realize it,” she said with an embarrassed look. How pathetic could she be? Just waiting day after day instead of doing something amazing like Sora. 

Frowning, Sora set the mug down and took her hands. He rubbed gentle circles over her palms as he looked into her eyes. 

“I don’t think it’s depressing at all. Everybody deals with it differently. I think that makes you a really strong person, to have faith day after day that your soulmate will come to you.” He said it with such a serious and passionate look that it was so easy to believe him, or maybe it was just that Kairi didn’t want to face the reality that it was just a sad way to live. She leaned in, too distraught to consider how close their faces were, to whimper, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” he smiled sweetly, and he discarded one of her hands to reach up and pet her cheek. Her heart thumped in her chest again. Oh, this wasn’t good. This was getting dangerous, having feelings for a man she just met and who probably wasn’t her soulmate— but why did it feel so right? 

“In fact…” he said, his smile suddenly taking on a hint of cheekiness, “I think that day will come sooner than you think.” Kairi’s eyes widened, having the strange feeling that his words were more than just reassurance. She blushed as he leaned a little closer, close enough for their noses to brush. “You sing in your sleep, you know,” he revealed, and Kairi’s nerves sang as his breath ghosted over her face. 

And then he started humming, and Kairi felt like the world stopped around her, because that was her song, the song she’d sung to the waves every day of her life, and Sora was caressing her cheek, and it was her song.

She started crying again, and Sora laughed quietly, tilting his head to nose at the junction of her jaw and face. She couldn’t help but laugh, too, laugh at the silliness of crying with joy but she couldn’t help it. 

“I’m a pretty bad soulmate,” he joked, “because all I seem to be able to do is make you cry.” 

“Yeah,” she giggled while she tried to wipe her tears away but more dripped down from her eyes to replace them. “What’s up with that?” 

“Sorry,” he laughed and leaned in to press his forehead against hers. Surely it was the sea that brought him, she thought, as she gazed into the oceanic blues of his eyes. That was why the sea had called her so. And he tasted like the sea, too, when he leaned in to kiss her, like salt and ocean breeze and endless possibilities. He held her like the most precious treasure as he kissed her once, twice, three times, and then he pulled away to smile, and then he was kissing her again because he couldn’t get enough. Kairi couldn’t get enough of him either, savoring the feeling of his slightly chapped lips moving over her own. It was perfect, everything she’d dreamed of, and for the first time in her life she finally felt whole. 

After that, she and Sora went down to the sea together, hand-in-hand. Kairi didn’t sing to the waves that day. She didn’t have to now; her heart sung to Sora’s, and Sora’s to hers, and it was a harmony that only they could hear and know.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

[teganberry]

SoKai Week 2021 | Day 7 - An Oath to Return

"I'll come back to you, I promise!"

[lightwithinthedarknessu]

A SoKai Supergroupies AU💖 to celebrate @sokaiweek Day 4: AU-casual date icon for @sokaizine ‘s digital bundle! 

Thanks so much to the amazing mod team and fellow contributors for having me💕I am so thankful I got to contribute to the digital bundle! Truly the most amazing experience. Leftover sales are going on now and till 8/11 here!

[maddrmatt]

A Beautiful Future: A Premonition or a Punishment? (SoKai Week 2021)

Greetings readers and fellow SoKai fans!  It is I, the Mad Doctor, participating in SoKai Week for the second year running.  This year, I have a special multichapter story that will be posted throughout the week.  It’s going to be quite an emotional rollercoaster that I hope you all enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Chapter 1: Two Hearts Become One

Radiant Garden

Dressed in an elegant white suit with golden highlights, Sora gazed over Mickey’s head at the long aisle ahead of him.  It was going to be quite a walk.  But it was going to be one worth taking given what was going to happen at the end.

Just then, music filled the air and Mickey began his walk.  Once the mouse king was far enough ahead, Sora followed after him.  ‘Okay.  Here it goes. No pressure.  It’s only the happiest day of Kairi’s and my life.’

As he walked, Sora took in his surroundings and marveled at how different the setting was from when, on occasion, he would picture his wedding day.  ‘If the Keyblade had never come to me and I had never got caught up in my adventures, we probably would’ve been getting married in a simple beachside ceremony on the Islands with just family and friends from there.  I never thought it would be in another world.  Especially in front of a crowd like this.’

The Radiant Garden chapel that the ceremony was taking place in was indeed far from a beach setting.  It had needed to be magically expanded to accommodate all the various friends from around the worlds that he made on his many adventures.  There was even a giant screen hovering up front in the air so the guests could see the altar no matter where they were in the chapel.

There had probably never been such a gathering of guests in the entire history of the worlds.  It was composed of various humans, animals (both regular and anthropomorphic), monsters, magical beings, artificial constructs and other kinds. And all of them looked incredibly happy to be there to witness this happy occasion.

Hercules pumped his fist.  Rapunzel’s eyes were wet with happy tears.  Stitch shot him one of his toothiest smiles.  Jack Sparrow gave a salute.

Sora smiled at all of them as he passed by.  ‘We may be shattering the World Order to bits for this wedding.  But I’m so glad they could all be here today.  Because they’re not just friends.  All of them are family.’

Finally, Sora reached the altar and stood before Mickey. The mouse had never looked more like a king since he was dressed in his most official robes.  It was fitting because he was the officiant for the ceremony.

‘Never would have imagined that we’d be getting married by a king who’s a giant mouse,’ thought Sora as he turned around and gazed down the aisle as his groomsmen, all dressed in matching black suits, approached.

Fittingly, the first groomsman to arrive was also the very first person Sora had helped in his lifetime.  ‘I’d barely been born when I saved Ven.  And because of him, I gained the Keyblade and became the hero the worlds and Kairi needed.”

Then came his former Nobody.  ‘Roxas certainly earned his spot among my groomsmen. He gave up his existence to wake me up so I could stop the first Organization.’

Sora gave a little chuckle as he saw how identical Ven and Roxas were in their suits.  ‘They truly do look like twin brothers.  I can’t believe how many of the guests here really thought they were that.’

After Roxas, came the two who had been with Sora through nearly every step of his adventures.  Donald and Goofy looked like proud parents seeing as how they had long considered Sora to be like another nephew and another son respectively.

‘An anthropomorphic duck and dog among my groomsmen.  Now there’s something I definitely never thought I would have at my wedding.  But I never would’ve gotten anywhere without them. Not that I would tell Donald that. Goofy maybe.  But not Donald.  He’d never let me hear the end of it.’

Then Riku came down the aisle.  As he took his place right beside Sora, the two of them exchanged smiles.

‘Riku, I’m so happy that through everything that’s happened, our friendship not only endured but got even stronger.  You’re my brother in everything but blood and there’s no one else I’d choose to be my best man.’

Now that all the groomsmen were in place, it was now time for the bridesmaids to come down the aisle.  ‘My bride really didn’t have a lot of female friends when we were growing up on the Islands.  Now, thanks to our adventures, she has plenty to fill her bridesmaids’ ranks,’ thought Sora.

The first bridesmaid to arrive, dressed in a pink dress that they were all wearing, came Olette.  ‘She was probably the first person to call our story a romantic one.  How right she was.’

Xion was next.  ‘Her appearance is living proof that my strongest memories were always of Kairi.’

Following Xion was none other than the blue haired Keyblade master who was ultimately responsible for him meeting the love of his life.  ‘I can never thank you enough for setting us up to meet, Aqua.’

Then came Kairi’s former Nobody.  ‘I’m so glad that Naminè didn’t want to wake me up without my memories of Kairi. Although, I wish there had been a better way that wouldn’t have required Roxas and Xion to make sacrifices.  Oh well.  It all worked out in the end.’

Finally, came the maid of honor.  ‘She may have been uninvolved in our adventures.  But Selphie’s been Kairi’s oldest female friend, so she deserves to be maid of honor.’

Sora then gazed to the front rows of seats where the groups from Disney Castle, Radiant Garden, Twilight Town and Shibuya were all seated.  In the very first row was Master Yen Sid, Terra, Axel, Isa, Hayner, Pence, Tidus and Wakka as well as his parents, Hayley and Jones who looked extremely proud of their boy.

‘Mom, Dad, I hope that our marriage turns out as wonderful as yours.’

Next to come up the aisle, was Pluto with Jiminy Cricket riding on top of his head.  The dog had a cushion clutched in his mouth which upon it were two paopu fruits each in the middle of a crown of flowers.  In the cricket’s hands was a cushion with two golden rings.

Once Pluto had reached the altar, he walked up to Selphie, who reached down and took one of the rings from Jiminy’s cushion.  The dog then walked up to Riku who took the remaining ring.   With the rings having been delivered to the maid of honor and best man, Pluto assumed a sitting position next to Riku until the time came for his next duty.

Then the music changed.  All the guests rose to their feet.

After a short while, Sora’s eyes widened. Coming down the aisle, preceded by Chirithy who was scattering flower petals and between her adoptive parents Parker and Dorothy, was his bride.

Kairi was dressed in a lovely white sleeveless wedding gown. Golden designs were stitched into the fabric with an elaborate shape of a heart on her chest.  Her hair had been done up in a bun and she was wearing a tiara with seven shimmering white heart-shaped jewels.  In her hands, she carried a bouquet of flowers.  Her eyes were bright with happiness and her lips wore a radiant smile.

‘She’s so beautiful,’ thought Sora.

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‘He’s so handsome,’ thought Kairi as she and her parents reached the altar with Chirithy taking its place beside Selphie.

The music faded and the guests resumed sitting.  It was time for the ceremony to begin.

“Welcome all honored friends and family from around the worlds. We are gathered here on this most joyous day to witness the joining of Sora and Kairi in the sacred union of marriage. Who presents this woman to be married?” asked Mickey.

“Her father and I do, with all our hearts and with every blessing,” said Dorothy.

“We also say this on behalf of her birth parents and grandmother who sadly could not be here today but would surely be so proud of her,” said Parker solemnly.

A bittersweet feeling came over the bride.  ‘I hope, wherever they are, they’re very proud.  I just know they would’ve loved Sora especially after hearing about everything he’s done for me.’

Kairi handed her bouquet to Selphie and exchanged a loving embrace with each of her parents.  ‘I can never thank you enough for taking me in, Mom and Dad.  You’ve been the most wonderful parents I could ask for.  I love you both so much.’  

The bride then walked over to the groom’s side.  Sora was then suddenly embraced by Kairi’s parents.

“Keep taking care of her, Sora,” whispered Parker.

“Just like you always have,” added Dorothy.

“I will.  I promise,” Sora responded back as Kairi’s parents broke their embrace and headed for their seats.

‘And there’s never been a promise that you’ve failed to keep, my soon-to-be husband,’ thought Kairi as she took Sora’s hands into her own as Mickey started up again.

“What we are witnessing this day is the next step in what has been an incredible journey. Sora and Kairi began this journey as childhood friends. But although they were young, the light of love was present right from the start and it continued to grow over time. That light has guided them through many trials and tribulations throughout their lives.  And now they have reached this day when their hearts, which have always shared a special bond, will now truly become one,” said the mouse king.

‘It certainly has been quite a ride for us, Sora.  But everything that we’ve gone through, even the darkest times, has been worth it.  Even more worth it since it has finally led us here to this day,’ thought Kairi.

“Sora, Kairi, your love and devotion for one another is greatly admirable.  But while marriage is a beautiful symbol of that love, it is a commitment not to be taken lightly as you go through all the challenges that life will throw at you. But there is no doubt among anyone present here that the two of you will rise to meet those challenges together,” continued Mickey.

Kairi smiled at her groom who smiled back.  ‘As many of our friends have said, when we’re together, Sora, there is nothing we can’t do.’

“Now, let us hear you both recite your vows of love for one another. And as Keyblade Masters, it is tradition to swear them on your Keyblades.  Sora?” asked Mickey.

As he had been instructed by the Keyblade Masters, Sora released one of his hands from Kairi’s, held it out and summoned Kingdom Key eliciting a gasp from several of the guests.  Planting the tip to the floor and kneeling down while not once breaking eye contact with Kairi or releasing her hand.

‘Okay, Kairi.  Let’s keep it together.  You don’t want to start crying and ruin Selphie’s hard work on your makeup.  No matter how wonderful Sora’s vow is undoubtedly going to be,’ Kairi thought as the love of her life began.

“Kairi, when my adventures began, what kept me going was the thought of reuniting with the people I hold dear at the end.  But looking back, I realize while that was true, it was not entirely accurate because the one I was fighting hardest to reunite with has always truly been you.  You’ve always been the one who inspires me to be the best I can be, and you’ve always been the light that leads me out of the darkness and back to where I’m meant to be: where I can hear you laugh, see you smile and just be where we can share our lives and our love.  So, this is my vow to you.  As your husband, I will stand by your side in all things that may come our way whether it be fighting together to protect the worlds from the darkness or raising a family of our own.  I will laugh with you in the good times and comfort you in the bad times.  And most of all, I will love you now and forever even beyond the time we part for good.”

Kairi had bee successfully in refraining from crying. But it had been no easy task.  Sora’s wonderful words of love had imbued her with immense joy.

As Sora rose and dismissed his Keyblade, Mickey turned to Kairi and said, “Kairi?”

‘Sora, that was absolutely beautiful.  I only hope my own vow will touch your heart in the same way you’ve just touched mine.’

Like what Sora did earlier, Kairi held out her hand and summoned Destiny’s Embrace.  She planted the tip on the floor and kneeled down while her eyes gazed into Sora’s while keeping one of her hands in his.  It was fortunate that her gown had been designed so she had no trouble kneeling down for this part.

“Sora, when I first met you, it was during one of the darkest times of my life.  There I was: a lost little girl whose home world was swallowed by the darkness and had been sent away to a strange new one with no memory other than her own name. And then there was you: a boy with the brightest smile who opened his heart to me and helped me build a wonderful new life.  I don’t know what would have happened to me had you not become the friend that I needed. I realize now that it was not some random chance that we met.  It was destiny.  Destiny brought us together.  Destiny always reunited us whenever we were separated.  And now, destiny has led us here where our hearts will be united. And so, to you, I vow that I will support you in everything from the responsibilities as Keyblade Masters to bringing up our future children.  I will always cheer you on and be your source of strength.  And most importantly, I will love and cherish you for the entirety of our lifetime and beyond.”

Kairi looked into Sora’s eyes and saw a tear welled up in it.  He too was clearly struggling to not make a scene. Her heart warmed to see that her vow had indeed succeeded in touching his heart.

Mickey wiped away a tear of his own from his eye as Kairi dismissed her Keyblade and rose up.  “Those vows were beautiful, both of you.  You should both be very proud,” he whispered to the bride and groom.

The mouse king then regained his composure and continued on with the ceremony.  “The groom and the bride shall now exchange their rings.”

Sora turned away from Kairi.  Riku immediately handed Sora the ring.  After shooting his oldest friend a look of gratitude, he turned toward his future wife and took her hand into his.

“Kairi, wear this ring as a symbol of my oath to love you and my wish for the wonderful lifetime for both of us,” he said as he slipped the ring on her finger.

Kairi gazed at the ring.  Engraved upon it, was a perfect recreation of the drawing from the Secret Place.  A drawing that had evolved from simple childhood artwork to a foretelling of a very important moment in their lives.

‘Those Moogles certainly are quite the artists,’ thought Kairi.

“Kairi?” whispered Selphie snapping Kairi out of her thoughts.

‘Oh!  Right! Time for me to give Sora his so we match!’

Kairi turned to her maid of honor who passed the ring to her. After giving her oldest gal pal a slightly embarrassed smile, she turned to her groom and took his hand.

“Sora, wear this ring as a symbol of my oath to love you and my wish for the wonderful lifetime for both of us,” said the bride as she slipped the ring onto the groom’s finger.

Mickey smiled.  “And now, before we conclude the ceremony, there are two unification rituals that we shall observe.  They are traditions that come from the two worlds represented here.  First, from the bride’s world of birth, Radiant Garden, the flower crowns.”

Pluto left Riku’s side and moved until he stood before the bride and groom.  With a smile of gratitude to the dog, Sora and Kairi reached down and each took one of the flower crowns off of the cushion.

“Entwined in these crowns, are three kinds of flowers.  First, the yellow sunflowers represent your friendship, which was where the two of you began.  Next, the pink carnations represent your love for each other that grew from your friendship and led you here.  And finally, the white daisies represent the brand-new beginning of a whole new journey that two of you will share together in your love.  Sora, Kairi, on this day, wear these crowns as symbols of everything your marriage encompasses.”

At the end of Mickey’s words, Sora raised the crown in hands and gently lowered it down onto Kairi’s head, careful not to disturb or obscure her tiara.  Once he had finished, Kairi did the same, managing to get the crown past his usual spiky hairstyle that she loved so much.

Kairi then heard what sounded to be some snickers that could have come from either the audience or the groomsmen.  Clearly the sight of Sora wearing the flower crown had amused some.

She shook her head with a small smile.  ‘I can imagine he might be getting teased after the ceremony likely from Riku, Donald, Axel, Wakka or Tidus.  I’ll have to remedy that by assuring him just how adorable he looks.’

“Now, for the tradition from the Destiny Islands.  And it is one that carries a certain significance for Sora and Kairi: the sharing of the paopu fruits,” Mickey continued.

Once again, Sora and Kairi reached down to Pluto’s cushion. This time, they took the two star-shaped fruits from it.

“For those who do not know, there is a legend from the Islands that when two people share these fruits, their destinies are bound together, and they remain a part of each other’s lives no matter what.  While Sora and Kairi have shared these fruits before, they will do so again here on their wedding day to renew and strengthen that bond.”

With that, Sora and Kairi began to reach their fruits to the other’s mouth.  As they inched closer, they both recalled the day before their fight against Xehanort on the paopu tree, where they shared them for the first time.

‘Even if what followed that day were things we’d rather forget, the moment we first shared these fruits will always be one of our most treasured memories.  But, this time, I know for sure that there’s nothing but good and wonderful things to come after we share them today,’ thought Kairi.

Finally, the fruits reached their mouths and simultaneously, Sora and Kairi took a bite out of the other’s.  After chewing and swallowing, they returned the fruits to Pluto’s cushion.  As the dog returned to Riku’s side, the couple took each other’s hands once again and faced Mickey.

Mickey gave them a smile.  “Sora, Kairi, you have pledged your vows.  You have exchanged your rings.  You have crowned each other with the symbolic flowers. And you have strengthened the bond of your destinies with the paopu fruit.  So, by the power vested in me as the king of Disney Castle, I now pronounce you husband and wife.  Sora, you may kiss your bride.”

Sora took Kairi into his arms and the two of them exchanged the brightest smiles they ever shown.  Their feelings of happiness could not be greater now that their hearts had been joined together.

‘It’s time, Sora.  Time to make another memory to treasure for the rest of our lives.’

Closing their eyes and preparing for the thunderous applause that would soon fill the chapel, they slowly inched their faces closer together.

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But alas, the memory never came to be because the kiss never happened.  At this exact moment, the wonderful dream had ended, and the dreamer woke up to a reality that was far less bright.

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Notes from the Mad Doctor:

As much as I hated to cut short what would have been a very lovely SoKai moment, it was necessary due to the path this story is going to take.

I really had to do some heavy research to make this feel like a believable wedding ceremony.  I really hope I pulled it off and I hope you all liked what I included as special unification rituals.  I always felt the paopu fruits would be used in Destiny Islands’ weddings and I also imagined flowers would play a part in Radiant Garden’s wedding ceremonies on account of the world’s name.

I was thinking, for the music that would play at this wedding, they’d use a new wedding rendition of Dearly Beloved for when Sora and the wedding party are coming down the aisle and an instrumental of Don’t Think Twice for the bride’s entrance.  Any thoughts and ideas of your own, readers?

Now, I have mentioned this before in my other stories.  But for the benefit of any new readers, I’ll mention it again.  Since I couldn’t come up with good Kingdom Hearts-ish sounding names for Sora and Kairi’s parents, I decided to name them after recurring actors from Disney live-action movies.  Here are their derivations:

Hayley, Sora’s Mother: Hayley Mills from Pollyanna and The Parent Trap (also doubles as a reference to Haley Joel Osment)

Jones, Sora’s Father: Dean Jones from the Herbie the Love Bug film series

Parker, Kairi’s Father: Fess Parker from Davey Crockett and Old Yeller

Dorothy, Kairi’s Mother: Dorothy McGuire from Swiss Family Robinson and Old Yeller

I give my thanks to whoever reads this chapter.

I’d also like to give a special thank you to my sister-in-law for helping me with picking out the best flowers for the flower crowns.  I couldn’t have done it without her!

Comments, likes and reblogs are much appreciated!  Stay tuned for we’ll be exploring what the subtitle of this story means as we go along!

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Onto the next chapter!

[stellarnightmage]

Day 7 | Destiny | Sokai Week 2021

My piece for @sokaizine! Leftover store is open!

The text:

“To see you again. To see your smile that made the skies bright and blue. To see the glittering stars in your lapis eyes. I’ve waited long enough for this day of reunion. Our promise that binds us together for the rest of our lives, defied death. The ocean reaching for the sky, trapped behind grey storm clouds. A letter. A plea. A resolve. It worked, and we are together again. No need to give the lucky charm back. The worlds are lain before us, towards a better future. But first, let's lay upon the beach one last time, watching the sunset, smelling the breeze, and pointing out constellations formed by many worlds, of which share one sky, one sea.”