#☆ .*･ ch: naminé.
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we're flying above the valley below | Ch 9
AO3
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Sora paced impatiently behind Naminé, Donald tapping his foot behind him as Goofy absently preened the duck’s spread wings.
Finally, though, she stirred, stepping back from the door.
“Did you find him?” Sora asked.
She didn’t answer, just smiled over her shoulder before turning back to the door. Holding his breath, he fixed his gaze on the door in anticipation, and seconds later, there it was. The door cracked open, a bright flash of light quickly fading away to reveal Ven stumbling out. He blinked for a moment, and his eyes caught on Naminé before traveling over her shoulder to meet Sora’s gaze.
“Sora...”
“Ven!” he chirped, rushing forward, “You’re back!”
“Yeah. And so are you! They got you out; I knew they would.”
“Ah, yeah,” Sora said, sheepish. Riku and Kairi said they met Ven, when he’d gotten trapped in the Realm of Dreams. “I suppose I should thank you, too, for helping me get out of there.”
Ven should his head, “No. You kept me safe for so long, of course I was going to help. Really, I should be thanking you.”
“Well, no reason we can’t thank each other!” Sora said, “But now - let’s get back to Radiant Garden. There are so many people waiting to see you!”
Ven’s smile faltered, “Actually, I’d love to go with you, but... I need to find my Flight. I can’t reach Terra at all, and something happened to Aqua. Do you know where they are?”
Sora faltered, “Oh. About that...”
“Aqua’s lost in the Realm of Darkness? How do I get there?”
“Uh, that’s…” Sora looked over to Donald and Goofy, who just shrugged, “I don’t really know. Riku went with Mickey, so I guess they would, but they never shared how.”
“And our phones don’t reach that far,” Donald groused.
Ven scowled, “But that’s – someone else has to know.”
“Mm, well...”
“Master Yen Sid might know,” Goofy offered, “He trained Mickey, after all.”
“Then I’m going there.”
“That’s - “
Sora understood wanting to save your friends, you Flight, and he didn’t want to leave Ven alone. But, there was also the Organization, and he was really hoping to get back to Kairi…
“Do you even know how to get to his tower?” Donald asked.
“Uh, well. I was hoping you could take me there?”
“I suppose,” Goofy said slowly, “But it’s likely we’ll have a job to do soon.”
“And we don’t know when they’ll call and - “
As if summoned, a phone began to ring. All three of them began riffling through their pockets, one by one eliminating whose it could be. Sora got his out last, so of course that meant the sound was coming from him.
“Hello?”
“Sora, good,” Leon sighed, looking hassled, “You have to hurry. We found the next princess.”
“That’s great!”
He shook his head, “No, it’s not. You know we’ve been tracking the Organization’s activity – well, we found a significant reading, and it’s on a path to converge with her soon.”
“How soon?” Donald asked.
Leon leaned off screen for a moment before returning, face grave, “It could be an hour – two at most. And Ienzo says by the readings there’s a chance someone might already be there. You’re the closest to their location; you have to get to the princess first.”
“Got it. I won’t let you down.”
“We'll send the coordinates to your phone now. We’re counting on you,” Leon answered, and hung up.
“The Organization,” Ven said, “They’re the ones in the black coats, right? The ones that...”
“Yeah.”
Ven went silent, and Sora opened up his phone, looking at the map. Sure enough, a new location was marked, though it looked... He squinted at it.
“I think I can make it in time, if I hurry...”
“Or,” Goofy said, grinning slyly, “We can get you there faster.”
“Huh?”
“We got some upgrades to the gummy ship,” Donald said proudly, “I bet we can cut your time in half.”
“At the very least we can cut off half of that half,” Goofy assured.
“That would be great! Oh, but. Ven...”
Ven stared down at the floor, then sighed, “No, it’s okay. I don’t like it, but the Organization is a problem. I saw how much trouble they caused with you. And... “
He trailed off. Sora tilted his head curiously, but when Ven caught his eye, he shook his head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“If you say so... but, we’ll go ask Yen Sid about Aqua the moment we’ve dealt with this, I promise.”
“I’m sorry,” Naminé said, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but... what should I do?”
“Ah.”
Naminé really shouldn’t have listened to them.
She’d told them she should stay behind on the gummi ship if they were heading into trouble, that she wasn’t a fighter, but Sora had looked at her with pleading eyes, Ventus had joined in on cajoling her, and…
She was so tired of being alone.
Still, it didn’t take more than ten minutes on this new world for the heartless to start cropping up, and she was beginning to have some regrets. She was used to running from the heartless – she'd done it for a year – and she’d certainly never had four people behind her holding them off. It’s just...
She usually wasn‘t running with a stranger.
“This looks like a good place to hide,” he muttered, squinting up at the tower they’d found in a hidden glade.
“How are you going to get up there?”
“Climb, obviously.”
“...right.”
He gave her a smug grin, “Hey, I’ll go in, take a look around – if it’s clear, I’ll see if there’s a hidden door or something to let you in. There’s always a hidden door in places like this. Good? Good.”
“Alright...”
Sure enough, the man shimmied himself up the wall of the tower. Naminé was still waiting for him to re-appear when Sora and the others caught up to her, looking a bit tired but otherwise unharmed.
“Naminé! You’re okay. But, where’d that other guy go?”
Naminé shrugged, pointing at the tower. Sora and Ven turned in unison, squinting up at it.
“I’ll go check it out,” Sora decided, spreading his wings and taking to the skies with a leap, circling upwards. He’d just reached the window up top when he reeled back, dodging the yellow rope that was thrown out.
Not rope, Naminé realized quickly – hair. Lots and lots of rich blonde hair.
Rapunzel – as the man they had rescued, Flynn, introduced her as – was wildly energetic, and wildly inconsistent. It took some time to pin her down, with the way she alternated between darting from place to place and collapsing into herself, but eventually they managed to get the explanation.
She was wildly breaking her mother’s rules, and wildly out of her depth.
“I’ve never left the tower,” Rapunzel admitted sheepishly.
“Never?” Sora boggled as the bottom dropped out of Naminé’s stomach.
Rapunzel shook her head, “Never. Mother said it’s not safe, but... I want to see the lights. I’m going to see the lights – and then I’ll go back, and she’ll never know, and it’ll be just like it was.”
No, it won’t, Naminé knew, watching Rapunzel dart forward as something new caught her eye. Once you’ve left a place like that, it can never go back to the way it was.
“The outside world must seem so big and scary,” Sora said, watching her go, “I know how she feels.”
Naminé curled into herself, stomach turning. Did he really know it? The constricting isolation of being confined to one place, everything the same, all the time, no way out no matter what you do – only to be suddenly confronted with everything all at once, no guide, no knowledge of how to navigate, so wide an terrifying that you almost wish you could go back to the place you just escaped, just so you wouldn’t be so lost?
As Sora devolved into petty squabbling with Donald, her gaze swept away and met Ventus’, who stared back with a similar look of conflict on his face.
What was he thinking, she wondered. What memory dragged him down like hers did? She wasn’t brave enough to ask, and they both quietly followed after the others.
Still, it was difficult to stay melancholy when Rapunzel was so obviously delighted. Sora eagerly followed after her every squeal and cry of interest, and Ventus was easily pulled in.
“So, what do you think?” he asked.
“It’s amazing,” Rapunzel gushed, “I painted everything I could see from my window, but now I get to see it all up close!”
“You paint? That’s so cool!” Sora said, his head craning around, “Oh, Naminé, don’t you do that, too?”
“I draw,” she answered, “I never had the opportunity to work with paint.”
Rapunzel’s eyes sparkled as she drew close, “Oh, really? What do you work with?”
Ducking her head, Naminé smiled back. She’d never gotten the chance to talk about it like this – as a hobby, and not a tool.
“Pencil. Or crayon, when I can get them.”
“Oh, that’s how I started! And, well, I still use them a lot, when I run out of paint. Sometimes it’s too much, for Mother to get them for me.”
“… it shouldn’t be.”
“What?”
Regret, again. She shouldn’t have said that, no matter the squirming in her stomach, should have let it go. But still, somehow, words kept falling out of her mouth.
“It seems so big to be given anything, when your world is so small. But you get out there and… it’s just paint. It shouldn’t be such a big thing.”
“It is a big deal!” Rapunzel protested, “Mother has to go really far, or put herself at risk when getting nicer things for me. She’s given up so much to protect me, and she still goes and finds things just to make me happy.”
To keep you placid, Naminé thought, but did not say. Instead, she continued walking beside Rapunzel, trailing her hand along the flowering bushes beside them.
“I was trapped in a castle, once,” she finally said, “The people who kept me there... they only wanted me for my abilities. If I didn’t have those powers, I would be less than nothing to them. Maybe it is different. After all, she’s not using you for your abilities, just keeping you safe, but...”
Naminé reached out, gently running a finger on the edges of a flower petal, “After having all this, can you really go back?”
Rapunzel clutched her elbows, looking away, “I have to.”
It was strange to watch Rapunzel, a kind of mirror of her past self. Only not, because Rapunzel was so much brighter than she ever was, so much braver. She refused to be cowed or ushered into a safer, protected path, insisting on facing danger head on with nothing but a frying pan and her hair. Every new encounter was a wonder to be discovered, a learning experience whether the result was danger or whimsy.
It was like seeing the world anew – the sky, the earth, the life around them. Every little vignette nearly took her breath away.
Naminé sat by the side of the pond, bare feet dipped in the water, as Rapunzel splashed through it with Sora and Ven, Flynn standing nearby watching indulgently. Laughter and water droplets filled the air, the sun glinting off the spray like a rainbow, perfectly picturesque. The scene pulled her in fully, her fingers itching for a pencil, for paper – a familiar feeling, yet lighter than she’d ever felt it.
Sora stumbled out and dropped to the ground beside her, shaking his hair and sending water flying everywhere, laughing as she cringed away.
“Not going to join us?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine,” Naminé said, an amused smile finding its way across her face, “Swimming... isn’t really my thing.”
Sora laughed, “I wouldn’t call this swimming. Wading, maybe.”
“Maybe,” she agreed, turning back to watch Rapunzel twirl, scooping her hands through the water to bring out another wave, “Still, it really is pretty, though.”
“Yeah.”
“Mm. It’s kind of funny, you know? Even after I got free, even going out and looking through so many worlds... I never really saw them.”
“What were you looking for?”
Naminé paused, darting a hesitant glance over at Sora. He just watched her with wide, warm eyes. She dug her toes deeper into the muddy bank of the pond, braced herself, and answered.
“Pieces of Hitoshi.”
“Hitoshi?”
“Ah, that’s right. You wouldn’t remember. In Castle Oblivion, during those memories you lost, the Organization made a replica of Riku. We were... friends.”
“A replica of Riku... wait, then, that other Riku with Hiro and his team?! Come to think of it, Kairi called him ‘Hitoshi’ then, didn’t she?”
“I guess we never explained things to you, did we?”
“No one ever tells me anything,” Sora whined, flopping back dramatically on the grass. A moment later he was spring back up, though, eyes intent on her, “So, you were looking for him?”
“Sort of. After you went to sleep, there was... an incident, and Hitoshi’s heart was split into pieces, which scattered across the worlds. I was trying to find them, so I could put him back together.”
“Did you find them? Ah, though – I guess, if the Organization has him....”
“You’re right, I couldn’t find all of him. As far as I can tell, there are five pieces in total. One has been with me since the beginning. Two... two I put into you.”
“In me?”
“Mm. I had hoped that you could heal him, the way you healed the other heart I found in you. So, when I found a piece, I placed it in you. I don’t remember placing the other, but I know it’s there. I think that maybe I....”
She trailed off, heart aching. That girl... what had Naminé done to her? Sora began shifting awkwardly, startling her out of her rumination, and she shook her head, “Now that I’m saying all this, it sounds a bit selfish, doesn’t it? I didn’t ask if you would take on that burden. Even after everything, I still used you...”
Sora frowned, plucking blades of grass from the ground, one by one. Finally, he shrugged, sending her a wry smile.
“It’s fine. It... would have been nice to be asked, but, well, if I can help, what’s one more heart to carry?”
“....you really are a good person, Sora.”
“Eheh. So, that’s three – what about the other two?”
“One of them I never found, and the other... the other I lost to a member of the Organization. The thing is, that replica, I worked to make it specifically for him. They wouldn’t be able to just put any heart in, not without some kind of problem. So, I have a feeling... they used that piece of his heart to wake him up.”
“Oh.”
For a long moment, they both watched Rapunel, who had moved to teaming up with Ven to try and convince Flynn to join them. That kind of pure joy… had she ever felt it?
“Every single thing I did in that year, I did to find him,” she murmured, “There wasn’t room for anything else; I wouldn’t let there be.”
“Well... there’s time now.”
“Hm?”
She glanced over at Sora, who was smiling at her, hand out in offering, full of light and hope.
“You’re not alone anymore. We’re gonna get Hitoshi back – and all the others, too, no doubt about it. And then you’ll have all the time in the world to see everything you want to. You can even take him with you! Trust me, there’s nothing better than seeing the world with friends by your side. And, hey, there’s no reason you can’t get a head start – there's still more of this world to see.”
“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”
Of course, nothing was ever that easy.
She should have run.
She should have gone with Rapunzel and Flynn the moment the nobodies showed up, but – something about the shape of them, the flower-like skirt, the scythe – it opened up a pit in her stomach. Instead, she ducked around the corner and crouched down, hiding in the bushes and waited, watching.
When the last nobody was snuffed out, Sora muttered quietly for a moment before spinning around, yelling out into the air.
“Hey! Come out and face me yourself, you has-beens!”
“Has-beens? How rude, and after such a good showing. The Keyblade is as impressive as always.”
“Who’s there?”
In a blur of petals, a figure appeared, and ice flooded her veins. A gasp escaped her before she could stop it, and her hands leapt up to cover her mouth, as if she could undo it.
“It’s good to see you again, Sora. And – Naminé,” Marluxia said, his head tiling towards her, perfectly pinpointing her location, “It has been a while – it seems you’ve managed to attach yourself to the Keyblade wielder even without us. Aren’t you going to join us?”
His eyes fixed on her and she was -
Small useless trapped insignificant -
back in that castle, white walls around her, scythe gleaming in the harsh light, trapped and forced to make an impossible choice. She could hardly breathe.
“Naminé?” Sora wondered, and she should come out, she should face him, but she couldn’t, she couldn’t, she couldn’t -
Almost without think she opened a corridor around herself, the Darkness choking her as she stumbled through, hurriedly tearing another opening only a few steps away, emerging back out in the shadow of the gummi ship.
She’d forgotten what it felt like, traveling unprotected in the Darkness before that same power corrupted her. Her last body had gotten so inured to it, so thoroughly poisoned, that she hardly felt it. Now it was all new again, biting at her skin, her lungs, her eyes, like ice and fire, tearing at her skin as it tried to burrow inside. That trip was dangerous. She shouldn’t have done that.
She couldn’t bring herself to regret it.
With fumbling fingers, she opened the door to the ship, rushing in and collapsing the moment she was inside, curling up with her back against the wall.
She should have known. She should have known. Axel was back, other members of the Organization were back, why wouldn’t he be back as well? Why was she still so shaken? She was free now, he couldn’t hurt her, he couldn’t -
She buried her face against her knees, nails digging into her legs as she tried to control the shaking in her hands. She was out of there. She’d come so far, she’d faced so much – she was supposed to be braver now. If she couldn’t even face this, how was she supposed to pay everyone back? How was she supposed to save Hitoshi?
Stars, Hitoshi.
What would he think of me now?
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WAIT UTADA HIKARU IS AT COACHELLA????!
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Story Summary: Naminé gains a new life, a new heart, and all of the complicated emotions that come along with it. While discovering her identity and finding how she can help those who helped her, a new Keyblade master becomes a constant in both. Soon enough, he also becomes the source of a strange sensation within her lungs.
Rating: T
Tags: Romance, Slow Burn, Hanahaki
Length: ~4k words
Also on FFNet
#kingdom hearts#kh fanfiction#namiku#rikunami#naminé#riku#hanahaki#romance#slow burn#coughing#daffodils of spring#ch 3#my writing#dusky writing
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Muse Tag Drop!
Doing this for my tags page!
#thᥱ nᥱᥕ fᥱᥙdᥲᥣ erᥲ mιko ⇢ ❴ kagome higurashi ❵#the 7ᴛʜ princess of light; {kairi}#aρᥲrt of sorᥲ ⇢ ❴ xion ❵#art ᥕιth mᥱᥲᥒιᥒg ⇢ ❴ naminé ❵#Stιᥣᥣ Joᥒᥱsιᥒ' for ᥲ ᥣιttᥣᥱ morᥱ Osmosιs ⇢ ❴ Leah Estrogen ❵#aᥒ iᥒᥒoᥴᥱᥒt prιᥒᥴᥱss ⇢ ❴ estellise sidos heurassein ❵#a sᥕᥱᥱt lᥲvᥱᥒdᥱr aromᥲ ⇢ ❴ sophie lhant ❵#thᥱ hoᥣdᥱr of rᥲtᥲtosk's corᥱ ᥲᥒd emιᥣ's hᥱᥲrt ⇢ ❴ marta lualdi ❵#a lιttᥣᥱ woodᥴᥙttᥱr ⇢ ❴ presea combatir ❵#pιᥒk ᥲᥒd nᥲιvᥱ iᥒᥒoᥴᥱᥒᥴᥱ ⇢ ❴ madoka kaname ¦ godoka ❵#nᥱρtᥙᥒᥱ's sιstᥱr ⇢ ❴ nepgear ¦ purple sister ❵#shιᥒყ chᥲrιot's bιggᥱst fᥲᥒ ⇢ ❴ atsuko 'akko' kagari ❵#thᥱ shყ hყᥙgᥲ cᥣᥲᥒ hᥱιrᥱss ⇢ ❴ hinata hyūga ¦ uzumaki ❵#lᥱᥒ-kᥙᥒ ιs mine ⇢ ❴ tei sukone ❵#dᥙᥱᥣᥣιᥒg for hιm ⇢ ❴ anzu mazaki ¦ tea gardner ❵#pყrokιᥒᥱtιᥴ roყᥲᥣtყ ⇢ ❴ blaze the cat ❵#hᥱᥲrtfᥱᥣt mᥙsιᥴ ⇢ ❴ mina mongoose ❵#thᥱ mᥲყor's lιttᥣᥱ sᥱᥴrᥱtᥲrყ ⇢ ❴ isabelle the dog ❵#a poρρყ for yoᥙr troᥙbᥣᥱs ⇢ ❴ poppy the squirrel ❵#thᥱ pᥙrᥱ lιght ⇢ ❴ kari yagami ¦ hikari kamiya ❵#your luck can change; {jinx}#mimi's best friend; {palmon ¦ togemon ¦ lilymon ¦ rosemon}#the smarter one; {reynn}#simba's best friend & mate; {nala}#the real horse carer; {ilia}#tail's got a mind of it's own; {tangle the lemur}#she speaks for the trees; {norma wiggins}
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Terra Week Day 5 (Hope/Wayfinder/Caretaker)
Word Count: 3,303
Summary: Terra beckons the monster himself.
Read on AO3
A/N: This is for Terra Week 2022!! You can find the event on Twitter.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scar Tissue, Ch. 5
Even after being let go, Terra doesn’t get up. His eyes burn from tears. Swallowing is like stuffing brick down a thin, metal pipe. Naminé.
“Come on,” Riku whispers, pulling Terra by the elbow. Isa has already left for the manor. “Let’s find her.”
I’m sorry, Terra doesn’t say. Empty words for what he’s done.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Terra kicks over a padded armchair—as if a hole underneath would expose Naminé’s whereabouts—and scoffs. Empty. Its cushions bounce across the carpet, leaving puffs of dust in a trail. They’re searching this creaky manor for clues. So far, nothing has come up.
They’re here because Terra had said, “All I can think of… I pushed her through a door.”
“You don’t remember anything else?” Isa had said, glancing at the chandelier, in pieces.
“No.”
“But it is a part of you,” Isa said, rubbing his fighting arm. He still couldn’t move it well. “Can you not reconnect with it and glean information?”
It’s so little to ask of Terra yet it’s too much.
“Don’t egg him on,” Riku had said.
So they’re here, opening doors, checking behind curtains, in closets, uncovering every inch of space. The house has a tired history. There’s old paintings left behind, vases filled with withered flowers more delicate than paper, furniture in odd positions as though someone had already been here, doing their own search, years ago.
Worse is that the house has a dark history. It drips over the walls. Terra hates it here.
“Anything?” Riku calls from the kitchen. He’s peeked his head across the hall. Isa comes back from the foyer to see if there’s any news.
Terra throws books off a library shelf. They’re in a language he can’t read. “Nothing,” he grunts.
“Don’t worry.” There is anything but. “There’s still the second floor.”
Isa glares at Terra before returning to his post. He’s about to say something, but he thinks better of it.
That’s the way it has been this past hour—Isa on the precipice of expressing something to Terra. This search seems moot—if Naminé is indeed hiding here, she’d simply walk out and tell everyone she’s okay. A ghost in the house. She’d be a light with her white dress. The manor is so dark.
But they’re not looking for a real door here, are they?
On the second floor, Isa volunteers to search the eastern wing. Riku follows Terra to the west.
The Master bedroom has its own fireplace, the wood rotten and almost black. The walk-in closet is bare of clothes, and the bedsheets are faded. The tub in the restroom is dry, leaving brittle residue.
Terra tries the next door.
“This was her room,” Riku says softly when Terra turns the knob.
Inside are white walls. Almost pristine if it weren’t for the layer of dust and plaster. Terra runs his finger over the surface of the large table in the middle of the room—too long for one person. The dust is thinner here than all the others, making this room the most recently occupied. On the walls are faded paper drawings. Most of them, from the hard brush strokes, are of Sora. Terra can recognize Roxas in some, even Xion in one of them. Several notebooks are laid out here, too. Terra opens the first page—it’s of his armor. There was a time, in the Darkness, when he heard a voice call to him. Your friends, it told him. Your friends need you.
It was Naminé’s.
Terra sniffs. Two tears fall onto the page, smudging one of the armor’s ears.
“She was kept away in here for some time,” Riku says. He presses a fist onto the table. “I used to meet her.”
“Did you bring her sweets?”
“Sometimes. She preferred the company.”
A breeze flows in through the curtains, through a hole in the windowpane. A moth escapes the mansion using this passage. It’s not hard to imagine Naminé standing here, staring at the skyline beyond the forest into a world where she wasn’t allowed to venture, alone. Terra rubs the tears away but it worsens the crayon markings. Just another thing he’s ruined. He closes the notebook.
“I’m so sorry.”
Riku leans on the table, nearly sitting on it. “How long has this been happening?”
Terra joins him. “I nearly took Ven. I woke up in the middle of it.”
“And you had no idea where you were going to take him?”
Terra shakes his head and crosses his arms. “Come to think of it, I wonder if I was trying to do the same to Aqua.”
Together, they contemplate her drawings in silence. Naminé features herself in one of them, standing next to Kairi.
“You’re there,” Terra says, nodding to one that is unmistakably Riku.
“She gave most of my portraits to me.” Riku smiles.
Terra wants to promise that they’ll find her, no matter what it takes. But Terra hates the thought of breaking promises, unintentionally or otherwise. A narrow mirror sits in the corner of the room. Behind Terra are the eyes.
“There was a short time,” Riku says, “when I was experimenting with Ansem’s powers. He became a part of me, and for a while I had control over the Guardian.”
Terra bites his lip. It’s hot in the room, despite the breeze.
“What did you use the Guardian for?”
“Correction.” Riku smirks. “I used you to discipline Roxas.” He looks over to Terra. “Did you have any idea you were holding someone that looked like Ventus?”
“No.” Terra scoffs. “It’s not like I could see.”
Riku pauses. “I can’t remember the time when I first met the Guardian. I didn’t get the sense that I knew it before. One day, it was just there, like I had opened the front door and it invited itself in.” He sighs. “Before I knew it, it left, when I came into my own powers and realigned what my heart was all about.”
Terra’s lips quiver. “It really hurt.” He wiped his pants of dust. “Everything about being that thing hurt. I barely had my own thoughts. I would know a command, and I would perform it.”
“And if you didn’t follow the commands?”
“It would hurt more.” Terra sighs, and waves his arm in dismissal. “I don’t know how to describe it. Like being on fire all the time. It was easier to appease them. The moment of peace afterwards was worth it.” He pauses, and lowers his voice. “Then again, maybe not. Seems like it always came at an expense.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s not your fault. It was just another Heartless to you.”
“Does that mean that all Heartless hurt?”
“I couldn’t tell you.” Terra smiles. It slacks with the weight of too much fatigue.
Another pause, this time suffocating. “Do you think she’s hurting?”
Terra clears his throat. Suddenly, he couldn’t bear to look at her drawings. “I just wanted her safe.”
Isa steps into the room. When he looks over the drawings, he frowns. “We’re wasting our time.”
Riku stands up. “Let’s not give up. There’s one more place to check.”
In the basement, through a secret panel on the wall, is a back room full of what the others call computers, torn apart, bent, shattered into glass all over the floor. Good riddance. Terra doesn’t get the sense that these were used for any good.
“Is it possible Naminé was tucked away in a data world?” Riku asks. He attempts to turn on one of the computers. It doesn’t react.
“I don’t know what data means,” Terra says. He doesn’t miss the way Riku phrased the question: “tucked away” by an unspoken “something else” as though Terra didn’t have a hand in it.
“Fair enough.” Riku snorts.
“What now?” Isa asks.
“Well, I think we’d be walking in circles if we searched the woods, but I have an idea. Let’s go.”
Terra starts to follow, but Isa pulls him back by the arm. They wait until Riku is out of earshot.
“I’ll speak my mind.” Isa crosses his arms and studies Terra, as if digging for an answer to a question not yet asked. “I understand the hesitation to call forth your Darkness again, for fear of the consequences.”
“Well—”
“And I understand fully the shame of it.” In the pockets of his elbows, his hands twitch. “My weapon is a part of me.” He presses a hand over his chest. “When I hold it, it spreads numbness up through my arms, towards my heart, into my mind. There was a reason I was the Berserker of Organization XIII. I felt nothing otherwise.”
Terra hangs his head.
“It stays with me as a reminder. It gives me strength to know that I can live a normal, pleasant life now, where I can never feel that way again.” Isa leans forward to catch Terra’s attention. “I’ve seen the Heartless come back to you. Why reject it when you need it most right now?”
Terra swallows.
In a whisper, Isa says, “I also understand the feeling of not being worthy enough to have it.”
“Of having these powers or having a pleasant life?”
“Why exclude one from the other?”
After a moment, Isa leaves him when Terra doesn’t reply.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It takes a back and forth between Isa—
“Cut the nonsense. Engage him in a fight—”
And Riku—
“Naminé wasn’t the one fighting him. Neither were Aqua and Ventus—”
—before they settle on an agreement, and suggest that Terra should sit down on a soft patch of grass, close his eyes, and relax. It’s a lot to ask for.
Terra fidgets. He clogs himself with a cycle of thoughts.
Is she safe? Is she safe? Is she safe?
It’s my fault.
What are they thinking of me?
Every once in a while, Riku comes to check on him. “How’s it going?”
Same as the last five minutes.
“I’m still trying.”
Terra feels Riku set his weight next to him. Terra wishes he didn’t. Terra also wishes Riku didn’t ask the question, “Can you at least tell me she’s okay?”
Terra doesn’t know how to get that answer. In a moment that lasts a second, Terra sees the black door. Closed, always closed. A second gone, he’s back in Twilight Town. A second later, the black door, far away. He opens his eyes.
Isa keeps himself at a distance, rotating his right wrist and flexing his fingers.
I don’t know.
I’m so tired of not knowing.
Voices from the heart speak so quietly that they’re easy to doubt. Is Naminé asleep? (yes), is she safe? (yes… maybe not), will she wake up? (depends). Does that mean Terra knows what’s going on with her? Can he say for certain?
He needs something tangible, a real door that he can open so he can wake her. Right now, he’s at the cliffside, barely a step away and no tools to fly. Coming near an answer is like giving himself in to the Darkness, all over again. Terra is afraid of shutting off the light. He’s afraid he won't want to turn it on again.
Riku leaves his side.
Terra thinks of Aqua and Ven. She must be forgoing all of her chores, stuck in a worried cycle that won’t leave her alone, wandering the castle halls with a mug of tea in her hands, going cold. Ven must be quiet, dealing with her mood, fiddling for things to do in random rooms. Terra’s heart lurches and lulls. It’s subtle, when the monster begins to pluck it. In the silence, Terra can feel his skin being caressed, soft enough to wonder if he’s making it up.
Terra waits to be taken over. He’s waiting for nothing to happen.
He goes back to Aqua and Ven, and how worried they’d be if—
Something clicks. They’ll be safe, says a confident voice, as small as a lint of dust, with the assurance of a mountain surviving an earthquake, like that of a father’s assuring his son. They’ll be safe, I’ll make sure of it.
So… he turns off the light. He dips.
The Station of Awakening is a far-fetched idea to most Keyblade wielders. It’s common to hear from others that it’s a figment of the imagination, a far-off memory distorted by time, a dream where they can’t quite remember the details. It takes a lot of sinking—like the fall to Darkness, almost exactly, by letting the body go and hoping that someone friendly will catch you.
“Terra?”
Don’t interrupt me.
He falls.
He feels a hand on his shoulder, shaking him, and Terra (someone) smacks it away.
It’s a door. It’s just a door. Let me get to it.
“Isa! Come here.”
Be quiet.
He’s almost there. All he needs to do—
The door shuts and locks itself. He twists the knob. Someone on the other side is trapping it with a fist.
“All I need to do is knock,” Terra says out loud.
“Did you say something?”
Terra bangs on the door.
“Something is wrong with him.”
“Be mindful,” Isa says. “It’s coming.”
Bang bang bang bang.
Terra opens his eyes to Riku’s concerned expression, crouched in front of him, and Isa standing in the background, looking down on him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It’s beautiful, the sky of stars. A blanket of glitter, soft, like fleece on a winter night, like silk on a humid summer evening, twinkling with the gentleness of kissing piano keys with fingertips that it barely plays a note. A Darkness so calming, the deepest night where the deepest sleep can settle into the body, without light to disturb or strain.
Terra reaches up to touch them but they’re too far away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Terra gags. He’s on his hands and knees, keeled over. He’s nauseous enough to retch but his stomach is empty. Near him, his friends groan. Isa is caressing his back from soreness. Riku is holding his head. It’s as though they’ve been in battle.
The door is still locked. The Guardian is keeping him out on purpose.
“No more,” Terra mutters. He summons Earthshaker.
“What are you doing?” Isa rasps. He picks himself up on the shoulders, his eyes widening. “You’d lock a part of yourself away?”
“I’m willing.”
“This is disaster.”
“Not if I want it—”
“And if it disagrees?”
To shit with what the Guardian wants. “It doesn’t belong to me!”
Terra flips the Keyblade at the hilt and points it towards himself. The last time he did this, it wasn’t so bad, he tells himself.
Isa reaches out. “Don’t—”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When he was a child, Terra used to draw stick figures without eyes.
Eraqus was concerned. Children destined for the Keyblade were subjects for odd dreams, shifting realities, visions within visions, symbols without meanings. Terra called them friends. He told Terra not to worry.
When Ventus joined the family, he did the same—he drew figures without eyes. He continued doing this until Eraqus told him to stop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It feels empty without Terra here. The sun is vibrant but the light feels bland. All the chores are finished. Without Terra to bother, there’s not much else to do. Aqua isn’t up to grading his essays, isn’t up to pranks, and isn’t up to jokes. Ven stuffs another (third) fudge cupcake into his mouth as he struts down the eastern hallway.
Ven passes the door that leads to the cellar, and pointedly ignores it. He hasn’t been to the cellar in five years (minus the twelve he was asleep). Not since Terra told him there was a ghost living there.
Aqua hasn’t said much since Terra left. Something very disturbing is going on with him, he needs to figure this out on his own, etc etc… Ven wishes she could see that he knows more than what she’s letting up.
Ven had asked, “How will we know when he needs our help?”
When, not if.
Aqua had smiled, and it looked unnatural. She’s supposed to look happy, or at least at peace. “When he needs us, he’ll give us a signal.”
What sounds like thunder hitting the castle jerks Ven off from his thoughts. Not thunder, but thuds of heavy footsteps. He turns over and expects to see… well, someone wearing armor. He doesn’t have his activated, so it must be Aqua walking about the castle—for reasons that would only define her as slightly paranoid, since nothing can hurt the Land of Departure anymore. Ven keeps his Keyblade near his fingertips, waiting for the slightest summon, just in case.
The thuds sound muffled. They’re not on this floor.
A crash—the knocking over of plaster and metal. Ven nearly jumps, and squeezes his cupcake so tightly that it spills over to the floor.
The cellar door bursts open.
Ven drops what remains of his cupcake and runs. Behind him, the grandfather clock knocks over and crashes onto the floor.
~*~*~*~*~*~
There’s not a lot to say except that she’s prayed over and over again for the same things.
Aqua kneels before her Master’s Keyblade, now adorned with a fresh flower wreath and their Wayfinders draped over its hilt. Over time, she stops to pay her respects less and less, his death no longer a raw chasm that swallows her. But when she does, she sits cross-legged and folds her hands together. The days have crawled since Terra has left. What plays in her mind over and over is the image of him stepping out of the castle with a morose smile on his face, of him barking and turning his back on her in Radiant Garden twelve years ago. She asks the Master for advice, but her heart only leaves her with:
Trust him.
Or,
Be careful. Follow him.
Both seem correct.
Sometimes, she’s not sure what memory of her Master would be real to his image in death. Is he more forgiving as a ghost? Or does he worry more?
Aqua wishes she had the mind to tell Terra to take his Wayfinder just in case.
“AQUA!!!”
She jolts out of her meditation and stands up.
Ven scrambles down the terrace. He nearly trips, yelling “IT’S THE THING” and “IT’S COMING” and “WE GOT THE SIGNAL.”
When he reaches her, he’s hyperventilating, clasping for breath from his run-for-life-or-death. He throws himself behind her and guards himself with her sash. “It’s here,” he rasps.
From the entrance to the castle walks out Terra’s armor.
“Terra?”
Ven scoffs. “That is not him.”
Her face ices over. “He left that here?”
Ven’s expression is serious. He grips her sash tighter.
The armor marches down the terrace and onto the forecourt where they keep the Master’s memorial, over a cliff that holds the audience to the mountains beyond. The armor stops, still as a statue left behind in the castle, as if someone had dragged it out and left it here. Moments pass. Nothing else happens, as though this outcrop, at their feet, has been its destination.
“What’s it waiting for?” Ven whispers.
Aqua steps forward. It doesn’t move. She’s looked at the face of its visor so often that she almost expects it to take the helmet off and see Terra’s face right behind it.
“Terra?” she says, even though she knows it won’t answer. Her heart still drops when it doesn’t. “Can you take us to him?”
What makes it worse is the armor’s casual access to Earthshaker. Terra shouldn’t be able to share that without express permission. The armor summons it into a glider.
“We have to follow it,” Aqua says, her voice shaky.
And though Ven hesitates to go with her, though Ven whines about what they’re going to find, she knows he knows they must. Terra has been separated into pieces again.
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So I saw you post your commission of Hajime dressed as Roxas which means I might have found someone that will understand my mental state when I got to the Chiaki reveal after having spent the whole game accidentally saying Chiaki Naminé instead of Nanami.
Hell yeah, Kingdom Hearts/Danganronpa discourse!
I primarily used first names, so I didn't even remember that Chiaki's last name was Nanami until after I finished SDR2 ahaha.
That said, her relationship with Hajime in the Ch.6 trial absolutely reminds me of Naminé, comforting Roxas in the face of his fear of disappearing. It's kind of an uncanny parallel, for sure.
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Memories of You Ch 1 (snippet)
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Naminé had been telling herself that all evening. She was stupid enough to allow Kairi to convince her to go to this dumb party. What was she thinking? She just wasn't designed to be a people person. Why couldn't Kairi just see that?
Naminé ran along a dark road that was steep and gradually tilted upwards. She had to take off her glasses in order to run freely, making her vision blurred. She just had to trust herself to keep going. She had to get away from that stupid party and away from the prying eyes of those onlookers. She would go back to assure Kairi she was okay after she cooled down a little.
Then her mind began to clear. When she realized she was in a brand new world with no sense of direction, she stopped in her tracks. What was she doing? Where did she think she could go? She had no idea how to get back home from there. She acted on impulse. Maybe she should just go back before she was really lost. Her first instinct was to pull out her phone and call Kairi. Just her luck, her phone was dead. It looked like she would just have to retrace her steps.
When Naminé turned around, she bumped into someone and it sent her falling flat on her bottom. What just happened? Her head was aching and she attempted to groan the pain away. In a daze, she slowly regained her composure. That's when she noticed the blond boy staring at her like an optometrist. Though, she couldn't quite make out the finer details due to not having her glasses. Still, she gulped. She could make out their proximity at least, and it was enough to get her cheeks to heat up. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just stared.
"Sorry about that," was the first thing the boy said. "I kinda bumped into you on accident. In my defense, it was dark. Are you okay?"
Realizing that this was a person and not a figment of her imagination, Naminé recoiled with quivering lips. Xion was one thing—she was associated with her sister, plus she was a fellow member of the female variety. But a complete stranger of the opposite sex? That was death. She was tongue-tied.
She eventually noticed through her blurry vision that the unfamiliar boy appeared perplexed while he scanned her stunted expression. Realizing she couldn't find the proper words, she pursed her lips to keep them relatively steady and nodded her head vehemently.
Roxas put on a relieved smile, thankful that the girl could understand him. "Good." After helping her up to her feet, he handed over her glasses. "Here. You dropped these."
Unfortunately, one of the rims of her glasses broke and wouldn't stay situated on her ears, meaning she would have to be blind as a bat until she taped it back together. She opened her mouth to say thank you but all that came out were her incoherent and shaky exhales.
Roxas noticed her lips shivering and recalled what Kairi said earlier. He did his best to put her mind at ease. "Hey, I know this is all probably a little new to you. Destiny Islands can be... a little alien and ruthless to the new guys. But don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you."
Naminé opened her mouth to speak, to clarify that she wasn't afraid of him specifically, but of the situation. But she held her tongue when she couldn't figure out how to say it and shut her eyes. She was screaming on the inside. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she bring herself to speak? It was like her voice was lodged in her throat and refused to resurface. This should not have been this difficult. And yet, every time she opened her mouth, her brain froze.
Tears welled up in her eyes and she let out a soft hiccup. Concern overcame Roxas and he knelt down to get a better look at her. Naminé felt like a child lost in the supermarket. She was too ashamed to look at the stranger any longer and turned on her heel, walking as fast as she could and hoping the boy would save himself the headache and leave.
Roxas was taken aback for a moment. She just walked away from him without saying a word. And was she... crying? The majority probably would have taken the hint and headed for the hills, but Roxas didn't fit in that category. Not when he sensed that something was severely wrong. "Hey, wait up!"
Naminé didn't respond nor did she stop walking. She figured he would give up eventually. All she cared about was getting home and putting this shoddy day to an end. She didn't know where to go but as long as she could get away from this situation, she could put herself at ease.
Roxas caught up to her and walked backwards in an attempt to get a good look at her and casually stuck his hands in his pockets. "So, where we goin'?"
Naminé's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets but thankfully her bangs kept her eyes hidden from the stranger. What was that supposed to mean? Maybe this guy wasn't so nice and was just some creep looking to take advantage of her. After all, it was getting dark out. Naminé paced faster but the boy was able to keep up.
"I get the feeling that I may not be wanted here," Roxas said with a nervous chuckle. "Well, too bad. You don't have to trust me, but I don't exactly feel comfortable letting you walk around by yourself this late at night. You'll just have to forgive my persistence, I suppose."
Naminé didn't respond. She wasn't sure if he was trustworthy or not, but there wasn't much she could do about him following her. It wasn't like she had anything that could act as self-defense on her. But he was starting to become a nuisance.
"Stimulating conversation, by the way," Roxas quipped. She didn't spare him a glance, making his smirk slowly faded away. How long was she going to keep up the tough girl act? He was also getting tired of walking. He stepped in front of her path, forcing her to stop. Naminé recoiled timidly and her breathing picked up noticeably, her forehead became humid, and sweat began to—
"Hey." Roxas gently placed his hands on her shoulders, his touch making her shiver. "You're okay. Relax."
Slowly but surely, Naminé's breathing gradually came down to a more steady pace, but her brain was still a complete jumbled mess. She could barely look him in the eye, but it helped that her vision was blurred.
"I get it, this is new territory for you. You're a little nervous. But I'm not letting you walk around here alone when there's a party full of intoxicated people less than a block from here, okay?" After a moment of silence, the girl nodded. Roxas carefully released her. "You know, I have a car parked a few yards from here. I can take you wherever you need to go. You're with Kairi?" Again, he only received a nod and no vocal response. "It's 2000 Alexandros Street, right? I can take you there. You don't have to say anything if it makes you uncomfortable."
He sounded sincere but Naminé wasn't sure if she was a good judge of character. But perhaps that was irrelevant, considering she wanted to get home and had zero clue where to go. Did she really have a choice? Her voice seemed to be failing her. Her phone was dead. She didn't even know how to get back to the party to find out where Kairi was. She had no munny. No idea where she was. She just had to hope this guy was as genuine as he seemed. She nodded in response to his inquiry.
Roxas sighed with relief. The last thing he wanted was for this girl to get chewed up by some lurker. Destiny Islands was a fairly peaceful paradise but it wasn't immune to its fair share of creeps. He noticed she was still soaking wet thanks to Selphie, which probably wasn't very comfortable in the midst of this cool evening weather. He removed his bomber jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She protested at first through nervous hand gestures and facial expressions, but he just laughed before insisting. "Take it."
Naminé decided not to argue with him and accepted the offer.
Full link to the chapter if anyone is interested! https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12902260/1/Memories-of-You
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The Search for Sora Ch.6
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Interlude II: Naminé
Enough was enough. The last 24 hours passed without progress. If this morning did not result in any changes, Naminé swore she would chuck her pencil at them.
“Them” referred to the castle inhabitants: Ansem the Wise and his apprentices. She was not sure who counted in that group anymore.
She arrived this morning, escorted by Cid and Leon upon the King’s orders. Naminé expected a welcome akin to the one she received at her awakening. Tacit acceptance and professional respect. She assumed these grown men were mature enough to face her.
Not at all. Aeleus, the silent stalwart, was kind enough to take her bags to her room and meet her with a small smile. The most Dilan did was allow her into the castle and direct her to the library. Inside sat only Ienzo, nervously shaking his leg. His long hair, messy as always, hung over his eyes.
Naminé barely got one word out when he stood up and quickly blurted, “Welcome to the castle. Here’s your information. Goodbye!”
Before she even blinked, he dropped a file at her feet and shot out of the room. The only sign that he was there was the cup of tea on the table.
If she hadn’t been so shocked by his rudeness, Naminé would have been angry. If anyone should be wary, it was her! She came into this assignment with reservations, considering their shared past. She wanted to work with the Restoration Committee instead, but the King insisted that she take point. The Castle had better connections with the Gummi Network, and Ienzo already worked extensively with Chip and Dale. Ansem the Wise assured the King that she was welcome at the Castle.
After spending the evening alone in her room with only the information in the file and dinner, she felt truly welcome that night. At least Ienzo left her room key in the file. Little favors, she supposed.
Ansem the Wise, DiZ as she knew him, still held a grudge it seemed. Naminé was the loose end he never tied up. That fact alone is why it mystified her that he was the main reason she and Roxas came back. Without him and the other apprentices, it might not have been possible.
Naminé knew when to be grateful. The window for gratitude was quickly closing. Her mission was to help Kairi and Riku find a way to bring Sora back, not deal with these childish antics.
Well, if no one wanted to show her around, she might as well get used to her new headquarters in the lab. Naminé pulled the map out of the file Ienzo gave her and grabbed her bag. The route to the lab was legible and clearly marked. ‘This should be simple enough.’
She tiptoed down the hallway and followed the dim lights to the lift stop at the end. The darkness frightened her just a bit. On one hand, the others would be asleep and not in her way. On the other, she hated being alone. From birth to rebirth, Naminé was alone. She was tired of it. When Riku came to escort her to Destiny Islands, she vowed that she would not allow anymore solitude in her life.
Naminé thought on her promise as she entered the lift stop chamber. The moonlight filtered through the stained glass on the ceiling, reflecting light everywhere. If not for the dead silence in the castle, Naminé may have appreciated the view more. Right then, however, all she wanted was to get to the basement level. She stifled a small giggle; she doubted anyone ever hurried down to the laboratories.
The computers’ soft buzzing welcomed her to the lab. She found multiple stations in various states of disarray. All except one. That one had only one piece of paper.
Welcome Naminé
If the handwriting on her file was any indication, this was Ienzo’s doing. Out of all of the apprentices, he was the mystery. His contradictory actions confused her. First, he meticulously organized a welcome packet for her, then soon after, dropped it and ran away.
She waved away those thoughts. As long as she was here, she add a few personal touches to her workstation. She had already papered the walls at Isa and Lea’s house with her observational drawings. Naminé was determined to leave her mark everywhere now. Never again would she fade into oblivion with nothing to remember her by. Here, she started at her computer.
As she considered which of her drawings to pin first, she heard the soft hiss of the sliding door to the manufactory. Someone else was down here. Gasp. Correction: someone else knew she was down here. She glanced out the door window and saw the glimpse of lavender hair.
She shook her head. “I don’t bite, Ienzo,” Naminé called out to the man hiding behind the door. “You can come in.”
The door slid open once again, and Ienzo poked his head around the corner. She waved him inside, and he slowly shuffled into the lab.
“I did not want to - that is - You are settling? I mean, are you okay?” Ienzo stumbled over his words.
She continued arranging the sketches on her desk and shrugged. “Well enough. Although,” she swiveled toward him on the chair, “I prefer my coworkers not avoiding me.”
He winced. “We deserve that. I deserve that.” He walked slowly toward her and avoided eye contact.
Even now, Naminé could not believe the treatment. He was talking to and still avoiding her. Enough was enough. She laughed harshly. “I expected at least professional courtesy despite our history.”
Ienzo raised a brow, barely visible under his hair. “Despite?”
“I am not just a Replica. I remember everything.” Remembered more than she cared to. Marluxia’s taunts and Larxene’s blows. Her time at Castle Oblivion and the Organization… the less she reminisced, the less it continued to hurt her.
“Don’t you see! That’s why we decided to leave you be.”
His words stalled Namine’s thoughts. “Pardon?” She asked, trying to meet his eyes.
He refused to look at her, instead choosing to pace around the lab. “Ansem the Wise is terrified to see you,” Ienzo started.
She did not predict that sentiment, and knowing it hurt more than she thought possible. It must be due to the new heart. If only data-hearts didn’t hurt as much as the real ones.
“He’s scared? But I don’t even have my powers anymore!” Naminé insisted. “I can’t hurt anyone. I promise.” Tears burned her, trying to escape no matter how hard she held them back.
Ienzo stopped his pacing and mouthed the words she just said.
“Hurt anyone?” He whispered in confusion. He turned to her and saw her crumpled face. “Naminé,” he said softly. Ienzo knelt in front of her. “You don’t believe that, do you?”
She felt the traitorous drops on her hands clenched in her skirt. She nodded.
“The five of us harmed more lives than you can imagine. Even I, who was barely older than Kairi when everything occurred, share the blame. The only way to live the rest of our lives is to repay those we hurt. The Organization’s reach was great, but the greatest sin was their cruelty to you.”
Naminé wiped her eyes and glanced at Ienzo. Standing, he towered over her, same as the rest of the apprentices. Now, he looked like he wanted to shrink into the ground at her feet.
She spoke quietly, just loud enough to rival the hum of the machines.“Aren’t we all here to get over our pasts? How do we move beyond the horrible history we all share?”
He looked up but didn’t answer her. Maybe there wasn’t a clear cut answer. Maybe, just maybe, she and Ienzo and all the other former Nobodies would find meaning in their lives past their darkest phase. Together.
The next morning was a stark difference from the night prior. Instead of a cold dinner and solitude, she found a spread of piping hot breakfast items with a serving of company.
Naminé cleared her throat. “Thank you for the invitation,” she directed to the five men sitting alongside her at the table. Ienzo chose the seat across from her. The others looked down at their meals in silent contemplation. He must have spoken to them after their late night chat. When he found the time, she had no idea.
“Naminé.” Ansem moved from his position at the head of the table toward her. He placed a gift box in her hands with his head bowed. “We wanted to take this moment to officially welcome you to our group. Forgive our misguided actions.”
Even scoffed. “Specify which ones, Master,” he murmured. Ansem turned a sharp eye to his apprentice. He, in return, shrugged it off and continued buttering his toast.
Naminé opened the top to reveal a matching lab coat to the ones Ienzo and Even wore.
“It is our small token of appreciation. We hope you will wear it to welcome Kairi and Riku when they arrive tomorrow.”
“We all owe you thanks.” Naminé raised a brow. Surely Aeleus did not waste his precious words on her? How thoughtful.
Dilan grunted. “Be thankful by allowing her and all of us to eat breakfast, you sap.” He pushed the eggs toward Aeleus with a sharp look.
She chose to return to her food, lest she start crying, and the others followed suit. She doubted any of these men wished to see her bawl over their breakfast at their touching gesture. She glanced around the room and thought of a proper response to their kindness. Her eyes met Ienzo’s across the table. She thought of his words last night, thought of how he mentioned that there was still a debt to be paid.
Naminé cleared her throat to gain their attention and raised her teacup. “You can thank me by helping us find Sora.”
“Aye.” Ienzo responded by raising his as well.
The others raised their various drinks in a toast. “To finding Sora,” Namine whispered with a smile.
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Kisses Namine upon the back of her hand after softly taking it into his own, only to peek up and flash her a knowing smile. "Ready to get our big day on the road?"
As her face flushed a delicate red, Naminé wondered if this were commonly ritualistic on a day like this. But as always, his smile ways contagious, lifting the gentle corners of her lips into a smile to match his warmth. The two of them here, together like this with his eyes meeting her own so eagerly, how could her newfound heart remain still? She rather enjoyed the way it fluttered so anxiously against her ribcage like a butterfly responding to the warmth of his touch as she revisits his words. The witch took in a small breath.
The big day.
“Yes. So long as we enter into it together.”
He rose to his feet and Naminé found herself stepping closer, keeping a hold of his hand.
“If we go through with this, I doubt there’s anything we can’t do.”
To think that now…
After all this time.
After all they’d endured.
All they’d watched others endure.
She gripped his hand a little tighter, a reassuring gesture, before at last releasing it with a knowing smile, filled to bursting with the emotion of relief and readiness. Finally….They finally would be able to….!
Ch-chnk!
“So let’s show the Fairy Godmother the error of her ways, Sora!”
#ready to bibbity boppity shoot#valorxdrive#❮ ☆ ❯ That’s So Sad‚ Alexa Play DashALong ∣ NAMINE: CRACK.#🌻┊Visitors to the Garden Reading ∣ ASKS.#guns cw
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Zexion - Prologue (with transcript)
PEACH (flashback): Ooh... Oooooh...
PEACH (flashback): What happened to me... What is this place?
LOST SPIRIT: This is... When the Chaos Heart was...
EMIKO: Shhh... It'll be OK. Just relax. You won't have to remember what they did to you...
COUNT BLECK (flashback): Bleh heh heh heh heh... Oh, you're awake, Princess!
PEACH (flashback): ... Huh?
NAMINÉ: Sofia, could you get my sketchbook, please?
SOFIA: I'm on it! Anything to ultimately help my sis!
BOWSER'S MINIONS (flashback): Bow-owser!
XION: What do you plan on doing? I want to know.
EMIKO: I'm going to revive him. He's my friend, but I don't want him to remember the pain.
The pain that he would have felt if the Purity Heart had fulfill the red hero's unintentionally dark wishes!
LOST SPIRIT: Red... Hero... M-Mar... Mar...
Urgh... What was his name...?
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LOST SPIRIT: Urk... Mar... R-r-r... Ughh...
EMIKO: Dang it! He's waking up! I might need to get a Sleepy Sheep and put it on his face! Heh...
NAMINÉ: And if he remembers Mario now, I might rearrange the wrong memories!
XION: Hey, why don't you make him remember Marluxia instead?
NAMINÉ: Do you think I want to remember him?! He was a jerk!
XION: Well, I don't know any other people whose names start with "Mar"!
LOST SPIRIT: Oh... It's on the tip of my tongue... Ma... M-M-Mar...
EMIKO: Ughhh, just make him remember Mars the Stardroid!
And will you hurry it up, Sofia! I can't focus when these two are at each other's necks!
PEACH (flashback): Wh-What's going on here?!
LOST SPIRIT: Ooooh... His n-name was Mars... Yeeesssss...
SOFIA: Sorry, I'm back! I was trying to deal with our visitor, but he didn't want to listen.
EMIKO: Yeah, figures. That red-hat-head never had any regard for the wishes of others... Especially for anyone who got in his way, even a tiny bit!
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NASTASIA (flashback): *BZZRZT*! Yeah, um, 'K, so preparations are complete...
COUNT BLECK (flashback): Mmm... Then it shall be begun... By *KRSHH SHKK*!
NAMINÉ: Oh, oh... He still remembers Nastasia!
EMIKO: Don't worry. Nastasia didn't do much of anything, so she can be one of the last forgotten.
LOST SPIRIT: Ow! Ohh... M-My head...
COUNT BLECK (flashback): *KRSH*ser... Ferocious and fearsome, evil king of the Koo-oo-oo*ZEEEEERTT*...
Do you take Pe-each-ch-ch to be your lawfully wedded wife 'til your games be over?
XION: Does anyone want some sea-salt ice cream?
BOWSER (flashback): Bwah ha ha!
Will I marry Pe-Peach-ch? Are you kidding me?
The answer's YESSSSSSSS!
EMIKO: No, thank you. It might have to wait since I'm trying to keep Didi asleep and take care of that stupid mustached idiot.
COUNT BLECK (flashback): Pea-each... Noble prince-ess, pure of heart...
Do you take *KZZRRRT*er to be your lawfully wedded-d husband 'til your games be over?
SOFIA: Well, I'm gonna teach that "foolishly foolish fool's fool" to trespass! Boooof foo foo foo foof!
EMIKO: N'Kay! Try not to let him Trick-Trap-Tower you!
PEACH (flashback): Now, wait just a second!
You will explain to me what is going on... RIGHT NOW!
LOST SPIRIT: Mmnnmmmmn... I'm... So sleepy...
COUNT BLECK (flashback): Bleh heh heh heh heh... Is it not obvious?
This is your we-wedd-dd-ing, Pri*KZT*ss!
EMIKO: Yes! It worked! Our friend is now fast asleep!
Heh - and now I don't have to fight so hard.
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NASTASIA (flashback): Yeah, um, being rude to the esteemed *GRSHHHHK* is sort of frowned upon, 'K?
So, yeah, *ZRRSHKK PSHHHHHH*, I'm gonna need you to answer the *DZZZZZT* now...
Do you, *ZRRRPH*, take *LZZZRTT* to be your wed-ed-edded h-h-h-hus-ba-and 'til your ga-gam-gam-am-a-ames be over?
PEACH (flashback): Uhn... Nuh... No...
NASTASIA (flashback): Gee... You sure are a fighter.
But, yeah, no one withstands my super-hypnosis, sorry.
"I do." Say it now, 'K?
SOFIA: Go back to that teeny, ramshackle hut of yours, oh, hero!
No memory of this fight or our castle, either!
MARIO: Mama-miaaaaaa!
PEACH: Oooh... Ooooh oh...
...... I... I... Do......
BOWSER (flashback): WH-WHAT?!?
SOFIA: OK, girls! That nerd is back to where he needs to be!
EMIKO: Just in time to wake up and realize Peachy isn't always gonna be on his side.
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EMIKO (flashback): Heeheehee! Sorry!
LOST SPIRIT: Mmmnmmnnnn... The little girl... She... Saved me...
NAMINÉ: I'm finished.
He still remembers you, Miss Emiko, but his memories of the Chaos Heart Incident are hazy.
EMIKO: Thank you, Naminé. It is a shame that we must hide his memories for now.
Alas, this is the price we must pay so that, when he is revived, he may help to finally show Mario his true nature.
EMIKO: I'm leaving. Need to go help Mr. L see the light of day once more.
SOFIA: Okie-day! Good luck!♪
XION: I'm going to go get the ice cream!
NAMINÉ: I am leaving as well.
SOFIA: Ugh... Leave me alone with a mad jester in a crystal ball...!
No matter. Ireg's plans have been set in motion.
Let's just hope Ienzo and Lauriam, who'll be visiting soon, will not wang anything.
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#SKotS#SuperKingdomofoftheStars#KH#kingdom hearts#super mario#Mega man#Kirby#super paper mario#fan comic#nintendo#square enix#capcom
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we're flying above the valley below | ch 10
AO3
First | Previous
“Naminé?” Sora called, twisting away to look around the area, but Ventus refused to move his gaze from the man in front of him. The pink hair, the piercing eyes – familiarity still itched at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away.
“What are you up to this time?” he asked, shifting his feet to a more ready position. Lost memories or no –
He knew him, he knew him, he knew him, but this man before him was wrong -
The last time he’d crossed this man he’d been up to no good, and it looked like it was just the same here.
“Ven, you know this guy?” Sora asked.
“Yes,” Ventus said, only to falter, “Well, no, but... kind of?”
“Could you be anymore incoherent?” the man sneered, “My name is Marluxia. To answer your question, he and I fought, once. He didn’t do so well.”
“Why don’t you try me again?” Ventus snapped, “We’ll see how it goes this time.”
“Hm. No, thank you. I’m afraid I have other business here.”
“The Princess.”
“Yes. She is impressive, isn’t she? And according to her mother, this one has already awakened her powers – though I have yet to see a demonstration. I wonder what it could be...“
“Her mother? Wait, you don’t mean… Rapunzel’s the princess?” Sora asked.
“You couldn’t tell? I suppose you never were the brightest; so easily led.”
So that’s what that presence around her meant – he should have known, it felt so much like meeting Kairi, back in Sora’s heart.
“Well, we’re not letting the Organization have her!”
“You think you can stop me? Well, you’re not off to a great start,” Marluxia smirked, “While you’ve been busy wasting time talking to me, my agents have already gone after her. Seems you have some catching up to do.”
With that, he vanished in a whirl of petals. A glance around showed they were alone, and slowly all four of them began to relax.
“Naminé?”
There was no response, and Sora frowned, “Did she run off?”
“Maybe he was just bluffing about her being here,” Goofy offered.
“But, what if he’s not? We’ve got to make sure she’s okay!”
“But what about the Princess?” Donald asked, “The Organization is after her!”
“We’ve gotta find her, too, but – ugh!”
“Why don’t you and Ventus go after Rapunzel? It sounds like that situation will need the Keyblade more. Me and Donald can go looking for Naminé.”
“But - !”
Ventus took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before grabbing Sora’s arm.
“I’m worried too, but we can’t be everywhere at once. It’s a good plan.”
“...alright.”
“Then it’s settled,” Donald declared, “We’ll go look for her – you two get to the Princess!”
“Okay. But, you better keep Naminé safe!”
“Yeah, yeah. We’ve been doing this long before you even got that Key, sheesh.”
The forest got darker as they moved further in.
It made it harder to move, to search, to spot the heartless and nobodies creeping up on them.
“How are we supposed to find Rapunzel in all this?” Sora groaned.
“Rapunzel?” A tremulous voice spoke, “You know Rapunzel?”
Ventus nearly leapt out of his skin, Keyblade flashing into his hand reflexively as he spun around. Instead of a monster, there was an older woman in a traveling cloak, staring at them with big eyes.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Rapunzel’s mother – I've been so scared since I found out she ran away,” she said, “Please, where is she?”
“Ran away?” Sora repeated, “Uh, well. She’s - “
Ventus cut in, speaking over him, “She’s taking a short daytrip. She’s old enough for it, don’t you think? Or is there a reason she shouldn’t go out?”
“You don’t understand - it’s not safe for her to be out here.”
“Maybe - “
Sora elbowed Ventus, knocking the wind out of him, and replied in his place, “We’d love to help you, but the thing is – we kind of lost her.”
“Lost her?”
“We could look together, though!”
The woman clicked her tongue, sneering as she turned away, “Tch. You are of no use to me.”
Ventus scowled as he watched her sweep off, eventually disappearing into the thicket.
“That was rude," Sora muttered.
Ventus scoffed, and Sora turned to him, next.
“You were rude, too.”
“Maybe,” Ventus admitted, hunching his shoulders, “But something about this doesn’t sit right with me. You saw how happy Rapunzel was to see the world. Should she be kept away from all that, just because it's dangerous?”
Sora frowned, “Rapunzel was really excited about seeing the lights... you're right, what can it hurt to buy her some time? And anyways, we’ll make sure she gets home safe.”
“Right.”
It took a bit of searching – and a few more battles with heartless – but they found Rapunzel and Flynn again. They, in turn, had found a horse that seemed to have joined the party. All together again, they continued onwards.
“By the way,” Sora said, “We ran into your mom.”
“What?” Rapunzel froze. The color seeped from her face, leaving her pale and washed out as she clutched at her hair. Sora didn’t seem to notice, continuing on unconcerned.
“She was looking for you – but don’t worry, we covered for you. Didn’t tell her where you were going at all!”
“But - oh, no. She’s bound to know where we’re going anyways. I was just asking her about seeing the lights, there’s no way she won’t guess. She’s absolutely going to find me and I’m going to be in so much trouble.”
“You’re... really scared of her finding you,” Ventus observed.
"I’m not – scared,” Rapunzel giggled, eyes flicking away, “Nervous, maybe. Rightfully worried. But I wouldn’t call it scared.”
“No, no,” Flynn cut in, “He’s right, you’re scared. Trust me, I’m an expert on fear. From seeing it on other people, of course. What’s going on?”
Rapunzel shook her head, pasting on a smile that was belied by the way she continued to nervously card her fingers through her hair.
“It’s nothing. Mother is just... strict. She’s got a lot of rules, and she’s very serious about them.”
“And what happens if you push back?” Ventus asked quietly, “Do you think she’ll hurt you?”
“What? No! No – or, I don’t think, but... stars, she won’t let me do anything ever again. She definitely won’t be getting me any fun things, I’ll be on restrictions for ages.”
Ventus shook his head, stomach rolling, “That’s not fair.”
“She knows more than me,” Rapunzel shrugged, “Sometimes it does feel unfair, but… she's just afraid of me getting hurt.”
“Maybe. But, just because she’s scared, does that really… excuse it all? You can’t spend your whole life locked up like that,” Ventus said.
Rapunzel looked away, finally going still. “I… I don’t know.”
They lingered in silence for a long moment, tension making the air heavy, till Flynn sighed.
“Well, no need to decide now; that’s a problem for later. After all, you have a festival to attend, don’t you?”
He gestured forward along the path where the town could now be seen appearing over the horizon, filled to the brim with a bustling crowd.
The moment they reached the city gates Rapunzel quickly disappeared into the crowd, excitedly ragging Flynn along behind her.
“Wait - !” Ventus called, “C’mon, let’s catch up to them!”
“Hm?” Ventus turned around to find Sora stepping away from one of the stalls lining the street, a skewer of some kind of doughy snack stuck in his mouth. He swallowed the bite, offering up the stick in his other hand with a sheepish grin.
“Want some?”
Ventus hesitated, glancing back in the direction Rapunzel had run off, but Sora wiggled the snack teasingly in his face.
“C’mon, it’s a festival! Have a little fun. The Organization likes to skulk in the shadows, no way they’ll show up with this many people here.”
Well, it did look fun…
“Yeah, alright,” he said, taking up the skewer.
“Yes!” Sora cheered, “C’mon, I think I saw games this way.”
They played through the various fair games until they were chased off for winning too much – magic and real fighting experience was probably an unfair advantage – at which point they returned to the shops and stalls. They took turns pointing out new foods to try, Sora occasionally dithering over a trinket here or there until he’d picked out souvenirs for both of his Flightmates.
Aqua, Terra… I wonder what they’d like.
Ventus reached out along their bond, only to once more reach that wall of Darkness blanketing them both, keeping them from him. They were bonded, tied to his very soul – how could they be torn apart like this?
“Oooh, dancing!”
Ventus was knocked out of his reverie as Sora grabbed his arm, dragging him forcefully into the center plaza where a band in the corner had just started up a jaunty tune. In short measure he was passed around from partner to partner, dancing with strangers, until on the next turn he found himself face to face with Rapunzel, beaming wildly.
“Hi!” she chirped.
“Hey! Having fun?”
“This is amazing! Naminé was right, there’s no way I can go back from this.”
“Yeah,” Ventus said, “I know the feeling.”
Then the music swelled, and they separated once more, on to the next partner.
When the sun finally went down, and the crowds began congregating to get their lanterns, Ventus was happily exhausted.
Flynn had shuffled them off, asking them to leave Rapunzel with him as he took her out on a boat for the next part of the festival. Amused, they’d let him go, taking their seats on the edge of the water where they could keep watch from a distance.
“So, I’ve been wondering. What’s up with you and that guy?” Sora asked.
“Huh?”
“The Organization has-been. Mar-whatever.”
Oh, that guy.
“Marluxia?” Ventus said, screwing up his nose. The name still sat wrong in his mouth, in his heart, “He’s... that’s not his name.”
“What?”
“Or, he had another name, once. I can’t remember it, but I knew him then. I think we were friends.”
“Really?” Sora asked, “Huh. I guess I didn’t really think about it, but... all the Organization members were somebody else, before. Then, Marluxia - or whatever his name is – is from where you grew up?”
Yes. No. He was from the place that formed Ventus at his core; it had nothing to do with who he was now.
“...something like that. It’s complicated.”
Sora hummed, obviously unsatisfied, but let it go, tilting his head back to look up at the sky.
“The stars sure are pretty…”
“Yeah,” Ventus agreed, “You know, the stars are the lights of all the worlds out there.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. Terra and Aqua taught me that.”
“…We’ll get them back. Both of them.”
“Yeah. I won’t stop till I’ve found them.”
Of course, they couldn’t just enjoy the festival in peace. Just as the lanterns started floating into the sky, trouble found them, nobodies crawling out from the shadows. The creatures weren’t that difficult, but they came in large enough numbers to keep them busy. By the time they were done, the sky had gone dark once more.
“Aww, we missed the lights,” Sora pouted.
Ventus squinted out across the lake, bottom dropping out from his stomach.
“Hey… where’s Flynn and Rapunzel’s boat?”
They exchanged a long glance that quickly turned panic, then in a sudden burst of music spread their wings, flying out over the lake. No sign of them – just an empty boat, sitting on the far shore. That landed beside it, beginning to search through the underbrush.
“Rapunzel! Rapunzel?”
"Looking for the Princess? You just missed her.”
“Marluxia!” Sora snarled, turning on his heel, Ventus right behind him, “What have you done with her?!”
Marluxia arched a brow. “Me? Nothing. I arrived to find she had already been claimed as well. A clever ruse by that girl’s mother. I must commend her efforts to protect such a valuable asset. No wonder she’s held on to her for so long.”
Ventus grit his teeth, glaring at Marluxia. He was glad Rapunzel wasn’t in the hands of the Organization, but everything she’d told him about her mother was….
“Looks like we still have a chance to beat you, then,” Sora said.
“Well, we can’t have that.”
Marluxia gestured outward, a strong wind blowing from behind him, filling Ventus’ lungs with the scent of lavender and heather and soft things. Lethargy crept into his limbs, weighed down his eyes…
No! He shook himself. He refused – he wasn’t going to fall into sleep, not again.
Beside him, Sora dropped like a stone.
Ventus lunged.
He was falling, or floating, or rising. The infinite was all around him, above and below and to the side, impossible sun filtering through endless clouds. He breathed, taking in the water that was the air that was the horizon that was not water, not really.
And he drifted.
And as he washed up toward the surface there was a boy, looking down through it all. The boy was him, but never him, and he was thrilled to see him though it hurt to look at him. He was his salvation and his condemnation, the thing he needed most and everything he’d ever done wrong. He knew him perfectly; he didn’t know him at all.
He opened his mouth, ready to call his name –
What was his name?
Sora…
Why couldn’t he remember his name?
Sora..... Sora..!
He reached out, and the boy reached back. They were so close, so close, so –
“Sora!”
Sora gasped awake, and his first breath smelled like horse.
On account of the horse, he assumed, pushing its head out of his face, sitting up to find Ven and Flynn staring at him worriedly.
“What happened?” he asked, “We were… Marluxia – Rapunzel!”
Ventus nodded, “Right, her mother has her – and Marluxia’s going after her. I did my best, but I couldn’t stop her”
Sora jumped to his feet, letting his wings burst from his back. “Then we’ve gotta get there first! Flynn, you go on the horse. Ven and I will fly head.”
Ven nodded, letting his own (familiar familiar familiar) white wings spread.
“Yes, good,” Flynn agreed, “We’ll catch up, quick as we can.”
“See you there!”
With that, Sora leapt into the air, Ven following right behind. As he passed the canopy of the forest, he could just hear Flynn’s startled, belated exclamation:
“Wait, you two have your wings?!”
At some point, Naminé moved outside the gummi ship, sitting in the shadow of the ramp to wait for the others to return.
The forest really was beautiful, painted in vivid colors as the day slipped into brilliant sunset, then soft blue moonlight. It made that itch come back, the desire for pencils and crayons and pastels, to capture this moment on paper.
The stillness of the night was broken by hurried rustling, and Naminé froze.
What was that? An animal, more heartless, the Organization? Fear flooded through her. She could go in the ship, right? She didn’t think they could get through the walls, but… what was stopping them? And it could be nothing. But she didn’t know.
She didn’t know.
Gathering up every scrap of bravery she could find, she crouched low, keeping close to the foliage as she crept towards the sound. Heart in her throat, she peered around the edge of the tree. Two figures made their way swiftly through the forest, lit by the bright moonlight above. A woman in a dark, sweeping cloak walked with her arm around a younger girl with long hair cascading down her back and trailing through the grass, dropping flowers as she went.
Rapnuzel, Naminé realized, I guess her mother caught up to her.
Her stomach squirmed. Rapunzel looked miserable, curled in on herself, face crumpled and eyes red, while her mother coldly observed the forest around them, eyes shifting watchfully. Unnerved, Naminé followed at a distance.
They returned to the hidden glen and the tower within, Rapunzel using her hair to lift the both of them up to the tower. Naminé stayed hidden for several minutes after they disappeared before slowly creeping out into the open.
Worrying at the hem of her dress, Naminé stared up at the tall stone walls. It was probably fine. Rapunzel said it herself, their situations were different. She… there was nothing she could do, really. It’s not like she could get inside – !
Except she could. It would hurt, but she could. She shouldn’t. That would be wasting her fresh chance, repeating her mistakes. It would be better to wait until Sora and the others got back, to ask them what happened.
Rapunzel was home; she was back in her tower.
Taking a shaky breath, Naminé reached out and ripped open a corridor.
She nearly hit her knees when she made it through, the biting Darkness making her dizzy, stinging even worse than last time. By the time the time her hearing and vision had cleared up, Rapunzel was kneeling in front of her, baffled and alarmed.
“Naminé – are you okay? What are you doing here? How are you here?”
“I was waiting for the others to come back when I saw you come by,” she replied, “I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“I – “ Rapunzel cut off, “It’s okay. Things got a bit… dangerous, there at the end. But it was okay. Mother made it time to protect me. And now I’m home; I’m safe.”
“Okay,” Namine said hesitantly, “How was the festival?
“It was wonderful,” Rapnuzel said wistfully, “The dancing, and all the people, and the size of the city. And there was something familiar about it, almost like…”
She trailed off, and Naminé glanced over to find her staring down at a scrap of patterned fabric in her hand, gaze going distant.
“Rapunzel?”
Slowly, she stood, turning to take in every inch of her room, eyes darting every which way. Eventually her gaze fixed on mirror on top of the dresser, and she stumbled over, hands skidding across the top as she leaned heavily on it, sending a collection of clutter crashing to the ground.
“I’m the lost princess,” Rapunzel whispered.
The lost princess? The Princess of Heart, Naminé realized, but maybe also something specific to this world. And there was something else she was missing, she thought. She swallowed around a sudden lump in her throat, hands going clammy.
“Rapunzel?” Rapunzel’s mother called from the other room, “Is everything alright?”
Rapunzel turned to the door, facing screwing up, and Naminé recognized the determination growing across it, the betrayal and outrage darkening her eyes. Heart racing, she lunged forward, grabbing the Princess’s arm.
“Don’t,” she begged.
“She - “
“I know!” Naminé interrupted, “But, listen to me! I’ve been here before – if you confront her like this, it won’t go well. Please, trust me.”
“But, what do I do? She lied to me – she’s been lying to me, my whole life! I can’t just do nothing.”
The stairs outside her room began to creak, her mother moving closer. They were running out of time.
“Lie to her,” Naminé insisted, “Play along; bide your time. Wait for the right time to move. Help is coming, and I won’t leave you like this. I promise.”
“Rapunzel?” Her mother repeated, and she was just outside the door. Naminé threw herself to the side, disappearing behind one of the many drapes hanging along the walls just as the door swung open. Pressing her hand to her mouth, she closed her eyes and prayed Rapunzel would believe her.
After dismissing her mother’s concerns, ushering her from the room, Rapunzel collapsed against the closed door, and Naminé crept from behind the curtains. She stayed up with Rapunzel through the night, holding her hand and assuring her help would come, that Sora wouldn’t ever allow things to remain this way.
Sure enough, just as the sun was coming up, Sora and Ventus appeared, crashing in through the window of the main haphazardly, talking over each other, over Rapunzel’s mother, causing chaos and successfully brute forcing them all out of the tower.
They should have been free.
Inches from exiting the hidden valley, a wave of Darkness exploded from the top of the tower, Rapunzel’s mother descending from the sky in pillar of magic, eyes ablaze. Sora and Ven rushed forward to a defensive position and Naminé stumbled backwards, only to shriek as she felt something brush against her back. They all turned, finding an army of nobodies growing behind them, Marluxia standing in the middle of it all.
“Marluxia!” Sora snarled, “I should have known you would have something to do with this. What did you do to her?”
“Simply unlocked the Darkness within her, so she can make her dream come true.”
What followed was chaos. Sora and Ven constantly flew back and forth, trying to handle both the magic Rapunzel’s mother was throwing and the constant wave of nobodies. At some point Donald and Goofy appeared, rushing into the fight, cutting down the mob to more manageable numbers. Trying to stay out of the way, Naminé pressed close to the ground, nearly crawling her way towards a tangle of bushes at the edge of the clearing.
“Please!”
The anguished cry caught Naminé’s attention, her head snapping around. It was hard to see through all the chaos, but there was Rapunzel, and there was her mother, Flynn dangling limply in the witch’s hand. Naminé glanced around frantically – the others were all caught up. Sora, at least, looked like he had noticed the standoff and was trying to get to them, but was being stymied at every turn.
“All of this is because of him,” Rapunzel’s mother hissed, “Why should I let him go? Better he dies, so no one will ever trouble us again.”
Her hand tightened, Flynn gasping in pain, and Rapunzel flailed helplessly against her mother’s grip on her shoulder, trying to get to him.
“Please, I’ll – I’ll go with you!”
Her mother froze, turning to stare at her coldly.
“I’ll go with you,” Rapunzel repeated, “N fighting, no attempts to escape. Just, please – let me heal him, and let him go.”
Naminé held her breath, the sounds of battle all around them distant in her ears. Such bargains were so, so dangerous – so, so necessary.
Rapunzel’s mother let her go, dropping Flynn carelessly to the ground, and Rapunzel lurched forward, hunching over him at her mother’s feet.
Naminé couldn’t hear what the two were murmuring to each other, but she saw the way Rapunzel wrapped her hair around him, the way a glow began to build in her hair, starting at her scalp. She saw the way Flynn jerked his hand up, something sharp in his grasp, severing the entire mass from her head.
Rapunzel cried out, but her mother screamed louder. As they watched, she began to age, more and more till she went past what any mortal could stand, fading into dust – her Darkness left behind. It pulsed once, twice, then threw itself out, a gigantic heartless emerging from the mass.
Suddenly, the fight had a much different focus.
In the aftermath, Naminé watched Rapunzel and Flynn lean into each other, Flynn miraculously alive, seemingly unable to keep from touching each other.
She should be happy for them; she was happy for them. So why was her stomach churning so heavily?
“Where did you run off to after Marluxia showed up, anyways?” Donald asked, coming alongside her. Naminé blinked, non-plussed.
“I… I went back to the ship.”
A slow, smug smile spread across Goofy’s face, and Donald waved a finger at him warningly, “Don’t!”
“I’m not saying nothing,” Goofy said, but his eyes sparkled in amusement.
“I just found my freedom, and now you’re telling me you want to put me in hiding again?”
Rapunzel’s voice cut into their conversation, sharp and shrill, and they turned to find her glaring at Sora and Ventus, who both shrunk back nervously. Ah, so they’d finally gotten around to explaining why they were in this world to begin with.
Naminé quickly made her way over to try and salvage the situation.
“Rapunzel, listen to me. I promise this is different.”
“How?”
“First, the enemy has a face. It’s not an indistinct threat, we know who they are, and what we have to do to stop them.”
“Yeah! And you won’t be alone, either,” Donald said.
Goofy nodded beside him, “We’ve already picked up several princesses who are staying at Radiant Garden – not to mention all the others at the castle who I’m sure will be happy to speak with you.”
“And most importantly,” Naminé said, “This has an end. The moment the Organization is defeated, you’ll get to come home. It won’t be forever.”
“Yeah!” Sora cheered, “We’re going to take down those guys as soon as we can, don’t worry. And you’ll get to meet Kairi! She’s my Flightmate, and she’s a princess like you!
“I don’t know,” Rapunzel said, reaching up as if to fiddle with her hair, only to stop short as she grasped empty space. Flynn came up beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“For what it’s worth, I think you should take the offer,” he said, “Trust me, I’m an expert on self-preservation. Sometimes you need to know when to duck and cover. And… I’ll come with you, if you want. You know I won’t let you stay there if things go bad.”
“Eugene… okay.”
“Okay?” Sora echoed.
“Yeah, I’ll just go with you – but just for now, understand?”
“Okay!”
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THERE'S TWO WHOLE YEARS IN KH WHERE IT'S JUST RIKU AND NAMINÉ TRYING TO FIGURE STUFF OUT!!!
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we're flying above the valley below | Ch 8
AO3
First | Previous
The first breath was like a revelation.
Easy, weightless – she’d forgotten what it was like to breathe with her own lungs, no pressure eating at her heart, no Darkness digging into her. It was almost too easy, too pure, and she nearly panicked, digging down deep but no, he was fine, that little shard of shifting grey still nestled against her heart.
Hitoshi...
Her next breath shuddered through her, tainted by bittersweet longing, hope and despair tangling together in the aftertaste. Nothing would be changed by lying here; bracing herself, she slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was her mirrored face staring down at her, anticipation glowing in matching blue eyes, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“Kairi.”
Kairi laughed, leaning in closer, “Good morning, Naminé.”
She made room as Naminé sat up, Sora peering eagerly over her shoulder. Donald and Goofy were back against the wall of the room, staying out of the way as a man in a white coat bustled around the room. After checking several screens, he turned to her with a clip board, and Naminé couldn’t help flinching back.
“Everything looks fine, but how do you feel? Any abnormalities?”
Was the tone the same, or was it the echoes of her past? Brusque, precise, distant – she had been in this situation too many times, answering questions she didn’t understand. Her throat closed up. When no answer was forthcoming, Zexion looked up, faltering at whatever he saw on her face.
“Ah. Right, I suppose I should have...” he trailed off, shoulders drooping. He fidgeted with the clipboard briefly before placing it down, approaching almost shyly.
The scientists at Castle Oblivion were never shy.
“I would like to apologize,” he said, head bowed, “For the way we treated you at Castle Oblivion. It was... horribly wrong. Please, let me make it up to you.”
Naminé swallowed around a lump in her throat, hand trembling as Kairi reached out to hold it. Zexion wasn’t even the worst of them. She barely remembered him, honestly, compared to Vexen, Marluxia, or Larxene, who were her main captors after she was released from those first weeks of experiments. But still... how should she feel about this? How could she answer?
“....Okay.”
It was a relief to escape when she was done. Even with Kairi hovering protectively over her, Sora watching the by-play in confusion, the memories pressed in close and claustrophobic around her. She carefully moderated herself as they left, pressing her hands together and making sure she didn’t bolt the moment her path was clear. Thankfully, Sora didn’t seem inclined to go slowly, eagerly bouncing into the lead as he chattered to them over his shoulder.
“Alright! Next stop, Castle Oblivion, right? We’re going to get Ventus.”
Castle Oblivion, Naminé mused. Another memory she was unsure of returning to. Kairi cast her a concerned glance, and she realized that the pause had gone on too long, that she was expected to respond.
“Right.”
Thankfully, Sora didn’t press, instead nodding and turning to Donald and Goofy. “What about you guys? What are you doing next?”
“We just got back with the second princess, so we’re done until they find the next one,” Donald said proudly, “When we heard it was time to wake Naminé up, we decided to stay and say ‘hello’.”
Goofy nodded, “And we thought you might need a ride. Naminé doesn’t have a Keyblade to transform, after all.”
“Oh, I didn’t think of that,” Sora said.
“Of course you didn’t,” Donald said, “That’s why you have us.”
“Hey.”
They were almost out the door when Dilan crossed their path, silent but staring intently. When they paused, waiting to see what he wanted, he turned to Kairi.
“The Princesses have been requesting to speak with you.”
“Oh. We were... just about to leave.”
“The Princesses need guidance. They are unsure, at a loss and uneasy in their power.”
“Uhm.”
“Well, I wouldn’t put it like that,” Donald groused, ”But...”
Goofy nodded, “They were a bit uncomfortable, leaving everything they know. Talking to someone who is like them – someone who understands their situation and can explain things better – might put their minds at ease.”
Kairi pressed her lips together, looking away, but eventually sighed.
“...Okay. Take me to them.”
“We can wait,” Sora said weakly, but Kairi shook her head.
“No. You need to get Ventus as soon as you can. And... I’m not really needed for that, am I? I’ll meet up with you after, okay?”
Kairi, Naminé thought, aching for her sister-heart, watching as she and Sora exchanged messages between their eyes, their hands pressing together then slowly detangling.
“Okay,” Sora said, and Naminé yearned for a world where partings weren’t required.
The ride to Castle Oblivion was quiet.
Slower than she was used to, for sure. The longer the silence stretched on between the four of them, the more she considered opening a corridor and being done with it. But then she would breathe, feel the clarity in her lungs, the lack of weight in her chest, and remember that this was a chance she couldn’t waste by being reckless.
Donald and Goofy muttered quietly to themselves up front. Sora had become the default driver eventually, she knew, but this time he sat beside her in the back. Every now and then he would shift a bit, turn to her, turn away. She wondered how long it would take him to speak up.
“Naminé,” he started suddenly, turning to face her with those piercing blue eyes, “I wanted to say... thank you. I don’t really remember it, but you helped us out a lot. Everyone says I wouldn’t be here without you. So, thank you.”
She smiled wryly and shook her head, “There’s no need. Really, I was just... cleaning up my own mess.”
“Well, if you won’t accept thanks for that, then – for Riku, and Kairi. It sounds like you were really there for them, when I couldn’t be.”
“That’s...”
How could Naminé not help her other self, after everything? And Riku...
Riku was complicated; she had a feeling he felt the same way. They were allies of circumstance, their goals aligning just enough to work together, both of them dancing to the tune of DiZ’s machinations for lack of any other direction. She didn’t see Riku often, during that year. And when she did, well...
When you look at me, you don’t see me, do you? She’d asked once. He hadn’t been able to answer, which that was all the reply she needed, and she’d told him so.
It’s okay. After all – when I look at you, I don’t see you, either.
They didn’t hate each other, but they couldn’t help that each other’s very presence worked as salt in a wound.
But she couldn’t say that, could she?
After all the lies of omission and carefully crafted truths, what could one more hurt?
“Okay,” she said, “Then, you’re welcome.”
Sora smiled warmly at her.
The Castle was just as cold and austere as she remembered. Axel had left directions to where Ventus disappeared – the floor number, really – and with her knowledge of the castle, it didn’t take long to get to the right place.
The door buzzed against her senses as she approached it, the others trailing behind. She could feel the bite of the thought that made up the inner rooms the moment she pressed her hand to the wide panel, the way it swirled and raged like a storm, restless, hungry.
“This memory comes with intent,” she realized, “He needs to resolve it, or it will never let him go.”
“But then, how are we going to get him out?”
Naminé hummed thoughtfully, tracing a finger along the seam of the door, “Sometimes, people just need a little help to break up the noise. I did this for you once, you know?”
“You did?”
“Mhm. For Riku, too. Hopefully, I’ll be able to help this time, as well.”
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and let herself fall into the memory.
This was what Ventus knew:
He lost everyone. Despite their best efforts, the Darkness won, a glitch in the system that followed them the whole time, and now the others were...
He couldn’t remember their names, every scrap of knowledge slipping away if he tried to force it. If he let them go, though, he could almost feel them, bright-lead and sharp-guide and determined-companion and drifting-searcher.
He knew they were lost, and that it was his fault.
He knew he was never supposed to be there.
Blood on pink hair and hands around his throat and Darkness spilling out of him, spilling his own Light in a desperate attempt to make this right.
He knew this war had been going on for much, much longer than any of them realized.
But what he didn’t know, was…
He didn’t know how it ended. He didn’t know what happened to his friends, to the Dandelions, to his first home.
He didn’t know if he could escape it.
But in the end, the most terrifying thing was:
He knew he needed to enter the house he’d fled.
Ventus did not enter the house.
He went to it, stood on the doorstep, even reached for the handle, but -
But.
He couldn’t do it. Bad things happened there, in the dark. He knew it. That’s how it all started, how could he - ?
But there was nowhere else to go. The city was still empty, and deep in his heart, Aqua was still –
Distance-can't touch-covered in helplessness and emptiness and despair
– silent.
So he sat on the stairs, knees tucked up under his chin, staring at the door as the sun set.
That’s how she found him.
She appeared between one breath and the next, sitting on the stairs beside him in a white dress, pale hair framing an open face., the sun painting her all over in pink and yellow. He froze, afraid she would disappear if he dared to move, dared to look, agony ripping through him.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw her look around, look down, taking herself in, before turning to stare at him. He kept his eyes determinedly fixed on the door of that house. When he didn’t react to her, she turned, joining him in his vigil.
The wind whistled down the streets.
“Are you going to go in?” she asked.
“I don’t want to,” he admitted.
“What are you so afraid of?”
“What if, when I come out... I’m not myself? If I lose another piece of me?”
“But,” she asked, “Will you ever really be yourself, if you stay here?”
He hunched further in on himself.
“I’m still scared.”
“Hm. I’ll go with you.”
“No,” he said, the world leaping out of him, “You shouldn’t.”
“Why not? Won’t it be easier, to not be alone?”
“But it’s not safe for you.”
He could hear her turning towards him, could imagine her frown, “Isn’t the same for you?”
“No. No, it’s... I’m the danger. I killed you,” he rasped, and suddenly breathing was difficult, a pressure banded around his throat, choking him.
She paused, tilting her head. He could just barely see her hair slipping down her shoulder, the wind catching it and sending it spiraling through the air. He closed his eyes shut against it, he didn’t want to see it again – blood on pink hair and it's your fault and you forgot how could you how could you.
“Did you?” She asked, “Really?”
“I didn’t mean to,” he whispered, voice slowly gaining force, ”I didn’t want to! But, the Darkness, it was...”
She sighed, “I see. Did I blame you?”
“I don’t know,” he said, and he didn’t, he never even knew her, but, “Your brother did.”
Except...he didn’t in the end, did he? The ghostly feeling of hands lifted from around his throat, and he gasped in a breath. In the end, that guy, he...
“I think,” she said, “The real question is... can you forgive yourself?”
Forgive... himself? He pressed a hand to his chest – the weight he carried, everyone he failed. Her, her brother, his friends, his Flight.
“I know it’s heavy, but... if you never face it, how can you ever make it better?”
That was....
He turned fast, like ripping off a bandage. He expected her to vanish like a ghost, to be left alone once more, but she remained. Instead, it was like a veil lifted. Soft blue eyes, long blonde hair, and she... wasn’t who he thought. Wasn’t the person he hurt, all those years ago. She didn’t belong here.
He didn’t know her at all. And yet, there was something...
“Have we met?”
“No,” she said with a wry smile, “Not us.”
“Ah,” he said, realization setting in, “I feel like I’m going to get a lot of that, now.”
“Yes. There are many people waiting for you, you know?”
“Then I guess I better go meet them. Staying here... it’s not going to change anything. Right?”
“That’s true,” she smiled, offering her hand, “So, shall we go?”
With a shaky breath, he took her hand, letting her lead him to the door. Slowly, hesitantly, he gripped the handle, her hand folding over his when he didn’t move. She gave him one last encouraging smile, and together they turned the latch.
The door opened, and there was light.
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we're flying above the valley below | Ch 4
AO3
First | Previous
“The room is completely sealed off,” Axel sighed, “I can’t even open a corridor into it.”
“Aw, great – we found him, but now we can’t get to him?” Donald sighed.
“Axel,” Mickey said, “You said the Organization spent a lot of time there. Do you know anyone who could figure it out?”
“Ah, well,” on the other side of the call, Axel scrunched his nose, scratching at the back of his head as he thought, “Maybe Vexen? That is, Even. He was the main lead behind the card technology we used to interface with the Castle.”
“Then we’ll ask,” King Mickey said, turning to Aeleus, who was lingering near-by, “Even wasn’t doing well, right? Do you think he’s recovered enough to answer some questions?”
“Dilan was looking after him. The last thing he reported was that Even was still asleep. Though, that was yesterday evening… I will go check.”
“In any case, there’s not much more I can do here. And it looks like they took the Replicas, too,” Axel cut off, giving a low whistle. Kairi turned back to the phone. It looked like he’d moved while they were talking, having shifted from the bright-white of the rest of the castle to the dim light she remembered from Naminé’s workshop. “They really did a number on this place.”
“Are you coming back here?” she asked.
Axel hummed a wavering note – not a no, she thought, but not a yes, either.
“I’m going to see if I can track them down. The trail might be too faded, at this point, but I – I have to try.”
The corners of his eyes did something funny, at that, the line of his mouth thinning, but then he shook his head, and he was back to normal. Her heart ached for him.
“If I can’t find anything, I’ll check back in, see what you’ve got,” he finished.
“Alright,” King Mickey said, “We’ve been setting up a system here based on Chip and Dale’s old radar to try and track surges of Darkness, to keep an eye on the Organization’s movements. We’ll let you know if we find anything we think will help.”
“Alright; see ya.”
“Bye, Axel.”
The screen went dark, and Sora turned to Kairi with wide eyes, “That’s so cool! Can you talk to anyone with that? Oh, could I talk to all my friends? Like Herc, and Mulan – ooo, and maybe Beast?”
“Slow down, Sora,” Riku sighed, and Kairi giggled.
“You can only talk to other people who have one of these. Actually, Ienzo did make some for you, so we could all keep in contact. They’re with the clothes Yen Sid sent over.”
“Clothes?”
Sure enough, there were new outfits waiting for them, with fresh protective enchantments woven in. Kairi already had hers – Riku teased him for not noticing – but after Sora and Riku had changed, she led them over to the science lab, where everyone else would be waiting.
The lab was buzzing with activity, machines humming and whirring. Tucked into a corner was a hap-hazard, thrown-together looking machine, magic buzzing around it as Merlin and Queen Minnie scurried around it. Donald and Goofy were standing with Mickey nearby, watching carefully. Sora’s eye was caught by Leon, however, standing by a blue-haired guy and leaning over the console Tron was in.
“Leon!” Sora called, bouncing forward.
“Sora,” Leon smiled, “Good to see you. Here to get some directions?”
“Uh – are we?” Sora asked, glancing over his shoulder at Kairi.
“You didn’t think to ask?” Riku teased, Kairi coming up beside him.
“Yes,” Kairi answered, peering around the room, “I thought you guys might be ready now, and it would be good to say goodbye.”
Leon tipped his head, “Aerith and Yuffie are down at the house, if that’s what you’re looking for. But you’re right, we’re starting to get some readings.”
“Indeed,” Ienzo said, “Our computer set-up is already starting to detect surges of Darkness, and we think we’ve managed to locate two of the Princesses of Heart – not including our resident princess, of course.”
“Great!” Sora cheered, “But, uh – who are you?”
“Ah. Right – we never actually met, did we? I’m Ienzo.”
“Ienzo,” Sora repeated, “So, all this is looking for the Organization and the Princesses?”
“Indeed!” Merlin called, appearing suddenly by his side, “A most clever contraption. Dear Minerva is helping me connect the magic here with Yen Sid and Disney Castle, to increase our range!”
“Oh, cool! So, where are we – “
Behind them, the door burst open suddenly.
“Even is missing.”
Aeleus immediately had everyone’s attention, but Ienzo’s especially, who gave full body twitch, as if he wanted to run but didn’t know where.
“What do you mean, missing?” he asked.
“His room is ransacked – I found Dilan passed out on the floor, as well.”
“Oh, no – do you think it’s the Organization?” Mickey asked.
“Well, they do need more vessels,” Riku said, “It would make sense to get the guy who made them for you originally.”
Leon frowned, “But to invade our Castle, without setting off any of our alarms? How could they manage that?”
“Who else would take him, though?” The King asked. No one had an answer for that.
“But if he’s gone, how are we going to get to Ventus?” Sora asked.
The all went quiet, thinking deeply. It was Ienzo who broke up.
“There is one option,” he said, and they all turned to him, “Vexen might be the foremost expert on the Card system, but that very system was created by studying Naminé.”
“But Naminé’s in me now,” Kairi said, “And there’s a limit to what she can do through me.”
“Perhaps; but it doesn’t have to stay that way. We do, after all, have a vessel.”
After a brief hesitation, it was agreed that the replica Kairi had retrieved would go to Naminé. As for Roxas, with Even gone they would have to figure something else out. Sora felt bad for the relief he felt at not having to confront that particular tangle, yet.
Now, they had to decide where to go next.
“We’ve got coordinates for two of the Princesses,” Ienzo said, pointing at the screen.
Leon spoke next, “But we’ve also got the Darkness starting to move – and who knows where they’ll go first.”
“Then we’ll have to split up,” the King decided.
“Split up?” Sora asked in dismay, tangling his fingers with Kairi’s. He already had to go somewhere different than Riku, after spending all that time trying to find him – he’d been looking forward to having at least one Flightmate by his side.
“Don’t worry, I won’t separate you from your Flight,” King Mickey assured, “She’s supposed to be learning from you, after all! That just means Donald and Goofy will make up the other team.”
“A diplomatic team and a strike force,” Leon mused.
“But that’s – “ Sora cut off, stomach churning. Go adventuring without Donald and Goofy? They’d been with him since the beginning. Sure, they hadn’t been there for the exam, but that was different, wasn’t it? The only other time he’d been without them was that short stint at Hollow Bastion, and that was…
“Will Sora really be okay without us?” Donald asked.
“H-hey!”
“He’s a big boy now, it should be fine,” Goofy assured, hand on his Flightmate’s shoulder, “Still, I am a bit worried.”
“I said hey! I’ll be fine.”
“Of course you will,” Goofy said.
“But remember to call if you need us,” Donald added, “We’ve got phones now, too.”
“Oh,” Sora said, warmth growing in his heart, “Of course!”
“But, how are we going to travel?” Kairi asked, “There’s only one gummi ship, right?”
“Oh, right!” the King said, “C’mere, I’ve got a trick I want to show you.”
When Sora first saw the Keyblade transform into a vehicle, he stood staring, mouth open, for a full minute.
Traditionally, the King explained, Keyblade wielders would have armor to protect them for this type of travel, since they don’t have the cockpit of a gummi ship to shield them.
“But, it’s less Darkness than the Dark Corridors,” he finished, “So the enchantments Yen Sid and the fairies put in our clothes should be enough.”
It took a few tries, but soon all three managed to transform their Keyblade into a method of transportation. After that, Riku and the King left, Donald and Goofy heading to the first Princess in the gummi ship soon after.
“I know we’re in a hurry, but before we head to our destination, do you think we could make a quick detour?” Kairi asked.
“Huh?” Sora asked, “I mean, sure, I guess. Why?”
“Well, Naminé and I were thinking – the Organization may have gotten to Castle Oblivion before us, but she kept notes in other places, too. And… there’s something she left behind that she wants to make sure to retrieve.”
“Alright. Where to?”
“Twilight Town.”
The Twilight Town in Kairi’s memories was a respite, albeit an anxious one – a quiet place she could hide away, praying that Naminé’s gambit would work, untouched by the chaos of the other worlds.
Which is to say, she had not expected to be assaulted by a swirling cloud of shadows not five minutes after landing.
Fighting the heartless was different. It shouldn’t be harder – she really couldn’t say it was stronger than the people she was used to fighting – but up to this point she had been fighting primarily human opponents. This strange mass was far wilder and more animalistic. It made it more unpredictable.
It was strange – she could tell, passingly, that in this moment Sora’s magic was weaker than hers. But she doubted anyone outside would notice, because where she faltered and hesitated, he moved with confidence, entirely sure what to do.
So, this is what they meant by gaining experience, she thought, and followed his lead.
When they finished off the heartless, rapid footsteps approached them, and Kairi turned, delight filling her as she spotted three familiar faces.
“Sora! And – Kairi!” Pence called, stumbling to a stop in front of them.
“We were so worried – I’m so glad you’re okay,” Olette said.
Haynes nodded, “Yeah – after that creep ran off with you, Naminé disappeared. We waited, but we never got any news!”
Kairi wheezed out an incredulous laugh as Hayner turned on Sora, “I mean, come on, the least you could’ve done is come back and let us know you found her! Jeez.”
“Ahah, sorry,” Sora laughed, “Things got a little crazy after that. There was Xemnas, and then the test, and…”
“And as for Axel – the guy that was after me? He ended up helping us a lot.”
“What? No way!”
Olette leaned in, all soft concern, “But Kairi, last time – you were really scared of him.”
Kairi smiled with a helpless shrug, “He apologized. And, I guess…. Well, you could say we had a lot in common.”
“Really? That guy?” Hayner said, nose wrinkled, “Well, if you say so. But if he steps out of line, just let us know. We’ll take care of him.”
“That’s sweet, but I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
“Yeah, Axel’s….”
Sora trailed off, and Kairi cast him a curious look, worry gnawing at her stomach when she saw the pensive frown creeping up on him. She sent a wave of concern his way through their bond, and he startled, shaking it off quickly.
“Axel’s cool. And besides, I can take care of her if anything happens.”
“Sure,” Olette agreed, casting a knowing look between the trio.
“Anyways, as much as I’d like this to just be a social visit, I somehow doubt it is. Not with those monsters popping up again all of a sudden. So, what’s up?”
“Well,” Sora said, “There is something, but that’s not really why we’re here. It’s more, uh –“
Sora turned to her with a lost look in his eyes, and she smiled, stepping forward, “We’re here to pick something up for a friend. She said she left it in an… abandoned mansion?”
The Twilight Town were eager to help them out, walking them out of town and to the old haunted house as they regaled them with everything they’d been up to since the last time they’d visited. In no time at all, they reached their destination.
“Well, here we are. Are you sure this is the place?”
“Yes,” Kairi said, feeling a foreign heaviness settling in her chest as she stared up at the worn building, “This is it.”
“Strange place to hide something,” Pence commented.
“She… didn’t have much choice.”
“Yeah?” Hayner said, “Well, I guess that weird computer was in there, too, so it’s not like she was the only one.”
They all stared up at the mansion, until the quiet was split by bells ringing in the distance.
“Ah, no, the time!” Pence said, “Guys, we gotta go!”
“What?”
“Sorry, but, we’ve got work.”
“Aw, but I wanted to hang out more,” Sora pouted.
“I mean, we’ll still have the chance!” Olette said, “It’s not like this’ll take long. The Boss is just kinda a stickler about the punctuality.”
“Still…”
“Sora, why don’t you go with them?”
“Huh?” Sora turned to Kairi, surprised, “What do you mean? Don’t we need to get whatever it is for Naminé?”
“Yes, but,” she trailed off, eyes turning towards the mansion thoughtfully, “I think this is something we need to do on our own.”
“… Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up soon. So, you go catch up with them, okay?”
“Uh, yeah… if you say so.”
Kairi could feel the weight of Sora’s stare as they all left, but she couldn’t look away, Naminé’s presence stirring steadily the longer they were there.
When she stepped forward, it was like she was in a dream, her movements not entirely her own. Across the lawn, through the broken foyer, up the stairs, into her room.
Into Naminé’s room.
It was so white, so empty. The drawings scattered across the floor were the only color at all. Naminé lived here for a year? She couldn’t imagine.
There, Naminé whispered, and Kairi’s gaze turned of its own accord to find a birdcage in the corner, two dolls cradled inside. She reached out with careful hands, pulling the little doll of Riku – no, Hitoshi – out, cupping it in her palms. Naminé gave a sigh of relief in her chest, her presence pulling back enough for Kairi’s head to clear.
“This is what we came here for?”
Yes. It has all of Hitoshi’s memories – his true memories. I’ve been working to piece them together, like I did with Sora. Once I had found all the pieces of his heart, I was going to place them inside his body, but…
“You ran out of time,” Kairi finished. She ran a thumb over the doll’s head once before moving it to a pocket, turning to look at the other doll in the cage curiously.
“Who is this?”
Short dark hair and blue button eyes – if she tilted her head and squinted, it almost looked like her. In her mind, Naminé stilled, a pang of unease echoing out from her. Kairi could feel her pressing in close, like a chin over her shoulder and a hand in hers.
I don’t know, Naminé answered as Kairi reached in, freeing the puppet, I don’t… remember. But… there’s a memory.
“A memory?”
Yes. She went quite for a moment, contemplative, and Kairi hummed curiously.
Would you like to see?
“See? The memory?”
Yes, Naminé answered, and Kairi felt her energy slide along her own, fingertips tapping at the well of magic inside, Let me show you – just follow my lead.
Kairi let Naminé’s power slide through her, fingertips running over the stitching, and –
She turned, trying to muster up a smile, “You said, if I could make a single memory that belonged just to me, that you could help me, right?”
Naminé nodded, “Did you find it? What you need?”
“Yes,” She said, smiling softly, “I didn’t see it, not for a long time, but… it was obvious, wasn’t it? Roxas, Axel – it’s them. Even if I’m not real, those moments I shared with them – that’s real. How could it not be?”
Naminé smiled, and she grinned back, wanting to tell someone – just once, just one person that she could say the words to out loud, someone on the outside who would know they were more than they were ever supposed to be.
“I love them,” she said, the warmth, that pressure, that connection inside her blooming, blooming, blooming, and how could she keep it in? She laughed, light and airy, feeling it pop like a bubble, spreading out of her, pushing until a ripple burst from her back. She staggered under a sudden weight, new limbs stretching out wide and fluttering, stirring up the papers all around them.
“What?” she breathed, twisting to look over her shoulder. Two wings spread from her back, pale brown feathers ruffling slightly before settling down across the span. Baffled, she turned back to Naminé and –
The other girl was staring at her. Something like panic, or maybe fear, was painted across her rapidly paling face.
“Naminé?”
Expressions flickered through her eyes, rapid pace, before finally setting on something like determination, something like regret.
“A memory – one that belongs just to you,” Naminé whispered, “That’s the only way this will work.”
She tilted her head, watching her slow advance in confusion, “Yes. That’s what you said, right?”
“Yes,” Naminé said, reaching out a hand, “and… I’m sorry.”
“What?”
There was a spike of pain, and –
Kairi slammed back into her body with a gasp, staggering over to lean on the table.
She stayed there for several long moments, breathing heavily as she let the foreign love-elation-fear bleed out of her, leaving her shaking.
“Naminé?” she asked the empty room, “What was that?”
A memory. But… why is it here?
“Is that the girl the memory of you Riku found said she was trying to help? The one none of us remember?”
It must be. But why did I put it here?
“Well, if you knew we were going to forget, then... maybe you put it here because you knew you’d come looking.”
Maybe, but why take this one? It’s distinct, but it’s not strong enough to…
“Naminé?”
I can’t remember, but this feeling… Kairi, I think I did something awful.
Before Hayner, Pence, and Olette ran off into town to complete their job, they showed him the posters they were hanging up, including how to work the data-codes on them. Left to his own devices at the café, Sora played the games for a few rounds. It was a decent distraction, but the longer he stayed here, the more he could feel a weight – or perhaps the absence of a weight – pressing down on him.
After a careless death broke his winning streak in the game, he slumped down on the table, burying his face in his arms.
This was Roxas’ home. These were his friends, or a version of him, people he felt so strangely about, and…
Sighing, he sat up, pulling the photo of Roxas that Riku had once left from his pocket. He… really needed to talk to Axel, didn’t he? He should tell everyone, really, but Axel most of all deserved to know that Roxas was…
“Who’s that?”
Sora startled, twisting in his seat to find Hayner peering over his shoulder at the photo.
“Oh,” Sora said, adrenaline fading back into that muzzy, guilty sadness, “This is… Roxas.”
“Huh. He seems… familiar somehow.”
“Well, we do have the same photo,” Olette said, sneaking up on his other side.
“Oh, you’re right! Hey, Pence, you’ve got the picture on you right?”
The third of the group came over, pulling his wallet as he went, “Yeah, here.”
He placed the photo on the table beside Sora’s, and sure enough, they were the same, one just having an excess of blank space.
“Weird,” Pence said, leaning in to squint at the pair.
“It’s more than the photo, though,” Hayner insisted, “I could swear I’ve seen him before…”
Sora shifted uncomfortably, “Well, I think… he was friends with you, in that Other Twilight Town. Maybe the memories are coming over?”
Hayner hummed skeptically as Pence squinted down at it.
“No – no, I think Hayner’s right,” he trailed off, then suddenly snapped, pointing energetically down at Roxas’s image, “Wait, isn’t that the guy that completely demolished Hayner at Grandstander?”
“Hey!” Hayner protested, “He didn’t beat me that bad.”
“No, Pence is right,” Olette said, “It’s definitely the same guy. Also, he did absolutely obliterate you.”
“Come to think of it, I think I saw him a couple more times,” Pence continued over Hayner’s complaining, “With that tall red-head, right, he was – oh! That was the same guy that kidnapped Kairi!”
“And you didn’t think to bring this up?” Hayner sputtered.
“I mean, I only saw the guy twice!”
The three descended into bickering, and Sora picked the photo back up, heart squeezing as he stared down at Roxas’ face.
He hadn’t… expected this, somehow. He knew Roxas had ties to Axel, and that other girl in his heart, and the Organization. He knew he’d had some kind of life with these three in that fake Twilight Town, too, but this was the real world.
“So, what happened to him, then?” Hayner said, and Sora blinked back to awareness, realizing they were all staring at him.
“I…” Sora swallowed heavily around the lump of grief and guilt in his chest, “I don’t know. The last time I saw him… he was protecting me. But we got separated, and now… I don’t know what happened to him.”
“Well, why don’t we go ask around?”
“What?” Sora asked.
“If I got lost, the first place I’d try to go is home, right? And we know he used to hang around here, in both the real and the fake version. So, if he made it out of wherever you guys were, I bet this would be the first place he’d go. Maybe someone’s seen him.”
“That’s… yeah, alright. Let’s go look.”
They didn’t get anywhere, mostly, until they stopped at a small ice-cream stall, and the lady perked up, hand pressed to her mouth as she reached out, almost touching the photo before she pulled back.
“Oh, that’s - ! Of course, I know him, he was one of my best customers. It’s such a shame….”
The four of them exchanged glances before turning back to her.
“What do you mean?”
“You… you haven’t heard?”
“Heard?”
“Oh. Oh, dear. That friend of his stopped by a while back – the tall red-head, you know – and told me he’d… well, that he’d passed.”
Axel, Sora realized. It was like someone shoved a rock in his chest, stuck between his lungs and his heart, pressing painfully with every breath. The Twilight Town gang exchanged unsure glances, and the shop lady sighed sadly.
“I’m so sorry, dears. It’s such a shame – he was such a sweet boy. I… here. Have some ice cream on me, yes? Why don’t you all go take a moment.”
Heads ducked, the four of them took the offered ice cream and shuffled to an out of the way corner, each unwrapping their own treat, nibbling on them silently. The moment Sora took a bite, something tightened around his heart. His eyes burned.
“A red-head, again,” Pence mused, finally breaking the silence, “That guy that was after Kairi?”
“Axel,” Sora said, “Yeah. He... he’s Roxas’ Flightmate.”
“Wait, what?” Hayner said, “No way – and I thought Roxas was a cool guy. Why’s he hanging out with a creep like that?”
“And why was he saying Roxas was dead?” Olette asked, “Sora, you said you saw Roxas recently, right? Then, shouldn’t he know…”
“Ah – it’s… complicated. I’m not really sure how to explain it, but we kinda thought Roxas was gone, for a while there. And then…”
And then, before we could find a way to get him back, he sacrificed himself to save me.
Unsure what to say, he shoved the ice cream in his mouth, ignoring the hesitant looks Hayner, Pence, and Olette cast each other.
“Why don’t we head back to the café?” Olette said, “We’ve been running around for a while, Kairi’s probably done by now.”
“Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”
They found Kairi sitting alone at one of the café tables, staring down at her folded hands with a wrinkle in her brow. Sora reached for her as they approached, finding the weight in his heart echoed in her own, but as their eyes met, hearts entwining, he could breathe again.
“Hey,” he greeted, “Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Yeah. What about you? Did you have fun catching up?”
“I…” he trailed off, sorrow-guilt panging through him, and she reached out, folding his hand in her own.
“Sora?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I – “
Music cut through the air, bright and cheery. After a moment of shuffling, they tracked it to the phone in Kairi’s pocket. With a click of a button, Axel’s face filled the screen, looking even more tired than they’d last seen him.
“Hey, Kairi – oh, and Sora.”
“Axel,” Kairi said, “Are you okay? You look a little…”
“Yeah, yeah – I’m fine. Just thought I’d update you on the whole Replica situation.”
“Did you find them?”
“Ah, yeah. Well, for a little bit. Got eyes on them before… well, before Saïx got involved,” he said, gesturing to his face, “Thing was – I managed to get a glimpse of its face and… it wasn’t the Riku replica. Hitoshi. It wasn’t him.”
“Axel?” Kairi asked, a wave of concern-dread-oh no coming off her, and Sora cast a glance between her and the phone screen, wondering what she was seeing.
“Anyways. They vanished, but, uh. I’m going to keep on their trail, yeah? See if I can’t find a way to steal her away.”
“Her,” Kairi repeated, voice heavy, but Axel just shrugged, somehow managing to avoid her gaze even through the phone, and she sighed, “Okay. Be safe.”
“Hah. Who do you think you’re talking to? I’ll be fine. See ya!”
The screen went dark, but Kairi stared at it pensively for a long moment before tucking it away, turning up to him with a smile he could feel the fakeness of.
“Well. Where to, next?”
Next
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hole in my parachute (big as your heart) | Ch 4
AO3
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Axel left something behind in his ashes. Sora touched it, reaching out as if in a trance, and almost immediately slumped over, only avoiding face-planting into the floor because Kairi lurched forward, catching him first.
“Sora? Sora!”
No response. The rustle of feathers announced others’ presence, and she looked up to see Donald and Goofy approaching. The duck dropped down, poking at Sora with the green light of magic surrounding him.
“Is he okay?” she asked.
“He’s not injured,” Donald muttered, “But he won’t wake up!”
Kairi tugged Sora closer, resting his head in her lap, “Then, we’ll just have to wait.”
She had experience with that.
After a while, Sora finally began to stir, his breath hitching as his eyes fluttered open.
“Sora?” Goofy called, Donald leaning into his space with another spell. Sora waved them away as he sat up.
“Sora?” she called warily, trying to get a full look at his face, “Is it… really you, now?”
He froze, turning slowly, slowly, slowly, until his eyes met hers – blue as the sky, warm as his heart.
“Kairi.”
She surged forward, wrapping her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. They hit the ground hard, laying there for several long minutes before his arms came up, wrapping around her, pulling her close.
“You’re here,” he breathed as they trembled together, “You’re safe – I found you.”
She laughed just so that she didn’t sob, squeezing him tightly, “I found you.”
“I guess you did,” he huffed, giggling into her hair.
There was a shuffling – Donald and Goofy giving them space – then a third, heavier set of footsteps. Sora pulled back, peering over his shoulder, and she followed his gaze. Her heart stopped in her chest at the tall, cloaked figure – the same one she’d seen fighting Axel at Hollow Bastion.
The one Naminé had called Riku.
She squirmed free of Sora, scrambling desperately to her feet, “Wait! You’re – you’re Riku, right?”
He stopped. She took another step, reaching out, as Sora came up next to her.
“Riku?” he asked, “Kairi, no, that’s Ansem. You know, the guy that possessed Riku.”
“But,” she paused, watching the man – the way he stayed still, too still, as if he’d run if he moved at all, “When Naminé and I were running from Axel, we saw him. She called him Riku.”
“I’m no one,” the man said, jerking away, “Just a castaway from the Darkness.”
His shoulders were tense – so awkward, so familiar – and he wouldn’t look at them. Well, she’d just have to get the answers herself. She drew closer – he didn’t move away, even if he flinched, even if he obviously wanted to, letting her stop within arm’s distance, reach up, remove his hood.
It certainly was Ansem’s face, yes, but – those eyes. She twisted her head, reaching down to pick up his hand, cradle it in her own until he finally looked at her, and oh. She would know it anywhere, that burning gaze. She pulled him closer, trying not to cry at the shame in his gaze because I’m here, you’re here, did you think I wouldn’t know you? That I could ever not want you?
“I see you,” she said, “Hello.”
“Kairi?” Sora called, and she turned, smiling at him, beckoning him closer until she could tangle their fingers together, her whole world in the palm of her hands. Warmth sparked, memories of better days, her heart gathering them close.
Sora collapsed, breaking into a sobbing mess on the floor.
“Riku. It’s Riku. I looked for you.”
“C’mon, Sora. You’ve got to pull it together.”
“I looked everywhere for you.”
“I didn’t want you to find me,” Riku admitted, soft as a midnight confession.
“But you’ve been helping us,” Kairi cut in, “You saved me, and you’ve helped Sora, too, haven’t you.”
“The box,” Sora sniffed, scrubbing his face as he pushed to his feet, “With the photo, and the ice cream.”
Riku huffed, smiling almost reluctantly, “I was starting to worry you weren’t going to catch on. Then, you never were the – “
“Why didn’t you let me know you were okay?!” Sora broke in. It cut through Kairi, an echo of her past year – why, why, why – and she stepped closer to Sora, linking their hands.
“I told you – I didn’t want to be found,” Rik said, “I… couldn’t. I fought with Ansem – Xehanort’s heartless – when it invaded my heart, I won, but. To use the power of Darkness, I had to become Ansem myself.”
It burned; she didn’t like that answer. She squeezed a deep breath, squeezing Sora’s hand to release some of the tension, “Does that mean you can’t change back?”
“The battle isn’t over,” he said, “And until it is, I still need the power of Darkness.”
She looked away. She understood – she did, really. It wasn’t like she cared that much, like she couldn’t accept this form. And yet, and yet –
Her stomach turned. Her chest burned.
“Then let’s finish it,” Sora said, squeezing her hand, “You’re still Riku, no matter what, so – “
An explosion split the sky, and the three of them staggered, holding on to each other as the world shook.
The heart-shaped light in the sky began to splinter.
They headed up the tower as a group. Sora took the lead, the rest of them trailing behind. Along the way they came across nobodies, but the monsters all ignored the group, trailing down into the darkness below. She kept pace with Riku, when she could, but he wouldn’t look at her. Halfway up the tower, he lengthened his stride, advancing until he stood shoulder to shoulder with Sora.
Something heavy settled in her chest. Her boys leaned into each other, voices low. Donald and Goofy too, muttered quietly between themselves. She walked behind them all, eyes on their backs, until they turned a corner and the path opened up.
She was rather lost through the following reunions and explanations, standing awkwardly on the side, feeling out of place. Sora, at least, seemed to share some of her confusion, but…
Well, it ended quickly enough, and they continued on.
The Organization’s leader, of course, would not go down without a fight.
When they confronted him, he pulled down power from the giant heart in the sky, splitting the world to leave a gleaming bridge and a towering door in his place.
Riku stepped up next to Sora, “Xemnas must be inside. Once we go through, there’s no turning back. It’s victory… or oblivion. So, Sora – are you ready?”
“Of course, he is!” Kairi declared, forcing her way between the two of them, linking their arms together.
“Kairi?” Riku sputtered, turning to her, “Uh – maybe you should stay behind.”
She cast a long look over the Castle, the chittering nobodies crawling over the walls, and the nobodies screaming down below, “What, are you going to leave me alone out here?”
He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze so nervous, so unsure – and why did he look so scared? Like she would break at the lightest touch?
“…Alright, but be careful. Just… stay out of the way, alright?”
She hummed skeptically, “Whatever you say.”
They plunged through the door into a warped world, a kaleidoscope of a city, the ground and buildings and sky all twisted around each other. The only spot of calm could be seen in the distance, at the very center of it all.
Donald, Goofy, and their third spread their wings, taking to the sky. Sora started after them before pausing, looking back.
“Go,” Riku said, “We’ll catch up.”
She didn’t understand, opened her mouth to ask, but then those two sets of wings burst from him again, two Keys falling into his hand, and he took to the sky.
She and Riku watched him go for a moment, before turning to the chaos.
“Okay, let’s go. Stay close,” Riku said before rushing forward, Kairi following right on his heels.
They followed the others from the ground, dodging the debris that fell from the sky. Riku kept her well defended, mostly, sticking close, deflecting the chunks of stone and metal away from her. But he couldn’t predict everything. Eventually, they got separated. Inevitably, he lost track of her.
He cleaved through another skyscraper, intent on keeping them from being crushed, but when the pieces went flying, one flew in a path directly towards her.
“Kairi!”
Her heart leapt in her throat, but she firmed her stance, refusing to be cowed. She might not be as strong as him, as Sora, but she was not powerless. Running would accomplish nothing. She pulled at the light inside her and it came easily, eagerly, forming in her hand between one breath and the next.
Please work, she begged – she wanted to look away, she couldn’t look away, had to keep her eyes open and locked on her target – and her key hummed happily in her hand, burning brightly.
She struck, and the debris split around her.
Breathing heavily, she straightened, her proud grin only widening at the shock on Riku’s face.
“Kairi, you… you have a Keyblade.”
She straightened, brandishing her Key with a toss of her hair.
“Of course! Did you think I’d let you to be the only ones fighting?” she asked, “You know you two are hopeless without me.”
“Yeah. We are,” Riku breathed, drifting closer, and some tightness she hadn’t even recognized uncoiled in her chest, burning at the back of her throat, “Still, this isn’t the best place to learn.”
“Maybe. But I’ve got you looking out for me, right?”
He looked down at her with burning, liquid eyes. She thought he might not be breathing.
“Always,” he said.
“Then I’ll be fine.”
He sighed, resigned and fond and disbelieving, “You’re right. Let’s go.”
“Mm!”
They climbed their way upwards – the city took a new shape, coming together as something like a spaceship, all metal and machinery. They took out the engines, first, batting the nobodies into the glowing mass of energy inside until it sparked, over-loaded, Riku helping Kairi as she spread spectral wings in a quick beat to jump from one to the other. By the time they reached the energy core, Kairi was panting heavily, limbs aching, but she refused to falter.
“There’s a barrier,” Riku muttered, and Kairi looked closer. If she tilted her head just right, she could see it, the shimmer in the air surrounding the thrumming pillar. There was something – a pressure in the air, a sense, she couldn’t describe it, but she found her gaze drawn to the nobodies peeling themselves from the wall, the floor, and Riku’s next words confirmed her instincts, “The nobodies are powering it. We’ll need to get rid of them, first.”
His gaze swept over the room again, those clever eyes flashing, planning, and as he straightened, she knew he had a plan.
“Riku?”
“We don’t know how long our window of opportunity will be. Stay close to the core, take out any that get near while I clear the room – and as soon as the barrier comes down, take it down.”
“Got it!”
After the core, there was only a tight spiral stair, leading up, up, up. They sprinted up, using their spectral wings liberally to take flying leaps. At the top, they reunited with the others who were already busy fighting an armored figure enthroned against the wall, a twisted figure that could only be Xemnas.
Riku leapt forward immediately, easily taking a place in the dance happening in front of her. Kairi watched for several moments but couldn’t quite keep up. Instead, she turned her attention to the nobodies watching from the walls, trying to creep in and interfere. She wasn’t strong enough, fast enough, to match this display of mastery – but she could make sure that nothing interrupted them.
She focused on that, ignoring the yelling behind her, the screeching of metal on metal, the yelps of pain. She couldn’t do anything, she couldn’t let it distract her – she looked away, just one moment, and Axel was –
The best way she could help them was just this, just keeping the floor clear, letting nothing get between them and the biggest threat. So, she focused.
Until –
Darkness rose behind her – like the smell of a storm before the lightning hit, only thick, choking, underscored by bitter poison sliding down her throat, smoke clogging her lungs – until it broke with a crack. A silver and black blur flew past her, hitting the floor, rolling. Another crack, aborted, a yell of rage from Sora. The body on the floor came to a stop – Riku! – gasping, shaking.
Kairi rushed over, dropping her knees beside him. The Darkness clung to him, glowing, spreading greedily like fire. Beneath it all, Riku panted and writhed.
“Riku!”
He turned his head towards her voice, but it was like he couldn’t see her, those yellow eyes unfocused, a terrible storm brewing within. The light she saw within him, the one she recognized – would always recognize – the Darkness was eating away at it.
“Riku, Riku hold on – look at me, focus on me,” she begged, clutching at his hand.
“K- Kai – “ his call cut off with another gasp, head thrown back as the Darkness surged again, spreading across his limbs. It dripped to the floor where it pooled, growing larger and rising like smoke until it enveloped him.
Riku began to sink.
She reached out, clutching to his shoulders, trying to pull him back, “No no no. Riku, listen to me – you have to fight it, please. Riku!”
“Kairi,” he gasped, squeezing weakly, so weakly at his hand, “I’m… sorry.”
“No!” she screamed, lunging forward, wrapping her arms around him. She choked on a dry sob, but despite how her eyes stung, she couldn’t cry. “No, you don’t get me to leave me again! I refuse!”
She ignited, flash-fire explosion, light burning out from her heart, searing her limbs, pouring out her desperation and brilliant light-mineminemine-won’t touch you won’t lose you-I see you I recognize you I’ll always know you-don’t leave me-I love you I love you I love you.
When the light faded, Riku remained, and the dark was banished. She trembled holding him closer, burying her fingers in his silver hair – soft, feathery, a different texture than only moments before.
“Kairi,” he breathed, voice and raspy, and oh –
Oh.
She pulled back, and familiar teal eyes stared at her with overwhelming awe. For a heartbeat’s time, they stayed like that, linked together and passing warmth between them, gratitude and relief and adoration. Then there was a clash of metal, a dozen weapons hitting the floor, and Riku was moving.
The world around them shattered.
“Riku,” Sora gasped in the aftermath, “You look like – you!”
Riku smiled, tentative, “Yeah. When we were fighting, Xemnas’s magic got a hold of me. It tried to drag me into the Darkness, but Kairi, she wouldn’t let go.”
“I couldn’t,” Kairi said, wrapping her arms around herself, stomach turning at the thought, “I couldn’t lose you. Not when I just…”
Just got him back, just realized he was alive, just discovered he was safe.
Riku continued, lingering awe echoing through his quite voice, “There was this light, and when I could see again, I was me. Like I’d never been lost.”
“Yeah; I think I know what you mean,” Sora said, and they both turned to look at her, eyes warm and soft and wanting. It shivered through her, thawing the cold in her bones, drawing her in, and she smiled back, helpless in the face of them.
“You’re coming back with us, right?” Sora asked, turning to Riku.
“I,” Riku tensed, “I gave in to the Darkness.”
The warmth faded, a heavy weight settling in Kairi’s stomach, “What, so you’re just going to disappear? Again?”
“How am I going to face everyone?” he snapped, and she grit her teeth, looking away.
“Like this!” Sora declared, leaping into their midst as he contorted his face, snapping the tension like a knife. Riku collapsed into laughter as the pressure in Kairi’s chest seized, collapsed, leaving her deflated and tired as she buried her face in her hands.
That, of course, was when the world began to fall apart. The others scrambled together – Riku tried to open a path – but there was no way out. A heavy, tired weight stretched in her chest, heralding a flicker of movement from the corner of her eyes – she turned, and met the eyes of a ghost.
Naminé.
The other girl smiled, opening a corridor with a wave of her hand. Donald, Goofy, and Mickey ran through quickly, but Kairi couldn’t help but linger.
She’d never seen the girl healthy, she realized. The sickly transparency, the purple tinge that had always stained her skin, making her look frail and weak beneath her hood, it was all gone. Her blonde hair was bright and shiny, her eyes glimmering.
And still, she was a ghost.
“Thank you, Naminé.”
“Sure,” she shrugged, a wan smile across her face, “It’s the least I could do.”
“No,” Kairi insisted, “You did more than that. You – “
You gave up everything, she wanted to say, but the words were too heavy to give voice to. Sora approached, and Naminé’s gaze diverted, the sadness in her smile deepening.
“Good to see you again, Roxas.”
With a soft glow, another ghost appeared, stepping out of Sora’s body, all blonde spikes and bittersweet blue eyes. Kairi watched quietly, solemnly, as they said their goodbyes. These two – everything she’d gained, getting Sora back, Riku’s safety, her own power – it had all come at their expense.
As the two shared one last smile, Naminé turned to Kairi, holding out her hand.
“Don’t forget. You promised.”
“I won’t,” Kairi vowed, watching the other girl disappear once more, “Whoever it is, we’ll save them. So, rest well, and when you’re ready, tell me what to do.”
Kairi pressed her hand over her heart, breathing deeply, as Roxas faded away as well. One breath, two, and she shook herself, turning to place a hand on Sora’s arm.
“Hey. Let’s go home.”
But when she stepped through the portal, it closed behind her, and Kairi was alone once more.
Kairi stood on the shoreline, staring out at the horizon. She could feel it, that grief, waiting at the edges of her mind, wanting to drown her.
This time, however, there was a star in her chest; she refused.
“What are you going to do?”
The voice should have startled her, she thought. It didn’t. Naminé hovered in her peripheral vision, a smudge of pale skin and blonde hair. She didn’t look; she knew the moment she did the girl would disappear. Instead, she stared at the sparkling of the sun on the water, listened to the low murmur of the Flight huddled on the beach behind her.
“I’ll wait for them,” she said, “However long it takes. I know, now – no matter what happens, they’ll always come back to me.”
“And if they can’t? If they’re trapped?”
“Then I’ll find a way,” she declared, strength sparking in her heart, I’ll make sure they have a path home.”
Naminé hummed, softly pleased, “Good. Remember that. But… I don’t think you need to worry, this time.”
“What?” Kairi turned her head to her, instinctually, and the girl vanished into mist, presence going quiet in her heart.
A long, warbling whistle cut split the air, higher the sound of the gulls. She turned her face to the sky.
An albatross?
A shooting star shot through the sky, bright even against the sunset.
It fell, faster and faster, till it struck the water in a violent plume. Her heart leapt in joy, and even before the two precious heads appeared above the waves, she knew they were home.
“Sora! Riku!”
They both turned, faces lighting up, before diving into the waves, swimming towards her. She waded into the water, stumbling as the waves pulled at her ankles, wanting to get closer, nearer, faster. They both stumbled to their feet, shaky and fumbling, inelegant in their rush, but so, so, beautiful.
She pressed a hand to her mouth, covering a grin, a sob, as Donald and Goofy burst past her to tackle Sora into the water, babbling over each other in worry. Mickey flew past just after, climbing up Riku until he could perch on his shoulders, tug back his hair.
Riku recovered first, pulling up next to Sora, only to get pulled down into the water with him, the older Flight pulling back as the two boys devolved into mock fighting.
Kairi laughed, painfully, desperately relieved.
They turned to her, both of them, faces damp and smiles bright and oh, she loved them, it was all worth it – the waiting and the wondering and the wishing, she’d do it a thousand times over for them.
“You’re home,” she said, reaching out, two open palms for her heart and her soul.
They both reached out, hands slipping in hers, fingers curling around her, choosing her, and warmth spread, big and impossible and wonderful, and her breath left her in a rush as she realized this was forever.
Wings burst from Sora, from her, from Riku.
“I’m home.”
Of course, that was not the end. There was still Darkness in the world. There were still tragedies to be mended, and the weight of the past hung heavy on her boys’ shoulders.
They got one blissful month of peace together, but when a letter arrived from King Mickey, saying they needed to speak of what came next, she knew they would answer.
In one world, Kairi would hesitate. Despite her Keyblade, despite her desire to protect her precious people, she would remain unsure of her welcome to the warriors of light.
Here, she had just bonded with her Flight. When her boys were called away, she refused to be left behind.
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all came to pick them up, filling the cockpit with their soft chatter. That left the three of them to sit in the back.
Kairi collapsed next to Sora immediately, hands tangling together like they did on a long-ago night fleeing from Hollow Bastion, wondering if they’d ever see their third again. Riku, instead, sat a bit away from them, staring inscrutably out into the distance.
A strange tension settled into the quiet.
After an hour of it, she sighed, turning to push at Sora’s shoulder.
“Hey, turn around.”
“Huh?” Sora blinked up at her with wide blue eyes, utterly confused, and she smiled.
“Let me see your wings.”
“My wings? Oh – oh!” He straightened, a wide, bashful smile crossing his face as he turned, eagerly presenting her with his back. The tips of his ears were red in a delightful blush. When she dragged a knuckle down his spine he arched into it, wings blooming into existence, flapping twice before going still.
It took some trial and error to figure out how this whole thing worked – which feathers to do first, how much pressure to exert – but by the time she finished with one wing, she thought she had it figured out. It probably helped that Sora was clearly in a good emotional state, most of his feathers falling in-line on their own. The second wing went much easier, even when Sora began fidgeting with something.
When she finished, stroking over each wing with the palm of her hand, Sora gave a little sigh of happiness. She crawled around to sit beside him, leaning against his shoulder to see what he was playing with.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Oh, this?” he held it up, showing her the small star made of amber glass, “I’m not sure. Mickey gave it to me, a while back. I’ve never seen it before, but when I held it… it feels like home.”
“Well,” she said, reaching back into her pocket, “It looks kind of like my charm. See?”
She held her lucky charm up beside it, and they were a perfect match for shape. Though, the one in Sora’s hand was of noticeably higher quality – glass and silver, instead of seashells and twine.
“I thought so, too,” Sora said, amusement in his voice, “But…”
He frowned, but nothing else seemed to be coming.
“But that’s not what’s getting to you?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah.”
“Well,” she said, leaning back and smoothing out the feathers that had been ruffled by their discussion, “Whatever it is, you’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah!” he said, smiling brightly at her, “You’re right. Thanks, Kairi.”
“Of course,” she said, before turning to look across the room at their third. He was still staring blankly out the window, hunched in on himself. It hurt to look at.
“Riku, your turn!” she called. He startled and flinched, hand curling in the air as if reaching for a weapon before his eyes caught sight of them and he relaxed.
“What?”
“Get over here,” she said, nudging Sora to the side as she patted the ground in front of her, “We’re doing wings.”
He hesitated, strangely unsure, but obeyed, slowly crawling over to sit with his back to her, the broad span of his wings unfurling.
They were a mess.
“Huh,” she said, taking in the disarray, “You’re really nervous about this meeting, aren’t you?”
Riku shrugged, but she saw the way the line of feathers ruffled even more, shifting out of place. Humming skeptically, she dug in, starting at the tip of his right wing and beginning to work her way across.
“Nervous, really? What for?” Sora asked, reaching absently to his other wing, brushing feathers back into place at random.
Riku sighed, “I guess I just… don’t like not knowing what’s next. Mickey wouldn’t summon us if it wasn’t important. I know there’s something he wasn’t telling me, but I don’t know why, or what I need to do. What if I can’t….”
Kairi paused in her preening to run the backs of her fingers over the wing in a caress, and Riku leaned into it with a little sigh.
“We’ll be okay,” Sora said, “We’re both strong, and now we’ve got Kairi with us, too. Besides, didn’t you hold everything down for a full year?”
“Maybe. To be honest, I barely held it together. And, the things I did, I think I – “ Riku cut himself off, curling in on himself. Several feathers sprung back out of place, and Kairi sighed, back-tracking to re-do her work.
“It will be fine. Like Sora said, you’ve got us, this time,” she said, “You’re not alone.”
“Yeah,” he said, “Of course, you’re right.”
Sora snorted, “That’s what I just said! What, you’ll believe her but not me?”
“Well. She is a bit more reliable.”
“Hey,” Sora whined, and Riku laughed, his whole body shaking with it as he turned to face her, reaching out to push at her shoulder.
“Alright, Kairi. Your turn.”
Sora and Riku were being put to the test, in an attempt to gain the power to save hearts that had been lost. She watched as her boys’ sleeping forms faded into another realm before turning a burning gaze onto Yen Sid.
“Teach me how to use my Keyblade,” she demanded.
“Oh?” he questioned, “And what makes you think I can do that?”
“You set up this test, you obviously know what you’re doing, and I-“ she stumbled for a moment, here, looked down and pressed on, “Twice now I’ve been left behind, because I would just get in the way. But this isn’t the end, is it? You wouldn’t be calling them here, making them take this test, if there wasn’t something coming.”
She met his eyes, again, searching for answers. His gaze remained inscrutable, so she had no choice but to continue on, “I refuse to get left behind again. This time, I’m going to protect them. I have a Keyblade; I can do it. So, teach me.”
Silence stretched between them. Yen Sid stared down at her, stroking his beard in quiet contemplation. Kairi determinedly kept his gaze despite the growing tremble in her hands. Finally, the old man sighed and strode over to take a seat in his chair.
“It is true. I believe another battle is coming, greater than the ones before. We will need more warriors on the side of light. A princess of heart would certainly be a powerful ally.” He paused for a moment, stroking his beard.
“I cannot help you, but-“ he cut off her protest, anticipating her reaction, “I know who can. Indeed, if you want to catch up with your Flight, his particular abilities will be of much use to you. I look forward to seeing your progress.”
Kairi is born into a world where your heart has wings.
She is done waiting to fly.
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hole in my parachute (big as your heart) | Ch 2
AO3
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Stepping through the heavy darkness was like falling, like flying, both and neither, until the next step met a sort of ground. On the other side, the world shifted and pulsed, pitch-black blending with purple and oily red, color disappearing into darkness until they were all the same. It pressed in on Kairi, thick and cloying and cold, her own warmth suddenly startling apparent where it held back the darkness.
“This way,” the girl said, voice tense, tugging her forward hurriedly. She led Kairi forward to a sort of fold, the not-colors rippling and wrapping and turning against an invisible seam. With a shaking hand, she reached up and gave it a tug, pitch black and light colliding as the tear ripped open. They stumbled out into a world of white, and the girl finally let go of Kairi’s hand to bend over, hand on her knees as she breathed heavily. Kairi stumbled forward on shaky knees, turning to look around. White – white, everywhere. The walls, the floor, the high, high ceiling – all of it was white. The only exception was the large doors at either end of the hall, which were a pale, dusty yellow.
“Are you alright?” the girl panted.
“Y-yeah,” Kairi stuttered, turning from her observation. The dingy red hood she wore was down, now, exposing limp blonde hair and pale, almost sickly skin. There was a purple tinge to her cheeks and even her fingers as she twisted her hands together.
“Who are you?” Kairi asked, “And how do you know me, or that guy, or – or Sora?”
“My name is Naminé. And I’m a friend. I’ve been helping Riku put Sora back together.”
“Back together?”
Naminé offered her hand again, leading Kairi over to a hidden passage, then down flights of stairs. As she went, she explained – a year ago, Sora had lost his memories due to a plan put together by the Organization. That was why Kairi’s memory had been so unreliable – why she couldn’t remember Sora. In the aftermath, Naminé had been using her powers to help put him back together. Now, he was awake, back in the world – and that’s why everything returned to Kairi.
“You were the last piece, the last connection that needed to fall into place,” Naminé said, opening a door that led to a large white hall, just like the one they initially landed in. She approached a set of doors, and with one hand she traced the seam of the door, light blooming from the crack in its wake, before the door groaned and swung open.
“In here,” Naminé guided, ushering her into the newly revealed, dimly lit room. Cabinets and bookshelves filled most of the walls, and a large, cluttered table took up the center of the room. Across from the door, one wall was covered by large machinery, two large, cylindrical chambers rising toward the ceiling, illuminated from within and shedding light across the room. The pod on the right was dim, but the one on the left held a familiar silver-haired figure, floating gently.
“Riku!” she gasped, racing forward. Her palm hit the cool glass, tracing the edges of that precious face.
“No,” Naminé said from behind her. She turned, finding the girl staring up at the body with somber eyes, “This isn’t Riku. He’s – a body, waiting for a heart.”
“I – I don’t understand.”
“Part of the Organization’s plan – they made a Replica, filled it with Riku’s memories, with false memories, and sent it after Sora. It didn’t work, in the end. He became too real, and then… well, this is what’s left.”
Kairi watched her for a long moment as sadness crept its way across her face, before delicately cutting into the quite, “Who… who is the Organization?”
Naminé paused, finally turning away. She moved to the table, sitting down, hands crossed in her lap. Kairi followed behind, perching at the edge of the chair next to her.
“You already know about heartless,” Naminé said, and Kairi nodded in confirmation, “When a person with a strong will becomes a Heartless, sometimes they will leave behind a Nobody, as well. A shell without a heart. In very rare cases, these Nobodies can keep their human form. The Organization is filled with these incomplete people.”
“Then, the guy at the beach?”
“Yes. He’s also a Nobody, another member of the Organization,” Naminé said, and Kairi shivered. She remembered the emptiness of his gaze, the uncanny stretch of his face, the posturing so at odds with the coldness she could feel coming off of him. A Nobody – someone truly without a heart, just a shell walking around – she could see it.
“He,” Naminé spoke up again, oddly hesitant, “I can’t be certain, but I think he wants to turn Sora back into a heartless.”
Kairi gasped, heart seizing, remembering a frantic rush down countless stairs, a little shadow staring up at her, holding that precious heart close as the darkness ripped and tore –
No. It wouldn’t happen again; she wouldn’t let it.
“How do we stop him?”
“By not letting him have you.”
“What?” Kairi asked, truly thrown, “Why would that matter? Why was he after me in the first place?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” Naminé returned, busying herself with the papers on the desk, “Sora will always come for you. He’ll do anything for you. Hollow Bastion proved that.”
“Hollow Bastion?” Kairi repeated, “When he – “
The door burst open.
“There you are, Kairi, Naminé,” Axel drawled. Kairi leapt to her feet, Naminé beside her, “I should have known you would choose here to hide. Couldn’t resist returning home?”
“Axel,” Naminé said, and he sneered, turning his gaze onto Kairi, where it pierced through her, avaricious yet cloudy, empty, like she was an object on a shelf.
“Gotta admit, you’ve got guts, Kairi – running right into the Darkness with a complete stranger. But you’ll be coming with me, now.”
Naminé stepped in front of her, hand on her arm as she slowly walked them back, around the table, “Axel, you can’t do this. I understand how this hurts, better than anyone, but – he’s gone. You have to let go.”
“Like you did?” Axel scoffed, sending a dirty glance to the Riku copy floating in the pod. Naminé flinched, hand squeezing around Kairi’s arm as she stared between the two’s stand-off in confusion, stomach turning.
“Maybe not, but I didn’t kill anyone to – “
“Didn’t you?” Axel cut her off, the air growing heavy between them, “You wanted Sora back, and you deemed Roxas an acceptable sacrifice. I’m just doing the same.”
“I understand. But, I’m sure you understand why I can’t just let you do this, either.”
Naminé spun, activating a machine just to the side of them. It kicked up a large wind, scattering all the notes and paper in the air like a smokescreen. Then they were moving, Naminé tugging her along, tearing open another dark path in the air.
They stumbled out of the chaos to the sound of the sea.
Kairi hit the ground at a roll, ears ringing. Beside her, Naminé crumpled to her knees, breathing heavily.
Are we back home? She wondered, but, no – the sky looked off, just the wrong shade of blue, and that was before she sat up to take in the world around them.
They were on a narrow island in the midst of a dark, churning ocean set alight by the setting sun. Behind them, a few scraggly palms dotted the sand before giving way to a dense thicket of tropical flora. The air was heavy with the promise of coming rain.
“Are you alright?” she called.
Naminé nodded, sitting up. The bags beneath her eyes cast long shadows, making her look even paler than normal, “I’m fine. Just... tired.”
“Okay,” she nodded, “Okay. We need to make some shelter.”
“Shelter?”
Kairi nodded, already looking inland. A hundred things to do flew through her mind, legacies of old plans three children made before the world ended, “It looks like it’s going to rain, tonight. We’ll want somewhere dry, with water and food.”
Naminé looked unsure, but took her hand when offered, following along as she led her to the tree line. From there, Kairi took charge. She left Naminé with a pile of foliage and sticks and instructions on how to make a quick shelter as she headed inland, looking for some way to collect water. If all else failed, there were coconuts – and for food, fish, if they could make a fire before the rain started.
The work kept them busy as the sun slipped below the horizon. Food and water dealt with, Kairi knelt to assist Naminé with finishing the shelter.
“Naminé?” Kairi asked as she worked on weaving the fronds together, “Who’s Roxas?”
Naminé paused, freezing in the corner of her vision, before continuing to work again, “Roxas is – was – the other half of Sora. His Nobody.”
“What? But, Sora’s not a heartless – not anymore, at least. I saved him!”
“You did. And it’s true that a Nobody isn’t supposed to exist at the same time as their original self. But Roxas was already created, and so he persisted. That’s why the Organization wanted – well, that’s what made Roxas so different.”
Kairi kept quiet for a frew minutes, mulling it all over.
“Axel, he said you sacrificed Roxas. What did he mean?”
This time, Naminé put her work down, staring contemplatively at the ground, “Roxas held half of Sora’s power, half of his memory; without him, Sora would have stayed asleep forever. You, and everyone else, would never have remembered him.”
“So, in order to wake him up…”
“Yes,” Naminé sighed, “If he hadn’t taken anything from Sora, it would have been different, but… in the end, he had to give it all back. To go back where he came from. Roxas knew that, too.”
They worked in silence for a while, after that. The wind slowly picked up, the sky growing dark as storm-clouds blew in, the light of the moon growing dimmer with every minute. As they worked on stringing up the cover, a pile of coconuts fell with a large clatter. Kairi snapped her gaze around to find a pack of spindly white monsters staring at her. Behind them all, Axel stood in the shadows, face dead and empty except for his eyes that burned.
Kairi leapt to her feet, hearing Naminé scrambling behind her. Axel spun in a flash of flame, a spinning metal disc flying from the sparks. It sped through the air, glinting in the moonlight, sharp spikes flying unerringly towards her throat. A quick flare of her spectral wings deflected the spinning disk, but only then did she see his shadowed form following behind – far too late to stop it. She could only watch in horror as his second weapon bore down on her, and then –
A flash of lilac lights and Naminé was in front of her, spectral wings wrapped forward in a shield. Sparks flew as Axel’s follow up attack stalled against the barrier, rebounded, sending him stumbling back a step. Kairi flinched back, expecting him to lunge forward once again, but he just stopped.
Stared.
The spectral wings faded from existence, their light going with them. Kairi couldn’t see Naminé’s face, but over her shoulder, Axel was deathly still.
“You knew,” he whispered. Naminé went rigid. Something like betrayal painted its way across his face before drowning in rage, “You knew!”
Heat suddenly seared against her skin, the only warning before the world erupted in flames, like the very air itself had caught fire. It spread, from the trees to the brush to the grass itself, blocking out the world beyond. All that existed was them, and the fire, and the raging creature staring them down.
Axel stood in the center of it all, eyes wild, nearly feral. As Kairi watched, rooted to the ground in horror, glowing, cracked lines of light spread from his spine. Bones, she realized, spectral bone, meant to support wings. They filled in, slowly, incompletely, a patchwork mess of bleeding flesh and ragged feathers and painful emptiness. The wounds dripped with a thick liquid, glowing light and dark, dampening the feathers that fell from them in a constant rain.
She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.
Naminé gripped her wrist, pulling away. Even as she moved, her gaze remained fixed on devastated eyes that screamed whywhywhy –
She tripped over her feet, snapping out of the trance, and they were moving, running, falling –
They emerged onto stone streets, stumbling out of a run. Naminé leaned heavily on a wall, but Kairi began to pace, pulse racing in her ears.
“Were those… were those wings?” she asked, pressing a hand to her mouth. The shape was there, certainly, and the feathers, but they were so twisted, so wrong, “But how could wings end up like that? What would have to happen to your heart to, to –“
Naminé didn’t answer, and Kairi spun to face her as something else occurred to her, “And I thought you said they didn’t have hearts?”
“That’s how they’re created,” Naminé replied weakly, “The heart is taken, and the body is left behind. But… it doesn’t always stay that way. Though, sometimes I wonder if that wouldn’t be better.”
Kairi shivered, remembering his rage consuming an empty husk, the mangled flesh and bleeding feathers. It was horrific, and yet somehow, somewhere inside, she…
“There were feathers. Is he… Is he bonded?”
The other girl flinched into her hood; Kairi’s heart dropped, “Naminé, what did you do?”
She looked away.
“This whole thing, it isn’t about Sora – it’s about Roxas,” Kairi realized, “It’s not that he wants to turn Sora into a heartless. It’s that he wants to re-create Sora’s Nobody.”
“Yes,” Naminé admitted quietly, “And that’s why you’re so important.”
“What?”
“I told you, a Nobody isn’t supposed to exist at the same time as their original self. It doesn’t happen, not naturally. Axel – if I know him, he’ll want to recreate the events of Hollow Bastion as much as possible. For that, he needs you.”
Kairi swallowed, remembering that moment – waking up just to see Sora fading away, his heart disappearing out of her reach. Then Riku appeared as nothing but a ghost, hurrying her away, and she barely had time to realize that she’d just lost everything.
To steal Sora’s heart away, just to get a – a shell? An empty body?
But… was it?
She breathed in sharply, blinking away the burning in her eyes, “That’s – “
How was she supposed to respond to that?
“Axel, no matter how much he’s hurting – this isn’t okay,” Naminé said, hands tangled together so tightly that even the purple tinge in her fingers was turning white, “He wants to turn Sora back into a heartless, and he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. There’s no guarantee Sora will come back this time. And now he’s hunting you. I won’t let him hurt you – either of you.”
“Yeah… you’re right.”
What else could she do?
They made their way out into the streets, silence between them. This world was in a state of disrepair, the walls crumbling all around them but showing obvious signs of life, of efforts to restore it all.
“Where are we?” Kairi asked.
“I think – I think this is Hollow Bastion,” Naminé answered, “I remember it, from Sora’s memories.”
Kairi stared up over the rising cliffs. A castle towered over it all, stark, imposing, unnerving. She didn’t like it.
“Hollow Bastion,” Kairi repeated, the words sticking in her mouth. Yes, she remembered it now, the outline of the castle as she and Sora fled in the wake of his transformation into a heartless, his transformation back. But somehow here, in the midst of city streets, the answer felt wrong.
“Then, the others should be here, right? Aerith, and Yuffie,” she said, “Maybe they could help?”
Naminé fidgeted nervously, worrying at the edges of her cloak, “Perhaps. I suppose we could try.”
“Then, let’s head up there,” Kairi decided, pointing up towards the castle and ignoring how she wanted to do anything but, “It seems important.”
For all her determination, when she reached the foot of the castle, Kairi found herself faltering. She came to a stop, staring up at the towering spires with a deep sense of dread sinking into her.
It took Naminé several steps to realize she wasn’t keeping up, turning back in confusion.
“Kairi?”
A strange prickle of awareness shivered down Kairi’s back right before spindly white nobodies sprung from the ground – around them, and between them.
“Kairi!” Naminé called, reaching for her, only to snap back as one of the monsters sprung towards her, snapping at her hand.
“Naminé!” Kairi twisted in place, trying to count the enemies – it was hard to keep track, with the way they twisted around each other. From behind the circle, Axel stalked forward, fire in his eyes, spilling out from the deep, empty chasm she could see cracked open inside him.
“You know, not many can evade me so long,” he said, and with a wave of his hand the creatures drew closer, closer, “But I’m afraid your little protector’s revealed her last dark secret. This time, you’ll be coming with me.”
The closest monster leapt, and she threw up her hands, desperately, as something in her chest seized, warmth nipping at her fingers before collapsing into a gasping, sputtering spark that stung like a rubber band snapping back on itself. Those sharp teeth flew forward until, inches from her face, a shadow crashed into it, popping it like a balloon.
The blur resolved into a tall figure in a black coat much like the one Axel wore, hood up to conceal their face.
“Riku,” Naminé gasped, and lightning danced up Kairi’s spine.
Riku? She thought, retracing the lines of his figure once more, looking for any hint of familiarity, My Riku?
She felt faint.
“Riku, he’s trying to turn Sora into a heartless, to recreate Roxas’s birth!” Naminé called, her hand wrapping around Kairi’s arm, pulling her along.
“Riku?” Kairi whispered, “Wait – “
“We have to go,” Naminé urged.
“But,” she started, but Naminé kept pulling, dragging her along, “It’s Riku! I have to - ”
Reality trembled, a dark tear opening beneath their feet, a corridor opening around them, closing around them.
“No, wait – Riku!”
“Take me back,” Kairi begged as soon as she landed, “Please, Naminé, you have to take me back.”
“I can’t,” Naminé protested, “Not with Axel there. We can’t let him get his hands on you. It will be fine, I promise. Riku is strong.”
“That’s not the point!” Kairi cried.
“Is everything alright?”
Both girls froze, turning to stare warily up at the man towering over them. He stared down at them with kind eyes and a warm smile, blonde hair swept back from his face in perfectly need curls. For the first time, Kairi took stock of her surroundings, noting that they were on the step of a large marble building.
“Oh. We’re fine, thank you,” Naminé murmured, voice softening suddenly, her little gasp of surprise perfectly tuned. She peered up at him from beneath her hood, eyes all soft and sheepish.
“Are you sure? I’m a hero, you know, I can help out if you need.”
“It’s fine,” Kairi sighed, “But, thank you.”
“Well, if you’re sure. But if you change your mind, I’ll be inside. And you should check out the Games while you’re here!”
“The games?” Kairi asked curiously.
“No, I’m afraid we won’t be here that long,” Naminé cut in, studiously ignoring the look Kairi cut her, “We’re just passing through. Thank you again.”
Naminé tugged her away and down the steps, and Kairi scowled but allowed it. The moment they were out of speaking distance, however, she jerked her arm free roughly.
“Please. I know you’re upset –“ Naminé started, and anger abruptly flared inside her.
“Upset? I’m –“ Kairi choked on her words, lips pressing into a flat line as she looked away. She tried to pushed it down, but it still simmered in her belly, threatening to escape as she tried to explain, “Do you know what it’s like, to lose everything? I don’t expect you to understand, but I need to see him. More than anything.”
Naminé looked away, her own voice tight, “Why wouldn’t I understand? I know what it’s like to lose someone, too. At least you know Riku is whole.”
“But I di-“
Cold shivered down Kairi’s spine, settling heavy in her stomach, and she cut herself off as a shadow fell over them.
“Riku, eh? Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.”
Another interruption. Once more, they both turned to the intruder, this time a tall man with blue skin and flames for hair staring down at them predatorily. There was a sense of recognition growing in his eyes that Kairi didn’t like.
“Hey, aren’t you that princess Maleficent’s little brat was after? My, isn’t this a surprise; what a small world. But hey, I know an opportunity when I see one.”
When Naminé ripped open another path out of the world, Kairi didn’t fight her on it.
Naminé stumbled as they landed, leaving heavily against a nearby wall as Kairi took in their surroundings. The floors gleamed like polished marble, and the walls rose four or five times their height, capped by elaborate molding. The windows, when she approached, looked out over elaborate gardens, where a squad of animal-esque gardeners worked intently at shaping the many hedges. Across the courtyard, the other walls rose high, and above them many spires rose into the sky.
“Is this… a Castle?”
From down the hall, around the corner, she could hear steps.
Heavy steps. Metal steps.
She and Naminé caught eyes, before quickly scrambling down the hall, ripping open the closest door – a storage closet, large, with shelves on either side but a blank far wall. Heart in her throat, Kairi pressed the door closed, back against the wood and a hand pressed across her mouth to quiet her breathing.
The steps came closer, clink-clink-clanking down the hall, the sound of plate armor bouncing against itself. A pause, impossibly long, only a few seconds, before it picked back up, passing them, retreating down the hall, and fading into the distance.
A gasp punched out of her, and she slid to the floor, slumping in relief. Naminé stumbled forward, sinking to sit against the opposite wall. She wasn’t quite sure she wanted to see what the people here would do to intruders – as unintentional as it was.
With the immediate threat gone, they slipped into a tense quiet. By this point, Riku was long gone – there was no point in turning back. All that was left was to keep running. Hiding.
“You’re still mad,” Naminé said.
“It’s - fine,” Kairi pulled her knees to her chest, “I just miss them. It’s been so long.”
Naminé looked down, thumbing the edge of her cloak, “I promise you’ll see him again, so please. Just wait a little longer.”
She fisted her hands around her shoelaces, chin buried in her knees.
“Okay.”
Kairi didn’t know what to think. The encounter went so fast, she’d barely gotten a look at him. First there’d been Axel, then the nobodies and then – that strange feeling.
She frowned down at her palm. It was like a power, just out of reach – or, was it like reaching for something familiar, only to realize it wasn’t in its proper place? Jarring, that skip in your stomach, your hand skidding across empty space. Even now, if she reached inwards, she could almost feel it, a faint tingle.
She held a hand out, plucking at that strange tension. Nothing happened – her palm felt warmer, maybe?
She tried again. It spilled up her arm, sluggishly crawling through her veins. Heat gathered at her fingertips, and she almost thought she could see a building glow –
There was a gasp across from her. Naminé was shaking, she realized, breaths short and fast, the purple veins under her skin pulsing faintly in the dim light.
“Naminé? Are you alright?”
“I’m – “
Whatever she was, Kairi didn’t get to find out. The shadows moved around them, bright eyes peering from the corners, stepping out and solidifying, and they were jumping to their feet in a heartbeat.
They spilled out of the closet into chaos. The occupants of this place were racing down the hallways, paying them no attention in the commotion. Heartless spilled from the walls, climbed over the windows, squeezed their way from every crevice.
Her hand sparked in response. She held it up, palm forward, reaching for that power. If she could just get it right, she thought –
Naminé stumbled beside her. Kairi whirled around, catching her elbows as her knees wavered, nearly sending them to the ground. Right, there wasn’t time for this, not now. The heartless were swarming ever closer.
“Naminé, we’ve got to get out of here!”
The other girl nodded, reaching out with a shaking hand to tear open a portal. Kairi grimly led her through.
The moment they stepped into the next world, Naminé collapsed to the ground, her rough breathing turning into a round of horrid, raspy coughing. Kairi knelt at her side in alarm, sliding a hand around her back, another at her shoulder to support her. She was already pale, but now she looked almost translucent.
“Oh my. She doesn’t look good.”
Kairi looked up where a woman stood nearby, tall and slender, her body a mix of patchwork parts. She approached slowly, offering a soft hand, “Let’s get her somewhere safe.”
The lady introduced herself as Sally, leading them through the dark, grungy town. Naminé leaned heavily on Kairi’s shoulder the whole way, half aware, as she watched the shadows suspiciously. The twists and turns finally led them to a lop-sided building, the toll tower stretching impossibly into the sky.
Inside, Sally swiftly led them through a small side door to a set of stairs, ignoring the man in the wheelchair that grumbled darkly at them. The climb was grueling, Kairi’s feet feeling more and more like lead with every step.
One foot in front of the other, she thought, Just take the next step. And the next. And the next.
Finally, they made it to the top. Sally opened the door to a small room, a rickety table and chairs took up the center of the room, a bed tucked into an alcove near a sagging dresser. The woman ushered them over to the mattress, helping her lower Naminé down, where her breathing almost immediately deepened into sleep.
With the removal of her burden, Kairi’s own jelly legs wavered, and she sunk down to the ground beside the bed, leaning heavily onto the blankets.
“Oh, you must be tired,” Sally said, stepping away towards the area of the room that could generously be called a kitchen, “Here, let me get you something to drink.”
The woman continued to talk quietly, the words blurring as Kairi dropped her head to rest on her arms. Her eyelids felt so heavy, each blink lasting longer than the last. Somehow, it was just now hitting her how exhausted she was….
Kairi woke again to the soft clinking of dishware. Her body was heavy, and her eyes crusted over, but she was warm, a blanket pulled up around her shoulders. Blinking blearily, she turned her head, finding Naminé staring back, eyes half-lidded in a drowse.
She picked at the blankets, mind swimming in the strange quiet between them. A strange mix of bitterness and guilt tousled her stomach. Looking at Naminé, there were so many little frustrations that itched at her – she kept her from Riku, she’d hidden things about Axel, and why he was after her.
“Naminé?” she whispered, waiting for the other girl to hum in response, “There’s not… anything else you’re keeping from me, is there? Nothing I need to know about this – this situation?”
Naminé reached out, stilling Kairi’s hand, slowly smoothing out the sheet between them.
“No,” she finally replied, “I’ve told you everything you need to know.”
Kairi stared at those familiar blue eyes and took a long, deep breath. She’d helped Sora. She’d make sure Kairi could remember him. And even now, she was going through so much just to keep Kairi safe.
“Okay,” she said, turning her cheek into the pillow below her. The humming coming from the kitchen threatened to lull her back into sleep, but then her stomach growled, and hunger took prominence.
She sat up, wincing as all her muscles protested, prompting an involuntary whine. She hadn’t been this sore in years. The noise from the kitchen stopped for a moment, before footsteps started up, Sally crossing to their side.
“You really must have needed that sleep.”
“Yeah,” Kairi said, brushing a hand through her hair, wincing as it caught on a tangle, “Thank you, for letting us stay here.”
“Of course, I couldn’t just leave you out there. Here, are you hungry?”
Kairi ate eagerly, Naminé joining them shortly after.
“Are you okay?” Kairi asked, “I was really worried.”
Naminé nodded, picking hesitantly at her food, “Yes; I’m sorry, I’m supposed to be protecting you, but you had to take care of me, instead.”
“No, that’s not it. I just didn’t know what caused it, or how to help. We’re friends, so of course I wanted to take care of you.”
“Friends?”
“Of course,” Kairi said, “How could we go through all this and not be?”
Food, rest, good company – it was such a relief, after all that running. Unfortunately, the peace couldn’t last. Several hours later they spotted a bright shock of red hair on the streets below, and they knew their time in this world had come to an end.
“We can’t keep running like this,” Kairi said, “We’ll just exhaust ourselves – you’re already getting sick.”
Naminé shrunk in on herself, clutching her elbows beneath her cloak, and went silent for several long moments. When she finally looked up, however, her eyes shone with determination.
“I have an idea.”
The idea was this: Axel was only after Kairi. Naminé could lead him away, and when Axel realized Kairi wasn’t there, she thought he would leave her alone.
To assist in this, they swapped clothes, both pulling their hoods up around their faces and tucking their hair away. From the back, they looked exactly the same. Sally chimed in on their planning, indicating a system she’d set up from her window to sneak out on her own.
It was a scramble to get everything done in time, but when Axel’s knock came, they had just enough time to sprint for the window and ride down to the streets below.
They ran, bait for him to follow, and turned a few corners before Naminé stopped, opening a portal.
“I’m sending you somewhere safe,” she said, “I’ll distract him as long as I can, and come get you when I get away.”
Kairi hesitated, hating to leave her alone with him, but…
“Okay. Be safe.”
She plunged through the corridor.
“Hey. Hey, are you alright?”
Kairi groaned, slowly coming to, a heavy ache in her head. As she blinked the stars away, three faces hovered worriedly over her.
“What… happened?”
“Oh, thank goodness, you’re okay,” the girl of the group said, offering a hand up.
The blonde behind her leaned back, throwing his hands up, “You appeared out of nowhere, that’s what happened! Just dropped right out the air and ran straight into our wall.”
“Your wall?” Kairi asked, glancing around, “Uhm, if you don’t mind – where am I?”
“You don’t know?” The third of the group asked, and Kairi shook her head.
“No. She just said she was sending me somewhere… safe.”
“…why don’t you start from the beginning.”
After explanations and introductions, all three of the kids seemed to slump in disbelief.
“No way,” Olette breathed, “That’s so scary! But – romantic, too, isn’t it? Going on a journey, trying to find your Flight.”
She sighed dreamily. Before Kairi could remind her that they weren’t bonded, not yet, Hayner cut in over her, “What I wanna know is what this guy looks like.”
“What guy?” Olette cut in.
“The one that’s hunting Kairi, obviously.”
“Axel? He’s – tall, skinny, with bright red hair. Kind of hard to miss,” Kairi said, “But, why?”
“Well, to look out for him, obviously! If he comes after you again, he’ll have to go through us,” Hayner said, smacking a fist into his palm.
Like his word had summoned it, the air began to split. Olette and Pence tensed on either side of her, while Hayner jumped to his feet, looking eager for a fight. Kairi herself prepared to bolt. Only, what came through was –
“Naminé!”
She rushed over, taking the other girl by the elbows, “Are you okay? You got away safe?”
“Yes, I,” Naminé hesitated, but then smiled softly, almost amused, “I left him to Sora.”
Kairi’s heart tumbled in her chest. Sora. First Riku, and now Sora. She was so close, but just missed them, and –
“Wait,” Pence cut in, “You two know Sora?”
Kairi turned in surprise, “Yes, he’s one of the people I’m looking for. But… you guys know Sora, too?”
Hanyer, Pence, and Olette shared their side of the story while Naminé and Kairi swapped their clothes behind a blanket the guys hung up in the corner.
“Do you have any idea if he’ll be back again?” Kairi asked.
“No,” Pence answered, “He said he’d come back, someday, but I get the idea he thought he’d be away for a long time.”
“But, hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t stick around!” Olette said.
Pence nodded, “Yeah! It sounds like you’ve been going non-stop, and he’s bound to show up eventually.”
Kairi couldn’t help but laugh, “Yeah, alright. Is that alright with you, Naminé?”
“I’m not sure,” Naminé said, “This town, Axel has history with it. I’m not sure if he’ll be drawn here, or if he’ll want to avoid it completely. But… it’s not like I have any better ideas.”
“Then stay,” Olette insisted, and Naminé nodded.
“Alright!” Hayner cheered, “Then get ready, we’re gonna give you the full tour!”
“Eh?”
The tour lived up to its promise – between the three of them, they seemed to know every inch of the town. Olette had a smile and a name for every person they passed, Pence knew every strange factoid and quirk, and even Hayner chimed in with the kind of suggestions and tricks that only the locals would know. Their commentary was so lively, Kairi couldn’t seem to help smiling and laughing. By the time they reached the top of the town, where a large clock tower rose up from the train station, both her legs and her face were sore.
She was so absorbed in their story, she didn’t notice when Naminé fell behind.
“Naminé,” a terribly familiar voice crooned, “You don’t look so good. All that time in the Darkness finally catching up to you?”
It was like a bomb going off in her heart. All the warmth in her was blown away by a wave of icy fear, the world around her going distant as all her senses focused on the man closing in on her.
“Who’s this guy?” Hayner asked, glaring into the shadows where Axel stood, “You know him, Kairi?”
She scowled, forcing her feet to stay in place, refusing to run now, “He’s the guy I’ve been running from, the one that tried to trick me into going with him.”
Axel sighed, stepping forward into the light, “Really, so dramatic. It wasn’t a trick – I said I’d take you to see Sora, and I meant it. I still do.”
“And use me to hurt Sora? No!”
“Axel, please,” Naminé cut in, sliding closer to her, between them, “This has to end.”
“You’re right, it does. And it will end with Roxas back here with me, just like he’s supposed to be.”
“Roxas was never supposed to exist at all.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Over her shoulder, Kairi could see the way his eyes alit with fury, “Well, neither were you, but I don’t see you joining hands with your Somebody and disappearing into the light!”
Naminé flinched back. Kairi reeled in confusion, head slowly craning towards the girl beside her. Not supposed to – with her Somebody? But, that sounded like –
“Oh,” Axel purred, and Kairi turned to look at him instead, at the grim delight painting his face, “Oh, didn’t she tell you? Will, I guess I’ll let you in on the secret, then. See, Naminé here is a Nobody, too.”
“Naminé?”
She wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“I – it’s different.”
“Well, I’ll give her that,” Axel scoffed, “Not sure it’s better, though. But now I’m wondering what else she didn’t tell you. Like that she’s the reason Sora was missing, for a year.”
“Wh-what?”
No, Naminé helped get him back – put together his memories. But, then, if you could put together someone’s memories… what’s to say you couldn’t take them apart?
She turned to Naminé who stared back, eyes wide and pleading, but – she couldn’t, not when – she said she’d told her everything. What else was she hiding? When the other girl held out her hand, she couldn’t help but hesitate.
That’s all it took.
Axel lunged, Naminé fell, and Kairi was in his grasp, his hand holding her arm in a bruising grip. She struggled, thrashing and yelling and pulling, but it amounted to nothing. Not even her new friends could stop him.
He just kept pulling, dragging her into the darkness, leaving Naminé behind, body still and silent on the ground.
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