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1 Prism Hearts
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2 Chapter 16Addicted to You
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3 by Amazoness Duo
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4 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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5 “Come stop your crying,
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6 It will be all right.Just take my hand,Hold it tight.I will protect
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7 you from all around you.I will be here,
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8 Don't you cry.For one so small,You seem so strong.My arms will hold
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9 you,Keep you safe and warm.This bond between us can't be broken.I
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10 will be here,Don't you cry.Cause you'll be in my heart.Yes, you'll be
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11 in my heart.From this day on,
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12 Now and forevermore...”
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13
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14
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15 Chaos. A surreal picture out of the mind of a disturbed artist.
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16 Reality on the very brink. This was the sight that greeted Kairi upon
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17 entering the doorway. This was the road to Kingdom Hearts, to the
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18 very heart of the universe. It was where all hearts were born. And
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19 here she was at the very edge of reality, where all the was existed
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20 in some cataclysmic dance. Roads traveled high overhead, twisting and
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21 turning this way and that. Upside down palaces hung in the distant
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22 sky. An ocean seemed to lay peacefully some distance to her right,
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23 climbing vertically into the heavens. So this was the End of the
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24 World. The road to Kingdom Hearts.
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25
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26 Steeling herself, Kairi clutched the tiny key around her neck. Riku
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27 was at the end of this road. And somehow she knew that Sora was
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28 somewhere close by, too. She needed to move forward. They needed her.
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29 This time, she was all alone. There was no one to back her up or to
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30 save her if she got in trouble. The absence of Yuffie and Relm hung
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31 heavily on her, as if something were missing. But too many had
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32 already been hurt because of her. It was time for her to end this.
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33 Once and for all. Images of Yuna and Rikku came unbidden to her mind
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34 and she had to force back the thoughts before she lost the will to go
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35 forward.
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36
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37 “I know you're stronger than that, Kairi,” Riku's voice called to
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38 her.
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39
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40 “Remember what you said? I'll always be with you, too,” Sora's voice
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41 carried on the wind.
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42
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43 A small smile crossed Kairi's lips. The brunette nodded, blinking
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44 tearfilled eyes open. “I'm coming. Just wait a little longer.” Here
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45 she was, finally nearing the end of her journey. It seemed like a
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46 lifetime ago when she had picked up the Keyblade and left to find the
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47 ones she loved. But now it was almost over.
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48
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49 “I'll never get anywhere just standing here,” the princess whispered
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50 to herself. She could almost hear Riku sighing exasperatedly, joking
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51 about how lazy she and Sora were. Thoughts of Sora and Riku spun in
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52 her heart, her driving focus. They were the strength in her heart.
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53 Letting go of the key handing from her neck, Kairi ran down the path
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54 towards the end of the dream.
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55
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56 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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57
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58 “Got ya!” Sora cried out. His hand struck out as he tried to grab
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59 hold of Hikari. The darkly clad brunette giggled and barely brushed
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60 past him yet again. She danced playfully out of range, her dark
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61 violet eyes shimmering as she watched him. Both were breathing
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62 heavily.
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63
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64 He moved to the right. She leaned to the left. Grabbing for her, the
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65 princess skittered out of the way once more. In their makeshift
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66 playground, Sora never took his eyes off of Hikari. Since they had
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67 played like this, so much time had passed. But now it felt like they
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68 were back on the Destiny Islands, playing their days away. All of his
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69 thoughts and worries were far in the background. All that mattered
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70 was their game and the mix of emotions it sent rushing through him.
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71 For the time being, all of the darkness that had tried to swallow him
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72 up in his battle against the Heartless was forgotten, replaced only
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73 with the sweet feeling of their chase.
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74
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75 Even in the princess's mind, the end was far from her thoughts. Only
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76 the vaguest hint of the unshed tears in her heart tainted her
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77 otherwise playful thoughts. This was something she had never done
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78 before. And yet, because of Kairi, it was her fondest memory. The
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79 memories of a much crueler version of being chased by cruel, hateful
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80 classmates because she was different was pushed to the furthest
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81 depths of her memory. Now there was only Sora and their game.
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82
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83 His heart was so pure. In her world of coldness and jagged shadows,
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84 being near him was like snuggling next to a fire on a frigid day. The
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85 days since he'd come to her in this palace at the End of the World,
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86 they had spent talking and playing. Memories from her life as Kairi
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87 flooded back with each moment she was with him. It made it all the
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88 more bittersweet. But in a way, that made it even better. She was
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89 just happy to be able to spend this time with him.So lost in thought
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90 was Hikari that she didn't get out in the way in time when Sora
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91 lunged at her. The spikey haired boy wrapped his arm around her,
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92 momentum carrying them both forward. The two of them landed in a heap
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93 on the grass, Sora on top of Hikari. The flowers around them pushed
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94 off of their stalks, soaring into the air as a multitude of different
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95 colored butterflies.
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96
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97 Hikari gazed up at the boy over her, watching as the butterflies
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98 swirled up over his head into the treetops. So beautiful. Reaching
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99 out, she let her fingers gently stroke his cheek. She giggled softly
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100 when she saw his faint blush spreading over his cheek. How cute. Her
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101 fingers continued onward, playing with his spikey hair. She had... or
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102 had Kairi?... always wondered who would kiss her first. Riku or Sora.
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103 Too bad she had never had the chance to find out. But this was
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104 certainly nice enough. She shifted under him, feeling the Keyblade
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105 Master fall further against her. Very, very nice indeed. No wonder
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106 she... Kairi?... loved him. Sora swallowed as he felt Hikari's soft
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107 caress on his cheek. The beautiful princess smiled sweetly up at him,
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108 her violet eyes drawing him in, deeper and deeper down the rabbit
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109 hole until he wasn't sure that he'd ever get out. Or that he ever
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110 wanted to. If he could just stay like this... No, he couldn't. He
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111 still needed to find Riku. It wasn't right until they were all
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112 together again. But in the meantime...
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113 Hikari leaned forward, her lips brushing Sora's softly. This time,
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114 Sora was more ready for the kiss. Lips melted together as Hikari
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115 continued to brush her fingers through Sora's hair. Despite the
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116 universes vastness and entirity, sometimes a single moment seemed to
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117 take precedence, glowing and taking up all that was. Hikari closed
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118 her eyes, kissing again, wishing she could freeze this moment forever
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119 but knowing all too well it would have to end. And so it did with the
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120 arrival of the message she had been awaiting. Noticing Sephiroth's
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121 arrival at the edge of the clearing they were in, Hikari slowly, ever
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122 so slowly, pulled her lips away from Sora's. Sora merely looked down
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123 at her, puzzled and still fuzzy from their kiss. She smiled up at him.
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124
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125 “She's here, your highness,” Sephiroth announced.
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126
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127 “She is?” Hikari shook her head to clear her own warm, love warped
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128 thoughts. She should have felt her arrival. She had been so lost in
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129 the moment with Sora that she had ignored it. Sephiroth simply
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130 nodded. Looking back up at Sora, she gazed into his eyes. “We have to
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131 hurry. The locks are gone now. We can open Kingdom Hearts.”
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132
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133 A moment passed before Sora could fully understand the implications
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134 of what Hikari had told him. The wait was now over. Kingdom Hearts
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135 could be opened. It was only a matter of time now. Riku would be back
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136 with them soon. “That's great!” He pushed back, sitting on the grass.
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137 The princess pushed herself up to face the spikey haired boy, her
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138 haunting eyes still holding his own. The story was almost over. And
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139 yet... She didn't quite want to let go. Not yet. Her eyes shimmered
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140 with tears that brimmed but that she held back by force of will. She
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141 wouldn't let him see her cry. Not now. Not when she was so close.
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142 “You're everything I've ever wanted. Or half of everything I've ever
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143 wanted. The darkness and the light. Sora, you were my light. Riku was
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144 my darkness. I loved the light for the hope it always held out to me,
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145 no matter how far away it seemed. And I loved the darkness for the
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146 comfort it gave me and how close it was. The two of you kept me
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147 afloat when I'd all but lost hope. Thank you.” Before he could ask
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148 her what she meant, she got to her feet, smoothing out her black
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149 dress and hurrying to follow Sephiroth. “We have to get to Kingdom
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150 Hearts to open the door, Sora. It's almost over.”Sora nodded, a
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151 little confused by what Hikari had said. But at the same time, he was
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152 thrilled that he could be that important to her. Soon enough,
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153 everything would be complete again. 'Hold on just a little longer,
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154 Riku.'
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155
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156 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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157
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158 The path seemed to decay the further and further Kairi went. It was
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159 as if reality was having more and more difficulty holding itself
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160 together. The pathway was much twistier now. Trees were nearly bent
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161 over. Land seemed to have curled up into itself. Here and there,
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162 Kairi could see gardeners sheers frozen in the process of pruning
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163 with no one to guide them or a twisted bike with no owner. There was
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164 a sword in the side of a blackened, gnarled tree she passed. Origami
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165 birds sat up in the branches of another tree. It felt as if they were
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166 watching her. On the side of the path was a blackboard. Rather than
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167 use chalk, someone had carved into it cruelly. 'The bearer of the
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168 Keyblade came and saved all that was.' Right under it, it went on in
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169 an alternate path. 'The bearer of the Keyblade came and brought ruin
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170 to all.' Both legends of the Keyblade. But which was true? It hardly
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171 mattered. She was here to put things right. She continued on her
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172 maddening path. Kairi stopped suddenly, her eyes fixing ahead of her.
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173 The dirt by her feet rose in a cloud and then stayed that way,
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174 forgetting the cause and effect of settling back down once again. It
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175 was her school, wasn't it? Only, it looked distorted, as if it wasn't
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176 entirely there. The fountain in front was empty, cracked. Books
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177 floated in midair, as if their owners had up and left them hanging. A
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178 cold pit formed in her stomach. Her memories of her other life were
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179 still distant, but she knew that she didn't have any good memories of
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180 this place. And yet there it was, waiting for her at the End of the
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181 World. “Surprised, Mademoiselle Kairi?”
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182
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183 “Harle!” Kairi turned to find the harlequin watching her, sitting on
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184 a curved pillar that hadn't been there when she last looked. In fact,
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185 the entire direction she had come looked rewritten. The princess
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186 looked back the way she had come, the path having disappeared
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187 completely. Everything was different now. There were cliffs where
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188 there had been none before, a wasteland instead of a grassland path.
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189 “Silly girl. Zere is no going back. Only going forward now. It iz
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190 your Fate, after all. You have been meant to come here all along.”
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191 Harle hopped down from the tree, sauntering over to Kairi. “Oh, how I
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192 have missed such a pretty face brightening up moi's day.” She grinned
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193 as Kairi took a step back in embarrassment.Shaking off her
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194 embarrassment, Kairi faced Harle. “What's going on here? Why is this
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195 here? Isn't this the End of the World? This can't be what Sora went
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196 through to get here.”Laughing, the harlequin shook her head, bells
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197 jingling along with her laughter. “Of course not. Zis iz your path,
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198 not his. Zere are infinitely many ways to reach Kingdom Hearts just
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199 as zere are infinitely many hearts themselves.”Turning back to the
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200 surreal school awaiting her, the brunette thought over Harle's words.
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201 “So I have to make my own path to Kingdom Hearts? My own version of
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202 the End of the World?”“It iz a path zat has been in your heart all
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203 along, Mademoiselle Kairi. Waiting for you. Waiting for ze day zat
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204 you would travel down it,” Harle explained.
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205
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206 “So...” Kairi took a deep breath. “If this path is different because
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207 of me, how much of this is real?”
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208
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209 Harle laughed again, placing her hands on her hips. “Still you ask
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210 about zis realitie? Have you learned not'ing on your journey,
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211 Mademoiselle Kairi?”
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212
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213 The harlequin disappeared, fading away. A tap on Kairi's shoulder
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214 nearly sent the already tightly wound girl jumping. Harle grinned at
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215 Kairi's surprise, now standing behind her. “Realitie and dreams all
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216 simply exist. Side by side. They are what you make of them. Izn't zat
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217 what life iz? All of our realities intermixing together? It happens
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218 everyday. What you see isn't necessarily what he sees. And what she
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219 sees is again different. And so on and so on, throughout it
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220 all.”Kairi nodded slowly, sighing. She had to let go of that worry.
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221 In the end, it wasn't important. “It really doesn't matter what's
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222 real, does it? I'm starting to wonder if 'real' even
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223 exists.”Grinning, Harle walked around Kairi. “Now you are catching
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224 on. Forget about zis 'real'. Simply follow your heart. Your heart and
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225 its connection to other hearts is much, much more important than
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226 whatever world you see around it.” Her expression turned more serious
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227 as she continued inspecting Kairi. “So you have made your
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228 decision?”“Of course she has,” another voice broke in. A young blonde
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229 girl in a patient's uniform stood on the edge of the fountain. “She
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230 wouldn't be here otherwise.”“So you've decided to come and see as
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231 well, Aya?” Harle asked wryly, raising an eyebrow.
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232
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233 “What happens here affects everything. Not only the Dragon God are
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234 interested in how it all plays out, you know,” the little girl
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235 argued. Once again, the scope of what was going on was drapped in
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236 Kairi's lap. This wasn't just about her search for Riku and Sora. It
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237 involved all that was. All those many different worlds. All her
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238 friends. Everyone she had met and so many more. And if she couldn't
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239 close the door, it could all be consumed by the Heartless. She had to
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240 hurry. “Thanks, both of you.” She nodded to both women before walking
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241 through the large doors of the school.
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242
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243 “I hope, for all our sakes, zat you are right about her,” Harle said
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244 softly, watching Kairi's retreating form.“She's very strong at heart.
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245 In the end, that's all we could ask for,” Aya replied. “I have faith
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246 in her.”“Yes, but the one she must face iz also strong at heart. If
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247 she fails, zere will be no escape from the Heartless,” Harle said
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248 grimly. “It will be as if God herself has died and left the entirety
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249 of existence to fall apart at the seams.”
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250
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251 Aya smiled softly. “Then lets hope she doesn't fail. I don't intend
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252 on being away from Maya for an eternity.”
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253
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254 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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255
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256 Truth be told, Kairi hadn't come to a decision. Not as such, anyway.
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257 She still didn't know which world she belonged in. The one with her
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258 mother, Hollow Bastion, or the Destiny Islands. The gateway between
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259 worlds would close once she shut the doorway that had let the
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260 Heartless grow from her own original world. She missed her mother
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rlm@2
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261 back in that sometimes cruel world. She missed her father and the
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rlm@2
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262 kingdom of Hollow Bastion. She missed Riku and Sora and their
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rlm@2
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263 carefree days on the Destiny Islands. The answer should be obvious,
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rlm@2
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264 but she couldn't get herself to decide which. That gnawed at her as
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rlm@2
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265 she went further into the lifeless school.The school looked mostly
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rlm@2
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266 the same as she could remember it except for small details.
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rlm@2
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267 Everything was curved sinisterly, misshapen. In some places, trees
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268 grew indoors. One of the classrooms seemed to lead into a crashed
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269 airship. It was all an amalgam of different realities along with a
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270 dreamlike quality. Or more accurately, a nightmare.
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271
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rlm@2
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272 The icey pit in her stomach wouldn't go away. Everywhere she looked,
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rlm@2
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273 people may have been missing, but their shadows remained. Menacing,
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rlm@2
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274 hateful. She felt like a scared little girl again, memories of the
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275 lonely, terrified feelings she had had spreading through her veins.
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rlm@2
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276 She could hear laughter behind the locked doors, mocking and cruel.
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277
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rlm@2
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278 Clenching and unclenching her fists, the princess continued forward.
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rlm@2
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279 She nearly stepped on a crumpled piece of paper on the ground.
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rlm@2
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280 Hesitantly, she picked it up, already knowing it was a bad idea. It
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rlm@2
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281 was the birthday party invitation her mother had made for her to hand
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282 out to her classmates so many years ago. Her mother had spent all
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283 night drawing each seperate invitation. Tears stung at Kairi's eyes
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rlm@2
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284 as she remembered. Remembered how thrilled she'd been that her
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rlm@2
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285 wonderful mother would make her such beautiful party invitations.
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rlm@2
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286 Remembered how embarrassed she'd been when everyone had laughed at
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rlm@2
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287 'Princess Hikari'. Wasn't she too old for that sort of thing, they
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rlm@2
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288 had asked? Remembered the shame and regret and anger and pain as she
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rlm@2
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289 cried. She couldn't tell her mother what they did. She couldn't tell
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290 her mother that she had felt so ashamed as they'd called her princess
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rlm@2
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291 and mocked her over and over again. Princess. What her mother called
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292 her. 'My beautiful princess Hikari.'Tears streaked down Kairi's
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293 cheeks as she leaned heavily against the lockers. “Mom... I miss
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294 you...” she whispered, clutching the crumpled invitation to her
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295 chest. Her body shook slightly as she sobbed. Bittersweet memories.
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rlm@2
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296 Crafted of both darkness and light. They filled her existence. “I
|
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rlm@2
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297 miss you, too,” the voice in Kairi's head whispered.
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298
|
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rlm@2
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299 “Mom?!” Kairi looked around quickly, her breath catching. She
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rlm@2
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300 blinked away her tears rapidly, wiping a wristband over her eyes.
|
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rlm@2
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301 “Mom, is that you?”“Kairi... I used to call you that when you were
|
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rlm@2
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302 little. I didn't know you'd use that nickname for yourself. And you
|
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rlm@2
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303 always were my princess,” the voice answered. For once, Kairi didn't
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rlm@2
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304 mistake it's familiarity.
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305
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rlm@2
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306 “Mom... Where are you?” Kairi asked, a knot forming in her throat.
|
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rlm@2
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307 “I'm at home, Hikari. Just like I've always been. Waiting for
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rlm@2
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308 you.”“But... I'm... I'm dying..” Kairi said at last, fresh tears
|
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rlm@2
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309 slipping forth. “... I know. But I'm your mother. I can't just let
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rlm@2
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310 you go. I have to try. Even if I can't do much. I wanted to be here
|
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rlm@2
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311 to lead you back home,” the voice whispered. “Mom...” Kairi placed
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rlm@2
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312 her face in her hands, suddenly feeling very, very weak. She felt
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rlm@2
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313 dizzy. The locker felt cold against her clammy skin. Slowly, the
|
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rlm@2
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314 princess slid down the locker. Everything looked so blurry. She was
|
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rlm@2
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315 having trouble focussing. “..mom...?” she tried to ask, frightened.
|
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rlm@2
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316 The word barely came out as a whisper. It felt so hard to do
|
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rlm@2
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317 anything. Everything felt so heavy. She felt so tired. She tried to
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rlm@2
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318 raise a hand to try to pull herself up, but it hardly moved. Blood
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rlm@2
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319 stained her wristbands, dripping to the floor beneath her. 'No!!!'
|
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rlm@2
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320 Kairi screamed in her mind. 'Not now! I'm not ready to go yet! Just a
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rlm@2
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321 little longer! I can't die now. Not now!!' “Hikari... Please open
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rlm@2
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322 your eyes, Hikari. Please. Mommy's right here.” A sob punctuated her
|
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rlm@2
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323 mother's pause. “Please, Hikari. Don't leave me. Don't go away, baby.
|
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rlm@2
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324 Please don't go.” Her mother held onto her dying form brushing her
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rlm@2
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325 hair with shakey, panicked hands. “Please...”
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rlm@2
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326
|
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rlm@2
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327 Slam!Kairi looked up suddenly, the noise from the locker over head
|
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rlm@2
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328 startling her. Looking back down, everything was back to normal. The
|
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rlm@2
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329 blood was gone. Her mother was nowhere to be seen. She was alone in
|
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rlm@2
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330 the distorted school hallway. “Mom?” No answer. “Damn it.” Kairi
|
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rlm@2
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331 sighed, standing up. At least she had more time. But how much more?
|
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rlm@2
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332 She was dying. She had to make her decision soon. Would she try to
|
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rlm@2
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333 wake up in the world where she was dying in her mother's arms? Or
|
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rlm@2
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334 would she sever her ties with that world and remain on the Destiny
|
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rlm@2
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335 Islands? She was running out of time. Slam!Kairi turned her attention
|
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rlm@2
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336 back to the strange noise. It was coming from a locker. Her locker.
|
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rlm@2
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337 She remembered that much. But what was coming from it. Almost drawn
|
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rlm@2
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338 to it, she reached forward, her heart pounding as she did. Before her
|
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rlm@2
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339 fingers could touch it, the locker flew open. Small creatures piled
|
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rlm@2
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340 out, falling into a heap on the floor. Kairi stepped back, rady to
|
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rlm@2
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341 draw her Keyblade. But they were all the plushies she had made back
|
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rlm@2
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342 home. Her mother had taught her how to sew. Her mother had made all
|
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rlm@2
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343 of her costumes, and Kairi had sewn together plushies of different
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rlm@2
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344 characters. And Riku and Sora. Bending over to examine the plushies,
|
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rlm@2
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345 Kairi was disturbed to find all of them had the Heartless symbol sewn
|
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rlm@2
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346 onto them. Whatever it meant, she knew she was getting close. A
|
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rlm@2
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347 rustling noise sounded behind her. Kairi froze. Another. And another.
|
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rlm@2
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348 She felt as if she were being watched. The brunette turned slowly.
|
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rlm@2
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349 Her eyes fell upon a strange Heartless where a shadow had been a
|
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rlm@2
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350 moment before. And then another. And another. The shadows of the
|
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rlm@2
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351 students were becoming misshapen Heartless versions of the students
|
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rlm@2
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352 she had gone to school with. All of them watched her with malevolent
|
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rlm@2
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353 yellow eyes. Her heart froze for just a second. Standing up, she
|
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rlm@2
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354 pulled up the Keyblade. How many of them were there? Could she get
|
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rlm@2
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355 through them all? She had to. No matter what.“Kairi, hurry. You need
|
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rlm@2
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356 to reach the Doorway to the Light. I'll hold them off.” The cloaked
|
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rlm@2
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357 boy stood in the hallway in the midst of the Heartless. He slowly
|
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rlm@2
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358 pulled out his two demon wing shaped swords, seeming to know
|
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rlm@2
|
359 precisely where everyone was even under his blindfold. Kairi stared
|
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rlm@2
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360 for a moment, trying to decide if she should leave him alone to face
|
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rlm@2
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361 the growing number of Heartless. “Go! Now!!” he yelled, magic
|
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rlm@2
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362 surrounding him as he prepared for the oncoming Heartless.
|
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rlm@2
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363
|
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rlm@2
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364 “Thank you,” Kairi said in return. With a last look back to the
|
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rlm@2
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365 cloaked boy, she ran.
|
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rlm@2
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366
|
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rlm@2
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367 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
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rlm@2
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368
|
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rlm@2
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369 The hallway got more and more shadowed, turning sharp corners as it
|
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rlm@2
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370 went along. Everytime Kairi would look back, the path she had just
|
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rlm@2
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371 walked had changed entirely. Forward was the only way she could go or
|
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rlm@2
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372 she knew she'd be forever lost. It was as if she was being led
|
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rlm@2
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373 forward, the ground behind her shifting as soon as she had moved over
|
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rlm@2
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374 it. It had to be leading her somewhere. She only hoped it was leading
|
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rlm@2
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375 her towards her goal. And suddenly, it ended. The cracked, broken
|
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rlm@2
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376 ground beneath her feet ended directly in front of her, leading into
|
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rlm@2
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377 a deep chasm. Frustrated, the princess turned back the way she had
|
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rlm@2
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378 come. But there was no way back. Directly behind her was only a wall.
|
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rlm@2
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379 There was no way back and no way forward. “This can't be happening. I
|
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rlm@2
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380 don't have time for this. There has to be a way out of here. Please
|
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rlm@2
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381 hang on, Riku and mom.” Gazing around the small corridor she was in,
|
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rlm@2
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382 Kairi couldn't see anything to use to get past. There were no
|
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rlm@2
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383 handholds to climb along the wall over the chasm. And there was no
|
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rlm@2
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384 way back. So there was just... The princess listened closely.
|
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rlm@2
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385 Footsteps? But they sounded so close. In the same corridor she was
|
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rlm@2
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386 in. But where? Listening intently, she could tell it was coming from
|
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rlm@2
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387 right in front of her. Over the chasm? It sounded as if someone was
|
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rlm@2
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388 walking directly in front of her, right over the chasm. She looked
|
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rlm@2
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389 down and saw something aside from the deep drop. Dusty footprints
|
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rlm@2
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390 marred the air, as if someone had stepped on something invisible and
|
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rlm@2
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391 left their footprints behind. Kairi's eyes followed the footprints.
|
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rlm@2
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392 She heard another footstep and saw another form several feet ahead in
|
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rlm@2
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393 the air. And another.Taking a deep breath, Kairi scooted close to the
|
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rlm@2
|
394 edge. Maybe there was an invisible walkway. She had to hurry. And
|
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rlm@2
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395 this looked like the only way. Taking a tentative step forward, Kairi
|
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rlm@2
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396 was overjoyed to feel something solid, if invisible, under her foot.
|
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rlm@2
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397 She slowly took another step, careful to follow the dusty footprints.
|
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rlm@2
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398 Good. There was a path. She just hoped it would lead to Kingdom
|
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rlm@2
|
399 Hearts. How long did it go on into the darkness? She took her next
|
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rlm@2
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400 step, placing her foot right over the dusty footprint. And fell right
|
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rlm@2
|
401 through. Too shocked to utter a proper scream, Kairi
|
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rlm@2
|
402 plumetted.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
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rlm@2
|
403
|
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rlm@2
|
404 And so she fell like a shooting star, dropping through the air
|
|
rlm@2
|
405 towards the world below. The sun shown off of the beautiful ocean
|
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rlm@2
|
406 waves. She could feel the Keyblade inside of her heart. It was deep
|
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rlm@2
|
407 inside of her, nearly unlocking her heart. The water rose up and
|
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rlm@2
|
408 enveloped her.
|
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rlm@2
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409
|
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rlm@2
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410 Water surrounded her, encompassing. She was too weak to swim, her
|
|
rlm@2
|
411 journey having been so very long. It felt like a lifetime had gone
|
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rlm@2
|
412 by. Her mind felt so far. Was she going to drown? Here in this
|
|
rlm@2
|
413 tranquil ocean? No... They needed her. But she was so weak... It was
|
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rlm@2
|
414 hard to move.
|
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rlm@2
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415
|
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rlm@2
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416 Thankfully, someone had dove in after her. Arms grabbed onto her,
|
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rlm@2
|
417 dragging the dazed princess out and onto the beach. She slowly caught
|
|
rlm@2
|
418 her breath, gazing up at the side of the person as she lay there,
|
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rlm@2
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419 unable to get herself to move. Slowly, a face looked down at her. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
420 smiled faintly as she understood. Her own face. It was time. She was
|
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rlm@2
|
421 too exhausted, too weak. She was dying. But she could keep going for
|
|
rlm@2
|
422 her. The other Kairi sat up, staring at her in shock. “What?” So many
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 thoughts were rushing behind those violet eyes, thoughts that Kairi
|
|
rlm@2
|
424 could remember for they had once been her own. Thoughts about whether
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 or not this was a dream and just who she was.Finally noticing the
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 handle of the Keyblade sticking out of her chest, the shocked Kairi
|
|
rlm@2
|
427 took hold of the handle.
|
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rlm@2
|
428
|
|
rlm@2
|
429 “It will be okay, Kairi. I’ll always be with you. There’s nothing to
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 be afraid of. You just have to reach out and take my hand.” Riku
|
|
rlm@2
|
431 stood over Kairi, telling her this. Kairi smiled up at him. He was
|
|
rlm@2
|
432 always there, right beside her. She understood that now, too. The
|
|
rlm@2
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433 other Kairi stared, still in awe. “Riku... I...” She reached out for
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 his hand, but he was already gone. “Riku...” She looked back down at
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 Kairi, her hand still on the grip of the Keyblade. “Find them,” Kairi
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 whispered to her confused self. “They need you. They can’t do it
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 alone.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
438
|
|
rlm@2
|
439 The confused Kairi slowly nodded. “We should be together. We need
|
|
rlm@2
|
440 each other.”Smiling softly, Kairi closed her eyes. She could finally
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 rest. This version of her would take care of it. She would help Sora
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 and Riku. It wasn't over yet. She could feel the other her take a
|
|
rlm@2
|
443 firm grip on the handle, pulling it out, not unlocking her heart. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 could feel everything shift as she was engulfed by sparkles, leaving
|
|
rlm@2
|
445 the other Kairi alone with the Keyblade.
|
|
rlm@2
|
446
|
|
rlm@2
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447 “Open the door,” a voice whispered in the lone Kairi's head. Who was
|
|
rlm@2
|
448 it? She couldn’t quite tell. Looking up, she could see a lone door
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 standing on the beach, apparently leading to nowhere. It had a large
|
|
rlm@2
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450 keyhole on it. It almost seemed to beckon her. Kairi slowly stood up.
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 If she stayed
|
|
rlm@2
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452 here, her friends might be in danger. She knew they could
|
|
rlm@2
|
453 handle anything if they were all together again. Sora and Riku were
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 both lost out there. Maybe she could find them. She would find them.
|
|
rlm@2
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455 Wherever they were.
|
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rlm@2
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456
|
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rlm@2
|
457 Stepping forward, the young princess used the large,
|
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rlm@2
|
458 unwieldy key to unlock the door awaiting her. As the door slowly
|
|
rlm@2
|
459 opened, she knew there would be no turning back. This was it. But her
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 choice was simple. She had to find them. Anything could have happened
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 to them out there, lost on any one of countless worlds. Without a
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 glance back, Kairi plunged through the door.
|
|
rlm@2
|
463
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
465
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 Standing before Kingdom Hearts, watching the stars swirl about it,
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 Hikari took Sora's hand. It was beautiful. It was, after all, the
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 very heart of existence itself. Sephiroth stood behind them, as
|
|
rlm@2
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469 always keeping an eye on the princess he had sworn to protect. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 could feel it. It was almost time. Her heart pounded. Soon... Just a
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 little longer. Kairi had almost reached it. “Don't worry, Riku. We're
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 coming.” Sora promised, one gloved hand on the huge Doorway to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 Light. Nodding, Hikari squeezed Sora's other hand. “It's almost
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 over.” There. She could feel it. Kairi was ready. “Now. It's time,
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 Sora.” Letting go of his hand, she stepped back from the boy. He was
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 the Keyblade Master. It was up to him to unlock the Doorway to the
|
|
rlm@2
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477 Light. Of course, the Doorway needed two keys to open. The other key
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 was being inserted right now.Holding up the Keyblade, Sora pointed it
|
|
rlm@2
|
479 at the door, letting it's light pulse forth. Turning the Keyblade, he
|
|
rlm@2
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480 unlocked the door. Now they'd all be together. He was already with
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 Hikari. Now they'd have Riku. And the Light would end the Heartless
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 once and for all. Hikari watched as the light started to spill forth.
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 “The Light. It's beautiful,” she whispered. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
484
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 Kairi stepped out of the strange doorway, trying to piece her
|
|
rlm@2
|
486 thoughts together. She'd just been on the Destiny Islands beach
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 again. But she'd been there at the point in time when her journey had
|
|
rlm@2
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488 begun. But which one had she been? The one lying on the beach with
|
|
rlm@2
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489 the Keyblade in her heart? Or the one who had taken the Keyblade to
|
|
rlm@2
|
490 start her journey? Both, it seemed. She could remember her entire
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 journey. So now she had reached it's end.
|
|
rlm@2
|
492
|
|
rlm@2
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493 It had led her full circle. She was back in her room. Shooting stars
|
|
rlm@2
|
494 flew past her window. Her plushies sat in a comfortable pile on her
|
|
rlm@2
|
495 bed. Turning in a slow circle, she took in her room again. All of her
|
|
rlm@2
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496 video games she had played countless times, sharing in the adventures
|
|
rlm@2
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497 of heroes and villians. Her pictures of the Destiny Islands lined the
|
|
rlm@2
|
498 walls. Costumes were probably hanging in her closet. And yet, this
|
|
rlm@2
|
499 wasn't home. She could feel it. “This is Kingdom Hearts.” And she
|
|
rlm@2
|
500 knew it was. Like Harle had said, her journey through the End of the
|
|
rlm@2
|
501 World had been different from Sora's. And much like their journey had
|
|
rlm@2
|
502 been different, so was their version of Kingdom Hearts. Kairi's was
|
|
rlm@2
|
503 the one doorway that had remained locked for her this whole time.
|
|
rlm@2
|
504 She'd been so close to Kingdom Hearts everytime she'd revisited this
|
|
rlm@2
|
505 room. The princess turned her attention to the locked door in her
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 room. She swallowed. She was finally here. Through chaos and tragedy
|
|
rlm@2
|
507 she had come, but she had made her way there all the same. This time
|
|
rlm@2
|
508 the locks on Kingdom Hearts were gone. She could unlock the doorway
|
|
rlm@2
|
509 and see Riku. But then what? What would become of Riku? He was dead
|
|
rlm@2
|
510 and was only clinging to this world to see her one last time. And
|
|
rlm@2
|
511 what of her? She was dying as well, her mother begging her to go back
|
|
rlm@2
|
512 to another world. She didn't know. But she couldn't stop now. “Riku?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 Kairi asked, walking to the doorway. “Kairi!” Riku's voice filtered
|
|
rlm@2
|
514 through the door.
|
|
rlm@2
|
515
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 The brunette could hear him hurry to the other side of the door,
|
|
rlm@2
|
517 placing his hand on it. She placed her own hand where she imagined
|
|
rlm@2
|
518 his to be. “I'm here, Riku. I'm finally here. To set you free.” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
519 licked her dry lips, closing her eyes.
|
|
rlm@2
|
520
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 “I always believed in you, Kairi. I knew I'd see you again.” Riku
|
|
rlm@2
|
522 rested his head against the door, smiling faintly. No matter what had
|
|
rlm@2
|
523 gotten in her way, Kairi had triumphed. She had made her way to
|
|
rlm@2
|
524 Kingdom Hearts. To him. He knew she was strong. Now he knew just how
|
|
rlm@2
|
525 strong.
|
|
rlm@2
|
526
|
|
rlm@2
|
527 “Riku...” Kairi whispered. There was so much she needed to tell him.
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 But not through a door. Not anymore. She had finally reached him. Her
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 journey had come to a close. She had reached her treasure. Stepping
|
|
rlm@2
|
530 back, she pulled up the Keyblade. At that very same moment, Sora was
|
|
rlm@2
|
531 unlocking the door as well. Kairi could feel him almost as if he were
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 there with her. She smiled. They were all together again. Together,
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 she and Sora unlocked the Doorway to the light. Slowly, ever so
|
|
rlm@2
|
534 slowly, the locked door in Kairi's room opened, light shining forth
|
|
rlm@2
|
535 behind it. The light blinded Kairi for a moment. When she could focus
|
|
rlm@2
|
536 again, the door had regained it's splendor. It was no longer the door
|
|
rlm@2
|
537 in her room, but the gigantic double doors of Kingdom Hearts. Her
|
|
rlm@2
|
538 heart soared as she saw Riku's silouhette in the light. “Riku!” And
|
|
rlm@2
|
539 someone else was beside her. She wasn't alone anymore. Turning to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
540 side, she saw Sora, holding out his Keyblade just as she was holding
|
|
rlm@2
|
541 out hers. “Sora!” They were together again. All three of them. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
542 light spilled over her, warming her. She laughed. It was over. They
|
|
rlm@2
|
543 were all together again. This is what she had wanted, what she had
|
|
rlm@2
|
544 always dreamed of. “Kairi?” Sora looked over, astonished to see Kairi
|
|
rlm@2
|
545 opening the door with him. She was wearing her old outfit from the
|
|
rlm@2
|
546 Destiny Islands rather than her black princess's dress. And she
|
|
rlm@2
|
547 seemed so surprised to see him. His eyes slowly went behind Kairi.
|
|
rlm@2
|
548 Hikari grinned, standing behind Kairi like a shadow. Sephiroth stood
|
|
rlm@2
|
549 watch further behind them. And then, all hell broke loose. The Light
|
|
rlm@2
|
550 began to dim. Shadows began growing in intensity, growing larger and
|
|
rlm@2
|
551 more menacing. The shadows shot into the Doorway, going deep into the
|
|
rlm@2
|
552 core of the Light, into the very heart of the universe. The light
|
|
rlm@2
|
553 grew dimmer. Bigger, monstrous shadows grew in the Doorway to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
554 Light, obscuring out the light. “No!!!” Sora yelled, loss and
|
|
rlm@2
|
555 frustration robbing him of the joy he'd held just seconds earlier.
|
|
rlm@2
|
556 “Damn it! Kingdom Hearts is Light!!” But it was too late. The shadows
|
|
rlm@2
|
557 kept growing. The Heartless were poisoning the Light of the universe
|
|
rlm@2
|
558 at the heart of the Galaxy. Kairi could only stare. She had come to
|
|
rlm@2
|
559 end the Heartless. She had come to save everyone. But that was gone
|
|
rlm@2
|
560 now. Soon, everything would be. “No...” she whispered, broken.
|
|
rlm@2
|
561 “No...” Shaking her head, the princess tried to understand. “But...
|
|
rlm@2
|
562 The Light...”“Beware, Kairi,” her voice came from behind. “The closer
|
|
rlm@2
|
563 you get to the Light, the greater your shadow becomes.” Kairi slowly
|
|
rlm@2
|
564 turned to face herself, Princess Hikari grinning in her black dress.
|
|
rlm@2
|
565 “Who are you?” “I'm your shadow,” Princess Hikari explained. “The
|
|
rlm@2
|
566 Doorway to the Darkness is shut. The Heartless are dying out because
|
|
rlm@2
|
567 of that. But you had to come and stop them. You unleashed the Light.
|
|
rlm@2
|
568 Which would have killed the Heartless. If not for one tiny detail.
|
|
rlm@2
|
569 You're my light. So I'm the darkness. With you directly in the Light,
|
|
rlm@2
|
570 I'm more powerful than I could ever be in the darkness. Thanks to
|
|
rlm@2
|
571 you, I've resurrected the dying Heartless. They'll consume the Heart
|
|
rlm@2
|
572 of the Universe and start anew. We'll make the Doorway to the Light
|
|
rlm@2
|
573 into a new Doorway to the Darkness.”“Hikari!!” Sora cried out,
|
|
rlm@2
|
574 betrayed. How could she have done this? How could she have sacrificed
|
|
rlm@2
|
575 everything to the darkness? Hikari shook her head a little sadly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
576 “Thank you, Sora. For everything. I know why Kairi loves you. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
577 loves you because I loved you. Just like Riku. That's why she was
|
|
rlm@2
|
578 willing to suffer so much to get him back.” She looked into his eyes,
|
|
rlm@2
|
579 her own torn with pain and torment. “I'm glad I got to spend this
|
|
rlm@2
|
580 last bit of time together. It's bittersweet, but I think that makes
|
|
rlm@2
|
581 it an even better note to go out on. I got to see one of the things
|
|
rlm@2
|
582 that meant the most to me.” She looked back towards the darkening
|
|
rlm@2
|
583 Doorway to the Light. “But now it's time for the dream to end. From
|
|
rlm@2
|
584 Darkness we all come, and to darkness we will return.”Kairi shook her
|
|
rlm@2
|
585 head, her heart feeling as if it were being shred to pieces. All of
|
|
rlm@2
|
586 her work for nothing. Everyone would be consumed by the Heartless.
|
|
rlm@2
|
587 She couldn't save anyone after all. “Who are you? You can't do this.
|
|
rlm@2
|
588 You can't! I was going to save everything!” Hikari shook her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
589 sadly. “You don't get it, do you? I'm two people. Just like you. I'm
|
|
rlm@2
|
590 Princess Hikari, daughter of Ansem, the ruler of Hollow Bastion. When
|
|
rlm@2
|
591 my father was overcome by the Heartless, I followed him. I was
|
|
rlm@2
|
592 worried about him and I knew his research was driving him mad. My
|
|
rlm@2
|
593 personal guard, Sephiroth, came with me. We reached the Doorway to
|
|
rlm@2
|
594 the Darkness where my father had become one of them. I joined soon
|
|
rlm@2
|
595 after. But I realized there was a problem with my father. We all have
|
|
rlm@2
|
596 darkness in our heart. But we also have light. He didn't understand
|
|
rlm@2
|
597 that. So when I gave myself to the Heartless, I got rid of the light
|
|
rlm@2
|
598 in my heart. That was you, Kairi. I sent away the light in my heart
|
|
rlm@2
|
599 to find the Keyblade Master so I could keep track of him, whoever he
|
|
rlm@2
|
600 may be and to keep you away so that there would be no chance of the
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 light ruining me as it did my father.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
602
|
|
rlm@2
|
603 Clenching her fists, she grew bitter. “And then there's another me.
|
|
rlm@2
|
604 A me who grew up with only her mother. A lonely girl who never quite
|
|
rlm@2
|
605 fit in. Who was always teased and a bit away from everyone. Like I
|
|
rlm@2
|
606 never really belonged in that world. So I spent all my time in
|
|
rlm@2
|
607 fantasy worlds, watching movies and playing video games. And I spent
|
|
rlm@2
|
608 a lot of time in one fantasy world in particular. On an island where
|
|
rlm@2
|
609 I had lots of friends and I was beautiful and two boys adored me.
|
|
rlm@2
|
610 Sound familiar, Kairi?” Kairi felt the Keyblade drop from her hands.
|
|
rlm@2
|
611 This... This was wrong... “Don't.... Please...” She knew about the
|
|
rlm@2
|
612 two realities, but now this girl... “But it was only a fantasy. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
613 could never really be on that island. I could never really be
|
|
rlm@2
|
614 beautiful with lots of friends and the boys I loved.” Hikari laughed,
|
|
rlm@2
|
615 an anguished sound. “I couldn't be with the boys I loved because they
|
|
rlm@2
|
616 were only make believe. My real life was pointless and my fantasy
|
|
rlm@2
|
617 life was just that, a fantasy. So I finally decided I wanted neither.
|
|
rlm@2
|
618 So one night, I took my mother's shears and I slit my wrists so I
|
|
rlm@2
|
619 could finally escape the pain and the longing for that which I'd
|
|
rlm@2
|
620 never have.”Kairi held her head, trying to force it all away. “Then
|
|
rlm@2
|
621 why are you doing this? Why can't you live here with them? Why can't
|
|
rlm@2
|
622 you stay with mom? Why... Why?”Hikari glared at Kairi. “You are
|
|
rlm@2
|
623 pathetic. No wonder I got rid of you. You always did make me
|
|
rlm@2
|
624 indecisive. I was always so wishy washy when I had you inside of me.
|
|
rlm@2
|
625 I won't live in a fantasy world. What's the point if none of it is
|
|
rlm@2
|
626 real? And I won't live in a real life that's nothing but tears and
|
|
rlm@2
|
627 pain. I'm going to die. And I'm going to tear down this fantasy world
|
|
rlm@2
|
628 with me. I'm finally going to get my rest. I am the queen of the
|
|
rlm@2
|
629 Heartless now, Kairi. I've set loose the horrors of the real world
|
|
rlm@2
|
630 here and I'm going to use them to tear it apart. It's all just a
|
|
rlm@2
|
631 lie.” She shook her head. “But you still don't understand. Kairi, I'm
|
|
rlm@2
|
632 the real Hikari. I'm both Princess Hikari and Hikari in the real
|
|
rlm@2
|
633 world. You're just a part of me. A sliver. And illusion. You're the
|
|
rlm@2
|
634 small light in my heart that I sent away. You aren't real. Just as
|
|
rlm@2
|
635 light is only an illusion, so are you.” Hikari reached forward,
|
|
rlm@2
|
636 placing her hand over Kairi's heart. All of a sudden, Kairi couldn't
|
|
rlm@2
|
637 breath. She gasped panfully, her body blurring and disipating. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
638 shook, but couldn't move as Hikari went about dispelling the illusion
|
|
rlm@2
|
639 that she was. It couldn't be... No... She could feel herself fading
|
|
rlm@2
|
640 quickly. Riku... Sora... She had only wanted to be with them, to save
|
|
rlm@2
|
641 them. Her mother... Soon it would all be gone. Just like her. Arms
|
|
rlm@2
|
642 wrapped around Kairi tightly, trying to force her back into being.
|
|
rlm@2
|
643 “Kairi, you have to fight it,” Riku told her, holding on as tightly
|
|
rlm@2
|
644 as he could. “You have to believe. I know it's hard. But hold on.
|
|
rlm@2
|
645 Please.” Hikari frowned as the dead boy tried to bolster her other
|
|
rlm@2
|
646 self. It didn't matter. She was growing in power as the seconds
|
|
rlm@2
|
647 ticked by, as the darkness grew. Within just a few moments, she'd be
|
|
rlm@2
|
648 strong enough to dispell Kairi offhand. A swift blow knocked her hand
|
|
rlm@2
|
649 away from Kairi. “Stay away from her!” Sora practically growled,
|
|
rlm@2
|
650 holding the Keyblade towards her. Pain erupted in Hikari's heart
|
|
rlm@2
|
651 again. Even the boys she loved were turning against her. Even if they
|
|
rlm@2
|
652 were only figments of her imagination, it still hurt unbearably.
|
|
rlm@2
|
653 “Sora...” Sephiroth gripped his sword. Remembering his earlier battle
|
|
rlm@2
|
654 with Sora, this would be rather simple. The boy didn't even have back
|
|
rlm@2
|
655 up this time. Pulling up the Masamune, the SOLDIER started towards
|
|
rlm@2
|
656 the boy.“Don't, Sephiroth.” The cloaked boy watched Sephiroth through
|
|
rlm@2
|
657 his blindfold. “King Ansem. How nice of you to join us,” Sephiroth
|
|
rlm@2
|
658 bowed. Smiling faintly, he nodded towards Hikari. “I'm sorry to
|
|
rlm@2
|
659 inform you, but I am Princess Hikari's royal guard. My loyaltly lies
|
|
rlm@2
|
660 to her and her alone.”“Don't try and stop me, father. I'm ending this
|
|
rlm@2
|
661 tonight. Everything will die,” Hikari said, not deigning her father
|
|
rlm@2
|
662 worth a glance. Her pained eyes remained fixed on Sora. She'd known
|
|
rlm@2
|
663 that he wouldn't follow her plan, but it hurt nonetheless. But he was
|
|
rlm@2
|
664 only a dream, she told herself. That helped fill her resolve. It
|
|
rlm@2
|
665 would all be over soon enough.Kairi leaned heavily against Sora,
|
|
rlm@2
|
666 Riku's ghostly arms still around her. “Ansem?” So Ansem had survived.
|
|
rlm@2
|
667 No wonder he looked so much like Riku. He was still in Riku's body.
|
|
rlm@2
|
668 Then... That was her father.
|
|
rlm@2
|
669
|
|
rlm@2
|
670 “Don't do this, Hikari. I let my curiosity overwhelm me. I let the
|
|
rlm@2
|
671 Heartless consume me. Don't let them do the same to you. There is
|
|
rlm@2
|
672 light in our hearts. Darkness isn't the only thing our hearts are
|
|
rlm@2
|
673 born from,” Ansem pleaded.Hikari laughed. “I know that, father.
|
|
rlm@2
|
674 That's why I sent my light far, far away. The Light gave me the power
|
|
rlm@2
|
675 to destroy it all. Darkness is reality. Light is dreams. It's fragile
|
|
rlm@2
|
676 and full of lies. So I'll put an end to all of it.” Raising her hand,
|
|
rlm@2
|
677 the darkness in the Doorway to the Light pulsed. Shadows spilled out,
|
|
rlm@2
|
678 engulfing all. In moments, there was nothing but darkness.
|
|
rlm@2
|
679
|
|
rlm@2
|
680 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
681
|
|
rlm@2
|
682 Harle and Aya watched as Darkness began spilling out, Heartless
|
|
rlm@2
|
683 growing everywhere. The Darkness was overtaking all in it's path. It
|
|
rlm@2
|
684 was enough to wash over all the universe. Harle shook her head.
|
|
rlm@2
|
685 “Surely she has damned us all.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
686
|
|
rlm@2
|
687 She sailed about in a sea of darkness. It was everywhere, and yet it
|
|
rlm@2
|
688 felt like nowhere at all. It imprisoned her in it's painfilled
|
|
rlm@2
|
689 memories of the past, lacing her with cold wracking sobs and blazing
|
|
rlm@2
|
690 hot desperation. She had failed. Because of her, everything had
|
|
rlm@2
|
691 ceased to be. Now there was only darkness. No dreams. No love. No
|
|
rlm@2
|
692 Light. And this is all it would ever be. Because of her. 'Even in
|
|
rlm@2
|
693 darkness... There will always be light...' Her grandmother had told
|
|
rlm@2
|
694 her that, hadn't she? No, it was her mother. She had come home
|
|
rlm@2
|
695 crying. Her mother had come in and smoothed down her hair and had
|
|
rlm@2
|
696 told her that. 'Just... take my hand...'
|
|
rlm@2
|
697
|
|
rlm@2
|
698 But what could she do? It was too late. It was all over. If she
|
|
rlm@2
|
699 hadn't been blinded, if she hadn't been so stupid, maybe she wouldn't
|
|
rlm@2
|
700 have forfeited everything.'Kairi, please...'So she could only float
|
|
rlm@2
|
701 in the darkness, curled up into a ball, broken and lonely. Always so
|
|
rlm@2
|
702 lonely. It wasn't so different from hiding in the bathroom at school
|
|
rlm@2
|
703 crying, was it?'Kairi... reach out... take my hand...'
|
|
rlm@2
|
704
|
|
rlm@2
|
705 But... But there was light, wasn't there? Even in the very deepest
|
|
rlm@2
|
706 darkness. Because... without light, there could be no such thing as
|
|
rlm@2
|
707 darkness. And without darkness, there could be no light. Kairi
|
|
rlm@2
|
708 reached out for Riku's hand. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
709
|
|
rlm@2
|
710 “Kairi...” Riku knelt near her, watching the weary girl slowly push
|
|
rlm@2
|
711 herself up. “Are you okay?”“Riku!” Kairi tried to hug him, but he
|
|
rlm@2
|
712 shook his head. He was only a spirit. Ansem had his body. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
713 couldn't hold him. She placed her hands on her knees in an attempt to
|
|
rlm@2
|
714 keep from trying to touch him. She nodded slowly. “I'm... I'm okay.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
715
|
|
rlm@2
|
716 “Good.” Riku smiled softly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
717
|
|
rlm@2
|
718 “Where's Sora? And Ansem? And...” Kairi looked away. Hikari was her,
|
|
rlm@2
|
719 wasn't she? So this really was her fault.Riku shook his head. “I
|
|
rlm@2
|
720 don't know. I followed you into the darkness. You managed to fight it
|
|
rlm@2
|
721 off. I think Hikari and Sephiroth went into the Doorway to the Light.
|
|
rlm@2
|
722 I don't know where the others went.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
723
|
|
rlm@2
|
724 “Thanks, Riku.” Kairi slowly looked back up at him. The silver
|
|
rlm@2
|
725 haired boy gazed back into her eyes with his dazzling aquamarine
|
|
rlm@2
|
726 gems. The princess smiled weakly. “I missed you so much.”“I missed
|
|
rlm@2
|
727 you, too, Kairi. I wanted to see you one last time. I'm glad I got
|
|
rlm@2
|
728 to.” Now that Riku could see Kairi, he could at last pass on. As long
|
|
rlm@2
|
729 as he knew she was all right.
|
|
rlm@2
|
730
|
|
rlm@2
|
731 “No!!” Kairi blinked back tearfully. “I need you! This isn't the
|
|
rlm@2
|
732 last time! You're coming with me,” she demanded.“You don't need me,
|
|
rlm@2
|
733 Kairi. You made your way here without my help. You're stronger than
|
|
rlm@2
|
734 you know.” Riku smiled, placing his hand over her cheek. He wished he
|
|
rlm@2
|
735 could feel it. Just one last time. “Maybe I should ask you to take
|
|
rlm@2
|
736 care of Sora for me instead of the other way around.”“I do need you!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
737 Kairi insisted. “I never would have gotten here without you. You were
|
|
rlm@2
|
738 with me every step of the way.” Tears spilled freely down her cheeks.
|
|
rlm@2
|
739 “I don't want to be without you, Riku. I love you. Don't go.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
740
|
|
rlm@2
|
741 The last part nearly broke Riku's resolve. She loved him? How could
|
|
rlm@2
|
742 he leave her? But he didn't have a choice. But... at least he knew
|
|
rlm@2
|
743 that. He'd be able to hold that with him when he passed on to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
744 other side. “Kairi, I love you, too. I always have. I'd stay with you
|
|
rlm@2
|
745 always if I could. Always and forever.”Kairi finally noticed the dark
|
|
rlm@2
|
746 haired girl behind Riku. The girl who had called herself Sophie.
|
|
rlm@2
|
747 Death incarnate. She had come to collect Riku. “No...” She looked up
|
|
rlm@2
|
748 pleadingly, but the angel of death shook her head simply. This was
|
|
rlm@2
|
749 her job. “Riku...” Tears blurred her vision as she watched him stand
|
|
rlm@2
|
750 up. “I won't let you go. I won't!” She pushed herself to her feet,
|
|
rlm@2
|
751 reaching out for him. “Just...” She licked her broken lips, trying to
|
|
rlm@2
|
752 see him through her tears. “Just take my hand. And it will be all...”
|
|
rlm@2
|
753 Her voice broke, her throat painful now. “And it'll be all right.
|
|
rlm@2
|
754 Just take my hand...” She held it out, her hand shaking. “Because...
|
|
rlm@2
|
755 Because we'll always be together. Always. I believe that Riku.
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rlm@2
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756 Please, please believe in that with me. Always....” Sophie placed her
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rlm@2
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757 hand on Riku's shoulder. He looked back at the angel of death and
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rlm@2
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758 then to Kairi. He was dead. Sophie was going to take him away. But
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rlm@2
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759 Kairi wouldn't let go. She had a terribly strong will. “I told you
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rlm@2
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760 that you're stronger than you know.” Riku smiled at Kairi, taking her
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rlm@2
|
761 hand. In a flash of light he was gone. Kairi closed her eyes, placing
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|
rlm@2
|
762 her hands over her heart. Riku was gone, and yet, she didn't feel
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rlm@2
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763 alone. She felt... She felt as if he were close by. With her.
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|
rlm@2
|
764 'Because you aren't alone,' his voice said in her head. “Riku!”
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rlm@2
|
765 Kairi's eyes lit up as she opened them.Riku's heart... When her heart
|
|
rlm@2
|
766 had been separated from her body, she had ended up in Sora's body.
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|
rlm@2
|
767 Now Riku was without a body, but she had taken him into her own. He
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rlm@2
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768 hadn't left. She let out a deep breath, relieved. Sophie turned away
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|
rlm@2
|
769 from her, walking back into the darkness. “You're running out of
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rlm@2
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770 time. Hurry. I have to collect you next, you know.” With that, Death
|
|
rlm@2
|
771 herself was gone.Kairi nodded. “Let's go, Riku. To end this.”
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|
rlm@2
|
772
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