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1 Prism Hearts
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2 Chapter 17
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3 Hikari
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4 by Amazoness Duo
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5 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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6
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7 "Imaginary"
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8 by Evanescence
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9
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10 I linger in the doorway
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11 of alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name
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12 let me stay
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13 where the wind will whisper to me
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14 where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story
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15
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16 in my field of paper flowers
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17 and candy clouds of lullaby
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18 i lie inside myself for hours
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19 and watch my purple sky fly over me
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20
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21 don't say i'm out of touch
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22 with this rampant chaos - your reality
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23 i know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge
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24 the nightmare i built my own world to escape
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25
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26 in my field of paper flowers
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27 and candy clouds of lullaby
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28 i lie inside myself for hours
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29 and watch my purple sky fly over me
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30
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31 swallowed up in the sound of my screaming
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32 cannot cease for the fear of silent nights
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33 oh how i long for the deep sleep dreaming
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34 the goddess of imaginary light
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35
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36 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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37
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38 The darkness encompassed all. Any light that had been within Kingdom
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39 Hearts had been extinguished. Standing in front of the imposing
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40 doorway that led into the heart of the universe, Kairi paused for a
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41 moment. This was it. This would lead her to Hikari, to her other
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42 self. And if she didn't do something to stop Hikari, the Heartless
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43 would consume the heart of the universe and tear apart the beautiful
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44 dream. And then, she would die. Alone. She couldn't let that happen.
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45 So much had already been lost. There had to be a way to save
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46 everything. Somehow.
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47
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48 Closing her eyes, Kairi took a moment to feel Riku within her. His
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49 heart, strong and dedicated, rested next to her own. She could feel
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50 his thoughts and feelings flowing through her as if they were her
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51 own. “I'm worried about him, too,” she whispered at last, feeling his
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52 thoughts go to Sora. When she had awoken from the Darkness, she had
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53 been all alone with the exception of Riku's spirit. Wherever Sora
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54 was, she hoped they weren't too late.
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55
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56 Collecting her strength, the princess stepped through what had once
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57 been the Doorway to the Light.
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58
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59 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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60
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61 Inside the Doorway, all was dark. She could see herself, but
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62 everything else was the deepest black. It was as if the world around
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63 her was painted in shadows. And yet, even in that absence of light,
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64 it didn't feel empty. There was something lurking in the shadows.
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65 They were alive. Pulsing with the cold, pained cries of broken
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66 hearts. Soon, this blanket of tears would encompass everything. The
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67 princess hastened her step into the eternal night.
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68
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69 No matter how far Kairi traveled, nothing seemed to change. The
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70 darkness was constant. Shivering in the darkness, she hugged herself
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71 to try to keep warm. Her outfit may have been fine for island life,
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72 but in these blackened depths, it offered little protection. From the
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73 shadows came echos of crying, mocking laughter, angry voices, and
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74 other noises Kairi couldn't quite make out. They all came from the
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75 darkest part of the heart. There was no spectre of the light that had
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76 once been there. Kairi feared that she was too late. But she couldn't
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77 just sit and wait for the universe to collapse. If there was any
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78 chance that she could make things right again, she had to take it. No
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79 matter what the cost. “So Ansem's still alive. I should have known it
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80 was him in your body,” Kairi said at last, growing wary of the
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81 strange noises in the distance. “I guess he had reason to stick
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82 around in this life like I did. He seems to be trying to stop Hikari,
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83 too. The Light must have awakened the part of him that had been such
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84 a great ruler before he started researching the Heartless,” Riku's
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85 voice rang through Kairi's head. It was so strange. After he'd sold
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86 his heart in order to save Kairi's, she had eventually been the one
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87 to save him. Now his heart was in her body. She had always been
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88 special to him. He and Sora had spent so much of their time vying for
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89 her attention. But it was more than that. It ran deeper. He had been
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90 willing to do whatever it took to save her. He had no idea she'd be
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91 just as willing to do the same for him. “Thanks, Kairi.”A small smile
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92 played of Kairi's lips. “I may not be able to fight like you and
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93 Sora, but that doesn't mean I'd ever give up on you two.” Her tone
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94 changed more serious as she rested her hand over her heart, imagining
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95 his heart. “I promised I'd find you. This isn't over until we're all
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96 together again.”“Kairi...” Riku smiled inwardly. “You're more amazing
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97 than you know. Whatever Hikari said, don't let it get to you. You've
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98 proven you're more than an illusion. However you started out, no
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99 matter what world you came from, you're the strongest person I know.”
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100 Kairi blushed, all too acutely aware that Riku could feel her
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101 thoughts. It made it impossible to hide her embarrassment. She acted
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102 hastily to cover it up. “I hope that means you won't be calling me
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103 lazy anymore,” she joked.“Oh, I don't know about that,” the once
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104 silver haired boy teased. “You and Sora still like to leave me to do
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105 the hard work.”Giggling softly, the brunette nodded. “That's just
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106 because you're better at it. And I hope that means you don't plan on
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107 building another raft to go see other worlds. I think I've had enough
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108 travel for a while.”“I learned that traveling isn't worth it if you
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109 can't be close to the ones you love. I never wanted to go by myself.
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110 I wanted to go with you and Sora. Everything would have been fine
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111 then,” Riku explained. “I'm sorry, Riku. I wanted that, too. And I'm
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112 sorry for what happened to you because of me. You tried to save me,
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113 but you lost your body because of it. If there's anyway I can get it
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114 back, I will,” Kairi promised,guilt washing over her for the silver
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115 haired boy's predicament. “No, don't feel sorry, Kairi. I did what I
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116 had to. I'd have done anything to get you back. I sold my heart to
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117 try to do that. I lost my body in the bargain. But getting you back
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118 was more important than any of that. I can accept what happened. As
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119 long as I'm with you, I'm happy.”
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120
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121 The conviction in Riku's thoughts coursed through Kairi. She smiled
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122 faintly. “As long as I'm with you...” she echoed.
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123
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124 “Watch out!” Riku's voice called out to her. Kairi stopped herself
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125 right in front of a developing shadow. It shifted and grew, achieving
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126 a shape. Because of the darkness around it, the shadow itself was
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127 difficult to make out, but it became easier and easier as its form
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128 became more defined. Kairi took several steps back, but already she
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129 could feel more of them. They were surrounding her. The one in front
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130 of her finally stepped forward, the shadowed hair shifting from side
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131 to side. It's long sleeves nearly touched the ground. It looked up
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132 with a horribly familiar face. “Yuna...” Kairi got out breathlessly.
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133 It looked exactly like the other girl painted in shadows. Beside the
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134 shadowed Yuna stood a rapidly forming shadow of Rikku. Kairi turned
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135 to spot the others, but there were rapidly becoming more than she
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136 could count. Kuja. And Ultimecia. And Kefka. And Seifer. And Celes.
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137 And more and more. They all watched her with their blind, dark,
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138 accusing eyes. The Keyblade was in her hand without thinking. It took
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139 the princess a moment to realize Riku had taken control and was
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140 preparing to fight. But even with how good a fighter she knew Riku
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141 was, they were terribly outnumbered. There were simply too many of
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142 them. They appeared in droves, surrounding them. So many faces that
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143 she could recognize in those awful shadow faces, all damned. “No! I
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144 unlocked your heart!” Kairi turned to Yuna, practically shouting in
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145 panic. “You should be free. You should all be in the Lifestream by
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146 now. You should be safe from the Heartless!”“And they are,” a voice
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147 said. The path of shadows opened for the darkly clad, silver haired
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148 SOLDIER. Sephiroth nodded to Kairi, watching her intently as he began
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149 to step forward. “You unlocked their hearts. And the others are dead.
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150 They're far away. Much too far away to help you, my princess. But
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151 their shadows, on the other hand... Those are more than happy to tear
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152 you apart. Bit by bit. Princess Hikari was running out of Heartless
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153 so she took the shadows of the dead. Now they have gathered here,
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154 ready for the endless night that she will bring.”
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155
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156 “Why are you doing this? She's wrong. She'll destroy everything,”
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157 Kairi insisted. Part of her could remember Sephiroth. He had been her
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158 loyal guard, always there to protect her. How could he be doing this
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159 now? “I don't ask questions, your highness. I do as Princess Hikari
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160 commands me. I would lay down my life for her. I'm sure the ghost boy
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161 with you understands what I mean.” He raised the Masamune, his
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162 glowing green eyes fixed on Kairi's.
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163 Deep within Kairi, she could feel Riku's grudging agreement. Riku,
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164 too, would do the same thing for Kairi. Sephiroth was protecting
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165 Hikari in the same way, regardless of where that led the universe.
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166 Kairi felt her hands tighten on the Keyblade as Riku prepared to try
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167 to fight off Sephiroth. And the mass of shadows that was surrounding
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168 them. The princess wasn't ready to give in, but she couldn't see a
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169 way out. “But if you have to protect her, you have to protect me,
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170 too,” Kairi insisted. “I'm the princess. You swore you'd protect me
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171 from all harm.”Sephiroth shook his head, still a few meters away. He
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172 would be on them in seconds. “I'm afraid it isn't that simple. You
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173 are only a dream that Princess Hikari had. She wishes the dream to
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174 end. So I will be your executioner for my highness.” His single dark
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175 wing unfurled. It would be a shame to have to kill even a facsimile
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176 of the princess, but he would do whatever she asked of him. Spinning
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177 end over end, a shuriken whistled through the air. The bladed weapon
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178 sunk deep into shadow Rikku, felling the dark version of the catgirl.
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179 “You will not degrade the memory of my little sister! I don't care
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180 who the hell you think you are!” Yuffie yelled out, rage burning in
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181 her eyes.
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182
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183 Turning in a daze, Kairi was shocked. Yuffie was there? The ninja
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184 had followed her? But how? But it wasn't just Yuffie. There stood
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185 Relm, already drawing a fire to light the darkness. Aerith stood with
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186 them, chanting a spell. And there stood Cloud with his own wing
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187 unfurled. And Squall and Rinoa. And the Turks. And there were Quistis
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188 and Selphie. They were all there. They had come for her. She wasn't
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189 alone.
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190 Before the shadows could get to Kairi, the group began to fight
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191 their way into the mass of living shadows. Yuffie slashed her way
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192 through with another shuriken, fighting with all the pain she had for
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193 her lost sister. Relm drew vicious dogs, letting her paintings attack
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194 the shadows nearest her. The Turks opened fire, fighting their way
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195 through the mob of darkness. Quistis and Selphie fought together, for
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196 their Island, for everyone's future. They all fought back the growing
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197 darkness as best they could. They all knew the stakes of this final
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198 battle. And they were all willing to give their hearts to try and
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199 stop the end from coming. “Didn't think we'd just live you to do it
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200 all alone, did you?” Yuffie asked, breaking through the shadows to
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201 reach Kairi.
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202
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203 Relm followed closely behind Yuffie. “You shouldn't have ran off on
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204 your own. We got worried about you.” The light in Kairi's heart grew
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205 as she watched her two companions. Even in darkness, there is always
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206 light. Even now, at their very darkest hour, her friends had come for
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207 her. Hikari was wrong. She couldn't let this end. “I guess I just
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208 thought it was better to do it alone,” Kairi admitted. Yuffie
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209 smirked. “Without the universe's greatest ninja?” She shook her head.
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210 “You're crazy, princess.” Kairi couldn't keep from smiling. “I guess
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211 I am.”
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212
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213 “Goodbye, Princess.” Kairi's heart froze as she heard Sephiroth's
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214 voice. There was genuine sorrow in it for what it was about to do,
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215 but she knew it wouldn't slow his blade at all. The wind knifed
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216 against her back as his blade descended. He had managed to make his
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217 way through the shadows to fulfill his mission, to eliminate the
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218 princess's dream. Metal clanged loudly against metal. Cloud held back
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219 the Masamune with his Buster Sword, keeping it inches away from
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220 Kairi. Kairi hurried out of the way, near Yuffie and Relm while Cloud
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221 stepped in Sephiroth's way. “Too many have died already, Sephiroth.”
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222
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223 Sephiroth shook his head, silver hair swaying about. “By morning,
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224 everything will be dead.” Pulling up his sword, the two warriors
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225 clashed. Yuffie grabbed Kairi's shoulder, yanking the princess
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226 further back. “Aerith said we're running out of time. You're the
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227 Keyblade Mistress, so it sounds like you're the only one who can stop
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228 all this.” She turned Kairi to look at her, holding both of her
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229 shoulders. The ninja looked deep into the princess's eyes. “Kairi...
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230 You have to stop all this. I... I believe in you. You have to end
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231 this. For Rikku. I can't let her die in vain. Please.” “And for
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232 Celes. For everyone who's died because of this, Kairi. You can't let
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233 their sacrifices be pointless,” Relm said. “Everyone's counting on
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234 you. You have to save tonight or there will never be another
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235 tomorrow.”“And for Riku. And Yuna. And Kuja. And everyone.” Kairi
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236 nodded. “I will. I'll save everything. Somehow. I'll close the
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237 door.”Yuffie smiled faintly, nodding. “Then get going. We'll hold off
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238 the Heartless. You make your way there.”
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239
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240 “Thank you. All of you,” Kairi said, blinking back tears. Just
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241 knowing that they'd all come to help her like that meant so much to
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242 her. She hugged her two companions, clinging tightly to them for a
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243 long moment. “It's been fun...” she whispered. Stepping away, she
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244 turned towards the waiting darkness.“Kairi... Good luck. No matter
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245 what happens, don't forget us,” Relm called after her.“I won't. I
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246 couldn't.” Kairi ran into the darkness.
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247
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248 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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249
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250 Somewhere deep within the darkness, Kairi finally reached the very
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251 Heart of the Universe. It had once hung majestically in the air,
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252 shimmering with the beauty of a thousand suns and the hearts of all
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253 that ever were. But now it sunk low, covered sickly with shadows. It
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254 looked diseased, as if the shadows were killing it. The Heartless
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255 were consuming the Heart of the Universe. Where everything began.
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256
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257 Kairi stepped slowly towards the Heart, her eyes slowly moving
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258 towards the girl standing next to it. Herself. Her darker half. And
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259 it looked like Hikari had been waiting. “I see somehow you got past
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260 Sephiroth.” The princess shook her head dismissively. “Though it
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261 hardly matters. There's nothing left to do. The Heart of the Universe
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rlm@0
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262 is dying. It will be completely Heartless soon. The dream is already
|
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rlm@0
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263 falling apart. You don't matter anymore.”Kairi shook her head,
|
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rlm@0
|
264 frustration, regret, and anger all welling up inside of her. “You
|
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rlm@0
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265 can't do this, Hikari. I won't let you. I know why you want to. I'm
|
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rlm@0
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266 part of you. And part of me wants this, too. But I can't let you. I
|
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rlm@0
|
267 love these people too much. I love this world.”Scoffing, Hikari
|
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rlm@0
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268 turned her attention to Kairi. “And what of the other world? This is
|
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rlm@0
|
269 all just as much an illusion as you. The dying thoughts of a lonely,
|
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rlm@0
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270 disturbed girl. What about that other world?”Kairi swallowed, the
|
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rlm@0
|
271 painful memories of her other life returning. But they were
|
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rlm@0
|
272 bittersweet, mixing with her memories of her mother. Of dressing up
|
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rlm@0
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273 and dancing with her in the living room when she was a child. Of
|
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rlm@0
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274 playing games and going on picnics and laughing as they stayed up
|
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rlm@0
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275 late talking. “This isn't only an illusion. Everything... Everything
|
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rlm@0
|
276 is real.” Kairi smiled, understanding at last what Harle had tried to
|
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rlm@0
|
277 say to her. “Both worlds are just as real. And... And I can't give up
|
|
rlm@0
|
278 that world either. I miss mom too much. I won't die in her arms. I
|
|
rlm@0
|
279 won't leave her all alone.” Digging her fingernails into her palms,
|
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rlm@0
|
280 Hikari glared hatefully at Kairi. “I won't go back there. I'm tired
|
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rlm@0
|
281 of being teased and hurt. I've cried until my soul can't take it
|
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rlm@0
|
282 anymore. I won't live that life. It's over. I can't find solace in
|
|
rlm@0
|
283 these dreams anymore. It only hurts even more that they can't be
|
|
rlm@0
|
284 real. And I can't live that life any longer. My soul has bled too
|
|
rlm@0
|
285 much. Now I'm going to escape it. And I'll take these dreams, my
|
|
rlm@0
|
286 beautiful dreams with me. I want them to bleed. I want to destroy
|
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rlm@0
|
287 something beautiful. They're my dreams. And only I can destroy
|
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rlm@0
|
288 them.”“Hikari, don't do this! Please! What about Aerith, Aya, and the
|
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rlm@0
|
289 other princesses? What about their dreams? What about the Destiny
|
|
rlm@0
|
290 Islands? What about Sora and Riku? You can't kill them all. They all
|
|
rlm@0
|
291 mean too much. And what about mom?” Kairi pleaded, hoping against
|
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rlm@0
|
292 hope that she could get through to Hikari before it was too
|
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rlm@0
|
293 late.Hikari looked back towards the Heart of the Universe, reaching
|
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rlm@0
|
294 out and feeling the darkness coursing through it. “The other
|
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rlm@0
|
295 princesses need to grow up. You can't hide in fantasy forever. It's
|
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rlm@0
|
296 all lies. I'm doing them a favor. Mom is better off without me.
|
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rlm@0
|
297 Couldn't you see the pain in her eyes when she saw me crying? She
|
|
rlm@0
|
298 wanted to help me. It hurt her so much to see me suffering and not
|
|
rlm@0
|
299 knowing how to take that pain away from me. She'll never have to see
|
|
rlm@0
|
300 me cry again.” Closing her eyes, she let the pain and tears well up
|
|
rlm@0
|
301 inside of her, the fresh hurt reminding her of her mission. “And as
|
|
rlm@0
|
302 far as Sora and Riku go, we might as well end that right now.”Sora
|
|
rlm@0
|
303 stepped out of the shadows. He was holding the Keyblade, advancing on
|
|
rlm@0
|
304 Kairi. His outfit had changed, the Heartless symbol prominent on his
|
|
rlm@0
|
305 chest. “Oh, God, no...” Kairi whispered, frozen. “You didn't...” Her
|
|
rlm@0
|
306 heart sunk deep in her chest as she saw the way he looked at her. The
|
|
rlm@0
|
307 beautiful glint in his eyes was gone. It was replaced by something
|
|
rlm@0
|
308 cold and menacing.
|
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rlm@0
|
309
|
|
rlm@0
|
310 “I couldn't get Sora to join me willingly. He struggled. But I was
|
|
rlm@0
|
311 determined to have him by my side at the last moments. He is one of
|
|
rlm@0
|
312 the boys of my dreams, after all. So I made him one of the
|
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rlm@0
|
313 Heartless,” Hikari explained, not bothering to look back. “Sora, be a
|
|
rlm@0
|
314 good boy and kill her.”Sora nodded his assent, pulling up the
|
|
rlm@0
|
315 Keyblade. “Yes, princess.” With that, the Keyblade Master lunged at
|
|
rlm@0
|
316 Kairi.Riku blocked the blow with Kairi's Keyblade, taking control of
|
|
rlm@0
|
317 Kairi's body again. “Sora, don't do this! You promised me you'd take
|
|
rlm@0
|
318 care of her,” Riku reminded the brunette boy. “You have to take care
|
|
rlm@0
|
319 of her for me, Sora.”Hikari shook her head, aiding the darkness
|
|
rlm@0
|
320 surrounding the Heart of the Universe. “He can't hear you, Riku. He's
|
|
rlm@0
|
321 Heartless now, remember?” She glanced back at Kairi, watching the
|
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rlm@0
|
322 girl return Sora's blows. “It's good to see you again, by the way,
|
|
rlm@0
|
323 Riku. Interesting choice in new bodies. You always did make such a
|
|
rlm@0
|
324 good bishounen.”“You bitch!” Kairi screamed at the other version of
|
|
rlm@0
|
325 herself. “What did you do with his heart? Give it back!!” Her soul
|
|
rlm@0
|
326 cried out as she could only watch Sora trying to comply with his
|
|
rlm@0
|
327 order to kill her. Hikari had turned one of the most important people
|
|
rlm@0
|
328 in Kairi's life against her.
|
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rlm@0
|
329
|
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rlm@0
|
330 Sora launched into a stream of blows, trying his hardest to get to
|
|
rlm@0
|
331 the seemingly fragile girl before him. Riku struggled to parry the
|
|
rlm@0
|
332 other Keyblade. The two were evenly matched, but Riku was at a
|
|
rlm@0
|
333 disadvantage both in a new body and in that he didn't want to hurt
|
|
rlm@0
|
334 the other boy.
|
|
rlm@0
|
335
|
|
rlm@0
|
336 “It's gone,” Hikari said simply. “He's nothing more than my puppet
|
|
rlm@0
|
337 now. If he wouldn't stay with me to watch the end, then I had no use
|
|
rlm@0
|
338 for his heart. I cast it aside and made him another Heartless,” she
|
|
rlm@0
|
339 explained, turning to watch the fight.“No!” Kairi's heart wrenched
|
|
rlm@0
|
340 inside of herself. “Sora...” He couldn't be gone. She couldn't have
|
|
rlm@0
|
341 lost him. Her hands ached as the Keyblade was slammed around in their
|
|
rlm@0
|
342 grasp. Sora was attacking more and more fiercely. “Kairi, she's
|
|
rlm@0
|
343 lying. Hikari's in pain. She's been suffering. She wants her
|
|
rlm@0
|
344 suffering to end. And she's self-destructive enough to want to kill
|
|
rlm@0
|
345 herself and her dreams. But she still loves Sora. She wouldn't just
|
|
rlm@0
|
346 discard his heart. It has to still be here,” Riku explained, slashing
|
|
rlm@0
|
347 at Sora to keep the other boy back.
|
|
rlm@0
|
348
|
|
rlm@0
|
349 Laughing, Hikari placed her hands behind her back. “I love you, too,
|
|
rlm@0
|
350 Riku, but I still asked Sora to kill you. I think your logic's a bit
|
|
rlm@0
|
351 off.” She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. “It's strange.
|
|
rlm@0
|
352 I've always had this love affair with the light and the dark. I lived
|
|
rlm@0
|
353 my life in darkness, yet I fantasized about the light. I can't live
|
|
rlm@0
|
354 without the darkness. It sustains me. At the same time, I longed for
|
|
rlm@0
|
355 the light as well. And so there was you and Sora. My light and my
|
|
rlm@0
|
356 darkness. I loved you both because I could never choose one over the
|
|
rlm@0
|
357 other. I needed you both. And now that I've reached the end, I have
|
|
rlm@0
|
358 the boy of the light while Kairi, the light from my heart, is sided
|
|
rlm@0
|
359 with the boy of the dark. Fascinating how these things turn
|
|
rlm@0
|
360 out.”“Absolutely fascinating...” Riku replied sarcastically, grunting
|
|
rlm@0
|
361 as he blocked a downward cut from Sora.
|
|
rlm@0
|
362 “What if I unlock his heart? Will that set it free?” Kairi asked
|
|
rlm@0
|
363 hopefully.“Nope,” Hikari shot down Kairi's idea. “Remember what
|
|
rlm@0
|
364 happened with everyone else you've unlocked? Their heart is unlocked
|
|
rlm@0
|
365 from their body. Sora would die. That's of course saying he has his
|
|
rlm@0
|
366 heart inside of him right now.”Riku hopped back, inches away from
|
|
rlm@0
|
367 Sora's frenzied swipes. He needed to end this quickly or Sora would
|
|
rlm@0
|
368 kill Kairi. There had to be a way. There had to! Kairi thought
|
|
rlm@0
|
369 desperately while Riku tried to keep them alive just a little longer.
|
|
rlm@0
|
370 She dove through her memories, trying to find something, anything
|
|
rlm@0
|
371 they could use. Then it hit her. Not just her own memories, but
|
|
rlm@0
|
372 Riku's as well. Wasn't her Keyblade the Keyblade that Riku had owned,
|
|
rlm@0
|
373 after all? The one that could unlock hearts. “No... You're wrong.
|
|
rlm@0
|
374 When I unlocked Seymour's heart, he didn't die. The darkness was
|
|
rlm@0
|
375 unlocked and it transformed him. The same thing happened when Riku
|
|
rlm@0
|
376 unlocked Maleficent. When I unlocked those people, I was unlocking
|
|
rlm@0
|
377 their hearts themselves, just like when Sora unlocked his heart to
|
|
rlm@0
|
378 free me when I was stuck inside of him. But with Seymour and
|
|
rlm@0
|
379 Maleficent, they had the darkness in their hearts unlocked. Which
|
|
rlm@0
|
380 means...”“That if Sora's heart is still there, we can unlock the
|
|
rlm@0
|
381 light inside of it,” Riku finished for her. He gave a quick nod. This
|
|
rlm@0
|
382 would be close. Sora was battering away at Riku's defenses now. He'd
|
|
rlm@0
|
383 only get one chance. Riku left an opening for Sora, blocking low.
|
|
rlm@0
|
384 Sure enough, Sora took the chance, slamming the Keyblade into Kairi's
|
|
rlm@0
|
385 shoulder. Pain exploded in the injured shoulder, shooting throughout
|
|
rlm@0
|
386 Kairi and Riku. But there it was. Riku's chance. With Sora's attack
|
|
rlm@0
|
387 leaving him open, Riku lunged forward, plunging the Keyblade deep
|
|
rlm@0
|
388 into the spikey haired boy's chest, right through the Heartless
|
|
rlm@0
|
389 symbol. Praying she was right, Riku and Kairi turned the key. If they
|
|
rlm@0
|
390 were wrong, either Sora would be dead, or they would. Sora slumped
|
|
rlm@0
|
391 forward on his knees, his heart unlocked from the turning Keyblade.
|
|
rlm@0
|
392 He held his chest, clutching his heart. Light cascaded over him, his
|
|
rlm@0
|
393 clothes returning to normal. He lay there, breathing heavily.
|
|
rlm@0
|
394
|
|
rlm@0
|
395 “Sora!!” Kairi through her arms around him, clutching him as tightly
|
|
rlm@0
|
396 as her injured shoulder would allow. They hadn't lost him. She could
|
|
rlm@0
|
397 feel Riku in their hug as she held onto Sora. “Sora, you're okay...”
|
|
rlm@0
|
398 Burying her head against his shoulder, she felt relief blossoming
|
|
rlm@0
|
399 within her. For the first time in so long, they were all together.
|
|
rlm@0
|
400 The three of them. Just as it should be. “Kairi...” Sora held the
|
|
rlm@0
|
401 other girl, feeling her hair against his cheek. She was real in his
|
|
rlm@0
|
402 arms. She had saved him again. What had he been about to do? He
|
|
rlm@0
|
403 shuddered at the thought. How could he ever harm her?“And?” Kairi
|
|
rlm@0
|
404 asked, raising an eyebrow.Sora laughed. He knew that gesture wasn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
405 Kairi's. “And Riku. It's good to see you, too. Even if you look...
|
|
rlm@0
|
406 ummm... cuter... than you did before.”Laughing as well, Kairi sat
|
|
rlm@0
|
407 back, gazing at Sora. “I thought he was plenty cute before. But I'm
|
|
rlm@0
|
408 just glad we're all together again.”Quite enraged that the light from
|
|
rlm@0
|
409 her heart was thoroughly turning the boys she loved against her,
|
|
rlm@0
|
410 Hikari summoned the darkness around her into razor sharp daggers. An
|
|
rlm@0
|
411 illusion wasn't going to take even the boys she loved away from her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
412 She had lost everything as it was. This was the final insult.
|
|
rlm@0
|
413 “Kairi!” Sora turned just in time to see the blade ended shadows
|
|
rlm@0
|
414 rushing towards them. His body ached too much to give him the
|
|
rlm@0
|
415 strength he needed to get up and get Kairi out of the way in time.
|
|
rlm@0
|
416 When Kairi turned to look, she could only see a dark figure standing
|
|
rlm@0
|
417 before her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
418 The blades cut deep into Ansem's cloak, causing the body that had
|
|
rlm@0
|
419 formerly belonged to Riku to stagger back. Blood dripped down the
|
|
rlm@0
|
420 cloak from the jagged wounds. The blindfolded boy grit his teeth,
|
|
rlm@0
|
421 trying to fight back the pain. “No... No, Hikari... The Heartless are
|
|
rlm@0
|
422 using you..” He coughed. Blood spattered his lips as he stepped
|
|
rlm@0
|
423 forward. “I'm sorry, Hikari... You never should have followed me... I
|
|
rlm@0
|
424 never should have forgotten... how much I loved my dear little
|
|
rlm@0
|
425 princess... I failed you... But I can't let you do this...” Drawing
|
|
rlm@0
|
426 his dual winged blades, he summoned the last of his strength.
|
|
rlm@0
|
427
|
|
rlm@0
|
428 When the Light within Kingdom Hearts had hit him, it had awakened
|
|
rlm@0
|
429 something Ansem had forgotten had ever existed. The love for his
|
|
rlm@0
|
430 daughter. How he had wanted his baby princess to be happy, how he
|
|
rlm@0
|
431 wanted his people to live happy lives. That was why he had originally
|
|
rlm@0
|
432 studied the Heartless. But he had lost himself in his work somewhere
|
|
rlm@0
|
433 along the way. Still in Riku's body, his own having died when he had
|
|
rlm@0
|
434 become one of the Heartless, he had decided to help Kairi along her
|
|
rlm@0
|
435 journey. Maybe she could put write what he had done wrong. But now he
|
|
rlm@0
|
436 had to kill Hikari in order to end the cycle. This was his fault. If
|
|
rlm@0
|
437 he hadn't been consumed by the Heartless, she never would have done
|
|
rlm@0
|
438 the same. At least they'd be together in death. Far away from the
|
|
rlm@0
|
439 Heartless.Dashing forward, Ansem brought both his swords to bear on
|
|
rlm@0
|
440 the fragile looking princess. His swords were blocked by her swiftly
|
|
rlm@0
|
441 moving shadows. Raising her hand, Hikari summoned all of the power of
|
|
rlm@0
|
442 darkness at her disposal. Ansem understood then that he had been too
|
|
rlm@0
|
443 late. Hikari was completely lost to the darkness. Her tortured soul
|
|
rlm@0
|
444 had found solace with the Heartless. And she wasn't going to leave
|
|
rlm@0
|
445 until everything was dead. “Foolish old man. The Heartless isn't
|
|
rlm@0
|
446 using me. I'm using it.” Narrowing her eyes, Hikari sent the
|
|
rlm@0
|
447 gathering darkness out, watching as it destroyed her father. His
|
|
rlm@0
|
448 tattered, bloodied cloak fell uselessly to her feet.
|
|
rlm@0
|
449
|
|
rlm@0
|
450 “Dad...” Kairi's heart lurched as she saw him die. In one world, she
|
|
rlm@0
|
451 had her mother. In this world, she had just lost her father. He had
|
|
rlm@0
|
452 tried to protect her, to make up for his sins. And her other self had
|
|
rlm@0
|
453 simply killed him. How could she be so cold? How could she have ever
|
|
rlm@0
|
454 gotten so dark inside? What had happened to her soul? That thought
|
|
rlm@0
|
455 horrified her. That was her. She was only a small part of that girl.
|
|
rlm@0
|
456
|
|
rlm@0
|
457 “If she killed Ansem that easily...” Riku whispered.“Then how are we
|
|
rlm@0
|
458 supposed to stop her?” Sora continued, watching in horrified awe.
|
|
rlm@0
|
459 Even Ansem hadn't been that powerful when he had fought the other
|
|
rlm@0
|
460 man. All the darkness that existed was at Hikari's fingertips. “We
|
|
rlm@0
|
461 have to try,” Riku said, clutching the Keyblade. Between himself and
|
|
rlm@0
|
462 Sora, there had to be something they could do, right? He had to do
|
|
rlm@0
|
463 something. But part of him held back. Could he really put Kairi in
|
|
rlm@0
|
464 harm's way like that?“You don't have a choice,” Kairi answered Riku's
|
|
rlm@0
|
465 thought. “Whether I get killed here or when she destroys everything,
|
|
rlm@0
|
466 there's no difference. I want to try. All three of us.” She turned to
|
|
rlm@0
|
467 Sora. “Can you distract her? Don't do anything that'll get her to
|
|
rlm@0
|
468 kill you outright. Be careful. Just distract her. I know she loves
|
|
rlm@0
|
469 you. I think she'll keep from seriously hurting you unless she has
|
|
rlm@0
|
470 to.” Sora nodded. She swallowed. “Riku, can you get me close enough
|
|
rlm@0
|
471 to her? I'm going to do what I did to Sora. I need to unlock her
|
|
rlm@0
|
472 heart. There has to be light in it. I'll unlock it just like I've
|
|
rlm@0
|
473 unlocked the others. I'll set her free.”“I'll get you there, Kairi,”
|
|
rlm@0
|
474 Riku promised.
|
|
rlm@0
|
475
|
|
rlm@0
|
476 Kairi smiled vaguely. “All three of us. This is how it's supposed to
|
|
rlm@0
|
477 be. If it's going to be the end, I'd want it to be with the two of
|
|
rlm@0
|
478 you. I'm sure she feels the same way.”“It's not the end, Kairi. We'll
|
|
rlm@0
|
479 stop this,” Sora argued.
|
|
rlm@0
|
480
|
|
rlm@0
|
481 “Whatever happens, we're together,” Riku said softly. “Together,”
|
|
rlm@0
|
482 Kairi agreed. She slowly got up, Sora standing up beside her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
483
|
|
rlm@0
|
484 Rushing forward, Sora threw his Keyblade, magic swirling around it
|
|
rlm@0
|
485 as it whipped through the air at Hikari. The princess looked up,
|
|
rlm@0
|
486 shadows swirling to protect her. As predicted, the Keyblade crashed
|
|
rlm@0
|
487 into her shield of shadows.
|
|
rlm@0
|
488
|
|
rlm@0
|
489 Riku through all of Kairi's strength into running to Hikari. He had
|
|
rlm@0
|
490 to catch her off guard. He could feel every pain in Kairi's body
|
|
rlm@0
|
491 acutely, but he tried to force more strength out of it. Just a little
|
|
rlm@0
|
492 more... Soon this nightmare could be over... There! Reaching Hikari,
|
|
rlm@0
|
493 Kairi shoved the Keyblade into Hikari's chest. Now she could unlock
|
|
rlm@0
|
494 Hikari. She could feel the other girl's pain. The torment that raked
|
|
rlm@0
|
495 over Hikari's soul was her own pain as well. But she had hope. That
|
|
rlm@0
|
496 was the big difference between them. She could believe in a brighter
|
|
rlm@0
|
497 tomorrow. She hoped she could prove it to Hikari. Turning the
|
|
rlm@0
|
498 Keyblade, Kairi waited for Hikari's heart to come unlocked. Nothing
|
|
rlm@0
|
499 happened. Switching the Keyblade inside of the other girl again, cold
|
|
rlm@0
|
500 dread spread throughout Kairi's heart and soul. Hikari turned to look
|
|
rlm@0
|
501 at her. The other girl was smiling. 'No...' Kairi thought, trying
|
|
rlm@0
|
502 again and again. Nothing. It was like there was nothing there.
|
|
rlm@0
|
503 “Didn't I tell you I planned for this? I cast out the light in my
|
|
rlm@0
|
504 heart a long time ago. I am the Heartless. I have nothing to unlock,
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rlm@0
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505 Kairi. I sent you away for this exact reason. There is absolutely no
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rlm@0
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506 light in my heart. I won't be defeated the way my father was.”
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rlm@0
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507 Raising her hand, Hikari summoned dark lightening, sending Kairi and
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rlm@0
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508 Sora flying back. “I have all of the Darkness in the universe at my
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rlm@0
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509 control thanks to you. And there's no light in my heart to exploit.
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rlm@0
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510 You're powerless, Kairi. You always were. You are nothing more than a
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rlm@0
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511 dream. A dream that's about to end.” She tilted her head back, tears
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|
rlm@0
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512 dripping down her cheeks. “Can you hear that? The universe is crying
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rlm@0
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513 out. It's dying. It's finally over. Nothing will ever hurt us again.
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rlm@0
|
514 No more false hopes. No more painfilled days. Thank God, it's finally
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rlm@0
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515 over.” Her shoulders slumped with the relief of a girl consigned to
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rlm@0
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516 her death. This was her relief. She was finally ending it all.
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rlm@0
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517
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rlm@0
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518 The Heart of the Universe finally collapsed. The light in it was
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rlm@0
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519 extinguished. The entire universe trembled as its heart stopped. The
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rlm@0
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520 fabric of reality began to twist and writhe sickly as it began to
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rlm@0
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521 die, like the structure of a building finally succumbing to too much
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|
rlm@0
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522 stress and tearing itself apart.
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rlm@0
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523
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rlm@0
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524 Kairi had failed. The part of her that hoped for a brighter future,
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rlm@0
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525 that couldn't leave her mother, that needed Riku and Sora and her
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rlm@0
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526 dreams had failed. Hikari had succeeded. The part of her that
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rlm@0
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527 lamented every day, that cried herself to sleep at night, that found
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|
rlm@0
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528 each day a grueling exercise in pain, who could find no comfort in
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rlm@0
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529 dreams had succeeded. And so existence began to be plunged into
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rlm@0
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530 darkness. In darkness there was nothing. There was only the abyss.
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rlm@0
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531
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|
rlm@0
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532 Pain bit into Kairi's wrists. With a moan, the brunette doubled
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rlm@0
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533 over. Red hot pain was flaring through her mind. Now that everything
|
|
rlm@0
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534 was falling apart, she didn't have this other world to protect her
|
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rlm@0
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535 from the fact that she was in her bedroom bleeding to death. Blood
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|
rlm@0
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536 dripped down her wrists as she lay on the cold shadows at the now
|
|
rlm@0
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537 dead Heart of the Universe. “Kairi!!” Riku's voice cried out in her
|
|
rlm@0
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538 mind.
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|
rlm@0
|
539
|
|
rlm@0
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540 “It's over,” Hikari whimpered, relief evident in her shaking body.
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|
rlm@0
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541 She cried tears of relief. Finally. She could finally die. After all
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|
rlm@0
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542 this time. No more purgatory in this world of dreams. No more days in
|
|
rlm@0
|
543 that intolerably cruel world where she was an outsider. Finally.
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|
rlm@0
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544 Blood dripped down her own wrists, but she hardly noticed.
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|
rlm@0
|
545
|
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rlm@0
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546 It was too late. There was nothing left. By now, the darkness had
|
|
rlm@0
|
547 covered everything. Everything was dead. Everything was darkness. All
|
|
rlm@0
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548 because of her. Kairi lay weakly on the shadowed floor, her eyes dim.
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|
rlm@0
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549 She could almost make out the image of her mother over her, but she
|
|
rlm@0
|
550 was so far away. Sora and Riku were close by, but they would be gone
|
|
rlm@0
|
551 soon, too. They would die when the universe finally collapsed. Which
|
|
rlm@0
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552 should be in only moments. No... No, she couldn't let them die. She
|
|
rlm@0
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553 couldn't. The Destiny Islands. Riku. Sora. Yuffie and Relm. All of
|
|
rlm@0
|
554 her friends. All those she'd met. Aerith and the other princesses.
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|
rlm@0
|
555
|
|
rlm@0
|
556 That was it. The princesses. They had once been the light in the
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|
rlm@0
|
557 darkness. They had been the children who had recreated worlds when
|
|
rlm@0
|
558 the universe had been plunged into darkness long ago. Now it was
|
|
rlm@0
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559 happening again. Everything had been cast into darkness. But if she
|
|
rlm@0
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560 could stop this before the universe tore itself apart, they could
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|
rlm@0
|
561 recreate it all again. There is light even in the darkness. It only
|
|
rlm@0
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562 needed a chance to grow. And she had to give it that chance.
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|
rlm@0
|
563
|
|
rlm@0
|
564 Her body felt so weak. She was dizzy and sick from blood loss. She
|
|
rlm@0
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565 was dying, she knew, but she wasn't ready. Not yet. Not now. Her
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|
rlm@0
|
566 questing fingers sought out the Keyblade, scrabbling along over the
|
|
rlm@0
|
567 shadows. Nothing. Please... She begged for more inner strength. Riku
|
|
rlm@0
|
568 helped as much as he could, despite the fact that he knew what she
|
|
rlm@0
|
569 was planning. She thanked him with all her heart, her fingers finally
|
|
rlm@0
|
570 grasping the handle of the Keyblade. “Hikari...” Kairi whispered
|
|
rlm@0
|
571 weakly, pulling the Keyblade close. “You can't die. You can't end the
|
|
rlm@0
|
572 dream. Because... your mother needs you... And this world... is too
|
|
rlm@0
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573 beautiful to die...” She breathed heavily, having trouble focusing.
|
|
rlm@0
|
574 Pulling up the Keyblade, she plunged it into her own chest. With
|
|
rlm@0
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575 shaking hands, she unlocked her heart.
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|
rlm@0
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576
|
|
rlm@0
|
577 The Keyblade clattered to the floor as Kairi's heart rushed out of
|
|
rlm@0
|
578 her body. Hikari looked up. The princess's eyes widened in
|
|
rlm@0
|
579 realization. “No... Kairi, how could you?” She shook her head, tears
|
|
rlm@0
|
580 falling to the floor. “You idiot. You sacrificed yourself for this
|
|
rlm@0
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581 world. You'll never see it again. Is that what you want?” But Kairi
|
|
rlm@0
|
582 wasn't out there anymore. She was within her. They were now one soul
|
|
rlm@0
|
583 again. Just as they had originally been.
|
|
rlm@0
|
584
|
|
rlm@0
|
585 The light in Hikari's heart had finally returned. Light burst
|
|
rlm@0
|
586 through the darkness inside of Hikari now that her heart had been
|
|
rlm@0
|
587 returned. The trembling of the universe stopped. All was still. “It's
|
|
rlm@0
|
588 up to you,” Hikari whispered. “You have to rebuild our dreams.
|
|
rlm@0
|
589 Aerith.. I hope you and the princesses can do it. I'm sorry for
|
|
rlm@0
|
590 causing all of this trouble. Rebuild them without a trace of the
|
|
rlm@0
|
591 Heartless. Rebuild this world as beautifully as you can.” Kairi's
|
|
rlm@0
|
592 body stirred, slowly getting to her feet. The cuts on her wrists were
|
|
rlm@0
|
593 gone. “Kairi?” Sora asked, looking at the girl. Hadn't she unlocked
|
|
rlm@0
|
594 her heart? Was she all right after all?Kairi shook her head. “No, not
|
|
rlm@0
|
595 Kairi.” It was Riku. He was the only one in Kairi's body now. Kairi
|
|
rlm@0
|
596 had returned to her original body. And Riku knew exactly what it
|
|
rlm@0
|
597 meant. “You're closing the door. You're shutting off the Heartless.
|
|
rlm@0
|
598 Kairi... Don't go.”
|
|
rlm@0
|
599
|
|
rlm@0
|
600 Hikari shook her head, trying to smile through the tears. “I have
|
|
rlm@0
|
601 to. I almost killed this world. I almost killed everything I love so
|
|
rlm@0
|
602 very much. Especially the two of you. Please... Rebuild the Destiny
|
|
rlm@0
|
603 Islands for me.”Getting up, Sora shook his head. He could let this
|
|
rlm@0
|
604 happened. He denied that it would happen. He wouldn't let it!
|
|
rlm@0
|
605 “Kairi!! No! You can't go!” He ran to her, but she was already
|
|
rlm@0
|
606 disappearing from their world. Riku walked up, his fingers brushing
|
|
rlm@0
|
607 over her fading cheek. “Kairi...” It wasn't fair. They had finally
|
|
rlm@0
|
608 been together and now she was taken from them again, whisked away to
|
|
rlm@0
|
609 another world where she was dying. Laughing tearfully, Hikari shook
|
|
rlm@0
|
610 her head. “It isn't the end. Because I won't let it be. I love you
|
|
rlm@0
|
611 both too much for that.” She began to blur, becoming more and more
|
|
rlm@0
|
612 faint. She could feel herself on the floor, her mother's arms around
|
|
rlm@0
|
613 her. There was the faint sound of an ambulance. She was now more in
|
|
rlm@0
|
614 the other world than in this one. “Remember,” she said, her voice
|
|
rlm@0
|
615 growing faint. “I'm always with you. No matter how far apart we are.”
|
|
rlm@0
|
616
|
|
rlm@0
|
617 “Kairi,” Riku whispered, looking through tearstained eyes at the
|
|
rlm@0
|
618 girl he loved. “I don't care where you go. Wherever you are, I'll
|
|
rlm@0
|
619 find you. I promise. I'll search every universe over until I do.”
|
|
rlm@0
|
620
|
|
rlm@0
|
621 “You're right, Kairi,” Sora nodded, trying to stay strong for her.
|
|
rlm@0
|
622 “It isn't over. We'll be together again. Someday.”
|
|
rlm@0
|
623
|
|
rlm@0
|
624 “Someday...” Hikari whispered. And with that, she was gone.
|
