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1 Prism Hearts
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2 Chapter 8
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3 One Winged Angel
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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 I’ll be here...
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8 I’ll be waiting... here…
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9 Why?
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10 For what?
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11 I’ll be waiting... for you...
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12 If you come here...
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13 You’ll find me...
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14 I promise.
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15
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16 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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17
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18 The hills stretched on for an eternity. Or so it seemed, at least.
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19 Sora’s legs ached. It felt as if he had been marching on endlessly
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20 for his entire life. The one thing that kept him going was the image
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21 of Kairi and Riku, reaching out to him. He had to find Riku. He
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22 couldn’t go back home to Kairi alone. They would see her again
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23 together. He was sure of it. All he had to do was find that Doorway
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24 to the Light and free Riku. That idiot. If he hadn’t sacrificed
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25 himself to stop the Heartless, he wouldn’t be stuck behind that
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26 doorway now. But if it hadn’t been for Riku’s sacrifice, the
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27 Heartless would’ve consumed everything. Sora just couldn’t leave him
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28 there. Riku was his best friend. It wasn’t right to go on without
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29 him. He, Kairi, and Riku completed a puzzle. They needed each other.
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30 All three of them were essential parts to that. If he went back to
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31 Kairi alone, something would be missing.
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32
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33 Donald and Goofy followed close behind. Goofy was rather optimistic
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34 about things, sure that over every hill would be the Doorway they
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35 sought. Donald was his normal, highly irritable self. Sora sighed as
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36 the duck grumbled about something for the thousandth time that day.
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37 Still, even with Donald’s bitching, he wouldn’t want to do this on
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38 his own. They were his friends. He wanted them by his side.
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39
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40 “Can we even open the door?” Donald asked at last. “It took your
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41 Keyblade and King Mickey’s to close the Doorway to the Darkness. But
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42 if King Mickey is stuck on the other side of it...”
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43
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44 Sora shook his head. “We’ll find a way. Remember what King Mickey
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45 said. There will always be a door to the light.” He sighed.
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46
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47 Donald narrowed his eyes. “We have to find it first.”
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48
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49 Sighing, Sora nodded. He didn’t even know where to begin. And they
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50 had been searching for so long... Just what were they looking for
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51 anyway? Where would the Doorway to all of Light itself be? It didn’t
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52 seem like it would just be lying around in some corner. If only...
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53 But Sora’s thoughts were cut short. He glimpsed something on the next
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54 hill. Someone, waiting. Silver hair fluttering in the wind.
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55
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56 “Riku?” His eyes widened. But Riku was trapped behind the Doorway.
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57 How could he be here? But the how of things barely mattered. Sora
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58 broke into a run. “Riku!” He ran as quickly as he could, exhilarated
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59 to see his best friend once more. They would be going home to Kairi
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60 together after all.
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61
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62 “What is it?” Goofy asked as he and Donald struggled to keep up with
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63 the Keyblade Master.
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64
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65 Donald shrugged. “He finally cracked,” came his reply.
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66
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67 “Riku!” Sora yelled, laughing. It was just like the older boy to do
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68 this. He always managed to pull off the impossible, pulling ahead of
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69 Sora and the others. It made sense that somehow he had found a way
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70 out. If anyone could, it was Riku. His journey was finally nearing
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71 its end. They could finally go home. Heaven. It would be just like
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72 heaven.
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73
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74 But as he neared the silver haired figure, he began to slow. The
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75 figure was taller, with longer hair. He was wearing all black. A
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76 single, dark wing was behind his right shoulder. “You’re not Riku...”
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77
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78 The man watched him curiously for a long moment before replying.
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79 “One who knows nothing can understand nothing.”
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80
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81 “Ansem?!” Sora took a step back, caught off guard. This man didn’t
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82 look like Ansem, the man who had been used by the Heartless to open
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83 the Doorway to the Darkness, but Sora had heard those same words from
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84 Ansem before their battle.
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85
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86 “Oh? So you have met his majesty after all. It’s been so long since
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87 anyone has seen him that I thought it may have merely been a rumor,”
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88 the man said conversationally, standing tall against the wind that
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89 buffeted the hilltop.
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90
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91 “Ansem’s... He’s dead,” Sora said reluctantly. He knew that Ansem
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92 had once been a respected and loved king. Most people didn’t know of
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93 his fall from grace, his consumption by the Heartless. He didn’t want
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94 to hurt anyone who cared for their king with the details.
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95
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96 The man nodded as if this were expected. “Her highness felt it. She
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97 knew he was dead. That’s why she knew she had to act.” He stepped
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98 closer, eyeing Sora, inspecting him. “You’re Sora? You’re the boy the
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99 princess sent me to find?”
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100
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101 The princess? What was going on? Sora nodded slowly. “I’m Sora. Who
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102 are you?” He had an uneasy feeling about all of this. This man had
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103 known what had happened to Ansem. Even Leon and Aerith hadn’t known
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104 for sure what had happened to him. And who was this princess?
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105
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106 “Sephiroth, SOLDIER 1st Class,” the man explained, his eyes glowing
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107 a brilliant green. “Princess Hikari’s personal bodyguard. I’ve been
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108 protecting the princess since she was but a tiny child. King Ansem
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109 personally assigned me to watch over his daughter.”
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110
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111 Well... That certainly didn’t explain anything. Sora simply blinked.
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112 Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Ansem had been consumed by the
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113 Heartless, but Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith had all been from that
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114 planet, too, and they’d been heroes. So was he a friend or an enemy?
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115 And who was this Princess Hikari? Sora hadn’t known Ansem had even
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116 had a daughter.
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117
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118 “So you’re her nanny?” Donald asked, not liking being ignored in all
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119 of this. He crossed his arms, waiting at Sora’s right.
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120
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121 Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. “I like to think of it as something a bit
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122 more than that. I would do anything for her highness. I would die for
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123 her.”
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124
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125 ‘This guy does remind me a lot of Riku, after all. Riku would’ve
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126 done anything for Kairi, too. Even surround himself with darkness,’
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127 Sora thought to himself. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
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128 “That’s great and all. But we’re a little too busy to be making
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129 visits right now. Maybe after we find Riku. Tell her we said thanks!”
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130
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131 “And that we appreciate the offer!” Goofy added, grinning. “We’d
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132 love to go later.”
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133
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134 Donald simply rolled his eyes. All three turned to continue their
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135 search.
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136
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137 Sephiroth gripped the hilt of his sword, his single wing unfurling.
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138 “If that’s the case, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to do this by
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139 force. You will see her highness. She demands it.”
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140
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141 “We’ve got more important things to worry about right now that some
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142 bratty princess,” Sora retorted. “If that’s how you want to play,
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143 fine. Don’t blame me for your headache when you wake up on the
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144 grass.” He willed the Keyblade into his hand, getting into a fighting
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145 position. Donald and Goofy readied themselves at his sides.
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146
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147 The silver haired SOLDIER grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” With
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148 that, he lunged forward, his impossibly long sword arcing through the
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149 air.
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150
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151 Sora blocked the blow with his Keyblade, but he felt the power of
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152 the strike reverberating through his entire body. Two legendary
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153 weapons, the dreaded Masamune and the fated Keyblade, clashed again
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154 and again. Sora swiped forward, trying to catch the princess’s
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155 bodyguard, but he leapt into the air, his wing somehow keeping him
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156 aloft for a moment before he descended with a flurry of blows that
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157 sent Sora reeling. He tried desperately to ward them off, but they
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158 came one after the other, wearing him down. He quickly summoned his
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159 magic, casting a barrier of wind to protect him from the deadly
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160 blade.
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161
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162 “Fire!” Donald shouted, launching a ball of fire at the SOLDIER. But
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163 Sephiroth was fast. The flame missed its target, dissipating into the
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164 distance. Before Donald could prepare another spell, Sephiroth swept
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165 past him. The mage’s staff fell to the floor seconds before its owner
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166 collapsed next to it.
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167
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168 “Donald!” Sora cried. Enraged by his friend’s injury, Sora leapt at
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169 his attacker, intent on ending this now. He didn’t care who this man
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170 was. He had stopped Ansem. He wouldn’t let some princess’s bodyguard
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171 hurt his friends. “Ars Arcanum!” Using the attack he had learned,
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172 Sora launched into a series of quick jabs at the silver haired man.
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173 To his shock, Sephiroth dodged and parried every blow.
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174
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175 Sephiroth laughed as he saw the surprise on the younger boy’s face.
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176 “Been taking some lessons from Cloud, have you? Now it’s my turn.”
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177 With blinding speed, he was nearly against Sora. With a flick of his
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178 wrist, he sent the Keyblade hurtling through the air, finally
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179 clattering to the grass much too far away for Sora to reach in time.
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180 “What was that about me waking up on the grass?” the SOLDIER asked,
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181 pulling up the Masamune.
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182
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183 Sora could only stare at the older man. How had this happened? In
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184 all of his battles, he had never lost this badly. Even when Leon had
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185 attacked him in Traverse Town and when he’d fought Cloud at the
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186 Coliseum. He hadn’t won either battle, but it had taken him longer to
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187 lose, at any rate. But somehow he had always won when it mattered.
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188 He’d stopped Ansem. How could one of Ansem’s soldiers defeat him?
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189
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190 “Sora!” Goofy rushed headlong at the SOLDIER 1st Class, trying to
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191 force him away from the younger boy. Sephiroth managed to sidestep
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192 past Goofy’s charge. Before Goofy could turn around to guard with his
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193 shield, Sephiroth cast a spell, sending small comets pelting into the
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194 knight. Goofy collapsed onto the grass.
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195
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196 “Goofy! How could you?” Sora growled, his fists clenched. Impotent
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197 rage burnt within him. This man had decimated his party when their
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198 battle was finally supposed to be over. How could he snatch their
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199 hard won victories away from them?
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200
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201 Sephiroth turned, his long silver hair sweeping about in the wind.
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202 “That was some nice practice. I’ve been cooped up for far too long.
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203 But I’m ending this now. I mustn’t keep Princess Hikari waiting.”
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204 Raising a hand in the air, he summoned all of the magic at his
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205 disposal, the sky turning black with his power. “Sin Harvest!”
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206
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207 The world was torn apart around Sora. And everything became dark as
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208 he lost his grasp on consciousness, spiraling into the abyss.
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209
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210 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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211
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212
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213 “Are you feeling any better?” Yuna asked softly, sitting on the edge
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214 of her bed. Her blankets were wrapped around the still damp catgirl
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215 Selphie had helped her carry in from the beach. The catgirl had just
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216 recently regained consciousness. She’d been half-drowned when Yuna
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217 had found her on the beach.
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218
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219 Rikku nodded weakly, her head still swimming. “Yeah, I’m better.
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220 Nothing can keep me down for long.” She smiled, her fangs showing. A
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221 small giggle flowed from her. “I’m starting to sound like Yuffie. Kid
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222 would be horrified.”
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223
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224 Returning the smile, Yuna watched the catgirl in her bed. She had no
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225 idea what Rikku was talking about, but if she was feeling better,
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226 that was the important thing. She was so curious about this girl who
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227 had washed up. Yuna had spent her entire life on the Destiny Islands;
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228 the only outsider she had ever met was Kairi, and Kairi hadn’t
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229 remembered anything from the outside. This girl was so different,
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230 even her body was not completely human. Yuna wanted to know
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231 everything, curious in the way little girls would be over what
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232 happened next in a fairy tale. Everything about her seemed magical.
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233 Little mysteries surround the strange girl. Where had she come from?
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234 What was she? Who was she? “Are you a Ronso?” Yuna asked after a
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235 moment’s thought.
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236
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237 “A whatso?” she asked in return, blinking her big, jade, spiral eyes.
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238
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239 “A Ronso. They’re catlike people. I think they have horns. My father
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240 met them a long time ago,” Yuna explained. Though if she had to
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241 clarify, the girl probably wasn’t one.
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242
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243 The catgirl shook her head, her dusty blonde braids swishing past
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244 her bare shoulders. “Nope. Never heard of them. I’m Rikku Kisaragi!
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245 Member of the acting troupe, Radical Dreamers, and a mysterious
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246 thief! Though I’m not so good at the mysterious thief part.” The
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247 catgirl groused, sitting up, her paws on her ankles. The blanket fell
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248 about her lap, leaving only her fur to cover herself. She quickly
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249 pulled the blanket back up, self-conscious regardless of her fur. “I
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250 kinda angered a white mage because I didn’t get out of her hotel
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251 before she got back. She wasn’t very happy with me, so she changed me
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252 into a kitten. She wouldn’t even listen to my side of the story! Just
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253 ‘Bam! You’re a cat!’”
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254
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255 “What was your side of the story?” Yuna inquired, tilting her head
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256 to the side.
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257
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258 “Umm... well...” Rikku laughed nervously, scratching the back of her
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259 head. “I might have had a good reason if she’d bothered to ask. I
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260 didn’t have a good reason, though, but how was she supposed to know
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261 that? She could’ve at least given me a chance to apologize. Do you
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262 know how horrifying it is to find yourself in a puddle of clothes on
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263 all fours with an angry white mage towering over you?” She shook her
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264 head, her ears twitching. She still had nightmares about that.
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265
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266 “Oh, I’m sorry. That must have been terrible,” Yuna said
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267 apologetically. She reached forward hesitantly, squeezing one of
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268 Rikku’s paws reassuringly.
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269
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270 Rikku smiled brightly. This shy, quiet girl was so sweet. Much
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271 better than the crazy, nunchuku wielding one. She rubbed her head,
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272 wincing at the thought. But at least this one seemed worried about
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273 her. But that look in her eyes, one blue and one green, was so sad,
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rlm@2
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274 as if she truly empathized with Rikku’s predicament. “But I’m all
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rlm@2
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275 right now. My sister used the Dragon Tear of Hate on me and it at
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rlm@2
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276 least made me halfway human. I heard if we can get the Dragon Tear of
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rlm@2
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277 Love, I can change myself back the rest of the way. So it’s not too
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rlm@2
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278 bad. And Yuffie said I make a cute catgirl, so maybe it’s not too
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rlm@2
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279 completely evil,” Rikku shrugged.
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rlm@2
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280
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rlm@2
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281 With a soft smile, the brunette nodded. “She was right. You do make
|
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rlm@2
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282 a very cute catgirl. So you shouldn’t be worried about it if you
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rlm@2
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283 have to stay that way. But I hope you can find the Dragon Tear of
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rlm@2
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284 Love soon, then. Just don’t feel too bad in the meantime.” She shook
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rlm@2
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285 her head quickly. She shouldn’t be saying things like that. That
|
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rlm@2
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286 wasn’t what Rikku would want to hear, certainly. “If I can help at
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rlm@2
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287 all, please let me know.”
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rlm@2
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288
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rlm@2
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289 But Rikku wasn’t listening to the last bit. She was still playing
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rlm@2
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290 Yuna’s earlier words over in her head. “You think this is okay?” she
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rlm@2
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291 asked, still surprised. She hadn’t thought about it that way. She’d
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rlm@2
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292 been thinking about it as a curse, as something horrible she had to
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rlm@2
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293 endure until she could get rid of it. It hadn’t once crossed her mind
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rlm@2
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294 about staying this way. This strange, not-quite-human way. Her body
|
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rlm@2
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295 was different now, but as the other girl had pointed out, was that
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rlm@2
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296 really a bad thing?
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rlm@2
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297
|
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rlm@2
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298 “I’m sorry,” Yuna apologized, bowing her head low. She hadn’t meant
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rlm@2
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299 to upset the catgirl. She’d just stated her opinion. She needed to be
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rlm@2
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300 more careful about that. She didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
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rlm@2
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301 Especially this new girl. She wanted to get to know her. To be
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rlm@2
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302 friends. There was something about her…. But they’d never be friends
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rlm@2
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303 if she said stupid things like that. How would she like it if she was
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rlm@2
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304 stuck in a cursed body? Warm paws took her hands, the pads near the
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rlm@2
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305 thumbs and fingers pressed against her skin. She lifted her face
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rlm@2
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306 slightly until she was looking into the catgirl’s spiral eyes again.
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rlm@2
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307 Rikku was smiling happily. Yuna’s cheeks flushed lightly, but she
|
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rlm@2
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308 returned the smile. So the catgirl wasn’t upset with her after all.
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rlm@2
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309
|
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rlm@2
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310 “Don’t be sorry. I’m really glad you’d think so. Maybe I’ve been
|
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rlm@2
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311 going about this the wrong way. Maybe... maybe it’s not so bad,”
|
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rlm@2
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312 Rikku ventured. She giggled, baring her fangs again. “As long as you
|
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rlm@2
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313 don’t call me Kitty, that is.”
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rlm@2
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314
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rlm@2
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315 Yuna nodded swiftly, her chestnut hair swishing about her face.
|
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rlm@2
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316 “Whatever you want... Rikku…” This girl was so vibrant, so full of
|
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rlm@2
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317 life. Watching her had a way of lifting up Yuna’s spirits.
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rlm@2
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318
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rlm@2
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319 Rikku brought her hands to her chest to keep a hold of the blanket.
|
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rlm@2
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320 “And you’re Yunie, right? I thought I heard the other girl say your
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rlm@2
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321 name while you were dragging me along the beach.” Though she’d only
|
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rlm@2
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322 been semi-conscious for that. They’d dragged her quite a ways. No
|
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rlm@2
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323 wonder her body ached.
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rlm@2
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324
|
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rlm@2
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325 “Umm... Yuna, actually...” The brunette corrected quietly, tucking
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rlm@2
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326 some hair behind one of her ears.
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rlm@2
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327
|
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rlm@2
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328 “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yunie!” Rikku said
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rlm@2
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329 enthusiastically. “It’s so nice to have someone to talk to after all
|
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rlm@2
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330 of this time meowing at people.” Both girls giggled.
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rlm@2
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331
|
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rlm@2
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332 “I’m glad. It was nice to meet you, too, Rikku.” Yuna smiled
|
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rlm@2
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333 genuinely, her hands on her lap. “I think the Islands needed some new
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rlm@2
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334 life to them. Someone to brighten things up.”
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rlm@2
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335
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rlm@2
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336 Rikku nodded determinedly. “I’ll try my hardest! I don’t know how
|
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rlm@2
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337 long I’m stuck here anyway. So I might as well try to keep things
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rlm@2
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338 interesting while I can.”
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rlm@2
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339
|
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rlm@2
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340 “That’s one way of putting it. You’ve definitely made things more
|
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rlm@2
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341 interesting. For me, at least,” Yuna admitted, tucking her legs up
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rlm@2
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342 underneath herself. She knew the other girl wasn’t really a catgirl
|
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rlm@2
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343 or anything of the sort, but she still couldn’t help but feel as if
|
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rlm@2
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344 she’d brought a stray cat home. Something that was all her own, that
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rlm@2
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345 she would take care of and love and nurture. Like her very own pet.
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rlm@2
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346 She tried to push the thought away, but it was lodged stubbornly in
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rlm@2
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347 her brain. She sighed. She’d eventually get over it. When Rikku wound
|
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rlm@2
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348 up leaving. That thought was far too depressing; people had been
|
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rlm@2
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349 leaving all her life, and she still wasn’t capable of dealing with
|
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rlm@2
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350 it. She still cried herself to sleep over her father’s death, years
|
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rlm@2
|
351 ago. That’s why she had tried not to think about Kairi leaving or
|
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rlm@2
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352 Riku and Sora’s disappearances. She couldn’t handle goodbyes. And
|
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rlm@2
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353 just thinking about not have the catgirl around frightened her more
|
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rlm@2
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354 than she could explain away.
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rlm@2
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355
|
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rlm@2
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356 “Oh, would it be all right if I asked for some clothes?” Rikku
|
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rlm@2
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357 voiced sheepishly. “I’ve been running around without anything for way
|
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rlm@2
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358 too long now. I feel like a nudist. My clothes are probably still on
|
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rlm@2
|
359 the floor of that damn hotel room.” She sighed. “Oh well. They were
|
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rlm@2
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360 just hand me downs of Yuffie’s, anyway.”
|
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rlm@2
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361
|
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rlm@2
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362 Blinking, Yuna tried to comprehend what Rikku had said. Why would
|
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rlm@2
|
363 the catgirl need clothes? Cats didn’t wear clothes. They had fur.
|
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rlm@2
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364 Ohhhhh... She shook her head. Of course she’d want clothes. She
|
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rlm@2
|
365 wasn’t used to being a catgirl. Fur or not, she was used to wearing
|
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rlm@2
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366 something. “Yes, I’ll get you something. You’re a little younger than
|
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rlm@2
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367 me, but you should be able to fit into one of my outfits.”
|
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rlm@2
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368
|
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rlm@2
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369 “Thanks, Yunie!” Rikku grinned and pounced catlike on the
|
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rlm@2
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370 unsuspecting brunette, hugging her in gratitude. “That would help a
|
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rlm@2
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371 lot!”
|
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rlm@2
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372
|
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rlm@2
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373 “You.. You’re welcome..” Yuna responded, blushing faintly again. She
|
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rlm@2
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374 swallowed, embarrassed. She slowly began to rub Rikku’s back using
|
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rlm@2
|
375 the arm that wasn’t pinned to her side. The catgirl’s fur felt
|
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rlm@2
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376 wonderfully soft to her touch, her fingers gliding over it. She
|
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rlm@2
|
377 rubbed a bit more, enjoying the feel of the fur underneath her
|
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rlm@2
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378 fingers and the growing thrum in her ears. It took her a moment to
|
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rlm@2
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379 realize that Rikku was purring loudly against her. Her eyes widened
|
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rlm@2
|
380 in surprise, her flush darkening, but she couldn't get herself to
|
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rlm@2
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381 stop. The catgirl was so cute and enthusiastic, Yuna couldn’t help
|
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rlm@2
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382 but pet her, as if she had found a larger-than-life kitten.
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rlm@2
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383
|
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rlm@2
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384 Rikku was so glad Yuna couldn’t see her face as she hugged the other
|
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rlm@2
|
385 girl. She was so embarrassed. She knew she wasn’t a cat. She was a
|
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rlm@2
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386 normal, human girl. But her body didn’t seem to agree with her. She
|
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rlm@2
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387 couldn’t stop herself from purring as Yuna’s gentle fingers slid up
|
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rlm@2
|
388 and down her back. Her body betrayed her, her chest thrumming with
|
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rlm@2
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389 her purring. ‘Will you make up your mind? Am I a cat or not? I’m
|
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rlm@2
|
390 not!’ Rikku thought in frustration. But her body still wasn’t
|
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rlm@2
|
391 listening. Her tail swished happily from side to side. She sighed,
|
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rlm@2
|
392 giving in. It did feel nice, to have someone to hug after she’d been
|
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rlm@2
|
393 unable to do much of anything as a whole cat. She rested her head on
|
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rlm@2
|
394 Yuna’s shoulder, closing her emerald eyes and purring louder. ‘Well,
|
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rlm@2
|
395 maybe just this once...’
|
|
rlm@2
|
396 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
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rlm@2
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397
|
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rlm@2
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398 “Okay, I’m going to use my... Shiva card. Yes, that should do
|
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rlm@2
|
399 nicely.” Quistis smiled as she placed they detailed card down on the
|
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rlm@2
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400 floor of her room, right beside one of a strange flying serpent.
|
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rlm@2
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401
|
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rlm@2
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402 A blond boy sighed, rolling his eyes. “If it didn’t take you ten
|
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rlm@2
|
403 minutes to decide each turn, then we would be able to play a lot more
|
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rlm@2
|
404 of this, Quistis,” he chided, slapping down a card with a cactuar on
|
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rlm@2
|
405 it.
|
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rlm@2
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406
|
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rlm@2
|
407 “You’re just too impatient, Seifer,” Quistis countered, gazing at
|
|
rlm@2
|
408 her cards again. “Hmm...” She let her fingers browse across the
|
|
rlm@2
|
409 cards, trying to select the perfect one. She wasn’t playing just this
|
|
rlm@2
|
410 turn, but where the next turn might lead.
|
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rlm@2
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411
|
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rlm@2
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412 Selphie watched the two playing Triple Triad on the floor of
|
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rlm@2
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413 Quistis’s room. They were upside down, as if they were sitting on the
|
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rlm@2
|
414 roof, gravity in reverse. The cards were set down on the roof before
|
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rlm@2
|
415 the brunette. At least, that’s how it appeared to Selphie. She was
|
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rlm@2
|
416 slumped on Quistis’s bed, her sandals left somewhere near the door,
|
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rlm@2
|
417 her head hanging off the edge of the bed so that everything was
|
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rlm@2
|
418 upside down for her. Her legs were wrapped around Quistis’s pillow.
|
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rlm@2
|
419 She’d much rather they be wrapped around her blonde girlfriend, but
|
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rlm@2
|
420 Quistis was caught up in that boring card game. Here she was lying on
|
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rlm@2
|
421 her girlfriend’s bed, innocent and vulnerable, and all Quistis could
|
|
rlm@2
|
422 think about was what card went next. Selphie pouted. She should be on
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 the bed with her, kissing her. Anything but playing cards.
|
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rlm@2
|
424
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 “There!” Quistis smiled as she set down the next card. Unless Seifer
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 had some unexpected cards or a rather healthy dose of luck on his
|
|
rlm@2
|
427 side, she was pretty much guaranteed victory. And to the contrary of
|
|
rlm@2
|
428 Selphie’s thinking, Quistis was having a very difficult time ignoring
|
|
rlm@2
|
429 the fact that Selphie was lying so cutely on her bed. And that she
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 would love to take the place of that pillow, to let her hands travel
|
|
rlm@2
|
431 across Selphie’s stomach, exploring her skin and the cloth of her
|
|
rlm@2
|
432 dress, kissing her everywhere she could... Quistis blinked quickly,
|
|
rlm@2
|
433 trying to force out the images. She adjusted her glasses, hoping she
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 didn’t look as flustered as she felt. It was so difficult being the
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 mature, responsible one sometimes. She sighed inwardly. Yes, Selphie
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 would need a good spanking after Seifer was gone. If he ever left.
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 He’d been there for well over an hour now. Seifer was her friend, but
|
|
rlm@2
|
438 he either couldn’t take a hint or he enjoyed making her suffer.
|
|
rlm@2
|
439
|
|
rlm@2
|
440 “I’m kind of envious of Riku, Sora, and Kairi,” Seifer said at last,
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 placing down a chocobo card from his hand. “They finally did realize
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 their beautiful dream of escaping these islands, of going to explore
|
|
rlm@2
|
443 other worlds. Think of the possibilities. The excitement. I’m sure
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 it’s more interesting than a card game.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
445
|
|
rlm@2
|
446 “Don’t say that!” Selphie admonished from the bed, rolling onto her
|
|
rlm@2
|
447 stomach. “Who knows where they are? What’s wrong with staying here?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
448
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 Seifer grinned at Selphie’s outbust, looking up at the girl on
|
|
rlm@2
|
450 Quistis’s bed. “I’m surprised you wouldn’t want to go yourself,
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 Selphie. The Destiny Islands barely seem to hold in all that energy
|
|
rlm@2
|
452 you have. It’s amazing you haven’t gotten bored yet.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
453
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 “But they could be lost anywhere! They could be scared and miserable
|
|
rlm@2
|
455 and so far away from home.” A chill passed through Selphie at the
|
|
rlm@2
|
456 thought. “Yeah, it would be fun to travel, but I don’t see what’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
457 wrong with staying home, either. It’s fun here. All my friends are
|
|
rlm@2
|
458 here. My Quisty’s here. I’m perfectly happy at home.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
459
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 Pushing her glasses up, Quistis nodded. “I agree with Selphie.
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 Leaving would only make sense if you weren’t satisfied with where you
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 are. If there’s something missing in your life. And my life feels
|
|
rlm@2
|
463 complete here.” She looked back over her shoulder, smiling at
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 Selphie. Yes, there wasn’t anything she needed. The cute brunette
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 returned her smile, her legs kicking up behind her.
|
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rlm@2
|
466
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 Seifer laughed in response. “Of course you’d agree with Selphie. It
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 isn’t wise to disagree with one’s girlfriend. Especially one as hyper
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 as her.” The blond boy sat back, his hands supporting him as he
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 stared up at the roof. “Me, I understand why they’d want to leave.
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 This place can feel like a prison sometimes. Water everywhere,
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 flowing endlessly around us. This place is a paradise, but it’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 sheltered. I think you need the good with the bad. It’s a gilded
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 cage. You can’t experience everything if you’re cooped up here. You
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 can treat a prisoner like a king, give him everything he could ever
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 want. But if all he wants is freedom, he’s still a prisoner. Life can
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 be as plush as you could want. But if you can’t realize your
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 beautiful dreams, I still say something’s missing.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
479
|
|
rlm@2
|
480 Quistis sighed. Not this again. The last thing she needed was for
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 Seifer to get strange ideas in Selphie’s head. Thankfully, Selphie
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 hadn’t liked Riku and Sora’s idea to leave the island in the first
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 place. “And what’s your beautiful dream, Seifer?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
484
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 A grin passed across his face as Seifer turned his gaze to Quistis.
|
|
rlm@2
|
486 “To be the Sorceress’s Knight, of course. To protect my sorceress
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 with my life. To grant her every whim. To give her my all.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
488
|
|
rlm@2
|
489 Resting her chin in her hands, Selphie raised a curious eyebrow.
|
|
rlm@2
|
490 “Why can’t you do that here? No dragons to slay?” Her bare feet
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 continued kicking in the air behind her in a slow rhythm.
|
|
rlm@2
|
492
|
|
rlm@2
|
493 “Hah.” The blond boy waved off the notion. “It’s nothing like that.
|
|
rlm@2
|
494 You’re thinking of it too literally. Maybe I wouldn’t mind so much if
|
|
rlm@2
|
495 I could find my sorceress. Then I could be her knight here on the
|
|
rlm@2
|
496 Destiny Islands. But you never know what’s waiting for you out there.
|
|
rlm@2
|
497 All those worlds, each with new sights and experiences around every
|
|
rlm@2
|
498 corner. Must be exciting, wherever they are.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
499
|
|
rlm@2
|
500 Selphie blinked thoughtfully. “I wonder what my beautiful dream is...”
|
|
rlm@2
|
501
|
|
rlm@2
|
502 Quistis turned, her legs still tucked demurely underneath her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
503 “Don’t worry about it, Selphie. You have plenty of beautiful dreams.
|
|
rlm@2
|
504 And you have the energy to make them all come true, I’m certain.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
505
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 The brunette smiled brightly, her previous concerns forgotten.
|
|
rlm@2
|
507 “Thanks, Quisty! You’re right! I won’t give up on any of my beautiful
|
|
rlm@2
|
508 dreams!” she said excitedly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
509
|
|
rlm@2
|
510 “But you don’t know what they are yet...” Seifer replied,
|
|
rlm@2
|
511 sweatdropping.
|
|
rlm@2
|
512
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 Quisits turned an icy glare on her friend. “Shush, you.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
514
|
|
rlm@2
|
515 “Right...” Seifer shook his head. “I’m just saying that wherever
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 they are, they’re probably doing more than playing cards.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
517
|
|
rlm@2
|
518
|
|
rlm@2
|
519 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
520
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 “Unnhhh...” Sora moaned, rolling onto his side. His entire body
|
|
rlm@2
|
522 ached, every fiber of his being calling out as fire burned through
|
|
rlm@2
|
523 him. His muscles didn’t want to respond at first and he found himself
|
|
rlm@2
|
524 cringing as he tried to move. What had happened? He could barely
|
|
rlm@2
|
525 think through the haze of pain that was erecting a palace in his
|
|
rlm@2
|
526 head. The clatter and noise of their hard work droned out all
|
|
rlm@2
|
527 conscious thought. But Sora was nothing if not persistent. He forced
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 himself to his knees only to regret the decision. The world seemed to
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 curve around him, taunting him.
|
|
rlm@2
|
530
|
|
rlm@2
|
531 ‘What happened?’ he managed to think at last. Dim, vague images came
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 to him, feelings that should go with them but he couldn’t be sure of.
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 Anger, shock, sadness, defeat. A man... Riku? No.. Not Riku. Though
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rlm@2
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534 it had felt like it.
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rlm@2
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535
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rlm@2
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536 “Owwww...” He clutched his head, trying to force the pain and its
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rlm@2
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537 workers out of it. Suddenly, his head shot up. He winced at the pain
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rlm@2
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538 it caused, but ignored it. “Donald? Goofy?” His eyes darted about
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rlm@2
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539 insistently, but his companions where nowhere to be seen. That’s when
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rlm@2
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540 it first struck him. He certainly wasn’t in the grassy fields he had
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rlm@2
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541 previously been. Where was this? How had he ended up here? Where were
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rlm@2
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542 his friends?
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rlm@2
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543
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rlm@2
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544 The lone boy slowly managed to get to his feet after a prolonged
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rlm@2
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545 struggle that seemed to play out over an eternity. His body cried in
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rlm@2
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546 protest, but he refused to listen to it. Riku’s words spurred him
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rlm@2
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547 forward. ‘Giving up already, Sora? I thought you were stronger than
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rlm@2
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548 that.’ Riku had faith in him. His rival always pulled out more from
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rlm@2
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549 him than Sora even knew he had. So he’d push through this. What would
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rlm@2
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550 Riku say if he saw him lying helplessly on the floor? With those
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rlm@2
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551 thoughts spinning through his abused head, the brown haired boy tried
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rlm@2
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552 to gauge his surroundings.
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rlm@2
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553
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rlm@2
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554 The young Keyblade Master found himself in the middle of a palace
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rlm@2
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555 courtyard. Or was it the middle of a school? The place looked like a
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rlm@2
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556 bizarre amalgamation of the two. Statues of students heading to
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rlm@2
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557 classes that would never happen littered the otherwise empty
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rlm@2
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558 courtyard, frozen forever in place. Palace maids and busy dignitaries
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rlm@2
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559 shared space with the students, looking busy even in their state of
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rlm@2
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560 rest. Lockers were covered in beautiful purple flowers and vines. A
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rlm@2
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561 large fountain stood at the center. It looked like a statue should in
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rlm@2
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562 the midst of it, but it was curiously missing. Strange for a place
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rlm@2
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563 filled with so many statues. But as Sora looked closer, they looked
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rlm@2
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564 less like shadows and more and more like a lifeless photograph. As if
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rlm@2
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565 that sparkle of life had just been extinguished in one horrifying
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rlm@2
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566 second. He shuddered and tried to ignore the creepy feeling.
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rlm@2
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567
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rlm@2
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568 Staggering past several of the statues, Sora began to make his way
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rlm@2
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569 forward (or at least in the direction he hoped was forward). Where
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rlm@2
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570 was this place? Halfway between here and there, it felt like some
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rlm@2
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571 freakish riddle. As he entered the large hallway that the courtyard
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rlm@2
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572 led to, it didn’t get any better. There were large, beautiful
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rlm@2
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573 paintings along one wall. To his other side, there was no wall. Just
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rlm@2
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574 a large abyss, leading off into darkness. In his weakened state, he
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rlm@2
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575 tried not to look to that side. He felt too dizzy staring off into
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rlm@2
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576 it. He instead turned his attention back to the paintings. He could
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rlm@2
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577 recognize some of the people in them. Wasn’t that Alice? And in that
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rlm@2
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578 other one, wasn’t that Aladdin and Jasmine? And the Beast in another.
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rlm@2
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579 That looked like Aerith and some of her friends in the one down the
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rlm@2
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580 hall, didn’t it? Wasn’t that Selphie and Quistis and some others?
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rlm@2
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581 What were they doing with Squall in that painting? He shook his head.
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rlm@2
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582 “Weird..” he muttered. His voice sounded tiny, weak in this place. It
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rlm@2
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583 made him feel acutely alone.
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rlm@2
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584
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rlm@2
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585 Continuing down the seemingly endless hallway, Sora continued
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rlm@2
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586 glancing at paintings. There was Cinderella, one of the seven
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rlm@2
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587 princesses. And Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, and some others he didn’t
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rlm@2
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588 recognize. Why were these paintings here? Why were they of people he
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|
rlm@2
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589 knew? What significance did they have to this twisted palace? Looking
|
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rlm@2
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590 back from a painting, the brown haired boy found some doors before
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rlm@2
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591 him that previously hadn’t been there. A mixture of relief and
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rlm@2
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592 apprehension poured throughout him. At least he was getting
|
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rlm@2
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593 somewhere. But whoever had brought him here had obviously intended
|
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rlm@2
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594 that. But why? What did they want? Well, he’d never find out if he
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|
rlm@2
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595 didn’t push forward. ‘I’m not about to give up, Riku,’ he thought
|
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rlm@2
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596 determinedly. Stepping forward, he pushed open the large doors.
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rlm@2
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597
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rlm@2
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598 “Sora!”
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rlm@2
|
599
|
|
rlm@2
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600 Sora could only blink dumbly for a long moment. “Kairi!?” The
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 princess’s face lit up brightly as she ran to him, nearly toppling
|
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rlm@2
|
602 him over as she leapt into his arms, hugging him fiercely.
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rlm@2
|
603
|
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rlm@2
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604 Kairi held onto him tightly, almost painfully. “I won’t ever let you
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rlm@2
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605 disappear again, Sora. I won’t let anyone take you away from me. I
|
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rlm@2
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606 promise.” She buried her head against his shoulder, almost afraid
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rlm@2
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607 that a stray wind would carry him off. No, he was finally there. And
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rlm@2
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608 Princess Hikari would do everything she could to make sure he stayed
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|
rlm@2
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609 that way.
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