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1
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2
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3 Author’s Notes: I’d like to thank Laine for her help in writing
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4 this. ^-^ And I’d like to thank my brother, Cloud, for a lot of the
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5 ideas that show up in Prism Hearts. Without his Kingdom Hearts RPG,
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6 Kairi’s travels through Prism Hearts would be completely different.
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7
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8 Prism Hearts
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9 Chapter 5
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10 Time’s Scar
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11 by Amazoness Duo
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12 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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13
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14
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15 ‘What was the start of all this?
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16 When did the cogs of Fate begin to turn?
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17
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18 Perhaps it is impossible to grasp that answer now,
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19 From deep within the flow of time...
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20
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21 But, for a certainty, back then,
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22 We loved so many, yet hated so much.
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23 We hurt others and were hurt ourselves.
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24
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25 Yet even then, we ran like the wind,
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26 Whilst our laughter echoed,
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27 Under cerulean skies.’
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28
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29 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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30
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31 Kairi struggled through a fitful sleep. Something felt terribly
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32 wrong, but she couldn’t make out what. But that feeling that things
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33 weren’t right pervaded her sleeping form as she tossed and turned.
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34 She tried to push through the thick fog that clouded her mind, to
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35 force herself to wake up. The harder she tried, the more confused she
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36 became. She could feel herself in bed, the blankets wrapped around
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37 her. But she could also feel herself somewhere else, waves lapping
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38 somewhere nearby. She rolled onto her side. The bed shifted under
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39 her. Her hands opened and closed slowly, damp sand pressing against
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40 them. It felt like she was in two places at once. Water slowly rose
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41 and fell against Kairi’s hand. It must be the waves she had heard.
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42 Was she back home? But which home? The Destiny Islands or the room
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43 she so often found herself in? Or both?
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44
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45 Footsteps slowly approached her, but Kairi couldn’t tell if it was
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46 from the beach or the room. Her eyes struggled to open, but they felt
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47 so heavy. Her whole body felt weak and exhausted. She just wanted to
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48 sleep, even though she felt that someone was watching her.
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49
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50 The footsteps grew closer, finally stopping next to her. ‘Get up!’
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51 she told herself. Now wasn’t the time to be lying there. She needed
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52 to see whoever it was. But despite her concerns, she just couldn’t
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53 work up the will to get up, let alone to open her eyes.
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54
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55 The footsteps finally stopped abruptly next to her. The person or
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56 creature that had made them seemed to be studying her for a long
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57 moment. She strained to get up, but the most she could manage was to
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58 clench her fists, one in cool water and the other in bed sheets.
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59
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60 The person watching her tsked, looking down at her. “Zere will be
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61 great enemity between you and ze worlds. Tis not speculation. Tis
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62 histoire. You are ze key to opening it all up or shattering it all
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63 completely. Which will you decide?” the voice finally said in a
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64 feminine French accent. A soft sigh escaped the girl above Kairi
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65 before she turned to leave. “But first you must decide where you are,
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66 no?”
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67
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68 Kairi wanted to respond, to ask the person what she meant, but all
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69 she could get out was a weak, sleepy grumble. What did she mean that
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70 she could destroy everything? She was only one of the seven
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71 princesses. And the doorway the princesses could open was already
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72 sealed, so her importance was over. Now she was only a girl searching
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73 for her friends. She tried one last time to get to her feet, pushing
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74 off from the bed.
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75
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76 And she was up. She blinked wearily, a hand going to her eyes to
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77 shield them from the sunset that greeted her. It stretched out lazily
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78 along the horizon before her, beautiful swirls of pink and orange
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79 marking the sky above. The sun glinted from both above and below, as
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80 if it were in two places at once. It took her a moment to understand
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81 why. It was reflecting off of the water she had been feeling later.
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82 But she was not on a beach somewhere. She was in the middle of a vast
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83 ocean, no land in sight. Her feet were resting on the water. The
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84 water shifted under her, almost throwing her off balance. It still
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85 felt like water, but she was somehow walking on it, the liquid
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86 holding her up. She shot her gaze about quickly, trying to spot the
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87 girl who had been speaking earlier, but she was all alone on the
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88 ocean.
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89
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90 “Why don’t things ever make sense!?” She called out in anger and
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91 frustration.
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92
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93 ‘Because it’s not real,’ a voice whispered in her ear.
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94
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95 Kairi jerked around, trying to spot the voice. She sighed when she
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96 realized it was the one that always seemed to appear in her head.
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97 “Why won’t you leave me alone? If you aren’t going to help me find
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98 Riku and Sora then you could at least stop bothering me all the time.”
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99
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100 ‘Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places. I know where Riku and
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101 Sora are,’ the voice taunted.
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102
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103 “Where? Where are they? I need to find them!” Kairi said
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104 desperately. This trip had already been so long and grueling. She
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105 longed to see her friends again, to laugh and cry with the two of
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106 them by her side. She just wanted it to be over.
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107
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108 ‘Going to give up already? Riku wouldn’t give up so easily. He’d
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109 keep going until he found you. No matter how far. And Sora never
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110 returned to the island because he’s still looking for Riku. So they
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111 can both come back to you on the island. Only you won’t be there.
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112 Because you gave up in the middle of nowhe.’
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113
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114 “I’m not giving up! I won’t give up until I see them again! No
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115 matter how long it takes!” Kairi cried out, her fists clenched
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116 angrily as she scanned the horizon for any sign of the voice. “I… I
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117 love them! Nothing will keep me away from them! No matter how many
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118 worlds I have to travel across!”
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119
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120 A chuckle filled Kairi’s mind. Slow at first, but increasing in
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121 volume. It seemed to come from deep within herself. It took Kairi by
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122 surprise when she found herself to be chuckling as well. She stopped
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123 immediately, disturbed by the source of that eerie feeling. ‘Very
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124 well, Princess. Keep up your search. But remember, the door is
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125 waiting for you as soon as you’re willing to accept reality. Come
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126 back to me. I’m waiting.’
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127
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128 Trying to ignore the voice, the brunette kept travelling forward,
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129 trying to focus on getting away, far away from the voice at the
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130 ‘reality’ that it claimed to be from. The voice, the feelings, they
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131 all seemed to swirl about inside of her. Like a thought she couldn’t
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132 get rid of, neither willfully thought up or willingly kept. She
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133 hugged herself, trying to force away the confusion. She had to
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134 concentrate.
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135
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136 Onward and onward she traveled, the only sight the shifting water
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137 beneath her feet. The sunset was slowly disappearing, the sky
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138 becoming a deep purple. Stars began to hint at their existence in the
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139 skies above. And still she was no closer to finding out where she was
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140 or where she was going. Kairi sighed, collapsing. Hunched over, her
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141 hands rested on her thighs as she tried to think. This wasn’t getting
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142 her anywhere. There had to be some way to...
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143
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144 She blinked. That reflection in the water, it wasn’t her own. She
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145 stood up again, looking down below her. The reflection in the water
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146 was someone else as if she were standing on someone’s feet. With a
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147 flash of recognition, her eyes went wide. “Riku!” she called out.
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148 “Riku!!” She blinked back tears. He couldn’t hear her. “Riku!!!” He
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149 blinked beneath her, starting to look around. It looked like he had
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150 faintly heard something. A surge of hope welled up within Kairi, her
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151 hands held tightly to her chest. “Riku! I’m right here!” He kept
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152 scanning around, looking about him. “Look up! Please look up, Riku!”
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153 she pleaded. If he saw her, then maybe they could find a way to be
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154 together again. She wouldn’t be on this quest alone.
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155
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156 She needed him, needed someone to help her forget the cold reality
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157 that kept being forced upon her. She needed to get to him. Kneeling
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158 down, she tried to claw at the water, trying to reach him. “Riku!”
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159 Her fingers broke through the water, hands plunging into the waves
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160 beneath. And suddenly, so did she. As if the ground had been dropped
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161 out from under her, the princess dropped into the depths. As water
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162 surrounded her, she could see him up above, on the surface. But she
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163 couldn’t swim up to him. It felt like her body was a lead weight. No
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164 matter how hard she struggled, she kept sinking lower into inky
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165 darkness. He grew further and further away, disappearing as the
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166 darkness overcame her. She reached out, remembering his words from so
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167 long ago. ‘Take my hand, Kairi. Take my hand and everything will be
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168 all right.’ Her arm ached against the water as she struggled to reach
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169 him, plunging ever deeper. She could see him, reaching for her. But
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170 even that dissipated into nothingness as she sank.
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171
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172 And she landed heavily onto something soft. For a moment, she could
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173 only lie there. “Riku...” she said mournfully. So close... If only
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174 she could have reached out faster, then maybe...
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175
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176 “Told you that you were looking in the wrong places,” the voice
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177 chided from the other side of the door.
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178
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179 Kairi sat up immediately, her eyes wide. Not here. Anywhere but
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180 here. Sure enough, she could see her room once again, pictures of the
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181 Destiny Islands, Riku and Sora on the walls. Figurines from a dozen
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182 Squaresoft games littered her desk. Dolls she had made lay all over
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183 her bed. This was the last place she wanted to be. She couldn’t deal
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184 with it at the moment. “No...” She sighed, picking up the Riku and
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185 Sora dolls and hugging them as tightly as she could.
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186
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187 “I already knew you didn’t like it here, Kairi. Why else would you
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188 spend all of your time escaping into fantasy? Playing games and
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189 watching fairy tales and pretending you were this pretty girl on an
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190 island where you two best friends were boys who were in love with
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191 you. Oh, and your whole suicide stunt. I think you’ve made it
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192 blatantly obvious you don’t like it here, Kairi. I think everyone
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193 knows that but you. Because you’re so obsessed with your fantasy
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194 world that you can’t step back for a second and remember the sad
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195 lonely girl you really are,” the voice said, sounding frustrated.
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196
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197 “This can’t be real,” Kairi whispered, getting off the bed. She
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198 slowly walked to the locked door to her bedroom, squeezing the dolls
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199 in her arms. They were the boys she loved, yet here they were only
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200 fluff and cloth.
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201
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202 “It is, Kairi. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can open
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203 the door and step out into reality. Reality is darkness. But it’s
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204 also Truth. So the Truth is darkness.”
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205
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206 Kairi shook her head, kneeling in front of the door. “No, it can’t
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207 be like that. Even in the darkness, there will always be light.
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208 Grandma told me that. Back.. Back at the palace. I can remember
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209 that.” A smile of satisfaction lit up her face. She could remember
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210 bits and pieces of her life back at the palace as a princess. That
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211 gave her some hope. She didn’t just have memories from this place.
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212
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213 “That’s only because we can dream. Dreams are the light. But hopes
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214 and dreams are lies. Only there to delude ourselves with visions of
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215 what we wish would happen,” the voice argued.
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216
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217 “It’s not like that. It’s not,” Kairi replied softly, resting her
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218 head against the door. “It can’t be. I have to find Riku and Sora. I
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219 need to be with them again. And we’ll travel to all sorts of
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220 beautiful places.”
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221
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222 “I know you’re lonely. I know you miss them,” the voice whispered,
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223 pressing it’s own head against the door. “I just wish you could
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224 accept things, Kairi. You’re so far away because of this. And no
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225 matter how hard I try, I can’t get you back. Because you keep running
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226 away. Come home, Kairi. Please,” the voice pleaded.
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227
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228 Fingers slid under the door, lying there. The princess slowly
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229 reached out, taking them. They curled over her own, trying to hold
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230 onto her. They felt warm and soft against her hand. And it felt so
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231 nice to be near someone in this creepy room. Even if it was some
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232 faceless person behind a door. But she felt like she could almost
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233 remember who it was. Almost...
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234
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235 The hand held onto her tighter, starting to squeeze her hand
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236 painfully as it gripped her own. Kairi felt a pit of anxiety in her
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237 stomach. She tried to pull away, but the grip was too tight. “Hey...
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238 Let go. That hurts.” She yanked back, but still with no results.
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239 “Oww...” A shattering sound got her attention, her heart pounding.
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240 Her window had burst. She could see water gushing in as if the house
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241 were underwater. She tried harder to pull her hand away to no avail.
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242 Water was quickly filling the room. It was already up to her thighs
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243 and she couldn’t stand up to get away from it because of the hand.
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244 “Let go!” she cried. She was cut short by the rising water. She was
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245 quickly submerged in her bedroom. Books and figurines floated past
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246 her in the churning waters. She was going to drown. That thought
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247 horrified her. She was going to drown in that lonely, evil room.
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248
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249 The hand holding hers tightened further and yanked her forward. The
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250 door was no longer there. Neither was the rest of her room. She moved
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251 swiftly through the water, finally breaking above the surface of the
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252 water. Her lungs burned painfully, her body weak. Her knees gave out,
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253 her body slumping back into the water. But arms were quickly around
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254 her, pulling her out of the water. “It will be all right, Kairi. I
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255 have you.” She looked up weakly to see the cloaked boy she had met
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256 some time ago. Her head collapsing against his chest, she passed out.
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257
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258 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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259
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260 Sephiroth watched a small floating image before him. There were
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261 several keyholes in front of a larger keyhole. One of the keyholes
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262 had lit up. “Kefka,” the soldier murmured to himself. That was one
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263 down. There were only so many left. It was only a matter of time.
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264 Kefka hadn’t understood that he was serious when he had said that
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265 Kairi was the key to all of this. She was the important thing, not
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266 her keyblade or her friends. But now was not the time to act. All he
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267 could do was sit and watch and wait.
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268
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269 “So she’s opened one of the Keyholes already? She may be more
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270 trouble than we had thought,” a woman said, crossing her arms.
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271
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272 “One little girl is not going to be a problem. Kefka was a fool. As
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273 long as she can’t get close enough to use her Keyblade, she isn’t a
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rlm@2
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274 problem. I’d simply wipe her out with an Eidolon, but I’ve been
|
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rlm@2
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275 forbidden from doing so,” the bishounen said, pouting.
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rlm@2
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276
|
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rlm@2
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277 “Destroying her would only be problematic. Why kill that which we
|
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rlm@2
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278 can use? She is the key to obtaining all of our goals, after all.
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rlm@2
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279 With her, we can unleash the Heartless entirely. And then we can do
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rlm@2
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280 what we will in our own worlds. I already have such plans for mine,”
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rlm@2
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281 a soft voice said, slowly smiling. “We never would have been able to
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rlm@2
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282 accomplish our goals before, but we have banded together to make our
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rlm@2
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283 dreams come true. Let’s not forget what is important. Realizing our
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rlm@2
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284 dreams, no matter how we must go about it.”
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rlm@2
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285
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rlm@2
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286 “Yes. Kefka forgot about that. But his dream was one of madness. He
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rlm@2
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287 couldn’t fight off the Princess. She was too strong for his madness
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rlm@2
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288 shrouded heart. Just be careful none of you make the same mistake,”
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rlm@2
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289 Sephiroth said. Closing his hand, he dispersed the image. “I have
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rlm@2
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290 work to do. I’ll leave the rest up to you for now. Don’t make the
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rlm@2
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291 same mistakes Kefka did. And remember, I want her alive.” Turning, he
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rlm@2
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292 exited the dark room.
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rlm@2
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293
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rlm@2
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294 The pretty boy grinned. “I guess that means it’s my turn. I better
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rlm@2
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295 hurry home to make sure everything’s going according to plan.” With
|
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rlm@2
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296 that, the white haired boy disappeared in a flash of light.
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rlm@2
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297
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rlm@2
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298 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
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rlm@2
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299
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rlm@2
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300 Kairi awake with a start, glancing around a dimly lit room. The
|
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rlm@2
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301 kitten that she had rescued was rubbing it’s head into her chin,
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rlm@2
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302 purring softly. She smiled softly at it, scratching its chin. It
|
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rlm@2
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303 looked up at her with its odd green eyes, questioningly. The ocean
|
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rlm@2
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304 was gently washing up on shore somewhere not far from where she was.
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rlm@2
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305 She sat up slowly, looking about the room. This didn’t seem familiar.
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rlm@2
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306 At least it wasn’t her bedroom. She sighed in relief.
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rlm@2
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307
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rlm@2
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308 “You’re up,” a voice said.
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rlm@2
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309
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rlm@2
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310 Swallowing, the princess tried to pinpoint the voice. She finally
|
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rlm@2
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311 found it on the bed rather than in her head. Another good sign. It
|
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rlm@2
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312 was the silver haired cloaked boy. He was sitting on the edge of the
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rlm@2
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313 bed, watching her. Well, as best as one can watch someone while
|
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rlm@2
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314 wearing a blindfold. She reached out slowly for it, but he moved
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rlm@2
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315 away. “Why do you wear that?” she inquired, watching him as he stood
|
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rlm@2
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316 up.
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rlm@2
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317
|
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rlm@2
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318 “To blind myself from the darkness. So I won’t see it anymore. I’ve
|
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rlm@2
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319 already looked too deeply into it. This way I can keep from staring
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rlm@2
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320 at it again. If you look too deeply into the darkness, it stares back
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rlm@2
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321 at you,” He explained.
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rlm@2
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322
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rlm@2
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323 Kairi nodded simply. She didn’t exactly understand, but that seemed
|
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rlm@2
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324 to be the best explanation she could get. “Who are you?” she asked at
|
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rlm@2
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325 last.
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rlm@2
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326
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rlm@2
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327 “A friend,” was his only reply.
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rlm@2
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328
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rlm@2
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329 Sighing, the brunette slowly got to her bare feet. Looking around,
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rlm@2
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330 she finally spotted her shoes. She stared at them for a long moment,
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rlm@2
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331 thinking. “You saved me. What you said about their being light even
|
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rlm@2
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332 in the darkest heart. If it weren’t for you...” She shuddered at the
|
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rlm@2
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333 thought of being possessed by the Slave Crown. What horrible things
|
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rlm@2
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334 would Kefka be making her do?
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rlm@2
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335
|
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rlm@2
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336 The boy said nothing for a long moment. He undid the blinds, letting
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rlm@2
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337 them raise up and let light into the room. It was small and messy, a
|
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rlm@2
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338 room in some small village. The ocean rolled nearby. “You’re looking
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rlm@2
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339 for your friends, aren’t you?”
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rlm@2
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340
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rlm@2
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341 Nodding emphatically, Kairi stood up. “With all my heart. I have to
|
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rlm@2
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342 find them. They need me. I know it.”
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rlm@2
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343
|
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rlm@2
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344 “One of them is searching for the other. You’ll find him by
|
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rlm@2
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345 searching for the one he is looking for. Your paths will eventually
|
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rlm@2
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346 cross if you seek the same thing,” he said, turning back to Kairi.
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rlm@2
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347
|
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rlm@2
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348 “Riku...” Kairi nodded. “If I look for Riku, I’ll run into Sora.”
|
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rlm@2
|
349 That made sense. Then they could find Riku together. And they could
|
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rlm@2
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350 all be together again. She smiled. That sounded so perfect. She
|
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rlm@2
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351 looked down at the kitten. Having hopped off the bed, it was now
|
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rlm@2
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352 rubbing against her ankles, meowing. It almost sounded like it was
|
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rlm@2
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353 trying to say something. She reached down, picking it up. Petting the
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rlm@2
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354 kitten, she looked up thoughtfully at the cloaked boy. “But where do
|
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rlm@2
|
355 I look for Riku?”
|
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rlm@2
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356
|
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rlm@2
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357 “You can’t reach him yet. He was locked away when Sora locked the
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rlm@2
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358 Doorway to the Darkness.”
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rlm@2
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359
|
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rlm@2
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360 Kairi’s shoulders slumped. “But.. There has to be some way to reach
|
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rlm@2
|
361 him, right? He can’t be locked away forever.” Her heart skipped a
|
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rlm@2
|
362 beat. All that Sora had done to save everyone couldn’t have doomed
|
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rlm@2
|
363 Riku. It didn’t seem fair that Riku would have to suffer so that
|
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rlm@2
|
364 everyone else would be safe. Damn it, she wanted to Riku to be there,
|
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rlm@2
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365 to smile at her. He couldn’t be lost forever.
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rlm@2
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366
|
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rlm@2
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367 “There is always a Doorway to the Light. That is the door he is
|
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rlm@2
|
368 behind now that the darkness is banished. If you can unlock the
|
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rlm@2
|
369 Doorway to the Light, you can reach him,” the boy explained.
|
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rlm@2
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370
|
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rlm@2
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371 “Great! Now where’s the Doorway to the Light? If I can find that, I
|
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rlm@2
|
372 can meet up with Sora and we can open it up and see Riku again.” She
|
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rlm@2
|
373 felt almost giddy again. She finally had some inkling of what was
|
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rlm@2
|
374 going on, of how to find her friends. She was anxious to be underway.
|
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rlm@2
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375
|
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rlm@2
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376 “It isn’t that simple,” the silver haired boy warned. “The Doorway
|
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rlm@2
|
377 to the Light has several locks on it. These locks are Keyholes that
|
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rlm@2
|
378 reside within the hearts of several people. You must unlock all of
|
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rlm@2
|
379 them in order to unlock the Doorway to the Light.” He watched her
|
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rlm@2
|
380 disappointment for a moment before continuing. “You have already
|
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rlm@2
|
381 unlocked one of the Keyholes. The Keyhole of Madness lay within
|
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rlm@2
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382 Kefka’s heart. You must unlock the rest before the Doorway to the
|
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rlm@2
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383 Light will open.”
|
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rlm@2
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384
|
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rlm@2
|
385 Kairi nodded thoughtfully. It had been hard enough to unlock Kefka’s
|
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rlm@2
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386 heart. But if that was the only way to save Riku, she had to do it.
|
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rlm@2
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387 He would do no less for her. “Whatever it takes,” she said at last.
|
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rlm@2
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388
|
|
rlm@2
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389 “Good. I was hoping you would say that. He needs you. You’re the
|
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rlm@2
|
390 only one who can save him. Go and find the Keyholes. Unlock them.
|
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rlm@2
|
391 Then you will find the Doorway. Behind it lies your friend. And the
|
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rlm@2
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392 Light. It is the only way to stop the Heartless. When the Doorway to
|
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rlm@2
|
393 the Darkness was closed, they were cut off. They are limited in
|
|
rlm@2
|
394 numbers now. By opening up the light, you can vanquish them forever.”
|
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rlm@2
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395
|
|
rlm@2
|
396 “No more Heartless,” the princess repeated. ‘And no more of that
|
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rlm@2
|
397 messed up reality. That’s tied into the Heartless, that voice said.
|
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rlm@2
|
398 So if I can stop the Heartless, I won’t ever have to go back. We can
|
|
rlm@2
|
399 go back to our islands,’ she thought to herself.
|
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rlm@2
|
400
|
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rlm@2
|
401 “You’re the only one who can open the door, Kairi.” The boy turned
|
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rlm@2
|
402 from her, heading out the door. His work here was done. For now.
|
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rlm@2
|
403
|
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rlm@2
|
404 Kairi could only watch him go. He seemed so familiar. But she didn’t
|
|
rlm@2
|
405 know what to say. “Thank you,” she said as he reached the doorway. He
|
|
rlm@2
|
406 paused for a moment but said nothing before disappearing through the
|
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rlm@2
|
407 doorway. Kairi sighed, clutching a hand to her heart. She knew what
|
|
rlm@2
|
408 she had to do. Even if it did feel a little overwhelming. But she’d
|
|
rlm@2
|
409 already unlocked one of the Keyholes. What were a few more?
|
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rlm@2
|
410
|
|
rlm@2
|
411 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
412
|
|
rlm@2
|
413 ‘Dear Diary,
|
|
rlm@2
|
414 Hi again! Well, we’re working on the Island Festival after all. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
415 adults cancelled it because of all the weird stuff going on lately,
|
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rlm@2
|
416 so we’re gonna throw one ourselves. I’ve been so busy making
|
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rlm@2
|
417 decorations for it that my hands hurt! But as long as we can have our
|
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rlm@2
|
418 festival, it doesn’t matter. Besides, Quisty has been rubbing my
|
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rlm@2
|
419 hands when I complain about it. *blush* So I’m happy about that. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
420 was complaining about it earlier while she was studying on the beach.
|
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rlm@2
|
421 At least I got her out of the house, even if she insisted on bringing
|
|
rlm@2
|
422 her book with her. And she just nodded, looking at me with those
|
|
rlm@2
|
423 pretty blue eyes of hers looking at me through her cute glasses and
|
|
rlm@2
|
424 then she reached out and took my hands, rubbing them. And it felt a
|
|
rlm@2
|
425 lot better because of that. We talked a bit while she did that, even
|
|
rlm@2
|
426 though my mind was elsewhere. I hope it wasn’t too obvious.
|
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rlm@2
|
427
|
|
rlm@2
|
428 That hole’s still there on the island. It’s looking bigger now. It’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
429 really spooky. There’s just nothing there. Wakka said someone should
|
|
rlm@2
|
430 take a look. Then he asked Tidus to go do it. Tidus shook his head,
|
|
rlm@2
|
431 saying he wasn’t gonna do it and that Wakka should because Wakka’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
432 older. I’m starting to wonder if Kairi fell down that hole. I sure
|
|
rlm@2
|
433 hope not. I’d hate to think she was swallowed up by that big scary
|
|
rlm@2
|
434 nothingness. It almost made me want to go in to look for her, but I
|
|
rlm@2
|
435 just stood closer to Quisty as we all stared at it. We finally left,
|
|
rlm@2
|
436 trying to think of something to play to get our minds off of it. But
|
|
rlm@2
|
437 I don’t think the hole’s gonna go away. And what happens if it keeps
|
|
rlm@2
|
438 getting bigger? We can’t ignore it forever.
|
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rlm@2
|
439
|
|
rlm@2
|
440 But that’s what we have the festival for! To forget about things
|
|
rlm@2
|
441 now. We’ll deal with things later on. Right now we have that to worry
|
|
rlm@2
|
442 about. I’m in charge of the Destiny Island Festival Committee! It was
|
|
rlm@2
|
443 Quisty’s idea to give it an official sounding name. So we put it all
|
|
rlm@2
|
444 together and since it was my idea, I get to be in charge. We’ve been
|
|
rlm@2
|
445 drawing up plans of all the stuff we wanna do for it. The boys
|
|
rlm@2
|
446 weren’t too thrilled about the whole dance on the beach under the
|
|
rlm@2
|
447 stars, but I told them that we’re doing it anyway. I’m dancing with
|
|
rlm@2
|
448 Quisty at the festival whether they like it or not! Tidus is just too
|
|
rlm@2
|
449 shy to ask Yuna to dance with him. If he doesn’t ask soon, Lulu’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
450 going to and he’s gonna lose his chance. Seems like everyone like’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
451 Yuna. I can kinda understand. She’s a bit like Quisty. They’re both
|
|
rlm@2
|
452 really thoughtful and quiet sometimes and get depressed over little
|
|
rlm@2
|
453 things because they’re worried about disappointing everyone. If only
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 they’d realize we love them anyway! They don’t have to be perfect.
|
|
rlm@2
|
455 But I’d be better off telling Quisty that than my diary. I’ll
|
|
rlm@2
|
456 remember to do that later when she’s being quiet again.
|
|
rlm@2
|
457
|
|
rlm@2
|
458 Tidus and Wakka are putting up some decorations right now. I can
|
|
rlm@2
|
459 hear them hammering away. It’s hard to think. But I’m still exhausted
|
|
rlm@2
|
460 from running around all day collecting stuff for the decorations, so
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 that’s probably part of the reason. Lulu’s using her magic to light
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 some fires so we can see. It’s not too late, but some really dark
|
|
rlm@2
|
463 clouds have rolled in and it’s hard to see. Yuna’s giving moral
|
|
rlm@2
|
464 support and carrying some of the decorations from place to place. Now
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 that I think about it, I’ll probably ask her to teach me how to dance
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 before the festival. I know Quisty’s a great dancer because she’s a
|
|
rlm@2
|
467 scholar-type and she learned that sorta thing for some reason. Yuna’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
468 a great dancer, too. Sometimes she’ll dance out in the waves and it’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 really, really good. I wanna be good, too, when I dance with Quisty
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 during the festival, but I can’t ask her because then it won’t be a
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 special when we do. So I’ll get Yuna to teach me. I’m so excited! I
|
|
rlm@2
|
472 can just imagine twirling about with Quisty under the stars! If these
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 dark clouds ever go away. Grrr... Go away! I want my starry nights!
|
|
rlm@2
|
474
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 The seas have been getting angrier, too. It’s like they’re restless.
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 I was collecting shells on the beach for the decorations and the
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 waves just pulled back for a moment. Then this big, dark wave came
|
|
rlm@2
|
478 crashing into me. I was so surprised that I let go of everything I’d
|
|
rlm@2
|
479 collected. I tumbled around until I was completely dizzy and then the
|
|
rlm@2
|
480 water rolled right back out. When I finally got back to my feet, I
|
|
rlm@2
|
481 realized one of my sandals was missing. The wave stole it! Anyway, I
|
|
rlm@2
|
482 ran off after that, deciding to look a little further inland on the
|
|
rlm@2
|
483 island for things to make decorations. I don’t like how angry the
|
|
rlm@2
|
484 ocean looks. It’s not that beautiful aquamarine it used to be. It’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
485 all jagged and very dark. I hope it’s not a bad sign.
|
|
rlm@2
|
486
|
|
rlm@2
|
487 Oh, good! There’s Yuna. I’m gonna go ask her to teach me how to
|
|
rlm@2
|
488 dance. We don’t have much time until the festival, so I’m gonna try
|
|
rlm@2
|
489 my hardest for it! Booyaka!
|
|
rlm@2
|
490
|
|
rlm@2
|
491 Selphie Tilmitt’
|
|
rlm@2
|
492
|
|
rlm@2
|
493 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
rlm@2
|
494
|
|
rlm@2
|
495 Relm sat on the edge of the dock, idly swinging her legs above the
|
|
rlm@2
|
496 quiet waves that rolled up to graze the shore as Yuffie paced
|
|
rlm@2
|
497 restlessly out of the corner of her eye. The ninja’s light footfalls
|
|
rlm@2
|
498 on the worn wooden planks were steady and rhythmic, lulling her into
|
|
rlm@2
|
499 a sense of peace that seemed so at odds to everything that had
|
|
rlm@2
|
500 happened. They had appeared in Arni out of nowhere, two days ago,
|
|
rlm@2
|
501 lying just out of the clutching grasp of the sea. The fishermen had
|
|
rlm@2
|
502 taken them in, thinking them victims of a rough sea.
|
|
rlm@2
|
503
|
|
rlm@2
|
504 But how could that have been? They had been in Kefka’s prison, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
505 then they were here. The only way it could dubiously be explained
|
|
rlm@2
|
506 was Kairi’s Keyblade, but the princess was still asleep.
|
|
rlm@2
|
507
|
|
rlm@2
|
508 “When did they say she was going to wake up?” Yuffie demanded for
|
|
rlm@2
|
509 the umpteenth time, scowling.
|
|
rlm@2
|
510
|
|
rlm@2
|
511 “They didn’t say, but they’re pretty sure she’ll be fine.” The
|
|
rlm@2
|
512 artist turned slightly to watch the water rise and fall as if it were
|
|
rlm@2
|
513 breathing, orange-gold sunlight edging the waves. ‘I’d love to paint
|
|
rlm@2
|
514 this…but all my paints are back in Narshe. Assuming Narshe stills
|
|
rlm@2
|
515 exists.’ She closed her eyes for a moment, marking the loss that
|
|
rlm@2
|
516 still seemed fuzzy and undefined. Had all that really happened?
|
|
rlm@2
|
517 Celes…and Kefka…and Interceptor? Or was everything, even her being
|
|
rlm@2
|
518 here, just a dream?
|
|
rlm@2
|
519
|
|
rlm@2
|
520 With a sigh, Yuffie sat down besides her, leaning back until the
|
|
rlm@2
|
521 ninja lay flat against the boards. “Well, at least we’re safe for
|
|
rlm@2
|
522 now.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
523
|
|
rlm@2
|
524 “Are we really?” Relm asked in a soft voice, remembering that her
|
|
rlm@2
|
525 grandfather had presumed the same thing.
|
|
rlm@2
|
526
|
|
rlm@2
|
527 “Huh?” Yuffie raised her head, surprised at Relm’s dampened
|
|
rlm@2
|
528 spirits. She’d thought that the other girl would have been perky and
|
|
rlm@2
|
529 optimistic till the sun fell out of the sky. It just goes to show you
|
|
rlm@2
|
530 how different people can be from what the seem.
|
|
rlm@2
|
531
|
|
rlm@2
|
532 She reached out and patted Relm’s shoulder, a bit awkwardly, but
|
|
rlm@2
|
533 sincere nonetheless. “Hey, it’s ok. No one would dare to cross the
|
|
rlm@2
|
534 world’s greatest ninja, after all! So you’re safe here with me.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
535 She grinned her trademark grin, hoping to rouse a bit of cheer.
|
|
rlm@2
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536
|
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rlm@2
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537 Flushing, Relm smiled a little. “Thanks, Yuffie.” Lying back on the
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rlm@2
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538 planks, she rested her head on Yuffie’s bare stomach, curled beneath
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|
rlm@2
|
539 the large sun in the sky above. She closed her eyes but they
|
|
rlm@2
|
540 fluttered open instantly, visions of Celes and Interceptor and the
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|
rlm@2
|
541 burning buildings of Narshe invading her thoughts. Better to watch
|
|
rlm@2
|
542 the sea, she decided. With Yuffie. Yes, she could believe that things
|
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rlm@2
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543 would be all right as long as she had this ninja girl to protect her.
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|
rlm@2
|
544 She scooted closer. Yuffie smelled so nice and felt so warm. She took
|
|
rlm@2
|
545 solace in those little things. They calmed her, soothing her spirits.
|
|
rlm@2
|
546 Yes, she’d be fine. ‘I’ll be all right, Interceptor. You just rest,
|
|
rlm@2
|
547 my friend. I know I’ll be safe. Yuffie can protect me for now.’
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rlm@2
|
548
|
|
rlm@2
|
549 Yuffie lay there awkwardly, staring up at the brilliant blue sky.
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|
rlm@2
|
550 She could feel Relm’s eyelashes tickling her stomach as they blinked.
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|
rlm@2
|
551 This wasn’t quite the reaction she’d been expecting when she’d
|
|
rlm@2
|
552 attempted to raise the artist’s spirits. The back of the blonde
|
|
rlm@2
|
553 girl’s bandana swished in the wind, moving across her ribs. But then,
|
|
rlm@2
|
554 what could she do? Push her away? The girl had just lost her
|
|
rlm@2
|
555 surrogate family and her best friend. Even if it was just a dog. So
|
|
rlm@2
|
556 it made sense that she was feeling a bit clingy. It wasn’t like it
|
|
rlm@2
|
557 was that hard to suffer through. Though part of her wanted to explain
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|
rlm@2
|
558 that she wasn’t something to cling onto. She was a ninja and a thief,
|
|
rlm@2
|
559 not something cute and cuddly to grapple onto. But she decided to let
|
|
rlm@2
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560 it pass this once. The younger girl needed some comforting and it
|
|
rlm@2
|
561 looked like she’d have to try her best. Hesitantly, Yuffie reached
|
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rlm@2
|
562 down, placing a hand on Relm’s head. ‘Now what?’ she thought.
|
|
rlm@2
|
563 Sighing, she let her hand drop. Maybe she wasn’t the best for this
|
|
rlm@2
|
564 anyway. After all, she’d spent her whole life looking out for
|
|
rlm@2
|
565 herself. She wasn’t used to trying to perk someone else up.
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rlm@2
|
566
|
|
rlm@2
|
567 Relm looked up when she felt Yuffie’s hand pull away. Giggling
|
|
rlm@2
|
568 softly, she reached up, pulling her bandana away. Medium length
|
|
rlm@2
|
569 blonde hair fell about Yuffie’s stomach. Relm rested her head back on
|
|
rlm@2
|
570 the ninja’s stomach, looking up the small slope of Yuffie’s chest to
|
|
rlm@2
|
571 the short haired ninja, waiting.
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rlm@2
|
572
|
|
rlm@2
|
573 Yuffie smiled nervously at the artist, looking at those deeply
|
|
rlm@2
|
574 intent blue eyes. It seemed fairly obvious why she had gotten rid of
|
|
rlm@2
|
575 the bandana. ‘I’m not good at this stuff! I’m not used to dealing
|
|
rlm@2
|
576 with kids! Well, except my little sister, but she’s not around right
|
|
rlm@2
|
577 now.’ Reaching down, Yuffie’s fingers brushed through Relm’s soft,
|
|
rlm@2
|
578 blonde hair. The artist smiled happily, still looking up at her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
579 Yuffie relaxed a bit as she kept stroking the younger girl’s hair.
|
|
rlm@2
|
580 ‘At least she seems to be feeling a little better. So I guess it’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
581 worth it. But she better not be expecting this all the time.’ And it
|
|
rlm@2
|
582 really wasn’t so bad, feeling the silken hair under her fingers, the
|
|
rlm@2
|
583 other girl's warm breath against her stomach. There was something odd
|
|
rlm@2
|
584 in those eyes, though. And Yuffie wasn’t a stranger to weird eyes.
|
|
rlm@2
|
585 Her little sister had strange, spiral eyes. And Cloud had shining
|
|
rlm@2
|
586 green eyes. But there was something more subtle about these. They
|
|
rlm@2
|
587 were normal eyes, she decided at last. It was the look she was
|
|
rlm@2
|
588 getting that was strange. So direct and intense and... something. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
589 felt a little embarrassed having that warm gaze directed at her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
590 ‘Great. She’s probably gonna think of me as a mother figure or
|
|
rlm@2
|
591 something. And I am not a mother figure.’
|
|
rlm@2
|
592
|
|
rlm@2
|
593 Relm, on the other hand, was thinking anything but motherly thoughts
|
|
rlm@2
|
594 about Yuffie. “Yuffie? Do you have a boyfriend?” she asked at last.
|
|
rlm@2
|
595 It seemed quiet, the sound of seagulls and the waves all a part of
|
|
rlm@2
|
596 the background.
|
|
rlm@2
|
597
|
|
rlm@2
|
598 Shaking her head, Yuffie looked back up at the clouds thoughtfully.
|
|
rlm@2
|
599 “No, I’m too busy. Not that I really want one anyway. I see all these
|
|
rlm@2
|
600 couples around me like Cloud and Aerith, Rinoa and Squall, and I just
|
|
rlm@2
|
601 can’t see myself like that. Nothing against Aerith or Rinoa. I just
|
|
rlm@2
|
602 can’t see myself like that with some boyfriend.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
603
|
|
rlm@2
|
604 Relm smiled, pleased with Yuffie’s response. “Good.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
605
|
|
rlm@2
|
606 “Good? Why good?” Yuffie asked, blinking, looking back down at the
|
|
rlm@2
|
607 artist. That was an odd line of questioning. And she didn’t see why
|
|
rlm@2
|
608 that would be a good answer anyway. She just didn’t care about
|
|
rlm@2
|
609 finding a boyfriend right now. There were too many other things to
|
|
rlm@2
|
610 worry about. It wasn’t anywhere on her list of priorities.
|
|
rlm@2
|
611
|
|
rlm@2
|
612 “No reason,” Relm said, smiling secretively, tracing images on
|
|
rlm@2
|
613 Yuffie’s stomach with her finger. The warm skin felt like a wonderful
|
|
rlm@2
|
614 background for her. She could imagine her brushes running over it,
|
|
rlm@2
|
615 drawing the images in bright colors on Yuffie’s skin. “You should
|
|
rlm@2
|
616 really let me paint you sometime,” she said absentmindedly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
617
|
|
rlm@2
|
618 “I’m not really sure I’d be a good model for a portrait,” Yuffie
|
|
rlm@2
|
619 replied, sweatdropping.
|
|
rlm@2
|
620
|
|
rlm@2
|
621 Relm giggled. “I was thinking about something else, but a portrait
|
|
rlm@2
|
622 would be nice, too. And you’d be a great model. Ninjas can be patient
|
|
rlm@2
|
623 and sit and wait for hours to ambush someone. So just use that deep
|
|
rlm@2
|
624 well of patience and it’ll be done quickly.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
625
|
|
rlm@2
|
626 Yuffie frowned. She was a great ninja, after all. She couldn’t argue
|
|
rlm@2
|
627 with that. She sighed in defeat. “Yeah, I guess you can. Sometime.
|
|
rlm@2
|
628 Maybe.” She could imagine Aerith having a picture painted of her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
629 That girl could be patient. But she just couldn’t see herself sitting
|
|
rlm@2
|
630 there, being sketched. But if it made the girl feel better, then she
|
|
rlm@2
|
631 guessed she could suffer through it. And it might make for a good
|
|
rlm@2
|
632 picture. Relm was obviously very good with art. It might be
|
|
rlm@2
|
633 interesting, she thought grudgingly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
634
|
|
rlm@2
|
635 “Great!” Relm squealed happily. It was nice to have other things to
|
|
rlm@2
|
636 think about. And right now she was happy just to be thinking about
|
|
rlm@2
|
637 Yuffie. And feeling her so close. She shifted a bit, resting her head
|
|
rlm@2
|
638 now on Yuffie’s chest. The ninja almost sat up, but Relm didn’t move.
|
|
rlm@2
|
639 Yuffie sighed and stayed where she was. The artist could feel the
|
|
rlm@2
|
640 small green top under her cheek, and the soft skin underneath. And
|
|
rlm@2
|
641 beneath all that, the gentle thump of Yuffie’s heart. It was the
|
|
rlm@2
|
642 heart of her princess, the ninja she had long awaited. She smiled at
|
|
rlm@2
|
643 the thought. “It must have been Fate,” she said softly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
644
|
|
rlm@2
|
645 “What must have been Fate?” Yuffie asked, watching the quirky
|
|
rlm@2
|
646 artist. She sure was acting strangely. But then, all artists were a
|
|
rlm@2
|
647 little strange, weren’t they? At least, Zidane had said so. But who
|
|
rlm@2
|
648 was he to talk? Yuffie tried to look up again, but her eyes kept
|
|
rlm@2
|
649 being drawn back to the head on her chest, to Relm’s bright blue
|
|
rlm@2
|
650 eyes. Her keen intuition was telling her to be on guard, but logic
|
|
rlm@2
|
651 told her there was nothing to fear from the younger girl. But still,
|
|
rlm@2
|
652 she couldn’t quell her growing unease.
|
|
rlm@2
|
653
|
|
rlm@2
|
654 “Meeting you. Finding myself lost somewhere far away with you. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
655 two of us sitting under the endless sky right now. It must have been
|
|
rlm@2
|
656 Fate. I don’t think this is all an accident. We were destined to
|
|
rlm@2
|
657 meet. I was destined to rescue you from a frosty death. We were
|
|
rlm@2
|
658 destined to travel together. Destined to fall madly and passionately
|
|
rlm@2
|
659 in love,” Relm said, her eyes sparkling. Yes, it was all Fate, a
|
|
rlm@2
|
660 guiding hand that had led her to this beautiful moment. Her budding
|
|
rlm@2
|
661 romance with her very own ninja. Just like her mother.
|
|
rlm@2
|
662
|
|
rlm@2
|
663 “Destined to.. What?!” Yuffie blinked, her mind whirling at the
|
|
rlm@2
|
664 artists words. That had certainly not been what she had been
|
|
rlm@2
|
665 expecting. Possibly a surrogate mother figure, but a lover? Where was
|
|
rlm@2
|
666 Relm coming up with all of this stuff? She tried to get up, but Relm
|
|
rlm@2
|
667 pinned her. She was stronger than the artist, but Relm had caught her
|
|
rlm@2
|
668 by surprise and Yuffie’s head was still spinning. The blonde had
|
|
rlm@2
|
669 straddled her, looking down into her eyes. Yuffie could easily push
|
|
rlm@2
|
670 the girl off, but she found herself paralyzed underneath the blonde
|
|
rlm@2
|
671 artist.
|
|
rlm@2
|
672
|
|
rlm@2
|
673 “Destined to fall in love and spend forever together. Don’t you
|
|
rlm@2
|
674 believe in Fate?” Relm asked curiously, looking down at the older
|
|
rlm@2
|
675 ninja girl. “I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you.” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
676 whispered. Leaning down, she could see Yuffie’s wild eyes as she got
|
|
rlm@2
|
677 closer. Her own heart pounded feverishly, a delicious thrill cycling
|
|
rlm@2
|
678 through her blood. Had this been what it was like for her mother
|
|
rlm@2
|
679 while falling in love with her father? It was definitely dizzying.
|
|
rlm@2
|
680
|
|
rlm@2
|
681 Yuffie felt Relm’s lips press against her own, soft delicate petals
|
|
rlm@2
|
682 that seemed to melt against her own, flowing into them. She could
|
|
rlm@2
|
683 only sit there, aghast at what was happening. This little artist girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
684 had just professed her love for her. And here they were on some other
|
|
rlm@2
|
685 planet. And she was pinned underneath her, being kissed. Not just
|
|
rlm@2
|
686 some stage kiss, but a true, warm kiss. ‘Stop her!’ part of Yuffie
|
|
rlm@2
|
687 cried out. ‘She can’t do that to you!’ But Yuffie’s body refused to
|
|
rlm@2
|
688 cooperate. She could only lie there, subject to Relm’s will. That
|
|
rlm@2
|
689 thought sent a shudder through Yuffie. No one could control her but
|
|
rlm@2
|
690 herself. So she needed to get up and prove it. But Relm kept kissing
|
|
rlm@2
|
691 her. And for some reason, Yuffie couldn’t get herself to push the
|
|
rlm@2
|
692 young artist away. Her hands had reached Relm’s stomach, but she
|
|
rlm@2
|
693 couldn’t call upon the strength to force her off.
|
|
rlm@2
|
694
|
|
rlm@2
|
695 “Now what the bloody ‘ell is this?” a bemused voice asked.
|
|
rlm@2
|
696
|
|
rlm@2
|
697 Yuffie shoved the artist off, standing up and whirling about. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
698 winced as she heard the splash behind her. Relm was not going to be
|
|
rlm@2
|
699 happy about that. Wait. Why did she care if Relm liked it or not?
|
|
rlm@2
|
700 Relm deserved to get dunked for trying to kiss her. Well, not exactly
|
|
rlm@2
|
701 trying. Damn technicalities. Yuffie tried to cover her embarrassment
|
|
rlm@2
|
702 with anger, glaring at the intruder. “Kid?! What are you doing here?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
703
|
|
rlm@2
|
704 The blonde thief laughed, her hands on her hips. “Didn’t know ya had
|
|
rlm@2
|
705 it in ya, Yuffie.” She winked, sending an angry flush across Yuffie’s
|
|
rlm@2
|
706 cheeks. “And here I always thought you’d be the one on top.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
707
|
|
rlm@2
|
708 Relm yanked herself back up onto the dock, soaking wet and
|
|
rlm@2
|
709 grumbling. “What was that for?! You could’ve asked me to stop!” She
|
|
rlm@2
|
710 hugged herself, shivering in the light breeze. Her hair hung wetly
|
|
rlm@2
|
711 across her face. She tried to blow some wet hair from in front of
|
|
rlm@2
|
712 her, but it stubbornly refused to move.
|
|
rlm@2
|
713
|
|
rlm@2
|
714 “Wouldja have stopped?” Kid asked, still grinning. She had been glad
|
|
rlm@2
|
715 to see her fellow Radical Dreamer, but she found the situation she
|
|
rlm@2
|
716 found Yuffie in the be endlessly amusing.
|
|
rlm@2
|
717
|
|
rlm@2
|
718 Relm crossed her arms, frowning. “No. But she could’ve tried, at
|
|
rlm@2
|
719 least, before throwing me into the water.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
720
|
|
rlm@2
|
721 “I didn’t through you, I just... Wait,” Yuffie shook her head,
|
|
rlm@2
|
722 trying to clear her thoughts. “Like this is my fault. You were the
|
|
rlm@2
|
723 one who started... Just don’t do that!”
|
|
rlm@2
|
724
|
|
rlm@2
|
725 “I can’t make any promises,” Relm said stubbornly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
726
|
|
rlm@2
|
727 “Kid! There you are!” A voice said behind them.
|
|
rlm@2
|
728
|
|
rlm@2
|
729 Kid had a caught look on her face, but it melted away as she turned
|
|
rlm@2
|
730 around, masking it. “And if it isn’t the light o’ my life right now!
|
|
rlm@2
|
731 How ya doin’ Leena?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
732
|
|
rlm@2
|
733 “I thought you were supposed to be getting my Komodo scale necklace
|
|
rlm@2
|
734 right now. If you’re still around here, there might not be any when
|
|
rlm@2
|
735 you get there. And then I’ll be the only girl in the village without
|
|
rlm@2
|
736 one. You don’t want that to happen, do you?” Leena asked. She seemed
|
|
rlm@2
|
737 to be taking this incredibly seriously. And why wouldn’t she? It was
|
|
rlm@2
|
738 a big deal in a world filled with fishing and the everyday facets of
|
|
rlm@2
|
739 life. This was something important, a gift that all boyfriends got
|
|
rlm@2
|
740 their loving girlfriends. And Kid was her boyfriend. Or something
|
|
rlm@2
|
741 like that. So Kid was going to get her one. Whether she liked it or
|
|
rlm@2
|
742 not.
|
|
rlm@2
|
743
|
|
rlm@2
|
744 “Just about on my way, darling,” Kid said, trying to appease the
|
|
rlm@2
|
745 redhead. “Just getting some help from a friend of mine. Isn’t that
|
|
rlm@2
|
746 right, Yuffie?”
|
|
rlm@2
|
747
|
|
rlm@2
|
748 “Who’s the one on top with you two?” Yuffie asked dryly, raising an
|
|
rlm@2
|
749 eyebrow.
|
|
rlm@2
|
750
|
|
rlm@2
|
751 Kid gave her a dirty look before grinning back at Leena. “Well, off
|
|
rlm@2
|
752 we go. We’ll be back with your necklace before you know it, love.”
|
|
rlm@2
|
753 She kissed Leena’s cheek as she walked by, dragging Yuffie behind her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
754
|
|
rlm@2
|
755 Leena sighed reluctantly. “All right. I’ll be waiting, Kid. Come
|
|
rlm@2
|
756 back, soon! I’ll be done babysitting by then!” She waved at the
|
|
rlm@2
|
757 departing thieves.
|
|
rlm@2
|
758
|
|
rlm@2
|
759 “Wait! I’m coming, too!” Relm said angrily. She wasn’t about to let
|
|
rlm@2
|
760 Yuffie leave her behind. She had to teach the ninja a thing or two
|
|
rlm@2
|
761 about Fate. Yuffie was hers, most definitely. She just didn’t know it
|
|
rlm@2
|
762 yet.
|
|
rlm@2
|
763 |
