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author	rlm
date	Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500
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+Author's Note: I'd like to thank my friend, Chi, for helping me with
+this. If it weren't for her and a few others who keep asking when the
+next chapter would come out, I'd never finish. ^-^ She helped write
+one of the scenes in this, so I appreciate that greatly. ^-^ Thank
+you, Chi. ^-^ *hugs* And thanks to everyone who's kept Prism Hearts
+going. ^-^ This was going to be a one shot story, but you all helped
+push it forward into a series. I don't want it to end now. ^^;; I'm
+considering making a sequel series to it. ^-^;; I guess we'll see
+what happens. ^-^ Thanks again!
+Prism Hearts
+Chapter 10
+Treasure Chest of My Heart
+by Amazoness Duo
+amazonessduo@hotmail.com
+"Her Highness wishes to see you now."
+Highness? Who? Kairi's mind spun dizzily, her thoughts far too
+slippery to hold onto. Where was she? That thought alone felt far too
+familiar. She shouldn't always be wondering where she was. She just
+wanted to be back home on her islands with Riku and Sora. A boot
+prodded her shoulder, demanding her attention. Apparently the soldier
+didn't intent to let Kairi rest. The brunette blinked, trying to
+focus on the blurry world around her. Ever so slowly, it began to
+take shape once more. The castle, Relm, Yuffie, the princess... It
+all slowly came back to her.
+"Now," the soldier insisted, her eyes narrowing. "The Queen doesn't
+like to be kept waiting."
+Getting up on wobbly legs, Kairi followed the pretty knight quietly.
+It seemed that most of the knights here were women. Come to think of
+it, had she seen any boys at all since coming there? She shook the
+thought off. They had to be around somewhere.
+Brushing some hair away from her eyes, Kairi let her eyes wander
+across the expansive hallway they were walking down. Gleaming suits
+of armor and magnificent paintings lined the walls. This kingdom
+obviously had a lot of wealth to throw around. A knight hefting a
+large painting into place caught her eye as they approached wide,
+ornate double doors. That painting... She couldn't recognize the
+woman in it, but it looked so real. Relm. It had to be. So she was
+still around somewhere. Despite the nervousness that spiralled in her
+stomach, she could feel a bit of hope blossoming up at the thought
+that she wasn't alone in this place. That meant Relm wasn't
+imprisoned. Maybe she knew what was going on. Even if she didn't, it
+would be so nice to have someone to be near again. She couldn't stand
+being alone for much longer. The loneliness was eating at her heart.
+'That's why you killed yourself in the first place,' a familiar
+voice whispered in Kairi's head.
+Closing her eyes tightly, the princess ignored the voice. 'I didn't
+kill myself. I'm right here. I'm alive. This isn't a dream. I won't
+let it be.' When she opened her eyes, they were in front of the
+double doors. She sighed, breathing deeply in an attempt to wash away
+her nervousness. Maybe she could explain things to the queen and see
+if she knew anything. Or maybe she had seen Riku or Sora. Or... She'd
+never know unless she tried. And, as she'd heard, the Queen wasn't a
+patient woman. Steeling herself, she entered the large chamber.
+The knight bowed deeply after entering. Kairi only stared. The Queen
+was a huge woman, taking up all of the huge throne that she sat in.
+It took her a moment to realize the pretty, silver haired woman next
+to her was actually a man. But what astonished her the most was the
+presence of a harlequin in the large chamber. One with a particular
+smirk on her lips. "Harle!" Whatever else she might have said became
+a squeak as the knight's hand at the small of her back forced her
+into a tripping kneel. What was Harle doing here with these people?
+Whatever hope she'd had began to deflate as the Queen and her
+entourage continued to study her. They were staring at her as if she
+were some sort of thing, human only in form. It made her uneasy how
+they sized her up, making her feel vulnerable. This might have been a
+bad idea after all.
+"So this is the one?" The queen asked curiously, not addressing
+Kairi in the least.
+The silver haired man nodded, smiling faintly. "I believe so, your
+majesty. She certainly appears to be. If she's the girl we've been
+looking for, then the tragedies to your kingdom will soon cease. She
+will lock away the Heartless spreading through your kingdom." Walking
+slowly to Kairi, he watched the small girl in front of him. Reaching
+out, he took her jaw, tilting her face up. "We've finally found you."
+A chill ran down Kairi's spine at his words. She slapped his hand
+away, taking a step back, but she already heard the knight behind
+her. "Don't touch me." She tried to put as much menace into her voice
+as she could muster, but she was suddenly feeling very, very alone.
+Even Harle was simply watching her. She was powerless to do anything.
+They had said they wanted her to seal the Heartless, but they didn't
+seem to feel like asking her. She shuddered. It seemed like they
+already had plans for her.
+Laughing, the man's girn broadened. "So spirited. Just like the
+princess. This will be fun." The cruel glint in his eye made Kairi
+take another step backwards into the guard.
+"Fun or not, I want you to hurry, Kuja. I've lost too many knights
+to those things. If they attack the castle again..." The Queen
+trailed off.
+Kuja nodded, bowing low. "I am at your service, your majesty. The
+Heartless won't trouble you for much longer." Reaching forward, he
+grabbed Kairi's wrist tightly.The girl struggled, but the frail
+seeming man had a strength that far surpassed his frame. Stepping
+forward, he yanked Kairi along.
+Kairi's worry had now become full blown panic. She was a prisoner
+here, whether or not she'd been in a cage. And she didn't think they
+just meant for her to lock a keyhole. She dug her heels into the
+ground, but the silver haired man easily pulled her stumbling after
+him. "Harle!! Help me!" she cried, nearly twisting her shoulder as
+she tried to get away.
+The harlequin smiled enigmatically. "I am only ze court jester,
+Mademoiselle."
+The queen sighed heavily. "Entertain me. This droll business tires
+me." She waved her hand halfheartedly. The Harlequin quickly complied
+as Kairi was dragged further and further away from her friends, from
+freedom.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Okay, that wasn't too hard. Yuffie ducked around a corner, moving
+quickly and quietly. All she had to do to escape was act like she
+actually wanted to hear what the guard was saying. When the guard was
+close enough to the bars, Yuffie had grabbed one of her hands and
+told her she knew exactly how she felt, mustering all the sympathy
+she could into her eyes, which hadn't been all that difficult with
+how miserable she was feeling about Relm. While the guard was
+distracted to have someone finally listening to her, she'd
+pickpocketed the key to the cell. Thankfully, someone had dropped her
+Sleep Materia and it had rolled into her cell. She used it to keep
+people asleep while she was sneaking around houses in search of
+anything valuable. It worked just as well on the guard and she'd
+hurried to get her things that they'd left in the armory. Now she was
+ready for whatever they threw at her. Even that Beatrix lady. She
+hoped.
+Whatever the case, she was back on track. Her first priority was to
+find the Keyblade Mistress. Guilt welled up inside of her, an angry
+inner voice that argued she could find her later. True. There was
+always treasure to be found and a palace like this should be full of
+valuable trinkets. Again a wave of guilt and sorrow that threatened
+to drown her, even more powerful than the first. 'Sheesh... Fine,
+fine. I'll go find Relm first.' She was pleased to find that she
+actually felt better with that plan of action. Still lousy and
+miserable, but better. Maybe she could apologize. Ick... She wanted
+to apologize? What was wrong with her? She shook her head. This whole
+thing was just getting weirder and weirder. Apologies were not her
+strong point. Neither was feeling guilty, for that matter. But she
+had been a bitch... And Relm had been completely devestated because
+of her. She'd never made a girl cry like that before, especially not
+one who appeared so devoted to her. She didn't like the feeling that
+accompanied it. Sneaking around the corner, she hoped she'd never
+have to feel that again.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Dipping her feet in the icy water, Yuna watched her reflection. She
+was away from the others because she couldn't trust herself to smile.
+She couldn't slip on a smile for their sake no matter how much she
+wanted to. The warm waters of the Destiny Islands were growing colder
+and stormier. The hole that Tidus and Wakka had found just kept
+getting bigger. Everything felt so wrong. The adults were afraid,
+whispering to each other around the children. Everyone was worried
+about what might happen next. First Sora and Riku had disappeared and
+now Kairi went missing. Were the rest of them next? Would the Destiny
+Islands simply fade away?
+That was exactly why she should be smiling. To give the others hope.
+Sometimes hope was the only thing you had. But Yuna's smile had
+proven elusive. She couldn't get herself to hope. She could only
+muster up fear and dread, feelings that didn't make for a very
+convincing smile.
+Yuna sighed, pulling her feet out of the chilly water. Her image
+rippled in the wind, looking as distorted as she felt.
+"What are you doing, Yunie?" a voice asked from behind the young
+summoner.
+Yuna almost fell into the could water, shocked by the voice nearly
+in her ear. Strong paws grabbed her shoulders, hold her onto the tiny
+pier. "Rikku... You... startled me." She closed her mismatched eyes,
+trying to catch her breath. The catgirl moved like a thief in the
+night, something that Yuna was still getting used to. It was a little
+scary around the house, being snuck up on. Ever since her father had
+died, she had lived alone. Lulu had offered to let her stay with her
+and her parents, but Yuna had always declined. She didn't want Lulu
+to see how hoften she cried. She had to be strong. She couldn't let
+anyone see how weak she truly was. Even this new girl. She forced a
+smile to turn towards Rikku, but it crumbled into dust before she
+could turn around. Desperate, she kept her back to the catgirl. "I
+was just... thinking..." Yuna said at last. That much was true, at
+any rate.
+Rikku nodded, sitting next to the brunette on the dock. She watched
+Yuna carefully. "What about, Yunie?" she asked at last.
+�I�� She wasn�t sure if she should say but for some inexplicable
+reason she found she wanted to. It was strange since she didn�t even
+open up to those on the island that she had known so much longer, no
+matter how much she felt her head  and heart were about to burst.
+Maybe� maybe it was because Rikku hadn�t been there long that she
+felt she could talk to her, because she could offer a new view and
+not just the predictable assurances that Lulu, Tidus and the others
+were bound to give her.  She stared into the water some more, she
+couldn�t say anything, could she? Rikku had just gotten here, did she
+really want to scare her with horror stories of bottomless holes and
+the uncertain reflections of a frightened girl?
+Rikku quietly watched the other girl, holding back the urge to
+fidget or nudge the girl into saying something or anything. She was
+managing to show an unusual amount of restraint for once. She noticed
+as the other girl clenched and unclenched her slender hands and
+before she could stop herself impulsely lay a paw on top a hand. She
+felt Yuna jump slightly and she just blurted out the first thing on
+her mind. �You can tell me anything, you know� I wouldn�t ever betray
+you��
+�You would never betray me?� Yuna asked, surprised enough to look up
+at Rikku. Plenty of people wouldn�t betray her but still� the way the
+catgirl had said it� she had meant it, but why?
+Rikku blinked, surprised herself at what she had said. �I wouldn�t
+betray your secrets, I meant�� She backpedaled.
+�Oh�� Yuna looked down again, she couldn�t deny she was disappointed.
+Rikku instantly regretted bring that morose look back to her Yuna�s
+face, she was her �saviour� after all. �Hey� but I� well I did mean
+it. You did save me after all, I owe you my life� that little violent
+girl would have pummeled me.�
+Yuna slowly smiled,and then she began to giggle. �I don�t think
+Selphie would have really hurt you� well not that much.� She blushed,
+�I don�t think I did that much to save you��
+�No way, if it wasn�t for you I�d be gone�� She grasped Yuna�s hands
+in both her paws. �I swear I won�t leave you until I�ve done
+everything I can to make you, my -savior-�s life happy!�
+Yuna blinked back tears, she didn�t know why but that completely
+unexpected, impulsive but passionate declaration hit her hard. Her
+hands pulled away from Rikku�s and she flung herself against a
+surprised kitty, wrapping her arms around a warm furry neck. She
+whispered a quiet �thank you� and later when she calmed down began
+whispering a few more things, just happy to have someone listen.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+"It won't do you any good, princess." Nonetheless, Kuja seemed
+amused by Kairi's struggle with her bonds. He grinned, sipping
+something from a goblet as he watched her. "Yes, I know you're a
+princess. Princess Hikari from the kingdom of Hollow Bastion. I'm
+something of a troubleshooter for monarchs. I offer my services to
+help them in return for a fee. Not that I need the money, but it
+helps in my search. I even helped your father. I... 'acquired' a few
+specimens for his research on the Heartless."
+Kairi stopped wrestling with the chains that held her in place and
+turned to look at the silver haired catman. She shivered at his
+predatory gaze. But she had to listen. He knew about her, about who
+she'd been before she woke up with no memories on the Destiny
+Islands. And for once, he wasn't saying she was a suicidal girl who
+had been obsessed with escaping into Squaresoft games and Disney
+movies. In a way, she needed to hear that, to hear that she really
+had been a princess, had been a part of this, that it wasn't all just
+her dying mind's fantasy. Even if she was shackled, even if he was
+about to do horrible things to her, she still needed to know that
+this was real. That Sora and Riku were real. That her journey hadn't
+been for nothing. "Ansem... was my father?"
+Yes... She could remember that if she tried hard enough. She had
+been his little princess. He'd loved her, but he'd always been so
+busy with his research, obsessed with where it migh lead him. The
+Heartless... They had consumed Hollow Bastion, stealing the hearts of
+all those who couldn't escape in time. All because of her father's
+research. She remembered seeing the kingdom crumble, but only
+vaguely, like a dim nightmare. How had she escaped? How had she been
+able to get away from that? Nothing. She didn't remember anything
+other than waking up on the Destiny Islands. But she could still
+remember having a mother... Her best friend, the only person who
+cared about her. She shook her head, trying to force the thoughts
+away. Her mother was from the life of a lonely girl who had killed
+herself. Ansem was from this life. But... She didn't want to deny her
+mother's existence, even if it meant validating her own. But it had
+to be one or the other, right? Her life with Riku and Sora or her
+life as a lonely outcast. The answer was obvious. But why couldn't
+she completely deny that lonely life, that room that kept haunting
+her?
+Laughing, Kuja nodded. "So you really don't remember that life? No
+wonder Sephiroth has been staying away. And why he's wanted us to
+stay away from you."
+He crossed the room gracefully, his tail swishing behind him,
+reminding Kairi of the kitty she'd had with her for so long. It made
+her wish she was there with her. That anyone was there with her
+besides this madman. Sephiroth? Why did he sound so familiar? And...
+Her eyes widened. He must be in charge. And if he wanted them to stay
+away from her... Her heart froze into a heavy chunk of ice that
+plumetted into her stomach as Kuja got closer. She was suddenly even
+more afraid of what he intended to do with her. "Why aren't you
+listening to him? He... he could hurt you. There's a reason he's in
+charge." She was bluffing, but she didn't care. She didn't know
+enough about Sephiroth or why these people were working with him, but
+she had to hope that Kuja would pause and consider letting her go. Or
+at least not whatever he had on his mind.
+Grinning wickedly, Kuja trailed a finger down her chin. She squirmed
+under his touch, but couldn't do anything more. "Because once I have
+what I want, Sephiroth won't be able to touch me. Nothing will. I
+will never die. That specter of death that chases after all of us
+will never reach me. I will be free of the chains of Fate. Free of
+death and pain. The same freedom that you had before you threw it all
+away."
+Kairi jerked about in her chains to no avail, feeling his hand
+trailing down her neck, moving lower. Tears burned in her eyes.
+Anger, fear, frustration, and hopelessness boiled inside of her. "I
+won't let you have the Keyblade! I'm going to save Riku, no matter
+what happens to me," she got out shakily. Yes, no matter what
+happened, she'd save him. She shook as his hand travelled lower,
+finally stopping over her heart.
+"It's not the Keyblade that I'm after." Kuja laughed, tilting his
+head back. "That's merely a toy. Let Sephiroth play with it for all I
+care." His deep, scarred eyes met Kairi's and the princess shuddered
+at the desperation in him. "We're all afraid of death. But all of us
+will eventually run out of time. It doesn't have to be that way. I've
+found a way out. Through you."
+Kairi's shoulders slumped, her body hanging limply in her bonds. She
+was screwed. There wasn't anything she could do. No one knew where
+she was. She was helpless to stop Kuja from taking something that she
+innately knew was important to her. Something she hadn't even known
+was there.
+Kuja laughed. "Giving up already? You don't deserve it's power. I
+never gave up. I'd rather kill all the universed than die alone.
+That's what makes me worthy of it. I'll use it to it's fullest."
+"What the hell are you talking about!?" Kairii cried out at last,
+sick of the feeling of helplessness, of his hand pressed against her
+chest, of the thoughts that she'd never set Riku free. She couldn't,
+wouldn't fail him. But she couldn't see how she would ever get that
+chance.
+"Prism Hearts! The heart through which reality itself is filtered!"
+Stepping back, Kuja gestured grandly. "Kingdom Hearts is the gateway
+to the heart of the universe, to the birthplace of darkness and
+light. But such concepts bore me. Prism Hearts, on the other hand, is
+what shapes that darkness and light into the world around us. It's
+what shapes the reality we live in. The power to reshape reality as
+you see fit. The power of a god. It all lies within Prism Hearts." He
+grinned as if he were sharing a private joke, leaning close enough
+that his nose almost touched Kairi's. "Which lies within you."
+Kuja didn't even flinch as Kairi began thrashing in her restraints.
+"Stay away from me! You're insane! I'm just a girl who wants to find
+her friends." She swallowed, trying to keep her gaze angry. What was
+all this about? It wasn't true. It couldn't be. Parallel visions
+flashed through her head, struggling for dominance. One world where
+she was a princess, searching for the boys she loved. One world where
+she was a lonely suicidal girl who was dying in her bedroom. She
+could feel the shackles on one hand, blood dripping down the other.
+Was she lying on the floor or was she in Kuja's demented torture
+chamber? Which was better? She felt so weak all of the sudden,
+feeling the carpet soaking with blood, her blood, underneath her.
+No... Her thoughts were drowning as she felt herself sinking deeper
+and deeper. So tired...
+Kuja... Where was Kuja?
+"He's far away. He can't hurt you here," the mysterious voice said
+from the other side of the door.
+Kairi struggled to sit up and get to the door, but her body refused
+to listen. Everything felt cold and numb. Her fingers moved dimly in
+an attempt to reassert control of her body, but that was the most
+they could do. Blood stained the floor around her, yet somehow she
+was too drained to do much more than acknowledge it.
+"Just rest, Kairi. It can end here. You can stop struggling so hard.
+You can finally rest. That's what you wanted, isn't it? That's why
+you slit your wrists, right?"
+No... She tried to speak, but her lips merely quivered. Her eyelids
+felt so terribly heavy, as if the weight of the world rested on each
+one. Somehow she knew that the voice was right. It could end here.
+She didn't have to go back. Facing Kuja was her choice. And she was
+currently unable to do anything to stop him. And she was so very
+tired... Her eyes began to slip shut as a familiar lullaby began to
+whisper through the door. A lullaby her mother used to sing her. Yes,
+she could finally escape. No one could ever hurt her again. She
+didn't have to keep being the outsider. She didn't have to keep
+playing in a world that never wanted her. All she had to do was
+rest...
+But... But she wasn't alone... There were people who needed her.
+Riku. Sora. She couldn't give up. Not until she set Riku free. No
+matter what had brought her to this point, broken and bloody on her
+floor, she couldn't let that stop her. She couldn't leave Riku and
+Sora. Not yet. Her bloody, shaky fingers clenched slowly. It wasn't
+time to rest. There would be time for that later. 'Riku... I won't
+give up on you. Ever.' She wasn't dying. She was searching for her
+friends. This place... it was a nightmare. She had to wake up before
+it consumed her. Or she'd never get back to her friends. With all the
+strength she had, she forced her eyes back open.
+Blinking weakly, the room came back into view. She was still in the
+dark yet elegant dungeon that Kuja had set up especially for the
+maiden he was searching for. Her. She sighed shakily, slumping in her
+chains. She had been about to die. If she'd stayed there... Her heart
+pounded at the thought. What was going on? What was happening to her?
+Blinking quickly, she tried to bury the fear and hopelessness that
+threatened to overwhelm her. What was real? What was her imagination?
+These chains felt so real, but so had the bloodsoaked carpet she'd
+been laying on. She didn't know anymore. She didn't know anything
+anymore. No, she couldn't think like that. There were still Sora and
+Riku. She had to believe in them. She had to. It was all she had left.
+Kuja... Where had he gone? Lavender eyes darted around the chamber,
+trying to spot the silver haired man. He didn't seem to be anywhere
+in sight. What she did see didn't exactly put her at ease. The two
+blonde twins she had met earlier watched her from a raised platform,
+resting against each other as if they had just finished playing. They
+both watched her intently, almost as if they were waiting for
+something. Licking her lips, Kairi tried to think of something to
+say. Anything. At least she wasn't alone. She couldn't stand being
+alone. "Where did he go?" she asked at last.
+"Away," one replied, the two still watching the princess intently.
+Not exactly the response she'd been hoping for, but it was
+something. Before she could think of what to say next, the twins
+interrupted her thoughts.
+"You can't let him have Prism Hearts. If you do, he'll tear all of
+this apart. Everything you love, everything you care about, all of it
+will be obliterated and filtered into his own dream world. Everything
+will be reborn as he sees fit. Before it can be reshaped, everything
+must be shattered. Then he can mold it however he wishes. All he
+needs is your heart," Maya explained.
+Kairi shuddered. Everything gone, replaced by Kuja's dreams. Her
+hair fell about her face as she shook her head. "No, that's a lie. I
+don't have Prism Hearts. My heart doesn't change anything. If it did,
+I wouldn't be chained up in some dungeon away from the boys I love.
+I'd be on the Destiny Islands with all of my friends. I'd be looking
+out to sea with Riku and Sora. Being fed grapes. And..."
+Blushing faintly, the other little girl interrupted before Kairi
+could get further. "It doesn't work that way. It's subconscious. Your
+heart molds reality, not your mind. This is happening because you're
+in conflict. Things aren't happy and perfect because part of you
+won't accept this reality. Part of you is still clinging to the old
+reality. So that dark reality has intruded."
+"The Heartless..." Kairi whispered. That's when everything had
+started to go wrong. Everything was perfect before the Heartless had
+spread throughout the worlds.
+Aya nodded. "Exactly. There is darkness and light in every heart.
+But this was all a refuge from the darkness. But because you couldn't
+fully close the doorway to the old world, the darkness began to leak
+in. Ansem found it and began researching it, but he was never its
+cause. He was used by it and his own curiosity."
+"You're the one who allowed the Heartless here. You're the one who
+left the door open for them. The Heartless in this reality were born
+inside of Kingdom Hearts because you brought the darkness over from
+the other reality."
+"I wouldn't do that!! I wouldn't risk losing any of this! I
+couldn't! I just want to be with them.." Kairi's voice broke, her
+throat tightening. Why would she allow the Heartless here? How could
+she be the cause of all this pain and suffering? The reason behind
+why she'd lost both Riku and Sora?
+"You wouldn't?" Maya raised a blonde eyebrow. "You can't give up
+your mother, can you, Kairi? You won't completely turn your back on
+the other reality. So the door is still open through your heart,
+Prism Hearts. You refuse to filter out all of that reality. The
+darkness is part of that reality. If you won't filter it all out, it
+will spill over here."
+"Sacrifices have to be made. If you want to live in this world, you
+have to give up on that one. Completely. Entirely. You have to forget
+that life. You must offer up your memories of it as a sacrifice to
+save this reality," Aya insisted.
+"But..." Kairi's head spun. It couldn't be... She couldn't have
+brought about the Heartless. That other world, it couldn't be out
+there. And yet... "Which... Which one is real?" Her voice was weak,
+begging, pleading. She needed to know, even if she didn't want to.
+The twins were silent for a long moment before they answered in
+unison. "Which one do you want to be real?"
+"It doesn't work that way!" Kairi argued, frustrated that there
+never seemed to be any clear cut answers for her.
+Aya turned and looked at Maya. "You'd be surprised," she whispered.
+Maya continued looking at the princess. "Give up on the other
+reality. It's the only way to save this one."
+Swallowing back the pain, Kairi raised her eyes to look at the
+twins. "How do I do that?" She had to. For Riku. For Sora. They had
+both done so much to save her. She had to save them this time. She
+wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. All of her friends...
+Selphie, Yuffie, Relm, even her cute little kitten... She couldn't
+let them go.
+"You have to confront yourself. Your own dark side. The part of you
+that won't give up on the other reality. Only after you get rid of
+her, when you can give up on that reality entirely, can this one be
+saved." The two girls turned to leave.
+"Wait! How am I supposed to confront myself? What do I do?"
+Watching, Kairi pulled ineffectively at her chains. "Please don't
+go..." she whispered. Not alone. Not again...
+Aya stopped while Maya kept walking. She turned to look over her
+shoulder at Kairi, her eyes soft and understanding. "I know it's
+hard, Kairi. But everything demands a sacrifice. It's this reality or
+the other reality. You have to decide for yourself which is real. But
+some sacrifices are worth it." She turned to see Maya waiting for
+her. "I made my choice a long time ago and I've never looked back."
+She smiled faintly and waved to her waiting sister. "Whatever you
+choose, give it your all and don't ever regret your decision." With
+that, she ran to catch up to the identical girl, fading into mist.
+A slight breeze entered the vast chamber, swirling the mist about
+into nothingness. Something caught in the sudden wind fluttered over
+to Kairi, landing lightly at her feet. It was a child's drawing.
+'Mama and Maya' was written at the top in crayon. Even in a child's
+artwork, it was unmistakeble. There had been a car crash. Plenty of
+red crayon showed the aftermath. A blonde woman and a blonde girl
+watched it all from above with angel wings. The same woman and girl
+were in the car as well. Kairi's head jerked up, hoping to catch a
+last glimpse of the little girl, her words suddenly coming back to
+haunt the princess.
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+"I heard Lady Beatrix has been seeing someone lately," a knight with
+blonde hair mentioned conversationally.
+"Really?" her compatriot asked with a note of disappointment in her
+voice, leaning against the wall. "That's not fair." She crossed her
+arms, pouting.
+The other knight laughed, turning to the brunette. "You didn't think
+you had a chance with her, did you?"
+"Well... No, not exactly... But..." She whined, trailing off.
+"Don't you want to know who I heard she'd been seeing?" the first
+soldier asked.
+"Why would I want to know that? It only crushes all my hopes and
+dreams," the second replied.
+Laughing, the blonde shook her head. "You're really stuck on her,
+aren't you? I heard she's been going out with some airship pilot from
+Lindblum. I think her name's Erin, but I'm not sure."
+The brunette sighed, sliding down the wall. "I should've been an
+airship pilot..." Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the shadow
+darting behind the two of them.
+'Ha! That was too easy. These knights might be good fighters, but
+they obviously haven't dealt with a world-class thief before.'
+Grinning to herself, Yuffie hurried down the hallway. With the
+expansive palace to search, it was taking her longer than she'd
+wanted to find the artist girl. But the knights didn't seem to mind
+gossiping, so she'd managed to overhear them talking about the
+sorceress who could bring paintings to life. Apparently she was in
+this part of the palace. Somewhere. She could go room by room, but
+somehow she doubted it would only result in embarrassment. The
+knights wouldn't take a hearty 'Sorry, ma'am' if she burst in on
+someone.
+Now where could Relm be? What was she looking for, anyway? A big
+neon sign that announced she'd found Relm's room? There had to be an
+easier (and less dangerous) way to go about this than going door to
+door. More importantly, what did she say to the artist when she met
+up with her? Would Relm even want to talk to her? After what a bitch
+she'd been, she'd be surprised if the little blonde girl even wanted
+to continue travelling with her. That thought scared her more than
+she wanted to admit. She'd apologize. That would have to be enough.
+She hoped.
+A sound down the hallway broke her train of thought. Ducking back
+behind a large potted plant, the ninja waited silently. One of the
+heavy doors had opened and someone had stepped out into the hallway.
+There were at least two people, and they were talking about
+something. Yuffie strained to hear what they were saying.
+"... wanted to thank you again. It's absolutely gorgeous. I finally
+have a portrait that I'm not ashamed to show my parents."
+A soft giggle. "It was fun. It was nice to have such a willing
+subject. Some people make painting them so difficult because they
+don't really want you to. I think it turned out really well."
+"Not that you needed me there. It's much more beautiful than I could
+ever be," the first voice said with a sigh.
+"That's not true. I don't paint lies. The beauty was there, you just
+have to look for it. Someday someone will see you just like in the
+picture."
+A happy squeal of delight filled the hallway. "I can't wait. Thank
+you very much, Sorceress Relm. I'll always remember this."
+Relm! Yuffie's eyes widened. She'd found her. Now she just had to
+get to her. And try not to stumble over her apology.
+"Anytime. I'm happy to get the chance to paint. I want to paint
+things from all over different worlds."
+"I'll pray for your safe journey. I'd love to see a gallery of
+different worlds rendered in your gorgeous artwork."
+Flattered, it took Relm a second to reply. "I'll make sure I send
+you an invitation when I finally get it all together."
+"Thanks so much again, Sorceress Relm." The knight began down the
+hallway.
+Yuffie pressed into the wall, trying to will herself to disappear.
+There wasn't a lot of cover in these hallways. The plant was large,
+but if the knight stopped to look, she'd be caught. Her only hope was
+that the guard was distracted enough not to be paying attention. The
+other two knights were right down the hallway. If she made any noise,
+they'd be there in moments. And she didn't feel like facing down
+three knights if she could help it. Not that she doubted her
+abilities. Just that... three knights would be an inconvenience.
+Yeah, that was it. An inconvenience.
+The knight came and went, passing by without a second glance. Yuffie
+let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and crept
+towards the door the knight had exited from. Her heart pounded as she
+neared the door. Her mind tried desperately to piece together a
+suitable apology so she wouldn't just say the first stupid thing that
+came to mind. 'Hi, Relm. Sorry about earlier. Hey, lets go find Kairi
+now.' She sighed. She wasn't good with apologies. But she couldn't
+stall forever. She had a bad feeling that Kairi needed her. Soon.
+Taking the last few silent steps to the door, Yuffie gently took the
+doorknob. Her heart pounded anxiously in her chest. Relm was just on
+the other side of the door. So why was she so scared? 'Because this
+time it might not be you doing the rejection.' The thought sprang to
+mind, but she instantly shot it down. 'And what the hell is that
+supposed to mean?' No answer. She swallowed and summoned all of her
+courage. It was silly, summoning all of her courage to face a girl a
+full head shorter than her. But she somehow felt that she'd need it.
+Achingly slowly, the door pushed open.
+Her mouth open, Yuffie paused before she could say something. There
+were already voices in the spacious room. Frowning, she glimpsed
+inside and tried to spot their sources. There, on the bed. She could
+spot Relm's intricate red and gold bandana near their feet. The
+artist was sitting on the bed with an older blonde woman who looked
+vaguely familiar. The older woman was running fingers through Relm's
+hair as they sat close to each other. Yuffie's hand clenched tightly
+on the doorknob. What was going on? Who was that lady?
+"You did a beautiful job, Relm," the elegant woman said.
+"Thanks, Celeste. I'm so glad you think so," Relm said softly,
+resting against the taller woman, not seeming concerned with the
+fingers sliding through her hair. She closed her eyes, sighing
+softly.
+Taking Relm's chin with one hand, she turned the younger girl's gaze
+up to her. "Of course I think so. I always think so, Relm. I love
+you." Leaning down, she kissed Relm softly.
+It was all Yuffie could do to keep the doorknob from shaking in her
+grasp. Her gaze remained locked on the two women on the bed. It was
+unreal. Her mind wouldn't accept it for a long moment. It wasn't
+happening. Relm was not kissing another woman. Relm wasn't making
+soft sounds as the blonde woman's fingers continued to caress through
+her hair. It... wasn't... real... She closed her eyes tightly, but
+the image remained when she opened them again, albeit blurrier this
+time. Her eyes stung painfully as she watched the image before her
+helplessly.
+"Celeste..." Relm whispered softly, resting her head on the other
+woman's shoulder. Her arms wrapped around Celeste tightly.
+Slam. Relm jumped at the sudden sound. She turned, but no one was at
+her door. She let out a shaky sigh and held on tighter.
+Yuffie ran back down the hallway. Get away. Escape. Leave. It all
+swirled about her. Damn it. That wasn't supposed to happen. She
+didn't want that. Relm had found someone else? But how? Part of her
+had thought Relm would always be there, always following, always
+devoted to her. Logically she knew that wasn't likely, but she hadn't
+given it any thought. She'd taken Relm's presence for granted. And
+now she was in another woman's arms... 'She wasn't yours to begin
+with,' she told herself. 'Shut up! Shut up!' Her eyes burned, images
+bleeding into wet messes of color in front of her. 'Jealous?' that
+sarcastic voice inside of herself asked. She muffled a sob as she
+held her head tightly. She'd lost her chance. Relm hadn't waited for
+her to make up her mind. And why should she have? Yuffie had all but
+told her to get lost. There was no reason for her to wait around for
+something that probably never would have happened. But somehow that
+knowledge just made Yuffie feel worse.
+In her current state, Yuffie barely managed to stop before barelling
+into a figure in front of her. Her instincts told her to grab her
+shuriken, but she was too weak to bother with it. Escape the guards
+and then what? Was Relm even coming with them anymore? She had to
+save Kairi. The Keyblade Mistress was her responsibility. But she
+felt so weak. Everything seemed so far away. Except for that icy,
+ragged feeling inside of her. She couldn't seem to escape that.
+Thankfully, she realized that the figure was too small to be a guard.
+She blinked rapidly, noting that the girl was a little shorter than
+Relm. She have lavender hair and a small horn jutting out of her
+forehead. A Caller?
+"So you're just gonna run off?" the summoner asked, her hands on her
+hips. "You'd rather go cry than try and get her back?" Her voice was
+angry, obviously not pleased with Yuffie's choice.
+"I'm not crying!" Yuffie swiped at her eyes with the back of her
+glove, disappointed to see it come away tear-soaked. She didn't cry.
+She was stronger than that. She'd learned a long time ago that she
+was the only one she could count on. This just reinforced that point.
+She had to trust in herself. Everything else would fail you.
+"If she means anything at all to you, then you'll go back in there
+and talk to her. Take her back. Don't just give up," Eiko insisted,
+standing her ground in front of the taller ninja.
+"You don't understand... I... I can't..." Yuffie let a small object
+drop from her fingers. The smoke bomb burst when it hit the floor,
+surrounding her with the thick cloud. When it disappeared, she was
+gone.

Mercurial > moonlitnights

comparison old/stories/prismhearts-10.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights