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     1.4 +Author's Note: I'd like to thank my friend, Chi, for helping me with
     1.5 +this. If it weren't for her and a few others who keep asking when the
     1.6 +next chapter would come out, I'd never finish. ^-^ She helped write
     1.7 +one of the scenes in this, so I appreciate that greatly. ^-^ Thank
     1.8 +you, Chi. ^-^ *hugs* And thanks to everyone who's kept Prism Hearts
     1.9 +going. ^-^ This was going to be a one shot story, but you all helped
    1.10 +push it forward into a series. I don't want it to end now. ^^;; I'm
    1.11 +considering making a sequel series to it. ^-^;; I guess we'll see
    1.12 +what happens. ^-^ Thanks again!
    1.13 +
    1.14 +
    1.15 +Prism Hearts 
    1.16 +Chapter 10
    1.17 +Treasure Chest of My Heart
    1.18 +by Amazoness Duo
    1.19 +amazonessduo@hotmail.com
    1.20 +
    1.21 +
    1.22 +"Her Highness wishes to see you now."
    1.23 +
    1.24 +Highness? Who? Kairi's mind spun dizzily, her thoughts far too
    1.25 +slippery to hold onto. Where was she? That thought alone felt far too
    1.26 +familiar. She shouldn't always be wondering where she was. She just
    1.27 +wanted to be back home on her islands with Riku and Sora. A boot
    1.28 +prodded her shoulder, demanding her attention. Apparently the soldier
    1.29 +didn't intent to let Kairi rest. The brunette blinked, trying to
    1.30 +focus on the blurry world around her. Ever so slowly, it began to
    1.31 +take shape once more. The castle, Relm, Yuffie, the princess... It
    1.32 +all slowly came back to her. 
    1.33 +
    1.34 +"Now," the soldier insisted, her eyes narrowing. "The Queen doesn't
    1.35 +like to be kept waiting."
    1.36 +
    1.37 +Getting up on wobbly legs, Kairi followed the pretty knight quietly.
    1.38 +It seemed that most of the knights here were women. Come to think of
    1.39 +it, had she seen any boys at all since coming there? She shook the
    1.40 +thought off. They had to be around somewhere. 
    1.41 +
    1.42 +Brushing some hair away from her eyes, Kairi let her eyes wander
    1.43 +across the expansive hallway they were walking down. Gleaming suits
    1.44 +of armor and magnificent paintings lined the walls. This kingdom
    1.45 +obviously had a lot of wealth to throw around. A knight hefting a
    1.46 +large painting into place caught her eye as they approached wide,
    1.47 +ornate double doors. That painting... She couldn't recognize the
    1.48 +woman in it, but it looked so real. Relm. It had to be. So she was
    1.49 +still around somewhere. Despite the nervousness that spiralled in her
    1.50 +stomach, she could feel a bit of hope blossoming up at the thought
    1.51 +that she wasn't alone in this place. That meant Relm wasn't
    1.52 +imprisoned. Maybe she knew what was going on. Even if she didn't, it
    1.53 +would be so nice to have someone to be near again. She couldn't stand
    1.54 +being alone for much longer. The loneliness was eating at her heart.
    1.55 +
    1.56 +'That's why you killed yourself in the first place,' a familiar
    1.57 +voice whispered in Kairi's head. 
    1.58 +
    1.59 +Closing her eyes tightly, the princess ignored the voice. 'I didn't
    1.60 +kill myself. I'm right here. I'm alive. This isn't a dream. I won't
    1.61 +let it be.' When she opened her eyes, they were in front of the
    1.62 +double doors. She sighed, breathing deeply in an attempt to wash away
    1.63 +her nervousness. Maybe she could explain things to the queen and see
    1.64 +if she knew anything. Or maybe she had seen Riku or Sora. Or... She'd
    1.65 +never know unless she tried. And, as she'd heard, the Queen wasn't a
    1.66 +patient woman. Steeling herself, she entered the large chamber. 
    1.67 +
    1.68 +The knight bowed deeply after entering. Kairi only stared. The Queen
    1.69 +was a huge woman, taking up all of the huge throne that she sat in.
    1.70 +It took her a moment to realize the pretty, silver haired woman next
    1.71 +to her was actually a man. But what astonished her the most was the
    1.72 +presence of a harlequin in the large chamber. One with a particular
    1.73 +smirk on her lips. "Harle!" Whatever else she might have said became
    1.74 +a squeak as the knight's hand at the small of her back forced her
    1.75 +into a tripping kneel. What was Harle doing here with these people?
    1.76 +Whatever hope she'd had began to deflate as the Queen and her
    1.77 +entourage continued to study her. They were staring at her as if she
    1.78 +were some sort of thing, human only in form. It made her uneasy how
    1.79 +they sized her up, making her feel vulnerable. This might have been a
    1.80 +bad idea after all.
    1.81 +
    1.82 +"So this is the one?" The queen asked curiously, not addressing
    1.83 +Kairi in the least.
    1.84 +
    1.85 +The silver haired man nodded, smiling faintly. "I believe so, your
    1.86 +majesty. She certainly appears to be. If she's the girl we've been
    1.87 +looking for, then the tragedies to your kingdom will soon cease. She
    1.88 +will lock away the Heartless spreading through your kingdom." Walking
    1.89 +slowly to Kairi, he watched the small girl in front of him. Reaching
    1.90 +out, he took her jaw, tilting her face up. "We've finally found you."
    1.91 +
    1.92 +A chill ran down Kairi's spine at his words. She slapped his hand
    1.93 +away, taking a step back, but she already heard the knight behind
    1.94 +her. "Don't touch me." She tried to put as much menace into her voice
    1.95 +as she could muster, but she was suddenly feeling very, very alone.
    1.96 +Even Harle was simply watching her. She was powerless to do anything.
    1.97 +They had said they wanted her to seal the Heartless, but they didn't
    1.98 +seem to feel like asking her. She shuddered. It seemed like they
    1.99 +already had plans for her.
   1.100 +
   1.101 +Laughing, the man's girn broadened. "So spirited. Just like the
   1.102 +princess. This will be fun." The cruel glint in his eye made Kairi
   1.103 +take another step backwards into the guard. 
   1.104 +
   1.105 +"Fun or not, I want you to hurry, Kuja. I've lost too many knights
   1.106 +to those things. If they attack the castle again..." The Queen
   1.107 +trailed off. 
   1.108 +
   1.109 +Kuja nodded, bowing low. "I am at your service, your majesty. The
   1.110 +Heartless won't trouble you for much longer." Reaching forward, he
   1.111 +grabbed Kairi's wrist tightly.The girl struggled, but the frail
   1.112 +seeming man had a strength that far surpassed his frame. Stepping
   1.113 +forward, he yanked Kairi along. 
   1.114 +
   1.115 +Kairi's worry had now become full blown panic. She was a prisoner
   1.116 +here, whether or not she'd been in a cage. And she didn't think they
   1.117 +just meant for her to lock a keyhole. She dug her heels into the
   1.118 +ground, but the silver haired man easily pulled her stumbling after
   1.119 +him. "Harle!! Help me!" she cried, nearly twisting her shoulder as
   1.120 +she tried to get away.
   1.121 +
   1.122 +The harlequin smiled enigmatically. "I am only ze court jester,
   1.123 +Mademoiselle."
   1.124 +
   1.125 +The queen sighed heavily. "Entertain me. This droll business tires
   1.126 +me." She waved her hand halfheartedly. The Harlequin quickly complied
   1.127 +as Kairi was dragged further and further away from her friends, from
   1.128 +freedom.   
   1.129 +
   1.130 +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   1.131 +
   1.132 +Okay, that wasn't too hard. Yuffie ducked around a corner, moving
   1.133 +quickly and quietly. All she had to do to escape was act like she
   1.134 +actually wanted to hear what the guard was saying. When the guard was
   1.135 +close enough to the bars, Yuffie had grabbed one of her hands and
   1.136 +told her she knew exactly how she felt, mustering all the sympathy
   1.137 +she could into her eyes, which hadn't been all that difficult with
   1.138 +how miserable she was feeling about Relm. While the guard was
   1.139 +distracted to have someone finally listening to her, she'd
   1.140 +pickpocketed the key to the cell. Thankfully, someone had dropped her
   1.141 +Sleep Materia and it had rolled into her cell. She used it to keep
   1.142 +people asleep while she was sneaking around houses in search of
   1.143 +anything valuable. It worked just as well on the guard and she'd
   1.144 +hurried to get her things that they'd left in the armory. Now she was
   1.145 +ready for whatever they threw at her. Even that Beatrix lady. She
   1.146 +hoped. 
   1.147 +
   1.148 +Whatever the case, she was back on track. Her first priority was to
   1.149 +find the Keyblade Mistress. Guilt welled up inside of her, an angry
   1.150 +inner voice that argued she could find her later. True. There was
   1.151 +always treasure to be found and a palace like this should be full of
   1.152 +valuable trinkets. Again a wave of guilt and sorrow that threatened
   1.153 +to drown her, even more powerful than the first. 'Sheesh... Fine,
   1.154 +fine. I'll go find Relm first.' She was pleased to find that she
   1.155 +actually felt better with that plan of action. Still lousy and
   1.156 +miserable, but better. Maybe she could apologize. Ick... She wanted
   1.157 +to apologize? What was wrong with her? She shook her head. This whole
   1.158 +thing was just getting weirder and weirder. Apologies were not her
   1.159 +strong point. Neither was feeling guilty, for that matter. But she
   1.160 +had been a bitch... And Relm had been completely devestated because
   1.161 +of her. She'd never made a girl cry like that before, especially not
   1.162 +one who appeared so devoted to her. She didn't like the feeling that
   1.163 +accompanied it. Sneaking around the corner, she hoped she'd never
   1.164 +have to feel that again. 
   1.165 +
   1.166 +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
   1.167 +
   1.168 +Dipping her feet in the icy water, Yuna watched her reflection. She
   1.169 +was away from the others because she couldn't trust herself to smile.
   1.170 +She couldn't slip on a smile for their sake no matter how much she
   1.171 +wanted to. The warm waters of the Destiny Islands were growing colder
   1.172 +and stormier. The hole that Tidus and Wakka had found just kept
   1.173 +getting bigger. Everything felt so wrong. The adults were afraid,
   1.174 +whispering to each other around the children. Everyone was worried
   1.175 +about what might happen next. First Sora and Riku had disappeared and
   1.176 +now Kairi went missing. Were the rest of them next? Would the Destiny
   1.177 +Islands simply fade away?
   1.178 +
   1.179 +That was exactly why she should be smiling. To give the others hope.
   1.180 +Sometimes hope was the only thing you had. But Yuna's smile had
   1.181 +proven elusive. She couldn't get herself to hope. She could only
   1.182 +muster up fear and dread, feelings that didn't make for a very
   1.183 +convincing smile. 
   1.184 +
   1.185 +Yuna sighed, pulling her feet out of the chilly water. Her image
   1.186 +rippled in the wind, looking as distorted as she felt. 
   1.187 +
   1.188 +"What are you doing, Yunie?" a voice asked from behind the young
   1.189 +summoner. 
   1.190 +
   1.191 +Yuna almost fell into the could water, shocked by the voice nearly
   1.192 +in her ear. Strong paws grabbed her shoulders, hold her onto the tiny
   1.193 +pier. "Rikku... You... startled me." She closed her mismatched eyes,
   1.194 +trying to catch her breath. The catgirl moved like a thief in the
   1.195 +night, something that Yuna was still getting used to. It was a little
   1.196 +scary around the house, being snuck up on. Ever since her father had
   1.197 +died, she had lived alone. Lulu had offered to let her stay with her
   1.198 +and her parents, but Yuna had always declined. She didn't want Lulu
   1.199 +to see how hoften she cried. She had to be strong. She couldn't let
   1.200 +anyone see how weak she truly was. Even this new girl. She forced a
   1.201 +smile to turn towards Rikku, but it crumbled into dust before she
   1.202 +could turn around. Desperate, she kept her back to the catgirl. "I
   1.203 +was just... thinking..." Yuna said at last. That much was true, at
   1.204 +any rate. 
   1.205 +
   1.206 +Rikku nodded, sitting next to the brunette on the dock. She watched
   1.207 +Yuna carefully. "What about, Yunie?" she asked at last.
   1.208 +
   1.209 +“I…” She wasn’t sure if she should say but for some inexplicable
   1.210 +reason she found she wanted to. It was strange since she didn’t even
   1.211 +open up to those on the island that she had known so much longer, no
   1.212 +matter how much she felt her head  and heart were about to burst.
   1.213 +Maybe… maybe it was because Rikku hadn’t been there long that she
   1.214 +felt she could talk to her, because she could offer a new view and
   1.215 +not just the predictable assurances that Lulu, Tidus and the others
   1.216 +were bound to give her.  She stared into the water some more, she
   1.217 +couldn’t say anything, could she? Rikku had just gotten here, did she
   1.218 +really want to scare her with horror stories of bottomless holes and
   1.219 +the uncertain reflections of a frightened girl?
   1.220 +
   1.221 +Rikku quietly watched the other girl, holding back the urge to
   1.222 +fidget or nudge the girl into saying something or anything. She was
   1.223 +managing to show an unusual amount of restraint for once. She noticed
   1.224 +as the other girl clenched and unclenched her slender hands and
   1.225 +before she could stop herself impulsely lay a paw on top a hand. She
   1.226 +felt Yuna jump slightly and she just blurted out the first thing on
   1.227 +her mind. “You can tell me anything, you know… I wouldn’t ever betray
   1.228 +you…”
   1.229 +
   1.230 +“You would never betray me?” Yuna asked, surprised enough to look up
   1.231 +at Rikku. Plenty of people wouldn’t betray her but still… the way the
   1.232 +catgirl had said it… she had meant it, but why?
   1.233 +
   1.234 +Rikku blinked, surprised herself at what she had said. “I wouldn’t
   1.235 +betray your secrets, I meant…” She backpedaled.
   1.236 +
   1.237 +“Oh…” Yuna looked down again, she couldn’t deny she was disappointed.
   1.238 +
   1.239 +Rikku instantly regretted bring that morose look back to her Yuna’s
   1.240 +face, she was her ‘saviour’ after all. “Hey… but I… well I did mean
   1.241 +it. You did save me after all, I owe you my life… that little violent
   1.242 +girl would have pummeled me.”
   1.243 +
   1.244 +Yuna slowly smiled,and then she began to giggle. “I don’t think
   1.245 +Selphie would have really hurt you… well not that much.” She blushed,
   1.246 +“I don’t think I did that much to save you…”
   1.247 +
   1.248 +“No way, if it wasn’t for you I’d be gone…” She grasped Yuna’s hands
   1.249 +in both her paws. “I swear I won’t leave you until I’ve done
   1.250 +everything I can to make you, my -savior-’s life happy!”
   1.251 +
   1.252 +Yuna blinked back tears, she didn’t know why but that completely
   1.253 +unexpected, impulsive but passionate declaration hit her hard. Her
   1.254 +hands pulled away from Rikku’s and she flung herself against a
   1.255 +surprised kitty, wrapping her arms around a warm furry neck. She
   1.256 +whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ and later when she calmed down began
   1.257 +whispering a few more things, just happy to have someone listen.
   1.258 +
   1.259 +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   1.260 +
   1.261 +"It won't do you any good, princess." Nonetheless, Kuja seemed
   1.262 +amused by Kairi's struggle with her bonds. He grinned, sipping
   1.263 +something from a goblet as he watched her. "Yes, I know you're a
   1.264 +princess. Princess Hikari from the kingdom of Hollow Bastion. I'm
   1.265 +something of a troubleshooter for monarchs. I offer my services to
   1.266 +help them in return for a fee. Not that I need the money, but it
   1.267 +helps in my search. I even helped your father. I... 'acquired' a few
   1.268 +specimens for his research on the Heartless."
   1.269 +
   1.270 +Kairi stopped wrestling with the chains that held her in place and
   1.271 +turned to look at the silver haired catman. She shivered at his
   1.272 +predatory gaze. But she had to listen. He knew about her, about who
   1.273 +she'd been before she woke up with no memories on the Destiny
   1.274 +Islands. And for once, he wasn't saying she was a suicidal girl who
   1.275 +had been obsessed with escaping into Squaresoft games and Disney
   1.276 +movies. In a way, she needed to hear that, to hear that she really
   1.277 +had been a princess, had been a part of this, that it wasn't all just
   1.278 +her dying mind's fantasy. Even if she was shackled, even if he was
   1.279 +about to do horrible things to her, she still needed to know that
   1.280 +this was real. That Sora and Riku were real. That her journey hadn't
   1.281 +been for nothing. "Ansem... was my father?" 
   1.282 +
   1.283 +Yes... She could remember that if she tried hard enough. She had
   1.284 +been his little princess. He'd loved her, but he'd always been so
   1.285 +busy with his research, obsessed with where it migh lead him. The
   1.286 +Heartless... They had consumed Hollow Bastion, stealing the hearts of
   1.287 +all those who couldn't escape in time. All because of her father's
   1.288 +research. She remembered seeing the kingdom crumble, but only
   1.289 +vaguely, like a dim nightmare. How had she escaped? How had she been
   1.290 +able to get away from that? Nothing. She didn't remember anything
   1.291 +other than waking up on the Destiny Islands. But she could still
   1.292 +remember having a mother... Her best friend, the only person who
   1.293 +cared about her. She shook her head, trying to force the thoughts
   1.294 +away. Her mother was from the life of a lonely girl who had killed
   1.295 +herself. Ansem was from this life. But... She didn't want to deny her
   1.296 +mother's existence, even if it meant validating her own. But it had
   1.297 +to be one or the other, right? Her life with Riku and Sora or her
   1.298 +life as a lonely outcast. The answer was obvious. But why couldn't
   1.299 +she completely deny that lonely life, that room that kept haunting
   1.300 +her?
   1.301 +
   1.302 +Laughing, Kuja nodded. "So you really don't remember that life? No
   1.303 +wonder Sephiroth has been staying away. And why he's wanted us to
   1.304 +stay away from you." 
   1.305 +
   1.306 +He crossed the room gracefully, his tail swishing behind him,
   1.307 +reminding Kairi of the kitty she'd had with her for so long. It made
   1.308 +her wish she was there with her. That anyone was there with her
   1.309 +besides this madman. Sephiroth? Why did he sound so familiar? And...
   1.310 +Her eyes widened. He must be in charge. And if he wanted them to stay
   1.311 +away from her... Her heart froze into a heavy chunk of ice that
   1.312 +plumetted into her stomach as Kuja got closer. She was suddenly even
   1.313 +more afraid of what he intended to do with her. "Why aren't you
   1.314 +listening to him? He... he could hurt you. There's a reason he's in
   1.315 +charge." She was bluffing, but she didn't care. She didn't know
   1.316 +enough about Sephiroth or why these people were working with him, but
   1.317 +she had to hope that Kuja would pause and consider letting her go. Or
   1.318 +at least not whatever he had on his mind. 
   1.319 +
   1.320 +Grinning wickedly, Kuja trailed a finger down her chin. She squirmed
   1.321 +under his touch, but couldn't do anything more. "Because once I have
   1.322 +what I want, Sephiroth won't be able to touch me. Nothing will. I
   1.323 +will never die. That specter of death that chases after all of us
   1.324 +will never reach me. I will be free of the chains of Fate. Free of
   1.325 +death and pain. The same freedom that you had before you threw it all
   1.326 +away."
   1.327 +
   1.328 +Kairi jerked about in her chains to no avail, feeling his hand
   1.329 +trailing down her neck, moving lower. Tears burned in her eyes.
   1.330 +Anger, fear, frustration, and hopelessness boiled inside of her. "I
   1.331 +won't let you have the Keyblade! I'm going to save Riku, no matter
   1.332 +what happens to me," she got out shakily. Yes, no matter what
   1.333 +happened, she'd save him. She shook as his hand travelled lower,
   1.334 +finally stopping over her heart.
   1.335 +
   1.336 +"It's not the Keyblade that I'm after." Kuja laughed, tilting his
   1.337 +head back. "That's merely a toy. Let Sephiroth play with it for all I
   1.338 +care." His deep, scarred eyes met Kairi's and the princess shuddered
   1.339 +at the desperation in him. "We're all afraid of death. But all of us
   1.340 +will eventually run out of time. It doesn't have to be that way. I've
   1.341 +found a way out. Through you."
   1.342 +
   1.343 +Kairi's shoulders slumped, her body hanging limply in her bonds. She
   1.344 +was screwed. There wasn't anything she could do. No one knew where
   1.345 +she was. She was helpless to stop Kuja from taking something that she
   1.346 +innately knew was important to her. Something she hadn't even known
   1.347 +was there. 
   1.348 +
   1.349 +Kuja laughed. "Giving up already? You don't deserve it's power. I
   1.350 +never gave up. I'd rather kill all the universed than die alone.
   1.351 +That's what makes me worthy of it. I'll use it to it's fullest."
   1.352 +
   1.353 +"What the hell are you talking about!?" Kairii cried out at last,
   1.354 +sick of the feeling of helplessness, of his hand pressed against her
   1.355 +chest, of the thoughts that she'd never set Riku free. She couldn't,
   1.356 +wouldn't fail him. But she couldn't see how she would ever get that
   1.357 +chance. 
   1.358 +
   1.359 +"Prism Hearts! The heart through which reality itself is filtered!"
   1.360 +Stepping back, Kuja gestured grandly. "Kingdom Hearts is the gateway
   1.361 +to the heart of the universe, to the birthplace of darkness and
   1.362 +light. But such concepts bore me. Prism Hearts, on the other hand, is
   1.363 +what shapes that darkness and light into the world around us. It's
   1.364 +what shapes the reality we live in. The power to reshape reality as
   1.365 +you see fit. The power of a god. It all lies within Prism Hearts." He
   1.366 +grinned as if he were sharing a private joke, leaning close enough
   1.367 +that his nose almost touched Kairi's. "Which lies within you."
   1.368 +
   1.369 +Kuja didn't even flinch as Kairi began thrashing in her restraints.
   1.370 +"Stay away from me! You're insane! I'm just a girl who wants to find
   1.371 +her friends." She swallowed, trying to keep her gaze angry. What was
   1.372 +all this about? It wasn't true. It couldn't be. Parallel visions
   1.373 +flashed through her head, struggling for dominance. One world where
   1.374 +she was a princess, searching for the boys she loved. One world where
   1.375 +she was a lonely suicidal girl who was dying in her bedroom. She
   1.376 +could feel the shackles on one hand, blood dripping down the other.
   1.377 +Was she lying on the floor or was she in Kuja's demented torture
   1.378 +chamber? Which was better? She felt so weak all of the sudden,
   1.379 +feeling the carpet soaking with blood, her blood, underneath her.
   1.380 +No... Her thoughts were drowning as she felt herself sinking deeper
   1.381 +and deeper. So tired... 
   1.382 +
   1.383 +Kuja... Where was Kuja? 
   1.384 +
   1.385 +"He's far away. He can't hurt you here," the mysterious voice said
   1.386 +from the other side of the door. 
   1.387 +
   1.388 +Kairi struggled to sit up and get to the door, but her body refused
   1.389 +to listen. Everything felt cold and numb. Her fingers moved dimly in
   1.390 +an attempt to reassert control of her body, but that was the most
   1.391 +they could do. Blood stained the floor around her, yet somehow she
   1.392 +was too drained to do much more than acknowledge it. 
   1.393 +
   1.394 +"Just rest, Kairi. It can end here. You can stop struggling so hard.
   1.395 +You can finally rest. That's what you wanted, isn't it? That's why
   1.396 +you slit your wrists, right?"
   1.397 +
   1.398 +No... She tried to speak, but her lips merely quivered. Her eyelids
   1.399 +felt so terribly heavy, as if the weight of the world rested on each
   1.400 +one. Somehow she knew that the voice was right. It could end here.
   1.401 +She didn't have to go back. Facing Kuja was her choice. And she was
   1.402 +currently unable to do anything to stop him. And she was so very
   1.403 +tired... Her eyes began to slip shut as a familiar lullaby began to
   1.404 +whisper through the door. A lullaby her mother used to sing her. Yes,
   1.405 +she could finally escape. No one could ever hurt her again. She
   1.406 +didn't have to keep being the outsider. She didn't have to keep
   1.407 +playing in a world that never wanted her. All she had to do was
   1.408 +rest...
   1.409 +
   1.410 +But... But she wasn't alone... There were people who needed her.
   1.411 +Riku. Sora. She couldn't give up. Not until she set Riku free. No
   1.412 +matter what had brought her to this point, broken and bloody on her
   1.413 +floor, she couldn't let that stop her. She couldn't leave Riku and
   1.414 +Sora. Not yet. Her bloody, shaky fingers clenched slowly. It wasn't
   1.415 +time to rest. There would be time for that later. 'Riku... I won't
   1.416 +give up on you. Ever.' She wasn't dying. She was searching for her
   1.417 +friends. This place... it was a nightmare. She had to wake up before
   1.418 +it consumed her. Or she'd never get back to her friends. With all the
   1.419 +strength she had, she forced her eyes back open. 
   1.420 +
   1.421 +Blinking weakly, the room came back into view. She was still in the
   1.422 +dark yet elegant dungeon that Kuja had set up especially for the
   1.423 +maiden he was searching for. Her. She sighed shakily, slumping in her
   1.424 +chains. She had been about to die. If she'd stayed there... Her heart
   1.425 +pounded at the thought. What was going on? What was happening to her?
   1.426 +Blinking quickly, she tried to bury the fear and hopelessness that
   1.427 +threatened to overwhelm her. What was real? What was her imagination?
   1.428 +These chains felt so real, but so had the bloodsoaked carpet she'd
   1.429 +been laying on. She didn't know anymore. She didn't know anything
   1.430 +anymore. No, she couldn't think like that. There were still Sora and
   1.431 +Riku. She had to believe in them. She had to. It was all she had left.
   1.432 +
   1.433 +Kuja... Where had he gone? Lavender eyes darted around the chamber,
   1.434 +trying to spot the silver haired man. He didn't seem to be anywhere
   1.435 +in sight. What she did see didn't exactly put her at ease. The two
   1.436 +blonde twins she had met earlier watched her from a raised platform,
   1.437 +resting against each other as if they had just finished playing. They
   1.438 +both watched her intently, almost as if they were waiting for
   1.439 +something. Licking her lips, Kairi tried to think of something to
   1.440 +say. Anything. At least she wasn't alone. She couldn't stand being
   1.441 +alone. "Where did he go?" she asked at last.
   1.442 +
   1.443 +"Away," one replied, the two still watching the princess intently.
   1.444 +
   1.445 +Not exactly the response she'd been hoping for, but it was
   1.446 +something. Before she could think of what to say next, the twins
   1.447 +interrupted her thoughts.
   1.448 +
   1.449 +"You can't let him have Prism Hearts. If you do, he'll tear all of
   1.450 +this apart. Everything you love, everything you care about, all of it
   1.451 +will be obliterated and filtered into his own dream world. Everything
   1.452 +will be reborn as he sees fit. Before it can be reshaped, everything
   1.453 +must be shattered. Then he can mold it however he wishes. All he
   1.454 +needs is your heart," Maya explained.
   1.455 +
   1.456 +Kairi shuddered. Everything gone, replaced by Kuja's dreams. Her
   1.457 +hair fell about her face as she shook her head. "No, that's a lie. I
   1.458 +don't have Prism Hearts. My heart doesn't change anything. If it did,
   1.459 +I wouldn't be chained up in some dungeon away from the boys I love.
   1.460 +I'd be on the Destiny Islands with all of my friends. I'd be looking
   1.461 +out to sea with Riku and Sora. Being fed grapes. And..."
   1.462 +
   1.463 +Blushing faintly, the other little girl interrupted before Kairi
   1.464 +could get further. "It doesn't work that way. It's subconscious. Your
   1.465 +heart molds reality, not your mind. This is happening because you're
   1.466 +in conflict. Things aren't happy and perfect because part of you
   1.467 +won't accept this reality. Part of you is still clinging to the old
   1.468 +reality. So that dark reality has intruded."
   1.469 +
   1.470 +"The Heartless..." Kairi whispered. That's when everything had
   1.471 +started to go wrong. Everything was perfect before the Heartless had
   1.472 +spread throughout the worlds. 
   1.473 +
   1.474 +Aya nodded. "Exactly. There is darkness and light in every heart.
   1.475 +But this was all a refuge from the darkness. But because you couldn't
   1.476 +fully close the doorway to the old world, the darkness began to leak
   1.477 +in. Ansem found it and began researching it, but he was never its
   1.478 +cause. He was used by it and his own curiosity."
   1.479 +
   1.480 +"You're the one who allowed the Heartless here. You're the one who
   1.481 +left the door open for them. The Heartless in this reality were born
   1.482 +inside of Kingdom Hearts because you brought the darkness over from
   1.483 +the other reality."
   1.484 +
   1.485 +"I wouldn't do that!! I wouldn't risk losing any of this! I
   1.486 +couldn't! I just want to be with them.." Kairi's voice broke, her
   1.487 +throat tightening. Why would she allow the Heartless here? How could
   1.488 +she be the cause of all this pain and suffering? The reason behind
   1.489 +why she'd lost both Riku and Sora?
   1.490 +
   1.491 +"You wouldn't?" Maya raised a blonde eyebrow. "You can't give up
   1.492 +your mother, can you, Kairi? You won't completely turn your back on
   1.493 +the other reality. So the door is still open through your heart,
   1.494 +Prism Hearts. You refuse to filter out all of that reality. The
   1.495 +darkness is part of that reality. If you won't filter it all out, it
   1.496 +will spill over here."
   1.497 +
   1.498 +"Sacrifices have to be made. If you want to live in this world, you
   1.499 +have to give up on that one. Completely. Entirely. You have to forget
   1.500 +that life. You must offer up your memories of it as a sacrifice to
   1.501 +save this reality," Aya insisted. 
   1.502 +
   1.503 +"But..." Kairi's head spun. It couldn't be... She couldn't have
   1.504 +brought about the Heartless. That other world, it couldn't be out
   1.505 +there. And yet... "Which... Which one is real?" Her voice was weak,
   1.506 +begging, pleading. She needed to know, even if she didn't want to.
   1.507 +
   1.508 +The twins were silent for a long moment before they answered in
   1.509 +unison. "Which one do you want to be real?"
   1.510 +
   1.511 +"It doesn't work that way!" Kairi argued, frustrated that there
   1.512 +never seemed to be any clear cut answers for her.
   1.513 +
   1.514 +Aya turned and looked at Maya. "You'd be surprised," she whispered. 
   1.515 +
   1.516 +Maya continued looking at the princess. "Give up on the other
   1.517 +reality. It's the only way to save this one."
   1.518 +
   1.519 +Swallowing back the pain, Kairi raised her eyes to look at the
   1.520 +twins. "How do I do that?" She had to. For Riku. For Sora. They had
   1.521 +both done so much to save her. She had to save them this time. She
   1.522 +wouldn't let anything bad happen to them. All of her friends...
   1.523 +Selphie, Yuffie, Relm, even her cute little kitten... She couldn't
   1.524 +let them go.
   1.525 +
   1.526 +"You have to confront yourself. Your own dark side. The part of you
   1.527 +that won't give up on the other reality. Only after you get rid of
   1.528 +her, when you can give up on that reality entirely, can this one be
   1.529 +saved." The two girls turned to leave. 
   1.530 +
   1.531 +"Wait! How am I supposed to confront myself? What do I do?"
   1.532 +Watching, Kairi pulled ineffectively at her chains. "Please don't
   1.533 +go..." she whispered. Not alone. Not again...
   1.534 +
   1.535 +Aya stopped while Maya kept walking. She turned to look over her
   1.536 +shoulder at Kairi, her eyes soft and understanding. "I know it's
   1.537 +hard, Kairi. But everything demands a sacrifice. It's this reality or
   1.538 +the other reality. You have to decide for yourself which is real. But
   1.539 +some sacrifices are worth it." She turned to see Maya waiting for
   1.540 +her. "I made my choice a long time ago and I've never looked back."
   1.541 +She smiled faintly and waved to her waiting sister. "Whatever you
   1.542 +choose, give it your all and don't ever regret your decision." With
   1.543 +that, she ran to catch up to the identical girl, fading into mist. 
   1.544 +
   1.545 +A slight breeze entered the vast chamber, swirling the mist about
   1.546 +into nothingness. Something caught in the sudden wind fluttered over
   1.547 +to Kairi, landing lightly at her feet. It was a child's drawing.
   1.548 +'Mama and Maya' was written at the top in crayon. Even in a child's
   1.549 +artwork, it was unmistakeble. There had been a car crash. Plenty of
   1.550 +red crayon showed the aftermath. A blonde woman and a blonde girl
   1.551 +watched it all from above with angel wings. The same woman and girl
   1.552 +were in the car as well. Kairi's head jerked up, hoping to catch a
   1.553 +last glimpse of the little girl, her words suddenly coming back to
   1.554 +haunt the princess. 
   1.555 +
   1.556 +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   1.557 +
   1.558 +"I heard Lady Beatrix has been seeing someone lately," a knight with
   1.559 +blonde hair mentioned conversationally.
   1.560 +
   1.561 +"Really?" her compatriot asked with a note of disappointment in her
   1.562 +voice, leaning against the wall. "That's not fair." She crossed her
   1.563 +arms, pouting.
   1.564 +
   1.565 +The other knight laughed, turning to the brunette. "You didn't think
   1.566 +you had a chance with her, did you?"
   1.567 +
   1.568 +"Well... No, not exactly... But..." She whined, trailing off. 
   1.569 +
   1.570 +"Don't you want to know who I heard she'd been seeing?" the first
   1.571 +soldier asked.
   1.572 +
   1.573 +"Why would I want to know that? It only crushes all my hopes and
   1.574 +dreams," the second replied.
   1.575 +
   1.576 +Laughing, the blonde shook her head. "You're really stuck on her,
   1.577 +aren't you? I heard she's been going out with some airship pilot from
   1.578 +Lindblum. I think her name's Erin, but I'm not sure."
   1.579 +
   1.580 +The brunette sighed, sliding down the wall. "I should've been an
   1.581 +airship pilot..." Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the shadow
   1.582 +darting behind the two of them.
   1.583 +
   1.584 +'Ha! That was too easy. These knights might be good fighters, but
   1.585 +they obviously haven't dealt with a world-class thief before.'
   1.586 +Grinning to herself, Yuffie hurried down the hallway. With the
   1.587 +expansive palace to search, it was taking her longer than she'd
   1.588 +wanted to find the artist girl. But the knights didn't seem to mind
   1.589 +gossiping, so she'd managed to overhear them talking about the
   1.590 +sorceress who could bring paintings to life. Apparently she was in
   1.591 +this part of the palace. Somewhere. She could go room by room, but
   1.592 +somehow she doubted it would only result in embarrassment. The
   1.593 +knights wouldn't take a hearty 'Sorry, ma'am' if she burst in on
   1.594 +someone.
   1.595 +
   1.596 +Now where could Relm be? What was she looking for, anyway? A big
   1.597 +neon sign that announced she'd found Relm's room? There had to be an
   1.598 +easier (and less dangerous) way to go about this than going door to
   1.599 +door. More importantly, what did she say to the artist when she met
   1.600 +up with her? Would Relm even want to talk to her? After what a bitch
   1.601 +she'd been, she'd be surprised if the little blonde girl even wanted
   1.602 +to continue travelling with her. That thought scared her more than
   1.603 +she wanted to admit. She'd apologize. That would have to be enough.
   1.604 +She hoped. 
   1.605 +
   1.606 +A sound down the hallway broke her train of thought. Ducking back
   1.607 +behind a large potted plant, the ninja waited silently. One of the
   1.608 +heavy doors had opened and someone had stepped out into the hallway.
   1.609 +There were at least two people, and they were talking about
   1.610 +something. Yuffie strained to hear what they were saying.
   1.611 +
   1.612 +"... wanted to thank you again. It's absolutely gorgeous. I finally
   1.613 +have a portrait that I'm not ashamed to show my parents."
   1.614 +
   1.615 +A soft giggle. "It was fun. It was nice to have such a willing
   1.616 +subject. Some people make painting them so difficult because they
   1.617 +don't really want you to. I think it turned out really well."
   1.618 +
   1.619 +"Not that you needed me there. It's much more beautiful than I could
   1.620 +ever be," the first voice said with a sigh.
   1.621 +
   1.622 +"That's not true. I don't paint lies. The beauty was there, you just
   1.623 +have to look for it. Someday someone will see you just like in the
   1.624 +picture."
   1.625 +
   1.626 +A happy squeal of delight filled the hallway. "I can't wait. Thank
   1.627 +you very much, Sorceress Relm. I'll always remember this."
   1.628 +
   1.629 +Relm! Yuffie's eyes widened. She'd found her. Now she just had to
   1.630 +get to her. And try not to stumble over her apology. 
   1.631 +
   1.632 +"Anytime. I'm happy to get the chance to paint. I want to paint
   1.633 +things from all over different worlds."
   1.634 +
   1.635 +"I'll pray for your safe journey. I'd love to see a gallery of
   1.636 +different worlds rendered in your gorgeous artwork."
   1.637 +
   1.638 +Flattered, it took Relm a second to reply. "I'll make sure I send
   1.639 +you an invitation when I finally get it all together."
   1.640 +
   1.641 +"Thanks so much again, Sorceress Relm." The knight began down the
   1.642 +hallway.
   1.643 +
   1.644 +Yuffie pressed into the wall, trying to will herself to disappear.
   1.645 +There wasn't a lot of cover in these hallways. The plant was large,
   1.646 +but if the knight stopped to look, she'd be caught. Her only hope was
   1.647 +that the guard was distracted enough not to be paying attention. The
   1.648 +other two knights were right down the hallway. If she made any noise,
   1.649 +they'd be there in moments. And she didn't feel like facing down
   1.650 +three knights if she could help it. Not that she doubted her
   1.651 +abilities. Just that... three knights would be an inconvenience.
   1.652 +Yeah, that was it. An inconvenience. 
   1.653 +
   1.654 +The knight came and went, passing by without a second glance. Yuffie
   1.655 +let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and crept
   1.656 +towards the door the knight had exited from. Her heart pounded as she
   1.657 +neared the door. Her mind tried desperately to piece together a
   1.658 +suitable apology so she wouldn't just say the first stupid thing that
   1.659 +came to mind. 'Hi, Relm. Sorry about earlier. Hey, lets go find Kairi
   1.660 +now.' She sighed. She wasn't good with apologies. But she couldn't
   1.661 +stall forever. She had a bad feeling that Kairi needed her. Soon.
   1.662 +
   1.663 +Taking the last few silent steps to the door, Yuffie gently took the
   1.664 +doorknob. Her heart pounded anxiously in her chest. Relm was just on
   1.665 +the other side of the door. So why was she so scared? 'Because this
   1.666 +time it might not be you doing the rejection.' The thought sprang to
   1.667 +mind, but she instantly shot it down. 'And what the hell is that
   1.668 +supposed to mean?' No answer. She swallowed and summoned all of her
   1.669 +courage. It was silly, summoning all of her courage to face a girl a
   1.670 +full head shorter than her. But she somehow felt that she'd need it.
   1.671 +Achingly slowly, the door pushed open.
   1.672 +
   1.673 +Her mouth open, Yuffie paused before she could say something. There
   1.674 +were already voices in the spacious room. Frowning, she glimpsed
   1.675 +inside and tried to spot their sources. There, on the bed. She could
   1.676 +spot Relm's intricate red and gold bandana near their feet. The
   1.677 +artist was sitting on the bed with an older blonde woman who looked
   1.678 +vaguely familiar. The older woman was running fingers through Relm's
   1.679 +hair as they sat close to each other. Yuffie's hand clenched tightly
   1.680 +on the doorknob. What was going on? Who was that lady?
   1.681 +
   1.682 +"You did a beautiful job, Relm," the elegant woman said. 
   1.683 +
   1.684 +"Thanks, Celeste. I'm so glad you think so," Relm said softly,
   1.685 +resting against the taller woman, not seeming concerned with the
   1.686 +fingers sliding through her hair. She closed her eyes, sighing
   1.687 +softly. 
   1.688 +
   1.689 +Taking Relm's chin with one hand, she turned the younger girl's gaze
   1.690 +up to her. "Of course I think so. I always think so, Relm. I love
   1.691 +you." Leaning down, she kissed Relm softly.
   1.692 +
   1.693 +It was all Yuffie could do to keep the doorknob from shaking in her
   1.694 +grasp. Her gaze remained locked on the two women on the bed. It was
   1.695 +unreal. Her mind wouldn't accept it for a long moment. It wasn't
   1.696 +happening. Relm was not kissing another woman. Relm wasn't making
   1.697 +soft sounds as the blonde woman's fingers continued to caress through
   1.698 +her hair. It... wasn't... real... She closed her eyes tightly, but
   1.699 +the image remained when she opened them again, albeit blurrier this
   1.700 +time. Her eyes stung painfully as she watched the image before her
   1.701 +helplessly. 
   1.702 +
   1.703 +"Celeste..." Relm whispered softly, resting her head on the other
   1.704 +woman's shoulder. Her arms wrapped around Celeste tightly. 
   1.705 +
   1.706 +Slam. Relm jumped at the sudden sound. She turned, but no one was at
   1.707 +her door. She let out a shaky sigh and held on tighter.
   1.708 +
   1.709 +Yuffie ran back down the hallway. Get away. Escape. Leave. It all
   1.710 +swirled about her. Damn it. That wasn't supposed to happen. She
   1.711 +didn't want that. Relm had found someone else? But how? Part of her
   1.712 +had thought Relm would always be there, always following, always
   1.713 +devoted to her. Logically she knew that wasn't likely, but she hadn't
   1.714 +given it any thought. She'd taken Relm's presence for granted. And
   1.715 +now she was in another woman's arms... 'She wasn't yours to begin
   1.716 +with,' she told herself. 'Shut up! Shut up!' Her eyes burned, images
   1.717 +bleeding into wet messes of color in front of her. 'Jealous?' that
   1.718 +sarcastic voice inside of herself asked. She muffled a sob as she
   1.719 +held her head tightly. She'd lost her chance. Relm hadn't waited for
   1.720 +her to make up her mind. And why should she have? Yuffie had all but
   1.721 +told her to get lost. There was no reason for her to wait around for
   1.722 +something that probably never would have happened. But somehow that
   1.723 +knowledge just made Yuffie feel worse. 
   1.724 +
   1.725 +In her current state, Yuffie barely managed to stop before barelling
   1.726 +into a figure in front of her. Her instincts told her to grab her
   1.727 +shuriken, but she was too weak to bother with it. Escape the guards
   1.728 +and then what? Was Relm even coming with them anymore? She had to
   1.729 +save Kairi. The Keyblade Mistress was her responsibility. But she
   1.730 +felt so weak. Everything seemed so far away. Except for that icy,
   1.731 +ragged feeling inside of her. She couldn't seem to escape that.
   1.732 +Thankfully, she realized that the figure was too small to be a guard.
   1.733 +She blinked rapidly, noting that the girl was a little shorter than
   1.734 +Relm. She have lavender hair and a small horn jutting out of her
   1.735 +forehead. A Caller?
   1.736 +
   1.737 +"So you're just gonna run off?" the summoner asked, her hands on her
   1.738 +hips. "You'd rather go cry than try and get her back?" Her voice was
   1.739 +angry, obviously not pleased with Yuffie's choice. 
   1.740 +
   1.741 +"I'm not crying!" Yuffie swiped at her eyes with the back of her
   1.742 +glove, disappointed to see it come away tear-soaked. She didn't cry.
   1.743 +She was stronger than that. She'd learned a long time ago that she
   1.744 +was the only one she could count on. This just reinforced that point.
   1.745 +She had to trust in herself. Everything else would fail you. 
   1.746 +
   1.747 +"If she means anything at all to you, then you'll go back in there
   1.748 +and talk to her. Take her back. Don't just give up," Eiko insisted,
   1.749 +standing her ground in front of the taller ninja. 
   1.750 +
   1.751 +"You don't understand... I... I can't..." Yuffie let a small object
   1.752 +drop from her fingers. The smoke bomb burst when it hit the floor,
   1.753 +surrounding her with the thick cloud. When it disappeared, she was
   1.754 +gone.
   1.755 +
   1.756 +