Prism Hearts 

 Chapter 9

 Eyes on Me

 by Amazoness Duo

 amazonessduo@hotmail.com

 

 

 ‘I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately...

 Like... is any of this for real... or not?’

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 “Sora...” The world seemed out of place around them, distorted and

 far off. As if they were from another time and place, simply

 juxtaposed in this strange nightmare landscape. But it hardly seemed

 to matter for the two young friends, reunited at long last. “I never

 thought I’d see you again.”

 

 The boy in question, the wanderer of time who had sealed away the

 Doorway to the Darkness, could only stand in the princess’s embrace,

 too taken aback to do much of anything. When he had sealed away the

 Heartless, he had thought that the barriers between the worlds was

 returned, that they were separated by an infinite distance. But here

 she was, waiting for him in this strange place. “Kairi...” He

 swallowed back the lump in his throat and managed to smile. “I told

 you I’d always be with you.” 

 

 The brunette laughed, burying her head against his shoulder, holding

 him as tightly as she could. He felt so real in her grasp. She could

 smell him and hear him and feel him against her. “Oh, Sora... Don’t

 ever leave me again. You don’t know how much I need you.” She closed

 her eyes, but opened them immediately, almost afraid he would

 disappear if she did. She couldn’t risk that.

 

 Nodding, Sora pulled the smaller girl closer to him. “I won’t,

 Kairi. I promise. I won’t let anything take me away from you. Not

 now.” He wanted to take away whatever was bothering Kairi. He had

 missed her terribly, but she seemed almost desperate to have him

 near. He felt awful for having left her alone in the first place,

 even if it hadn’t exactly been his choice. 

 

 She sighed, shaking her head against him. “I wish I could believe

 that. But it isn’t that simple. Nothing is that simple. But... For as

 long as I can, I’ll keep you with me, Sora.”

 

 “Kairi, please don’t talk like that. Nothing will take me away.

 You’ll see,” Sora reassured his friend. But she didn’t seem entirely

 convinced. He didn’t know what else he could do but prove it to her.

 And that would take a while. Glancing about the strange landscape

 that surrounded them, his mind turned to another pressing subject.

 “Where are we? What is this place? And what was that guy talking

 about when he ambushed me? He said something about a princess.”

 

 Disentangling herself from Sora, the brunette stepped back. She

 curtsied in her long, lavender dress. “I’m Princess Hikari of the

 kingdom of Hollow Bastion.” She grinned as she stood up straight once

 more. “Silly. I can’t believe you forgot I was a princess. You must

 have a short term memory, Sora.” She giggled as she winked at the boy.

 

 Sora ran a hand behind his head, laughing nervously. “Well, I know

 you were one of the seven princesses, but I never really found out

 where you were from so I didn’t make the connection.” He blinks as

 another connection was made in his mind. “Wait, your name’s Hikari?

 But I always thought you were just Kairi.”

 

 Hikari shook her head, tucking some stray hair behind her ear. “They

 found me on the beach half conscious. I was muttering a few things

 when they got me into bed. They asked my name, but I wasn’t being

 very coherent.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember a time that

 seemed so long ago. “Hi.. Kari... Kari...” she intoned quietly,

 trying to recreate the night she’d been found on the Destiny Islands.

 She blinked her eyes open, looking again to Sora. “They thought I was

 saying Kairi. I didn’t remember anything when I woke up so I thought

 that had to be my name.”

 

 “I don’t know which will take longer to get used to. You being a

 princess or you being Hikari.” Sora crossed his arms, mulling this

 all over in his head. It was a much bigger revelation than he had

 first thought. That meant she was Ansem’s daughter. No wonder she was

 so intertwined with everything. 

 

 “And as for where we are, it’s sort of difficult to explain.” Hikari

 gazed around at the stars blinking around them, some streaking across

 the heavens. They were standing out in the center of the universe,

 everything swirling around them. Every footstep sent ripples through

 space. “Basically, we’re near the birthplace of the stars. Where all

 light begins and ends.”

 

 “The Doorway to the Light!” Sora’s eyes went wide as it began to

 click. That had been exactly what he had spent all this time

 searching for. 

 

 The princess nodded, an arm behind her back, watching Sora’s

 reaction. “Exactly. Where light is born and sent out into the

 universe. The very heart of the universe. All those many worlds

 aren’t so different after all. They all share the same heart, after

 all.”

 

 “Kingdom Hearts,” Sora replied quietly, remembering his battle with

 Ansem at the heart of the universe. “Kingdom Hearts is light...” He

 shook his head. “Ansem told me that the Heartless were seeking out

 the Heart of the universe just as they sought out people’s hearts and

 the hearts of every world. He said that the Heartless were born

 there.” 

 

 Turning, Hikari looked out into the universe that stretched out

 before her. “All of our hearts are born there. And in every heart,

 there is darkness. So darkness is born there as well. The Heartless

 are the hearts that the darkness has consumed entirely, eclipsing the

 last pinprick of light. Yes, the Heartless seek out the Heart of the

 universe. It’s their birthplace. They’re drawn to it the same way

 they’re drawn to people’s hearts, but on a much larger scale.”

 

 Sora rolled this over in his mind. He really didn’t like the sound

 of all that. That the Heartless would be born where everyone’s heart

 was, that the Heart of the universe could hold such darkness. “That’s

 what I saw behind the Doorway to the Darkness. I saw the Heartless

 all about, taking root there. But now I’ve sealed away the Doorway to

 the Darkness. When I open the Doorway to the Light, the Heart of the

 universe should be fine, shouldn’t it?” he asked anxiously. It had to

 be. He’d fought too hard to let the Heartless consume the birthplace

 of all hearts.

 

 “Both the Doorway to the Darkness and the Doorway to the Light lead

 to the Heart of the universe, Kingdom Hearts,” Princess Hikari

 explained. Closing her eyes and stretching out her hands, she spun

 under the starlight. “You’ve sealed away the darkness. Now when you

 unleash the light, it will spill out across the worlds. The darkness

 is locked away now behind that door. It’s trapped there. Now it’s up

 to you to unleash the light and heal the worlds. To heal the Heart of

 the universe by letting its light go free.”

 

 Sora clenched his fists determinedly. “I’ll do it. I’ll unseal the

 doorway and set Riku free. I’ll prove to Ansem that Kingdom Hearts is

 light. I’ll let its light fill everyone.” He trailed off feeling a

 bit sheepish. He needed to keep from mentioning Ansem. He was

 Hikari’s father after all. Even if he had been consumed by the

 Heartless, Hikari must still care for him.

 

 As if she had been reading the boy’s thoughts, Hikari turned a soft

 smile to Sora. “It’s all right, Sora. I know what my father did. I

 read his notes. I know what he was trying to do. And I know you had

 to stop him. He let the Heartless use him. He stole Riku’s body. He’s

 why Riku’s locked behind the Doorway now. I love my father. But I

 understand what happened.” Before Sora could reply, she began to walk

 out into space. “The Doorway to the Light is this way.”

 

 Sora blinked. “I.. uhh... Thanks, Kairi. Err... Hikari,” he

 corrected himself, hurrying to follow her. At least he hadn’t made a

 complete fool of himself, in that case. He winced a bit as he rubbed

 the back of his head. “Did your friend really have to hit us so hard?”

 

 This time it was Hikari’s turn to look apologetic. She laughed

 nervously. “Oh, that. Sorry about that. Sephiroth was the finest

 SOLDIER from our kingdom. My father had him personally protect me.

 When my father disappeared, Sephiroth helped me escape Hollow Bastion

 before it was overrun by the Heartless. He can be a little intense

 sometimes, but he does a wonderful job getting things done. You’re

 here, aren’t you?” She turned to him, giggling. “So I’m sorry you got

 hurt, but I’m glad he got you here. I missed you.” She reached out,

 her fingers taking his. She was so glad to see him again. It felt

 like a lifetime had passed since they had last been together. But now

 they’d see this through to the end together. 

 

 “I missed you, too,” Sora replied, squeezing her soft fingers. It

 almost seemed worth going through the pain just to see her again. At

 least they were together now. And soon enough, Riku would be there to

 join them. Then they’d be complete again. The three of them.

 

 And then they came upon it. Sora could only gaze in amazement. The

 princess watched him rather than the sight before them, finding it

 much more interesting. There, in the center of the swirling universe

 about them, was the Doorway to the Light. The huge, ornate doors

 loomed in space, waiting. 

 

 Sora ran up to them, placing his hand on the doorway. “This is it.

 This is what I’ve been waiting for since the very beginning. I was

 supposed to unlock this door. Everything else was just leading up to

 this. One of the first voices I heard said that I’d need to do this,

 but that I wasn’t ready to unlock it. Now I can. King Mickey told me

 that I was the one who would open the Doorway to the Light.” He shook

 his head, still in shock that his journey had finally brought him

 there. It felt as if he’d been travelling for years, that it had

 begun an eternity ago. Blue eyes closed as he pressed his palm

 further against the door. Riku had to be there behind it, waiting.

 Taking a step back, he summoned his Keyblade. Concentrating, he

 lowered it, a beam of light bursting forth into the door’s keyhole.

 He turned the Keyblade, bracing himself for the onslaught of light.

 But nothing happened. “What?” He blinked, letting his Keyblade slowly

 fall forward in his hands.

 

 Hikari stepped up to Sora’s side. “You can’t open it yet. And you

 can’t open it alone.”

 

 Slowly nodding in realization, Sora turned his attention to the

 princess. “Like with the Doorway to the Darkness. I couldn’t lock it

 myself. I needed King Mickey to lock it from the inside while I

 locked it from the outside.”

 

 “Exactly. You need Riku to unlock it from the inside with his

 Keyblade. The two of you need to unlock it at the same time for it to

 open.” Hikari shook her head before Sora could ask a question. “Not

 yet. Neither of you can unlock it yet. Even if he could hear you, it

 wouldn’t help. The Doorway to the Light can’t be opened until the

 chains on it are unlocked.” Reaching forward, she touched the door

 with her fingertips. The door lit up brightly, exposing dark, ominous

 chains draped about it. Several locks on the chains kept them tightly

 against the door. One lock was open while the others maintained their

 hold. “The Keyholes to those locks are in certain hearts. Only those

 hearts can unlock the chains. Then you and Riku can open the Doorway

 to the light.”

 

 Sora took a step back, looking up at the huge doors and their

 imposing shackles. “How do we go about unlocking the chains?”

 

 The princess offered a small smile, brushing some hair from her dark

 blue eyes. “Don’t worry, Sora. I’m working on it right now.”

 

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

 

 Kairi’s fingers trailed along the stone wall of the castle as she

 made her way deeper down the hallway. She had left her room behind in

 search of her friends. She had to find Yuffie and Relm. They were the

 only ones she had left. She couldn’t risk losing them, too. They had

 to be somewhere in the large palace. Now if only she could keep from

 getting lost...

 

 Her mind was still reeling from what she had heard from the two

 strange girls in her room. Nothing ever seemed to make sense anymore.

 It was as if life delighted in teasing her with different views of

 reality. Reality itself was becoming a distorted concept. What

 constituted ‘real’? She shook her head swiftly, banishing the

 thought. She didn’t need to start thinking about that now. She needed

 to stay focused. Find her friends. Find the Keyholes. Save Riku.

 Happy ending. That simple. She couldn’t afford to let herself get

 lost in all this. 

 

 There was something almost familiar about the palace. It felt like

 she’d been there before. Not this palace itself, but another palace.

 From some time long ago. Closing her eyes, the sound of maids and

 soldiers and minor dignitaries scurrying about felt normal. As if she

 had heard this hundreds of times before. A tinge of homesickness

 snaked around her heart. Homesickness for a home she couldn’t

 remember, for a father that she didn’t know. 

 

 “Kairi?! Kairi, wake up!!” 

 

 Kairi whirled about at the voice calling out to her, her heart

 pounding at its panicked insistence. But no one was there. Her head

 turned swiftly, searching for whoever had screamed her name. As she

 began to look past her search for a person, she began to see that the

 hallway behind her was no longer there. The stone of the palace had

 been replaced with the smooth walls of her by now familiar room. She

 turned on her heel to escape down the hallway, but found herself

 tripping before she could run. She fell face first on her bed,

 surrounded by an army of plush dolls. It was too late. The palace had

 left, stranding her once more in this eerily familiar room. She

 pounded a fist into the bed in frustration. How could she ever find

 anything if she was always getting tossed about between these strange

 places? 

 

 “And then I’ll be a real boy?”

 

 Slowly pulling her head up, the princess listened intently. She’d

 heard a voice. Someone else was there. For once, she wasn’t alone in

 this horrible place filled with memories that couldn’t possibly be

 her own. Whoever it was, at least she wouldn’t have to be alone here,

 left with her own twisted thoughts. But her joy was quickly shot down

 as her eyes fell upon the television in the room. 

 

 “Yes, Pinochio. A real boy.”

 

 The Disney movie played out on the screen before her, taunting her.

 “And what do I have to do to be real?” she asked quietly. She hugged

 an armful of dolls to her chest, characters from all across her

 travels. They were all real. They had to be. She had been with Yuffie

 and Relm just a few short hours ago. They weren’t just these bits of

 fluff and cloth. They were still waiting for her in the Alexandria

 Palace in a world so close and yet so far away. 

 

 “Kairi, please get up...” a strained voice begged her from the other

 side of the room. Near her door. Her heart froze. Not again. Not

 whoever was waiting on the other side of her locked door. But this

 sounded different. The person sounded like they were about to break

 down sobbing. And they sounded closer. On the inside of the room.

 This didn’t ease Kairi’s concerns. She slowly rolled over to face the

 door, her heart beating madly in her chest. This meant someone was

 inside with her. The thought that had been so comforting moments

 before now only served to horrify her. 

 

 But no one was there. The brunette blinked, still clutching onto her

 dolls. She’d heard someone right there. Yet she saw straight to the

 door. She sat up slowly, searching the room for the source of the

 voice. Nothing but her assortment of pictures, Disney and Square

 trinkets. The image of a girl desperately trying to escape her own

 life. It made her sick to look at. Thankfully, something caught her

 eye. She let the dolls fall back onto the bed as she got up to

 inspect it.

 

 Something dark was lying on the floor near the door. It looked like

 a shadow, but there didn’t seem to be anything casting it. A shadow

 without an owner. There it lay, as if the shadow had died while

 searching for whoever it belonged to. It lay near the door, as if

 someone had died and had stained the very ground with their shadow

 rather than their blood. A flicker of movement nearly sent her

 stumbling backwards. At first, she thought the shadow had come back

 to life, searching for a new owner. But as she watched, she could see

 it was a separate shadow, of someone taller than the first. It seemed

 to be shaking. Maybe it was frightened. Or angry. Or sad. Kairi took

 a step closer. She began to make out the shape of a woman from the

 shadow. A woman kneeling. It slowly reached out to the other shadow,

 moving it gently. With no response from the first shadow, it moved

 forward, cradling the other shadow in its arms. 

 

 “Kairi, please don’t die... Please, please don’t die...” the voice

 choked out, right where the woman would be if she were more than a

 shadow. 

 

 An icy chill began to crawl under Kairi’s skin. She took a slow,

 awkward step forward. “M..mom...?” She asked without quite realizing

 it. That shadow she had seen, unmoving on the floor, that had been

 her? But... No! “Mom..?” She asked again, trying to get the woman’s

 attention. “I’m not dead... I’m not. I won’t die, mom. I’m right

 here.” She laughed weakly, trying to sound sure of herself. But it

 sounded broken even in her own ears. She could hear sobbing in her

 empty room. It echoed eerily throughout the room, filling the

 princess with a horrible dread. That couldn’t be here. She was right

 here. The world suddenly tilted on its axis and for a split second

 she saw her mother. A pretty, slender woman, holding tightly onto

 her. She was motionless, pale and bloodstained. Then they were gone,

 nothing but shadows and an insistent sobbing. “Mom! I’m right here!”

 Kairi cried out, hugging herself tightly. “Please... please look at

 me... mom... I’m.. I’m here...” Her world blurred in a burning haze

 of tears. She opened her moth to once again beg her mother to see

 her, but nothing came out but a pained sob. She closed her eyes

 tightly, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. There was no one there to

 hear her. She was all alone. Her mother couldn’t hear her. It was

 only a shadow. But was it a shadow of things to come? Or what had

 already passed? Or simply a nightmare? 

 

 The sobbing silenced abruptly. Kairi blinked her tear soaked eyes

 open only to find the two shadows were gone. Her own shadow was the

 only one she could see and it appeared to be anchored securely to

 herself. She shuddered, still holding herself. 

 

 “Don’t cry, Kairi,” a voice said soothingly. This time, it was from

 behind the door. 

 

 Kairi wanted to argue with the mysterious voice, to say that she was

 fine, but it was different this time. Soft, yet strong. Pained. For

 her. The whispered words encircled her head like a wreath as she

 tried to figure out who had said them. Taking a hesitant step towards

 the door, her heart spun about, familiar feelings bubbling up. But

 why? “Riku!!” Her eyes went wide as she ran the rest of the way to

 the door, nearly colliding with it. Her hands stopped her as she

 reached it, slowing her body enough so that she merely slumped

 against it. “Riku, is that you?” Her ear pressed tightly against the

 door, straining to hear any sign of the silver haired boy. She held

 her breath, afraid that it would obscure the sound of his footsteps.

 She waited desperately for an answer, horrified that it might have

 been her imagination. 

 

 A soft chuckle. “Yep, it’s me. You can’t get rid of me that easily,

 Kairi.” 

 

 

 “Riku!!” Kairi laughed joyously at her friend’s voice. He was here.

 She’d found him. It was really him this time. She could feel it. And

 all that stood between them was this one door. Though it might as

 well have been a world apart since she couldn’t get it open. But she

 couldn’t let that get to her. Not now. Not with him so close. Her

 palms pressed tightly against the door, almost trying to go straight

 through it, to will it away. But it stood it’s ground, firm against

 her. Thousands of thoughts swirled about in her mind in a tornado.

 She didn’t even know where to begin. Her feelings, her thoughts, her

 journey. They suddenly seemed unimportant. “I knew I’d find you,” she

 whispered. 

 

 “Thank you, Kairi,” Riku replied, his own hand against the door,

 those few inches of wood the only thing separating them. “I knew you

 wouldn’t give up. You’re stronger than me and Sora.”

 

 Kairi shook her head, slumping it against the cold frame of the

 door. “No, I’m not. I don’t even know what’s real anymore. You and

 Sora would be doing a much better job than me. You wouldn’t be

 doubting everything so much. You wouldn’t be so scared. You wouldn’t

 keep getting captured.” Her eyes closed tightly. Here she was talking

 to Riku on the other side of a locked door in her bedroom. How was

 she supposed to know what was real and what was illusion? 

 

 “Kairi... Just because you can’t fight doesn’t make you weak. Sora

 and I can fight, but there’s always someone better. You have

 something much stronger than any weapon he or I could hold. You make

 people want to protect you, to fight for you. Your heart lights up

 the darkness the way no Keyblade could. And why does it matter if you

 doubt? If you’re scared? You’re still here, aren’t you? Despite your

 doubts, despite your fears, you kept coming. You never gave up, even

 when all hope seemed lost. I think that makes you stronger to have

 faced it and pushed forward instead of not seeing it at all. You’re

 very strong, Kairi. I only wish I could be there with you. I don’t

 want you to have to do this on your own. I want to catch you when you

 fall. I want to be right there behind you.” He sighed, looking down.

 He felt so helpless, trapped. It wouldn’t matter so much if he knew

 Kairi was safe, but knowing she was out there searching and that

 there was nothing he could do to help...

 

 Shaking her head, Kairi smiled faintly. “I’m not alone. No matter

 where I am, I’m never alone. I have two girls travelling with me

 right now. Yuffie and Relm. They’re my friends. They’ve helped me so

 much. And even when I’m away from them, I know you and Sora are with

 me.” A hand pulled away from the door, resting on her heart. “No

 matter how far apart we are, we’re always together. That’s what kept

 me going.” She swallowed, blinking back tears. “Because I know you’re

 there with me every step of the way. If I listen very closely and I

 close my eyes, I can hear your footsteps echoing with mine.”

 

 “Kairi...” Riku spread his fingers against the door, trying to hold

 the princess’s hand in his own. “I can feel you with me, too.” She

 was right there. So close... He had done everything he could to save

 her. Now he would give anything to be by her side again. “I want to

 see you one last time. I can’t go until I’ve seen you once more.”

 

 Blinking her still blurry eyes open, Kairi strained to see through

 the door to the boy on the other side. “What do you man? I’ll set you

 free, Riku. I promise. Then we’ll be together forever. Just like we

 always planned. You, me, and Sora.” Why did it sound like Riku

 wouldn’t be there for it? He’d have to be. She was going to save him.

 

 A long silence lingered in the air before Riku finally responded. “I

 lost my body. Ansem had it, remember? When Sora defeated him, he died

 with my body. My heart fought off the darkness, but I couldn’t bring

 my body with me. The Farplane, the Lifestream, whatever you want to

 call where hearts go, it’s calling me. But I refuse to go yet. Not

 until I see you one last time.” He hadn’t wanted to tell her. He

 could handle it as long as he knew she was all right. And she would

 be, once she met up with Sora. He would protect Kairi for Riku. But

 he couldn’t lie to Kairi. He never could. 

 

 “You’ll...” Kairi looked dumbly at the door, the revelation sending

 cracks through her heart. “No! You can’t go!” She slumped against the

 door, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She had come this far

 only to find out that Riku had lost his body? That he’d disappear

 soon? The light at the end of her tunnel was suddenly eclipsed. She

 was cast once more into darkness. All they had done... Was it all for

 nothing? Yes, she could set fee the light behind the door, but that

 wasn’t what she was fighting for. She was fighting for Riku, to have

 him close again. But now...

 

 “It’s all right, Kairi. I’ll be fine. I knew the risks when I joined

 Maleficent. But I didn’t care. I would do anything to save your

 heart. As long as you’re safe, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

 Riku smiled softly, his fingertips against the door. Yes, that was

 the important thing. Kairi had her heart back. Even if some

 sacrifices had to be made, that was all that mattered.

 

 “No...” Kairi shook her head, slowly looking up. She had come too

 far to give up. She couldn’t quit on Riku. She wouldn’t let this stop

 her. “I won’t let you go. I’m going to save you, Riku. Somehow. I

 promised. And I will. You aren’t the only one who’d do anything. I’ll

 do anything to save your heart. I owe that much to you. And... I

 don’t want to be without you. I won’t give up. This time it’s my turn

 to fight for you. I’ll find a way to open this door. And I’ll find a

 way to protect your heart.” Closing her eyes, she kissed the door

 softly. “Just wait for me, Riku.” 

 

 Riku looked ahead at the door, taken by surprise. He hadn’t expected

 that. A small smile played across his lips. “And you said you weren’t

 strong. I’ll be here, Kairi. Waiting for you. I’ll wait as long as it

 takes.” His hopelessness started to melt away at Kairi’s words. He

 had faith in her. And just knowing she would fight for him meant

 everything to him. 

 

 Kairi’s fingers brushed the doorknob, her heart trying to unwind

 itself from fears and anxieties holding it back. She may not have

 another chance to say it. No, she couldn’t think like that. But

 still... Who knew when she’d get to see him again? “Riku... I love...”

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

 Wandering aimlessly through the courtyard, Eiko’s heart felt heavy.

 Why wouldn’t the princess notice her? Garnet was too concerned with

 other things. She only saw her as a little girl. It was certainly

 frustrating. She crossed her arms, kicking a rock in her path.

 Princess Garnet was the only good part of being kidnapped by that

 Kuja guy and dragged to the Alexandria Palace. The princess had made

 the distant palace feel a little less lonely. She’d been the first

 real person that Eiko felt she could trust. She had grown up with

 moogles for company in a deserted city of summoners, the last of her

 kind. She hadn't realized how alone she had felt until meeting the

 beautiful Princess Garnet. She felt safe with her. Warm. Dizzy. 

 

 Sighing, the purple haired summoner held her hands over her heart.

 All she had to do was deliver the letter in her hands and Garnet

 would finally know of her feelings. Butterflies fluttered about

 chaotically in her stomach. She was nervous about letting Garnet know

 but she couldn't sit by any longer. It was driving her insane. She

 had to tell the princess. Even if it was through a stupid love

 letter. Sighing, she tried to quash her nervousness, feeling the

 letter underneath her fingers. Yes, she had to do this. She'd just

 find a nice place to put it and then run as far as she could and send

 Mog to find out how she'd reacted. Cowardly, perhaps, but she was too

 embarrassed to be more straightforward about it. Besides, she thought

 she'd made it painfully obvious how she felt about Garnet so far and

 the princess hadn't shown an inkling of recognition. Steeling

 herself, she nodded and continued through the garden. The guards

 didn't see her as a threat and the princess let her come and go from

 her quarters as she pleased, so it wouldn't be a problem getting

 there to leave the letter on Garnet's pillow. 

 

 An all too familiar sound reached Eiko halfway through the garden.

 She slowed to a halt, listening intently. Someone was crying. Hearing

 the sound was odd. She'd never heard someone else cry before. It

 brought up the same lost and lonely feelings within her that she

 associated with it. Searching around the garden, she began to search

 out its source. She didn't know what she could do about it, but she

 didn't feel right just ignoring it. The moogles she'd lived with had

 always been there for her when she'd been crying. The sound seemed to

 be coming from behind some bushes. Pushing past the bushes, Eiko

 stepped out on the other side to find a blonde girl hugging her legs,

 her head on her knees. It was then that Eiko remembered she didn't

 have any experience with this sort of thing. "Um.. Hi..." she stated

 dumbly. She inwardly berated herself, quickly trying to come up with

 something just a bit more comforting. "Are you okay?"

 

 It took Relm a moment to acknowledge the summoner's presence. Her

 head slowly lifted from her knees, blinking at the wet tears that

 coursed down her cheeks. A younger lavender haired girl stood before

 her, an odd horn on her forehead. She was about to tell the girl to

 leave her alone, but the uncomfortable, worried look in the

 summoner's eyes shut her up. She was already feeling too crappy to

 hurt a little girl's feelings. Shaking her head slowly, Relm rested

 her chin on her knees again. "Not really." Sniffling, she wiped at

 her eyes with her palms. After she had left Yuffie, she had run as

 far as she could. By now she was completely lost. Which only made her

 feel more helpless and confused about everything. 'Yuffie...' the

 artist thought, a fresh wave of pain cascading through her. Her eyes

 closed warily, feeling fresh tears gathering. 

 

 Looking down, Eiko waited for the older girl to continue. Her hands

 behind her, she still clutched her love letter for Garnet. She busied

 herself with looking at her foot, shifting it on the soft grass. She

 was headstrong enough to rush into things, but once she was in the

 middle of them, she easily found herself over her head. People were

 so confusing. Moogles made so much more sense. She knew how to act

 around them. A sad thought entered her mind at that. She was too used

 to being alone. She had lived alone for so long that she was still

 having trouble getting used to people. No matter how much she wanted

 to be around them. Garnet in particular. So she had to try. To give

 it a shot. To show that she could be around people, that she could

 try to understand them. "What's wrong?" Eiko asked at last. Tilting

 her head to the side, she glanced up at Relm expectantly. Not exactly

 the best reply, but it was something.

 

 Sighing, Relm closed her eyes tightly. It all came out in a rush.

 "It's Yuffie. She doesn't care what I do. I'm just annoying to her.

 She thinks I'm just a crazy bimbo that wants to hang off of her. She

 doesn't care how I feel. She's selfish and only cares about what

 happens to her. But I love her anyway. Even if she can't understand.

 Even if she thinks I'm just..." She swallowed again and again, trying

 to choke back the tears. A muffled sob escaped her as she pressed her

 face against her trembling knees. 

 

 Eiko sat down next to the sobbing artist. That sounded familiar. Too

 familiar. Maybe people weren't so difficult to understand after all.

 Did everyone hurt that badly? It was a scary thought. She reached out

 hesitantly, not sure how to help, how to comfort the blonde girl. Her

 hand nearly touched Relm's shoulder before she slowly pulled it back.

 She didn't know what to do. Sighing softly, Relm's crying surrounded

 her. How often had she done that? She'd promised her grandfather that

 she'd be a big girl, that she could take care of herself, but

 sometimes... "I'm sorry." She shook her head, her lavender hair

 wisping past her eyes. "It isn't fair. Why can't they understand? We

 love them so much that it hurts, but they can't see that. They're so

 lost in their own worlds that they don't even know we're there. That

 we need them so much." She pulled up the letter to Garnet, reading

 her love's name again and again. Why did this happen? Why did it have

 to hurt so much? Wasn't love supposed to end happily like in the

 fairy tales she'd heard as a young child? It was. It had to. Damn it,

 what was the point of being around people and falling in love if all

 it did was hurt you? Letting the letter drop from her fingers, she

 stood up again. She wouldn't just leave a letter on Garnet's bed and

 run away. She would find another way.

 

 A small, warm hand rested on Relm's shoulder, drawing her out from

 the veil of tears that surrounded her. She blinked weakly and gazed

 through blurry eyes to the lavender haired summoner. The younger girl

 was looking at her with an almost desperate intensity in her eyes.

 She held back her sobs, sniffling quietly. 

 

 "I think... I think we're going through the same thing right now. We

 can't give up. Love isn't supposed to work like this. So that means

 we have to make it work. We can't let it end like this. We have to

 fight for it. It would be too easy to walk away and be alone again.

 But I can't do that anymore. And if this Yuffie can make you cry like

 that, I don't think you want to be alone again either. Let's do it.

 Let's make them realize everything. Let's make it so they can't ever

 deny how much we love them again," Eiko said determinedly.

 

 Relm was taken aback by the girl's words. For a moment she wondered

 how a girl so young could understand, but she brushed that aside. She

 understood. That was the important thing. The only thing. Reaching

 out, she rested her hand on top of Eiko's, smiling faintly through

 her tears. Her head nodded weakly, a soft giggle slipping from her

 lips. A renewed fire burned within her heart. "Let's."