Prism Hearts

 Chapter 13

 Final Distance

 by Amazoness Duo

 amazonessduo@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 Stars were falling. It was as if the universe itself were crying.

 They plumetted one after the other, falling from their perches in the

 sky. They never grew in size, tiny droplets of stars falling around

 her, winking out of existence when they touched the ground, their

 magic disappearing when they no longer soared in the heavens. And

 still they fell, creating a light drizzle of stars, beautiful

 luminescent teardrops. 

 

 And this is where we find our heroine, in the

 midst of raining stars, lying unconscious and curled up on the

 shadowed ground. Quiet footsteps echo nearby, moving with a silent

 purpose through this darkened land. Sparkling dew of dying stars

 bathe Kairi as she struggles to remember, to hold off whatever is

 trying to end her sojourn. Something that is very close indeed. 

 

 Weary eyes slowly blinked themselves open. The fact that she wasn't

 alone

 in a room on her bed comforted her, but only for a moment. Her

 fingers scrabbled along the cold ground, finally managing to push

 herself up to her knees. A tiny star, smaller than a snowflake,

 landed upon her nose. It was warm to the touch, fading slowly.

 Glancing around her, she could see thousands of other stars falling,

 raining about her. It was beautiful. They were the only light in this

 endless night. Cupping her hands, she reached out, watching as

 several stars landed in her hands. They helped warm her cold hands,

 their light casting shadows around her as they slowly began fading.

 

 Holding the stars to her chest, Kairi began to see what else was

 around her. Just where was she? This place held no familiarity to

 her, nothing that she had ever seen before. Everywhere else, she knew

 from someplace. 'From Squaresoft games and Disney movies,' a part of

 her kindly added before she could force it away. But this place... An

 involuntary shudder passed through her. She had never seen this place

 before, had never been there. And once again, she was all alone.

 There were no friends to stand by her, no one to catch her when she

 stumbled. 

 

 Getting to her feet, Kairi brushed some of the glistening

 dew from the stars off of her clothes. All around her were objects of

 varying shapes and sizes, some not much more than stones with

 etchings in them and others large and intricate statues. Kairi

 clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into her palms. Fear

 wasn't going to get the better of her. She had to push forward. 'Or

 you could give up. It's almost over, you know. This can't end the way

 you want it to, Kairi. Come back home. Give up on these dreams.'

 Shaking her chestnut hair, Kairi held her head. “Leave me alone.” Her

 voice sounded so quiet, nothing more than a whisper. Her fingernails

 scratched against her temples, almost wishing she could claw the

 voice out of her head. 

 

 Making her way to the nearest of the objects,

 Kairi strained her eyes to make out the etched words under the

 statue. It seemed to be a beautiful mermaid, it's arms outstretched

 to the skies above. The falling stars made it look like it was

 crying. Kairi felt sorry for it, reaching up to brush the glowing

 tears away. “You don't like it here, either, do you?” she asked

 quietly. More stars fell, finally illuminating the placard beneath.

 Bending down, the princess brushed some hair out of her eyes to read

 it.

 

 'Here lie the dreams of Kathryn. From the gentle sea of her soul

 they rose, but the storm that ravaged her heart sank them. May they

 forever roam tranquil seas as they wait for her to return to them.'

 

 “What's that supposed to mean?” Kairi ran her fingers over the cool

 stone and etched words. A grave? But why? Not for this Kathryn, but

 for her dreams? Standing up, curiosity gnawing at her, the princess

 moved to the next one.

 

 A graceful unicorn stood atop the next marker. It almost looked real

 in the half lit darkness that draped over the entire area. A sigh

 escaped Kairi's lips. If only it was real. She could climb on it and

 go far, far away from this cold, lonely place. 

 

 'When a child grows,

 her dreams change and some come and go. Chiyomi's dreams as a child

 have been replaced by a new dream. May those that filled her nights

 long ago never lose their magic where they are now.'

 

 The next was of two women entwined, holding each other amidst the

 falling stars. It read:

 

 'Megumi used to dream of the future she would

 spend with her love. But this dream died when she found out she

 wouldn't live long enough to see it fulfilled. Soon, she will be

 joining them.'

 

 “What is this place?” Kairi stepped away from the

 statues. This place wasn't a far away kingdom or a city at the edge

 of forever. This was...

 

 “The Graveyard of Lost Dreams,” a voice said

 behind the princess.

 

 Whirling around, her heart pounding in her chest

 like a runaway train, Kairi got a look at who had snuck up on her.

 She was a little smaller than Kairi herself, with short, messy dark

 hair. She wore a long sleeved white blouse and shorts. Her dark eyes

 seemed incredibly sad, deep, dark pools that went on for an eternity.

 Kairi had to pull her gaze away from those eyes, afraid she'd never

 see the bottom of them. “Who are you?” she asked, taking a step back.

 She nearly started again when she stepped into another statue. There

 was something... strange about this girl.

 

 “I'm... the caretaker of

 this place,” the girl stated simply. “And you... You are the dreamer

 of dreams.” Stepping past Kairi, she set some pink carnations down in

 front of the mermaid statue.

 

 “Do you all speak in riddles?” Kairi asked, exasperated. Straight

 out, simple truth seemed to be something that no one other than

 herself enjoyed. Everything had to lead in circles. It was like she

 was lost in Wonderland. 

 

 “Sometimes it's the best way to explain

 things. Especially if you aren't ready to understand them.” The girl

 turned back to Kairi, stars twinkling around her. A star landed in

 her hand. Without seeming to notice, the dark haired girl closed her

 hand, snuffing out the star. 

 

 “What's your name?” Maybe she had heard

 of this girl before. Or she'd at least have a name to attach to her.

 It was better than just meeting some creepy girl in the middle of a

 graveyard. Harle, Aya, and Maya all had names even if they wouldn't

 tell her much else.

 

 “I have no name. I've gone by many, but none are

 my real name. I simply... am.” Walking past, she continued on a

 meandering path through the graveyard. “But what use are names? Yours

 isn't even your own.”

 

 “What's that supposed to mean?” Kairi hurried to

 follow the girl. She was the only one in this place and whoever she

 was, she seemed to have some answers. Even if she wasn't exactly

 being forthcoming.

 

 “You know exactly what I mean. Kairi is the name you took on in the

 Destiny Islands. It is neither the name of the Princess of Hollow

 Bastion or a lonely girl who is bleeding to death in her room even as

 we speak. Your name is Hikari,” the girl explained in her soft, calm

 voice. “But if you can pretend Kairi is someone else, you can be

 neither of those things, right?”

 

 Kairi shook her head quickly, denying

 the girl's words. “No, it's not like that. I am Kairi. Those other

 lives...” Trailing off, she shook her head again. “I don't know. But

 I am Kairi.”

 

 “Then if we're pretending right now, you can call me

 Sophie.” The dark haired girl bowed her head. “It's nice to escape

 who you are. To lose yourself in someone else. To be everything

 you're not. Pretty, popular, strongwilled. It's so much better than

 reality sometimes.”

 

 For some reason, Sophie's words cut to the bone. “I am this way,”

 she said angrily. Fear and uncertainty began to surface inside of

 herself. 'Are you? Or is this all to get away from everything? To be

 all you wanted to be?' Her heart pounded again and she suddenly felt

 sick. No. This wasn't all make believe. She wasn't some lonely little

 pathetic girl who'd slit her wrists rather than deal with her life.

 That was the lie. She wasn't the lie. That life was. It had to be the

 lie. 

 

 Ignoring Kairi's inner turmoil, Sophie continued, trimming some

 of the flowers near one of the statues. “This place is a graveyard

 for all the dreams that die. When someone gives up on their dreams,

 when someone forgets them, when life crushes them, they die. This is

 where their broken, battered bodies go. Where other dreams can mourn

 their passing. But it's a lonely place. Few come out here, to this

 place at the edge of eternity. To this place at the edge of sanity.

 I'm sure the souls of all these dreams are happy that you would come

 to visit them.”

 

 “But... Why? Why have this? Dreams don't die... They

 just...”

 

 “Go far away? That is dying. The ceasing of life. Dreams are

 born inside of people. And they die inside of people. They need a

 graveyard just as much as people do. You're thinking too much of what

 is 'real'. Reality is nothing more than a filter. Dreams live just as

 surely as you do. Or did. You all go back to the same place when you

 die,” Sophie explained. “Riku is already being called there, but I

 can't reach him yet. He wants to see you very badly. But you're

 dying, too. Right now. Time flows differently here. It's been so long

 here, but it's only been a short time since you cut yourself over

 there. But that's simply your body. If you decide to remain a dream,

 it won't matter if it dies. But once it does, you can never go back.

 The clock is ticking, Hikari. You're running out of time.”

 

 Speechless, Kairi could only watch the pale girl. Running out of

 time? Before, it had just been wherever her journey took her on her

 search for Riku and Sora. But now... she was... dying? No, that

 life... But even though she wanted to say it was a lie, she couldn't.

 Not completely. She couldn't entirely deny it anymore. A droplet

 spattered against her cheek, running down her chin. Still warm, but

 wet now. Not like the stars that had been falling. Wiping at it,

 Kairi brought her fingers up to her eyes. Crimson streaked them. It

 was raining blood. Searching around frantically, Kairi could see the

 bloody raindrops falling about the statues in the graveyard. She

 looked back at the girl, realization dawning on her. “You... You're

 Death, aren't you?”

 

 A small, sad smile crossed Sophie's lips. “People

 seem to think Death is a monster, something hideous that needs to be

 feared. But I'm only doing my job.” She turned towards Kairi. “I know

 what it's like to forget who you are, to leave your life behind, to

 hate what you are. But no matter how far you run, you can never

 escape it. It always manages to find you.”

 

 “But...” Kairi began, tears

 forming in her eyes. “I don't want to give this up... I don't want it

 to go away.. I don't want this dream to die...” For a moment, just a

 moment, she could accept that she was Hikari. For a moment, she could

 almost remember everything.  

 

 “Then you have to fight for it. You have

 to deny the other world. If you give it up, then you'll still be here

 when your body dies over there. I won't be taking you with it.”

 Sophie stopped in front of several tombstones, the warm rain

 bloodying her. “But 'reality' won't give up so easily. Sometimes

 sacrifices are needed.”

 

 Rubbing at her eyes to force the tears away,

 Kairi glanced at the statues next to Sophie. “Riku!” She recognized

 the statue instantly. Hurrying to it, she read the inscription aloud.

 "Plunging into darkness, Riku wanted to save his dreamer. Lost in the

 night, but never swallowed by it, his spirit shines on.” The tears

 that threatened returned, dripping down her already bloody cheeks.

 “Riku...” He was dead now. His soul was still waiting for her. “Oh,

 Riku... I'm so sorry...” He only wanted to save her. And he had made

 the ultimate sacrifice for it.

 

 “I won't come for him until you've

 unlocked the Door and seen him. He's determined to stay until then.

 I'll give you that long. Then I'll take him to the other side,”

 Sophie promised.

 

 Kairi wanted to argue, wanted to beg the incarnation

 of death to let Riku stay, but she knew it would be pointless. The

 dark haired girl wasn't one to break the rules. “It's my fault. He

 never would have lost his body to Ansem if it weren't for me.”

 

 “He

 only wanted to save you. If you live, isn't that what he wanted?

 Doesn't that make his sacrifice worthwhile?” Sophie asked, tilting

 her head to the side.

 

 “But...” It was true, wasn't it? “But I don't

 want to lose him. I need him.” And that was just as true.

 

 Her gaze slowly turned to the statue next to Riku's. “Tidus?! But...

 No! What's going on?” The princess whirled to the dark haired girl.

 “What's happening to the Destiny Islands? He shouldn't be here. He

 should be fine. I saw him before I left. This... this is all

 wrong!”

 

 “The Destiny Islands are dying. They're the center of your

 dreams. And now that it's falling apart, it's caving in on itself.

 The rest of them will die as well if you can't save it. The dream is

 becoming a nightmare. The dream will soon be here in the Graveyard of

 Lost Dreams if things don't change.”

 

 “It's... dying?” It felt like the ground was crumbling beneath

 Kairi's feet. The stakes were much higher than she'd realized. She

 had to save Riku, had to find Sora, had to save the Destiny Islands

 all before she died. They were dying just like she was. It was all

 too much. “What about Hollow Bastion? If I'm it's princess, why isn't

 it dying just like the Destiny Islands?”

 

 “Because you aren't the only

 dreamer. There is another dreamer on Hollow Bastion who is managing

 to keep it from falling apart. Maybe she can help you.” Sophie turned

 to leave. “But remember, time is short. You brought the Heartless

 here by leaving the door to the real world open. Only you can close

 that door.”

 

 “Sophie... Thank you.” 

 

 Sophie didn't turn around. “I'll be seeing

 you soon.” And with that, the graveyard shattered into a million

 pieces.

 

 

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

 

 Yuna sat in silence as the sounds of

 music and dancing and subdued laughter permeated the air around her.

 It was the night of the Destiny Islands Festival, but she really

 couldn't work up the will to celebrate. And she was angry with

 herself over that. It didn't matter if she felt like celebrating or

 not. The pain inside of her was inconsequential. Everyone was scared.

 They needed hope and she certainly wasn't helping anyone by sitting

 near a tree with her legs to her chest trying not to cry. But she

 couldn't help it. She felt on the verge of falling apart. The

 islands, their home, it was all falling apart in front of them. Some

 hideous nightmare had come to life. The same creature that had killed

 her father. And now it was coming for her, for the Destiny Islands.

 

 Everyone was still in shock over the loss of Tidus. Wakka had asked

 if they'd all disappear at this rate. Riku, Sora, Kairi, and now

 Tidus. No one knew what would happen next. Their world was falling

 apart at the seams. Selphie had insisted they still have the

 festival, despite everything else. She had said this was exactly what

 they needed the festival for, as something to keep them going,

 something to push back the madness that seemed to surround them.

 There had been some argument about it, but it had finally been agreed

 to have the festival anyway. After all, if they didn't have it

 because of the way things had been lately, they would be doing

 exactly what the adults had done.

 

 And so here they were at last, dancing and singing and playing under

 the starlight. But no matter how much Yuna told herself to go and

 join them, for their sake if not her own, the green and blue eyed

 girl couldn't get herself to move. Fear and indecision and pain froze

 her in place, leaving her a lightly shivering statue.

 

 “It's a

 beautiful night tonight, isn't it?” A voice asked from behind Yuna.

 

 At

 first, the brunette tried to collect herself, to push back the tears

 she knew would be present in her voice, but her surprise quickly took

 that away. “Elder Seymour?” Her shock broke the spell on her

 paralysis, allowing her to turn and see the older man. None of the

 adults had known of their plans to have their own festival. So what

 was one of the most respected elders doing here? For a moment, she

 thought he was here to end the festival, to send them all home, but

 his eyes told another story. His being here had nothing to do with

 the festival. He was here to see her. Swallowing involuntarily, Yuna

 continued to stare heavenward. Did he know? When explaining the

 monster and what happened to Tidus, she hadn't told the council of

 elders that she'd seen the creature before in her dreams, that she

 knew it's name was Sin. But had Elder Seymour somehow seen through

 her? 

 

 “So strange that we would have such a beautiful night on the

 edge of such tragedy. Life certainly can be ironic, can't it, Yuna?

 Almost as if that beauty grows out of tragedy. It's all a cycle. Life

 leads to death. To escape death, new life is born only to be snuffed

 out. And why? Why this needless cycle? Why this continuous march

 towards death? We live simply so that we can die? Nothing ever

 escapes death. No matter how much we struggle. It continues

 menacingly forward.” Kneeling down, he glanced over at Yuna, to see

 if she understood. The younger girl looked down, her pretty face

 hidden by her hair. ”I know you feel bad about Tidus. But there was

 nothing you can do. His suffering is over now. We who remain here are

 the ones who are afraid, who are hurting and suffering. He is free.”

 Tilting her chin up to see him, he smiled softly. “He is truly free

 in a way you or I can never know in this world. Not afraid. Not

 always worried. Never having to cry.”

 

 Looking back into Seymour's

 eyes, Yuna found herself nodding. His words spun around in her head,

 leaving her dizzy. Free.... How she longed to be free. Not bound in

 chains by her own fears and indecision. Not having to hide her

 feelings for the sake of others all the time. Not scared of whatever

 was inside of her. Not paralyzed by indecision over everything. All

 of these things that plagued her life. The depression that would set

 in even as she would smile till it ached so no one around her would

 know. But... Would that freedom only come in death?

 

 As if reading her

 mind, Seymour continued. “Life is tragedy, Yuna. Pain hunts the

 living. Sorrow fills our souls. And yet we continue to fight death,

 even though we cannot possibly win. We only prolong suffering. This

 world, this universe is awash with the tears of all who live. And all

 we can do is sit and wait for the cycle to begin again, just as it

 always has.”

 

 “But... That's not fair...” Yuna shook her head, hugging

 her legs tighter. “Why does everyone have to keep hurting? Why can't

 things ever be happy?”

 

 “Because the painfilled cycle of life and

 death, their endless battle, continues on. As long as it does, we

 will keep struggling through the loss and fear and suffering.”

 Pausing for a moment, he stared deep into Yuna's mixed eyes. “But if

 we could find a way to break this cycle, to destroy the wheel we keep

 spinning on...”

 

 Yuna swallowed nervously. She wanted to look away, but

 his gaze was magnetic, keeping her from turning. His gaze seemed to

 go to the deepest depths of her soul, uncovering all the things she

 hid from the world. It was as if he was speaking directly to her. But

 how could she possibly destroy the cycle of life and death? That was

 far beyond a simple girl like herself. But if she could... wouldn't

 it be worth it? To be free? To end all pain and suffering?

 

 “Death is a salvation to those who die, but a curse to those who

 continue living on. We continue on this path, waiting to be swallowed

 up even as we see those we love fall around us. You're right, Yuna.

 It's hardly fair. This cycle is one of madness and despair.” Leaning

 forward, he placed a hand on Yuna's shoulder. “But I think we can

 break the cycle. I think we can finally end this once and for all.

 Even when you save someone, they will eventually suffer more pain and

 death. But we could save everyone.”

 

 Her heart pounding, Yuna felt anxious and hopeful. She certainly

 couldn't break the cycle of life and death, but maybe Elder Seymour

 could. And if he needed her help, wouldn't it be worth it? “How?” she

 breathed.

 

 Smiling, Seymour shook his head. “Not now, Yuna. But soon. Very,

 very soon. Now you enjoy the festival. I'll talk to you soon. Enjoy

 yourself. Soon there will be nothing more to haunt your soul.” With

 that, the elder stood up and walked back through the shadows. None of

 the others seemed to have noticed he was here. He must have docked

 his small boat elsewhere.

 

 Shaking her head, thoughts spun chaotically through Yuna's head. If

 Seymour was right, then no one else would have to get hurt. They

 wouldn't be stuck watching their friends and loved ones disappear.

 They could save everyone from the pain inherent in life. She could be

 free. Finally free. 

 

 “Yunie, are you okay?” Rikku asked. The catgirl

 looked down at her worriedly. Yuna hadn't said much to her since...

 that thing had shown up. When the brunette would say something, she

 would smile and pretend everything was fine. Which obviously it

 wasn't. It scared Rikku to see Yuna like this. She wanted to help

 her, to protect her, but she didn't know how. To her surprise, Yuna

 looked up at her and smiled. Not the brittle, fake smile she had been

 using, but a bright, hopeful smile. Rikku was even more surprised by

 how good it made her feel to see Yuna smile like that. Her tail

 swished at the sight.

 

 “I'm fine. I think... I think things are going to be just fine.” And

 Yuna felt it, too. If Elder Seymour was right, she would do anything

 to break the cycle. Then it wouldn't matter that Tidus died or that

 Kairi and the others were missing or that the island was falling

 apart. They'd all be far away from this.

 

 Seeing Yuna hopeful again had a warming affect on Rikku's soul. The

 catgirl felt invigorated, as if she were feeding off of the

 brightness she saw in Yuna. It took her a moment before she realized

 she was purring. Finally managing to stop herself, she saw Yuna

 giggle softly into her hand. Still energized by Yuna's uplifted

 spirits, Rikku reached down, taking Yuna's hand into her paw. “Yunie,

 do you wanna dance?” she asked eagerly.

 

 Despite the sudden flush that

 arose on her cheeks, Yuna nodded. “I'd love to, Rikku.” She felt the

 catgirl pull her to her feel. Almost stumbling forward into Rikku's

 arms, she felt the other girl's paws on her hips. Blushing, she

 looked up into swirly green eyes. All of her worries and fears had

 evaporated for the time being. Right now, she was just under a

 starlit sky with a girl that brought up lots of warm, confusing

 feelings inside her heart. She'd usually be a bit more embarrassed

 about dancing with someone, but right now she felt free. She knew

 that she liked her, didn't she? So why not dance with her? The

 knowledge that everything could be saved soon made her feel like

 dancing anyway.

 

 Sweatdropping, Rikku's whiskers twitched. “I don't exactly know

 where to start. Most of the dancing I've done have been in plays with

 the rest of the Radical Dreamers. It's usually pretty planned out.”

 

 Laughing softly, Yuna position her arms on Rikku. Slowly, she began

 to move witht he other girl. “It's not about planning. It's just

 about moving. Dancing is fluid. If you plan too much, then it loses

 that. It needs to be alive.”

 

 The two danced to the rhythm of the music, sandaled feet and paws

 swishing over the sand as the water lapped the beach near them. They

 moved past other couples dancing on the beach, all to the music

 Irvine and several others had been forced to play courtesy of

 Selphie. The beach was beautiful, decorated with everything they

 could find for the festival. Magical lights hung in the trees,

 blazing with beautiful colors.

 

 Yuna smiled as she saw Wakka over near the pier, eating as much as

 he could from the food they had all brought over. Lulu was stamping

 her foot impatiently, waiting for him to dance with her. Yes, things

 were going to be just fine. She wouldn't let down the people she

 cared for. Her eyes went back to Rikku's beautiful green swirls. They

 were like a whirlpool, pulling her in. Absolutely beautiful.

 

 The slightly shorter catgirl caught on quickly, dancing wonderfully

 against her, the two shifting about underneath the multicolored

 lights. 'She must be a very good actress to catch onto things so

 quickly,' Yuna thought absently. Dancing was something that she

 always loved to do, now more than ever. It was the one thing that

 truly made her feel free. Losing herself to motion and emotion.

 Letting everything simply flow around her. And here, dancing with

 Rikku, she could feel it even stronger. It felt like everything was

 coursing around them, as if they were in the middle of a stream. The

 whole feeling was much stronger than when she danced alone. She could

 imagine that she could see the glow of their hearts and feelings

 mingling as they danced. It was perfect. Resting her head on Rikku's

 furry shoulder, she moved gently with the pretty catgirl.

 

 Holding onto Yuna, Rikku hoped Yuna couldn't feel her thundering

 heartbeat. But then, did it matter? She held the brunette closer,

 unable to keep from purring. Her paws rubbed up and down Yuna's back.

 What would she do when Yuffie finally found her? She missed her big

 sister, but she didn't want to leave Yuna. Being part of the Radical

 Dreamers had meant everything to her, but now it didn't mean nearly

 as much as being near the brunette. Maybe she'd finally found her

 treasure, the one she'd been looking for. Let the others find riches

 and fame. The girl in her arms was all she wanted.

 

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

 

 Sitting on the beach itself, another couple listened to the music

 surrounding them. It was a bit more distant from where they sat, but

 it suited them just fine. Sandals lay piled near them, their feet

 dipping in the water as small waves brushed up the beach. Selphie's

 head rested on Quistis's lap, looking out at the starlit ocean.

 Quistis's lithe fingers moved through her brunette hair, taking the

 time to play across her ears or her lips now and then.

 

 “You finally got to have your festival. It took a lot of work, but

 you did it. Good job, Selphie.” Quistis brushed Selphie's hair past

 her ears, gazing down at the other girl. “Did it work out the way you

 wanted it to?”

 

 Pausing for a moment, Selphie thought. A laughter from

 further up on the beach settled it for her. Nodding, the girl in the

 yellow dress smiled faintly. “Yep. People are relaxing and having

 fun. That's what I wanted.” 

 

 Quistis nodded, her blonde hair shifting

 in the wind. “Then I'm glad it worked out. This might be our last

 chance to relax, so it's good that you could help give that to

 everyone.”

 

 Silence surrounded the two for several long moments. The music

 seemed so dreadfully far away. Selphie shifted, looking up at

 Quistis. “What happens next, Quisty?” she asked, her voice tinged

 with concern. She had been so busy planning on this that she had

 phased everything else out. Now that it was over, there was only the

 reality of their world crumbling out from under them.

 

 The blonde didn't answer at first, simply looking down at Selphie.

 Her fingers traced along Selphie's cheeks softly. “We do what we can.

 We try to find out what's doing this to the islands. And we fight to

 protect them. This is our home. We can't let it die.”

 

 Selphie bit her

 lip, still looking up. Her big, green eyes were slightly wet, tear

 stained. “And what if we can't find out? What if we can't stop

 it?”

 

 Smiling softly, and feeling just as worried, Quistis wiped the

 tears away from Selphie's eyes. “Whatever happens, Selphie, I'll be

 here with you. We'll see it through together, no matter what.”

 

 Leaning

 up, Selphie kissed the other girl. Slowly, at first, but with more

 and more of her strength. She needed to know she was there, needed to

 be with her. And this might be their last chance before everything

 fell apart.

 

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

 

 The huge, almost labrynthine library did little to ease Yuffie's

 thoughts. She was home at last, back on Hollow Bastion. The book in

 front her remained open on the same page it had since she'd opened it

 over an hour ago. Her thoughts were too fragmented to try to figure

 anything out right now. Besides, Aerith was better at that sort of

 thing than she was anyway. She'd welcomed the distraction when Leon

 had entered the library to see her.

 

 “So she's really the Keyblade Mistress?” Leon was saying. 

 

 Nodding,

 Yuffie finally shut the book. “Seems like it. Which doesn't make any

 sense. She was one of the seven princesses. Maybe it has something to

 do with her being Ansem's daughter. Besides, the other two Keyblade

 Masters are currently out of the picture, so I guess she was

 necessary. Though her Keyblade seems a little different. Maybe her

 mission is a little different from theirs.”

 

 “Could be.” Leon crossed his arms, thinking. “Sora closed the

 Doorway to the Darkness. So what we're dealing with is only the

 remaining Heartless and their current growing numbers. If she's

 supposed to open the Doorway to the Light, then maybe that will

 finish this. Sora started it and she's supposed to finish it. With

 the Doorway to the Darkness closed and the Doorway to the Light

 opened, that should be the end of the Heartless.”

 

 “But for some reason, the Doorway to the Light is locked by a

 different Keyholes. So we need to unlock the last of those before we

 can open the Doorway. Assuming we can find it.” Yuffie shook her

 head. “Which we will. She's got me working with her, so she's already

 better off than that Sora guy was. Hey, Leo...” She paused,

 correcting herself. “ Squall, where is Aerith? I thought she'd be

 here? Or have you both been running around with your lovers while

 I've been getting all the work done.” 

 

 Squall's eyes narrowed.

 “Aerith's checking on Princess Hikari. She's still unconscious. You

 and the other girl woke up a lot quicker than she has. Whatever's

 been happening has put a big strain on the princess.” In response to

 the rest of Yuffie's question, he added, “We've been trying to

 protect Hollow Bastion and to figure out exactly what's going on.

 Running around wouldn't do us any good if we don't know what we're

 doing. And I don't want to leave Hollow Bastion to get consumed by

 Darkness again.”

 

 “It won't,” Yuffie assured him. “We were caught by surprise last

 time. No one knew what King Ansem was up to. This time we can go out

 and stop it before it gets that far.” She grinned. “The Heartless

 aren't going to stop the multiverse's best ninja. Just leave it to

 me.”

 

 Squall didn't look impressed. The ninja girl simply stuck her

 tongue out at him.

 

 “Yuffie?” Yuffie froze, turning to spot the speaker.

 Relm stood there, blond hair peaking out from beneath her bandana.

 She looked back to Squall for an opportunity to escape, but the older

 man was already leaving to let them be alone. 'Crap!' The ninja

 didn't know what to do about Relm since their last meeting. She

 hadn't been able to deal with her jealousy at all. Avoiding Relm had

 been her plan of action, but being in the same room made that

 incredibly difficult to pull off.

 

 Relm pulled up a chair next to her.

 The painter stared at Yuffie as the ninja flipped through pages in

 the overly large book in front of her. It was almost comical how

 nervous she was. “Thanks for saving me, Yuffie.” 

 

 Yuffie closed her

 eyes, letting out a breath. She relaxed a bit at those words. If that

 was all, then maybe it wasn't so bad. They could ingore the rest of

 it. Like whatever feelings were pumping through her. Yeah, that

 worked for her. She smiled her best cocky grin and turned to the

 other girl. “Hey, don't worry about it. If you died, I wouldn't have

 anyone to draw my exploits.” The way Relm was looking at her gave a

 serious blow to her nonchalance. Relm stared into her eyes knowingly.

 It was starting to freak her out.

 

 “I made her up, Yuffie. She was just

 a painting I made. I wanted to make you jealous. I wanted to know if

 you felt anything for me. If you liked me the way I like you. The way

 I love you.” Relm tried to keep eye contact as Yuffie shifted around

 uncomfortable. Relm took her hand, kissing at her fingers. “I love

 you, Yuffie. I saw it. That's why you came back, isn't it?”

 

 Yuffie

 tried weakly to pull her hand away. Part of her reminded herself that

 if she was such a good ninja, she could get her hand back in an

 instant. So the only conclusion was that she didn't want it back.

 That didn't make her feel anymore secure at the moment. “It's my

 fault your stuck in this mess. I couldn't let him kill you,” Yuffie

 said unconvincingly. 

 

 “Then why had you been following me to know I

 was in there?” Relm asked, arching a thin, blonde eyebrow. Standing

 up, she held Yuffie's hand to her heart, pressed against the black

 cloth of her top. Her heart pounded against Yuffie's palm.

 

 “I... I...” Words were starting to fail Yuffie. Her mind was racing

 in two different directions at once. One for a decent explanation and

 the other right towards Relm. She swallowed, trying to focus. Focus

 refused to come. “I... I was worried about you. And Kairi.” She added

 the last hastily. 

 

 Pressing Yuffie's hand closer to her breast, Relm

 straddled Yuffie's lap, gazing directly into the ninja's eyes.

 Yuffie's short shorts rustled against Relm's puffy pants. The younger

 girl gazed into Yuffie's eyes, her nose brushing across the

 brunette's. “I love you, Yuffie,” Relm whispered. Her lips brushed

 against Yuffie's. She kissed Yuffie lightly again and again. The

 ninja sat there tensely as she wrapped her arms around her, pulling

 tightly against her. Licking Yuffie's lips, she felt the ninja

 shudder in her arms deliciously. Yep, Yuffie was much, much nicer

 when she had nowhere to turn. She suppressed the grin as she cuddled

 closer on the chair, kissing more. Her hands ran up Yuffie's sides,

 slipping under her short green top. Yuffie tried to sit up as Relm's

 hands pressed against her soft skin, but the painter made it

 impossible to get up.

 

 Yuffie was stunned. Not entirely by Relm's behaviour, because this

 wasn't the first time she'd done anything like that, but by her own

 lack of response. She should have pushed her away by now. Have told

 her to leave her alone. Have done -something-. So finally, she did do

 something. She started kissing Relm back.

 

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

 

 Kairi could vaguely feel a wet washcloth rubbing away the sweat from

 her face. She'd been slipping fitfully. She felt so strange. Was she

 sick? The bed shifted as someone sat next to her, brushing back her

 hair as they used the washcloth. 'Mom?' Kairi's distorted mind called

 out. It had to be. This was all just a nightmare. She was sick in

 bed. Her mother had probably stayed home from work to be with her.

 For a moment, she was homesick. She missed her mother. The only

 person who actually cared for her. But it was okay. She was there

 now. It was all right. Her mother would take care of her. But... It

 didn't smell like her mother. It was still nice, comforting, but not

 the same as her mother. She smelled like flowers. Kairi strained to

 open her eyes, already worried about where she'd end up now.

 

 “Please

 don't strain too much, Princess Hikari,” a gentle voice said.

 Accepting that Kairi wouldn't end her struggling, she helped pull the

 princess into a half sitting position. 

 

 The world blurred and turned

 on end in front of Kairi. She would have fallen back to the bed if

 not for the woman's hand on her shoulder. Slowly, things began to

 clarify. “Princess Hikari? Then...” She looked over, seeing Aerith on

 her bedside. “This is Hollow Bastion, isn't it?” She shook her head,

 trying to clear away the last of the dizziness. “Did I bring myself

 here? Or did that girl send me?”

 

 “You came here because you had to.

 Does it matter how?” Aerith smiled, setting the washcloth to the side.

 

 “I guess not...” Kairi ran her fingers through her slightly damp

 bangs. She looked up at the chestnut haired woman. “Is Hollow Bastion

 okay? Is it still holding together?”

 

 Aerith nodded, though her smile

 disappeared. “For now. Though if the Heartless get much stronger, I

 don't know how long it will stay that way for any planet.”

 

 Kairi

 sighed, nodding. “At least it's not falling apart like the Destiny

 Islands.” Looking up, Kairi's mind began spinning. “I have to find

 the other...” she choked back the word 'dreamer'. She didn't want to

 admit that any of this was simply a dream. It was too real for that.

 

 “You won't have to look too far. I had a feeling you would want to

 talk to me.” The older woman brushed her hair back over her

 shoulders, smiling softly. 

 

 “You're... like me?” Kairi asked, still

 not wanting to call it dreaming. Aerith nodded. “So I'm not the only

 one.” This was both a relief and a curse. If she wasn't the only one,

 at least she wasn't alone in all this. But it meant it couldn't just

 be something crazy a few people were telling her to throw her off

 track.

 

 Aerith nodded. “All of the seven Princesses were. Girls from another

 world who escaped here, forgetting the lives they once led. They were

 all like you, Hikari. I was like you. Fantasy helped sustain us. It

 helped us get through life. Until finally we decided our dreams were

 more worthwhile than our lives and we joined them. The rest of us

 turned our back on our pasts, forgetting. But you couldn't entirely

 forget. You clung to one thing. And that left the doorway open.

 That's how the Heartless began to appear here.”

 

 “My mother...” Kairi

 said softly, holding her hands to her heart. That memory that had

 grown foggy, but never entirely forgotten. She'd held onto it even

 when it was only a shadow. And while she held onto it, the doorway to

 another world was left open, one she had been supposed to forget. “So

 Aya was...”

 

 Nodding again, Aerith watched the younger girl. “That's

 why you're the Keyblade Mistress, Hikari. Only you can close that

 door because it's your door that's been left open. The rest of us

 don't remember our other lives. I don't know who I was before this,

 why I came here. I only know that I did. And I know of the others who

 did, too. I don't regret giving all that up. I feel like this is

 where I belong. With my friends. With Cloud. On this world.”

 

 Licking

 her suddenly dry lips, Kairi nodded. “That's what I want, too. I want

 to go back to the Destiny Islands. I want to be with Riku and Sora

 and my friends.”

 

 “But part of you also wants part of the other world,

 doesn't it? You're torn. That's why that doorway is open. And only

 you can close it. But will you step back through before you do? You

 have to decide soon. Which side will you be on when it shuts?” Taking

 Kairi's hand, Aerith sighed. “I'm sorry it has to be so difficult.

 Usually it isn't a problem. You're simply here. But something's still

 holding you back.”

 

 “You don't remember anything? Anything at all?” Kairi looked up at

 the taller woman. She had all sorts of snippits of her other life.

 Mostly cold and dark, but she could also feel homesick over the warm

 memories of her mother. And she was getting more and more memories

 back of being the princess of Hollow Bastion. Both seemed integral.

 Both felt like necessary parts of who she was.

 

 Shaking her head,

 Aerith's hair swished behind her. “I don't remember any of it. I came

 here to be with my prince. To live the life I never could in the

 other world. Just like you.” Smiling, she suppressed a giggle.

 “Though it looks like you have two princes.”

 

 Blushing, Kairi looked

 down at the sheets in front of her. “I need to find them. I need to

 be with them again.” Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. “I

 need to close that door to the other world before it's too

 late.”

 

 “Thank you, Hikari. I'll help however I can. All of us are

 willing to grant our strength to make sure these worlds don't fall

 apart,” Aerith promised.

 

 “All of us? The other princesses?” Kairi

 asked, curious.

 

 “All of us. We'll try to hold everything together long

 enough for you to close the door once and for all.”

 

 A small smile

 spread across Kairi's lips. “Then... Take care of Hollow Bastion for

 me. I remember growing up here. I don't want anything bad to happen

 to it. I'll do my best to protect all the worlds. I'll stop it. I

 promise.”