rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Author’s Notes: I’d like to thank Laine for her help in writing
rlm@0: this. ^-^ And I’d like to thank my brother, Cloud, for a lot of the
rlm@0: ideas that show up in Prism Hearts. Without his Kingdom Hearts RPG,
rlm@0: Kairi’s travels through Prism Hearts would be completely different.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Prism Hearts
rlm@0: Chapter 5
rlm@0: Time’s Scar
rlm@0: by Amazoness Duo
rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘What was the start of all this?
rlm@0: When did the cogs of Fate begin to turn?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Perhaps it is impossible to grasp that answer now,
rlm@0: From deep within the flow of time...
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But, for a certainty, back then,
rlm@0: We loved so many, yet hated so much.
rlm@0: We hurt others and were hurt ourselves.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yet even then, we ran like the wind,
rlm@0: Whilst our laughter echoed,
rlm@0: Under cerulean skies.’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi struggled through a fitful sleep. Something felt terribly
rlm@0: wrong, but she couldn’t make out what. But that feeling that things
rlm@0: weren’t right pervaded her sleeping form as she tossed and turned.
rlm@0: She tried to push through the thick fog that clouded her mind, to
rlm@0: force herself to wake up. The harder she tried, the more confused she
rlm@0: became. She could feel herself in bed, the blankets wrapped around
rlm@0: her. But she could also feel herself somewhere else, waves lapping
rlm@0: somewhere nearby. She rolled onto her side. The bed shifted under
rlm@0: her. Her hands opened and closed slowly, damp sand pressing against
rlm@0: them. It felt like she was in two places at once. Water slowly rose
rlm@0: and fell against Kairi’s hand. It must be the waves she had heard.
rlm@0: Was she back home? But which home? The Destiny Islands or the room
rlm@0: she so often found herself in? Or both?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Footsteps slowly approached her, but Kairi couldn’t tell if it was
rlm@0: from the beach or the room. Her eyes struggled to open, but they felt
rlm@0: so heavy. Her whole body felt weak and exhausted. She just wanted to
rlm@0: sleep, even though she felt that someone was watching her. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The footsteps grew closer, finally stopping next to her. ‘Get up!’
rlm@0: she told herself. Now wasn’t the time to be lying there. She needed
rlm@0: to see whoever it was. But despite her concerns, she just couldn’t
rlm@0: work up the will to get up, let alone to open her eyes. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The footsteps finally stopped abruptly next to her. The person or
rlm@0: creature that had made them seemed to be studying her for a long
rlm@0: moment. She strained to get up, but the most she could manage was to
rlm@0: clench her fists, one in cool water and the other in bed sheets.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The person watching her tsked, looking down at her. “Zere will be
rlm@0: great enemity between you and ze worlds. Tis not speculation. Tis
rlm@0: histoire. You are ze key to opening it all up or shattering it all
rlm@0: completely. Which will you decide?” the voice finally said in a
rlm@0: feminine French accent. A soft sigh escaped the girl above Kairi
rlm@0: before she turned to leave. “But first you must decide where you are,
rlm@0: no?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi wanted to respond, to ask the person what she meant, but all
rlm@0: she could get out was a weak, sleepy grumble. What did she mean that
rlm@0: she could destroy everything? She was only one of the seven
rlm@0: princesses. And the doorway the princesses could open was already
rlm@0: sealed, so her importance was over. Now she was only a girl searching
rlm@0: for her friends. She tried one last time to get to her feet, pushing
rlm@0: off from the bed. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: And she was up. She blinked wearily, a hand going to her eyes to
rlm@0: shield them from the sunset that greeted her. It stretched out lazily
rlm@0: along the horizon before her, beautiful swirls of pink and orange
rlm@0: marking the sky above. The sun glinted from both above and below, as
rlm@0: if it were in two places at once. It took her a moment to understand
rlm@0: why. It was reflecting off of the water she had been feeling later.
rlm@0: But she was not on a beach somewhere. She was in the middle of a vast
rlm@0: ocean, no land in sight. Her feet were resting on the water. The
rlm@0: water shifted under her, almost throwing her off balance. It still
rlm@0: felt like water, but she was somehow walking on it, the liquid
rlm@0: holding her up. She shot her gaze about quickly, trying to spot the
rlm@0: girl who had been speaking earlier, but she was all alone on the
rlm@0: ocean. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Why don’t things ever make sense!?” She called out in anger and
rlm@0: frustration. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘Because it’s not real,’ a voice whispered in her ear.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi jerked around, trying to spot the voice. She sighed when she
rlm@0: realized it was the one that always seemed to appear in her head.
rlm@0: “Why won’t you leave me alone? If you aren’t going to help me find
rlm@0: Riku and Sora then you could at least stop bothering me all the time.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places. I know where Riku and
rlm@0: Sora are,’ the voice taunted.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Where? Where are they? I need to find them!” Kairi said
rlm@0: desperately. This trip had already been so long and grueling. She
rlm@0: longed to see her friends again, to laugh and cry with the two of
rlm@0: them by her side. She just wanted it to be over. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘Going to give up already? Riku wouldn’t give up so easily. He’d
rlm@0: keep going until he found you. No matter how far. And Sora never
rlm@0: returned to the island because he’s still looking for Riku. So they
rlm@0: can both come back to you on the island. Only you won’t be there.
rlm@0: Because you gave up in the middle of nowhe.’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m not giving up! I won’t give up until I see them again! No
rlm@0: matter how long it takes!” Kairi cried out, her fists clenched
rlm@0: angrily as she scanned the horizon for any sign of the voice. “I… I
rlm@0: love them! Nothing will keep me away from them! No matter how many
rlm@0: worlds I have to travel across!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A chuckle filled Kairi’s mind. Slow at first, but increasing in
rlm@0: volume. It seemed to come from deep within herself. It took Kairi by
rlm@0: surprise when she found herself to be chuckling as well. She stopped
rlm@0: immediately, disturbed by the source of that eerie feeling. ‘Very
rlm@0: well, Princess. Keep up your search. But remember, the door is
rlm@0: waiting for you as soon as you’re willing to accept reality. Come
rlm@0: back to me. I’m waiting.’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Trying to ignore the voice, the brunette kept travelling forward,
rlm@0: trying to focus on getting away, far away from the voice at the
rlm@0: ‘reality’ that it claimed to be from. The voice, the feelings, they
rlm@0: all seemed to swirl about inside of her. Like a thought she couldn’t
rlm@0: get rid of, neither willfully thought up or willingly kept. She
rlm@0: hugged herself, trying to force away the confusion. She had to
rlm@0: concentrate. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Onward and onward she traveled, the only sight the shifting water
rlm@0: beneath her feet. The sunset was slowly disappearing, the sky
rlm@0: becoming a deep purple. Stars began to hint at their existence in the
rlm@0: skies above. And still she was no closer to finding out where she was
rlm@0: or where she was going. Kairi sighed, collapsing. Hunched over, her
rlm@0: hands rested on her thighs as she tried to think. This wasn’t getting
rlm@0: her anywhere. There had to be some way to... 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: She blinked. That reflection in the water, it wasn’t her own. She
rlm@0: stood up again, looking down below her. The reflection in the water
rlm@0: was someone else as if she were standing on someone’s feet. With a
rlm@0: flash of recognition, her eyes went wide. “Riku!” she called out.
rlm@0: “Riku!!” She blinked back tears. He couldn’t hear her. “Riku!!!” He
rlm@0: blinked beneath her, starting to look around. It looked like he had
rlm@0: faintly heard something. A surge of hope welled up within Kairi, her
rlm@0: hands held tightly to her chest. “Riku! I’m right here!” He kept
rlm@0: scanning around, looking about him. “Look up! Please look up, Riku!”
rlm@0: she pleaded. If he saw her, then maybe they could find a way to be
rlm@0: together again. She wouldn’t be on this quest alone. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: She needed him, needed someone to help her forget the cold reality
rlm@0: that kept being forced upon her. She needed to get to him. Kneeling
rlm@0: down, she tried to claw at the water, trying to reach him. “Riku!”
rlm@0: Her fingers broke through the water, hands plunging into the waves
rlm@0: beneath. And suddenly, so did she. As if the ground had been dropped
rlm@0: out from under her, the princess dropped into the depths. As water
rlm@0: surrounded her, she could see him up above, on the surface. But she
rlm@0: couldn’t swim up to him. It felt like her body was a lead weight. No
rlm@0: matter how hard she struggled, she kept sinking lower into inky
rlm@0: darkness. He grew further and further away, disappearing as the
rlm@0: darkness overcame her. She reached out, remembering his words from so
rlm@0: long ago. ‘Take my hand, Kairi. Take my hand and everything will be
rlm@0: all right.’ Her arm ached against the water as she struggled to reach
rlm@0: him, plunging ever deeper. She could see him, reaching for her. But
rlm@0: even that dissipated into nothingness as she sank.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: And she landed heavily onto something soft. For a moment, she could
rlm@0: only lie there. “Riku...” she said mournfully. So close... If only
rlm@0: she could have reached out faster, then maybe... 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Told you that you were looking in the wrong places,” the voice
rlm@0: chided from the other side of the door. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi sat up immediately, her eyes wide. Not here. Anywhere but
rlm@0: here. Sure enough, she could see her room once again, pictures of the
rlm@0: Destiny Islands, Riku and Sora on the walls. Figurines from a dozen
rlm@0: Squaresoft games littered her desk. Dolls she had made lay all over
rlm@0: her bed. This was the last place she wanted to be. She couldn’t deal
rlm@0: with it at the moment. “No...” She sighed, picking up the Riku and
rlm@0: Sora dolls and hugging them as tightly as she could. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I already knew you didn’t like it here, Kairi. Why else would you
rlm@0: spend all of your time escaping into fantasy? Playing games and
rlm@0: watching fairy tales and pretending you were this pretty girl on an
rlm@0: island where you two best friends were boys who were in love with
rlm@0: you. Oh, and your whole suicide stunt. I think you’ve made it
rlm@0: blatantly obvious you don’t like it here, Kairi. I think everyone
rlm@0: knows that but you. Because you’re so obsessed with your fantasy
rlm@0: world that you can’t step back for a second and remember the sad
rlm@0: lonely girl you really are,” the voice said, sounding frustrated.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “This can’t be real,” Kairi whispered, getting off the bed. She
rlm@0: slowly walked to the locked door to her bedroom, squeezing the dolls
rlm@0: in her arms. They were the boys she loved, yet here they were only
rlm@0: fluff and cloth. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “It is, Kairi. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can open
rlm@0: the door and step out into reality. Reality is darkness. But it’s
rlm@0: also Truth. So the Truth is darkness.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi shook her head, kneeling in front of the door. “No, it can’t
rlm@0: be like that. Even in the darkness, there will always be light.
rlm@0: Grandma told me that. Back.. Back at the palace. I can remember
rlm@0: that.” A smile of satisfaction lit up her face. She could remember
rlm@0: bits and pieces of her life back at the palace as a princess. That
rlm@0: gave her some hope. She didn’t just have memories from this place. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “That’s only because we can dream. Dreams are the light. But hopes
rlm@0: and dreams are lies. Only there to delude ourselves with visions of
rlm@0: what we wish would happen,” the voice argued. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “It’s not like that. It’s not,” Kairi replied softly, resting her
rlm@0: head against the door. “It can’t be. I have to find Riku and Sora. I
rlm@0: need to be with them again. And we’ll travel to all sorts of
rlm@0: beautiful places.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I know you’re lonely. I know you miss them,” the voice whispered,
rlm@0: pressing it’s own head against the door. “I just wish you could
rlm@0: accept things, Kairi. You’re so far away because of this. And no
rlm@0: matter how hard I try, I can’t get you back. Because you keep running
rlm@0: away. Come home, Kairi. Please,” the voice pleaded. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Fingers slid under the door, lying there. The princess slowly
rlm@0: reached out, taking them. They curled over her own, trying to hold
rlm@0: onto her. They felt warm and soft against her hand. And it felt so
rlm@0: nice to be near someone in this creepy room. Even if it was some
rlm@0: faceless person behind a door. But she felt like she could almost
rlm@0: remember who it was. Almost...
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The hand held onto her tighter, starting to squeeze her hand
rlm@0: painfully as it gripped her own. Kairi felt a pit of anxiety in her
rlm@0: stomach. She tried to pull away, but the grip was too tight. “Hey...
rlm@0: Let go. That hurts.” She yanked back, but still with no results.
rlm@0: “Oww...” A shattering sound got her attention, her heart pounding.
rlm@0: Her window had burst. She could see water gushing in as if the house
rlm@0: were underwater. She tried harder to pull her hand away to no avail.
rlm@0: Water was quickly filling the room. It was already up to her thighs
rlm@0: and she couldn’t stand up to get away from it because of the hand.
rlm@0: “Let go!” she cried. She was cut short by the rising water. She was
rlm@0: quickly submerged in her bedroom. Books and figurines floated past
rlm@0: her in the churning waters. She was going to drown. That thought
rlm@0: horrified her. She was going to drown in that lonely, evil room. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The hand holding hers tightened further and yanked her forward. The
rlm@0: door was no longer there. Neither was the rest of her room. She moved
rlm@0: swiftly through the water, finally breaking above the surface of the
rlm@0: water. Her lungs burned painfully, her body weak. Her knees gave out,
rlm@0: her body slumping back into the water. But arms were quickly around
rlm@0: her, pulling her out of the water. “It will be all right, Kairi. I
rlm@0: have you.” She looked up weakly to see the cloaked boy she had met
rlm@0: some time ago. Her head collapsing against his chest, she passed out.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sephiroth watched a small floating image before him. There were
rlm@0: several keyholes in front of a larger keyhole. One of the keyholes
rlm@0: had lit up. “Kefka,” the soldier murmured to himself. That was one
rlm@0: down. There were only so many left. It was only a matter of time.
rlm@0: Kefka hadn’t understood that he was serious when he had said that
rlm@0: Kairi was the key to all of this. She was the important thing, not
rlm@0: her keyblade or her friends. But now was not the time to act. All he
rlm@0: could do was sit and watch and wait.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “So she’s opened one of the Keyholes already? She may be more
rlm@0: trouble than we had thought,” a woman said, crossing her arms. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “One little girl is not going to be a problem. Kefka was a fool. As
rlm@0: long as she can’t get close enough to use her Keyblade, she isn’t a
rlm@0: problem. I’d simply wipe her out with an Eidolon, but I’ve been
rlm@0: forbidden from doing so,” the bishounen said, pouting. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Destroying her would only be problematic. Why kill that which we
rlm@0: can use? She is the key to obtaining all of our goals, after all.
rlm@0: With her, we can unleash the Heartless entirely. And then we can do
rlm@0: what we will in our own worlds. I already have such plans for mine,”
rlm@0: a soft voice said, slowly smiling. “We never would have been able to
rlm@0: accomplish our goals before, but we have banded together to make our
rlm@0: dreams come true. Let’s not forget what is important. Realizing our
rlm@0: dreams, no matter how we must go about it.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Yes. Kefka forgot about that. But his dream was one of madness. He
rlm@0: couldn’t fight off the Princess. She was too strong for his madness
rlm@0: shrouded heart. Just be careful none of you make the same mistake,”
rlm@0: Sephiroth said. Closing his hand, he dispersed the image. “I have
rlm@0: work to do. I’ll leave the rest up to you for now. Don’t make the
rlm@0: same mistakes Kefka did. And remember, I want her alive.” Turning, he
rlm@0: exited the dark room.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The pretty boy grinned. “I guess that means it’s my turn. I better
rlm@0: hurry home to make sure everything’s going according to plan.” With
rlm@0: that, the white haired boy disappeared in a flash of light. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi awake with a start, glancing around a dimly lit room. The
rlm@0: kitten that she had rescued was rubbing it’s head into her chin,
rlm@0: purring softly. She smiled softly at it, scratching its chin. It
rlm@0: looked up at her with its odd green eyes, questioningly. The ocean
rlm@0: was gently washing up on shore somewhere not far from where she was.
rlm@0: She sat up slowly, looking about the room. This didn’t seem familiar.
rlm@0: At least it wasn’t her bedroom. She sighed in relief. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You’re up,” a voice said.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Swallowing, the princess tried to pinpoint the voice. She finally
rlm@0: found it on the bed rather than in her head. Another good sign. It
rlm@0: was the silver haired cloaked boy. He was sitting on the edge of the
rlm@0: bed, watching her. Well, as best as one can watch someone while
rlm@0: wearing a blindfold. She reached out slowly for it, but he moved
rlm@0: away. “Why do you wear that?” she inquired, watching him as he stood
rlm@0: up.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “To blind myself from the darkness. So I won’t see it anymore. I’ve
rlm@0: already looked too deeply into it. This way I can keep from staring
rlm@0: at it again. If you look too deeply into the darkness, it stares back
rlm@0: at you,” He explained. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi nodded simply. She didn’t exactly understand, but that seemed
rlm@0: to be the best explanation she could get. “Who are you?” she asked at
rlm@0: last.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “A friend,” was his only reply.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sighing, the brunette slowly got to her bare feet. Looking around,
rlm@0: she finally spotted her shoes. She stared at them for a long moment,
rlm@0: thinking. “You saved me. What you said about their being light even
rlm@0: in the darkest heart. If it weren’t for you...” She shuddered at the
rlm@0: thought of being possessed by the Slave Crown. What horrible things
rlm@0: would Kefka be making her do?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The boy said nothing for a long moment. He undid the blinds, letting
rlm@0: them raise up and let light into the room. It was small and messy, a
rlm@0: room in some small village. The ocean rolled nearby. “You’re looking
rlm@0: for your friends, aren’t you?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Nodding emphatically, Kairi stood up. “With all my heart. I have to
rlm@0: find them. They need me. I know it.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “One of them is searching for the other. You’ll find him by
rlm@0: searching for the one he is looking for. Your paths will eventually
rlm@0: cross if you seek the same thing,” he said, turning back to Kairi.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Riku...” Kairi nodded. “If I look for Riku, I’ll run into Sora.”
rlm@0: That made sense. Then they could find Riku together. And they could
rlm@0: all be together again. She smiled. That sounded so perfect. She
rlm@0: looked down at the kitten. Having hopped off the bed, it was now
rlm@0: rubbing against her ankles, meowing. It almost sounded like it was
rlm@0: trying to say something. She reached down, picking it up. Petting the
rlm@0: kitten, she looked up thoughtfully at the cloaked boy. “But where do
rlm@0: I look for Riku?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You can’t reach him yet. He was locked away when Sora locked the
rlm@0: Doorway to the Darkness.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi’s shoulders slumped. “But.. There has to be some way to reach
rlm@0: him, right? He can’t be locked away forever.” Her heart skipped a
rlm@0: beat. All that Sora had done to save everyone couldn’t have doomed
rlm@0: Riku. It didn’t seem fair that Riku would have to suffer so that
rlm@0: everyone else would be safe. Damn it, she wanted to Riku to be there,
rlm@0: to smile at her. He couldn’t be lost forever. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “There is always a Doorway to the Light. That is the door he is
rlm@0: behind now that the darkness is banished. If you can unlock the
rlm@0: Doorway to the Light, you can reach him,” the boy explained.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Great! Now where’s the Doorway to the Light? If I can find that, I
rlm@0: can meet up with Sora and we can open it up and see Riku again.” She
rlm@0: felt almost giddy again. She finally had some inkling of what was
rlm@0: going on, of how to find her friends. She was anxious to be underway. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “It isn’t that simple,” the silver haired boy warned. “The Doorway
rlm@0: to the Light has several locks on it. These locks are Keyholes that
rlm@0: reside within the hearts of several people. You must unlock all of
rlm@0: them in order to unlock the Doorway to the Light.” He watched her
rlm@0: disappointment for a moment before continuing. “You have already
rlm@0: unlocked one of the Keyholes. The Keyhole of Madness lay within
rlm@0: Kefka’s heart. You must unlock the rest before the Doorway to the
rlm@0: Light will open.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi nodded thoughtfully. It had been hard enough to unlock Kefka’s
rlm@0: heart. But if that was the only way to save Riku, she had to do it.
rlm@0: He would do no less for her. “Whatever it takes,” she said at last. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Good. I was hoping you would say that. He needs you. You’re the
rlm@0: only one who can save him. Go and find the Keyholes. Unlock them.
rlm@0: Then you will find the Doorway. Behind it lies your friend. And the
rlm@0: Light. It is the only way to stop the Heartless. When the Doorway to
rlm@0: the Darkness was closed, they were cut off. They are limited in
rlm@0: numbers now. By opening up the light, you can vanquish them forever.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “No more Heartless,” the princess repeated. ‘And no more of that
rlm@0: messed up reality. That’s tied into the Heartless, that voice said.
rlm@0: So if I can stop the Heartless, I won’t ever have to go back. We can
rlm@0: go back to our islands,’ she thought to herself. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You’re the only one who can open the door, Kairi.” The boy turned
rlm@0: from her, heading out the door. His work here was done. For now.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi could only watch him go. He seemed so familiar. But she didn’t
rlm@0: know what to say. “Thank you,” she said as he reached the doorway. He
rlm@0: paused for a moment but said nothing before disappearing through the
rlm@0: doorway. Kairi sighed, clutching a hand to her heart. She knew what
rlm@0: she had to do. Even if it did feel a little overwhelming. But she’d
rlm@0: already unlocked one of the Keyholes. What were a few more?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘Dear Diary,
rlm@0: Hi again! Well, we’re working on the Island Festival after all. The
rlm@0: adults cancelled it because of all the weird stuff going on lately,
rlm@0: so we’re gonna throw one ourselves. I’ve been so busy making
rlm@0: decorations for it that my hands hurt! But as long as we can have our
rlm@0: festival, it doesn’t matter. Besides, Quisty has been rubbing my
rlm@0: hands when I complain about it. *blush* So I’m happy about that. I
rlm@0: was complaining about it earlier while she was studying on the beach.
rlm@0: At least I got her out of the house, even if she insisted on bringing
rlm@0: her book with her. And she just nodded, looking at me with those
rlm@0: pretty blue eyes of hers looking at me through her cute glasses and
rlm@0: then she reached out and took my hands, rubbing them. And it felt a
rlm@0: lot better because of that. We talked a bit while she did that, even
rlm@0: though my mind was elsewhere. I hope it wasn’t too obvious.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: That hole’s still there on the island. It’s looking bigger now. It’s
rlm@0: really spooky. There’s just nothing there. Wakka said someone should
rlm@0: take a look. Then he asked Tidus to go do it. Tidus shook his head,
rlm@0: saying he wasn’t gonna do it and that Wakka should because Wakka’s
rlm@0: older. I’m starting to wonder if Kairi fell down that hole. I sure
rlm@0: hope not. I’d hate to think she was swallowed up by that big scary
rlm@0: nothingness. It almost made me want to go in to look for her, but I
rlm@0: just stood closer to Quisty as we all stared at it. We finally left,
rlm@0: trying to think of something to play to get our minds off of it. But
rlm@0: I don’t think the hole’s gonna go away. And what happens if it keeps
rlm@0: getting bigger? We can’t ignore it forever. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But that’s what we have the festival for! To forget about things
rlm@0: now. We’ll deal with things later on. Right now we have that to worry
rlm@0: about. I’m in charge of the Destiny Island Festival Committee! It was
rlm@0: Quisty’s idea to give it an official sounding name. So we put it all
rlm@0: together and since it was my idea, I get to be in charge. We’ve been
rlm@0: drawing up plans of all the stuff we wanna do for it. The boys
rlm@0: weren’t too thrilled about the whole dance on the beach under the
rlm@0: stars, but I told them that we’re doing it anyway. I’m dancing with
rlm@0: Quisty at the festival whether they like it or not! Tidus is just too
rlm@0: shy to ask Yuna to dance with him. If he doesn’t ask soon, Lulu’s
rlm@0: going to and he’s gonna lose his chance. Seems like everyone like’s
rlm@0: Yuna. I can kinda understand. She’s a bit like Quisty. They’re both
rlm@0: really thoughtful and quiet sometimes and get depressed over little
rlm@0: things because they’re worried about disappointing everyone. If only
rlm@0: they’d realize we love them anyway! They don’t have to be perfect.
rlm@0: But I’d be better off telling Quisty that than my diary. I’ll
rlm@0: remember to do that later when she’s being quiet again. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tidus and Wakka are putting up some decorations right now. I can
rlm@0: hear them hammering away. It’s hard to think. But I’m still exhausted
rlm@0: from running around all day collecting stuff for the decorations, so
rlm@0: that’s probably part of the reason. Lulu’s using her magic to light
rlm@0: some fires so we can see. It’s not too late, but some really dark
rlm@0: clouds have rolled in and it’s hard to see. Yuna’s giving moral
rlm@0: support and carrying some of the decorations from place to place. Now
rlm@0: that I think about it, I’ll probably ask her to teach me how to dance
rlm@0: before the festival. I know Quisty’s a great dancer because she’s a
rlm@0: scholar-type and she learned that sorta thing for some reason. Yuna’s
rlm@0: a great dancer, too. Sometimes she’ll dance out in the waves and it’s
rlm@0: really, really good. I wanna be good, too, when I dance with Quisty
rlm@0: during the festival, but I can’t ask her because then it won’t be a
rlm@0: special when we do. So I’ll get Yuna to teach me. I’m so excited! I
rlm@0: can just imagine twirling about with Quisty under the stars! If these
rlm@0: dark clouds ever go away. Grrr... Go away! I want my starry nights!
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The seas have been getting angrier, too. It’s like they’re restless.
rlm@0: I was collecting shells on the beach for the decorations and the
rlm@0: waves just pulled back for a moment. Then this big, dark wave came
rlm@0: crashing into me. I was so surprised that I let go of everything I’d
rlm@0: collected. I tumbled around until I was completely dizzy and then the
rlm@0: water rolled right back out. When I finally got back to my feet, I
rlm@0: realized one of my sandals was missing. The wave stole it! Anyway, I
rlm@0: ran off after that, deciding to look a little further inland on the
rlm@0: island for things to make decorations. I don’t like how angry the
rlm@0: ocean looks. It’s not that beautiful aquamarine it used to be. It’s
rlm@0: all jagged and very dark. I hope it’s not a bad sign. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Oh, good! There’s Yuna. I’m gonna go ask her to teach me how to
rlm@0: dance. We don’t have much time until the festival, so I’m gonna try
rlm@0: my hardest for it! Booyaka!
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Selphie Tilmitt’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm sat on the edge of the dock, idly swinging her legs above the
rlm@0: quiet waves that rolled up to graze the shore as Yuffie paced
rlm@0: restlessly out of the corner of her eye.  The ninja’s light footfalls
rlm@0: on the worn wooden planks were steady and rhythmic, lulling her into
rlm@0: a sense of peace that seemed so at odds to everything that had
rlm@0: happened.  They had appeared in Arni out of nowhere, two days ago,
rlm@0: lying just out of the clutching grasp of the sea.  The fishermen had
rlm@0: taken them in, thinking them victims of a rough sea.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But how could that have been?  They had been in Kefka’s prison, and
rlm@0: then they were here.  The only way it could dubiously be explained
rlm@0: was Kairi’s Keyblade, but the princess was still asleep.  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “When did they say she was going to wake up?” Yuffie demanded for
rlm@0: the umpteenth time, scowling.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “They didn’t say, but they’re pretty sure she’ll be fine.”  The
rlm@0: artist turned slightly to watch the water rise and fall as if it were
rlm@0: breathing, orange-gold sunlight edging the waves.  ‘I’d love to paint
rlm@0: this…but all my paints are back in Narshe.  Assuming Narshe stills
rlm@0: exists.’  She closed her eyes for a moment, marking the loss that
rlm@0: still seemed fuzzy and undefined.  Had all that really happened? 
rlm@0: Celes…and Kefka…and Interceptor?  Or was everything, even her being
rlm@0: here, just a dream?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: With a sigh, Yuffie sat down besides her, leaning back until the
rlm@0: ninja lay flat against the boards.  “Well, at least we’re safe for
rlm@0: now.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Are we really?”  Relm asked in a soft voice, remembering that her
rlm@0: grandfather had presumed the same thing.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Huh?”  Yuffie raised her head, surprised at Relm’s dampened
rlm@0: spirits.  She’d thought that the other girl would have been perky and
rlm@0: optimistic till the sun fell out of the sky. It just goes to show you
rlm@0: how different people can be from what the seem.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: She reached out and patted Relm’s shoulder, a bit awkwardly, but
rlm@0: sincere nonetheless.  “Hey, it’s ok.  No one would dare to cross the
rlm@0: world’s greatest ninja, after all!  So you’re safe here with me.” 
rlm@0: She grinned her trademark grin, hoping to rouse a bit of cheer.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Flushing, Relm smiled a little. “Thanks, Yuffie.” Lying back on the
rlm@0: planks, she rested her head on Yuffie’s bare stomach, curled beneath
rlm@0: the large sun in the sky above. She closed her eyes but they
rlm@0: fluttered open instantly, visions of Celes and Interceptor and the
rlm@0: burning buildings of Narshe invading her thoughts. Better to watch
rlm@0: the sea, she decided. With Yuffie. Yes, she could believe that things
rlm@0: would be all right as long as she had this ninja girl to protect her.
rlm@0: She scooted closer. Yuffie smelled so nice and felt so warm. She took
rlm@0: solace in those little things. They calmed her, soothing her spirits.
rlm@0: Yes, she’d be fine. ‘I’ll be all right, Interceptor. You just rest,
rlm@0: my friend. I know I’ll be safe. Yuffie can protect me for now.’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie lay there awkwardly, staring up at the brilliant blue sky.
rlm@0: She could feel Relm’s eyelashes tickling her stomach as they blinked.
rlm@0: This wasn’t quite the reaction she’d been expecting when she’d
rlm@0: attempted to raise the artist’s spirits. The back of the blonde
rlm@0: girl’s bandana swished in the wind, moving across her ribs. But then,
rlm@0: what could she do? Push her away? The girl had just lost her
rlm@0: surrogate family and her best friend. Even if it was just a dog. So
rlm@0: it made sense that she was feeling a bit clingy. It wasn’t like it
rlm@0: was that hard to suffer through. Though part of her wanted to explain
rlm@0: that she wasn’t something to cling onto. She was a ninja and a thief,
rlm@0: not something cute and cuddly to grapple onto. But she decided to let
rlm@0: it pass this once. The younger girl needed some comforting and it
rlm@0: looked like she’d have to try her best. Hesitantly, Yuffie reached
rlm@0: down, placing a hand on Relm’s head. ‘Now what?’ she thought.
rlm@0: Sighing, she let her hand drop. Maybe she wasn’t the best for this
rlm@0: anyway. After all, she’d spent her whole life looking out for
rlm@0: herself. She wasn’t used to trying to perk someone else up. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm looked up when she felt Yuffie’s hand pull away. Giggling
rlm@0: softly, she reached up, pulling her bandana away. Medium length
rlm@0: blonde hair fell about Yuffie’s stomach. Relm rested her head back on
rlm@0: the ninja’s stomach, looking up the small slope of Yuffie’s chest to
rlm@0: the short haired ninja, waiting.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie smiled nervously at the artist, looking at those deeply
rlm@0: intent blue eyes. It seemed fairly obvious why she had gotten rid of
rlm@0: the bandana. ‘I’m not good at this stuff! I’m not used to dealing
rlm@0: with kids! Well, except my little sister, but she’s not around right
rlm@0: now.’ Reaching down, Yuffie’s fingers brushed through Relm’s soft,
rlm@0: blonde hair. The artist smiled happily, still looking up at her.
rlm@0: Yuffie relaxed a bit as she kept stroking the younger girl’s hair.
rlm@0: ‘At least she seems to be feeling a little better. So I guess it’s
rlm@0: worth it. But she better not be expecting this all the time.’ And it
rlm@0: really wasn’t so bad, feeling the silken hair under her fingers, the
rlm@0: other girl's warm breath against her stomach. There was something odd
rlm@0: in those eyes, though. And Yuffie wasn’t a stranger to weird eyes.
rlm@0: Her little sister had strange, spiral eyes. And Cloud had shining
rlm@0: green eyes. But there was something more subtle about these. They
rlm@0: were normal eyes, she decided at last. It was the look  she was
rlm@0: getting that was strange. So direct and intense and... something. She
rlm@0: felt a little embarrassed having that warm gaze directed at her.
rlm@0: ‘Great. She’s probably gonna think of me as a mother figure or
rlm@0: something. And I am not a mother figure.’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm, on the other hand, was thinking anything but motherly thoughts
rlm@0: about Yuffie. “Yuffie? Do you have a boyfriend?” she asked at last.
rlm@0: It seemed quiet, the sound of seagulls and the waves all a part of
rlm@0: the background.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Shaking her head, Yuffie looked back up at the clouds thoughtfully.
rlm@0: “No, I’m too busy. Not that I really want one anyway. I see all these
rlm@0: couples around me like Cloud and Aerith, Rinoa and Squall, and I just
rlm@0: can’t see myself like that. Nothing against Aerith or Rinoa. I just
rlm@0: can’t see myself like that with some boyfriend.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm smiled, pleased with Yuffie’s response. “Good.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Good? Why good?” Yuffie asked, blinking, looking back down at the
rlm@0: artist. That was an odd line of questioning. And she didn’t see why
rlm@0: that would be a good answer anyway. She just didn’t care about
rlm@0: finding a boyfriend right now. There were too many other things to
rlm@0: worry about. It wasn’t anywhere on her list of priorities. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “No reason,” Relm said, smiling secretively, tracing images on
rlm@0: Yuffie’s stomach with her finger. The warm skin felt like a wonderful
rlm@0: background for her. She could imagine her brushes running over it,
rlm@0: drawing the images in bright colors on Yuffie’s skin. “You should
rlm@0: really let me paint you sometime,” she said absentmindedly.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m not really sure I’d be a good model for a portrait,” Yuffie
rlm@0: replied, sweatdropping. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm giggled. “I was thinking about something else, but a portrait
rlm@0: would be nice, too. And you’d be a great model. Ninjas can be patient
rlm@0: and sit and wait for hours to ambush someone. So just use that deep
rlm@0: well of patience and it’ll be done quickly.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie frowned. She was a great ninja, after all. She couldn’t argue
rlm@0: with that. She sighed in defeat. “Yeah, I guess you can. Sometime.
rlm@0: Maybe.” She could imagine Aerith having a picture painted of her.
rlm@0: That girl could be patient. But she just couldn’t see herself sitting
rlm@0: there, being sketched. But if it made the girl feel better, then she
rlm@0: guessed she could suffer through it. And it might make for a good
rlm@0: picture. Relm was obviously very good with art. It might be
rlm@0: interesting, she thought grudgingly.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Great!” Relm squealed happily. It was nice to have other things to
rlm@0: think about. And right now she was happy just to be thinking about
rlm@0: Yuffie. And feeling her so close. She shifted a bit, resting her head
rlm@0: now on Yuffie’s chest. The ninja almost sat up, but Relm didn’t move.
rlm@0: Yuffie sighed and stayed where she was. The artist could feel the
rlm@0: small green top under her cheek, and the soft skin underneath. And
rlm@0: beneath all that, the gentle thump of Yuffie’s heart. It was the
rlm@0: heart of her princess, the ninja she had long awaited. She smiled at
rlm@0: the thought. “It must have been Fate,” she said softly.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “What must have been Fate?” Yuffie asked, watching the quirky
rlm@0: artist. She sure was acting strangely. But then, all artists were a
rlm@0: little strange, weren’t they? At least, Zidane had said so. But who
rlm@0: was he to talk? Yuffie tried to look up again, but her eyes kept
rlm@0: being drawn back to the head on her chest, to Relm’s bright blue
rlm@0: eyes. Her keen intuition was telling her to be on guard, but logic
rlm@0: told her there was nothing to fear from the younger girl. But still,
rlm@0: she couldn’t quell her growing unease.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Meeting you. Finding myself lost somewhere far away with you. The
rlm@0: two of us sitting under the endless sky right now. It must have been
rlm@0: Fate. I don’t think this is all an accident. We were destined to
rlm@0: meet. I was destined to rescue you from a frosty death. We were
rlm@0: destined to travel together. Destined to fall madly and passionately
rlm@0: in love,” Relm said, her eyes sparkling. Yes, it was all Fate, a
rlm@0: guiding hand that had led her to this beautiful moment. Her budding
rlm@0: romance with her very own ninja. Just like her mother.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Destined to.. What?!” Yuffie blinked, her mind whirling at the
rlm@0: artists words. That had certainly not been what she had been
rlm@0: expecting. Possibly a surrogate mother figure, but a lover? Where was
rlm@0: Relm coming up with all of this stuff? She tried to get up, but Relm
rlm@0: pinned her. She was stronger than the artist, but Relm had caught her
rlm@0: by surprise and Yuffie’s head was still spinning. The blonde had
rlm@0: straddled her, looking down into her eyes. Yuffie could easily push
rlm@0: the girl off, but she found herself paralyzed underneath the blonde
rlm@0: artist. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Destined to fall in love and spend forever together. Don’t you
rlm@0: believe in Fate?” Relm asked curiously, looking down at the older
rlm@0: ninja girl. “I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you.” She
rlm@0: whispered. Leaning down, she could see Yuffie’s wild eyes as she got
rlm@0: closer. Her own heart pounded feverishly, a delicious thrill cycling
rlm@0: through her blood. Had this been what it was like for her mother
rlm@0: while falling in love with her father? It was definitely dizzying. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie felt Relm’s lips press against her own, soft delicate petals
rlm@0: that seemed to melt against her own, flowing into them. She could
rlm@0: only sit there, aghast at what was happening. This little artist girl
rlm@0: had just professed her love for her. And here they were on some other
rlm@0: planet. And she was pinned underneath her, being kissed. Not just
rlm@0: some stage kiss, but a true, warm kiss. ‘Stop her!’ part of Yuffie
rlm@0: cried out. ‘She can’t do that to you!’ But Yuffie’s body refused to
rlm@0: cooperate. She could only lie there, subject to Relm’s will. That
rlm@0: thought sent a shudder through Yuffie. No one could control her but
rlm@0: herself. So she needed to get up and prove it. But Relm kept kissing
rlm@0: her. And for some reason, Yuffie couldn’t get herself to push the
rlm@0: young artist away. Her hands had reached Relm’s stomach, but she
rlm@0: couldn’t call upon the strength to force her off.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Now what the bloody ‘ell is this?” a bemused voice asked. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie shoved the artist off, standing up and whirling about. She
rlm@0: winced as she heard the splash behind her. Relm was not going to be
rlm@0: happy about that. Wait. Why did she care if Relm liked it or not?
rlm@0: Relm deserved to get dunked for trying to kiss her. Well, not exactly
rlm@0: trying. Damn technicalities. Yuffie tried to cover her embarrassment
rlm@0: with anger, glaring at the intruder. “Kid?! What are you doing here?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The blonde thief laughed, her hands on her hips. “Didn’t know ya had
rlm@0: it in ya, Yuffie.” She winked, sending an angry flush across Yuffie’s
rlm@0: cheeks. “And here I always thought you’d be the one on top.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm yanked herself back up onto the dock, soaking wet and
rlm@0: grumbling. “What was that for?! You could’ve asked me to stop!” She
rlm@0: hugged herself, shivering in the light breeze. Her hair hung wetly
rlm@0: across her face. She tried to blow some wet hair from in front of
rlm@0: her, but it stubbornly refused to move.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Wouldja have stopped?” Kid asked, still grinning. She had been glad
rlm@0: to see her fellow Radical Dreamer, but she found the situation she
rlm@0: found Yuffie in the be endlessly amusing. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Relm crossed her arms, frowning. “No. But she could’ve tried, at
rlm@0: least, before throwing me into the water.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I didn’t through you, I just... Wait,” Yuffie shook her head,
rlm@0: trying to clear her thoughts. “Like this is my fault. You were the
rlm@0: one who started... Just don’t do that!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I can’t make any promises,” Relm said stubbornly. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Kid! There you are!” A voice said behind them. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kid had a caught look on her face, but it melted away as she turned
rlm@0: around, masking it. “And if it isn’t the light o’ my life right now!
rlm@0: How ya doin’ Leena?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I thought you were supposed to be getting my Komodo scale necklace
rlm@0: right now. If you’re still around here, there might not be any when
rlm@0: you get there. And then I’ll be the only girl in the village without
rlm@0: one. You don’t want that to happen, do you?” Leena asked. She seemed
rlm@0: to be taking this incredibly seriously. And why wouldn’t she? It was
rlm@0: a big deal in a world filled with fishing and the everyday facets of
rlm@0: life. This was something important, a gift that all boyfriends got
rlm@0: their loving girlfriends. And Kid was her boyfriend. Or something
rlm@0: like that. So Kid was going to get her one. Whether she liked it or
rlm@0: not.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Just about on my way, darling,” Kid said, trying to appease the
rlm@0: redhead. “Just getting some help from a friend of mine. Isn’t that
rlm@0: right, Yuffie?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Who’s the one on top with you two?” Yuffie asked dryly, raising an
rlm@0: eyebrow. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kid gave her a dirty look before grinning back at Leena. “Well, off
rlm@0: we go. We’ll be back with your necklace before you know it, love.”
rlm@0: She kissed Leena’s cheek as she walked by, dragging Yuffie behind her.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Leena sighed reluctantly. “All right. I’ll be waiting, Kid. Come
rlm@0: back, soon! I’ll be done babysitting by then!” She waved at the
rlm@0: departing thieves.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Wait! I’m coming, too!” Relm said angrily. She wasn’t about to let
rlm@0: Yuffie leave her behind. She had to teach the ninja a thing or two
rlm@0: about Fate. Yuffie was hers, most definitely. She just didn’t know it
rlm@0: yet.
rlm@0: