rlm@0: Prism Hearts 
rlm@0: Chapter 8
rlm@0: One Winged Angel
rlm@0: by Amazoness Duo
rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: I’ll be here...
rlm@0: I’ll be waiting... here…
rlm@0: Why?
rlm@0: For what?
rlm@0: I’ll be waiting... for you...
rlm@0: If you come here...
rlm@0: You’ll find me...
rlm@0: I promise.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The hills stretched on for an eternity. Or so it seemed, at least.
rlm@0: Sora’s legs ached. It felt as if he had been marching on endlessly
rlm@0: for his entire life. The one thing that kept him going was the image
rlm@0: of Kairi and Riku, reaching out to him. He had to find Riku. He
rlm@0: couldn’t go back home to Kairi alone. They would see her again
rlm@0: together. He was sure of it. All he had to do was find that Doorway
rlm@0: to the Light and free Riku. That idiot. If he hadn’t sacrificed
rlm@0: himself to stop the Heartless, he wouldn’t be stuck behind that
rlm@0: doorway now. But if it hadn’t been for Riku’s sacrifice, the
rlm@0: Heartless would’ve consumed everything. Sora just couldn’t leave him
rlm@0: there. Riku was his best friend. It wasn’t right to go on without
rlm@0: him. He, Kairi, and Riku completed a puzzle. They needed each other.
rlm@0: All three of them were essential parts to that. If he went back to
rlm@0: Kairi alone, something would be missing. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Donald and Goofy followed close behind. Goofy was rather optimistic
rlm@0: about things, sure that over every hill would be the Doorway they
rlm@0: sought. Donald was his normal, highly irritable self. Sora sighed as
rlm@0: the duck grumbled about something for the thousandth time that day.
rlm@0: Still, even with Donald’s bitching, he wouldn’t want to do this on
rlm@0: his own. They were his friends. He wanted them by his side. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Can we even open the door?” Donald asked at last. “It took your
rlm@0: Keyblade and King Mickey’s to close the Doorway to the Darkness. But
rlm@0: if King Mickey is stuck on the other side of it...” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sora shook his head. “We’ll find a way. Remember what King Mickey
rlm@0: said. There will always be a door to the light.” He sighed.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Donald narrowed his eyes. “We have to find it first.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sighing, Sora nodded. He didn’t even know where to begin. And they
rlm@0: had been searching for so long... Just what were they looking for
rlm@0: anyway? Where would the Doorway to all of Light itself be? It didn’t
rlm@0: seem like it would just be lying around in some corner. If only...
rlm@0: But Sora’s thoughts were cut short. He glimpsed something on the next
rlm@0: hill. Someone, waiting. Silver hair fluttering in the wind. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Riku?” His eyes widened. But Riku was trapped behind the Doorway.
rlm@0: How could he be here? But the how of things barely mattered. Sora
rlm@0: broke into a run. “Riku!” He ran as quickly as he could, exhilarated
rlm@0: to see his best friend once more. They would be going home to Kairi
rlm@0: together after all.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “What is it?” Goofy asked as he and Donald struggled to keep up with
rlm@0: the Keyblade Master.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Donald shrugged. “He finally cracked,” came his reply.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Riku!” Sora yelled, laughing. It was just like the older boy to do
rlm@0: this. He always managed to pull off the impossible, pulling ahead of
rlm@0: Sora and the others. It made sense that somehow he had found a way
rlm@0: out. If anyone could, it was Riku. His journey was finally nearing
rlm@0: its end. They could finally go home. Heaven. It would be just like
rlm@0: heaven. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But as he neared the silver haired figure, he began to slow. The
rlm@0: figure was taller, with longer hair. He was wearing all black. A
rlm@0: single, dark wing was behind his right shoulder. “You’re not Riku...” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The man watched him curiously for a long moment before replying.
rlm@0: “One who knows nothing can understand nothing.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Ansem?!” Sora took a step back, caught off guard. This man didn’t
rlm@0: look like Ansem, the man who had been used by the Heartless to open
rlm@0: the Doorway to the Darkness, but Sora had heard those same words from
rlm@0: Ansem before their battle.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh? So you have met his majesty after all. It’s been so long since
rlm@0: anyone has seen him that I thought it may have merely been a rumor,”
rlm@0: the man said conversationally, standing tall against the wind that
rlm@0: buffeted the hilltop. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Ansem’s... He’s dead,” Sora said reluctantly. He knew that Ansem
rlm@0: had once been a respected and loved king. Most people didn’t know of
rlm@0: his fall from grace, his consumption by the Heartless. He didn’t want
rlm@0: to hurt anyone who cared for their king with the details. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The man nodded as if this were expected. “Her highness felt it. She
rlm@0: knew he was dead. That’s why she knew she had to act.” He stepped
rlm@0: closer, eyeing Sora, inspecting him. “You’re Sora? You’re the boy the
rlm@0: princess sent me to find?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The princess? What was going on? Sora nodded slowly. “I’m Sora. Who
rlm@0: are you?” He had an uneasy feeling about all of this. This man had
rlm@0: known what had happened to Ansem. Even Leon and Aerith hadn’t known
rlm@0: for sure what had happened to him. And who was this princess?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Sephiroth, SOLDIER 1st Class,” the man explained, his eyes glowing
rlm@0: a brilliant green. “Princess Hikari’s personal bodyguard. I’ve been
rlm@0: protecting the princess since she was but a tiny child. King Ansem
rlm@0: personally assigned me to watch over his daughter.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Well... That certainly didn’t explain anything. Sora simply blinked.
rlm@0: Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Ansem had been consumed by the
rlm@0: Heartless, but Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith had all been from that
rlm@0: planet, too, and they’d been heroes. So was he a friend or an enemy?
rlm@0: And who was this Princess Hikari? Sora hadn’t known Ansem had even
rlm@0: had a daughter.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “So you’re her nanny?” Donald asked, not liking being ignored in all
rlm@0: of this. He crossed his arms, waiting at Sora’s right.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. “I like to think of it as something a bit
rlm@0: more than that. I would do anything for her highness. I would die for
rlm@0: her.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘This guy does remind me a lot of Riku, after all. Riku would’ve
rlm@0: done anything for Kairi, too. Even surround himself with darkness,’
rlm@0: Sora thought to himself. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
rlm@0: “That’s great and all. But we’re a little too busy to be making
rlm@0: visits right now. Maybe after we find Riku. Tell her we said thanks!” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “And that we appreciate the offer!” Goofy added, grinning. “We’d
rlm@0: love to go later.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Donald simply rolled his eyes. All three turned to continue their
rlm@0: search. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sephiroth gripped the hilt of his sword, his single wing unfurling.
rlm@0: “If that’s the case, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to do this by
rlm@0: force. You will see her highness. She demands it.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “We’ve got more important things to worry about right now that some
rlm@0: bratty princess,” Sora retorted. “If that’s how you want to play,
rlm@0: fine. Don’t blame me for your headache when you wake up on the
rlm@0: grass.” He willed the Keyblade into his hand, getting into a fighting
rlm@0: position. Donald and Goofy readied themselves at his sides. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The silver haired SOLDIER grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” With
rlm@0: that, he lunged forward, his impossibly long sword arcing through the
rlm@0: air. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sora blocked the blow with his Keyblade, but he felt the power of
rlm@0: the strike reverberating through his entire body. Two legendary
rlm@0: weapons, the dreaded Masamune and the fated Keyblade, clashed again
rlm@0: and again. Sora swiped forward, trying to catch the princess’s
rlm@0: bodyguard, but he leapt into the air, his wing somehow keeping him
rlm@0: aloft for a moment before he descended with a flurry of blows that
rlm@0: sent Sora reeling. He tried desperately to ward them off, but they
rlm@0: came one after the other, wearing him down. He quickly summoned his
rlm@0: magic, casting a barrier of wind to protect him from the deadly
rlm@0: blade. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Fire!” Donald shouted, launching a ball of fire at the SOLDIER. But
rlm@0: Sephiroth was fast. The flame missed its target, dissipating into the
rlm@0: distance. Before Donald could prepare another spell, Sephiroth swept
rlm@0: past him. The mage’s staff fell to the floor seconds before its owner
rlm@0: collapsed next to it. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Donald!” Sora cried. Enraged by his friend’s injury, Sora leapt at
rlm@0: his attacker, intent on ending this now. He didn’t care who this man
rlm@0: was. He had stopped Ansem. He wouldn’t let some princess’s bodyguard
rlm@0: hurt his friends.  “Ars Arcanum!” Using the attack he had learned,
rlm@0: Sora launched into a series of quick jabs at the silver haired man.
rlm@0: To his shock, Sephiroth dodged and parried every blow. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sephiroth laughed as he saw the surprise on the younger boy’s face.
rlm@0: “Been taking some lessons from Cloud, have you? Now it’s my turn.”
rlm@0: With blinding speed, he was nearly against Sora. With a flick of his
rlm@0: wrist, he sent the Keyblade hurtling through the air, finally
rlm@0: clattering to the grass much too far away for Sora to reach in time.
rlm@0: “What was that about me waking up on the grass?” the SOLDIER asked,
rlm@0: pulling up the Masamune. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sora could only stare at the older man. How had this happened? In
rlm@0: all of his battles, he had never lost this badly. Even when Leon had
rlm@0: attacked him in Traverse Town and when he’d fought Cloud at the
rlm@0: Coliseum. He hadn’t won either battle, but it had taken him longer to
rlm@0: lose, at any rate. But somehow he had always won when it mattered.
rlm@0: He’d stopped Ansem. How could one of Ansem’s soldiers defeat him?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Sora!” Goofy rushed headlong at the SOLDIER 1st Class, trying to
rlm@0: force him away from the younger boy. Sephiroth managed to sidestep
rlm@0: past Goofy’s charge. Before Goofy could turn around to guard with his
rlm@0: shield, Sephiroth cast a spell, sending small comets pelting into the
rlm@0: knight. Goofy collapsed onto the grass.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Goofy! How could you?” Sora growled, his fists clenched. Impotent
rlm@0: rage burnt within him. This man had decimated his party when their
rlm@0: battle was finally supposed to be over. How could he snatch their
rlm@0: hard won victories away from them? 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sephiroth turned, his long silver hair sweeping about in the wind.
rlm@0: “That was some nice practice. I’ve been cooped up for far too long.
rlm@0: But I’m ending this now. I mustn’t keep Princess Hikari waiting.”
rlm@0: Raising a hand in the air, he summoned all of the magic at his
rlm@0: disposal, the sky turning black with his power. “Sin Harvest!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The world was torn apart around Sora. And everything became dark as
rlm@0: he lost his grasp on consciousness, spiraling into the abyss.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Are you feeling any better?” Yuna asked softly, sitting on the edge
rlm@0: of her bed. Her blankets were wrapped around the still damp catgirl
rlm@0: Selphie had helped her carry in from the beach. The catgirl had just
rlm@0: recently regained consciousness. She’d been half-drowned when Yuna
rlm@0: had found her on the beach.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Rikku nodded weakly, her head still swimming. “Yeah, I’m better.
rlm@0: Nothing can keep me down for long.” She smiled, her fangs showing. A
rlm@0: small giggle flowed from her. “I’m starting to sound like Yuffie. Kid
rlm@0: would be horrified.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Returning the smile, Yuna watched the catgirl in her bed. She had no
rlm@0: idea what Rikku was talking about, but if she was feeling better,
rlm@0: that was the important thing. She was so curious about this girl who
rlm@0: had washed up. Yuna had spent her entire life on the Destiny Islands;
rlm@0: the only outsider she had ever met was Kairi, and Kairi hadn’t
rlm@0: remembered anything from the outside. This girl was so different,
rlm@0: even her body was not completely human. Yuna wanted to know
rlm@0: everything, curious in the way little girls would be over what
rlm@0: happened next in a fairy tale. Everything about her seemed magical. 
rlm@0: Little mysteries surround the strange girl.  Where had she come from?
rlm@0: What was she?  Who was she?  “Are you a Ronso?” Yuna asked after a
rlm@0: moment’s thought. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “A whatso?” she asked in return, blinking her big, jade, spiral eyes. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “A Ronso. They’re catlike people. I think they have horns. My father
rlm@0: met them a long time ago,” Yuna explained. Though if she had to
rlm@0: clarify, the girl probably wasn’t one.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The catgirl shook her head, her dusty blonde braids swishing past
rlm@0: her bare shoulders. “Nope. Never heard of them. I’m Rikku Kisaragi!
rlm@0: Member of the acting troupe, Radical Dreamers, and a mysterious
rlm@0: thief! Though I’m not so good at the mysterious thief part.” The
rlm@0: catgirl groused, sitting up, her paws on her ankles. The blanket fell
rlm@0: about her lap, leaving only her fur to cover herself. She quickly
rlm@0: pulled the blanket back up, self-conscious regardless of her fur. “I
rlm@0: kinda angered a white mage because I didn’t get out of her hotel
rlm@0: before she got back. She wasn’t very happy with me, so she changed me
rlm@0: into a kitten. She wouldn’t even listen to my side of the story! Just
rlm@0: ‘Bam! You’re a cat!’”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “What was your side of the story?” Yuna inquired, tilting her head
rlm@0: to the side.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Umm... well...” Rikku laughed nervously, scratching the back of her
rlm@0: head. “I might have had a good reason if she’d bothered to ask. I
rlm@0: didn’t have a good reason, though, but how was she supposed to know
rlm@0: that? She could’ve at least given me a chance to apologize. Do you
rlm@0: know how horrifying it is to find yourself in a puddle of clothes on
rlm@0: all fours with an angry white mage towering over you?” She shook her
rlm@0: head, her ears twitching. She still had nightmares about that. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh, I’m sorry. That must have been terrible,” Yuna said
rlm@0: apologetically. She reached forward hesitantly, squeezing one of
rlm@0: Rikku’s paws reassuringly. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Rikku smiled brightly. This shy, quiet girl was so sweet. Much
rlm@0: better than the crazy, nunchuku wielding one. She rubbed her head,
rlm@0: wincing at the thought. But at least this one seemed worried about
rlm@0: her. But that look in her eyes, one blue and one green, was so sad,
rlm@0: as if she truly empathized with Rikku’s predicament. “But I’m all
rlm@0: right now. My sister used the Dragon Tear of Hate on me and it at
rlm@0: least made me halfway human. I heard if we can get the Dragon Tear of
rlm@0: Love, I can change myself back the rest of the way. So it’s not too
rlm@0: bad. And Yuffie said I make a cute catgirl, so maybe it’s not too
rlm@0: completely evil,” Rikku shrugged.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: With a soft smile, the brunette nodded. “She was right. You do make
rlm@0: a very cute catgirl.  So you shouldn’t be worried about it if you
rlm@0: have to stay that way. But I hope you can find the Dragon Tear of
rlm@0: Love soon, then. Just don’t feel too bad in the meantime.” She shook
rlm@0: her head quickly. She shouldn’t be saying things like that. That
rlm@0: wasn’t what Rikku would want to hear, certainly. “If I can help at
rlm@0: all, please let me know.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But Rikku wasn’t listening to the last bit. She was still playing
rlm@0: Yuna’s earlier words over in her head. “You think this is okay?” she
rlm@0: asked, still surprised. She hadn’t thought about it that way. She’d
rlm@0: been thinking about it as a curse, as something horrible she had to
rlm@0: endure until she could get rid of it. It hadn’t once crossed her mind
rlm@0: about staying this way. This strange, not-quite-human way. Her body
rlm@0: was different now, but as the other girl had pointed out, was that
rlm@0: really a bad thing?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m sorry,” Yuna apologized, bowing her head low. She hadn’t meant
rlm@0: to upset the catgirl. She’d just stated her opinion. She needed to be
rlm@0: more careful about that. She didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
rlm@0: Especially this new girl. She wanted to get to know her. To be
rlm@0: friends. There was something about her….  But they’d never be friends
rlm@0: if she said stupid things like that. How would she like it if she was
rlm@0: stuck in a cursed body? Warm paws took her hands, the pads near the
rlm@0: thumbs and fingers pressed against her skin. She lifted her face
rlm@0: slightly until she was looking into the catgirl’s spiral eyes again.
rlm@0: Rikku was smiling happily. Yuna’s cheeks flushed lightly, but she
rlm@0: returned the smile. So the catgirl wasn’t upset with her after all.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Don’t be sorry. I’m really glad you’d think so. Maybe I’ve been
rlm@0: going about this the wrong way. Maybe... maybe it’s not so bad,”
rlm@0: Rikku ventured. She giggled, baring her fangs again. “As long as you
rlm@0: don’t call me Kitty, that is.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuna nodded swiftly, her chestnut hair swishing about her face.
rlm@0: “Whatever you want... Rikku…” This girl was so vibrant, so full of
rlm@0: life. Watching her had a way of lifting up Yuna’s spirits. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Rikku brought her hands to her chest to keep a hold of the blanket.
rlm@0: “And you’re Yunie, right? I thought I heard the other girl say your
rlm@0: name while you were dragging me along the beach.” Though she’d only
rlm@0: been semi-conscious for that. They’d dragged her quite a ways. No
rlm@0: wonder her body ached.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Umm... Yuna, actually...” The brunette corrected quietly, tucking
rlm@0: some hair behind one of her ears. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yunie!” Rikku said
rlm@0: enthusiastically. “It’s so nice to have someone to talk to after all
rlm@0: of this time meowing at people.” Both girls giggled.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m glad. It was nice to meet you, too, Rikku.” Yuna smiled
rlm@0: genuinely, her hands on her lap. “I think the Islands needed some new
rlm@0: life to them. Someone to brighten things up.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Rikku nodded determinedly. “I’ll try my hardest! I don’t know how
rlm@0: long I’m stuck here anyway. So I might as well try to keep things
rlm@0: interesting while I can.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “That’s one way of putting it. You’ve definitely made things more
rlm@0: interesting. For me, at least,” Yuna admitted, tucking her legs up
rlm@0: underneath herself. She knew the other girl wasn’t really a catgirl
rlm@0: or anything of the sort, but she still couldn’t help but feel as if
rlm@0: she’d brought a stray cat home. Something that was all her own, that
rlm@0: she would take care of and love and nurture. Like her very own pet.
rlm@0: She tried to push the thought away, but it was lodged stubbornly in
rlm@0: her brain. She sighed. She’d eventually get over it. When Rikku wound
rlm@0: up leaving. That thought was far too depressing; people had been
rlm@0: leaving all her life, and she still wasn’t capable of dealing with
rlm@0: it. She still cried herself to sleep over her father’s death, years
rlm@0: ago. That’s why she had tried not to think about Kairi leaving or
rlm@0: Riku and Sora’s disappearances. She couldn’t handle goodbyes. And
rlm@0: just thinking about not have the catgirl around frightened her more
rlm@0: than she could explain away.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh, would it be all right if I asked for some clothes?” Rikku
rlm@0: voiced sheepishly. “I’ve been running around without anything for way
rlm@0: too long now. I feel like a nudist. My clothes are probably still on
rlm@0: the floor of that damn hotel room.” She sighed. “Oh well. They were
rlm@0: just hand me downs of Yuffie’s, anyway.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Blinking, Yuna tried to comprehend what Rikku had said. Why would
rlm@0: the catgirl need clothes? Cats didn’t wear clothes. They had fur.
rlm@0: Ohhhhh... She shook her head. Of course she’d want clothes. She
rlm@0: wasn’t used to being a catgirl. Fur or not, she was used to wearing
rlm@0: something. “Yes, I’ll get you something. You’re a little younger than
rlm@0: me, but you should be able to fit into one of my outfits.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Thanks, Yunie!” Rikku grinned and pounced catlike on the
rlm@0: unsuspecting brunette, hugging her in gratitude. “That would help a
rlm@0: lot!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You.. You’re welcome..” Yuna responded, blushing faintly again. She
rlm@0: swallowed, embarrassed. She slowly began to rub Rikku’s back using
rlm@0: the arm that wasn’t pinned to her side. The catgirl’s fur felt
rlm@0: wonderfully soft to her touch, her fingers gliding over it. She
rlm@0: rubbed a bit more, enjoying the feel of the fur underneath her
rlm@0: fingers and the growing thrum in her ears. It took her a moment to
rlm@0: realize that Rikku was purring loudly against her. Her eyes widened
rlm@0: in surprise, her flush darkening, but she couldn't get herself to
rlm@0: stop.  The catgirl was so cute and enthusiastic, Yuna couldn’t help
rlm@0: but pet her, as if she had found a larger-than-life kitten.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Rikku was so glad Yuna couldn’t see her face as she hugged the other
rlm@0: girl. She was so embarrassed. She knew she wasn’t a cat. She was a
rlm@0: normal, human girl. But her body didn’t seem to agree with her. She
rlm@0: couldn’t stop herself from purring as Yuna’s gentle fingers slid up
rlm@0: and down her back. Her body betrayed her, her chest thrumming with
rlm@0: her purring. ‘Will you make up your mind? Am I a cat or not? I’m
rlm@0: not!’ Rikku thought in frustration. But her body still wasn’t
rlm@0: listening. Her tail swished happily from side to side. She sighed,
rlm@0: giving in. It did feel nice, to have someone to hug after she’d been
rlm@0: unable to do much of anything as a whole cat. She rested her head on
rlm@0: Yuna’s shoulder, closing her emerald eyes and purring louder. ‘Well,
rlm@0: maybe just this once...’
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Okay, I’m going to use my... Shiva card. Yes, that should do
rlm@0: nicely.” Quistis smiled as she placed they detailed card down on the
rlm@0: floor of her room, right beside one of a strange flying serpent. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A blond boy sighed, rolling his eyes. “If it didn’t take you ten
rlm@0: minutes to decide each turn, then we would be able to play a lot more
rlm@0: of this, Quistis,” he chided, slapping down a card with a cactuar on
rlm@0: it. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You’re just too impatient, Seifer,” Quistis countered, gazing at
rlm@0: her cards again. “Hmm...” She let her fingers browse across the
rlm@0: cards, trying to select the perfect one. She wasn’t playing just this
rlm@0: turn, but where the next turn might lead. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Selphie watched the two playing Triple Triad on the floor of
rlm@0: Quistis’s room. They were upside down, as if they were sitting on the
rlm@0: roof, gravity in reverse. The cards were set down on the roof before
rlm@0: the brunette. At least, that’s how it appeared to Selphie. She was
rlm@0: slumped on Quistis’s bed, her sandals left somewhere near the door,
rlm@0: her head hanging off the edge of the bed so that everything was
rlm@0: upside down for her. Her legs were wrapped around Quistis’s pillow.
rlm@0: She’d much rather they be wrapped around her blonde girlfriend, but
rlm@0: Quistis was caught up in that boring card game. Here she was lying on
rlm@0: her girlfriend’s bed, innocent and vulnerable, and all Quistis could
rlm@0: think about was what card went next. Selphie pouted. She should be on
rlm@0: the bed with her, kissing her. Anything but playing cards. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “There!” Quistis smiled as she set down the next card. Unless Seifer
rlm@0: had some unexpected cards or a rather healthy dose of luck on his
rlm@0: side, she was pretty much guaranteed victory. And to the contrary of
rlm@0: Selphie’s thinking, Quistis was having a very difficult time ignoring
rlm@0: the fact that Selphie was lying so cutely on her bed. And that she
rlm@0: would love to take the place of that pillow, to let her hands travel
rlm@0: across Selphie’s stomach, exploring her skin and the cloth of her
rlm@0: dress, kissing her everywhere she could... Quistis blinked quickly,
rlm@0: trying to force out the images. She adjusted her glasses, hoping she
rlm@0: didn’t look as flustered as she felt. It was so difficult being the
rlm@0: mature, responsible one sometimes. She sighed inwardly. Yes, Selphie
rlm@0: would need a good spanking after Seifer was gone. If he ever left.
rlm@0: He’d been there for well over an hour now. Seifer was her friend, but
rlm@0: he either couldn’t take a hint or he enjoyed making her suffer.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m kind of envious of Riku, Sora, and Kairi,” Seifer said at last,
rlm@0: placing down a chocobo card from his hand. “They finally did realize
rlm@0: their beautiful dream of escaping these islands, of going to explore
rlm@0: other worlds. Think of the possibilities. The excitement. I’m sure
rlm@0: it’s more interesting than a card game.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Don’t say that!” Selphie admonished from the bed, rolling onto her
rlm@0: stomach. “Who knows where they are? What’s wrong with staying here?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Seifer grinned at Selphie’s outbust, looking up at the girl on
rlm@0: Quistis’s bed. “I’m surprised you wouldn’t want to go yourself,
rlm@0: Selphie. The Destiny Islands barely seem to hold in all that energy
rlm@0: you have. It’s amazing you haven’t gotten bored yet.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “But they could be lost anywhere! They could be scared and miserable
rlm@0: and so far away from home.” A chill passed through Selphie at the
rlm@0: thought. “Yeah, it would be fun to travel, but I don’t see what’s
rlm@0: wrong with staying home, either. It’s fun here. All my friends are
rlm@0: here. My Quisty’s here. I’m perfectly happy at home.” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Pushing her glasses up, Quistis nodded. “I agree with Selphie.
rlm@0: Leaving would only make sense if you weren’t satisfied with where you
rlm@0: are. If there’s something missing in your life. And my life feels
rlm@0: complete here.” She looked back over her shoulder, smiling at
rlm@0: Selphie. Yes, there wasn’t anything she needed. The cute brunette
rlm@0: returned her smile, her legs kicking up behind her.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Seifer laughed in response. “Of course you’d agree with Selphie. It
rlm@0: isn’t wise to disagree with one’s girlfriend. Especially one as hyper
rlm@0: as her.” The blond boy sat back, his hands supporting him as he
rlm@0: stared up at the roof. “Me, I understand why they’d want to leave.
rlm@0: This place can feel like a prison sometimes. Water everywhere,
rlm@0: flowing endlessly around us. This place is a paradise, but it’s
rlm@0: sheltered. I think you need the good with the bad. It’s a gilded
rlm@0: cage. You can’t experience everything if you’re cooped up here. You
rlm@0: can treat a prisoner like a king, give him everything he could ever
rlm@0: want. But if all he wants is freedom, he’s still a prisoner. Life can
rlm@0: be as plush as you could want. But if you can’t realize your
rlm@0: beautiful dreams, I still say something’s missing.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Quistis sighed. Not this again. The last thing she needed was for
rlm@0: Seifer to get strange ideas in Selphie’s head. Thankfully, Selphie
rlm@0: hadn’t liked Riku and Sora’s idea to leave the island in the first
rlm@0: place. “And what’s your beautiful dream, Seifer?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A grin passed across his face as Seifer turned his gaze to Quistis.
rlm@0: “To be the Sorceress’s Knight, of course. To protect my sorceress
rlm@0: with my life. To grant her every whim. To give her my all.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Resting her chin in her hands, Selphie raised a curious eyebrow.
rlm@0: “Why can’t you do that here? No dragons to slay?” Her bare feet
rlm@0: continued kicking in the air behind her in a slow rhythm. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Hah.” The blond boy waved off the notion. “It’s nothing like that.
rlm@0: You’re thinking of it too literally. Maybe I wouldn’t mind so much if
rlm@0: I could find my sorceress. Then I could be her knight here on the
rlm@0: Destiny Islands. But you never know what’s waiting for you out there.
rlm@0: All those worlds, each with new sights and experiences around every
rlm@0: corner. Must be exciting, wherever they are.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Selphie blinked thoughtfully. “I wonder what my beautiful dream is...”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Quistis turned, her legs still tucked demurely underneath her.
rlm@0: “Don’t worry about it, Selphie. You have plenty of beautiful dreams.
rlm@0: And you have the energy to make them all come true, I’m certain.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The brunette smiled brightly, her previous concerns forgotten.
rlm@0: “Thanks, Quisty! You’re right! I won’t give up on any of my beautiful
rlm@0: dreams!” she said excitedly.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “But you don’t know what they are yet...” Seifer replied,
rlm@0: sweatdropping. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Quisits turned an icy glare on her friend. “Shush, you.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Right...” Seifer shook his head. “I’m just saying that wherever
rlm@0: they are, they’re probably doing more than playing cards.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Unnhhh...” Sora moaned, rolling onto his side. His entire body
rlm@0: ached, every fiber of his being calling out as fire burned through
rlm@0: him. His muscles didn’t want to respond at first and he found himself
rlm@0: cringing as he tried to move. What had happened? He could barely
rlm@0: think through the haze of pain that was erecting a palace in his
rlm@0: head. The clatter and noise of their hard work droned out all
rlm@0: conscious thought. But Sora was nothing if not persistent. He forced
rlm@0: himself to his knees only to regret the decision. The world seemed to
rlm@0: curve around him, taunting him. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘What happened?’ he managed to think at last. Dim, vague images came
rlm@0: to him, feelings that should go with them but he couldn’t be sure of.
rlm@0: Anger, shock, sadness, defeat. A man... Riku? No.. Not Riku. Though
rlm@0: it had felt like it. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Owwww...” He clutched his head, trying to force the pain and its
rlm@0: workers out of it. Suddenly, his head shot up. He winced at the pain
rlm@0: it caused, but ignored it. “Donald? Goofy?” His eyes darted about
rlm@0: insistently, but his companions where nowhere to be seen. That’s when
rlm@0: it first struck him. He certainly wasn’t in the grassy fields he had
rlm@0: previously been. Where was this? How had he ended up here? Where were
rlm@0: his friends?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The lone boy slowly managed to get to his feet after a prolonged
rlm@0: struggle that seemed to play out over an eternity. His body cried in
rlm@0: protest, but he refused to listen to it. Riku’s words spurred him
rlm@0: forward. ‘Giving up already, Sora? I thought you were stronger than
rlm@0: that.’ Riku had faith in him. His rival always pulled out more from
rlm@0: him than Sora even knew he had. So he’d push through this. What would
rlm@0: Riku say if he saw him lying helplessly on the floor? With those
rlm@0: thoughts spinning through his abused head, the brown haired boy tried
rlm@0: to gauge his surroundings. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The young Keyblade Master found himself in the middle of a palace
rlm@0: courtyard. Or was it the middle of a school? The place looked like a
rlm@0: bizarre amalgamation of the two. Statues of students heading to
rlm@0: classes that would never happen littered the otherwise empty
rlm@0: courtyard, frozen forever in place. Palace maids and busy dignitaries
rlm@0: shared space with the students, looking busy even in their state of
rlm@0: rest. Lockers were covered in beautiful purple flowers and vines. A
rlm@0: large fountain stood at the center. It looked like a statue should in
rlm@0: the midst of it, but it was curiously missing. Strange for a place
rlm@0: filled with so many statues. But as Sora looked closer, they looked
rlm@0: less like shadows and more and more like a lifeless photograph. As if
rlm@0: that sparkle of life had just been extinguished in one horrifying
rlm@0: second. He shuddered and tried to ignore the creepy feeling. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Staggering past several of the statues, Sora began to make his way
rlm@0: forward (or at least in the direction he hoped was forward). Where
rlm@0: was this place? Halfway between here and there, it felt like some
rlm@0: freakish riddle. As he entered the large hallway that the courtyard
rlm@0: led to, it didn’t get any better. There were large, beautiful
rlm@0: paintings along one wall. To his other side, there was no wall. Just
rlm@0: a large abyss, leading off into darkness. In his weakened state, he
rlm@0: tried not to look to that side. He felt too dizzy staring off into
rlm@0: it. He instead turned his attention back to the paintings. He could
rlm@0: recognize some of the people in them. Wasn’t that Alice? And in that
rlm@0: other one, wasn’t that Aladdin and Jasmine? And the Beast in another.
rlm@0: That looked like Aerith and some of her friends in the one down the
rlm@0: hall, didn’t it? Wasn’t that Selphie and Quistis and some others?
rlm@0: What were they doing with Squall in that painting? He shook his head.
rlm@0: “Weird..” he muttered. His voice sounded tiny, weak in this place. It
rlm@0: made him feel acutely alone. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Continuing down the seemingly endless hallway, Sora continued
rlm@0: glancing at paintings. There was Cinderella, one of the seven
rlm@0: princesses. And Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, and some others he didn’t
rlm@0: recognize. Why were these paintings here? Why were they of people he
rlm@0: knew? What significance did they have to this twisted palace? Looking
rlm@0: back from a painting, the brown haired boy found some doors before
rlm@0: him that previously hadn’t been there. A mixture of relief and
rlm@0: apprehension poured throughout him. At least he was getting
rlm@0: somewhere. But whoever had brought him here had obviously intended
rlm@0: that. But why? What did they want? Well, he’d never find out if he
rlm@0: didn’t push forward. ‘I’m not about to give up, Riku,’ he thought
rlm@0: determinedly. Stepping forward, he pushed open the large doors. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Sora!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Sora could only blink dumbly for a long moment. “Kairi!?” The
rlm@0: princess’s face lit up brightly as she ran to him, nearly toppling
rlm@0: him over as she leapt into his arms, hugging him fiercely. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi held onto him tightly, almost painfully. “I won’t ever let you
rlm@0: disappear again, Sora. I won’t let anyone take you away from me. I
rlm@0: promise.” She buried her head against his shoulder, almost afraid
rlm@0: that a stray wind would carry him off. No, he was finally there. And
rlm@0: Princess Hikari would do everything she could to make sure he stayed
rlm@0: that way.