rlm@0: Prism Hearts 
rlm@0: Chapter 2
rlm@0: Prelude
rlm@0: by Amazoness Duo
rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: It was raining. That was the first thing that Kairi noticed. Cold
rlm@0: raindrops had plastered her clothes to her body, making her shiver.
rlm@0: Hugging her cold body tightly, she slowly sat up. Where was she? It
rlm@0: rained often enough on the Destiny Islands, but it was always a warm,
rlm@0: gentle rain. Nothing like the freezing, harsh storm that fell down
rlm@0: around her. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Slowly getting to her feet, Kairi began to stumble out of the alley
rlm@0: she found herself in. Huge buildings rose up around her, impervious
rlm@0: to the unending rain. Where was she? This wasn’t anything like home.
rlm@0: It looked like some impersonal big city. It was late and the streets
rlm@0: were empty, leaving her all alone. “Hello?” she asked meekly. There
rlm@0: was no reply but the howl of the wind.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Shaking her head, Kairi got her wet bangs out of her eyes. The
rlm@0: buildings around her had an almost menacing look, as if they would
rlm@0: reach out and grab for her themselves. Whether that was because of
rlm@0: the darkness and the storm or if they were always like that, she
rlm@0: couldn’t tell. She shivered again, trying to ignore it. “Riku? Sora?”
rlm@0: she called out again, louder this time.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Wet, cold, and alone, the brunette began to venture out into this
rlm@0: new world she found herself in. There had to be someone who could
rlm@0: tell her where she was. Or at least some place for her to get out of
rlm@0: the pouring rain. Every little sound had her looking over her
rlm@0: shoulder, glancing around. She didn’t like this place. She missed her
rlm@0: island home already. But she had to keep looking. Riku and Sora were
rlm@0: out there somewhere. Maybe someone here would know where they were. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Clank.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi whipped around quickly. It seemed to come from an alleyway
rlm@0: nearby. She could feel her whole body shaking. She didn’t know if she
rlm@0: was more frightened or excited by the sound. It was something in the
rlm@0: darkness. It could be anything. On the other hand, it was the first
rlm@0: sound that could be human contact she had since showing up in this
rlm@0: weird city. So despite her worries, she ventured forward. Perhaps
rlm@0: whoever it was could tell her where she was. Or where to get dry, at
rlm@0: any rate. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The entrance to the alleyway opened up like the maw of some huge
rlm@0: monster ready to swallow her up. But she had to find out who it was.
rlm@0: Otherwise she’d still be all alone out here. Steeling herself, the
rlm@0: young princess ran into the alley. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: It was dark and wet in the alley, but the huge walls managed to
rlm@0: prevent some of the downpour from getting in. It was a small respite
rlm@0: from the storm. She sighed, holding herself tightly to try and keep
rlm@0: in some semblance of warmth. “Hello?” she called out, trying to keep
rlm@0: her nervousness from showing through. She heard another rattle and
rlm@0: paused. Maybe she should go back. She glanced to the entrance again.
rlm@0: No, she resolved. She couldn’t do that. If she gave up on this tiny
rlm@0: thing, then how would she ever find her friends? Stepping closer, she
rlm@0: raised her voice. “Hello?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Something tiny peeked out of a small box that it had been hiding in.
rlm@0: “Meow,” it answered, looking up at her. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Awww! How cute!” Kairi kneeled down, picking up the little kitten.
rlm@0: It must have been making the noise as it struggled to find a way to
rlm@0: escape the rain. It was gray with little black patches on its fur. It
rlm@0: had the strangest green eyes that Kairi had ever seen. She couldn’t
rlm@0: remember if she’d ever owned a kitten or not, but she knew that it
rlm@0: was adorable. “Are you lost, too?” she asked. The kitten mewed in
rlm@0: response, seeming to agree. Kairi smiled brightly, nuzzling the
rlm@0: kitten’s nose. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. I may not be able to
rlm@0: help my friends yet, but I’ll do my best to help you, at least.” This
rlm@0: seemed to please the kitten, as it began to meow happily. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “That still doesn’t help us figure out where we are, though, does
rlm@0: it?” Kairi looked around the alley. It was minor protection, but she
rlm@0: couldn’t imagine spending the night in it. It was too creepy. There
rlm@0: had to be some place that was open, someone who would tell them where
rlm@0: they were. She held the wet kitten to her chest, running back out
rlm@0: into the rain. She tried to hunch over as she ran to protect the
rlm@0: kitten from the relentless pour. The little kitten curled up in a
rlm@0: ball against her, closing its eyes tightly.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Stopping in the middle of the street, the brunette started searching
rlm@0: for her next target. Anything that looked open and inviting. There
rlm@0: had to be somewhere she could go to escape the storm. She couldn’t
rlm@0: just be lost out here. But at least she wasn’t alone anymore. She had
rlm@0: this kitten at any rate. And she held onto it like a life preserver
rlm@0: on a wild and reckless sea, her only friend at the moment. Because it
rlm@0: needed her. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Something bright caught her eye, drawing her attention away from the
rlm@0: ground level. Up on top of one of the buildings. On the building was
rlm@0: a large screen, presumably for public announcements or advertisements
rlm@0: or something. On that large screen was Kairi. She could only stare
rlm@0: for a long moment, frozen in place. The image kept cycling, herself
rlm@0: standing on the beach, static filtering across the screen. She would
rlm@0: smile and walk forward and then it would skip back to the beginning,
rlm@0: starting all over. “What?” She couldn’t tell if she’d actually spoken
rlm@0: the word or just thought it. Why would she be showing on some sort of
rlm@0: huge monitor? How could anyone know she was here? She glanced around
rlm@0: worriedly. This was all wrong. This place wasn’t right at all. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The shadows seemed to move around her, swarming. It looked like they
rlm@0: were surrounding her. She took a few steps backwards, but found that
rlm@0: they were behind her as well. Slowly, creatures began to rise from
rlm@0: the shadows, watching her. The Heartless! Her eyes widened as she saw
rlm@0: them all around her. There was no escape. Her search for Riku and
rlm@0: Sora was over before it had begun. She had failed the both of them.
rlm@0: Footsteps behind her barely registered in her mind. Hadn’t the
rlm@0: Heartless been stopped with Sora had locked the final door? They
rlm@0: shouldn’t be here. But there they were, staring at her hungrily. The
rlm@0: kitten poked its head out, hissing at the shadowy intruders. The
rlm@0: continued to advance on her, ignoring the kitten’s warnings. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The footsteps were finally right next to the young princess,
rlm@0: managing to capture her attention at last. She couldn’t stop the
rlm@0: feeling that it was something just as bad or worse than the living
rlm@0: shadows that were almost upon her. She could barely make him out in
rlm@0: the darkness. He was wearing a dark jacket with a hood that obscured
rlm@0: his face. He seemed to be wearing a blindfold as well, yet he seemed
rlm@0: to know exactly where the Heartless were. He didn’t turn to Kairi,
rlm@0: but instead kept a blind watch over the shadows. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You can use the Keyblade, Kairi,” he said at last, seemingly
rlm@0: unworried about the advancing Heartless. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi shook her head quickly, still holding onto the kitten. “No, I
rlm@0: can’t! I can’t fight! I’m not like Riku and Sora!” She would do
rlm@0: anything she could to have her friends back, to protect them. But she
rlm@0: wasn’t a fighter like they were. She just didn’t have that kind of
rlm@0: skill. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You have to, Kairi. You’re the only one who can stop the spreading
rlm@0: darkness. If you don’t, it will envelop everything,” he said
rlm@0: urgently. He finally turned to her. “Kairi, you are the light within
rlm@0: the darkness. No one else can reach its heart.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “But...” Kairi stammered, unsure. How could she be important to all
rlm@0: of this? She was only one of the seven princesses needed to open the
rlm@0: final keyhole. And that was already sealed. So why was she the only
rlm@0: one who could stop it? 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “The Keyblade you wield is different from Sora’s. It’s the same as
rlm@0: the one Riku had. It can unlock people’s hearts. Remember, Kairi,
rlm@0: within every heart is a light that will never fade away. Even in the
rlm@0: darkest heart. You need to unlock that light,” he continued. The
rlm@0: cloaked figure turned away at last, the Heartless nearly upon them.
rlm@0: Reaching into his large jacket, he pulled out two blades that looked
rlm@0: like long, curved wings. “Run.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I.. But who..” She began. But the Heartless were already leaping
rlm@0: forward towards them. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Run!” he called out, hurrying into the fray. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: So Kairi ran. The rain fell heavily around her, as if it were trying
rlm@0: to stop her itself. She could hear the boy fighting with the
rlm@0: Heartless behind her, but she couldn’t look back. She just had to run
rlm@0: as far as she could, to try to get away from all of this. She wanted
rlm@0: to find her friends again. She didn’t know how she could save
rlm@0: everything. That didn’t make sense to her. Her priority was still
rlm@0: simple. To find Riku and Sora. Wherever they were. After that she
rlm@0: would figure out whatever this thing about stopping the heart of
rlm@0: darkness was. Besides, if she had Riku and Sora with her, she knew
rlm@0: she could handle it. But right now, she was still all alone.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Suddenly, Kairi’s feet were no longer touching the floor. The world
rlm@0: spun around her as she fell in the air. For a moment, she thought
rlm@0: that maybe the world was shifting around her, that she was going
rlm@0: someplace else. But the wet street greeted her eagerly as she fell
rlm@0: back to the earth. She lay there for a long moment, disoriented. But
rlm@0: by the time she had regained her senses, it was too late. A rather
rlm@0: large Heartless was upon her. She felt it grab her hand, yanking her
rlm@0: off her feet. It looked at her with unseeing eyes, slowly reaching
rlm@0: out. Her heart pounded in her chest. Was this how it was all going to
rlm@0: end? Hunted down by the Heartless before she could ever find her
rlm@0: friends? A lot of good she had done them. They would get back to the
rlm@0: Destiny Islands one day and she wouldn’t be there waiting for them.
rlm@0: And they’d never know what had happened to her. She shuddered at the
rlm@0: thought. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘This isn’t real. None of it is. Just open your eyes. You’re safe
rlm@0: and sound back home. This is only a dream,’ a voice said deep inside
rlm@0: of Kairi. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘This doesn’t feel like a dream,’ Kairi thought frantically as the
rlm@0: Heartless continued reaching out for her. In desparation, she closed
rlm@0: her eyes. "Go away. Please go away,” she whispered, her eyes shut
rlm@0: tightly. She gasped, her eyes opening as she felt it’s cold hand
rlm@0: reach into her chest, hunting for her heart. And it was gone. All of
rlm@0: it. The Heartless, the city, the rain. It was all gone.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi bolted upright in the bed she found herself lying on. She was
rlm@0: in a slightly cluttered room. All across the bed were small little
rlm@0: plush dolls. Each looked like they were made with love and care,
rlm@0: attention spent on minor details. Around the room were drawing upon
rlm@0: drawing, some taped to the walls, some pinned to them, and other
rlm@0: lying almost to the point of overflowing on the desk in the corner. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Where am I?” Kairi asked to no one in particular, glancing about
rlm@0: the strange room. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You’re home,” a girl replied, startling the brunette. The voice
rlm@0: came from behind the door in the room, as if the person was leaning
rlm@0: against it. “See? It was all just a bad dream. You could have woken
rlm@0: up from it whenever you wanted to. But it doesn’t matter. You’re home
rlm@0: now.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m home?” the princess asked, looking about the room. Her eyes
rlm@0: settled on a small picture frame that lie near the bed on a stand
rlm@0: with the lamp. It was a picture of herself. She didn’t look
rlm@0: particularly happy in the picture, her blue eyes distant. She was
rlm@0: wearing all dark clothes, a hand against her cheek. She shook her
rlm@0: head quickly. That couldn’t be her. She looked so sad in the picture,
rlm@0: so alone. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Where are the Destiny Islands? Why am I here?” she demanded,
rlm@0: staring at the door.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “The Destiny Islands are in your head. You made them up. You’re here
rlm@0: because you finally opened your eyes. You’ve stopped daydreaming.
rlm@0: This is real life, Kairi. Or as close as you’ll allow yourself to get
rlm@0: to it,” the voice answered.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi paled at the thought. She shook her head violently. “No!
rlm@0: They’re not in my head. They’re real. I’ve spent the past few years
rlm@0: living there with Riku and Sora.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The girl on the other side of the door laughed. “Oh, you mean the ‘I
rlm@0: woke up on the Islands without any memory and met my wonderful
rlm@0: friends’ thing? Why do you think you had no memory? Because you
rlm@0: didn’t want to remember. It wasn’t amnesia, Kairi. It was you
rlm@0: choosing to forget. And did you ever notice how everything was
rlm@0: absolutely perfect on the Destiny Islands? You had your two cute
rlm@0: friends who happened to compete at everything. Especially you. Wow,
rlm@0: sounds a little like a girl’s romantic daydream, doesn’t it?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “No, it’s not like that,” Kairi said. She wasn’t liking where this
rlm@0: was going at all. This room, it felt so familiar. The voice on the
rlm@0: other side sounded like she had heard it somewhere before. It all
rlm@0: felt like pieces to some puzzle. If she only allowed them to fit
rlm@0: together, it would all make sense. But she couldn’t allow this to
rlm@0: make sense. That would be acknowledging that everything that had
rlm@0: happened with Sora and Riku wasn’t real. And she couldn’t do that.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Take a look around your room, Kairi. You were absolutely obsessed
rlm@0: about this Island you made up. About a place where you had friends.
rlm@0: Where there were people who liked you. Where you weren’t so lonely.
rlm@0: It’s all you’ve been thinking about for years now. You came up with
rlm@0: everything about it. The people who lived there, what it all looked
rlm@0: like, how they all acted. It was the most important thing in your
rlm@0: life. Because it let you escape the pain. So eventually you escaped
rlm@0: to it altogether, pretending that it was real,” the voice explained.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi began to look around the room. True enough, the pictures were
rlm@0: all of the Destiny Islands. They were all in her art style. She could
rlm@0: see Riku and Sora, Selphie and the others, all in her pictures. There
rlm@0: was even a picture of them all building a raft together. One of the
rlm@0: pictures was of Riku, with several different drawings of him, all
rlm@0: slightly different as if she had been trying to figure out just
rlm@0: exactly how he should look. Another picture was an entire overview of
rlm@0: what the Islands looked like, with little notes in her handwriting
rlm@0: saying who lived where and what certain things were. It looked like
rlm@0: she had created the islands in her drawings. But she had lived there.
rlm@0: She had been there with Riku and Sora. It wasn’t just a dream. It
rlm@0: couldn’t have been. She hadn’t made it all up. She hadn’t.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The brunette hugged the kitten tighter to her chest for comfort. But
rlm@0: the feeling was different. It was soft and plush. Looking down, she
rlm@0: saw it was one of the dolls. But not just a normal doll. It was a
rlm@0: doll of Sora. She held it up, her mouth opening, but nothing coming
rlm@0: out. She turned around, glancing at other dolls. There was Riku. And
rlm@0: over there in the small yellow dress was Yuffie. And Quistis. And
rlm@0: Tidus. And Wakka. And many, many more. She had dolls of all of them,
rlm@0: spread all about her bed. She grabbed for them, holding as many as
rlm@0: she could in her arms. These people, these important people in her
rlm@0: heart, they were all dolls lying across her bed. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You made those dolls in your spare time. And you had a lot of it.
rlm@0: You spent almost all your time in your room. Mom got so scared that
rlm@0: something was wrong with you. You’d always disappear back here,
rlm@0: making your dolls of the characters you wanted to meet, or drawing
rlm@0: those pictures of the Islands you made up. Always lost in your own
rlm@0: fantasies, always trying to escape the real world.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi was confused. What if this was right? What if she really had
rlm@0: just been dreaming it all, making it all up? Maybe she really was
rlm@0: just a lonely, lost little girl. But there was still a glimmer of
rlm@0: hope. She held onto it tightly, trying to keep from doubting her
rlm@0: friends’ existence. “But we traveled beyond the Destiny Islands. I
rlm@0: was with Sora in his heart while he sealed the Keyholes in all the
rlm@0: different worlds.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You mean those Disney worlds? The ones you’ve watched over and over
rlm@0: and over again? Of course you’d pretend to visit those places, too.
rlm@0: You have every Disney video ever made. When you aren’t making up
rlm@0: things for your islands, you’re watching those videos. Because they
rlm@0: always end with happily ever after, with the prince Saving the
rlm@0: princess. They’re just another way you escape,” The voice responded. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The brunette’s shoulders slumped, her last shred of hope crushed
rlm@0: into stardust. She could remember them now. She could remember late
rlm@0: at night, watching the movies over and over again, crying herself to
rlm@0: sleep as the credits rolled, asking herself why she couldn’t be
rlm@0: Cinderella, why she couldn’t have her happily ever after. She could
rlm@0: remember sitting alone in her room, drawing the islands the way she
rlm@0: wanted them to be. Making the dolls of all the friends she would meet
rlm@0: along the way. Playing those games over and over again, all set in a
rlm@0: far off fantasy world that she could never hope to be. Selphie was
rlm@0: from one of them, wasn’t she? And so was Tidus and Wakka. And
rlm@0: Quistis. Even the heroes that Sora had met, Cloud, Squall, Aerith,
rlm@0: and Yuffie. They were all from the games she had played. Was it all
rlm@0: nothing more than her imagination, her own personal paradise she
rlm@0: would escape to? Even the worlds she had visited outside of her
rlm@0: island had come from these things. Was none of it real? 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Standing up, the princess (was that even real?) headed for the door.
rlm@0: She needed to know the truth. She needed to understand what was going
rlm@0: on. Her heart felt bruised and battered, knocked around inside of
rlm@0: her. Sora and Riku had to be real. They had to! She couldn’t admit to
rlm@0: herself that it was all a lie, all part of some escapist fantasy. She
rlm@0: paused before the door. She knew the other girl was out there, still
rlm@0: leaning against the door, waiting for her. She had the answers. She
rlm@0: knew what was going on. But did she even want to hear them? But deep
rlm@0: down, she had to know. Reaching out slowly, she felt her hand clasp
rlm@0: around the cold doorknob. Her hand gripped it tightly, though she was
rlm@0: almost afraid that it would burn her or yank out of her grasp. She
rlm@0: swallowed, trying to pool her resolve. She closed her eyes tightly.
rlm@0: Whatever lay beyond that door would forever change her life. The
rlm@0: doorknob slowly turned beneath her fingers...
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: And caught. The door was locked. It wouldn’t open. She tried again,
rlm@0: with the same failure. It refused to open for her. “Why won’t it
rlm@0: open?” she asked in frustration, trying one last time.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Because you don’t want it to. You can’t accept it. The door to the
rlm@0: real world won’t open until you’re willing to accept reality. It
rlm@0: won’t open until you’re ready. And you aren’t ready yet,” the voice
rlm@0: said softly. “You’re still trapped between fantasy and reality. This
rlm@0: is your real bedroom, but it’s still in a dream. You can’t leave the
rlm@0: dream until you’re ready for what’s out here. The real world can be
rlm@0: cold and lonely, Kairi. Trust me. I know. It cultivates darkness. It
rlm@0: spreads like wildfire through people’s hearts. Everyone is lonely.
rlm@0: Everyone suffers. No one can blame you for wanting to escape it all.
rlm@0: No one can blame you for what you did.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi’s wrists began to burn painfully at the other girl’s words.
rlm@0: She looked down only to find blood seeping through the wristbands she
rlm@0: wore. She looked up again, panicking. She was bleeding. Her wrists
rlm@0: had been slashed. “Help me!” she cried, slumping against the door.
rlm@0: “Please help me...” Tears spilt down her cheeks as she slid down the
rlm@0: door to her knees. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “No one can help you, Kairi. You’re the one who slit your wrists.
rlm@0: You’re the one who couldn’t stand to live in this world anymore.
rlm@0: You’re the one who gave it up for your fantasies. But now reality is
rlm@0: seeping into your fantasies. That is the Heartless. The cold,
rlm@0: heartless reality that doesn’t care either way for you. And you can’t
rlm@0: stop reality from finding a way in.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi sobbed, curling up into a ball on the floor. She was feeling
rlm@0: so weak and dizzy as the blood seeped from her body. She could dimly
rlm@0: remember the cold feel of sharp metal against her flesh, the
rlm@0: determined thought that she would finally be free of her loneliness
rlm@0: and pain. She could remember trying to kill herself. And now it all
rlm@0: felt as if it was catching up to her. “Riku.. Sora..” she called out
rlm@0: weakly, her vision dimming. She was dying, she realized. Everything
rlm@0: was fading away. Perhaps she really hadn’t been on her island after
rlm@0: all. She had merely imagined it all in those seconds after she had
rlm@0: cut her wrists open. All those years had only been frantic seconds.
rlm@0: Whereas other people saw their lives flashing before their eyes,
rlm@0: Kairi only wanted to see her fantasies, nothing from her real life
rlm@0: deigning itself worthy to show up before the end. And now cold
rlm@0: reality was taking over in those last precious seconds of life. It
rlm@0: chilled her soul. She was so scared. All alone, bleeding to death on
rlm@0: the carpet. And the boys she relied on the most weren’t even real.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “How will mom feel when she finds you dead in your room? How am I
rlm@0: supposed to feel? Damn it, Kairi! Why did you have to do that?” the
rlm@0: voice on the other side of the door asked, sounding both angry and
rlm@0: close to tears. “You have such a strong spirit. Why couldn’t you just
rlm@0: hold out a little longer?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But it was too late. Kairi was too numb to even speak. She simply
rlm@0: lay there. She could see someone’s feet on the other end of the door,
rlm@0: but even that was fading fast. ‘I’m sorry,’ she tried to say. But
rlm@0: nothing came out. And everything turned to black.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ‘Dear diary,
rlm@0: It’s me, Selphie, again. But you probably already knew that. I’m
rlm@0: writing this on the pier. Yeah, I know Kairi’s usually sitting here,
rlm@0: worrying about Riku and Sora, but she’s gone now. No one knows where.
rlm@0: She disappeared not too long ago. We’ve been looking all over for
rlm@0: her, on all the Destiny Islands, but no one knows where she’s gone
rlm@0: off to. It’s like she up and vanished. Or maybe she grew wings and
rlm@0: flew off somewhere. No one really knows. Wherever she is, I hope
rlm@0: she’s happy. Maybe she’s even found Sora and Riku by now! Booyaka!
rlm@0: (No one’s using that yet! Quisty just looks embarrassed when I tell
rlm@0: her we should be spreading that word.)
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: I’m trying to be hopeful about the whole thing, but everything’s
rlm@0: been weird since Kairi left. The seas all rough and angry now. And
rlm@0: the skies are growing darker. It’s like a big storm is approaching.
rlm@0: But it feels a lot worse than that, like something else is coming. I
rlm@0: can’t get it off my mind. The ocean doesn’t look friendly anymore.
rlm@0: The skies don’t look beautiful and free. It’s all like some dark and
rlm@0: twisted version of itself. I don’t like it at all. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Oh, Quisty and I shared a Paopu fruit!! It was just as romantic as I
rlm@0: imagined it would be! We sat there on the island and watched the
rlm@0: sunset together. I finally managed to work up the courage to open the
rlm@0: fruit. Quistis blushed in that cute, mature way she always has and
rlm@0: took the piece I offered her. Then she took a piece and fed it to me!
rlm@0: I could’ve died right then. It was sooooo sweet! And not just the
rlm@0: fruit. Having her feed it to me like that was so romantic. I spent
rlm@0: the rest of the night with my head on her shoulder, holding onto her
rlm@0: with everything I had. My mom was so mad when I got home! She said
rlm@0: she was worried when I didn’t get home last night. I’ve got loads of
rlm@0: extra chores, but I don’t care. It was worth it to spend the night
rlm@0: with my Quisty. I guess our hearts are forever intertwined now,
rlm@0: right? Great! Wherever I go, I know it’ll be with her.  
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Still, I can’t help worrying about Kairi. And what’s happening to
rlm@0: the Destiny Islands. I know that Quisty will help me through it,
rlm@0: whatever it is, but I still don’t like whatever’s happening. I wonder
rlm@0: if...’
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: A hand rested on Selphie’s bare shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly,
rlm@0: shaking Selphie from her diary based thoughts. Selphie looked up and
rlm@0: smiled at the blonde girl standing beside her. She had been sitting
rlm@0: at the dock for a while, taking up Kairi’s usual position. She hadn’t
rlm@0: even noticed that Quistis had come to the island. But she was
rlm@0: suddenly very glad the slightly older girl had. All of this looking
rlm@0: at the ocean and thinking about Kairi was starting to worry her. And
rlm@0: she was usually the happy, upbeat one. At least when Quistis was
rlm@0: around she could concentrate on trying to lift the blonde girl’s
rlm@0: spirits instead. She placed her hand over Quistis’s, still looking
rlm@0: out to sea. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I realized something must be wrong when you didn’t show up to come
rlm@0: drag me from my studies today. I don’t think you’ve ever been late to
rlm@0: distract me yet,” Quistis explained. She smiled faintly as she sat
rlm@0: down next to the other girl on the edge of the pier. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “It’s that time already?” Selphie asked, blinking. “Darn!” She stood
rlm@0: up quickly, as if to go back and get Quistis. But of course, Quistis
rlm@0: was already there. She shook her head, holding her diary to her
rlm@0: chest. “I completely forgot the time. I meant to go get you before
rlm@0: you got lost in all those books. But then I thought I’d sit down for
rlm@0: a minute. Then I thought I’d get some of my diary done. And then...
rlm@0: Well, I guess you know what happened then because you’re here.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The blonde girl giggled, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “Yes,
rlm@0: I am, Selphie. I was just worried about you. When you didn’t show up,
rlm@0: I thought maybe something had gone wrong. Kairi disappeared, so I
rlm@0: thought maybe you’d been next. I’m just glad it wasn’t anything.”
rlm@0: With the strange weather and the other girl’s disappearance, Quistis
rlm@0: had been extremely worried for the past day. She couldn’t tell if
rlm@0: that was the extent of things or if they would spread. And the
rlm@0: thought of one day finding Selphie missing was horrifying. So when
rlm@0: Selphie hadn’t been there, she had panicked and headed out to the
rlm@0: smallest of the islands where Selphie and her friends liked to play
rlm@0: as quickly as she could. She was relieved to find her spunky
rlm@0: girlfriend alive and well. And still planning on interrupting her
rlm@0: studies as always. Maybe things hadn’t changed that much after all.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Selphie sat down again. After just a moment’s hesitation, she rested
rlm@0: her head on Quistis’s shoulder, sighing happily and hugging her
rlm@0: diary. “Nope, I’m still here. You can’t get rid of me that easily.
rlm@0: I’ll always be following you around. Forever.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Quistis smiled warmly, letting her fingers sift through Selphie’s
rlm@0: brunette hair. Selphie always managed to make her forget all about
rlm@0: her worries. “I love you, Selphie,” she whispered softly, still
rlm@0: playing with the younger girl’s hair. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Blushing faintly, Selphie turned to look up at Quistis. Green eyes
rlm@0: met the blonde’s blue eyes. “I love you, too, Quisty,” she said, her
rlm@0: eyes sparkling brightly. She closed her eyes as Quistis leaned in,
rlm@0: kissing her. Sighing happily, she melted against the older girl.
rlm@0: There would be time to worry later on. Much later on. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi awoke to find herself in yet another alleyway. But at least it
rlm@0: wasn’t raining this time. The kitten was licking at her face, trying
rlm@0: to wake her up. She slowly got to her feet, her head still swimming.
rlm@0: Where was she now? It didn’t look like the big, menacing city she had
rlm@0: been in before. She picked up the kitten and stepped out of the
rlm@0: alley, rubbing her head. She tried to block out the memories of being
rlm@0: in her room, of the voice behind the door. Of course this was all
rlm@0: real. This had always been real. It was the way of things. But still,
rlm@0: she couldn’t help but have a tiny doubt inside of herself. Maybe the
rlm@0: voice had been telling the truth. Maybe..
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: But she couldn’t allow that. She couldn’t let any of it not be real.
rlm@0: It was all too important to her. Riku, Sora, their islands, their
rlm@0: friends. She wouldn’t let it all be some delusion. She would fight
rlm@0: for them, fight to protect them all. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Slowly, Kairi looked down to her wrists. Her wristbands looked fine,
rlm@0: bloodless. But she couldn’t help but wonder. She reached out one
rlm@0: hand, pulling one of them back inch by inch. She had always worn
rlm@0: them, never questioning them. But now she wondered why. Maybe it was
rlm@0: because they were covering something. As it inched up, she stared in
rlm@0: shock. A long scar ran along her wrist, right where she would have
rlm@0: cut. She yanked the cloth down quickly, covering the scar. Shaking
rlm@0: now, she tried desperately to ignore it. It wasn’t there. It was just
rlm@0: her overactive imagination. She needed to focus on something else.
rlm@0: Like where she was. That was the important thing at the moment. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Looking up and down the street, she couldn’t see anyone. It was
rlm@0: still late and no one seemed to be about. But there was a place with
rlm@0: a light on. It still seemed to be open. She sighed in relief, heading
rlm@0: for it. The place seemed to be named Fate. She paused before the
rlm@0: door, reading it again. An interesting name, at any rate. With all
rlm@0: the weird places she had ended up, she was curious as to whether that
rlm@0: was simply a name or this place’s true purpose. Whatever the case,
rlm@0: she entered into the building, holding the kitten in one arm. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Inside, she could see that it was a bar, or a club or something of
rlm@0: the sort. It had interesting music playing and there was even a car
rlm@0: inside for patrons to sit in. It didn’t seem to be very busy at the
rlm@0: moment, though. A large, frightening looking man with metallic horns
rlm@0: on his head and a leather jacket was leaning against the wall.
rlm@0: Another man with tattoos all over his body was leaning back in a
rlm@0: chair. Sitting at a table, a man with spiky hair was frowning while a
rlm@0: girl in a big yellow raincoat was talking to him cheerfully. At the
rlm@0: bar sat a blonde man with a red and blue jacket. And behind the bar,
rlm@0: cleaning out glasses, was the bar hostess, a woman with very long,
rlm@0: dark hair. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh, Sion! You look so cute with puppy ears? Doesn’t he, Kou? Like a
rlm@0: great, big puppy dog!” Dominique squealed happily. She was forcing
rlm@0: fake puppy ears onto Sion’s head. The spiky haired man simply sighed,
rlm@0: offering up no resistance.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kou laughed, watching in wry amusement. “Sure does, Dominique. I bet
rlm@0: he’d make an even better bouncer wearing those things all the time.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You really think so?” Dominique asked thoughtfully. She grinned,
rlm@0: nodding. “I think you should always wear them, Sion!”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The woman behind the bar smiled, waving Kairi over. “Hello, little
rlm@0: girl. Can I help you? My name’s Tifa. I own this bar. We don’t really
rlm@0: get a lot of young girls showing up. Well, besides Dominique.” She
rlm@0: looked over at the blonde girl accosting her bouncer and sighed,
rlm@0: shaking her head. “Anyway, what can I do for you?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi hugged the kitten, heading over to the bar. This woman seemed
rlm@0: nice. And after all the Heartless earlier and being alone except for
rlm@0: the spooky voice behind her door, she felt glad to be around people
rlm@0: again. “I was hoping you could tell me where I am.” She looked down
rlm@0: as soon as she asked the question. She realized how idiotic it
rlm@0: sounded. How could she not know where she was? But still, she had to
rlm@0: know.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You’re in Traverse Town,” Tifa said simply, setting a cup full of
rlm@0: milk down. She winked at the younger girl. “I have to have some non-
rlm@0: alchoholic beverages around with how often Dominique’s here.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Smiling gratefully, Kairi took a long sip of the cold milk. It felt
rlm@0: comforting somehow. And it was so nice to finally know where she was.
rlm@0: She had spent some time in Traverse Town back when Sora had been
rlm@0: patching things up at the End of the World. Now she didn’t feel quite
rlm@0: so lost anymore. And maybe Sora would even end up checking back
rlm@0: there. Things didn’t feel as hopeless as they had. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Tifa.. Why don’t we have any hotdogs left? I’m so hungry!” The
rlm@0: blond man in the red and blue jacket asked, holding his stomach.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tifa sighed, wiping up the counter. “Because you ate them all, Zell.
rlm@0: I’m not going to make anymore if you always wind up eating them
rlm@0: before I can sell any.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “But.. But Tifa!” Zell argued futilely. The barmaid just refused to
rlm@0: acknowledge him, still going about her work. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi looked around at the group in the bar and then back to Tifa.
rlm@0: “Aren’t these an awful lot of bouncers for one bar?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tifa shrugged, pausing in her work. “Not really. With the Heartless
rlm@0: around, it’s just not safe these days. So by keeping so many bouncers
rlm@0: around, people can relax when they’re at Fate. They can come here and
rlm@0: forget their worries. And people like to have a place to escape from
rlm@0: everything, you know?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi shuddered at the word escape. It reminded her too much of the
rlm@0: voices accusations that all of this was only an escape for her, not
rlm@0: real. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “You should see Tifa fight! It’s not like she needs us bouncers
rlm@0: anyway. But she can’t be serving drinks and fighting the Heartless at
rlm@0: the same time. That’s the only reason she needs us,” Kou stated,
rlm@0: grinning. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tifa laughed, holding her arm out behind the bar. “Everyone at the
rlm@0: bar Fate can make your stay a safe experience. So if you ever need
rlm@0: help, little girl, just head back here. We’ll be more than happy to
rlm@0: help you.” She smiled sweetly. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “My name’s Kairi,” Kairi said. She nodded. “And thank you. Thank you
rlm@0: very much! You’ve already helped a lot!” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tifa grinned. “Anytime. It’s what we’re here for. So why is a cute
rlm@0: little girl like you all alone in a place like Traverse Town? Let me
rlm@0: guess, lost your world, huh? It seems like everyone who escapes from
rlm@0: that ends up here.” Sighing, she shook her head. It was always such a
rlm@0: shame to see people end up there all alone, losing their families and
rlm@0: friends. That’s why she had started Fate, as a place where people
rlm@0: could forget their pain. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Actually, I’m looking for my friends. My world’s still there. I
rlm@0: think. I’m trying to find Riku and Sora. They’re lost out there
rlm@0: somewhere and I have to find them,” Kairi explained. She was almost
rlm@0: hopeful that they had some news, that perhaps some word had reached
rlm@0: this bar. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Tifa shook her head. “I don’t think I’ve heard of either of them.
rlm@0: I’ll be sure to keep listening for anyone who brings up their names,
rlm@0: though. Lots of people from all over come in through here. Just keep
rlm@0: checking in and I’m sure we’ll get some information sooner or later,”
rlm@0: she promised. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “So the Heartless are back? And people are travelling to different
rlm@0: worlds again? I thought that no one could travel because the barriers
rlm@0: between the worlds were restored when the final keyhole was locked,”
rlm@0: Kairi asked, confused. It didn’t make sense that the Heartless were
rlm@0: back. Hadn’t Sora solved all that?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Well, the barriers seemed to be in place for a while. The worlds
rlm@0: had been restored and everything seemed to be in place. But before
rlm@0: the barriers had even fully set in, they disappeared. And then the
rlm@0: Heartless began to appear again. They’ve already overrun a number of
rlm@0: worlds, swallowing them. People are using Traverse Town as a refuge.
rlm@0: So we’re doing our best to help the people here,” Tifa explained,
rlm@0: resting her hands on the counter. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh,” Kairi said simply, letting it all sink in. “Something must
rlm@0: have gone wrong,” she reasoned. “Riku and Sora must not have been
rlm@0: able to stop it after all. So it’s still out there.” That thought
rlm@0: frightened her. Now she really needed to find Sora and Riku. If they
rlm@0: hadn’t succeeded after all, then they might be in danger. Finishing
rlm@0: her milk, she stood up. “Thank you!” She called out, waving as she
rlm@0: headed for the door.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Don’t mention it! Be strong, Kairi!” Tifa called after her, waving
rlm@0: back. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi nodded, smiling as she exited the bar. With her newfound gem
rlm@0: of hope, she stepped out into the street. Now where to begin her
rlm@0: search? Someone had to have some idea of where her friends were, or
rlm@0: at least where to begin. She began walking along Dog Street, the
rlm@0: street that Fate was on, lost in her own thoughts. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Before she got too far, a hand snaked out and clamped over her
rlm@0: mouth. Another hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her into another
rlm@0: alleyway. Kairi was really beginning to hate alleyways. A small
rlm@0: dagger pushed against her throat, cutting off any thoughts of
rlm@0: struggling in her mind. “So what about this one? Anythin’ valuable?”
rlm@0: a strange accent said behind her. Kairi froze, her heart pounding in
rlm@0: her chest. She was being mugged. She just seemed to keep finding
rlm@0: herself in trouble. Were they just going to rob her? She had nothing
rlm@0: of worth. Would they kill her when they were done? An icy chill ran
rlm@0: through her heart. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “She’s sure cute, at any rate,” A blond man said, grinning. He had a
rlm@0: long tail moving behind him. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “And young. Get your mind out of the gutter, Zidane. We’ve got a
rlm@0: show to do in twenty minutes,” a girl stated. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Zidane’s just stating the obvious,” another man said in Zidane’s
rlm@0: defense. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oye. Can we just see if she’s got anything worth takin’ and leave?”
rlm@0: the accent said in her ear again. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Any materia?” the girl’s voice asked hopefully. She stepped forward
rlm@0: in the dim light of the alleyway, ready to search Kairi. The girl
rlm@0: blinked in surprise. “Wait, I know her. Kairi? Is that you?” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Yuffie?” Kairi asked hopefully, still not moving an inch. She had
rlm@0: only met Yuffie for a brief time after Sora had saved her from Hollow
rlm@0: Bastion. Yuffie, Leon, and Aerith had taken care of her while she
rlm@0: waited for Sora to return. The ninja girl was arrogant and sarcastic,
rlm@0: but she liked her anyway. And any familiar face was good at the
rlm@0: moment. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Let her go, Kid. She’s a friend of mine,” Yuffie explained. The
rlm@0: knife and hand pulled away from Kairi, letting her free. “Are you
rlm@0: okay, Kairi? Long time no see. Sorry about the rough treatment. We’re
rlm@0: the Radical Dreamers. Me, Kid, Zidane, and Locke. We had another
rlm@0: member, but she’s been missing for a while. We don’t know what
rlm@0: happened to her. Hopefully nothing bad. Anyway, we’re a group of
rlm@0: thieves. Well, thieves/performers. We’re in high demand in all sorts
rlm@0: of different worlds.” The ninja smiled proudly. “We just happen to
rlm@0: make some extra profits by robbing everyone blind, too. It’s a
rlm@0: living.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi blinked, rubbing her neck. “So you gave up being part of a
rlm@0: group of heroes to join a group of thieves?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I’m not a thief. I’m a professional treasure hunter,” Locke added
rlm@0: helpfully.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Thieves/performers,” Yuffie corrected, ignoring the man in the
rlm@0: bandana.
rlm@0: “And yes. But not just because I felt like ditching Aerith and Leon.
rlm@0: They’re both with their lovers right now, so I felt kind of out of
rlm@0: place. On top of that, I noticed that something was wrong when the
rlm@0: worlds started connecting again. So I figured I’d go check it out
rlm@0: while Leon and Aerith are playing doctor with Rinoa and Cloud. I just
rlm@0: happened to hook up with my old friends the Radical Dreamers while I
rlm@0: was at it.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Zidane sighed, looking over his shoulder. “Well, if this whole thing
rlm@0: was a bust, we really need to get going. The show’s gonna start soon.
rlm@0: Good luck with your friend, Yuffie. Maybe you can give us a more
rlm@0: proper introduction next time.” The catboy grinned, winking at Kairi.
rlm@0: Taking her hand, he placed a kiss on it before turning to leave with
rlm@0: Locke.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi blushed faintly at the attention. Yuffie just gave an
rlm@0: exasperated sigh, as if this wasn’t anything new. “Just ignore him,”
rlm@0: the ninja said as the two boys left.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: The princess nodded thoughtfully. “I’m glad someone else noticed
rlm@0: things have been weird lately. I’m looking for Sora and Riku. They
rlm@0: never came back after sealing the final Keyhole. I have to find
rlm@0: them.” Meanwhile, Kairi’s kitten had scurried over to Yuffie’s feet,
rlm@0: rubbing against her stocking and meowing like crazy. Kairi giggled.
rlm@0: “I guess she really likes you, Yuffie.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Yuffie tried to shoo the cat away with her foot, but the kitten
rlm@0: ignored it, pawing at her leg and looking up at her. “Yeah, I guess
rlm@0: so. Though I’ve never been much of a cat person.” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do with the Keyblade. Maybe
rlm@0: I can give it to Riku or Sora when I find them,” Kairi said, sighing. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: That caught Yuffie’s attention. “The Keyblade? You have the
rlm@0: Keyblade?” Kairi nodded. The ninja looked at her for a moment,
rlm@0: weighing her options. “All right, how about this. I’ll let you come
rlm@0: with me. I need to find out what’s going on anyway, so you might as
rlm@0: well follow me. And I’m sure we’ll run into your friends along the
rlm@0: way.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Are you sure you wouldn’t be following me around, Yuffie?” Kairi
rlm@0: asked with a giggle. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Why would the great ninja Yuffie ever have to follow someone?”
rlm@0: Yuffie asked incredulously. “Anyway, how does that sound?” She held
rlm@0: her hand out, watching the younger girl.
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Sounds great,” Kairi said eagerly, taking Yuffie’s hand with both
rlm@0: of hers. She felt ecstatic to know she wasn’t on her own anymore.
rlm@0: Yuffie was a ninja. She knew how to handle these things. She could
rlm@0: help her find Riku and Sora. Things were starting to look up. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Great!” Yuffie grinned. She didn’t need Leon or Aerith after all.
rlm@0: And this time she could help the Keyblade Master.. err.. Mistress to
rlm@0: stop the Heartless once and for all. “Now would you mind getting your
rlm@0: kitten away from me?”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Oh, sure.” Kairi knelt down, picking up the kitten, embarrassed.
rlm@0: The kitten struggled to keep it’s claws in Yuffie’s stockings, but
rlm@0: she finally managed to get it free after a short struggle. The kitten
rlm@0: meowed again and again, struggling to get free of Kairi. “I’m sorry,
rlm@0: she’s usually not like this. I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Must be star struck. Not everyday you get to meet the Radical
rlm@0: Dreamers,” Kid said, winking. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Speaking of which, we need to hurry if we’re going to get there
rlm@0: before the curtain rises. And we’re still out a cast member.” Yuffie
rlm@0: crossed her arms, looking at Kairi for a moment. “Would you mind
rlm@0: filling in? We’ve already booked today, so we need to get this out of
rlm@0: the way, but after that we’ll start looking for your friends.” ‘And
rlm@0: treasure,’ she mentally added. With all the worlds they’d be going
rlm@0: to, she’d probably amass a fortune before finally stopping the
rlm@0: Heartless. Ahhh.. Fame and money. What could be better?
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi thought it over for a moment. It was the least she could do
rlm@0: after Yuffie had agreed to help her. And she had played similar games
rlm@0: with Sora and Riku back on the island. Sure this was a little bigger
rlm@0: than playing pretend, but it was essentially the same thing, right?
rlm@0: She nodded. “Okay, I’ll help.” 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: “Good. Let’s hurry and get you in a costume before the play starts.”
rlm@0: Yuffie grabbed her hand and pulled her along. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: Kairi stumbled afterwards, still holding her feisty kitten. She sure
rlm@0: hoped this wasn’t a mistake. 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0: 
rlm@0:  
rlm@0: