rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Prism Hearts 
rlm@2: Chapter 9
rlm@2: Eyes on Me
rlm@2: by Amazoness Duo
rlm@2: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ‘I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately...
rlm@2: Like... is any of this for real... or not?’
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Sora...” The world seemed out of place around them, distorted and
rlm@2: far off. As if they were from another time and place, simply
rlm@2: juxtaposed in this strange nightmare landscape. But it hardly seemed
rlm@2: to matter for the two young friends, reunited at long last. “I never
rlm@2: thought I’d see you again.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The boy in question, the wanderer of time who had sealed away the
rlm@2: Doorway to the Darkness, could only stand in the princess’s embrace,
rlm@2: too taken aback to do much of anything. When he had sealed away the
rlm@2: Heartless, he had thought that the barriers between the worlds was
rlm@2: returned, that they were separated by an infinite distance. But here
rlm@2: she was, waiting for him in this strange place. “Kairi...” He
rlm@2: swallowed back the lump in his throat and managed to smile. “I told
rlm@2: you I’d always be with you.” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The brunette laughed, burying her head against his shoulder, holding
rlm@2: him as tightly as she could. He felt so real in her grasp. She could
rlm@2: smell him and hear him and feel him against her. “Oh, Sora... Don’t
rlm@2: ever leave me again. You don’t know how much I need you.” She closed
rlm@2: her eyes, but opened them immediately, almost afraid he would
rlm@2: disappear if she did. She couldn’t risk that.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Nodding, Sora pulled the smaller girl closer to him. “I won’t,
rlm@2: Kairi. I promise. I won’t let anything take me away from you. Not
rlm@2: now.” He wanted to take away whatever was bothering Kairi. He had
rlm@2: missed her terribly, but she seemed almost desperate to have him
rlm@2: near. He felt awful for having left her alone in the first place,
rlm@2: even if it hadn’t exactly been his choice. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: She sighed, shaking her head against him. “I wish I could believe
rlm@2: that. But it isn’t that simple. Nothing is that simple. But... For as
rlm@2: long as I can, I’ll keep you with me, Sora.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi, please don’t talk like that. Nothing will take me away.
rlm@2: You’ll see,” Sora reassured his friend. But she didn’t seem entirely
rlm@2: convinced. He didn’t know what else he could do but prove it to her.
rlm@2: And that would take a while. Glancing about the strange landscape
rlm@2: that surrounded them, his mind turned to another pressing subject.
rlm@2: “Where are we? What is this place? And what was that guy talking
rlm@2: about when he ambushed me? He said something about a princess.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Disentangling herself from Sora, the brunette stepped back. She
rlm@2: curtsied in her long, lavender dress. “I’m Princess Hikari of the
rlm@2: kingdom of Hollow Bastion.” She grinned as she stood up straight once
rlm@2: more. “Silly. I can’t believe you forgot I was a princess. You must
rlm@2: have a short term memory, Sora.” She giggled as she winked at the boy.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora ran a hand behind his head, laughing nervously. “Well, I know
rlm@2: you were one of the seven princesses, but I never really found out
rlm@2: where you were from so I didn’t make the connection.” He blinks as
rlm@2: another connection was made in his mind. “Wait, your name’s Hikari?
rlm@2: But I always thought you were just Kairi.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Hikari shook her head, tucking some stray hair behind her ear. “They
rlm@2: found me on the beach half conscious. I was muttering a few things
rlm@2: when they got me into bed. They asked my name, but I wasn’t being
rlm@2: very coherent.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember a time that
rlm@2: seemed so long ago. “Hi.. Kari... Kari...” she intoned quietly,
rlm@2: trying to recreate the night she’d been found on the Destiny Islands.
rlm@2: She blinked her eyes open, looking again to Sora. “They thought I was
rlm@2: saying Kairi. I didn’t remember anything when I woke up so I thought
rlm@2: that had to be my name.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “I don’t know which will take longer to get used to. You being a
rlm@2: princess or you being Hikari.” Sora crossed his arms, mulling this
rlm@2: all over in his head. It was a much bigger revelation than he had
rlm@2: first thought. That meant she was Ansem’s daughter. No wonder she was
rlm@2: so intertwined with everything. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “And as for where we are, it’s sort of difficult to explain.” Hikari
rlm@2: gazed around at the stars blinking around them, some streaking across
rlm@2: the heavens. They were standing out in the center of the universe,
rlm@2: everything swirling around them. Every footstep sent ripples through
rlm@2: space. “Basically, we’re near the birthplace of the stars. Where all
rlm@2: light begins and ends.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “The Doorway to the Light!” Sora’s eyes went wide as it began to
rlm@2: click. That had been exactly what he had spent all this time
rlm@2: searching for. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The princess nodded, an arm behind her back, watching Sora’s
rlm@2: reaction. “Exactly. Where light is born and sent out into the
rlm@2: universe. The very heart of the universe. All those many worlds
rlm@2: aren’t so different after all. They all share the same heart, after
rlm@2: all.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kingdom Hearts,” Sora replied quietly, remembering his battle with
rlm@2: Ansem at the heart of the universe. “Kingdom Hearts is light...” He
rlm@2: shook his head. “Ansem told me that the Heartless were seeking out
rlm@2: the Heart of the universe just as they sought out people’s hearts and
rlm@2: the hearts of every world. He said that the Heartless were born
rlm@2: there.” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Turning, Hikari looked out into the universe that stretched out
rlm@2: before her. “All of our hearts are born there. And in every heart,
rlm@2: there is darkness. So darkness is born there as well. The Heartless
rlm@2: are the hearts that the darkness has consumed entirely, eclipsing the
rlm@2: last pinprick of light. Yes, the Heartless seek out the Heart of the
rlm@2: universe. It’s their birthplace. They’re drawn to it the same way
rlm@2: they’re drawn to people’s hearts, but on a much larger scale.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora rolled this over in his mind. He really didn’t like the sound
rlm@2: of all that. That the Heartless would be born where everyone’s heart
rlm@2: was, that the Heart of the universe could hold such darkness. “That’s
rlm@2: what I saw behind the Doorway to the Darkness. I saw the Heartless
rlm@2: all about, taking root there. But now I’ve sealed away the Doorway to
rlm@2: the Darkness. When I open the Doorway to the Light, the Heart of the
rlm@2: universe should be fine, shouldn’t it?” he asked anxiously. It had to
rlm@2: be. He’d fought too hard to let the Heartless consume the birthplace
rlm@2: of all hearts.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Both the Doorway to the Darkness and the Doorway to the Light lead
rlm@2: to the Heart of the universe, Kingdom Hearts,” Princess Hikari
rlm@2: explained. Closing her eyes and stretching out her hands, she spun
rlm@2: under the starlight. “You’ve sealed away the darkness. Now when you
rlm@2: unleash the light, it will spill out across the worlds. The darkness
rlm@2: is locked away now behind that door. It’s trapped there. Now it’s up
rlm@2: to you to unleash the light and heal the worlds. To heal the Heart of
rlm@2: the universe by letting its light go free.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora clenched his fists determinedly. “I’ll do it. I’ll unseal the
rlm@2: doorway and set Riku free. I’ll prove to Ansem that Kingdom Hearts is
rlm@2: light. I’ll let its light fill everyone.” He trailed off feeling a
rlm@2: bit sheepish. He needed to keep from mentioning Ansem. He was
rlm@2: Hikari’s father after all. Even if he had been consumed by the
rlm@2: Heartless, Hikari must still care for him.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: As if she had been reading the boy’s thoughts, Hikari turned a soft
rlm@2: smile to Sora. “It’s all right, Sora. I know what my father did. I
rlm@2: read his notes. I know what he was trying to do. And I know you had
rlm@2: to stop him. He let the Heartless use him. He stole Riku’s body. He’s
rlm@2: why Riku’s locked behind the Doorway now. I love my father. But I
rlm@2: understand what happened.” Before Sora could reply, she began to walk
rlm@2: out into space. “The Doorway to the Light is this way.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora blinked. “I.. uhh... Thanks, Kairi. Err... Hikari,” he
rlm@2: corrected himself, hurrying to follow her. At least he hadn’t made a
rlm@2: complete fool of himself, in that case. He winced a bit as he rubbed
rlm@2: the back of his head. “Did your friend really have to hit us so hard?”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: This time it was Hikari’s turn to look apologetic. She laughed
rlm@2: nervously. “Oh, that. Sorry about that. Sephiroth was the finest
rlm@2: SOLDIER from our kingdom. My father had him personally protect me.
rlm@2: When my father disappeared, Sephiroth helped me escape Hollow Bastion
rlm@2: before it was overrun by the Heartless. He can be a little intense
rlm@2: sometimes, but he does a wonderful job getting things done. You’re
rlm@2: here, aren’t you?” She turned to him, giggling. “So I’m sorry you got
rlm@2: hurt, but I’m glad he got you here. I missed you.” She reached out,
rlm@2: her fingers taking his. She was so glad to see him again. It felt
rlm@2: like a lifetime had passed since they had last been together. But now
rlm@2: they’d see this through to the end together. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “I missed you, too,” Sora replied, squeezing her soft fingers. It
rlm@2: almost seemed worth going through the pain just to see her again. At
rlm@2: least they were together now. And soon enough, Riku would be there to
rlm@2: join them. Then they’d be complete again. The three of them.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: And then they came upon it. Sora could only gaze in amazement. The
rlm@2: princess watched him rather than the sight before them, finding it
rlm@2: much more interesting. There, in the center of the swirling universe
rlm@2: about them, was the Doorway to the Light. The huge, ornate doors
rlm@2: loomed in space, waiting. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora ran up to them, placing his hand on the doorway. “This is it.
rlm@2: This is what I’ve been waiting for since the very beginning. I was
rlm@2: supposed to unlock this door. Everything else was just leading up to
rlm@2: this. One of the first voices I heard said that I’d need to do this,
rlm@2: but that I wasn’t ready to unlock it. Now I can. King Mickey told me
rlm@2: that I was the one who would open the Doorway to the Light.” He shook
rlm@2: his head, still in shock that his journey had finally brought him
rlm@2: there. It felt as if he’d been travelling for years, that it had
rlm@2: begun an eternity ago. Blue eyes closed as he pressed his palm
rlm@2: further against the door. Riku had to be there behind it, waiting.
rlm@2: Taking a step back, he summoned his Keyblade. Concentrating, he
rlm@2: lowered it, a beam of light bursting forth into the door’s keyhole.
rlm@2: He turned the Keyblade, bracing himself for the onslaught of light.
rlm@2: But nothing happened. “What?” He blinked, letting his Keyblade slowly
rlm@2: fall forward in his hands.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Hikari stepped up to Sora’s side. “You can’t open it yet. And you
rlm@2: can’t open it alone.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Slowly nodding in realization, Sora turned his attention to the
rlm@2: princess. “Like with the Doorway to the Darkness. I couldn’t lock it
rlm@2: myself. I needed King Mickey to lock it from the inside while I
rlm@2: locked it from the outside.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Exactly. You need Riku to unlock it from the inside with his
rlm@2: Keyblade. The two of you need to unlock it at the same time for it to
rlm@2: open.” Hikari shook her head before Sora could ask a question. “Not
rlm@2: yet. Neither of you can unlock it yet. Even if he could hear you, it
rlm@2: wouldn’t help. The Doorway to the Light can’t be opened until the
rlm@2: chains on it are unlocked.” Reaching forward, she touched the door
rlm@2: with her fingertips. The door lit up brightly, exposing dark, ominous
rlm@2: chains draped about it. Several locks on the chains kept them tightly
rlm@2: against the door. One lock was open while the others maintained their
rlm@2: hold. “The Keyholes to those locks are in certain hearts. Only those
rlm@2: hearts can unlock the chains. Then you and Riku can open the Doorway
rlm@2: to the light.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sora took a step back, looking up at the huge doors and their
rlm@2: imposing shackles. “How do we go about unlocking the chains?”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The princess offered a small smile, brushing some hair from her dark
rlm@2: blue eyes. “Don’t worry, Sora. I’m working on it right now.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kairi’s fingers trailed along the stone wall of the castle as she
rlm@2: made her way deeper down the hallway. She had left her room behind in
rlm@2: search of her friends. She had to find Yuffie and Relm. They were the
rlm@2: only ones she had left. She couldn’t risk losing them, too. They had
rlm@2: to be somewhere in the large palace. Now if only she could keep from
rlm@2: getting lost...
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Her mind was still reeling from what she had heard from the two
rlm@2: strange girls in her room. Nothing ever seemed to make sense anymore.
rlm@2: It was as if life delighted in teasing her with different views of
rlm@2: reality. Reality itself was becoming a distorted concept. What
rlm@2: constituted ‘real’? She shook her head swiftly, banishing the
rlm@2: thought. She didn’t need to start thinking about that now. She needed
rlm@2: to stay focused. Find her friends. Find the Keyholes. Save Riku.
rlm@2: Happy ending. That simple. She couldn’t afford to let herself get
rlm@2: lost in all this. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: There was something almost familiar about the palace. It felt like
rlm@2: she’d been there before. Not this palace itself, but another palace.
rlm@2: From some time long ago. Closing her eyes, the sound of maids and
rlm@2: soldiers and minor dignitaries scurrying about felt normal. As if she
rlm@2: had heard this hundreds of times before. A tinge of homesickness
rlm@2: snaked around her heart. Homesickness for a home she couldn’t
rlm@2: remember, for a father that she didn’t know. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi?! Kairi, wake up!!” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kairi whirled about at the voice calling out to her, her heart
rlm@2: pounding at its panicked insistence. But no one was there. Her head
rlm@2: turned swiftly, searching for whoever had screamed her name. As she
rlm@2: began to look past her search for a person, she began to see that the
rlm@2: hallway behind her was no longer there. The stone of the palace had
rlm@2: been replaced with the smooth walls of her by now familiar room. She
rlm@2: turned on her heel to escape down the hallway, but found herself
rlm@2: tripping before she could run. She fell face first on her bed,
rlm@2: surrounded by an army of plush dolls. It was too late. The palace had
rlm@2: left, stranding her once more in this eerily familiar room. She
rlm@2: pounded a fist into the bed in frustration. How could she ever find
rlm@2: anything if she was always getting tossed about between these strange
rlm@2: places? 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “And then I’ll be a real boy?”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Slowly pulling her head up, the princess listened intently. She’d
rlm@2: heard a voice. Someone else was there. For once, she wasn’t alone in
rlm@2: this horrible place filled with memories that couldn’t possibly be
rlm@2: her own. Whoever it was, at least she wouldn’t have to be alone here,
rlm@2: left with her own twisted thoughts. But her joy was quickly shot down
rlm@2: as her eyes fell upon the television in the room. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Yes, Pinochio. A real boy.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The Disney movie played out on the screen before her, taunting her.
rlm@2: “And what do I have to do to be real?” she asked quietly. She hugged
rlm@2: an armful of dolls to her chest, characters from all across her
rlm@2: travels. They were all real. They had to be. She had been with Yuffie
rlm@2: and Relm just a few short hours ago. They weren’t just these bits of
rlm@2: fluff and cloth. They were still waiting for her in the Alexandria
rlm@2: Palace in a world so close and yet so far away. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi, please get up...” a strained voice begged her from the other
rlm@2: side of the room. Near her door. Her heart froze. Not again. Not
rlm@2: whoever was waiting on the other side of her locked door. But this
rlm@2: sounded different. The person sounded like they were about to break
rlm@2: down sobbing. And they sounded closer. On the inside of the room.
rlm@2: This didn’t ease Kairi’s concerns. She slowly rolled over to face the
rlm@2: door, her heart beating madly in her chest. This meant someone was
rlm@2: inside with her. The thought that had been so comforting moments
rlm@2: before now only served to horrify her. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: But no one was there. The brunette blinked, still clutching onto her
rlm@2: dolls. She’d heard someone right there. Yet she saw straight to the
rlm@2: door. She sat up slowly, searching the room for the source of the
rlm@2: voice. Nothing but her assortment of pictures, Disney and Square
rlm@2: trinkets. The image of a girl desperately trying to escape her own
rlm@2: life. It made her sick to look at. Thankfully, something caught her
rlm@2: eye. She let the dolls fall back onto the bed as she got up to
rlm@2: inspect it.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Something dark was lying on the floor near the door. It looked like
rlm@2: a shadow, but there didn’t seem to be anything casting it. A shadow
rlm@2: without an owner. There it lay, as if the shadow had died while
rlm@2: searching for whoever it belonged to. It lay near the door, as if
rlm@2: someone had died and had stained the very ground with their shadow
rlm@2: rather than their blood. A flicker of movement nearly sent her
rlm@2: stumbling backwards. At first, she thought the shadow had come back
rlm@2: to life, searching for a new owner. But as she watched, she could see
rlm@2: it was a separate shadow, of someone taller than the first. It seemed
rlm@2: to be shaking. Maybe it was frightened. Or angry. Or sad. Kairi took
rlm@2: a step closer. She began to make out the shape of a woman from the
rlm@2: shadow. A woman kneeling. It slowly reached out to the other shadow,
rlm@2: moving it gently. With no response from the first shadow, it moved
rlm@2: forward, cradling the other shadow in its arms. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi, please don’t die... Please, please don’t die...” the voice
rlm@2: choked out, right where the woman would be if she were more than a
rlm@2: shadow. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: An icy chill began to crawl under Kairi’s skin. She took a slow,
rlm@2: awkward step forward. “M..mom...?” She asked without quite realizing
rlm@2: it. That shadow she had seen, unmoving on the floor, that had been
rlm@2: her? But... No! “Mom..?” She asked again, trying to get the woman’s
rlm@2: attention. “I’m not dead... I’m not. I won’t die, mom. I’m right
rlm@2: here.” She laughed weakly, trying to sound sure of herself. But it
rlm@2: sounded broken even in her own ears. She could hear sobbing in her
rlm@2: empty room. It echoed eerily throughout the room, filling the
rlm@2: princess with a horrible dread. That couldn’t be here. She was right
rlm@2: here. The world suddenly tilted on its axis and for a split second
rlm@2: she saw her mother. A pretty, slender woman, holding tightly onto
rlm@2: her. She was motionless, pale and bloodstained. Then they were gone,
rlm@2: nothing but shadows and an insistent sobbing. “Mom! I’m right here!”
rlm@2: Kairi cried out, hugging herself tightly. “Please... please look at
rlm@2: me... mom... I’m.. I’m here...” Her world blurred in a burning haze
rlm@2: of tears. She opened her moth to once again beg her mother to see
rlm@2: her, but nothing came out but a pained sob. She closed her eyes
rlm@2: tightly, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. There was no one there to
rlm@2: hear her. She was all alone. Her mother couldn’t hear her. It was
rlm@2: only a shadow. But was it a shadow of things to come? Or what had
rlm@2: already passed? Or simply a nightmare? 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: The sobbing silenced abruptly. Kairi blinked her tear soaked eyes
rlm@2: open only to find the two shadows were gone. Her own shadow was the
rlm@2: only one she could see and it appeared to be anchored securely to
rlm@2: herself. She shuddered, still holding herself. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Don’t cry, Kairi,” a voice said soothingly. This time, it was from
rlm@2: behind the door. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kairi wanted to argue with the mysterious voice, to say that she was
rlm@2: fine, but it was different this time. Soft, yet strong. Pained. For
rlm@2: her. The whispered words encircled her head like a wreath as she
rlm@2: tried to figure out who had said them. Taking a hesitant step towards
rlm@2: the door, her heart spun about, familiar feelings bubbling up. But
rlm@2: why? “Riku!!” Her eyes went wide as she ran the rest of the way to
rlm@2: the door, nearly colliding with it. Her hands stopped her as she
rlm@2: reached it, slowing her body enough so that she merely slumped
rlm@2: against it. “Riku, is that you?” Her ear pressed tightly against the
rlm@2: door, straining to hear any sign of the silver haired boy. She held
rlm@2: her breath, afraid that it would obscure the sound of his footsteps.
rlm@2: She waited desperately for an answer, horrified that it might have
rlm@2: been her imagination. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: A soft chuckle. “Yep, it’s me. You can’t get rid of me that easily,
rlm@2: Kairi.” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Riku!!” Kairi laughed joyously at her friend’s voice. He was here.
rlm@2: She’d found him. It was really him this time. She could feel it. And
rlm@2: all that stood between them was this one door. Though it might as
rlm@2: well have been a world apart since she couldn’t get it open. But she
rlm@2: couldn’t let that get to her. Not now. Not with him so close. Her
rlm@2: palms pressed tightly against the door, almost trying to go straight
rlm@2: through it, to will it away. But it stood it’s ground, firm against
rlm@2: her. Thousands of thoughts swirled about in her mind in a tornado.
rlm@2: She didn’t even know where to begin. Her feelings, her thoughts, her
rlm@2: journey. They suddenly seemed unimportant. “I knew I’d find you,” she
rlm@2: whispered. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Thank you, Kairi,” Riku replied, his own hand against the door,
rlm@2: those few inches of wood the only thing separating them. “I knew you
rlm@2: wouldn’t give up. You’re stronger than me and Sora.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kairi shook her head, slumping it against the cold frame of the
rlm@2: door. “No, I’m not. I don’t even know what’s real anymore. You and
rlm@2: Sora would be doing a much better job than me. You wouldn’t be
rlm@2: doubting everything so much. You wouldn’t be so scared. You wouldn’t
rlm@2: keep getting captured.” Her eyes closed tightly. Here she was talking
rlm@2: to Riku on the other side of a locked door in her bedroom. How was
rlm@2: she supposed to know what was real and what was illusion? 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi... Just because you can’t fight doesn’t make you weak. Sora
rlm@2: and I can fight, but there’s always someone better. You have
rlm@2: something much stronger than any weapon he or I could hold. You make
rlm@2: people want to protect you, to fight for you. Your heart lights up
rlm@2: the darkness the way no Keyblade could. And why does it matter if you
rlm@2: doubt? If you’re scared? You’re still here, aren’t you? Despite your
rlm@2: doubts, despite your fears, you kept coming. You never gave up, even
rlm@2: when all hope seemed lost. I think that makes you stronger to have
rlm@2: faced it and pushed forward instead of not seeing it at all. You’re
rlm@2: very strong, Kairi. I only wish I could be there with you. I don’t
rlm@2: want you to have to do this on your own. I want to catch you when you
rlm@2: fall. I want to be right there behind you.” He sighed, looking down.
rlm@2: He felt so helpless, trapped. It wouldn’t matter so much if he knew
rlm@2: Kairi was safe, but knowing she was out there searching and that
rlm@2: there was nothing he could do to help...
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Shaking her head, Kairi smiled faintly. “I’m not alone. No matter
rlm@2: where I am, I’m never alone. I have two girls travelling with me
rlm@2: right now. Yuffie and Relm. They’re my friends. They’ve helped me so
rlm@2: much. And even when I’m away from them, I know you and Sora are with
rlm@2: me.” A hand pulled away from the door, resting on her heart. “No
rlm@2: matter how far apart we are, we’re always together. That’s what kept
rlm@2: me going.” She swallowed, blinking back tears. “Because I know you’re
rlm@2: there with me every step of the way. If I listen very closely and I
rlm@2: close my eyes, I can hear your footsteps echoing with mine.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Kairi...” Riku spread his fingers against the door, trying to hold
rlm@2: the princess’s hand in his own. “I can feel you with me, too.” She
rlm@2: was right there. So close... He had done everything he could to save
rlm@2: her. Now he would give anything to be by her side again. “I want to
rlm@2: see you one last time. I can’t go until I’ve seen you once more.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Blinking her still blurry eyes open, Kairi strained to see through
rlm@2: the door to the boy on the other side. “What do you man? I’ll set you
rlm@2: free, Riku. I promise. Then we’ll be together forever. Just like we
rlm@2: always planned. You, me, and Sora.” Why did it sound like Riku
rlm@2: wouldn’t be there for it? He’d have to be. She was going to save him.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: A long silence lingered in the air before Riku finally responded. “I
rlm@2: lost my body. Ansem had it, remember? When Sora defeated him, he died
rlm@2: with my body. My heart fought off the darkness, but I couldn’t bring
rlm@2: my body with me. The Farplane, the Lifestream, whatever you want to
rlm@2: call where hearts go, it’s calling me. But I refuse to go yet. Not
rlm@2: until I see you one last time.” He hadn’t wanted to tell her. He
rlm@2: could handle it as long as he knew she was all right. And she would
rlm@2: be, once she met up with Sora. He would protect Kairi for Riku. But
rlm@2: he couldn’t lie to Kairi. He never could. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “You’ll...” Kairi looked dumbly at the door, the revelation sending
rlm@2: cracks through her heart. “No! You can’t go!” She slumped against the
rlm@2: door, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She had come this far
rlm@2: only to find out that Riku had lost his body? That he’d disappear
rlm@2: soon? The light at the end of her tunnel was suddenly eclipsed. She
rlm@2: was cast once more into darkness. All they had done... Was it all for
rlm@2: nothing? Yes, she could set fee the light behind the door, but that
rlm@2: wasn’t what she was fighting for. She was fighting for Riku, to have
rlm@2: him close again. But now...
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “It’s all right, Kairi. I’ll be fine. I knew the risks when I joined
rlm@2: Maleficent. But I didn’t care. I would do anything to save your
rlm@2: heart. As long as you’re safe, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”
rlm@2: Riku smiled softly, his fingertips against the door. Yes, that was
rlm@2: the important thing. Kairi had her heart back. Even if some
rlm@2: sacrifices had to be made, that was all that mattered.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “No...” Kairi shook her head, slowly looking up. She had come too
rlm@2: far to give up. She couldn’t quit on Riku. She wouldn’t let this stop
rlm@2: her. “I won’t let you go. I’m going to save you, Riku. Somehow. I
rlm@2: promised. And I will. You aren’t the only one who’d do anything. I’ll
rlm@2: do anything to save your heart. I owe that much to you. And... I
rlm@2: don’t want to be without you. I won’t give up. This time it’s my turn
rlm@2: to fight for you. I’ll find a way to open this door. And I’ll find a
rlm@2: way to protect your heart.” Closing her eyes, she kissed the door
rlm@2: softly. “Just wait for me, Riku.” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Riku looked ahead at the door, taken by surprise. He hadn’t expected
rlm@2: that. A small smile played across his lips. “And you said you weren’t
rlm@2: strong. I’ll be here, Kairi. Waiting for you. I’ll wait as long as it
rlm@2: takes.” His hopelessness started to melt away at Kairi’s words. He
rlm@2: had faith in her. And just knowing she would fight for him meant
rlm@2: everything to him. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Kairi’s fingers brushed the doorknob, her heart trying to unwind
rlm@2: itself from fears and anxieties holding it back. She may not have
rlm@2: another chance to say it. No, she couldn’t think like that. But
rlm@2: still... Who knew when she’d get to see him again? “Riku... I love...”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Wandering aimlessly through the courtyard, Eiko’s heart felt heavy.
rlm@2: Why wouldn’t the princess notice her? Garnet was too concerned with
rlm@2: other things. She only saw her as a little girl. It was certainly
rlm@2: frustrating. She crossed her arms, kicking a rock in her path.
rlm@2: Princess Garnet was the only good part of being kidnapped by that
rlm@2: Kuja guy and dragged to the Alexandria Palace. The princess had made
rlm@2: the distant palace feel a little less lonely. She’d been the first
rlm@2: real person that Eiko felt she could trust. She had grown up with
rlm@2: moogles for company in a deserted city of summoners, the last of her
rlm@2: kind. She hadn't realized how alone she had felt until meeting the
rlm@2: beautiful Princess Garnet. She felt safe with her. Warm. Dizzy. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sighing, the purple haired summoner held her hands over her heart.
rlm@2: All she had to do was deliver the letter in her hands and Garnet
rlm@2: would finally know of her feelings. Butterflies fluttered about
rlm@2: chaotically in her stomach. She was nervous about letting Garnet know
rlm@2: but she couldn't sit by any longer. It was driving her insane. She
rlm@2: had to tell the princess. Even if it was through a stupid love
rlm@2: letter. Sighing, she tried to quash her nervousness, feeling the
rlm@2: letter underneath her fingers. Yes, she had to do this. She'd just
rlm@2: find a nice place to put it and then run as far as she could and send
rlm@2: Mog to find out how she'd reacted. Cowardly, perhaps, but she was too
rlm@2: embarrassed to be more straightforward about it. Besides, she thought
rlm@2: she'd made it painfully obvious how she felt about Garnet so far and
rlm@2: the princess hadn't shown an inkling of recognition. Steeling
rlm@2: herself, she nodded and continued through the garden. The guards
rlm@2: didn't see her as a threat and the princess let her come and go from
rlm@2: her quarters as she pleased, so it wouldn't be a problem getting
rlm@2: there to leave the letter on Garnet's pillow. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: An all too familiar sound reached Eiko halfway through the garden.
rlm@2: She slowed to a halt, listening intently. Someone was crying. Hearing
rlm@2: the sound was odd. She'd never heard someone else cry before. It
rlm@2: brought up the same lost and lonely feelings within her that she
rlm@2: associated with it. Searching around the garden, she began to search
rlm@2: out its source. She didn't know what she could do about it, but she
rlm@2: didn't feel right just ignoring it. The moogles she'd lived with had
rlm@2: always been there for her when she'd been crying. The sound seemed to
rlm@2: be coming from behind some bushes. Pushing past the bushes, Eiko
rlm@2: stepped out on the other side to find a blonde girl hugging her legs,
rlm@2: her head on her knees. It was then that Eiko remembered she didn't
rlm@2: have any experience with this sort of thing. "Um.. Hi..." she stated
rlm@2: dumbly. She inwardly berated herself, quickly trying to come up with
rlm@2: something just a bit more comforting. "Are you okay?"
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: It took Relm a moment to acknowledge the summoner's presence. Her
rlm@2: head slowly lifted from her knees, blinking at the wet tears that
rlm@2: coursed down her cheeks. A younger lavender haired girl stood before
rlm@2: her, an odd horn on her forehead. She was about to tell the girl to
rlm@2: leave her alone, but the uncomfortable, worried look in the
rlm@2: summoner's eyes shut her up. She was already feeling too crappy to
rlm@2: hurt a little girl's feelings. Shaking her head slowly, Relm rested
rlm@2: her chin on her knees again. "Not really." Sniffling, she wiped at
rlm@2: her eyes with her palms. After she had left Yuffie, she had run as
rlm@2: far as she could. By now she was completely lost. Which only made her
rlm@2: feel more helpless and confused about everything. 'Yuffie...' the
rlm@2: artist thought, a fresh wave of pain cascading through her. Her eyes
rlm@2: closed warily, feeling fresh tears gathering. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Looking down, Eiko waited for the older girl to continue. Her hands
rlm@2: behind her, she still clutched her love letter for Garnet. She busied
rlm@2: herself with looking at her foot, shifting it on the soft grass. She
rlm@2: was headstrong enough to rush into things, but once she was in the
rlm@2: middle of them, she easily found herself over her head. People were
rlm@2: so confusing. Moogles made so much more sense. She knew how to act
rlm@2: around them. A sad thought entered her mind at that. She was too used
rlm@2: to being alone. She had lived alone for so long that she was still
rlm@2: having trouble getting used to people. No matter how much she wanted
rlm@2: to be around them. Garnet in particular. So she had to try. To give
rlm@2: it a shot. To show that she could be around people, that she could
rlm@2: try to understand them. "What's wrong?" Eiko asked at last. Tilting
rlm@2: her head to the side, she glanced up at Relm expectantly. Not exactly
rlm@2: the best reply, but it was something.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sighing, Relm closed her eyes tightly. It all came out in a rush.
rlm@2: "It's Yuffie. She doesn't care what I do. I'm just annoying to her.
rlm@2: She thinks I'm just a crazy bimbo that wants to hang off of her. She
rlm@2: doesn't care how I feel. She's selfish and only cares about what
rlm@2: happens to her. But I love her anyway. Even if she can't understand.
rlm@2: Even if she thinks I'm just..." She swallowed again and again, trying
rlm@2: to choke back the tears. A muffled sob escaped her as she pressed her
rlm@2: face against her trembling knees. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Eiko sat down next to the sobbing artist. That sounded familiar. Too
rlm@2: familiar. Maybe people weren't so difficult to understand after all.
rlm@2: Did everyone hurt that badly? It was a scary thought. She reached out
rlm@2: hesitantly, not sure how to help, how to comfort the blonde girl. Her
rlm@2: hand nearly touched Relm's shoulder before she slowly pulled it back.
rlm@2: She didn't know what to do. Sighing softly, Relm's crying surrounded
rlm@2: her. How often had she done that? She'd promised her grandfather that
rlm@2: she'd be a big girl, that she could take care of herself, but
rlm@2: sometimes... "I'm sorry." She shook her head, her lavender hair
rlm@2: wisping past her eyes. "It isn't fair. Why can't they understand? We
rlm@2: love them so much that it hurts, but they can't see that. They're so
rlm@2: lost in their own worlds that they don't even know we're there. That
rlm@2: we need them so much." She pulled up the letter to Garnet, reading
rlm@2: her love's name again and again. Why did this happen? Why did it have
rlm@2: to hurt so much? Wasn't love supposed to end happily like in the
rlm@2: fairy tales she'd heard as a young child? It was. It had to. Damn it,
rlm@2: what was the point of being around people and falling in love if all
rlm@2: it did was hurt you? Letting the letter drop from her fingers, she
rlm@2: stood up again. She wouldn't just leave a letter on Garnet's bed and
rlm@2: run away. She would find another way.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: A small, warm hand rested on Relm's shoulder, drawing her out from
rlm@2: the veil of tears that surrounded her. She blinked weakly and gazed
rlm@2: through blurry eyes to the lavender haired summoner. The younger girl
rlm@2: was looking at her with an almost desperate intensity in her eyes.
rlm@2: She held back her sobs, sniffling quietly. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: "I think... I think we're going through the same thing right now. We
rlm@2: can't give up. Love isn't supposed to work like this. So that means
rlm@2: we have to make it work. We can't let it end like this. We have to
rlm@2: fight for it. It would be too easy to walk away and be alone again.
rlm@2: But I can't do that anymore. And if this Yuffie can make you cry like
rlm@2: that, I don't think you want to be alone again either. Let's do it.
rlm@2: Let's make them realize everything. Let's make it so they can't ever
rlm@2: deny how much we love them again," Eiko said determinedly.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Relm was taken aback by the girl's words. For a moment she wondered
rlm@2: how a girl so young could understand, but she brushed that aside. She
rlm@2: understood. That was the important thing. The only thing. Reaching
rlm@2: out, she rested her hand on top of Eiko's, smiling faintly through
rlm@2: her tears. Her head nodded weakly, a soft giggle slipping from her
rlm@2: lips. A renewed fire burned within her heart. "Let's."
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: