Kairi didn't want Sora to leave. Or Riku, for that matter. Nobody had quite believed the king's note when it had first arrived. It hadn't even made sense. As a result, nobody had paid much attention to it, even with their consciences bringing it up in the back of their minds as much as possible. Soon, their ignorance took its toll. The island didn't feel quite the same anymore; the aura of peace had shriveled away. The ocean wasn't calming; the waves didn't refresh; the breeze wasn't so gentle, and the sun's rays didn't feel warm. The very feeling of home had vanished. But Kairi didn't give up. She wasn't willing to let Sora and Riku got hat easily.

She wondered why it had to be them that answered to every call of help. Surely, there was somebody else in that vast universe out there that could help stop the evil? Just for a little? Sure, Sora was the master of the Keyblade, but there had to be something else just as strong, or even more powerful. Sora didn't need to go on another adventure, not so soon at least. Everybody had just gotten settled, everything was feeling right again, and so suddenly it had all been interrupted. Even if anybody could tell the island wasn't in its best shape, that didn't mean evil was at work again. Did it?

When Kairi asked Sora this and confessed her thoughts, he tried to answer sincerely. He said that maybe there was something else out there that could fight the darkness besides him and Riku, but they didn't fight because nothing else fought, but because of what their hearts told them to do.

"Everything," Kairi choked, "Everything has to do with our hearts. But if you look into your heart, can you see your home? Can you feel how much I miss you every time you're not here with me?"

Sora looked surprised. "Of course I can, Kairi. I miss you whenever we're apart too. But imagine, if other worlds are in peril, don't you think there are tons of other people who are feeling the same? Losing their family, their homes, and even their hearts."

Kairi bit her lip and hesitated. It was sad for so many other souls to be suffering, and maybe it was selfish to want Sora to stay just for her, but she couldn't help it. Sora made her whole.

"Hey, we've got something special inside our hearts. Even when we don't see each other, we can always look inside them. That way, we'll always be together."

Kairi stared into Sora's eyes as their hands slowly clasped. She whispered, "What is it?"

He was ready to answer, but as hit mouth opened, someone else's words came from behind. "What're you two doing?"

Sora spun around to meet Riku, who looked at them expectantly. His face flushed pink. "We were just talking."

"About what?" Riku prompted.

"The-the king's note, actually." Sora declared, somewhat truthfully.

"Right."

"It's true!" Kairi protested. She looked at Riku sadly. "Please don't go. We've only just got home, and when everything started to feel—"

"Bad," Riku cut in. "Everybody's noticed that the island isn't quite right anymore. No one's actually been hurt, but it's not hard to tell that the heart of the island is dying. We've got to find out what's been causing, and hopefully stop it."

"But—"

"Our duties are to ours hearts. What is your heart telling you?"

Kairi considered this. She closed her eyes, sorting out her thoughts, and most importantly, listening as hard as she could to the voice from deep inside her.

"Kairi…?" Sora asked quietly. Her eyes had been closed for a while, and he had begun to get a bit worried, but Riku shushed him. Whatever she was hearing must have been good.

Suddenly her eyes flashed open. "I'm going with you."