Promise

Sora had seen a lot of cool things on his travels, but a portable gaming system?

Awesome.

He tilted it this way and that, the shiny screen capturing the warm afternoon light of Twilight Town. He couldn't wait to try out all the games. He wouldn't even mind if Donald drove the Gummi Ship for a while.

"Oh! There's another thing you can do." Pence held out his hand, and Sora gave him the device.

"It's not just for gaming," Hayner said. "There's also a messenger function."

"A messenger function?"

Sora peered over Pence's shoulder as he went back to the home screen and touched a bright blue icon with a speech bubble, then started pecking out H-e-y t-h-i-s i-s S-o-r-a. Next he selected the To: box and put in strugglechampion and eighthwonderoftheworld.

"Hey Olette, what's your email again?" Pence asked, busily typing away.

"Just my name and age," Olette said. She shook her head at the other two addresses and grinned. "I still can't believe you guys chose those as your email addresses."

"Email addresses?" Sora said, not quite sure he understood.

"It's like an address for these phones," Hayner explained. "You need a unique one for people to be able to contact you."

"I do? What's mine?"

"Oh, don't worry. I already made one for you." Pence hit the send button, and Olette pulled out a similar device… er, phone? Only hers was orange and green instead of red and yellow. She opened up the message to show Sora.

Geez, these things really could do everything. The message said, "Hey, this is Sora," just like what Pence had typed. The To box had their emails, and the From box said…

"Roxas." Sora's heart pounded. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You guys… remember Roxas?"

Could this be a clue? Could they hold the key to bringing back Roxas?

Pence frowned and looked at the phone again. "Oops, I thought I put your name in there. My bad. Don't know where that came from."

He moved to correct it, but Sora stopped him. Something felt right about keeping his email as Roxas's name.

"Roxas," Hayner said, scratching his cheek. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"It does?" Sora gave his full attention to Hayner. "Do you remember anything about Roxas? Anything at all?"

Hayner stood there for a moment, a slight frown on his face as he thought about Sora's question. "Not really, no," he said at last. "Sorry."

Sora's shoulders slumped. "Oh, okay."

It was too good to be true, anyway. No way saving Roxas would be that easy.

But there was one way to make it happen. Dangerous and reckless and stupid, but Sora knew from experience it would work. Xemnas and Ansem's words from earlier echoed through his mind. "Now, set your heart free!"

I can't. I can't do that. If I become a Heartless again, I'll—

But then he thought of Roxas. Thought of Roxas being forced to give up his existence just so Sora could wake up. Thought of Roxas's tears and pain. Thought of Roxas's heart.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Roxas was trapped inside of him like this. He deserved to be his own person.

I have to keep looking. I have to find a way.

And if there is no other way, then—

Olette tugged on one of her twintails, green eyes looking at him with concern. "Sora? Are you okay?"

Sora started. He'd gotten lost in thought again. "Y-yeah. I'm fine, really. Thanks for all the help. These phones are awesome."

"This… Roxas person," Olette said, something like recognition flickering through her eyes. "Is he someone you know?"

"He's… a very good friend. I was just surprised to see his name on there, that's all."

"Oh, okay." Olette frowned, but Sora didn't know what else to say, really. He could tell them about Roxas, but a part of him wanted them to remember Roxas on their own. If they did, it would be proof that Roxas could exist on his own.

At least, that was what Sora wanted to believe.

"Well, anyway, there are a couple more things we want to show you." Olette took his phone from Pence and pointed it towards them. "Say cheese, everyone!"

"Wait, it works as a camera, too?"

They all crowded around him and posed, and Olette pressed another one of the buttons. There was a bright flash, and she showed him the picture afterwards.

"Looks good," she remarked.

The four of them all together again at last. They almost looked matching, with their red and black and plaid. Too bad Roxas wasn't included. Or at least not directly.

Does it count as a picture of him too if he's inside my heart right now?

"I'm gonna set it as your wallpaper, okay?" Olette asked, busily typing away.

"Wallpaper?" Sora thought of his room back home and the wallpaper plastered on the wall. Surely Olette meant something different.

"Like a background for your phone," Pence explained. "It can be a picture of anything, really. Friends, family, things you like..."

"Yup," Olette said. "Oh, and one last thing: you can call people on here, too."

"I already set you up so that we're number one on your speed dial," Pence said, giving him a thumbs up.

"Yeah, feel free to call us anytime," Hayner said. "We'll be happy to help however we can."

"Here, this is how you put in new numbers." Olette showed him the basics. "I asked Donald to enchant your phone, so it should work for people off world, too." She tapped her temple. "Hmmm, is there anyone whose number you want to call? A friend?" She gave him a sly look. "A girlfriend?"

"G-girlfriend?!" Sora sputtered, the heat rising in his cheeks. "I don't have a—"

Olette just made a clucking noise and Hayner and Pence snickered. "Sure you don't. But luckily for you, I have her number." She typed in a string of numbers and showed Sora. "Donald and Goofy are great at getting me the information I need."

"Kairi has a phone?" Sora asked. He had no idea. Had she gotten one since he'd last seen her?

"So you admit it." Hayner grinned and Sora knew it was pointless to protest.

What were he and Kairi exactly, anyway? His mind went to the cave drawing and its newest addition: the paopu fruit someone—

You know it was Kairi—

—had drawn Kairi giving to him. The paopu fruit that was bigger than the one he had drawn for her. Like she wanted to prove how much she cared. Just thinking about it made him feel all warm and tingly inside.

"You haven't asked her out yet, have you?" Olette said with a sigh, her eyes drooping. "Sheesh, Sora, after everything the two of you have been through, you'd think—"

"Everyone's counting on me," Sora shot back, a tad defensively. "I had to leave. I couldn't just—"

"You could have contacted her," Olette said. "She misses you."

Sora was taken aback. "She does?"

Pence nodded. "She came to visit us, not too long ago."

"Yeah," Hayner added. "Said she was going to start training soon and—"

"Hang on, what?!" Sora said. This was all news to him. "She's training now?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Olette handed him the phone. Just a second too late he realized it was already ringing.

And yikes, could Olette have made Kairi's name in his phone any more embarrassing? Sweetie Pie was emblazoned across the screen in bold pink letters.

He couldn't hang up now. She would notice if he did.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

After seven agonizing rings as Hayner, Pence, and Olette watched his face get more and more red, it finally stopped. There was a click, and Kairi's voice came on on the other side.

"Hey, this is Kairi—"

"Um, hey, Kairi, I—"

"If you're hearing this message, it means I'm busy right now. Probably because I'm kicking Axel's butt in practice, so if you could just leave your name and number, I'll be sure to get back to you. Bye!"

There was another loud beep, but Sora just held the phone to his ear.

Training? With Axel? With the man who had kidnapped her?

He didn't like the sound of that. Not at all. Sure, Axel had saved him, Axel had even apologized to him, but he'd never apologized to Kairi for what he'd done.

And now they were training together? Whose idea was that?

Oops. Olette was gesturing frantically, and he realized he hadn't left a message. He cleared his throat, not really sure what to say.

"Um, hey, Kairi. This is Sora. The Twilight Town gang gave me this cool portable phone… game… thing, and they have your number somehow. Crazy how we can call each other across worlds, right? Anyway, I just wanted to say…"

He thought of her smile, thought of how nice it had felt to hold her in his arms when they were reunited, how just holding her hand was enough to make him feel all warm inside.

Without her here something inside of him ached. Almost like there was an empty spot where she was supposed to be.

He clutched the phone more tightly. "I-I miss you—"

At this Olette squealed, and Sora felt his face getting hotter. "...a-anyway, hope to see you again soon. Um, call me back when you get the chance. Bye."

He hung up the phone, his heart sinking. He really did miss her, and a part of him had kinda hoped he could be the one to show her the ropes when it came to handling her Keyblade.

It didn't feel like he'd been gone all that long this time around, but she wasn't waiting for him back home anymore. There was something hollow and empty about that thought. Home just wasn't home without her.

She promised. She promised she'd wait for me.

No she didn't. All she said was "See you soon." She didn't say where.

I guess.

But he couldn't stop the gnawing thought from forming in the back of his mind.

I've made her wait too long. She got tired of waiting for me and decided to leave the islands. She's got friends of her own on other worlds, and now she's training with Axel. What does she even need me for? Someone like her could do a lot better than a guy like me.

"Sora? Everything okay?" Hayner asked.

Sora tucked the phone into his pocket. "Y-yeah. I'm fine. I just miss her is all."

But then the phone started ringing. And Olette had chosen the loudest, most obnoxious love song in the history of obnoxious love songs for Kairi's number. Sora was so embarrassed he nearly dropped the phone as he fumbled to answer the call, much to his friends' amusement. He didn't even know he could set songs to people's numbers like that, let alone play music from his phone.

"K-Kairi?" he said, flustered.

"Hey." Her familiar voice made him feel all warm inside. "Good to hear your voice."

Sora's heart pounded. She likes hearing my voice? He felt giddy at the thought.

"Um, did you get my message?" he finally managed to say.

She giggled, and he realized how much he'd missed her giggle, too. "Yeah. Sure took your time figuring out what to say though, didn't you?"

"Oh, sorry about that. I was, um, distracted."

"Distracted?" Her voice was tinged with worry. "Hope it wasn't because you had a bunch of Heartless to fight."

"No, I just… I mean… technology these days is really something," he said, walking away from his friends for a little privacy. Or at least the illusion of privacy. "Everyone on the islands has a phone in their houses, but portable phones are something new."

"Yeah, I just got mine recently, too. Ienzo made one for me."

"Ienzo?" Sora didn't think he'd ever heard that name before.

There was a pause on the other line. "Sora, I think you and Riku might know him. He said when he was a Nobody, he went by Zexion. He was a member of Organization XIII."

Sora nearly dropped the phone again. "He was?" He racked his brains for a Zexion. But nothing came to mind. Surely he would remember if he'd fought him.

Hold on. He didn't remember him, but Roxas did. He accessed Roxas's memories and could picture Zexion's face. He'd had high expectations of Roxas on their missions together, but he was fair and helpful and explained things clearly.

Sora wondered what had happened to him. All Roxas knew was that he'd disappeared at Castle Oblivion.

"Yeah, but he's human again," came Kairi's voice, interrupting his thoughts. "He's a brilliant researcher, and he's been helping the Restoration Committee do work at the castle. I know you'll probably be reluctant to, but… I feel like we can trust him."

Sora tried to ignore the fact that Kairi had complimented this Ienzo guy.

She doesn't compliment me, he thought with a pout. All she does is call me a lazy bum.

Oh, stop. You're just being whiny now. That's how she shows her affection, dummy.

"Actually, Sora, I'm glad you called. Since Ienzo was a Nobody, I thought he might be able to help us with Roxas and Naminé."

"Help us with Roxas and Naminé?" Sora said, slow and deliberate. He would take any lead he could get at this point.

"Yes. I've been having these dreams lately, about Naminé. It's like… she really is talking to me. She showed me her memories in one of them and— well, that's a conversation I'd rather have in person. But anyway—"

"She showed you her memories?"

Kairi paused. "Yes. Is that significant?"

"Well, it's just that… Roxas did the same thing when I was asleep, too."

"He did?" Kairi asked, her voice earnest. Sora could practically picture the face she'd be making right now. "We have to help them, Sora. I know this is going to sound strange, but… I want Naminé to be her own person. It's not good enough that she's alive inside of my heart anymore. I want her to exist outside of me."

Sora took a deep breath. He'd been hoping Kairi would say something like that. "I know. I know because... I feel the same way about Roxas."

"You do?"

He smiled. "Yeah." That Kairi felt the same way about Naminé just reinforced his belief.

"We might have a way to do it. Naminé mentioned Ienzo to me in a dream, and when I found him in the castle and explained the situation, he said he wants to help. Master Yen Sid told you Chip and Dale have been analyzing Ansem the Wise's data, right?"

"He did mention that, yeah." Sora had almost forgotten, he'd been so busy with everything else.

"Ienzo thinks that data could be the key to bringing Roxas back. And if Roxas can come back, surely Naminé can too, right? But I'll give you Ienzo's number so you can call him yourself. I think he can explain all the theory behind it better than me."

Another lead. Finally. Sora couldn't be happier.

See, Roxas? I'll find a way to save you yet.

"Thanks, Kairi. I'll be sure to do that," he said. "And how about you? Has everything been going okay?"

"What... do you mean?"

"Oh, just your training and stuff."

She laughed, but it almost sounded forced. "Oh, that. Guess no one ever told you, huh? But yeah, I'm training with Merlin and Axel right now."

"And is that going okay?" He really hoped it was.

"Yeah. I felt pretty uncomfortable at first, but Axel apologized a lot. He really does feel bad about what he did, and he wants to help you save Roxas."

"Are you really okay with being around him?"

"Yes," Kairi said, very deliberately. "I wouldn't have agreed to training with him if I wasn't."

"Right."

Another pause. "Well, I better get going," she finally said. "Break's over. Thanks for calling, Sora."

"Yeah, of course."

Another long, awkward pause. "Guess I'll talk to you again soon?"

"Sure."

"Okay, talk to you later then."

"Talk to you later."

"Bye, Sora."

"Kairi—"

The little dial tone indicated Kairi had already hung up the phone, and Sora wanted to kick himself.

Why couldn't I say anything? Why is it that every time I talk to her I can't put what I'm feeling into words?

Maybe you don't have to put it into words. Maybe you just have to show her.

How can I show her when she's not even here? Sora thought miserably.

Well, he could stew over it later. Kairi had sent him a message with Ienzo's number.

Here it is, Sora. Hope it gives you a lead you can follow. Ienzo's theory is connected to the data version of Twilight Town that Ansem the Wise made, so you're in the perfect place to call him.

Kairi

P.S. I almost forgot - tell Hayner, Pence, and Olette I said hi.

Sora opened a response email and started pecking out the letters. He really did need to figure out how to type on this thing.

Thanks, Kairi. I'll call him the first chance I get and let you know how it goes.

Sora

Her response was very quick.

Good. I'll be looking forward to hearing about it.

Don't worry, you will, Sora said back.

I hope so. It was nice to talk to you today. Feels like it's been ages.

Ouch. Maybe Olette had a point.

Well, with these phones we can stay in touch no problem, he replied.

That just got a colon with a parenthesis from her. Sora stared at it for a few moments before he realized it was supposed to be a smiley face. He tucked his phone in his pocket after sending one back and returned to where his friends were waiting.

"Sounds like that went well," Hayner commented.

"You have no idea," Sora said, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face. This was solid evidence to go off of, not just a hunch or a feeling.

See? he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. Roxas and I can both exist. Shame on everyone who told us it wasn't possible, who told Roxas he doesn't deserve to be his own person.

Because he does. And best of all, I might not have to become a Heartless for it to happen.

That was a big relief. His head knew he shouldn't do it, because doing anything Ansem or Xemnas wanted was a terrible idea…

But his heart was another matter. It was begging him to save Roxas, tempting him to give into the darkness like Xemnas and Ansem had told him to.

"You mentioned that Roxas guy to Kairi," Pence said. "Who is he?"

Sora looked at their curious faces. Maybe he should tell them about Roxas. The more people who were helping him with this, the better.

He took a deep breath. "I think it's time I tell you guys. Roxas... is me."

"Huh?!" Their mouths all dropped open, and Olette dropped her phone on the cobblestone street. Sora got the feeling he should be more careful with his phone, going by her reaction.

"Or at least, that's what everyone told us," he said. "But the truth is, Roxas is his own person. And… he's your friend. You knew him before you ever met me. Well, I guess the data versions of you did, but I think that affected your real selves, too."

"Is that why his name sounds so familiar?" Olette asked, checking the phone for damage.

"Could be."

Hayner considered this. "If we're his friends… then… why don't we remember him?"

"It's hard to say. But you do have some idea of who he is, right?" Sora asked.

"Hold on, back up. Data versions? What does that mean?" Pence asked.

"It means there are digital versions of the three of you running around in the other Twilight Town. Remember? I had to go there to find Kairi."

"Yeah." Hayner got a mischievous look on his face. "What do you think would happen if we met our digital selves?"

"You mean, who would win in a fight?" Pence said. "My money's on Data Hayner, personally." He flashed Hayner a grin.

"Hey!" Hayner said, and the rest of them just laughed.

"Well, anyway, Kairi told me about a guy who thinks he can help," Sora continued, "and apparently the Data Twilight Town is the key. You guys don't have to, but if you want to help—"

"Of course we will," Hayner said, not even hesitating. "You're our friend, and if you say Roxas is our friend, too, then we believe you. It's as simple as that."

"That's right. And friends help each other," Pence added.

Sora's heart felt all warm again. The Twilight Town gang really was the best.

"So, what can we do to help?" Olette asked.

Sora glanced in the direction of the woods and the Old Mansion hidden away inside. "Come with me. I think I might know where to start."

As they met up with Donald and Goofy and made their way to the Old Mansion, Sora couldn't help but feel hopeful again.

Thanks, Kairi. Thanks for showing me the way. We'll save Roxas and Naminé, and that's a promise.

And… we'll be together again soon.

I swear, Kairi. I swear, that when all this is over—

I won't just tell you how much you mean to me. I'll show you, too.

That's not a promise.

It's an oath.

A/N: FFN ate the full versions of Hayner and Pence's emails, boo.

Anyway, happy SoKai Day! I can't believe it's already been a year since I posted Trick or Treat, but here we are. This story was originally just intended to be a fluffy piece about Sora and Kairi talking on the phone, since in trailers we've seen Sora using his phone/gaming device or whatever it's supposed to be to talk to Ienzo. I thought, if Sora can call Ienzo, why not have Sora and Kairi talk to each other? But then Roxas got involved and so did plot and this turned into a KH3 prediction of sorts.

One of the lines in the recap videos for KH3 (the ones that have Chirithy as the narrator) has a line that is basically "If Roxas can come back, Naminé can too, right?" We don't know who says that yet, but I'd like to think it's Kairi, hence why she takes a proactive role in this story in helping Sora help Roxas, too. I just really want both Sora and Kairi to be actively involved in rescuing their Nobodies, to be honest.

This story is dedicated to my lovely beta, FlowerLady-Aerith. Thank you for all your support, especially with Those Who Dreamed. You've really helped me grow as a writer and I can't say how grateful I am for that. I look forward to reading your future projects, and here's to another year of writing!