Disclaimer: Enlightened Life does NOT own Kingdom Hearts.
Okay... somebody just like voodooed me. This was created out of a sudden struck of inspiration! Idea, after idea, after idea just kept pouring on in and I was going to go crazy if I didn't get it down! So... it was all put into 1 chapter... sort of. I have many more ideas for later chapters. :]
Ahhhh, enjoy!
Chapter 1 - Radiance
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Once. Twice. Twice her eyelids stuttered with the rays of light resting upon her petite frame. She widened her eyes fully to meet the ceiling above her. Staring blankly, the color of her azure eyes began to seep in as she slipped further into consciousness. Crimson hair flowing smoothly over the pale silk cushion resting below her head. Eyelids flipping backwards yet again, she blinked silently before relieving the cushion of it's duty and lifting her head. Strands of hair falling around her cranium, she gently tucked them behind her ears and stared at the door; many voices were heard behind it's wooden frame. Sighing, the sulky teen retreated from the bed and sluggishly moved over to her cupboard. She was not a morning person. Her eyes scanned through it's contents when yet another voice was heard from outside, soon followed by a loud bang and some voice raised yelling. She squinted at the thought that someone may have fallen down the stairs. The young female soon found herself heading over to the door. She pushed her legs back gently while pulling on the door; making a slight gap.
"The Princess can not tolerate this noise! It's unbearable!!" the first spoke, her voice overly raised and crisping slightly.
The second voice was a rather timid guard. He was staring at the women intently with fear strapped all over his face,"I know... but there's nothing we can do, her Step Mother is ordering us-..."
"STEP MOTHER!?! How can you speak of the Queen in that way! She should have your head rotting on a spike for that!" the womens voice rose again, "The Queen's generousness is what has kept this city alive. She puts the 'radiant' into Radiant Gardens, and you can't even show her any respect." she finally toned down, but huffed on the last few words for a feeling of superiority. Or just sucking up to the 'Queen'. The idea of her step mother keeping Radiant Garden alive made Kairi laugh but angry at the same time, after all, it was her true Mother who kept the town beautiful. Now it was like a rotting stench field. Kairi in opposed to this thought had decided that the town would deserve a less uplifting but more fitting name, 'Hollow Bastion,' but that idea simply remained in her thoughts. She frowned.
"Princess Kairi will soon be awake, or awake already. The Queen has ordered that we do not allow her to leave the castle at all today." The women finished with a grin and walked away. The guard stared after her for a moment before heading back down the stairs to alert the others of Kairi's house arrest. Kairi slowly lent back from the door and gritted her teeth.
"Why... of all days... dammit... why today..." she mumbled under her exhausted breath.
"U-uhm... your Highness...?" Kairi quickly turned around to see another guard standing in her doorway. She smiled briefly at him and he shook. 'What is he so afraid of?' she thought, before noticing the parchment in quivering hands.
"The Queen has decreed that you shall not leave the castle at all today!" he blubbered the words out loudly, slightly spitting. Kairi grinned and bore it, but decided to ask more. Her beloved Step Mother wouldn't send somebody up with a parchment just to say something so brief.
"May I ask... why?" she smiled again, hoping to calm the guard down.
"Um... I am to... g-guard yo..you... Your H-highness..." Kairi stared at him for a moment, her face feeling emotionless while thinking up a plan.
"All the time? Do you have to watch me while I... get changed too?" she pondered him with the question, a small grin imprinted on her face. Needless to say, he turned as red as a tomato. She giggled at the reaction.
"No, I am to guard outside your door... there's no other way out other then through that window," he scanned her small body, seeming somewhat amused, "There's no way you'd get out through there." he grinned. Kairi felt a little offended by the comment but decided to go along with it so that he'd leave it unlocked.
"I'll be seeing you, Your Highness." with that he exited the her room, locking the door behind him. She let out a deep sigh before attempting to drown herself in sheets and pillows.
'This was going to be a long day...'
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The castle was rather busy that night. Maids, Knights, Guards, and many, many others rushing around the courtyard as if the castle were on fire. Kairi sat at the balcony amused. She was locked in her room with no other exit but a large double window leading onto a extensive seating area. Overall, the Princess felt quite honestly like Rapunzel, except for the castle being full of many people instead of some protective dragon. Giggling, she found her way back into the room. It was getting close to 11 O'clock.
"It's almost time, I better start getting ready." she walked over to her bed and removed the pillows. Behind them, were a pair of slim jeans, a light tank top, and a plain dark hoodie. She beamed at the outfit as if it was a prized possession before heading into the bathroom. Kairi came out wearing the outfit in all her grace, and it fit her perfect. She pulled the hood far over her head to hide face. Pushing her hair at the back of her neck, she stared at the open window. The commotion had finally settled down for the night. Stealthily, she turned off all the lights and began to stuff pillows in place of where her petite frame would usually be.
"Goodnight, guards! Don't do anything funny while I'm asleep or else you'll regret it."
The Princess heard a few groans from outside to show they were still there. She placed a small recording device under the covers next to the silky blobs and a snoring sound began to play. Finally satisfied, Kairi stared at the window once more before walking to the egde with long rope.
"Heh... heh... quite a drop," she nervously stated while searching for any life. Finding none, she rapped the rope tightly around the frame of the balcony. Kairi glimpsed off the edge once more to try and find a more accurate idea of the height.
"Well... here goes... nothing.. ugh!" she lost her footing slightly on the first step. Groaning at her lack of coordination, she glared back at ground, "Come on, Kairi," she took another two steps without slipping, making a smile tug at her face, "Focus."
Luckily for Kairi, the sides of the castle was paved with embedded Firestone. It had quite a rough grip feel, as if it had been burned but still looked very appealing. The slow drift to the ground was taking a lot longer then she had originally planned. She looked around for a second but something soon dragged at her eyes. A light. The Princess began to get nervous thinking she would get caught but became more fascinated with it. The high tower to the left of the castle was... flickering. Green light slowly drifting on and off. Kairi was hypnotized by it, she felt her hands and legs falling numb and slipping. Her legs dropped, making her crash back to reality.
"Crap!" she cursed to herself as her body rapidly dragged itself down the rope. She could feel the skin on her hands burn with the friction and she hissed loudly. The hard ground was coming in fast.
"Argh! Focus. Kairi, FOCUS!" she pierced before tightening her grip on the rope again. She quickly pushed herself onto the way with a large roar of the bricks own traction. Kairi gasped in pain and closed her eyes. Her body felt like an overheated sauna. It burned in agony. She found herself feeling very tired and weak. Leaning backwards and opening her eyes, Kairi soon noticed she was within jumping distance of the ground. "Here w-we.. g-go-.."
She crashed to the floor. Both her legs aching from the climb and the fall. Kairi fell to her knees and gasped for air. The petite girl examined the lights again.
"It's brighter..." she noticed, feeling an sudden uneasiness sweep over her. Pushing her body to it's extent, she pushed it upwards into a standing position and began to speed-walk away from the castle.
The speed-walking soon increased to running as the pain staking legs readjusted to the smooth land. Kairi neared the exit but stopped dead in her tracks, causing her muscles to ache slightly. Wincing with only one eye, the other one examined the exit widely. A little confused.
"The gate is wide open?" Kairi questioned, with both eyes now wide in wonder. Creeping over to the gate, she found no guards either. Not one to complain, she sat up and eyed the town dead ahead.
"To the docks!" she yelled, feeling a little more confident in her escape.
Kairi's crimson locks waved behind her head as she jolted down the hill, and through the town's murky streets. The Princess soon found herself frowning at the side of what her Mothers pride and joy had now become. A hell on earth. This town was once a rich land, filled with the scented fragrance of rare flowers sweeping through it's streets. Funnily enough, no-one ever seemed to be allergic to the flowers either. Many people contributed help to tend to them, and everyone loved them. The town was filled with amazing waterfalls; the water always looked immensely pure but no-one was ever disrespectful enough to drink from it, as many floating shimmers of light raised from them and reflected around the town to create a peaceful aura. It was beautiful, just like the queen. Before she died, that is. Before that hag married Kairi's father and let him die 'mysteriously', somehow claiming the throne. Kairi found herself wondering too far into what the town was like now. She'd seen it a million times over, but it had more people in it then. People who were missing now, not even a single gang or thug was about.
"This is far too easy." she said out loud again. Suddenly it hit her, like a bullet. The attack to her back winded her as she fell forward to catch her feet each. Turning around, the one responsible was gone.
"Playing dirty are we-..." she was stopped short by a sharp pain in her legs. Leaning down, she felt and noticed a crimson liquid trickling down her leg, shimmering in the moonlight. Kairi no longer cared about the pain when she turned to find the enemy gone. Again. She decided to run. Much faster then before. Her azure eyes moved from side to side quickly. A presence approached her many times in the run, but it was too fast for her eyes. Sighing in frustration, she closed her eyes in attempts to cut off the paranoia she believe was affecting her. Kairi opened her eyes again but they soon grew large, for before her was a large oozing black blob. Right in the way of her route. She stepped back slightly but felt the presence again. Sharp pain shot once more in her back sending her to the floor with a large thud.
"What is... going on....?" she mouthed, not being able to find words to apprehend the situation. The dark feeling left her side and she felt instantly relieved. Standing up fast, the petite girl took a run to the right, exited down another path, away from the black blob.
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"Phew." She let the word escape her lips before she heard it. The screeching sound from over the houses. It sounded like a child who had been killed and brought back 5 times, all in gruesome ways. The pain in that sound was unbearable and Kairi couldn't help but clutch her ears. Looking up, she saw it. Kairi was now face to face with the creature that had been haunting her the entire night. For it was sat on top of a house, lustfully looking down at her. She felt her entire body fall numb in fear, the sight of the creature was pure horror. 'Did that thing make that sound? And do this to my leg?' she examined the still momentarily bleeding limp and exhaled slightly. The creature hadn't taken it's eyes off her the entire time; it's eyes were nothing more then a deep stingy yellow. They had a strange shine to them when looking at her, making Kairi nervous. It's body was nothing more then the same black from the ooze she saw before, except it was formed in a strange muscular figure, with it's feet lengthened into a design similar to stepped on clown shoes. Kairi stared at it meaningfully for a while, evidently hoping for it to retreat and stalk someone else. No dice. It's grasp on Kairi whereabouts grew deeper as it started to move into a pouncing position, it's mouth dropped open with black slime oozing from either end. Kairi backed up a little. The creature jumped forward but soon stopped and stared upwards in the direction of another house. Taken back by the creatures sudden dislike in her, Kairi turned around. A blood-cold hiss escaped and she grasped her ears in pain again. Darting her sight upwards, there sat a second creature, but this one was staring deadly at the first. Both of them sudden jumped at one and other, gnawing craws and barbaric slices in each others charcoal skin. Kairi stared blankly while the two took many swings at each other. Her eyes suddenly widened as two sets of horns grew from their skulls. She backed away again, beginning to understand a little more.
She turned and ran, it was all she could do. "I have to get out of here, even more then ever now!" she reminded herself.
"Please!" a human voice called to her. "Please! Please help-"
Kairi slowed to a halt; turning her head, she felt sick to her stomach. Grasping it tightly, she vomited and coughed violently, before looking back at the scene. A man, no more then 50 years old was stood motionless. His eyes had lost all color to them and his arm was outstretched to her from his frozen in pain body. Pain caused by the inky claw punctured through his chest. In that claw, was a heart. Kairi felt her body grow icy as blood gushed from the hole in his chest onto the floor. The heartless withdrew it's deadly weapon or an arm, heart in it's possession. The man remained in one spot, all the blood turning into the inky slime, and his eyes turning the deadly yellow. She couldn't take much more of this. Her body acted as if on instinct, rushing to the docks.
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Kairi felt all the presences disappear after about 5 minutes more of running. The warm tears had not stopped streaming down her soft face. 'What was that thing!' she thought, looking back through the corridors of her mind to the images of the creatures, the man being slaughtered and stripped of his heart, and the light. All made her want to leave the town so much more. Kairi breathed in heavily upon reaching the dock. Her boat was still there, all in tact. The soft sound of the waves cooed her, and she instantly calmed down. The moonlight reflecting over the glistening water.
"I can't believe I made it," she soothed to herself, smiling, "This place really has gone to hell..." she looked down at herself, imagining what it would have been like if she was the Queen and not just the 'Heir'.
"It can't be helped." She answered her thoughts and slowly began to drift out to sea. Paddling rather fast, she noticed the water begin to shake. A strong wind blew past her, knocking the boat. Kairi's view was pushed onto her reflection. She soon found her eyes move out of place to stare at her reflection. For it wasn't an identical view looking back, but a petite blonde girl. She was staring puzzlingly at Kairi. Kairi blinked quickly and her counterpart returned to normal.
"That wasn't me, I'm sure of it," Kairi had had more then enough for one night. The wind knocked past again, sending Kairi forwards. She winced in pain, her eyes partly open.
Then she noticed it. Or... them.
"How... HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" She screamed at the sight above her, for thousands of hearts were rising from the towns surface. Kairi felt the tears begin to stream again but didn't care. Examining the hearts, she could see that some were much darker then others and some were very light. All of them had darkness. They were the citizens of Radiant Garden. An excruciating pain attacking the inside of her chest. She leaped backwards at the pain, as it continued to ram itself at her ribcage. Her tears were now endlessly dripping off her cold, wet face onto her knees. She screamed in agony. It was all too much for her to handle. Screaming again, she found it uncontrollable to stop, even thought it didn't help the situation at all. Kairi was now stumbling backwards, as her chest began to radiate a strong light. Her heart. She held close on the area, trying not to let it escape. The throb of it seeping through her skin made her mind curl. One more scream escaped, it's fabrications shaking the very water itself. Her sore eyes burned from the endless waterfalls which had been formed within them. Her heart has escaped half way.
She couldn't take much more.
Kairi began to push hard on it, bearing the insane pain that came with it. She felt the warmth begin to light her spirits up again as she leaned forwards. The heart slipping slowly back into place.
"Mother..."
She pictured her mother as best as she could, similar red locks and a warm smile. Kairi smiled through her tears and looked over the edge again to see the blonde girl smiling back at her again.
"I'm not dreaming this, am I?" she felt her eyes grow slow. Her heart was almost back in place. She smiled, "I'll meet you soon..." she said to the reflection. The blonde girl tilted her head and smiled. Kairis heart rested itself back in her chest, making her gasp exceptionally hard.
"Sora...?"
She fell into the water.
Unconscious.
-Dies happy-
I've never EVER written that much in a chapter. O_O
Really hope to continue!
Please review! D:
- Enlightened Life
