Together with the Moon

by Oathkeeper-Kairi

SoKai; Slightly canon. Kairi is sent by Yen Sid to reclaim the throne of Radiant Gardens, to save her people from sickness and strife. She is not prepared for a path wrought with betrayal, death, and war. Guarded by Sora, who hopes to prove his worth as a Keyblade Master through protecting her, Kairi must bring her country out of the flames and into the light. Rating will go up.

2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Hello again, everyone! I know this update is super fast, but I really abhor having chapters written and not posting them! Anyway, there's a tiny bit of violence (sparring) in this chapter, and some foul language! Also, please do me a favor, all, and listen to the song of the chapter when you're reading. It really helps set the mood, especially because traditional Chinese music is the bomb! So without further adieu, here is the second chapter of Together with the Moon!

Song of the Chapter: "Girl in the Rice Field" by Hans-Andre Stammt

. . . TWO . . .

Sora had grown taller since leaving for the Mark of Mastery exam, that much I could see from where I stood, and his features were sharper, more angular. His hair was an inch or two longer, the spikes more bedheaded and all over the place than ever before, so that he had to continuously brush his bangs out of his eyes. Those eyes . . . Those cobalt blue eyes had never appeared more crystal clear and full of clarity. He had the eyes of a warrior, tried and true and as he looked at me, I felt as if I was the only person in the room with him.

Blushing, I averted my gaze and put my hands on my hips.

"Sora, you lazy bum," I chided. "Late, as usual."

Sora laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. He was still looking at me, through long, thick lashes. His smile was shy but it dazzled me all the same.

"Heh, sorry. I didn't know you were gonna be here, though, or else I would have moved a little bit faster!" His smile widened into his trademark cheesy grin, and my cheeks flamed.

Had he really just said that? Was it possible that Sora had missed me while he was gone on his exam? Then again, Sora was one of my best friends. It would only make sense for him to miss me when he was gone, the same as he would miss any of his friends. Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka . . . I was no different.

But he was looking at me a little differently than he used to when we were younger . . . Or maybe it was just my imagination.

King Mickey began giggling uncharacteristically, nudging Donald and Goofy in the sides as they shared their own private joke. Riku had his hands on his hips, shaking his head as if disappointed, and Yen Sid cleared his throat in an almost awkward manner.

"What?" Sora asked, oblivious as usual. "What did I say?"

I hurriedly turned to Yen Sid. "When do we leave?"

Yen Sid looked surprised (and relieved to be back on a topic that wasn't on the embarrassing side), and his eyes softened, if that were at all possible with those eyebrows. "I have a few things to do to prepare Merlin for your arrival, and then as soon as the gummi ship is ready, you may depart. Why don't you head to the training arena with the others? Perhaps one of you boys could teach her a few things . . . ? And Sora, I'll call you back up in a short time to speak with you."

"Sparring with Kairi?" Riku chuckled, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "After all the years of her cheering Sora and I on during our sparring, I never thought I'd see the day when she did the fighting, too."

I couldn't help but smile, even though my mind felt weighted down with all of the information that I had just learned about Radiant Gardens and what my task was. Riku was right—it was going to feel odd to spar with my friends, who were so much more seasoned than I was, but it might be fun. I just hoped they'd go easy on me.

"You'd better be on your guard, Riku," Sora teased, clasping his hands behind his head in the relaxed stance he usually defaulted to. "Kairi's a redhead—she might be just as fiery as Axel. Err . . . Lea."

"I don't know about that, Sora," Donald said, waving one wing. "Lea's pretty powerful."

"Well, maybe I oughta spar with Ax—err . . . Lea . . . And prove you wrong!" Sora grinned wolfishly and jabbed his thumb against his own chest.

"A-hyuck," Goofy laughed. "Gawrsh, Sora, remember what happened the last time?"

Riku smirked and leaned down closer to me. He smelled like vanilla. "Sora likes to think he won that fight, but there's a scar on the back of his left leg that begs to differ."

I knew he wanted me to laugh or feel smug, but for some reason, I couldn't. In fact, I was thoroughly concerned. My first instinct was to want to run over and inspect the scar, to see if there was anything I could do. What if it was causing him pain? Jeez, men were so violet, laughing at their battle wounds as if they were badges. Was that my future if I learned how to properly summon a Keyblade? Comparing scrapes and bruises and wearing them like medals?

Faking a smile, I changed the subject. "Who is Lea?"

"Lea is the Somebody of the one you previously knew as Axel," Yen Sid informed me. "He regained his heart, and is currently staying in my castle."

My eyes darkened. Axel was the one who had kidnapped me and thrown me in a jail cell in The Castle That Never Was. That jail cell, so cold and empty . . . Pluto had been my only company, helping remind me that Sora was coming to save me. Namine had ended up being my rescuer, but I had met up with Sora at some point while he was on the way to my rescue. For me, that was enough.

However, they were all talking about that redheaded pyromaniac as if he were their friend. I was a forgiving person and I didn't really hold grudges, but I don't think anyone would truly understand what it was like for me in that prison. Organization members had harassed me every day, threatening to hurt me or worse . . . It was a time that I liked to place away from my thoughts, but my nightly dreams reminded me that not all memories can be forgotten.

"You okay?" Riku was frowning at me.

"I'm fine," I said dismissively. "Let's head to the training room."

We all made for the door, but then the King spoke.

"Donald, Goofy," he said brightly. "I need you to come with me—we have work to do back at Disney Castle."

"Huh?" Donald said, and he and Goofy exchanged glances. "We're not going with Sora?"

"Nope, ha-huh!" Mickey laughed. "We've got lots to do! We'll meet up with them at Radiant Gardens soon."

I stepped out of the room, holding the door open for Riku to walk through it. Behind us, Sora said his goodbyes to his companions and then followed us to the stairwell.

"Gee, it sure is good to see you, Kairi," Sora said as we walked down the steps of the ethereal tower. Riku was to my left, the brunette to my right, and for the first time in a while, I felt nostalgic.

"How did your exams go?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and trying to hide my blush at Sora's words. I couldn't understand why I was feeling so modest around Sora all-of-a-sudden; everything he said regarding me was causing me to flush bright maroon. I was so embarrassed, but I didn't know what else to do besides to continuously change the subject.

I soon realized that the Mark of Mastery exam was the wrong topic to change our conversation to. Sora's facial expression fell as a shooting star rains from Heaven, and all traces of mirth vacated his normally bright eyes. He hung his head like a shamed puppy dog.

Seeing Sora's dejected manner, Riku reached over the top of my much shorter height and ruffled Sora's long, defined spikes much like he had done to me in Yen Sid's office.

"Sora did his best, and he made it really far," Riku said encouragingly. "We both made a lot of new friends in other worlds, and saved a lot of lives. We don't need trophies or awards to know that."

"Thanks, man," Sora said, offering Riku a small smile. "But it still sucks. I really wanted to be named Keyblade Master."

"I thought you were Keyblade Master?" I asked, puzzled.

"Well, I was," Sora said, scratching the back of his head. "But then we found out that there used to be more than one Keyblade Master back in the day. Yen Sid told us we had to take our Mark of Mastery exams so that we could make it all official. But I . . . I failed the exam."

I halted on one of the steps, hands on my hips. The boys went ahead a few more steps before they realized that I had stopped following them, and both of them turned to look at me. I couldn't stop myself from noting that they were standing on the same level . . . And Sora was almost taller than Riku! When had that happened? He was still wearing the black, red, and yellow outfit that he had been wearing when I'd met him in The World That Never Was, and it seemed to have grown and molded to fit him. Wondering to myself if it was magic, I stomped my boot-clad foot angrily.

"That isn't fair!" I complained.

"What?" Sora laughed, exchanging amused glances with Riku.

"What isn't fair?" Riku asked.

Keeping one hand on my hip, I leaned forward and pointed at Sora with my free hand. "Everyone knows that you single-handedly saved the multiverse when you fought Ansem. You saved hundreds of worlds and millions of people. If anyone deserves to pass the Mark of Mastery exam, it's you."

Sora's smile faltered. "Aw, thanks, Kairi . . . But there are rules, and we've all got to follow them if we're going to wield the Keyblade."

"Says who?" I whined, hands back on my hips. "A stuffy bearded man cooped up in a tower? A giant mouse? Don't get me wrong—they're good people, and they're your friends, but . . . Jesus Christ, Sora. You've saved my life multiple times." My brows knitted together and I glared hard at the ground, blushing yet again. "No offense to Riku, but . . . I think you deserve it more."

Sora looked shocked, but Riku was smiling gently. He reached over to put his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"I agree with her."

Sora and I both cried out, "You do?!"

Riku threw his head back and laughed heartily, still squeezing Sora's shoulder. "Hell yeah, I do! I'm half the reason why everything went to shit when we were younger. I don't deserve to be Master, let alone a Keybearer in the first place. You do."

Sora's eyebrows shot up and he crossed arms behind his head, smirking. "Potty mouth."

I covered my mouth and giggled. Riku had always been a bit of a foul mouth. He was always the one who was cussing like a sailor, whereas Sora was the one who insisted on a Swear Jar. Of course, then I caught him saying the F word when he was fishing once. He had dropped his fishing pole down over the edge of the shipwreck on the Play Island, and let me tell you what. He paid me five dollars just to keep it a secret.

"And Riku," I said, "for the record, you do deserve to wield the Keyblade. That isn't what I was saying . . . I just don't think it's fair that Sora was told he was the Keyblade Master for more than a year, and now all-of-a-sudden, he's not. It makes me angry."

"Whoa there, little firecracker," Riku laughed, holding up his hands defensively. "Don't feel so angry. Following rules is a part of life."

"Yeah well . . . I don't like the rules," I muttered.

Riku sighed, "Then how do you expect to be Queen over an entire world if you get pissy over rules that don't even apply to you?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but Sora's look of flabbergasted awe was enough to shut me up. I realized in that moment that Sora had either forgotten that I was the Princess of Radiant Gardens, or he hadn't known in the first place. That came as a surprise to me, because usually Sora knew everything I needed to know, and I could ask him any question and he would have an answer. So I closed my mouth, wondering if he was going to be okay with giving up his saving of many worlds just to protect me on one, and if he was going to even want to be my guardian. I guess you could say I was feeling insecure, but I didn't know where to place those feelings so I tried to confine them to a small box inside of my heart.

"You're going to be a Queen?" Sora asked, eyes as wide as saucers.

I nodded, keeping my face blank. I didn't want anyone to know how terrified I was. "Radiant Gardens. There are a lot of bad things happening in the shadows, and they need me to unify the people. So . . . So yeah. I'm going to be Queen."

". . . Wow." His hands situated themselves on his hips. "Riku's right, Kairi. Rules are important in a lot of things, especially ruling a country. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

I protested, "Of course I am! I may not know the first thing about it, but . . . But I'm willing to learn! And that's what I'm going to do when I get there." I brushed past my two older, taller friends and started back down the long flight of stairs. I called behind me, "I have six months until I'm eighteen, and by then, I plan on being ready."

Man, did I talk a big game because I. Was. Terrified.

When we finally made it to the second floor training room, I realized that I had forgotten altogether that Axel or Lea, or whatever his name was, was probably going to be in there. So my haughty, prideful mood dissipated almost as soon as I laid eyes on him, leaving me feeling surly and a little bit fearful. I didn't trust him.

Axel stood in the center of the room, holding one of his chakrams up into the artificial light that filtered down through the big, round room. To either side of him, the walls were lined with all sorts of things that could be used for training: wooden weapons, metal weapons, dummies that were on stands, dummies that were on wheels, flasks of water, whips and chains to be used as weapons (though the sight of them made me feel a bit uncomfortable), etcetera. When the three of us entered the room, our footsteps echoing, Axel's glimmering emerald eyes landed immediately on me. His grin was unsettling.

"Well, well, well . . . Look who it is. The crazy little redhead who had me chasing her all over Twilight Town."

I glared at him, absentmindedly stepping behind Sora to partially hide myself. Sora looked bewildered, glancing at me over his shoulder, but I had eyes only for the tattooed pyro in front of us.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't like I was just going to let you kidnap me," I challenged. "That would be stupid."

"It definitely would have made things a helluva lot easier, Red." He smirked and began spinning his chakrams around on one finger, putting his other hand on his small hip. He was so tall and lanky that it was almost treelike, and his long red hair fell back away from his forehead in just the way I remembered. He was wearing his black cloak still, so even if he had a heart now, he remained, in appearance, a big, fat jerk to me.

"Where's your Keyblade, dude?" Riku asked, strolling across the room with purpose to one of the weapon walls. He peered up at the selection, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Don't feel like using it," Axel retorted. "I'm used to these babies." As if to solidify his statement, his second chakram materialized out of nothingness in his free hand, and both of them began to burn with orange, glowing flames. His grin was toothy and wicked.

Sora stepped into the middle of the room, his feet spread shoulder-width apart. He pointed directly at Axel.

"Then I challenge you to a good, old-fashioned duel," he said cheerfully, and for some reason, it made me feel sick. Did both of my friends have not a care in the world as to the fact that this man kidnapped me and threw me into a prison cell?

Axel's arms shot wildly out into the air and a blast of flames so hot that it choked the breath of me surrounded him. His eyes gleamed as he cried, "You're on!"

Riku was suddenly beside me, chuckling as he pushed me closer to the wall, outside of an invisible wall that I hadn't noticed. I soon saw that it kept back any magical blasts, like Axel's flames, so that it didn't burn the watchers of the duel. Still, I felt on edge as I watched them, even though I knew Sora probably wouldn't allow himself to get hurt.

Although, he did have the scar on his leg, which I could see clearly now that Sora's back was to me. It made me even more angry.

In the ring, Sora barely had time to draw his blade before Axel lunged toward him with lightning speed. Lionheart met the chakrams with a loud clang, sending both of them flying away from one another. Sora used his momentum to whirl himself around and send his Keyblade spinning across the distance between them, clipping Axel in the stomach and causing him to double over. Determination gleamed in his eyes as he leapt up into the air, so high that Riku and I had to tilt our heads back, and then landed behind Axel with his Keyblade in hand and held up to his throat.

"Whoa," I said as Riku gave a low whistle. "That was amazing!"

"Care for round 2?" Sora said, stepping away from Axel and slinging his Keyblade over his shoulder nonchalantly.

"Isn't this time supposed to be used to be teaching Kairi a few things?" Riku scolded pointedly, jerking his head in my direction.

"Aw," Axel whimpered. "Just let me beat him once~"

"Hah!" Sora scoffed. "As if. But come on, man—this is actually supposed to be Kairi's time in the ring."

"Psh, fine. Shall I go first?" Axel joked.

I shook my head wildly and shouted, "NO!" so loudly that the echo caused everyone to have to clap their hands over their ears.

"Fuckin' A, Red!" Axel exclaimed. "You got some pipes. Sheesh, fine. I won't spar you. But don't expect Sora to go any easier on you!"

I ignored Axel deliberately because I hated him, and then marched over to the weapons wall. My hand hovered over each weapon in turn, my mind weighing the stats. I may not have been in many battles (try like, one), but I was book smart. I knew that it took strength, speed, stamina, and a well-made weapon to be successful in battle. You wanted the weapon weight to body weight ratio to be balanced, otherwise everything could fall apart.

"I thought you could wield a Keyblade . . . ?" Riku remarked. "Why don't you just draw yours?"

"Because I can't call it out," I admitted. "I don't know how."

"What?!" Sora frowned and held one hand out in front of him. "It's easy . . . You feel this tingle in your belly, a flutter in your heart, your arm shakes a little bit and then, viola! Keyblade." A bright flash of light, and Lionheart appeared again, and Sora was smiling like a cheeky little elf.

I rubbed my arm modestly, looking away from everyone. "I can't do it. I just don't know how."

Sora's frowned merely deepened. "Well, maybe that's something we'll have to work on. If you can wield a Keyblade, then you can call on one—that just has to be true. Anyway, pick a weapon and come over here. You can spar me first."

"Why, is Riku too scared to fight me?" I teased, wrinkling my nose as I absentmindedly reached for a short sword. I yanked it off the wall . . . And went toppling straight onto the ground. Apparently, the metal swords were much heavier than they looked.

Sora laughed lightly, jogging over to help me to my feet. Up this close, I realized that he, too had a smell of his own—a mix between lavender and sandalwood—and I could clearly see how much he had matured. His skin was smooth and clear, and when I glanced down at his toned, muscular arm, I could see why it was easier for him to hold weapons.

Cheeks flaring red, I thanked him and stepped away.

Sora turned around and examined the wall, finally settling upon two small daggers with long, jagged blades and simple gold hilts. He presented them to me with a cheery smile.

"Try these," he said. "They're light and since you're tiny, it'll be easier for you to take a quicker approach."

I nodded and took one in each hand, testing the weight in turn. They felt light, but not as if they were going to break on contact with another weapon. Sora watched me, a serious expression on his face. I couldn't help but think about the fact that his countenance was different now, almost as if he were truly enjoying himself. Was battle this important to him? I supposed it was important to love your craft . . . He wouldn't make a very good warrior if he didn't enjoy it to some extent, now would he?

"Okay, now, let's go over some common stances . . ."

Over the next half-hour or so, Sora and Riku helped me to learn some of the basic combat stances that I would need to know, including a few defensive tactics for certain situations (Axel had left after the first ten minutes, claiming hunger). For the most part, it was easy, but I was so out of shape that by the end of it, I was feeling mortified and winded, and Sora seemed to be a bit irritated. He didn't seem to like the fact that I couldn't hold some of the stances as long as I should be able to, swearing to me that if I didn't get it right, that could be all that it took to get me killed.

After the third time Sora complained about my form, Riku finally stepped in to snap at him.

"Come on, Sora," Riku growled. "She's new at this. It's going to take her some time."

"Yeah, I know, but we don't always have time," Sora countered, looking me up and down as if I were made of porcelain or glass. "I once fought on a battlefield on my own against one thousand Heartless. Do you think I would still be alive today if I had had poor form or a lazy stance? No."

"Understood, Sora, but right now, we do have time." Riku then lowered his voice and grabbed Sora's shoulder. "I know you're disappointed in yourself about the exam, but you can't take it out on Kairi. You can't."

Sora looked at me, and there was sympathy in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kai."

My heartbeat skipped at the sound of the nickname. He rarely called me Kai, but when he did, it felt . . . Special somehow. Rather, it made me feel special. It made me feel special to know that someone cared about me enough to give me a nickname, though I did feel a bit embarrassed about feeling that way. Sora and I were just friends, so nicknames were normal in friendships, weren't they?

"It's okay," I panted, wiping sweat from my brow. "Should we spar now?"

"I gotta step in on this one," Riku said, shaking his head. "Even though Sora was being an asshole, you aren't ready for a full-on fight yet."

I pouted and walked over to the weapons wall, gently hanging my blades back up. It was a pity. I liked the feeling of having weapons in hand. It made me feel less weak—powerful, even. Like I could protect myself from anyone or anything. And that was a feeling that I'd been seeking for a long time now.

I didn't want to be helpless anymore.

"Why don't you work off that bad mood?" Riku suggested to Sora, punching him playfully on the arm. Way to the Dawn appeared in his left hand and he walked a few feet away before turning and pointing the sharp tip of the blade in his direction. He smirked, and that was all the invitation Sora needed to attack.

Blades clashing, Sora and Riku were a blur of multiple colors as they went at each other full force for a few seconds. Hop-skipping back, they began to circle each other, Sora with his Keyblade held low and Riku with his arched high. Their eyes were narrowed, calculating—as if they were battling Heartless and not each other. A spit second of silence, and then they were sprinting toward each other.

Sora swung low, aiming for Riku's ribcage, but the silverette was like smoke, twisting backward so that Sora missed. He parried the brunette's blow with ease. Sora stumbled forward, surprised, and Riku caught him across the back with the flat of his blade. Wincing, Sora staggered forward and barely managed to spin around and block Riku's next blow, falling to his knees. Riku and Sora met blades once more, but Riku had the advantage of strength as opposed to Sora's speed.

Sora went soaring backward as Riku surprised him with a heavy punch to the gut, causing all of the air to rush out of his abdomen. Had Sora's leg not been scarred from Axel's flames in their long ago battle, he would have been able to balance himself. He rolled onto his back, wheezing past the throbbing ache in his midsection. Lionheart clattered to the floor a yard or so away before disappearing in a shower of shimmer.

I cried out in horror when Riku stalked up to the fallen eighteen-year-old and sent a swift, savage kick pummeling into his side. My hands flew to my mouth. This was so brutal . . . I had never seen them spar like this. Was this because they were pretending each other were Heartless? Or were they harboring some sort of ill will toward one another?

"Get up," Riku snarled, as if Sora really were a Heartless.

Sora did just that, surprising Riku with a well-aimed punch to the jugular. He choked on air and clutched his neck. Sora summoned his Keyblade and smacked Riku on the hip with the edge of the blade, slicing clean through the fabric of his shirt and biting into his flesh slightly. He dropped down to his knees expertly, grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground, and threw it into Riku's aquamarine eyes. Then, ignoring the pain in his leg, he ran back a little ways, pivoted back on his right foot, and sent the Keyblade spinning into Riku's solar plexus in a Strike Raid, the hilt successfully hitting its mark.

Riku's arms flew up into the air and he collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

Sora de-summoned his Keyblade quickly and fell to his knees on the training room floor, gasping for air. There was a cut on his upper right arm, and scrapes on his knees that oozed blood. My jaw hung open as I stared at my two friends, tears filling my eyes. They had hurt each other. Really hurt each other. Was this was battling was about? If it was . . . Well, then I don't think I wanted anything to do with it.

Riku sat up, shaking his hair free of dirt and pulled his knees to his chest. To my amazement, he was laughing even though his eyes were streaming with tears.

"Shit, Sora. You really beat me this time. I'm actually bleeding."

Sora coughed meekly and grinned lopsidedly. "I think you bruised my diaphragm, Riku . . ."

"This is ridiculous!" I cried, drawing their attention. "Completely ridiculous!"

The silverette and the brunette exchanged bemused glances and then looked at me as if I had just sprouted three heads.

"It's just sparring, Kairi," Riku said.

"Yeah," Sora agreed, slowly standing up and reaching down to pull Riku to his feet as well. "We've both suffered much worse."

"I don't doubt that, but . . ." My lower lip stuck out. I didn't like seeing them hurt. At all. Was this why Sora hadn't wanted me to come with them? Because of how I was feeling right now? I guess I understood . . .

How was I going to be a Queen if I could hardly stand to see my own friends hurt? How was I going to help all of those sick people if I didn't like to see Sora with scraped knees, or Riku with a bruise? I looked down. I wished I could say that Yen Sid had picked the wrong girl, but unfortunately . . . It was in my blood to rule.

Before Riku or Sora could speak and try to cheer me up, a walking broom appeared in the door. I looked on in alarm because hello, a walking broom, but the boys didn't seem perturbed.

"I guess that's my cue," Sora said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll see you guys later."

He threw me one last look over his shoulder before he left, and I took a step back.

Was that . . . Sympathy?

. . . with the MOON . . .

End Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I gave you a little taste of Axel action, though he won't be in this story much. This story is about Kairi, Sora, and the path to Kairi becoming Queen! I do love Axel, though~ Anyway, catch you guys on the flipside!