Sora had recovered from his mental breakdown, and was now staring at the vast reaches of space from the cockpit of a strange little ship Donald and Goofy called the Highwind. He didn't like how black and bleak it was, even with the dottings of the stars of other worlds.
He felt a stirring of light in his heart for the first time in ages: SOMETHING was finally going RIGHT. But... he was scared of that light. So used to facing the darkness of disappointment that this light of hope scared him. Something was going to happen, something was going to go wrong-
"Lighten up Sora," Riku playfully punched his shoulder "It's not that bad! You look like you're seeing dead people or something."
Sora smiled for only a second.
Goofy looked behind him and said "C'mon, Sora. This ship runs on happy faces! 'Sides, yer gonna love Disney Castle!"
Sora muttered "Happy faces, huh?" then made a grin that looked a little more psychotic than happy. Riku shrugged to Donald and Goofy, not really saying anything, but clearly apologizing for the lack of exercise in Sora's facial muscles. Goofy and Donald just smiled back, each giving a small thumbs up.
After showing Sora and Riku basic drills, Goofy decided they were more than ready for the advanced stuff. Near-perfect replicas of almost any battle situation: swarms of Shadows, Large Bodies and Soldiers, even Dustfliers. Sora and Riku couldn't help but appreciate how Goofy actually knew what he was doing with this kind of thing... Occasionally.
He stuck to his namesake, needless to say.
"Okay then, let's kick it up another notch-" Goofy began before he was interrupted by a female voice
"Uncle Goofy! You're back!"
Sora and Riku turned to find a girl around their age running to them. Her hair was a beautiful ruby red, with sapphire eyes to complement. There was a set of necklaces around her neck: a small white bead and a much larger blue stained glass star. She had a short-sleeved jacket on, white with gold borders and hood, with a white dress underneath that ended at mid-shin with a deep blue wave trim. She had on a pair of blue shoes, with slightly dirty white soles and a small hidden-Mickey buckle. She tackled Goofy, smiling warmly "You're back!"
Sora didn't know what was wrong with him. He couldn't help but stare at her beauty, hear everything in her melodious voice, feel the light that radiated from her heart. She tugged at his heart and demanded its attention. He felt dizzy, warm, and awkward in her presence. Sora felt his insides melt when she directed her smile at them, extended her hand, and said "Hi, I'm Kairi!"
Riku noticed Sora staring at Kairi. There was a vague look of love that crept below his hardened glare. The funny thing about that glare was it was the look Sora got when he wanted something.
Riku then accepted Kairi's hand. He was about to introduce them when Goofy beat him to it "This here is Sora and Riku, Kairi."
Kairi shook Riku's hand a little more exuberantly "Okay then, we can start being friends right now, Sora-" she noticed Sora still looking morose and redirected her train of thought "Oh, I almost forgot about you Riku!" She then grasped Sora's hand, the boy jolting at her warm and gentle touch. "We can be friends too! We can all be our own little circle-"
"Um, Kairi?" Riku began.
"Yeah Sora?"
"Um, I'M Riku. He's Sora."
Kairi blushed, and hastily apologized "Sorry! it's just Goofy introduced you in that order and I just supposed-"
"It's alright."
"-and Sora is such a happy sounding name and you seem so much nicer-"
"Hey! I can be nice!" Sora quipped "I just need more motivation than others!"
Kairi stared at Sora for several seconds, then shrugged her shoulders. "Well I guess you can. Every one has at least a sparkle of light in their heart."
Goofy interrupted them, saying "Say, Kairi have you been working on your cartwheels?" Kairi nodded, demonstrating by quickly cartwheeling back to Goofy "Mom says I've really improved!"
Sora grumbled "Dodge rolls are better." Riku lightly slapped him.
"So do Sora and Riku... Do they train with me too?" Kairi asked. For the first time her peppiness faded. It was brought right back up when Goofy agreed. "Okay then, I want to spar with Sora!" She summoned her Keyblade, a flowery and frail looking thing.
Sora laughed "Excuse me, but you're still working on cartwheels of all things!"
Kairi started turning as red as her hair.
"Gwarsh Kairi, they're a little advanced-"
Sora summoned his Keyblade and got ready for an easy fight "Fine, if you like disappointment." Riku held him back
"Sora she's-"
He suddenly let go as Kairi charged, yelling "En Garde!" Her attacks were more light than Sora's, but they were also more precise, hitting points on Sora's body that almost caused him to lose his footing.
"My dad taught me fencing!" she boasted.
But Sora had the advantage of being able to spot Kairi's tells, knowing when and where she would attack just by how she moved and what she said. Not to mention his experience vastly out weighed hers. Eventually, Kairi retreated, Sora taunting "What? You admitting you're not good enough?!"
Kairi, who was about to give up the fight, whirled around in tranquil fury, pointed her Keyblade at Sora, and said calmly
"Sparkga."
Sora blinked, not comprehending until crystals of light started assailing him. He started running then, finding that Kairi's strength wasn't in strength itself, it was in magic. BOY was it in magic.
"Kairi!" Goofy cried, sounding angry "You know it's only classes with Donald you're allowed to use spells in combat! Call it off right now!"
Kairi, still looking quite annoyed, dismissed her Keyblade in a shower of light, the projectiles chasing after Sora vanishing as well. Panting, Sora glared at her "That was uncalled for."
"Your entire attitude is uncalled for." Kairi said, although her anger had been replaced with something else.
Sora took the change in tone as pity, and he snapped "I don't need any of your sympathy!"
"You need love, that's for sure," Kairi said back, staying calm. Sora became completely red, and he yelled
"OH SO YOU THINK I NEED LOVE HUH?!" everyone was staring at the two now. Sora continued "LOVE IS WHAT GETS YOU KILLED OUT THERE! THE BAREST SYMPATHY EVEN A SHADOW KNOWS HOW TO EXPLOIT!"
Riku took a step forward "Sora calm down-"
"STAY OUT OF THIS!"
Kairi gently walked forward "You need help-"
"OH SO YOU THINK I'M CRAZY NOW?!" Sora was growing hysterical.
"No, but-" Kairi said before Goofy gently took Sora aside
"Ya know, how about you go get some time to yourself. There's a garden in the courtyard that's perfect." He suggested. Sora was trembling, with wrath or sadness no one was certain, but he nodded, shouldered his Keyblade and quickly walked towards the courtyard.
"I'm sorry," Riku turned to Kairi "We've had it rough, and Sora has-"
"Taken it a lot harder than you, am I right?"
Riku blinked "How did you-?"
"Kairi's a Princess Of Heart," Goofy explained "not a drop of darkness in her heart, but all the light and empathy one could need."
Riku noticed Kairi was crying "Hey, are you-?"
"Do you know what state he's in?" She whispered.
Riku shrugged "Sort of."
"His heart, I've never seen anything so hurt." She held her hand to her heart, still weeping. "There's wounds still bleeding, scars still hurting...! He's killing himself from the inside and he's shoving away every bit of help he gets!"
She then looked determined as she gathered her skirt and started following Sora "I'm going to help him-"
"He doesn't open up easily Kairi-"
She turned around, and Riku found it hard to argue with her fierce, tear-streaked face. "I am going to help him whether he wants it or not!" And she left without another word.
Yay for Kairi! three guesses on who her dad is, first two don't count!
