LOST WORLDS
Chapter 6: World of Thorns
Written by: Lynx and Rebmakash and hosted through the generosity of Organization VI
Rating: G (K)
Summary: After the battle against the thousand Heartless at Hollow Bastion, a whole new ring of worlds appears for Sora, Donald and Goofy to explore.
Disclaimer: We do not own Kingdom Hearts II or any of the Disney movies shown here; they are copyright to Disney and Square Enix. Please see the first chapter for the full disclaimer.
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Kairi was getting sick of the black. She couldn't seem to stay five minutes on a world now without being dragged or shoved or coerced through one of those swirling portals. She almost wished that, when this one dissipated, she would see familiar sandy shores and palm trees.
But when the haze cleared, the trees were thick, sprawling oaks that branched into every corner as only old things could. She shielded her face, allowing her eyes to adjust from the pitch of the dark corridor moments before. The afternoon sun spilled through the foliage; a drastic change from the previous world.
The hooded man's words still echoed in her mind.
You'll be safe here. I'll come back for you soon!
How often has she heard that before?
Kairi knew better than to assume anywhere was safe. And she knew better to assume "soon" could be taken literally. She had to take matters into her own hands.
She glanced down at her one constant traveling companion: Pluto, the King's dog. He just smiled up at her, and she scratched behind his ears and felt a little better. "Let's see if we can't find somebody who can help us, huh boy?" Pluto barked in agreement.
Kairi got her first good look at this new world. Behind them stretched an ancient forest, its thick branches cris-crossing each other into a tangled roof of foliage. The eerie chatterings of woodland wildlife echoed back to her.
But far more foreboding was what lay ahead. A twisted wall of thorns blocked the path. The branches looked as thick as the opposing oak trees, and the thorns jutted out like curved scythes. I know I've seen these thorns before...
Beyond the thorn forest, at the top of the hill, sat a towering palace. Its walls and turrets looked as if they'd once glistened white in the sun...but the luster was gone, and even from this distance she could feel the heavy air hanging over it.
"Do you suppose there's anybody there?" she asked Pluto. He whined, and backed up a step from the thorns. Kairi agreed...she didn't like the idea of having to fight through this thorny barrier if the castle beyond it was empty. However, their only other option was the woods, and they didn't look any more promising.
Kairi slumped to the ground, feeling useless and hating it all over again. Pluto nuzzled up next to her, silently begging for more ear scratches. She complied, and signed. "Well, we're in a world I've never seen before. Led here by a guy in a black robe who won't show his face. And we're being chased by other black-robed guys who know something about Sora." He paused, and Pluto cocked his head at her. She pounded the dirt path with her fist. "And this wouldn't bother me so much if I felt like I could do something about it!"
The brief lull in her one-sided conversation revealed the sound of approaching footsteps.
Kairi shot to her feet, ready for the worst. If it was Axel again, she wouldn't even give him the chance to grab her; she'd just kick him where it really hurt.
But as the steps came closer, Pluto's ears perked up instead of pressing back in fear.
"Kairi!"
Kairi wasn't sure whether to be relieved or shocked. From the woods emerged a young woman with long blonde locks and friendly eyes. She was dressed in regal attire...the sort of dress most girls wished for when they were little. Kairi couldn't quite place her name, but knew she was familiar...
"It's so good to see you again! How on earth did you get here?" the woman declared.
The name finally came to her. "Princess Aurora!"
The princess smiled with equal relief. "You remembered! I can't tell you how happy I am to see you. I haven't seen any of the others since..."
"So this is your world..." Kairi said quietly, giving the thorn barrier another glance. "I'm glad to see you, too! But I'm afraid I can't really just visit...I...we're kind of in trouble."
Aurora didn't seem surprised. "I don't imagine you'd be here under good circumstances." She gestured back towards the woods. "I've got a place to stay just through here. Come with me, and we can talk about everything."
Kairi looked to Pluto for approval. He wagged his tail, his tongue lolling happily out of his mouth. Feeling better already, Kairi followed Aurora back into the forest.