Sorry for the long delay, hope this makes up for it
Chapter 9: Trials of a Princess
Kairi became aware of the cold hard surface she was lying on. She refused to open her eyes out of fear, the last thing she remembered was the tower falling and she was afraid of what she would see. After a moment she couldn't take the fear any longer and opened her eyes and immediately recognized the place she was in. it was Sora's inner place, but there were differences, and she had no idea how she would get here.
Kairi sat up and looked around, taking in the differences between this place and Sora's Cinderella pillar. This seemed to be a pillar too, the darkness beyond stretching into eternity and the only light coming form the floor itself. But the floor want stained glass, it was a solid silver stone pillar giving off a soft colorless light.
Kairi's first thought was that this was the Friendship pillar, being silver, and it wasn't until she heard the pair of footsteps behind her that she realized this wasn't Sora's inner place at all. Upon this realization Kairi shot to her feet and spun around to see the three others on the pillar.
The first was a woman dressed for success. She wore a blue skirt to her knees, a light blue blouse and a blue suit jacket the same color as the skirt. Her dress shoes were also blue and her hair was styled up and held in place by a single blue clip. She carried a white leather-bound book under her right arm that had a red heart on the cover and she wore a neutral expression on her face.
Beside her was a yellow clad woman. She wore a sunny yellow Sunday dress that went just past her knees. She had yellow dress shoes on and a yellow band on her right arm that went from her wrist to her mid-forearm. A singe red heart decorated the yellow band and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. She wore a pleasant smile on her face and walked towards Kairi side by side with the first woman.
The third woman wore silver gym shoes and silver cargo shorts that went to her mid-calf. She had a black belt with a white buckle and metal end that hung halfway to her knees. She wore a silver hooded sweatshirt that went just past her ribs leaving her mid-section bare, the long sleeves of the sweatshirt were pushed up past her elbows and the hood was down. She wore a silver knitted hat with a large red heart on its side. Her shoulder-length hair peaking out of the bottom of the hat.
The third woman was standing and watching Kairi, her hands clasped and held just below her chin as she bounced on her feet and wore an excited look on her face. All three women looked exactly like Kairi did only dressed differently. It was the same as with Anger, but it was a little creepier because it was seeing three copies of her instead of just one.
"So you're my inner selves," Kairi said before looking around her, "and this is my inner place."
"Correct," the blue clad Kairi said.
"This one is actually my pillar," the silver Kairi added still bouncing.
Kairi looked over at the silver Kairi then back at the pair approaching her. "I'm guessing you're Knowledge," she said pointing at the blue Kairi, "and you're Friendship," she said pointing at the silver one.
The blue Kairi nodded in the affirmative when Kairi guessed her name while the silver Kairi gave a yell of "yippee!" before running at Kairi and embracing her in a big hug.
Once Friendship let Kairi go and stepped back to give her space the other two reach them and stood near Friendship. "My name is Truth," the yellow Kairi said with a polite nod that Kairi returned.
"I'm sorry if I seem rude… but I've really wanted to come here ever since I learned of it," Kairi said after a pause as she looked around again.
"It's quite alright," Truth said keeping her smile.
"Really?" Kairi asked looking back at the three.
"Truth can't tell a lie. Part of being truth and all," Friendship said clapping a hand on Truth's shoulder.
Kairi smirked, "So do I have seven pillars or eight like Sora?"
"Eight. Your eighth is white," Knowledge said simply.
Kairi nodded her understanding, "can I meet the others? I've already met Anger, and Sora's Knowledge said there was one that was trapped."
"Yes, of your seven, you have embraced six. However, the one who was trapped still is, so you may only meet two more aside from us, one is Anger and the other will arrive shortly," Truth said looking at Kairi and glancing at Knowledge a few times.
"Can I ask how my body is doing? Sora's Knowledge said that if I were dieing I wouldn't be able to move here, so can you tell me my situation?" Kairi asked as she seated herself on the floor, Friendship copying her immediately.
"You are alive and not suffering from a mortal wound, that it true," Truth said as she and Knowledge also sat down.
"But beyond that, we cannot say anything," Knowledge said.
"So… what do I do while I'm here then? I know time moves differently, is there something I can do while I'm here? Riku told me that to master my Zanpakutou I had to come here, what do I have to do?" Kairi asked looking around her, her eyes finally resting on Truth.
Knowledge sighted as she pulled her book out and opened to the middle, "about your Zanpakutou, this is where you come, and we can help you, but only one of us. You have to figure out which one and the right way to ask on you own," she said before looking up at Kairi.
"Well…" Kairi said putting a hand on her chin and looking down, "my Zanpakutou is a sword, which is combat. So it probably won't be any of you… maybe Anger?" she asked looking at Knowledge and Truth in confusion.
Both managed to keep straight faces but Friendship burst out laughing in a matter of moments. Before Kairi could question her on this there was the sound of two sets of feet landing on the pillar. Kairi spun around to see the newcomers. One was Anger who gave a quick look around the pillar before walking towards the group; the other waited for Anger to do her look and walked beside her.
She was dressed from neck to foot in well formed red plate-mail armor. The armor jangled slightly as she walked and she wore a stern look on her face. There was a red handled sword on her left hip and two blades crossed on her back, one a katana the other Kairi's keyblade. Over the two blades and facing outwards was a silver shield shaped like a diamond and bearing a large red heard on the center of it. She, like all the others, looked identical to Kairi, except for two things. One was that her hair was much shorter, Kairi assumed to prevent it from getting in the way in a fight, and the other was a single scar along her left cheek.
When the two reached Kairi and the others Kairi had already risen to her feet to welcome them. "Anger, glad to see you again," she said offering her hand which Anger smiled and nodded at before sitting beside Friendship.
"You'll get used to that," the armored Kairi said watching Anger sit down.
"I suppose I will. What's your name?" Kairi asked offering her hand now to the red Kairi.
"Courage," the red Kairi said taking Kairi's hand. "I've been waiting to meet with you," she added as the two released each others hands.
"Really? Any real reason why?" Kairi asked as she sat back down, after a moment Courage did the same.
"You're a good fighter. But you let a few to many things distract you on the battlefield," Courage said sternly.
Kairi smirked slightly, "so you're my war hero personality. I suppose I should take all measures to be sure I ignore everything but the fight when in a battle then?" she asked with slight irritation.
"Wrong on all counts. Ignore nothing when in a battle, but know what value each thing holds. I mention the distractions because you give things that don't mater higher precedence than things that do. And I am no war hero, neither are you," Courage said informatively.
There was silence for a moment before Kairi broke it, "I'm sorry but I have to know, how did you get that scar?"
Friendship slapped her had over her mouth, either to suppress laughter or out of shock none of the others knew. Truth sighed and Knowledge put her face in her palm while Anger smirked waiting for the answer. At first Kairi thought she was smirking because of the question asked, but when Courage spoke Kairi knew Angers smirk was because of the answer.
"I received this scar when you embraced me. In the Castle that Never Was, when you first fought for yourself and others, knowing you didn't have what it took to win, but fighting anyway. One of the countless heartless you fought that day gave you a gash across you cheek, yours healed and my scarred," Courage said simply.
There was silence again before, "was that the first time I was in the Castle that Never Was, or the time with the Betas?" Kairi asked.
"The first time," Courage replied.
For the third time silence overtook the six, and for the third time it was Kairi that broke the silence, "so about my Zanpakutou," she said smirking and the other five looked at her, each with a mixture of confusion and humor save Knowledge and Courage, each had a straight face.
"I'm supposed to figure out which of you to ask for help with it, and I'm pretty sure it's you, Courage," Kairi said.
After a quick glance at Knowledge Courage nodded, "I am the one who would help you," she said as she nodded.
"Now I just need to figure out the right way to ask you," Kairi said to herself as she stood up and started pacing.
As she stood the others did the same, Friendship giving Courage a hand and Anger muttering about having to stand. After a moment Kairi stopped and turned to look at Courage she reached her right hand to her left hip where she normally wore her Zanpakutou and drew the blade out of the air.
"She's getting the hang of this place pretty fast," Knowledge said with a smirk.
"Courage, I challenge you to a duel for the training of my Zanpakutou," Kairi said sternly as she took a fighting stance.
Courage smirked and nodded as she drew the katana from her back which revealed itself to also be Kairi's Zanpakutou. As Courage dropped into her fighting stance the other sword, keyblade, and shield all vanished to grant a fair fight," I accept your challenge, we will only fight with your Zanpakutou and should you win, I will tell and teach you all that I can," Courage said with a straight face.
"This'll be good," Anger said with a smirk as Kairi and Courage charged towards each other.
-XXX-
"Easy enough," Seig said walking towards the Razor holding the end of his cane and resting it on his shoulder.
The others just watched as the Razor charged Seig who maintained his easy pace. When the Razor leaped at Seig he stopped walking and when it was within range he swung his cane down fast. The Razor hit the ground in two pieces, split form right shoulder to left hip. Seig turned to face the others and brought his cane back up to rest on his shoulder, but it wasn't a cane anymore. It was now a katana style sword, the handle was grayish silver and the blade a pure white.
"I think I may have underestimated the tactical abilities of our enemies," Seig said before jumping and leaping over everyone's heads to land on the outer wall overlooking the army before them.
The others were quick to join him on the wall and they all saw the immense force that moved towards them. "Here it comes," Riku said as he drew Phantasmagoria.
"Do any of you Omega's know magic?" Seig asked as he watched the army move.
"Yeah, why?" Xexox asked confused.
"Anos, would Thal and Fos be more likely to use a wave or overrun tactic in a siege situation?" Seig asked ignoring Xexox's question.
"Wave, unless Sol would persuade them otherwise," Anos said.
"I'm thinking that doubtful. Are there any Nanos that are immune to magic?" Seig asked still surveying the coming forces.
"The Magefists absorb basic elemental magic. They can also cast it. They're the only ones that can do that, they're also the only multicolored ones," Anos said looking among the Nanos for a Magefist to point out.
"Riku, go back to the ground, take out any others hurled over the wall, Omega's and Anos, cast any magic you know to keep them from reaching the wall, watch the elements and the Magefists. Yen Sid, you know what to do," Seig said confidently as his sword vanished and he closed his eyes and took a calm stance.
Riku nodded slightly and jumped off the wall to the ground, ready for anything that would come his way. The Omega's looked at Seig in confusion but did as he said, all three completely unaware of whatever Seig was planning. Yen Sid simply nodded and closed his eyes as well, taking a stance identical to Seig's. Anos looked at the others, the Omega's hurling spells at the Nanos, Riku waiting for something he hoped wouldn't come, Seig and Yen Sid preparing for something.
Anos didn't know what to do, he didn't know any magic. At least not any offensive magic. He was a healer, the only spell he knew that could hurt others was poison, and it had a short range, which would affect his allies and not his enemies. So he simply stood there, wondering what was going to happen, what Seig was thinking, and why a wave tactic mattered.
After a few moments Seig and Yen Sid opened their eyes and performed quick graceful motions in perfect unison. As they did this the sky, which had been relatively cloudless quickly became heavily overcast, the clouds and sky beyond them turned a dark foreboding red as lightning shot amongst the clouds.
"What the hell are they doing?" Bruxeus asked looking at the sky.
"Ending things," Xexox said watching the sky with a smirk.
As one Seig and Yen Sid swept their right arm towards the nearing army and shouted "Meteor!" On the command of the two casters hundreds of large rocks came hurling from the sky, breaking through the clouds in a fearful show of force that shattered the lightning and sent bolts in every direction, several hitting the ground and Nanos on it. The spray of rocks covered the whole force of Nanos breaking their ranks and scattering them and their body parts everywhere. After countless rock fell two impossibly large boulders broke through the clouds, dissipating the lightning and overcast. The boulders fell in near unison side by side and shook the ground and castle when they hit the planet.
The only sound was the rumbling of the ground and stone on stone for the longest time after the last two impacts. Everyone just stood and waited, watching the smoke to see what would be left. Riku returned to the top of the wall when the rocks started to fall and stood beside Anos, both in shock and awe at Seig and Yen Sid. When the smoke was gone so were the meteorites, but the burnt and disfigured bodies of the Nanos remained, as did the craters they left.
"That was amazing," Anos said still in shock, he was the first to break the silence.
"It was only the first wave," Seig said turning from the damaged field to look at Yen Sid who nodded and began walking away.
"What do you mean? So what if it was the first, we can do it again and again to all the waves after it right? How many waves of them can they throw at us?" Bruxeus asked with a smirk as he looked at all the dents in the ground.
"There's going to be three waves, right?" Seig said, he looked at Anos to confirm his statement.
"Yeah, that's the idea Thal likes most, Fos tends not to care so much about the how as long as it gets done," Anos said nodding.
"Only three, then we're set," Bruxeus said grinning.
"No. The three wave tactic isn't just three sets of mindless brutes. The first wave is the smallest and has a specific task. Like weaken the wall, or bring down a tower. Something to make the complete overrun easer for the second wave. That's the one we have to worry about, it's the biggest, sometimes forming with the first to increase in size. That's the one that really takes us down. The first wave kept moving at their pace, letting us hit them multiple times before we let out the big attack. That's because it's a suicide wave, they're not expected to make it back, just get the job done and die.
"But the second wave, if we start sending out spells they'll return in kind. And move towards us faster, making the big spells a greater risk to use. That's the force we really have to worry about. At lest under normal circumstances," Seig said sitting on the ledge of the wall and looking at the others.
"Are we under normal circumstances?" Xexox asked the question Seig was baiting for.
"No. Yen Sid has left to prepare our response to the second wave. We simply have to be sure to notice them before they get to close for it to work," Seig said simply as he nodded in the direction Yen Sid left in.
"So what about the third wave?" Riku asked crossing his arms.
"That's the one we want. The third wave is the one consisting of everyone left at the camp when the first two waves move out. The ones who stay back as guards or to do the menial tasks. As well as the heads of the army," Seig said with a smirk.
"Thal and Fos," Anos said nodding.
"As well as any of the other inner circle members Sol may chose to send. Sol'll probably show himself even," Seig said nodding.
"How are you so sure?" Vaxer asked.
"The inner circle is the best the army has to offer, in some cases, this being one of them, they alone are an army. If the second wave, which is the bulk of the mobile forces are taken out they will show themselves to personally see that the fortress is brought down," Seig said simply.
"So that's the wave we have to worry about, because any big spell you or Yen Sid could unleash could be canceled by Sol," Riku said nodded.
"Not entirely canceled, but he would lessen them to the point of it being a waist of the energy," Seig said standing back up.
"Even Meteor?" Xexox asked.
"I'm not good enough to let that one out too often, and Yen Sid has bigger things on his plate that will prevent him from doing it again. So anything we could feasibly unleash on the third wave would be rendered near useless," Seig said simply.
"So what do we do now?" Anos asked looking at the Omega's and Seig.
"Rest up, we have at least six hours before the second wave gets here," Seig said as he started towards the stairs down from the wall, "we should probably find Sora and Kairi to let them know what's going on too," he added as an after thought.
-XXX-
Kairi's whole body was sore and she was breathing heavily. She had shallow cuts pretty much all over her body and a few deep ones on her left arm and her sides. She held her Zanpakutou in both hands in front of her, her stance was slightly slacking, but she could bring it up at a moments notice.
Standing across from her was Courage, also breathing heavily but her stance was still perfect. Kairi had managed to land almost as many hits on Courage as Courage had on her, but only one of Kairi's hits made it past Courage's armor. Kairi managed to land a single hit between two of the armor plates on Courage's left elbow. Throughout the fight Courage had been asking Kairi questions about seemingly random things. These questions brought on ones Kairi had which she would ask and Courage would answer.
This exchange happened back and forth constantly from the start of the fight, and its seemingly pointlessness was boring enough to override the excitement of a fight in Angers opinion, who had left after only a few minutes of the exchange. Knowledge, Friendship and Truth remained and watched the entire duel.
"So how long do you wish this duel to go on?" Courage asked as she charged forward.
Kairi returned the charge, "as long as it takes for you to decide to teach me about my Zanpakutou."
The two exchanged blows, most of which the other managed to block. "I can fight forever," Courage responded confidently.
"No one can fight forever," Kairi said as she kicked Courage's knee and hit her in the right side sending her rolling on the floor.
Courage quickly got to her feet and resumed her stance, "you have been listening to me," she said with a smirk.
"Why would I ignore you, you're part of me," Kairi said simply as she too fell back into her stance.
Before either said or did anything else the whole place began to shake. Courage quickly dropped to a knee to better stabilize herself while Kairi was looking around, "What's going on?" she asked looking at Knowledge and the others.
"The outside world is affecting this one," Truth answered.
"What happened?" Kairi asked as she, too, knelt down as the shaking became more violent.
"It appears you are beginning to awaken," Courage replied simply.
"Time moves differently, but it never stands still," Knowledge added.
Kairi turned back to look at her, "what should we do about our duel? About my Zanpakutou?" she asked as she tried to prevent herself form falling on her face.
"I have already told and taught you everything I can during this fight. Everything but the name of you blade," Courage said simply.
"The name?" Kairi asked confused.
"It's how you release its power. Giving a set command and calling out its name," Knowledge answered from behind Kairi.
"What's the command? What's my swords name?" Kairi asked as the pillar started to tilt and gravity started pulling Kairi towards the edge.
Kairi tried desperately to hold onto the smooth surface as she slid down it, she barely noticed that her other selves weren't moving; they simply stuck to the pillar. "You already know the name and the command, you just have to remember," Knowledge said as Kairi reached the edge.
"It shouldn't be that hard," Truth said just before Kairi was gone, it was the last thing she heard before she was surrounded by the darkness and the shaking intensified and was joined by a loud rumbling.
At once all the pain from the fight with Courage was gone and Kairi felt good as new, only to be hit by considerably more pain covering more of her body. She didn't even realize that she stopped falling; she simply noticed that she was lying on her stomach on a hard uneven surface and the shaking and rumbling was gone.
Kairi forced her eyes open to see nothing but darkness. After a few moments her eyes adjusted and she could barely make out the shapes around her. She was buried in rubble, but large pieces directly above her had formed a kind of ceiling about three feet above her current position.
Kairi looked around the little space she had, turning over to see it all better and knocking the small rubble that was on top of her over. After a moments glance around she remembered Sora and quickly started a more determined search of her surrounding to find him.
After what felt like hours of looking she found him, or rather, his hand. Without hesitation she stared clearing away the ruble above the hand to reveal the rest of the teen lying face down. When his head was cleared off Kairi checked for signs of life and gave a sigh of relief when she felt a weak pulse.
Kairi wasn't sure why she was so determined to find and save Sora, maybe it was because she knew they'd need his help in the fight or because he saved her before and she wanted to return the favor so that she would no longer be in debt to him. Whatever the reason Kairi didn't slow or stop in her removal of rubble. She had cleared off Sora's upper body when she stopped for the first time.
She didn't stop because she was tired, she was, she just didn't realize she was, or because her body was sore, which it was, but she was just ignoring it. Kairi stopped because the chunks of castle that had fallen of the lower half of Sora's body were far too large for Kairi to move on her own.
This meant it was time for part three of her rescue plan. Part one was finding Sora. Part two was making sure he was still alive and helping as best as she could. Now it was time to get them out of there. She wanted to just let out a large spell that would blast away the rubble. The only problem is she didn't know how deep in the rocks they were, or if the blast would send more rock tumbling down on top of them.
It's the same reason she hasn't cast a Cure spell on Sora, they tend to have guests of wind accompany them when unleashed through a keyblade, and that was the only means of casting Kairi had. Kairi started to crawl around the small enclosure looking for any way out. Every time she found a place where the bits of castle were small enough to move they shortly led into bits that were too big to move.
It didn't feel like too long before Kairi had tried everywhere in the space they had. She made her way back to where Sora was and checked his pulse again, it was getting weaker. She started to consider casting Cure and just deal with the results. That's when the ground started to shake and a loud rumbling came from the other side of the pile of broken castle.
At first Kairi thought she was waking up again, but this was the real world, something was happening, something big. Shortly after the ground started to move the rubble started to move as well. Destiny's Promise was in her hand in the blink of and eye and Kairi shouted "Protect!" as she pointed the tip of the blade upward and moved forward to cover Sora's body with her own. Once the spell was cast Kairi sent the blade away and waited for the ground to stop shaking and preyed she'd make it out of this.
The shaking went on for what felt like hours and ended in a jolt that made Kairi loose the small cushion of air between her body and Sora's as she fell full force on top of him. After the ground had stopped shaking Kairi didn't move; partly because her stomach hurt from colliding with Sora and partly because she could hear the rubble still moving. After the sound of the falling rocks was gone Kairi opened here eyes and looked around. The small enclosure she had before was gone. Protect had worked and kept any rocks form landing on her or Sora's upper half, and when the spell was lifted a few small rocks bounced off her.
Kairi started to push herself up, the bubble of Protect had given her about a foot of room to move in, and when she looked around completely her heart skipped a beat. She could see light coming in. When the rubble moved it opened a path for light to get in, which Kairi was sure she could use to get herself out. She checked Sora again, he was still alive, but barely, and his lower half was still completely covered meaning she'd have to leave him here and get someone else to help get him out.
Kairi turned her eyes towards the light and slowly started making her way towards it. She only moved as much rubble as she had to, careful to not cause any to fall and hit her, Sora, or cover the light. Slowly but surely she moved and finally reached the light. It was a small hole, and from what she could tell it would be a climb to get out too.
Kairi made quick work of making the opening big enough to fit through and looked up at the roughly five feet of rubble she would have to climb to really be out. It was completely open at the other end, and the tunnel there was just large enough for Kairi to squeeze through and she gave a large sigh of relief as she grabbed the top edge of the tunnel and pulled her head out.
She looked around at the castle before her; Yen Sid was walking through the courtyard to the second tower while the others were all on the outer wall at the front of the castle. Kairi quickly hoisted herself out of the rubble and started towards them, moving as fast as her tired, sore legs would let her move. She saw Seig on the stairs down form the outer wall and nearing the bottom.
"Seig!" Kairi shouted not slowing or stopping, "Seig quick! Help!"
Everyone turned their heads towards Kairi when she shouted. Seig froze in place, either in terror or surprise no one knew, but Riku responded. "Kairi! What happened?" he asked as he jumped down from the wall.
Kairi stopped running when she saw Riku coming towards her, "We were in the tower when it fell..."
"We?" Seig asked snapping out of it.
"Sora, he's still buried, I couldn't get all the rubble off of him," Kairi said looking at Seig and pointing behind her.
"Is he alive?" Seig asked as he quickly moved towards Kairi.
"He was just before I crawled out," Kairi said as Seig reached her.
Seig grabbed Kairi around the waist with his left arm and lifted her off the ground, an instant later they were standing on a pile of the rubble, "Where?" he asked.
Kairi looked around her, she found the hole she crawled out of and saw the others behind her as Seig set her down, "there," she pointed at the hole, "and Sora's at least five feet down and a few feet back," Kairi said as Seig started towards the hole.
Seig nodded and glanced back at Kairi, "is he conscious?" Kairi didn't answer, she just shook her head. "Go and get Anos, if he's not already coming, I'll get Sora out," Seig said as he started to move the rubble with ease.
The last thing Kairi remembered was watching Seig move the rocks away with little to no effort before she turned to get Anos when everything when black.
