Kingdom Hearts: Hearts Desire

Chapter 10: Fight for the Christmas Spirit!

"Hey Kairi, I was just noticing how it's almost Christmas and you don't have a boyfriend... That's a horrible pick up line." Sora sighed heavily as he rested back on his bed, arms spread wide over the mattress. "Maybe I should just outright tell her?" He asked himself, but a part of him was shaking it's non existent head in disagreement. "Nope." He mumbled to himself. He glanced over at the clock. 12:13 it read. Time flies when you have nothing to do. He thought solemnly.

They had been flying non stop for three days now, and Sora was getting stir crazy. There was nothing to do on this ship besides eat or talk, and Sora had done plenty of both. He wished that the ship had a small training area at least, an empty room where he could work off his boredom in peace and quiet.

Here, in this room, he was alone with his thoughts, and those thoughts always went back to a certain red head across the hall. Kairi. It was hard to hide his feelings for the girl since the day he met her, even harder trying to get his feelings into cohesive words. It had been this way all the years ago when Kairi had arrived on the island.

Sora couldn't for the life of him remember the day, but save for a few flashes. A faceless man next to the beach next to a woman who was bleeding, a young child asleep beside her. Shouting from the man, and then Kairi asleep on their couch. Even then Sora thought she was stunningly beautiful. Sora had not seen hide nor hair of the girl after that night, when Riku had informed him of a new girl on the island, and sure enough it was the young girl with the red hair and bluish purple eyes. From then on, Sora was close to the girl, her best friend and her adviser. He was everything he could be for her and he hoped she felt something for him as well.

And she did.

Three words and a threat and now she was the only thing he could think about. She is one of a kind. He thought happily as he closed his eyes for a moment.

In his dreams, Sora was once again surrounded by darkness, but this darkness was not like the one before. It was pitch black, no light anywhere. Yet standing in front of him was a man, a man Sora did not recognize. He was tall, standing at 6 feet with ease, with long brown hair that extended to his shoulder blades and was spiked near the back with blood red tinting. His eyes were a silvery green and seemed be alive with malice. He wore a long black trench coat with no sleeves, a blood red T-Shirt with a demons head stitched on the front, black slacks with combat boots, and black fingerless gloves.

The man raised a finger to his lips, as if silencing any question Sora might have asked. "Sora." The man said, voice crisp and clear, deep and methodical as though he were singing while speaking. "Oh you and I are going to do great things together my friend." Sora didn't like the way he said friend, as if it were a joke. "But first Sora, throw away all of those attachments, all the things you care about. Take your time with that, don't worry. But soon, you and I are going to change everything." The man extended his hand. "And trust me kid, this is gonna be one hell of a party." As the man began to wave his hand, the world around Sora seemed to fall apart and he fell. Falling into the deep darkness below.

"Merry Christmas, Hero."

KH:HD

Sora was startled awake, panting hard as he sat bolt upright, covered in sweat. "That... That dream again." He said to himself as he wiped sweat from his forehead. He glanced at the clock yet again, and it read 6:18. Sora had these dreams for the past three days, ever since Beast's Castle, they were all he dreamed, always different however. Sora got up, swinging his legs over the bed as he stood. "I need something to stop these nerves." He said as he exited his room. In the hall, he heard soft music from the kitchen, he walked down the hall and saw Riku, siting in his usual spot at the table, drinking his morning coffee. "Hey."

Riku glanced up from his cup, giving a small smile to his friend. "Morning," Riku said, grabbing a near by remote, clicked one of the buttons and the music stopped. "Didn't expect to see you up this early."

"Yeah well, weird dreams." Sora said as he sat next to his long time friend. "Very weird dreams."

Riku raised his cup in agreement. "Been there done that. What was this one, Kairi yelling at you in her underwear?" Riku teased as Sora's face shone bright red, seemingly at a loss for words. "I'm joking Sora, lighten up." Riku said as he slapped Sora on the back.

"Why do you think Kairi is all I think about, I can have other weird dreams too!" Sora said, slamming his forehead into the table.

"Speaking of Kairi," Riku began, taking another sip of his morning brew. Sora raised his head up, resting his chin on the table while looking at Riku. "Word in the ship is, you confessed your love to her."

Sora sat upright, face red as a lobster. "I- it's just- She said..." Sora trailed off, once again slamming his forehead into the table once again. "I said it, but not to her." Sora groaned softly, Riku patting his back in a resigned way. "What am I going to do?"

"Well telling her would be a good start."

"And how do I do that Mr. Smooth?" Sora asked sarcastically, leaning back in his chair.

"Style." Riku said, smiling softly at Sora's perplexed features. "Lets face it, you can hardly form words about your feelings for this girl, so you need to do it without words." Riku waited for a response, yet none came from the confused face of the Keyblade Master. "I'll say it slow then. From what you've told us about this place, there is a town that is centered around Christmas. Kairi likes getting gifts for Christmas." Riku waited, looking at Sora's sudden realization.

"I need to get Kairi the perfect Christmas gift!" He shouted, then immediately clamped his hands over his mouth, Riku shushing him. "But what does she want?" Sora whispered softly, removing his hands from his mouth.

"How should I know, why don't you ask this Jack guy, he's been there before right?" Riku said, glancing at his coffee, then taking another drink.

"Jack is more into horror than love." Sora said, scratching his chin slowly. "But maybe Santa would!" Riku coughed up his coffee at that point.

"Santa?!"

"Santa!"

KH:HD

It was three hours later when the Gummi Ship landed on the Halloween based world, the three exiting the ship in their new garb, courtesy of Sora. Sora stepped out in his usual vampire clothing, a smiling pumpkin covering one eye.

Riku looked half man and half beast in this form. He stood at the same height, but slightly hunched backed with long sliver fur coming from his back. His regular clothing was replaced with a white button up shirt and black pants, and dancing shoes. On his long fingers were small claws and from his shoes stretched his toes with claws as well, fangs poking out the side of his mouth. Riku became a half werewolf creature.

Kairi didn't get as drastic of a change as Riku did, her body type remained the same, yet her clothes made a drastic change. She wore a tall witches hat, the bend to the left at the point. She wore a black dress that extended to the middle of her thighs, a red button down shirt underneath. She had on long stockings that had intricate patterns of brooms and cauldrons stitched on, with black stiletto heels. Kairi had become a witch.

"Well, this is it lady and gentle-wolf." Sora said chuckling at Riku's new form, turning to the world and spreading his arms wide. "This is the nicest town filled with horrors I've ever been to, Halloween Town!"

"Was the change in body structure necessary?" Riku asked, clawing at his back in annoyance. "I feel like I've got fleas." Then he turned his eye on Kairi. "So what she gets to dress up like a little witch while I'm stuck as some monster?"

"This skirt is a little smaller than I'd like." Kairi said, blushing slightly while tugging at the bottom of the skirt sheepishly. "And don't witches need to know magic? I don't even know a simple spell yet!"

"Maybe the outfit was to help you ask for assistance!" Sora said, pumping his fist in the air. "And I happen to be a master of magic I'll have you know!"

"I think the shouting came from over here Jack!" Shouted a females voice, familiar to the ears of Sora.

"It must be the villain hiding in our beloved town!" Said another familiar voice. From around the corner, came a tall, skeleton of a man, who's face was indeed a skull, and a small woman who appeared to be a doll that was roughly stitched together. The man caught sight of Sora and exclaimed "Sora, my dear friend!" Jack Skellington, ran to his long time friend and ally and grasped his hands between his own. "Where are Donald and Goofy?" He said, examining the area around the small group.

"They had to stay behind this time." Sora said, looking at his friends. "But these are my other friends, Riku and Kairi." Sora said, motioning to the pair in question. Riku nodded his silent welcoming while Kairi answered with a quick hello. "Now what's this about a villain?"

"Well Sora," Jack began, motioning for them to follow him. "I was on my way to Christmas Town to give Sandy Claws a little advice on gifts-"

"I thought you were done with all of that Jack?" Sora said, slightly exasperated.

Jack shook his head wildly at the mention of that. "No I'm done giving gifts, I just wanted to help ol' Sandy. Anyway, so I was on his way to his workshop when I saw this young lady in a black winter coat standing just inside the window, taking to Sandy. I didn't think anything of it until she pulled out this huge gun! I saw this and ran inside, and she shot at me!" Jack said excitedly, like this were almost a game. "She said something about a Heart and Sandy, and jumped out the window and ran off!"

"A black coat and Santa's Heart?" Sora glanced at Riku and Kairi, who both nodded. "Sounds like the Legion of 7, Jack they are bad news."

"How bad?" Asked Sally, glancing at Jack worriedly.

"Very bad, and if they are after Santa's Heart, then we have to stop them now!" Kairi said, earning quick nods from everyone else.

"My point exactly," Jack began, leading them to the forest with doors to the other holiday towns. "Christmas is tomorrow and Sandy needs all of his attention focused on his work, but with an assassin on the loose, he can't rest easy. So we are going to be his bodyguards! Again!"

Riku looked at Sora with one raised eyebrow, Kairi giving him a look of excitement. Sora nodded his head firmly. "Let's be Santa's bodyguards, but first we have to look inconspicuous when we get there." Sora said, glancing at their current wardrobe. "We stick out."

"Right you are my friend!" Jack then motioned for Sally to bring him a sack that was by the tree. Inside were clothes of all shapes and sizes, some for men and some for women. "And for me!" Jack then pulled out from behind the tree, his very own Santa Claus suit! "With these we'll blend right in!"

"Hello, half man, half wolf." Riku waved his arms, trying to prove a point. "I don't think these will work for me."

"Hmm..." Jack pondered for a moment, then whispered something in Sora's ear, to which Sora smiled brightly.

"What?" Riku asked slowly.

KH:HD

On the other side of the door to Christmas Town, the entire town was hard at work, buzzing with the excitement to arrive in one day. Elves hard at work crafting toys in the workshop, Santa sitting before the fire, checking his list for the second time. It seemed all was peaceful in the quiet little town, all save for a small group. One was a tall, skeletal Santa Claus, smiling wide at the slightly horrified elves. The next was a young man, dressed as an elf, with strange vampire fangs protruding from his mouth, pumpkin decorated with a Santa hat as it rested over his eye, green replacing black. A young girl also dressed as an elf, her pointed hat now replaced with an elf hat with bells, green tunic over a red shirt and green and red leggings. And in the back, was a half wolf-man, dressed as a reindeer, pouting arms crossed over his chest.

"I. Hate. You." Riku said, whilst his friends giggled at his dismay. "Would it be so hard to change us all back into regular people Sora?"

"Not really," Sora began, smiling wide at Riku. "I just like to embarrass you is all." Sora then turned to Jack, raising his arms behind his head. "What do you think Jack?"

"Well," Jack began, stroking his fake beard in long slow strokes. "Riku still does kind of stick out, especially with his growling." Riku was at this point growling like an angry dog, as though this were to much for the experienced key bearer to handle. "I'd say let him change back to a human, let him dress up as an elf or something." Jack began to walk away from the group. "I'll be out patrolling the workshop, you three split up and find this evil doer!"

"Right..." Riku began, looking almost bored at the thought of patrolling. "I thought I was done with this when I stopped working for Maleficent." He muttered under his breath, now turning back to Sora. "I swear to God, if you don't change me back."

"Okay, okay." Sora began holding his hands up in his defense. "Give me a second." Sora summoned his Keyblade, pointed directly at Riku, said something under his breath that sounded like "Ungrateful, stupid, wolf-thing." And a beam of light appeared from the tip of the mythical blade.

Riku felt his claws retract to their regular form, his fangs became teeth, and his fur went back to it's regular state. Now the Master of Darkness was himself again, dressed as a reindeer no less. "Much better." Riku said, as he clenched and unclenched his hands. "Now, I'll be out in town square, why don't you two stay outside the big guys door." Riku said, pointing towards the door. "I'll be within ear shot, checking the perimeter, alright? And since you're not busy," Riku said, looking at Sora and crossing his arms. "Teach the woman how to use some basic magic, at least Cure,so I don't have to bleed out."

Riku leaned over and grabbed the near by bag full of clothing and moved towards the center of town. Sora grinned at Kairi, placing his arms behind his head and crossing one leg. "Well, since nothing's going on," Sora began, summoning Ultima Weapon as Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace* (AN1), as Sora pointed his Keyblade at her. "We might as well begin training in magic, okay so the first thing about magic is-"

KH:HD

Far away from the small Christmas themed world, in the realm of darkness, sat another world. This world was black as night, shrouded in a mystery and deceit, was the world of the Legion of 7, a world called Castle of Forgotten Light. Above sat a large heart shaped moon, which glowed a soft, pulsating red. Inside the dark and menacing castle, were six hooded figures sitting around a small oak table. At the head of the table sat the Legion of 7's Captain, Caesar, and at the farthest end sat Raven. "On today's agenda," Caesar began, looking to the only woman in the room, who was seated by Raven. "I believe Number 5 has something she'd wish to discuss."

"Thank you Captain," She began, looking to her fellow Legionary's. "Christmas Town is indeed filled with a powerful Heart my brothers. It contains the Heart of none other than Saint Nicolas himself." Scoffing could be heard from the seat directly to her right. She gave the man a look of death beneath her hood. "Something wrong Number 3?"

"Yeah," Said the man, deep voice filled with amusement. "Santa? Come off it Val, no need to be stupid about the whole thing, Santa is a myth." Said Number 3, looking to Val under his hood. "If he were real where's all that coal I should be getting?"

"Number 3, silence yourself." Said Caesar, and at once, Number 3's laughing ceased. "Better, continue Number 5."

"Thank you, as I was saying. Along with the Heart of Santa, it also contains the Heart of Jack Skellington of Halloween Town at the moment, and if sources can be trusted, the brats who bested Zachariah." Murmuring could be heard all around the table at this point. "Now I propose that we-"

"You shall go alone." Said Caesar, cutting her off and silencing the room. Shock was evident in her body language. "The fact of the matter is simply that I have already been given orders that need to be filled, your mission I was going to give you is being trashed, your mission now is to take any and all powerful Hearts you can acquire from that world. Your mission starts tomorrow Number 5." At the end of the order, a Corridor of Darkness erupted behind the woman and she stepped through.

"Now," Caesar began again, looking to each of his followers in turn. "The King has asked of us all to preform missions." He looked to Raven. "Find the Witch, she was last spotted at the Organization 13 headquarters, tell her we have come to collect our over due debt." Raven bowed and vanished. "Number 3, go fetch our science project from the Burial Ground, should they come close, unleash the beast upon the key-bearers. For now, that is all. Dismissed."

KH:HD

"See that Kairi? That's how you cast some spells." Sora said, taking a much needed break from teaching the basics of magic. It had been a full six hours and the two were very worn out, but Kairi could now cast basic spells of all sorts. Like me, she's a quick learner. Sora thought as he watched the woman in question try out another fire spell.

"Come on you two!" Called Jack from the workshop. "Time to get rested up, big day tomorrow on guard duty!"

"Great," Sora said as the two moved their way back to the house. "More guard duty tomorrow, and here I thought freezing my butt off out here was enough."

"No kidding." Kairi giggled at the distress of her friend. "So Sora," She began, fiddling with her fingers nervously while Sora looked at her curiously. "Well it's just... I was wondering if you... What do you want for Christmas?" She had put off shopping for the boy to long, and traveling certainly had not helped the procrastination at all, nor the fact that Sora never asked anything of her before.

"Kairi..." Sora said softly, almost as if he were torn between something. "I've got all I need, why would I ask anymore of what you've given me?"

"What do you mean?" Now she was confused, as far as she knew, she hadn't given him a thing.

"You'll see Kairi."

Sora smiled his best and ran inside, leaving the troubled girl alone with her thoughts. I'll see? She thought as she walked slowly into the warm house, hearing nothing but mirth from inside the small home. Kairi smiled at the sight of Sora and Riku, who were dressed as ridiculous elves, stuffing their faces with a plate of cookies, warm laughter filled the room as Santa and Jack spoke. Well it's not the Christmas I expected, but it's the one I wouldn't trade for a thing. She thought happily as she sat in a near by chair and let her eye's droop slowly, until she was asleep, curled into a tight ball in the chair, smiling slightly.

Hours passed, days maybe, when Kairi finally opened her eye's. She was still in the chair, curled in a tight ball, but a blanket was on top of her making her uncomfortably warm. She looked around the room and saw that she was alone, yet a soft Thud could be heard from outside. She stood up and stretched as she looked for the source of the noise. She opened the door and found Sora slamming his keyblade in a stuffed dummy, panting heavily.

"Sora?"

He didn't even acknowledge her existance, he kept swinging his sword over and over and over until the dummy finally broke, sending wood and straw in all directions. "No more of these dreams..." He muttered to himself. "No more dark places, no more weird man telling me to let everything go! I need to find it!" He yelled as he dropped his Keyblade as he fell to the ground.

She moved toward her friend and the boy she loved and touched his shoulder, he jumped and turned his head. "Kairi..." He began, as though he had seen something incredible.

"What's wrong?" She asked, soft yet warm, soothing his frayed nerves. "What are you looking for?"

"My light." He said, getting up off the ground and sitting instead in the snow. A late night time snow drifted to the ground as the two sat in the snow. "My light, it's gone, I think, and I don't know what to do. This man keeps showing up in my dreams, telling me to let go of everything I care about... Especially my friends, to cut the ties with everyone..."

"Sora..." Kairi began, feeling his hand land on hers. She blushed madly as she looked at him. "Sora?" His name was a question.

"I can't give you up." Was all he said as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, and she heard him say "Kairi... I-" Then he was silenced by something.

Sora saw something glinting in the snow, something shiny with, a barrel? Like a... "Kairi get down!" He shouted as he turned her around in his arms, now protecting her instead of holding her. A loud bang and blinding pain and Sora was suddenly fighting to keep consciousness. What? He asked himself as he lied in the snow, grunting in pain. I've been shot before and it never hurt this bad!

"Well well well." Said a cold female voice from above. On top one of the houses was a small woman, only standing a mere 5'2", yet in her hands she held a monster of a pistol. "It seems my dark bolt did it's job. One down, two to go." Said the woman as she turned her hooded face towards Kairi. "You're next."

"Who are you?!" Kairi demanded summoning Destiny's Embrace yet again, letting the flowery Keyblade fit in her grasp with practiced ease. "What have you done to him?!"

"I've basically killed him girl." The woman said, glancing at her gloved fingers. "My dark bolt shall render him paralyzed, and kill him after that." The woman said brightly. "Now as for who I am. I'm the sniper above the war, the eagle in the night sky, Number 5 of the Legion of 7! Valentine the Dead-eye!" She then removed her hood to revile a young woman in her mid 320's, dark red hair not unlike Kairi, light brown eyes starring coldly at Kairi. She took aim. "Bye now!" She fired.

And Kairi blocked with her blade. "How dare you hurt my friends! I swear I'm going to makeyou hurt 1000 times over for what you've done!" Kairi then charged into battle, Valentine taking shots with boredom, and Kairi hardly being able to block of dodge the shots. This is bad. She thought as she blocked another shot to her head with her Keyblade again. She's not even trying!

Suddenly, Valentine shouted in pain and Kairi saw none other than Riku! Riku stood calmly as Valentine jumped back, shooting now at Riku, who blocked all the shots with ease. "Tag out." He said as he walked towards Valentine, who was now gritting her teeth in frustration. "Go find a safe place for Sora, and leave. Now." Riku was calm as he watched his enemy with suspicion. Kairi then went to Sora's side, put his arm over her shoulder, lifted him up and moved inside the nearest house.

"Riku." The woman growled, then she smiled happily. "Is it really you?" She said extremely pleased to see him, his face made no change as he observed her. "Riiiiikuuuuu." She purred softly as she took a step closer. "Why wouldn't you join us?" She asked in mock sadness.

"Mostly because you're all evil and want to destroy the everything good that's left." Riku said simply. "Also I bet you don't pay that well." He smirked at her angry expression. " So stop teasing and start fighting, you didn't get to be in the Legion by just taunting and making stupid remarks."

"Right you are boy." She said as she trained her pistol on his face. "You make me sad to have to kill you, so please reconsider?"

"How about no."

"Wrong choice." She then began to pull the trigger at lightning fast speeds, forcing Riku to block and dodge at a moments notice. "Die boy!" She yelled, trowing back her cloak to revile a small machine gun, to which she placed in her right hand and squeezed tightly on the trigger.

"Whoa!" Riku said as he attempted to find cover. "Don't you ever run out of ammo?!"

"Not with these babies!" Valentine called as she let up on her assault. "Not now and not ever." Riku began to notice something strange about the fight he was having. It was straight forward, she didn't call upon powers of the darkness or any special moves, just rapid firing.

"Well I think I've already figured this fight out Valentine!" He called out, charging out of his make shift cover. She opened fire yet again, but Riku was spinning his Keyblade in front of him, forming the blade into a shield faster than she could process. Riku then was upon her that quick, now turning her ambush into a retreat. "See!" He called as he slashed at her again and again, not letting up for a moment. "You're pretty good at a distance, but useless close quarters." Then she vanished, literally gone. Riku turned his head in time to see she was at his side, pointing her gun directly at his head at point blank range.

"Well, not completely dear." She said, smiling evilly at him. "I have one special power, it's a little something called teleportation."

"Now that's just cheating." He said as he twisted his body, bringing Way to Dawn up in a black arc, but she was gone before he moved. He was now running as she was firing at him from all sides, almost unable to catch up with her. "No no no no no no!" He called as he was backed into a wall.

"End of the road, love." She said, point the pistol at him. "Sorry to make it end so soon, but orders are orders dear."

"Do me a favor, call it a dying man's wish or whatever." Riku said, smirking at Valentine. "Stop calling me by those dumb pet names, you psycho."

"How dare you!" She was about to fire, and end Riku's own life, when the gun flew from her grip in a blaze of flames. "What the?"

Kairi stood on the near by roof, tip of her Keyblade smoking. "Yeah about me making you hurt 1000 times over, I think I'll let Riku handle that."

Valentine suddenly looked in front of her, and there stood Riku. "You wouldn't hit a lady now would you?" She asked sweetly.

"Nope, but I'll hit you." He then stabbed his Keyblade right where she appeared, in front of her pistol, destroying the monstrous firearm in the process. "Two options, fight or leave." He said as he held his Keyblade to her throat, her shoulder bleeding profusely. "It's the holidays so I'm feeling generous."

"You shouldn't." She said coldly as she drew she sub machine gun, only to have the thing slashed by his Keyblade.

"Saw it coming." He smirked as he began to slash her. Her teleportation hardly helped her considering Riku was immediately on her the moment she did, she was taking to much damage to quickly. After a few minutes, she finally began to stumble and fall.

"Damn you..." She said in between breathes as a Corridor to Darkness appeared behind her. "I'll get you for this Riku!" She yelled as she vanished inside the Darkness.

"And a happy holidays to you too!" He yelled back at the retreating Darkness.

KH:HD

"What do you mean 'Nothing we can do?!'" Kairi shouted at Jack, who was raising his hands up in defense. Back inside Santa's house, Sora was lying on the couch, breathing heavily and grunting madly in pain. "You're a mage! So use some magic!"

"I can't." Jack said, looking back over at Sora. "I've tried everything I know, and sure I've stopped the bleeding but that's it. This is dark magic Kairi, and I'm not that experienced to handle something like that. I'm sorry..."

"No..." Kairi said, sounding broken, as though the entire world had collapsed. "No..."

"I'm a Master of Darkness." Riku said, moving to Sora's side and placing his hand on top of Sora's chest. "I'll draw it-" Then he paused, looking shocked beyond all belief. "What the hell kind of darkness is this?" He asked horrified. "That's unnatural, I don't know what I can do..."

"What's all the commotion in here?" Said a rough voice from the hallway. They turned and saw Santa Claus himself stepping through and examining Sora. "What happened here?"

"Sora got... Hurt..." Was all Kairi said before tears started welling up in her eyes. "Please Santa!" She yelled as she began to break down in tears, placing her head on Sora's chest and grabbing his shirt. "Help him! You have to! It's all I want for Christmas! That's it! I just want him!"

"I'm sorry deary, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. I'm not a healer in the magical arts, if Merlin or Yen Sid were here I'm sure he'd be fine. But they're not here... I'm sorry, this is one gift I can't give you Kairi."

Kairi cried harder and harder into Sora's spastic raising and falling chest. "Sora!" She cried into his chest, yet she didn't notice how he was beginning to breathe normally again, nor how there was a light shining across his body. "SORA!" She yelled and a pulse of light resounded across the home, all over the entire town, maybe across the world.

She felt strong arms envelope her. "I suppose you found one gift I wanted Kairi." Said the voice she though she might not hear again. She was still crying, but not as hard, nor because of sadness, but because of unfathomable joy. "My light. It was you the entire time."

"Sora..." She said, looking into his eyes.

"Merry Christmas Kairi." And there and then, Kairi experienced her first kiss with the boy she fell in love with.

"Well," Riku said awkwardly from beside Jack and Saint Nick. "Honestly, not what I expected coming here."

"I don't think anyone planned on this." Jack said, motioning for the trio to leave the couple alone.

"Might want to let them figure things out." Riku smiled then. "But I'll be damned if I didn't say that Sora found a pretty great gift for her."

(AN1) So it turns out Kairi's Keyblade has a real name, so I've scrapped the original and used it's real title.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I would go with Merry Christmas but you know, things. Any way, thank you all for tuning in to this! My tenth chapter! We've hit a milestone ladies and gentlemen!

I have to put out a much needed thanks to every single person who has bothered to read this story, all of the reviewers and followers, I have to say that I really needed the boost to get this done. So thank every single last one of you for reading and enjoying, but our adventure is far from over my friends! In fact, we have merely begun our journey together, and I hope you will continue to join me in my quest to reach my goal... A sequel!

You heard me right! I have already made up plans for a sequel my friends, to which I've dubbed Hearts Despair. But let's not go into details now shall we? Pointless when I haven't finished the first one!

But of course I must say that I apologize for making you wait my friends, and I hope to not have it happen again. But it probably will. I have to say, this was a stretch for me to write, very difficult and very... boring. Valentine is not a character I have ever enjoyed writing for, even before I began this story. She's just bland and I do apologize for the horrible usage of her.

But now without further ado, the preview!

Sora and Kairi have shown their feelings for one another, yet is this the right time? The Legion of 7 gathers it's strength as our hero's find a world to relax and attempt to gather information. Ancient Chinese scrolls could hold the secrets of the Legion, but who stands in their path? Sora, Kairi, and Riku find themselves battling against old and new foes alike in the next chapter of Kingdom Hearts: Hearts Desire: Burning Secrets!

"This is the place where monsters die, and even Immortals stand horrified of the secrets within."

Nathaniel of the Key

"Philosophy and logic, it's all we've got left when our imagination and drive die."

Riku Asa

The Doctor, signing off.