Author's Note~
This story has not been abandoned!
I cannot apologize enough for this ridiculously late update. My first semester of college was rough to say the least. My second semester is going much, much smoother and now I'm back to writing. Updates will most likely remain weekly from this point forward.
Thank you to those who reviewed, faved, and followed~ I really do love hearing opinions about my stories - negative or positive.
So please leave a review!~
The song I used this time is Part II by Paramore.
Chapter 10~
With lift tickets paid for and trail maps in hand, the group made its way none too quietly to the top of the mountain. There was a frigid and uneven divide as the group split into two. Riku, Sora, and Xion didn't discuss their choices with anyone else and once at the top, took to one of the trails. Kairi watched remorsefully as Riku and Sora helped Xion figure out how to properly stand on her snowboard. She knew Xion didn't snowboard, or have any interest in it, so Riku and Sora must have convinced her to try it out. Jealousy swarmed inside her stomach like angered bees. It was a painful stinging sensation watching one of her best friends replace her. And yes, Kairi really did believe Xion was taking her position in the triad of her, Sora, and Riku. How else could she possibly see this situation?
With pursed lips and a heavy heart Kairi turned her attention back to the assortment of friends who chose to be around her. Namine, Roxas, Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, and even Vanitas were huddled together looking at a map Roxas held in his gloved hands. He was pointing to places and gesturing wildly with a bright grin. It was a wonder that he and Sora weren't related; they both had a special light in them that naturally attracted people. While Sora wasn't as bright anymore, Roxas continued to shine with genuine kindness that even managed to settle Vanitas into being somewhat nice. Kairi wondered for possibly the hundredth time why Sora let Vanitas destroy that light. Yes, Sora had offered a hand of friendship and Vanitas violently refused, but Sora wasn't one to give up or get mad easily. If Roxas could be this amiable to Vanitas, and with him being so alike Sora, why couldn't Sora do the same? In fact, it was almost unnatural that Sora was behaving the way he was. Watching Roxas interact with Vanitas refueled Kairi's determination to talk to Sora about Vanitas again. She wouldn't let him escape this so easily. With that thought settled, Kairi felt a surge of energy and joined her friends.
"Looks like we'll be taking the blue trail over past the cabins and then slip through the black diamond over here. Sound good?" Tidus explained with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Selphie eyed him with an incredulous expression. "Do you want us to die?!" She demanded while shoving him aside to get a better look at the map. "The blue is fine and all. But a black diamond? Some of us want to be able to walk after this." She gave him a pointed glare.
Tidus laughed her off and shrugged. "If you don't want to brave through it then pick another route."
His jab at her bravery didn't deter Selphie despite the pout on her face. "I say just continue down the blue."
"I agree with Selphie." Namine added with slightly worried eyes. She wasn't as experienced at skiing and looked a bit wobbly just standing there.
Roxas patted Namine's head affectionately. "Well, have fun there kiddies. I'll be going down the black."
"Same!" Wakka gave Tidus and Roxas high-fives.
"Uh…" Kairi trailed off unsure of what to do. While she wasn't excellent at skiing, she wasn't terrible either. Black diamonds might be a stretch for her skill level, though. "I think I'll decide when I get to the divide."
"I agree with pretty-girl." Vanitas said causing Kairi to nearly jump.
"Fine, fine." Roxas tittered and shook his head with a rueful smile. "Let's get a move on then! I want to go on every trail possible!"
Selphie rolled her eyes. "We have all weekend! Calm down you snow-nut."
"Snow-nut?" Roxas shot an accusing glance at Selphie. "Did you really just call me that?!" He shuffled toward her with a wicked grin on his face. Leaning down slowly with his eyes still on her he made a snowball.
"Oh no no no!" Selphie started backing away with a wild expression. Ducking behind Tidus she pleaded to him, "Help me!"
"No can do." Tidus winked at her and slid away down the slope. Wakka followed suit with a wink to his friend as well as she stared at them in betrayal.
"Traitors!" She cried and shook a fist. Taking one look at Roxas still holding the snowball with a devilish grin, Selphie took off down the slope where Wakka and Tidus were easily moving on their snowboards. Roxas shot after her on his snowboard catching up to her in a few seconds to pelt the snowball at her. It hit its mark causing Selphie to shout obscenities and race after a rapidly vanishing Roxas. Tidus and Wakka's laughter could be heard mixing with Kairi's own, Namine's light giggles, and an amused chuckle from Vanitas.
Kairi turned to Vanitas in surprise and watched a melancholy expression enrapture his features. His gold eyes watched the laughing figures fade away with a hint of wistfulness. And there was a slight downturn to his lips. Kairi stared at him for a few moments unable to properly comprehend what she was seeing. Vanitas didn't show emotions. But here he was, and the only reason Kairi could fathom was…because he wanted to become friends with all of them. Selphie probably hit the nail on its head when she questioned if he didn't have friends before. Something akin to sympathy mixed with abounding curiosity filled Kairi. The more she saw these glimpses of Vanitas, the more she wanted to know him. But she couldn't get any deeper involved with him than she was. Because then Sora might never forgive her. At the very least, Kairi had to get her phone back from him. After that, she wouldn't have anything to do with him. She wouldn't begrudge her other friends from befriending him, but she wouldn't be a part of that. She simply couldn't do that to Sora. Unless she managed to somehow resolve their peculiar conflict, Vanitas was off-limits.
Thinking of her phone, Kairi felt an impish tug and stealthily formed a snowball behind Vanitas's back. Without warning, she aimed at his head and launched it. It sadly hit his shoulder, but hit nonetheless!
Slowly Vanitas turned around and glared at Kairi. "You wanna fight, pretty-girl?"
"Yes." She thrust her chin out and glared right back. "I want my phone back."
Vanitas laughed mockingly. "The game is still on. And my rules still stand." His last sentence sent a chill down her back – his tone suddenly cold and dangerous. "You broke one of my rules last night. You assumed things about me, you got involved. So no chance of getting your phone back any time soon. What a pity." With his smirk gone along with any trace of earlier emotion, Kairi felt like she was staring at a particularly menacing statue. She looked around for Namine in hopes of some assistance but saw the petite blonde slowly making her way down the slope with a reappeared Roxas at her side. Small snowflakes were drifting to the ground now capturing Kairi's attention for a moment. Having not seen snow in a while, her surroundings felt surreal not unlike every conversation she had with Vanitas.
"I…" Kairi started to say something but found she didn't have anything to say. "I'm sorry?" Even she didn't feel the conviction in her words.
"No you're not." Clearly he could tell there was no truth in her apology as well. "If you want your phone back, you need to follow my rules." He tossed his final words over his shoulder as he slid down the slope on his snowboard with mesmerizing grace. Even Riku didn't look as good on his snowboard, and he competed occasionally! "Try to keep up!" He shouted back at her jolting her out of her embarrassing daze.
"Fine." Kairi muttered to herself and steered after him with a hunter's vengeance. She didn't even notice whizzing past Namine or the fact that he was taking an entirely different route than the ones Tidus and Selphie chose. Her entire focus was on Vanitas's rapidly receding backside. Why is he so fast?! This isn't even fair!
Snow started falling in incredible amounts out of nowhere. And Kairi didn't notice that either until she could barely see in front of her. Vanitas was gone from sight and the trail was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate. Attempting to stop resulted in her skis crossing and a sharp pain in her knee. Kairi smashed to the ground cracking her head rather hard and skid a few feet from where her skis came off. Rolling over so her face wasn't planted in the snow, Kairi laid on the ground breathless and confused. Her head and knee hurt. Snow continued to fall and she watched it with a disconnected fascination. Snow is falling. I'm lying in snow? Why am I lying in snow? It's cold… Repressing a shiver, Kairi forced herself to sit up and waited for the world to stop spinning. "Ugh…" She groaned rubbing her sore head and looking around for her skis and poles. They were behind her slightly buried. Kairi tried to get up, but a shooting pain in her knee caused her to crumple to the ground with a cry. She tentatively prodded the source of the pain and wiggled her toes deciding that she didn't break anything. But she still wouldn't be able to get up let alone walk or ski down the mountain. She was stuck. Stuck…and alone. Panic struck her core. With the snow falling as it was, everyone would probably be heading back to the lodge when they got to the bottom of the mountain. No one…would be able to find her!
"Help!" Kairi shouted into the white void surrounding – smothering – her. She doubted anyone would be able to hear, but she couldn't just sit there and let the snow bury her alive! "HELP!" Desperately trying again, her voice nearly tore her throat raw. When there was no response or evidence someone would be coming to her rescue, Kairi attempted standing up again. She managed to wobble unsteadily on one foot, but the second she tried limping forward, her knee gave way and she fell right onto the injured joint. A scream muffled by the snow escaped from her. It hurt so much that black dots danced in her eyes and everything seemed to be blurring when she finally rolled onto her back. A silhouette appeared above her preventing any more snow from piling onto her face. "Sora…?" Kairi whispered noticing the shape of spiked hair. She didn't stay awake long enough to receive a response. The world quickly faded to peaceful darkness for Kairi.
Vanitas looked down at Kairi's still body. "Sora..?" she had whispered moments before fainting. The fact that she thought he was Sora was disturbing to him. He barely looked like his cousin, so no way in hell was there any real resemblance. It was downright insulting! What the hell was she doing passed out in the snow anyway? He looked her over and noticed her leg at an awkward angle.
"Of course." He muttered to himself kneeling down to get a better look. With the thick snow pants on, he couldn't really tell if anything was broken or not, but he doubted her fall was that bad. "You're always causing me trouble." Vanitas accused the unconscious girl and sighed. Her face was losing its sun-kissed glow and she was visibly shivering. Knowing she couldn't stay on the ground much longer, he gathered her in her arms being very careful with her injury and stood up eyeing his snowboard and her skis thoughtfully. "Whatever." He sighed again and started walking towards the abandoned cabins a little farther ahead of them. They were still so far from the base of the mountain and the lodge. Carrying her all the way down would take an hour at best, probably more considering how hard the snow was coming down now. Kairi wouldn't be well off being in the cold for much longer, so that option was immediately crossed out. Vanitas decided to figure something out once she was decently safe.
Looking down at the red-haired girl in his arms, Vanitas wondered if anyone else heard her shouts for help. Likely not. His cousin's group was off who knows where being senseless asses and Kairi's group most likely made it to the base of the mountain already.
"Juuuust wonderful." Vanitas grumbled kicking the door of a cabin open. Inside was dark and dusty, but not overly dirty. Someone cleaned it occasionally. Vanitas gently placed Kairi on the only couch in front of the fireplace. Her jacket was soaked through not helping in keeping her warm so he removed it and placed it over a chair. Then he set out in search of a blanket and found a soft fleece one in a cupboard. He draped it over her and watched in relief as her shivers settled down. Vanitas tossed his gloves aside and placed a hand on her cheek noting she was still cold. When she immediately pushed her cheek into his palm, he felt his entire body shut down for a few precious seconds. How could she look so fragile and beautiful at the same time? Vanitas loathed fragility. It was the opposite of beautiful to him. But she managed to be both in his eyes. Vanitas glared down at her trying to figure it out. His expression softened after watching her peaceful face. He supposed she was an exception for some unknown reason. And he really didn't want to know anyway. This was Sora's girlfriend. He had no right to think she was beautiful.
Pulling away from her somewhat reluctantly Vanintas gathered firewood from a well-stocked shelf. Thankfully someone thought ahead at some point of time. Starting a fire in the fireplace wasn't hard and soon the room became warmer and much more comfortable. Looking over Kairi again, he nodded in approval at the color returning to her cheeks. Confident that she would be fine, he went out and gathered his snowboard and her skis. Bringing them back to the cabin, he decided to place them beside the door in very noticeable positions. Perhaps if someone came looking for her, they'd see it. And the smoke rising from the chimney of course. Surveying the surrounding snowy area and seeing no one, Vanitas went back inside and firmly shut the door so the warmth wouldn't seep away.
Vanitas was about to toss his coat onto a chair but decided to place it over Kairi as an extra layer to keep her warm. Feeling that there was nothing else to do for her, he drew up a chair beside the couch and watched the flames of the fire flicker steadily.
His thoughts soon wandered to the girl on the couch.
'What a shame, what a shame we all remain
Such fragile broken things
A beauty half betrayed,
Butterflies with punctured wings.
Still there are darkened places deep in my heart,
Where once was blazing light, now
There's a tiny spark.'
Pretty-girl – he refused to say her name because it annoyed her so pleasantly – always caught his attention. Over the past week he tried convincing himself he only paid attention to her to anger his cousin, but that didn't seem to be the entire truth. In fact, despite her frequently annoying tendencies, he liked having her around. She always managed to unwittingly steal painful truths out of the heart he thought he didn't have anymore. Those moments, at the beach, on the deck, were unreal – how could one incredibly annoying girl make him want to spill the entire contents of his past at her feet? She would pity him, fear him more likely. Fear him more than she already did. Her eyes, so open and clear, looked at him in fright more than once. He intended for it to stay that way, but soon the fear turned to anger and then confusion. She became curious about him. And that was dangerous. But he couldn't deny that he actually enjoyed her company, unwillingly as it was. Her friends were okay, too. But they were all weaknesses he didn't need. His dad's lessons lived in the forefront of his mind beating away any and all considerations of friendship. They brought feelings, and he definitely didn't need those. Yet he still couldn't shake the spark of peacefulness that being around these people brought to him through the day so far. It was a foreign feeling, peace, something that only belonged in the memories of days he could never relive. However, just sitting with Kairi in the room lit that spark again. He knew it wouldn't take long for the small flame to be doused since it really only took seeing Sora's face to do the job.
"Vanitas?" Her soft voice broke him out of his reverie and he turned to look at her. Her indigo eyes were wide and her lips were parted in a silent question. Strands of red hair fell into her face causing Vanitas's fingers to yearn to brush them out of her vivid gaze. What is wrong with me?!
"I'm sorry for assuming things about you again." She whispered, honesty reflecting in her voice. She started to reach out for him but stopped and drew her hand back with a conflicted expression. And he wanted nothing more than to take her hand. I am so fucked.
Why Kairi reached out for Vanitas was beyond her. There was just something so vulnerable-looking in his face, but she must have seen wrong because the second she extended her hand towards him, he looked like she was offering something foreign and dangerous. She didn't deny that her heart twitched at his clear dislike for her.
"Where am I?" She asked trying to sit up with a groan slipping out of her lips. The room started spinning and she froze when a hand came to rest on her shoulder.
"In a cabin." Vanitas responded in a leaden voice. His face suddenly appeared very close in front of her own as he looked into her eyes intensely. "You have a slight concussion, too." He explained pushing her to lay down again. "I can't believe you're such an idiot." He added with a disdainful sniff.
"Wha-hey!" Kairi tried to give him an indignant glare but failed miserably when her head started throbbing. "Ow…" Rubbing her temple ruefully she asked, "What happened?" Watching Vanitas cross his arms and sigh in exasperation made her want to go back to sleep…
"Stay awake." He pinched her cheek causing her to squeak. "With a concussion you shouldn't sleep, it's dangerous."
Now Kairi rubbed her cheek and tried glaring at him again more successfully this time. "When did you become an expert in medical things?" She snapped.
Vanitas snorted and leaned back in his chair. "It's common knowledge in the world of sports."
"Oh." Kairi murmured. She frowned and asked again, "So what happened?"
When he rolled his eyes Kairi resisted the urge to throw something at him. "I found you knocked out in the snow with your skis and poles thrown everywhere. Must have fallen like the klutz you are." He jerked his chin at her leg. "And looks like you twisted your knee pretty badly. I must say, it takes someone pretty special to fall as much as you do."
Kairi narrowed her eyes but refused to say anything in response to his taunts. "How did I get here?" She looked around the cabin, to the fire, then to the blanket and jacket covering her. Oh… Vanitas must have carried her here and then started the fire and put the blanket and jacket over her to keep her warm. That was surprisingly…considerate. She watched him shift uncomfortably and the condescending mask fractured for a moment. He actually worried about me… She realized with a jerk in her stomach. Before he could snap anything at her, she smiled and said, "Thank you."
He looked taken aback, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again before taking a few moments to gruffly say, "No problem."
Kairi giggled at his sudden lack of poise. "Cat got you tongue?" She teased.
"Shut it." He retorted immediately. "You're not a cat."
"Then what am I?" She asked curiously.
He shrugged and simply said, "Don't know."
Kairi shook her head ignoring a small bubble of disappointment. "Well think of something. We're going to be here for a while since you probably don't want to carry me down the mountain with our stuff." She was actually very curious as to what Vanitas would categorize her as. Personally, she saw herself as something small and meek, like a rabbit.
"Hmm…" Vanitas stared at her thoughtfully surprising Kairi that he was taking her seriously. "I think you're like a fox." He decided with a shrewd, lopsided grin. Clearly he knew just how much his response would throw her off.
Kairi stumbled for words as she realized what he just said. A fox…? "Are you sure about that?" She asked doubtfully. He looked like he was joking, but he didn't take back his choice.
Vanitas nodded. "Yeah." He leaned forward and took a few strands of her hair between his fingers letting them slip away slowly. "Your hair," he murmured, his voice unsettlingly close to her ear. "And your personality."
Kairi had to blink a few times to clear her head that became foggy from him touching her willingly and his breath tickling her ear. "I don't think I'm like a fox." She frowned wishing she could sit up and argue with him properly.
"Trust me, you are." Vanitas spoke with a somewhat convivial tone. "You're quick to hide and run away - good at it, too. That also makes you sly and cunning. You have a good wit, too, but it still needs some work."
The words sank in and Kairi offered a sly smile. "Are you giving me compliments?"
Vanitas scoffed and appeared thoroughly insulted. "I don't give compliments, just facts. Don't get cocky." He reprimanded firmly.
Kairi chuckled to herself. "Whatever you say."
"Hey." Vanitas's scowling face hovered above her and his hands were planted on either side of her head. "Watch yourself. I still have your phone."
Any amusement dried up as Kairi looked up at him with an equal scowl. "Right. Sorry," she muttered, bitterness seeping through her teeth. The trend continued once again; Vanitas would go along with a nice conversation and then promptly ruin it. Kairi didn't know why she was still getting surprised and mildly hurt by him. And he, more frustratingly, always invaded her personal space. Why he was still staring down at her with veiled gold eyes, she didn't know. Though…for some reason…his gaze felt like heated caresses along her face, or maybe she was just blushing – which was way worse.
With a sharp intake of breath, he hastily pulled away without another word. Just like that, they sat in silence.
"Did you…try calling?" Kairi, feeling awkward, had to speak to fill the unsettling quiet.
He sent her a scathing glance. "I didn't bring my phone." And before she could respond he tersely added, "And I know you didn't bring yours. I checked your jacket pockets."
Kairi just then realized she wasn't wearing her jacket and spotted it across the room on a chair with water pooling below it. "You-" she started but he interrupted her.
"I didn't do anything to you, don't worry." He sounded frosty and with his back to her she couldn't see what kind of expression he wore.
Kairi pursed her lips feeling slightly sad that he thought she would accuse him of such a thing. It honestly didn't even cross her mind. "I was going to thank you again."
He turned to her fractionally only to see wide blue eyes and a distraught line between her brows. He was facing the fire again when he quietly asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Less dizzy, less cold. My knee still hurts though, but there's no helping that here." She glanced down at it and withheld a sigh. "At least it's not broken." Vanitas was absolutely right about her being an idiot. She remembered her skis crossing and then being flung across the slope. If she had focused a bit more that wouldn't have happened.
"Yeah…" He agreed blankly. "Maybe I should go down and get someone." He stood up and looked everywhere except at her.
As he slowly walked past her, Kairi's hand shot out from underneath the blanket before she could stop herself and grabbed the sleeve of his black sweater. "No!" She exclaimed, fear clear in her eyes. "No…" She said more quietly. "I don't want to be alone here unable to walk by myself."
Vanitas gawked at her hand and then her face with an expression of sheer shock. "Fine." He muttered folding his hand around her wrist and prying her fingers off him. His hand was warm to Kairi's surprise. She always thought he'd be as cold as personality. It was a strange yet comforting realization. His grip lingered for a few seconds more than necessary before he let go as if she burned him. Kairi turned too slowly to catch the look on his face since he had already taken a seat in his chair facing the fire.
Silence lapsed between them again, though this time it was more peaceful and content than tense and fiery. Kairi chose to watch the ever-moving, ever-changing flames as Vanitas seemed to be doing. There was something mesmerizing in the carefully contained, possibly dangerous element. In a way, it reminded her of Vanitas. Just like how the clear blue sky over an ocean reminded her of Sora, and how earth and mountains reminded her of Riku. Namine was a calming pool someone would find in the middle of a forest and Xion could either be the lapsing waves beating onto a beach or the raging waves during a storm. Kairi felt like she didn't fit a particular category. Maybe she was a drop of water in a river letting the current have its way with her. Or perhaps she was a leaf being whisked through the wind. She could even be a cloud marring the beautiful sky. None of those were particularly appealing, but that's how she saw herself.
"Have you heard the legend about this mountain?" Kairi asked unexpectedly. "With the snow witch?"
Vanitas swiveled in his chair slowly to give her a peculiar stare. "Maybe. Tell me it."
Biting her lip, Kairi suddenly doubted her story-telling skills and wished Sora, Riku, or Roxas were here to tell it properly. But she'd try her best. "Long ago, when kings and queens still reigned, there lived two princess in Arendelle. When their eldest daughter was born, the king and queen noticed something strange about her. Perhaps it was her nearly white hair or ice blue eyes, neither of which ran through the family genes. After the birth of their second daughter, the king and queen discovered that their first daughter had a dangerous power; she could control ice. They shut their first daughter away fearing her powerful magic and afraid that their youngest daughter would get hurt. The eldest daughter, growing up alone and without love, became a monster. She broke out the prison her very own room became and used her ice powers to kill her parents and very well nearly kill her sister as well. She escaped to the wilderness causing a huge storm to encase Arendelle and bury it beneath many feet of snow. The people that survived the year-long storm named her the Snow Witch, though she was never to be seen again. Her sister survived and became queen, though her hair became as white as snow bearing a reminder of what her sister was. From then on, Arendelle's longest season has been winter thanks to the Snow Witch. They say she's immortal and some have seen her walking through the forests wielding a staff of ice wearing a blue cape made of crystals. Those who have seen her say her eyes are soulless and she throws icicles at them." Kairi paused wondering if she missed anything, she didn't think so. "Well…that's it. The end."
Vanitas shook his head. "That's not actually the true legend."
"What?" Kairi frowned.
"Who told you that?" Vanitas questioned with a sneer.
Thinking about who told the story first, she reluctantly admitted, "Sora did…"
Vanitas's reaction was just what she thought it would be. His sneer strengthened to that of one contorting his face to a parody of its usual stone-like fixture. "Of course." He spat. "That moron would get it so incredibly wrong."
Kairi ignored his insult to Sora and asked, "What's the real story then?"
He glared at her for a moment before his intense gaze softened fractionally. "Legend." He corrected smoothly making Kairi roll her eyes. "The beginning was almost correct. There were two princess whose names were Elsa and Anna. Elsa was the eldest, gifted with ice magic, and Anna was the youngest. The king and queen adored both their daughters, even after realizing Elsa had special powers. The two princesses loved each other dearly and played together day and night. Anna found Elsa's magic beautiful and fascinating, because it was. She made snowmen, ice rinks, sculptures, all to make Anna happy. But one day, Elsa's magic went awry and hit her dear sister. The king and queen rushed to find a cure for their dying daughter and came upon a small tribe of mountain trolls. They performed their own form of magic and healed Anna as well as sealing away her memories of Elsa's magic. After that tragic event, Elsa became horrified with herself and shut herself away in her room so she couldn't hurt anyone ever again. A few months later, they were orphaned – the king and queen died in a shipwreck far over the seas.
This left Elsa as the future queen despite no one having seen her for some time. Her coronation didn't happen for several years later however. When it did, her powers went out of control and she fled her kingdom in fear of her people shunning her. Unbeknownst to Elsa, she cast a perpetual snow storm across Arendelle that buried it beneath many feet of snow in the middle of summer.
Anna chased after her sister with the help of a young man she befriended and together the two of them found Elsa in a magnificent ice castle. Anna and her friend, Kristoff, beseeched Elsa to stop the endless snow she caused and asked her to return. Elsa, at first shocked by her cause of the snow, refused to return with them. In her distraught state, she accidently released her powers and hit part of Anna's heart with her ice. Ann was slowly freezing to death because of it. Kristoff then took Anna to the mountain trolls that healed her last time leaving Elsa alone and grieving in her ice castle. The mountain trolls could not help her this time and merely said: Only an act of true love could melt her heart…
All the while, a man named Hans attempted to take Arendelle for his own by force. He too found his way to Elsa's castle of ice with a small assortment of soldiers ready to kill her and take the throne for himself. Elsa defeated the soldiers, but Hans took her prisoner. Before he could execute her, she escaped and searched for her sister in the blizzard surrounding Arendelle. Hans chased her down and, sword in hand, swung to kill. But Anna, appearing out of nowhere, stepped before the sword and blocked the attack. She turned to ice at the same time because of the cold Elsa had set in her heart. The sword meant to slay Elsa shattered at the touch of Anna's frozen hand. Elsa held her frozen sister and cried for what she had done. Hans, unarmed now, watched the event unfold. Amazingly, Anna returned to normal – the act of true love being her willingness to sacrifice herself to protect her sister.
Afterword, Hans was put in prison for treason. And Elsa, embracing her powers now instead of hiding them, became the very much celebrated queen of Arendelle. Anna and Kristoff continued as friends from their adventure to save Elsa, and fell in love eventually. All had ended well for each of them. The end."
Kairi was lulled into a trance hearing the pieces of the story flow together through Vanitas's oddly soft voice. Not that she wanted to admit it, but he the way he spoke while telling a story felt better than Riku, Roxas, and even Sora. Shaking her head slightly at that traitorous thought, she considered what he told her rather carefully. "So Elsa wasn't evil after all, huh…?"
"Just because someone has something strange about them it doesn't have to make them a monster or villain." Vanitas scoffed and sounded generally ambivalent about his views.
Eyeing him curiously through the veil her hair created, Kairi wondered if he thought that about himself. He definitely had something strange about him that was for sure, so maybe it was a more personal connection. "That's true," she assented turning her head to look at him properly. "I like your version better." A small, genuine smiled lifted her lips as she told him so much to his evident disparity since he merely rolled his eyes.
"It's not my version," Vanitas corrected tersely. "It's the true version, you can Google it."
Something about his adamance struck a chord in Kairi making her giggle. "You're being rather persistent about it. You must like that legend a lot."
He rolled his eyes again probably exasperated with her pertinent observations of himself. "Not at all. Stories are just that to me, stories. I just don't like it when people get things wrong so blatantly."
"I'm pretty sure you corrected me and called it a legend before." The teasing remark rolled off her tongue surprisingly easily. The oddity of that lasted in her mind for just a moment before slipping back to a bemused curiosity.
A defiant frown graced his face as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at her tone. "I did no such thing," he remarked flatly.
"Did too!" Kairi giggled again feeling very content with the friendly atmosphere between them. The fact that she was supposed to not be getting along with him was drifting farther and farther away.
"I think your concussion is significantly worse than I first thought." He sneered at her though there was no true animosity in his expression. To Kairi, it looked as if he was forcing himself to keep up this sardonic façade with a very visible effort.
Sitting up slowly Kairi shot him a wry grin. "I actually feel a little bit better after laying down for a while."
"Good. I'm so relieved," he snapped sarcastically.
"I think you actually are," she laughed and then paled realizing she just unintentionally said that aloud.
"What?" Vanitas deadpanned, all traces of his earlier easiness gone and replaced with a cold demeanor that matched the snow and ice outside. "Just because I brought you here instead of leaving you outside to freeze doesn't mean I care about you. Don't get any ideas." This time his sneer was backed with cutting words. This time he meant it. "Just because I decided to be a somewhat decent human being today doesn't mean we're friends." He spat the word with disgust making Kairi visibly flinch. There was no sign of remorse from him at her visual display of hurt because of his words. He turned away again to stare blankly at the fire.
Collecting herself was faster and easier now that she'd been through this several times before. Taking a deep breath to calm her painfully beating heart, she whispered, "Why?" He whipped around to burn her with his glare, but she remained strong and repeated herself. "Why? Why do you always do this? We start to have a nice conversation and I start to believe you actually are a decent human being, and then you…" she fished for the right words to continue all the while measuring the expression on his face; still stoic and unmoving. "You just flip a switch or something! I know, just know, that you're being more genuine and yourself when we have those kinds of conversations! But then you change when it starts getting deeper. You put that stupid mask of indifference back on and pretend to be a jerk. I don't get it! What's so wrong with being my friend? What did I do that makes you want to throw words at me like knives? And I refuse to believe you actually want to be truly alone! No one actually wants to be alone!" She took a much needed breath after her rant and sent a glare right back at him daring him to argue against her claims. The conviction of her judgment resonated strongly in her heart. She might regret her outburst later when he probably destroys her phone, but he really needed to hear that because apparently no one else was going to say it outright. One thing she couldn't shake out of her head was the bruise on his ribs and scars on his back. No one just became like Vanitas was – cruel and cold. There had to be something.
If looks could kill Kairi would be dead since he was murdering her with his eyes. She almost feared the expression of resolute hatred on his face, but he wouldn't do anything to her, she knew that, too. Her chin was lifted arrogantly waiting for some kind of response or threat regarding her phone. It didn't matter. Kairi felt for sure she had just unraveled part of his mystery. They sat in a smoldering silence for what was probably over a minute when the door slammed open letting cold air, snowflakes, and Sora inside their fiery, little cabin.
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open." – Alexander Graham Bell