Chapter 14- Rejoice
Terra, Aqua, Ven, and Dualnade sat on the ground panting, recovering their breaths. After two hours of constant Heartless fighting, it was over. Terra got up first, catching his breath. His gaze casted upon a Corridor that appeared near the left end of the Awakening platform.
"Aqua…Look." Terra pointed to the corridor.
"Awe…some…" Ven got up, running over to the Corridor.
"What about you…?" Aqua looked at Dualnade, wondering where he'd go now.
"DiZ and Namine…Where else?" Dualnade smirked, getting to his feet slowly.
"Okay…" Aqua got up next, heading over to Terra and Ven.
"See ya, Master Aqua." Dualnade made a corridor, to his own surprise, and went thru it.
"Where do you think it'll take us?" Ven asked Aqua and Terra.
"Let's find out, together." Terra held Aqua's hand and walked in together with Ven.
Two hours of fighting had gotten Xehanort injured with the renewed hope of Riku, Sora, and Kairi. He was on the ground, trying to get up using his Keyblade as a cane. The trio walked over, surrounding him. He glared at each one of them. Each Keyblade wielder summoned their respective Keyblades; Way to the Dawn, Kingdom Key, and Destiny's Embrace. Simultaneously, they stabbed their Keyblades emitting a bright light into the old man.
"What…is…this power…?" Xehanort asked in his moments of death.
"The power of Kingdom Hearts, Xehanort." Riku replied.
"Light, because that's what Kingdom Hearts is, not just darkness." Sora added.
"No…this…other….power…" Xehanort sneered.
"It's friendship and love…Something you failed to understand…"Kairi replied, and the trio watched Xehanort disappear into darkness, dying finally.
"We did it…" Riku smiled, satisfied. He suddenly looked up, seeing Sora and Kairi hug.
"Remember that promise…?" Sora asked her, holding her close.
"Yeah." Kairi nodded, "Tomorrow night…At 6. I'll be at your house."
"Okay." Sora smiled, hesitating as he said, "Hey…Kairi…"
"Yes?" She looked up at him.
"I love you." Sora kissed her, holding her even closer to him. Kairi genuinely accepted it, leaning forward. After about a minute, Sora opened his eyes, and realized Riku was watching.
"Ah! Riku! I-I-I!" Sora's face was cherry red as he tried to explain, but Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder.
"Sora. Relax." Riku smiled at his best friend, "I could tell. You were never good at keeping secrets anyways." Riku began to walk away.
"Wait…what! No way! I'm good at keeping secrets!" Sora quickly returned to normal, annoyed by Riku's statement.
"You told Kairi about the Secret Place after knowing her for a few months." Riku stated, "And I know what stories you've told Donald and Goofy about me!"
"They were funny stories Riku!" Sora insisted.
"I don't care!" Riku joked, "let's race to the Corridor. First one home shares a Paopu fruit with Kairi." A corridor had appeared where Xehanort had died.
"Ready set go!" Sora suddenly darted off in there.
"Cheater!" Riku darted off after him.
"Something's never change." Kairi followed behind, running at her own pace.
Finally, they could go home.
Namine was drawing peacefully in her completely white room. She was drawing two things, switching off every so often. She looked to the doorway as Dualnade came in thru a corridor. She enjoyed him coming to visit. DiZ usually kept him busy.
"How did it go with Mitsumi?" Dualnade asked her about the Nobody.
"She and Roxas arrived safely in Twilight Town." Namine replied, and then asked, "What about Sora, Kairi and Riku?"
"They're alive, and Xehanort's dead." Dualnade replied, walking over to her.
"Good." Namine smiled in satisfaction.
"What are you drawing?" Dualnade asked her.
"Something that would warm their hearts and minds if they saw it." Namine replied.
On the white table laid two drawings side by side. One depicted Destiny Islands at sunset. Kairi, Sora, and Riku sat on the Paopu tree, enjoying being home after the long battle against Xehanort. The other depicted Twilight Town at sunset. Roxas, Mitsumi, and Axel were eating sea salt ice cream, catching up after their crazy affairs. All was right with the world.