Epilogue: A Change for the Better

I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney or Square Enix. I just own Ashlee, Rika, and Leila. By the way, I know you guys read this story, why not REVIEW? It will bring magical happiness to your world! I promise.

"Get back here!"

A young girl was running throughout the streets of Radiant Garden. She was laughing so hard from all the fun she was having.

"Mrs. Saeki, I'm doing you a favor!" the girl yelled back and kept running. She was glad she was went adventuring throughout the worlds or she would never be able to run this fast. She was currently in the act of stealing. She missed these days though there was a certain reason why she was doing this though. The girl finally made it to her stop and it was at the old magician's house.

"Merlin, you here?" the girl called out.

"My dear Ashlee," Merlin said but wasn't to be seen.

"I can't see you Merlin," Ashlee sighed, "You need to fix your spell casting again."

"Oh my," Merlin spoke, he then waved his wand and he appeared but only half of his body was showing.

"Merlin.." Ashlee sighed, "And tell me how you became a great wizard?"

"Well it was a nice sunny day in a small town known as Camelot," Merlin started, but he didn't get to finish when he saw a note on the table.

Merlin,

I fear that I don't have the time to listen to your story; I bet it will be great. I only came to see if you could fix this gemstone for me. It means a lot, even though I had to steal it from Mrs. Saeki. She didn't know that it was stolen from me and put in her collection to sell. Fix it fast and then give it to Cloud. He should be coming to send mail to you and when he does give the gemstone back and give it to him and say it's for Ashlee.

Ashlee

"She probably has the royal guard after her now," Merlin said to himself. "Stealing from a merchant does get the guards called. I just wish she didn't do it often."

Merlin set the stone on the table, waved his wand and the stone magically fixed itself. The orange gemstone was pretty magnificent. It was a beauty, though Merlin wondered where Ashlee got the stone before it got stolen from her and she stole it back. Next thing he heard was a loud knock at the door.

"That's probably Cloud," Merlin said aloud. Once he opened the door, he knew exactly it was Cloud because of the nice blond spiky hair.

"Hey Merlin," Cloud greeted, "I got a package for you."

"And so do I," Merlin said to his friend.

Cloud furred his eyebrows, "You do?"

"It's from Ashlee," Merlin replied, "It's a gemstone."

"Oh that thing?" Cloud asked already knowing what it was.

"Yes, she asked to fix it for me and then ran out the door. It was something. She didn't even stay to listen to my story!" Merlin complained.

"Hehe," Cloud rubbed behind his head. Cloud then grabbed the gemstone and put it in his pocket.

"What is the significance the gemstone holds?" Merlin asked.

"It's a gift from mom when we were kids. She apparently gave it to her but she lost it and I guess she found it, and being here and no job makes her broke and the only way to get it back was to steal," Cloud explained.

"Ahh," Merlin said. He then ushered out the older sibling out the door. "You have more deliveries to make; you should go and return that gemstone of course."

"Okay Merlin, I get it!" Cloud shouted and headed out the door and then hopped on his motorcycle towards the city to continue his job. In the city Ashlee went back to apologize to Mrs. Saeki.

"Sorry Mrs. Saeki for stealing that item," Ashlee said as she slowly approached the venue. "That was and memento from my mom and it was important that I get it back."

Mrs. Saeki sighed, "No one was going to buy it anyways, every time someone saw it, they said it looked dirty or whatever."

"That's because it's a special type of stone," Ashlee said and then ran off towards her house.

Ashlee walked home and sat everything down. She looked at all the photos that she had up on her wall. She missed Sora, Kairi, Riku, Roxas and Namine`. She was surprised that she missed Kairi, though absence makes the heart grows fonder. She saw down on the couch. She was just happy to be home. She hasn't used this house in a while especially during her travels with fighting Maleficent, but now she could finally furnish it and live in the house. She sat on the couch and saw her dog come around the corner.

"SHILOH!" Ashlee cried happily. Her dog was her baby after all.

"Momma missed you!" the dog just wagged her tail and then Ashlee heard a knock on the dog but put a finger to her lips to stop Shiloh from barking.

Ashlee opened the door to see a royal guard standing there.

"May I help you?" Ashlee questioned.

"Ashlee Strife?"

"Yes?

"You are needed, come with me to the royal castle," the guard spoke. Ashlee nodded. She grabbed her things before she left, she definitely brought her key chain, just in case something dangerous happened. After all she didn't know why she was being summoned to the castle.

"Hmm, I guess the council wants to speak to me?" Ashlee questioned the guard.

"I cannot give out information to you ma'am," the guard spoke.

Ashlee rolled her eyes, "Thanks for calling me old."

The guard spoke no more and led her into the castle. It was still trying to be rebuilt. It was in progress but not really showing any progress. It was just slow. When she walked into the place she saw Cloud, Leon, Aerith, Tifa, Cid, Rikku, Paine, and Yuna.

Ashlee stared in awe, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We were summoned here by the council. They said it was important," Leon told Ashlee.

"I see," Ashlee replied back, "Yuna, Rikku, and Paine why would the council want you guys here?"

"Maybe it's because we are you're friends," Yuna replied.

"YUP!" Rikku agreed happily and Paine didn't speak. They were still in there fairy form, although they didn't have to stay like that. They could change anytime they want but Rikku liked to stay like that because it made her pops mad.

"Ashlee Strife, the council wants to speak to you alone," one of the guards spoke. Ashlee nodded and headed into the room. Everybody else was quite shocked though.

Ashlee walked into the room and walked into the middle of all the council members.

"Ashlee Strife, age eighteen, keyblade wielder and Princess of Darkness. Summoned on important discussion," one of the members spoke.

"And that may be?" Ashlee said, she wasn't afraid of these people, they really didn't control her.

"Let's get straight to the point," another one of the members said.

"You are to become the Princess of Radiant Garden," a member spoke bluntly.

"WHAT?!" Ashlee yelled, "Kairi should be the Princess in Radiant Garden, not me. This isn't even my home world!"

"CHILD!" a member voiced deeply.

"Kairi is no longer a resident to this world. That Princess does not serve our world any longer and no family of hers live. You have family and you have a gemstone that represents royalty from what I recalled correctly."

"I don't own a…" Ashlee began to speak but then her eyes widened in realization.

"You mean that orange gemstone I have is a representation of royalty? That can't be right, I've always lived a commoner life. I've never gotten to royal treatment," Ashlee told them all.

"We need a new Princess to represent this world!" a member voiced loudly.

"We used to be the most greatest and respected world but now we are just a laughing stock," another member explained, "We need you to take the responsibility of becoming the Princess of this world and eventually Queen when you find a suitor."

"I already have someone in mind!" Ashlee yelled, "And I'm not getting married at 18! It's way too young, I haven't even lived life yet!"

"Yet your brother is soon to be married," a member spoke.

"That's because he is the right age!" Ashlee yelled in angry. "He's 26, not 18!"

"That may be true, but it's law that Princesses get married by the age of 16. You just happened to slip two years by," one of the members spoke again.

"That may be true, but what if I don't agree," Ashlee questioned.

"You have to agree," a member spoke, "It's law and we could always announce to the world about your thievery."

"Blackmailing me huh?" Ashlee spoke quietly. She had to think about this. She didn't want to stop shopping at her favorite stores because of these guys.

"Do I have to decide now?" Ashlee questioned the group.

"You have until tomorrow at noon," the group responded in unison.

"Okay that's just creepy," Ashlee replied.

"Meet adjourned," one of the members said and then he the table with a gavel. Ashlee walked out of the room and saw her friends.

"Well, what did they say sis?" Cloud asked her.

Ashlee looked at Cloud a little scared, "They told me I have to become the new Princess of Radiant Garden. Since Kairi no longer lives on this world, I was the next choice of becoming the new ruler."

Everyone's faces just were shocked and Ashlee didn't know how to handle it.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do," Ashlee pouted a bit. "Becoming a Princess of Radiant Garden means I'll be more of a target now, but becoming ruler, I'll be able to make peace with Radiant Garden and finally restore what it's fully functional glory again."

"It's you choice Ashlee," Aerith spoke, "Whatever it may be, we will all stand beside you."

Ashlee looked at everyone and everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Thank you guys," Ashlee told them all, "It means a lot."

Ashlee walked into the next council room ready to tell her answer.

"Have you decided?" a council member spoke.

"Yes," Ashlee replied, "I'll do it, though I'm not going through all unnecessary drama I've seen with all the other princess's in other worlds. I will make decisions, and I will decide what to wear. I'm not wearing dress all the time. I will dress how I want. I make this world free. It's time for a change, also Cloud and Tifa will live with me in the castle. I don't want to be lonely."

"Understood, milady," a council spoke.

Ashlee nodded and started to walk out of the room but someone spoke to her, "Lady Ash, you are to bring all your belongings to the castle and your house will be sold. You are in no longer need of it."

"I understand," Ashlee agreed, she didn't fuss over that. She understood why. She was going to live in a castle after all.

Ashlee went home; packed her things; went over to Clouds to bring him and Tifa along and brought Shiloh over to the castle. They walked in and was greeted by maids.

"Miss, let us show you to your room," one of the maids told her.

"Master Cloud, Milady Tifa, let us show you to your bedroom," two of other maids spoke to the couple.

"We would all like that," Cloud said, "He was ecstatic to know that they finally have a stable place to stay. No more worrying about the bill."

The maids showed them the way to their bedrooms and Ashlee was in shock on how her bedroom looked like. First of all it was mostly pink, but that was going to change, but her bed was huge! It had silk drapes around the canopy bed. A little lounge couch, a desk for her studies and a closet full of clothes, that she would never touch, will she might keep a few clothes."

"We had clothes that were stocked for you, for any parties or balls that you might have to attend," the maid spoke.

"Most of these clothes were made for Kairi though?" Ashlee asked.

"Yes milady," the maid replied.

"If I need anything, I'll let you know," Ashlee said to the maid. The maid left Ashlee and Shiloh alone.

"Shiloh, we are finally starting to live to good life. Hopefully it will last," Ashlee spoke aloud. She walked to the nearby window while holding the orange gemstone that got her in this mess.

"All I know is that Radiant Garden is going to change in a few years," Ashlee looked at Shiloh with a bright smile, "But as long as we got each other, Cloud, Tifa, and the rest of the gang at Merlin's. I think I'll be okay, and also I think the trio at Destiny's Island will be happy for once. I'm starting to make a good change in my life. That's a good thing, right?"

The End

-Shifuni