Little story I decided to write, set during the ending of Kingdom Hearts: ReMind. Hope you like. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.
"How ... did this happen to me?"
Naminé paced around the laboratory, gazing down at herself. Her blue eyes were wide with astonishment.
She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. It was something she thought she would never experience again.
Here she was, standing right here - as herself.
Not inside the heart of her Somebody who she couldn't exist without.
She was her own person, living inside her own body, which housed her own heart.
How was that possible? Who was responsible for making her independent again? Surely there had to be a reason why she could exist freely again.
Naminé held out her hands in front of her to stare at them. She couldn't understand it all. She had just woken up to find herself inside this change lab, laying on a table inside a body of her own. She was exactly as she had always appeared; small frame, pale skin and long blonde hair, clad in a white minidress with a pair of blue sandals. On discovering herself back inside a body of her own, she had noticed she was being observed by Ansem the Wise, Vexen and Ienzo. The three of them had exchanged delighted chatter about an experiment of theirs beings a success. Yet before the girl could ask them what was going on, they had disappeared from the room, leaving her all alone to mull over her puzzled thoughts.
At least, Naminé thought she was alone - until that very moment...
"Hey, Naminé!"
The blonde froze, recognising that cheerful voice only too well. She swung around towards where it had come from, her blue eyes lighting up when she saw a familiar figure step out of the shadows.
"Kairi!"
The princess-of-heart stood before her Nobody. A wide, happy grin was plastered to her face.
"Good to see you again - in your own body, no less!"
Naminé's blue eyes shimmered as she gazed at the red-haired girl. Her mouth fell open in amazement as she pointed out towards Kairi.
"It was you!" she cried. "You're the one who freed me from your heart ... but why?"
"You're your own person, Naminé. I couldn't keep you trapped inside me forever. You deserve the freedom to be independent and do whatever you wish."
A small smile found its way onto Naminé's face. It was full of gratitude for what Kairi had done just to allow her to be free. Wanting to show how thankful she was for what she did, the blonde approached the redhead, pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you, Kairi," she said softly, "I really appreciate you doing this for me. I'll never forget it. Ever."
Kairi smiled, winding her own arms around Naminé. She was ecstatic to be able to embrace her now instead of having her sealed away inside her heart.
"It wasn't only me," the princess said modestly. "It's mostly because of Riku you are back to your independent self."
Naminé pulled away, her blue eyes widening with interest at the mention of her silver-haired friend. "Riku?"
"He managed to find an empty vessel for you. He brought it here so that once you were released from my heart, you could have your own body once again. He's on his way now to Radiant Garden in the Gummi Ship. He'll be here soon to take you to Destiny Islands."
Naminé's face brightened up. She was very grateful for the part Riku played in forming her back into her own person. She could hardly wait to see him to let him know how much she appreciated his actions - as well as just to be reunited with him.
"I must remember to thank Riku!" she exclaimed.
"Oh yeah! That reminds me!" Kairi's grin widened across her face. "Someone here wants to thank you!"
"Someone ... here?" Astonishment filled Namine's expression. She was surprised to learn all this time, she and Kairi were not the only ones in the building. Who else could possibly be in the laboraty - and for what reason would they want to thank her? "Who-"
"Hi, Naminé."
Naminé paused. Goosebumps spread all over her upon hearing the one who had just spoken to her. Knowing instantly who it was before even facing him, she turned slowly towards the shadows Kairi had stepped out of.
Her face instantly filled with delight as out stepped a certain brunette spiky-haired boy, gazing down at her with his wide, friendly grin.
"Sora!" Naminé exclaimed.
It always made the blonde feel happy to see Sora. Ever since the beginning of her existence, she had wanted to meet him and be his friend. The circumstances when they had first encountered each other hadn't been as she had hoped when Organization XIII made her manipulate his memories to make him think he'd known her all his life. To this day, she felt terrible about the role she'd been forced to play to try to make him the Organization's puppet - and yet he had bore no ill will against her, stopping at nothing to rescue her from them.
"I'm glad to finally see you..." Sora said as he stepped towards the shorter girl. "Properly!"
Naminé gazed up at the tall brunette. That wide grin he was giving her was filled with his warmth and kindness. It was working its charms that always succeeded to make her feel very happy whenever she saw Sora.
"Now that I can finally see you..." Sora stopped before Naminé, peering down into her face with his graceful expression. "I can thank you..."
"Thank me?" Naminé blinked, completely puzzled. "What do you want to thank me for? I haven't done anything."
"Oh yes you have. You put mine, Donald, Goofy and Jiminy's memories right after the Organization made you change them. You never gave up on us and worked on us until we could remember everything true to us. You gave me hope when I ended up in The Final World and all my friends disappeared. It's because of you I realised I was able to go back and save the others."
Sora took the blonde's hand, rubbing it gently. "You've done more for me, Naminé; more than you give yourself credit for. I told you in The Final World that I was gonna thank you properly, face-to-face."
Naminé felt her cheeks burning as they turned a bright shade of red. She gazed up at the spiky-haired boy modestly, overwhelmed by how she had made such an impact on the lives of himself and others.
"So..." Still rubbing the girl's hand gingerly, Sora beamed broadly at her. "Thank you, Naminé! Thank you so much!"
Naminé smiled bashfully. She saw no need for Sora to thank her at all. It was just like her kind-hearted hero who had protected her and saved her to be so unbelievably nice to her.
She was so glad to have met him.
"You're welcome, Sora..." she said softly.
"Great! Now that you've finally heard Sora thank you..." Kairi giggled and pointed towards the exit of the laboratory. "Get yourself outside, Naminé! Riku will be here to collect you any minute now!"
"We'll meet up with you on Destiny Islands later!" Sora added.
"Okay! See you guys later!"
Naminé waved cheerfully to her friends, then turned to make her way towards the door that led out of the laboratory. Not only was she filled with happiness over existing independently once again, but she was full of gratitude to have such wonderful, generous friends in her life.
She was thankful towards Kairi for freeing her from her heart.
She was thankful towards Riku for bringing her a vessel to be placed inside.
She was thankful towards Sora for allowing her to meet them all, as well as other great people.
Naminé couldn't wait to be taken to Destiny Islands where she would start living her life as her own free person...
...which she was determined to begin by spending time having fun with her fantastic friends.
There's only one more thank you to pass on - and that is: thank you for reading this story! Cheerio! :)