A/N: Ya'll this is a chapter that I've been so hyped to upload and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Chapter 71: Unlocking the Light
In the time since completing the three trials with the island gods Garuda, Hashmal, and Leviathan, Maui had set Moana on the final stretch of their journey. It was time to set sail for Te Fiti. As he had promised, Maui showed both Kairi and Moana more advanced techniques for sailing including how to ride the waves to pick up speed, how to keep in sync and ride with the differing wind speeds, and of course the one technique Kairi never learned on her own island, which was to use her hand to measure the stars. It would take some time to get used to it, but Moana caught on.
Under the direction of Maui, Kairi and Moana sailed the boat within even closer proximity to Te Fiti. As the boat drifted closer toward the mist, the shell on Moana's necklace began to glow almost as if the gods' blessings were reaching out to Te Fiti and began to create a clear path. The fog that had been surrounding the general area began to clear as the boat resumed sailing toward Te Fiti. Maui had hopped on top of the mast to keep a watchful eye out in case any Heartless chose to sneak up on them.
Although they hadn't completed their mission yet, Moana was warming up to the fact that within minutes, the heart of Te Fiti will be restored and her island will be saved. Although Maui was glad that the islands will be safe again, he basked in the thought that he would be embraced as a hero and would be admired again rather than resented by both humans and fellow gods. In the calm drifting of the boat, Maui took a moment to look back at his past, the good side of it. There was a sense of satisfaction of giving the people what they wanted and needed. He couldn't wait to get back to that.
"I figured it out!" Maui said as he jumped back down the mast. "The ocean used to love it when I pulled up islands. 'Cause your ancestors would sail her seas and find 'em." He explained, his tattoos illustrating. "All those new lands, new villages. It was the water that connected them all."
"Our hearts are connected." Kairi muttered softly. She pulled out her lucky charm and held it close to her heart, wishing to feel the warmth of Sora's presence. "There are many worlds, but they share the same sky. One sky, one destiny."
"See? You know what I'm talking about!" Maui said with a smirk.
Naminé gasped and sat back. "Wait, what?"
"How do you know about-" Xion was about to ask.
"Come on, ladies. I was born thousands of years ago, not yesterday." Maui laughed.
"So, you know about other worlds?" Kairi asked.
Moana furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, there are other worlds besides this one?"
"Oh, you betcha. It's a voyager's paradise beyond his ocean." Maui sighed. "Of course, it wasn't always like this. You know, the whole world was one and then you know stuff happened and they all split up, but the sky keeps them connected."
"Just like the ocean keeps these islands connected." Moana said while brushing her hand in the water. "Kairi, does that mean, your island is a whole other world?"
Kairi sighed. There was no sense in hiding it any longer. "Yep, you caught us. I still live on an island, but in a completely different world. This," She flicked her wrist and summoned her Keyblade. "Is why I can travel to other worlds."
Moana gasped, looking to the sky. "That's incredible…"
"Have you ever seen another world, Maui?" Xion asked.
Maui laughed and shook his head. "Oh trust me, if I could, I would. But being stranded for a thousand years, I had no way to travel to other worlds. Now that I do…"
"I'll say from experience, it really is an incredible adventure." Kairi said with a giggle.
"So I've heard." He said with a nod. "You know, when that day comes, I might need a few experts in world-traveling. You know, recommendations, stuff like that."
"Are you implying that you might want us to come with you?" Naminé asked while fluttering her eyelashes.
Maui cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's just that if I need some travel guides, or some companions to talk to, I don't think I'd find anyone better than you four."
"Maui…" Moana sighed. "That's the sweetest thing you've said to us. And you probably should've saved it for Te Fiti."
"I already did."
Kairi and Moana walked to the edge of the boat, their eyes locking onto a large island that awaited them where the sky and sea met. They had finally made it to Te Fiti! Moana will have granted her grandmother's dying wish and proven to her parents that she was more than just the daughter of the chief. Xion and Naminé clapped Kairi and Moana's shoulders, laughing with joy and satisfaction.
"Moana of Motunui, I believe you have officially delivered Maui across the great sea!" Maui declared. "Ahhhhh! Moana! Moana!-"
"Moana! Moana! Moana! You're so amaziiiiiiing!" Kairi, Naminé, and Xion joined in the hushed chanting with Maui.
Moana could only laugh at her friends' goofiness. "Well, I couldn't have done it without all of you."
"Hey, we princesses have to stick together, right?" Kairi asked while flicking her hair, Moana smiling and nodding.
Further down the horizon, the next obstacle would come closer into view. There appeared to be a wall of smoke billowing in front of Te Fiti. Although nobody could see the lava monster known as Te Ka, they knew she'd be waiting for them.
"It's time…" Maui said in a serious tone.
"Be careful, Maui." Kairi cautioned him.
"I'll be fine. You four worry about protecting yourselves." He said as Moana handed him the heart.
"Go, save the world." Moana encouraged him.
With the heart in hand, Maui transformed into a giant hawk and took off flying toward Te Fiti. At first, it seemed like it would be an easy flight in. While the billowing smoke was active, there was still not much of a sign of Te Ka aside from a few fireballs that were fired at Maui, but was able to fly out of the way and void them easily. However, as he flew further in, the more Te Ka finally revealed herself. Finally, the lava demon had fully emerged. Kairi and Moana gasped at how dangerously close Maui flew toward her. Indeed, she was a humanoid monster made up purely of boiling magma and touching any art of her body would result in serious harm.
Having the agility of a hawk, anyone would have thought Maui could have easily avoided Te Ka and continued his way to Te Fiti. Unfortunately, Te Ka had held off on emerging just enough that when her time finally came, it was too late. She smacked a blazing hand against Maui and without him having an opportunity to evade her attack, the impact sent him flying back.
"Maui!" Moana cried out.
"He's in trouble! We have to do something!" Kairi yelled, summoning her Keyblade and diving into the ocean.
"Kairi no!" Naminé and Xion reached out for her.
Ignoring her friends, Kairi swam as fast as she possibly could. Ocean even attempted to wrangle her back to the boat, knowing how dangerous it was, but she managed to cut her way out of the ocean's clutches with her Keyblade. With the redhead now back underwater, she had to get closer if she was going to get Te Ka's attention and give Maui a chance to make it to Te Fiti. As she swam, he flew, attempting to fly around the lava demon. As Kairi surfaced in front of Te Ka, she called out, taunting her and driving her attention from Maui.
Te Ka, hearing the taunt, looked down and focused not so much on who she was facing, but what Kairi was holding in her hand. It was a Keyblade! Te Ka inhaled deeply, a strong bubbling fear stirring within her magma body. The sight of such a powerful weapon was enough to set her off into a more aggressive state. She immediately went for Kairi, winding her hand back and accidentally backhanding Maui. The impact caused to black out briefly and send him free falling down into the ocean.
Kairi gripped her Keyblade and swung back, hoping it would do any good. While her swing was enough to feel like a smack on the hand, it wasn't enough to affect Te Ka significantly. Kairi took advantage of Te Ka reacting and dove underwater, swimming toward Maui. She could see him slowly sinking further down with the heart right beside him. Although he had blacked out, he managed to wake just in time to transform into a fish and grab the heart with his mouth. When the two met eye contact, Kairi pointed up, signaling for them to swim up so she could catch her breath.
"Kairi! What're you doing out here?" Maui asked.
"Helping you!" Kairi gasped for air.
Kairi yelped and pushed Maui back underwater as Te Ka slammed her hand in the same spot they were at. While the impact shook them up a bit, touching the water was enough to cause some discomfort to Te Ka thanks to her entire body being made of a fire element. The demon cried out in pain as she jerked her head back and yanked her hand back. Although she was at a disadvantage, she was smart and knew that both of them, especially Kairi, would be back up for air eventually.
"Are you crazy?" Maui yelled as he and Kairi resurfaced. "If Te Ka gets you, she'll kill you!"
"I can do this! I'll be fine!" Kairi argued. "Give me the heart, we'll split up! If Te Ka thinks you have the heart, then I can get in closer!"
"Forget it! I'm not gonna-watch out!" He gasped upon seeing Te Ka throw another ball of fire at them.
Maui and Kairi dove back underwater to avoid the fireball that disintegrated upon landing in the ocean. With how many close calls they had already experienced, Maui made the decision that this was way too dangerous, especially for Kairi, Moana, and the girls. While still underwater, he transformed himself into a dolphin and swam both himself and Kairi back to where Moana's boat was on standby. Even Kairi, who initially jumped into danger in the beginning thought that this was too much.
Little did they know that in their time of escaping, they had lost grip on Te Fiti's heart. The emerald green gem began to sink to the bottom of the seafloor at the foot of Te Ka.
Moana gasped and pointed out as she saw Maui jumping in and out of the water with Kairi hanging tightly onto his back. He managed to get them both safely onto the boat, but that didn't mean they were out of the woods yet. With Te Ka fully aware of their presence and their attempts at getting past her, she wouldn't waste any time in making sure that they didn't come anywhere near her again, especially with a Keyblade.
"Come on! Let's move!" Maui yelled.
"Where's the heart?" Moana asked.
"Don't worry about it! Let's get out of here! It's too dangerous!" He shook his head.
Kairi gasped, looking back at where she last saw it in the water. "You mean you lost the heart?"
"In case you've already forgotten, I was busy protecting you to remember! Now, if you have any common sense, you'd-" Maui gasped as he watched Kairi jump back into the water.
"Kairi! Where are you going?" Naminé called out.
"I have to get the heart! Or else we can't save this world!" She yelled back. "Go without me! I'll catch up!"
Moana's eyes darted back and forth between Kairi and the safer horizon where Maui instructed her to sail to. A shiver shot down her spine as she saw Te Ka catch wind of Kairi swimming back toward her. She had witnessed how both Kairi and Maui had narrowly avoided getting killed and letting Kairi go back alone was asking for a disaster to happen. Also, the heart was still out there and she couldn't save her island without restoring the heart. Either way, they were caught between a rock and a hard place, and they would either have to run away and allow the rest of the islands to fall to darkness, or risk everything and try to save them.
Letting this journey be all for nothing was not an option. Moana furrowed her eyebrows as she pulled back on the sail and followed Kairi. As the future chief of her island, she knew one of her tasks as chief was to protect her family, friends, and people, and that was what she was going to do. She also had a plan upon seeing that there was an opening around the island that was just big enough for the boat to fit through and would give them a clear path to Te Fiti. If they couldn't face Te Ka now, then there wasn't going to be a better time to do so. They had to restore Te Fiti's heart now.
"Moana? What are you doing?" Maui asked.
"There's a better way in and Kairi's out there!" Moana said as she directed the ship toward the opening.
"We won't make it! Turn around!" He yelled in distress.
"Yes we will! Even if we can't make it in, I'm not leaving Kairi behind!"
Maui growled in frustration. It wasn't that he didn't want to save Kairi, but with the aggressive state that Te Ka was in, this wasn't a good time to try and approach her. Xion and Naminé watched with concern as Kairi continued to dive underwater for moments at a time, attempting to seek out the heart. Te Ka was also keen on getting her out of the way, but had to rely on throwing fireballs at her after remembering what happened the last time she tried a more physical approach to get rid of her.
Seeing that Te Ka was aiming for Kairi, Moana thought she could use this as a time to get her boat closer to the island's opening and grab her at the last minute. This plan wouldn't do very much good as Xion got the demon's attention just as Kairi was about to be sniped by a fireball. With Xion getting Te Ka's attention, Moana's boat was now a new target, much to Maui's chagrin. It wasn't her intention to make them a target, but with Kairi in danger, Xion didn't have much of a choice. She summoned her Keyblade, ready to fight off whatever Te Ka fired off at them.
While Te Ka tried to attack the boat, Kairi dove deeper and deeper in search of the heart. She was an excellent swimmer, but was still human and could only dive so far before the pressure got to her head and messed with her vision. She could also only hold her breath for so long before she'd have to swim back up for air. That was an even riskier move and couldn't afford to resurface right in the wake of an attack from Te Ka. Kairi sighed and shook her head with each failed attempt. The heart glowed bright green and this was the spot where she and Maui were last, so why couldn't she find it? The heart could not have just disappeared, could it?
"Come on, where's the heart? Where is it?" Kairi growled as she surfaced, checking every last inch of where it was dropped.
"Kairi!" Naminé and Xion both shouted her name.
Kairi looked up and nearly felt her soul leave her body as Te Ka's hand came within a few feet of her. What should have been a devastating blow to her was avoided thanks to Maui interfering at the last second. He launched himself between Kairi and Te Ka and clashed against her with his hook. Because of the hook's power, the impact of the clash sent an energy blast that knocked everybody, including the boat, further back by several miles. Kairi and Maui were washed away by the strong currents of the water while Xion, Naminé, and Moana rode along the currents, thankfully maintaining the boat's condition.
Once Moana's boat seemed to be out of Te Ka's view and out of harm's way, the girls immediately began looking for Maui and Kairi, remembering that they were in the water when the explosion occurred. Naminé got Xion and Moana's attention when she saw Maui emerge from the water with a blacked out Kairi. He tossed the redhead back onto the boat, which was enough to wake her back up, before boarding himself. Xion and Naminé immediately rushed to their friend's side, worried she might have gotten hurt.
"Kairi? Are you okay?" Naminé asked in a concerned tone.
Kairi coughed out some water before catching her breath. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks."
Moana sighed with relief before she looked over at Maui, who looked like he couldn't care less about whether everything was okay or not. "Maui? Are you okay?"
Maui turned and faced the girls, but something was different about him. He didn't have a charismatic smirk that was usually contagious or any sense of relief in his face. Instead, his brown eyes appeared to be darker than usual. His lips were tightly sealed as if he were trying to hold back from saying something he would regret. Instead, Maui simply held up his hook. There was a great big crack down the middle while static energy shocks ran through, only further emphasizing the fact that the hook was damaged.
"I told you to turn back." Maui said in a low tone.
"I thought we could make it." Moana explained softly. "And...we needed to help Kairi."
"We?" He snapped.
Moana sighed, guilt washing over whatever relief she felt in that moment. "I thought I could make it."
"Maui, don't blame Moana for not turning back. I had to go back and get the heart or else everything we would've worked for wouldn't have mattered." Kairi explained.
"So what you're saying is your reckless decisions are the reason why my hook is cracked?" Maui asked in a snarky tone.
Kairi gasped, her throat drying despite her body still soaking wet. "Yeah...I guess so. I guess...some things never change."
Xion huffed and got in front of Kairi. "Don't believe that, Kairi. Don't listen to him. It's just a hook, it's easily fixable."
"It was made by the gods. You can't fix it!" Maui raised his voice.
"Then we'll be more careful next time! Te Ka is trapped on the barrier islands and can't go in the water because it's lava, so we'll find a way around." Moana suggested.
"No, I'm not going back." He shook his head.
Moana gasped. "What? But we still have to restore the heart."
"My hook is cracked. One more hit and it's over! Without my hook, I am nothing!"
"That's not true!" Naminé argued. "We just had this discussion!"
"And besides," Moana said, her tone lowering to the point of anger. "The only reason we're here is because you stole the heart in the first place!"
Maui brushed past the girls and stood at the edge of the boat. "No, we're here because the ocean said you were special and you believed it."
"And she should, because it's true!" Kairi spoke up. "Even if the ocean didn't have any input, I'd still believe it!"
"Let me guess, you're gonna try and tell me you're special even without that key thing you carry around?" He scoffed.
Kairi huffed, curling her hand into a fist. "You know what? Just the other night, I thought I could relate to you. I thought we both understood that we know what it's like to feel like you're never enough! But maybe we're a lot different than you think, and do you know why? It's because I'm not a coward! I've made mistakes in the past, and I own up to them, but I've stopped running away from the past and I'm done waiting for someone to tell me what I'm worth! If you can't see yourself for what you're worth, then why do you even bother trying?" She rambled on. "The ocean chose Moana because what she has to do takes a lot of courage and heart, which you seem to be missing!"
"I'm not killing myself so you two can try and prove you're something you're not!" Maui yelled. "The ocean chose wrong, end of story!"
Even with his hook being damaged, Maui was able to get it to work properly, albeit after a couple attempts. He transformed himself into a giant hawk and flew off as fast as he could. It didn't matter what the girls tried to say. Maui knew that this would be a big mistake from the beginning and especially travelling with a group of teenage girls would only make it harder on him. His hook may have been damaged, but he was free, just as he was thousands of years ago.
Moana felt her heart sink as Maui disappeared out of sight. How could he just abandon them like this? Here, she actually thought they had connected and finally convinced him to believe in not just himself, but everyone else. It was as Kairi said, some things never changed. Maui had said in the beginning that he was in it for himself, and based on his reaction to his hook being damaged, that was still the same. Yet, the pain of losing a friend still lingered in Moana's heart.
"He's gone…" Moana muttered softly.
Kairi sighed and rested her hand on Moana's shoulder. "We can't stop here. Not while we're this far."
"We can't force Maui to be something he's not." Naminé noted. "He can't be a hero if he doesn't have the heart to be one."
"Looks like we'll just restore the heart ourselves. We've managed to overcome a lot of obstacles together." Xion said in an encouraging manner. "Right, Kairi? Naminé?"
"Yeah! But...I have a bit of bad news." Kairi said in a nervous tone. "Maui jumped in and saved me before I had a chance to find the heart. We have to go back and find it. I know we dropped it somewhere in the water and like Moana said, Te Ka can't go in the water, so we should be okay."
"Looking for something?"
Kairi gasped, her heart skipping beats. She not only could recognize this voice clearly, but could feel this person's presence. Xion and Naminé also looked at each other, nonverbally confirming with the other that they knew who it was. Kairi looked behind her and saw Kaguya emerge from a dark corridor on top of a tall rock that usually would have been a popular place for seagulls to perch and scout for fish, but for now, was being used as a place for Kaguya to safely be above Kairi's level, both physically and in a way, psychologically.
"Kaguya? It's you! You escaped safely!" Kairi gasped. "Where's Aros?"
"That's not important." Kaguya said bluntly. "What is important is that I have something you need, and you have something I need."
"Okay...what are you saying?" She asked, growing confused.
Kaguya chuckled. "You're looking for a heart, right?"
"Yes! The heart of Te Fiti!" Moana answered. "We had it, but...it's missing."
"Oh don't you worry, you're not missing anything." Kaguya laughed. "I understand now. You need a heart that I possess." She said as she held up the glowing green heart.
Kairi gasped, reaching out for it. "Kaguya! That's it! Please give that back! We need it! Moana's island is in danger if we don't restore it!"
"It's a shame, really." She sighed, fiddling with the heart in her fingers. "A heart is so precious and should be taken care of. Wouldn't you agree, Kairi?"
"Yes...of course I agree."
"Everyone needs a heart to live a full life, don't they?" Kaguya asked, pressing her further. "I mean, your friends should know better than anyone."
Naminé nodded. "Yeah, everyone needs a heart."
"And we have hearts." Xion added on. "We all do."
Kaguya growled and curled a hand in a fist. "That is where you're wrong! Not all of us were lucky enough...Some of us were cursed to be created of nothing"
"Kaguya…" Kairi muttered softly. "What are you saying?"
"A normal heart needs a balance of light and darkness." Kaguya pointed at her. "Your heart possesses the light I need to be whole, to have a normal heart, one that feels true happiness, joy, and alive."
"I don't like where this is going." Xion shook her head.
"I'll give you this heart back." Kaguya said as she held up Te Fiti's heart. "But Kairi, I want yours in return!"
"What?" All the girls asked in unison.
Kairi growled and shook her head. "Kaguya! You're crazy! Do you know what will happen if I surrender my heart?"
"I do, you and I will join together and become one!"
"This is not up for negotiation!" Kairi argued. "You're asking someone to sacrifice their whole self for the fate of an entire world!"
"Isn't that what heroes do?" Kaguya asked with a smirk. "Isn't that what Sora did?"
Kairi gasped as Kaguya's words travelled through her mind deep into her memory. 'Isn't that what Soa did?' Her legs gave out and caused Kairi to collapse to her knees as the question repeated in her mind. It was what Sora did! It was what he always did! Even in his earliest journey when the only thing he cared about was finding her and Riku, he still selflessly gave his heart to new friends and strangers and would do anything for them in a heartbeat. It was his sacrificial nature that led to his demise.
How could she live up to that?
Never in a million years did Kairi ever believe she'd be in a situation where she would have to decide what was more important, her own life or the lives of many? Sure, she wanted to save Sora more than anything, but which had more dire consequences? How could she decide? How could Sora just make these kinds of decisions on a whim? There had to be another way. Kairi thought for a moment what Sora would do, but she couldn't bring herself to think like him. She wanted to save Moana's world and its people, but she also had other people to save and wasn't going to just give up on herself either.
"It's about time, Kairi. You finally have to make a choice. Are you going to be the girl who left her island for her own selfish reasons, or are you going to be the hero that your special someone was?" Kaguya asked.
Moana reached out and rested a hand on Kairi's shoulder. "Kairi…"
"Neither…" Kairi said softly as she stood back up. "It's true, I left my island for my own selfish reasons! Maybe I owed it to Sora to save him because he was not just any hero, he was my hero! I may never come out the hero he was, and I don't think I'll ever try to be! But I know one thing: I am a Keyblade wielder because my heart was strong enough to wield one! Whether I fight for myself or my friends, I will not let anyone bring me down ever again! If you're going to endanger the lives of innocent people for your selfish reasons, then I'll have no choice, but to force that heart out of your possession!"
Kaguya breathed heavily as she could feel bubbling rage build up inside of her. "You think fighting is the way to solve your problems? Well then fight for this!"
In a flash of a second, Kaguya's hand glowed with dark matter as she used all of her force to crush the heart of Te Fiti in her grip. The impact and great power of the darkness caused the heart to shatter into nothing but dust. Kairi and Moana cried out in distress as they instinctively reached out for the nothingness that the heart had disintegrated into. Xion and Naminé gasped, the shock of what had just occurred still taking time to process in their minds.
Kaguya's manipulation of Kairi's mind and thoughts was enough to make her angry, but now having any sort of hope of saving Moana's world and family stripped from her was enough to nearly drive her over the edge. Kairi shouted in anger as she summoned her Keyblade and launched herself off of Moana's boat directly at Kaguya. With the girls' strength evenly matched, Kaguya was able to summon her own Keyblade and block, leaving the girls to clash their blades against each other once again.
"Do you have any idea what you just did?" Kairi yelled.
"Do you have any idea how this could've been avoided?" Kaguya spat right back before knocking her down into the ocean.
Moana growled as she ran forward with her oar. "You'll pay for this!" She leapt up with the help of Ocean only for Kaguya to shoot a Dark Thundaga spell at her and knock her back into the boat.
"I don't have time for games." Kaguya growled as Kairi was placed back on the boat by the ocean. "Find me when you come to your senses."
Kairi's heart pounded against her chest as Kaguya backed away into a dark corridor. The harsh eye contact the girls held with each other was more than enough to pass along the message that this wouldn't be the last time they'd see each other. If anything, Kairi was more motivated than ever to encounter her darker half. The last thing she wanted was to let her get away with putting people's lives in danger. Kairi inwardly swore that she would find Kaguya again and the next time she did, it would be for the last time, for she refused to let her get away with anything like this ever again.
"The heart...it's destroyed." Moana breathed out.
"Moana…" Kairi looked over at her. "I'm so sorry…"
Naminé perked up when Water Core Heartless began to spawn around them. "Uh...ladies, we should probably get out of here."
"Yeah, there's gotta be an island someplace close by." Xion nodded in agreement.
With the girls not having Maui to pull the boat around, Naminé summoned her Keyblade and knelt toward the back, using a wind spell to give them the boost of speed to flee from the Heartless. Even with them fleeing, the Heartless weren't going to let the girls off this easy and began to chase after them. Naminé growled as she saw them approaching the boat. Like everyone else, neither she or Xion were in the mood to deal with Heartless. With the Water cores being weak to lightning, Naminé cast a Thundaga spell while Xion threw her Keyblade and used Thunder Raid to quickly get rid of them.
There was a small island that came into view that appeared to be harmless enough based on how lush the greenery was from a distance. Even in the dead of night, the girls could tell the foliage was healthy. Kairi and Moana directed the boat so that it would sail directly to the beach. It was a nice change of pace to see a beautiful beach with normal palm trees that wasn't crawling with Heartless or some environmental gimmick like the gods' islands.
"Good thing we found this island. It's getting late and we could all use some rest." Xion sighed as she hopped off the boat and tied the rope around a boulder.
Kairi nodded. She looked over at Moana, who hadn't cracked a smile since their parting with Maui. "Don't worry, Moana. We'll figure something out. I don't know what, but tomorrow we can come up with something."
Moana didn't say anything. What could she say that hasn't been said already? It was her mission to take Maui to the island of Te Fiti to restore the heart and she had failed in both aspects of her mission. Maui abandoned her and she couldn't protect the heart. Moana walked past the girls and sat on the beach, close enough that the tides could drift up and brush against her feet.
"I just...don't know what's going to happen now. My people, my family, what's going to happen to them?" Moana asked softly, holding her head low.
Xion shook her head. "We can't give up just yet. There's still time."
"I just feel like we don't have any other choice."
Kairi sighed, holding her head low. Part of her wanted to be honest with Moana, but another part of her wanted to keep her in good spirits. She didn't know what to think. The heart was shattered and there was no way to fix it. Kairi debatably felt guilty and like it was her fault this happened. Did Moana resent her for letting this happen? Nothing was said, and it only made her question her decisions further. Feeling like she couldn't think this through, Kairi walked a little further down the beach and sat alone, allowing her mind to wander.
All of this talk of hearts got Xion thinking. There had to be something that could be done. Hearts were a strange phenomenon and if it was possible to successfully recreate a heart from scratch and place it into a vessel to create an exact replica, then this couldn't be the end, especially as she recalled that something similar happened a year ago. Xion remembered when Kairi's heart was shattered and the only way Sora could save her was to use the Power of Waking. It hit her like a coconut on the head. There was a way to save Te Fiti's heart.
"Guys...I think I know how to save Moana's island…" Xion muttered.
"Really?" Naminé asked. "How?"
"Xion…" Moana lifted her head up. "If you know something, please tell me. I'll do anything to save my island and my people!"
Xion sighed, unsure if she should share the secret of the Power of Waking with Moana or not. Master Yen Sid would most likely frown upon it as a way to keep the world order, but since that cover was already blown with Maui's knowledge of outside worlds, there was no point in hiding it. She explained to Moana about the Power of Waking's ability to awaken sleeping hearts and how Sora was able to use it to successfully save Kairi. While Moana was a little confused initially about how the power worked, the idea of using it to restore Te Fiti gave her the little hope she needed to keep going.
"There's such a power?" Moana asked softly.
Naminé nodded. "Kairi has never used it before, but it might be worth a try. Sora was able to use it to restore Kairi's heart once before."
"It's risky, but she might be successful because she's never used it before." Xion noted.
"Then we have to go back!" Moana shot up and ran over to Kairi with Xion and Naminé chasing behind her. "Kairi!" She got the redhead's attention. "We have to go back! You can save my island! You can restore the heart of Te Fiti with the Power of Waking!"
Kairi gasped, stepping back. "Xion? Naminé? You told her?"
"We had to. She's desperate, Kairi." Xion reasoned with her.
"You shouldn't have said that! I've never used the Power of Waking, even on a person! I can't use it to restore the heart of a goddess!" She argued. "I might not even be remotely close to learning it!"
"Don't you think it's worth a try?" Naminé asked.
"How do you even attempt it? I barely completed basic training with Merlin and nearly lost myself to my own darkness, so just forget it!" Kairi said, turning away.
"We can't just forget it. Not when Moana's island is in danger of being swallowed by darkness." Naminé argued. "You know what it's like to lose your home, your loved ones, your family!"
Kairi gasped, the looming pain of past memories flowing back to her. She did know what it was like. She remembered how painful it was and why she avoided trying to relive those memories. They were good at bringing her down, and having come such a long way since the start of her journey, Kairi didn't want to go back to square one where she was being hard on herself because of what happened in the past. No matter how much she wanted it, there were still hard lessons she had to learn from her past.
"Yeah, I do." Kairi said softly. "I also know what it's like to get everyone's hopes up and disappoint them, and I'm not going to do it again." She said before walking off toward the jungle.
"Kairi…" Moana stepped forward, reaching out for her.
Xion took hold of Moana's shoulder and stopped her. "Give her some time. She's under a lot of pressure and just needs to think things through."
After running into the small jungle, Kairi took a moment to look back and see if anyone was following her. As it turned out, she was on her own, and grateful for that. Kairi loved talking with her friends and appreciated the amount of times they were there for her, but this was one of those moments where she needed to be left alone. This was a different kind of pressure than she had experienced before. No longer was the fate of a world on the shoulders of a group of friends, but was now on hers alone.
Kairi took a quiet walk through the jungle, the drops of water from an earlier downpour dripping onto her head from the canopy of trees above her. Maybe she didn't truly understand how much pressure Sora was under until now. Being forced to decide which is more important, your own needs or the lives of other people that are in danger? Being everyone's only hope? How could anyone live up to that? It only further cemented the fact that Sora was special. He was an ordinary kid who did what he did because he wanted to.
In a flash, Destiny's Embrace suddenly appeared in her hand, almost as if the weapon itself was telling Kairi what she needed to do. It was easy to know what she had to do, but executing it was a whole other problem. She knew it wasn't just something she could read in an instruction manual and it was all in the heart, but last time she checked, Master Yen Sid said that her heart still needed some work and she wasn't ready. Maybe her Keyblade felt differently? Keyblades seemed to have minds of their own and know what's right.
"Need a friend to talk to?" Chirithy asked as he popped out of Kairi's hood.
Kairi laughed softly and shook her head. "I don't think so, Chirithy. You wouldn't understand."
"No, I-a creature who hung around Keyblade wielders for most of his life-doesn't understand the struggles of a Keyblade Master." He said sarcastically.
"Okay fine, you win." She sighed.
Chirithy climbed further out and sat on her shoulder. "Let me take a guess, you know what you have to do, but feel like you can't because you lack the strength so now you feel like an utter failure?"
"I guess I'm an open book." She shrugged her shoulders.
"No, it's what every Keyblade wielder goes through when they're faced with their final hurdle before becoming a Keyblade Master."
"What? Are you now implying that I'm ready to become a Keyblade Master? Take the next step?" Kairi asked as she sat on a boulder.
"I don't know. All I know is learning the Power of Waking is the first step to becoming a true Keyblade Master." Chirithy answered, perching on a boulder in front of her.
"But I'm not a Keyblade Master. Master Yen Sid himself said I wasn't ready." She argued.
Chirithy shook his head. "Between you and me, I think his old age is messing with his brain. I mean, the man talks to his plants when he's bored..."
Kairi laughed, despite Chirithy's joke being offensive. "Even if that's true, he knows all there is to know about Keyblade Masters."
"And I don't?" He asked, folding his arms. "He may know everything about Keyblades, but the only person who knows whether you truly are ready is you. Nobody knows your heart better than you. Well, you and maybe one other person."
"Another?" Kairi asked. She thought for a moment before she realized the only person who would know her heart just as well would be the person who was within her heart for over ten years. "My grandma?"
Chirithy nodded as he hopped off the boulder and skipped ahead. "Should we get her opinion?"
"What? What are you talking about, Chirithy?" Kairi asked.
"Come on, follow me!" He waved his paw, prompting her to keep up with him.
Kairi watched as Chirithy hopped his way further into the jungle. Upon first glance, it looked like a place where she could easily get lost and was unsure whether it was smart to go exploring far from the beach. She knew Xion and Naminé would worry about her if she was gone for too long. Then again, Chirithy usually knew what he was talking about and seemed very sure of himself that this would help her out. She took one more look back toward the beach, inwardly promising her friends that she wouldn't be gone for long.
Chirithy made sure to keep close as Kairi followed him further into the jungle. She wanted to question how he knew where he was going since he never mentioned whether he had ever been to this world or not, but Dream Eaters like Chirithy seemed to always know where they were and where they were going. It was almost like they let their hearts do all the navigating and they just went along with it. Although Kairi had to admit it, this jungle wasn't the easiest thing to navigate with the thick branches and oversized leaves.
After fighting through the tropical thicket, Chirithy moved a leaf to reveal a peaceful oasis with a pool of water that sparkled in the moonlight. The waterfall was small and peaceful and it was a place where creatures such as birds and small reptiles liked to linger around in. The grass was soft and there were just enough trees for birds to nest in. Kairi walked by some white gardenia flowers where a lizard was perched on a rock nearby. It almost reminded her of an oasis back on Destiny Islands that she had always wanted to see in person, but only saw in books and photographs.
"Wow, this is a beautiful oasis." Kairi gasped.
Chirithy giggled as he hopped closer to the pool. "That's not even the best part! Come and look in here, and tell me what you see!" He said as he got the water's edge.
Kairi furrowed her eyebrows, but followed Chirithy to the pool of water. This all sounded very familiar. She remembered doing this weeks back with Grandmother Willow and taking time to look down at her reflection in the water and dive deep into her thoughts. Was Chirithy really going to try this again? She humored him and looked down into the water, rolling her eyes at the same thing she saw again.
"It's just my reflection…" Kairi sighed while shaking her head. "I already went through this a long time ago."
"No! Look harder! Look into your heart!" Chirithy urged.
Look harder? What was that going to do? Kairi thought as she looked back into the water. This time, she saw her reflection again, but suddenly the water started to ripple. Kairi would have easily just attributed that to Chirithy touching the water, but he didn't move. In fact, he stepped back and gave her some space.
At first, it seemed like nothing had changed, but Kairi suddenly saw something forming in the water's reflection. In her place, she saw not her reflection, but the reflection belonging to her grandmother. Kairi gasped, almost wanting to step away. Was this really happening? She couldn't believe she was now looking into her grandmother's reflection. Furthermore, she could have sworn that she was not only seeing Vor, but could also hear her voice.
"Kairi."
Kairi gasped as she looked behind and saw the ghostly figure of her grandmother forming right before her eyes.
"Grandma?"
"Kairi, my dear. Your time has come."
"What time?" Kairi asked, standing up with a little jump in her step.
"The time that you must embrace your destiny. There is much for you to learn, but there is much you have learned to this day. But now, it is time. It is time to awaken your heart, as a Princess of Heart, and a Keyblade Master."
"How can I? What if...everything goes wrong...again?"
"Kairi, do you know what I see?" Vor asked. "I see a strong young woman who loves all that she holds close to her heart. I see a young woman with passion, courage, and kindness. She makes mistakes, but she owns up to them and fixes them. More importantly, I see my granddaughter, and the person she has become."
"Grandma…" Kairi's eyes flooded with tears. "I miss you...I want to see you so badly, for real."
"And you will. Soon, my dear."
"But...the Power of Waking...how can I? I don't know how to use it."
"Child, the Power of Waking isn't something that can be 'found'. It's always been within you. You just have to awaken its power with everything in your heart." Kairi's grandmother came up and rested her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders. "Awaken that light. Think of all that you love and who gives you that strength."
"Grandma…" Kairi said with a soft smile.
"Awaken…"
Kairi shut her eyes, her mind wandering to that very place that filled her with the brightest light. It was that place where she saw everyone who was connected to her. She saw Selphie and her friends from Destiny Islands. She could see Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and everyone from Radiant Garden. Roxas, Axel, and the Twilight Town gang, her fellow Princesses of Heart lingered in her mind, as did Chirithy, Xion, and Naminé. Vor appeared with Riku and then behind them, the most important one of all, Sora.
"Awaken…" Kairi repeated, keeping her eyes shut. "Awaken…Oathkeeper…"
Sora nodded, flashing a bright smile and causing a light to fill that place within her heart where all of her friends remained. The warmth was overwhelming and felt like a zap of energy that travelled all throughout her body. Kairi gasped as her eyes flew open, bringing her back to the oasis where she started. She looked back down into the pool of water and saw that her grandmother's reflection had vanished and it was only her, but it was okay. Remembering was Vor had said to her, she immediately hopped back onto her two feet.
"Kairi? What do you feel?" Chirithy asked.
Kairi sighed as she summoned her Keyblade. "It's time. It's my time!" She said, projecting her voice loudly.
Chirithy nearly lost his balance as Kairi suddenly whipped around and ran past him. He gasped before chasing after her and catching up, not wanting to be left behind. While the beach was very quiet and peaceful, it was suddenly interrupted by the rustling caused by Kairi rushing past the foliage and back onto the beach. Xion, Naminé, and Moana watched as she ran past them and toward a pile of rocks that the ocean's waves were crashing against, not really acknowledging anyone and seeming lost in the moment.
"Kairi?" Xion and Naminé asked in unison.
"What is she-?" Moana asked.
Kairi ran up and stood atop the rocks, gazing out in the direction where Te Ka was. "Te Ka!" She yelled. "Consider this your last warning! My heart will beat with the light I possess and will not perish to your great power!"
"Chirithy…" Xion said as he joined them. "What did you say to her?"
Chirithy shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "Nothing out of the ordinary, but it's getting good!"
Xion and Naminé shrugged their shoulders before Kairi suddenly brushed past them. She ran over to the boulder where the boat was tied and released it, getting ready to set sail. Moana ran over to her with Xion and Naminé behind her, wanting at least an idea of where she was going with the boat since taking it would mean they were going to be stranded on this island at least for a little bit.
"Kairi! Where are you going?" Naminé asked.
"I'm going after Te Ka." Kairi said in a determined tone. "If I have any chance at using the Power of Waking, I'll have to get rid of that monster first!"
"Not by yourself, you're not!" Xion argued as she got on the canoe.
Kairi shook her head. "No, it's too dangerous. You three stay here."
"Xion is right." Moana joined in as she boarded the canoe. "You saw how powerful Te Ka was, and it won't do you any good if you're dead in the water upon arrival."
"But guys, I can't-"
"Stop saying you can't!" Naminé cut Kairi off. "You know, for over a year, I had people telling me that I can't have something too many times! I can't have freedom, I can't save the people I love, I can't be happy. Well, I'm done hearing that word! I hate that word! And do you know why I hate that word, because every time it's been used, it's been proven wrong!" She paused, giving Kairi a chance to take her statement in. "You can do this! And we'll make sure you see this all the way through!"
Xion nodded as she and Naminé took Kairi's hands. "We're in this together! All the way through!"
"And I'm doing this for my family, just like you're doing this for yours." Moana reminded her.
Kairi looked into Moana's eyes and saw something familiar. Other than belonging to the island princess she had befriended days ago, she could see the same determined look in her face that she had when she decided to leave her own island to save Sora. It was in that moment that Kairi knew that she had no reason to doubt that her friends were behind her. Xion and Naminé smiled and squeezed her hands, almost like they were telling her that they were not going to be split apart this time.
"Well, girls…" Kairi smiled as she held her Keyblade out toward the sea. "I think we have a heart to restore! We set sail now!"
Xion and Naminé cheered as Moana went to the back of the boat to man the sail and send the boat jetting north toward Te Fiti. Kairi jumped up to the mast and held up the compass on her watch, making sure to keep them on course. She was ready to confront Te Ka, and this time, it would be the last time.
A/N: It's Kairi's time baby! Will she successfully use the Power of Waking? Find out next chapter!