A/N: Oh gosh, so I had this chapter written over a year ago, but then had to go back and change a bunch of stuff after all the new ideas I came up with between then and now, whoops! Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to my grandmother. This June marks five years since she passed away from lung cancer and was the hardest death in the family to deal with because of how close we were. This chapter was very personal to me and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Chapter 75: Memories From Long Ago

The time that Kairi needed to rest following her use of the Power of Waking was much longer than she anticipated. She slept for the whole twenty-four hours after the awakening of her grandmother. Whether it was useful or not was debatable. Kairi didn't necessarily feel sleepy or faint, but could still feel the fuzz and occasional palpitation in her chest. She got out of bed that morning and observed herself in the mirror. She looked about as fine as a 16-year-old could look after sleeping for twenty-four hours straight and using the Power of Waking twice within such a short span, but could see that she was lacking only slightly in color in her face.

Letting out a large yawn, Kairi finally snapped out of her sleepy state and got ready for the day. Surely Vor would be awake by now. She seemed to have a lot of energy after they returned to Radiant Garden and Kairi wouldn't blame her. Vor had practically rested for over a decade. It reminded her of after Ven was woken up after resting in Sora's heart for over a decade. Even he was really energetic, especially when he was interacting with Aqua and meeting Sora's friends for the first time.

Kairi went down to the entry level of the palace, taking one more brief look at the various portraits in the entrance hall before looking for her grandmother. As her first instinct would have it, Vor was in the dining hall. She had come from the kitchen and had a tray with various tea packets of varying flavors with ceramic mugs and cups of cream and sugar. Kairi could only smile. She remembered how much her grandmother loved tea. She wasn't a fan of it as a little girl, but learned to love it as she grew older. The two of them even shared the same favorite flavor, peach mango.

"Good morning, Kairi." Vor walked over and kissed her granddaughter on the cheek.

Kairi smiled warmly. "Morning, Grandma." She sat down at the dining hall table and helped herself to some tea. Adding extra cream and sugar, of course. "You look well rested."

"I've only been sleeping for over ten years."

"You're not wrong about that." Kairi laughed as she twirled the tea cup in her hands.

Vor sighed leaned against the table. "You still twirl your cup in your hands like you did when you were little."

"I can't believe you remember so well and I have only just recently begun to remember."

"You experienced a lot as a little girl. I am not surprised in the least bit that you subconsciously chose to leave those old memories behind. It allowed you to have a fresh start in life."

Kairi smiled as she locked her hand with Vor's. "You were the only thing I remembered from my childhood. All this time, it was because your heart was within mine." Her eyes darted down and stared into the warm colored tea. "Just like when mine was inside of Sora's. That's why he felt my presence with him all along."

"Sora, that boy you're searching for. He's sure is special to you."

"Yeah, I've missed him so much." She rested her hand over her chest. "I'm so close. I can feel it."

Vor chuckled and nodded. "You never lost sight of your free spirit."

Kairi giggled softly. "It's funny. Sora and Riku keep on telling me I've changed over the last few years. Maybe I wasn't changing after all. Maybe I was just finding the person I lost several years ago, the real me."

"But, you never lost yourself, Kairi. I still got to see you grow up and you never changed a bit." Vor laughed with a soft smile.

"Really?" Kairi asked, a hopeful glimmer in her eye. "Grandma, would you mind telling me that story again? My favorite one?"

"I have a better idea. Let's finish our tea, and I'll tell you the story while we take a walk through the gardens, just like we used to."

Kairi smiled at the idea, remembering those early morning walks they would take after breakfast in the gardens. She would always pick a couple flowers and either give them to her grandmother or to a friendly local they met in the marketplace later that day, especially the baker. Kairi laughed as she remembered when the baker's son, who was older than her by at least ten years, came in to help out at the shop, and she gave him flowers, swearing she was going to marry him one day. Times had changed, that's for sure.

As the early morning breeze blew through the patches of pink, yellow, and red flowers, Kairi shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. In that moment, it felt like another day and that nothing had changed. Life felt just right at this moment. She gasped as she saw a great big blue butterfly hovering over a yellow flower. Having a fascination for butterflies and flowers, Kairi knelt beside the flower and rested her hand, giving the butterfly a chance to crawl on top. Vor giggled as she watched her granddaughter stand up with the beautiful insect before it flew away toward its next adventure.

"You know, I remember the first time I ever brought you into these gardens when you were just a wee little tot." Vor laughed. "You saw a butterfly and followed it as it flew around in a circle. You spun around and fell right down, but got right back up. Ever since that day, you always wanted to come here."

Kairi sighed as her eyes scanned the area. "I'm not sure why. Even to this day, I still don't know. I guess I just...love flowers."

"Yes, I did too. You can almost say, I was one."

"Hm?"

Vor shook her head. "But that's for another time, dear. Did you say you wanted to hear your favorite story?" Kairi smiled and nodded. "Very well then. Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then, people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But, small fragments of light survived in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open, and the true light will return."

"A light...at the end of the tunnel…" Kairi repeated softly.

"This is why, Kairi, I stress that you keep your precious light protected. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in that light. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away."

"I remember that...I always remember your words of encouragement when all hope seems lost."

Vor nodded and tightened her grip on Kairi's hand. "You've come such a long way, Kairi. At this rate, the sky's the limit."

"There is one question that's kinda eating at me now that I've heard the story again." Kairi brushed some hair behind her ear. "How do you know all this?"

Vor stopped in her tracks. She took a deep breath as she let Kairi's question sink in. As she told the story to Kairi as a little girl, she knew it would be a matter of time before her granddaughter would start to question various aspects of the story, including the classic, how did she know all of this? Based on Vor's smile that faded and her eyes that drifted off to the side, Kairi questioned if she said something wrong. Maybe there were many more layers to this story than she thought.

"Grandma?" Kairi asked, her voice full of concern. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all, Kairi." Vor sighed and smiled warmly. "I suppose now is as good of a time as any to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Kairi, do you remember in the story, what I said about those children and how they rebuilt the lost world?" Vor asked as she knelt down into the patch of flowers. Kairi nodded as she watched her grandmother pick up a dandelion and hold it out. "Those children created a special union of Keyblade wielders known as The Dandelions." She blew on the dandelion, allowing the petals to float away.

"What about them?"

"My dear Kairi, you are a descendent of one of these dandelions."

"W-What?"

"Come with me back to the palace, I'll show you."

Vor's face was bright with confidence. Kairi was curious with what her grandmother was about to show her. She had heard her grandmother's story numerous times throughout her childhood, but this was the first time Vor was going beyond what she usually shared of the story and understandably so. Kairi was no longer a little girl and was old enough to learn and understand the deeper layers and history behind this story, especially if her ancestors were involved.

Back inside the palace, Kairi followed her grandmother into the entrance hall where she had seen the massive portraits that lined up the walls. They had garnered her interest the amount of times she passed through the hall, but never knew who the portraits had belonged to other than the fact that they were Keyblade wielders based on the sole fact that each of them was bearing a Keyblade.

"These portraits belonged to the original dandelions." Vor brushed a hand along the wall.

Kairi's eyes scanned the portraits once again. "Wow...every single one of these? There are so many of them."

Vor nodded. "Each of these Keyblade wielders had one mission, to keep the light alive within the different worlds and protect them from the darkness."

"So, it's no different than my responsibility as a Keyblade Master then."

"You'd be correct, my dear. It's because of The Dandelions that Keyblade Wielders and Masters have continued to restore hope, faith, and light to the people of our world over the past five generations."

Kairi softly gasped. "Five?"

"Oh yes, and some of these portraits here on your ancestors." Vor placed her hands on Kairi's shoulders as they studied the portraits. "They each tell a story, but the most important one is this one here." She pointed out the first portrait.

"Who is that?" Kairi asked as she studied the portrait of the Keyblade wielder with chestnut-colored hair, wielding the Destiny's Embrace Keyblade.

"That, Kairi, is Hanako one of the original dandelions and one of your ancestors. When the first Keyblade War occurred, she fled Daybreak Town, just as she was ordered to."

"By who?"

"Master Ava. She was a very powerful Keyblade Master, who was the leader of Vulpes, one of five unions made up of Keyblade wielders like yourself and your friends. One day, she gathered a large number of the strongest Keyblade wielders over the five unions and began to train them, in preparation for the prophesied Keyblade War."

Kairi held her head low. "And then it happened, and then it happened again, recently…seven lights versus thirteen darknesses. Is that how it's gonna be, Grandma? An endless cycle of wars?"

Vor sighed. "That still remains a mystery, my dear. Whenever that time comes, your heart will know, and then, you must listen and follow it. The number of Keyblade wielders over the years has dwindled down significantly with our worlds disconnecting and separating."

"But why? I would think there would be more than ever."

"I wish I could tell you the answer, but it's not so simple. But, I know a lot of it has to do with fear. As these stories were passed to the generation, Keyblade wielders gained a bit of a reputation. Some claim that Keyblade wielders have no business getting involved with the affairs of other worlds."

"Meddling…" Kairi muttered softly. "That's why Merlin said to retain the world order."

"Others avoid getting involved with Keyblade wielders because they think all it does is lead them to trouble. You've had a lot of enemies ever since you became more involved, haven't you?" Vor asked her granddaughter.

"Yeah…" She could only nod. There was no denying it.

Vor sighed and shook her head. "And then...you have those who deny their destiny and run away from it. They were chosen by the Keyblade, but they gave it up. Either because they feel they are unfit for the role or their fear gets the best of them. Or, they've used their Keyblade for dark and malicious intentions."

"Just like Xehanort…" Kairi whispered.

"Between those aforementioned reasons and the worlds becoming disconnected, Keyblade wielders have nearly faded from existence and now, the worlds are in worse shape than ever."

"What can I do?" Kairi asked, resting a hand on Vor's shoulder.

"Now as Master, as long as you continue to pass down your legacy and power to the next generation, the worlds will be in good hands. If you want the worlds to change, you have to be the change."

"I will." She nodded with affirmation. "I'll continue to pass it down, Grandma. I promise. Not just as a Keyblade Master, but as a Princess of Heart."

"That's my granddaughter." Vor chuckled.

Kairi giggled in response before walking over to a portrait that she felt drawn to. It was the one of the girl with red hair and brown eyes who bore a purple Keyblade armor and wielded Destiny's Embrace. "Grandma, do you know who this one is?"

"That one, my dear, is the one you hold the strongest connection to."

"Who?"

Vor smiled warmly. "Your mother, Akina"

"My mother? She was a Keyblade wielder too?" Kairi gasped.

"Not just a wielder, but a master. As was I, although I never became a full-fledged master."

"Grandma...I never knew…" Kairi shook her head, sighing helplessly. "You never told me, but then I saw the memory of the last time we saw each other before we were separated. And you studied with Xehanort?"

"It was a different time." Vor sighed. "Xehanort was a different man when he was young, not so different from you and your friends."

"What happened then? Why did he turn to darkness?"

"Honestly, I don't truly know." She shook her head as she took out an old pocket watch that had a photo of her with some friends she had from her Keyblade training. Vor was the shortest of the group and stood at the front with five other teenagers behind her. Eraqus and Xehanort made up two of the five while the other three, two guys and a girl, each posed behind her.

Kairi gasped as she looked at the photo. "That's you! The little girl in front of everyone else!"

"Yep!" Vor laughed and nodded. "I was definitely a little one. Still am! Needless to say, one summer, I suddenly had curves, longer hair, and a more mature face!"

"I guess that happened to me too." Kairi laughed. "I recognize Xehanort, but who are the others?"

"Those three are Hermod, Bragi, and Urd." Vor pointed out to each of the teens that had blue, chestnut, and silver-colored hair respectively. "And that one is Eraqus."

"Eraqus? As in Terra, Aqua, and Ven's master?" The redhead's eyes widened as the familiar name rushed through her mind.

Vor giggled and nodded. "That's the one! After I left, we met many years later. Quite a charmer than man grew up to be. Not bad on the eyes!" She laughed.

"Augh, Grandma!" Kairi cringed her face and shook her head. She was a romantic, but the last thing she wanted to hear her grandmother talk about was her past romantic flings.

"Now, now, it was very short-lived and it happened many years after I left Scala! We wanted different things, so it wasn't meant to last forever, but we wrote letters."

Kairi blinked as her eyes continued to scan the portraits. "Wow...so, how come you never told me any of this?"

Vor placed a hand on the edge of the portrait's frame. "I had planned to tell you when you were a little older. I wanted you to have that choice of whether you wanted to carry on our legacy or if you wanted to live your life the way it already was."

"Wow...but, where's your portrait?" Kairi asked.

Vor sighed as she took as she brushed the frame of another portrait. "These are all the Keyblade wielders who served Radiant Garden and protected this world and its people. I went off to Scala Ad Caelum when I was young to keep our family's legacy strong. I felt it was my duty to carry on our tradition."

"But…?"

Kairi waited until Vor took the time she needed to gather her thoughts and memories. This was a personal story to her. It was one she often chose not to visit for many reasons. Revisiting that time in her life left a whirlwind of emotions in her heart and mind and running away from her training at Scala Ad Caelum was in her mind, a moment of weakness. She was young and naive and never wanted Kairi to associate her with the girl who gave up out of fear. As much as she didn't want to, Vor finally told Kairi all about how she had sensed Xehanort's fall to darkness and how she disappeared and ran away from Scala Ad Caelum before he had a chance to get to her.

"So, you did run away from Scala Ad Caelum?" Kairi asked.

"I did. I had befriended many, but I could feel that Xehanort was succumbing his heart to the darkness. I was young, naive, and scared when I saw that this young man was losing himself. In a moment of panic, I fled Scala Ad Caelum. I wanted to protect myself from the darkness. I held onto the Keyblade I trained with as well as inheriting your great grandmother's Keyblade, Destiny's Embrace. I knew I couldn't escape what I was, but I never dwelled on it and only used the Keyblade if I had to."

"But what about Eraqus? You guys stayed in contact."

Vor nodded. "Eraqus was the last person I saw the night I ran away. I couldn't bring myself to tell him I could feel Xehanort succumbing. Those two were like brothers, so I told him my father grew ill and I needed to return home. I wasn't wrong though. In fact, I was hesitant to go to Scala because my father was ill, but he insisted I go. He wanted me to have the same opportunities to grow and see the different worlds like he had in his youth. But, he did grow ill, and needless to say, I'm glad I left Scala when I did, even if it was out of fear. My father died just weeks after I returned home. But when I left, Eraqus wished me the best and promised we'd always be friends and up until his death, we kept that promise."

"Is that...is that why you don't have a portrait here in the palace? Even though you were a dandelion?" Kairi asked.

"I was ashamed. I had allowed fear to win over my heart. I felt like I had soiled The Dandelions' namesake." She explained. "Not to mention, the number of Keyblade wielders had drastically decreased over the generations. So much so that eventually, your parents would be the only Keyblade wielders to live here in Radiant Garden."

"My parents... I never knew them…" Kairi said softly, her head hanging low.

Vor sighed and rested her hand on her granddaughter's back. "Come with me, Kairi. We have much to talk about, and I have a lot to show you."

Kairi swallowed a lump in her throat that had seemed to grow the more she was learning about her past. When she used to question her past, she always thought maybe the memories she was missing were just ones that reminded her that she was a simple common girl who lived in Radiant Garden and was raised by her grandmother. Kairi couldn't help but wonder what else her grandmother could have to share. She only lived in Radiant Garden for about five years. What else could have happened?

After entering a new chamber Kairi had never been inside of, Vor went into the closet and pulled out a black box, blowing the dust off the top. On it, the name of Kairi's mother, Akina, was written at the top and in Vor's handwriting. She couldn't hold in a sigh as the familiar twinge of pain travelled through her heart. It had been many years, but that didn't ease the pain anymore. Cradling the box carefully, Vor walked over to where Kairi was sitting on the large bed. She set it down between them, taking a moment to catch her breath as she brushed her and along the top of the box.

"This is a box of possessions that belonged to your mother." Vor opened the top of the box and nudged it towards Kairi. "Look inside."

Kairi's hand shuffled through. The first thing she pulled out was a star-shaped charm made of seashells. This time, they were blue, white, and yellow. "Is this...a good luck charm? It looks just like the one I made." She pulled out hers and held them close together. "But she wasn't from Destiny Islands, was she?"

"No, but she visited there a number of times. I remember her writing me letters about how beautiful it was and how much I'd love it there."

"You really would. Beautiful skies, the water is so blue, and white sand." Kairi chuckled as she set the charms to the side. "I now know where I got the idea to make my own charm from." She reached in and pulled out a photograph of her mother. "Is this her?" Vor nodded. "She looks so young. How old was she in this photo?"

"She was about fourteen, only a couple years younger than you. I took that photo the day your mother left for The Land of Departure."

"Land of Departure? That's where my friends Terra, Aqua, and Ven live."

"Master Eraqus had mentioned them in his letters. Those three have something quite amazing. Friendship is a special bond, and true friends will always stick around until the very end."

Kairi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. They truly will." She reached back in and pulled out a small black box and opened it up to find two gold rings inside of it. The rings had 'chikai' inscribed on each of them. "Grandma are these…"

"Your mother and father's wedding rings. It was their wish to pass these down to you. When you marry, these will belong to you. Read what they say."

"They both say 'chikai' on it. Doesn't that mean 'oath'?"

Vor nodded while smiling. "They had an oath to keep." She reached into the box and pulled out a photo of Akina from when she was about twenty and was leaning against a young man around her age while they were under a tree in Radiant Garden's field. "There's your father with your mother. They really loved each other very much."

"They look so happy together." Kairi laughed softly. Looking closely at the pale blonde hair and violet eyes of her father, she could definitely see the resemblance between him and Ansem. "And there's my dad...Grandma, please tell me about my parents. What were they like? What happened to them?"

"Oh Kairi, your parents were absolutely wonderful." Vor sighed.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Your mother had grown into a Keyblade Master that we could all be proud of, but it wasn't always easy for her. Akina was a Princess of Heart, and when your parents were growing up, the royal family feared the seven pure lights. They knew that it was an attractor of a great darkness. So, when your father, Prince Vincent, befriended your mother when they were children, they did all they could keep them apart, to keep your father and his brother, your Uncle Ansem, safe.

It was a beautiful spring day and a five-year-old girl with red hair and brown eyes was running along the streets of Radiant Garden chasing a rabbit. She was quite fast and was able to finally catch the small critter. The rabbit scrambled against the little girl's pink dress before it finally calmed down in her gentle hold. The little girl was about to give the rabbit a name before she was distracted not by one, but two people.

"Akina! Akina!" A younger Vor began calling out her little daughter's name.

Akina heard her mother, but how could she answer to her when there was another voice she heard. This time, it belonged to a young boy. Allowing her curiosity to peak, Akina followed the boy's voice and found a nicely dressed boy with bright blonde hair and violet eyes laughing and mingling with another boy with the same color hair, but blue eyes. Akina found the younger one of the two, who couldn't have been more than two years older than her, rather charming. He even had a wooden sword that he was swinging back and forth as if he were showing off to his older brother.

When the young girl tried to get closer to say something, she dropped her rabbit, who went hopping over to the young boy. Akina gasped and ran for her little friend, forgetting about the boys for a second there, but freezing in place when she saw that the younger boy had picked up the rabbit and held it up for her.

"Is this yours?" He asked.

"Uh…" Akina stammered. "H-Hi…" She said, a coy smile forming on the little one's face.

"You...you look nice today, miss." The young boy said with the greatest of manners for a six-year-old.

"Thank you. And thank you for my friend." She giggled as she took the rabbit back.

The young boy observed her for a moment, leading her to give him a funny look. "You know, I've never seen you around here before. I'm Vincent, what's your name?"

"Akina!" She answered, albeit a bit too eagerly.

"Hey…"

Akina gasped as she looked behind Vincent and saw his older brother come up and join him. He had a more serious look on his face and seemed to keep himself up better than his younger brother did, but his face softened up as his eyes met Akina's.

"Ansem, this is Akina." Vincent introduced her. "Her little friend ran up to me and I caught him for her."

"Yeah, you're the Princess of Heart girl, right?" Ansem asked.

"I…" Akina stammered, unsure if she should answer or not.

Ansem shook his head. "Don't be afraid. I was just curious. Mom and Dad have told us weird stories about you girls."

"I think they're cool." Vincent said with a nod of approval. "Besides, Akina seems nice. She wouldn't hurt us."

"I wouldn't, honest!"

"I know." Ansem said, agreeing with his brother. "I wanna know more about these pure lights. Or those Heartless things Mom and Dad keep mentioning. Maybe I can study them when I'm older instead of having to be the next king."

Vincent gasped, bouncing up and down. "Then that means I get to be the king!"

"Don't forget," His older brother smirked. "If you become the king, you'll have to marry a princess and have a queen. Mom and Dad will expect that."

"Well…" Vincent's eyes scanned the area until they landed upon Akina. "She's a princess!"

"You know Mom and Dad won't like that." Ansem sighed and shook his head.

"Well when I'm grown up, they can't tell me what to do anymore." The young prince said with a smirk. "I guess until then, we can just be friends, right Akina?"

Akina gasped, smiling widely and nodding. "Yeah! I saw you with a sword and maybe you can teach me, just in case I have to protect you! Mama always says to protect people you love."

"Hmmm, she's right." Vincent thought for a moment. "Well, tomorrow I'll teach you how to fight with a sword then! I'll protect you if you protect me."

"Deal!" She giggled.

Before either of the kids could really get to know each other any further, the princes' guardians came and harshly led the boys away from Akina. Vor, who had watched the interaction from afar, sighed as she watched her little girl's smile fade away in confusion. She simply stood with a saddened frown on her face and waved as Vincent hopelessly walked with his guardians. What had she done wrong? Vor didn't know how to explain this to a child as she took her hand and began their quiet walk back to their little home in the village.

"Mommy? Why can't I play with the prince? He seems so nice." Akina asked after they were back in the safety of their house.

Vor sighed. "Well Akina, remember your special power I told you about?" She asked, Akina nodding in return. "Well, the thing is, people sometimes get scared of great power like yours. They're just trying to protect the prince, that's all."

"But I won't hurt him, I promise." The little girl said while absentmindedly petting her rabbit. "He said he would teach me to use a sword so I can protect him and he can protect me too."

"I'm sorry, my dear." Vor apologized, brushing her hand through her daughter's hair. She didn't know how to comfort her at that moment. She wanted to sit there and say everything would get easier for her, but wasn't sure. The locals treated her just fine, but the royal family was a different story. "Maybe something will change. Maybe something great will happen. Greatness happens to those who are patient and kind."

"But when?"

"Who knows? Maybe it will happen tomorrow or when you get bigger. The important thing is to listen to your heart and the light that glows in that big heart of yours. It knows the way." Vor advised her.

Akina rested her hand over her heart. "My heart felt really nice when I met the prince today. Is that a good thing?"

Vor chuckled and nodded. "Oh, I believe so. Our hearts are connected and those we hold most precious to us are the strongest connections. If your heart has truly connected with his, then nothing will sever that connection."

"I hope so. Can I see him tomorrow?" Akina asked. "I promise we won't play."

"Well…" Vor sighed. How could she simply say no? "I'm not sure, but we'll take it one day at a time."

Akina smiled widely at Vor as she reached for a great big embrace. It may not have been a definite 'yes', but it was better than a definite 'no'.

As it turned out, even with the royal family's restrictions, nothing could keep your parents from meeting. The more your father's parents tried to keep them apart, the more he went against their wishes. Ansem, learning that your mother was a Princess of Heart, grew more and more intrigued with the heart and began to study it and the Heartless. Your father and mother continued to meet in secret and were even sent to train with Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters.

In the time of their training, the two fell in love. There never was a happier couple and the days for them were just about to get better. One fateful day, the happiest day of their lives, all of our lives, occurred.

Vor had paced back and forth outside the empty chamber where the only sounds that could be heard were the painful cries of Akina and the words of encouragement from Vincent. She could hear the midwives doing their absolute best to try and coach Akina through the painful process of childbirth. In the end, the only one whose voice mattered was Vincent's. He was the only one she could bring herself to answer or even speak to in between contractions. Knowing how much pain her daughter was in, Vor sighed as she took a seat further down the hall, feeling worthless.

It wouldn't be for several more hours until something different changed. Akina's cries became more intense and the energy sounded like it was picking up incredibly. The doctor also finally entered the chamber. Vor knew in that moment that they were getting close. Finally, after what seemed like an ongoing cycle of cries, deep breaths, and cheering from everyone else in the room…

Vor heard the soft sounds of a baby crying from the other side of the door.

As soon as she heard the first cry, Vor's heart skipped a beat. She had helped Akina and Vincent throughout their long and difficult pregnancy, one that Vor had learned was typical of a Princess of Heart. Carrying a pure light took more out of an expectant mother than a typical fetus would. Vor remembered Akina's morning sickness lasting throughout the whole day and lasting beyond the first trimester, she ate way more than was typical of an expectant mother and still didn't gain too much weight, and spent the rest of her time usually lying down in bed and sleeping. It was a daunting task, passing down such a great power to such a fresh newborn baby.

About an hour after the baby's first cries, the doctor and midwives came out, having cleaned themselves and the baby up. Each of them had a beaming smile on their face. Vor jumped up from her seat, asking first and foremost if the baby was safe. The doctor proudly nodded, announcing to the new grandmother that Akina had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Vor simply smiled, already knowing in her heart that she had a new granddaughter.

"You may now come in, Grandma." The midwife said with a proud smile. "Mom, Dad, and the baby are waiting for you."

Vor bowed her head, thanking the doctor and midwives. She walked and felt her heart swell as she saw Akina resting peacefully in the bed. In her arms was hers and Vincent's newborn daughter, all swaddled up in a bright pink blanket with a yellow star pattern stamped across. Vor was breathless as she could see the resemblance in the little baby's face. She had her father's eyes and ears, her mother's nose and mouth, and had just the slightest amount of red hair on her perfectly round head.

"Mom, meet your new granddaughter." Akina held up the baby girl so Vor could get a closer look. "This is Kairi."

"Kairi? A beautiful name." Vor softly cooed.

Vincent laughed softly as he ran his hands through her hair. "We named her after the ocean. Destiny Islands was the place where we first took an oath to always be together. Every time I think back to that day, I always think about how beautiful the ocean looked and how it was a gateway to our next adventure."

Vor brushed Kairi's hand with her fingertips. "Precious child."

"Welcome to the world, Kairi." Akina whispered before she kissed her forehead. "We'll keep you safe, little precious light."

"We'll always be with you inside your heart." Vincent smiled as he and Akina gazed into Kairi's eyes.

Kairi began to move ever so slightly in her mother's hold, blinking her heavy eyes and babbling ever so slightly as she returned the gaze to her parents, seeing both of their loving faces for the first time. She wouldn't remember this years later, but her first memory with her parents would never be lost.

Akina finally passed the newborn Kairi off to Vor, giving the new grandmother a chance to hold her granddaughter for the first time. In that moment, she knew Kairi was special, and not just because they were related. Vor could sense that same warmth in Kairi's heart that she always felt with Akina's presence.

"Keep your light burning strong. You'll have a big heart and a strong mind, my dear, Kairi." Vor whispered as she smiled warmly at the babbling baby.

We had promised to always protect you, Kairi. A new Princess of Heart was born. One whose pure light was passed onto her by her mother. You were our world, Kairi.

But only a few days later...it felt as if our whole world came crashing down.

Akina and Vincent slept soundly in their chamber with Kairi snoozing like a rock in the bassinet right beside them. It seemed like a perfect night, until the gust in the air suddenly picked up, and a dark corridor materialized. From the dark corridor, two dark figures emerged. One bearing the Organization XIII cloak while the other one was clad in a form fitting dark blue bodysuit and concealed his identity behind a helmet, but was given the name of Vanitas by his master, the one who concealed his identity in the cloak, Xehanort.

"The light…" Vanitas hissed as he approached the bassinet.

Xehanort sneered as he looked down upon the infant. "She's the one we need." He removed his hood.

"You know Venty Wenty is pretty pathetic when we have to resort to using a BABY to complete the X-blade…"

"Doesn't matter." The old man shook his head as he hovered his hand over Kairi. "You know how vulnerable a pure light is when it's first born."

"And yet I'm supposed to clash with it." Vanitas chuckled. "Come on, even I'm not Heartless enough to hurt a baby."

"That may be true, but who's to say we can't manipulate her into attacking you?" Xehanort asked.

"Are you seriously thinking about putting your whole plan on hold for 15 years? We're better off waiting for Ven to finally get his head screwed on right."

"Relax. Once we have the baby right where we want her, I'll dispose of Ven. He's as good as gone. Now, remove your helmet, unless you want her scared of you." Xehanort demanded him.

"Hmph…" Vanitas scoffed as he removed his helmet.

"Now, grab her Vanitas. My old bones aren't as young as they used to be."

"And yet, you can wield your precious Keyblade just fine…" He muttered under his breath. Vanitas sighed heavily before tiptoeing closer to the baby. "Precious child..." He hissed as Kairi stirred. A little light started to glow in her chest, causing her to stir awake. "Don't be frightened...We'll take GOOD care of you."

Kairi's eyes began to focus until she could see the spiky-haired figure and golden eyes staring down at her with Xehanort right behind him. Vanitas began to reach his arms into the bassinet to grab her when she started wailing, spooking him and Xehanort into concealing their identities just in time for Akina and Vincent to be woken up.

"Kairi!" Akina jumped out of bed, summoning Destiny's Embrace and swinging it towards Vanitas. He initially blocked her attack before she was able to move around his defense and knock him back.

Vincent growled as he went after Xehanort, their Keyblades clashing. "Away from my home, and my family!" He knocked Xehanort back a little thanks to his younger strength. "Akina! Take Kairi and go! Leave these guys to me!"

Akina nodded and grabbed Kairi before sprinting out of their chamber and down the hall. Vanitas growled as he watched her escape before holding out his hand and summoning Scrapper Unversed to chase after them. Akina gasped as she cradled Kairi with one arm and attempted to fight off the Unversed with her other arm. Fighting off unknown enemies with one arm proved to be tougher than it seemed. Despite these creatures being different from Heartless, her Keyblade was just as effective.

With the Unversed attempting to try and trap Akina at her legs, the young Keyblade Master nearly tripped a number of times between trying to fend them off and keep from dropping her newborn daughter. She finally stopped and began kicking them away. As one was about to jump directly at Kairi, Akina pointed her Keyblade and cast Blizzaga at it, freezing it in place before she was able to shatter it into pieces.

Even with her magic spells and Keyblade techniques working just fine, it was when she got to the entrance hall of the palace that everything got worse for her. The doors to the palace were blocked by Large Body Heartless and before she knew it, Akina was surrounded by Shadow Heartless, only for one of the mysterious figures to block her from having any chance at escaping. Akina's body shook as the figure walked toward her, hunched over and with his hands behind his back.

Having spent years training at The Land of Departure with Master Eraqus, as well as learning from a 'special friend' of his, Akina knew the only person who walked the way this figure did. She could even see the glowing eyes from underneath the hood. There was something about him that didn't sit right with her from the very beginning of when she met him and this night was the exact thing that confirmed her suspicions.

"Xehanort…" Akina muttered softly.

"Not sure where you think you're going with that." Xehanort sneered. "That child belongs to me."

"Not on your life!" She yelled while holding Kairi even closer.

"You don't seem to understand. She is a pure light. One who is needed to assist with the creation of the x-blade." He breathed deeply. "Her power...it will be mine! With Vanitas, they will create the x-blade!" He summoned No Name and held it up high above his head. "Even if I have to take her by force!"

"KAIRI! AKINA!"

Unbeknownst to Akina, Vincent had entered the entrance hall in the knick of time to see what was happening. Following his gut instincts and putting the safety of Kairi first, Vincent sprinted forward and threw his arms around Akina, shielding her and Kairi.

SLASH!

In an act of bravery to save his wife and daughter, Vincent was struck down by Xehanort. He grunted in pain and fell to the ground, breathless. Akina froze for a moment as she began to process that her beloved was now dying on the ground at her feet. Kairi, on the other hand, took a look into the eyes of Xehanort underneath his hood before beginning to wail as loud as she possibly could. As if she too were fighting, a shockwave of light suddenly burst from the baby, knocking Xehanort away, and hurting him.

Akina shot a hostile glare at Xehanort as he reacted to Kairi's light. She would have immediately gone for him Keyblade first had she not been trying to protect her newborn baby girl. In an act of desperation, Xehanort made a dark corridor and disappeared within it, leaving the distressed family. Akina panted, trying to catch her breath, before turning back and seeing Vincent coughing on the ground.

"Vincent!" Akina attempted to cradle him in her free harm, but that was easier said than done. "Please, hang in there! You're gonna be okay!"

"Akina…" Vincent choked out. He watched as tears built up in Akina's eyes. With a weak smile, he reached a hand up and dried her tears. "No tears...okay? Not in front of our daughter."

Akina shook her head. "You can't...I can't lose you…" She whispered, tears rolling down her face. "I love you."

Vincent smiled warmly, his eyes drifting heavy. "That's why I had to...I love you both...so much."

"Vincent…"

"You are my light…" He breathed out softly.

Akina sniffled, smiling weakly back at him. "And you're mine…"

Vincent's eyes drifted over to Kairi, who looked back at him with matching violet eyes. "Take care of her…"

With his last breath drawn, Vincent's head fell back. His body, finished shattering into shards of light that floated away, leaving a heart-shattered Akina, kneeling on the ground bawling. Never feeling so alone in her entire life, Akina held Kairi close, feeling she was the only one who could comfort her in this moment despite her size and age.

Ever since the day your father lost his life, your mother had changed forever. She never smiled anymore. She could barely look at you. It almost seemed like the light inside of her heart had disappeared completely. No matter what my efforts were to help, your mother stayed the same.

"Akina, where are you going?" Vor asked as Akina brushed past her.

"I'm going after him." She answered coldly. "The man who killed my husband."

"But you don't know who it was."

Akina shook her head. "Yes, I do, and I won't rest until he faces the same fate as Vincent."

"Akina!" Vor dashed forward and grabbed her daughter by the wrist. "Listen to yourself. This is not how a Keyblade Master is supposed to think. You're allowing your grief to cloud your heart and judgement with darkness."

"Vincent didn't deserve this!" Akina yelled as she yanked her arm away.

"I know, but he wouldn't want you going down this path either." Vor sighed. "I understand your pain. But-"

"No! You don't!"

It was then, that I knew I had already lost your mother. I lost your mother's heart to the darkness. She had ran away the next day with the intention of avenging your father's death. Then one day, I received a visit from Eraqus. He had come to bring me news. It was news that a mother never wants to hear.

The sun had risen on another morning in Radiant Garden. Vor hadn't slept a single wink in days. Akina had run away days before. Between taking care of Kairi and worrying about her daughter, how could she sleep? Vor sighed as she woke up early that morning to check on Kairi, who was still sound asleep after having a bottle. She was relieved that at least the baby was able to sleep soundly even with her mother missing. Her relief was short-lived as she heard a knock on the door.

Vor hurried over to the door, hoping it was either Akina or maybe somebody who found her and was bringing her home. When she opened it, it was the last person she expected to see with the last thing she wanted to hear from him.

"Eraqus…? What are you…?" Vor asked that early morning. She gasped, her heart sinking as she saw him hold up Destiny's Embrace to her. "Is that…?"

"I'm so sorry…" Eraqus apologized.

Vor gasped, feeling her soul fly away from her body in that moment. Eraqus didn't have to say anything else. Akina was a student that Eraqus had grown fond of working with and his tear stricken face was enough to see that he was heartbroken too. He gently placed the Keyblade in Vor's numbed arms, helping her gather enough strength to hold onto it. Losing all will to even stand, she slowly collapsed to her knees, but didn't go down hard thanks to Eraqus helping support her.

I had never felt so empty in my heart that day.

.

And then, I looked down at you in that cradle that your father crafted himself. I made it my promise to your parents and to you, that I would raise you myself. I would teach you about the light and how important it is to keep it burning within. More importantly, I wanted you to be safe and happy.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"That's why I never told you what happened to your parents. I was afraid of losing you too if you knew what happened." Vor finished her story.

Kairi, whose eyes had begun to flood with tears, allowed them to fall and stain her dress. "All this time...I never knew them after all. My father died for us...and my poor mother...I know how she feels. I wish...I could've told her that...everything would be okay." She choked out.

"It's okay, Kairi." Vor pulled her granddaughter into a hug. "You were only a newborn when we lost her, but like your father said on the day you were born, they're always with you inside your heart." She pointed to Kairi's chest. "I can see your mother's fiery spirit within you, and your father's love and passion."

"I wish I could meet them, and tell them everything."

"They're watching over you, just like I was watching over you all these years, and I promise you that they'd be just as proud of you as I am of how far you've come. Not just in becoming a Keyblade Master, but in who you are."

Kairi smiled and wiped her tears away. "Thanks, Grandma. There is one question that I am itching to ask though." She brought up. "You mentioned my father was a prince?"

Vor nodded before standing up, bringing Kairi up with her. "Yes, and your mother was married to him."

"My uncle is Ansem, who is King right now on a technical note, and if my deceased father was a prince, then that would mean..." Her voice shook.

"Kairi, your uncle never bore any children, which means you are the princess of Radiant Garden."

Kairi gasped, her mouth hanging open. "P-Princess?"

"I told you we had much to talk about." Vor chuckled with amusement.

"Oh my gosh…" Kairi sat back down, her heart racing as she tried to process all this information. "Just a few months ago, I was a depressed common girl living on an island who just happened to be a Keyblade Wielder and a Princess of Heart. I mean, I knew I was a Princess of Heart, but I didn't know I was actually royalty!"

"I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not when you were a young girl." Vor admitted. "You were already carrying quite a burden being a Princess of Heart and being raised without your mother and father. I thought maybe telling you that you had ties to the royal family would have been too much...for the time. I wanted to wait, just like I wanted to wait until you were older to learn about your ties to the Keyblade, but everything changed when we lost our world. After we reunited the other day, I was still unsure, but after noticing how curious you were, I thought now was as good a time as ever." She sighed. "Quite amazing, if you think about it."

Kairi laughed softly, smiling. "I suppose it is. Now I understand why this place felt so much like home to me." She walked over to Vor's balcony that overlooked the town and gazed down at the busy townsfolk. "This is my home."

"Kairi, come here. I have a gift to give you."

Vor had Kairi come over to the mirror where there was a wooden box embossed with the flower symbols of Radiant Garden. Kairi watched as her grandmother pulled off the top and revealed a beautiful silver tiara that sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. It wasn't like a typical princess tiara that was very busy in the front. It was actually very subtle. If anything, it was more like a crystal headband that was lined by flowers that were carved from diamonds.

"It's beautiful." Kairi sighed.

Vor placed it over her granddaughter's head. "This belonged to your father's mother. Your father had intended to pass this down to you once you were of age."

"And my Keyblade? You and Mom have both used it."

"It's a powerful weapon that has been passed down from generation to generation. It bears the name Destiny's Embrace, because each one of its wielders has embraced her destiny, just as you have." Vor picked up Kairi's Keyblade and held it out to her.

"Grandma...this is...wow…" Kairi looked into the mirror and softly gasped at the sparkling tiara in her hair.

Vor smiled proudly at Kairi's reflection. "You've grown into the young lady I always knew you would, and now, there's one more gift I know your mother would want you to have."

"What is that?" Kairi asked as she watched her grandmother walk over to a large closet. Vor waved her over as she opened the large doors. With the doors now open, Kairi took a peek inside of the closet and gasped at the very sight of what beheld her very eyes. "Wow…"

A/N: Yeah, I kinda went a little ham on the backstory stuff, but hey, if canon isn't gonna do it, somebody's got to! And no, the black box that had Kairi's mother's mementos wasn't the same black box that Luxu has, I just wanted to make a funny reference LOL