A/N: This is a story that is basically an AU I've had on my mind for a while now, where Kairi is far from useless or defenseless and actually has her own role to play. This story is Kairi-centric, which means most changes will revolve around Kairi, and since we've arrived at KH2, some will also revolve around Naminé (and somewhat Xion).
Also, please review! Tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Disney in any way, shape, or form! I only own an OC who will appear much later in the story (about KH3-ish).
Note: Remember that if I don't add a scene (or don't write out the whole thing; same goes with the designs), it means that it's the same as in canon. Just FYI.
This chapter will focus on a reunion or two as the Destiny trio becomes the main focus once again.
Update on Art for this Story: If you want to know what Eternal Gratitude and Solarflare/Lunaraqua look like, then head on over to my DeviantArt page (same username). They're only linearts, but I am coloring them as we speak (or read). Also, if you've seen my collages of outfits for Kairi, Naminé, and Aether (separately), you'll be pleased to know that I've also got one for Xion in the works. In fact, it's already done (or rather, the lineart is). However, I won't be posting it until the next chapter is updated, due to spoilers.
Also, I'll need some help with Coded. It's only one chapter, but I don't know Coded's story well enough to know where I could write in Data-Kairi without changing the overall plot. If you have any tips, please leave them in a review.
And sorry in advance. I'm not good with action scenes.
!~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~O~A~T~H~K~E~E~P~E~R~~A~U~~!
Kingdom Hearts: The Oathkeeper
Chapter 12: Kingdom Hearts 2, Part 4
~The Castle That Never Was~
Naminé led Kairi throughout the castle, Pluto hot on their heels. The blonde had taken into account that her Other didn't really know what was happening, so she had decided to explain everything to Kairi.
When they reached a corner, they stopped to catch their breath. As they rested, Kairi finished Naminé's explanation with, "So you left the Organization to put Sora's memories back together?"
"Yes," Naminé confirmed. "Also to escape Xemnas' grasp." Before Kairi could ask, the blonde continued, "As your Nobody, I also have your powers, both your Keyblade and your light."
"Oh...so you're currently in the same boat as me..." Kairi guiltfully trailed off, and Naminé could sense her guilt. "Wait, you said that a Nobody is born when someone becomes a Heartless, which is impossible for a Princess of Heart like me. So how do you exist?"
"I have Sora to thank for that," the blonde sent her Other a reassuring smile. "He's the one who gave me a body."
"And that's also why you have control over his memories," Kairi realized. Naminé nodded, before something else came to Kairi's mind, and her smile faded. "I have a question I really want to ask you, Naminé, and I feel like only you can answer it."
Naminé didn't have to ask what that question was. She could feel Kairi's sorrow, apprehension, guilt, and regret all in one breath. The question she wanted to ask was never in her mind, but always in her heart. And because of that, Naminé knew the answer, because Kairi's heart was also hers. "You want to know why you lost your memories in the first place."
Kairi could only nod, no smile anywhere within her facial features or body language.
"It was by choice," the other half of her revealed. "You used your light to restore the worlds, but due to your young age, overusing your powers took a toll on you."
Kairi's eyes lowered in understanding.
And in that moment, the memories started coming back to her.
She remembered contently folding her hands as Sora reached out to her, not willing to let go yet. She remembered the sky being filled with tiny specks of light, the essence of worlds, as she used to her light to guide the hearts back to their respective worlds. She remembered the lights floating her around her and Sora as all the worlds began to reassemble around her. She remembered Sora calling out to her, smiling, as the world barriers reformed, finally separating the two of them. She remembered feeling herself falling as Hollow Bastion reformed around her, shootings stars flying into the sky and reclaiming their proper places.
"You remember now?" Naminé asked, bringing Kairi back to reality.
"Some," the redhead admitted. "But not everything."
"You'll get those memories soon. I promise." The two girls connected eyes. Aerith had told Kairi the same thing, more than once, but she always had her doubts. She knew the woman only wanted to help, and she appreciated that.
But whether it because the blonde held the other half of her heart, or because of something else, Kairi beleived Naminé.
So Kairi returned her smile.
Pluto ruined the moment by saying, 'C'mon! It's scary here!'
Naminé agreed, "Pluto's right. We should go. We're still a long way from the exit."
Kairi nodded, before taking the other's hand again, letting her lead the way. Naminé rounded the corner, before feeling herself phase into and out before going back to normal. She chose to ignore Kairi's confused and concerned gaze and instead focused on getting Kairi, Pluto, and herself out of there before anybody noticed.
But she halted in her tracks, Kairi and Pluto quickly following, when they found two Berserkers standing in their way.
Kairi tensed up when Saïx appeared between the two parties, exiting from a Corridor. He wasn't in Berserker mode, but Kairi knew from experience that he didn't need it to beat her.
"Naminé..." Saïx said. "There you are. We've been looking everywhere for you."
Naminé didn't speak, only glaring at her former comrade. She only summoned her Keyblade in response.
Kairi couldn't take her eyes off that Keyblade. She's seen it before. But where...?
Saïx turned his gaze to the redhead, his voice snapping her out of her trance, "Kairi, I'm afraid leaving isn't an option." He held out his left hand. "Sora is here. I'll take you to see him."
Kairi listened to her better judgement, to the disappointment of her heart, and took a defensive stance, stepping back, away from Saïx.
"You don't want that?" Saïx asked.
Kairi shook her head, "No, I do. More than anything. But not with you around." With this, she summoned Oathkeeper, as Pluto took a defensive stance behind the two girls.
Saïx barely reacted, only summoning his Claymore, as he said with a straight face, "If I had a heart, this would be where I die of laughter."
Kairi didn't know where her sudden confidence came from, but she welcomed it. She also welcomed the sudden surge in her power, thanks to her reunion with her other half.
Naminé went for the Berserkers, Pluto hot on her heels, in order to keep them off Kairi's back as she went after Saïx. Pluto's abilities were mainly support based, though his collar allowed him to also cast Protega upon command, while Naminé's magic spells were her forte.
Kairi's first attack was (ironically) her new Finisher 'Explosion', generating a blast of light magic that damaged surrounding enemies (though it damaged the Berserkers than Saïx).
But Kairi didn't give up, instead choosing to use more physical attacks and uses of Starcracker rather than magic. Hard hitting was more her forte anyway.
Saïx was still a tough opponent. She was actually holding her own pretty well. The first round had ended with her as the loser within the first ten seconds. She was far from winning, but at least she wouldn't go down as easily this time.
She had a bruise on her left forearm and a hurt knee by the time Naminé called out, "Kairi, let's attack together!"
"Right!" Kairi said, before the two performed their team attack, called 'Beautiful Wish'.
Naminé cast Waterga and Kairi rode it on her Keyblade like a surfboard riding a wave. The wave went high up into the air, upon which she spun into Saïx, resulting in an immediate explosion of light upon impact.
Naminé and Pluto stood back a ways in order to rest, while Saïx (rather quickly) recovered his strength. Well aware of how close he was to winning, he swung his Claymore down over Kairi's head.
But she managed to block it with Oathkeeper.
As she mentally thanked Yuffie for her speed training and Tifa for her durability training, Saïx coldly told her, "Sora and R–– will be killed if you do not surrender, Princess."
Kairi ignored her headache, brought on by the second name, "Leave my friends alone!"
With that, Kairi shoved his Claymore away from her.
Saïx closed his eyes, "I will admit that you are much stronger than I initially gave you credit before," he opened them again, as he summoned two more Berserkers in the same place where the previous two fell, "but I have more allies than you do."
That's when they all heard the sound of a sword hitting something. Saïx turned to see his two Berserkers fall to the ground, disappearing. Behind them stood a tall figure in a hooded black coat, holding an all-black Keyblade.
"You..." Saïx seemed to recognize him. "Didn't Roxas take care of you?"
Naminé smiled with relief at this figure's appearance, "You can take it from here!" The figure nodded back at her, as Pluto wagged his tail, seemingly knowing this person as well.
For Kairi, however, the familiar sense of nostalgia had returned. She had felt it before, once in the simulated Twilight Town, again when the Corridor first opened up in Radiant Garden, again in Betwixt and Between, and most recently when Naminé exited from that Corridor.
Other people saw a tall hooded figure, but Kairi saw a boy with silver hair and aquamarine eyes.
Feeling dizzy due to her heart overloaded her brain with memories she never really lost, Kairi could only ask, "R-Riku?"
The figure––Riku––noticeably hesitated, and disappated his Keyblade before shooting a Dark Firaga at Saïx. The Nobody blocked with his arms before jumping backwards. Riku grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. In response, Saïx put a hand to the wall and created a Corridor, smiling as he escaped into it. Riku made a move to enter it.
But Kairi's tear-filled, "Wait!" stopped him.
Kairi and Pluto both ran up to him, with Pluto reaching him first. Riku backed away from the dog, but Pluto stayed with him, his tail wagging in happiness.
"Riku..." Kairi put away Oathkeeper, unable to take her eyes off of him. "I-Is that really you?"
Riku didn't answer her, but he didn't stop her from taking off his hood.
Kairi gasped when she didn't see Riku's face, but Ansem's. Her heart beating heavily in her chest, she struggled to get out, "Riku...Why do you have that face?"
He was silent for a moment, as she closed her eyes, obviously trying to struggle through a panic attack. When he finally spoke to her, his voice was soft, and he refused to meet her eyes, "I'm sorry, Kairi...I didn't want you to see me like this. You have every reason to react like this."
She sniffed before wrapping him in a giant bear hug. "I don't care!" she cried out. "I'm just glad to see you, Riku!" She let him go, her tear-filled violet eyes smiling for the first time in a year. "C'mon, let's go see Sora. Together."
Riku smiled, understanding her unspoken wish, as deep down, he had the same one. Now that he and Kairi had reunited, he didn't want to lose her again. The three of them would back to the Islands together.
Not wanting to break up the moment, Naminé silently called Pluto to her. When he came up next to her, she knelt down on one knee, at his level, "I think they can take it from here. Now that Kairi has been reunited with Riku, her memory chains are beginning to restore themselves. Connecting with Sora again will greatly speed up the process, in return for her help in restoring him."
Pluto barked, before letting Naminé open a portal with Rainfell. The two slipped away without Riku and Kairi's knowledge.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
Sora led Donald and Goofy through Nothing's Call to Crooken Ascension. Entering Twilight's View, they readied themselves for the Hall of Empty Melodies when they heard Saïx's voice from above, "Sora...You've done well."
The trio looked up to see Saïx on a veyr elaborate high ledge. "Where's Kairi?" Sora demanded.
"Who knows?" Saïx answered with a stoic face. "I expect she's catching up with her friends from the darkness."
"What does that mean?!" Sora asked.
"I means that she doesn't need you anymore," Saïx coldly told him.
Sora scoffed, "Yeah, like I believe that!" He and Kairi were friends, best friends. She would always need him, and he would always need her.
"You don't have to," Saïx replied without missing a beat. "But you can believe this. Organization XIII has no further use for you. Just look there." He pointed at the heart-shaped moon above them. "Our Kingdom Hearts...Thanks to you, we've collected countless hearts...Can you hear their euphoria? Now, all they need is one more helping from the Keyblade bearer!" He snapped his fingers together and hundreds of Shadows emerged from the walls.
"We gotta fight!" Donald cried out, he and Goofy lowering into fighting positions.
"B-But–!" Sora stuttered. "Kingdom Hearts!"
A familiar female voice cut him off from above, "Sora!"
Sora looked up to the source of the voice, just in time to see Kairi on a ledge opposite of Saïx's. In that moment, his world seemed to stop.
It was Kairi. She was here! She was free and safe!
"Sora!" she cried out, a smile on her face. "It's really you!"
"Kairi!" he called back, before a few Shadows suddenly puonced on him.
Up on the ledge, Kairi gasped, before getting mad. "Hey! You leave Sora alone!" With that, she summoned Oathkeeper and took a few steps back, before leaping over the railing and off the ledge. She hit the ground below running, but she was knocked to the ground when she was suddenly ambushed by a group of Shadows.
"Sora..." she muttered, struggling to get up, tightly clenching Oathkeeper in her hand.
Kairi saw a flash of light from above her, before the weight from the Heartless on top of her disappeared. Before she knew it, Riku was helping her to her feet by her arm. Once she was fully recovered, he gently tapped her back.
"Don't let your desire to see Sora distract you," Riku advised. "Wait until the Shadows are all gone."
Kairi nodded. He had a point. She raised Oathkeeper as she faced forward, taking a quick glance at her keychain–a copy of her lucky charm, the one she gave to Sora.
Her memories were returning, and the more she remembered, the stronger and more confident she felt.
More determined than ever, she vowed, "This time, we'll all fight together." She turned back to face the boy next to her. "C'mon, Riku! You know Sora's completely hopeless without us!" she sassed before charging.
He watched as she ran into the fight, bashing Heartless left and right with her Keyblade. He then summoned his own and rushed in after her.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
Defeating Xigbar took a lot out of Sora. He was still mostly using magic in order to avoid hitting the surrounding Shadows with his Keyblade. Donald and Goofy were holding their own pretty well, but Sora was almost out of magic.
"Sora!" Kairi called again from above. The trio down below glanced up just in time to see her leap down from the balcony, Oathkeeper in her hand, her landing causing a great explosion of light that took out the surrounding Heartless.
Sora saw the hearts floating up towards the moon above them, and his heart skipped a beat in fear, "Wait, Kairi! Don't use your Keyblade!"
"Don't let the Organization abuse you!" Kairi shot back, an angry look on her facial features. Before Sora could say anything else, "Your heart is strong, Sora. Don't let them weaken it!"
Sora took a moment to let that sink in. She had a point. Yen Sid had warned him, Donald, and Goofy against the lies of the Organization.
Sora summoned his Keyblade and quickly joined the fight. At the corner of his eye, he noted Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, leaping down and fighting off some of the Shadows with his own Keyblade, but Sora couldn't say anything yet. He had to focus on the fight.
He didn't want to admit it just yet, but he knew that Ansem, for whatever reason, had saved Kairi.
It took a while, but together, all five defeated the Heartless.
"You were great, Kairi!" Donald said with a smile.
Kairi tensed up, remembering that she wasn't alone. She turned around, seeing Donald and Goofy there, before bashfully flipping her hair. Sora ran up to her, but then he slowed down, eventually stopping, when he remembered something important.
'Sora, there's something else about Kairi you should be aware of. She doesn't remember you, or Riku, or anything about your island. All she remembers is her name, her Keyblade, and that fact that this world is her home.'
Donald and Goofy were quick to note how quickly Sora's smile fell into a frown. The heartbreak was very clear in his face, his eyes and his frown saying it all. They too remembered Leon's news about Kairi's missing memories, as they shared a glance of disappointing rememberance.
"H-Hey, Kairi," Sora stuttered, not out of nervousness but out of sadness. "Listen, you may not remember me, but I'm just glad you're here." He looked away from her, remembering the fact that he was out of commission for a year, for reasons still unknown to him. "I'm sorry for not coming back to you sooner."
But she surprised him by rushing up and giving up a bear hug.
"K-Kai–?"
She was quick to cut him off, "I do remember you, Sora." She sniffed, tears obviously in her eyes, even if he couldn't see them. "I can't beleive it. This is real..."
Sora felt his blue eyes well up with tears. They quickly became too painful to keep open, so he closed them as he quickly returned her hug.
Donald and Goofy were content with letting the two lovebirds stay that way for now. There were currently no enemies to worry about, and they remembered how happy they were to see Daisy and Clarabelle again, respectively. It was only right that they give Sora and Kairi a moment to themselves.
However, the moment was ruined by Ansem opening a Corridor and beginning to walk into it.
Sora reluctantly let Kairi go, wiping the tears away from his eyes, and turning to (who he thought was) his enemy. "Wait, Ansem! I mean, Xehanort's Heartless..." Ansem stopped and let the Corridor vanish. "I never thought for a second that I'd ever see you again. Just thinking about all the things you did makes me really mad. But..." He closed his eyes and forced himself to continue, "But you saved Kairi, right? I have to be grateful for that...So, thanks."
Ansem started to leave, but Kairi surprised the trio by running over and stopping him by grabbing his forearm, calling out, "Riku, wait! Don't go!"
"Huh?"
"Kairi," Sora was almost rendered speechless by this outburst, "what did you just say?"
The girl tightly clutched Ansem's arm, as she answered, "Riku."
"I'm no one," Ansem––or Riku?––replied. "Just a castaway from the darkness."
But Kairi refused to let him budge. She rolled her eyes, dragging him back to Sora as she asked mainly to herself, "Seriously, why do you two have to be such idiots?" She turned to Sora, "You, come here."
He obeyed her, letting her take his hand in hers, as she did the same with Ansem's (or Riku?).
"Do you guys trust me?" she asked both of them. Sora nodded immediately, while the other boy took a second. But he did nod. "Good. Now, close your eyes, Sora."
Sora did so, as he and Ansem looked at him. He expected nothing but blackness when he closed his eyes, which is why he was surprised when he saw Riku in Ansem's place instead.
There was Riku, standing right there, holding the hands of both Sora and Kairi.
Sora opened his eyes as they began to sting again, tightly clutching the hands of his two best friends. "Riku...It's really you...Riku and Kairi are both here..." Both here, standing right in front of him. Sora fell to his knees, refusing to let go of their hands, tears rolling down his face as he let himself become emotionally overloaded. "I've looked for you two!"
Kairi tearfully smiled as Riku's familiar voice calmly said, "Pull it together, Sora."
"I've looked everywhere for you two!" Sora cried, tears of relief pouring down his face. All those worlds, all those dead ends––Riku's disappearance into the Realm of Darkness and Kairi being on the run from the Organization––he was beginning to lose hope that he would find either of them.
"I didn't want either of you to find me," Riku confessed.
"But it was him that was helpin' us, wasn't it?" Goofy asked.
"Huh?" Donald was confused.
"Those clues we kept finding," Goofy elaborated, as Sora got back to his feet. "That musta been Riku."
"I was starting to worry you guys weren't ever gonna catch on," Riku admitted. "Sora never did pick the brightest friends."
"What do you mean by that?!" Donald reacted in his classic temper.
Riku lightly chuckled, before Sora asked him, "Why didn't you let me know you were okay?"
"I told you," Riku replied. "I didn't want to be found. Not like this..." He looked down at himself, reminding them what his face looked like. "I couldn't. I fought with Ansem. With...Xehanort's Heartless––when it invaded my heart, and I won. But to use the power of darkness, I had to become Ansem myself."
"Does that mean..." Kairi asked, "you can't change back?"
"This battle isn't over," Riku replied. "And until it is, I still need the power of darkness." Kairi was still in Xemnas's spotlight, and there was no way Sora could defeat Xemnas by himself. In order to protect them both, he needed to stay this way.
"Then, let's finish it," Sora said with a smile. "You're still Riku, no matter what!" Donald, Goofy, and Kairi all nodded. "The three of us..." himself, Riku, and Kairi, "will go back to the Islands together. That's a promise." Riku and Kairi both nodded. Sora then turned to Donald and Goofy, "So how 'bout it: Think we can handle one last rumble together? The King's waiting!"
"Yeah!" Donald replied. "Let's get going!"
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
The group had encountered Saïx at Addled Impasse. The Nobody had used his Claymore to send a wave of vibration. Kairi managed to dodge it by Sliding to the side, but Riku was less fortunate, as a barrier had quickly formed, blocking him out.
After an intense battle, Saïx fell to his knees, "A heart...if I had a heart..." He dropped his Claymore, which crashed to the floor, and turned towards the window, glancing up at the moon. "Why...Kingdom Hearts...Where is my heart?"
He reached out to it, as if desperate. As he faded away, Kairi told him, "I warned you not to hurt my friends."
Once he was gone, the barrier fell, allowing Riku to join them. A frustrated Sora asked, "I don't get it. Why's everybody been calling me Roxas?"
"Because, Sora," Riku replied. "Roxas is your Nobody."
Kairi remembered Axel telling her once, 'Because Roxas is Sora's Nobody.'
"My...Nobody?" Sora asked, confused. "But that's crazy, I never turned into a Heart–" He stopped himself as he remembered.
"It was when you freed my heart from yours," Kairi reminded him. "Remember?" She still felt guilty that the thought ever had to cross his mind at all.
"Yeah, right," the brunette said.
Riku explained, "Xemnas was the one who found Roxas. He could use the Keyblade because he was your Nobody. That's why Xemnas brought him into the Organization, but Roxas betrayed them. After that I fought him because I thought it would help you wake up. I lost, but the next time we met I made sure I was the stronger one." He remembered his encounter with Roxas in the Dark City, especially how Sora had briefly shone through his Nobody for a moment. "And you know, maybe I didn't need to fight him after all. I think he left the Organization because...he really wanted to meet you."
Sora hung his head, a wistful look across his features, "Roxas...I wish I could meet him, too."
Riku walked closer to his friend and pointed to his heart, and Sora remembered his encounter with the boy in his Dive to the Heart, realizing that he already had. He glanced back up at Riku, smiling.
"Alright," Riku replied. "Let's go."
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
The group continued onward, fighting Heartless along the way, until they reached Naught's Approach, where they found King Mickey and DiZ––or Ansem the Wise. The beam from Ansem's device (which the group had noticed some time ago) was starting to weaken, and it began to shake in his hands. As the group ran up the stairs, they overheard the following conversation.
"Ansem?" Mickey asked.
Ansem laughed, "I'm a fool. I've spent years studying the workings of the heart. Yet it seems I still haven't learned a thing!"
"What d'ya mean?"
"The process of encoding hearts is incalculable," Ansem continued. "The inhabitants of my Twilight Town were data created from real hearts. I was convinced that they would think and behave the way I had envisioned, but I couldn't have been more wrong. A heart is so much more than any system. I saw it everytime Roxas and Kairi interacted." Kairi grew sad at the mention of Roxas, which Sora was quick to note. She loved Roxas as the brother she never had, and she felt that they really were best friends. Ansem continued, "I knew. But I was too stubborn to accept it. It's always the same. I try to wrap my mind around things my heart already knows, only to fail. While I was trying to bring Sora back, I had so many plans in store. But once Sora was an acting force, they fell apart. All my research amounted to nothing, compared with that one boy's heart."
The device began to short, and Mickey immediately noticed, "Ansem! The machine!"
"All the more proof that hearts cannot be contained by data," the man replied. "Run, my friend! It's going to self-destruct, and anything could happen!"
"But..."
"Your Majesty!" Sora cried out, the five finally reaching the top.
"Sora," Ansem addressed him, "the rest is up to you...And Roxas, Naminé––I doubt you two can hear me–but...I am sorry. For everything."
Deep within their hearts, both Sora and Kairi both felt justified hesitation from their two Nobodies.
Sora heard Roxas ask, 'If you were sorry, why didn't you stop yourself from making that town?'
But neither chose to say anything, only staying silent.
"Ansem!" Mickey cried out.
"My heart is telling me what I must do. Please allow me to do what it says!" Ansem pleaded.
"No!" Riku quickly grabbed the King's arm, holding him back. "Riku!"
"His heart's decided," Riku explained. "We can't change that."
Xemnas suddenly made his entrance, "I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts. And look––here you all are. How convenient for me. Ansem the Wise... You look pathetic."
"Have your laugh. I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are," Ansem replied.
"Students do take after their teachers," Xemnas shot back, not missing a beat. "Only a fool would be your apprentice. After all, none of this would have happened without you. You are the source of all Heartless. It was your research that inspired me to go further than you ever dared."
Ansem didn't deny this, "I admit...my disregard brought chaos to more worlds than one. But what were you seeking? You erased me from the world, only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten... Is this the answer you've been looking for?"
"All that and more," Xemnas replied. "I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time. I thought you'd praise me, but all you ever do is hold me back. I understand, though. Unlike me, you have a heart. And you're powerless to control it. Consumed, by the jealousy you feel toward the student who surpassed you."
Ansem merely scoffed, "Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing–only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but its essence is beyond our reach. We're both ignorant––as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create...Any world of yours...would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you and your creation are destined to fall!" Electricity surged through and around the device. "We've said enough! Riku, you know what to do! King Mickey, my friend, forgive me! Farewell!"
The machine sparked before exploding. Sora tried to run for Ansem, but was stopped by Riku, as Kairi held Mickey back. Donald tripped as he tried to run in front of Goofy.
Riku tried to protect them all from what came next, but he failed. Light flashed and pushed them all backwards in a giant swirling tunnel.
When the light faded, millions of hearts were falling around the Castle That Never Was. Nobodies were dancing in the streets. The hearts disappeared and Heartless arrived. A heart for every Heartless. A gigantic horde raced up the ramp toward the castle.
The group came to, all of them on the ground.
Sora was quick to note Riku's flowing silver hair, the color he was born with, as well as his black blindfold. "Riku?" He asked, as Riku got to his feet. "Riku!"
"Wow!" Donald and Goofy both cried.
Kairi smiled, "Riku!"
Mickey shrugged, "Ansem did say 'anything could happen'..."
Riku looked ahead, as Sora asked him, "Riku, you gonna take that off?"
"Huh? Oh..." Riku grabbed his blindhold and pulled it off, allowing his aquamarine eyes to finally open.
"What was that?" Sora asked.
"His eyes couldn't lie," Mickey was the one who replied.
"Lie?" In some weird way, Sora could understand, but that didn't mean he was happy about it. He turned back to Riku, "And just who were you trying to fool? Huh? Huhhh?"
"Myself," Riku answered.
Sora was caught off-guard by the answer he was given, "Riku..." This wasn't the Riku he knew. The Riku he knew was prideful, boastful, competed and fought to win, liked to sass other people all the time, and never liked to admit he was wrong. It was rare that people ever got to see Riku so humble like this.
But he remembered how only he and Kairi got to see that side of Riku, and even then, it was rare. He remembered the evening before that fateful night, when during the day Riku almost fought Kairi for real, which scared her. Riku took the rest of the day to apologize, and when he did, it was just them three on the island.
Riku was always a solitary person, but he fell to the darkness for Sora and Kairi's sake, the only people he let himself get close to.
Sora glanced back at Kairi, and he could easily see the same worried look on her face that she always wore whenever one of her friends was hard on themselves.
The brunette groaned, "C'mon, man! Why did you try to do so much on your own?" He ran over to Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Kairi. "You got friends...like us!"
Riku looked at each of them in turn. He remembered Kairi and how her memories had started to come back the moment she was reunited with him, Mickey and how close the two had gotten while in th Realm of Darkness, Donald and Goofy and how much more sympathetic and sincere they were in Sora's journey to find him this time around.
Riku smirked, "Have you forgotten? I'll tell you why. 'Cause I'm not a total sap like you."
Sora smiled, "Say that again!" That was the Riku he knew and loved.
The two boys heard Kairi giggle before she tackle-hugged them both and dragged them to the ground. The other three merely watched them as they laughed like the kids they were.
In that moment, everything was back to normal.
But it was ruined when they noticed a ton of hearts flying towards Kingdom Hearts, which had taken on a darker look, as if infected. They looked down below and saw millions of Heartless storming the castle.
"Uhhhh-oh!" Donald squaked.
"What should we do, Riku?" Sora asked.
"We must defeat Xemnas," Riku replied. "He's the Organization's last survivor."
"Right!"
Riku then whipped off his cloak, and the six took off, letting the cloak fly through the air as they did.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
The group continued into The Altar of Naught and found Xemnas raising his arms to the moon.
"Ohh...my Kingdom Hearts...ruined. Now I'll have to start all over again. Warriors of the Keyblade!" He turned around to face the six. "Go forth, and bring me more hearts!"
"No!" the four Keyblade weilders immediately answered, pointing at him with their appearing Keyblades.
"Denizens of light, answer this," Xemnas said. "Why do you hate the darkness?"
"Aw, we don't hate it," Mickey answered. "It's just kinda...scary. But the world's made of light and darkness. You can't have one without the other, 'cause darkness is half of everything. Sorta makes ya wonder why we are scared of the dark."
Riku replied without missing a beat, "It's because of who's lurking inside it."
"Then allow me another question," the Nobody continued. "You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark––never given a choice?"
"That's simple. It's because you mess up our worlds," Riku answered.
"That may be...However, what other choice might we have had?"
Sora cut him off, "Just give it a rest! You're Nobodies! You don't even exist! You're not sad about anything!"
Xemnas chuckled, "Very good. You don't miss a thing. I cannot feel sorrow...No matter what misery befalls the worlds. No matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist."
But Kairi shook her head, "That's not true. Nobodies can feel. Roxas, Naminé, Axel...hell, even Saïx! I've felt genuine emotions from all of them."
Roxas feeling lonely, Naminé feeling grateful, Axel feeling desperation, Saïx feeling left behind...Those feelings were real. She knew they were...
Xemnas simply smirked, "How long, Princess, do you intend to be a thorn in my side?"
He then threw his arms up and energy surrounded them. It took Kairi to Memory's Skyscraper, but the landscape was completely warped and the environment was nonexistent, like a waving flag in the background. Rain fell all around them.
"Guys!" Kairi cried out. She looks around, but her friends were nowhere to be found.
Only Xemnas was there, standing before her.
He vanished, and a barrier formed around her, sapping her energy. She ran to the skyscraper, where Xemnas was standing on top. She looked up, and the barrier disappeared.
His hands coarsed with blue lightning.
Kairi jumped to the top of the entrance and ran up the building, her Keyblade in hand. Xemnas jumped up, flipped downward, and conjured two red beam swords. He flew down the tower, meeting Kairi on the giant video screen.
She slammed him into the building, stunning him and they both fell to the ground.
At this point, it was still raining.
Xemnas was laying on the ground away from her, fading away, as he said, "Thank you for your service, Your Highness."
"Huh?" Before Kairi could ask what he meant, she heard voices from the other side of reality.
"Kairi! Where are you?" She heard Sora ask.
"Kairi, answer us!" came Riku's voice.
They both sounded panicked, and Kairi felt a pang of guilt course through her veins, even though this wasn't her fault. She never intended to make Sora and Riku worry about her.
Just then, the area vanished, as did all of Kairi's strength. In that moment, as she fell back at the Altar of Naught with a flash of light, and onto her knees, she understood what Xemnas had just done. She had no energy left.
"Kairi!" Mickey called out to her, as Sora and Riku ran to her side and knelt beside her.
"You okay?" Sora asked her.
"No," she managed to reply, with complete honesty. "He tricked me."
"Where's Xemnas?" Riku asked, as he cautiously looked around.
Donald also took a glance around the area, and he was the one who saw Xemnas inside the moon. "What?!" he squaked.
"Hear me, Kingdom Hearts!" Xemnas cried out. The moon began to glow, and Kairi knew it was scanning him for his access. And she knew that it would grant him access.
Because he had gotten it from Kairi, by force.
As Xemnas continued, the moon began to glow brighter and brighter, sending Kairi into more and more pain, "It seems we must begin anew. Ah, but know this: I will give to you as many hearts as it takes. Mark my words! You can no more be complete without me than I without you. Heed me, Kingdom Hearts! Lend me your power, so that we may be complete! The power to erase the fools that hinder us."
"Xemnas! No!" Mickey cried out. Though, by this time, the pain in Kairi's head was preventing her from hearing the others. There was no new memories or anything. It was just white noise within her mind.
"Hearts quivering with hatred..."
"Xemnas! Don't!" Sora called.
"Hearts burning with rage..."
"You'll never win!" Donald warned.
"Hearts scarred by envy...That fool Ansem said the heart's true nature was beyond his understanding. But it's not beyond mine! Hearts are the source of all power!"
The moon glowed insanely bright, and this caused Kairi to fully collapse, fortunately into Goofy's arms, as Xemnas disappeared.
"Xemnas!" Sora yelled. "You can't hide from us!"
"We can't let him get away now!" Mickey told the others.
Kairi's violet eyes opened, her head throbbing as the pain began to subside. Within her heart, she could hear Naminé comment, 'So that's what he intended to do...if I didn't comply with him...'
She also felt Naminé's understanding, realizing that the white noise was common whenever a Princess of Heart was brought directly into contact with Kingdom Hearts.
But Kairi immediately told her that fighting against it was what hurt. If you complied, it didn't feel as bad. Weird, yes, but it didn't hurt.
"Kairi, are you alright?" Goofy asked, helping the girl sit up.
"What happened?" Donald worriedly asked.
"Xemnas trapped her within his attack in order to force her into giving him access to Kingdom Hearts," Mickey explained, and Kairi was grateful that he understood. She didn't feel like explaining anything right now. But she knew she had to give some form on confirmation, so she nodded.
Sora and Riku were still next to her, Sora kneeling and Riku standing. "What do we do now?" Sora asked. "We have to follow him!"
Kairi felt Naminé lend her the strength she needed to stand up. Silently giving the blonde her thanks, the redhead got to her feet, calmly telling the other five, "Don't worry. I know what to do."
She then closed her eyes and opened her heart to the other six Princesses of Heart: Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Alice, and Jasmine. In order to open Kingdom Hearts correctly, permission from all seven were needed (eight, if you counted Naminé, like Kairi did).
But even with Naminé helping her, the connection barely went through. There was too much darkness around her.
So she opened her heart to Sora and Riku, wordlessly asking them for help by reaching out her hands. She was thankful that they didn't have to ask, that they immediately understood without even speaking, that they quickly grabbed her hands, as well as each other's.
She also felt Roxas, within Sora's heart, add his own light as well.
Thanks to them, she managed to get through to the other six Princesses. She asked them for help, for their permission to follow through with her plan.
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy watched as a door appeared.
"Look at that!" Donald cried.
Kairi, Sora, and Riku opened their eyes to see the door that just appeared, releasing each others' hands, as Goofy asked, "What's goin' on?"
"Kingdom Hearts..." Mickey said.
"Let's go," Riku said. "Xemnas has to be inside."
Mickey, however, turned to Kairi as asked, "Kairi, are you giving us access?"
She nodded, "All seven of us are, of our own free will."
He bowed at her with deep respect, "Thank you. Now, we can go through and stop Xemnas!"
Sora nodded, as Riku said, "Once we go through, there's no turning back. It's victory...or oblivion. So, Sora, Kairi...are you two ready? Do you remember before? We all stood facing each other on opposite sides of that door, each with our own role to play. Now we stand side-by-side, with the exact same role. Let's go home together this time."
Sora and Kairi both sent him a smile, nodding.
Kairi felt Kingdom Hearts meld its heart with hers, temporarily, and she let it, two voices overlapping, "Beyond this door is the beginning of the end of your journey. Are you prepared for what lies ahead?"
"Let's end this!" Sora said.
Kairi summoned her Keyblade and raised it up, letting light shine from the tip of her blade, a steady stream of light eventually disappearing, unlocking the door.
As the door opened, Sora vowed, "Get ready, Xemnas! It all ends here!"
To Be Continued...
!~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~O~A~T~H~K~E~E~P~E~R~~A~U~~!
Author's Note About Various Changes: Naminé explains things to Kairi here, because in canon, I feel like she's often left out of the loop. So here, Kairi's a lot more involved and invested, because she now knows what's going on. Also, we also now have an explanation to why Kairi lost her memories at the end of KH1 (and to be honest, this was always my reason).
And again, if this was a game, Kairi's encounter with Saïx would be playable, with Pluto and Naminé as her Party Members. Kairi and Naminé's team attack here is very similar to KH3 Remind's Icy Slider, except with water and light instead of ice, and the title 'Beautiful Wish' is a reference to Mermaid Melody's song of the same name, since there are a few lines in that song that fit the KH series in general rather perfectly.
Someone on TVTropes pointed out that Kairi getting a Keyblade in the canon KH2 is more important that it first appeared to be. You see, by taking the attention of all the Heartless summoned to kill Sora away from Sora and onto her, she forces Xigbar to step in to finish Sora off instead, which leads to Xigbar's demise at Sora's hands. The manga emphasizes this by having her be more obvious about it and then changes it to have Riku fight him instead while Kairi helps Sora fight off the Heartless. However, in this case, the scene's more aligned with the game. Yeah, the manga references are dying down now, in order to let my more original ideas take over. The plot is going to change heavily, starting next chapter.
The reunions between the Destiny trio are all more heartfelt, mostly due to the context of the story up to that point (but also because a part of me wanted to rewrite those scenes anyways). Also, the trio is actually acting like a trio now. And in the fight with Saïx, Kairi becomes a non-party ally to Sora, like Riku in the Parasite Cage fight. The moment between all three of them after Riku is turned back to normal was added because that should've happened and we were robbed.
As for the last scene: Instead of "the worlds" somehow creating a door for them to follow Xemnas, it's Kairi who does it, because that's kind of the point of the Princesses of Heart, right? So while Xemnas gains access by force (hence why it hurts her), she gives the others access by choice (hence why it doesn't hurt her then), which is important. Also, for the callbacks with Naminé, refer to Chapter 7, Day 94.
Note: While I am a big fan of Kingdom Hearts, I just recently got into the fandom, which means I still don't understand most of the lore. So if I get anything wrong, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to stick to canon as closely as this AU will allow me to. Please, no flaming. Instead, just politely inform me in a PM or a review, so I can correct any mistake I make. If you have any ideas or questions, please let me know.
If you want to know what I imagine Kairi to look like, then go to my DeviantArt page, titled "SepticAbzies", and go to the piece titled "Kairi ~ Oathkeeper AU (Full Color)", and if you want an idea of what I have in mind for Naminé, then you can find it on the piece titled "Number 14 AU". I will update the cover image to match Kairi's appearance (as well as Naminé's and Xion's) as I update each chapter, but keep in mind, Kairi's design in this AU matches how I imagine her growth to be.
Next chapter will focus on the ending and the addition of a new player in the game (so to speak).