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 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.
Quick note before we begin: As you will see below, I will be writing Snow White with actual depth, instead of the classic damsel-in-distress that the canon games have depicted her with, and this will also apply to the other Princesses. Not only am I doing this out of personal spite, but it will also make what happens to them all later a lot more impactful, because then they'll feel like actual people. Also, the princes will be given names for the same reason.
This chapter will focus on the first world of Kairi's test, Dwarf Woodlands, where we meet two faces, one familiar and one new. The following scenario is inspired by/based on the "Snow-White and Rose-Red" story, by the Brothers Grimm.
EDIT (2/26/2022): Changed the Prince's name to his canonical name. Thank you, WilyGryphon!
!~~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 16: Dream Drop Distance, Part 2
~Location~
~Dwarf Woodlands~
Florian and Snow White were not married (yet), but they may as well have been. They were far past the honeymoon stage and currently in the comfortably-living-together stage, as if they had been married for years now.
Snow White's stepmother, the Evil Queen, had done quite a bit of damage in the wake of her vanity, so Snow and Florian (who was from a neighboring kingdom, though far from the first in line for that throne) were waiting until all damage was repaired before focusing on themselves. It was a vow they had taken together, and both working toward the same goal purely through kindness and wanting to do the right thing had greatly strengthened their relationship.
One or two things still needed to be fixed, but they were relatively small, and this was the first day the two could take for themselves, so they did, knowing that self-care was just as important as helping others.
So, here the two were, taking a romantic stroll through the woods. It was simple in terms of a date, but both were simple people. It wasn't how elaborate and fancy things were that made them happy. It was the small things.
Snow found it strange, however. She was looking forward to this day ever since they planned it a week ago, but before they left, she had passed out while getting dressed. When she woke up, she found that no time had passed whatsoever, but her body felt heavy and weary. For the next five minutes, she debated on whether or not to let Florian know, before ultimately deciding not to.
It was mostly likely stress from all the work she'd been doing trying to rebuild and repair the kingdom. It made sense because her body felt like it was exhausted.
Besides, all they were doing was walking (it'd be different if they were doing something more physical). The trees gave plenty of shade, he had a dagger if they got into any trouble, and if she needed to rest, he would rest with her, no questions asked.
She trusted him with her life.
Florian asking her, "The gardeners are wondering which flower would complete the garden," brought Snow back to reality.
"Violets," she answered. "They mean 'modesty' or 'humility'." AKA, the opposite of her stepmother's vanity.
"Alright, then," he replied with a smile. "Violets it is."
Just then, without warning, Snow felt her world grow cold. Frozen in place, she couldn't move as giant footsteps shook the ground behind her, growing as they got closer, with the shadow of whatever creature they belonged to also growing in size.
She then felt Florian tackle her to the ground right before a giant hand smashed the ground she was just standing on. It was only then that she got a good look at the creature that had attacked her.
It was a giant red apple with black tentacles for limbs and a sickly purple tint. It was frightening and it reminded Snow way too heavily of the poisoned apple that old woman (her stepmother, sorry) had made her eat.
"F-Flori-" she muttered, feeling disconnected from reality, but he cut her off.
"Don't talk," he told her, before handing her his dagger. "Just run. I'll catch up as soon as I can."
He sounded worried and somewhat scared, so she did exactly as he said, her hand tightly gripping her only means of defense. She did not turn around, not even when she heard a faint cry of pain.
She only stopped when she ran into something that sent her stumbling to the ground.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" came a feminine voice. "Are you alright?"
Snow looked up to see a blonde-haired girl with a dark dress standing over her, hand stretched out to help her back to her feet, and a concerned expression. The stranger seemed kind enough, but Snow paused.
This girl had the same face as Snow herself did.
Why? This was too uncanny to believe. It was like looking into a mirror with reversed colors.
"Umm..." the stranger cut through Snow's thoughts. "Can you hear me? Did you hit your head or something?"
Snow shook her head, "Sorry, I'm fine." She ignored the helping hand and got to her feet on her own, tucking the dagger into her belt.
The stranger didn't do anything, her heart was kind and gentle, and she obviously wanted to help, so why was Snow feeling like she couldn't be trusted?
"Good," the stranger said. "I was worried I hit you too hard." She then paused, as if realizing something, before adding, "I'm sorry. Where are my manners? My name is Rose Red. I was running because I heard someone cry for help."
"Snow White," Snow quietly introduced herself in kind. "I was running away from a monster."
"That would explain the dagger," Rose Red, the stranger, replied.
Snow considered herself quiet and shy, and she preferred spending her time indoors, by doing housework or reading. Rose Red here was quite clearly the opposite: outspoken, lively, and cheerful, and obviously preferred outsoor activities, judging by her clothes.
Snow tried to calm her nerves, advising Rose, "Don't go towards the danger. That monster looked very lethal. Go hide somewhere and I will find someone who can destroy it."
Rose was a little too cheerful when replying, "Okay. Good luck, and be safe. Remember that you have that dagger for a reason," before running in the direction she came from.
As Snow White ran in another direction, using her light to call for someone with a Keyblade, she felt heartbroken (quite literally).
She wanted to trust Rose Red. Rose's heart was honest and trustworthy, and her actions amplified what her heart was feeling, but Snow couldn't avoid going back to that poisoned apple.
She trusted that old woman, trusted the apple the woman gave her, only for that woman to be her stepmother in disguise, and that apple to be poisoned.
After waking up, she swore to herself that she would exercise caution from that point forward.
But now, she was asking herself if exercising caution came before possibly making a new friend...
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
Kairi had a feeling that all six of the other Princesses needed her help, but she heard Snow White's S.O.S. first. She could tell due to Snow White's Heart Station quickly appearing from the darkness Kairi was flying through.
Necho Cat and Aura Lion landed on the grass beside her, ready to destroy some nightmares. Kairi was glad that she didn't have to explain the urgency of the situation to them, that they seemed to already know who they were saving and why they needed to be quick.
She also felt intrigued when she felt access to a new Keyblade within her heart.
"Alright, first course of action is to find Snow White," Kairi told her Dream Eater companions.
Aura Lion nodded its head to Kairi's left, and Kairi turned to face that direction just as a black haired young woman in a blue and yellow dress and red cape entered the area through a clearing in the trees.
"Snow!" Kairi called out.
"Kairi!" Snow White smiled in relief as she stopped in front of Kairi and her two friends. "Thank goodness! I need help!"
"That's why I'm here," Kairi said, as Snow breathed heavily, out of breath from all the running. "You called out to the rest of us because you felt you were in danger, and I heard you. My friends," Kairi motioned to the two Dream Eaters at her side, "and I can keep you safe."
By this time, Snow had managed to catch her breath, and she smiled, "I'm glad," before it then faded, "but I can't shake the feeling that the others are in just as much danger as I am."
Kairi hesitated, not sure if she should tell Snow the truth, but she ultimately decided not to keep Snow in the dark, "They are. That's why I'm the only one who's here."
"I don't regret asking for help," Snow reassured the young girl, "and I am very grateful you heard my call. I just hope that all seven of us can make it out of this in one piece."
"As long as we all stick together, I'm sure of it," Kairi offered a determined smile.
"And also, as long as you be careful," Snow added. "If six of us are incapacitated, there's a good chance the seventh will soon follow."
"I know," Kairi replied, with a nervous frown. "But I have a Keyblade, and I plan on using it." It was time to change the subject, kinda, "Now, what's wrong?"
Snow's smile fell as she recalled what she just went through, "There's a creature here that reminds me of that apple. Florian and I were just on a walk, but the moment it appeared, I couldn't move. It snuck up from behind, but I felt paralysed with fear. Florian gave me his dagger and told me to run."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know," Snow breathed, her trembling voice a testament to how stressed she was. "He said he catch up, but as I ran, I thought I heard him cry out in pain."
"I see," Kairi said, already thinking. A creature that reminded Snow of that deadly apple? Sounded like a Nightmare.
And if a Nightmare was here, and from how Snow described her encounter with it, that was a sure sign that Snow was indeed trapped in her own heart, forced to live through her nightmare.
"Let's go find Florian," Kairi suggested. "If he did indeed cry out in pain, it could be that he must've gotten hurt. And if he did, he needs our help."
Snow White nodded, her face steeled up in determination, as she reached into her belt and pulled out her beloved's dagger. "Let's go."
Just then, several dark portals appeared in the sky, and from them emerged several Nightmares. Kairi noted that these Nightmares were very similar to the Dream Eaters she had met in Traverse Town, just with darker color schemes.
Beside her, Necho Cat and Aura Lion tensed up, ready to fight, while Snow White began trembling in fear.
"No, no, no, no, no," Snow mumbled. "Not Heartless. Not now!"
"They're not Heartless," Kairi quickly told her. "But they are dangerous. Hide somewhere. We can take care of them."
Snow quickly ducked behind a tree, and Necho Cat and Aura Lion poounced, as Kairi decided to test out the new Keyblade that entering Snow White's heart had given her access to.
The Treasure Trove Keyblade, which was modeled after a mine (complete with a cart as the handle, rails as the blade, a pickaxe as the teeth, and a red gem as the keychain), gave her a balanced boost in Strength and Magic. It was also surrounded in a swirling yellow aura, Snow White's aura to be more specific. Weilding it felt like Snow was fighting alongside her.
Once the last Nightmare fell, Kairi turned to Snow's hiding spot and said, "C'mon! We can't stay here!"
Snow got out from behind the trees she was hiding behind and joined the trio in the clearing, before the group as a whole began to run, following Snow White's directions.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
Snow White's directions led them to the castle. When they got to the exact place that she and Florian split up, she was unnerved to find out that no one was there, not even hiding behind a tree.
Snow had gently called his name, trying to coax him out of hiding, as well as explaining who Kairi was (a "friend who's here to help"). But nothing.
Kairi then advised her to search her heart, that if Snow and Florian were as close as Snow said they were, then Snow could find him easily.
Snow followed that advice, and it led the four back to the castle. Snow smiled, knowing that this was a safe place, and she ran forward, towards the gardens, only to be stopped when she heard Kairi cry out a warning.
"Snow, watch out!"
Once again, Snow was tackled to the ground just in time to avoid something slamming into the ground where she was just standing.
"You okay?" she heard Kairi ask. Snow nodded, before Kairi turned to get a look at what had just attacked them. "Woah, what is that?"
Snow followed Kairi's line of sight, and saw it. It was back, that thing that scared her so much, it paralyzed her.
Kairi saw a red apple-like creature, with long black tendrils for limbs and tinted with a sickly purple. At first glance, she knew that this was the creature Snow was referencing a couple hours prior.
"Snow, i-is that...?" Kairi paused, before finding her voice. "Is that what you were talking about earlier? That creature?"
"Y-Yes..." Snow's voice was soft and quiet, and filled to the brim with fear.
The redhead then noticed the emblem on top of the thing's head. The Nightmares' emblem.
This thing was a Nightmare, just as Kairi had suspected.
Kairi was grateful that she hadn't froze up the way Snow had. Though to be fair, there was a reason for that. If this was indeed Snow White's heart (and Kairi knew for certain that it was), this Poison Apple Nightmare was the embodiment of Snow's fears and insecurities. Kairi could never be able to understand the depth of what this Nightmare stood for in Snow White's eyes.
(Kairi then briefly wondered what her own Nightmare looked like, but she quickly turned her mind to something else.)
However, she did understand the feeling of freezing up. It was the feeling she got whenever she felt a strong prescence of darkness (like Ansem, Seeker of Darkness and Xemnas, for example).
"Stay here," Kairi told Snow, "and hide as soon as you can move."
Snow nodded, before Kairi got to her feet, summoning Treasure Trove in order to fight this thing.
Maybe if she got rid of the Nightmare, then Snow White would be saved.
However, before she could attack it, out of nowhere, an animal pounced on the Nightmare.
The prescence of the animal seemed to give Snow her mobility back, "Is that...a bear?"
"Yeah," Kairi replied, both of them watching as the beast began clawing at the Nightmare without mercy. Necho Cat and Aura Lion stood beside them in defensive positions, ready to attack.
"He's buying us time to run," Snow White suddenly said, and it caught Kairi's attention.
"What? How do you know that?" was the redhead's biggest question.
"I don't know," Snow replied. "But I know I can trust it."
Kairi stood there, however, debating on whether or not to help the bear. As someone with access to a Keyblade, the onus was on her to defeat the Nightmare, especially since she had a feeling that defeating it would free Snow from the darkness plaguing.
However, her top priority was Snow's safety, something King Mickey had made very clear.
"Alright," Kairi said, choosing to take Snow White's word for it. "Then, let's make sure its sacrifice is not in vain. We need to go."
"Where?" Snow asked.
"Somewhere you feel safe," Kairi replied, making sure Snow ran ahead of her.
Kairi did not feel comfortable leaving that bear behind to face that Nightmare alone. But, she did need to make sure Snow would be out of danger first before Kairi herself placed herself in danger. After all, there was a reason Snow always froze up in the prescence of that Poison Apple Nightmare, and freezing up with a dangerous enemy nearby would not help matters at all.
As the two ran away from the castle, the two Dream Eaters hot on their tails, Snow asked, "Where are we going?"
"I told you, somewhere you feel safe," Kairi replied. "I need to destroy that monster, but before I do, I need to make sure you're in a safe place with protectors you can trust."
"I know the perfect place," was Snow's response.
"That's exactly where I'm heading," Kairi called back.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
The two were indeed thinking of the same place: the dwarves' cottage. This was the place Snow hid in from her evil stepmother, with people who kept her safe and avenged her after she ate that apple (because they thought she was dead).
Snow White's home away from home.
"I'll be back," Kairi was explaining to Snow as the two walked up to the cottage door. The two Dream Eaters stood guard nearby, watching the forest. "I just need you to stay here until that monster is gone."
"Why can't I fight with you?" Snow asked.
That was a question that Kairi was hoping she wouldn't ask, because she was afraid of hurting Snow's feelings.
Hence why she was hesitant when answering, "Because freezing up in the midst of any type of danger could lead to things going south real quick. I'm sorry, Snow, but it's best if you stay here, away from danger." Kairi knocked on the cottage door, hoping the dwarves were home and understanding of the situation. "But don't worry, I'll be leaving Aura Lion with you. He'll protect you all in case any more of those monsters appear."
Snow sighed, but she nodded, "I understand. And I deeply apologize for all of this trouble."
Knowing the feeling of being a burden all too well, Kairi offered a smile in hopes of cheering up the elder of the two, "It's alright. I know you would do the same for me, for any of us."
Snow returned the smile with one of her own, a genuine one, knowing that was true. The seven of them were were unique beings in the multiverse, due to their hearts of pure light and inability to hold any type of darkness, and they went through things that only the seven of them would understand. They were sisters-in-arms.
(Kairi, however, was different from the other six in two ways: one, she had a Keyblade, and two, she also had a Nobody.)
The door opened to reveal one of the dwarves. Snow's smile got even wider, "Doc!"
"Snow White, my dear!" Doc warmly greeted her. As soon as he said her name, the other six dwarves immediately showed their faces.
Kairi could feel Snow White's heart beat in the warmth of familiarity. The was all around her, which made sense judging by where they were (it was also because of this that Kairi already knew the names of all the dwarves).
The redhead smiled as the other six dwarves' faces immediately broke out into smiles, even Grumpy.
Kairi contently watched as the seven dwarves all wrapped Snow White in one giant group hug. She could feel how warm and safe Snow White felt with these guys, and to be honest, that's all that mattered.
(It reminded Kairi of how safe she always felt with Riku and Sora.)
"And who is your friend?" Happy asked.
"Oh, hello," Kairi introduced herself. "My name is Kairi. Listen, I need to ask you all of a favor. There's a monster out there that's after Snow. Is it alright if she stayed here until I defeat that monster?"
She knew, judging by how warm Snow felt, that the dwarves would agree, but she knew it was better to ask first.
"Of course," Sneezy said, before sneezing. "Achoo!"
"She's always welcome," Grumpy took over. "What sort of monster is this?"
"A dangerous one," Kairi admitted. "You guys cannot come with me. I have to face it alone. Besides, you all can better protect Snow if you stay here with her."
To be honest, she didn't have to go alone, and she'd be joined by Necho Cat, but it was easier to convince them all to stay here if she said so.
"She has a point," Bashful shyly pointed out.
"True," Doc said. "Very well, Miss Kairi. W-We will leave it to you."
"Thank you," Kairi replied, grateful that they understood.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from upstairs, before they got louder as they descended the stairs. An unfamiliar face popped out and asked, "Who's at the door?"
"An old friend," Happy replied.
The stranger showed more of herself, and Kairi immediately felt Snow's heart (all around her) suddenly tense up and grow cold in distrust.
"Oh, hello," the stranger said. "It's Snow White! And you?"
It took Kairi a second to realize that the stranger was addressing her. "Oh, I'm Kairi. I'm a friend of Snow's. And who are you, if I may ask?"
"It's nice to meet another one of Snow's friends!" the stranger replied, crossing over to shake Kairi's hand. As she did so, she continued, "I'm-"
"-Rose Red," came Snow White's voice. It was then that Kairi realized the state Snow's heart was really in.
It was cracked, fractured. Exactly what King Mickey had warned her about.
Feeling the need to take action, Kairi immediately asked, "So you know each other already. Was it a good meeting?"
"Yes, how did you two meet?" Grumpy asked. Kairi couldn't tell if he had the same concerns about Snow that she did.
"We ran into each other in the woods," Rose Red replied. "I heard someone cry out in pain, and so I was running over to help. Snow was running away to find help. Am I correct in guessing that you," Rose Red was addressing Kairi here, "are that help?"
Kairi nodded, "Yes."
"Yes, she is," Snow confirmed, her voice soft with distrust. "What are you doing here, Rose Red?"
"She lives here now," Sleepy answered.
"W-What?" Snow asked, not believing that.
"She ran away from town and needed a place to stay," Doc explained. "So we opened our home to her."
Kairi could feel Snow's heart begin to shake in insecurity. Snow would never voice this aloud, but Kairi noted how the elder of the two was worrying about not being good enough for her oldest friends. Did they find Rose Red better than Snow White? More loving, more compassionate, nicer to be around? Snow's heart was fracturing more and more the longer she dwelled on this.
Again, Kairi could never understand the depth of Snow White's trauma, so she didn't really understand why Snow was so distrusting of Rose Red. All she understood was that as long as Rose Red was around, Snow did not feel safe.
She had to fix this. She had to prevent Snow White's heart from fracturing even more than it already had.
Dopey tugged on Snow's dress, the expression on his face clearly asking if she was okay. Snow answered with a surprisingly honest, "No, I am not okay. How can I be okay when someone who has the same face as me is following wherever I go?"
Kairi knew that wasn't the reason for all the distrust. Well, it was true, but Snow was just saying this to avoid revealing her traumas.
Because the seven Princesses of Heart were supposed to be perfect. Weak damsels who didn't have any problems and rely on other people to save them. They weren't supposed to have negative emotions, or any thoughts that might compromise their light, their source of power, the only thing protecting the multiverse from absolute darkness.
(The people who foolishly believed this were clearly the real weak ones.)
Snow White's sudden observation made Kairi snap back to attention, "And now that I think about it, you and that monster have the same color scheme. Are you two connected? Are those monsters here because of you?"
Rose Red was trying her best to defend herself, and Kairi could feel in her own heart that she was innocent, being falsely accused by Snow White, who was obviously feeling very threatened.
"The monsters are not here because of Rose Red, Snow," Kairi quickly cut in, making everyone turn to her. "They may be here because of me. I don't know for sure." She didn't actually believe this, knowing that the Nightmares were here because Snow White herself was asleep. She just needed to prevent Snow's heart from breaking more, as well as prevent Snow from panicking over the reality of her situation. "But don't worry, I know how to destroy them."
"In that case," Doc asked, "won't we be safer at the castle?"
"That's true," Happy said. "The knights there will protect us, right?"
"No," Kairi was quick to reply. "The safest place for all of us is where Snow White herself feels the safest, because that feeling will strengthen her light."
She knew it was an odd and cryptic answer, but the dwarves seem to understand, and it allowed Kairi to realize that they all knew Snow White was special the moment they laid eyes on her. That's why none of them objected to taking her in. Snow White's light came from her innocence and optimism. Kairi knew that, and the dwarves did too (they always had). And right now, they too were worried.
Meanwhile, Kairi was also analyzing Snow's deepest thoughts and feelings. She was confused. She felt the safest in this cottage, but since Rose Red was here too, Snow was left with conflicting feelings.
Kairi paused upon remembering the Poison Apple Nightmare, and it was most likely stood for, what it probably reminded Snow White of. So she calmly cut in, "Snow, trust me, none of this is Rose Red's fault, and none of this is your fault either. It's just a misunderstanding, and maybe if you explained yourself and got it all of your chest, then things would get better."
Snow paused, digesting those words. However, she hesitated, "But we seven are not allowed to have problems, remember?"
"Never listen to anyone who says that," Kairi immediately replied. "We seven are people too."
Snow offered Kairi a small, grateful smile before turning to Rose Red with a genuinely apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Rose. I really am. I want to trust you, I really do. But the last time I trusted someone, I was poisoned by their gift."
Of course. Trust issues. No one could blame her for that. It was a justifiable effect of the traumatic cause.
Snow continued, "I know that you are a kind and compassionate person, and I would love for us to be friends, but I don't know if you'll betray me like that old woman did."
Rose Red was quiet throughout this. Once Snow was done, Rose was still quiet, probably preparing her response. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and sympathetic. "I'm sorry, as well. I never meant to cause so much trouble for my own sister."
"What?" Snow asked.
"'Sister'?" the seven dwarves added (well, those who could talk, at least).
Rose blushed, "Y-Yes. When the evil Queen took over, you lived in the castle as a scullery maid, while I was sent to the nearby village and lived there as a baker. At least, until the Queen was removed from power and you took over. The ones who took me in told me that you and I were twins separated from birth, and that it was safe to return to you. I was happy with you not knowing who I really was, but due to what you just told us, I decided to instead be honest."
Snow was quiet, "And I thank you for making that decision. Again, I want to trust you, but the past won't let me."
"Then, let's start slowly. At your pace," Rose suggested. "I don't want you to feel rushed."
"Thank you," Snow smiled, and suddenly the cottage felt a lot safer than it did before this heart-to-heart.
However, a couple seconds later, the world around them shook as if caught in an earthquake, and Kairi immediately rushed out the front door.
The ground shook again thanks to an explosion from a Nightmare. Not just any Nightmare.
The Poison Apple Nightmare.
It was back, and Kairi didn't know how it found them. Probably because this was Snow White's heart, and it was quite literally a nightmare plaguing her.
Necho Cat and Aura Lion were already pouncing on the thing, and Kairi called back to the others, "Get back inside!", before summoning Treasure Trove.
However, before she could attack it, the same bear from earlier bounced on the Nightmare, sending it tumbling to the ground. The bear growled at it. Kairi was surprised when the Nightmare actually backed away, seemingly in fear of the bear.
The bear pounced again, this time missing its target. The Nightmare ran away from the cottage, and the bear was quick to follow.
"Is everything okay?" she heard Doc ask.
"I need to chase after it," she replied. "You guys stay here. Aura Lion, stay here and protect them! Necho Cat, c'mon!"
Both Dream Eaters bounded in a way that told Kairi they understood, but before Kairi and Necho Cat could leave, Snow White stopped her by grabbing her wrist, the one holding her Keyblade.
Kairi turned to face Snow, saying, "Sorry, Snow, but you have to stay here. It's too dangerous."
"I know," Snow White replied, "but I think I know who that bear is. If I'm right, then I have to help him."
'Who'? 'Him'? Snow's choice of words made Kairi raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Besides, this is a fight I have to participate in," Snow said, and Kairi noticed then that the other was brandishing Florian's dagger.
Kairi was getting the feeling that Snow White wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. The redhead knew that feeling all too well, so she sighed, not really having a choice.
"Okay," she replied. "In that case, Aura Lion, you're coming with us." Aura Lion bounded his head to show he understood.
Snow turned back towards the cottage, where Rose Red and the seven dwarves were, "Rose, I trust you to keep my friends safe."
Rose smiled warmly and nodded, determined to not let her estranged sister down.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
The four were running in the direction that the Nightmare escaped in, with the bear hot on its heels.
Upon reaching the same clear that the two had run into each other, Snow White once again stopped Kairi by grabbing her wrist.
"What's up?" Kairi asked, before feeling that this next moment was crucial. "What's wrong, Snow? Are you okay?"
The world suddenly went dark as a light began to shine from Snow's chest. Her hands cupped the light that emerged from her. Kairi watched as the light formulated into a flower petal.
It was bright.
Anyone with darkness in their heart would've immediately covered their eyes, but Kairi was able to withstand the brightness, due to her heart also being light itself.
Kairi blinked, "A heart fragment..." And not just any heart fragment. "B-But, Snow, this is your-..."
"My X-Blade fragment, yes. I'm giving it to you."
Kairi didn't know why the Princesses of Heart existed until Master Yen Sid explained to her, Sora, and Riku the history behind the Keyblade War. He explained that the X-Blade shattered into twenty pieces: seven pieces of light and thirteen shards of darkness. The seven pieces of light became the hearts of seven pure maidens, the Princesses of Heart.
"B-But...you can't live without this," Kairi protested. If Snow White gave up that fragment, then she would, for sure, die.
"Technically, I haven't given it up just yet," Snow said. "All of this is happening inside of my own heart, after all."
Kairi blinked. It took a moment for her to realize what Snow just said. When it hit her, she tensed up.
Snow continued, "This is my own personal nightmare. Afraid of trusting the wrong person, worrying that I've been forgotten, freezing up in the prescence of danger. It's too perfect. What did you call those monsters?"
Snow White knew the truth that Kairi was trying to shield her from, afraid that it would fracture her heart even further.
Kairi swallowed, hoping to get rid of the dryness in her mouth, "I didn't name them." Snow raised an eyebrow at her, signaling to Kairi that now was the time to give said monsters a name. The redhead sighed, "They're called Nightmares, and Necho Cat and Aura Lion are called Dream Eaters, creatures who eat nightmares." She paused, "When did you figure it out?"
"In the cottage," Snow White replied. "You seemed to understand what I was feeling and thinking perfectly, even though I didn't say a word to you. The only way that would be possible is if you were inside my heart and feeling my emotions for yourself."
Kairi was remembering what King Mickey told her in Traverse Town, that the Princesses were trapped in their own nightmares, but she was surprised that Snow White was aware of that. Were the others aware of this too? Or were they blissfully ignorant?
Snow seemed to read Kairi's mind, "Yes, we are all aware of what's going on. And if we don't, we will figure it out when you appear." Snow paused, before continuing, "Kairi, listen to me. I know my heart is broken, and there is no way it can be fixed now. Our only hope is entrusting my X-Blade fragment to you and making sure you escape."
"'Escape'?"
"Once I die, my X-Blade fragment will find someone else to lend its power to," Snow explained. "But in order to do that, you must also wake up."
"Wait, 'wake up'?" Kairi was still confused.
"Yes," Snow said. "You are asleep as well, are you not?"
Kairi reminded herself of the Mark of Mastery exam, the whole reason she was here in the first place.
"Yeah, I am," Kairi said. "Because it's the only way to access the drop system."
"That's not what I mean," came another bombshell from Snow. Seeing Kairi's startled expression, Snow continued, "This morning, I suddenly passed out, despite feeling fine before that. When I woke up, I felt incredibly exhausted without knowing the reason why. Has that happened to you?"
Kairi's stomach dropped as she recalled passing out in Traverse Town before King Mickey appeared before her.
"Y-Yeah..."
"That's my point," Snow White concluded. "All seven of us are asleep and at the complete mercy of whoever put us there. The real me is in the prescence of people who don't understand what's happening and can't do anything to help if things go wrong."
"But I am," Kairi quickly cut in. It was true. King Mickey, Master Yen Sid, Donald, Goofy, Shion, Sora, and Riku...if things went south, Kairi knew she could trust them to save her.
Snow nodded, "That's why you are our best hope, Kairi. That's why I am entrusting this fragment to you."
Kairi swallowed the lump in her throat before whispering, "But I can't just leave the six of you behind. I'm here to save you all."
"I know. We know," Snow said, correcting herself. "And I'm sorry this is how it has to be. But if all seven pieces of light fall into the wrong hands, the entire multiverse is in danger. We all know that."
Kairi's eyes stung with unshed tears as she took the fragment from Snow and accepted it into her own heart.
Once that was done, Snow seemed to cheer up, "Now, let's go defeat that Nightmare."
Why? Wouldn't it be better if Kairi just left? What was the point in defeating the Nightmare if Snow knew she wouldn't survive either way?
A happy ending.
It's what Snow White deserved. She wanted to be surrounded by her friends, both old and new, and her beloved. And if that's what Snow wanted, then that's what Kairi would give her.
So Kairi smiled softly and nodded.
And the four were off again, running towards the danger.
The fact that the sky was still dark slipped away from Kairi's mind.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
They found the Poison Apple Nightmare in the courtyard, just in time for it to slash at the bear with one of its black tendrils. The bear lay on its side, whimpering in pain.
Knowing Aura Lion was equipped with Cure, Kairi saw Snow White's worried expression and reassured, "Don't worry. Focus on your opponent."
Swallowing the fear she felt upon seeing this Nightmare again, Snow wielded her beloved's dagger in a reverse grip, "Right."
Snow White and Necho Cat charged into the fight together, while Kairi turned to Aura Lion, and gave the order, "Heal the bear!"
Aura Lion ran over to the bear as Kairi turned back to the Nightmare, and charged at full force.
No one and nothing could stop her from destroying this thing. She had been interrupted from doing so twice, so her anger and frustration had been built up. Now, there was the added pain of knowing that she had failed to save Snow White, one of her sisters.
Just like with the Hockomonkey Nightmare in Traverse Town, Kairi let that anger fuel her in the fight. However, this time, she was also looking over at Snow White every so often, observing how she was fairing in this fight.
And she was pleased at how well Snow was holding her own. Her hits were not all that powerful, but her surprising speed made her good at dodging. Her strongest attack was using Faith with the dagger, which blinded the Poison Apple Nightmare long enough to Kairi to get a few, much stronger hits in.
It took a couple of minutes and it was tough, but they won. By the time it was over, Kairi had a shallow cut on her arm, while Snow only had a small cut on her cheek.
As the Poison Apple Nightmare disappated into the void of the darkness, finally defeated, Snow turned towards the bear, who began to glow. Kairi followed Snow White's gaze, and blinked in surprise as the light morphed the bear into a man.
A man whom Snow White recognized, apparently, judging by how she immediately ran up to him and enveloped him in a hug, dropping the dagger in the grass on the way.
Kairi put away her Keyblade and picked up the dagger, with a gentle smile.
"I was so worried about you!" Snow exclaimed.
"Worry no more, love," the man said. "I am here, alive and well."
Kairi smiled before calmly cutting in, holding out the dagger towards him, "You must be Florian."
The man smiled and took his dagger back, "I am. Thank you for keeping Snow safe, Miss, uh...?"
"Kairi. And thank you for keeping that monster away from us as long as possible," Kairi returned.
"Yes, thank you," Snow added, "but that was dangerous! What happened to you?"
"That monster turned me into a bear," Florian explained. "It was not a painless transformation, and the entire time, it hurt me to just to use my eyes to look around. Despite that, I knew I had to protect you, Snow, from that monster, because I knew it would come after you if it wasn't already focused on me."
Snow softly smiled in admiration, while Kairi said, "Mission accomplished. I could tell that it had become scared of you." Which she had to admit was an impressive feat, considering it was a Nightmare, rather than normal animal.
That, and he was in pain the entire time.
Kairi then turned to Snow, "When did you figure it out?" She had remembering Snow saying she had a feeling as to who the bear was, even going so far as calling it a 'he'.
"When he scared it off at the cottage," Snow replied. "Every time Florian showed up, I never felt threatened by his bear form, but seeing him actually scaring the Nightmare away is what made me realize what had happened to him."
It did make sense. The bear never once harmed Snow White, not even by a simple growl at her.
Kairi smiled before summoning Treasure Trove again. She pointed it at the sky, where a bright lock appeared. A light shot from the tip of her Keyblade and straight at the lock, engulfing it in light.
What she hoped to accomplish by this was allowing Snow to hold on for a little bit longer. Maybe she could save them all and then return the fragments to them?
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
Kairi watched as Snow White and Florian reunited with Rose Red and the dwarves at the cottage. She noted how Snow was now completely open to being friends with Rose, and Kairi knew that it was because Snow had accepted her fate, so even if Rose betrayed her now, it wouldn't make a difference.
They looked like one big happy family.
Snow White was now at peace, and Kairi knew it was time to move on. After all, the other five were still in danger.
She and Snow locked eyes one last time, and Snow nodded, sad but understanding.
Snow White had accepted her fate, and now she wanted Kairi to leave so the others would get a chance to give Kairi their X-Blade fragments too.
Kairi sadly smiled before turning around to leave, Necho Cat and Aura Lion close behind.
The sky was still dark and once Kairi left, it turned completely black.
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
~Destiny Islands, 10 Years Ago~
Kairi's memories about the first twenty-four hours she spent on Destiny Islands were not strong at all. She was a mere five-year-old girl who had just washed up on the shores of the play island. She didn't know what had happened to her, but she could remember how she felt.
She remembered feeling like she wanted to cry, her heart aching due to pain and suffering she couldn't remember at all. The only thing she could remember was her name.
She vaguely remembered being found by Riku and Sora, Riku running off to get an adult, and Sora comforting her. She remembered crying, but stopping the longer time she spent with them. She felt safe with them, a feeling that would linger on into the future.
And not just linger, but also grow stronger.
But she felt exhausted and unable to think straight, so she had passed out soon after Riku returned with his and Sora's parents.
When Kairi woke up next, she was in a completely white room, which she understood now to be a hospital room.
Her eyes fluttered open, only to find herself all alone. However, the door was propped open, and Kairi could hear some adults talking. As she familiarized herself with the citizens, Kairi learned years later who was in the conversation that day.
"How is she?" The mayor, and her future adoptive mother.
"She had quite a bit of internal bleeding, a mild concussion, and a few lacerations, but nothing serious. She'll be fine. She just needs to rest." The doctor.
"Has she told you anything about where she came from? According to Riku, she doesn't remember anything." Riku's mom.
"She was very delirious, and very out of it due to the concussion," again, the doctor. "But no, she didn't name any names whatsoever. She just kept apologizing."
"I see," the mayor, again.
"Maybe her memories will return the longer she's awake." Sora's dad.
"Maybe," the doctor, again. "But there's something else that concerns me more. The lacerations are very surgical and only in certain places."
"What does that mean?" Riku's dad.
The doctor replied with, "Well, I can only think of two possibilities. One, she had a surgery very recently, at least two days ago, but that's unlikely given their random, various locations."
"And two?" Sora's mom. She sounded like she dreaded what the doctor's answer would be.
"Two, the most likely scenario, she was experimented on."
For some reason, hearing that second option made five-year-old Kairi's stomach plummet in fear. And she didn't know why, not even ten years later when she could understand all the adults' fears about where she came from and what happened to her to cause her amnesia.
The mayor was quiet until this point, and her voice was soft as she replied, "If the second one is the truth, then perhaps it's better if she doesn't remember."
Kairi, both age five and age fifteen, agreed with this.
The mayor continued, this time a little bit louder, "I'll take her in for now while the 'missing' posters circulate the islands. If someone doesn't claim her within the next month, however, then I'm adopting her."
"I don't think anybody will claim her," Sora's mom said. "According to Sora and Riku both, she fell out of the sky."
"Unlikely," Riku's dad replied. "It's most likely a child's imagination. She probably just washed up from a neighboring island."
Kairi remembered taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, but turning her head to look out the window. She gazed out at the stars in the sky that was painted with dark violet and a little bit of orange as the sun prepared to rise and signal another day.
She remembered feeling uncertain about the future, and wondering if she would actually be adopted by the mayor, if she would see those boys, Riku and Sora, again. She remembered wanting to thank them for finding her.
Would she ever get that chance?
!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!
~La Cité des Cloches~
Sora stood near the altar, looking at a powerful statue, "All that time, Quasimodo let himself be trapped inside the nightmares Frollo gave him."
He walked to the beam of light pouring in through the large stained-blass window, but stopped when he saw a figure walking toward him.
"Hypocrite," the figure said. "You are the one who has made your heart a prison..."
Sora recognized the figure as the young cloaked man from Traverse Town, "You again. What are you talking about?"
For a split second, however, a memory awoke in the recesses of Sora's heart, and he saw an image of a boy with black hair similar to his own.
"Even if you are not the prisoner," the young man continued.
Sora was bewildered, until his heart painfully skipped a beat. It only lasted a moment, but as Sora clutched a hand to his chest, the young man walked into a Corridor, which closed after the man entered it.
Sora looked up as a keyhole appeared on the stained-glass window. He raised his Keyblade and sealed it.
"My heart's...a prison?" he asked himself.
He closed his eyes, letting the light wash over him.
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: The first scene serves as a prologue of sorts, as it sets up the themes for the rest of the chapter. First, we have Snow being given a dagger, a means of protecting herself, which she's never gotten to do before. Second, we have Rose Red, who is not only her foil, but also a clear view into Snow's own personal nightmare, which is "trusting the wrong person", a direct and understandable result of her BBS story as well as the movie's version of the (nearly) same events. Both versions have her trust the old hag (the evil queen in disguise), only for the apple she was given to be poisoned, leading to her near-demise. However, her light is connected to her kindness and innocence. Upon meeting Rose Red, Snow White immediately struggles with making a new friend versus exercising caution, thereby causing her heart to begin to fracture.
Remember that this was all taking place inside of Snow's own heart, so for those wondering if Rose Red is an actual character in the actual Dwarf Woodlands: no, Rose Red in this story is just part of Snow White's nightmare. Sorry, she's not real.
The Treasure Trove Keyblade's appearance is from X/Union X, the final upgrade. I added the glow because Kairi is a Princess of Heart weilding the Keyblade inside the heart of another Princess. It seemed appropriate. The other five Keyblades Kairi will get will be the same way.
You'll have to wait to see what Kairi's Nightmare looks like. It's in the story plans, I promise. But we need to visit the other five Princesses first. Speaking of whom, Snow White giving Kairi her X-Blade fragment is very important. Now you guys know the urgency of the situation, and why Kairi passed out last chapter.
And yes, Snow White wields and fights with the dagger the same way Ventus fights with his Keyblade. Just a fun little nod to who saved her all those years ago.
The ending memories of Kairi's time on Destiny Islands will be important for later, and there will be one for each chapter featuring the other five Princesses. Finally, the ending scene with Sora is there mainly to show where he and Riku are in their own stories, to establish a timeline here (and I'll explain the change to that scene later, I swear).
Note: While I am a big fan of Kingdom Hearts, I am still prone to getting the lore wrong at times. 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 (but this point is where I'm starting to go my own direction). 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 I have collages for Naminé, Xion, and my OC now as well. 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 second world, Enchanted Dominion, where the Princess there struggles to stop something far beyond her control.