xOneSkyx: Thanks for the offer! There have been many times that I have thought about asking someone to help me with this story, but I don't want to spoil anything for my readers, and I don't want to force someone new to read the whole series to catch up ha. If I get desperate I will let you know, though.

Nevquariel: This is definitely the hardest thing I've ever written. It's more difficult than regular fanfiction because there's no actual canon to follow, but also more difficult than an original work because there are still certain things I have to include. And this series is definitely the longest thing I've ever written, too! I think I will be sticking with much shorter things for a while after this is done. Anyway, I didn't get much written last week because my husband was off of work (thanks to covid19) and we were working on projects around the house. This week I'm making...slow progress. But it's progress.

Alright, back this week with an actual update! Thanks, everyone, for your understanding.

Quick note before we start, if any of you happen to be in the Voltron fandom, I posted my first work over there last night...the first part of a three-shot called "Abyss". Don't worry, I'm not neglecting the third book! This was something I mostly wrote a while back when I was completely stuck on everything else, and I have added to it and edited it when I needed a break from DoD.

As I promised, this week is a request from DyingofFeels. They originally mentioned in a review that they hoped we got to see Kairi and Zephyr meet. Of course no one knew at that point what I was going to do to poor Zeph...and I actually didn't intend at the time for the two of them to ever meet. But I realized that there actually was an opportunity for them to do so, and promised to write a oneshot about it. I wasn't really sure where to go with it after a while so the ending may be a little awkward, but...meh.

Chapter 39.5

(Takes place in the middle of chapter 39)

Kairi's perspective

When Kairi finally walked through Merlin's magic door and back into the real world for the first time in months, her mind was thoroughly preoccupied with thoughts of the coming war. After all, that's what they had spent all this time training for, and why Merlin was finally letting them leave. Master Yen Sid had called for everyone to convene at his tower, which meant that the battle would probably be starting very soon. She thought she was ready. She hoped she was ready. If she wasn't ready, then she or her friends could pay for it with their lives, and she would never forgive herself if one of them died or even got hurt because of her inexperience. But she and Lea had both come a really long way since they first entered the training world, and Merlin seemed pleased with where they were, so she was going to choose to believe that everything was going to be okay.

She was so lost in these solemn thoughts that the last thing she expected to see walking into Merlin's cottage was one of her very best friends standing there. Her face lit up and she broke into a run, skirting past two of the strangers in the room and throwing her arms around his neck. "Sora!"

Nearly losing his balance, he waved his arms around awkwardly as if unsure what to do with them. She could hear him sputtering in her ear. And okay, maybe she was being a little forward here, but it wasn't like they'd never hugged before. It always took him a few seconds to get over his embarrassment in moments like this and actually hug her back.

"Sora, I'm so glad you're here! I didn't expect to see you until we got to the tower. I've missed you so much!"

"Err...um...I...uh..."

Kairi flushed a little as she realized how uncomfortable she was obviously making him, and released him to step back. It hurt a little, that he wasn't okay with something as simple as a hug after they had been apart for so long, but she wasn't going to push him. Cutting her eyes to the side, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. "Um, anyway...it really is good to see you again. I know it hasn't felt like as long for you as it has for me, but..."

When she glanced back up at him, he was still just standing there, gaping. Maybe he's just really surprised to see me? Maybe it's my haircut. She didn't really expect him to even notice that right away. But speaking of which... "Did you cut your hair? That's a dumb question, obviously you cut your hair." It was much, much shorter than she had ever seen it before, with no more spikes at all. "It's just surprising, you've had basically the same hairstyle for as long as I can remember." She couldn't decide whether she liked it or not. He was still cute, obviously, but she kind of missed the spikes. One hand reached out, almost of its own volition, wanting to run its fingers through the short locks, but she managed to stop it before it actually reached his head and yanked it back into herself.

He just continued to stare at her like she had grown a moustache in his absence. "I..."

A new figure appeared beside them, and Kairi looked over to find the tall brunette girl that she had nearly shoved past earlier in her eagerness to get to Sora. The girl smiled, looking almost embarrassed, and laid a gentle hand on both of their shoulders. Her gaze flicked back and forth between them. "So, um...did Meli happen to mention the whole...doppelganger situation?"

Doppelganger? What does that have to do with this...? Oh. Oh no. Please don't tell me...

"She mentioned that she had a twin sister...?" the boy who she was no longer sure was Sora mumbled.

The girl smiled that awkward, embarrassed smile again. "Right. So...Zephyr, meet Kairi. Kairi, Zephyr."

Kairi's face had gone completely red, a matching shade to Zephyr's neck and ears. Opening her mouth, she tried to come up with something to say in response, but came up blank.

"It's an honest mistake that anyone would make," the girl was quick to soothe. "In fact, we all thought he was Sora when he first came here, too. It took us quite a while to sort everything out."

"Yeah, it did." Zephyr smiled now, too, and shrugged. "Didn't help that Mel just kinda dumped me off here with no warning about the whole doppelganger thing. So, um...you're her sister?"

Shaking herself out of her shocked state, Kairi nodded and scrunched her dress up in her hands. "Um, yeah. Well, uh, technically I'm her doppelganger, actually, but to everyone else we're twins."

"Oh right, that makes sense." He nodded, then paused and scrunched his face up. "I think."

Kairi couldn't help but laugh. He really did look just like Sora, right down to his facial expressions. "Yeah, it's all pretty confusing. I think Meli is the only one who can actually fully keep up. Maybe one day we'll all meet each other, then it will all make sense."

Zephyr grinned brightly. "That would be fun! I'd like to meet the other me some day!"

"I know he'd love to meet you, too. Just, um..." She clasped her hands behind her back and ground the ball of her shoe into the floor. "Don't tell him I thought you were him, alright?"

"Hm..." He struck a familiar pose, obviously making a big deal out of having to think it over. "Oh, okay. I guess I can do that."

She smirked. "Thanks."

"Hey Princess," Lea called from the doorway of the house. "We better get a move on."

"Yeah, I'm coming."

Zephyr cocked an eyebrow in Lea's direction, then turned his attention back to Kairi. "Is that your boyfriend?"

Her eyes blew wide open. "What? No! No no no no no. Nothing like that. Lea's just a...a friend." The thought of Lea as a boyfriend...she wasn't sure whether to laugh or shudder. He was a great guy. Just...not her type. At all. "Anyway, I better go, I guess. It was really nice to meet you, Zephyr."

"Nice to meet you, too, Kairi. Hey, if you see your sister, remind her that she owes me a visit."

Kairi had already started backing away toward the door, but she stopped then and frowned. "Hey Zephyr...how did she seem? When you saw her?"

"Mel? Um..." He twisted his lips in thought. "Mostly okay. She seemed...stressed. I guess that's the best word for it. But, you know, she was going through some pretty stressful stuff at the time. Lots of bad guys out there. Apparently she thought I'd be safer here." He shrugged, not seeming too happy about being left behind.

Kairi nodded thoughtfully. "Alright. I hope she's okay. Thanks, Zephyr."

He gave a little wave. "See you again soon?"

"Yeah, I hope so!" she smiled, waving back.

Please let me know what you thought in a review, and if you have any special requests, shoot them my way! Ideas for scenes can be as vague or specific as you want. I'll try my best to do whatever I receive!