Kairi watched him closely, trailing along behind him - faaar behind him. And emphasis on behind.
She waited, and then she made her next move. She ran down the street, ducking into an alley. She breathed, then peeked around the corner.
He hadn't seen her.
Good!
She peeked out again, then crept forward until she reached the stairs. She took them quick and fast, then pressed herself against the side of the shop at the bottom.
She put a hand to her chest, brushing at her red hair.
Okay, girl - now just-
"And just what are we doing here today, kiddo?"
"AHHH! CRAP!" Kairi shrieked, whirling around.
Elrena stood with her hands on her hips, gazing down on Kairi from higher up the stairs. Her lips were spread into a wide smirk. "Yeah, listen, if you're going to sneak around like this - don't try and compete with the ninja."
"W-what- I wasn't- I'm not- we're not competing!' Kairi said, voice high. "Nobody's doing anything, no one's-"
"Really? Because it looks to me like we might be competing for that," Elrena raised an arm, and a long finger pointed out across the First District - down the steps - to where Lauriam was just disappearing through the cafe's front entrance.
"U-um- pfft- no, that's ridiculous, that's- what? Nope! No one's-"
"Hmmm...you know, you're right: there is no competition," Elrena let out a lofty sigh, stepping down closer to Kairi. Another step, and then another. Then she bent down, and she took Kairi's face in her hands. "Two problems with this little plan of yours, Princess..."
"Whaht prowblehms?" Kairi said through smooshed cheeks.
"Well...one: you're way too young for him, and he is way too old for you. And two: your little blushy crushy thing you have going on here is in no way going to stand up to what I have with him. Although...because you stand absolutely no chance whatsoever with this whole plan, I suppose I can stand back and watch you flounder at it like a dying fish. It'll be fun. It's cute! Oh so cute...isn't it?!"
Kairi tore her face free, stumbling back and glaring at the woman, even as her cheeks burned. "I d-didn't ask your...opinion!"
Elrena laughed, raising her hand to her mouth. "Oh, I know, baby. But, because I like you, I gave it anyways. Just a little dose of clarity about your odds of success. But I wish you all the luck in the worlds...hahahaha!" She turned away to stride up the stairs with some definite, deliberate strut and a sway that made Kairi envious.
S-screw her! Just because I don't have thighs for days doesn't mean anything, or a- a big old- no! Don't let her psych you out, girl! Stick to the plan, keep your head high!
Kairi turned right back around, and she strutted her way down the stairs.
She entered the cafe, searching the tables until she found her target.
She drew herself up and strode over to him, dropping down into the chair beside him.
He startled a little, turning to her. He relaxed - he smiled! "Oh, hello, Kairi."
"Hey there, Lauriam!" she relished the name, grinning at him. "You know, your name is as flat out gorgeous as your hair!"
Lauriam raised an eyebrow. He laughed. "Thank you? I can't say I've heard that before today..."
"Well, now you have!" Kairi said brightly. She leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs. "So how long are you in town for?"
"Well, since we seem to have decided to trust Xikira's judgement...I'm no longer entirely sure," Lauriam replied, shrugging.
"Why don't you stay longer than just a day?" Kairi said quickly. "Ven's still here, you know. Don't you want to spend time with him?"
"I do - but I also realize he needs space. Time - to come to terms with...certain things," Lauriam murmured. "This is a rather emotionally charged situation - for all of us. Pushing him too far, too fast, might not end well."
"Wellll...then how about you and me spend some time together?" she went on casually. "I mean - hehe - we could get in some sparring, a rematch, or we could just talk and get to know each other! What kind of shampoo do you use?!"
Lauriam stared at her.
WHAT THE HECK, BRAIN?! Kairi mentally beat the crap out of herself. That is not subtle, that's not the plan, that's not anything but complete stupidity!
"I wouldn't be averse to sparring," Lauriam said, snapping her out of her self-mutilation of the mind.
"R-really?!" she squeaked. "Ack- um- I mean...yes, great, let's do that immediately! Ready when you are!"
Lauriam's blue eyes glinted with amusement as he rose to his feet. Those eyes, and those beautiful lips smiling at her again...! "Of course."
Kairi hastily got to her feet too, almost tripping over her chair. "Oh - hey - I was wondering why you and Elrena are still wearing those coats?" she threw out randomly. "Roxas is wearing his because he likes the comfort of familiarity, but you two...?"
"Now that is an interesting question," Lauriam spoke as they exited the cafe. "The black coats were designed to shield us from the corrosive effects of darkness. For Somebodies, it would be to protect their Hearts - but for us Nobodies, it's to protect our very bodies from being eaten away at whenever we use the Dark Corridors. Ah, the dark portals."
"R-right...A-Aeleus...said that too, when we were...back at Castle Oblivion." Kairi's chest was tight. Her good spirits plummeting. "But he also said it wasn't guaranteed. That it was a risk to take."
"He was correct," Lauriam said gently. "You might get lucky, one time or several. It might happen slowly, and you fail to realize it...or your first attempt could be your last, lost and consumed by the darkness."
Kairi sighed, holding her hands to her chest.
"I apologize for bringing down the mood," Lauriam offered. "Let's find a place to spar."
"We can go outside the districts - there's enough grassland and trees for it," Kairi said, gesturing to the giant exit doors. "Oh, and my ship is parked out there too."
"Your ship?"
Kairi smiled. "I'll show you, come on."
"Lead the way, then."
After many long hours of intense practicing aboard their ship, Terra broke the routine.
"Riku..."
"Yeah?" Riku responded, leaning against the exterior wall of the ship's cabin.
"Do you know what one of the major benefits of this sensing skill is?"
"That I won't die two seconds into a fight?"
"Well, that, yes - but...have you realized that you're not only limited to what's in front of you? Your senses, your magic, you can cast it out in any direction. Or even every direction at once. A sensory sphere, expanding outward."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if you practice and get good enough at this, you could potentially sense and react to anything happening around you. To movement, or an attack, coming at you from behind, even. And your opponent wouldn't know - until the last moment, where you make your move against them in turn. That's sort of the ultimate goal here, Riku. That's what Asuna achieved for herself. She didn't just train her magic or her senses, she trained her mind to...see the world differently. To interpret all that information in a whole new way."
"Alright, that sounds awesome and all, but...you really think I can do that too?" Riku said quietly. "I can barely figure out what spell is just floating in front of me without taking five seconds."
"With time, and practice, yes, I think you can do it. Why don't we try it? Just once."
"Okay..." Riku pushed off from the wall, striding out onto the deck again.
"Just - imagine you're casting out a net. Or...or expanding a bubble. And as that bubble expands, it passes over the things around you. You can take your time, do it slowly. I'm going to place several magical constructs around you - my laser drones."
"What?! Hey-" Riku yelped, panicked.
"They're not going to be shooting at you!" Terra said quickly. "They're just - going to exist in the space around you so that you can...ping them, let's say. I won't tell you where I've placed them, but I'll tell you how many. I'm going to place six of them down."
"You swear they're not going to take shots at me?" Riku said. "This isn't some, 'I'm a kooky wise mentor' test again?"
"No," Terra said firmly. "This is just normal, serious instruction. No tricks, no hidden lessons. It's just exactly what it sounds like. That's it. When you want to practice dodging attacks, then we'll have them shoot at you - but until then, they're just things for you to sense, okay?"
"Okay." Riku relaxed again, taking deep breaths. Expanding bubble...stretching out in all directions...
Passing through every inch of the air, traveling the surface of the ship's deck...
Terra, of course, was the easiest thing in the world to locate. To sense.
But these little magical drones of his...
Riku turned on the spot, breathing in and out again. Contracting and expanding that bubble with his own breathing...
A new wave of sensation, a new caress of the environment...
He gasped as he felt something warm in his chest. As a little swirling ball of light bloomed in the darkness.
Faint, distant, but he did sense it. He "saw" it out there!
He raised his hand, pointing. "There."
"Good. Five more."
Riku turned back the other way, rotating on the spot. Again, he pointed out into the dark. "Over there. And...there?" He raised his arm and pointed high.
"Three more. They're going to be a little further out than you might expect - beyond the ship's deck. Find them out on the water."
Riku nodded, and expanded his "bubble" even further. Out and out, reaching...
He startled as a warm feeling raced across his body.
"There and there - and one...back there?" Riku turned quickly, this way and that, pointing to his targets.
"Very good, Riku. Why don't we go again? Six more."
"And they won't shoot me?" Riku joked.
"Do you want them to start shooting you?" Terra remarked idly.
"No!"
"Then stop worrying."
"Alright!"
Kairi sighed as she climbed the ladder to board her vast and wonderful, flying magical pirate ship, the Purple Pestilence.
She made her way up onto the elevated rear deck - the stern deck - idly grasping the steering wheel as she gazed upon Traverse Town.
They had a few more passengers on board this time than previous voyages. The new additions of Aqua, Ven, and Roxas.
Of course Sora and Xion were there too!
This past week had been great - but it was time to go.
Her Heart told her so.
There were still so many worlds out there that needed help - people who needed help.
Keyholes to seal. Heartless to defeat...
And now, an evil, shady Organization full of powerful members with...really vague goals besides generally: create Kingdom Hearts. Probably for evil purposes. Probably for this Xehanort guy...considering...
Though, the way Roxas and Lauriam had told it, most of its members were under the impression that completing this Kingdom Hearts would allow them to have their Human Hearts back...what they were lacking as Nobodies now...
Even still, Kairi thought that couldn't possibly excuse all this chaos and destruction in the worlds.
It was just wrong.
And Kairi and her friends were going to end it - all of it! Xemnas, Ansem's Kingdom Hearts of worlds trapped in that Dark Realm still...however many evil people had however many evil plans going on, it was all going to come crumbling down around them, once Kairi was through with them!
And everything would be put right again! All the lost worlds would come back, and all those people would be brought back too!
And then...finally...Kairi would have a home to go back to again.
"We ready to set off yet, Kairi?" Sora's voice jarred her from her thoughts.
She turned to him, gave him a smile. She nodded. "Yeah. I think so. It's...it's time we got back to it. People are counting on us, all over. We can't keep them waiting."
"Right!" Sora said, determined, nodding back. He raised his hand to summon his Keyblade, then let it go again in a flash of light.
Kairi couldn't have helped glancing down at the charm hanging from his Keyblade, in that moment he'd summoned it. Gosh, she was so, so happy for him to have one of his own, and she thought it was just so Sora to have named it "Oathkeeper", and she thought it was incredibly sweet that his Keyblade had her good luck charm on it, but...
Well, seeing that charm again still didn't exactly bring her any good feelings. It just reminded her again of everything Riku had done. The lives he'd ruined, taken - the home and family he'd destroyed. Taken from her. And it reminded her of all that rage and pain and grief and sadness, and everything he'd said to her, taunted her with, yelled at her, and-
"Kairi...?"
Kairi breathed, relaxing her shaking fists at her sides. She turned from Sora and seized the steering wheel, leaning over it. She squeezed and squeezed...and she got herself under control again. Those feelings in her Heart faded. Her gaze traveled across the long ship's mid deck, finding Xion and Roxas huddled together around one of the cannons, and then Aqua and Ven, who were off on their own, leaning against the railing and chatting happily.
She met Sora's gaze again, smiling at him. "Let's go."
The world Kairi's Heart led her to, ultimately, looked really perfect for them, all things considered.
The representative image of the world in the Ocean Between was one of a ghostly pirate ship and a fog-shrouded ocean!
Kairi flew the Pestilence down into the world, bursting through the dimensional rift and plunging into open sky.
Below the clouds, she found nothing but ocean in all directions.
She grinned and took her ship down into those waters with a great big splash.
The ship rocked as it settled in, the crashing waves around them calming somewhat again, into the normal ebb and flow.
"That was awesome - let's do it again!" Sora exclaimed gleefully.
"Hehe...if we come back here again, we will," Kairi told him. "But we're not just going to go leap-frogging around the ocean like that. It might freak people out here...whoever lives in this world..."
She glanced up at the masts, the great big sails now catching wind. Moving the ship like a normal...well, ship now. Satisfied, she hopped down onto the main deck, joining the other members of her new crew!
"Is this indicative of how you children usually enter a new world?" Aqua spoke, gripping the railing with one hand, her face still sort of...tensed up.
"Yes," Kairi said seriously. "Half of our world entries have been crash-landings. I was just keeping with the tradition."
"Hehe, yeah, got that right, Kairi," Sora agreed happily, walking up beside her with hands behind his head. "It's fun, right?" he added to Aqua.
Aqua drew in a breath, closing her eyes. She let it go and opened her eyes again. "That...isn't the word I'd have used to describe what we just did, no."
"Aww, come on, lighten up Aqua," Ven laughed, elbowing her. "You're back in the Realm of Light! You should enjoy yourself!"
Aqua frowned at him, then shook her head. Her hand slipped from the railing, going to her hip. "I...suppose you're right, Ven. It's just...this is a very serious situation - with these worlds, with Xehanort, or Xemnas, or...and this Organization of his...and Terra is still...and their friend, Riku, as well-"
"Friend is a word that no longer applies there," Kairi scowled.
Aqua scowled back at her. "Former friend, of course," she amended, a hint of frustration in her voice now. "And that's not even getting into-"
"Hey, we know we're dealing with a lot," Sora spoke up lightly. "But this is kind of how we deal with it, okay? It's how we always have. You have to try and stay positive - be hopeful - and have a laugh when you can! Doom and gloom doesn't help anyone, right?"
Aqua stared at him, her lips parting. She sighed, giving a small smile and a nod. "Yes...you're right, Sora. Keeping your spirits up is...I-" She sighed again, looking around at them all. She put her hand to her chest, bowing her head. "I'm sorry. I suppose...even if I have left the Realm of Darkness itself behind...the darkness doesn't quite want to let go of me yet."
Ven watched her closely, then he stepped in and hugged her from the side. He looked to Kairi and Sora; they got it, and joined in on the hugging.
Aqua stared down at them all, a torrent of emotions crossing her face. Then she hugged them back, closing her eyes as tears fell. "I'm sorry..." she whispered again. "I can't drag you children down into that dark place with me...I don't mean to-"
"It's okay," Kairi said softly. "We more than understand. I do, more than most people; Sora's the guy who keeps my spirits up whenever I get too down on myself about things."
Aqua sniffled, smiling now a watery smile. "Kairi...you're still such a sweet girl. Thank you..."
Kairi blushed hard. But- "You're welcome."
In the cold of night, in the calm of ocean waves rocking their ship, Riku sat below deck. on a small bed in the crew quarters area.
"Hey," he called out lightly. "So, I'm assuming if I ask...you're going to tell me you have no idea where we are again?"
"Hm?" came Terra's voice from Riku's right. "Oh, yeah - I have no idea," he confirmed, humorous. "I told you last time, I just-"
"Follow your Heart, right..." Riku laughed. He spread his hands and shrugged. "So what are we going to find here? It's islands and oceans. The only bad thing in this world seems to be the people - this...what was it called?"
"East india Trading Company," Terra supplied. "And, yes, they do seem to be rather corrupt - they have a stranglehold on freedom of movement, and supply lines, across the seas here. But that isn't the problem we're here to solve."
"How do you know that? Did your Heart tell you that?" Riku said seriously.
"Well, I don't exactly...but, yes," Terra answered. Riku heard the rustling of his armor, and assumed the man had just shrugged at him. "We're here for another reason. I can feel it. I'm just not sure what it is yet. But, like with Erin's world, it will reveal itself to us in due time. So just-"
"Have patience, yeah," Riku grinned. "I've got it."
"Good."
Riku pulled Erin's jacket tighter around himself as he lay back on the bed. He felt the fur collar against his neck, and he inhaled the fading scent still lingering in the fabric...
If he could get a chance to help someone again, like he'd helped her...it would be worth any waiting.
He could wait, yeah.
That...was what his Heart told him right then.
He relaxed and closed his eyes, letting the rocking ship and the sounds outside carry him into sleep.
"Kairi, I don't see a thing out there..." Sora's yawning voice came.
Kairi slumped over the wheel, yawning too, in the morning light.
"Whatever we're here for, it's out there," she said blearily. "Just...give it a bit..."
"Well hey, while we wait, want to rope Roxas and Xion into a sparring session?" Sora suggested. "Two on two. Me and you against them."
Kairi turned and stumbled her way against him, hugging him.
"Uhh...Kairi?" Sora stammered. "You okay?"
"Why are you so warm?" Kairi mumbled.
"What...?"
Kairi blinked. "What?" She jumped away from him, her face burning.
"You're acting strange..."
"N-no I'm not! Let's go spar - let's beat them into the dirt!" She gave a big grin, then turned and threw herself off the upper deck, falling to the main deck heavily. "Ow..." The pain was worth it for the sake of rapid escape from that horrible situation! "Xion, Roxas, wherever you are, get your bums up here so we can clobber them!" she shouted out furiously. "Don't make this into a game of hide and seek - if we have to hunt you down through the bowels of my ship-!"
"We're playing a game?" came Xion's cheery tones, as she emerged out of the door to the Captain's cabin.
Kairi spun around, glowering. "Okay, sis, did you really just come out of the Captain's cabin?"
Xion blinked. She looked back at the door, then to Kairi. "Um...yes. Is that bad?"
"That's for the Captain only! Or whomever she may allow!" Kairi declared.
"Oh...well...couldn't you allow me?" Xion said with a smile, joining her hands at her chest.
Kairi put her hands on her hips, stalking forward. Xion stepped back, glancing away. "Were you sleeping in there last night? Are the crew quarters not good enough for you? Do you not like hammocks? I think I've been a very accommodating Captain!"
Xion blinked rapidly, rearing back from her. "I wasn't sleeping in there - I just found this part of the ceiling that opened up there and so I...went up there and I was in the Captain's room?"
"What?" Kairi said, hushed.
"Do you want me to show you?" Xion said hesitantly.
"Yes!"
"OK. It's just...here. See?" Xion led Kairi into the Captain's cabin. The spacious room with its desk and chair, the snug green bed, that long, fancy red couch, and those big, fancy windows. Xion pointed to the corner, where a big stack of crates and barrels had been shifted away from a trapdoor. An open trapdoor, now, of course...
Kairi stared, jaw dropping. "And this was just- this was here the whole time?!" she erupted, rushing forward and falling to her hands and knees before the trapdoor.
"I think so?" Xion said quickly, anxious. "We never moved all those boxes there, see? And down in the crew quarters, I only noticed a part of the ceiling was different because I was cleaning..."
"Wait, you were cleaning?" Kairi turned to look over a shoulder at the girl.
"I was flying - to reach this really high corner here." Xion indicated the trapdoor. "I pushed on the wood and then this opened up. Also, I found this ladder while I was washing the...metal thing down there? The one that's high up on the beam? It's like a hook or something?"
"You...what?!" Kairi scooted forward and peered down the trapdoor's opening. It was the crew cabin, all right. And there was a big, wooden ladder reaching all the way down to the floor. Her eyes traveled down the wall to find the metal ring attached to the ship's interior wall. it didn't look like anything special. But then, that was why nobody had even bothered to try and mess with it... Slowly, Kairi scooted back and sat up. She looked at Xion, and rose to her feet.
"You're not mad at me, are you?" Xion squeaked. "I'm sorry I messed with your-"
Kairi pounced on the girl - squeezing her in a tight hug and lifting her off her feet.
"THIS...IS...AWESOME!" she exclaimed. "Way to go, sister! You discovered this all on your own!"
Xion gasped for breath, but she gave a strained smile. "O-oh - thanks - I was really worried for a moment..."
Kairi set her down and released her, kissing her cheek and grinning at her. Then she turned and gave the trapdoor a good kick, flipping it back into place. "Okay, now help me get these back into place! This could be our top secret trump card someday..."
"But...for what?" Xion wondered.
Kairi brushed at her hair, her grin turning much more secretive and mysterious. "For whatever I might think of to use it for...Now come on: let's push some boxes and move some barrels!"
Xion nodded, and they set to work together.
"All right. Are you ready for this?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Okay..."
Riku stood on the deck in warm, humid afternoon air, completely focused. Entranced. Sensing...
"So, if I were to step this way, and bring my Keyblade up like this, you'd-"
Riku took a step back, leaning out of the way of that shimmering blur moving in the dark.
He felt the air displace, barely felt the presence of a magical weapon that almost grazed his neck.
"Good. And if I were to throw out a Blizzard spell...You ready? Three, two, one."
Riku released a breath, letting his magical power expand outward rapidly - washing over the deck, over Terra, his Keyblade, that swirling mass of magic itself hovering in the air...that then flew for Riku.
He breathed and he kept his senses attuned, tracking it for a second until he was sure-
He stepped to the right and turned his body, and the icy projectile skimmed past him, a few inches from his body, and struck the wall of the ship's cabin.
Riku grinned, triumph swelling in his Heart. "Hey, I just- I did that, did you-" He paused, laughing. "Of course you saw it."
Terra laughed too. "I did - that was excellent. You waited, you listened, and when just the right moment came...you made your move. You didn't panic, you didn't stumble. Though, if you had, that still would have been fine. We've still only just begun training, after all."
"You were right..." Riku breathed. "I can actually make this work. I can do this."
"Yes, you can."
"Let's do it again! Hey, put some of those drones up now - fire away. I'll dodge them all!"
"All right, now you're getting a little ahead of yourself," Terra said humorously. "Don't try and take on too much, too fast."
"Two drones?" Riku amended. "I'm going to have to learn to avoid fire from two different angles - two opponents at once. So give it to me. I can take it."
"One drone - and I'll be the second opponent," Terra allowed.
"Okay. Fine by me! Come on, do it."
"Okay...but you need to keep focused - exactly like you just did. Breathe again, feel..."
Riku nodded, quickly letting his emotions bleed away. That high. This giddiness that told him he could do this. That he actually stood a chance of- just like that old Keyblade Master, Asuna. He could really-
"Hold on," Terra's voice suddenly rang out. His heavy footfalls on the creaking wood, moving to Riku's right.
"What?" Riku said, frowning.
"We have a ship on the horizon - coming around a small island - to the right."
Riku turned right, striding for the railing on the edge of the ship. "I'll take your word for it..." he muttered. "You think it might be trouble?"
"It could be. It has cannons."
Riku snorted. "Okay, speaking as a born islander: every ship has cannons!"
"Do they? Well, I'll bow to your expertise. I don't have any real world experience with this sort of thing - I just fantasized about pirate adventures a little when I was younger...I read books," Terra said absently.
"Wait...is that why we're out here on this thing?" Riku said slowly, incredulous. "Because you wanted to play pirate?"
"I can neither confirm or deny anything you just said."
Riku chortled to himself, gripping the railing with both hands now. "You spent thousands of gold coins and shillings on a merchant vessel, in a single world we're probably going to leave in a few days and never come back to, because you wanted to pretend to be-"
"Okay, Riku, I know it's hilarious to you, but that ship out there is now coming straight at us. So, if we could focus a little here on what matters..." Terra spoke quickly.
"It's probably just stranded, or lost, or looking to trade - or whatever," Riku shrugged. "Unless the nose is angled off to the side of ours, because that means it's on intercept course, keeping its cannons range of motion and direction ready for some volleys, which sort of suggests-"
"I...think it is," Terra said slowly. "Great..." he sighed.
Riku swallowed, then did his best to calm himself. "Great..." he imitated. "If it's looking for a fight, we can either turn that way-" He turned and gestured, feeling the breeze over his body. "-and go with the wind for an escape, or...we could fight."
"We're not here to get into pointless life and death battles with other people," Terra said firmly. "Time to turn this ship around."
"Alright - but if their cannons are facing us, we're going to get hit starboard - or possibly in the rear," Riku said quickly. "And that's, you know, a real fast way to start sinking."
"We'll risk it," Terra said. Riku heard him moving down the ship's deck, toward the back. The wheel.
Riku turned back to the edge of the ship, an idea coming over him.
He breathed, and he focused, and he began to expand his magical senses outward.
Farther and farther...out and out, and on...pushing it...stretching across endless waters, cold and salty, splashing at him as if he was really...
He didn't know how long he kept at it, didn't care. He just did. Kept going, feeling, searching-
Until he found something again.
Faint, distant, pulsing spheres of light, and-
A burning, radiant light beyond all others that suddenly flared, like the sun itself, casting off heat to make Riku gasp. He explored further, getting closer to it. He reached further in toward it-
And it suddenly burned, truly, causing him to yell and lose all focus as pain seared in his chest.
He let his senses snap back to his own body, his awareness of only the immediate.
"There are six people on that ship!" Riku called out, hand over his heart. That burning was still there, but fading slowly now.
"You sensed that? From this distance?" Terra's voice came, amazed.
"Yeah, just now. I just- gave it a go..." Riku said, pained.
"Well, I wish I had more time to tell you how proud I am of you for managing that," Terra replied, apologetic. "But if we have a ship battle on our hands-"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
The rapid fire noise of several explosions rang out, and then Riku was being thrown back across the deck as wood splintered around him.
"H-hey - woah - Captain, we have a ship!" Sora's voice called down from the highest, middle mast's crows nest.
Kairi giggled, shaking her head. She put hands on her hips and gazed up at Sora from behind the steering wheel. "I'm glad you just realized that, Sora!" she called back to him.
"Hey! Kairi, I meant - there's a ship out THERE!" Sora turned and pointed an arm off into the waters.
Kairi paused. Then she turned and threw herself at the side of her ship, looking where Sora was pointing. There was a ship out there. A ship maybe half the size of hers, with white sails. Cannons. It looked like a simple civilian ship. It didn't have any markings or anything - it wasn't pirates, was it? Unless that was the trick...
No, that sort of thinking lead to horrible things. Assume the best, not the worst.
"Okay, well, let's go test the waters," Kairi grinned. "They might be friendly, or in trouble, so we're in the perfect spot to help them."
She hurried back to the wheel and spun it around, taking her ship around a small island of sand and a few scattered trees. They rounded the island and set off more or less straight for the ship - their nose pointed toward its nose. If they kept on a straight enough line, they might even cross right into its path.
"What's going on out here?" Aqua's voice came, as she emerged from the ship's interior.
"We found another ship!" Kairi informed. "We're going to see if they're just looking to trade, or if they need help, maybe."
Aqua eyed her a moment. She glanced all the way up at Sora. Then she strode forward across the deck, peering out at the distant ship they were now headed toward. She turned back to Kairi with a frown. "Doesn't turning our vessel and heading straight for theirs seem aggressive?"
"No - because we don't have any aggressive intentions," Kairi rattled out. "We're a nice ship! And besides, we're not exactly heading straight for them. More to the side."
"The other ship might not interpret it that way," Aqua responded calmly.
"We're fine," Kairi dismissed. "Where are Xion and Roxas?"
"Well, the last I checked on them, they were spending time together in the crew quarters," Aqua answered.
"What about Ven?" Sora called down to her.
"Snoozing in the food storage room," Aqua said, her lips quirking.
"He wasn't eating anything, was he?" Kairi gasped. "If we have to start rationing supplies because of-"
"Of course not!" Aqua said instantly. "I think it's just familiar to him. When we were training, sometimes we would sneak off into the kitchens for late night snacks..."
"Well that's adorable," Kairi giggled. "And it means he's in the perfect position to-"
Kairi cut herself off with a gasp as something came over her. Some kind of- feeling, some- she felt the tendrils of darkness, but also light too, and she felt something moving inside her chest, closer to her core, her Heart, and she felt-
"Kairi...?" Aqua's voice came from afar. "Are you okay?"
Kairi slammed a hand to her chest, burning her light brighter - and that feeling suddenly left her, that- presence, that touch retreating instantly!
She raised her head and set her eyes on the ship out in front of hers...
And she knew where that- invasive presence had come from. Those tendrils of the dark.
"FIRE ON THAT SHIP, RIGHT NOW!" she shouted furiously.
"WHAT?" Sora exclaimed. "Kairi, what're you saying-"
"I SAID FIRE! THERE'S SOMEONE WITH DARKNESS ON THAT SHIP!" Kairi yelled.
"What?" Aqua gasped.
"They just- I felt them, in my Heart, they just- right here!" Kairi grasped her chest tightly. "They reached out to me somehow, they- it was like they were probing me or- something!" She gritted her teeth, then summoned her Keyblade viciously. She gave it a sweeping wave in the air, energy casting off of it, her eyes fixed on the ship ahead and to the left of hers.
The port side of the Pestilence shuddered, white tendrils of energy swirling in the cannons, and then they exploded with power to break the silence; several magical cannonballs streaked out across the waves, reaching the other ship in seconds.
Direct impact on at least two of them!
But Kairi wanted more.
She focused on her inner light, growing her power, more and more, and more and more and more...and then she released it all in the form of dozens upon dozens of light blades around her, hovering over the ocean.
She felt dizzy, her body was trembling - but she held her chin high, and she clenched her jaw.
This will teach you to stay away from my Heart!
She sent her light blade bombardment straight at the other ship, crossing the distance in less than two seconds.
"Ow..." Riku groaned in the aftermath of the cannon volley. He got this feet again, grasping the railing for support.
"Riku!" Terra was there, grasping his arms and pulling him from the edge. "Hey - are you hurt?"
"My world got rocked, but I'm fine," Riku joked. Just a few nicks and scrapes. Nothing terrible. "They have really good aim, from how far away they have to be..."
"It was magically-aided - enhanced - I think," Terra replied. "Those definitely weren't normal iron cannonballs."
"So somebody magical is attacking us? Awesome..." Riku sighed.
"That just means we need to be extra..." Terra trailed off suddenly.
"What?" Riku said, annoyed. "Come on, what's..." He trailed off too, turning as a blasting wave of heat swept across his body.
He "saw" them all in the air, in the distance. Like stars twinkling in the night sky. Without even trying, without even extending himself out, he could see them there. Dozens, two, three - four dozen? - shimmering...what looked like swords? Weapons? Of...
"Light?" Terra's voice came again, sounding awed - and extremely confused.
"Light..." Riku breathed, as it finally hit him. Like the- stupid idiot he was! He wanted to laugh. He wanted to scream. He'd been on that magic ship of hers before, and he'd brought it up himself the other day about sensing such a Pure Light as a Princess of- "It's HER, it's them, it's-!" he began to tell Terra excitedly.
But then that vast array of weapons - her weapons, they couldn't be anyone else's - came shooting across the ocean for Riku and Terra in an instant.
Those swords of light power barraged the ship, burned through the sails, exploded on impact with the wood, catching it all on fire and sending shrapnel everywhere!
Terra pulled Riku close, shielding him bodily. Then, Riku sensed a powerful dome of magic burst to life around them. Terra's barrier, that orange one with those swirling chains, like from back on Erin's world...
"You're saying it's your friends?" Terra questioned loudly.
"Yeah! It's Kairi and Sora - and hey, maybe even Aqua's over there too!" Riku said, elated.
"If it's them, why are they attacking us?" Terra said, baffled.
Riku's Heart went cold. His face fell. "Oh...crap..."
"What?"
"Uh...I- I think I screwed up again," Riku said, in a quiet voice.
"It's a misunderstanding. We'll clear it up," Terra said firmly. "That's all we need to do, and then-"
Riku heard the singing of a blade, a familiar girlish voice yelling out, and then Terra was spinning around with Riku - and there was the sound of metal on metal. Sparks burst, a brief flash in his vision. A heat on his face. He shifted - and felt sharp metal poking him in the cheek. Grazing across his skin as he moved.
"Grrrr...!" that girl's voice came. Undeniably Kairi. And she sounded pissed. "I don't know who you are, but you picked the wrong girl's Heart to invade!"
"Listen, are you-" Terra began calmly, despite what Riku realized the situation was.
"Kairi, did you just try and attack Terra?" Riku spoke up.
A little gasp. The schliiing of metal sliding along metal - the sound of two small, light feet hitting wood. "Riku?" her voice came, shaking and breathless.
Terra let Riku go, straightening tall.
Riku sensed him so easily. He breathed relief, standing too. Facing her.
"Uh...hey?" Riku said quietly. "So-"
Suddenly Riku was sent reeling back as a hard, small, meaty projectile slammed into his face with a shocking force. He staggered away, stumbling to one knee on the deck as he lost his footing. His hand went to his nose. He let out a long, agonized hiss of air as the pain rolled in.
Kairi had just- Kairi had just punched him in the face! Way harder than a girl her size should have ever been able to hit, too! Magic had to have been involved in that one! Well, it wasn't as if he would have ever expected her to hold back against him, right?
Anger, outrage, hate - all of it shooting up in his Heart then for her.
But he stopped as soon as he recognized it all.
He breathed, and he breathed...and those feelings faded away. Sinking deep down into the depths, with the darkness. To let the true feelings rise instead.
"Okay - okaaaay..." he said, pained. "Yeah...alright, that was fair...I deserved that."
Silence.
He heard Kairi take a breath of her own. Heard her shift on her feet.
"Wait...did you just call this guy 'Terra?'" she said slowly.
AN: Muhahaha! xD This is FUN. :D Was waiting to get to this one. :D :D Kronk meme: Oh yeah, it's all coming together. xD