Chapter 8: True Shu
Seated upon her throne, with only the single silver candle lit, most would assume that Shu could see nothing. On the contrary, Shu saw everything. She knew everything. Yan had married her for her beauty, but also her intelligence. Shu knew that if the Shikon came together under Naohi, Yan's Children would fall to the level equal to their own offspring, the Heartless.
Unlike the Heartless, Yan's Children had hearts. Souls tainted by the single lack of one of the Shikon, the Sakimi-tama. Also known as the "love soul", Yan could not give this one thing, a father's love, to his Children.
Which was why their offspring were Heartless.
They were, by definition, Magatsuhi, or "twisted spirits".
The Heartless symbol is comprised of four distinct "quadrants", each the container for the separate soul that comprised the heart. The smallest of those is love, sickened by its lack in the Children's lives.
There were seven princesses of heart that could open the door to Kingdom Hearts. However, there were also two kings and two queens of soul, known as the Shikon, or "Four Souls". When she'd explained this to Yan, he'd merely passed it off as an improbability. He was worried about it enough to put her in charge of keeping the Shikon apart, though.
Shu knew that there was one world on which a Shikon-no-Tama, a Jewel of Four Souls, existed. If she could come across the jewel, take it as her own, she would be more powerful even than Yan. However, Shu did not crave power. She craved the love of her husband, something he could never give.
On this world, named for her husband and herself, she was utterly alone. Her only use was to send out the army and keep the Shikon from Yan. Well, if that was her only purpose, she would have none of it. She'd rather die as Yan's meal than continue devouring the flesh of other women.
So instead of keeping away the Shikon, she gathered them. Deep in the bowels of the world, the Children grew restless. They wanted to attack. She held them at bay, sent YaYa on a wild goose chase for Criss Nallen, who she knew was protected by Riku and her own followers. Soon, she would gather her forces.
In the corner of the room, a redheaded girl stirred quietly. Shu pulled her silver hair out of her eyes to watch the girl sit up and look into the darkness. The girl would have been plucked off the street had the army found her. She wore white and purple, colors that Yan immediately would have said were "illegal". Shu tired of his excuses to devour more of his own people and make her eat them, too.
"Good day," she said, standing from her throne again. "Are you all right? I hope they did not harm you."
"Not too terribly, but...where am I?" she glanced around the darkened room.
"On the world of Yan-Shu. I will explain things to you, but if someone comes in, you must hide away behind my throne. Understand?"
"Yes...I suppose."
"My name is Shu. I am queen of this world, but only out of necessity. You are Kairi, am I correct?"
"That's my name, yes."
Who saw dat one coming?