"What in the hell happened to you kids?"
Cid's ear-splitting scream was enough to almost completely silence the entire First District. Shoppers dropped their bags in shock, bystanders froze in their spots, and even the Moogles were reluctant to quietly float away lest they suffer the rage of the blonde gummi engineer. Cid had been waiting for the group of friends right at Traverse Town's entrance, his arms crossed and his eyes shooting daggers.
"Do you have any idea how worried we were? When your ship flew off the radar, we thought you were dead. Almost sent a damn rescue party after you pinheads," he roared.
"Radar?" Goofy asked.
"Wait, you put a tracker on our ship?!" Donald quacked furiously.
Cid flicked his nose. "Of course I did. Had to be ready to swoop in and help in case you crazy kids got in trouble." He sighed heavily, softening his scowl as his nerves began to calm down. "Anyways, what matters is that you're safe and sound. Although you look like you've been through the wringer."
Cid wasn't lying. During their ordeal, they had covered their skin and clothes with a plethora of scrapes, cuts, bruises, and scuff marks. Kairi seemed to be the only one unharmed, though her companions looked like they survived a tornado.
"Uh… well, a lot happened," Sora chuckled, placing a hand behind his head.
"Save it for when the gang's all together. Leon's been nagging me to bring you over to the house as soon as you landed. Got get yourselves cleaned up at the Item shop, the owners should let you in by the back. And I wouldn't recommend going to the hotel if I were you; the Heartless have been acting really weird lately," he responded.
"Weird how?" Akira asked.
"You'll hear about it later. Once you're done, head on over to the small house in the Third District. We'll be waiting for you there." He wrinkled his nose as he watched them, picking out the one unfamiliar face in the group. "And you are?"
"Kairi," she piped up.
"Hm, Kairi, eh?" He gazed at her with narrow eyes, but his stare didn't hold any suspicion. Strangely, although he could swear he had never met this young lady before, she seemed so familiar…
"Don't worry, he's nice," Akira whispered in her ear, "And so is the rest of the gang."
Putting aside her apprehension for Cid's intense stare, Kairi nodded to her old friend with a smile.
Sora gave a nod of approval. "Alright, I guess we better get going. Kairi, do you mind going with Cid for now? We won't be long."
"I don't mind at all," she replied.
"I'll introduce you to the gang," he said with a grin, "And you kids?" His grin immediately turned into a scowl, sending shivers down their spines. "You better not take your sweet time."
"Geez, we know," Sora said, rolling his eyes as he, Donald, and Goofy began to stroll towards the Item shop beside the grand staircase.
Kairi giggled and waved goodbye before scurrying to join Cid's side, excited to meet the kind people that have aided her friends on their journey. Akira almost scampered off to join Sora as well, but her ears perked at the sound of a soft murmur that escaped Cid's lips before he set off towards the Third District.
"Kairi… we've met before…"
She furrowed her brows in confusion as Sora and Donald bickered about something absurd in front of her. Cid had always been a strange man, but this was quite the odd thing to say, even for a guy like him…
"Tell me what happened."
"Can you wait until we've at least had a chance to come through the door?" Sora whined.
Leon shot him a warning glare. Even as he leaned against the wall in his regular dark and brooding manner, Leon still gave off an air of terror. Sora gulped in response and took a seat at the table while the rest of his companions made themselves comfortable in the rest of the empty chairs strewn about the room. Cid truly meant it when he said the whole gang was there; the only one whom seemed to be missing was Merlin the wizard.
Sora recounted their ordeal in Hollow Bastion, with the rest of his comrades filling in the gaps in his memory. The Traverse Town residents remained silent until they had finished their story, taking in every word that poured from their lips with silent contemplation.
"So, the darkness is flowing out of that Keyhole…" Leon said in a soft tone.
"No wonder there are more and more Heartless everywhere," Aerith sighed.
"And not only that, they're getting stronger too. New types of Heartless are popping up all over the place!" Yuffie exclaimed as she gestured her hands wildly, giving Kairi a small fright as she stirred in her seat beside her.
"But I thought the Keyhole would strengthen the darkness," Aerith added, "The darkness is strong, but still… it's almost as if someone is holding it back."
"It's got to be the Princesses of Heart," Leon said firmly, "Riku's Keyblade must have been born of the captive Princesses' hearts — just like that Keyhole you saw." He gestured towards Kairi as he continued his explanation. "Of course, without Kairi's heart, it remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the Princesses' hearts should have been freed. And seeing as Jasmine apparently still hasn't returned to Agrabah, I suspect the others are still in the castle too, holding the darkness back."
"But how long could they possible hold it back for?" Yuffie asked.
Aerith shook her head. "Not forever, of course. The flow of darkness, and the influx of Heartless, can only be stopped completely by –"
"Sealing the Keyhole, right?" Sora surmised, raising his Keyblade in the air for them to see.
"Maybe. But no one knows what will happen once it's sealed," Leon warned.
Sora shook his head, echoing his companions' sentiments. "Well, we can't just stay here. We have to do something; I've got a friend back there!"
"That's right. You have one more friend to worry about," Leon chuckled, "Don't worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can."
"Um, speaking of Riku," Akira squeaked, "When we last saw him, he was holding back the entity that was controlling him to let us escape. He said his name was… Ansem."
A flurry of emotions flashed through their eyes when they heard his name; surprise, shock, but overall, understanding. Leon nodded solemnly, confirming his suspicions. "Hm, then it's just as we thought… Sora, Akira, Donald, Goofy. Go take care of that Keyhole and find Riku. We'll gather up any info we have on our end in the meantime."
"That's nice and all, but that place is completely overrun by Heartless now," Donald quacked, "How are we supposed to get back?"
Suddenly, every pair of eyes in the room landed on Cid, whom shot them a glare of his own. "Oh, no, no, no. I can't let you do that! The Heartless are multiplying by the minute; they'd eat your ship up."
"Gawrsh, then how are we supposed to go back?" Goofy asked nervously.
Cid's eyes immediately lit up at his question, a wide grin painting itself on his face. "Now you're askin' the right questions! Walk with me to my workshop, kids. I'll explain on the way."
The four of them exchanged puzzled glances with each other, and then with the Traverse Town gang before receiving a confused shrug from Leon. Regardless of the crazy look in Cid's eye, he was their only chance of returning to Hollow Bastion, and they had no choice but to follow him. With a reluctant pause, they stood up from their seats and followed the gummi engineer out the door.
"Wait, just a moment!"
They stopped in their tracks, turning to face Aerith as she scurried towards them. "Do you remember seeing a man with spiky hair at the coliseum?" she asked.
They immediately knew exactly whom she was referring to. There was only one other man they knew with hair as spiky as Sora's. "Yup. Cloud, right?" he confirmed.
Aerith nodded. "That's the one. I wonder if he's still searching for his friend…" She quickly shook her head, addressing the group once more. "If you see him, please tell him to be careful. He's not that friendly, but we all care about him dearly."
They nodded in agreement, earning a sigh of relief from her. They weren't certain when they'd encounter the enigmatic young soldier again, but Aerith's words were inspiring to hear. To know that friends still kept each other in their hearts despite the endless expanse of space and worlds that separated them was truly a comforting thought…
Of course Cid wouldn't have made it easy for them; it just wasn't like him.
As they strolled towards his famous corner beside the old accessory shop, he explained how they would need to navigate themselves around the horde of Heartless protecting Hollow Bastion and, to do so, they would need a special navigation gummi installed. Luckily, he had just the part they needed: a special gummi he had hidden away in the secret waterway when they first arrived in Traverse Town almost a decade ago. He was more than happy to install it on their ship… if they were brave enough to wade through the murky green liquid that lay stagnant for heaven knows how long.
And that is exactly how Sora had found himself there, his shoes quickly filling with water as he splashed his way across the waterway. He still vividly remembered Donald's smug grin when he volunteered the teen to fetch the gummi against his will, and he made a mental note to make the arrogant duck pay for it later.
"Now, where's that mural," he muttered under his breath, trudging through the opaque waters. Cid had mentioned he hid the gummi behind an unmissable mural, but how in the world was he supposed to find it when his mind was completely preoccupied with minimizing the amount of water that seeped itself into his clothes?
Sure enough, the mural he spoke about was impossible to miss; a grandiose painting of a blinding sun stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the bile green walls of the waterway. Following Cid's instructions, Sora approached the mural and placed his hand on the wall. A small glimmer of light radiated from the mural, flashing quickly before it overtook the entire painting of the sun, transforming it into a bright moon as an orange gummi tumbled out of the wall and into Sora's hands. That was surprisingly easy; although Cid could have hidden it somewhere other than in this muck…
He hobbled towards dry land, shaking the water off his shoes as a playful giggle erupted from before him. He knew Kairi had taken refuge here until the rest of the gang cleared out some of the Heartless in the districts and hearing her laugh over his slight misfortune made him unbearably homesick.
"That looked like fun," she quipped with a spirited grin.
"That? Hah. That was nothing," Sora laughed.
"So, you wouldn't mind jumping in again if I dared you?"
He laughed nervously in response. "Maybe save that for another time. Let's go back, rest up, and join the others."
Kairi nodded in agreement but did not follow Sora as he began making his exit. Her attention was completely absorbed by the mural he had just come from, examining every washed-out colour and texture she could lay eyes on. There was something so calming and peaceful about this painting, like something ripped straight from her carefree childhood…
"A light at the end of the tunnel," she muttered.
Sora stopped in his tracks, quickly turning to face her. "Oh, your grandma's story, right?" he reminisced.
Kairi didn't look too surprised by his correct guess. It only confirmed her suspicions. "That's right. We were together."
"You know what's funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along. Finally, we're together, Kairi." He closed the gap between them, placing a hand on his heart as he spoke. No matter where he and his comrades went, Kairi was always there with them, buried deep within his heart. "And now, it's time to get Riku back."
"You think it'll ever be the same between us? Riku's lost his…"
"When I turned into a Heartless, you saved me, remember? I was lost in the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things — my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then I heard a voice — your voice. You brought me back."
"I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't."
"That's it! Our hearts are connected." He placed a hand on his heart as he smiled. "And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale."
"Well, let's go!"
Sora recoiled slightly, taken aback by her sudden mood shift. But, if he was being completely honest, he expected such an outburst from her. Kairi was never one to back down from a challenge; then again, it was a little ironic that Sora himself had to be the voice of reason in this situation. It only made the pain of Riku's absence even stronger. "You can't go," he replied firmly.
"Why not?" Kairi argued.
"Because it's way too dangerous!" Sora explained, "The Heartless are getting stronger by the minute and you don't even have a weapon."
"I'm sure I can buy one from one of the shops here."
"And will you be able to use it if you do?"
Kairi pursed her lips, searching for a justifiable answer. She suddenly regretted all those years she didn't participate in those play-battle matches they had on the islands. Still, she had to at least try to convince him. "Come on, Sora," she protested, "We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone."
Sora smiled, placing a hand over his heart once more. "I'm not alone. No matter where we go… we go together."
Kairi crossed her arms as the corners of her lips tugged into a half smile. Though she may have resided in Sora's heart when this fateful promise was made, she still felt its impact every time those words were spoken. No matter where Sora went, he'd never be alone, for Akira stood tall beside him, another beacon of light in the darkness. "Okay, you win," she said softly, conceding defeat.
Sora creased his eyebrows in confusion. "Huh?"
"You win. I'll stay here. Besides, Akira will make sure you don't do anything stupid while I'm not around."
"H-hey!" he laughed, placing his hand behind his head in embarrassment, "I'm not that hopeless."
Kairi grinned impishly as she dug her right hand into her pocket, keeping her sly gaze locked with his. "Well then, just to put my mind at ease… take this."
She quickly took his hand in hers, placing the object she had pulled out of her pocket in his palm. Sora's eyes widened in shock when he saw what she had given him. The pendant made of shells, the one she worked so hard on when they were building their raft, now lay gingerly in his hands and he simply couldn't find the words to express his gratitude. Even though it had been so long since she made it, since their islands were destroyed, the little charm looked just as it had when she declared it finished. The radiant yellows and pinks still popped from the surface of the shells, the chain looked brand new, and even the little smiling face she drew on one of the shells hadn't smeared at all. For Kairi to give him something so precious… he had to make sure he kept it safe.
"It's my lucky charm, be sure to bring it back to me!" she said firmly.
He nodded, smiling gently. "Don't worry, I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Kairi gave him a smile of her own. Giving him her charm was strangely liberating. People always told her that, no matter the distance, she'd always be with her friends if she held them in her heart. By offering her charm, she was simply making it official, tangible proof of her devotion to her friends. Yet, before they exchanged farewells, before she'd watch him disappear in the distance, she had one final truth she had to share from her heart.
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."
Sora's shoes sloshed uncomfortably on his feet as he trudged through the First District, having just delivered the gummi to Cid. He'd have to hang them to dry while Cid worked on their ship, but not before telling off the smug duck that snickered at his misfortune. Next time, he'll make Donald take the trip down to the waterway; at his height, the water would make it all the way up to his torso. Then, perhaps that flapping beak of his would finally shut for good…
He sighed, stretching his arms into the air before bending his knee and raising his foot behind him, fumbling with his shoe. With one hand clutching onto the railing of the grand staircase and another already occupied with Kairi's charm, it was almost impossible to properly remove it. He'd been reluctant to just put the charm in his pocket since it looked rather delicate and he'd hate to break it just mere moments after receiving it but, at this rate, he'd crush it to pieces as he pried two fingers into his shoe.
"Need some help?"
Sora released his fingers and craned his neck, meeting Akira's snickering gaze. She sat rather comfortably on the steps, watching him struggle with muted delight. He wondered how long she had gone unnoticed by him, but the smirk on her face proved how oblivious he had been.
He chuckled. "I had no idea you were there. You're as quiet as a mouse."
"Maybe you should get into the habit of stopping once in a while and taking a look around," she quipped, picking herself up and strolling over to him, "You might be surprised at what you'd find."
"That answer has Akira written all over it."
"You know me too well."
She kneeled beside him and pried his shoe off his foot. She couldn't even begin to count how many times the four of them helped each other out of their waterlogged shoes back on the islands; this wasn't a particularly new experience. Then again, usually their shoes were soaked with salty ocean water rather than… whatever this was.
"Why were you having so much trouble?" she asked as she stood up once both his shoes were removed.
Sora picked up both his shoes and propped them against the steps, shaking his damp, socked foot before replying. "Oh, I ran into Kairi in the waterway. She gave me this and… well, I guess I didn't want to stuff it in my pocket."
He stretched out his hand and showed her the charm, but Akira had no words to spare. Emotions and thoughts flooded her mind as she lay eyes on the familiar pendant, recalling all those hours Kairi had spent sitting by the rolling tide, carefully sewing every shell into a perfect star. This was so precious to her; why would she part with something like that?
Sensing her growing alarm, Sora cleared his throat. "She told me to make sure I brought it back to her. So… I guess she wants us to be careful and come back in one piece."
Of course she did. Kairi wanted nothing more than what was best for them. But why did she have to do it this way? Why did she have to say that? Surely, she must have known how it would make Akira feel…
"She makes it sound like we're marching to our deaths," she whispered, her voice growing thick with apprehension.
Sora retreated his hand. Akira surprisingly wasn't taking this well and he found himself more confused than troubled by her trepidation. For a moment, back in Hollow Bastion, she seemed to be doing so well. She kept her wits about her when he had his Keyblade taken from him, she led Kairi to safety after knowing she may have lost both he and Riku forever… so, why? What was with this regression? "I'm sure it's going to be fine," he said firmly, "This is Kairi's good luck charm; she gave it to me to wish us luck on our journey. I'm sure that –"
"Luck is nice, but that's all it is," she responded through her teeth as she took a seat on the steps once more.
Sora raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're not the least bit worried about what's waiting for us when we go back?"
"Of course I am, but I'm not going to sit here and let it paralyze me. Riku needs our help, and that's that." He shook his head, puzzled. "Are you okay? You haven't been the same since we got back."
She gritted her teeth before responding. Half out of anger at the voice of her staff telling her to share what was on her mind with him, and half out of shame that she needed that kick in order to do it in the first place. "I watched you die, Sora. It doesn't matter that you're fine now; I watched you stab yourself with that Keyblade and that thought still haunts me. And I know that Kairi's fine and meant well when she gave you that charm but… all I can think about is how soulless her eyes looked for so long."
Sora's eyes flickered from doubt to concern as she poured her heart out to him. He simply didn't know what to say; she had shown such determination and nerve back in Hollow Bastion, he didn't stop to wonder if perhaps she had been hurting inside. He followed suit and took a seat on the steps beside her, listening intently.
"No matter how hard I try, I can't erase those thoughts from my mind." Her throat began to constrict as she felt the emotions rise within. "For a moment, I lost Kairi. I lost you. I can't imagine losing Riku too. I don't think I can –"
"We won't lose him."
She wanted to protest, but the words wouldn't leave her lips. Sora didn't use that cheery voice she had grown so used to over the years; instead he spoke in a harsh, stern tone. It was almost as if he was trying to convince himself as well as comfort her. She raised her pained gaze to meet his, but he continued to watch the ground with firm resolve.
"There isn't a doubt in my mind that we'll fight as hard as we could for him. But, Riku is also fighting just as hard. We don't have to save him; he'll meet us halfway. As long as we keep our lights burning strong, I know he'll find us. And he'll follow that light all the way back." His lips cracked into a smile as he laid eyes on her. "Riku's a tough guy. He won't go down so easily."
Akira pursed her lips. There was no denying Riku's strength of body and mind; whenever he put his mind to something, he followed it through until the end. It was no longer a question of if Riku was fighting as well. She knew Sora was right; and as she recalled Riku's fiery gaze when they met in Hollow Bastion, she had to feel the same. No, it was more a question of if her light flickered bright enough to light his path…
She felt the uncertainty cloud her mind at a rapid rate until Sora took her hand, placing something in her palm as he kept the smile painted on his lips. And as she wrapped her fingers around the familiar surface of seashells woven with thread, those thoughts strangely seemed distant and quiet. Perhaps Kairi's lucky charm held more power than she ever imagined a pendant could have.
"W-why?" she asked, flickering her gaze to the star-shaped charm in her hand.
"You need it now way more than I do right now. Hold onto it for now, at least until we leave."
She nodded as she pursed her lips once more, pressing the charm to her heart as the corners of her lips curved ever so slightly into a smile. It was incredible what such a little trinket could do, but she knew better. It wasn't the charm that mattered; it was everything it stood for, and everything it meant.
"You know, I lost you too," Sora said as he dreamily gazed out towards the First District, "I was afraid, and so worried. But, with Donald and Goofy's help, I stood up again, kept my eyes forward, and kept my light burning strong. And you found your way back to us, didn't you?"
Akira softly raised her head and gazed at him once more, her azure eyes filled with wonder.
"Your friends are your power. And in times when you find yourself having trouble, lean on us for help. Times like this…"
He let his voice trail off as his eyes jumped from one scene to the next. Traverse Town hardly changed since they had last been here, yet he and his comrades had grown tenfold. He couldn't deny he was infinitely proud of them, and he was certain they felt the same way about him.
He felt a sudden weight on his shoulder. Snapping out of his daze, he quickly shifted his gaze to his side. In a tousle of fuchsia tresses, Akira rested her head on his shoulder, Kairi's charm still clutched at her heart as she gazed aimlessly towards the sky. He almost wanted to chuckle; when he said she should lean on her friends for strength, he didn't expect her to actually lean on him. Then again, if this is what it took, then he'd stay here as long as she needed.
His shoes had long since dried, but they remained gazing at the stars.
Death felt nothing like he imagined. Then again, Riku never spent his days stressing over his eventual demise.
When he opened his eyes after Ansem had consumed him, he found himself surrounded by darkness, with nothing but a winding white path below his feet and an excruciating pain in his chest. No sound other than his laboured steps could be heard as he trudged down the path, clutching his chest. He wasn't certain if this place was truly quiet, or if he had gone deaf. At this point, what did it matter anyways?
"Sora… Akira… Kairi… I'm sorry…" he said with strenuous breaths. He heard his words echo through the vast and empty darkness, meaning he still had his sense of hearing, but who was even around to hear him?
"Is this… the afterworld?" he wondered aloud. Some of the adults back home had spoken of death as a beautiful paradise, or a harsh inferno depending on your deeds. If there was any truth to their beliefs, he figured he'd be drowning in flames. Perhaps he found himself in purgatory, destined to wander aimlessly down this interminable path until the end of time. He wasn't sure which fate was worse…
Darkness flared within him. He fell to one knee as he struggled to keep it in check, a soft blue aura emanating from his skin. He'll accept his fate. He'll accept whatever this world believed his just punishment to be. But not yet.
"I'm not ready. Not yet. Not until I see them one last time…"
He needed one final moment, one final goodbye.
"Riku, can you hear me? I'll be there soon."
He instantly bolted to his feet, whirling around as he searched for the one whom had just spoken to him. But not a soul was in sight, and Riku took a step back as his brows furrowed in confusion. Had the darkness gotten to him to the point where he started hearing voices?
"Who is that?"
"I have the other Keyblade – the one that belongs to this world."
A Keyblade? Riku shook his head, unable to make out if this ethereal entity was a friend or an enemy, but there was something strangely comforting in its voice…
"I've been trying to get through to you, but the darkness in your heart kept me away."
He looked away. The sting of his failure still haunted his heart. "Who are you? What's happened to me?"
"Your heart won the battle against the darkness, but it was too late for your body. That's why you're here—in this place of darkness where hearts are gathered."
The battle against the darkness… Riku balled his hand into a fist, shamefully gazing at the floor. What a fool he had been… what a miserable, sorry fool. The power of darkness held nothing for him, and yet he walked into it unflinching. He accepted it without a second thought, and now look where that got him.
"So, what do I do?" he asked firmly, raising his head. He had to see them one more time. There had to be something he could do. Something.
"The Door of Darkness will open soon, but it's a door we can't enter. It has to be closed from both sides. To do this, you need two keys and two hearts. Maybe you're here for the same reason I am. Maybe it was fate."
"Fate, huh?"
Maybe the world hadn't given up on him yet. He was never a big believer in fate, but perhaps it had spared him this time around. He smirked confidently as he raised his gaze, addressing the voice. "You seem to know everything, don't you? Then tell me. Are Sora, Akira and Kairi okay?"
"Don't you feel the echoes of their light? You already know the answer. Look inside your own heart."
Riku closed his eyes, placing a hand on his heart. It seemed to be an impossible feat; how could they even begin to look for him in this empty abyss? How could he even begin to see past the darkness that surrounded him and pick out their light from the world beyond?
An image of Sora running towards him flashed through his mind. He was quickly joined by an image of Kairi flipping her hair and offering him her signature grin. Finally, Akira paced slowly from behind, clutching her mysterious weapon in one hand, and offering her other hand at him to take.
They were free. They were safe. Akira had brought Kairi to safety. Kairi had pulled Sora from the darkness. And Sora's eyes gazed at the road ahead, ready to follow any path that would lead him back to Riku.
He opened his aquamarine eyes once more and smirked. Suddenly, the winding road ahead didn't seem so daunting. It was simply a means to see his friends once more.
"Okay," he said confidently.
Cid was just about finished with their ship. As Donald and Goofy loaded the ship and prepared it for takeoff, Sora suggested that Akira should bid Kairi farewell, so she could leave without regrets. It was a strange way to put it, but Akira wasn't going to protest it. She had to admit, he had a point.
Cid mentioned Kairi was around the First District by now, exploring the shops and cafés that lined the plaza, but Akira never imagined she'd find her old friend behind the accessory shop, pulling a wooden crate towards the building.
"What in the world are you doing?" she asked, bewildered.
With one last kick, Kairi shoved the box against the wall, wiping the sweat off her brow. "Just giving us a little step up."
Akira cocked her head to the side, confused. And as if that scene wasn't perplexing enough, what followed almost made her keel over.
"Did my idea work, Miss Kairi?" said an overly bubbly voice.
A small Moogle fluttered softly towards Kairi, holding a tiny hammer in its hand as it floated to a halt before her.
Kairi nodded. "Yes, I'm sure this box will be enough."
"Wonderful!" the Moogle chirped, "You will simply love the view from the roof, kupo. Traverse Town looks so magical from above!"
"I'm sure it's lovely. Thank you, Kuplu Kopo."
Akira blinked, her mouth agape. Miss Kairi? Kuplu Kopo? "What the heck am I looking at?" she muttered to herself.
The Moogle's ears twitched, lightly turning around towards the source of the sound. Yet, the moment it lay eyes on the fuchsia-haired teen, it's brows immediately furrowed in annoyance. "Oh. You're back again."
Kairi giggled, ignoring the tense silence between the two. "Come on, Akira. The Moogles said we should enjoy the view of the town from the roof. Come join me!"
She excitedly hopped and grabbed the edge of the roof, pulling herself onto the shingles with relative ease. Akira took a deep breath before following suit, still processing the bewildering scene she just witnessed. She climbed atop the wooden crate as the Moogle averted its attention to Kairi once more.
"Enjoy yourself, Miss Kairi!" Almost immediately after uttering its well wishes, it shifted its gaze to Akira, the thin slits it had for eyes shooting daggers at her. "Try not to put a hole through the roof of our workshop, got it?"
"Would you rather I poked your pom again?" Akira hissed through gritted teeth.
"You're lucky Miss Kairi likes you, kupo."
With a wrinkle of its nose, the little Moogle floated away in a series of jingles and chimes. Akira rolled her eyes at him and jumped for the same edge Kairi had grabbed onto earlier, pulling herself onto the roof. Geez, Kairi could befriend anyone, couldn't she? Or perhaps Akira was the only one who had a problem with those feisty furballs...
She dusted the fabric covering her shorts as she walked across the slanted roof to join her friend, whom had casually taken a seat at the edge and let her feet dangle over the roof. She almost didn't notice Akira taking a seat beside her and, once Akira took in the view for herself, she completely understood why.
There was something ethereal about seeing Traverse Town from above. The artificial lamps and neon lights hurt her eyes after a while of hanging out in the square but, on the roof, the quiet night sky dimmed the stringency of the burning town lights. It was a beautiful sight to behold, if not funny. The silence of the sky filled with thousands of twinkling lights was a stark contrast against the bustling plaza, but the disparity somehow blended surprisingly well.
"Wow, this view is gorgeous," Kairi said with wonder, "No wonder the Moogles recommended it. Funny little guys, wouldn't you say?"
Akira pursed her lips, stifling a snort. "They're certainly interesting."
Kairi chuckled. "I can only imagine how many more amazing things you and Sora have seen… I wish I could hear all about it, but…"
"But what?"
Kairi's smile fell as she continued to gaze at the stars. "You're leaving again soon."
Akira sighed, a pained expression falling over her face. It seemed like they just found her, and now they had to part ways again. They barely spent any time together at all. "I'm sorry…" was all she could say, but the sadness in her heart was greater than any word she could utter.
"It's okay," Kairi whispered, the corners of her lips curving up once more, "I know you're on an important mission. And you have to save Riku too, don't you?" She turned to face Akira, her simper turning into a wide grin. "Besides, I gave Sora my charm. So, no matter where you go, I'll be there too. And when this is all over and done with, you'll find your way back to me."
Akira's breath caught as the guilt threatened to overwhelm her. Kairi meant her words in the sincerest of ways and yet her charm burned a hole through Akira's pocket. It was meant for Sora, yet she carried it around instead; what did that make her? She slowly pulled the charm out of her pocket, watching it with a pained gaze as she pulled it into view. Kairi at least had a right to know someone had taken it from the person it was meant for…
Kairi gazed at the charm in Akira's hand, perplexed. "Oh, my charm! How did you –"
"Sora gave it to me," Akira said shamefacedly, "He told me to hold onto it until we left."
Kairi blinked, bringing a finger to her lips. "I wonder why…"
"Because I'm not strong enough."
Kairi let out a small gasp but remained quiet.
Akira frowned, squeezing the charm in her hand as the edges pricked her skin. "I could put on a brave face all I want, but underneath it all, I'm just scared. I'm scared we won't find Riku. I'm scared I won't save him. I'm scared I'll find him the same way I found you."
She felt like such a fraud. She had shown she could hold her own in Hollow Bastion, that she could be a leader, that she could stand tall while others faltered. Yet she could be brought down just as quickly by an awful memory. How strong did that truly make her? Was she really such a farce?
"I don't think that makes you weak," Kairi said as she softly shook her head. She lightly placed her hand on Akira's, both of their palms touching the charm she had poured so many hours into making. "It shows how empathetic and caring you are. And I think kindness is a great strength, as well as a great light in the darkness."
She squeezed Akira's hand and placed it back in her lap. She nodded to her, silently approving of Akira holding onto her charm instead. "It's true you kept your wits about you in Hollow Bastion when I was still taking in everything that had happened, and I'm really grateful to you for that, but… even the strongest of us need help once in a while. So, I want you to keep this charm, and I want it to give you strength, courage, hope, and whatever else you might need. And when you and Sora are facing the darkness, I hope you'll remember me. I'll be there."
Akira raised her eyes to meet Kairi's, hoping that the expression on her face showed the immeasurable gratitude she could not find the words to express. Kairi always knew what to say when any of them were down.
"I know you can find Riku. I know you'll save him too. I believe in the both of you," she said with a nod, "So you better bring him back soon. I want the four of us to exchange stories together; you have to tell me about all the worlds you've been to."
Akira smirked. Kairi always spoke the words they needed to hear, but she was also very good at hiding away the pain in her own heart while she cheered her friends up. Akira knew it was just as painful for her to watch them go as it was for them to leave without her. But maybe, just maybe, she could return the favour. "We'll do better than that. We'll take you there," she promised.
Kairi blinked. "R-really?"
"Yeah. You'll love Wonderland. And Agrabah is beautiful, albeit a little hot. The people in Halloween Town are a little strange but I promise they have hearts of gold. And as for Neverland? Well, Peter Pan said you're welcome any time, so I'm sure everyone there is eager to meet you."
"Meet me?"
"Of course!"
Kairi chuckled, placing a hand on her heart. To think that there were so many people across so many worlds that already knew her name, already loved her, and were so eager to meet her… it was a surreal feeling. "I'd love to see them all someday…"
"Akira! Get over here, we're leaving!"
Donald's shrill quack was loud enough to momentarily silence the plaza as the townsfolk were suddenly startled by his shriek. Akira rolled her eyes as Kairi chuckled beside her. "Sheesh, the whole world heard him…" she muttered.
"Well, I guess this is it," Kairi said, flashing her friend a smile, "Take care, Akira."
She returned her smile and nodded. "You too, Kairi."
With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Akira hopped to her feet and let herself fall off the roof, a sly smirk on her lips. Kairi let out a shocked squeal as Akira disappeared, scrambling to look over the edge. Was she crazy? They were almost three stories high! She peered over the edge quickly enough see Akira land carefully on a bubble of magical wind on the ground, no doubt similar to that wind spell she cast on her back in Hollow Bastion. She breathed a sigh of relief but shook her head in mock disapproval as Akira stepped onto the ground and flashed her a smile.
"You almost gave me a heart attack!" she called from the roof as Akira grinned in response, waving goodbye as she skipped down the stairs. Kairi waved back, pursing her lips into a smirk as she watched her friend pace towards the angry duck whom was no doubt giving her grief for staying away so long.
She had to admit, that did look like fun, though… perhaps someone in town could teach her a bit of magic while she waited for them to return. She could just imagine the looks on their faces when they found out…
Akira wasn't sure why Donald even bothered giving her lip if he was just going to waddle on ahead away from her. Maybe he liked the sound of his own voice, or maybe he enjoyed telling other people off. He continued his tirade as they passed by Sora, whom chuckled and shook his head as she approached him.
"That was quite a long goodbye," he said with a grin, "What were you girls doing?"
Akira smirked. "Talking."
"About?"
As she passed him by, she took his hand in both of hers, placing Kairi's charm in his palm before letting go.
Sora blinked at the pendant in his hand before raising his eyes to meet hers once more. "Uh…"
"I'm giving it back."
"Sure, but why?"
"I gave it some thought and... I don't really need it."
She gave him a toothy grin before turning around and continuing her walk towards the Gummi Ship. Kairi's words were still fresh in her mind, and she felt ready to take on the world. She may need the charm again as their adventure approached its climax but, for now, she'll let Sora have all the luck.