Kairi was not sure what exactly had happened. She remembered Xehanort holding her up as Sora ran to her. He brought his weapon down, and then…darkness. She found herself literally and metaphorically shattered. However, even barely conscious and aware, she was not afraid no matter how dark the darkness became. She could still feel him. His heart and hers linked. She knew he would come like he always did. She just had to hold on.
And sure enough, she felt a gradually growing warmth as she became more and more aware. Sora was gathering the splintered pieces of her heart and piecing them back together. How, she was not sure, but he was doing it just like she knew he would. He never let her down when it mattered.
The first thing she saw upon being restored was Sora, and the first thing she did was smother him in a hug. She poured as much emotion into it as she could. She never doubted him. So long as she lived, there was hope, and Sora thrived on the tiniest sliver of hope in ways that few could.
However, their reunion was short lived as it always seemed to be. The two keyblade wielders glared at the phantoms as they surrounded them. As the thirteen shifted into one armored form, the two brandished their keyblades. Kairi gave a smirk to her beloved as they stood side by side and he returned the gesture as his worry melted away. They were finally together again, and this time, they would not let Xehanort pull them apart. Not this time.
Kairi surprised herself almost when she tossed her keyblade at the Xehanort and dashed at extreme speeds to catch it. She had practiced such a move but had trouble pulling it off up to that point. However, she was brimming with a newfound confidence and power. Sora had said he felt strong when they were together, well, the feeling went both ways. She was sure that their hearts were radiating off of each other, and she was certain that she was stronger for it.
However, no matter how much they laid into the villain, he just would not go down. Sora was on the other side of him as their eyes met and they knew they needed to get back to the other.
"Sora!" Kairi called as she let out an unprecedented amount of magic which she allowed to fall with destructive impacts to cover her as she dashed over to Sora. The two twirled around each other as Sora caught her hand in his. Smiling despite the situation as they almost collided with one another, the two soon directed their ire toward their opponent.
Still clasping hands, Kairi did not even pay it mind when they both sprouted a single mirrored wing. Powered by their connection as their hearts acted as one, the two felt unstoppable. In that moment, they felt like they could finally win their future. The right to be happy together.
Together the two charged forward with the power of their joined heart and memories. Spinning as they picked up speed, the two tore through the phantom without the need for their keyblades. By the time they stopped on the other side, the battle was already won.
The next thing Kairi knew, she was back on the surface along with the other guardians, but she barely noticed them. By the time she had, she and Sora had already started to fade away. Where to, she did not know, but she had no fear. So long as they were together, they could face anything.
Despite the fact that she was safe now, Sora had actually suggested not telling the others just yet. He said that he wanted to spend some time together. Just the two of them. With a blush, Kairi agreed. However, first things first, they needed to take care of something.
They had dropped off Chirithy first on the condition that their status be kept a secret for now. Afterwards, Sora suggested a covert visit to Disney Castle suggesting "they must have the best parties."
Kairi had to admit that he was right. The fireworks display was amazing. They sat on the castle wall unbeknownst to their friends below as they admired the display. However, something was not right. It seemed like a very un-Sora thing to do to make their friends worry about them when they were safe, but that was not all that was wrong.
Periodically, he would freeze or find it hard to speak. Sometimes he would clutch his hand as if he was hiding something. That tipped her off that something was wrong, but more than that, Sora was in pain. She could see it in the way his voice strained at times to appear normal. Not always, but enough.
That, combined with his strange behavior made her worried. Very worried. Chirithy had also seemed extremely surprised that he was even alive, let alone that he could keep traveling. It made her stop and consider what price he may have paid to save her. Was it too much even for him? She shuddered at the thought. At being torn apart again. This time maybe forever.
"Let's get married!" Kairi blurted out boldly.
"W-what?" Sora nearly fell off the castle wall.
"Yeah! The king could marry us, or we could find someone else if you wanna hold off on telling them just yet," Kairi would admit she was operating on assumptions, fear, and longing, but the desire was there. This was not something she offered lightly, nor was it something she had not thought about. Albeit it was usually a few years down the line.
"Don't you think that's moving a little fast?" The hero chuckled nervously which for a moment made Kairi wonder if she had indeed misjudged things. Maybe he was just sore from the fighting after all, but, no, there was a sadness in his eyes hidden behind the mirth. That was not the look of someone with a bright future ahead of them. It was the look of someone who knew it would not last.
"Why not? Do you…not want to?" Kairi asked nervously worried that she had somehow misread his intentions.
"What? No! That's not it. You have no idea how much I would like that," Sora held her hands in his and for a brief moment, pure elation flitted across his face, but it was short lived, "But maybe we should wait. Besides, you deserve a fancy wedding with all the…stuff that girls want in a wedding."
"Alright," Kairi replied weakly. Now she knew something was wrong. Sora was being the reasonable one.
"Here you go," Sora handed her an ice cream stick as he sat down with her on the highest bell landing of the station at Twilight Town. Sora had been rather confused when he asked Kairi where she wanted to go and this was her answer.
"Twilight Town?" Sora tilted his head, "But you've been there before. Don't you wanna see someplace new?"
"I was barely there," Kairi reminded him, "Didn't exactly have time for sightseeing."
"Thanks," Kairi accepted the treat. Sora had fortunately left it there, so she did not have to reveal her real reasoning.
"Ack!" Kairi puckered her lips looking at the dessert strangely, "What do you guys see in this stuff?"
"You don't like it?" Sora looked at her with a raised brow and half of his already gone.
"Who wants salty ice cream?" She responded before taking another bite, "What even is the actual ice cream flavor other than just 'salt?'"
Sora looked at his bar for a moment, "Huh, you know, I'm not sure. They just focus on the sea salt. Not sure what the sweet part is."
"Oh well, I've had worse," Kairi replied taking another bite.
The two sat peaceably for a while enjoying the sunset before they noticed Axel come and sit on the ledge below them. He did not see them, and the pair kept quiet as they watched on. As the others came to join him, Kairi could not help but look at Sora's slight smile as he saw them talking and laughing.
That was why she asked to come here. If the fears lumped up in her throat were accurate, she at least wanted to make his last days pleasant, and part of that in her mind was easing his worries. Their friends were together again, and they would be okay. They would manage even after he left them.
They would, but would she?
Before she got anymore down, she was distracted by the appearance of a gummi ship. After noticing the shadow, she and Sora hid in the bell tower waiting for them to leave.
"That was close," Sora grinned as Kairi looked after the retreating ship. She was about to reply when she heard something hit the floor. Looking back, she saw Sora clutching his wrist and his popsicle stick lying on the stone floor.
"Sora!" Kairi was quickly at his side ready with some healing magic, but he turned to keep her from looking at his wrist.
"Don't worry," He bent down and picked up the stick before grinning at her, "See?"
Kairi folded her arms as he retreated back outside, "Sora…"
The reasoning for their stop in Radiant Garden was twofold. The first, and the one she told Sora was that Kairi wanted to help Namine, which Sora readily agreed to even if they had to make a small break in their secrecy.
"Come on, Sora," Kairi smiled, "Free her heart."
"S-sorry," Sora raised his keyblade to her chest, "Just not comfortable pointing this thing at you."
"Don't worry," Her smile deepened, "You could never hurt me."
"R-right," Sora swallowed and activated his keyblade. In a beam of light, Kairi could feel Namine's heart leaving her body. More to the point perhaps, she could soon see it as the glowing orb floated out of her chest and toward the waiting body.
"Do you want to go say hi?" Kairi asked hopefully.
"Uh, no, not yet. Think I'll go lie down. Still not used to removing hearts like that. It's a bit…eerie."
"Alright," Kairi watched him leave and sighed. She would stay hidden so long as he wanted, but she was still worried. Either way, Namine might sense her presence if nothing else, but that was fine by her. Maybe she could let the others know they were okay for the time being at least.
Making sure it stayed that way was the second reason she wanted to come here, but she was not making much headway.
"Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Kairi practically pleaded with Ansem the Wise after he was confident enough to leave Namine's side.
"Without him agreeing to an examination, there is not much I can do. He has used powers that I do not understand. I have no idea what the price for them may be. As you no doubt know, there is a reason even great mages like Merlin show restraint in some areas."
"That's what worries me," Kairi replied downtrodden. Sora was getting worse fast. It had gotten to the point that their unusually strong connection had her feeling some of the pain he was almost constantly experiencing now. On the more intense surges even she could feel how much he was suffering, and it was only a taste.
He just kept smiling though. She knew he was hurting, but he did not tell her. He just tried to make her happy, and it frustrated her to no end. Why could he not just be selfish for once in his life? Then the thought occured to her that maybe he had been. Maybe he wanted to be together so badly that he was willing to pay any price. The idea made her run hot and cold at the same time, and it prompted her answer when he asked her where she wanted to go next.
"I want to go home, Sora. The two of us. I want to watch the sunset on our island."
Sora seemed surprised, but he nodded nonetheless. Whatever she wanted.
"Wow, sometimes I forget how good the view is here," Sora commented wistfully barely noticing as the others arrived for some sort of party.
"It is," Kairi spoke as she looked at their joined hands, "Sora…how much longer do you have?"
"What?" Sora awkwardly tried to chuckle it off, "What are you talking about?"
"Don't try to hide it. You're not well, are you?"
Sora looked back out to the sunset sadly, "I didn't want you to spend what little time we had worrying about me. I…I don't know. I'm…fading from this world. I don't know if I'll be able to make it back this time. It feels like I'm being pulled apart, but…I couldn't let go just yet." He smiled at her, "I had to spend just a bit more time with you."
"S-Sora," Kairi could not stop the tears from falling.
"I'd do it again," He said without hesitation, "So long as you're safe, I don't care what happens to me."
"Sora, you idiot. What's the point if you aren't here with me? You idiot, and I can't stand the idea of being separated again."
Sora's smile was genuine despite the agony he was experiencing, "Alright then. Forget the odds. I'll make it back to you." He started to fade.
A sorrowful smile found its way on her face, "I know you will."
He mouthed something as her hand was suddenly left feeling naked. He was gone, and Kairi was left to cry alone. They were so close only to be torn apart again, but she refused to lose hope. Sora always kept his promises. They would see each other again another day.