Author's Note: Fweepers! I have reached a milestone! (sob) This is the first chaptered fic that I have finished. For all those who have read all three previous chapters, thanks for sticking around for the final chappie! Now, just banish that 'But it's not Christmas anymore!' thought lingering in the back of your mind. Pwetty pwease? Thank ya much!

Sheesh, this ending had completely deviated from what I had planned. And why'd it take so long? Well...I had actually gotten it written on time, but when I read over it, I was so disgusted. I tried editing it, but I could never get it just right. I've finally realized that I'll probably never get it the way I want, so I just posted this edited version. It's not my best, but I tried. Oh, and please remember that profiles hold a great deal of information. That is where I put review responses(coughcough).

So! Please enjoy the final chapter to The Magic of Three! Thank you for staying with me!

Disclaimer: I do not live in Japan. My last name is not Nomura. I am not a genius video game maker. Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably only two years old. What does all this mean? It means 'Sako is trying to make an interesting disclaimer, but is failing miserably.



The Magic of Three

Chapter 4: To Truly See


"Ri...Riku?"

This boy smiling in front of her -- no, a young man -- looked so similar yet so different from that friend in her childhood...Was he really here? Or was her mind simply pretending that he was? No. This wasn't him. He couldn't possibly be here. The images her mind created seemed to be more real than reality itself. This person was probably just that---fake images. Putting faith in an illusion would only shatter her breaking heart even more. No, she would not let her foolish heart believe that Riku was actually here, not when he was just something her mind made up. If she did...If she let herself believe...

"Yeah, it's me. I can't believe I'm finally back--"

"Just stop it. Stop."

"...Kairi?"

"You're not here. You never will be. Neither of you. You'll both be gone up there forever, getting killed fulfilling your stupid destinies."

The young man didn't say anything. He regarded the disbelieving girl in front of him, for a moment overcome with concern, but then continued to smile tenderly when she sniffed and turned her head away.

"Kairi..." Without even realizing it, her would-be childhood friend was kneeling in front of her, gently pushing her necklace into her trembling, wet hand. "I'm really here. Sorry for taking so long." His eyes looked so sincere, and so real...

She could really see his footprints in the mixture of snow and dirt. She could really hear his voice, deeper than the one her mind's version conjured up. She could really see his exhaling breath, could feel it warm against her forehead. And no illusion could give her the incredibly happy feeling that the mere touch of his hand was giving her right now. He was here, in the flesh and blood. Riku was really here.

An overwhelming rush of excitement shot up her spine and filled her up to the point of bursting. Riku! What to say? A whole jumble of words raced to her lips, but only blubbering spilled out. "Ri--oh I can't belie--what are you--how--oh my--you're really here!"

Riku chuckled, then covered it up with a cough as Kairi clumsily snapped together the necklace around her neck. "C'mon," he said, standing up and taking her hand. "You'll catch a cold, sitting in the wet snow." He hoisted her up, and they began their ascent up the now-slippery hill and towards the trail.

This was the happiest that Kairi had ever been in her entire life. No, a simple word couldn't sum up this feeling. This moment truly lifted her. Hah! She shouldn't have doubted it. Three really was a magic number!

You still believe in that load of junk? You really still think that number's lucky?

"Is Sora here too?" she asked, but soon regretted it the second those words flew out of her mouth. She was pushing fate's grace too far. It wasn't likely that both Riku and Sora would be here at the same time, even though that always managed to happen in her nightly dreams.

"Yeah. He's looking for you at the festival grounds."

Joy. Pure joy. Utter, complete, magnificent joy. She would finally see that lazy chocolate-haired bum again. She looked down at her skirt. So filthy...Well, it didn't matter if she looked good. Who cares! They were here. That was enough.

She glanced up at Riku. He looked so different...He'd certainly gained a few more inches on her, but that wasn't it. He looked so tired, so worn out, yet glowing with something that wasn't there before. What happened? Was he feeling as happy as she was? Three years separated them. Three whole years to catch up on and fill. But right now, she didn't mind. She didn't care. Those three years of loneliness had melted away the moment she realized that Riku's presence was real, not her imagination playing sadistic games.

How do you know it isn't, daydreamer? You're so gullible. You've let your own mind trick you.

"I've missed you," she whispered. She didn't even notice that she was speaking aloud. Those who usually spoke to the air were used to it when they were alone, so they'd hardly notice their habit when among real humans.

A pinecone crunched under her food. (When did pinecones start growing here? She was probably just seeing things.) She made sure to walk close to Riku, still fearing that he may disappear on her again. She wouldn't lose sight of him. She couldn't. What if he vanished when she wasn't looking? She wouldn't be able to take that. She didn't think she could take losing her friend again. But that wasn't all. He was also her assurance that she would see him again too. That boy who she loved so much...

Riku laughed -- oh, how she'd missed that laugh! -- and helped pull her up over some loose rocks and onto the trail. Wait -- was Riku one to laugh at something so serious? Hmm. He had changed. And why did it seem like such a long time for him to react? Maybe time was actually being nice for once and warping so she could catch up on all those days and minutes lost.

"Kairi, you have no idea how much I've missed home. Every time I thought of home, I thought of you."

"Oh Riku." She lightly punched his arm, grinning. "That's so corny."

He shrugged. "It's the truth." Then, the expression on his face took a dark turn. "Sometimes I forgot about home. All I could remember was the darkness. I never thought that I would actually make it back here."

Funny. Wasn't that what you'd always thought they'd say, sitting alone in that little cave?

They reached the trail. It was graced with a soft sheet of snow. If she had gone into dopey Sora mode, she would have commented that it was unusually thick, especially since it was kind of warm earlier.

You're even changing the scenery. You actually believe what you're seeing? Go get new eyes. They must be broken.

But Kairi was at a loss for words. She'd never expected Riku to tell her something like that.

Actually, you did.

She racked her brain for something to say, but came up with nothing. Why? There was this small, quiet voice in the back of her mind. This quiet, hated inner self. It was whispering things to her, forcing her mind to slow down, to stumble upon itself.

Don't get too comfortable, daydreamer.

"I guess thinking about you guys helped me pull through. I'm really glad to see you, Kairi."

My, your imagination's so thin. Don't you think he would react differently?

Kairi felt a cold chill. Then she heard the steady footsteps of someone walking towards them.

It was Sora.

If hearts could burst at the sight of a person's face, hers did right now.

"Hi, Kairi."

Seriously, daydreamer. Is that the best you can do?

She rushed up to him, threw herself into his arms, and let all the tears she had left soak into his clothes. "Sora," she said, her voice cracking. That voice was still pestering her. It was ruining the moment!

He returned her embrace, then, bending his head to her ear, whispered, "Thanks for waiting."

She lifted her head and looked up into those blue eyes for the first time in three years.

Hey, why don't you go tell your other buddies your long lost friends are back?

For once, that annoying voice said something positive. They'd believed that Sora and Riku were dead. Selphie kept telling her to stop thinking about them and move on. She knew it was wrong to go on a 'Look, I was right, Selphie!' rampage, but she couldn't resist. Besides, she wanted to show everyone that they were still alive. They didn't only exist in her mind.

She took one hand from each of them and led them towards the festival. She didn't mind that they weren't saying much.

That's because your mind is reaching a dead end, isn't it?

Oh, shut up.

"Everyone will be so shocked to see you guys..."

You know, you wouldn't react this way either.

"Your parents are going to have a heart attack..."

That's probably because you know the truth yourself already, don't you? Stop denying it.

Where the heck did this voice come from, anyway! It was really getting on her nerves.

You've finally broken. I'm trying to call you back for your own good.

Yeah, sure. Her head must be buzzing from this overload of happiness.

Up ahead, she could see the booths and could hear the Christmas carols. Sora said something like, "We came right on time!", while Riku said, "I remember this festival." Kairi walked a little faster. Both excitement and anxiety were building up onto her chest. The closer she got to the festival lights, the more stifling the air felt. Why?

All her worried feelings seemed to dissolve when they reached the edge of the festival grounds. Maybe it was because Sora's grin put her at ease. She squeezed his hand, just in case. Still there.

That was when she saw Selphie running up to them, followed by Tidus. She turned to both of her childhood friends and said, "Hey, remember these guys?" She let her hands slip out of theirs and walked up to the others.

"Kairi! There you are!" Selphie stopped in front of her, then stared at the path behind the redhead. She was probably gawking at the sight of Sora and Riku. "Who're you talking to?"

"Who am I talking to? Ha ha, don't you see? It's..." She turned her shining eyes to her two best friends, ready to burst with joy all over again. Instead...her face fell.

"Kairi? See what? That coconut or that rock on the floor?"

"Hey, did you know your necklace is gone?" Tidus pointed, and her hand shot up to her bare neck.

"Oh!" Selphie's hand dived into her pocket. "I found it by that tree we were at earlier. You must've dropped it." She pulled it out and dangled it around.

I told you.

Kairi stared at her hands, the very hands that had touched theirs, and walked away from those blurry, confused faces, her hunched figure fading into the sea of leaves.

They weren't here.

"...It'd be terrible to have them separated. How heartbroken they'd be..."

Fin