DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, nor the Disney and Square Enix characters. Please support the original works.
A/N:
I wasn't going to upload this chapter this soon, but it will never be perfect enough, and life is about to get hectic , so I wanted to at least complete this arc before I have less time to write.
Side note: if there is anyone out there that has Netflix, please, please, please, watch the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie. It's so good. It you're an animation fan it's worth it just for the animation alone. The show was unfairly judged before it came into its own, but I think it should be rewarded for taking risks and making something different. It's the only TMNT related media I've ever liked. I won't ever stop recommending it.
Chapter Twenty Seven: Dragon King
"Don't squeeze him too hard," Aladdin chuckled.
"But he's so cute."
Abu struggled in Kairi's arms, trying to break free of her death grip as she nuzzled the top of his head with her cheek. Next to her, Oswald sighed jealously, while Rajah ducked his head behind Jasmine's knee, chittering nervously. Abu finally squeezed free, leaping onto Aladdin's shoulder and shaking his angry little fist at Kairi.
"He's even cuter when he's mad! Who's a good monkey? Come here!"
Kairi lurched forward, trying to grab the Aby, but he ducked behind Aladdin's back and hid under the young man's vest.
"I wonder if the palace guards are doing job?" Jasmine mused, her voice extra loud. "Maybe Abu should go check?"
The monkey popped his head out from behind Aladdin's shoulder. He saluted Jasmine, and scampered into the palace. Although it was warmer in the palace, Kairi didn't follow him. The temperature hadn't improved since Riku and Genie had left, yet the party had stayed in the garden. Jasmine felt the most at ease there, and where there was the princess, there were her loyal team of guards.
Still, Kairi hoped that Genie and Riku fixed the cold weather soon. Not just for Agrabah and its citizens, but for Jasmine as well. Though Jasmine did a good job at hiding it, Kairi could tell that generating a constant protective sphere around the palace was draining. If any normal person were to look at Jasmine, they would think the black haired princess was in perfect health. But Kairi noticed how Jasmine couldn't stand for too long, how she lounged by the fountain, and how she fidgeted with her hands when she thought no one was looking.
It was the light. It was just too strong. When Kairi was around Sora, Riku, Max, Oswald, and the others, the darkness in their hearts offset the light around her, making it easier to ignore. Being near Jasmine, a woman with a heart as pure as her own, made Kairi's skin tingle with excitable energy. Generating a protection spell wasn't hard, it was simply a challenge of mental strength.
Kairi could feel the light creeping into her brain, making her sleepy. Resisting it was exhausting, and Kairi didn't miss the nervous little twitches Jasmine did when her eyes drifted closed from time to time. It was lucky that Oswald was nearby. Concentrating on his familiar darkness made it easy for Kairi to keep herself from drifting away.
Jasmine put a hand on her chest, frowning. Aladdin came to sit next to her, and she quickly plastered on a smile. He rolled an apple down his arm, bouncing it off his elbow. The fruit landed perfectly in Jasmine's palms.
"Did you pick this up from the bazaar? Just for me?"
"I looked for the reddest one."
Jasmine leaned toward Aladdin, her long eyelashes lowering as she gave him a secret smile. Kairi sighed, leaning toward Oswald.
"I miss Ortensia," he whispered.
"Do you think she's feeling better?"
Oswald scratched his nose. "The master says that she just needs rest. I know that she will get better, but," he pressed his lips into a thin line, "I still worry, you know."
"Oh I know." Kairi balanced on one leg, letting the other leg swing back and forth. "I hope Sora is okay out there. Oh, who am I kidding? Most likely, he's charging into battle without a care in the world."
"How is the city? The bazaar?" Jasmine asked Aladdin.
"Quiet. No heartless since our last fight."
Oswald groaned. "Don't jinx it."
Jasmine shot to her feet.
"Oh no," said Kairi and Oswald. "He jinxed it."
"Something just hit my shield, and it-" Jasmine looked up. "It was so strong. I almost-"
Aladdin put a hand on her shoulder. "Almost?"
Jasmine acted as though he weren't there. With her fingers pressed to her lips, she said, "There was a strong mix of darkness and light. It felt familiar, like the time that Sora and I-"
Kairi searched the skies, expecting some great monster to come flying down and smack into Jasmine's protection spell. Nothing happened. She motioned for Oswald to follow her out of the palace.
"Let's go take a look."
"Be careful," Jasmine called after them.
Aladdin made a move to follow, but Kairi stopped him. "Oswald and I got this. Stay here and keep Jasmine company." A wink. "You know you want to."
Aladdin made an amused, "huh" sound, crossing his arms. He waited until Kairi and Oswald were out of earshot before he leaned down to whisper to Jasmine's.
"How about a bet?"
"What for?"
"I bet Sora and Kairi will get together by the end of this journey. If they don't, then I'll eat my own hat."
"How is that a wager? I don't get anything out it."
"Well then, what are your terms?"
"If they can get together, on their own, with no interference from anyone else, then you win, and I will take an extra day off from leading Agrabah to go wherever you like."
"Deal. And if I lose?"
"Then you'll have to help me with paperwork for a week."
Aladdin groaned.
"Come on," she bumped him with her elbow. "Either way, we get to spend more time together."
Aladdin watched Kairi disappear into the palace. "I hope she sweeps Sora off his feet soon."
As if sensing someone was talking about her, Kairi poked her head back out from within the palace. Was it just her, or was there some kind of sneaky glint in Aladdin and Jasmine's eyes. Shrugging, she joined Oswald in the courtyard in front of the palace gates. The great, wooden doors loomed over them like a pair of giants gazing down at lowly farmhands.
"What if Aqua was the one that hit Jasmine's shield?" Oswald said.
Kairi raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have any faith in me? And after we took down a three-headed darkside together? You know, I managed to fend her off once, right?" Kairi scratched her cheek. "Granted it took the help of two ghosts and a holy spell to do it-"
Oswald blew a raspberry. "Of course I have faith in you. I just want us to be careful."
"Didn't you dive straight into the darkness just to get Ortensia back?"
"That's different. And don't tell me you wouldn't do the same for Sora."
"Touché." Kairi grumbled. "That boy, though. Sometimes I wish Sora would be a little more flirty. But then I remember what Zidane was like, and I kind of like how Sora is a clueless doofus."
"I don't think you give him enough credit." Oswald bumped her leg with his hip. "And, 'Zidane?' Who is this other boy, hmm?"
Kairi waved her hand dismissively. "Someone that is really not my type. He needs his own princess."
"Maybe when you're done with your journey, you can play matchmaker and get Zidane a girlfriend. Like you did for Max."
"You know about that?"
"Max visited me a lot when I was recovering in Master Yen Sid's tower. I was in and out of sleep most of the time, but he kept me company when I was awake. He talked about you, told me not to worry."
"You guys are getting close? Without me?"
Oswald rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. You're still second favorite."
Kairi slapped a hand on her chest, her face contorting in mock horror. "Second favorite?"
"Ortensia will always be first."
"Okay, fine, I can't argue with that."
"Are we done stalling?" Oswald pointed his thumb at the doors.
Nodding, Kairi dug her heels into the dirt, and pushed with all her might. The doors opened with a low, growling groan, the hinges crackling from the thick coating of frost. Kairi peered through the small opening between the doors. Once she passed though, she would be out of Jasmine's protection, but those worries fluttered away form her mind when she noticed someone on the road.
A girl.
Her long, raven hair fanned out on the sand, obscuring her face. She lay face down and motionless. A metal rod rested a few inches away from her hand.
Oswald and Kairi dashed into the main street. Scooping up the girl in her arms, Kairi turned her over. She pressed a hand on the girl's neck. Her skin was cold, but there was a pulse. She had a pretty face, with long, dark eyelashes. If Kairi hadn't known better, she might have wondered if she were holding onto Tifa's long lost little sister.
A slight blush appeared on the girl's skin after Oswald chanted a few healing spells. The girl didn't wake.
"Either she's really tired, or she got hit with Agrabah's sleeping spell," Oswald concluded.
"I don't think so. She's not covered head to toe in light."
A cloud shot across the sun, momentarily casting shade over Oswald and Kairi. They looked up. The sun was getting bigger. It was dangerously red. Strange. Kairi's eyes didn't sting when she looked at it.
Oswald gasped, reaching out to grab Kairi's hand. The surge of magical energy that flew through him and into Kairi gave them both the strength to shout.
"Reflectga!"
An extra sturdy sphere of light surrounded Kairi, Oswald, and mysterious girl. It was just enough to handle the force of the sun as the burning fireball came down on them like a meteor. Sand exploded and they were pushed downward into a massive crater. The reflect spell cracked, but stayed in place long enough to protect them from the sand as it came crashing down like dusty rain.
When the spell broke, Kairi looked up to see that the palace was unharmed, but most the nearby buildings had been pulverized into dust. The few walls that remained were smoking, and glowing lava red. Fire burned the sand along the road, smoothing it down into glass shards.
Oswald tried to help Kairi climb out of the crater. The sand kept slipping under their fingers, and, with the added weight of dragging the mysterious girl, they just kept sliding back down to the bottom. As if that wasn't bad enough, air blasted down from above. Kairi looked up, expecting storm clouds and thunder.
Her legs shook.
A leathery monster was hovering right in front of the sun. The was coming down, moving toward the crater. As it neared, Kairi saw its long arms and legs, powerful claws at the end each scaly limb.
Another blast of air, and sand flew into Kairi's nose and eyes. Coughing and blinking through the tears, Kairi's vision blurred, but she was sure she were looking at a set of perfect, sharp, white teeth, directly overhead. The creature's massive mouth opened. Blue and red fire burned from deep within its throat.
The monster reared back.
Then, it flew up into air, writhing, its muscular torso and tail swinging in opposite directions.
Something silver shined in the corner of Kairi's eye. She turned, her eyes finally clearing enough to see the raven haired girl. She was standing, her metal rod pointed at the monster in the sky. A layer of sweat her forehead. One of her eyes was closed, either in concentration or pain. The girl raised her free hand, closing her fist. The creature in the sky fell, but it quickly righted itself, turning its body, spreading its wings, and flying off, out of sight.
The girl collapsed onto her knees.
"It'll be back," she rasped. "It's attracted to the light around that castle. I don't think I can stop it a second time. It's resisting me."
"What did you do to it?" Oswald asked, searching the sky, as if expecting the monster to come back.
"Let's table that for now. We have to get out of this hole." Kairi grunted as she tried to climb the sandy walls.
"I'll see if I can find a way for you two to climb out."
Oswald bent down low, and used his powerful legs to leap out of the crater. Once he was out of sight, Kairi moved toward the girl.
"Can you stand?"
Though woozy, the girl was able to bend her knees. "I'm fine. Thank you."
"I should be thanking you. I don't what you did to that monster, but it was incredible."
"That was a dragon," the girl said. "The king of dragons, to be exact."
Kairi's jaw dropped. "What?"
"Hey guys! Up here!"
Oswald threw a rope into the hole. Once both young women had climbed out, Kairi charged forward and put her hands on Oswald's shoulders.
"Ozzie," she pointed to the sky, "that thing was a dragon."
She didn't get the shocked response she was expecting. Instead, she got a shrug.
"Well, that explains the flare magic."
"Flare magic?"
"That wasn't ordinary fire that the dragon was throwing at us. Flare magic is highly advanced, hard to control, and takes a lot of magical energy to produce." Oswald peeked around Kairi, staring, wide eyed, at the mysterious girl. "That dragon must be crazy strong, and you made it go away without a single spell. Who are you?"
The girl bowed. "My name is Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII."
"Princess?"
Garnet cringed. "Or, at least, I used to be."
Kairi pointed to the palace gates. "Can you tell us about it while we head toward the palace? I don't want to be out in the open in case that dragon comes back."
"It's not just a dragon. It's an eidolon, a summon spirit," Garnet said as she hobbled behind Oswald and Kairi.
Noticing her unsteady gait, the rabbit raised his wand. Before he could cast another healing spell, however, Garnet lifted her metal staff, and a cascade of magical healing leaves surrounded her body. Her limp was gone.
"You're a white mage," Oswald concluded.
Garnet nodded. "And a summoner."
"Summon spirit, summoner," Kairi repeated. Why did those words sound familiar?
Oswald slapped his palms together. "Master Yen Sid told me about those! Summoners are mages that call mythical beasts to do battle. The master said that it takes incredible magical strength and concentration to give form to and control a summon spirit." Oswald stared at the girl as though she had sprouted horns. "That dragon is a part of you?"
"That's correct."
"Oh!" Kairi snapped her fingers. "I remember now! Back when the worlds were being destroyed by heartless, Sora was able to summon some friends to come fight with him for a little while." Kairi bit her lip. "But that was only because his friends had lost their world. Instead of disappearing with the world, they turned into summon gems."
"Yes," Garnet lowered her head, whispering. "My world is gone. Bahamut and my other eidolons are all I have left of my past."
"Bahamut?"
"The dragon king."
Kairi bit her lip. "What happened to your world?"
Garnet looked up at the sky. "The villain won."
Kairi threw her arms around Garnet, pulling her into a tight hug. Garnet stiffed in Kairi's arms, but she didn't pull away either.
"I'm so sorry," Kairi whispered. "I know what it's like to lose your home." She took Garnet's hands in hers. "But you are not alone anymore. You've got two new friends right here." Kairi glanced at Oswald. "Right?"
The rabbit gave her wink before he addressed Garnet. "We'll help you get your eidolon back."
Garnet looked from Kairi to Oswald. She covered her mouth with her hands, and turned her around. Her shoulders trembled for a moment, but when she faced Oswald and Kairi again, her eyes were shining and her smile was brilliant.
"It's wonderful to meet you two."
A call from the palace made them turn around.
"Are you guys okay?"
Aladdin and Jasmine came out into the main street. Looking around at all the destruction and fire, Aladdin's face contorted in horror.
"Not again."
"Don't worry," Jasmine said. "Genie can fix it with a snap of his fingers. I'm more worried about that monster we saw in the sky."
"Well don't, because this girl," Kairi shoved Garnet forward, "drove it off."
Garnet blushed. "No. If I'd had better control, Bahamut wouldn't have gone berserk in the first place."
Kairi smacked Garnet's shoulder, and was rewarded with a funny expression. Garnet looked as confused as someone being offered a plate of rotten frogs.
Pushing down the urge to laugh, Kairi said, "Come on. Ozzie and I would have been toast if it weren't for you."
Garnet shook her head. "You don't understand. I can't lose control. In the past, Bahamut was stolen from me. If hadn't run away from my fears, if I had faced them, perhaps I could have stopped it. I won't ever let anyone use the eidolons for evil again."
There was a fire glowing in Garnet's gaze. Though she had only known Garnet for a few minutes, Kairi could already feel a kinship with the girl. Her world was long gone, she was all alone, and yet she was still fighting to do what was right. Kairi felt a tingle of shame. If only she had the guts to do the same thing.
While Kairi had been thinking, Jasmine asked Garnet to explain what summoners and eidolons were.
"They're mythical beasts that have an affinity for darkness. Bahamut, Atomos, Ark, all of my eidolons have been agitated lately. More light also means more darkness. Bahamut has had too much to feed on, and the extra power made him frenzy and break free of me. It is trying to vent its frustration at any nearby source of light."
"I see," Jasmine sighed. "That's why it attacked my shield."
"How do we defeat it ?" Aladdin asked.
"If we can weaken it, I can reestablish my connection and dismiss it."
Oswald glanced at Kairi. "Driving the darkness from Bahamut is doable."
"But, Aqua's still out there. If we separate, then who will protect Jasmine?"
Jasmine cleared her throat, leveling both Oswald and Kairi with a "you can't be serious" look. Oswald and Kairi slumped, a pair of guilty smiles on their faces. They sensed that a lecture on its way.
"What makes you think I'm just going to stand around and wait for that dragon to come back? We're going after it."
"But the palace. The people."
"The best way to protect both threat is to face the threat head on. Besides, the last two times I was left alone while others went off to fight, I was either kidnapped, or had to swoop in the last moment to help save the day. I doubt I could keep my shield in place if Bahamut keeps attacking it."
Jasmine's matter of fact tone made Kairi feel dumb. Hadn't she jumped headfirst into the realm of darkness back when she had no combat experience, simply because she had refused to be left behind? Who was she to tell Jasmine to stay and wait while they went out to solve the problem? Kairi was a lot of things, but hypocrite was not something she wanted to add to the list.
"Well then, looks like we're all going dragon hunting."
Jasmine chuckled. "That's what I want to hear."
Kairi rubbed her palms together. "Oh, I can't wait to see the look on Sora's face when I tell him that I fought a dragon!"
Aladdin put his fingers in his mouth, and whistled. A few seconds later, Carpet came flying down from the sky. It landed next to Aladdin, standing to attention like a loyal soldier.
"Wow." Garnet leaned forward, inspecting Carpet's ornate fabric. "A flying carpet. Incredible! I've only ever read about these in books."
Carpet bowed.
"We're going to need some serious flying power," Aladdin stated. "Think you can handle five passengers?"
Carpet gave him a thumbs up.
"Wait here," Jasmine ordered. "I'll tell the remaining guards to protect the sleeping citizens. Then, we'll head out."
It was tight squeeze on Carpet, but with Oswald sitting on Kairi's shoulders, and Aladdin and Jasmine huddled together near the front, it wasn't too bad. Granted, Kairi's legs had to dangle off the edge of the magic rug, and the cold temperature made her shiver when the wind hit her skin, but it was better then walking.
Besides telling them that they were going in the right direction, Garnet was mostly silent throughout the ride. Her eyes roamed the distant dunes and mountains. To ease the uncomfortable silence, Kairi told Garnet about the various worlds she had been to, and what was happening with the light imbalance. Garnet's eyes had darkened when Kairi had mentioned Aqua.
"A woman that wants to sink further into the darkness? What a strange notion. I wonder what motivates her." Garnet's grip tightened on her metal rod. "I hope it's not greed."
"Did you know someone that was motivated by greed?" Oswald asked.
Kairi was that asking Garnet about her past was insensitive, yet she could not deny that she was curious. She wondered what kind of villain would be strong enough to destroy a whole world. Only heartless and Ansem had been capable of such a feat before. Garnet spoke, but her voice was so low that Kairi hadn't understood what she had said. Oswald, though, had stiffened.
"What did she say?"
"My mother," Garnet repeated. "She caused a war in my world, all because she could not fill the void of grief in her heart. She craved nothing but power. That's how my world was destroyed."
Kairi felt as though a lump of hot coal had dropped into her stomach. "My grandpa ruined my world"
Garnet blinked at her. "My deepest sympathies."
"It's not as bad as yours. At least my world still exists."
And she was running away from it. Kairi pulled her knees up to her chest. Even if Hollow Bastion hadn't felt like her home for over ten years, it was still her birthplace. It was still someplace she could go back to. Garnet's home was gone, and her heart would always long for it. Was Kairi being selfish by hesitating? Hollow Bastion had a second chance, so why didn't she want to be a part of that chance? Sora's face flashed in her thoughts, and Kairi bit her lip.
"Forgive me. I did not mean to upset you."
Kairi blinked at Garnet.
"No, not at all. I'm sorry for making you remember something so terrible."
"It wasn't all bad. I was alone for a while, grieving for my kingdom and my people. But I found meaning again. I met another summoner, we traveled the worlds together, and," Garnet gave Kairi a shy smile, "I made two new friends."
Oswald kicked his legs, his heels lightly tapping Kairi's shoulders.
"Believe me, I could use more friends after being stuck in darkness for fifty years. Just one thing."
"Yes?"
"Try to be less stiff."
"Ozzie!" Kairi scolded.
"You're not a princess out here," Oswald said, ignoring the angry face of the girl below him. "You should sound more casual. Like us. Oh, and maybe you should teach Kairi a thing or two about how to act like a princess."
"Hey!"
"What? You can teach Garnet how to relax, and she can teach you a thing or two about leading. Win win."
Garnet giggled. "I shall endeavor to try. Oh! I mean, I'll do my best."
Oswald snapped his fingers. "There you go!"
"I think I see Bahamut in the distance," Aladdin said. He turned around, waving at Kairi. "Are you sure about this plan? It's kind of crazy."
"All of her plans are crazy," Oswald said.
"And that's why it will work," Kairi laughed. "The closer Garnet is to Bahamut, the easier it will be to get him under control, right?"
"It still leaves us vulnerable to attack," Jasmine said.
"Yeah, but hasn't it always been go big or go home for us?" Aladdin patted Carpet. "We're counting on you."
He was rewarded with a loop de loop. Garnet grabbed Kairi's arm in when they were upside down. Despite her surprise, she did gasp in delight when Carpet eventually flew straight again. They were gaining on the black shadow in the distance.
Kairi squeezed Oswald's foot.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"For luck."
Like a thunderclap, the heavy beating of Bahamut's wings vibrated through the sky. Garnet stood, her eyes narrowing. Straight ahead, Bahamut was spitting flare magic down into the sand, burning the dunes into coral shaped columns of glass.
A creature that big would surely spot the Carpet. Within a few minutes, Bahamut had turned toward them, gliding over the vast desert with shocking speed. Oswald leaned forward, looping his arms around Kairi's head, getting a firmer grip as she stood up. Garnet bent her knees.
Aladdin screamed over the rising wind. "Here it comes!"
Bahamut's mouth was open, flare magic crackling from deep within its throat. Just a few feet before they were close enough to be snapped by Bahamut's maw, Carpet looped around the dragon's neck. The flare spell exploded behind them, but Carpet ignored the blast, zooming high over Bahamut's back. The dragon turned its upper half toward Carpet, reaching out with its long claws. It would have torn Carpet to shreds if Aladdin hadn't noticed and shouted a warning in the last second.
Carpet swerved, diving down toward Bahamut's tail. The dragon flicked its tail, hitting the rug.
Kairi, Garnet, and Oswald were thrown off. In midair, Bahamut turned, eyes still locked on Aladdin and Jasmine as they angled Carpet downward to catch Bahamut's attention, and keep it from snapping at their friends. The dragon chased after its new target. Oswald and Kairi flailed. Bahamut was moving away rom underneath them.
A wand appeared before Kairi's eyes. Oswald shouted from atop her shoulders.
"Magnega!"
A swirling blue, red, and silver orb of energy appeared on the tip of Bahamut's tail. Like an anchor, the sphere pulled Bahamut backward, momentarily keeping it in place just long enough for Kairi, Oswald, and Garnet to fall on its tail. The three of them had to grab onto one of Bahamut's tail spikes to keep themselves from falling off. The dragon's body was jerking as it continued to chase after Carpet, Jasmine, and Aladdin.
Sinking her fingers between Bahamut's thick scales, Kairi pulled herself upward, climbing the dragon's back. The wind pressed down on her face, but her metal gauntlets made it easy keep her grip. Oswald held onto Kairi's neck, while Garnet sunk her rod between the dragon's scales and pulled herself up.
It was pure luck that Bahamut wasn't itchy. Kairi was sure that the eidolon would buck them off the moment they got to close to its wings. Once they made it to Bahamut's back, there was enough room to stand. Garnet rose, and raised her rod before her, shouting.
"Blind!"
A cloud of black smoke settled over Bahamut's face. The eidolon roared, stopping in midair to claw at its own eyes. The blinding spell gave Aladdin and Jasmine enough time to gain some distance.
"Bring it down!" Garnet ordered Kairi and Oswald.
Kairi stood between Bahamut's wings. She put her hands on Oswald's knees, feeling his magical energy swell in response. The two friends chanted the spell.
"Gravija!"
A purple sphere of gravitational force spread over Bahamut's wings. While tiny footsteps on its back may not have caught the dragon's attention, the sudden heavy weight on its wings did. Garnet gasped, watching as Bahamut turned its head like an owl, aiming a flare spell at its own back. Even with the black smoke blinding its eyes, it wouldn't miss its targets point blank.
"Oh no you don't!"
From above, Aladdin leapt off of Carpet. The agile young man flipped in the air, his sword slashing Bahamut's horn as he came down. To keep himself from falling, Aladdin stabbed his blade into Bahamut's neck. The dragon flailed. It's body undulated like a sinking ship in a storm. Kairi bit her lip, watching as Aladdin barely managed to pull himself onto Bahamut's shoulder.
"Hurry!" He urged.
Oswald and Kairi funneled more power into the gravity spell. Bahamut dipped closer to the sands. Once again, it turned and prepared to fire at its own back.
Once again, Garnet pointed her rod at the dragon's face and shouted. "Silence!"
The magic gathering in Bahamut's mouth suddenly vanished. Garnet grunted, her rod shaking in her grip.
"I can't stop its magic forever!"
One wing closed, but though Bahamut could neither see, nor gather magic, its tail could still move. The long, spiky appendage contorted, curving up over the dragon's back. The dragon king could not care less that the tail would crash into its own spine, flattening Oswald, Kairi, Aladdin, and its own summoner along with it.
The blinding spell wore off, and Bahamut's red eyes zeroed in on the intruders on its back. The tail came down. Then it flicked to side. The dragon roared in surprise. A flash of light had forced everyone, included Bahamut, to shut their eyes.
Jasmine came down with Carpet, a sharp light shining from her hand. With one more concentrated effort, Kairi and Oswald forced Bahamut's wings to fully close. The dragon crashed into the desert. Sand sprayed up into the air, but Kairi, Oswald, and Garnet didn't even try to cover their eyes.
Jasmine landed on Bahamut's back, getting between Kairi and Garnet. She pressed her hands on the dragon's scales. A sphere of white light surrounded Bahamut. The sphere closed in, trapping the darkness, and Bahamut inside it.
Kairi reached for Oswald's hand.
"Ready?"
He squeezed her palm. "Holy spell on three!"
"Three."
Two never came.
Though its wings were bent and broken, Bahamut was still strong enough to buck its body with all its might. Everyone went flying up into the air. Oswald slipped from Kairi's grasp. Jasmine's concentration was broken, and the shield around Bahamut vanished. With nothing to hold its darkness back, Bahamut turned its head upward.
Carpet moved to catch its friends, but a long, clawed hand reached out and enclosed around it. As Kairi flew up and up, she watched in horror as the dragon directly below her opened its mouth.
Magical energy gathered between its sharp teeth, creating a miniature sun of mega powerful flare energy. They only had seconds. Either the fall would end them, or they would be engulfed by the flare spell and pulverized into nothing. Kairi was falling. Her friends were too far behind her. There was no one to draw light from, no ghosts to fall upon for help. No one.
In the air, in that moment, she was alone. No reflect or aero spell would withstand a constant beam of magic. She was helpless, just like she had been when her grandfather had destroyed Hollow Bastion, when all she could do was run away form the heartless, and from her home.
But she wasn't a little girl anymore.
She wasn't powerless anymore.
The heat from the flare magic burned Kairi's cheeks. She heard Oswald screaming above her. She had finally gotten him back. Was she ready to lose him again? Fury bubbled in Kairi's heart. She refused to think of a future where she would have to explain to Ortensia why her love hadn't come back to her. She refused to let Garnet suffer another loss. She was going to protect Agrabah just like she promised Genie, Riku, Aladdin, and Jasmine. She was not going to run away. Even from Hollow Bastion.
Kairi summoned her sword, pointing it straight down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Concentrate on the now. Oswald had put his faith in her, Aladdin had jumped off Carpet to protect her, Jasmine's resolve and Garnet's resilience had inspired her. And somehow, in those precious few seconds, Kairi remembered Moana's words.
"Who are you meant to be?"
A person that wasn't afraid to take responsibility, Kairi thought. Someone that would always be there for her friends, no matter how far away they were. Her heart was never alone. It hadn't been, not since she had first set foot on Destiny Islands.
Light fluttered around Kairi's body, turning into white butterflies. They gathered around her sword, connecting, end to end, creating a chain. Flinging her sword, Kairi watched as the butterflies flew out like a whip, looping around Bahamut's snout. Kairi pulled, and the whip snapped Bahamut's jaw shut.
More butterflies gathered around her body, protecting her from the fall. She landed softly, on Bahamut's nose. The smoke from the flare spell still puffed out from the dragon's nostrils. The heat scratched and burned Kairi's skin, but instead of flinching, she pulled on the light chain, forcing the dragon to tilt its head back. The white butterflies fluttered down, and into the sword. The chain glowed like a shooting star, the light spreading into Bahamut's scales, down its neck, and through its long torso, straight into its heart.
The dragon went still, the smoke stopped puffing from its nostrils, but Kairi's work was not done. The light chain came apart. Now free, the butterflies swarmed around Kairi. She threw the butterflies up into the sky, watching as they gathered around her friends.
Aladdin, Jasmine, Oswald, and Garnet came down, landing safely on the dragon. Garnet wasted no time. She got down on her knees, and pressed the end of her tod on Bahamut's forehead. The dragon king began to fade. Carpet was freed from Bahamut's claws. It flew around the party, happily looping and spinning.
Once Bahamut was safely returned to Garnet, Kairi fell to her knees in the sand. She panted, her throat dry from screaming and from the immense energy she had spent. Garnet funneled healing spells into her, but Kairi didn't stand up. Her mind was buzzing with surprise, and she wanted to enjoy the glow of accomplishment a little longer. She'd done it. For the first time ever, she had intentionally commanded light.
Oswald collided with her back, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, screaming.
"You did it! You found your hook! You did it!"
Kairi reached up and squeezed Oswald's hands. Jasmine appeared before her. She pulled Kairi up to her feet.
"I'm proud of you."
As though the world were celebrating their victory, the air suddenly shifted. The cold weather that had been plaguing Agrabah for days was replaced by a rush of heat. Kairi coughed, breathing in the dry air, and realizing just how parched she was. Inwardly however, she felt a rush of pride. Riku and Genie had solved the freezing problem.
Aladdin sighed. "Good old desert heat. I've missed it."
"How about we get back to Agrabah and have a nice, cold drink," Jasmine suggested.
Loud, obnoxious cheers followed her words.
"It's good to be home," Aladdin said as Carpet dropped everyone off behind the palace gates.
"I can't thank you all enough," Garnet said for the tenth time. "I feel so complete now that Bahamut has returned to me."
"And that's not all we're going to do."
Kairi twirled around, pointing at Garnet's nose. Garnet stiffened, her eyes wide as though she were expecting Kairi to burst into flames.
"I'm going to offer you a place to live." Kairi's excited grin faltered a bit. "As my first ever, um, what do I call it? Decree? Offer? Whatever. I'm inviting you to live in Hollow Bastion. My," Kairi swallowed, "my home."
Rather then wait for Garnet's answer to her offer, Kairi turned to look at Agrabah's palace. She wondered which was bigger, the palace, or the castle back in Hollow Bastion. Both buildings loomed in her thoughts, monoliths of expectations and responsibilities, yet she was resolved to face them head on. No more running.
Jasmine came to stand at Kairi's side. "It's a lot to think about, isn't it?"
Kairi looked down at her shoes. "Can I ask you something? One princess to another?"
She saw Jasmine nod out of the corner of her eye.
"Doesn't it ever scare you? Leading this kingdom?"
"All the time," Jasmine said. "But I believe that a good leader always questions themsevles. If someone never stops to look at their own actions, always assumes their way is the right one, then they won't listen to their people."
"Do you think I'll be a good wise woman for Hollow Bastion? Even without my grandparents?"
It was Jasmine's turn to give Kairi a hug.
"It may take time for you to figure things out, but you'll learn as you go. And if you ever need advice, you know where to find me."
Kairi tried not to sob when she pulled away from Jasmine. She looked up, blinking to try and stop the tears.
"This is so dumb. I can take down a dragon by myself and still feel nervous about leading?"
Garnet tapped Kairi's arm.
"One day you'll be a wise woman, but you will always be yourself. You're strong, you care about others, even those you barely know. You'll be a great leader." Garnet bowed. "And I would love to live in Hollow Bastion with my new friends."
Kairi beamed. "I don't suppose you can offer me some of that princess wisdom while you're there?"
"I knew it!" Oswald shouted.
Garnet laughed when Kairi gave Oswald a dramatic pout.
"You're welcome to visit Agrabah again anytime," Jasmine added. "I could show you the bazaar, and the Cave of Wonders, once everything has settled down."
"That reminds me, can you show me the rest of your eidolons," Kairi asked. "A dragon is cool, but do you have anything that looks like a unicorn or a horse, because I would love to see that."
"Not me," Garnet said, "but my summoner friend does."
Aladdin watched the girls talk. He then leaned over to Oswald and said, "I'm jealous."
"About?"
"I wish I could make friends that fast."
Oswald snorted. "That's Kairi for you. Hey, what's this about a 'Cave of Wonders?' Is there treasure involved?"
Aladdin winked. "More then you could ever imagine."
"Aren't you going to put the barrier back?" Kairi asked Jasmine.
"In a moment. I want to rest my mind for a bit. So do your duty and guard me."
Kairi put her hands on her hips. "I should get some armor. If I'm going to be protecting princesses, then I should at least look like a knight."
Jasmine and Garnet laughed.
There was a low, rumbling growl in the distance. Kairi and Aladdin brought out their swords. Rather then a heartless or a monster bursting out of the sands, a car was zooming down the main road. A car that looked an awful lot like Genie. There was no mistaking that shade of blue. Kairi squinted. Riku and an unfamiliar girl were sitting in the Genie car.
Garnet let out a happy squeal, waving. "Yuna!"
Just a few feet away from the gate, Genie popped back into his regular shape, leaving Riku and the girl, Yuna, Kairi guessed, to stumble and try to keep themselves from falling on their rears. Genie could care less that he left his passengers high and dry. He zoomed through the gates and scooped up Aladdin and Jasmine into his arms.
"You guys are okay! On man! I was worried that Blueberry Lady had got ya!"
"We haven't seen Aqua," Aladdin said, wrapping his arms around Genie's shoulders.
Jasmine laughed, kicking her feet in midair. "But we did help Kairi take down a dragon."
"WHAT?" Genie put Aladdin and Jasmine down, pouting. "Why does all the cool stuff happen when I'm not around? First Jafar, now this?"
"And taking down Shiva wasn't cool?" Riku asked as he stepped into the palace courtyard.
He then jumped to the side as Garnet ran in his direction. Turning, Riku tilted his head, no doubt sensing that Garnet, and Yuna, had reunited. The two summoners began to compare adventures while Kairi made her way over to Riku and patted his shoulder.
"You ran into Aqua? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. More then fine actually. Check this out."
Riku gestured for Kairi to step back. He then summoned his soul eater and sliced the air. An arc of light sailed across the palace courtyard. It vanished before it could damage the palace wall. Kairi whooped and clapped.
"Hey all right! My turn!"
Opening her palm, she watched as a butterfly of light fluttered up. It did two rotations around Riku's head before vanishing.
"Nice. I bet you can't wait to show to Sora."
"Forget showing off, I can't wait to fight him. He's so going on down."
"I thought being the rival was my thing."
"Who said I can't be a rival for both of you?"
"How are you this competitive?"
Someone cleared their throat. "Apologies for interrupting everyone's reunions."
Kairi looked over Riku's shoulder. Another car had pulled up to the palace. This one was a sleek, fancy convertible with really big wheels. Riku spread his arms, introducing the four young men that had gotten out of the car. He explained how the seven of them had stopped the frigid weather. After he introduced Noctis, Riku leaned down to whisper in Kairi's ear.
"Luna's fiancé."
Kairi pressed her palms to her cheeks. "You found him? Luna will be so happy."
Ignis made his way over to Jasmine. He bowed low.
"Forgive us for coming into your lands unannounced, Your Highness. We could not predict that we could come here."
Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto bowed as well. The men did not move until Jasmine motioned for them to rise.
"Please, you stopped the cold weather plaguing my kingdom. There's no need for apologies."
Ignis straightened. "If I may, Highness, why are there no citizens in the city."
"Because of the sleeping sickness," Riku said.
After filling Ignis in on the whole story, Kairi was surprised to see Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto wear on a troubling frown.
"Now that you mention it," Prompto started, "I haven't felt sleepy since the moment I came here."
Gladio counted off his fingers. "I'd say we've been here for more then thirty two hours, and I haven't so much as yawned."
Ignis took out a watch from within his jacket. "You are correct. We have been here that long. Perhaps, the rules of our own world protect us from whatever sleeping spell has taken hold of Agrabah's citizens."
Aladdin sighed. "If only we had the same luck with our guards. At this rate, if all of us fall asleep, there's no telling what the heartless will do."
"There is one thing I can do," Genie proclaimed proudly.
He rose up into the air, hovering high over the city. From below, Kairi saw the sparkling of magic. Blue, glittery clouds spread over the city. When the clouds faded, Agrabah was sparkling. The buildings, the roads, the merchant stands, everything was fixed, as though the heartless chain and Bahamut had never come to Agrabah.
Noctis watched as Genie descended from the sky. He glanced at the city, and then at each of his friends. It seemed as though a silent conversation was spoken between them, as Prompto and Gladio smiled, and Ignis crossed his arms, a look of pride in his upright posture.
Noctis faced Riku. "Hey, pea-pod."
"I really don't like that nickname," Riku whined. "What is it?"
"Give Luna a message for me."
Riku blinked. "You're not coming with us?"
"Much as I want do, the people here need our help. We'll stay and help Jasmine guard her kingdom."
Ignis chuckled. "Now you're thinking like a king."
"Someone once told me that kings tend to sacrifice for people." Noctis pointed at Riku. "Hurry up and solve whatever problem is going on out there. I'd like reunite with my fiancé as soon as possible."
"Funny," Riku crossed his arms. "And here I thought you didn't like me."
"Still don't."
"Good. Same here."
Genie leaned down to whisper in Kairi's ear. "I think they're both lying."
Noctis snorted. "Bit weird to be around someone that reminds of so much of my younger self."
Riku clicked his teeth. "You wish."
"But I trust Luna," Noctis continued. "She wouldn't ask someone to look for me unless she knew they were a good person."
Luna's name seemed to make Riku's annoyance evaporate. He opted for a more easygoing stance, giving Noctis a respectful nod. "I'll give her your message. I do owe for saving me in the desert."
Noctis dug into his coat jacket and took out a black, leather bound book with a fancy bookmark. Opening to a random page, he wrote something down and then threw the book at Riku. Catching it, Riku put the book into the pocket of his jeans.
"Give that to her. She'll know what it means."
"Well, Prince Noctis, thank you for your help." Jasmine smirked. "And I'm eager to hear about this fiancé, but it will have to wait until after I raise the barrier around the palace."
Everyone watched as Jasmine raised her hands to the sky. Within moments, a dome of sparkling white light cascaded down and around the palace. The silvery glass shined under the sunlight, and then vanished, but Kairi could still feel its touch on her skin.
"Impressive," Ignis mused. "I've only ever seen Lady Lunafreya use the light so."
"If you think about it," Gladio began, "if there are more worlds out there, then it stands to reason that there are also more people with incredible powers."
"This makes our world feel small," Prompto sighed. He quickly perked back up. "But hey, that just means that there's more to explore."
"Such simple sentiments," echoed a husky voice.
There were yelps of surprised pain all around Kairi, but she didn't understand why. Whiteness engulfed the world around her. Normally, her mind would have questioned the fear and confusion on everyone's faces, but as she looked out into the bright light, all of her thoughts fluttered away. The light was nice. Wouldn't it be the prefect time for a nap? Why was everyone else covering their eyes?
Everyone, except for a pretty, young woman with black hair and a blue outfit. She was familiar to Kairi for some reason. Yet, Kairi couldn't remember her name, or anything really? What did it matter? Wouldn't walking into the light be nice? After all, the pretty lady in the blue outfit was walking toward the source. Kairi moved to follow her. The light was so warm, she wanted to become a part of it, to disappear into it.
Someone grabbed her arm and jolt of darkness zipped up into her neck. Kairi's memories, thoughts, and fears all snapped back into place. She turned around. Riku was gripping her arm tightly. Fear punched Kairi in the gut. Riku had grabbed the wrong princess. She tried to pull back, tried to reach into light.
Too late.
The light flashed, somehow brighter then before. Then it faded.
Agrabah reappeared around them.
Jasmine was gone.
In the shocked silence that followed, a letter floated down to hover in front of Kairi's eyes. Confused, angry, and with nothing better to do, Kairi ripped open the envelope.
"It's from Sora."
"What does it say?" Riku asked.
Now this was just insult to injury.
"A world has disappeared."
Jiminy's Journal
Bahamut (First Appeared in Final Fantasy III, 1990): The dragon king. A fearsome summon spirit with the power to consume darkness and control mega flare magic. Due to the light imbalance, and the darkness that is attracted to it, Bahamut frenzied and broke out of Garnet's control. Thankfully, Kairi's power was able to subdue Bahamut and return it back to its summoner.
Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (First Appeared in Final Fantasy IX, 2000): A princess from a kingdom that has long since been destroyed. On the surface, Garnet seems overly polite and timid, but she is also steadfast, kind, and refuses to give up despite everything she has lost. She and Yuna are good friends.
