Heyo, back with another update! Like I said last time, this a rewrite of the old chapter 2, namely featuring more character interactions and foreshadowing and less boring lore we all already know about. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: To Guard the Light
Breath, should I take a deep?
"You are the one who will open the door..."
That softly-spoken statement, something he swears he's heard somewhere before, is what Sora awakens to. It pulls him out of sleep he didn't even know he'd fallen into, slowly drawing him out of a dream he doesn't even remember having. In its place, he soon starts to feel the warmth of the sun beaming down from above, smooth grains of sand skimming his skin underneath. And even before he opens his eyes, he can hear the rhythmic repetition of ocean waves lapping onto a nearby shore.
"Huh…?" he mutters at his first glimpse of clear blue midday skies. A familiar beach sprawls out around him, the unmistakable sight of an island he's been to many times floating on the nearby horizon. And behind him sits the rest of the main island, the tiny town of simple, cozy houses just as tranquil and calm as he's always known. "I'm… home?"
Confused, Sora slowly stands, absently brushing the sand off his clothes. Yet almost as soon as he does, he's startled by the smallest pinprick of pain lancing through his chest. It's brief, barely noticeable, but it's still enough to catch him off guard. Especially since he'd felt that same kind of pain not long ago, in the moments after the last time he'd awakened at the tower. Right after the still-fresh failure of his Mark of Mastery exam.
"Weird," he muses to himself. He shakes his head clear of thoughts of that ill-fated exam, and as he does, the lingering ache in his chest slowly starts to fade. Still, he can't help but frown as he surveys the island surrounding him, trying to make sense of it all. "How'd I end up here anyway…?" he wonders softly. "This isn't where I wanted to go…"
By all accounts, he should be back in the Sleeping Worlds, back among the loyal Dream Eaters who had done so much to help him during the exam. He'd hoped to thank them for that help along with offering them a proper farewell, and yet… it seems as though whatever chance he might have had to do so has somehow slipped straight through his fingers.
He sighs, slightly disappointed as he turns from the ocean toward the town. That disappointment is quick to dissipate when he catches sight of one certain house tucked away among the others sitting close to the sea. "Well, as long as I'm here, I guess I might as well make the most of it," he shrugs, finally smiling. He sets off toward that house, glad to be going back to it so soon instead of spending another year or so away. And as he knocks on the front door, he knows he won't be the only one happy about that either.
Sora doesn't suppress a wide, eager grin when he hears her unlatch the door, hearing her start her usual greeting before she's even fully opened it. "Hello, how can I help-"
"Surprise!" he exclaims, beaming from ear to ear.
"Sora!" she gasps, surprised, but delighted. She doesn't hesitate to pull him into a fond, warm hug, one that he readily returns.
"Good to see you too, Mom," he chuckles, though it turns a bit strained as her embrace turns a touch tighter. "Uh, b-but it'd be better if I could actually breathe…"
"Oh! Sorry, sweetie!" she releases him, smirking bashfully. "I guess I got a little over-excited there. Then again, can you blame me? I swear, sometimes it seems like I never get to see my own son anymore."
Sora rubs the back of his neck, offering her an apologetic smile as she sends him an insincerely critical glance. "Yeah, sorry… But hey, look on the bright side; at least I wasn't gone for too long this time, right?"
"Right," his mother agrees, affectionately ruffling his hair. She doesn't need to extend an offer for him to follow her inside, pouring both of them glasses of ice-cold lemonade she'd just finished making from scratch. It's one of Sora's longtime favorite treats, one that he can't turn down, even if he knows this visit will have to be a short one at best. Not that he's too keen on telling his mother that with how elated she clearly is to see him. So instead, he lets her lead the conversation, though how she starts it is hardly a high note for him.
"So," she begins as she takes a seat across the kitchen table from him. "Tell me all about where you've been. Before you left, you said something about you and Riku going to… help some people?"
"Oh, uh, yeah, we… haven't really gotten around to that yet," Sora admits apprehensively.
"Then what did you do?"
"We took this test that was supposed to help us get stronger, but…" he trails off, absently setting his sights on the glass sitting in front of him. "It didn't really go that great. Or at least it didn't for me…" He mutters that last part, his grip tightening on his glass ever so slightly. His mother picks up on his downcast manner almost instantly, and she doesn't hesitate to do what she always does when she sees her son's usually cheery manner slip.
"Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of, Sora," she concludes earnestly. "You know, even as far back as when you started school, you never really were much of a test taker…"
"Wha-Mom!" he exclaims, his cheeks flushing bright red in embarrassment.
"But that's ok," she laughs reassuringly. "Some people do just fine when it comes to tests and exams and everything like that; but then there are others that are better at putting what they've learned into practice in ways that really count. That's what you've always done, Sora; and I've never seen it steer you wrong yet."
"But Mom, this test was way different than anything like what we used to take in school," Sora protests, his tone intent and serious. "For starters, this one was actually important-"
"So you're saying school isn't important?" his mother raises an eyebrow.
"...That's not the point," he shakes his head dismissively. "All that matters is that I… I failed it," he relents, far more comfortable with admitting this to his mother than perhaps anyone else. Far more ready to let her know just how upset he is with himself for such a discouraging shortcoming than he had been to anyone back at the tower. Especially to the only one who had actually managed to pass it in his place. "And now… I don't know what I'm supposed to do…"
His mother takes in a deep breath, her eyes closed in thought before she stands up from her chair, motioning for her son to do the same. "Alright, I've heard enough. On your feet."
"Mom?"
"Now, young man." Her stern tone alone is enough to get him to comply as he hesitantly comes to stand in front of her. She places both of her hands on his shoulders, her voice coming out soft and sincere enough to get her son to hold onto every hopeful word she has to offer him. "Sora, listen to me. You are not a failure. I may not know much about all of this Keyblade and world-saving stuff you've gotten yourself into, but I do know this: you're so much stronger, kinder, and braver than you give yourself credit for. I need you to know that I am so, so proud of you, even if no one else out there is; and if your father were still here today, then I know he'd be every bit as proud too."
Tears have only barely started brimming in his mother's eyes as she steals a glance at the family photo on the far wall, one taken before her beloved husband had been lost to the sea. Sora does everything in his power to hold those same sort of tears back as he stares at that photo, practically feeling his father's warm, cheerful smile falling upon him. At the same time, he feels that strange pang of pain, the same one from both the tower and the beach, tugging at his heart once more. Whether it's out of grief, regret, or something else entirely, he has no idea; but the feeling is far from a welcome one all the same. Which is why he does all he can to pull himself away from that feeling altogether.
He pulls back away from his mother, wiping his eyes with his arm to keep those pressing tears at bay. "I, uh… I should probably get going…"
"Going?" his mother frowns. Her confusion is quick to turn into disapproval when she realizes his intent, however. "Oh no… Don't tell me you're leaving again. You just got back!"
"I know…" he averts her disappointed gaze. "But there's still a lot we have to do. The worlds aren't gonna save themselves after all."
"No, I guess they're not…" she sighs tiredly. "Still, I wish my fifteen year old son wasn't the one who had to save them all…"
"If I don't, then who will?" Sora half-jokes, but the attempt at humor is all but lost on his mother.
"Sora, you…" she trails off, hesitating for a moment before she ultimately shakes her head. "Nevermind," she smiles, but it doesn't quite meet her eyes as her hand lightly skims the side of her son's face. "Just… promise me you'll come home safe and sound and soon, ok?"
"Of course," Sora agrees, his own smile brightening up a bit. "I promise."
"Good," his mother pulls him into another gentle hug. "Because if you keep me waiting for another year and a half, you're grounded, mister."
They both share a warm laugh at this, though it's tinged with a bit of bittersweetness as they part ways and he begins to leave. "Remember what I said, Sora," his mother reminds him as she sees him off. "You're much more than whatever some silly old test says you are. And… if it all ever becomes too much for you to handle on your own, well… you know where to find me."
He stops just shy of the front steps at this, initially unsure of what to say to any of it. In the end though, he simply sends her back a halfhearted smile, one that he can only hope will be enough to be believable. "Thanks, Mom," he says as sincerely as he can possibly manage. "I'll be back before you know it."
His mother holds him to that, offering him one final wave of farewell as he sets off on his own. He strolls back toward the shore, his hands in his pockets and his heart still feeling a bit heavy in a way he doesn't fully understand. It grows even heavier though, when he thinks about who else he wants to say both hello and goodbye to while he's here. Someone who he solemnly, sadly wishes he didn't have to be separated from again.
By now, Kairi's gotten used to coming out to the play island alone. Not so many years ago, she'd always have plenty of company here, plenty of things to do to fill the pleasant summer days. But now, without the companionship of her two closest friends, she finds herself coming here more often than not to simply reminisce. She stands in the shallows, her shoes off and her eyes closed as she lets the gentle sea breeze blow through her scarlet hair. And she lets her mind wander back to a simpler time, before there were any Keyblades, any Heartless, any Organization to get in between them. A time when it was just the islands, just the sea, and just the three of them, together, just like she'd always wanted them to stay. Just like they never seem to be anymore.
Yet as she stands here, letting the crisp sun shower her skin and the light waves lap over her feet, it's almost like they're there with her, even though they're worlds away. It's almost like she can feel them standing alongside her, almost like she can see Riku's face, almost like she can hear Sora's voice saying-
"Having fun out there?"
She'd like to think her imagination is vivid, but she knows it's not that vivid. She gasps, opening her eyes and spinning around, only to find him standing just shy of the sea, sending her a smile that's as bright and brilliant as the shining sun. "Sora!"
He already knows to hold his arms out to her as she sprints the short distance into them, nearly knocking him over when they collide. "First my mom, and now you," Sora laughs, glad that at the very least, Kairi's hug isn't anywhere near as borderline suffocating as his mother's had been. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're happy to see me or something."
"I am," Kairi shoots back, playfully pushing him away. "I didn't expect you and Riku to be back so soon!"
"Uh, actually… it's just me," Sora admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was heading somewhere else, but I sort of ended up here by mistake."
"By mistake?" Kairi places her hands on her hips, shooting him a wry look. "Does that mean you didn't want to see me then?"
"No, no, of course, I did!" Sora puts his hands up defensively, trying not to sound too flustered. "It just means I'm here on my own. At least until I find a way to let Riku know I'm here."
"Oh… so… you're leaving again," Kairi assumes, her smile finally slipping.
"Yeah, we kind of have to," Sora says with something of a weary frown of his own. "But don't worry; we'll be back soon."
"...Yeah, I'm sure you will," Kairi says with a new, slightly sadder smile. "You know, Sora, sometimes I…" She stops herself, largely out of uncertainty on how to phrase what she wants to say next. On how to tell him that she wishes they didn't have to always be torn apart by danger or duty or anything else that might try to draw even more distance between them. On how she wishes she could just go with him for a change, into whatever grand adventure might await him next.
"You… what?"
"...Forget it," she lets the matter go, at least for now. "It's nothing."
"Kairi-"
"Anyway," she's quick to change the subject, throwing on a cheery grin once more. "Did you and Riku end up taking that exam you were both talking about right before you left? How'd it go?"
"Uh… i-it… went," Sora lets out an uncomfortable laugh. After everything he'd already explained about the exam to his mother, he isn't exactly keen on telling anyone else. Really, he'd feel much better off if he didn't even have to think about it at all anymore, though he knows he won't be that lucky. Not when Kairi continues pressing him for details about it all the same.
"What was it like? Did you both pass?"
"Um… well... Riku did," he answers truthfully, his voice low and diffident.
Kairi quickly catches on, her curiosity quickly fizzling out when she sees him absently rub his arm, sees him refuse to meet her wondering, worried gaze. "Oh…" her tone also turns quiet. Suddenly, she finds herself regretting that she'd ever even asked him about it in the first place. "I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's ok!" Sora quickly reassures her as soon as he hears the sympathy in her voice. He forces on a broad, unbothered smile, hanging his arms behind his head as he picks up his usually casual, cheery tone right where he'd briefly left it. "It's no big deal, really. I doubt anyone will even remember that it happened in like, a day or so anyway."
"Are you sure?" Kairi asks, still not completely convinced.
"Positive," he nods, beaming. "I'm fine. Everything's fine whenever I get to be with you."
Kairi's powerless to hide the bright burst of red that flushes her cheeks upon hearing this, wondering how in the world Sora can simply just say things like that so easily. She only wishes she had half of his courage, because if she did, then she'd have the strength to say so much more than even that. So many things that she's always wanted to tell him, but she's never been brave enough to try.
A sweet sort of silence lingers between the pair for a moment or two, filled in with their shared, soft smiles and the sounds of the surf alongside them. Though they could easily talk for hours, just as they've spent so many hours doing before, they decide to relish that silence instead. To plant themselves firmly in a welcome piece of peace neither of them are sure they'll get to see again any time soon. In the same way, they're every bit as unsure when they'll get to see each other again, which only makes them want to savor this moment for everything it's worth, to hold it close to both of their hearts for when they're apart all over again.
And yet, maybe this time, they won't have to be apart. At least not as long as they have been before.
"Am I… interrupting something?"
Just like that, the moment is broken. They both gasp, startled as they turn to see someone approaching them from the far side of the shore. Yet as soon as they catch sight of him, they're hardly disappointed by who they find.
"Riku!" they both call, neither of them wasting any time in rushing over to meet him. Kairi embraces him first, more than happy to see him after his and Sora's stint away. But she's quick to pull Sora himself into that hug, with Riku chuckling in warm amusement as he wraps his arms around them both.
"Well, this is surprising," he says when their lengthy hug finally ends. "And… a little confusing. Sora, what are you doing here? I thought you said you were heading back into the Sleeping Worlds."
"Yeah, I thought I was too," Sora nods, every bit as baffled as Riku. "But then I ended up waking up here instead. Beats me for how I got here; I guess I ended up taking a wrong turn somewhere?"
"Only you would when it comes to traveling between worlds," Riku teases with a small, wry smirk.
"Hey!" Sora protests as both of his friends erupt into another round of amused laughter. After a moment or two of insincere pouting, he ends up joining them, simply glad to be in the company of both of his most cherished friends for a change. "So how'd you know I was here anyway?" he asks Riku once the levity dies down.
"I didn't," Riku replies. "Actually, Kairi was the one I came here to find."
"Me?" Kairi starts, exchanging a puzzled glance with Sora.
"Yes, you," Riku confirms before explaining his mission. "Master Yen Sid, the sorcerer who trained Mickey, Sora, and I, asked me to bring you back to his tower. He said he'd like to meet with you, though he didn't exactly explain why."
"Wait," Kairi cuts in, trying to make sense of all this. "So… that means… I get to go with you guys this time?"
"Sure sounds like it," Sora says as Riku nods his agreement. "So what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"
"You're awfully eager to get back," Riku notes, sending him a knowing look. "You know you're just gonna get an earful from Donald and Goofy the moment you show up, right? They're still not happy that you went off on your own without them."
"Eh, I'm used to that by now," Sora assures, flashing the pair a bright grin. "Trust me, I can take whatever those two can dish out. Now, let's go already! Race ya to the ship!" He runs ahead down the shore, only to stop short and look back a bit bashfully. "Uh… Riku? Where is the ship?"
Riku and Kairi share another laugh at this, both of them pressing on ahead so the former can show him the way. "I guess some things really never change," Riku notes with a small, satisfied smile. "Sora's the same as he's always been."
"And I wouldn't have him any other way," Kairi gladly agrees, a hand lightly skimming her own heart.
"...Neither would I," Riku sighs contentedly, knowing just how close he'd gotten to losing that side of Sora forever. How close he'd gotten to losing Sora forever altogether. He can't help but revel in the fact, in the miracle that he hadn't, that Sora's still here, still himself. And, even with everything they have to do, everything they might have to face in the future, that's something Riku hopes won't be changing any time soon.
Sora falls in step alongside Riku and Kairi as they prepare to leave the islands, taking solace in the fact that this time, for the first time, he'll have both of his best friends by his side. That they'll be together, both now in this new journey and someday soon when that journey is over done. Someday, when they'll once again stand and smile together on this same sun-soaked shore they've always called home.
As much as they might not like to admit it, Donald and Goofy typically have very little to do when left to their own devices. Most of the time, they're either acting in loyal service to their king or traveling alongside Sora to keep the worlds safe. But with Sora momentarily away and the king engaged in a private meeting with Master Yen Sid, the pair doesn't have much to attend to outside of sitting on the tower steps and waiting for either one of them to return. Even if, as minutes begin to roll on into hours, their shared patience is starting to wear somewhat thin.
"Looks like Sora's late," Goofy breaks the long bout of silence as he reclines back on the steps. "Do ya think he's ok?"
"He better be, if he knows what's good for him…" Donald grumbles, though the worry in his tone is clear. It's a kind of worry they both share, and with good reason; after all, they'd only just barely gotten Sora back from a horrible fate that nearly hadn't been able to save him from. But even despite that, he'd brazenly decided to go off on his own on some unknown mystery errand, without bothering to explain much about that errand at all. And with Xehanort and his other dark vessels still on the prowl, needless to say there's steady grounds to be as concerned as they are, if not then some.
Goofy frowns as he hears Donald let out a loud, plaintiff sigh, so he decides to turn the conversation away from their currently absent companion, at least for the time being. "Gawrsh, Lea sure went back to Radiant Garden in a hurry," the captain muses thoughtfully. "And now Riku's off on that mystery mission Master Yen Sid sent him on earlier while he and the king talk about what they're gonna do to stop Master Xehanort. Ya think you, me, n' Sora will ever get to do something important anytime soon too, Donald?"
Before the magician can even make an attempt at answering, he's abruptly interrupted by none other than the missing member of their trio himself. "What are you guys talking about? The three of us do important stuff all the time!"
The very second they so much as spot Sora casually heading across the grassy yard to meet them, both Donald and Goofy bolt to their feet. They barely even spot Riku and Kairi trailing not far behind him before they abruptly barrel into him, knocking him off his feet in a tight, protective hug.
"H-hey! C'mon, you guys! Cut it out!" Sora exclaims, laughing as he struggles to escape their hold. "You're embarrassing me in front of Riku and Kairi!" he whispers to them, though that's hardly enough to get them to release him now. "Seriously, you're acting like I was gone for years or something."
"You might as well have been!" Donald snaps as they finally part and pick themselves up off the ground. "You're hours late!"
"Hours?" Sora repeats, confused. "It sure didn't feel like I was back home for no more than one or two... Oh, wait! That's right; I almost forgot, time works differently in every world, duh."
"That's not an excuse for you being gone this long!" Donald huffs, still disgruntled. "What were you even doing anyway?"
"I think I might have a pretty good idea already…" Goofy mutters as he offers Riku and Kairi a wave in greeting.
Sora freezes as he briefly glances back at the pair, catching the captain's implication as his face instantly turns bright red. "Oh my gosh, you guys," he takes in a sharp breath, his blush only deepening as Donald and Goofy share a light, teasing laugh. "Please, I am begging you to stop-"
"Stop what?" Riku asks as he and Kairi step in to stand alongside him.
Despite how visibly flustered he is by now, Sora still tries his best to play it cool anyway. Even if both Riku and Kairi know well that 'cool' for Sora is anything but. "S-stop, uh… messing around!" he ventures as quickly as he can, practically shoving Donald and Goofy toward the tower. "We don't wanna keep Master Yen Sid and the king waiting, do we?"
Riku and Kairi exchange a knowing smirk at this, but ultimately say nothing as they follow suit. The collective group enters the tower, scaling its lengthy staircase straight up to the sorcerer's study, where an important meeting is already taking place, some of which they can hear even as far out as the hall.
"So… there's gonna be a clash between the seven lights and thirteen darknesses…" Mickey begins, aptly worried. "And there's nothing we can do to avoid triggering another Keyblade War?"
"That's not entirely the case," Master Yen Sid replies. "There are still two avenues we can take to prevent the worlds from falling into Xehanort's hands. The first is to gather seven guardians to completely vanquish the thirteen darknesses before such a great battle can even take place."
"But... we're still missing three guardians of light…" the king notes. "So, what's the other way we could take?"
"The other way… is to-"
The sorcerer stops short at the sudden knocking on the door. Immediately after it, Sora, Donald, and Goofy are the first to burst in, despite Riku's warnings for them to show a bit more decorum. "We're back!" Sora cheerfully proclaims, all but oblivious to the serious conversation that had preceded their arrival.
"Yes, that is apparent," Yen Sid nods, smiling slightly. "I am pleased to see that each of you have safely returned. And that our special guest has also joined us."
"Huh?" Mickey asks, confused. At least until he spots who's stepping past Riku to properly, if not a bit hesitantly, enter the room. "Oh, wow!"
"I have come to learn that you, too, can wield a Keyblade, Kairi," Yen Sid addresses her cordially. "I am glad you are here."
Even alongside faces as familiar as Sora and Riku, Kairi can't help but feel rather out of place here, especially as she starts to realize what this summons might be about. Still, she steadies herself as much as she can upon seeing the encouraging smiles both boys are sending her way, glad to have them by her side amidst her own uncertainty.
"Y-yes, sir," she finally says, bowing a bit out of respect for the sorcerer. "Though… I've only used it a few times… and I'm not really that great with it, to be perfectly honest…"
"Don't be so modest," Riku crosses his arms, still grinning over at her. "Sure, you're a little rough around the edges, and you can be a bit reckless—wonder where you got that from—" He shoots Sora a playful look at this, one that he returns by teasingly sticking out his tongue. "But still, you've got plenty of potential."
"Yeah, Kairi, you helped us out a lot back when we were fighting the Organization the first time," Sora chimes in just as supportively. "I'm sure if you really wanted to, you could-"
"I do want to," she insists, largely without thinking. She backpedals though, when she realizes just how intense that insistence might've sounded. "I-I mean… I'd like to help somehow," she says, turning back to Yen Sid. "I-if that's alright with you, sir."
The sorcerer's smile widens a bit upon hearing this as he nods his solemn approval. "It is far more than alright. By all accounts, your service is a necessity-every bit as much as everyone else's gathered here-in the great battle that is to come."
Yen Sid pauses, only for a moment, to let the weight of his words sink in, prompting every member of the group gathered before him to what he has to say next. "That battle shall be against none other than Master Xehanort and his newly-reformed Organization XIII," he continues bluntly, gravely. "Even now, he is assembling thirteen seekers of darkness to stand alongside him, each of them working toward the fated forging of the weapon with the power to summon Kingdom Hearts, the X-Blade."
"But we're gonna stop 'em in their tracks!" Mickey pipes up, clearly determined to do exactly that. "By gathering seven guardians of light to make sure they never even come close to getting their hands on the X-Blade. And to do that, we've gotta find a few old friends first."
"It is time to return to our world the three Keyblade wielders we lost over a decade ago," Yen Sid concurs. "Ventus, Terra, and Aqua must be saved from their sad ends, for they still have more to achieve. And while we continue to search for their whereabouts, there are still plenty of preparations that can be made in the meantime. One such preparation is the training of our new Keyblade wielders: Kairi and Lea."
"Lea?" Kairi frowns, unfamiliar with the name.
"He means Axel," Mickey points out promptly.
"Axel?!" Kairi starts, instantly alarmed. The mere mention of his name alone dredges up all sorts of unpleasant memories of being dragged into the darkness and held captive in a cold and lonely cell against her will. It's a time she doesn't like thinking back on, knowing that the only good any of it had done her had been reuniting her with Sora and Riku by the end of it all. And it's all because of Axel, who had pried her away from the safety of the Destiny Islands and had plunged her into peril untold. The fact that he's even still around is baffling enough to Kairi, but the idea of working, of training alongside him is all but unthinkable.
"It's ok," Riku reassures her, noticing her visible distress. "He's not with the Organization anymore. He even helped us out during the exam."
Kairi huffs indignantly at this, hardly convinced by that alone. And yet, just when she prepares to protest this plan, Sora happens to do so in her stead. "But you don't have to train with him if you don't want to," he says, and Kairi can't help but be baffled when he does. That he'd consider her feelings first, above any sense of duty or responsibility. It's such a small thing, really, but she still finds herself immensely appreciating it all the same, especially as he continues. "Yeah, I know he's on our side now and everything, but if being around him again is gonna make you uncomfortable, then we can always figure something else out. Maybe… hm…" he pauses, trying to think of an alternative plan before snapping his fingers with an excited smile. "I got it! Master Yen Sid, can Kairi train with me, Donald, and Goofy instead?"
"What?" Riku, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all ask in bewildered unison.
At the same time, Yen Sid shakes his head disapprovingly, already fully prepared to shoot such an idea down. "Sora-"
He's cut off as Kairi lets out a knee-jerk laugh, one that catches just about all of the others off guard by how sudden it is. "Well, as fun as that sounds, Sora," she begins, still chuckling. "I… think I'd just get in your way. Besides, I should probably learn from an expert. No offense."
"I am an expert!" Sora proclaims proudly.
"No, you're not," Donald counters dryly.
"Hey!" he snaps, sending an insincere glare the magician's way.
"Your enthusiasm is admirable, Sora," Yen Sid speaks up, getting the meeting back on track. "However, I have already entrusted the task of training Kairi and Lea to the wizard Merlin. That is," he turns to Kairi next. "If this is still something you wish to undertake."
Kairi hesitates at this, a large part of her wanting to argue, to speak her piece and explain exactly why she has no intentions of training with her former kidnapper and that they'll have to come up with some other way, any other way instead. She wants to… and yet, as takes in the hopeful glances the others are all sending her way… she finds that she simply can't. After all, everyone else has all gone through their fair share of unpleasant, unexpected experiences, Sora and Riku in particular, in their efforts to protect the worlds. What makes her so better than all of them to think that she doesn't have to do what must be done as well?
"I… y-yes, I do," she steels her resolve, putting on the best brave face she can manage. "I meant what I said, I want to do whatever I can to help." And, she almost adds, but narrowly refrains, to be the one to be the one to save someone else for a change, instead of being the one who's always in need of saving.
Yen Sid nods, pleased by her answer. "In that case, you'll begin immediately. Merlin should be opening up a portal to Radiant Garden for you any moment now-"
The sorcerer stops short when that very portal suddenly bursts to life on the far side of the room, brimming with a bright, welcoming light. "Gosh, Merlin's timing couldn't have been any more perfect!" Mickey notes with a grin.
"I… guess that means I better be heading out," Kairi turns back to Sora and Riku.
"Huh. You know I… kinda thought the three of us would get to be together this time around…" Sora mutters, trying not to come across as too disappointed by yet another bout of separation between them.
"We won't be apart for that long," Riku looks between the pair with a comforting smile. "And once we're all together again-"
"Things will be just like they were before," Kairi adds, warmed by the very thought. "I can't wait. But in the meantime… wish me luck?"
Sora shakes his head, picking up a small, soft smile. "You don't need it. I have a feeling you'll do a great job all on your own."
"Yeah," Riku readily agrees. "Knowing you, Kairi, I'm sure you'll be giving me and Sora a run for our money in no time."
"Here's hoping," Kairi chuckles, her spirits already starting to lift in light of their shared vote of confidence. Confidence she's still trying to capture for herself. "I guess I should be wishing both of you luck on whatever's next for you instead, then?"
"Well, I dunno about Riku, but I don't need it," Sora reaches into his pocket to pull out a familiar charm. "'Cause I've already got it."
"You still have it…" she whispers, unable to suppress her joyful grin as she surprises him with a fond embrace. "I'll miss you." The two of them slowly part ways, allowing Kairi to offer Riku the same sort of hug next. "I mean it this time, both of you better be safe and sound the next time we see each other, ok?"
"Well, I don't think you'll have to worry too much about me," Riku begins, flashing a bit of a playful smirk. "Sora on the other hand…"
"Oh yeah?" Sora challenges back, his hands on his hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I think you know…"
"No! Know what?"
Kairi breaks up their lighthearted banter with a small, bright laugh. "Come on, no fighting while I'm gone, you two."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sora says innocently. "We wouldn't dream of fighting."
"No…" Riku says with a smile that's tinged with the slightest hint of regret. "Not anymore."
"We'll see you soon, ok?" Sora says to Kairi as she continues on toward the portal.
"Yeah," she nods, hopeful that their eventual reunion won't be too far off as she heads into the light and whatever awaits her beyond it. "See you soon."
With this farewell given and the portal vanishing as soon as Kairi steps into it, Yen Sid is quick to call the meeting back to order once again. "There is still much that we need to discuss," he begins astutely, diverting everyone's attention back toward him. "Riku, Mickey, since you have already received your next mission, as well as the vestments meant to aid you on your journey into the dark realm, you are both dismissed."
"Yes, master," the pair says, offering the sorcerer a respectful bow. Yet before either of them can turn to leave, they're abruptly stopped in their tracks.
"Whoa, hold on!" Sora pipes up, fixing the duo with an intrigued glance. "Where are you guys going?"
"To the Realm of Darkness," Mickey explains simply. "To rescue Master Aqua!"
"Whaaaaat?!" Sora balks, his eyes wide as he looks between the two. "No way! I wanna go too!"
"I'm… not so sure that's a good idea…" Riku frowns apprehensively.
"What are you talking about? Of course it is!" Sora counters with a confident smirk. However, that confidence is quick to fall apart when he hears what Yen Sid has to say on the matter.
"You cannot travel to the Realm of Darkness, Sora," the sorcerer explains simply, sternly. "Of that much, you should already be aware. Your Mark of Mastery exam was conducted in the hopes that you would gain the strength to stand strong and unwavering in the inhospitable conditions that world has to offer. And while Riku has achieved that strength, I am sorry to say that you have not."
Sora draws in a tight breath at this, wishing now more than ever that all mentions of that disastrous exam could finally be left by the wayside once and for all. And yet, he should have figured that it wouldn't be forgotten that easily; not when so much had hinged on his success, not when he'd failed to reach that success as spectacularly as he had. "Y-yeah," he replies, forcing on a small, feeble smile. "I… I knew that."
None of the others really catch it, but Riku does. The softness of his voice, the sadness in his eyes, despite his best efforts to hide it behind acceptance. Dejection is a rare, rather ill fit for someone like Sora, though it's hardly surprising after a setback such as this. Riku nearly reaches a hand out to skim his shoulder, almost offers him warm words of encouragement, wants to give him the support he so clearly needs right now. And yet, for whatever reason, he holds himself back, even now, when he knows he shouldn't.
"Along those same lines," Yen Sid goes on, still addressing Sora in particular. "When the Organization apprehended you, the darkness nearly took control of you, and your grasp of your new abilities leaves much to be desired. Furthermore, Xehanort nearly made you his vessel, and in the process, stripped you of most of the power you had gained by then. I suspect you have already noticed this, correct?"
Sora doesn't answer right away; instead, he lightly skims a hand against his chest, feeling that small, almost non-existent spark of pain shooting through it once more. Likely a holdover from whatever had happened during the exam, just as he suspects his failed attempt at returning to the Sleeping Worlds had been. But even beyond that, he still feels… off somehow, plagued by a strange, almost dulling sensation that he can't quite shake. As a result, his Keyblade shines less brightly, his magic is less potent, and even his energy as a whole seems sapped and sedated. And after how hard he'd worked to build his strength up before, he can't help but feel some level of shame for how quickly he'd managed to lose it all.
And yet, the moment he spots Donald and Goofy both fretting over him out of the corner of his eye, when he feels Riku's intent, concerned gaze fall upon him, Sora is quick to perk back up the best he can. Even if the smile he slips on is still somewhat strained all the same. "Whatever," he shrugs casually enough off the others' concerns. "Happens all the time!"
"Sora…" Riku finally speaks up with a small, worried sigh. For his part, however, Sora simply shoots him another bright, complacent grin, one that doesn't quite convince him, even if the others buy it easily enough.
"Even so, Sora, your task now is to regain the strength you have lost," Yen Sid instructs firmly. "Perhaps it is foolish to expect a full recovery, but it is imperative that you at the very least set out to try for the sake of the conflict that's to come. There's someone who lost his strength and found it again, a true hero to whom you ought to pay a visit. Perhaps he can point you in the right direction."
"Gosh," Goofy mutters to Donald, aside. "Does he mean-"
"Sounds like it," the magician nods.
Likewise, Sora catches on every bit as quickly, his cheerful manner finally turning genuine at the thought of seeing a longtime friend again. "Got it!" he salutes, more than ready to venture out on such a noble task.
"You seem like you're all ready to go," Riku eases up, glad to see the side of Sora he's more used to shining through. "Be careful out there, ok? The Organization-"
"I know, I know," Sora interrupts. "The Organization is really dangerous and we don't know what they're up to now. You worry too much; it's not like I haven't faced them before and won."
"We faced them and won," Riku reminds him. "You know what? Maybe I should just go with you; just in case something happens."
"But Riku," Mickey speaks up, frowning. "What about Aqua? It's up to us to search for her, remember?"
"Y-yeah, remember, Riku?" Sora presses, crossing his arms. And in the process, trying not to show just how set against the idea of Riku accompanying him he really is. A strange and sudden turn, given just how much he'd hoped to be traveling with both him and Kairi before. But given what he's setting out to do here, to build his strength back up from the beginning, he's not sure how he'd feel about having someone who'd excelled where he had failed. Someone who could withstand the darkness where he had succumbed to it. Someone who had been named a Keyblade Master where he had been sent all the way back to square one.
"You don't have to worry, Riku," Goofy assures as he and Donald step forward. "You can count on us to take care of Sora!"
"Um… yeah!" Sora exclaims as brightly as he can. He sells the act even further by throwing an arm around each of his companions, admittedly much more at ease about having them on such a journey as opposed to anyone else. "Looks like the three of us are finally back in action again, huh?"
"Only because you can't become a master without us!" Donald remarks, his tone pointedly playful.
"…Huh?" Sora starts, hoping that they wouldn't go there. But of course, that's exactly what they do.
"I never woulda thought you'd have failed that exam, Sora," Goofy adds a bit more good-naturedly.
"Yeah… me neither…" Sora grumbles as he pulls away from the pair.
Even so, his minute frustration is largely lost on Donald and Goofy as they jokingly, obliviously continue. "Face it," the magician continues wrly. "Without us, you're just a half pint!"
"But," Goofy interjects with a wide smile. "The three of us together make a whole pint!"
"...Pretty sure that makes a pint and a half," Sora corrects, finally joining in on their infectious enthusiasm.
"You know what we mean," Donald says, laying his hand out flat between the group. "We'll be there to keep an eye on you, no matter how much trouble you get yourself into."
"And we'll have lots of fun along the way!" Goofy chimes in, placing his hand on top of Donald's.
"It's not a vacation!" Sora points out, before ultimately breaking out into a bright smile and joining his hand onto the pile. After all, despite everything that had happened and whatever they might possibly face, he can't deny it to know that through it all, he'll have two of his closest friends on his side through it all once more. Both now and for whatever daring journey they might embark on even after that. "Let's go! Olympus Coliseum, here we come!"
AN-Yeah! Olympus Coliseum! Except we're not going there next time around cause we're gonna take a step to the other side of things and see what our baddies for the story are up to... ahaha fun! Don't forget to follow/favorite/and REVIEW to let me know what you think (and thanks to everyone who already has reviewed, you all are super sweet ^_^) Until next time!
