Ok so here's a chapter that was pretty fun to write (though it did take me longer than I'd hoped it would...) Its a bit of a breather chapter, more laid back than usual though with good reason. Now, before we get into it, I should say that not every section of this chapter is in chronological order. Kinda decided to make the timeline of this chapter vague as its meant to take place over several weeks, and some of these happen out of order as a result, but I decided to organize them based on emotional potency instead of when they actually happen. Still, I hope it all makes sense all the same. Enjoy! (also quick note, this website is the WORST so anything that's underlined in here is actually MEANT to be crossed out (like with a strikethrough). Hopefully that doesn't ruin the effect! Sorry!)


Chapter 16: Unspoken, Unheard

Oh, let me face, let me face, let me face my fears

Dear Sora,

Has it really only been a few weeks since the last time we saw each other? It feels like it's been so much longer than that…

But in those weeks, I have been training, just like I told you I would. That's right; no more waiting for you to come back from your adventures. I want to get out there and do my part to help. And with everything I've been learning lately, I feel like it won't be very long until I can do just that.

Merlin has used his magic to bring us to a place where time doesn't matter, a huge, beautiful forest with plenty of room for us to hone our skills. We can take as long as we need to complete our training, which is something I can't thank Merlin enough for. He really is an amazing wizard, and a fair and wise teacher at that. Even if it his patience sometimes does run a little short with Lea…

Speaking of Lea, it really is funny how things are turning out between the two of us. You know how I wasn't the most… enthusiastic about training with him at first? Well, even though it took awhile for me to come around to working with him at first, I think it's safe to say that I mostly have by now. (Even if a part of me does secretly wish I had taken you up on your offer to train with you, Donald, and Goofy; I can only imagine how… interesting that might have been!)

Still, despite my doubts about Lea, he really is sorry for all the trouble he caused before. I told him it's fine, but he won't stop apologizing. I'll admit, I was a little scared, and even more than that-angry-about what he did to me, what he tried to do to you through it. But since then, I've gotten to know him better. All he ever wanted to do was help his friend; and honestly, because of that, it's hard not to like him.

Every now and then I catch him staring at me. When I ask him what's wrong, he says "I'm not sure. I think I'm forgetting something. Don't know what." I know this might sound a bit strange, but Sora, I think it may have something to do with you. Your journey is all about helping people; some that you've never met before, and some like Lea that you have. They're all counting on you.

But I know you can do it; if there's anyone that can help all those lost hearts find their way home, it's you. And I should know; after all, you did the very same for me before.

Kairi can't help but smile softly as she writes this heartfelt message out, capping off the first of what she hopes will be many entries. Blanketed by the crisp, quiet, warm glow of the sun setting across the seemingly endless valley before hers, she feels a deep sense of contentment and peace. Feelings that are quite a welcome change after the hectic, often daunting pace of yet another day packed to the brim with rigorous training.

Her ongoing writing is, however, interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from the forest behind her. "Hey."

"Hi," Kairi smiles, turning to Lea as he comes to stand in the space beside her. That smile soon falls, however, as she notices the deeply contemplative, uncharacteristically serious stare he sends her way. A stare that she's gotten all too used to over the past several weeks alone. "What's wrong?"

Lea quickly turns his focused gaze away from her at this, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Nothin'. Sorry."

"Lea…" Kairi groans with a small, plaintiff pout.

"What? I am," he shrugs, walking over to take a seat on the rock across from Kairi. A bout of easy silence passes between the pair, until he happens to notice his training partner, still rather preoccupied by her writing. "Whatcha working on? A letter?"

"Yep," Kairi nods, glancing up from her notebook.

"...To Sora?"

"Wha-how'd you know?" Kairi asks, taken aback.

"Heh, it's not like it was very hard to guess," Lea chuckles wryly.

Kairi returns his smirk just as playfully, insincerely pulling her notepad up a bit to keep her letter out of his view. "Well, you're technically right. But I won't send it. It's more for me."

"What, you don't want Sora to read your love letters?" Lea teases, laughing even more as Kairi's face flushes bright red at the very thought.

"L-love letters?! I-I don't-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Suuuure you don't," Lea deadpans. "Still, if you ever do wanna get that letter to him, you could always ask Merlin to deliver it for you. It'd get him out of our hair for a few hours at least."

"More like out of your hair," Kairi shoots back, knowing just how humorously uproarious the dynamic between her teacher and her fellow pupil often is. "But no, it's ok. I just like talking to Sora, even if it's only on paper." Her smile turns sincere as she hugs her notebook close to her chest, part of her wishing that she had a more direct way to talk to him. Though for now, she supposes, her letters will do just fine.

"Well, ok then, whatever suits you," Lea nods, understanding. "Oh! But speaking of deliveries…" He grins as he pulls a pair of ice cream bars, sea salt to be exact, out of his cloak. "Here."

"Ice cream? Really?" Kairi asks, pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, I went back into town earlier to pick these up. Ya know, since Merlin won't quit harping on about how we're both getting the hang of 'the basics'," Lea punctuates this with air quotes. "Not quite sure what that's supposed to mean, but all the same, we oughta celebrate"

Kairi chuckles warmly at this, graciously accepting the frozen treat Lea offers her. "You're sweet, Lea."

"Pfft, naw…" Now it's his turn to be embarrassed as flippantly brushes the compliment off.

However, even as Kairi begins to enjoy her ice cream, Lea strangely doesn't do the same. In fact, as she looks up to him again, she finds that he's absently staring directly at her once again. The first few times she'd caught him doing this, Kairi had been admittedly uncomfortable, and every now and again she still is. But at the moment, as she sits under his scrutinizing, piercing stare now, the most she can really be was curious as to where that stare is coming from in the first place.

"What?" she finally asks, all the while knowing she isn't bound to get much of an answer.

"N-nothing," Lea forces himself to look away from her once more. "It's just…"

"You're… trying to remember what you forgot?" Kairi fills in, knowing his usual explanation all too well by now.

"Well, I, uh… y-yeah…" he sighs, looking out towards the sunset wistfully, sadly. "Yeah…"

Kairi frowns at this, silently wishing for a way to help Lea claim that mysterious, missing memory. But considering the fact that he doesn't have the faintest idea as to what it could be himself, she knows she'll certainly be hard pressed to uncover much about it either. Which is why she decides to do the next best thing in the hopes of easing his obvious melancholy back into their usual casual rapport. "So… tomorrow," she begins, making sure her tone remains upbeat. "You and me in the ring. You ready?"

"'Course," Lea nods, though it's clear he's still distracted as he watches the sun start to sink behind the distant hills.

Kairi lets out a small huff at this, but even so, she keeps trying. "Don't hold back, Lea. Promise?"

He finally turns to her at this, the glow of the falling sun catching his attention almost as much as her challenging words do. And in that rich, radiant light… sits someone else altogether. A girl who's so very different from Kairi, yet so very similar all the same. A girl he recognizes, a girl he knows. A girl who's all but gone from his memories entirely, nothing but a distant shadow, a vague silhouette remaining. Along with the echo she'd left ringing in his heart, tight and sorrowful and pleading, even as she smiled at him, just like she always used to do.

"Please… don't hold back, Axel. Promise…"

His ice cream slips out his hand, a sharp, shuddering gasp escaping him as his heart pounds with the untold grief that unknown memory brings him. For a briefest, faintest of moments, he can almost, almost see her clearly. And as he catches that glimpse, so strange, yet so undeniably, undoubtedly familiar, he's powerless to fight back the tears that all too quickly slip down his cheeks before he can even try to stop them. Tears prompted by pain that feels so real, but has been long since forgotten.

"Huh?" Kairi looks up from her ice cream, only to receive quite a surprise. Lea sits before her, crying of all things, completely shaken and rife with despair thanks to something, though she has absolutely no idea as to what. "Lea! Are you okay!?"

"Y-yeah," Lea chokes, quickly wiping away his tears, especially as Kairi gets up to hurry over to him. "Sorry…"

"You're crying…" Kairi notes, quite concerned. "What's wrong?"

"J-just… just something in my eye," Lea lies, purposefully averting her worried gaze until she tries diverting it once again.

"Lea…"

"I'm… gonna go," he shakes his head as he rises to stand. "Sorry."

Kairi frowns, far from satisfied, especially after what she'd just seen. But given how aloof and (ironically) coolheaded Lea often tries to be, she suspects he won't really want to linger on the matter. Nor will he likely accept any sort of help with it, even if she did know how to provide it. Which of course, she doesn't.

"'Kay…" she nods before ultimately throwing on a small, gentle smile. "But no more apologizing. I get it. You're sorry; and I know you mean it. So… apology accepted."

"Heh, finally," Lea finally grins at this. "I thought I'd never hear you say that. So fine; I'll stop apologizing. On one condition."

"Oh, come on!" Kairi sighs, exasperated. "What?"

His smile widens a bit, any signs of his former grief gone by now as he lays out his very simple terms. "Call me Axel from now on. Got it memorized?"

Kairi can't help but be confused by this request, unsure of why he would even want to go back to using the name he carried when he was a Nobody. A part of her thinks to ask, but she quickly decides against it. At least for now. "Yeah… ok. Axel."

"You got it," Lea-or rather, Axel-nods, content as he turns to take his leave. "Catch you back at Merlin's place?"

"Yeah, see you there," Kairi agrees, lingering behind to watch him leave. Her smile ultimately fades as he disappears back into the secret forest, especially as she looks down to the ice cream bar he had dropped, slowly melting into the clover-covered ground at her feet. She knows it's likely starting to get late back in Radiant Garden, but she can't help herself. She has to express all of her countless, pressing thoughts somehow and who better to express them to then Sora, even if he isn't around to hear them for himself?

Lea asked me to call him Axel again… Isn't that strange? And the strangest part of all is that I have no idea why. My first thought is that maybe it has something to do with Roxas? Though maybe that's something you would know better than I would, Sora.

Still… I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forget just how sad Lea Axel looked… I'd like to be able to help him somehow, but… I'm just not sure what to do. Maybe I would if I had more experience when it comes to helping people like you do. You've always made it look so easy. Remind me to pick up a few lessons from you once all this is over, ok?

Once all this is over… It sounds like something that'll never happen. After all, we've all been at this sort of thing for so long now-you, me, and Riku. But I know in my heart that the three of us will be together again soon.

And once we are I, for one, can't wait to pick up exactly where we left off…


I know you said that neither you or Riku ever got any 'proper' Keyblade training, but if you had, then I'm sure you'd both agree with me about there being a LOT to learn! Fighting is just one small part of it all; there's defense, magic, agility, and don't even get me started on stamina. It's… quite a lot to take in, though I've been doing my best to take plenty of notes along the way. Still, if there's one thing Merlin is always sure to remind us of, its that-

"Practice makes perfect!" the wizard proclaims his usual mantra. It isn't often that Merlin joins his pupils in the secret forest he'd created for them, often opting to observe and educate them from the comfort of his home. But today's lesson is, in his own words, a bit more 'hands on' than usual, hence his presence as he paces before his pair of attentive students.

Well, his mostly attentive students.

"The path to becoming a true Keyblade wielder requires dedication, fortitude, perseverance, and most of all…" Merlin glowers as he stops directly in front of Axel, who had nodded off quite some time ago and is currently lightly snoozing. "It requires staying awake during important lessons and lectures!" With a swift wave of his wand, the wizard conjures up a bucket of water right above Axel's head, one that abruptly tips over and all but soaked him completely.

"Wha-hey!" he quickly snaps awake, disgruntled as he realizes he's dripping wet. "What's the big idea here, gramps?! You trying to drown me or something?!"

"Not at all, my boy," Merlin clarifies. "I simply prefer to have an observant audience. Also, a word of advice, Lea? Perhaps if you didn't stay up so late, then you wouldn't be so tired during these morning sessions."

"Correction," Axel counters as he rings the water out of his cloak. "I wouldn't be so tired if these morning sessions weren't so ridiculously early."

"It's not that early," Kairi points out with a small, amused chuckle.

"Says you," Axel scoffs. "Personally, I'd rather stay in bed until noon at least."

"That's a habit you'd best break yourself out of if you hope to properly learn how to use that Keyblade of yours," Merlin muses. "Especially considering the importance of today's lesson in particular."

"Oh?" Kairi asks, intrigued. "And what is today's lesson about, Merlin?"

"Don't tell me you're gonna toss us into the ring against even more Heartless," Axel groans. "Even you gotta admit, old man, that's starting to get pretty old."

"Need I repeat myself when I say practice makes perfect?" the wizard remarks pointedly. "But no, rather, I'm sure you both will be pleasantly surprised to hear that today's exercise does not involve any of your usual combat training. Instead, we're going to dive deep into another aspect that's arguably even more important than that; today, we're going to the very heart of it all, what defines each of you as a Keyblade wielder."

Kairi and Axel can't help but exchange a mutually confused glance upon hearing this, though ultimately the former decides to speak up to it first before the latter can make any further sarcastic remarks. "What… exactly does that mean?" Kairi asks with a frown.

"As always, my dear, you've posed an excellent question," Merlin grins knowingly. "You see, each and every Keyblade wielder ever known has always possessed one quality, one area of strength that rises above all others they may possess. For instance, say a Keyblade wielder has a mastery of magic but prefers to fight with just their physical attributes and their weapon alone. Then that wielder's defining trait would be their reliance on their strength. And while such reliance is by no means a bad thing, it does help if one is more… well-rounded than that. Which is exactly why I'd like to hone in on what method of attack each of you favors most, so that we can properly learn how to build all of your other skills up around that. Understand?"

"Err… not really…" Axel scratches his head, still confused.

"Actually, I think I get it," Kairi counters thoughtfully. "You want us to discover what our strengths are so we can become… stronger? Right?"

"A rather simplified explanation, but yes, that's roughly accurate," Merlin nods. "So Lea, since you're so eager to get some rest, why don't we start with you first? What would you say your greatest asset on the battlefield would be?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Axel grins, simply snapping his fingers to erupt a sudden, sizable flaming barrier just behind him. "Wherever I go, I always make sure to bring the heat."

"So you do…" Merlin notes dryly. "Though you might want to douse those flames of yours for now. I'd hate to have to create another enchanted forest in the event that this one is burnt to a crisp by a rather reckless use of fire."

"Hmph, you're no fun, old man," Axel scowls, dissipating his fire with a mere passive wave of his hand.

"All the same," the wizard largely ignores him. "Fire magic is an easy enough skill to work with, and one that I've heard you have ample experience with. Building everything else up around it should be rudimentary enough moving forward."

"Great, so now can I head back and finally take a nap?" Axel asks, hopeful.

"Absolutely not," Merlin says succinctly, much to his pupil's noisy disappointment. "Now, Kairi, let's move on to you. What do you believe your greatest strength to be?"

"Um… well…" Kairi pauses, taking a moment to think it over. Admittedly, she has no real idea what to say or what range of strengths Keyblade wielders could even possess in the first place.

Which is why her knee-jerk reaction is to think about Sora and Riku and what she's observed from each of them as a frame of reference. By all accounts, Sora seems to be quite well-rounded in a fight, though if she had to pin his most outstanding attribute down, it would no doubt be his resourcefulness, his ability to adapt to situations as they come and work around them to find a winning solution. Riku, on the other hand, has always been a bit more reliant on his physical strength, though his hard-earned grip over what had once been his greatest weakness, namely his own inner darkness really stands out above all else. But when Kairi reflects on her own abilities, or rather, the glaring lack thereof, she finds that she can't really name any that particularly rise above the rest. A fact that she all-too hesitantly decides to honestly admit. "I-I'm sorry, but… I'm not sure if I really even… have any strengths at all…"

Much to her surprise, Merlin offers her a kind, understanding smile instead of calling her out for her relative lack of an answer. "My dear, you'll find that every single soul scattered far and wide across the worlds has a unique and special strength all their own, including you. All you need to do is figure out exactly what that your strength is. Your Keyblade will show you the way."

"My Keyblade…?" Kairi repeats, raising her hand to summon said weapon. Destiny's Embrace flashes into her grip, though for a moment, nothing else happens, even as she holds onto it with both hands. Both Merlin and Axel watch her expectantly, but all the while, Kairi keeps her eyes on her Keyblade, searching, hoping to feel some sort of reaction from it, even if she isn't exactly sure what. Ultimately though, as if guided by instinct alone, she closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, blocking out everything else other than the Keyblade in her hands. Until two other thoughts, different yet quite similar, happened to ring out in her mind, bringing a pair of welcome memories with them;

"And don't worry; you'll be just fine, Kairi. Knowing you, you'll be giving me and Sora a run for our money in no time."

"Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it. I have a feeling you'll do a great job all on your own."

Riku… Sora… They believe in me… The thought sparks a burst of warmth within her, small at first, though it steadily grows until she can contain it no longer. The two people she's absolutely certain she cared cares the most believe she can do this. Which means that maybe it's time for her to start believing that too.

"Stars alive…"

"Whoa… Kairi…"

"Hm?" Kairi finally opens her eyes upon hearing Merlin and Axel's awed whispers, and it doesn't take her very long to figure out where that awe is coming from. Her Keyblade is bathed in a rich, radiant light, light that gently envelops the rest of her body as well. "W-what… what is this…?" she wonders softly, amazed by just how natural this glow both feels and looks on her.

"My dear, I believe you just found your strength…" Merlin notes with a proud, growing smile. "It's baffling that I didn't consider it before, but in hindsight, this makes perfect sense. You are a Princess of Heart, are you not?"

"W-well… yes," Kairi nods, not sure of what that really has to do with anything.

"Well, as a Princess of Heart, your own heart is completely devoid of darkness," Merlin explains. "It is, to put it simply, pure light. So, it would only make sense that your own natural power reflects that light, don't you agree?"

"Light…" Kairi muses softly, holding her Keyblade slightly aloft and watching it pulsate with that purified power. Power that comes from her, that is hers. A unique and special strength all her own, just as Merlin had said. And as she embraces that power and exactly what it means, even as that light slowly begins to dim, she can't help but smile.

"So we got light and fire on our hands, huh?" Axel speaks up, offering Kairi a congratulatory nod. "Looks like we're both pretty bright. So where do we go from here, gramps?"

Merlin shoots Axel an unsavory look over this constant nickname, though even so he addresses his question all the same. "Now is an opportune time to sharpen those strengths, learn to utilize them in conjunction with your Keyblades and put them into practice in the battlefield. And with those strengths identified, I see no reason why we can't get started doing exactly that right here and now!"

"Augh, seriously?" Axel groans, exasperated. "Are you ever gonna let us have a day off, old man?"

"Perhaps I might…" Merlin begins leadingly, discreetly conjuring up another bucket of water to put his rebellious pupil in his place. "When you finally stop calling me old man!"

Kairi is helpless to hold back a heavy bout of laughter as the wizard unleashes his watery revenge. At the same time, she notices her former golden glow is mostly gone, and likewise her Keyblade takes on its usual pallor once more. Even so, she hardly minds; after all, even if she isn't sure how these new powers work yet, she knows she's taken the first, most important step in learning more about them all the same.

For so long, I thought there was nothing really special about me, especially compared to you and Riku… I had been told before that my heart was filled with light, but I never understood exactly what that meant… Until now. Merlin told me that the power of light itself is a very special gift. And even if I don't quite know how to use it yet, I'm determined to figure it out. To use it to fight by your side.

To be your light in the darkness, no matter how deep.


Merlin is a pretty stern teacher, so it's honestly pretty rare that he actually pulls us away from our training in the secret forest. But today he did, announcing that some "very special guests" were stopping by for a visit and that he wanted us to meet them. Of course, neither me or Axel had a single clue as to who, until those guests showed up in a burst of bright magic: the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merrywether.

"Merlin, dear, it's been far too long!" Flora greets brightly, flying forward to meet the wizard in a cordial handshake.

"We're so delighted you invited us to come by to see you!" Fauna adds just as cheerily.

"We have a lot of catching up to do!" Merrywether finishes a bit more sternly than the others, though her tidings are still just as bright.

"Greetings, ladies!" Merlin chuckles as he receives his guests. "You're absolutely right, Merrywhether, we certainly do have much to catch up on. Starting with my two new young pupils here! Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, I'd like you to meet Lea and Kairi." The wizard smiles as he motions toward the pair standing alongside him.

The fairies are practically abuzz with excitement as they all glide over to the two, eager to meet them. "Ah, so you're Merlin's new students we've heard so much about!" Merryweather exclaims, catching Axel off guard as she shakes his hand enthusiastically.

"All good things, of course," Fauna adds, offering Kairi a kindly smile. "We hear you two are progressing wonderfully when it comes to your training!"

"Wonderfully, huh? So you do brag on us after all, don't ya, gramps?" Axel fixes Merlin with a knowing smirk.

"Come now, my boy, I would hardly call it bragging," Merlin huffs with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I simply like giving credit where credit is due."

"Oh, but Merlin, dear, in your latest letter, you said you are very proud of both of them," Flora points out.

"Oh, Merlin!" Kairi grins. "That's very sweet of you!"

"N-now, now! I… w-well, you see, I-" Merlin ultimately lets out a defeated huff, one that elicits a shared laugh from his pair of students and his trio of guests alike. "W-why don't I just go prepare us all some tea then…?"

At this, the wizard quickly makes his flustered retreat, leaving the fairies behind to continue their meeting with Kairi and Axel. "So, Master Yen Sid tells us you two are training to fight alongside the guardians of light," Flora begins inquisitively.

"Yes, that's right," Kairi nods.

"What a noble cause to be fighting for," Fauna says earnestly. "You both are very brave."

"Well, brave or stupid, the jury's still out as to which," Axel jokes wryly.

"Hm…" Merryweather muses, looking over the pair thoughtfully. "You know, if you plan on going into a fight like that, then you'll both need better protection against the darkness…"

"Oh, dears!" Flora clasps her hands together in delight. "I think we have our next project on our hands!"

"Project?" Kairi asks, curious.

"Ah, it's a secret," Fauna winks, already on board with Flora's train of thought. "But you'll get to see it soon enough."

Kairi and Axel exchange a confused glance at this, both of them absolutely out of whatever loop the fairies have created as they crowd together to whisper and plot amongst themselves. Soon enough, however, Merlin soon returns with a tea tray in hand.

"Now, if there is one thing I am proud of, it's this tea," Merlin proclaims pointedly, setting it down on the table. "Freshly brewed and piping hot."

"And lemme guess, made with magic?" Axel asks with a clever smirk. "Just like everything else in here?"

"Oh, good eye, dear!" Flora exclaims before Merlin can even get a word in edgewise.

"You always were one to favor a home filled with magic, Merlin," Merryweather chuckles teasingly. "Though perhaps a bit too much if you ask me…"

"Well, not everyone can go 16 years living out in the middle of the forest without using any magic to speak of…" Merlin grumbles. "Now, are we simply going to let this delicious tea go to waste or what?"

No one argues with the wizard on this, with everyone instead eagerly helping themselves as they enjoy a very welcome tea time. Merlin is clearly glad to be in the company of his old friends and likewise, Kairi and Axel also favor both a break from their training as well as conversing with the trio of fairies. All three of whom seem quite invested to hear more about the pair's progress, for some unknown reason.

Of course, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather also spoke very highly of you, Sora. They even said they made magical clothing for you, Riku, and the king! What a great honor. I wonder if Axel and I could ever work our way up to receiving such a special gift someday…

Oh, speaking of special, there was one thing the fairies said to me just as they were leaving that's stuck with me ever since. It made me think of what happened during training the other day, when I discovered my power of light. It started when Fauna pulled me aside, taking my hands as she gave me a warm, confident smile. "Your heart is filled with light, dear," she said. "I can sense it, pure and strong."

"Just like our Aurora!" Merrywether chimed in fondly.

"I'm sure you'll use that light to do great things," Flora assured. "Just believe in that light and in yourself and the darkness will never be able to defeat you."

"My heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away…" I finished, the words coming out without me even thinking about them. The fairies seemed to share my confusion as they looked to each other, but I could still feel it. Those words, that promise… they were so, so familiar. Like something someone once said to me in a dream… A story I'd heard many times before.

I thanked the fairies as they left, but even now I can't stop thinking about that story… I don't know who told it to me or when, but I can feel its weight. Sense its importance. "But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness…." she'd said, I remember, I know. "Someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open, and the true light will return. So listen, child… Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you…"

What is that light? Is it my light, or someone else's light entirely?

I don't know. But I want to know. Everyone keeps talking about the light in my heart, but I still hardly even know what that light even is. It's frustrating… but exciting. Like a secret just waiting to be uncovered.

And Sora, I can't wait to tell you that secret first the moment I discover exactly what it is.


I'm happy to say that Keyblade training isn't all Heartless brawls and lengthy lectures. More often than not, Merlin's been letting us learn "outside of the classroom" and back in Radiant Garden. And that isn't all. He's also been letting us pick up a few lessons from a few different teachers as well, a few of which I'm sure you're familiar with, Sora.

Let's start with Aerith. I'm sure you know this, but she's a talented healer. Not only that, but she's very kind and a very good listener. Which is why I try to sit in with her at least once a week to learn all I can when it comes to healing. Something that I think will come in handy considering just how… reckless you tend to be (no offense!).

"Of course a hi-potion heals faster and better than a regular potion," Aerith explains, pointing out said potion amidst the collection she'd gathered for the sake of this demonstration. "But a mega potion outdoes them both. It heals to a lesser extent, but it can be used several times over, which makes it great for any team or group to have one on hand."

"Makes sense…" Kairi nods, adding onto her copious, careful notes. "What's that one?"

"That's an elixir," Aerith says, nodding to the item Kairi had pointed out among the others. "It replenishes both health and magic, and it's very potent. But the ingredients needed to make it are… somewhat hard to come by. Which is why it's the only one I have. I'm saving it for… someone, just in case they might need it."

Kairi raises an eyebrow at this, partially wanting to ask who that someone is, though she decides against it upon noticing the rather wistful, almost sad look on Aerith's face. "So… what about healing magic?" she asks instead, getting the lesson back on track. "How does that work?"

"Well… healing magic can be… a little tricky," Aerith says with a small smile. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

Kairi laughs at this, confident. "Well, if I can handle the Heartless hordes Merlin makes me and Axel take on every other day, I think I can handle a little healing magic too, don't you think?"

Aerith can't help but let out a small chuckle at this herself. "Well in that case, let's give it a try. We'll practice on this plant for now." She pulls over a small, potted flower over the table, a plant that Merlin's clearly neglected to put in a place where it would get the proper sunlight it needs based on how dropping and brittle it is. "So there's three basic types of healing spells: cure, cura, and curaga. Since cure is the easiest, we'll start with that."

"Right," Kair nods, dutifully summoning Destiny's Embrace. However, instead of giving any further instructions, Aerith simply shakes her head.

"Actually, I'd like you to try it without your Keyblade. This kind of magic works fine when it's channeled through a weapon, but it works even better when it's straight from the source. All you need to do is connect with the energy of whatever or whoever you're trying to heal, figure out and feel what's wrong, and tap into your own power to fix it."

"...I hope that's actually easier than it sounds…" Kairi remarks with a fretful frown as she lets her Keyblade disappear.

"Don't worry, it is," Aerith assures warmly. "Now, just… focus…"

Kairi does so, taking in a deep breath as she extends a hand out toward the plant, focusing on it and nothing else. For what seems like ages though, she feels no feedback from the plant as it sits, still and withering before her. However, when she least expects it, there it is: a burst of energy, small and unfeeling and worst of all, fleeting. Fading. Dying.

No, wait, she thinks urgently, desperate to reverse that dying process. Stop, please. Let me help you…

So, that's exactly what she does.

Like a series of successive waves lapping onto the sand, she can feel her magic flow out of her. She can feel it touch the plant, feel that magic weave its way into the flower's frayed, fading energy. And slowly, she can feel her magic fix it, restore what has been lost, repair what has withered away. But that isn't all. For even after she fixes it, her magic goes beyond that. It energizes it, invigorates it, expands its life force beyond what it ever was before. And by the time she opens her eyes, she finds that the plant has not only been completely healed, but it's blossomed and grown as it now towers towards the ceiling, several brightly-colored flowers budding upon a lush, healthy vine.

"W-whoa…" Kairi gasps, awestruck as she looks at the plant. "I did that…?"

"I-I think you did…" Aerith muses, just as surprised. "But… how? The magic you were just using, it wasn't a simple cure spell."

"It… wasn't?"

"No… What you just did here, Kairi, was a curaza spell. The most powerful healing spell of them all!"

"W-what?!" Kairi exclaims, aghast. "B-but that's crazy! I've never even used any healing magic before now! How could I have done something like… like that?!" She motions back to the plant, still thriving thanks to the power she had imparted to it.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Aerith smiles incredulously. "Either way, it's something you should be proud of. It looks like you have a real knack for healing, Kairi. But keep in mind that even a spell as powerful as curaza can't heal everything. There are some wounds that healing magic just… can't fix."

"So… what do we do then?" Kairi asks, concerned.

Aerith looks away, frowning fretfully as she shakes her head with unknown regret. "I hope you never have to find out…"

I hope I don't either… Kairi thinks, apprehensive. After all, the very idea of any of her friends, of Sora or Riku in particular, being so badly hurt to the point that they're beyond any sort of healing, practically breaks her heart. So instead of dwelling over such a troubling thought, she decides to be proactive against them instead. After all, even with potent healing powers on her side, she knows she still has a lot to learn. "Um… Aerith?" she begins tentatively, catching the older girl's attention. "Do you think I could get a chance to practice that curaza spell again?"

"Of course," Aerith manages a smile at this. "Though… maybe you should try it out on a different plant. I think this one's been healed up enough."

Kairi agrees with a small, bright laugh, following Aerith as she leads the way to look for another subject to practice on. Even so, she pauses, casting another glance at her first "patient", standing tall and proud and radiating with life. Life she'd brought back to it.

All these powers I never knew I had… Where did they come from? Merlin said I can use light because my heart is filled with it, so maybe that's why I'm able to use such powerful healing magic too? I don't know. To be honest, it's a bit overwhelming, and trying to make sense of it all on my own practically makes my head spin! But I'm sure, with the help of Merlin, Aerith, and the others, I'll figure it out eventually. Who knows? Maybe by the time we next meet, I'll have more than a few new tricks to show you.


As soon as I brought up to Merlin that I wanted to learn how to be more agile on the battlefield, before he could get even a single word out, Yuffie was already eagerly volunteering to help out. "Getting around a fight in a flash is my specialty!" she'd said with a perky wink. It's pretty obvious that Yuffie's never really had much experience in being a teacher, but her lessons in agility do tend to be the most… interesting of the bunch…

"Excuse me? You want me to what?" Kairi asks, absolutely baffled.

"Oh, ya know, just walk along this wall here," Yuffie says, pointing out the Bailey's highest wall. Said wall is quite easy to step up and get onto from one side, but on the other is a deep drop into the barren valley far below it. "Nothin' too tricky. I've done it hundreds of times, so you've got nothing to worry about."

"...Yuffie, I don't know about this…" Kairi frowns, peering down into the vast valley miles below.

"Hey, you wanted to learn about agility and all that stuff, right?" the ninja asks, hands on her hips. "Well, improving your balance is the best place to start. And this just so happens to be the best place in town to do just that! And remember, there's no shame in falling on your first try."

"Why do I have a feeling that if I fall on my first try, it might just end up being my last try?" Kairi mutters apprehensively as she begins to slowly climb up onto the wall. Her legs are rather shaky as she carefully rises to stand, though as she looks down again to the deadly fall that could very well await her if she leans too far to one side, she quickly wishes she hadn't. "Y-Yuffie-"

"I know, the view is amazing, isn't it?" Yuffie asks with something of a mischievous grin. "Now, just walk to the other end of the wall and you'll be in the clear!"

Kairi takes in an uneven breath but even so, she does her best to comply. She keeps her arms held out wide in the hopes of stabilizing herself as she takes a small, very stiff step forward. She shifts only slightly as she takes another, though all the same she manages to keep her footing on the rather narrow edge she's standing on. Until…

Out of nowhere, a sudden gust of strong wind blows in from the south, not unusual for that section of Radiant Garden, though quite unfortunate for Kairi as she's caught off guard by the force of the gale. She lets out a sharp gasp as it strikes her mid-step, lurching her sideways unexpectedly, towards, of all things, the far side of the wall. She barely even has time to think as her foot misses the wall just by an inch, but that inch is enough to throw her off entirely. With nothing to hold onto to anchor herself, she begins to fall to the side, her eyes wide with panic as she tries in vain to do anything she can to save herself.

Luckily though, she doesn't have to.

"Whoa, there! I gotcha!" Kairi yelps in surprise once again as she's suddenly yanked hard to the other side. Ultimately, she does end up falling, though not into the valley, but rather onto the hard cobblestone ground just a few feet away. In the immediate aftermath, her adrenaline and panic are still rushing as she looks around in confusion, until a familiar hand extends out toward her to help her up. "Hm… you know, maybe the highest wall in town wasn't the best one to start you out on…" Yuffie notes with a frown. "You ok, Kairi?"

"Um… y-yeah, I guess," Kairi nods, accepting the ninja's help in getting up. "As fine as I can be for nearly falling to my death…"

"That's the spirit!" Yuffie grins, giving her a light, playful punch on the arm. "Though maybe we should start you off on something a bit… safer…"

"Good idea…" Kairi sighs, finally cracking an exasperated smile.

"I know just the place," Yuffie begins to take the lead to lead the way out of the Bailey towards the upper section of town. "C'mon!"

"H-hey!" Kairi exclaims as Yuffie gets a running start ahead of her. "Wait up!"

As it turned out, Yuffie doesn't just have agility on her side; she has speed. By comparison, Kairi finds herself hard pressed to follow her, much less keep up with her, as she dashes through the eastern section of town. However, as they pass through the flowery courtyard of the central square, Kairi ultimately finds herself stopping short, her attention drawn elsewhere, namely towards the castle towering high above the square. Despite her weeks in Radiant Garden thus far, she hasn't really paid too much mind to the castle until now, and for some reason or another, her newfound curiosity begins to draw her towards it. She's all but lost track of Yuffie by now anyway, so she figures allowing herself to get a bit sidetracked won't really do any harm.

Yet as she scales up the steps leading towards the castle's front entrance, she soon begins to feel something stirring within her, something familiar, almost like a faded, forgotten memory. She's been here before, standing in this very place what feels like almost a lifetime ago, when she had been much younger. But she hadn't been alone there; there had been someone else, a young woman with a kindly smile and an air of true wisdom and strength about her. The woman had rescued her from… something, and she had returned the favor with the simple gift of a handful of flowers she'd plucked from the nearby gardens.

"Here!" she smiled brightly, youthfully as she presented the small bouquet.

"Are these for me?" the woman asked, pleasantly surprised.

"I picked you some flowers. Thank you for saving me!"

"Oh, they're lovely. You're so sweet," the woman smiled gently.

"My name's Kairi!" she greeted innocently. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too. I'm-"

"Kairi!"

She gasps as she's swiftly returned to the present, her distant memory broken just before it can actually become clear. Startled, Kairi turns to see Yuffie rushing up the stairs toward her, aptly confused.

"There you are!" the ninja huffs. "You're not very good to follow the leader, are you?"

"Sorry, Yuffie," Kairi says with a sheepish smile. "I just… This place… it feels like something… important happened to me here long ago…"

"Oh yeah, didn't you say you were from Radiant Garden?" Yuffie asks, curious. "So… if you don't mind telling me, what exactly happened here?"

"I'm… not sure," Kairi frowns. "I know it had something to do with a very kind woman, but… I can't remember who she was or what she looked like. She saved me from something, a-and then… she cast a spell on me."

"Oh? What kind of spell?" Yuffie presses, still quite intrigued.

Kairi pauses, briefly skimming her necklace as she thinks back to the woman's mysterious, yet hopeful words. "A spell that would lead me to someone… who would keep me safe."

"Hm," the ninja hums with a knowing smile. "So… did it work?"

"Yeah…" Kairi nods warmly, gently wrapping her hand around her necklace and the magic still contained within it. "It did."

That spell… I don't know when or how, but it really did work. When I needed it most, that magic led me to safety. It took me from here to the Destiny Islands. And I know in my heart that it brought me to someone who would and has kept me safe…

Because, Sora, it brought me to you.


Compared to Aerith and Yuffie, Leon is so… serious. He's also very responsible, which makes him a natural fit to lead the restoration committee. But he does have something of a playful side too, which is pretty surprising. Axel and I got a taste of that side of him just as we met Tifa actually.

She came by Merlin's house earlier today, introducing herself to me and Axel before saying she was looking for someone. Didn't say who, though I think Leon knew who she was talking about, even if he didn't know where that someone was. Still, Tifa decided to stick around to watch Axel and Leon spar, something they challenge each other to almost every day. Boys will be boys, I suppose.

"Alright, belt-boy," Axel smirks, taking a wry dig at Leon's outfit. "Let's settle this, once and for all."

"You said that yesterday," Leon remarks, slinging his Gunblade over his shoulder. "And then after you lost to me again, you had to practically beg me for today's rematch. So I think it's safe to say this won't be 'once and for all'."

"Aw, c'mon…" Axel grumbles, ignoring Kairi and Tifa's shared laughter as they watch this exchange from the sidelines. "Not in front of the ladies…"

"Enough talk," Leon says, taking up a fighting stance. "You ready?"

"You bet," Axel nods, doing the same with his Keyblade rather than his chakrams this time around. After all, what's the point in such a skirmish if not for the sake of practice?

With that, the pair launches into battle, clashing blades with firm gusto. As they leap back from this starting blow, Kairi and Tifa both erupt into spirited cheers from the sidelines as the fast-paced brawl continues.

"Woo! Go get him, Squall!" Tifa shouts, pumping her first.

"You can do it, Axel!" Kairi calls supportively.

Over and over again, Leon's Gunblade and Axel's Keyblade strike each other, neither side breaking down for the first phase of the fight. The sounds of the spar echo through the street in front of Merlin's house, which is fortunately bare of any passing pedestrians, giving the pair plenty of space to duke it out. However, as these fights usually go, soon enough, Axel's endurace begins to waver, his lack of experience compared to Leon apparent as he tries to take a moment to catch his breath. A moment that Leon makes sure to take advantage of to secure his victory.

Axel only barely has a chance to raise his Keyblade to defend himself as Leon rushes in, swinging his Gunblade out wide and fast. The strike easily knocks Axel off his feet entirely, his Keyblade disappearing as he lands hard on the ground some distance away. He flinches as he finds the sharp end of the Gunblade pointing directly at him, though fortunately, Leon pulls it back to offer him a helping hand instead.

"So, 'once and for all', huh?" he asks with a knowing smirk.

"Ugh…" Axel groans, rolling his eyes as he accepts the help up. "Just you wait, one of these days, your luck is gonna run out and I'm actually going to beat you for a change."

"Good luck with that," Tifa remarks as she heads over to the pair. "No offense, Lea, but you seem a bit… out of your element when it comes to that Keyblade of yours."

"Uh, that's 'cause I am," Axel says pointedly. "Cut me some slack, at least starting to get better, right?"

Leon and Tifa exchange an uncertain glance at this, though fortunately for Axel's already frayed pride, Kairi is quick to step in. "Don't worry, Axel," she chuckles warmly. "I think you're improving."

"Gee, thanks," Axel deadpans, hardly allayed. "Say, speaking of improving, why don't you try a round in the ring with ol' Leon here?"

"W-what?" Kairi asks, caught off guard.

"Yeah! I want to see you in action too, Kairi!" Tifa exclaims with a daring grin. "What about you, Squall?"

"I'm up to it if you are, Kairi," Leon says. "But no pressure; after all, I know you're still a beginner like Lea is. So if you want me to go easy on you, I-"

"N-no," Kairi protests, largely without thinking. "Don't go easy on me. Xehanort and the Organization aren't going to go easy on us, so it's better that we learn how to be tough before we fight them. So we can be stronger!"

"Hm…" Leon muses over this for a moment before ultimately brandishing his Gunblade once more. "Alright. Then let's see what you've got."

Kairi nods, taking in a deep, steadying breath as she summons her Keyblade. Tifa and Axel step back to give them plenty of room to fight, and on the exact same beat, they both rush forward to meet each other in a starting strike. Said strike is clearly won by Leon though, who manages to push Kairi back quite a bit by sheer force alone. She narrowly maintains her footing as she presses up against a nearby wall, though as she does she quickly notices that Leon rapidly on his way toward her once again. Since she's already internally resolved herself against using any sort of magic in this brawl, Kairi instead blocks his next swing, pushing it back with a heavy shout and a lucky parry. Leon is quite surprised by this maneuver, though he holds his ground as Kairi comes in for a counter attack. He defends himself well, pressing his Gunblade hard against her Keyblade. For a moment, tension is maintained between the two weapons, but in the end, Leon's superior strength ends up overpowering Kairi's. She gasps as she's inevitably shoved back, her Keyblade forced out of her hand in the process, bringing this brief skirmish to it's all-too-soon ending.

Exhausted by the strain of the fight, Kairi drops to one knee, her face hot and red with embarrassment of her own defeat as she stops to catch her breath. Even so, Leon offers a hand to help her up, just as he had for Axel before her. "I know you said you wanted to get stronger, Kairi," he begins, his tone even and understanding as he helps her stand. "But you need to remember that there are many different kinds of strength. 'Being tough' is only the tip of the iceberg."

"That's right," Tifa nods, emerging from the sidelines once more. "Strength of mind, strength of body, strength of heart… they're all equally important. And they all mean something different to each person. So it's up to you to figure out what each of them mean to you."

Kairi smiles, gladly accepting such genuine, solid advice. She's never believed physical strength to be her strong suit, and for the longest time, she'd viewed that as a critical weakness against her favor when it came to her path as a Keyblade wielder. But perhaps that kind of strength isn't the most important of them all. Maybe it's just as Tifa had said; strength of mind, body, and heart, all coming together to support and build off each other and fortify everything else in between.

The truest kind of strength… I know it won't be easy, but I want to find that sort of strength within myself somehow. The same sort of strength you and Riku have, Sora. The strength to protect what matters most.

Sora, it's my turn to fight for you.


Merlin made his stance on giving us 'days off' very clear right from the very start. He's not a fan of letting either of us waste any time, really, but there will be the odd occasion when Axel will manage to catch him in a good enough mood that he'll agree to it. Which is why I have him to thank for today's break.

I have to admit, I never really know what to do on our days off. Axel usually always uses them to catch up on his 'beauty sleep', which leaves me with few other choices on who to hang out with. Merlin often busies himself with 'lesson planning' when we're not training, which clearly preoccupies a lot his time based on how complex our lessons often are. Once I spent the day going along with Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie on their usual patrol around town, though aside from a pretty silly argument that broke out in the market, we really didn't see any action at all. And still, another day off was spent picking up a few lessons on piloting a Gummi Ship from Cid. And after those lessons, I more or less decided that flying one of those things on my own… clearly isn't something I'm cut out for. I'll leave that to you, Sora.

But today, I decided to go out on my own for my day off. I've been here in Radiant Garden for several weeks now, but I've hardly even had the chance to see any of it between all of our training sessions. So I went out on the town, ready to see all the sights I could.

And I'm very glad I did.

To say that Radiant Garden lives up to its name is an understatement. The city is absolutely lovely, shining and strong, with its many scars from destruction past all but healed now thanks to the tireless work of the Restoration Committee. Kairi gladly takes that well-built radiance in as she walks through the town's bustling market, which is alive with shoppers and merchants alike. She doesn't really intend to buy anything, instead looking to get a taste of the city's culture and commerce, things that she'd obviously never paid much mind to when she used to live there as a child.

It's strange though. For as she strolls through the streets and gets a better look around, Kairi can't help but feel a certain sort of fondness for the city. A sense of nostalgia burning dim yet deep within her. It makes sense; in many ways, this is her home, but at the same time, it really isn't, at least not anymore. Because whatever memories she had tied to this place are now gone, and all of what she has now comes from somewhere else: the Destiny Islands. And yet, that still doesn't mean she can't appreciate Radiant Garden for what it is now. In many ways, both her and her hometown have changed so much since the last time they saw each other. She can only hope that she's out of it all as bright and as vibrant as the town itself has.

It doesn't take very long for Kairi to wander into a part of town she hasn't seen before. Even so, she's absolutely awestruck as she stumbles into the city's famous fountain court. According to the Restoration Committee, it had taken quite some time to bring this landmark back to its former glory, but they certainly had as the multi-tiered fountains flow now with pure, sparkling water, water that runs rich and clean through the entire town for all its residents to use. The court is clearly a favorite attraction of the townsfolk as they trickle in and out to take a look, and though Kairi knows she still has more of the city to see, she ultimately decides to do the same.

As relaxing as the rushing fountains are, she opts to pick a spot along the stairs that lead up to a higher platform, letting her legs dangle off the edge as she sits down to enjoy the view. Since she doesn't really have too much else to do, it doesn't take long for her to pull her notebook out of her bag and start penning her latest letter to Sora.

Radiant Garden really is a spectacular world. I know you've been here before, but it's been awhile, hasn't it? You'd love to see how it looks now. It's a very far cry from what it looked like the last time we were here together, that's for certain.

But I'm sure you see all sorts of beautiful places on your journey. There are so many worlds out there, and you're so lucky that you get to see so many of them. Sometimes… I wish I could go see them with you.

Kairi glances up from her letter briefly upon noticing a young couple enter the fountain court, their arms linked as they walk side-by-side. They smile brightly, laughing over something she can't quite hear before they come to stand in front of the towering fountains together. Silence passes between the pair for what feels like ages as they watch the calming waters flow before them. Until, slowly but surely, their gaze starts to drift away from the fountains and towards each other instead.

With their arms loosely wrapped around each other, they draw in close, not hesitating whatsoever, even as their lips lightly touch. Kairi finally glances away at this, allowing the couple their privacy as she focuses back to her letter once more.

I wonder what that must be like…

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see the couple slowly part but still linger close, the warmth of their kiss still clearly brimming gentle and sweet between them.

To be so close to someone that there's no space left between. To have my heart tied to someone else's in every way possible…

I've loved other people before, of course. But I'm not sure if I've ever really been in love. How would I know? What does it even feel like? What happens if I am?

How would I know if you felt the same?

As Kairi glances to the loving couple once again, she can't help but feel a strange sense of longing, foreign and new, but fascinating all the same. And as she stares down at the couple from above, she can't help but imagine herself standing in their place, safe and secure and happier than she's ever been before in the arms of someone else entirely. In the arms of the very person she's writing this letter to in the first place.

Sora… I think... I love-

Kairi catches herself with a gasp, instantly scratching out that last line several times over before she can even finish it. True, she has no plans of ever letting any other eyes see this letter, much less send it out to who it's actually intended for. But that doesn't mean she's anywhere remotely near ready to admit such a thing, even if it's only to herself.

Unsure of what else to write, Kairi leaves the rest of her letter unfinished, cutting it off on a short, uncertain note as she stuffs her notebook back into her bag. She doesn't even spare the young couple another glance as she hurries past them and out of the fountain court entirely. Later that evening, after she returns to Merlin's house for the night and thinks back on her latest letter again, she does end up adding one final line onto it. One that only barely begins to sum up all she's really feeling.

The water flowing from the fountains seemed to whisper unspoken words, unheard feelings…

Maybe one day, Sora, I'll finally be brave enough to let those words and feelings be heard…


Did you hear? I saw Riku the other day! He came by with the king to deliver new clothes the good fairies made for Axel and I. I guess that's the 'surprise' they'd hinted at when they were here a few weeks ago, and it's a very impressive one at that. I can't speak for Axel, but I'm very pleased with my new outfit. Though after trying it on, I decided that my clothes weren't the… only thing I wanted to change. I'd tell you more about it, but I'd rather keep you in suspense for the next time we see each other, especially since I haven't seen your new outfit yet either.

But going back to Riku, he told me that you're doing well. He said you, Donald, and Goofy are out looking for the thirteen Keys to Kingdom Hearts. It sounds like a very important task, but if there's anyone who can find them all, then it's you, Sora. And since training is going along so well, hopefully it won't be long before I can come along and join you in looking for the rest!

Just thinking about it makes me wish that could happen now. But I know we both have our own important work to do right now. There's no time for distractions, especially not when the fate of all worlds hangs in the balance. Still, just because I know we have to wait doesn't mean I don't still miss you…

But until I can see you again, I'll keep on training, thinking about you and wishing you the best all the while. Though I have to admit that these days, you aren't the only one I've been thinking about. There's so many people, so many lost lights we need to help. And even though one of those people is about as close to my heart as she can possibly be, it still always feels like she's so far out of reach all the same…

Axel sits alone on the edge of the secret forest, watching the sun set over the hills just as he so often does. Just as they used to often do. His thoughts, along with the calm serenity of dusk are soon broken however by a cheerful greeting from behind.

"Hey, Axel!"

He turns to his fellow pupil, only to find quite a change from how he'd seen her earlier that morning. Kairi smiles as she stepped forward, clad in her new clothes, a simple, yet durable black and pink dress with thick, sturdy boots to match. However, what catches Axel even more off guard is her hair, cut short to hang just above her shoulders, making her look almost entirely different, though hardly in a bad way.

"Hey," Axel greets with an approving grin. "Liking the new look. Cut your hair too, I see."

"Mm-mm," Kairi nods. "I figured it was about time for a change. So, are you gonna try yours on?"

"The new clothes?" Axel frowns, glancing over his usual Organization cloak. "Uh… I dunno. Maybe later."

"But you always wear the same thing," Kairi teases lightly. "Doesn't that dreary black coat ever get old?"

"Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Axel ribs back. "This is how you pick me out of a crowd. I make myself easy to remember."

"How thoughtful," Kairi chuckles. "Though if you happen to be standing in a crowd of, oh, I dunno, thirteen or so other people wearing the exact same thing, it might just be a bit harder for someone to spot you. And if the rest of us just so happen to be fighting those thirteen people, well, wearing that coat might just be a bit of a flight risk. Just a thought."

"Gee, thanks for your concern," Axel smirks, deadpan as Kairi takes a seat next to. "But I think I'll survive. After all, I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve since I've seen my old 'pals' in the Organization. They won't know what hit 'em next time they cross paths with me."

"I'm sure they won't," Kairi grins, though she pauses for a moment upon catching sight of the splendor of the setting sun before them. "Wow… what a beautiful sunset! Then again, they're always beautiful here, aren't they?"

"...Eh, I've seen better," Axel remarks, looking away from the sunset.

"Oh really?" Kairi raises an eyebrow at this. "Where?"

His smile finally falls as he glances down, seemingly lost in thought. Or regret. Or both. "Twilight Town. Top of the clock tower always had the best view. It's where we-" He stops short, shaking his head as he shuts his eyes tightly, continuing in a voice so low it's almost a whisper. "Where we used to unwind after missions. Eat ice cream, talk, sometimes just sit there doing nothing at all. Just the three-I mean… just the two of us… Until it wasn't anymore."

"...You and Roxas?" Kairi ventures, knowing it isn't very often that Axel speaks so openly about his lost friend. And when he does, his tone is always tinged with the very same sort of tight remorse that it carries now.

"Yeah…" Axel sighs, saying nothing else as he bows his head.

Silence lingers between the pair for quite some time after this, and in that time, Kairi admittedly has no idea what to even say. She looks to Axel sympathetically, knowing that his heart is aching and understanding exactly why. True, she may have never gotten to properly meet Roxas, but that doesn't mean she doesn't believe he deserves a chance at his own life and existence just as much as anyone else does. And as far as she's concerned, he isn't the only one.

"We'll find some way to help him," Kairi speaks up, resolved. "Help both of them."

"Both?" Axel finally looks to her.

"Somewhere inside me is Naminé," she explains, lightly placing a hand over her heart. "If we can free Roxas somehow, then we can free her too."

"...Kairi," Axel begins, his tone unclear, though all the same, she continues.

"Naminé was made when Sora freed me from his heart. So now that she's a part of me again, I figured all was right." Now it's Kairi's turn to release a regretful sigh all her own, bittersweet, all-too-brief memories of her Nobody filling her mind all the while. "But she can't look at this forest. She can't feel the wind on her face or walk through the grass. None of it. And if she could, it would be different for her."

Kairi stares out toward the sunset, silently wondering what Naminé might think of it if she could see it for herself. What would she say if she were there with them now? What would she do? What path would she take if she was allowed to live her life on her own? What would she do with a life that belonged entirely to her to begin with? "Her time was short… but she lived it, and that makes it hers. What right did I have to take those feelings and experiences back?" Kairi shakes her head sadly, mournfully almost. "They don't belong to me. Nothing's as it should be… Not for her or Roxas…"

For what seemed like ages, Axel says nothing to this, though when he does, he hardly tries to argue with Kairi on this point. Mostly because it's absolutely, undoubtedly right. "I know…" he says, before going off on a seemingly different tangent altogether. "Way back when I was younger, I met this other weird kid. Somehow, we became fast friends. But after we met, I never saw him again-nearly forgot about him too. Then… I met Roxas. Couldn't believe it; the two of 'em were identical!"

"Really?" Kairi asks, intrigued.

"Like twins," Axel nods, finally cracking a small grin. "'Course, I didn't tell Roxas. Didn't want him to go vanishing on me too. Though… I guess it's a little too late for that now, huh?"

"Axel…" Kairi frowns, though this time, Axel's tone seems just a bit lighter as he looks to the sunset-streaked skies above.

"The kid's name was Ventus. He's one of the lost Keyblade wielders we're looking for. What a coincidence, huh?" Axel chuckles somewhat bitterly. "Think he's still got me memorized?"

"Oh yeah," Kairi shares his smile, mimicking Axel's infamous phrase. "Very memorized."

Axel smiles at this, though only briefly. "Sooner or later, our training's gonna be over," he says solemnly. "And whenever we do go back… I have a feeling I'm gonna be running myself ragged with worry over everything. Over Roxas, over Ventus… Heck, Naminé too. So many hearts we gotta bring back… where are we even supposed to start?"

"I… don't know," Kairi admits truthfully. "But that's ok for now. At least you don't have to worry alone anymore, Axel."

He nods, warmly accepting the kind solidarity she offers him. "You know, it's kinda funny," he remarks, leaning back. "Well… maybe not funny as much as it is sick and twisted but… whenever I make a friend, I always seem to lose 'em somehow. First there was Isa-I mean, Saïx. Then there was Ventus. Then Roxas and-" He stops short, his brow furrowed as he nearly lists a name he can't even recall. A name that very well doesn't even exist in the first place. "A-and… that's it. Guess I'm pretty unlucky when it comes to holding onto friends, huh?"

"Axel…" Kairi begins earnestly, placing a comforting hand against his arm. "You haven't lost any of them. There's still a way we can bring them all back, I'm sure of it. And… just for the record, you haven't lost your newest friend yet, have you?"

"Newest friend?" Axel turns to her, confused.

"Me, silly!" she laughs brightly.

"You?" Axel gapes, amazed, realizing that this is perhaps the very first time Kairi has ever actually referred to them as friends. Even so, it's a very welcome change, especially considering where they'd started from weeks ago. "Nope," he grins, countering her hand on his arm with a firm, solidifying hand on her shoulder. Affirming the solidarity they both share to help guide their lost friends home, no matter how long it might take. "Looks like I haven't."

Roxas and Naminé… There has to be something we can do to help them. And even if Axel and I aren't able to figure something out, then I have a feeling you will, Sora. After all, their hearts are both connected to yours. And no one knows your heart better than you.

Like I said before, there are so many people counting on you… So much is on your shoulders, sometimes I don't know how you even handle it all, but you do all the same. It won't be easy, but I hope through everything, you'll remain the happy and cheerful Sora I've always known. There's no heart your smile can't reach.

Including mine.

I suppose that's all for now. I'll try to write more tomorrow after training is over. As always, Sora, I miss you, and can't wait to see you again. But until I can, remember: I'm thinking of you, wherever you are.

Love,

Kairi


So this was a bit of a fun little experimentally written chapter, allowing me to do some fun stuff with formatting what with Kairi's letters interspersed throughout. Also, I'm super sorry if any of the Final Fantasy characters in this were OOC, I've never played any of those games and the only thing I know about any of them is what I've seen through KH games! But either way, I hope you liked this, especially since it includes some nifty bits of foreshadowing... ;) Anyway, next time around our trio ventures out to another Disney world, this time taking to the open seas (with a world based on what's probably my personal favorite Disney movie, so that's exciting!) But until then, please don't forget to leave a REVIEW letting me know what you thought! Until next time! :D