Together
Kairi sat down on the steps that led out of the Hall of the Cornerstone, wondering if she should go down there or not
She wanted to be a bad girl for once—as a sort of fun, perhaps, as her world had so recently fallen down—and go there against her better judgement … and some of the other Guardians of Lights' judgement as well, if she was being honest.
Because now that they all knew that strong lights could be used to house darknesses without being corrupted—and strong lights and darknesses might call to each other like moths to a flame—there was even the chance, that a strong light like the Cornerstone of Light could resonate with Kairi too strongly. What if it tried to pull her into it, or she pulled it into herself?
These were the reasons that the Guardians had thought it a good idea that Kairi stay away from the light that kept Disney Castle safe from harm.
…But curiosity had killed the cat, and Kairi found that was very much her case when she found herself wandering down into the basement, anyway, just to get a look.
Though what ended up drawing her attention was not the Cornerstone of Light. Rather, it was this almost liquid—thought not quite—with wisps going into it, on a nearby table that had recently been erected, if its drying silver paint was anything to go by.
Kairi grew closer to it, peering into the water, where she curiously saw what looked like Lady Daisy, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Chip, Dale, someone who looked as though they were related to Goofy, and Aqua watching as Queen Minnie gave Pete an earful!
Kairi had no idea how this scene was playing out before her, without sound, but she definitely wanted to find out! So, she walked even closer to it, but ended up tripping, with her face falling face first into the water… and there, she could see this memory—perhaps that's what it was—in all its glory.
"…Pete, we counted the votes very carefully. Ventus, Aqua, and Terra won. Oh, Pete. I think you tried to do something good, but you were doing it for the wrong reasons, and you went about it the wrong way. Still, a couple of citizens must have thought you had goodness in you, because you actually got a few votes. They knew you were looking out for them."
Kairi didn't know what was going on exactly, but maybe she could make some guesses based off of the Queen's words? But Pete seemed to be boiling with anger, as he often was, and Queen Minnie seemed to be very sweet in dealing with him now and trying to reassure him that the people still cared about him, Kairi saw.
And though this was surely a memory of the past, the Princess of Heart almost wanted to believe that the other light wielder could get through to him. And that maybe things could be different for them all, going forward, if she could…
But then it all took a turn for the worst, as Pete turned towards Queen Minnie angrily.
"Big whoop! I don't need their lousy votes! Just cough up my prize!"
And then he extended a hand towards Queen Minnie. And Kairi didn't know if he'd meant to harm her or steal the prize, but she felt her heart go out for the small queen all the same, and her plight here.
And Kairi wanted to believe she would have had such strength and heart in the situation, without her own king.
"Pete!" Queen Minnie exclaimed. "They voted for you because they believe in you and care about you. How could you look down on that? I've tried to forgive a lot of things you've done, but this is too much. Now you've finally crossed the line."
"Like that matters to me," Pete shot back rather expertly, not seeming to care how he'd hurt Queen Minnie in the slightest with his line. And it pained Kairi to see." Besides, what are you going to do about it?" he challenged.
"Ha! I'm gonna let you cool off for a while. Guards!" And at that point, some of the magic brooms showed up and carried Pete off, while Queen Minnie frowned at him, heartbroken, the whole time.
Kairi wondered if this was when he was banished to another dimension—another world—for all he'd done, like Sora had told her about before. She wouldn't have been surprised.
And with that last sad image of the Queen being the last thing Kairi saw, the memory must have been over, and Kairi was pulled out of it, gasping. And she was surprised to see none other than Queen Minnie herself was watching her now!
"Quite an ordeal, wasn't it young Kairi?" she asked. And somehow, she seemed to look at Kairi with sadness for Pete, she guessed. But not for Kairi. And no disappointment, either. It was as if she was okay with Kairi spying on her memories. Even though she'd had no right to do it at all.
"Your majesty," Kairi stammered, dropping to a bow right away, and trying to find her graces, and the girl who might have once belittled Sora and Riku for getting into a situation, because her past self never would have… how sad it was that her present self would. "I'm so, so sorry. I had no right at all to do any of this. Especially since you're being so kind as to let us look all over your world for Sora right now… I'll go now."
Queen Minnie laughed. And it was a pretty sound… and an encouraging one, that had Kairi stopping from going back up the steps that led to the audience chamber, and rather turn around to face the woman. "I acted quite like the Queen there… but part of me regrets it, you know? Because surely Pete had done worse things than that. Why was it him not appreciating people believing in him, that was the final straw for me? Was it that I was just too angry that day?"
"I think my subconscious mind, though not my conscious one, partly wondered about that when I saw your memory just now, too," Kairi admitted, offering Queen Minnie a small smile, in seeing that they thought very much the same.
"N-not that you were too angry!", she quickly explained, realizing her words could be misconstrued. "But what it was about that day in particular… And sometimes I wonder about my own anger. Like why I was so livid at Organization XIII. Maybe if I hadn't been, I wouldn't have been part of the Keyblade War and Sora would still be here…"
And God help her, Kairi was crying now. Something she definitely didn't want to do in front of this Queen at all.
But Queen Minnie was merciful and kind, and motioned for Kairi to lean down, so she could wipe her tear away. "You mustn't blame yourself for that, Kairi, dear. As I understand it, if you hadn't been there, Sora would have died, and that awful prophecy about light expiring would have come true. So, it was a good thing you were there!
"And goodness me, you don't have to be so formal with me. I'd like to think we're all friends here. Call me Minnie!
"But it- it's hard, isn't it? I think we who strive closer to the light, often doubt ourselves when we get away from it. But I think those reasons happen for a reason, too. Like with Pete: when you can't see the goodness of people recognizing you, I feel you can no longer see anything. And you can too easily become caught in the darkness then… and I think that's why I did what I did with Pete … Do you understand, Kairi?"
"Yes, I think I do!" Kairi beamed, pulling the mouse Queen into a hug. And she didn't know if this was right or dignified or whatever, but since Queen Minnie said that they could be friends, she decided to just go for it.
And when Queen Minnie hugged her back like it was the simplest thing in the world—magic and healing seeming to fill up Kairi's heart as she did—she wondered if this was the start of something here.
"Thank you so much for comforting me today… Minnie. I don't know what I would have done without you. And thank you for not caring that I accidentally spied on your memory!"
The two women started out of the audience chamber now, and would begin a journey through the hall and back to the library, much like the one Queen Minnie had taken with Sora before—feeding off each other's light as they did so—and it would end up being a key to them finding Sora.
Queen Minnie held Kairi's hand in hers, like Donald and Goofy had Sora's multiple times, and Mickey had Riku's, that many times, as well. "Hehe. Of course, my dear. And know that we'll find Sora together."
"Together."
Author's Note: Yes, it was a pensieve Kairi used. And my explanation for one being here, is that Disney apparently almost made the first Harry Potter movie. This is mentioned in the "A Conversation Between Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling" video on the Deathly Hallows DVD.
Written for you, Mademoiseli! I hope you enjoyed!
