Disclaimer: The Mad Doctor claims no ownership to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. It belongs to Disney and Square Enix.

Notes from the Mad Doctor: Greetings readers. Happy New Year to all of you. This will be my final post of the year. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Kairi's Letter of Departure #1: Destiny Islands

Destiny Islands

Dear Sora,

I have the most wonderful news! After seven months of trying to find a way to bring you back, I believe I've finally found it. And would you believe it came to me in a dream?

After having the worst nightmare of all time, I was visited in my dream by a mysterious woman who gave me this strange talisman that looks like a Wayfinder. She told me it would guide me to where I needed to be. And where I need to be is with you.

She did imply that there was something I needed to do first to help you although she didn't tell me exactly what it was. But I'll do anything to bring you home.

I wish she had been clearer in her instructions. Mostly, I wish I knew who she really was. But in spite of that, there was something about her that made me believe she could be trusted.

You probably would have done the same thing if she offered to help you. You always were the best judge of character knowing who was truly good, even when they were being manipulated into doing the wrong thing.

Anyway, with this Wayfinder in my possession, I know I'll find you.

That's the good news. Unfortunately, I also have some bad news to tell you.

One month ago, the others decided to suspend the search for you. They might as well have said they were giving up completely. Even Riku, Donald and Goofy went along with it and they were the ones I always thought would never stop searching for you. I haven't spoken to any of them since.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being too harsh on them. But I just can't believe after everything you've done for them; they'd do something like this.

So, I'm the only one coming for you. Aside from Pluto, who has been staying with me this past month and has offered to come along with me.

This is probably how it was meant to be. You're only where you are because of my uselessness during the Keyblade War. It's only fitting that I should be the one to bring you home. And when I do, the others will surely see that they were wrong and apologize. Then everything will be as it should.

Hang in there, Sora. Hopefully, it won't be too long before we're together again and I can see that wonderful smile of yours that always touches my heart. And when we come home together, I have something special to show you.

See you soon,

Kairi

(Mood Music: Candle on the Water by Helen Reddy from Pete's Dragon)

Sitting on the beach of the Play Island, with the last stroke of her pen, Kairi finished her letter. After reading it over once, she found it to her satisfaction, so she prepared to send it off.

Setting the letter aside and reaching into her knapsack, she pulled out a bottle. This was no ordinary bottle, however. It had been magically enchanted by Donald to be unbreakable with its label waterproof. It also had a very special feature so she would always have one on hand.

"Copy!" she declared.

The bottle glowed for a brief moment and in an instant, an exact duplicate appeared in her other hand. After placing one of them back in her knapsack, she uncorked the one she kept, rolled up the letter and stuffed it inside.

After writing Sora's name on the label, she walked up to the shore. Kneeling down, she dropped the bottle into the water and it slowly drifted away toward the horizon. As she watched it leave, she recalled the first time she sent a letter in a bottle to Sora.

'I could barely recall Sora's name then, so the letter was unsigned. And against all odds, it found him in the Realm of Darkness. Even more amazing, him just reading it opened the Door to Light and brought him and Riku home. It was a miracle.'

Kairi grabbed onto the Wayfinder and looked at it in her hand. "I know I was hoping for the same miracle to happen. But if this leads me to Sora, then I'll gladly take a different one. But even if my letters can't bring him home, I can at least let him know that I'm on my way to him. That is, if they're even getting to him.'

Then a sudden thought ran through her head. 'I wonder if, this time, I should have signed it, 'Love, Kairi'.'

Ever since she started sending her letters out, Kairi had entertained the notion of signing them that way. But then she remembered exactly why she hadn't done so.

'No. The first time he hears that word from me, it will be with my voice and not from my pen.'

She then turned to the left and gazed up to where the paopu tree was. She recalled the moment that they shared their paopu fruits and bound their destinies together. Even if what followed was nothing but tragedy, it was still a memory she would treasure forever.

Still, there was a couple of things that could have made that moment even better.

'That probably would have been the right moment for us to tell each other just how much we cared for each other. Maybe we could have even had our first kiss. It was a great moment for it so why didn't we go there? Especially if it could've been the last truly good moment we'd ever share,' Kairi pondered.

She let out a sigh. 'Then again, maybe it wasn't the best time for all that especially with the battle with Xehanort the next day. And even if we had, it probably wouldn't have made what happened after any less painful.'

She heard a whimper and looked to her side. Pluto had nuzzled up to her. In response, she gave him a pat on the head.

'Well, there's no use dwelling on what we didn't do. It's time to focus on what needs to be done now.'

With a gesture of her hand, Destiny's Embrace appeared in it. It was the first time she had summoned her Keyblade since that day at the Land of Departure. She had feared that when she had tossed it at Riku's feet, the Keyblade would have renounced her as its wielder. Thankfully, she was wrong.

"Pluto, you're my witness to this."

Pluto gave a confused whimper as he watched Kairi plant her Keyblade teeth first into the sand. Gripping the handle with both of her hands, she knelt down and faced out toward the horizon.

"I, Kairi, Princess of Heart and Wielder of the Keyblade, make this oath to myself. I promise that the next time I set foot on this island or even in this world, Sora will be with me. I will not return until I find him and bring him home. And when I do, I promise that I will let him know the full depths of my feelings for him. I will keep this oath with my entire body, soul and heart."

Pluto let out a bark. Kairi laughed.

"Glad you approve."

Raising to her feet, Kairi took in one last look at her surroundings. She didn't know how long it would be before she would see the Destiny Islands again. But when she returned with Sora, they would once again feel like home.

'Okay. It's time,' she thought as she took the Wayfinder into her hand

"Pluto, better get close to me. I don't know what's going to happen when I use this thing."

Pluto nodded and positioned himself alongside Kairi on the right side. Using his unusually prehensile tail, he wrapped it around her right ankle. He let out a bark to let her know that she could proceed.

With a nod of approval to the dog, Kairi then followed her mysterious benefactor's instructions. Holding the Wayfinder to her chest and thereby her heart, she closed her eyes and focused her will on it.

'Take me to where I need to be.'

A few moments passed, until Pluto started to bark. Kairi opened her eyes and looked downward. She gasped.

A pool of ethereal light was spreading outward from beneath her feet. It continued to grow until it formed a circle around the girl and the dog. Suddenly, the edges erupted skyward causing them to be surrounded in a vertical tunnel of light.

Then an odd sensation came over the two. Even though it still felt like they were still standing on solid ground, Kairi and Pluto felt as if they were rising into the sky.

Looking up, Kairi saw the countless stars that dotted the sky. She was a little nervous as she continued to clutch the Wayfinder to her heart. But she banished the nerves away by remembering what this was all for.

Her epic journey, her quest for Sora, had truly begun.

Notes from the Mad Doctor: Ladies and gentlemen, Kairi and Pluto have left the Islands! It took me a while to come up with how the Wayfinder works when it's used such as creating a portal to the next world. But ultimately, I went with an effect like the Bifrost from the Thor movies. As for the Mood Music of this chapter, whenever I heard the song, I would actually think of Kairi and how he's always been Sora's own candle on the water. Anyway, upon departure from every world on the journey, you're going to see a letter to Sora containing Kairi's reflections on what she's experienced and who she's met. It'll be this story's version of Jiminy's Journal or Roxas' Diary. Anyway, next chapter is the first interlude which means we'll be focusing on a different character or group of characters which will happen in between worlds. Then, when we come back to Kairi and Pluto, it'll be the first Disney world they visit. Reviews are much appreciated! Stay tuned!