Saga of Light: She Will Light The Way

by SirAngelo

What would he do for Kairi? His freedom for hers, Sora offers. In the timeline we know, the deal is rejected. But here, Sora becomes the Organization's prisoner, for Kairi's sake. Now, Kairi must venture through the worlds, fighting for herself and her friends, take hold of the reigns of fate, and become the hero she was always meant to be. [Kingdom Heart II AU Story] [SoKai]

18. This Is My Path

She Will Light The Way
Chapter Eighteen
This Is My Path

Chewing on the cap of her felt marker, Kairi looked at her work and considered her next move, before the high-pitched tones of Rikku entered her ear.

"I'm tellin' ya, girls, Red's flipped her lid!" The blonde chirped, entering the training room with Yuna and Paine in tow. The energetic chemist was practically dragging her companions into the room. "She's one ball of red yarn away from being that conspiracy theory meme!"

Yuna shook her head at her cousin's theatrical description "Rikku I'm sure it's not as bad as you -" Then, the brunette gunslinger caught sight of what Kairi had done to the wall. "Huh."

"See! See!" Rikku siddled up into Kairi's periphery, pointing a finger at her. "Girl, why you ackin' so cray-cray?"

"You're the one who's ackin' cray-cray!" Kairi snapped, defensively, before reeling back. Acting like that probably wasn't helping her case. Kairi pivoted from Rikku, going back to gnawing on the hunk of plastic.

Paine was much more straightforward in her reaction and her ask, as she was want to do.

"Explain yourself."

Kairi slowly turned about to face the others, still munching on the cap. "I'd rather not..." she mumbled through the bit of plastic, but eventually yielded to the trio of inquisitive stares from the Gullwings. "Look, there are some things Luxord said that I need figured out. If I have the day to myself, better put that time to good use, right?"

The quartet of adventurers had only departed from San Fransokyo yesterday, but the questions Kairi was left with had been niggling at her ever since they beamed out of the city. Not to mention, with her injuries, it was decided there would be no training for the time being, so Kairi decided to be proactive regarding the mysteries about the boy named Roxas. Proactive, here, meaning writing that name of the wall of the training room in a marker and then removing the X, printing R, O, A, and S underneath it, trying to unscramble the four words into something more meaningful. That work was scrawled plainly beneath the two sets of bold letters, but so was a serious of angry scribbles, indicating the Princess hadn't conquered this puzzle quite yet.

"Luxord said two things, once during each encounter with him." Kairi recounted to her teammates. While they were all present for the first battle with the Nobody, Kairi herself hadn't registered it during the chaos of it all, so it was highly likely none of the Gullwings had either. "There's this boy named Roxas, and he is both a Key Bearer and a member of the Organization. And, I remembered, the names of the Organization are anagrams of their true names with an 'X' added, so I've been trying to come up with the name of Roxas' Somebody."

"And you couldn't have just done this on a piece of paper? Or in your head?" Paine asked. Kairi thought it was more than a little funny that was the first question in response to her flight of fancy.

"I couldn't find any. It's not like this ship is incredibly well furbished." Their little Gummi Ship didn't have any office space, and the only book on the entire ship was Sora's journal, and there was no way Kairi would let anyone deface that precious tome. "As for doing it mentally, I tried, but got really frustrated. I feel better having it all spelled out in front of me. Having a visual aid." Kairi motioned to her writings, though she thought she overheard Rikku refer to it as a "wall of madness". She let the comment pass without issue. "So, I figured we could just use some kind of cleaning spell when I'm done. There is a cleaning spell, right Yuna?"

"If there is, I've never heard of it." Was Yuna's sheepish reply. Quietly, Rikku slipped by her cousin and went to stand beside Kairi, the blonde astutely studying her work.

"Oh..."

"And also, why this? Why now?" Yuna asked, ignoring the mess Kairi had made of the training room wall. "You've never had much concern for the Organization outside of them being the enemy, why are you so deadset on learning the identity of one of them." Kairi capped the pen, replacing the cap for her lip for something to chew on.

There was an impetus to her interest in Roxas, beyond what Luxord had revealed, but she had been hesitant to share the information. It sounded so strange and crazy, she hardly believed it herself. Then again, the four of them had been through so much, seen so many crazy things, maybe getting over her embarrassment would be for the best.

"Way back when, before this all started, back when I was still on the islands, I spoke with someone who wasn't physically there. My heart – our hearts spoke." It felt so strange reliving all this, to Kairi, it felt like it had happened an age ago, when it was probably closer to two months. Even then, even despite the heady passage of time, she could still picture her and Selphie standing on the shore while all of this happened. "It was a boy around my age on Twilight Town, with blond hair and blue eyes. His name was Roxas. He said 'I know you' and... and... 'You're that girl he likes'." The Gullwings didn't need further explanation as to who "he was", especially considering the luminescent blush on Kairi's face. "And then, after this episode, I remembered Sora. I remembered everything that had happened."

Kairi was still kicking herself that she somehow had forgotten Sora. Riku. The Keyblade. Everything. Stranger still was that everyone else had forgotten, then remembered all the same, but then acted as if nothing was amiss. Kairi was the only one who could recall having forgotten the boys. Stranger and stranger still...

Quickly, Kairi finished up her story. "So, whoever this Roxas is, I think he has some kind of connection to me and Sora. He's different from the other Nobodies."

Yuna and Paine didn't question any element of Kairi's story, much to her relief, just accepted it as is. However, the redhead suddenly fell silent when a possibility began to dawn upon her.

Meanwhile, Rikku was still studying Kairi's attempt at deciphering Roxas' name. Scatterbrained and flighty she maybe, Rikku still prided herself with her intellect and curiosity. A puzzle like this was too difficult to resist.

"Well, it's only a four letter anagram. It's not too hard to brute force." The gadgetry genius mused aloud, using her finger to draw the four letters in the air. "Let's see... Roas. Raos. Oras. Srao. Asor. Osar. Aros. Rosa – whoops, that's a girl's name, really – Uh... Sroa, Soar, Saro, S-"

"Sora." Kairi blurted out. "Roxas is Sora's Nobody."

Saying it aloud... was something else. But the moment Kairi uttered the names of her childhood friend and this mystery boy in the same breath, she felt a thrumming in her heart. Difficult as this understanding was to grasp, Kairi knew this was the correct one.

But, a question still remained.

"How?" Paine was the one to verbalize said question. "How does Sora have a Nobody. How can they exist in the same space?"

"Hollow Bastion." The pieces were flying into place rapidly now. Kairi delved into her memories again, this time being a much less pleasant event. "When my heart was still within Sora's body, he used a Keyblade to remove it, but turned into a Heartless as a result. Then I pulled his heart out of the darkness, restoring him. That must have been how Roxas was born."

Kairi had forgotten her place, realizing the Gullwings may not know every single event that had conspired a year-and-a-half ago, but once more, they took everything she said in stride.

"All that being true – and it does makes sense; especially why this Roxas character has a Keyblade – are you really okay with this?" Paine question, arms crossed as she studied Kairi. "Whether if this guy is one of the remaining Organization members or if he comes back as a Silhouette, are you prepared to fight him?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Kairi fired back, quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly, and with poor word choices, given the concern writ large on the faces of the Spiran trios. "Sorry, sorry. What I meant was, I don't think Roxas is an enemy. Luxord said he was 'long-lost'. I don't think he's with the Organization." Then, with a shy smile, she added, "Besides, Roxas is Sora's Nobody; I can't imagine any part of Sora being bad or evil." Shyness was replaced by the redhead's boundless spirit, as she perked up. "Like I said, me and Roxas have some kind of connection, so I think he's still out there, somewhere. And I hope we get the chance to meet in person. I hope he and Sora get a chance to meet, too."

"I hope so, too, Kairi." Yuna returned. "And I trust those feelings in your heart. You know Sora better than anyone, so if you say Roxas would be a good person, then I believe you."

"Well, I guess that settles that." Paine declared, forcibly taking the felt pen away from the Key Bearer. "Mystery solved, and, if you're done defacing the ship -"

"Actually, there's one other thing I want to talk to you guys, with." Kairi said, forking over the mangled, partially wet cap, as well.

"What? Wanna scribble on the exterior of the Kelvin, too?" Rikku joked, playfully.

"That's not it's name. The ship doesn't have a name." Kairi shot at a motormouth pace, before getting back on topic. "All this time, we've been working on the assumption the Organization's goal is to create a false Kingdom Hearts from the hearts freed by slain Heartless. But... did you notice how much Luxord seemed to enjoy being a Nobody? He kept going on and on about being a 'superior being' and whatnot. In fact, none of the Nobodies seem to be upset at not having hearts. None of them seem desperate to regain their hearts."

A chorus of agreement rose from the Gullwings. Everything Kairi said scanned, particularly the part about the Nobodies having an absence of remorse or despondency. Wouldn't beings without hearts, seeking to regain hearts, show a little more anxiety regarding their decade long quest to recover said hearts?

"But then, what are they after?" Yuna questioned.

"Luxord claimed their using Kingdom Hearts to gain more power. To become stronger. Stronger than anything else in existence. But that doesn't sit right either..."

"Not when a humanoid Nobody is already stronger than anything in the Realm of Light, other than a Key Bearer." Paine finished for Kairi, picking up on where the younger girl was going. "And with Sora captured, there's only two active Wielders around. Three if this Roxas theory holds water. What would they have to be threatened by?"

"Well, we've encountered our share of megalomaniacs before, Paine." Rikku pointed out. "And they always mindlessly grab at power. They don't need a reason for what they do."

"Still, this isn't sitting right..." Kairi murmured, eyes drifting downward in thought. "I don't know what, but there's more to this than we're seeing here. Roxas. The Organization. The Keyblade. Kingdom Hearts. There's a bigger picture involving all of that..."

A brief discussion broke out between the four young women, but nothing of consequence was achieved. Just spitballing and theorizing. Yuna called the session to an end as nothing was coming of it, but Kairi was certain these questions would linger with her for some time to come.

But, before they departed from the graffitied training room, Paine mentioned one last thing. The white-haired woman quickly appraised Kairi of her health, the red head happily informing her team that she was on the mend and would be right as rain soon enough.

"Good. We plan to start your training again, tomorrow." Was Paine's taciturn reply. "You've made some decent progress so far, but the battles are getting tougher, so we're going to step things up to the next degree. Teach you some more advanced techniques." Kairi was practically brimming at the mention of learning something new. She was really getting into the habit of training and was actually becoming interesting in learning and mastering anything the Gullwings put before her.

Yuna then added, "Also, we don't know how this will go, but we're going to try and see what we can do about improving your talent with your Light." Kairi was less thrilled about that fact, an expression Yuna quickly read. "I know you've been frustrated by your lack of understanding and control, but it is a valuable asset for us and the mission. Not to mention, it seems every time you use it in those big bursts, you end up absolutely exhausted."

Kairi recounted all her recent uses of her Light, all the big bursts that she used to finish the fight, and had to agree with Yuna's assessment. While it would be easy to chalk up her fainting on Beast's Castle and San Fransokyo due to the events of the day and the natures of the fights with Xaldin and Luxord, it didn't excuse the wooziness she felt after Twilight Town, Olympus, Atlantic, or the Land of Dragons. Much as it continued to elude her, her Light was her strongest weapon. It needed to be trained, understood, and mastered.

"I guess... I'll do my best." Kairi said, despite her misgivings.

"That's all we ask of you, Kairi." Yuna returned with a smile. "Now, go and relax for now. Rikku and I are on dinner duty tonight, so you can just focus on recovering for today and nothing else."

Kairi obeyed, quietly puttering off elsewhere to try and find something to occupy her time with. But, her brain was now alight with all the truths and mysteries she had uncovered in the past little while. What started as a simple quest to destroy some Stones and save her friend seemed to be ballooning beyond her control into something bigger than she could image. Kairi found herself standing in the eye of the storm, and she knew it wasn't going to pass anytime soon.

-O-SWLTW-O-

The sweltering desert sun beat down upon the pair of black cloaks, every last drop of sunlight being absorbed into the dark garments. Of course, that was only a concern for one of them as, Sora was beginning to learn, Nobodies did not sweat.

Sora wiped the sweat off his brow, trudging through the Agrabah sand behind Saix. Another day. Another mission. Another familiar world pulling at Sora's heart. Another faint glimmer of hope he knew would only lead to more problems.

You made your bed Sora, now you have to lie in it...

"Hurry up!" Saix barked from up ahead. "You're dawdling too much."

"Give me a break!" Sora talked back, panting heavily. "We've been marching through the desert for hours, without a drop of water, and I'm sweating up a storm here!"

"Quit complaining and get back to work." The blue-haired Nobody snarled, coldly.

Sora suppressed a groan, slowly wading through the dunes to catch up with his captor, bemoaning the fact that he didn't know what was worse – Saix' barbs and threats or Xigbar's false smiles and hollow sarcasm.

Up in the distance, shimmering against the super-heated panorama of the desert, Sora could spy an ominous looking black spire sticking out of the sands. He immediately passed it off as being a mirage, but then noticed that Saix was staring at it, too.

"What is that thing, anyway?" Sora mused, idly, forgetting who he was with.

"No questions." Was Saix's reply, fell yellow eyes glaring at the boy with intent to harm. Sora glared back, sick of the abuse he had been suffering. Not to mention, Saix' reaction gave him enough reason to believe whatever that tower was, it was important.

"The only thing you have to concern yourself with is slaying Heartless." Saix pointed off in the distant, halfway between where they were and where the black pillar was. Heartless appeared in trademarked bursts of blackness. "That's your only purpose in life now. Our little weapon to do as we please." Sora hated how neutral the scarred Nobody could be when he dressed him down like this. "Kill off those worthless emotions and idle curiosity you possess. After all, they only ever lead you down the path of ruin."

Sora reared up and leaned in to face his tormentor. "That's not true! That's -"

"Kairi. Riku. Your closest friends, lost to the darkness by your rash and selfish choices." Sora's fire was quickly stamped out by the Nobody and his disparaging words. The Organization had perfected this tactic; bringing up Sora's failures and losses to quell any resistance. Use the pain and guilt in his heart against him. "And there are even more people you've hurt. People you don't even know of or can remember. A selfish child like you is not befitting the title of 'hero'. So kill your heart and become the weapon we need and desire."

Sora hung his head in shame, doing his best to fight back tears, pulling the hood up to cover his face even more, before summoning Kingdom Key and moving to face the Heartless. He hated himself for this. For all of this. Helping monsters like the Organization was bad enough, but being reminded of his failures. Of what had happened to Kairi and Riku. Especially Kairi. All because of one stupid mistake on his part.

The captive Key Bearer approached the Heartless – a gaggle of Bandits and Shadows – but before he could take up arms, before the Heartless could charge at him, blistering energy rained down on the fiends, coming from out of nowhere! Spears of rippling darkness spiked into the ground all around the shadowy beings, before detonating in a wave of searing energy! Sora was thankful he had stopped just outside the blast radius of the attack, feeling the heat cascade over him, followed by a plume of sand kicked up from the explosion. The boy shielded his eyes, as he could hear Saix tromp across the sand from behind him.

By the time the wave of sand died down, Saix now standing menacingly at Sora's side, the Heartless were gone. In their place was a being clad in armour, wrapped in the tattered remains of a black cloak. Fearsome and intimidating, onyx and navy plate trimmed with gleaming silver shone sharply in the Arabian sun, with jagged edges running all around the suit. The newly arrived figured had their identity obscured by a full helmet, complete with an opaque glass visor, that had a draconic quality to it, complete with curving horns framing the sides of the helmet.

As the armoured sentinel stood to full height, squaring off against Saix and Sora, the boy could see they were carrying a Keyblade in their right hand.

"Sora, I-"

Two words. Two words were all the enigmatic Key Bearer could say before Sora his hood being snagged by Saix, his body thrown backwards into the swirling mass of a Dark Corridor.

Saix imposed his figure between Sora and the Bearer, as the abyss began to shut around the boy.

"Hey, wait! Hold on!" Sora called out in vain, fighting against the torrid mass of constraining shadows. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Sora, I will save you, just you wait!" The figure responded, just as Saix charged at him. The armoured figure sidestepped the Nobody, before harrying him with a series of lightning-fast slashes. "And you're not alone in this! Your friends are out there! Don't give up hope!"

Sora looked at the dark knight with wide-eyed wonderment, blue eyes calling out to the stranger, just as the Corridor slammed shut, sending him back to the Organization's stronghold, leaving the Key Bearer and Saix to duel in the desert.

The scarred Nobody gave a cold and condescending look to the warrior. "It looks as if Sora has slipped through your fingers yet again." The two had begun circling one another, measuring and anticipating the other. "New Keyblade. New Armour. Same old failure."

"Killing you will make for a fine consolation prize." Riku returned, drawing himself up into a fighting stance, Way to Dawn held above his head at a high angle, free hand open and lower towards his thigh, with his legs spread out, left leg straight and right leg bent slightly.

"You're welcome to try, failure."

Saix went to manifest his weapon, but Riku quickly countered, dragging the tip of Way to Dawn through the sand, unleashing a wave of darkness energy rising up from the earth. The Nobody halted the summoning of his armament and went to defend himself, planting his feet into the ground and crossing his arms over his chest. Saix was wholly confident he could tank the blow.

That confidence was shattered to pieces when the furious wave slammed into the Nobody, sending the large, bestial man flying off into the distance, another wave of sand erupting into the air. A rare flash of emotion crossed Saix' face – a look of shocked disbelief – as he clambered out of the blazing hot sand, only to find Riku was charging right for him, Keyblade reared back. With a wide arcing slash from the right, Riku struck, only to be blocked by a muscular forearm from Saix, locking with him at the wrist. The Key Bearer's follow-up punch was also caught, trapped and clenched with Saix' own hand.

"When did you become so strong...?" Saix seethed, as the two men struggled within each other's grasps, trying to overpower their foe.

"I've always been strong." Riku said, voice even, bold, and fearless, reverberating within the metal confines of his helmet. "I've just cast aside the shackles that were holding me back. Now, I am walking the path that I have chosen. Me and no one else."

A low roared trilled in Riku's throat, as he seized onto Saix and snapped his hips to the side, circle throwing the Nobody back into the sand. Quickly, the darkness user followed up with his signature Dark Firaga, assailing his bitter foe with the hellish flame. Saix swept the blast of black fire aside with his arms, remnants of the fire licking at the sleeves of his cloak. The Nobody then charged again, growling fiercely and baring sharp and pointed canines, only to be thwarted by Riku's nimble reflexes. Way to Dawn flashed through the sunny glare, thrusting forward and biting into the Nobody, piercing through cloak and flesh and drawing black blood.

Saix staggered and grunted, as Riku took his Keyblade in both hands, driving his blade further into the sternum of the scarred berserker. The dark Key Bearer attempted to push the advantage by literally pushing his enemy backwards, but couldn't find purchase in the loose silt beneath his feet. Saix pulled himself off the blade, twisting away, while furiously clawing at Riku's face. The blows battered against the dark armour, the warrior barely reacting to the strikes.

"Your struggling is futile, boy." Saix finally manifested his claymore, taking a wild, one-handed swing. Riku dodged out of the way deftly, darting around and trying to work his way back into melee with Saix. The reach of the Nobody's weapon gave him the edge on defence for the time being. "You fate has been preordained. You will fall to the Organization. You will all fall..." Saix' normally cold and neutral expressions were becoming more animalistic and feral as the battle dragged on.

"Funny. Ansem said something similar. Then he died." Another wild swing lashed out towards Riku's chest, the boy calling upon a shield of shimmering darkness to absorb the blow. The spiked head of the claymore smashed into the barrier, the latter not budging an inch. "Let's see if a similar 'fate' awaits you!"

The shadows that made up Riku's barrier began to boil and bubble, bending and lashing around the weapon, the shield transforming into a tangle of shadowy tethers that had seized the claymore, then winding the other end back around Riku's arms. With a might pull, and Way to Dawn slicing at Saix' arm for good measure, Riku tore the weapon from the grasp of the scarred Nobody, leaving him utterly defenceless. The claymore tumbled into the dunes, while Riku punched forward with the mass of tethers still consuming his left arm. The clump of shadows spilled forward, lengthening and stiffening into an array of black blades.

The flurry of darkness sabres skittered off the flesh of the Nobody, driving him back even further, as Riku slammed into his shoulder with another blow from his Keyblade. Saix was sent reeling, falling to one knee, before Riku smashed him in the face with brutal, metal-clad snap kick. The Nobody finally went down, collapsing onto the white hot sand, Riku standing over him, preparing to deliver the finishing blow.

But, he hesitated, when he saw a rather triumphant smirk plastered on the Nobody's face. "What are you so pleased about? Still believe that your destiny garbage will save you?"

Riku then noticed he was standing in the shadow of... something. Looking up, he found both he and Saix were near an ominous black obelisk, brimming with energy, as a terrible shadow was forming above it's peak.

"You were always so blind to the wider world around you..." Saix jeered. "Focused on one thing to the detriment of everything else." A swirling abyss began to form beneath the Nobody's form, as the shadow began to grow to gigantic size, slowly taking a more defined shape.

Riku's eyes flitted between the Nobody and the tower, confused. What was this thing? Had Saix been less crazed in his movements then he thought, purposefully drawing him to this spot? For what? Riku discarded his doubts, deciding to finish things here and now.

"Right now, I'm focused on the things that matter most to me. And you're in the way."

Before Way to Dawn could fall and eliminate Riku's scarred nemesis, the shadow burst, a great and terrible Heartless appearing in it's wake! The massive beast crashed into the sand, unleashing another obscuring wave that washed over both Key Bearer and Nobody.

By the time the dust had settled, Riku found himself alone withe obelisk. No Heartless. No Saix.

"Bastard..." He clenched an armour fist in rage, trembling at his failure. He had been so close, too.

"It's fine, it's fine." Riku told himself, gathering his composure. "I'll keep watching the Corridors, keep trying to intercept them. They can't keep running and hiding forever. Sora, I'll free you one of these days. Soon."

Quickly, the Key Bearer conjured up his own Dark Corridor. With nothing left for him in this world, he quickly departed back into the shadows.

However, if he had stayed just a while longer, he would have noticed the shifting sands and the presence of a terrible demon. That shadow had not vanished along with Saix. It was still active. Awake.

The Guardian Heartless was on the prowl for prey of it's own.

-O-SWLTW-O-

A mouse, a duck, and dog walked into a bar.

But it wasn't any ordinary mouse, duck, or dog, but King Mickey Mouse of Disney, accompanied by his court magician and captain of his royal guard, Donald Duck and Goofy.

And it wasn't any ordinary bar, either. The establishment – formally it lacked a name, but it's patrons either referred to it as "the bar with no name" or "Onyx Tavern" - was located on the far-flung world of Onyx, infamous for it's reputation of hosting all sorts of scum and villains. Onyx was a lawless world, packed to the brim with criminals, thieves, thugs, brigands, insurance salesmen, and all sorts of others unsavoury and undesirable types. To have a bigwig like a King and Keyblade Master wandering into the seedy saloon was certainly an interesting and unexpected turn of events, as the motley assortment of patrons all stared at the Disney trio for a moment, before returning to their own business, not wanting any trouble.

Mickey strode into the dingy, smokey bar as if this was a perfectly normal scene, his two trust advisers and companions following behind. Every now and again, one of the shifty looking patrons would cast a dirty look towards the outsiders, but Mickey paid no mind to the attention. This wasn't a pleasure trip to the scummiest world around, he was there for business. In and out. Goofy just nodded cordially to each onlooker whenever their eyes met, blissfully unaware of the suspicious being cast on him and his friends. Donald, meanwhile, puffed up his chest, trying to project an air of strength and intimidation, returning the harsh looks back at the patrons.

"And what do you think you're looking at, you big palooka?" Donald forcibly asked some horrific beast of a being, easily three times as big as the duck mage, who had been staring at the trio for a whole minute.

The thing smacked it's lips, eyes never leaving the magician. "Don't know. Maybe my next meal. Duck's sort of a delicacy round these parts..."

Immediately, the air of intimidation went out the window, as Donald blanched and stepped away from the hulking brute.

"Oh, well... sorry to bother you, sir. Enjoy your day."

"C'mon Donald. We don't have time for sightseeing." Mickey called from up ahead. Donald didn't need to be told twice, scrambling away as fast as his webbed feet could carry him.

"Now, where could he be..."

"Listen here, Mouse." Mickey turned at the sound of his name, seeing that the bartender was addressing him. "Dunno know why someone with a Keyblade came by here, but if yer gonna start trouble, you ain't leavin' here in one piece. That goes for the lot of you, too! Y'all know the rules, no fightin' in this here establishment!"

"We're not here looking for a fight, sir." Mickey said, politely, approaching the bar as he did. Indeed, he was quite thankful for the bartender laying down the law. The atmosphere in here – on Onyx – was hostile to say the least. "But I am looking for something. A very specific someone."

"A very big someone!" Goofy added.

"About yay tall and yay wide, in some kind of crazy jumpsuit." Donald said, while gesturing with his hands.

The bartender stared the mouse, duck, and dog down for a tense moment, before screwing up his face. "Ugh... fine. I figure I know who yer referin' to." The monstrous person motioned over his shoulder. "The booth in the very back. Remember, no fightin', and if I were you, I'd get outta here in a hurry. These yahoos are always liable to do somethin' stupid..."

Mickey nodded, thankful for the assist. "We'll be quick. Thanks for the help, sir."

"Bah... anyone asks, I did nothin'. I got a reputation to keep."

The trio then pushed their way across the barroom floor towards the direction the barkeep pointed towards. Tucked away in the most isolated corner, sitting all by his lonesome, everyone else nearby giving him as wide a berth as space would allow, sat the person Mickey was seeking.

After departing from Yen Sid's, Mickey doubled down on his mission to find a way to breech the Organization's stronghold. Donald and Goofy were disappointed they weren't going to help Kairi in a more direct manner, and even moreso that they weren't straight towards saving Sora, but they understood. Everyone had a part to play in this battle, and they weren't going to achieve victory against the Organization easily or quickly. Regardless, Mickey was at a bit of loss as to where to start in his quest, until he remember maybe the smartest man he had every met in his life, the man most likely to at least know where the wicked fortress of the Nobody's was: Ansem the Wise!

Problem was, the legendary scientist had pretty much vanished off the face of the Realm. Mickey had scoured his various sources he had gathered throughout the years trying to find whatever clue he could to Ansem's whereabouts. And this is what brought Mickey and his friends to Onyx. For, if there was one being who tried to keep tabs on the movers and shakers of the Realm of Light, it Maleficent. Even if the witch was recently departed, she still had her cronies and followers scattered about.

Desperate times made for strange bedfellows.

"Well, well, well, lookie here." Pete bellowed, lounging back in the large booth. "If it ain't the boat boy king in the flesh! Aren't I tickled pink to have you come all this way for me." The fat cat then turned to face Donald and Goofy. "And with his two favourite bozos in tow, too. Say, what're you doing here? Shouldn't you be tagging along with that dink with the Keyblade? Oh, don't tell me? Did you lose track of the little punk somewhere 'long the way?"

"Why you little -" Donald's temper flared, steam pouring out of his ears, as he rolled up his sleeves. Rule or no rule, there was no way he would stand by and let this creep insult him and his friend. The duck mage practically took to the air in his attempt to charge Pete from the other side of the table, but he was quickly scooped up by Goofy. "Let me at him! Let me at him, Goofy!" Donald ranted, struggling against his friend.

"Donald, settle down." Mickey abjured. "I know you're still upset about what happened to Sora, but we need him." The Mouse King went to stare down Maleficent's former flunky. "Much as I wish we didn't." With a huff and a puff, the magician relented and calmed down, but not with burning a hole through the black cat.

"Pete, we need to talk."

"Hmm, nope!" Pete chuckled heartily, before taking a big gulp of something from a tankard. "I'd rather not, Mr. King. Maleficent's gone and bit the big one, yet again, but this time she ain't coming back. So I got nothing to live for! May as well live it up while I got the chance! So why don't the three of you go off and skedaddle, go and bother someone else!"

"I knew this was going to be a waste of time!" Donald grumbled, still being carried in Goofy's arms, the knight not wanting to take any chances with his friend and legendary rage issues.

"Now, Pete, at least hear us out." Goofy pleaded, trying a different approach than Donald. "We need your help to find Ansem so we can fight the Organization. If can't find him, they win. Ya don't want them to win either, do ya? They were the ones who took out Maleficent, after all..." Pete only shrugged, looking rather blase in the face of it all.

"Eh. Maybe I cared a while ago. But I ain't got a dog in the fight no more." Obnoxiously, the cat man began to pick at something in his teeth, as if to broadcast how little he cared about this conversation. "'Sides, even if I help you mooks out, what good will it do? You got no Key boy no more, who's gonna fight those cloaked creeps?"

"Kairi! She's out there fightin' right now!"

Pete burst out into a deep, mocking belly laugh. "That little redheaded powderpuff? Why, I bet she couldn't beat up a fly if it had all six legs tied behind it's wings!" Once more, Donald fumed and bristled at Pete's insults, barely being held back by his two longtime friends.

"Be that as it may, Kairi is still fighting." Mickey pointed out. "She's out there, doing her best, against all odds and fighting. And you," with a bit of uncharacteristic snide in his voice, Mickey looked his longtime adversary up and down. "Are hiding out on a bar in Onyx? That's just sad, Pete..." The cat man just crossed his arms and scowled.

"Well, easy for you to say. Keyblades. Princesses of Heart. Nobodies and witches and dark faeries. All y'all walk around the worlds like you own the place, tellin' everyone to believe in themselves and that they can do everything, when you have all the power!" Pete sighed, sinking in his seat, looking quite sullen and remorseful all of a sudden. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all blinked and gaped in disbelief. "What're us regular Joes suppose to do, huh? I tried everything I could to be a contender, to be a player, but all I got was a plateful of crow. From you, from your Queenie, from Maleficent...

The kingly Key Bearer was honestly at a loss for words. He had never expected this level of regret and frustration from Pete. He had known the former steamboat captain for a long time, and he never let his bluster falter, never showed such vulnerability. He must have taken these recent setbacks pretty hard...

"Well, I'm tired of trying to be someone only to get knocked back down into the dirt. You and all your little friends are on their own, ya hear?"

"Look, Pete – Captain Pete." Mickey was glad his old boss perked up ever so slightly. Browbeating Pete wasn't going to get them what they needed. In a way, he was just another victim of Maleficent and the Organization, a lost soul who had been hurt and abused while looking for a purpose. The Keyblade Master still believed there was some good in the heart of the big, black cat. "We really need your help. You're our last hope. I know Maleficent started keeping tabs on Ansem after her revival, you must have information on how to find him." Pete rose back up to full height again, noisily chugging down his drink, but keeping eye contact with Mickey, silently urging him to continue. "And you may feel like there's nothing left to fight for, but there's plenty of deserving things in this world, Pete. Why don't, when this is all over, why don't you finally come home? Why don't you come back to Disney?"

That comment totally took Donald and Goofy off guard, the mage and knight gasping, Goofy raising his hands up to his cheeks, dropping Donald in the process. Even Pete was taken aback, almost spitting drink at Mickey's offer.

"Come on back and let's start a new chapter, Pete. If not for me, if not for yourself, then do it for Peg. I'm sure she's been missing you all these years."

If Mickey didn't have Pete's attention before, the last name drop certainly had it, the cat man standing up from his seat and looming over the much smaller Mouse King. "Now that's dirty play, mouse boy, bringing her into this." A ham-size fist slammed on the table, knocking empty plates and cutlery aside, as mouse and cat locked eyes. After a moment, though, Pete slumped back down into his booth, forlornly drumming his fingers against the tabletop. "... Do ya think she'd take me back? After all I've done?" He asked, hopefully.

"I'm sure if you're honest and open with her, she'd find it her heart to forgive you, Pete." Mickey returned, happy to offer a lifeline towards the cat man. Pete furrowed his brow in thought at the offer, while Donald and Goofy both leaned into to confer with their monarch.

"Gawrsh, Your Majesty, are you sure about this?" Goofy wondered in hushed tones.

"Yeah, what if he comes back and just starts causing trouble again?" Came Donald, naturally the most suspicious of the two.

"Well, I guess we'd have to step him and stop him." Was Mickey's response, but he then shook his head, casting his doubts on his companion's concerns. "But, I think that won't be necessary. After ten years of being in the darkness, I think Pete's had his fill. I think he wants to turn a page on his life, he just needs a friend to help him out."

Donald and Goofy withdrew their doubts, trusting in Mickey's judgement, as Pete continued to deliberate on his options. Stay here and waste away on Onyx, or go back home and try this "normal life" thing all over again.

It really wasn't that hard of a decision.

"Alright, alright, I'll helps you guys." Pete finally said, still trying to sound resistant and stubborn. "But no trickery, ya here me. And I want full amnesty and a royal pardon!" In the corner of his mind, Pete was already fantasizing of being done with all the skulking and shadows and Heartless and other assorted villainy. Fantasizing about settling down. Maybe... in a nice house in the suburbs. And running his own used-car dealership! That actually sounded quite nice compared to the last few months of his life...

"You have my word, Captain Pete!" Mickey offered his hand, throwing it across the table. "Tell us what we need to know and we'll get this all sorted out."

As Pete spilled the beans on everything he knew regarding Ansem and his movements, Mickey reflected on what had led him here. As much as he wanted to help Sora, Kairi, and Riku in a more direct manner – to be fighting alongside them or helping or aiding them in the field – he also trusted in the words and advice of his mentor. The connection those three would be the key to victory, and he was responsible for creating a path for them to reunite and fight together. Mickey would do anything in his power to bring peace and salvation to those three kids. The three friends who had been through so much and just wanted to be back with their homes, their families, and each other.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy departed, as quick as they came, off to find Ansem the Wise, promising they would swing back by and grab Pete when they were finished with him. But, as they did, Mickey remembered another set of three friends who were in a similar predicament as Sora, Kairi, and Riku. Who wanted the same thing, but never got their reunion. Their peace. Aqua, Terra, and Ventus were gone. Vanished without a trace.

A pang of guilt and sadness echoed in the heart of the Mouse King, as he promised to himself never again. That tragedy would not repeat itself.

-O-SWLTW-O-

After a warm meal, a good night's rest, and a clean-ish bill of health, Kairi returned to her training in earnest. Admittedly, Kairi was very much looking forward to getting back into the training room, getting back to that normal routine. The crash course sessions on San Fransokyo were fine and all, and light stretching and cardio exercises were still a part of the routine, but the Key Bearer was focused on the task of improving. Getting stronger. Faster. More skillful. On getting better. Paine was absolutely correct when she said the fights were getting tougher, and so Kairi resolved herself to become able to surmount tasks twice as difficult than the ones she was expecting to face.

Not to mention, a lovely side-effect of all this training, of this intensive course, was that Kairi suddenly found herself in the best physical shape of her young life. Fat had burned away to form lean muscle on her arms, shoulders, and belly, and the redhead was finding herself full of energy, even in the early mornings and late evenings, and she was sleeping better, as well! Kairi was enjoying every bit of it, too, thinking that she should have gotten more invested in physical fitness years ago. Perhaps, when she returned home and settled down, she should get more involved with something, do more than settle for the occasional pick-up volleyball games on the beach. And a few athletic endeavours would look very good on her transcript, too.

Okay... cut it out, Kairi. You're starting to sound like mom...

The structure of her training shifted, as after her beginning work-out, Kairi was joined by all three Gullwings, instead of just Yuna for her magic lessons. Something about "more advanced techniques" had been mentioned, but Kairi had just thought that meant learning a new variety of magic, or upgrading the spells she already had.

"At this point, I am very pleased with your progress regarding your magic." Yuna explained when Kairi questioned the presence of Rikku and Paine, questioned the nature of this new training. "While you're still struggling with your Green Magic, and we haven't touched Time Magic yet, you have more or less mastered the second tier of Black and White Magic spells. Not to mention, your ability to manipulate the shape and form of some of your spells is exemplary, far beyond what you should be capable of." Kairi blushed at the compliment. She had explained her daring-do in the battle with Luxord, the desperate uses of her Water Whip and Fiery Wings, which had earned her some kudos and plaudits from her companions. "I am confident that with time and effort, you'll advance even further on your own, without additional training."

Paine picked up where Yuna left off. Kairi had noticed both the white-haired woman and Rikku had brought their weapons with them. "I can say much the same about your swordfighting techniques. Well, to a point. You're adequate." Kairi had to resist doing something like sighing or rolling her eyes, why was she not surprised Paine would offer such sparing praise versus Yuna? "So, starting today, we're going to be working together, combining what you've learned with me and with Yuna, to reinforce what you already know, and to broaden your skillset."

"Okay..." Kairi narrowed her eyes, still perplexed at where this was going. "But I still don't understand what we're going to be doing." Yuna nodded slightly, stepping up again.

"Well, if you don't mind me giving you another lecture..." Kairi didn't, in fact. She found Yuna to be an excellent teacher and wished all jer instructors back at home were as skilled and passionate as the Spiran gunslinger. "As we've previously discussed, mana, or magical energy, is inherent in all living things. Anyone with enough effort and time can learn how to use their mana to cast magic, but some people are naturally inclined to casting magic, and others lack that natural affinity." All this was old information to the Key Bearer. Yuna possessed that affinity. Paine and Rikku did not. Kairi either had it as well, or wielding the Keyblade granted it to her. The verdict was still out on that one. "However, even if a person is disadvantaged towards traditional spellcasting, they can still channel their mana to do other things."

At this point, Paine hefted up her broadsword, carrying it parallel to her chest. The dark swordswoman shut her eyes, face screwing up in concentration, as she tried to do... something. Kairi wasn't sure where this was going. Paine was holding still as possible, trembling only very sightly from the effort she was pouring into this unknown task. Then, without warning, a red haze began to coat her broadsword, before sparking outward in a burst of heat. In an instant, a sheathe of brilliant flames coated the surface of the sword, dancing and flickering upon the polished metal. Kairi was at a loss of words for this development. She never knew Paine possessed this kind of ability.

The magical flame soon snuffed out after the demonstration, Yuna continuing her lecture. "A warrior who lacks prowess in spellcasting can still channel their mana through their body and objects they wield to enchant them or alter how they behave. These techniques are usually referred to as 'Artes'."

"You've probably seen these before." Paine said, wiping away a sheen of sweat from her brow. That 'Arte' thing must have taken more out of her than first blush suggested. "In the journal. Anything Sora's done like his Strike Raid or Sonic Blade. Those are Artes, too."

Kairi nodded along with everything explained to her, doing her best to absorb the information provided. It seemed easy enough, but also esoteric. The girl was certain she would struggle to achieve these things at first, but once she worked through the process, it would start coming to her. Still, a question or two remained for the studious Princess of Heart.

"I still don't understand, though. Why are Paine and Rikku here?"

"Because while the three of us have more experience than you, in fighting and adventuring, we are not in our top form." Yuna offered, with a slightly forlorn sigh. Paine grunted, lip twitching in annoyance.

"Spending all that time as fairies left us with our fair share of rust. Rikku and I are especially out of practice with our Artes. It's why we haven't been using them in the field."

"Thank you for that, Maleficent!" Rikku offered, sarcastically, crossing her arms and pouting as she did. "Why did we even agree to work for her in the first place? All it's been is bad news for us; a knock to our reputation, constant embarrassment, we're weaker..."

"Did we really have a choice back then?" Paine returned in a grouchy tone.

Rikku stammered on a reply, while Kairi focused on what the blonde had just said. What she had learned about the trio in their travels together.

After a moment's hesitation, the redhead asked her friends, "Hey guys, before we start, can I ask you... what do you plan to do when this is over?"

That gave her companions pause, the three Gullwings turning to look at each other for ideas, but only found their unsure expression mirrored on the others.

"I suppose we haven't given that much thought..." Yuna said, after a minute of silent contemplation. "To be truthful, we were Maleficent's lackeys for so long, without any way out of that situation, that seemed like all there would be for us. I suppose we can at least thank the Organization for that."

Kairi knew there wasn't much sincerity to that statement, but still held her hands up and raised her eyebrows. "Whoa. Let's not say things we can't take back..."

"Regardless," Yuna continued through her laughter. "I honestly don't know what we'd do or where we'd go. Spira is long gone, I don't know if it can be restored. We don't really have a home to return to..." The former Summoner said forlornly, causing Kairi to feel a surge of sorrow and regret. She figured the others hadn't gotten over the destruction of their home. Her homes had both been destroyed, but Kairi lacked either the connection or consciousness to feel the same thing as Yuna and the others. She couldn't even imagine the pain they went through, losing Spira.

"I always figured we would go back to what we were doing on Spira, during the Eternal Calm." Paine brought up, now leaning against the wall of the training room, conveniently covering up Kairi's notes from yesterday. "Sure, hopping from world to world treasure hunting isn't the most glamorous life, but it can be profitable. And, more importantly, we'd be living on our own terms."

Rikku pouted and shook her head, violently, clearly objecting to Paine's preferred plans. "Heck no! You wanna go from dismantling a bunch of supervillains to exploring ancient ruins, dodging death traps, and sealing evils back into their cans?" The blonde made a loud, obnoxious buzzing sound to indicate the dark woman's wrongness. "Nah-ah! After all we've been through, we deserve a vacation." A wistful look overtook Rikku, even as her tone conveyed this topic was utterly serious to her. "I'm thinking a tropical island. You know, the sand, the surf, the sun. Fruity drinks, hot guys, cute girls. The whole works."

"You know, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I agree with Rikku the most." Kairi interrupted, her voice rising above the other threes. A small argument had broken out between the other girls, though mostly harmless, regarding what to do following all this. "You guys do deserve a little time off, some R&R. I would love for you guys to come to my home and see the sights. I'm certain my mom would love to meet the three who've been keeping me safe." Briefly, Kairi tried to conjure scenarios of her mom, the prim and proper former mayor of her hometown, meeting the Gullwings. She's probably hit it off well with Yuna. Paine, too, probably. And, hey, Kairi had been friends with Selphie – another hyperactive girl in yellow – for nearly ten years, her mom could probably handle Rikku, too.

Thinking of her mom, her home, her girl friend, made Kairi get a little misty-eyed from nostalgia. She had to force herself out of the reverie and get back to the matter at hand.

"And I know you guys don't have the greatest relationship with everyone from Hollow Bastion," the redhead continued, hoping no one else noticed the tears she was blinking away. "But, I want to go back there and try and put in a good word for the three of you. Smooth things over. Maybe, when you're done with your vacation and exploring or whatever, you could call that your new home. Or the Islands." Kairi cleared her throat, realizing that she was beginning to ramble. The Gullwings were all observing her, with the Key Bearer shuffling her feet and scratching at the back of her head in response. "Um... if that's okay with you guys. I don't wanna..."

"Kairi. We appreciate the thought, but you don't need to all of that." Yuna returned, smiling congenially at her friend's offer and grace. "We'd love to see your home and meet your family, but whatever happens beyond that, we'll be fine. No need for you to put your neck on the line for us."

"But there is!" To her, this had been building for sometime. How the Gullwings had been given an unfair shake. Kairi wouldn't hear a word against this. "You guys are heroes! You save your entire world! And now, because of a bad situation and you being taken advantage of, you're only thought of as thieves and spies." Now that she had gotten to know the three, now that they have been through so many life-or-death situations, Kairi was deeply ashamed of herself for having any reservations about the trustworthiness of the Gullwings. "I never want you to hear you refer to yourselves as 'a bunch of thieves' every again. You guys are my friends and I always stand up for my friends!"

Now, it was Kairi's turn to observe the Gullwings. Yuna had the reaction she expected; beaming bright and proudly at the declaration. Rikku seemed oddly pleased with the statement, as well, holding her head high and with a clearly visible smiling curled on her lips. Not mischievous or playful as was the norm, but warm and content. Paine, however, surprised Kairi in her reaction. The stern swordswoman looked away for a moment, consideration reflected in her ruby red eyes, but her face was something Kairi had never seen expressed on Paine before. Was it... confusion? Shock? Was she taken aback by this display?

Again – not for the first time, but again – Kairi thought she could see a thin, surprised smile on the lips of the older woman. Maybe she wasn't imagining things...

Paine's head snapped back up, eyes falling on Kairi. Her face returned to cold, steely neutrality, as if she could sense Kairi's thoughts. "Okay. Enough with the sentimental stuff. We got work to do." Kairi nodded, more than happy to get started.

"Right. Let's begin, girls."

As it turned out, these "Arte" techniques weren't so daunting in practice as they initially seemed. Kairi was a pro at channeling her magic by this time, especially in a controlled and calm setting like the training room, so it was easy enough to change the path of mana from projecting it beyond her hands to settling it within and around her Keyblade. It was actually satisfying, feeling that thrum of power resonate within Destiny's Embrace, every time she successfully charged the weapon with energy.

From then on, it was a simply a matter of either controlling the mana within, or charging it like she as casting an elemental spell. Admittedly, both Kairi and Rikku nearly burned themselves the first time they lit their weapons on fire – what Paine referred to as "Flametongue" – and the first time Kairi tried to use Sora's Sonic Blade, her Keyblade ended up vibrating out of her hand as the redhead smacked head-first into the wall, but they were minor bumps in the road that Kairi quickly recovered from.

All throughout, as Kairi, Paine, and Rikku trained and sparred and learned (the later two were making much better progress than Kairi, but the Key Bearer chalked it up to them relearning, while she was starting from scratch), Paine and Yuna continued to lecture and inform her of what to do, as well as all of the names and variations of the techniques they were using.

Charge your weapon full of mana and fling it like a boomerang, guiding it back to your hand, and you had Strike Raid.

If you enfused the mana like you were casting a fire spell while throwing the weapon, then you had Fire Raid. If it were ice magic, then Blizzard Raid. That Flametongue Arte could become Ice Brand or Coral Sword or Zwill Crossblade, depending on what type of mana you enchanted the blade with.

It was a lot like math, Kairi thought. But only if math were more like an RPG.

Maybe I should have paid more attention to the boys when they were playing Pokemon or Persona...

But that would bring a close to the productive and rewarding part of Kairi's day, leading in to the supremely frustrating portion. After several hours of this joint training session – Paine and Rikku shaking off some of their rust, and Kairi making progress on these new techniques at a furious rate – the group broke for a quick lunch, before returning to the training room to tackle a different problem. A problem and a mystery Kairi had ran up against before, and had made no headway on her own, but was beginning to wish did not exist.

That being, her Light. Her status as a Princess of Heart.

"I've told you guys before, I've only ever been able to use it after a big emotional swell or something." Kairi had been dragging her feet on this topic every since it was broached. She would much rather be doing anything than having her and her powers thoroughly dissected. Having something such an intimate element of herself be exposed in such a way. "I've even been trying in my off-time to work on it, and nothing's come. And when I say nothing, I mean literally nothing."

"Cut it out." Paine told her, bluntly. "It's obvious what you're doing, you're trying to sidestep the issue because you're frustrated and annoyed by it." Kairi furrowed her brow and pouted at the dark woman's analysis, but said nothing, letting Paine continue. "But, as we've said before, your Light is a distinct advantage we're going to need. We're still in a bad position, so we can't let your discomfort rule the day."

Arms crossed over her chest, Kairi tapped her foot in annoyance, trying to think of a way to move past Paine and her logic. She now made no attempt to hide her disappointment and frustrations at the topic at hand, if her friends were just going to to rend her feelings for all to bare.

"Look, all I'm saying is, I know what magic is, I know what the Keyblade is, but just what is this Light I have suppose to be?" Still deflecting, but now trying to appeal more to reason than emotion, Kairi did her absolute best to weasel out of this unpleasant task. "What exactly is a Princess of Heart?"

"Well," Yuna began, after Paine grunted dismissively and told Kairi to stop whining and get to work, "The old story goes that the worlds of the Realm of Light were once one. But, then, darkness seeped in and threatened all life, and a great war broke out among the unified world. That darkness swallowed everything, casting the world into oblivion. But, it did not consume the light within the hearts of the children and the innocent of this unified world. With that light, they were able to hold onto pieces of that world, leaving them as smaller worlds, islands adrift a sea of stars." Kairi listened to Yuna's tale with rapt attention. Even in this abridged and simplified form, this was all too familiar to the redheaded girl. "So, the Light the Princesses possess is the light the children once used to protect their homes from the tide of darkness. The light that created the Realm of Light as we know today."

"Yeah, yeah. I know that story, Yuna. My, uh... my grandma use to tell me it all the time when I was a little girl. It was my favourite..." Even if it was hazy and distant, her grandma and those stories were the only memories Kairi still had of her lost childhood on Hollow Bastion. A trill of joy rang through her heart, as Yuna's retelling made things a little more clearer. Once, her grandma asked why she liked that story so much, and Kairi remembered saying because it got a little scary and a little dark, but then ended all nice and hopeful. Those were the best kinds of stories.

"Well, that was a very nice story, Yuna." Paine's voice broke through to Kairi, the latter returning to reality with the former now pacing about, growing more and more impatient. "But we have work to get to." Once more, Kairi voiced her objections, leading to the dark Gullwing to grumble and growl her complaints through gnashed teeth. "Kairi, seriously, I know how you feel about this, I do. I understand. It's bitter work, but it's work that still has to be done."

"Listen, guys, this... I've been thinking lately about all this stuff, the Princesses and their Light, and..." Kairi took a deep breath, bracing herself for whatever fallout would come from this. Being honest with how she felt always worked out, but it still sucked to get over that hump. "Maleficent came to Hollow Bastion looking for me. She destroyed my home because of me. The Islands were invaded and destroyed because she was still looking for me all those years later. Maleficent and Ansem used me to poison Riku against Sora. And I'm sure it's the same with Belle and the others; that they were hunted and used to hurt the people they love." Call it frustration, call it bitterness, but this is what Kairi truly felt. She could not see the good in her Light, she could not see the necessity in the Seven Princesses. "All this pain and suffering caused by us, and for what? Because some old story says we're important for some nebulous reason? Because if you bring all of us together you can create a door to the Realm of Darkness? Really useful there..." Kairi sighed, pressing a head against her forehead. She had shut her eyes mid-rant, not wanting to see how her companions were reacting to this. "At times, I think everyone would be better off if the Princesses didn't exist. If I were just an ordinary, regular girl instead of a walking MacGuffin."

Silence followed Kairi's speech, which felt odd to her. She was certain Yuna would come to console her, or that Paine would give her grief for weaseling her way out of things again. Daring to take a look via peaking through one eye, Kairi saw that all three Gullwings were looking awful contemplative and thoughtful, much to her surprise. As if her words had somehow reached them and resonated with them.

"No, Kairi, I understand you completely..." Came Yuna, in a soft and quiet voice. "Often times, I felt the same when I was a Summoner. That my powers were more a curse than a blessing." The more Yuna spoke of her time on Spira, the more strongly Kairi felt of the connection she possessed with the spiritual woman. "And being a woman on top of it. There were so many people who never saw me as a person, only for my powers or as a means to achieve there ends..." The brunette shuddered. "It was awful and dehumanizing. I know how awful that feels..."

"Yuna..."

Before Kairi could go and console her friend, Paine lifted her head and made eye contact, drawing her attention away.

"So that's it? You see your Light as a weakness and a liability?" Kairi nodded dimly in response to Paine's inquiry. "Then that's all the more reason to to start working at it." To Kairi's pleasant surprise, the swordswoman's tone was not harsh or scolding, but motivating. Paine was actually trying to pull her into things in a positive way. It was a little scary, if Kairi was being honest. "Let's turn that liability into a strength. Because no one should have to feel worthless and unneeded like that..."

Kairi perked up at Paine's speech, feeling fired up and ready to go. Maybe Paine was right. There was validity to her fears and concerns, but letting them hold her back wasn't going to help anyone. She needed to work through these issues to become better, to become the hero people needed, the warrior that could save those in need and heal ailing hearts, and that if she worked hard enough, she could turn this flaw in herself into something greater. In all the old stories, Princesses were only targets for dragons and witches and evil queens, but – as Yuna was fond of reminding her – this was Kairi's story. This time, if she wanted it, the Princess could be whatever she desired.

Then, not long after that realization, Kairi remembered exactly why she had been so averse to this entire venture.

The afternoon training session was truly a miserable experience. No matter what Kairi or any of the Gullwings did, they couldn't conjure up a single spark of light, let alone enough for the Princess to manipulate in any usable capacity.

Even after identifying that it was her desire to protect others that would cause this mystery power to swell within her heart, the group of four still made no headway through the waning hours of the afternoon. Meditating and focusing on those memories and feelings did nothing to trigger the Light. Nor did the Gullwings taking on the guise of villains, taunting the novice Key Bearer and trying to push her to an edge. At one point, Paine went so far as to attack Yuna and Rikku, saying that only way to she was going to stop was if Kairi stopped her with her Light.

In the end, Paine did stop, but not through her stated goal. Just as she was about to strike at Yuna, the latter pinned in the corner of the room, Kairi collapsed in a heap, screaming at the top of her lungs, tearfully cursing herself and her uselessness.

In the end, a beaten and despondent Kairi shuffled off to the showers. The feeling of accomplishment during the Artes training having been wiped away, replaced with a now engendered and venomous resentment of herself and this nebulous, vague, cursed, and useless power that dwelt within her. So much for turning liability into advantage, weakness into strength. Kairi was more convinced than ever that the Light of the Seven Princesses was a mistake; that she and Sora and Riku would be better off without it. It had come to her aid a handful of times in her life – all within the past year – but weighed against all those that suffered in the destruction of Hollow Bastion and the Islands, it seemed like an easy decision.

Kairi and Yuna were charged with dinner duty that night. Kairi wasn't much of a cook, but she was a diligent helper, and did her best to be as observant as possible in the kitchen. Truthfully, the Key Bearer was throwing herself into the task with complete vigour, desperate to wash away the memories of failure and frustration from earlier in the day.

Throughout the evening, Kairi busied herself with whatever jobs Yuna gave her, while the latter handled the bulk of the dish (they had restocked their pantry before leaving San Fransokyo, so Yuna was making some kind of noodle dish with a vegetarian stir-fry). During all this, Yuna tried her best to do what she was good at: give Kairi all the support and encouragement in the world, regardless of the roadblock that had presented itself. Much as Kairi appreciated the support of her biggest personal cheerleader, all of the gunslinger's words sailed through her ears without much effect. The resentment and aversion to her Light and status as Princess had turned into venom and bile. The Gullwings had promised to keep working with her until they had a breakthrough, no matter how long it would take, but she just didn't see the point.

As far as Kairi was concerned, her heart was her true strength, but this Light was just an unwanted intrusion. Something that didn't belong, something actively fighting against her and working against her goals and desires. Why waste time focusing on her Light when she already had such success and clarity with her Keyblade and her magic?

Sometimes... I wonder if it's me. If the reason I'm struggling is because there's an inherent flaw in who I am. That if Belle or Jasmine or whoever were the Key Bearer, they would have no problem calling upon their Light. While I now know why I have the Keyblade, I still can't understand why it chose me before... so many others... Sora? Did you ever feel like this? Standing next to people like Hercules and Leon, did you feel like you weren't worthy? Like you were a lesser option? Another thing to ask you when we reunite...

Kairi turned in to bed that night brooding and thoughtful, but trying to focus on the horizon. After dinner, Rikku reported they weren't too far off from the next world with a Stone. That meant another landing, another mission, another chance for Kairi to push herself, to grow, and to do better than her failures in training would suggest.

Kairi drifted off to sleep, the clouds of doubt over her heart and mind alleviated slightly by the prospect of the next step in her adventure. Whenever she felt down, Kairi would just remind herself that a new world would be just around the bend. After all, each new world meant she was a chance to become stronger, a chance to help others; it meant she was one step closer to ending the tyranny of the Organization, and one step closer to being back together with Sora, her family, and her friends.

-O-SWLTW-O-

Namine barely reacted when the swirling, black mass of a Dark Corridor materialized in the hallowed halls of the Secret Place. She figured it was bad for her to become inured to such an event – her enemies traveled via the same way, they could easily take her by surprise – but remained lackadaisical all the same.

"So? How did it go this time?" The Memory Witch didn't even bother looking up from her sketchpad.

"I actually crossed paths with him." Riku explained, shaking loose a bit of sand that still caked his armour. "Saix was with him, and they both got away. But I was close, real close." The newly reborn Key Bearer spoke in breathless tone, manically pacing through the small confines of the cavern. "I just have to be persistent and I can do this..."

Namine barely paid any mind to Riku's rant or explanation. A combination of being too engrossed in her drawing and having been through this song and dance far too often for her liking. For a brief moment, she wondered how things had progressed to this point, that she had basically tuned Riku out.

Dread had loomed over Namine when Riku chose to depart to that wasteland of a world that contained the armour. The dread only magnified when Riku did not return by sundown, nor by daybreak (Namine had not slept at all that entire night, too terrified that she would lose her last friend). But, just when it looked like all hope was lost, Riku returned at the cusp of dusk on that second day, now bearing both a Keyblade and that suit of armour, but without the taint of Xehanort within his heart. To say that Namine was overjoyed would be a gross understatement. There wasn't a proper word that could communicate her happiness that Riku had overcame that darkness that he had been drowning in. A fever took hold of Namine in that moment, as she imagined all the wonderful things that would come of this: Riku would wander out of the shadows and take command of his fate, finally cross paths with Kairi and help her in the war against the Organization. This would be the point where the tide would turn. There's no way anyone could stand up against two Key Bearers, soon to be three when Kairi and Riku inevitably freed Sora.

But, of course, Namine should have known all of this was too good to be true. Nothing in her life could ever go as planned...

As if on cue, the moment Namine brought up Riku going to see Kairi, he turned obstinate, making as many excuses as possible. Namely, going back to the excuse that he couldn't face Kairi unless he had Sora at his side. And so, despite all the changes, Namine and Riku found themselves in the exact same rut as before. Namine, marooned on the Islands, while Riku blindly stalked into the great beyond, hunting for Sora and the Organization. Well, at least Riku wasn't taking his life into his own hands every time he ventured out, but that fact did little to assuage Namine's bitterness towards the situation.

Riku continued to go on and on – he had fully flipped from depressive to manic, it seemed –, with Namine continuing to ignore him, fully absorbed in her etchings. For some reason the blonde couldn't possibly fathom, Riku had refused to remove his helmet and reveal his face since returning from the Graveyard, even when he was back in his own body. Not wanting to argue with him over another element of his stubborn, foolish pride, she decided the next best course of action was to imagine what Riku now looked like. That was the subject of her drawings for today.

She had a number of different Rikus rendered on the white pages of her book. Some were far too close to how he appeared when they first met in Castle Oblivion – he had shot up in height, she was certain the rest of his body had similarly matured. Others were probably way too drastic in their differences; heavily scarred or overly feminine or grizzled and gnarled like the hero from some cheesy action flick. Namine's favourites though, simply accentuated the parts of Riku she found so endearing: his strong will and determination, the soft-spoken noble air about him, his earnest and honest heart, and the love she knew he possessed for his friends, even if he buried it deep down inside of him.

Namine sighed, sadly, imagining what could be – what should be – as she finally tuned Riku back in.

"...Saix mentioned that 'destiny' crap like Ansem, so I guess what he said was true. He and Xemnas were working together to a common goal." Was the first thing Namine heard and properly processed, stashing away her book and giving the Key Bearer her full attention. "Oh, and there was this weird black obelisk where we were fighting. Saix seemed oddly protective of it. I don't -"

"That's a Blackheart Stone." Namine interjected. "They draw Heartless into the Realm of Light. That must be how the Organization is flooding the worlds with Heartless." Metallic clinking echoed through the small cavern, Riku craning his head to face Namine. Eyes flitting between her friend and her book, Namine tried her best to envision one of her sketches of Riku superimposed over the dark helmet.

"How do you know all that?"

"It was in Ansem's notes." Back when the three of them were holed up in the Old Mansion, Namine would frequently sneak off in the dead of the night to peek into Ansem's research data, to get an idea of what the crazed scientist was doing. That's where she first learned fusing Roxas with Sora wasn't helping the latter wake up sooner.

It's also where Namine learned one other, horrific theory that was proving to be all too true...

"Ansem's notes said only a Keyblade can destroy the Stones, much like the Heartless." Namine continued, trying not to dwell on those dark words she read way back when.

Riku nodded along with her exposition. "Interesting... Anything else interesting in those notes?"

"No." Namine lied, coolly. "Just the ramblings of a sad, old, bitter man. And more than a few screeds about how Roxas and I are just as wicked as the rest of the Nobodies, how our whole existence is a blight on the Realm, and that aberrations like us should be exterminated." She laughed, mirthlessly. Riku did not share her blithe view of things, hissing in spite towards the slights against his friends. "You know, what you'd expect Ansem to write..."

"That... DiZ will pay dearly for what he's done, I promise you." Came Riku, icily. So cold that Namine flinched at the tone. Not to mention, she was certain she wouldn't feel better no matter what befell Ansem, good or bad. She just wanted...

"If those Stones are important for the Organization, I should go back to Agrabah." Riku stated, summoning another Corridor, despite having just returned. "I'll destroy it and go back to monitoring the pathways. I'm getting closer, every encounter. The next time I come across the Organization, I'll get my hands on Sora. I know it. I just know it!"

Riku sounded so adamant and strong, so much like himself, that Namine almost let him leave without a word of resistance. But she felt her skin prickle, and the lump in her throat she couldn't suppress, no matter how hard she swallowed. This was wrong, this was still so wrong. No matter how much it seemed like Riku was Riku, Namine could still see he was broken in so many ways. This was not the brash and strong boy from Sora's memories. This was not the foolish boy who dove into the abyss and lost everything. This was not the repentant soul who fought his way out of that abyss and tamed it.

This coward was not Namine's friend.

"Riku!" She blurted his named out with extreme haste, causing Riku to stop at the precipice of his corridor. "You can... you can't keep doing this. Please, this will be the last time I tell you this, but you need to go see Kairi. You need to find her and help her!"

Despite all the fighting and bickering that this topic had spawned, Namine knew this was the right path. This was where Riku needed to go, what he needed to do. But she also knew arguing with him and scolding him and trying to shame him into doing this was not the way to achieve what she wanted. If she wanted to get anywhere, Namine needed to apply a gentler touch.

"Namine, I-" Quickly, Riku was cut off again. Namine held a hand up for silence, and he yielded. A promising start, at least.

"I know what you're going to say. You've said it all before, after all." Namine had been steeling herself for this confrontation for some time, thinking of it as her own personal battlefield. So, she came to battle with a strategy, using everything she knew about her friend and his life to figure out what to say, what to do. To realize what the root of Riku's issue was.

"That you can't face Kairi without Sora. Because you think you're at fault for everything that happened since that fateful night last year. Because you think Kairi won't find it within herself to forgive you for what happened."

Riku liked to refer himself as a realist. The proper term for his worldview was "pessimistic". He only ever saw the worst in himself, and in most people around him, so he always expected others to see the bad things in him. Namine understood where he was coming from on this, she herself thought similarly regarding herself, but when one considered Sora and Kairi...

"But I know where you're coming from, Riku. You don't think you'll ever be able to forgive yourself for what you did, a-and that maybe you don't want forgiveness from the others..." Namine had to remind herself to breath. Inhale, exhale. Her entire body was trembling as she spoke, but her voice remained steady.

"You think that it would be easier if Sora and Kairi just hated you, if they held some kind of resentment towards you. You would have an easier time understanding those feelings than if they were to forgive you."

Everything Riku had done – from the night of Islands' destruction on – was motivated by fear. The fear of losing Sora and/or Kairi. Namine was certain this, too, was the root cause of Riku's current bout of hesitancy and cowardice. After his parent's divorced and his mother left with his sister, Sora and Kairi were the only true constants in Riku's life, the only people who ever understood him. They were more than just his closest friends. They were his family. His entire world. Namine could see the shadows of terror clouding his heart, as he envisioned a life without his brother or sister. She could see why he was working so desperately to prevent that reality from occurring, in his mind at least.

Riku's answer was surprisingly quiet and restrained, spoken in a soft, mellow voice, too. "Namine, I don't want to have this conversation. Just, please trust me on this, I know -"

"I know you feel that way, Riku! I know it, because..." Tears began to well up in the eyes of the blonde Nobody, staining her crystalline blue irises with heavy, undue emotion. "Because I think the same way. It would just be easier for me to have Sora and Roxas hate me for what I did and be done with it. I just can't understand why they would forgive a horrid little witch like me, for ruining their lives..." Seconds of deathly quiet passed, the only sounds in the cavern being the churning of the Corridor and the sad sniffling of the young girl, as she did her best to keep the tears in check. "But they would." With a small smile, Namine found the strength in herself to keep speaking. "They will. Sora and Roxas would forgive me, one-hundred percent, even if I don't understand why. Same goes for Sora and Kairi. Those three... they always see the best in others. See the good and the beauty. See things that we ourselves our blind to.

"So, please, please Riku, I won't ask again, but I am begging you to do this. Go to Kairi, here and now. If you want to makes amends, then find her and help her and save Sora, together."

To the great surprise of the witch, Riku's answer to her impassioned plea was not verbal. More mental clinking filled the cave, as he clenched his armoured fists together, before releasing them and raising them up to either side of his helmet. Clasps came undone, as Riku slowly pulled the piece of black armour off of himself.

"...But what if she does hate me? What if she rejects me? What if she casts me out of her life and makes Sora choose between her and me. I... I can't win that one..."

His hair had grown out, probably too long, to be honest. The bangs covering his aquamarine eyes looked ridiculous. As did the way it flowed down passed the nape of his neck. But it still shimmered like silver in the dim sunlight filtering through the holey ceiling of the cave. Still as striking and eye-catching as always. His face was leaner, too, with a few faint scars on his left cheek and dashed against the bridge of his nose. But he wore those features well. Given any other circumstances, this older and more mature teenager would be considered dashing, noble, and strong.

Riku would've looked all those things, in Namine's estimation, if he didn't look so damn miserable now.

"The idea... it sickens me. Terrifies me." Riku was almost choking on his words, and was clearly straining to hold himself together. "I know what I'm doing is foolish and not the best path, but it's my path all the same. I have to make certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that Kairi would still love me like her own brother. That she would want me back in her life. You're right when you say it would be easier if they just hated me, but that just means the more difficult task is the one worth doing."

Namine slumped back against the wall of the Secret Place, feeling defeated. This was the end of this. She had promised. If she had a heart, this is the point where it would break, knowing she wasn't going to be able to see Riku reunite with his friends. She buried her face her hands and let out a tiny, muffled sob, hoping Riku wouldn't pick up on it.

He didn't.

"It's a long road, but that's been the story of my life. Long, painful, arduous journeys through fire and shadows." Riku placed his helmet back on himself, locking it into place, hiding his vulnerability from the world once more. "But it will be worth it in the end. We'll bring Sora back and he and Kairi will reunite. We'll all come back here together, and you can meet them, at long last. Like you said, Sora and Kairi see the best in others; he'll forgive you for what happened in Castle Oblivion and Kairi will love you. She always wanted a sister growing up." As he spoke, Riku's voice rose, steadily in volume as well as intensity and purpose. As if he wasn't so much as describing as what he wanted to happen, but what he was going to make happen. "And then, we'll find some way to bring Roxas back. There has to be. There just has to! And then you two can... be together." Riku stammered and faltered, as if unsure of what to say next. "Do stuff. Whatever it is couples do together. I don't know. I don't really understand romance..."

"'C-couple? Together'?" For a brief instant, Namine's own dread relieved itself, replaced by embarrassment and shock. The blonde removed her face from her palm, revealing a flustered expression and flushing cheeks. "W-what in the world do you mean?" She asked, trying to play it off cool.

Riku only chuckled at his friend, inclining his head in her direction. "Don't try and act all coy. I've been around Sora and Kairi their entire lives. I know infatuation when I see it." Namine tried to formulate a response, unable to get the words out, before Riku added, "I'm sure he likes you, too."

"Th-that has nothing to do with anything, Riku! It's not important right now." The Key Bearer's laugh only deepened at Namine's embarrassment and her feeble attempts to deflect his (spot-on) analysis. "Roxas and I are just friends! N-not even! We met only a handful of times, and he couldn't even remember -"

"It is important, Namine." Namine clammed up, still burning red, as Riku spoke, staring at her through his glass visor again. "Much as Roxas and I... don't see eye-to-eye, you and him are special, right? You're not like the other Nobodies. Even if you don't have a physical heart, you have one in every other regard. How you feel, what you want out of life, it matters. It is important. Sora. Kairi. Myself. We'll give you everything you deserve, right?"

Namine did her best to swallow her emotions, to fight back even more tears. With a shaking nod, she answered, "Yes..."

"Then, forgive me for this. It'll all be worth it in the end..."

Riku vanished into the Dark Corridor soon thereafter. Namine hardly processed it. All she remembered was dumbly stumbling out of the cave and into the sun-dappled beach of the play island, blinking rapidly from the transition of darkness to intense sunlight. Her head was throbbing and she was heartsick, too, as she staggered across the scorching sand.

The fingers on Namine's left hand flickered in and out of existence.

There was one other thing Namine had learned when she was perusing through Ansem's research data, regarding herself, her being and the peculiarities of her birth. There was a reason, after all, why her element was so esoteric and specific compared to the other Nobodies, why she couldn't manifest a weapon or a tool like the others, too. Whatever substance made up the physical form of a Nobody, whatever it was that fueled their nonexistence, Namine had less of it than any of the other fully-humanoid Nobodies, sometimes even less than the lesser spawn. And whatever paltry amount of this vague quintessence she had, it was depleting over time. Ansem had theorized that this was due to the special circumstances of her creation, and that, eventually, it would become so critical that her body would begin to breakdown and she would... and Namine would...

Die! I'm going to die! I don't know when or how long from now, but I'm going to die...

That fact terrified her. Not only that she would die, not only that she knew she was dying, but that she was afraid of death. Namine had figured, due to the abuse she had suffered, she would welcome the inevitable end with a shrug. That it would be a peaceful end to a miserable unlife. But now, the grim visage of death stared her down and the artistic girl could only quiver in terror and dread.

Because she knew none of those things Riku said would ever come to pass. No matter how much Namine wanted it, no matter how hard she dream of it, even if it sounded like heaven, heaven was forever beyond the reach of the Memory Witch. She would never get to see Riku reunite with his friends. She would never meet and befriend Kairi. Never get a chance to hear Sora say 'Thank you' and to beg for his forgiveness.

Namine would never get to see Roxas again.

But I can't let fear rule me. Namine tried her best to ignore her ghostly digits, as she found a comfortable place to sit down along the beach. I may be a goner, but I can't just sit idly by and fade away. I can still help, in my own little way. A little bit of shade was cast on her from a nearby paopu tree. The star-shaped fruits had yet to fully grow and ripen. This is the right spot. His home. His favourite place. I can make a connection this time, I'm sure of it.

Being born from Kairi's heart and Sora's body gave Namine a unique connection the spiky-haired Key Bearer. One that had only ever brought pain to him and his Nobody and all their loved ones. For the longest time – for basically her entire existence – the blonde had only ever regarded that connection and the powers that came with it to be a curse, designed only to hurt and destroy. It was how she got her epitaph of "Witch", after all.

But, maybe, with Sora stolen and locked away from everyone else, perhaps a direct line to his heart was what was needed. A connection to his heart and memories, and to the other hearts that slumbered within him.

Pushing aside her personal fears and the anxiety she held for her dear friends, Namine shut her eyes, and reached out into the great beyond of space all around her, feeling her heart pulled away from the sun-drenched paradise of Destiny Islands, trying to find and connect with Sora.

---

I told you guys Namine would not be in for an easy road. Much as it pains me to put her through this...

Another sub-plot of II I've always had issue with is Sora learning the mystery of Roxas' identity. Namely, that despite it being an internal reveal for the characters, the clues Sora gathers are so esoteric and obtuse that there was no way he could ever figure it out. And then's he is out and out told who Roxas is, rending the whole mystery moot. Here, Kairi does figure out who Roxas truly is, she has the pieces, but she assembles the puzzle incorrectly, making some incorrect guesses, as we'll see shortly.

Training scenes are always tricky to do outside of time lapses and montages. Trying to organically get the development and point across while still being entertaining. Mixing it in with a bit of character stuff is my only real solution to try and make it palatable, so I hope that succeeded for you guys. And don't ever expect me to go deeper into how magic works beyond these simple descriptions; I am not one for constructing hard systems and I personally dislike stories that spend way too much time creating magic rules just for the sake of rules. Lore is not as important as plot or character! It can just be excessive after a point.

As for Kairi and her struggles with the light, I had always wanted to do something where Kairi actively resents her status as a POH because, yeah, honestly, it's brought her more harm than good. It's also an attempt to actually build a bit on the established mythos and give some context to the bloody POH powers and all that, because the games have done a piss poor job at explaining it. Like, it's been a central part of the lore from game one and one of your (supposed by not really) main characters is counted among the ranks, but the games take zero opportunity to explore what these power are, what they can, what they mean. I don't need a fully breakdown and explanation of everything, but something would be nice. When I say stuff like "creative doesn't care about Kairi" this is the stuff I'm referring to. She has the potential to be an incredibly interesting and pivotal character with a deep connection to a central piece of the franchise's lore, but it's been nearly twenty years and no effort has been taken to explore it! Because this franchise is terrible and awful and always has been.

So, you know, I was gonna lighten up on my third (and last, I promise) Re:Mind reminder but that trailer pissed me off to levels unforeseen, so strap yourselves in folks.

Do not buy the Re: Mind DLC. If you do, you are complicit in Square's anti-consumer practices. You are giving them a free pass to do this over and over again in the future. Because this is beyond anything I could have imagined. Everything that should have been in the actual product is here, a year after date, for a premium price. A full, proper third act to their shit story. And the fact that they just bald-faced lied about some shit too is the cherry on top. They either knew people would want all of this stuff and so they knowingly set it aside for a premium add-on, or they realized how badly they screwed up, but instead of showing any moral courage, decided to try to appease the masses and make a buck off their mistake to boot.

Like, if the usual suspects – EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Bethesda – pulled this, it would be a major headline on every gaming news site and they would be raked through the coals. But Square gets a pass because...?

Square in 2019: The Final Fantasy aspect of the crossover isn't necessary in future games
Square in 2020: 30 bucks for Leon and Yuffie. Pay up, bitches

Oh hey Kairi can fly and shoot laser beams. Cool. Would have been nice if she did that during the god damned war. You know? When here friends were dying. When she was being kidnapped. When she was being murdered. Guess she can't do that shit when her left arm is being lightly grasped! Characters other than Sora with their own agency? What's that? Seriously, she looks like the biggest idiot for not pulling this shit out when she and her friends were in mortal danger.

I don't want to see the "Kairi's training wasn't obviously enough" excuse ever again. It's done. It's settled. The reason she got fridged in III was because of this franchises notoriously awful writing for female characters and nothing more. The creative team never gave two shits about her that entire time.

Oh Square, you've mistreated Kairi for ten years and then lied to your fan base with misleading marketing and then brutally murdered her in your cynical, garbage game but now you made her playable in premium DLC! Oh bless you Square, kudos! Let me fellate you lovingly for doing the bare minimum possible!

But above all else, regardless of any of this utter bullshit, nothing has changed. Kairi dies. Sora dies. Every other character is useless. The DLC is nothing more than a shaggy dog story with a miserable ending. It's as hollow and emotionless as the base game. An attempt to polish a turd.

Fuck Kingdom Hearts. Fuck Square-Enix. See you guys next time.