So, I had to split this chapter into two parts. A combination of it being too long, too overstuffed, me wanting to get one last update out before the end of the year, and me not having enough time/being too lazy to properly finish this.
Sorry about this. Hopefully I can get the other half finished and published quickly enough. Until then, enjoy.
She Will Light The Way
Chapter Twenty
Mirages & Memories, part one
With a great deal of exertion, Paine tore the thick, weathered tome apart, spitting the book at the spine. Loose pages exploded into the air along with, more importantly, a bright sphere of light speeding out from the confines of the book. In an instant, the light burst, revealing a confused Yuna, before depositing onto the heated streets of Agrabah next to her equally befuddled and disoriented cousin.
"Ugh, what happened." Yuna said, clutching at her head, trying to shake away the stars. The last thing she remembered was they were all facing off against an Organization Nobody, who threw books at them. After that unorthodox method of attack, nothing.
"I'll tell ya, Yunie," Rikku groused while picking both herself and her cousin up from the dirt. "We got schooled by some nerd with an emo haircut wielding a book!" The blonde pouted, looking supremely upset. "Easily our most humiliating defeat."
Memory jogged, the former Summoner began to whip her head about wildly, noticing there was someone missing from the group. "Kairi! Where's Kairi?"
"Most likely back in the courtyard." Paine surmised, ruefully noticing her parasol was absent. She muttered a few curses before continuing. "The Nobody is clearly going the divide and conquer route. Get all of us out of the way, and it's easier to deal with Kairi." Yuna flinched at the euphemism, knowing exactly what the Organization had in mind for the Key Bearer.
Before Yuna could marshal the troops and return to battle, all three of the Gullwings were distracted by another blast of soft light. Light that was all too familiar after there short stay on this world. Down the street from where they stood was Princess Jasmine, unleashing the pulse of light from her body, and standing over the remains of another book, as she freed Aladdin from the pulpy prison.
Yuna and Rikku both marveled over the sight, over how much control Jasmine seemed to express with her powers. Even Paine inclined her head and arched her eyebrows in acknowledgment of the feat.
"So, we're all in agreement then? We're gonna shanghai Jaz and make her Red's new teacher for this Light stuff?" Rikku quipped. If they hadn't known her for years, her two companions would have had a hard time discerning if she was being joking or being serious.
"You might want to rethink that course of action." Paine said, brusquely, as the trio moved to meet up with the Princess and her consort.
"Are you two okay?" Yuna asked, but only when the two lovers embraced and separated.
"Thanks to Jasmine we are." Came Aladdin's reply. "What about you guys? And where's Kairi?"
"Most likely fighting that Nobody right now." Paine stated, drawing looks of concern from the two Agrabah natives.
"Well we need to get back to the palace, then. Right now!"
"Any idea where we are?" Rikku questioned, looking around. Nothing around them but wrecked sandstone buildings and crumbling walls. Empty and quiet. Just like every street in this city.
Jasmine looked to her lover and friend, placing faith in his knowledge of the city and his years spent crawling through every nook and cranny of it. "Seems like we're in the north quarter of the city." Aladdin announced confidently, after a minute of analyzing their surroundings. "It's a bit out of the way, but if we hurry we should make it to the palace in no time at all."
"Well, before we do go, I just have to know," Yuna began, addressing the group, before narrowing her focus and speaking directly to Jasmine. "I saw you use your Light to free Aladdin. I'm going to assume you were the one who freed Paine, as well. How? How were you able to do that?" There were other questions on Yuna's mind, as well – namely how Jasmine managed to escape the confines of the magic tome herself – but she figured brevity would serve them better here and now.
The Princess looked a little unsure, eyes flickering, as she shook her head with a frown on her face. "Like I said before, I'm not entirely sure how I am managing this. All I remember was seeing the two of you," she motioned to Paine and Yuna, "getting captured by those books, followed by Aladdin, and then there was nothing but darkness. I was terrified and worried, but moreso than anything I just wanted to help Kairi and see Aladdin safe and sound. The next thing I knew, there was this warm light all around me, and I was suddenly in the cities streets, four books falling around me. It took a bit of doing, but I used them same method to free your friend here."
Yuna's face scrunched up. No wonder Kairi was so averse to training her Light, this was beyond frustrating. The common element to all this was that the Princesses could call upon their light through their desire to help others, specifically the people they cared the most about. Belle and the Beast. Jasmine and Aladdin. Kairi and Sora. That all scanned. But why did Kairi have such difficulty channeling this power where Jasmine didn't? Why could Jasmine use it in multiple ways – direct or subtle, active or passive – where Kairi could only unleash those big, bombastic blasts of light? It just didn't make any sense.
Her frustration must have been evident on her face, as Jasmine spoke up again. "I'm sorry if I can't be of much more help. These past few days are the only time I've been able to use this power like this. This is all new to me, too."
"It's fine, Princess Jasmine." Yuna said, polite and apologetic, making more mental notes of the situation. Jasmine had this degree of control over her Princess powers after only a few days, versus Kairi working at it for five weeks or so. "It's just Kairi has been having some difficulties and we've been trying to help her and it's been -"
Building in the background, slowly drowning out Yuna, was the low rumbling of displaced earth and seismic tremors. All five human turned a shade paler, eyes opening wide, as they each recognized what exactly this meant. At what this shaking heralded.
"Oh, god damn it all..." Paine growled, whipping about to see it: the dorsal fins of the Mushussu sawing through the streets of the desert city and making a beeline to their position. Without a word, Rikku quickly distributed her remaining grapple wire among her companions; fighting this thing had proven futile and they had more pressing matters to attend to.
"I think it's time to cut the conversation short, ladies." Came Aladdin, as he stooped down to pick up Jasmine. "If we needed to move fast before, we're gonna have to hustle, now!"
No further arguments were needed, as everyone scrambled to get out of the way of the rampaging Heartless. The Gullwings grappled themselves up the side of a nearby building, with Aladdin using his natural grace and athleticism to bound up the walls and rubble to the top of the same building. Doubly impressive seeing as how he was carrying Jasmine. Just as the group of five managed to scurrying to apparent safety, the Mushussu emerged from the sand, head spinning like a drill and body twisting about, trying to get a clear beat on it's prey.
It seemed like events would repeat from earlier today: banish the Heartless with Jasmine's Light and then hop along the rooftops back to the palace. Easy enough. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine all moved into position to protect the Princess while she worked her magic, only for the serpentine Heartless to open it's maw. Without warning, a torrent of sand exploded from the gaping mouth; a powerful geyser of abrasive silt smashing into the building the five were on with extreme force! No time to prepare or react, Yuna felt the stone collapse from under her feet, the building quickly demolished to rubble by the sand jet, and her and her companions sent straight back down to the street. The magic gunslinger barely had enough time to fire a round of Protect spells at everyone, if only to soften the impact of landing on stone and hard-packed dirt.
They all hit the ground hard regardless, sprawling defenselessly along the ground, the Mushussu Heartless still looming over them. Aladdin had at least enough wherewithal to keep a hold of Jasmine during all of this, using his own body to cushion her fall even more.
Rising up to it's full height and rearing back, it looked like the Mushussu was simply going to slam it's rocky head into them, trying to hammer the Gullwings and the two Agrabah natives into oblivion. With the amount of strength it had already demonstrated, Yuna had no doubt it could, but there was no way she was going to fall here. Kairi may be bearing the brunt of their mission, as Key Bearer and all, but that didn't mean she wasn't the only one willing to fight and protect those who were suffering due to the Organization's malicious intent. Yuna was a heroine once, she knew the effort that went into saving lives.
Still, fighting spirit or not, Yuna barely had enough time to get to her feet, Rikku right next to her. Paine was behind them – behind Aladdin and Jasmine, even – and still struggling to get up. It was the two of them against a monstrously powerful foe with no plan, no advantage, and no time. The head of the Heartless came driving downward, threatening to obliterate the lot of them, while Yuna held steady and leveled her shotstaff at the thing.
Before she could pull the trigger and fire a futile shot, before the Heartless could smash into the ground with violent force, Jasmine pulled herself from the arms of her lover and darted forth as fast as possible along the uneven terrain. At the very last moment, the Arabian Princess threw her arms out, her voice rising to a powerful shout, as another pulse of holy light washed over the others. A glimmering wall of light manifested itself in the space between Yuna, Rikku, and the Heartless!
And not a moment too soon, either, as the Heartless crashed headlong into the wall a split second after it appeared. With a mighty, thunderous KAROOOOOM the forces collided, sending a blast of air in all directions, pushing back on Rikku and Yuna. The barrier immediately cracked and expired, destroyed from the one blow, and the force of the Heartless' attack caused Jasmine to suddenly fly backwards, the Princess yelping in shock, as the two cousins could only watch. Fortunately, both Paine and Aladdin were right behind her, catching her and bringing her to safety.
Even though the shield of light couldn't withstand one attack, the Heartless didn't win out from that clash, either. Just as Jasmine was thrown away from the force of the impact, so was the Mushussu, the wicked worm reeling backwards and then slithering away. More than that, visible cracks had formed along the armour that covered it's reptilian head, the wounds smoking and sizzling, as the Heartless thrashed in mock pain, as if it had been laid low by a Keyblade. Just as before, contact with the Light of a Princess proved too much for the thing to handle, as the Heartless quickly buried itself deep beneath the earth, vanishing once more.
For now.
"I don't think we're getting back to the palace anytime soon." Paine assessed, grimly, after everyone checked in with each other, making sure none of the others were hurt. The fact that indeed no one was injured was a small miracle in of itself. "We have to deal with this thing or it's going to overrun us."
"Yeah. Good luck with that." Came Rikku, while collecting her grapples. "That thing's armour is hella strong. Not even you or Red could put a dent into it." She then followed Paine's gaze, as both turned to examine Jasmine, who had now twice driven off a Heartless none of them could so much as damage. "Guess we do have one distinct advantage."
"I'll do my best to help out." Jasmine said. Her eyes remained steady and strong, but she looked flushed and sweaty, speaking between breaths. Even if she was more capable than Kairi, it seemed she still had a limit. "Even if I don't know exactly what I'm doing, I won't let the Heartless destroy my home."
"I'm with you guys, too." Aladdin joined in, brandishing a scimitar he had been stowing away... somewhere on his person. The exact origins of the weapon wasn't incredibly important right now. "And besides, the faster we beat this thing, the faster we can help Kairi!"
The group then began to formulate a plan, speaking hurriedly knowing that the Heartless could emerge at anytime. Yuna, however, stood silent during all of this, thinking on what they had witnessed today, even as she listened in to the discussion. All of the strategies Paine and Rikku concocted involved Jasmine summoning a big, destructive burst of light like Kairi did, the two of them certain it would destroy the Heartless without any issue. Disregarding her physical state, Jasmine herself didn't seem all too sure she could manage that, having never done anything bigger than that sphere Aladdin had used. Was that the one advantage Kairi had with her Light? Or were those finisher attacks only possible because of her Keyblade? Too many variable and unanswered questions and not enough time to figure it all out...
A flash of inspiration came and struck the heterochromatic eyed woman, as she remembered the newly rent cracks in the Mushusuu Heartless' head, as well as all the times today it had opened it's maw, nice and wide.
"Everyone, I think I have a plan." Yuna blurted out, suddenly. All eyes fell on her, as the others had fallen into a circular argument, desperate for a way out or a new solution. "It's risky, but I think it's our bets bet. And we need to work fast." Aladdin had been right on the munny when he mentioned the quicker the Heartless was defeated, the quicker they could go and find Kairi.
All of their past encounters with the Organization turned harsh and ugly in a hurry. She would have to be a fool to believe the fight with Zexion would turn out any differently.
-O-SWLTW-O-
Destiny's Embrace fell to the ground, Kairi using both hands to rub at her eyes. Given the climate and environment she was in, she wouldn't be surprised if this was all a mirage standing before her.
But it wasn't. Even after vigorously wiping at her eyes, the three girls remained before her, clear as day. Selphie Tilmitt, Garnet Alexandros, and Rydia Mystere. Her three best girl friends from the Islands were here! In the flesh! She didn't even care how or through what means of conveyance, she was just simply overjoyed to see them and hear their voices!
"Girls!" After gawking in stunned disbelief for an idiotic amount of time, Kairi rushed over to the trio, throwing her arms around Selphie in a big, loving hug, never wanting to let go. "I can't believe it! You're here! You're here!" The redhead cheered, as she squeezed the brunette, looking deliriously between her, and the other two. "How did you know I was here? Hell, how did you get all the way to Agrabah? This is just... I'm so glad to see you guys again, I've missed you all so much!"
Burying her face into the shoulder of Selphie, Kairi reflected on how much their decade of friendship meant to her. Yes, Sora and Riku were the first friends she made on the Islands, but she befriended Selphie not long thereafter, during recess on her first day at school. All alone and afraid and intimidated by the new place and faces, little Kairi stood by herself while the other kids played. Then, without being asked to or forced to, this sweet and perky girl came up to her and asked why she was so sad, soon inviting her to come and jump rope soon after. Selphie went to offer the sad, quiet girl a little bit of kindness all because she thought no one should be alone or scared. They were best friends ever since that day, and through Selphie, Kairi befriended Rydia and Garnet and Lenna and the others. Much as she cherished Sora and Riku, her girl friends also meant the world to her, and she couldn't imagine life on the Islands without them. Without their kindness and support.
Which is why, as the bliss of reunion died down, Kairi realized it was incredibly strange that Selphie wasn't hugging her back. That Garnet and Rydia were just standing to the side. That the normally perky and energetic brunette was remaining perfectly still and quiet. Kairi pulled away from the hug to see Selphie stare at her with an icily neutral expression, boring a hole into her heart with oddly dead eyes. "W-what's happening...?"
"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here, Kairi?" Selphie repeated, removing Kairi's arms from her body. Both Garnet and Rydia moved in, standing side-by-side with Selphie, each girl wearing the same cold expression.
"I... it's a long story." Kairi tried to focus her thoughts on where to begin, how to explain all this craziness. This had never dawned on her before, that she might have to explain the details of Sora and her's adventures to her close friends or family, so she was completely off-guard. "The long and short of it is that Sora and Riku are in trouble, and I'm the only one who can save them. I have this weapon called a Keyblade and I'm fighting against monsters called -"
"You? Fight? Please." Rydia inclined her head and clicked her tongue in disbelief. The emerald-haired girl always had the capacity to verbally disparage others, but usually reserved it for those that truly upset her. This was the first time Kairi had been on the receiving end of those barbs and it made her feel uneasy and weak. "You'd never have the spine to stand up and fight for yourself. You hate violence and you're always too concerned about what others think of you to even talk back, let alone get physical."
Kairi flinched. Yes, that was true, but -
"And if Sora and Riku are in trouble, what makes you think you can save them?" Garnet spoke in an elegant manner, but it didn't do anything to make her dressing down hurt less. "You always ran for them for help. Relied on them for everything. You're completely helpless without them."
"Hey, that's not true!" Kairi fired back, immediately feeling queasy for snapping to her friends. "I'm sorry guys, but you know how much they mean to me. Even if I'm out of my depth, I can't just let the two of them slip away. I have to help."
"And what can you do, Kairi?" Rydia sniped, regarding the redhead with a side-eye. "Puff up your chest and pretend to be something your not. Wave your little girly blade around and play the hero?" Kairi took a few steps back, feeling the cold glare of the trio of girls cutting through to her soul. It was unnerving and supremely uncomfortable, having these feeling spawn because of her friends. "You're not good enough for that. You know it, I know it... how many times have you gotten hurt?" Rydia pressed, tone growing darker and more acidic. "How many people have gotten hurt because they've had to rely on you?"
The Key Bearer felt her voice catch in her throat, unable to bring herself to answer the piercing questions. Ashamed as she might be to admit it, the girls weren't wrong. After all, these were questions Kairi had asked herself time and time again...
Wait...
"Not to mention, you just vanished without a trace, Kairi." Selphie had entered the space Kairi retreated, looking at the redhead with her big blue eyes. But, where they would normally be as deep and lively as the sea, soulful and guileful, here Selphie's eyes were empty and still. As shallow as a rain puddle. "We looked everywhere for you, did everything to find you. How do you think we all felt? How hopeless and devastated we all were?"
Before Kairi could even respond, Garnet turned her head away and scoffed. "Don't even bother. It's just as we thought. She ran after Sora and Riku, put them on a pedestal above all else. Chasing them like a lovesick puppy. Ugh." The countenance of the raven-haired heiress contorted in disgust. Kairi had never seen Garnet make such a gross and spiteful face; she never knew the girl was capable of such a thing. "Time and time again, she drops everything for her two boys, and doesn't care who she hurts. You're selfish and rotten, Kairi."
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Kairi shook her head, arms clutching at the side of her head, unable to withstand the barrage of put-downs and barbs. It was a million times worse than the snide insults of the Organization, even worse than her own self-deprecatory comments. Had she really been so terrible to people she loved so much? If her actions had turned Selphie and the others against her, could the same happen to Sora and Riku? "Guys..." Kairi began in a shaky voice, before immediately silencing when facing the audience of icy, uncaring gazes.
Backstepping again, Kairi took a few breaths to center herself, hoping that the dread growing in her mind and heart would be proven wrong. "I'm sorry if I made you worried, I'm sorry if I hurt you. I'm even sorrier that I vanished without a trace and didn't contact you, that I haven't even been thinking much of you." That part stung to admit. Outside of her mom, Kairi hadn't reminisced much of her friends and life back home. "But this is something I need to do. Not just for Sora, not only for myself, but for everyone. Everything we know and love is at risk! Even if you don't believe in me, I have to keep moving. Keep fighting. You can at least accept that, right?"
Even if you don't believe in me... In what world would Selphie, Garnet, and Rydia not believe in her, Kairi wondered for a moment. They were besties. Inseparable. Each of them supported the other in every endeavour that came to them.
"No." Was Selphie's answer, in a low, sneering voice.
Rydia charged forward and socked Kairi in the stomach.
It was then that Kairi realized her initial assessment of this being a mirage was more on point than first blush suggested. She was still caught within Zexion's illusion!
Kairi doubled over from the blow, coughing and sputtering, bewildered by the strength her friend now possessed. The punch was able to easily penetrated through the enchantments in her gear, further highlighting that something was amiss.
Before the trio of wicked schoolgirls could swarm her, Kairi dropped and rolled away, rising back to one knee and summoning her Keyblade, striking and pose and ready to fight, fiercely facing down her... friends. Almost immediately, Kairi's blustered faltered, her guard dropping. How could she do this? She wasn't about to scrap with some Heartless or Nobodies or other anomalous monsters, it was Selphie, Garnet, and Rydia! Her friends! Even if her rational mind knew something was wrong here, her heart flinched, refusing to even entertain the idea of striking down the three with spell and sword.
Kairi froze, sweating. And not just from the heat. Just what am I suppose to do now?
The girls weren't giving her anytime to ponder this predicament, Garnet and Rydia darting out to either side of Kairi, while Selphie charged straight forward. Just watching the three move... it looked wrong, gave Kairi the creeps. Too quick steps with too long strides. She could swear she saw their limbs stretch and retract with each motion, but passed that off on the heat and her own shock.
From somewhere in hammerspace, Selphie drew that well-worn jump rope she had owned for years. Whenever the brunette chose to participate in the boys's sparing and playfights, she eschewed the wooden swords and spears in favour of her trusty toy. Kairi always watched the sparing, never taking part in, but now she felt bad for giggling at the sight of Sora or Tidus whimpering in fear of the wooden knobs of the jump rope, as Selphie lashed the chord forward, the end of the handle impacting square in her chest. Just as with Rydia's punch, the toy hit with impossible force, staggering the Key Bearer and forcing her on the backfoot yet again. Just as quick as the first attack, Selphie reeled her makeshift whip back and struck again, Kairi's eyes widening in fear, as she narrowly dodged the blow, handle whizzing by her ear.
"Ooh, look at the big, strong, hero!" Selphie snickered viciously, twirling the jump rope around her like a cowboy with a lasso. Even if she was some illusion, it seemed this Selphie had been hanging around Irvine too much, too. "Afraid of her best friend and a little toy. And you're going to save Sora?" The whip snaked through the air again. This time, Kairi batted the weapon aside with Destiny's Embrace. Even if she couldn't bring herself to go on offence, she could at least protect herself. "You're even more pathetic than I first thought." The brunette cackled, even though her face remained as empty and hollow as before.
"She must think she's in a play or something." Came Rydia, as Kairi did her best to dodge the flurry of attacks from Selphie. Worryingly, Rydia and Garnet were not joining in and attack her as well, even though she was entirely occupied defending against the jump rope whip. The Key Bearer was doing her best to keep an eye on them, even as the taunts continued to rain down on her. "But life isn't a stage, no matter what the Bard says. You can't be a hero or a warrior, no matter how bad you want it. You can't play a part you weren't meant to be."
"I don't care!" Kairi spat, swatting away another slap of the whip. "I'm not doing this just because I want it. I'm doing this because others are counting on me." Selphie struck again, this time Kairi answering the attack with a backhanded swing, redirecting it towards Rydia. Kairi turned the same direction, addressing the emerald-haired girl directly. "There are so many people out there suffering because of the Organization. They need a helping hand. A light to guide them out of the shadows and to heal their wounds. The real Rydia would understand that."
The wooden handle of the jump rope whistled towards the impostor girl, Rydia deftly catching it with one hand, flat, emotionless eyes boring a hole through the defiant Keyblade Wielder. "You sure about that?"
Now chained to Rydia through the rope, Selphie pitched the other half of her instrument into the air, throwing the handle wide so that the length of the tether drew taut and zoomed in on Kairi. Too engrossed with her exchange with Rydia, she didn't notice until the rough, coarse rope clotheslined her across the neck, the momentum of the handle causing the entire length to loop around her, before Garnet caught it. Again, these abilities and feats all seemed impossible for the girls Kairi knew to pull off, but it seemed Zexion's simulacrums had more than a few tricks to show off.
Then, with both Garnet and Rydia flanking her from either side, they both pulled mightily on their ends of the rope, the noose seizing around Kairi's neck and throat.
At the very last moment, as the rope closed and chafed around her neck, Kairi took a deep breath, holding it as her windpipe was sealed by the jump rope. The monstrous strength these illusions possessed came into play again, Rydia and Garnet tugging as hard as possible, painfully strangling Kairi, the Key Bearer being forced to one knee from the strain of it all. With frantic energy, she clawed and the rope, only to have it cinch even tighter.
Selphie marched across the courtyard, boots clicking against the stone tiles, still wholly impassive despite the gruesome act before her. "I thought you wanted to be a hero?" The brunette began to rain slaps and strikes across Kairi's cheek and the side of her head, clubbing and battering her while the redhead was slowly having the life choked from her. "You can't even bring yourself to fight off your friends? You're selfish! A coward! See! See!"
The last gasp of breath in Kairi's lungs was set to expire, her face turning bright red, as the corners of her vision blackened and faded. Tears stung her eyes. Considering all of that, Selphie's blows didn't amount to much, but the situation was still dire. It was do or die. Kairi, despite how much it sickened her, had to find the gumption within her to fight back against her friends.
But, instead of focusing on a spell or bringing up her Keyblade, instead of galvanizing her mind towards the harsh reality that faced her, Kairi's mind drifted into her memories. To another time with these three girls, but a much more pleasant one. Even as the darkness seeped further in, Kairi's mind and body rejected fighting, retreating to some sort of light within her.
A few years ago, when Kairi was finishing up elementary school and about to move up in the world to high school, she ended up facing a bump in the road. While Sora and Riku and all her other friends would be attending a public school in town, Kairi's mother arranged for her to enroll in Lady Shimomura's, a private, all-girls school. In hindsight, compared to what she was facing now, it was so insignificant and childish, but that was her life back then. An awful fight ensued between Kairi and her mother, the only time she could remember getting into such an argument with her, as the girl was beyond upset that she would be separated from her friends. Not just Sora and Riku, but the girls, too. Sure, Garnet would probably be attending, Kairi had rationalized; her parents were wealthy enough and her mother was an alumnus, but there was no way Selphie or Rydia's family could afford tuition. The thought of being separated from her friends for years to come was deeply troubling to the then-thirteen year old girl.
But, without warning, a miracle seemed to occur. Rydia and Selphie approached her one day to announce they had earned scholarships to Lady Shimomura's! An arts scholarships for Rydia and an athletics one for Selphie. It was such a sudden and shocking turn of events that Kairi thought she was caught in a dream. But it was all true, Rydia explaining that she and Selphie would have felt awful to be split from the others, too, so they worked hard to find a way in. A way to reunite and stay together. The generosity and kindness displayed by her two friends had touched her so much, Kairi could remember almost breaking down into tears on the spot.
Selphie and Rydia had gone to great lengths to stick with her, so they could still support each no matter what life threw at them. It had meant the world to her...
This is wrong... this is wrong! Kairi fell down to both knees, almost collapsing into a complete heap on the ground. Her head was swimming in delirium, but there was still startling clarity cutting through all that! She could clearly see and hear the voices of her friends – not these phantoms, but the true blue Selphie, Rydia, and Garnet! She could feel their love nestled within the core of her memories, and she could feel her own love and her desire to see them again! I won't let you... I won't let you use the girls this way. They're my friends...!
Finally, the dam burst, as Kairi's mouth burst open, the girl wheezing and choking, as the last bit of breath escaped her. But, at the same time, a pulse of energy resonated within her, the common and recognizable warmth of the Light of the Princesses. In blind desperation, Kairi welled up all that warm, calm energy and pushed it outwards, letting the Light ripple from her heart and ushering it into the world. A bright, purple aura erupted around her being, before it exploded all around her, incandescent light flooding the world and blinding all others. Selphie, Garnet, and Rydia shrieked in terror, as Kairi's head felt lighter than a feather made of helium.
The dazzling display of light did the trick though, the noose tied around her neck falling slack, as Garnet and Rydia wildly stumbled away from Kairi, all three girls covering their faces to no avail. Kairi took a sharp, sudden gasp of breath, almost choking on it due to the rapidity. Angry red bands were burned onto the flesh of her neck, feeling raw and tender, heavily bruised. Her entire body was shaking, both from the horrific nature of the attack, as well as the exertion of her enigmatic power. But... much to her surprise, Kairi wasn't anywhere near as exhausted or weary compared to the other times she channeled her Light, even considering the pain she had suffered from the strangulation. Was she actually, finally getting better a this?
Retaking her Keyblade up, Kairi rose into a defensive stance, taking purview of the enemies who donned the image of her friends. Much to her surprise, that burst of otherwise harmless light had done a world of harm to the three, the faces and bodies of Selphie, Rydia, and Garnet peeling and cracking, melting into wisps of darkness. The light had come and banished the shadows, as the three Islander girls transformed back into Zexion – a truly disturbing image for Kairi – before the illusions vanished in a flare of black flame.
"So that's the deal..." Kairi croaked out, immediately regretting it. It hurt to speak. She went to place a hand on her bruised throat, regretting that, too. Still, it seemed she no had a good idea as to what was coming next. As Kairi rose back to her feet, still feeling the effects of oxygen deprivation, she tried to figure what other form the shades of the Nobody would assume. Some of the other girls from the Island, like Lenna or Faris? Maybe the boys – Tidus or Zidane or Irvine. Either way, Kairi was going to be ready to withstand the barrage of insults and push past it all.
Something blunt slammed into the back of Kairi's head, interrupting that train of thought, as the girl was knocked back to the ground again, smacking hard against the stone and rolling away.
Ignoring the painful throbbing expression, Kairi quickly picked herself up yet again, finding her attack to be none other than Aerith Gainsborough! The normally kindly flower girl wore the same neutral expression the girls wore, wielding a quarterstaff that was still leveled at the Key Bearer.
"I almost didn't recognize you there. You look even more pathetic than usual." Aerith said, wheeling her staff about, chillingly echoing the words she had shared with Kairi back on Hollow Bastion. Back when this all began.
Before Kairi could respond, verbally or physically, the sound of something small buzzing through the air entered her ears, followed by sharp pain to split along her arms. In a blossom of blood, three shuriken had embedded themselves into her left bicep!
"Oh, what's the matter? You gonna cry again?" Came the taunts of Yuffie Kisaragi, darting through the air, and hurling another hand throw of throwing stars at the girl. "Gonna start crawl up into a ball, pouting and weeping, just because you have to nut up and do something yourself?"
Cursing her luck, Kairi slapped the next set of shuriken out of the air with her Keyblade, then quickly flipped away from the series of lightning bolts Aerith had conjured. This was bad. Having to face down mocking shadows in the form of her close friends was bad enough, but having them assume the identity of people she knew and respected but who could effectively fight back? Just how was she going to get out of this?
She was so caught up in her worrying and strategizing, that Kairi barely had enough time to weave out of the way of a blitzing fireball aimed at her head. And not one shot by Aerith.
Heralded by the rattling of chains and buckles and clasps, Leon walked into the arena, brandishing his signature gunblade. Kairi swallowed hard. Leon could never be said as looking kind or happy, but his stern and stoic appearance was reassuring nonetheless. Now he just looked callously disinterested in the world.
"And the Keyblade chose you, too? First you then Sora..." Leon shook his head, keeping his crooked sword aimed at Kairi. "Why does it always seem to pick the most feeble and miserable kids around?" Clicking his teeth, Leon regarded her in such a manner it made Kairi feel less than human. "Give it up, Kairi."
"Wh-what?" Kairi's voice shook, still keeping her guard up and still unsure how she was going to get out of this situation.
"Give up the Keyblade. To us." Came Aerith. While Leon remained stationary, facing off against the Princess of his world, both Aerith and Yuffie slowly circled and stalked around the girl. Sharks before the feeding frenzy. Trying her hardest to manifest eyes in the back of her head, Kairi felt the tension ratchet up even further. "Let us take it from here."
"We'll finish the Organization off." Leon came next. When Kairi went to argue the point, the scarred man quickly snapped at her. "Don't talk back! You know this is the better option. The best choice. A seasoned warrior versus a scared little girl."
"We'll take you back home and you can wait for Sora to come back, like the pretty little princess you are." Yuffie said, clenching more sharp shuriken and kunai in between her knuckles. "No more pain. No more struggling. It's over."
Still aware that Yuffie and Aerith were trying to flank her from her blindside, Kairi re-positioned herself so that a wall was to her back, backing towards the barrier while she was at it. "I can't do that guys. You know I can't." Honestly, she didn't know why she was even bothering to engage these illusions. Zexion's copies wearing suits to look like her friends and allies. She knew this wasn't real, Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith weren't here, dressing her down. But her heart was overwhelming her mind, emotion taking precedent over reason and logic. "The Keyblade chose me, for whatever reason. So I-"
"You didn't even want this in the first place!" Leon bellowed, roaring over top the girl. The threat only served to steel Kairi's resolve.
"Yeah, that's true. But I want it now." It only made sense for Kairi to hold onto this burden and all the pain it entailed. She was the cause of all this chaos, originally. Even with her initial reluctance, it was only right this all fell on her. "It may be selfish of me, but it's my choice! If you were actually here, I know you would understand."
Leon disregarded the passionate plea, the doppelganger grimacing at Kairi. "If you're not going to see reason, then I guess we'll just have to beat some sense into you."
The false figures then charged, Kairi backing fully up against the wall to avoid being swarmed on all sides. Leon led the assault, swinging the revolver gunblade with barbaric might, fiercely snarling like an animal, his visage being reminiscent of his namesake. Kairi quickly threw up her barrier, the shimmering wall standing steadfast against a flurry of kunai and Fire spells, but was quickly shattered to pieces from two quick swipes of the crooked blade. Leon then took to the air, forcing Kairi out of her defensive position with a leaping strike. The girl quickly rolled forward and away, as the illusion of her friend crashed down and rent a massive scar in the wall with his weapon. Now fully out in the open, both Yuffie and Aerith unloaded their arsenal on the Key Bearer, Kairi darting back and forth and every other direction to avoid both the ranged attacks and avoid engaging Leon in direct conflict. It was all she could do to dodge the shuriken and spells, summoning Reflera walls every which way, and even then a few blows escaped her guard, throwing blades whizzing by and scoring cuts on her flesh, while a few of Aerith's spells struck her in the chest and gut and rattled her.
This is bad... real bad. Leon unleashed a volleyball sized fireball that Kairi had to baseball slide under to avoid, opening herself to a rain of kunai courtesy of Yuffie. Spinning Destiny's Embrace like a propeller, Kairi was able to deflect all of the blades, only to be blindsided by an ice missile, knocking her down. Leon charged at her again. One attack lead into another and she barely had time to react. It's like I'm fighting three Silhouettes at once, and I barely have any breathing room! And then there was the other sticky issue within all of this, as Kairi barely avoided a horizontal chop from Leon, ducking as the blade passed over top her head, scattering strands of crimson hair into the wind. Could she muster the courage within her to fight friends of Sora? To fight people who had offered her comfort and support in her darkest hour?
Sure, Kairi may not have been close to the members of the Restoration Committee as she was to her girl friends, but they were still good people, people she cared about. People she wished she could have spent more time with and got to know better. Much as it shamed her to admit it, the shadow Rydia was right. Confrontation had never been something she was comfortable with, and the idea of crossing blades with Leon made her feel sick.
In a puff of smoke, Yuffie appeared beside Kairi, brandishing a great, four-pointed shuriken, and slashing about wildly. More daring dodging ensued, Kairi barely able to keep up with the flurry, before finally able to parry the blade and lock it in place, weaving the haft of Destiny's Embrace through two of the points. The ninja girl barely blinked at the counter, vanishing as quick as she appeared in another burst of smog. Before Kairi could even search for the whereabouts, Aerith harried her with a series of lightning bolts, arcing through the air from the point of her staff. Kairi's Reflera clashed with the sizzling Thundaga, taking the form of a wall that caused the bolts to wildly ricochet away from the girl.
The sound of metal striking stone rose from her feet, Kairi looking down to find a half dozen kunai embedded into the ground, each with a small paper tag tied to the end of them. From behind her, Yuffie had reemerged, smirking viciously, as the bombs attached to the knives detonated. Concussive force and fire rippled around the Key Bearer, scorching her arms and legs, as she feebly tried to reorient her barrier to protect from the flames, before giving up the ghost. Yuffie began hurling more explosive kunai into the conflagration, adding to the explosive medley, with Leon and Aerith joining in with tandem fire spells. The wildfire grew steadily, trying to consume the overwhelmed Princess, as her protective spells flickered and faltered against the ceaseless storm!
Grunting as a knife grazed her neck, and cursing as an exploding fireball impacted her low back, Kairi figured that if the conventional methods of defence weren't working out, she could always dig into her own playbook for salvation.
Steam spilled forth from the cloud of fire, as Kairi rose high into the air, soaring upon a furious torrent of water summoned from the end of her Keyblade. It didn't pull her out of the line of fire, Leon and the others just changing the direction of their attacks as she flew upward, but it at least got her out of the nonstop barrage of flaming bursts that had surrounded her. In the air, at the crescent of her ascent, Kairi caused the air currents to spin around her, the Key Bearer gracefully pirouetting through the air with the swirling Aerora barrier deflecting the spells and projectiles, before adding to her defences by encasing herself in a spherical barrier.
Attacks petered against the magical wall, as she slowly fell back down to earth, giving the girl a moment to breath and allowing her some much needed time to think.
Okay, okay... if this is just like before, these are just Zexion's clones disguised to look like Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie. Using my own memories and knowledge to put me off-balance. Kairi tried to recall all the information she had gleamed from this scenario as efficiently as possible, running over every avenue she could possibly take. I don't know if I can bring myself to fight them... but I also don't know if fighting them will actually help me here.
She wasn't quite sure how or why, but she was able to summon up her Light to dispel the illusions that cloaked the copies of the bookish Nobody. The shining energy pierced through the shadows and revealed the truth. And judging by the fact that she wasn't woozy or exhausted, she didn't need a whole lot of it either.
Kairi touched back down, possessing part of the solution, at the very least. The instant her boots scraped the tile floor, Leon pounced upon her, forcing her to run in circles and defend and dodge all over again. Leon was relentless in his pursuit and Kairi didn't like her chances crossing swords with him and his signature gunblade.
But, how did I go about using my Light that time? That was the question that dominated her mind, as she continued to desperately do her best to avoid Leon's swings and slashed. She caught a lucky break when he overextended on a lunge, allowing Kairi to blindside him with a spout of water that hit him square in the side. With his feet off-balance, Leon had no purchase and was swept away by the tide, slamming the scarred warrior into a nearby wall. Every other time, from Hollow Bastion on, it was all about protecting what I care about. Helping others. My desire to do good. What triggered it when I was cornered against the girls?
Now with only the two range fighters to deal with (temporarily, as Leon groaned and stirred in the corner) Kairi bolted towards them, to negate their advantage. Reflera continued to serve her well, blocking both spell and shuriken equally effectively, before Aerith took the opportunity to swipe at her with her staff. Kairi blocked that, too, locking weapons with the flower girl, as Aerith glowered darkly back at her. Within the back of her mind, Kairi noted how that twisted expression contrasted with the kind reassuring smiles the older woman offered her when she woke up on Hollow Bastion months ago.
Something stirred within the depths of her heart. A ripple of power, profound and indescribable.
Was it... those happy memories? The kindness the girls showed me and my love for them? Do my powers respond to that, too?
Seeing that Leon was standing back up, Kairi figured anything was worth a shot at this point. Between the damages sustained and the sheer effort she had put in to dodging their attacks, her legs were sore and aching by this point. She couldn't last much longer against all three warriors from Hallow Bastion.
Aerith pushed back on Kairi, breaking away from her, as the redhead stumbled back, though maintained a defiant and focused attitude. "I know this isn't real. This is all an elaborate hallucination you've made, Zexion." Kairi called out, keeping her guard up and trying to split two eyes on three targets. "The real Aerith isn't this twisted and wicked. She's not this hostile to me or anyone. She and Leon and Yuffie and Tifa and Cloud and all the others supported me every step of the way!"
"Only because we had no other choice!" Aerith returned, in between casts of Firaga, that Kairi continued to avoid by the narrowest of margins. Everywhere the magical flames struck, Kairi could feel the residual sparks wash over here. "Why would anyone pin their hopes on some mopey, hopeless girl like you? We should have done the right thing and ripped that ridiculous Keyblade out of your hands and do this ourselves!"
"I don't believe you guys ever thought that for a second!" The Key Bearer countered, using said ridiculous Keyblade to knock aside more of Yuffie's throwing weapons, before moving to close the gap between her and Aerith, simultaneously putting space between her and the recovered Leon. "You supported Sora every step of his journey! You cared about me! When Sora went to finish off Ansem, you all brought me to Traverse Town and gave me comfort and shelter!"
"Stop talking like we're friends! You barely know us! We barely care about you!"
Screaming in anger and hatred that didn't belong to such a sweet and angelic woman, Aerith unleashed a massive torrent of hellfire that roared towards the charging Kairi. Shockingly though, the blazing flames parted around the girl, passing by and leaving her completely unharmed, as a soft pink haze settled around her being. Kairi tore through the blaze, using Destiny's Embrace to disarm of Aerith of her staff, holding tight to a mental picture of Aerith's kind and supportive smile.
"You showed me nothing but grace and encouragement and understanding when I needed it most. You and Tifa made me breakfast. I know enough to know what a wonderful person Aerith Gainsborough is. That she does care about me and supports me!"
The aura flared about Kairi, a brilliant corona that pulsed all about. The hallowed light warded off Leon and Yuffie, forcing the two to back off, while Aerith was not so lucky, as Kairi stood face-to-face with her. The shining blast of holy energy worked as it did before, stripping the shadows away and revealing the truth hidden beneath Zexion's hidden shadows. The likeness of Aerith was torn away in a terrifying shriek, a voice that melded the tones of both the gentle woman and the cackling Nobody, revealing another copy of Zexion, which was then quickly reduced to black cinders.
Kairi huffed, still flinching from the horrifying sight, but at least she her theory had worked. She had a way out of this dire conflict.
"Oh, big deal. You made another big heroic speech and conjured a little light show." Yuffie's sneering voice entered her ear, as the Wutai shinobi poofed into view, attacking with the giant shuriken again. Kairi parried, but the disappearing act made yet another encore. One moment, Yuffie was standing before her. The next, following more smoke, the black-haired girl was at her back. "It doesn't matter. Doesn't make a difference." Every time Kairi either defended herself or went to attack, Yuffie simply spirited herself away using her ninjutsu, making it impossible to get a beat on the girl. If that wasn't bad enough, Leon had rejoined the fray, attacking Kairi in the intervals of Yuffie's repeated withdrawals.
One of Yuffie's attacks ended up slicing her along the knee pit, before the ninja vanished yet again, as Kairi dropped to one knee, Leon baring down on her with his weapon raised. With no other options, Kairi stood her ground (more like kneeled her ground) and blocked the slash with her Keyblade. Leon's greater strength pushed down against her, pinning her place, Kairi struggling against the fierce warrior, before a sharp gout of pain lit up in between her shoulder blades. Yuffie had reappeared and drove one of the spikes of her giant shuriken into her back!
"You know you're going to fail, and you know all of us expect you to. You've doubted yourself every step of the way, so why wouldn't everyone else?" Yuffie hissed cruelly into her ear, as Leon continued to press down from the other side. Destiny's Embrace was almost pinned against her chest, as Yuffie slowly, very slowly, began to twist her shuriken within the wound. Every fibre of Kairi's being screamed in excruciating agony, the girl herself yowling dreadfully. "And besides all that, you know I never believed in you in the first place. I never even liked you. You got some big speech for that, Princess?"
"Yep. I do..." With the last remaining shred of mana she possessed, Kairi called down a lightning bolt from the heavens, striking directly upon her position! The stinking smell of burning ozone filled the courtyard, as the magical lightning surged through both it's summoner and the shadows haunting her, an unknown amount of volts paralyzing both Leon and Yuffie, their faces contorting in pain. The current was flowing everywhere except on her person, giving Kairi the opening she needed, as she removed herself from the shuriken and pushed forward, sending Leon tumbling away before turning to confront the ninja girl.
"I can't say whether Yuffie likes me or not, but that's not the point!" The ninja shook off the dazing effects of the magical bolt, before poofing away again. This time, though, Kairi was prepared, pivoting to her left and blindly parrying a strike from the large throwing star. "But you told me exactly what I needed to hear when I was down in the dumps." Once more winding the haft of her Keyblade through the spokes of the star, Kairi ripped the weapon out of the hands of the older teen. Then she firmly grasped onto the wrist of Yuffie, preventing her from pulling the disappearing act yet again. "You told me Sora was in a similar position, but he got up and fought. He did everything he could to help and save others." Snarling in indignity, Yuffie threw a punch at the redhead, but Kairi made no move to defend herself. Yuffie's left fist clocked her in the cheek, as the shining aura began to rise in intensity once more. "Thank you for that Yuffie, wherever you are. I hope we can actually become friends one day."
Kairi then pulled the black-haired girl into her chest, hugging her tightly. The ninja struggled against her grasp, cursing and growling in anger, and later pain, as the light became brighter and brighter. It seemed that all that training was paying off, Kairi tightening her grip on the slighter girl, focusing on the fire Yuffie had tried to light under her. Eventually, the power she held reached it's crescendo, flashing out in all directions, consuming Yuffie and burning away the shadows that disguised her form.
The Light receded a second later, Kairi finding herself holding on to the dwindling form of Zexion. In panic and disgust, she pushed the dying clone away, groaning and moaning despite the situation she found herself in. As the copy of the Silhouette of the Nobody burned away into nothing, the Key Bearer spent her time brushing off the front of her armoured cuirass and skirt, cursing herself for getting caught up in the moment.
A bellowing roar echoed through the garden, Kairi snapping her eyes open and close in rapid succession. Leon was charging at her yet again. Oh right, she wasn't done here yet. No time for getting caught up in her own discomfort.
"Don't think that touchy-feely crap will cut it with me." Leon barked as his gunblade sparked against the ground, Kairi dodging his strike again. Even though she was no in a one-on-one fight, she still didn't like her chances in a straight duel with Leon.
"Trust me, I know." Even if this were the real Leon, Kairi was pretty sure she couldn't get a hug out of the grumpiest man in the Hollow Bastion on Christmas Day. "Different problems call for different solutions, right?"
Trying to think of that different solution for this problem, the gears in Kairi's head began spinning again, as she danced around Leon's exploding fireballs, doing everything she could to keep her distance from that fearsome revolver gunblade he wielded. Figuring she would charge at him like she did with Aerith, counting on her Light to shield her again, she focused on conjuring up a happy memory to fuel that power.
Without warning though, a wave of wooziness washed over her. A familiar sensation, too, as the girl stumbled to a halt, her legs feeling like extra wiggly jelly. Had she hit her limit? Were three little bursts equal to one big one? Kairi shook her head, trying to dispel the feeling and focus, when the sound of Leon's boots stomping on the stone tiles filled her hears, drumming thunder growing louder and louder.
Shoot... She panted, still feeling unwell and uneasy. Looking up, she could see the leader of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee barreling right down on her, weapon already reared back. He would be in range in a flash. Guess we're doing this... Swallowing as much of the sickly feeling in her body as she could, Kairi planted her feet and held up Destiny's Embrace.
Leon lashed out, roaring like a man possessed, with Kairi standing on guard, gripping her Keyblade in both hands. Both weapons met with a resounding clash, again and again, with the redheaded Princess making sure to push-off from each parry. She didn't want to be caught in another lock with the stronger, more experienced swordsman. Through it all, repeated clashes and slashed and swipes, Kairi was holding her own even though her head was still swimming and her hands were beginning to thrum painfully from the repeated collisions, every time the blades met it would send a raging shockwave rippling down the length of her Keyblade and straight through to her hands and forearms. Still, a stalemate was not what she needed, doing her best to keep moving, dodging and deeking about, carefully minding her steps over torn up chunks of floor. But Leon refused to let her retreat again. To give her space so she could summon her Light for the coup de grace.
After the dozenth clash, Kairi double-timed it backwards, never taking her eyes off Leon. She didn't need much, just ten or twenty seconds to reach down into her soul and rip away the shadows that had assumed Leon's form. But that phantasm wasn't even going to grant her one second, Leon leaping into the air with a vicious diagonal chop, Kairi barely getting her weapon up in time to stop herself from being chopped in half. Metal met with enchanted, holy metal, the sound so terrible Kairi felt her ear drums were going to pop there and then. Then, Leon pulled the trigger of his gunblade.
No bullets fired from the cylindrical chamber of the weapon, or any projectile or any kind; instead, a crackling, thunderous BOOM originated from the blade. The unseen wave rippled through the space between Key Bearer and shadow, smashing into Kairi's chest and arms, feeling as if her entire skeleton was vibrating like a tuning fork! Now, she felt truly sick, as her skin rippled and shredded from the force, her Keyblade being ripped from her hands and flung to the far corner of the courtyard! Not that it would do her any good, as her hands were now completely numb.
With all the advantage in the world available to him, Leon struck again, following up with a slash aimed at Kairi's throat. At the last second, even through the sickness and numbness in her being, Kairi veered out of the way. The crooked blade still caught her though, cutting deep into her right arm. The girl barely had enough time to wince from the pain before Leon caught her in the midsection with a scornful and disdain kick, driving the wind out of her lungs and sending her to the ground so hard that she bounced and skidded across the surface.
"Pathetic." Leon sneered, swiping at the air with his weapon while taking slow, deliberate strides to his downed opponent. One hand on her arm and the other on her side, Kairi was slowly pulling herself away, scooting along the ground. "Look at you, cowering in fear after a few scrapes. I can't even understand why the Keyblade would go to some weakling like you."
"You and I both know there's more to being a Key Bearer than raw strength." Kairi said, before doing her best to get to a standing position. Leon's tenacity was a problem, and the evidence was clear she couldn't take him in a fight. Nor could she make enough space. Risky as it was, she was just going to have to charge into the thick of things and wing it. "No matter what you say, you can't bury the truth. Sora did enough to earn your faith and your trust, and you placed that some of that faith in me. Maybe one day, I can have that same confidence myself, without leeching off of Sora's deeds and actions."
"No, no. It was a mistake." Leon shook his head, glaring at Kairi. "I was a fool to ever believe in someone like you. To pin my hopes on some weakling. Just like you were foolish to ever believe our faith would hold." Leon took up a stance, ready to charge again, but it proved to be an unnecessary move. Kairi had already broke out into a full sprint, coming right towards him.
"You gave my Sora's journal." Instantly, the haze of energy embraced Kairi's form again. The corona of holy light was shining even strong then it had in her previous uses of it. "You gave me that because you know just how much it meant to me. Because of you, I can retrace his journey, see what he did. Live those adventures through his eyes! I know you felt awful for not being able to provide more help, but all of you were so kind and considerate. You did all you could to help me!"
Kairi clenched her fist, but did not call upon her Keyblade. The power she wielded instead began to concentrate itself within her fist, before blooming into a sizzling blade of pure Light! It wasn't much, maybe a bit longer than a dagger, but it would have to do. It was too late for Kairi to turn back now, after all.
Finger on the trigger of his gunblade, Leon bull rushed the girl and swung the sword again, intending to finish her off with one solid strike. At the very last possible second, with Leon's powerful armament coming right for her head, Kairi crouched down mid-stride, losing a few more hairs from the top of her head in the process as the sword sailed over her. Still, clear of danger, Kairi pressed forward with unstoppable momentum, closing in on Leon and swiping at him with her short little light blade. The beam of radiant energy did not so much as cut the warrior, but phased through his clothing and flesh, leaving no trace or mark of contact.
"Thank you for that, Leon. Aerith, Yuffie. Everyone. I want to say these things to you in person, if I can."
Still, wound or not, it had the desired effect, as Leon fell to his knees, gunblade clattering to the ground, screaming in pain, just as Kairi came to a skidding stop. Like ice under the scorching Arabian sun, the likeness of one Squall "Leon" Leonhart melted and sloughed off the Zexion copy, the bookish Nobody now yowling in agony as the Light tore away at him, before burning away in shadowy fire like the other copies before him.
That sickly feeling crept into her body again, as her vision went spotty for a moment. Kairi's breath was ragged, and she was beginning to feel the effects of the drawn-out battle. Out of mana, exhausted and weakened from her own innate power, and physical injuries piling up at a frightening rate. She couldn't keep this up for much longer. Still, as she called Destiny's Embrace back to her and began to scour the area for signs of movement, she knew this wasn't over yet.
One more copy left. One more impostor to torment me. Kairi thought, while moving cautiously back towards the exit. Towards the city proper. If Zexion was going to take his sweet time with the smoke and mirrors, she might have a chance to escape and go help her friends. So who's it gonna be this time? What unwanted trip down memory lane will you be taking me on?
"Kairi, dear, what's the matter? You look awful..."
Kairi's breath hitched in her throat at the sound of her voice. It was almost enough to make her cry.
Stepping out of the shadows came Mihara Shiratori, mayor of the small island town of Salm – former mayor, Kairi had to correct herself. One of the candidates for governor had just announced her as their running mate. She was probably in the swing of things for the election, back home. Smartly dressed in a light grey business suit, with her long and voluminous jet black hair bound in a tight bun – only marred by a few streaks of silvery grey – Kairi immediately noticed the same deficiencies as with her friends and Leon and the others. Her expression was neutral and flat, too neutral to be natural, and green eyes, normally bright and intelligent, were dull and listless. Mihara repeated the questions, slowly approaching Kairi, who swallowed a knot of emotion, paralyzed by indecision.
Just as before, Kairi was at war with herself. The rational part of the redhead knew this song and dance by now; this was just another Zexion clone done up to look like someone she cared about, meant to torture her, try to break her spirit, and then kill her. But her heart and the emotional side of her could care less about any of that. It was her mom! The only mother – the only parent – she ever knew. The woman that opened her home and heart to some strange girl from across the stars and treated her like her own flesh and blood, gave her everything in the world. It pained Kairi to see her after so long, but also filled her with unbridled, impossible joy! Kairi loved her mom with all her heart and... and... and...
What horrible things would she do and say to try and break Kairi, just as the other phantoms before her had? How much heartache would she have to suffer from this encounter? Remembering the uncharacteristically vicious looks Selphie and Aerith had given her, Kairi shuddered at the idea of her sweet, patient, intelligent, and gracious mom doing the same. How could she possible survive that?
Destiny's Embrace had long vanished with the sight of Mihara, but now Kairi shied away, head full of horrible thoughts and possibilities. The girl shrank away from her mother, shrinking into herself, not wanting to suffer any more emotional wounds today. This wall too much to handle. She would be better off fleeing and trying to find Jasmine and -
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Mihara smiled, tried to smile as best a Nobody in disguise could manage. "It'll be okay, whatever it is, I promise. Just come on and over and tell me what's bothering you. You'll feel better." Kairi's mom held her arms out, offering herself for a hug. "Just like how you were afraid of going on your school camping trip when you were eight. You were all worked up you brought yourself to tears. But then we talked about it and you felt so much better you were able to summon enough courage to go. And you had a wonderful time, remember?"
Kairi's rational half broke, her emotional half earning a sweep victory, as she staggered over to Mihara. She did remember that moment in her childhood. Upset over being away from home and her mom for a long weekend, a whole three days! And now, she hadn't seen her for two months. Two months and counting.
"Mom..." Kairi choked, barely able to get the word out through the thick knot lodged in her throat, before embracing the woman, hugging her as tight as possible. Mihara returned the favour, gently wrapping one arm around her daughter's back. Kairi's own mind was screaming at her, for falling for the ploy so easily, but the heartsick Key Bearer didn't bother listening to her own internal objections. This felt so good, so right! To be back in her mom's arms. To have a piece of home back in her life. Mihara even smelled like home, so perfect was Zexion's illusion.
Deep down, a part of Kairi never wanted this to end. Or, rather, for this to be the end. For her to go back home and forget all the pain and burden and responsibility of being Kairi the Key Bearer and return to being Kairi Shiratori, only child of Mihara. Of continuing that simple, carefree existence.
"It's okay, Kairi. Just let it all out. It will be over soon."
A shadowy knife flickered into Mihara's open hand, to plunge into her heart. Slowly and perilously, the knife descended towards the girl...
Suddenly, the blazing sun of Agrabah was consumed by another source of light, drowning out the sunlight and replacing scorching heat with gentle worth. Mihara grasped in shock, her knife shattering, as her own disguise began to peel away.
It didn't take much for Kairi to find a pleasant memory between her and her mom, there were so many she was spoiled for choice in how to stoke the flames of her heart. Waves of incomprehensibly bright light rolled out from her heart and body, with Kairi holding on to the likeness of her mom even tighter. So that she wouldn't escape. So that she could squeeze every last drop of these feelings from this moment.
More Light spilled out in a never-ending tide, a greater show than all the others, before one final burst radiated from the Princess. So intense and strong was this emanation, that it destroyed both the disguise and Nobody in a single shot! The Light faded and Kairi was left hugging only herself. The forlorn girl sank to her knees, tears rolling down from her tightly shut eyes.
She stayed like that for a few minutes, arms wrapped around her chest as she gently sobbed, her breath shuddering every so often.
"I'm so sorry, mom. I'll come home soon. I promise."
Purple-blue eyes flew open, still crying, but also possessed by a furious, indignant fire.
"How dare..." She coughed, still trying to swallow that knot in her throat. Kairi knuckled away the tears and tried again. "How dare you, you underhanded, cowardly snake! Using the people I love the most against me? Just when I thought the Organization couldn't sink any lower, you show me a new level of shamelessness!" This was it. Zexion had made seven copies of himself and Kairi had dispelled seven doppelgangers. All that was left was the Silhouette of the Cloaked Schemer himself. She summoned her Keyblade, ready for battle. "My memories and my emotions belong to me and no one else! I'll never forgive you for sullying them and trying to poison them against me, so come out and fight me. Fight me!"
Even if she was hurt and exhausted and out of mana. Even if she had overtaxed herself and the world was spinning around her. Even through all that, Kairi wasn't going to back down after all these insults. The Nobodies could assault and harass her all they wanted, but there was no way in heaven, hell, or in between she would let them taint and corrupt her friends and family. Use their faces and voices and contort them into some perverse mockery. The lies and illusions and shadows and falsehoods, she would cut through it all and end this.
Still, a dark part of her couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to what the phantasms had said today. If Selphie and the others resented her for prioritizing the boys above their relationship. If Leon and the others had such grave doubts about her, but only humoured her because she was the only option.
No, no, no! Kairi shook her head, as to banish those dark thoughts. Don't think like that! That's what Zexion wants! Even if any of that crap is true, they're you're friends, Kai. They believe in you and see the best in you...
"Kairi."
Kairi had thought she had weathered the worse of the storm. That she couldn't suffer anymore heartache today. That after parading out her mother, there was no way Zexion could stoop any lower. No act he could perform to serve as a grand, disgusting finale.
She was wrong.
"Using the people I love the most" was what she had said, and she had no idea how accurate that statement. The people she loves the most. The person she loves most of all.
Swallowing fear and anxiety and so much pain, Kairi turned around to find herself face-to-face with Sora.
So, seeing as how this is the last piece I will be publishing in 2019, and seeing how this is the first year I've returned to my fan author career since early 2015, I wanted to eschew my normal author notes and talk about something a little more personal.
I have been very open (very, very open) that I did not like Kingdom Hearts III, and that my hatred of that game was the reason why I got back into writing. Specifically, I was in a real bad place at the start of the year. My depression and anxiety were really messing me up, and I was hoping this game would help me out of that. Little did I know, was that in the end, KH III only exacerbated my anxiety, and I felt like utter garbage through most of February. I was angry and manic and depressive and felt physically ill, and I knew I had to do something to relieve this. So, I started writing, hoping I could come to terms with how I felt and move past it.
And I think, I've come up with an answer to my question. Or, maybe I've known this for a while and only now can deal with it.
I always use to say that I have a love-hate relationship with Kingdom Hearts, and post-III, the dial was just set all the way down "hate". But I know that's no longer true. I have always been one not to shirk away from objective truth when I see, it no matter how uncomfortable.
I hate Kingdom Hearts. I hate this franchise. I hate it's needlessly convoluted plot. I hate it's horrible pacing that it's never been able to fix. I hate that it keeps adding more and more characters without even utilizing the ones already established. I hate getting attached and invested in characters that keep getting laid by the wayside while the same handful of characters do everything. I hate how the games mistreat it's characters and ignore it's past, while spending so much time setting up insipid plot points for it's terrible gatcha mobile game and Nomura's crappy Final Fantasy XV fanfiction. I hate how because destiny is absolute, nothing matters, and our heroes' actions are meaningless. I hate how morally repugnant the games are to all but out and out say victims of abuse should forgive their abusers if the latter say their sorry.
I hate myself, because I can no longer enjoy the thing I used to love.
Now, don't go thinking that this melodramatic confession means this story is done, or that I'm done writing KH stuff. Because I'm not. That's not what this means. I am committed to finish this story through 2020. As for what this all means, I don't know yet, either. I am most certainly not buying Re:Mind, but beyond that, I don't want to say "never again", but the odds of me actively participating in this franchise again look bleak at this point.
I felt like I needed to confront how I truly felt about all this and make my intentions and my feelings clear. Sometimes, when you are growing disillusioned with something you love, the best and hardest step is to just walk away. To say it's no longer for you. To accept that fact, however harsh it is, and put it aside, sparing yourself further stress and pain. I haven't truly loved a Kingdom Hearts game since Birth By Sleep. I only really love three games in the franchise. The more time passes, the more elements are added that I dislike or find bothersome. The things I enjoyed about Kingdom Hearts are no longer the relevant things in the franchise. I'm putting too much of myself into this series and not getting anything back. It's time for me to accept it and move on.
TL;DR: I am the Kingdom Hearts fan writer who hates Kingdom Hearts and have probable hated it for sometime now.
Besides my own personal garbage, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with me this past year. Even if this is the only sentence of mine you have ever read, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Therapy or not, I am very glad I returned to writing and got share my nonsense with you, dear reader. It means a lot that there are some people out there willing to follow me through my craziness and anger and bitterness. Thank you thank you THANK YOU.
Let's kick some ass and finish this off in 2020, guys! Happy New Years and best wishes, until then.