The gentle scent of lavender wafts throughout the airy kitchen, filling every inch of the spacious room with its sweet aroma. Sunlight streams through open windows making the entire area feel much more homely than the rest of the decrepit mansion. Aged paint had turned a dull shade of yellow, peeling in some areas and bleached by the sun after so many years without proper a couple pieces of the handmade wicker seats still circled the cozy table placed off by the windows where countless memories had been made.
Riku had always been an early bird- there was simply too much to be done in a day and getting most of it finished in the morning to free up the afternoons was an accomplishment. Considering the state of things they'd returned to...well, there was definitely a lot to do. He leaned silently against the door frame as Kairi helped the tiny strawberry blonde clean a dish in the sink, wiping her face carefully with a cloth before pressing a kiss to the top of her head to send her off. Hana waved at him as she barreled out the room, out of sight in the mere second it took to blink. What a lively kid...
"Did you sleep well?" Came the familiar voice, her back to him as she pulled a tea mug off the low shelf hung over the sink. "Sorry that guest rooms weren't prepared or anything. I know there weren't any fresh sheets on the beds but they haven't been used in a while so-"
"I slept fine." He cut the apology off, moving to rest against the tall kitchen island directly behind her. Riku couldn't help but stare at the petite woman that'd been his best friend; from behind she mostly looked unchanged with the same deep red hair that was now grown out to waist length, the same graceful movements of someone raised to be poised at all times. Yet the scars that littered her bare skin were new and stood out against the tan that was a shade darker than he remembered; there was definition in her body that now showed without effort as she flit around the kitchen. A stronger and more mature version of the girl he'd grown up with.
And when she turned to him the delicate lines etched into her face spoke volumes of a life she had lived since their last meeting.
"That's good..." She placed a steaming mug onto the counter beside him, another still in hand as she paused to take in it's aroma as a deliberate stall for time. The air had become thick with tension as the bittersweet feelings of reunion dissolved and left only uncertainty between them. Now mostly recovered from the battle with Xemnas and rested, Riku was able to think much more clearly than before; all the signs had been presented directly to them yesterday yet neither boy had been smart enough to piece together how long they'd actually been gone. How stupid...
"So... Your, um... Hana. She's...energetic." Unable to handle the silence any longer he awkwardly took the cup of tea, welcoming the burn in his calloused hand without so much as a flinch. Any degree of pain was better than stumbling over words that tasted like ash at least.
A chuckle vibrated in her throat, muffled by the mug at her lips as she took a sip. There was something about the mix of lavender with honey that was soothing enough to keep Kairi from absolutely breaking the calm facade and falling apart right in front of him. How many years have passed since she had given up on the possibility of ever seeing them again? That she had grieved their loss and decided on pressing forward with a normal life? Now here they were in the flesh- and they hadn't aged a day since reuniting in The World That Never Was. A part of her wondered if they were mere hallucinations due to recent stress. Yet in her heart she knew that they were truly back this time.
"That's putting it mildly. Hana...is a wild one. She doesn't get to go outside very often, but I'm hoping when she starts training in spring it'll be enough to tire her out." Fondness softened the aged features, gentle eyes gazing out the window solemnly. "If that doesn't do then I don't know what will."
"Training? What would a kid that small need training for?" A frown tugged at the corner of his lips, an elbow resting against the chipped wooden counter to prop the soft curve of his chin. "Why exactly can't she go outside to play like other kids? We were all about her age when we first were left to play on the island."
She sighed heavily, leaning back into a hard wicker chair with both hands still encompassing her drink. "You two really missed a lot. It's dangerous for anyone who isn't properly trained to go beyond the town perimeter. That's why you ran into the guards last night. No one is supposed to be out there at all especially after curfew, so to have two boys suddenly show up from the play island..." The words trailed off with a raise of a thin red brow. Riku didn't need her to finish the sentence to understand the meaning.
"Wha's so dangerou'?" The question was drawn out by a hefty yawn, only semi coherent as a disheveled Sora appeared in the doorway wearing clothes that hung ridiculously from his slender frame. "We were out there and didn' see mu'h of anything."
Kairi smiled, standing to retrieve a third mug with a soft greeting as she passed, preparing his drink just as he liked- sweeter and with added water to cool it down considerably. "You two might have just gotten lucky." Carefully setting it down as the brunet joined them, her hand affectionately ruffled the mussed spikes before returning to her own seat. "The Heartless tend to run rampant out there and along the beach. Everyone has been trained to handle them as best they can but they don't stay down very long without a Keyblade."
"Heartless?!" Shocked out of his drowsiness at the mention of their enemies, Sora looked over to Riku with wide eyes. "What are they doing here? I thought when we restored the Islands..."
"For a while they were gone," The redhead absently fiddled with the ever present pendant that hung at her neck, an outward sign of disquiet, becoming somber once more. "But then one day they started coming back. A few stray ones here and there. Now they're being spotted inland too. The homes outside of town are uninhabitable because of how many there are, so we've pulled everyone that managed to escape into town. We continue to try but no matter how we fight they just keep coming back..."
Guilt radiated off the silver haired teen in waves, knuckles turning white as his fingers clutched the mug. This was my fault. Opening up the world to Darkness back then had been a foolish mistake, one he'd regret for the rest of his life. Now to know that his own home was falling apart because of that choice, that desire for power...The blood of everyone who lost their hearts would forever be on his hands.
"Well now that we're back we can seal the Keyhole so they stop coming!" Looking considerably more awake than just a moment before, Sora beamed confidently across the table at her; for a heartbeat Kairi remembered just why she'd once held such strong feelings for this boy- it was difficult to stay down in his presence. That much seemed to have stayed the same despite the passage of time. A soft smile touched her lips as her heart mourned the chance they'd never gotten at anything more than a friendship.
"We have no clue where on the island it might be..." Fingers drummed against the stained glass of the old mug tunelessly, splaying the fingers of her free hand in resignation. "Every time people have gone out to look they've come back empty. After a while they just stopped looking to prioritize their safety."
His grin only grew, the glimmer in his eye triumphant. "Well lucky for you I know exactly where it is!"
"You do?" She straightened up so abruptly the hot liquid sloshed over slender fingers yet she didn't seem to notice, staring at him wide eyed before a palm smacked into her forehead. "Of course you do- Sora, this is incredible! If we can stop the Heartless from pouring out we'd be able to take back all the land that we've lost already. Then we can restore power to the island."
"First we should meet with the Mayor, see what he has to say. We didn't get the chance to meet with him last night after all." Riku had become strangely silent throughout that exchange finally spoke up, glancing around the otherwise empty room. Ordinarily Kairi's dad would have been awake long before now, preparing for meetings and the like. Of course who was to say what it was he did now with the Heartless being a constant threat.
Kairi took the final swig from her cup before standing to set it in the sink. "You're looking at her." Turning to look at the boys, her boys, with a broad grin of her own and spreading her arms with a bit of flourish.
"Huh?!" Sora nearly dropped his own mug, managing to save it at the last moment without a single drop spilled.
Leaning her weight back onto the counter she managed to maintain an air of humbleness about her but took pride in the shock that broke through even Riku's usual collected demeanor. The last they'd seen of one another the eldest teen had been ever so distant, stoic even. They had only just begun to chip away at the newfound reserved nature he'd taken up when they'd been whisked away once more into the heat of battle. Maybe this time destiny would see to it to be kinder to the trio. "Well they needed someone to watch over the island, as someone who grew up learning a lot of the inner workings of the position I was immediately asked. At first I didn't want to...but, they eventually talked me into it."
"Watch over...?" Riku stood to set his own cup beside Kairi's in the basin, towering over her petite frame. "Why would the islands need to be watched over?"
The smile slowly fell from her face, a look of weariness deep in those blue eyes he'd once loved so fiercely. It hurt him to see her completely lose her shine in an instant and he immediately regret asking anything. His own gaze darted over to where Sora had taken the liberty to pull himself onto the counter near a window to perch in the sunlight. Being indoors for so long coupled with stress was making him antsy.
"The Mayor on this world acts like a leader of the world, without a leader or ruler things start to fall apart... I already knew about the outside worlds and world order so it wasn't too overwhelming. Not until the Heartless started closing in... But we manage, like we usually do!" Doing her best to sound cheerful yet failing, Kairi pushed off the counter to stretch before turning to look up at Riku. "I have to head out of the safety zone today to assess some of the damage from the last extermination. If you two are going to head back down to the beach we should go together. It's best to go in groups."
A wave of uncertainty flooded his chest at the thought of her being out in open like that- she was still a Princess of Heart after all, Light radiated off her in a way that made him feel undeserving to even be in her presence. Kairi didn't belong out where danger was persistently dogging them; what if something happened, what if a Heartless got her?
"Of course we'll go with you! I wanna check out things now that it's light out." Sora seemed to have the same anxieties as he, despite the chirpy response. They both felt guilty just thinking of letting her go alone.
"Great! I'm going to go get changed- you should too. I don't think those clothes really fit either of you." She teased, pointedly staring at the way the shirt hung off his shoulder awkwardly.
He grinned bashfully and straightened the borrowed shirt as she passed to leave the room. "Hey who's clothes are these anyways?"
A prolonged silence filled the kitchen before Kairi pushed open the door. "...they were my husbands." With that she exited. The two met eyes feeling more than awkward as they remembered that she had a daughter, of course she'd have a husband. Shocking enough they hadn't ran into him yet.
"Come on, let's go see the town." Riku sighed deeply and took the lead, seeing that she'd disappeared already as he left the kitchen. It might be harder to adjust to than previously thought.
The streets are alive in the daytime, deliveries and construction work being carried out every corner you looked. Sora was reminded of Radiant Garden with how many scaffolding areas were set up. Briefly his mind flit to the Restoration Committee led by Leon and the gang, curious to know how they'd held up these past years. Had the town been restored to its former glory? He'd have to stop in as soon as he got the chance.
"Say Kairi, you mentioned Hana didn't get to go outside much. Why not? It looks safe inside the town." It was harder to look at her than he wanted to let on- eyes wandering their surroundings instead of taking her in.
It was easy to see where the safety zone ended, buildings abandoned and destroyed immediately outside of the guard post set up. Many of the lightposts had their bulbs shattered or powerlines cut to ensure complete darkness along the road. By the islanders or by Heartless...it was hard to tell.
"Remember my grandmas story? There is Light in the hearts of children. It's pure and untouched by the world...any Heartless would love to take that away." She raised a hand to the guards who immediately stepped aside for the mayor. The two at her side, just feet in front of Sora and Riku, gave a salute that was common among them. Sora noticed the female guard from last night at the post looking considerably more rested than before. She ignored his greeting entirely as they passed, stone faced as ever.
"So then what about school?" He watched the way she carried herself, dignified with a sense of purpose in each step. The long red tresses had been secured high on her head and bounced from side to side at a steady rhythm. Vaguely he recalled the story about children being the lights that saved the worlds from being consumed entirely. It was a story Kairi had held dear enough to remain in her heart despite having no memory of it at the time. "Doesn't she get to go to school?"
"Hana has a number of tutors that spend most of the day with her." There was a tinge of defensiveness in the words. "The mansion is one of the most fortified places on the island...so she stays there mostly. I'll sometimes allow her to come down to the marketplace with me if it's been quiet."
A low hum rumbled in Rikus throat as he realized the cause for how energetic the small girl was; being trapped inside for a majority of her days had to be difficult for a kid her age. It didn't seem there were any other children at the mansion either. With no playmates or space to run freely it wasn't all that surprising she was always bounding through the halls at the speed of light.
"She cant stay cooped up Kairi." Sora said simply, arms resting behind his head as he walked. Riku smirked, reminded of the desperation Kairi once held to get out of responsibilities presented by her adopted fathers position of power. She'd hated being put on the spot as the well behaved daughter; parties and speeches and important deals were far too overwhelming for a 5 year old with very few memories. It only seemed to intensify through the years until one day she conceded to the idea of running away.
Kairi herself remained silent, either digesting his words or ignoring the statement. Down the road looked like a warzone with parts of a home missing and large, smoking craters in the ground. That seemed to be her destination judging by the guards that turned as she came.
"Eventually she'll want to get out as much as you did." At that the redhead finally stopped to give him a sharp look that conveyed a million emotions before picking up the pace once again. For a brief second Riku swore the deep blue eyes seemed a tad more wet than normal.
Their visit to the dilapidated house took no more than a few minutes as the person in charge escorted her into the zone. Both boys were told to remain outside as she was filled in on information of the family that once lived here. Sora swear he could hear the older boy let out a soft sigh of relief upon overhearing they were all safe. It was with a small nod of her head that they all continued towards the main road to the beach.
The trio reached the docks in utter silence after that; a larger rowboat than the usual single person boats was set up to accommodate all of them when they arrived. Words were exchanged with the guard positioned at the very end, muttered under their breath far too low for even strained ears to pick up. When she climbed into the boat alongside them the Keybearer piped up hesitantly. "You're coming too?"
"Of course I am." She raised a challenging brow at them. "Who else will make sure you guys don't get into trouble?"
The older teen bit down on his lip; he had plenty but none that he would be willing to voice aloud. Kairi might have grown up and gotten older but her stubbornness still remained as strong as ever. When Sora got no help from Riku his shoulders slumped with defeat. There was no denying her.
The tension between the three only seemed to grow as they rowed in silence, each islander far too consumed in their own thoughts to bother with small talk. Would this be the new norm? All those years together all but erased and leaving them no better than strangers to one another? Well maybe being strangers would be better, at least there would be a clean slate to build a friendship upon.
It was worse than not knowing the woman sitting beside them- while they had stayed stuck in the Dark Realm she grew up, lived a whole life without them. Neither boy could even guess what Kairi had been through all these years.
Sora stifled a soft sigh of relief when she took the hand extended to her, supporting her weight as she stepped out of the boat onto the play island. The daytime revealed numerous smaller details that had gone unnoticed in the dark before; much of the wooden structures had rotten along with the tree house that once hung parallel to a weather worn ladder. Claw marks had gouged lines into the soft wood of the palm trees, distressed planks in the dock.
Kairi stood lost in memories, eyes flitting over the damage before filling with tears that were quickly wiped with the back of her hand. "It feels like I was just here yesterday... yet everything is in shambles now. It's all gone." With a shake of her head she walked past the two to secure the boat.
"Hey, Kairi, when we got here someone had left that boat we took. D'yknow who might have abandoned it?" Tentatively, Sora took a step forward, a gentle tilt of his head.
"That was you, wasn't it?" Riku guessed, watching her finish the same knot they'd found the night before. Most commonly taught to fishermen and their kids, it'd taken the two almost a week to teach it to the redhead their first time out on the island.
She nodded, her smile sad. "I thought... whenever you two came back you'd need a way to get home. This is where I ended up both times so it only made sense you two would land here too. Guess I was right."
The brunet, looking surprised before now grinned broadly, taking the lead while walking backwards onto the sand as he had done so many times before. "Well it's a good thing you were! Otherwise we would have had to swim back!" Both arms raised to rest behind the mess of spikes, supporting his head as the two trailed after him.
Mouth opened to respond, Riku caught sight of them first; the shadows moving erratically as they twisted and turned into dark pools surrounding his friend. A chill visibly ran up his spine as the original words died on his lips to become a call of warning.
"Behind you!" Kairi was in motion as the shout left her lips, darting past him and swiping down at the first Neoshadow to appear. It dissipated in a cloud of purple dust as she spun to swing at the next one with a shower of golden sparks raining down as the tiny pink heart floated away.
Having taken care of the last Heartless, Sora turned to gape at her- more specifically the heavy looking weapon in her hand. It glinted in the sunlight, the silver body having a mirror-like finish as it's Keychain jingled musically when she moved. "A Keyblade?!"
She rotated the weapon in her hand, wincing as her wrist stretched with an audible pop. It's been quite some time since the last time she'd had any need to call it forth. While her body might be slightly out of practice, the skills she'd honed were thankfully sharp as ever. There was a moment of extreme quiet before the redhead realized they were waiting for some sort of explanation.
"Huh? Don't you remember, Riku? You gave me this back when we went to help Sora. I would have thought it would still be fresh in your memory since it was much more recent to you." Holding it out for them to examine, she let herself become accustomed to its weight again.
"The one I gave you looked nothing like that…." Arms crossed over his broad chest, a frown tugging at his lips. "Where did you get this one?"
"A girl I used to know made this Keychain just for me, an amazing talent she promised to teach me." A nostalgic look crossed her eyes as her fingers gently touched the ornate chain. "Serene Song, she called it…It's helped me for many years after you two disappeared..."
Swinging the weapon to come and rest on her shoulder, Kairi glanced around the islet. "We have a lot of catching up to do, but first let's take care of the Heartless problem. Then we can sit and talk about everything."
Shaking his head to clear the probing curiosity Sora took lead. "Right! Let's go!"
Until their goal was complete he could put the distracting thoughts aside for the time being, body already gearing up for the next round of enemies that would come their way. Yet Sora couldn't ignore what was truly bothering him forever; hoping they'd actually get their chance to talk privately later he rushed towards the secret cave behind the waterfall.
"Get out of the way!"
Turning sharply, the hero summoned Kingdom Key to hand before even seeing what was happening. "Riku!"
Way to Dawn was swinging spells rapidly against a large Heartless that had pulled itself up from the ground between them. It loomed over them menacingly with glowing eyes locked onto it's target as a large hand raised overhead. Kairi looked ready to leap to the older boys aid when he waved the two of them forward.
"Go! I'll catch up with you guys!" Lighting fast on his feet despite the injuries from their last fight, Riku managed to dodge almost every swipe that came close. The heartless had yet to take any notice of the other two just behind it but the number of shadows beginning to shift around would undoubtedly lock onto them in an instant.
"But Riku-" The protest was cut short as small yet strong fingers closed on his wrist and began pulling forward once more.
"Come on, he can handle himself! He said he'll catch up so he will!" While the pain in her eyes disagreed with what the words, Kairi continued to drag the hero until he was running alongside her in the sand towards the cave, with a final glance to where their best friend remained locked in battle.
The air was cool and it kissed their flushed faces in welcome as the two walked down the narrow passage that opened up into an open cave, canopied by foliage high above. A layer of dust covered every inch of the cavern, including the drawings lining them accompanied by moss that reached high up into corners of rock that were untouched by sunlight. It all looked different yet exactly as the last time he'd seen it.
"I'll keep watch over here and wait for Riku. You go seal the Keyhole, Sora." Soft yet commanding, it wasn't a real wonder that they'd chose Kairi to be their new mayor. The authority in her voice was impossible to deny. While he wanted to ensure the safety of his best friend there were more pressing matters at hand- as long as this Keyhole remained opened Destiny Islands was a target to any and all Heartless attacks.
A soft sigh passed his lips as he walked the length of the cave, a gloved hand trailing across the dusty stone. How long has it been since anyone last stepped foot in here? Much longer than the last time they'd come to the island if he had to guess. Not too much had changed in that time it seemed.
Except there was something different, he noticed it somewhere in the depths of his subconscious as he approached the large wooden door at the very end. Something that felt like he'd done eons ago, another lifetime. It tickled at his brain for a moment yet the boy couldn't place anything too important.
"Sora, hurry up!" Glancing over his shoulder he could see only a fluid streak of red as she darted between shadows pulling themselves into existence from any crevice not touched by sunlight; how had he not noticed the sounds of a scuffle? Bright glowing eyes took form in the liquid darkness, becoming individual shapes as they stretched their limbs out towards him.
"Right!" It began faintly at first, the dim glow building intensity at the center of the door before taking the familiar shape of a Keyhole. Warmth enveloped his being, seeming to touch even his heart as if to remind him that he was always welcome in its depths. Kingdom Key danced through the bright shining rays as if it had a mind of its own, its end perfectly aligned to seal the world from Darkness once and for all.
And Sora caught himself staring at the one section of stone with hardly any drawings on it save for one, finding himself absolutely distracted by the tightening in his throat; he could almost feel the stone as it dulled against stone and dust rained onto his bare legs crossed directly beneath. Sure his artistic skill hadn't improved much since the original drawing was done but at the very least it'd been identifiable in shape. The latest addition however didn't match the scale of the rest of the drawing.
What a big paopu… He mused just moments before a large mass came crashing into him and broke the spell of nostalgia. The Keyblade Hero stumbled, collapsing under the weight of multiple Heartless that pinned him down.
There was a strangled noise that came from beneath the growing pile of squirming enemies, catching her attention as the teeth of her blade ripped through another Shadow. With a jolt Kairi realized it was her friend underneath them and making obvious sounds of a struggle. "Sora!"
Damp sand over stone made it difficult to run, her shoes skidding across the ground as the princess tried to swat them off of him to no avail. As soon as one was destroyed another came to attack or join the pile. From within it could be heard that Sora was still fighting them off to the best of his ability. Swatting again and again anywhere Serene Song could find purchase to no avail, a frustrated cry was torn from her lips. "J-just give me a second, Sora, I'll get you out of there!"
"Kairi! Seal the Keyhole!" His voice muffled and strained, she thought for just a moment there was a glimpse of chestnut hair poking through the dark bodies around him.
Hesitating, her eyes flicked to where it continued to glow against the decaying wood invitingly. A few of the Shadows were leaping at the door with claws gashing deep into it's worn surface. "Sora I- I don't think I-"
"You can! I believe in you!"
She stood, less sure of herself than ever before; training to fight had been one thing but this was unknown territory. What if she couldn't do it? None of the other Princesses of Heart had the ability to find or seal any of the Keyholes in their respective worlds…
…but no other Princess of Heart had a Keyblade either.
It came naturally, Serene Song arcing gracefully through the air only to stop dead center of the Keyhole, knowing where to go without its wielders guidance. An invisible whirlwind whipped around her and sent sand swirling at her feet, a barrier shielding her from the rest of the world; the only thing that existed in this space was Kairi and the heart of her world. The outline quickly filled with a shimmering glow, like a crystal it cast out iridescence before it was overtaken by light. Instinctively her eyes shut against the blinding white but could still feel the energy coursing through her weapon towards the heart's seal as it locked out the Darkness once and for all. There was a quiet but firm click that just barely reached the Princess' ears.
When she looked back once more everything had returned to normal. There was no glow, no warmth radiating from the gold rimmed door. Only the sound of her heavy breath and the adrenalized heartbeat in her ears.
A hand came to rest on her shoulder, breaking Kairi from the trance she'd lost herself in. Looking back Sora was behind her with a grin upon his face. "Way to go Kairi!"
"I…I did it?" Finding her voice, Serene Song lowered to the ground as the energy between wielder and weapon diminished. The cave was cleared of enemies, only the scratches along the dirt and wood remained as evidence they were ever here at all.
"I knew you could!" The gloved fingers gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze, relief and pride leaving a giddy feeling swelling within the older woman that she hadn't experienced in a long time. As though Kairi had been holding her breath for years, finally able to exhale every worry she'd had.
Footsteps echoed throughout the small cavern prompting them both to turn around as Riku finally rejoined them. Tension seemed to ease from his shoulders at the sight of them- bruised, dirty, but still whole. A smile tugged at his lips; there was no denying he worried about them still, despite knowing firsthand that both his friends could take care of themselves.
"You did it, Sora. The Heartless all disappeared from the beach." Riku didn't question his best friends ability to seal the world. After all he'd seen Sora achieve as much from the other side before. But he sure did take his time in doing it.
"Nope! It wasn't me at all." Sora stepped back behind the Princess to rest both hands on her shoulder and give her a slight push forward. Pride beamed from his face, dripped off his words. She hadn't been joking when she said she'd gotten stronger. "Kairi sealed the Keyhole and really saved me back there!"
Surprise flickered in the teal eyes, first regarding the brunet then the abashed redhead, before turning soft once more. Riku could see now why Sora seemed so proud- it was hard not to be for her sake. "Good job, Kairi. Now the islands should be safe again."
Gaze dropping down to the beautiful silver weapon in hand, there was a flicker of something he almost missed had he not been looking to the woman he'd known since childhood. An unsettled look of discontent that seemed to vanish just as her Keyblade did. Then she smiled at him and the strange look was all but forgotten.
"Right." Kairi pulled from Sora's hold gently and nodded, fingers brushing strands of red that'd fallen loose of the high ponytail back behind her ears. "Well, we should head back to make sure everyone's okay! Come on!"
Without waiting another moment she took the lead, walking past the taller boy who quickly turned to follow now that their job was done. It was Sora who hung back just a moment longer to look off to his left at the cave drawing of himself and Kairi; pained at the sight of the paopu fruit she'd drawn for him in return, unknowing how long the admission of her own feelings had been there awaiting his return to their Secret place.
He sighed, eyes lowered to the ground, before taking off to catch up with his friends before they took notice of his absence.