Chapter 12.
"I guess... having a sleepover isn't such a good idea..." Kairi said dejectedly. She had been wandering around the tower with Sora, trying to get the others to join in with her idea. She had only been met with polite refusal, or in Lea's case- full blown rejection. She now sat on the bed in her room, a bored expression on her face, while Sora poked around.
"There might be other things we could do..." Sora said.
"I thought about it, and I'm sure we'd still get the same responses. Aqua's too deep in her own thoughts, Lea thinks anything we come up with is childish- which I find hilarious since his two favorite pastimes are sleeping and eating ice cream, and Riku'd get bored too quickly, not to mention I don't think he's well enough right now. I heard what sounded like gagging when I passed his room earlier."
Sora bolted to full attention at that remark. "He got sick again?"
"Nothing to panic about." Kairi said quickly, sensing Sora's rising panic. "I brought my concerns up to Yen Sid, he said Riku was just having a bad reaction to some medicine he had been given in the Dark Realm. He'll be ok, but I don't think he'll be coming along when we set out to Castle Oblivion in a couple days..."
"It'd be for the better if that turns out to be the case. He'd probably flip out if he learned what I have to do on that mission."
Kairi began to fidget. Yen Sid had told her what her role in that mission would be- that there was a risk that Sora would lose his heart while retrieving Ventus and would need to be restored, like when he became a Heartless while reviving Kairi on that first journey. She was nervous, fearing that her powers might fail her when she needed them most. If she failed, she might never see Sora again, and Riku might never forgive her.
"Hey, hey!" Sora exclaimed, taking Kairi in a strong, comforting embrace. "Have a little faith in yourself!" He said, gently lifting her chin with the tips of his fingers. "Yen Sid said your powers of Heart are awoken by instinct, it should come naturally when the time is right. I'm not afraid..." He added, taking her in a soft, lingering kiss. "Because I have faith in you."
"Sora..." Kairi whispered as she nuzzled into his shoulder. "Thank you..."
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The two of them wound up having a small "sleepover" of their own on the Tower grounds, sharing stories and practicing spell casting, until the two finally collapsed, under the stars in the soft grass, exhausted. Kairi lay with her head resting on Sora's lap, completely content.
"It's a shame the others couldn't be convinced to partake in this beautiful night." Kairi said as Sora absentmindedly stroked her hair. "But at least we have this last fond memory to share before the war begins."
"Yes. And I know there will be many more to come afterward."
"Sora?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you... if we make it out of this war ok... can you... finally... be with me? Can you give me something to hold on for if all else seems hopeless?"
"I will."
Kairi smiled. "Then, it's settled. I know we can save ourselves for that moment,"
Sora bolted upright, a sudden and embarrassing recollection making it's way to the surface of his memory. He began to stammer.
"Uh... Kairi... about that... There's something you need to know if you have those sort of plans..."
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In the brief timing of an embarrassing confession, Sora had effectively killed any romance that had built up between him and Kairi. But he felt that if Kairi had those sort of plans with him in the future, she'd have to find out eventually. And now he saw a completely different side of her that he wasn't sure he liked. The first thing she did was slap him soundly across the face, than she stormed into the tower, Keyblade in hand, where she nearly crashed into a visibly surprised Lea.
"Whoa, whoa whoa! Where are you headed in such a hurry?" He asked her in disbelief.
"To find Riku, I'm going to castrate him!" She exclaimed as she stormed onward.
"What was that all about?" Lea asked Sora as he stumbled into the tower, clutching his face, a bruise forming where Kairi struck him.
"I just told her about the salve incident..." Sora answered bitterly.
"The WHAT?"
"Ugh. Remember how badly Riku's leg had been bruised after the Organization got ahold of him?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with why Kairi's pissed right now?"
"Yen Sid made him a salve to help him manage the pain afterwards, and yet the fumes that stuff emitted had a strange effect on our minds. For some reason it drove me and Riku into... ugh, don't make me say it!"
Lea stared at Sora, stunned, but then his face contorted into a smile he was trying to suppress, and then he began to laugh. Sora's own face twisted into an expression of justified anger.
"I knew you and Riku were close, but, seriously? Which one of you topped?"
"That's none of your business, Lea..." Sora snarled.
"That's enough, Lea!" came Yen Sid's voice.
The commotion had woken most of those who dwelled in the tower, and now all of them were congregating in the small entrance hall. Riku was actually the one escorting Kairi, who's expression had softened, but was still reddened from the fit of anger. Riku had a bruise on his own face to match Sora's, meaning Kairi had gotten a swing at him, but had thankfully not castrated him as she had threatened to.
"Kairi and Riku have each told their own side of the story." Yen Sid began. "And it actually makes perfect sense. The only thing anyone truly understands about that fruit is that it makes a potent painkiller."
Yen Sid felt slightly annoyed at the room full of blank stares he received, but just shrugged it off and continued his explanation.
"It was merely an unfortunate but understandable occurrence, and one you need not get your feelings hurt over. The juice used in the salve I prepared all those months ago came from a strange fruit known in it's world as a Fogberry, which got it's name from the effects one would experience if they were exposed to the fumes emitted by the crushed or rotting fruit- a sudden impairment or 'fogging' of their mental capacities. It affects people differently depending on how strong of a dose they were exposed to- with minor doses causing aphrodisiac, recklessness or general mind-numbing effects, to full blown feelings of infallibility or delusion caused by a large dose. It was dangerous but necessary considering the circumstances at the time."
"And now it's something I'm never going to be able to live down..." muttered Sora as he eyed Lea, who was still snickering behind him.
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Luckily, Kairi was forgiving (though this time it took a great deal of persuasion from every neutral party there) and acted as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened between any of them.
Lea however, was a different matter. He spent most of his free time spying on Sora and Riku- trying to catch them "together", often being caught and told off by Yen Sid or one of them. Riku was beginning to wonder how someone could be so irritating, but would often overlook the thoughts when he remembered some of the pranks he used to pull on Sora. At least Lea didn't leave sea slugs under their pillows.
Riku was still concerned about Lea's behavior. He knew all too well where impulsiveness would get you in a life-or-death situation. He wanted Lea to have freedom in his decisions, but also feared it might turn him into the weak link that would make everything unravel.
Lea was kept under strict orders not to interrupt their plans with his nonsense, so they were at least given a reprieve from his rudeness during that time. As Aqua readjusted to living in the Realm of Light, they began to map out Castle Oblivion, forming plans for the multitude of Dusks that were guaranteed to be guarding it. It was one of Organization XIII's bases of operation after all. They were basically going to be walking right into a wasp's nest.
End of Chapter 12