10

The Will of the Waves

Yuffie was smiling widely when she came into my room the next morning, carrying the usual breakfast tray. All at once the guards stumbled groggily out the door, and I sighed with relief and climbed out of my bed.

"Pancakes today," Yuffie said, setting the tray down.

"Is that all?" I demanded, trying not to sound edgy, and failing epically.

She smiled and cocked her head. "Oops, hang on; I think I forgot the orange juice. I'll be back in a flash."

"Yuffie!" I growled. "You know that's not what I meant."

She giggled and reached in her pocket. "I have it here. But I still forgot the orange juice. I'm going to go and get it, and you'd better be eating when I get back, or else you can't have it."

"Hey!" I said sharply, "You give me that—"

But she was already out the door.

I scowled and started on my breakfast. How did she think I was supposed to eat? I was so nervous that I could hardly sit down. The sticky maple syrup and thick brown pancakes were flavorless on my tongue as I hastily chewed and swallowed them in overlarge bites.

I finished the food, but Yuffie did not come back. I paced the room back and forth and back and forth until I was sure I would probably wear a hole in the carpet. I stacked all my dirty dishes, made my bed, and combed my hair. But still she did not come.

I got angrier and angrier every time I looked at the clock. The morning slid into the afternoon, and even when Yuffie would have usually come to bring me my lunch, she still remained absent.

I began to worry. What if something had happened to her? Maybe she'd slipped and fallen in the kitchen and broken a leg. Maybe Chancellor Tsukada had found her out and thrown her in the dungeon. Maybe she'd been fired. But then someone else would have been sent to bring me lunch, like Rufin or Aerith. She was probably just late.

Or maybe she was playing tonsil hockey with Leon in a closet. I laughed aloud, taking myself by surprise, considering I was in such a vindictive mood.

I slumped to my bed and closed my eyes. I needed sleep desperately. But it wouldn't come, no matter how hard I tried to force it on myself. My eyes kept springing back open involuntarily.

I wanted my letter from Sora. Hadn't I been waiting for it long enough? This really wasn't fair.

Suddenly, the door flew open and hit the wall with a bang. I nearly had a heart attack.

"Sorry, sorry," Yuffie said, slamming it behind her and almost dancing across the room. Her dark eyes were sparkling with excitement and her cheeks were rosy.

I was still recovering as she dumped a pile of sandwiches on my nightstand. Apparently she hadn't bothered with all the china plates that were usually arranged on the trays she brought. "Guess what?" she crowed, bouncing up and down with excitement.

"What?"

"There's a huge mob outside!" She threw an arm out dramatically.

"A mob? Why?"

"The people are really mad that Sora's still in the dungeon," she said matter-of-factly, pouring a glass of lemonade for me to drink. "So they're all standing outside the castle gates yelling threats and stuff. They're even out back, by the postern! It's awesome!"

"Is that why you're so late?" I asked, a little sourly.

"Yep," she answered, unperturbed. "Me and Leon were doing a little damage control. Look out your window, I'll bet you can see them from here."

I stood and went to the biggest window. My room was five stories up and the castle gates were about a half of a mile away, clear down by the Rising Falls, but I could still see a dark mass of bodies through the high, twisting wrought iron. There were guards everywhere, too.

"Why do they care so much?" I wondered aloud. "I mean, it's really nice of them and everything, but..." I shook my head. "It doesn't make sense."

"It's not just for you," Yuffie said. "Although you are the main reason. There's been a steady trickle of Heartless seeping in—the little black creepy crawly kind. We don't know why, but the security system is malfunctioning. You know, the little Claymores that are supposed to throw Heartless into the air? And those Heartless are little terrors, let me tell you... knocking over stands and tipping over garbage cans. Everyone is scared stiff of them—too scared to fight them themselves."

"They need Sora!" I realized. "He's the only one who can get rid of them!"

"Right," she agreed. "And the people know that."

I sighed and put my face in my hands. "Doesn't Chancellor Tsukada know it?"

Yuffie shrugged. "Of course he does. He just won't do anything about it."

"Why can't he just swallow his pride and let Sora go?" I said, clenching my fists. "Can't he see how much the people need a hero right now?"

"He doesn't have the same..." she paused thoughtfully, "the same sense of... right... that you do. You're a little naïve at times, Kairi, but your heart is pure. It's what sets you apart from people like Chancellor Tsukada."

"Well... thanks, Yuffie," I said, touched. Then I frowned. "What do you mean 'naïve'?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "Forget I said anything," she finally managed to say, still chortling. "I'm going back out there. I'm hungry for a little excitement! It gets pretty boring around here."

"Trust me, you have no idea."

"Oh don't worry. You'll be out of here soon enough, if I have anything to say about it."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course. Here comes the great ninja Yuffie! Watch out, everybody! She's gonna take on every guard in the castle single handed."

She grinned at me. "You know it!"

We laughed, and she headed for the door. "Wait!" I said, suddenly remembering. "My letter!"

"Oh yeah." She took it out of her pocket and tossed it to me before leaving.

I frantically unfolded it with clumsy, fumbling fingers.

Of course I forgive you. You didn't even do anything wrong.

I think you've got your little analogy thing is backwards, though—you are my sun. I was the one walking in the dark.

But either way—I like the daytime, too.

I smiled widely, smoothed the piece of paper in my hands, and held it close. Sora should have been so terribly furious at me. But he wasn't. And though I deserved his anger, his love felt so wonderful that I wasn't going to complain.

Just the same, something came to my attention. How could he say my analogy was backwards? There was no way he had wanted me as much as I had wanted him—otherwise he could have come to me before. I snatched up my journal and started on a response.

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who was walking in the dark. You weren't lost like me—you could have come to me at any time. I still am a little upset with you for not coming sooner. Maybe you didn't want to. That's the only explanation I can think of. I missed you so much. Did you really miss me?

~o~

Sora's response came early the next morning. Yuffie didn't stay long; she had to join the throng of protesters. For that, I was grateful.

Kairi,

You are so ridiculous sometimes. Of course I wanted to find you. But I got caught up in doing what I do, and I figured that you were safe and sound in Destiny Islands, so I didn't bother to try and find you. I was an idiot.

And whatever you might think, I missed you a lot. During the day, it was okay, because I was with Donald and Goofy. But at night when I was alone and everything was quiet, you were all I could think about. I used to lay awake for hours, wondering what you were doing at any given moment and whether or not you missed me as much as I missed you.

Even though it distracted me, and even though it ticked Riku off (back when we were still with the king) I couldn't help talking and thinking about you. I went over your face, your smile, and your laugh in my mind until they were all I saw and heard when I closed my eyes at night. I remembered the way your skin felt: like silk left in the sun. I remembered the way you kissed me, and the way your arms felt, all wrapped around my neck. Sometimes I wanted you so bad that it hurt.

You know the way I feel. You always have.

When I finished reading there were tears running down my face. This was exactly what I'd needed to hear—it was what I'd always dreamt of.

I read the letter through a second and third time. A few things that I'd yet to fully appreciate jumped out at me, and I felt a warm rush of blood to my cheeks. The way your skin felt... the way you kissed me... the way your arms felt, all wrapped around my neck...

Wow. This didn't sound like the awkward, blushing boy I'd known so many years ago. Could it really have been Sora who'd penned those words to me? He sounded so… eloquent. So smooth.

I started carefully on my next response, but ended up tearing the paper from the notebook, crinkling it up, and throwing it away, blushing furiously. After a few moments' thought, I decided that being coy with him was better than being entirely honest at this point. After all, that way I had nothing to be embarrassed about, should my attentions be refused.

I addressed him thus:

Dear Romeo,

Could all this simply be poetry? Poetry meant to make the female heart skip a beat? Shakespeare, even?

Granted, my heart did skip a beat and then stutter to a stop when I read your last letter. In fact, I'm having some trouble restarting it. I only wish that I could feel the hands that touched the page, to know for myself if what you were saying was true.

Once finished, I tore the letter from the notebook, read and re-read it, then grappled with the urge to tear it up and throw it in the trash. Finally I folded it up and stashed it in my music box. Then I flopped down on my bed and waited, fingers drumming, staccato and anxious, to await Yuffie's return.

~o~

Two long, miserable days passed before I got his next letter. Yuffie didn't spend a lot of time with me, so all I could do to entertain myself was pace and think. Time dragged by so slowly that I was sure I was going crazy.

When it arrived at last, it made me swoon.

Dear Juliet,

You know that I can't lie to save my life. Or write poetry.

But one thing I could do if I were given the chance is show you that what I said was true. I can't convince you by telling you so, apparently. But if there ever comes a time when we are together again, I'm going to show you. I'm going to hold you like I've always dreamed of holding you. I'm going to kiss you until both of us are satisfied—and who knows how long that will take! I want every single one of my senses to be filled with you. And when you see it and feel it, you'll know how much I love you.

I held the letter to my frantically pounding heart and tried to catch my breath. I could feel the intensity of the words he'd pounded into the paper. I could almost feel the clutching hands, trying to convey a message that I was still too astonished to believe. And it was meant for me. Me!

I wanted him to prove his love for me right that very second. I wanted it more than anything. But the thought that he may never be able to do so made a lump rise in my throat. After all, we were both prisoners of very different and separate jails.

I dashed over to my nightstand and retrieved my notebook and pen.

Dear Romeo,

Your letters make me feel like I really am Juliet, and you really are my Romeo. I want you more than I want the air I breathe or the food I eat. But it seems like the day will never come. Every minute that passes is a painful one. Every time I put your letters down, it makes my heart hurt and I have to pick them up again, though I have them memorized.

What are we going to do?

~o~

That day passed, if possible, even slower than the last.

The next morning, I awoke with Sora's letters beneath my cheek. The guards were already gone, and I was a little confused. Had I actually slept through the night and into the morning? How unusual.

Yuffie came in with my breakfast tray, the same as always. She was positively bouncing with excitement.

"Where's my letter?" I demanded, extending my palm.

"I don't have one for you today; I haven't even talked to Leon yet," she said quickly.

"Oh," I sighed, letting the hand fall.

She was still glowing. "It's getting pretty crazy out there!" She announced, slamming the tray down and sending a grapefruit rolling. "It's going to happen any day now!"

"What's going to happen?" I asked dully, reaching for the runaway fruit.

"Liberation day!" She cried. "For both you and Sora!"

I stared at her for a moment, uncomprehending. "Huh?"

"Oh don't be stupid. I've told you about the protesters out at the gates," she said impatiently.

"Yeah, but what are they supposed to do about it?" I murmured, bristling a little at her insulting tone.

She beamed again, and even started rocking back and forth on her feet. "What are they going to do? I'll tell you. They're going to storm the castle!"

"What?" I gasped.

"I told you, they're pretty stirred up," she said. "Chancellor Tsukada is in hot water."

I contemplated that for a moment. "But... what are they planning on doing if they get in? Even if they free me, Chancellor Tsukada will just throw me back into my room as soon as the situation is under control again." Then as an afterthought, "I guess Sora could escape, though." I winced at the thought of his absence. Where would he go? Would I ever hear from him again, once I couldn't write to him anymore?

"Maybe we can throw Chancellor Tsukada in the dungeon and see how he likes it," Yuffie suggested.

I smiled a little, then turned my face toward the window and my supposed liberators.

~o~

There was soft, warm sand between my toes. I could feel every grain of it when I wiggled them, even though it was incredibly fine. I looked down and saw that it was just like the white powdery stuff that was on the beach back at home.

And I was home. The palm trees were swaying in a gentle summer breeze, and gulls cried out from somewhere overhead. The sun was warm and gentle on my skin.

I looked out at the brilliant blue waters around me. The sea was only caressing the sand, but a steady roaring sound completely filled my ears, as though the waves were pounding down on the shore. I frowned and tired to find another source of the sound, but there was nothing else on the island. I was completely alone.

The sky was a deep blue, and the air was stirring so gently that I hardly felt it lift the hair on my head. So where was this powerful rushing sound coming from? As I pondered, the roar grew louder. It was the sound of a wild, stormy sea. But the day was so calm!

The roar intensified, and suddenly sharp, staccato notes began to rise and fall with the rushing waves...

No... they weren't waves. They were voices.

With a gasp of sudden realization, I shot up out of my bed. My head spun as the familiar features of my bedroom came into focus.

There was a babble of voices, loud and angry, coming from downstairs. The noise was so loud that it was making the entire building vibrate. The guards, standing faithfully at the end of my bed, were casting worried looks at one another.

"What's going on?" I said sharply, forgetting my resolution not to speak to them.

One of them glanced at me, then said, "We don't know."

I puzzled over this for a moment, and then a smug smile spread across my face. "It's the mob, isn't it?" I said.

They didn't answer.

"They've come for me," I murmured to no one in particular, my voice trembling with sudden excitement. "They've come for Sora and me."

The guards looked at one another worriedly, and I knew that they knew I was right.

I leapt out of my bed and dashed to the closet. I dressed as fast as I could in a simple pair of shorts and a couple tank tops, then headed for the door.

The guards stared at me as I wrenched it open and peeked out into the hallway. Suddenly, one of them snapped out of his stunned silence. "Hey," he said sharply, "what are you doing?"

"Leaving," I said firmly. "See you."

"No!" Both of them leapt forward at the same time, and one of them almost caught my arm.

But I dodged the grasping hand, turned, and sprinted down the hall. I could hear the babble of voices even more clearly from out here. It sounded like they were coming from the entrance hall. There were a couple of more distinct shouts, and then a loud, bloodcurdling scream.

I could hear the pounding footsteps of the guards behind me. I ran even faster down the long hallway until it finally opened up into a large stairway. I was out of breath, and the footsteps were coming louder. I could feel one of the guards right on my tail.

I flew down the steps, counting the stories as I ran. I was almost to the bottom when I felt a wide, rough hand come down on my shoulder. I was wrenched to a stop as a deep, satisfied voice said, "Gotcha!"

I turned and swung a fist at him. It made contact with his outstretched palm, and he laughed and caught it in his hand. I tugged on it, but he only laughed harder at my desperate struggle and held onto me even more tightly. "It's back to your room with you, Your Majesty," he chortled.

Suddenly, the other guard, who was standing behind him, gasped. "What in the world is that?" he shouted, pointing at something on the stairs below us.

I turned my head and saw a terrifying sight—a large, wild-eyed Heartless with folded, leathery wings was loping up the stairs toward us. Its yellow eyes gleamed in anticipation, and its lips curled over its long yellow teeth.

"It's a Heartless!" I shrieked.

"Don't fret, Princess!" The guard who held me said. "We'll fend it off!"

I was able to wrench myself free of his grasp as he reached for his spear. Suddenly, I was worried for them.

"It's no use!" I said sharply. "We have to run! Hurry!"

"No," The other guard said. "It's our duty to defend this castle. You run—hurry! Go to your room and barricade yourself in!"

I wanted to run, but I didn't want to leave them there, either. They didn't know how to fight Heartless. It was a battle they would lose, and even though I didn't like them much, I didn't want them to get hurt. "Please!" I begged them, "run!"

But they merely braced themselves as the monstrous creature bore down on them. It shrieked and slashed at them with its claws.

I ran, but not in the direction they had advised me to go. I continued my journey down the winding marble staircase until I arrived in the grand entrance hall with the high ceiling.

Below me there was absolute chaos. A huge crowd swarmed through the front doors, and Heartless were appearing everywhere. There was screaming, there was shouting. Some were pulling out weapons to defend themselves.

A jet of bright light shot past me and knocked a marble bust off its platform. I heard a yell, and a man with a long blade hit an oncoming Heartless head-on. It roared and snapped at him. Another woman with a bow shot an arrow into it, and with a scream, it fell from the air.

I saw Leon fending off several Shadows with his long, heavy sword, and I saw Yuffie leap eagerly into the fray with one shuriken held high. Even Merlin was in the crowd, his baton flicking left and right so fast it was almost a blur as he shot spells at the oncoming monsters.

But there were too many Heartless; the humans didn't stand a chance. Not unless…

I ran to the railing and leaned over it. "Hurry! To the dungeons! Sora is the only one who can stop them!" I said in a loud, carrying voice.

With a roar, the ones who heard me agreed. I dashed down the stairs and into the thick, bustling, claustrophobic gang that was now rushing for the basement like a raging river. Someone shouted, "The princess is free! We're going to go and rescue the keyblade master!"

The stampede continued down the staircase and roared though the dim, cold corridors. I was running close to the head of the group, and everyone was so caught up in their mission that they didn't even notice me there.

I saw the terrified expressions of the prison guards as we came around the corner. I was glad to see that they were different from the kindhearted ones that had let me see Sora that first night, because the crowd flung them violently to the side. They were hastily searched for keys, but it turned out that they didn't have any. Chancellor Tsukada must have taken them for himself.

I was jostled around quite a bit, but I managed to worm my way over to the jail cell where I knew Sora was. Though I was a little frightened, my face split into a wide grin when I saw his shocked expression from behind the barred window.

"Sora!" I shouted, and the people I was standing next to must have noticed me, because suddenly the bodies which had been restraining me were pushing me forward with a loud, collective cheer. In a brief moment, I found myself pressed against the heavy door. "Sora!" I shouted again over the roar of the crowd.

"Kairi!" He shouted back, and I saw his fingers reaching for mine from between the bars. I grasped them in my own and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Alright!" I shouted, releasing them and standing back. "Let's get him out!"

"How? How?" Several voices chorused at once.

"Let's rip the door off its hinges!" A man's voice shouted. I looked and saw that it was Leon, his face bright and his sword raised in triumph.

The crowd roared its assent, and I was pushed out of the way as a number of large men grabbed onto the door by its barred window, its knob, and the space beneath it. The people behind them grabbed them around their waists and shoulders, and with the sudden command—"Heave!"—there was a great popping and groaning of tortured wood and hinges.

The men fell backwards as, with a mighty BANG, the giant, heavy door broke clear. There was a roar of approval, and the door was passed back over the sea of waving hands.

"Sora!" I shouted and tried to fight my way to his side, but other hands found him first. Leon rumpled his hair and Aerith cheered and patted him on the back. There were hands patting his shoulders, clasping his hands, and congratulating him in any way that they could think of. I gasped as I was nearly crushed against the wall by the surging crowd; everyone wanted to see Sora, to speak to him, to witness his gratitude. Suddenly Yuffie was there, grabbing my wrist and dragging me forward authoritatively, until I felt a warm set of arms around me.

"Kairi," he said softly in my ear. His breath was warm and soft against my neck.

I held him to me as tightly as I could, pressing my face against his. I breathed in deeply; his smell was as sweet and unique as the scent of sand and palm trees after a summer rainstorm.

There was another mighty roar, and for a moment, I was alarmed. Then I realized what it was—applause! There were cheers, whoops, and cries of congratulations. Sora and I both looked up at the many, many exuberant faces that were turned toward us. Our victory was theirs, too.

Then there was another hand on the shoulder that mine were clinging to. "Sora, the Heartless," Leon said loudly, to be heard over the cheering. "You've got to stop them; you're the only one who can."

"Right," Sora said, and raised his arm high. Suddenly with a loud, metallic clang, the keyblade materialized in his fingers. There was another roar as he held it there triumphantly. I looked up at it, too, and then my eyes found his.

"I'm coming with you," I said, just loudly enough for him to hear.

He stared at me for a moment, and his eyes, those wide blue depths, were so filled with love and happiness that I knew he wouldn't say no. He flashed me a bright, wide smile and nodded.