Hearts in Chains
Chapter Five: Kairi's Heart
I cannot believe this. I was screwed. I was screwed royally. Not only was I sold but also I was sold the some bizarre girl who just kept smiling at me like a child on Christmas morning. I managed to vaguely follow along to the instructions that were given about the collar and the way it was controlled.
All I gathered was if I strayed too far away from the set distance, I'd get shocked. It might be a deadly shock or it may just be a jolt, it was all dependent on what setting the voltage was set too. There was a bit more but I was too busy brooding and doing everything I could to look away from the red-head to really care.
"Well, paperwork is all done, so he is now yours." Hercules finished, those words being the final nail in the coffin for me. I couldn't help but scoff and shoot a betrayed glare towards the larger guard. How could he just do this? He could have tried something to keep me around, but no, he just let me go without any sort of fight. I expected to be met by a sad look of remorse under his helmet but instead two steely eyes were focused directly on me, his lips set in one firm line.
The air between us suddenly became thick as I didn't back down, narrowing my eyes and glaring daggers to him. He had no reason to be upset with me; he was the one letting me go! I understand he couldn't stop her, but at least try to dissuade her or something.
"May I have one final word with this scum, ma'am? Just to make sure he stays in line." Never had Hercules referred to me as 'scum' and I could slowly feel my anger raising more and more. I half contemplated just throwing a left hook at him, but honestly the pain I would be put through wouldn't be worth it.
The red-head seemed hesitant for a moment and shot me a worried glance that I caught out of the corner of my eye, but I refused to meet her stare since I was too busy attempting to glare a hole right through Hercules' head. "Sure…"
Not a moment later his muscular arm hooked around mine and pulled me off to a corner that was unoccupied. "Scum? At least I am no traitor." I hissed back. That's right, if I couldn't swing then I'd try to hurt him with words. Hercules suddenly put me right in the corner and put one firm hand over my chest as he leaned in, his eyes still unwavering.
"I can't stop her from buying you, Sora." He began and I felt a bit of my bubbling rage drain away when he referred to me by my name. "I could have persuaded her not too maybe, but this is for the best. This way, you can attempt to grab freedom without the possible chance of dying every day."
I felt a bit shell-shocked and I just stared at him, slack jawed. It wasn't a long time before I let out a small laugh, though it wasn't full of happiness but more of sorrow. "Was it that obvious me and Roxas were going to try and escape." Hercules sighed and nodded once. "Everyone here wants too, so it wasn't a hard thing to figure out."
I couldn't help but let another laugh escape my lips. He really didn't get it did he…? "You think that I care about my safety…? You think you're doing me some favor by letting me be sold? Are you that stupid?" I didn't care if I was hit, and if Hercules were a regular guard he would have. The severity of my words and how engulfed they were with venom left Hercules just eying me. "It's Roxas…You think I will feel any better about not having to take the chance of dying, but yet he still does? I won't even get to know if he dies. I won't ever get to see him again. You haven't done me any sort of favor, you only let Roxas and I get torn apart…"
My words were harsh but my mood was also angry, so what was to be expected? It was true. He allowed this girl to pry me from Roxas. Was I safe from danger? Yes. Was Roxas? No. And that was my problem and that is what it would always be.
Hercules had no remark to give and only hooked his arm around mine again and wordlessly pulled me back to the red-head who for once didn't wear a grin but a look of concern. From some reason, it irritated me.
"All is in order now ma'am. Here he is." I glowered as I was handed over. "Thank you kindly, now come on Sora." I seriously wanted to vomit from the way she purred my name. There was something about it that felt vaguely familiar, but that didn't make me dislike it any less.
I followed wordlessly and it remained that way for a while as we walked through the evening towards where I could only guess her home was. I admit, it was blissful to feel the outside air for once and no longer be confined in chains and smell only musk. Although the sun was setting, I embraced it. It had been a few years since I had even seen the sphere of warmth and my skin hungrily accepted its fading rays.
If I closed my eyes, I could feel the sun's rays kissing my skin while the evening gales blew through my spiky chestnut-colored locks. Meanwhile the soothingly sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries bombarded my nostrils. I felt free. Except for the obvious metal collar I was sporting around my neck.
I opened my eyes and stared ahead to my owner who was a few strides ahead of me. Something in my gut couldn't shake that I knew her…This wasn't just a fan from the Coliseum. I had to know them…But who? I hadn't even interacted with a woman for years…Hell, I don't even remember when the last time was.
It was just something about those cranberry locks and those sapphire orbs that kept biting at my memory, trying to resurface who she was. I was having no such luck. There was no sound around, which was no surprise since we were taking mainly backstreets instead of the heavily populated main streets. At least I assumed they were main streets, I had no real way to tell besides my own deduction skills.
After a while longer of walking, I noted the female make a sharp right turn into what looked to be a narrow alleyway. I faltered a bit in my steps but the thought of her continuing and widening the gap between us wasn't exactly a good thought. I had no idea what the dial was set too and so I didn't know when I would receive a jolt.
I rounded the corner into the alleyway.
It was dreary and cut off from the fading beams of sunlight and warmth. It felt and smelt a little too much like the Coliseum…In my observation of the alley I noticed the shorter female facing me and right in front of me. The corner of her lips were up-turned into a goofy grin.
The first thing I noted were her lips that were coming forward and-
…
She was kissing me.
She was kissing me!
Why was she kissing me!?
I panicked and recoiled away, ungracefully landing on my rear with a thump as I just stared up in bewilderment at my keeper who was now giggling to herself, looking at me affectionately.
What in the actual hell man!? You don't just do that- or maybe people here do. But back in Destiny Islands you didn't do attempt crazy stunts like this. So with as much tact and composure as I had, I tried to understand what just happened.
"What the hell was that for!?"
Under the circumstances, I apparently didn't have much tact or composure.
"You really don't remember do you?"
Remember what? I was beginning to lose patience. I did not enjoy cryptic clues to what I didn't understand. I narrowed my eyes and pulled myself up from the ground and focused my eyes on hers, now tracing every single feature of her all the while keeping my distance so I wasn't met by another surprise kiss.
Her visage was unblemished and slightly tanned, her cranberry-hued locks framing it perfectly and cascading over her shoulders. I had already seen this before, but there was something else that drew my interest.
Her eyes. True I had noted them previously in the Coliseum but now I had a good look at them from only a few feet of distance. I could compare them to two shining sapphire or two oceans of azure, but it wouldn't do them justice. They were like two stars shaded cerulean, they shone brightly and never wavered for a moment under my scrutinizing gaze. They just radiated light and oddly, purity. Although her acts of inspecting me and that kiss just a moment ago were less than pure her eyes were a different case entirely.
They seemed so familiar…I could see the face clearly in my memory from my childhood…Just the name…The name eluded me.
"Does the name Kairi mean anything to you?"
With the simply utterance of a name memories poured forward in my mind. Memories I had since secluded and locked away into the very bottom and back of my mind. Which was no surprise, my mind did it to cope with the destruction of my home. I could only recall a few parts of my childhood; while the rest of my memories were blurred considerably leaving me with only memories of my family and a few fragments of other things.
But now the floodgate that suppressed the memories was broken by a five-lettered name that allowed many of the memories to come rushing forward like a tidal wave. I remembered her now, and I remembered her from my past.
Her name was Kairi Heart. Back when we were younger, her hair was only dipping a little past her neck and her facial feature were less developed. In addition, she seemed to battle with typical acne back then just as I did. But her eyes, her eyes were the same as they always were and shone brighter now than I could ever recall.
Now, you may be wondering who was she too me? Well, she was my girlfriend. You know how little kids have those crushes on one another from an early age? That was her and I. Due to much coaxing from Vanitas I was forced to admitting my feelings for her. (Otherwise, the douche would have written a huge sign and held it over all of Destiny Island. May he rest in peace.)
We started dating at age thirteen and dated all the way up until the occupation of the islands began…Every moment we spent together was heavenly. I know young relationships are supposed to be filled with faults and petty arguments but ours was an exception to that universal rule.
We saw eye to eye on nearly everything, and when we didn't we respected one another to just let us coexist and not discuss the topic. Hell, we never argued once from my recollections. We were perfectly content with one another; it was as if we were two halves of the same whole.
One memory that stood against the gradient was of both of us under the midnight moon, a week before the occupation. We sat upon a bent tree branch together, our hands collapsed together as we were silent. It was not an awkward silence either. It was the silence in where we simply enjoyed one another's company and presence. Soon, her head leaned against my shoulder and I recall her exact words.
"I got something for you- well us." I, being curious, looked to her expectantly and then she showed me. The Paopu fruit…The rest of the memory was faded as far as words exchanged but in the end, we simply sat across from one another on the branch and ate the star-shaped fruit.
"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what".
Maybe the legend behind it wasn't false after all…
It was then reality set in…The girl I loved as a child was standing there in front of me. I could only feel tears well up in my eyes. I had always felt some joy these past years from defeating enemies to survive and feeling accomplished I was able to live once more. Sometimes happiness from talking with Roxas and bonding as one. But now…the feeling of happiness I felt was one I hadn't felt in so…so very long.
It was all too much for me. The memories, the feelings, and just the fact I was reunited with the girl who was the keystone to my past…Before I could even utter a word everything faded to black right before my eyes and I collapsed.
I don't know long it had been, but soon enough my eyelids peeled open and I sat up instantly. Instead of meeting the evening atmosphere, I was met by a pink ceiling. And right above me was the light that illuminated the room and subsequently blinded me from its sudden appearance.
"Sora!"
Though my eyes were squeezed shut to grant me reprieve from the blinding light, I felt two arms wrap around my shoulders and a warm body press against mine.
Kairi.
I opened my eyes soon again and my chin was now resting upon her shoulder as I returned the embrace without a second thought. My mouth spoke without thought. "I missed you…I thought I'd never see you again…"
I sounded weak, but really how could you fault me here? The girl I loved as a child and still loved to this day had just made a sudden cameo in my life. Right now my masculinity wasn't important nor my pride. Kairi pulled away and soon we were face to face again, her lips painted in the beautiful smile I always remembered them as…
"I missed you too, Sora. I was scared that you were…" I ended up cutting here off with a slight chuckle as I gently shook my head. "No…I am still alive obviously…I wish I could say that I was worried for you, but I couldn't remember you. I guess I ended up suppressing my memories and I couldn't even remember you…"
I felt like shit for that part. What if she had been killed? I wouldn't have even remembered her and she would be lost forever, just another name to the list of casualties. Despite my words her smile never faltered.
"It's fine, you clearly didn't remember much. I thought me kissing you would have brought back some suppressed memories." "It only confused me." I admitted, smirking a bit at her as she broke her grin and narrowed her eyes at me. "You saying I am not a good kisser?" She asked jokingly.
"No it's not that-" "Then what was it, Sora?" Kairi asked, pouting her lips at me. Oh this was just intentional. I sighed lightly; using words would only help me dig the hole deeper. So I used actions. I reached forward, my right hand lifting to cup her cheek that instantly became flushed with warmth as my lips met hers.
The kiss only lasted a moment as I pulled back and grinned, looking at her now crimson face. "Cheshire cat got your tongue?" Despite the flustering she was doing, Kairi fired back a retort just as she always did. "At least I didn't fall on my butt and yell like a buffoon." "My, someone has gotten sassier as time has passed." I joked, folding my arms and smirking at her.
I know I only regained the memories of our time together today, but it still felt wonderful to be with her again. I was no longer a half, with her with me I was an entire whole. These past two years my mood has been apathetic and sarcastic, at best. Keep in mind, I am still sarcastic but instead of the apathy, I felt true peace of mind. For these moments all my trouble from the Coliseum washed away and were replaced with warmth and content.
"At least I don't pass out when someone tells me their name- Speaking of which." She paused and pulled her arm back and punched me square in the shoulder. It didn't really sting and I just sat there, staring at her with a perked eyebrow. "Hey now, I can't control it when all my senses get over-loaded like that. How was I supposed to react? Just completely unaffected? Also, while you may have gotten sassier, you didn't get any stronger." I quipped.
And so we bantered back and forth, not speaking anything of the situation that currently was. The fact I was technically a slave, or more importantly how she had survived. Those questions could be answered later. Right now, I just wanted to bask in her company once more and I was sure she felt the same way to me. Throughout the night, we continued to speak and exchange a few kisses every now and then.
However, as we began to run out of sarcastic retorts, she turned the conversation onto a more serious topic.
"So, I know this may be insensitive…But what was the Coliseum like?"
I was a bit taken back and perked my brow. "What do you mean? You saw what it was like. Absolute carnage and barbaric actions."
Kairi shook her head. "No, I mean…Never mind."
Oh no you don't, you don't just pull that 'never mind' card. Sora doesn't play that game. Instantly I stuck my arms out and began to tickle her midsection, smiling a bit as a symphony of laughs escaped her lips as she fruitlessly tried to push me away.
"S-Sora stop! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" She cried after a few moments as I smirked in victory but it was short lived as the door at the entrance of the room was suddenly flung open. On the opposite end stood a man with his sword pointed directly at me, its sharpened edge gleaming in the light. The man wielding it had light chestnut colored hair, his bangs sweeping to the left while a diagonal scar ran across the bridge of his nose.
He wore black gloves on his hands that wielded the blade. Three brown belts adorned his left forearm and three buckles on his right thigh, while he wore three black belts on his left thigh. It was certainly an odd fashion statement…
Along with that, he wore a black jacket that seemed a few sizes too small with a white shirt beneath it. From his neck dangled a silver-chained necklace with an odd pendant hanging from it. Each of his pant legs had a zipper going down each leg. Around his pants, he wore two brown belts and two black ones, all of which were rather loose except for one, a black one worn properly around his waist.
His two blue eyes were glaring at me as he lowered the blade a bit upon seeing that I wasn't actually doing any harm. I blinked a few times, my eyes locked with the man as Kairi cut in between our in-depth staring contest.
"It's fine, Leon!" She quickly exclaimed, moving her body in front of me sort of as a shield despite the blade already being lowered. Leon didn't seem fully convinced as he stared past her and at me. "Just making sure…" He muttered quietly as he reached forward and shut the door and went back to presumably guarding the door.
"A bodyguard? Jeez Kairi, were you that worried I would assault you or something?" I joked lamely, although it apparently went over her head.
"No, it's not that!" Kairi frowned, taking my accusation seriously and scooted closer to me. I blinked a few times as she brought me into an embrace, as if she feared I would leave or something, her hands clutching the fabric of my white t-shirt. "He just follows me…It's his job, and I can't really stop him. It was hard enough to convince him not to be in the room with us."
I blinked before softly patting her shoulder as she pulled away to look to me. "I was only kidding you dork." I clarified, although it didn't make Kairi stop frowning as she just leaned forward and continued to embrace me. "I just don't want to lose you, Sora…You don't know how happy I was too see you in the Coliseum and to see you defeat that heartless…"
I frowned as I slowly wrapped my arms around her. While I had the luxury of merely forgetting her, she remembered me clearly. These past two years I lived in utter ignorance, and you know what they say about ignorance. It is truly bliss, and it was. Not that my time at the Coliseum was enjoyable by any means but I at least didn't have to live with the memories that she had to live with…The obstacles I had to overcome were physical ones, while I didn't have to deal with many mental challenges.
"You won't lose me…I don't plan on letting you go again, Kairi. Trust me, nothing will tear us apart ever again…" It was a lame response to give, but the only thing I could think to do was just reassure her that I had no intention of leaving…
There was silence between us for a long period of time as we held one another. With no conversation going on, I figured now I would truly answer her question.
"The Coliseum was…indescribable. There isn't an adjective sinister enough to fit with it. We were poorly fed, poorly armed, poorly treated, poorly bathed, and not even treated as humans. They didn't even treat us as beasts, we were just sacks of blood to them that were capable of swinging a weapon. We fought every few days regularly, usually against beasts that were double our size or worse. I mean, you saw what I had to fight, those things could be massive…I only had one friend, his name was Roxas."
I grew silent at the mention of him as I worried slightly for his own well-being. Kairi was quick to observe this and gently placed a hand on my cheek and then kissing my forehead gently. "We don't have to talk about it now…We have plenty of time."
I took that as an out, giving a half-smile as I nodded and we simply remained silent for a time. However, silence became deafening and the questions I had continued to chew at me. Inevitably, with no conversation going on, I began my questioning.
"Why were you acting so odd at the Coliseum…? Unlike you, my appearance didn't change much so why did you bother asking my name and going all those extra steps to fluster me?" I seriously didn't get it. She clearly remembered me perfectly, so why all the extra steps? Why the totally unneeded comments to screw with me?
"It was clear you didn't remember me when we looked at each other in the Coliseum after the fight. So I tried to see if I could make you remember, and it clearly didn't work by asking your name. The rest of it was just because I could at the time, teach you a lesson for not remembering me." She responded, her face turning into a pout as she stared at me.
Hey now, wasn't my fault!
Either way, that sounded like Kairi alright…I sighed and smiled a bit as I nodded. "You're cruel you know?" "You still love me." "Yeah, I do." I admitted as I grinned a bit wider. However the smile soon faded as I moved in for the most important question of them all.
"I only have one last question." I began, as I leaned against the backboard of the bed I was sitting on. Kairi said nothing and I took it as permission to fire away.
"How did you survive? Destiny Islands was totally occupied the last I can recall…So…Well this may sound somewhat crude but how are you alive? You lived on the same island as me and the last I can remember it was lit up with blazing infernos…" I spoke and Kairi instantly diverted her gaze, though I continued on. "I guess it isn't so much how did you survive; as it is how do you have a house with a bodyguard? I doubt think they offer residency to prisoners of war…"
"They do when your parents are traitors…"
…
No…
Kairi instantly moved forward and latched onto me, burying her face into my chest. Those seven words were enough to explain it all. She didn't need to give some elaborate explanation…No…Her parents…They…They…
"They lowered the defenses on our island to let the Organization come through unopposed…In return we were unharmed and allowed to migrate…"
Those few words cut right into me like a knife into hot butter. I had no words to describe how I felt. Just as things in the present began to turn around for me, a revelation from my past comes up…I just had to ask. Ignorance is bliss, why couldn't I have just let myself be ignorant…?
My mind began to go blank, though my body still reacted to its instincts. It did what I wanted to do, and that was run. I gently pulled Kairi off me, and due to her tight grip upon my shirt it caused a rip to form along the right side of it.
Once I was off the bed and my feet where upon the floor I was off like a bullet, rushing for the door. I could hear her cry my name and this caused the sword-wielding man known as Leon to suddenly fling the door open once again.
His eyes locked onto me and he seemed confused for a moment. Unfortunately for him, the distance between the bed and the door was far enough for me to build up a considerable amount of momentum that ended up colliding straight into him. I may have not been taller than he was but when one bulk of weight is running right into your chest at a considerable speed it doesn't matter how tall I was or how much I weighed.
He fell back and I managed to knock him off his feet, but as a result I was knocked off mine as well. Though I was on top of our heap of bodies, so that allowed me to push off his chest with my hand and bolt again, going right and sprinting down the corridor.
I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. I needed to be alone, I needed to try and collect the broken pieces of myself. I heard Leon yell from behind but it fell upon deaf ears as I kept going and going. From what I could gather from passing windows was that I was on the highest floor of the house, and guessing from the height I could guess the house was roughly three stories tall.
My stomach wretched at the thought. This house was bought with the payment being the lives of everyone…Not just my family but everyone else on the islands. This house was exchanged for the bodies of everyone on Destiny Islands, and somewhere within the heap of bodies was my family…
The whole idea was simply too much for me to bear as I quickly burst through the closet door to my right that I could find. As I did, night air enveloped my being and I felt the shock of coolness run down my spine. I was just now aware of how far up I previously was. I was now upon deck that allowed me to see the entire city I was located within.
However, I didn't pay any attention as I dashed to the railing and bent over it, releasing the contents of my stomach. This carried on for a few minutes…I'll spare the details. Regardless, once I had finished releasing my stomach it was just dry heaving as tears streamed down my face.
My family…Everyone I knew…Images flashed through my head of my family and hazy memories of my friends. I felt the tears begin to grow more and more as my dry heaving ceased.
I wanted my mom…When I was young, whenever Vanitas or I would become frightened from some nightmare she'd always hold us in her arms and gently comb her fingers through our hair. I missed her so much…I would do anything to have her hold me again. I'd do anything to have my dad take me to see a blitzball game again…I'd do anything to argue with Vanitas one last time…
I soon fell to my knees and buried my face into my hands. I couldn't feel hatred or contempt for Kairi or her parents…I wanted too, I wanted to let every fiber of my soul be consumed in pure rage and scorn. But I couldn't. Not from lack of trying, but because the sadness that overtook me.
These past years I had begun to detach myself from the memories of that tragic event. When I did that, the emotions were detached as well. I still clearly remembered it but I guess I was trying to desensitize myself, and it was working. I was no longer plagued with nightmares of the event in my sleep.
But this caused all those emotions I bottled up to gush to the surface and now they were taking over me, thus all I could feel was sadness. I kept my face buried deep into my palms as I choked back sob after sob, refusing to let this overcome me entirely. Every tear slipped through, despite vigorous resistance.
All these years…I had tried to give off a pseudo-image of being some strong, apathetic pillar of endurance…I convinced Roxas, Phil, and Hercules I was. And I even convinced myself. However, now the reality came true to me. I was no pillar, I was just a pile of rubble that missed his family and ignored his problems.
If Kairi's parents hadn't let it happen…I can't say how things would have changed but I know my dad could have fended them off valiantly. Or at least helped Mother, Vanitas, and I escape...There were many different and better routes that could have happened…
However, the one that happened was they both died deaths to allow Vanitas and I to escape…And even then, Vanitas never survived.
My lamenting was cut short by the sound of footsteps stepping out onto the deck. Judging by the weight of them it was Kairi, and it was more likely to be Leon then.
"Janitor isn't going to be happy with you…" Was the response I was met with as I assumed he saw some of the vomit on the railing. Was I supposed to care? Oh no, they get to clean up my vomit. How dare I inconvenience them.
I was expecting Leon to just grab me and yank me away to somewhere unknown. However, I heard his footsteps walk in front of me and a hand come upon my shoulder. Instead of a violent jerk, I was met with a slight squeeze as I spared a glance to see him crouch down in front of me.
His optics were calm, and his lips were set in a firm line, yet he didn't seem upset or even annoyed. And when he began to speak, his voice didn't show any signs of irritation with me or the fact that I just collided with him not too long ago.
"I heard what went on. Walls in this house are paper thin." To prove a point he knocked on the wall behind me and a hollow thud resounded. "Kind of literally really…Anyways, that's not the point…I'm bad at these kinds of things okay? And I doubt anything I can say here will help ease whatever pain or sadness you feel. However, I do have advice."
I was being treated like a mental patient now…Great. I think I'd rather just take a harsh beating than being patronized like I was some delicate flower. I may be emotionally breaking into tiny fragments but I still was grown enough to not need some run-of-the-mill advice.
"Don't judge Kairi because of what her parents did…" Was the simple sentence given to me as I blinked a few times, tears still rolling down my cheeks. "When I was forced here…I was assigned to watch her. She was extremely introverted and hardly wanted anything to do with anybody, even her parents. I began to piece things together as I heard fragments of conversations through the walls. I admit, your anger for her parents is justified. They are traitors."
I had to admit; he was speaking boldly and surprised me. Despite his warning that walls were paper thing, he seemed to be unphased by it.
"But Kairi…I am no physiatrist but from her behavior I don't think she approved of what they did either. And she has been reclusive for all these years. Until tonight. When she drug your unconscious body through the gates calling for assistance. When I helped her carry you, and asked her what was going on….It was a great sight." A smile painted his visage as he cast his gaze away.
"She wouldn't stop talking about you. She was smiling and laughing and it was the happiest I've seen her. The most…well alive I have seen her. Some days I questioned if she was even all there while her body was set on auto-pilot…So please, don't point your anger in the wrong direction." He concluded and I sat there. I sat there utterly slack-jawed and baffled.
He wasn't wrong, the anger that I wanted to point at Kairi was unjustified and simply wrong altogether. However, without him so simply pointing out the obvious my anger ebbed. At least for Kairi…
"Also, I imagine the idea is tempting but don't try killing her parents either. Their bodyguards won't hesitate to cut you into pieces. Got it?"
I nodded numbly, though the words seemed hollow to me as he moved to standing fully erect. "I should get going…Stay here as long as you want. Make sure to get some sleep" Leon finished as he calmly began to saunter away and I said the only thing that came to mind.
"Thank you…"
Leon stopped, turned his head to gaze at me before he wordlessly left, although I could note a faint smile dawned upon his lips.