Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.
(A/N): I'm an atheist... deal with it.
Chapter 19: Heaven's Peace
"NOOOOOO!" the sounds of Mika's shout pierced the walls of the gummi ship.
Kairi leapt out of her bed Oathkeeper flashed into her hand. She rushed out of the room and over to Mika's door. Kairi pushed the button to open the door and expected to find something attacking the woman. What Kairi found when she jumped into the room was Mika on her knees her torso lying on the bed as she sobbed hysterically.
"My music's back in the Valley!" she sobbed "My collection that spanned the universe is in the hands of those bastards!"
Sora walked into the room and stood next to Kairi. A calm anger at being woken so early displayed in his body language.
"That's what you're crying about?" he asked sleep still in his voice.
"Do you know the exchange rate for some of the worlds?! One munny in some places is worth next to nothing! Some of CDs, music boxes, and orbs were expensive. I can just see Capricorn in my room right now her grimy hands going through my collection." Mike fumed as more tears fell for the loss of her music.
"I think you're being a little dramatic about a music collection." Sora said
"It's a collection of over six thousand musical items. I'm being the right amount of dramatic you little shit! What if you lost your... your... What do you collect?" Mika asked
"I don't collect anything." Sora said quickly his eyes darting back and forth while Kairi giggled.
Mika noticed the giggling Keybearer and turned her sights on the red head. "Kairi what embarrassing thing does your boyfriend collect?" Mika pleaded. "It's got to be good if you're laughing at the mention of it."
I DON'T COLLECT ANYTHING!" Sora shouted in a very animated manner. "Just get ready we've arrived at the world already."
Preventing Kairi from spilling the beans he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. As the door shut Mika smiled to herself. It was only going to be a manner of time before she cracked one of them and found out what it was that the Keybearer collected. It just had to be embarrassing for him to react like that.
-KotH-
The three appeared on the surface of the world. Kairi was a little unnerved when she found out she was standing on a cloud. Had she not already seen other worlds and the magic at play in them she would have worried about falling through. Every direction she looked in there were nothing but clouds and blue sky. An overwhelming sense of calm rushed over Kairi telling her that everything was going to turn out fine. She couldn't explain it but she felt something in the very nature of the world that assured peace.
"Oh I don't feel so well." Mika said as she doubled over holding her stomach.
Glancing over at Mika Kairi had to say that she didn't even look well. The woman was positively green in fact The Hulk would have looked white next to her. It also seemed like she would lose her breakfast at any second. Sora who was standing next to Mika looked slightly pale compared to normal. He looked as if he had eaten too many sweets.
"Sora you doing ok?" Kairi asked him.
Sora shook his head no. Mika on her side and curled up into a ball. Kairi didn't know what to do. Just a second ago they were both doing fine. The only thing different now was that they were on world now. Could a world really have such an effect on people and why would it?
"Sora do you feel well enough to travel?"
"Yeah. I just hope we don't run into any Heartless." He said. "What are we going to do about Mika thought?" He asked pointing down at the blonde.
"We should put her back on the ship. Whatever's affecting her wasn't doing it when she was there."
Sora reached into his pocket and pulled out the gummi ship remote. He fiddled with the controls and then Mika was wrapped in the blue light and sent back to the ship. Putting the remote back into his pocket Sora started walking off into the world. Kairi followed closely behind him. Ill looking as he was Sora was still one with the most knowledge about different worlds. Kairi would be next to him though should anything happen. Like him falling over. That seemed to be the most likely thing to happen.
Together they walked on the clouds. If Kairi didn't feel herself walking she would have thought they were standing still. The scenery around them never seemed to change. They would climb cloud hills only to see a vast amount more in front of them. There were no buildings or structures of any kind.
A yellow orange sun beat down on the two Keybearers as they continued walking. Kairi felt a perfect temperature as Sora next to her was sweating. Already he had removed his jacket and tied it around his waist in an attempt to cool down. Kairi was half expecting his shirt to soon follow. She also wouldn't really complain about it either.
Checking her watch, which of course was pink, Kairi was amazed to find out that the hands weren't moving at all. The watch was brand new it should have stopped working yet. Kairi had picked it up while she was in Twilight Town. Like everyone does to a broken watch she tapped the face plate hoping that it'd kick start the watch into working again. It had felt like hours since they had landed on Heaven's Peace. Looking up at the sun she realized that it hadn't moved at all. It was still noon as if stuck in place.
The sounds of flapping wings caught Kairi's attention. It was the first noise she had heard other than Sora's breathing. Looking for the source of the sound Kairi soon spotted a man with white wings. He was flying ahead of them and pretty far up. It was only due to the silence of the world that Kairi could hear the wing beat. Kairi turned to Sora to point the man out but he was already grinning at the winged person. They both started shouting trying to catch his attention.
Their yelling did catch his attention and the white winged man turned towards them. As he got closer Kairi could get a better look of him. He had short blonde hair and was wearing a white robe. Everything about him sent out a feeling of peace. It was much like how Kairi felt when they first landed on the world only now amplified. Quickly she looked at Sora and he started to look more like Mika had been. Heavy wing beats caught Kairi's attention again as the man landed next to them.
"What are humans doing here?" he asked them his voice angelic sounding.
"We've come to seal the Keyhole." Sora told him his voice weaker than normal.
"No one is allowed on Heaven's Peace without permission from our Lord." The man said. "Girl how is it you are not sick like your friend here? What powers do you have that counter our Lord's protection?"
"My name is Kairi." She informed the man rudely. She didn't take well to being called "girl". "As for why I'm not sick I have no idea."
"Alan bring them here." A deep voice echoed from all around.
"Yes Sir." The winged man said to the air. Kairi could only assume that the voice could hear them. Alan looked down on both Kairi and Sora. They both got the look that rich snobs gave to poor people. "Follow me." Was all he said as he took flight and flew to Kairi's right.
The farther away he got the weaker the calming feeling became and the better Sora looked. Alan stayed only close enough for Kairi to spot him. When she closed about half the distance between him and them he would again fly ahead and wait on one of the cloud hills. After about six sets of that Kairi could just barely make out the shape of a large white palace amongst the clouds.
It resembled the castles of fairy tales. The big stone palace towering high with a white stone wall around it. Only the wall this time was made out of clouds instead of stone. White towers stretched into the clouds surrounding the building. What made the stone easy to see was that it reflected the light of the sun whereas the clouds did not. This gave the entire structure a glow like the gods were blessing the very building.
Alan, their still reluctant guide, waited for them at the cloud wall. When Kairi and Sora reached him the man waved his hand towards the wall and the clouds parted allowing passage. Seeing the wall open up Kairi could now see how deep the wall really was. It was about half a mile thick and the clouds making up the inside were black. Lightning crackled amongst the darker clouds. Even if you made it through the soft looking white clouds those thunderclouds would quickly deter most people.
Once through the insanely thick and slightly scary wall they came out to a city. The buildings were made of the same white stone as the palace sitting in the middle of the city. Each looked to be a home and none were any more than a single story. In fact they all seemed as if they were single roomed places. The windows she could see into though told the same story. There were no real inner walls. Each house was fully opened on the inside.
"Do not disturb the residents." Alan warned her. "They will not take kindly to your filth peering into their homes."
Every word out of Alan's mouth was annoying Kairi. He was definitely acting like a rich snob and it was really getting on her nerves. Never before had Kairi wanted to play the Princess of Heart card before. He was one more rude comment away from her doing so. He clearly knew about other worlds if he had called this world by its name.
Having been to occupied looking at her surroundings Kairi had failed to notice Sora getting paler and paler. In fact he had turned as white as the buildings and clouds and had started turning green. With a groan that caught Kairi's attention actually Sora fell to the ground. There wasn't a thud sound so much as a puff sound as he hit the clouds.
"Sora are you ok?" Kairi asked panicked and stupidly as she dropped next to him. "Maybe you should warp back to the ship." She suggested.
"No I can keep going." Sora said as he tried to push himself up. He was far too weak to even get his chest off the ground though.
"He has been called to see our Lord." Alan said. "He will not be allowed to leave until he has met with him. If he can't make it than you shall have to carry him." Still Alan looked down his nose at Kairi and Sora as the later was almost passed out on the ground.
"Oh come off it Alan. Help the poor girl out will you?" a female voice said from above.
"Gabriella how nice to see you." Alan greeted in his snobby angelic voice.
Gabriella landed next to Sora and Kairi. She was about the same height as Kairi and had copper coloured hair that reached down to her shoulders. Like Alan she was wearing a white robe but her wings were grey instead. Crouching down she wrapped Sora's left arm around her neck and smiled at Kairi. Following her lead Kairi did the same thing with Sora's right arm and together they lifted him up.
"You know you just making things worse Gabriella." Alan said. "He's tainted and your presence is just making the effects worse."
"Then leave Alan. I heard our Lord's request. I'll take them to Him in your place. They'll probably be better off that way. Beside you don't have to spend any more time with this so called filth." The winged woman offered.
"Fine. Just make sure that they go straight to him. I don't think the boy can last much longer." Alan said with a sneer before flying off.
"Come on then little miss." Gabriella said as she started to walk forward. "We have someplace to be and as much as a jerk Alan is he was right. Don't know much longer your boyfriend here can last."
"Alright." Kairi said with determination in her voice as she helped carry Sora forward. "Please though call me Kairi."
Together the two girls carried Sora through the streets of the city. Gabriella while silent seemed to actually enjoy the fact she was with them. Unlike Alan who had given them nothing but the stink eye and a hard time. Not hard to improve over that though. It wasn't long before they came to the palace cloud wall. With her free hand Gabriella waved at the wall like Alan had done to the other one. Again the wall seemed thicker than before and was filled with thunderclouds.
Once on the other side Kairi had to shield her eyes to look at the castle before her. White winged people in white gold trimmed armor stood at the doors leading in. The held lances with silver blades. With a nod of their heads the two guards opened the doors leading in for the girls.
Walking through blank white halls Kairi wondered how Gabriella knew where she was going. It seemed like she had traveled the path before as with each turn they took there was no hesitation in her decision. They arrived at another set of double doors guarded by two soldiers. Again they opened the doors for the three.
Entering the shockingly white room Kairi spotted the only piece of furniture. A desk and chair with yet another white winged man sitting behind the desk. Like Alan and Gabriella he was wearing a white robe. Jet black hair was practically buzzed cut and a pair of green eyes looked up at them. Kairi longed for some color in this place of white. If it wasn't for her and Sora's clothes the place would look so boring.
"Gabriella why are you bringing them in?" the man asked. "Our Lord asked that Alan bring them."
"Well he was being his normal grouchy self so I offered to bring them here instead. You should have seen how fast he flew off Ray. Lightning had nothing on him." Gabriella said pleasantly as she shifted Sora's arm.
"Alright then." Ray sighed. "Just take them through the door and come back. They are supposed to go in alone but I can see the boy needs some help."
"Okiees." Gabriella grinned as she led Kairi towards a large wooden door.
With a kick from the copper haired woman the door swung open. A blinding light shone through and if it wasn't for her supporting Sora Kairi would have thrown up both arms to shield herself from the light. Seemingly unaffected by the light Gabriella pulled them through the portal and into the light.
Coming out the other side Kairi gasped and almost dropped Sora. It looked like they were back home on Destiny Islands. In fact she was standing on their play island. Off to her right she could see the shack they used to get to the bridge. Above in the tree standing in front of them was the little tree house. It was exactly the same as home. There was one glaring difference though. A bald man in yellow robes stood with his back towards them. He was most certainly not from Destiny Island.
"Alrighty then bye you two." Gabriella said with a wave before she faded away.
Kairi expected to feel the full weight of Sora as the woman left. She didn't though. In fact she didn't feel any weight. Instead of Sora using her for support he now had his arm placed on her shoulder and squeezed her against him.
"Let's bring your friend here shall we?" the man said. Kairi recognized the voice as the one that had spoken to Alan before.
A blue light much like that of the gummi ships transporter's appeared next to Kairi. Standing in nothing but a pair of black shorts and a red bra was Mika. Kairi covered Sora's eyes before he had a chance to look at the barely clothed woman.
"What the hell happened?" Mika asked placing her hands on her hips not caring what she was or wasn't wearing. "One second I'm walking to the kitchen to grab some grub and next thing you know I'm standing on a beach."
"Mika cover yourself!" Kairi told her.
"Why Kairi? Don't you like why ya see? Know your little boyfriend there would." Mika said thrusting her chest out. "Besides haven't you ever wore a bikini?" Kairi nodded her head. "So what's the big deal? I have more on now then you did then."
"But it's your bra." Kairi protested.
"Covers more than any swimsuit I've ever worn." Mika replied.
A white cloth fell over Mika and became a robe exactly like the one everyone else Kairi had seen wear. Mika looked at the cloth and tried to take it off but some magic prevented her from doing so. She settled with changing the color to black. Kairi finally uncovered Sora's eyes. The big glue eyes held a bit of disappointment when he saw Mika fully clothed.
"I think that solves the problem." The bald man said as he turned to face the three.
"How dare you use magic on me?!" Mika shouted at him. "Only three people are allowed to do so. Solaris, Luna, and hot girls. Luna falls in two of those categories and you in none."
Kairi and Sora stared at Mike in disbelief. Clearly the man had powerful magic if he could summon Mika from the Highwind and place her in a magical cloth that she couldn't get off. She was either really stupid or really sure of herself. Kairi voted for the later of the two.
"So why did you call us here?" Sora asked the man trying to get him distracted from Mika. "and why does this place look like home?"
"This doesn't just look like your home Sora. This is Destiny Islands. I had my people bring you here because you couldn't survive on Heaven's Peace. That world is pure light and cannot stand any form of darkness." The man said his voice sounding like that of a father talking to his favorite son.
"That's why I wasn't affected." Kairi reasoned. As a Princess of Heart she was devoid of any darkness.
"And explains why I was practically dead on arrival." Mika said annoyed. "Knew using those Corridors would come back to haunt me."
"Those who have dipped into the darkness will find it impossible to stay on Heaven's Peace. Sora you were once a Heartless a creature of the Dark. That is why you were affected so." The man explained. "Now my children you went to Heaven's Peace to seal the Keyhole correct?" They all nodded. "Have no worries as my world's Keyhole is protected by powers far beyond the strength of what you're enemies have."
"Now hold on a second." Mika said. "How are we all the way at Destiny Islands? Even with a warp gummi or a Corridor the trip would take more than just a second."
"I'm kinda curious to." Sora said. "And why did you bring us here? Alan said we just needed your permission to be back on your world."
"What I want to know is who you are." Kairi added.
The man chuckled at them. He crossed his arms and looked at them with a fatherly smile. "Surely you three can figure out who I am. Think it through now."
The three of them stood there looking at him with confusion. Kairi looked back at the powers he had displayed and the world of Heaven's Peace. Whoever he was he had a lot of power and seemed to be filled with light. Heaven's Peace reflected the powers of light and turned away those touched by darkness. Even the name seemed like it was a glaring hint as to who this man was. It then dawned on Kairi who might be standing there front of her. The winged people she had run into and see fit the description of angles perfectly. All but Alan's attitude had fit that is.
"You're God." Kairi whispered.
"Bullshit" Mika laughed. "No one person could have the powers of God. It's impossible."
"How do you explain the angle like people then?" Sora asked her as he came to the same conclusion Kairi did. "Or the power he has?"
"The Keybearers are right Mika. I am the Lord Almighty." The man said with a knowing smile.
"Then you have a lot to answer for." Mika growled extending her hand out to her side.
The summoning light of her staff started to shine but was quickly stopped. Mika glared at "God" and mana started pulling in around her, a sign of powerful spell being readied. Again before anything happened the mana around her abruptly halted. Mika had been ready for it though and had used a small portion to pull her staff into existence. With a yell she ran forward pure anger in her eyes. The robe she was wearing grew longer and caused her to trip on the hem.
"Mika just stop." Kairi pleaded. "Whether you want to believe it or not he's God."
"He can't be Kairi." Mika said as she got up tears slowly making their way down her cheeks. "If God existed than my world would still be here. Hell all the worlds would still be as one. If God was real why would he let us suffer so?"
"He lets us find out own path in life is why. He gave us the freedom of choice. We are the ones that have made darkness and we have to live with it." Sora preached.
"Worst excuse ever." Mika spat. "He just doesn't give a damn. He lets so many people die because of one person. Think of how many have died because of Xehanort. How many worlds fell to darkness and how many Heartless have been made because of that man? Did this 'God' stop him? No he sat at home and watched him bring about the destruction of countless people. Of countless families." The anger Mika had displayed was gone by the end. Replaced by sadness at the loss she had experienced. "When you opened the door to Kingdom Hearts Sora and restored many worlds mine was left in the dark. Sol, Luna, and I will never be able to return home. Our family and friends are forever lost to us. You can't tell me God is real Sora. I can't believe that he exists and left me abandoned in the Valley with no one."
"It was your world's time to leave this plane of existence." God said. "You three were spared because of your strong hearts. I did not leave you alone. You brother survived as well as you."
"I just have one question for you. WHY THE HELL DIDN'T RIN LIVE?!" Mika shouted at him her tears falling freely. "Why did you kill my wife? Her heart was far more pure than mine. Never had I seen such love for the world than the love she gave. Why did she die and I live? Me who went to become Virgo a Celestial Warrior who helped bring more worlds to the darkness. I know it's cliché to ask why you loved one was taken instead. It happens in every romance story."
Mika stood up straight and looked the bald man dead in the eyes. Anger was fully displayed on her face. The white of her eyes turned black as dark energy swirled around her. Pieces of the black robe fell to the ground as the powers of darkness tore at the holy cloth.
"But I don't give a damn about being a cliché!" Mika shouted. She twirled her staff around gathering the black energy around it. Once fully covered she pointed the butt of the staff at the man and the energy chanced into a claw hurtling at God. He waved his hand dismissingly to banish the attack. The claw didn't vanish though and made its way to him. It gripped him around the throat and started to choke him. Before any real harm could be done he vanished leaving only four feathers on the ground where he had once stood.
"I think I have overstayed my welcome there. Sora. Kairi. For believing in me and fighting on the side of light I have left you a gift. Take the feathers and they will give you access to a higher Drive Form. There are feathers for Roxas and Naminé." The voice of God echoed in the back of Kairi's mind. "The Highwind is in orbit around Destiny Islands once more waiting for you."
Kairi walked over to Mika who had fallen to all fours. Her hands resting on her staff as tears continued to fall to the sand. The black energy she had called forth was gone the robes she had been forced to wear nothing more than tattered remains covering little more than what she wore underneath. When Mika looked up at Kairi her eyes were the normal gold and white but still filled with tears and hate.
"I can see how you don't believe in.." Kairi started.
"Shut the fuck up." Mika mumbled as she stood up. "If your God was real than how did I hurt him? Isn't he supposed to be all powerful?"
A swarm of black energy covered Mika and she disappeared before Kairi could say anything more. Kairi let out a sigh as she turned to walk over and see what Sora was doing with the feathers. She couldn't blame Mika for acting the way she did. Kairi herself was having doubt in her belief that they had met God. Mika had made a few good points in her rant. Why would He let them suffer through so much? Why did so many people have to deal with the pain caused by the mistakes of one man?
Sora was twirling a feather in his fingers as Kairi approached. The other three were in his other hand. He held them out towards her and she took one. When her hand touched the feather she could feel the same warmth she felt while on Heaven's Peace. She quickly looked at Sora to see if he was experiencing the same thing he had on that world. Without her asking he shook his head and smiled.
"So how do these work exactly?" Kairi asked having never gone in Drive before.
Sora put the remaining two feathers into one of his pockets and pulled out a small red crystal. Kairi recognized it as the one he used when he changed into his Valor Form.
"Normally I channel my magic into this and change. It uses one of my friends to do so though. I actually use Roxas once." Sora chuckled. "Well I'll give mine ago and see what happens."
Light poured out of the feather as Sora channeled magic into it. Soon the light fully engulfed him and Kairi looked away to save her eyesight. When the light was gone she could see Sora standing in a white version of his normal clothes. Halo like circles dotted his pants and vest and a pair of white energy wings sat behind him. The wing weren't connected to him but moved with him as he looked himself over. Hovering next to his left hand was Oblivion and next to his right was the Kingdom Key.
"This seems a lot like Final Form." Sora said slightly disappointed. "Except I have wings and I'm not floating."
"And you don't weirdly absorb people." Kairi commented. "My turn."
Kairi twirled the feather between her index finger and thumb as she poured mana into the small object. The same light that enveloped Sora covered her. She could feel the changes take place. Her dress elongated from her thighs down to her ankles. The light pink color faded to white and the zipper was replaced by buttons. Her normal sneakers were replaced by a pair of white heels. In the back of her mind she could feel the energy wings form and their presence. Along with the presence of the wings she could feel the energy of the Oathkeeper floating next to her and a Keyblade she didn't know. It was dark blue and looked like it was made out of waves. The blade headed out and branched out like water hitting rocks. At the top a wave curved around a black circle with a blue star set inside. The keychain was gold and ended in a blue star that looked much like Oathkeeper's own keychain just more metallic. Feeling the power from the Keyblade Kairi knew its name. Brightcrest.
"How am I supposed to fight in a dress and heels?" she asked as the light died down.
"You should ask Luna." Sora told her. "I honestly don't think I've seen her in anything but a skirt."
"You're right." Kairi realized. "But she still doesn't fight in heels" she added as she lifted the hem of her dress to show off the white shoes.
"Well how about I show you." A voice echoed from above.