The World That Never Was
Ikari had finally made the decision to end her life. She still wasn't sure when and how she was going to do it; she simply knew that it was something that had to be done. But before she made any definite plans, there was someone she needed to see first.
Her Corridor of Darkness opened into Addled Impasse, one of the huge rooms of the Castle That Never Was. She found Saïx standing in front of the back wall. It was made up completely of glass and gave a perfect view of the artificial Kingdom Hearts hanging above them in the black sky.
Saïx was gazing up at the Organization's "moon", his hands reaching out as if he was trying to touch it.
"You! Blue-haired guy!" Ikari wasn't trying to be rude; she honestly didn't remember his name.
Saïx made a startled hissing sound through clenched teeth as he lowered his arms and spun around to face Ikari.
"What do you want?!" his expression softened immediately after saying that, obviously surprised at the tone and volume of his own voice.
He glared at Ikari and turned around again, pressing his gloved hands against the glass window that made up the entire back wall. Ikari swallowed hard, feeling incredibly nervous being in the presence of this unpredictable Nobody.
"I-I'm looking for-"
"Get out."
His low, calm voice scared Ikari even more than his threatening voice.
"But please, if you would just-"
"Do not make me repeat myself…" Saïx's voice cracked a little mid-sentence as if he was struggling to hold onto his usual composed demeanour.
Ikari knew that she was going to have to be a lot more direct if she wanted to get any answers from the Luna Diviner.
"Larxene. Where can I find her?" she said quickly in a firm, demanding tone.
"There are only four of us left!"
Saïx's screaming voice echoed through the whole room as he spun around again, revealing a disturbingly wild look in his eyes. It immediately made Ikari fall silent and step back, terrified.
Saïx started to list the deceased members in a slightly calmer voice. "Sora has eliminated Xaldin and Demyx. Axel and Roxas made the decision to abandon and betray us. And Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Marluxia and Larxene were killed a year ago during a mission in Castle Oblivion."
Ikari threw a hand to her mouth and gasped when she heard her old friend's name.
"No..."
The anger in Saïx's voice disappeared suddenly as he faced the window again. "As there as only four remaining members… Xemnas, Xigbar, Luxord and myself… we are extremely occupied with trying to keep this organization alive long enough to achieve its goal. And so, given our current situation, I would strongly advise you to leave, Miss Ikari."
Saïx's words sounded like white noise in Ikari's ears, but she had already made the decision to get out of this castle as soon as possible and didn't need to hear what he had to say anyway. After shuffling back a couple of steps, she opened a Corridor of Darkness behind her and ran into it as fast as she could.
…
She appeared at the top of Memory's Skyscraper, falling to her knees as sadness and regret drained the energy from her body. She drove her fist down hard and screamed, tears falling from her eyes as fast as the rain that crashed down around her in sheets.
"I didn't…" she sobbed quietly to herself. "I didn't even get to tell her…"
Ikari gasped for breath and then let it out in a raspy cry.
…
Twilight Town
It didn't take Tsuki and Riku long to notice how the White Room had changed when they returned to it. Or, more accurately, they noticed the fact that it had returned to the way it had been originally. The piano and the sofa had both disappeared as if they had never been there at all. Tsuki spotted Kira resting her shoulder against a wall with Roka standing beside her, staring contently into space.
Tsuki walked up to one of the chairs around the table in the middle of the room and placed her hands on the back of it, leaning forward on it slightly. "So, did you take everything back to Traverse Town?"
Kira smiled. She stood up straight and then turned to push her back against the wall. "Yeah, the Dalmatian puppies were pretty happy to have their piano back, it was the cutest thing ever. Now, where have you guys-?"
"Where the heck have you guys been?!" Tristis came into the room, cutting Kira off.
Riku slowly raised a finger to point at the dark-haired girl. "Hey, you… you cut your…"
Tristis grabbed at her now shoulder-length locks. "Oh, this? Heh. Guess I just felt like a change. Tsuki and Laeta both have really long hair and, I don't know, I guess I just wanted to be a little different," she looked away, smiling a little.
But she quickly snapped her gaze back to Riku and Tsuki. "Don't avoid the question!"
Laeta ran into the room. "Oh, you're finally back! What took you so long, you were gone for, like, a whole age!"
"Yeah, what were you guys doing?" Roka asked, half suspicious and half curious.
"Talking," Riku was quick to reply.
Tsuki smiled innocently, placing her hands behind her back. "Yeah, just talking."
That was a lie, but not only for the obvious reasons. In reality, after the main events of the time Tsuki and Riku had spent in the Secret Place, the had simply laid there in silence, having nothing more to talk about whatsoever. Even though questions sprinted through Tsuki's mind, like whether or not the fact that she and Riku had kissed meant that they were a couple, she didn't voice any of them. And Riku, who had rid his head completely of any complicated thoughts, just lay there holding Tsuki with his eyes closed in a half-daze.
Everyone stared at the two of them, obviously not believing them at all. The White Room's door opened suddenly and DiZ walked in slowly, holding a long, bulky machine that looked so strange it could hardly be described at all.
"What's that?" Kira and Tsuki asked in unison.
DiZ was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowed seriously behind his bandages.
"The time has come. Sora's battle with the Organization ends here. I am going to aid him in his struggles by preventing them from accomplishing the very goal that brought them to organize."
"And will this thing play a part in making that happen?" Riku stepped forward to examine the device more closely.
DiZ nodded. "This is my latest creation. The Kingdom Hearts Encoder. With this, I will be able to turn the Organization's Kingdom Hearts into data, making it impossible for it to be used at all. I am going to their home world now. I trust that you'll be joining me, Riku?"
"Yeah," Riku held out his hand to summon a Dark Corridor.
But Tsuki shuffled forward and grabbed the back of his coat to stop him. "We'll come too."
Riku paused with his hand still raised in front of him before sighing and looking back at her over his shoulder. The portal disappeared.
"It's okay. We'll handle this."
"I want to help you. In any way I can," Tsuki said firmly.
"I'm with her on that one," Laeta chimed in, smiling her usual warm smile.
There was a flash of light as Kira summoned her Keyblade. "Come on, that place is swarming with Heartless and Nobodies. If we take `em out, it'll be easier for you to go and find Sora and the others without too much trouble," she grinned.
"But wait, we're forgetting Roka. How's he going to fight without a weapon?" Tristis was quick to consider the complications of their plan.
Roka laughed a little to himself, happy that someone was thinking about him. He tilted his head in thought before slowly raising his hand to place it on the handle of Kira's blade.
"Can I try?"
"Oh sure, I guess…?" Kira let go of her Keyblade a little unsurely.
But surprisingly, even when he held it up and brought it down in a quick sweeping motion, the Keyblade remained in Roka's hand.
Kira gasped suddenly, covering her mouth. "Roka, you're a Keyblade wielder?!"
The same shocked expression was spread across the blue-haired boy's face. "I guess… I am?"
Tsuki gasped excitedly "Wow, that's amazing! Can you summon your own Keyblade?"
Roka held out a hand and concentrated on it as hard as he could. But after a good ten seconds, he brought it down again in defeat.
Kira shook her head, smiling. "Don't worry. Keep practicing, you'll get it eventually!"
Riku brought a fist up to his lips as he thought. "So, if Roka's a wielder… that must mean that Kairi can use the Keyblade too?" he looked at DiZ, wanting him to confirm the accuracy of his theory.
DiZ did so him a small nod. "It definitely makes sense."
"That could be helpful to know if she gets in a bad situation. Thanks, Roka," Riku smiled a little.
"Um, sure," Roka laughed awkwardly, not entirely sure that he really did anything that required a 'thank you'.
He carefully gave the Keyblade back to Kira who dismissed it.
Riku summoned another Dark Corridor. "Alright. You guys can come and help out. But I'm going to need to go on by myself and face the Organization alone, okay?"
Tsuki sighed quietly in relief.
…
The World That Never Was
Upon their arrival in the in-between world, DiZ immediately left to make his way into the castle. But Riku, who still needed a moment to think before diving into the final battles, stayed behind staring up at Memory's Skyscraper with Tsuki, Laeta and Tristis standing on his left and Kira and Roka on his right.
The huge skyscraper brought back painful memories for Riku and he glared up at it as the rain fell over his face from the dark sky above him. This was the very place where he had accepted the being called 'Ansem'. He hated to be reminded of the fact that the horrible Heartless was still inside him.
"Riku? Is something wrong?" Tsuki's voice was far away in Riku's mind.
He didn't feel right. Since Naminé had changed his appearance to make him look like 'Riku' again, he had been able to forget about Xehanort's Heartless completely. He wasn't worried about it at all. But now that memories of his fight with Roxas came flooding back, it was all he could think about. That horrible, ugly, despicable man who had done so many terrible things…
Riku felt a terrible pain tear through his head and he held it with both hands. He staggered up the steps of the skyscraper and fell to his knees at the base of it, pulling his hood over his head.
"Riku!" Tsuki ran after him.
She crouched down behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He slowly brushed her off him and got to his feet. Tsuki stood up as well and took a couple of steps back.
"Riku…?"
Everyone stood there anxiously, trying to figure out what was going on. Riku turned around slowly and Tsuki froze when she saw his shadowed face behind his hood.
"Do I look like him?" Riku answered his own question as soon as he heard his deeper, older-sounding voice.
He didn't say anything more. A small frown of disappointment fell over his expression before he turned and silently began to walk away.
"W-where are you going?" Tsuki took a few steps forward, holding out her hand towards him.
Riku didn't respond. It became very clear to Tsuki that he wasn't planning on stopping. He was just going to walk away without looking back.
"Riku!" she ran forward and wrapped her arms around the now much taller Riku from behind.
He was forced to stand there in place as Tsuki held him back in a tight hug. They stood there in silence for a long time before Tsuki whispered to him, burying her face into his coat.
"Hey… I'm not letting you get away that easily."
"Please, just… let me go. I'm not 'Riku' anymore. I'm… a monster," came Riku's grim reply.
"Why? Because you have that man's face? That's… that's just silly," Tsuki forced a quiet laugh. "Even if you don't look like him… you're still my Riku."
After slowly looking back at her over his shoulder, Riku turned and put a gloved hand on Tsuki's arm.
"Thank you."
"For… for what?" Tsuki asked in a small voice.
Riku averted his gaze and pursed his lips sadly. "For everything. We make a pretty good team."
Tsuki could hear in his voice that he hadn't quite said everything that he needed to say, and so she waited anxiously to hear the rest of it.
"But, I think I should go on alone," he finally finished.
Tsuki slowly lowered her head. "Yeah… What was I thinking, we're no use to you at all. You can easily handle this by yourself…"
This time it was Riku who waited for the second half of her sentence.
"I just… I don't want to have to say goodbye. It feels too soon," Tsuki's voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes.
Riku still had his hand placed on her arm and he tightened his grip slightly, trying his hardest to find some way to comfort her.
"Then don't. We don't have to say goodbye."
"But… this'll be the last time we ever see-"
"It won't be. I promise."
Tsuki couldn't tell if Riku really believed what he was saying. But she could hear the confidence in his voice and that definitely made her feel a little better.
"Right," she nodded, smiling as she looked up at him. "I guess I'll see you soon, then?"
"You know where to find me," Riku returned the smile as he reluctantly slid his hand off of her arm.
Tsuki saw his eyes flick down to glance at her lips and his head moved forward only slightly, like he was going to lean down. But quickly stopped himself, looking up to stare into her eyes for a couple of seconds before turning and briskly walking away. Tsuki stood there very still and watched him get further and further away as he headed towards the huge castle in the distance.
Kira shuffled up behind her. "Wait… So that's it? After everything that's happened, he's just gonna… walk away?"
"It's not like he has much of a choice. Sora and the others need him. They need to go back home with him," Tsuki was reminding herself of that fact as well in the hope that it would make herself feel better about letting Riku go.
The others had stepped up beside Tsuki as well.
"But that's…" Tristis could barely even find the words to describe what had happened.
Laeta ended up helping her by finishing her trail of thought. "That's so sad…"
"Are you going to be okay, Tsu?" Roka asked in a sympathetic tone.
Tsuki breathed a short laugh and smiled at him. "'Course I will. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, I know you two weren't exactly… just friends."
The forced smile on Tsuki's face faltered for a second and she had to fight to find the strength to hold onto it.
She shook her head slowly. "It's okay."
"So…what now?" Kira wondered out loud.
Tsuki tapped her lower lip with a finger as she thought about what they were supposed to do now. "I guess we go home?"
"You say that like it'll be that easy." A familiar echoing voice made everyone look up in unison to see where it was coming from.
There was an eerie stillness in the atmosphere and everything was silent except for the soft splashing of the rain.
"No… No, please… no…" Tsuki's whole body went rigid as whispered through her teeth.
A Corridor of Darkness appeared in front of them and Roka's initial reaction was to grab hold of Kira's hand, ready to run away with her at the first sign of danger.
Ikari stepped out of the darkness, pushing her raven hair back over her shoulders as placed her half-lidded eyes on Tsuki.
"I found you," she said in a threatening sing-song voice.
As Tsuki shuffled back a step, Tristis and Laeta stepped forward, summoning their weapons.
"What do you want," Tristis glared at her unforgivingly.
"Hm, I would have thought that it was obvious," Ikari folded her arms, looking right past the dark-haired girl as she continued to smirk at Tsuki. "See, I prefer it when the people I kill actually stay dead. And the fact that you're standing here in front of me ticks off so much you wouldn't believe it. So naturally, I'm here to finish this for good."
Ikari disappeared suddenly in a Dark Corridor. Just as Tsuki started to spin around to see where she had gone, Ikari had already reappeared behind everyone. Before Tsuki could do anything to stop her, Ikari had grabbed Kira and Roka's arms. They shrieked as she pulled them back, summoning a Corridor and throwing them both into it.
Tsuki threw her hands to her mouth. "No! Where did you send them!?"
Ikari's eyes filled up completely with the colour of her irises for a split second before returning to normal again as she smiled a satisfied smile.
"Defeat me and I might tell you. Come and find me…" she made a small hand gesture in the direction of The Castle That Never Was. "I'll be waiting."
With that parting shot, Ikari disappeared again. Tsuki stood there staring at the trail of darkness that her portal left behind, watching it rise and eventually fade as well.
"No…"
"Come on, let's go after her!" Tristis ran forward, her short black boots crashing against the wet pavement.
"Tristis, wait!" Laeta called after her.
The dark-haired girl stopped and spun around, looking at Laeta in confusion. "Wait for what? We've got to save Kira and Roka! We can stop Ikari, it's three against one-!"
"We're no match for her," Laeta looked away sadly, wrapping her bandaged arms around herself. "Tsuki's heart is only half full of light and darkness. And as for us, we're hardly even complete people at all. It'll be three weak girls against one extremely powerful… whatever the heck Ikari is. She'll easily take us out. Unless…"
"No… Please don't say what I think you're going to say…" Tristis started to breathe faster in a panic.
"What? I don't understand, what are you talking about?" Tsuki looked anxiously between her 'other halves'.
Laeta closed her eyes, a sad smile slowly forming on her sweet face. "I think it's time for us to go back to Tsuki's heart, Tristis."
"But… I want… I want to be…" Tristis' eyes filled up with tears and she turned her back to the two girls so that they couldn't see. "I want to be my own person."
"Tristis, we've done our job. We were created so that we could learn to live alongside each other. So that we could return to Tsuki's heart without any conflict. And I don't know about you, but with each passing moment that I've spent with you, I've come to love you more and more. You're like a sister to me. And so, that's my job done. What about you?"
"I know… I guess I feel the same way about you, but… I just…" Tristis brushed a hand over both her tears-stained cheeks before turning around again.
Laeta ran forward and embraced Tristis tightly. Tristis buried her face into Laeta's shoulder and whimpered, pursing her lips as she fought back tears.
Tsuki slowly approached them. "Are you sure there isn't another way? I mean, I… I've had so much fun with you guys. I don't want to lose you just yet."
Laeta pulled away from Tristis slightly but kept her hands on the girl's shoulders as she turned her head to look at Tsuki.
"It'll be okay," she turned back to Tristis again. "Come on, we're wasting time. Tsuki needs to go and confront Ikari and we need to be with her to help her win."
Tristis breathed a shaky sigh to calm herself as she nodded. "Right," she whispered, smiling up at Laeta. "I'm ready now."
Laeta smiled back and moved her hand down to hold Tristis'. "Well… it's been fun, Tsu," she whispered as she closed her eyes.
"Good luck," Tristis gave small laugh as she did the same.
Tsuki stepped forward and took Tristis and Laeta's free hands and the three of them formed a circle.
"Thank you so much. I'm glad we could be friends, even if it was only for a little while. I'll never forget you…" her eyes slid shut and she forced a calm smile into her expression.
Tsuki opened her heart up to her light and darkness as Tristis and Laeta willed themselves to return to it. It happened quickly. In a flash of black and white, the two girls were gone. Tsuki felt their presence inside of her immediately and she opened her eyes again to find that she was standing alone. She placed a hand on her chest and looked out to the castle in the distance, feeling more determined than ever.
"Alright… If she wants a fight, we'll give her one."
...
It took a lot longer to search the castle than Tsuki had thought it would. There were so many doors; rooms within rooms that she continued to find herself lost in on her desperate search for Ikari. The final battle. She was ready for it. Tristis and Laeta were with her, protecting her and making her stronger than she had ever been before. And Riku had given her a hi-potion back when they were talking in the Secret Place which she could use as a last resort. Tsuki had spent every waking minute since her revival with the terrifying thought of the raven-haired witch always lingering in the back of her mind. And now, here she was, actually seeking out the one person who scared her more than anything in the whole world. But Tsuki wasn't afraid. The thought of losing Kira and Roka scared her far more than facing Ikari and, once again, death.
Holding her breath as she turned every corner, she hoped that she wouldn't be spotted by the lurking Nobodies. She also secretly hoped that she would run into Riku, but he was already way further ahead than she was and probably engaged in a battle of his own by now.
She opened another door. Empty. As she turned around, slamming the door behind her in frustration, she caught sight of a room a little further down the hallway she was standing in where the door had been left open. She didn't need any time to think. Her breath caught in her throat as she ran down the hallway, but she ignored it easily.
She ran through the door and found herself on a dark pathway that led into the room itself. It looked like a training hall, not too big in size but still reasonably decent. There was a platform at the front and back of the room and Tsuki was standing right in the middle of the former. She immediately caught sight of the person standing opposite her.
"Ikari, bring my friends back right now!"
"Sorry, sweetie. Not gonna happen," Ikari raised her voice from across the room.
"Let me rephrase that…" Tsuki summoned her Keyblade, aimed it and cast a Fire spell in the raven-haired girl's direction.
Ikari pulled her sword out from behind her and blocked it quickly, drawing in a gasp at the unexpected attack.
"I'm not here to play games, Ikari. Where are Kira and Roka?!" Tsuki bit back her anger, wanting to at least give Ikari a chance to give up before she tried to start anything.
"Let them go!"
"No," Ikari gave a cold stare as she slowly began to make her way to the centre of the room. "Looks like the only way to get them back is to defeat me."
Tsuki started walking forwards as well. "But why? Why are you even doing this?"
"Because I want to-!" Ikari stopped herself mid-sentence and then started again. "Because I just want you to die already! I killed you… And you were supposed to stay dead!"
Ikari jumped forward and slashed her sword in Tsuki's direction, who quickly had to push her Keyblade up to block it. Tsuki growled and threw her blade out to strike Ikari and landed a four-hit combo, making the witch stagger and open to another attack. With a satisfied 'hmph', Ikari stood up straight and skipped back a few steps before darting around Tsuki and slashing her from behind. Tsuki's body arched forward as she groaned in pain, but she quickly recovered. As she turned and leaped to land an aerial combo, Ikari spun around and ran in the opposite direction. Sparks flew out of Tsuki's blade as it connected with the floor.
Tsuki chased her opponent to the left side of the room where Ikari jumped at the wall and pushed herself off of it, back-flipping and bringing her sword down on Tsuki again. Tsuki forced the pain away and placed two hands on her Keyblade to push Ikari. With a high-pitched cry, Ikari's back hit the wall and she was held there as Tsuki pressed her blade into her throat. Choking and writhing, Ikari eventually broke free, only to be shot at with a Blizzard spell which caused her to fall back against the wall again. She slid down it and sat there on ground with her head in her hand as she tried to get her strength back. Tsuki stood over her, swiping the air with her Keyblade in a downwards stroke as she aimed it at Ikari. Throwing her leg out, Ikari kicked Tsuki with all the force she had, letting out a frustrated snarl. Tsuki flew backwards and her body twisted so that she landed on her side, her head hitting the floor hard. Her vision blurred for a few seconds but she blinked it back and slowly pushed herself to her feet. The hi-potion felt heavy in her pocket, but she knew she had to save it. Ikari pressed her fingertips to the ground and jumped into a battle stance, holding her sword tightly as she waited for Tsuki to move first.
The ginger-haired girl screamed through clenched teeth as she ran forward, crossing blades with Ikari as the two of them struck each other over and over again with an equal amount of force. Their weapons flew in all directions, sparks and stars flying out of them as their wielders shuffled around each other in a circle, each trying to land a stronger hit than the other. Tsuki was the first to do so. She brought her Keyblade down in a diagonal slash which sent Ikari flying back into the floor, coughing as the air escaped her lungs.
Just as Tsuki was charging up a Fire spell, Ikari threw her hand out towards her, pressing two fingers on her other hand against her temple. Tsuki felt a familiar feeling build up inside of her as she became frozen in place. Ikari got to her feet as she began to lift Tsuki into the air with the invisible force. All Tsuki could do was kick and turn her head violently as she tried to escape Ikari's hold on her.
"Come on, you can do better than that," Ikari panted, beginning to slowly drain Tsuki's life force.
Flashes of memories of the last time she was in this situation appeared in Tsuki's mind. If she didn't find a way to break free, she knew it would be the end of her. But Ikari's power was too strong. And the more Tsuki tried to struggle and will herself away from her, the more she realised how helpless she was against her. It was impossible.
Just as Tsuki was closing her eyes in defeat, beams of light and darkness flew out of her chest. Ikari's blue-filled eyes grew wide in confusion, but she still kept her hand outstretch to hold Tsuki in place. The light and darkness swirled in the air in the open space between the two opponents and suddenly took the form of two girls.
Tristis and Laeta looked back over their shoulders and smiled at Tsuki as they hovered there in mid-air. Tsuki couldn't believe it. Tristis jumped forward and shot spheres of darkness at Ikari, causing her to stagger and break the hold she had on Tsuki which allowed her to safely fall back down to her feet. Tsuki's Keyblade disappeared and reappeared in Laeta's hand as she summoned it. She held it in both hands as she ran to attack Ikari. Tristis and Laeta surrounded the raven-haired girl as they struck her from all angles, making her scream in anguish with each hit.
When the two of them had finally lowered Ikari's health enough, Tristis sent out a flood of darkness from her hands that suspended her foe in mid-air. Laeta dropped down on one knee and reached back, allowing Tsuki to take the Keyblade from her, keeping her eyes locked on Ikari. Tsuki held her blade tightly in her shaking hand and took a moment to prepare herself.
Then she charged forward, a raspy cry escaping her lips as she delivered the final blow.
…
The three girls gasped for breath, exhausted by using all their energy in one go. Tristis tilted sideways and held onto Laeta's shoulder for support, who was quick to put a comforting hand on her "sister's" arm. Tsuki walked slowly towards the motionless Ikari, lying on the floor on her back. When Tsuki knelt down beside her, Ikari's eyes fluttered open a little and she stared up at empty space, a broken smile forming on her now pale lips.
"Thank you," she coughed quietly. "Thank you so much."
"What are you… What do you mean?" Tsuki couldn't understand Ikari's sudden change in character.
"I've made so many mistakes… Hurt so many people. This is the only way I can repent for what I've done." Tears formed in the corners of Ikari's eyes. "You did it. I knew you could. I knew you could put an end to me… The monster I've become."
The facts suddenly clicked into place in Tsuki's mind. "You… You wanted me to defeat you?"
Ikari nodded slowly, still staring up at nothing in particular. A tear finally made its way down her cheek. "A simple apology couldn't even begin to be enough to make up for what I did to you and Arleen and everyone else, or what I put my brother through. This really is the only way. I just want you to know that I truly am sorry."
She weakly turned her head and looked at Tsuki. "And if you find my brother Yori… could you apologise to him for me, too?"
No. No, this isn't right. But why? I should be happy. I've won, I beat her. But the fact that that's what she wanted changes everything somehow. No… I can't just let her…
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Tsuki put a little bite into those words. "He's been looking for you. He's waiting for you on the islands. He wants to start a new life with you. So… So if you die, you'll be hurting him even more!"
Ikari's pupils dilated in shock as she gasped. "Yori's been…? But I thought he…"
Tristis and Laeta knelt down beside Tsuki and exchanged worried glances.
"Yori… I'm such an idiot. I just wanted to be there for him, but all I've ever done is hurt him. And now… Now it's…" Ikari tried and failed to hold back a sob as her tears flowed faster.
"It's too late."
So many emotions coursed through Tsuki's heart, she couldn't sort any of them out for a while. She wanted Ikari to disappear; just looking at her brought back memories that were too painful to bear. But she knew that letting her die would be selfish because there was someone out there who needed her and there were still so many things she needed to do. And Tsuki hated the fact that Ikari has chosen to take the easy way out. This wasn't the right way to apologise. Tsuki had been trying to push so many unwanted facts away, but now she couldn't deny that Ikari wasn't really a bad person inside. She had made a lot of mistakes, but her intentions weren't all bad. Maybe she could even learn to forgive her.
Ikari let her shallow gasps out in shaky breaths as she continued to sob. "Wait… I changed my mind… I want… I want to be with Yori… I need to tell him…"
She tried to push herself up, only to slump down on her back again.
"I'm sorry… I'm… I'm so sorry. I don't… I don't want to die," her voice became weak and distant.
Tsuki found herself feeling something she never imagined that she could ever feel: a desperate urge to help Ikari. She was fading away right in front of her. Tsuki knew she had to do something… anything. She looked over at Tristis and Laeta and she could tell that the same thing was going through their minds as well.
I have to help her. Think! Tsuki, think! She gasped as it suddenly came to her.
She dove into her pockets and pulled out her hi-potion. Pushing the rim of the bottle into Ikari's mouth, Tsuki watched as the colour flowed back into Ikari's cheeks as green light streamed out of the hi-potion.
The raven-haired girl pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked at Tsuki with teary, thankful eyes.
"You… you saved me? After everything… You…"
Tsuki put a hand on Ikari's shoulder. "We've all done stupid things, right? You deserve a chance to make it up to the people you've hurt."
"But how?" Ikari sniffed and wiped her eyes. "How can I?"
"Well…" Tsuki jumped to her feet and extended a hand towards Ikari, smiling. "You could start by being there for Yori."
Ikari let Tsuki help her up. "You think he'll forgive me?"
"He already has, silly," Laeta smiled cheerfully as she and Tristis stood up as well.
"Yori's with Roka's step-mom. The two of you can stay there until we get can get you your own place," Tsuki said.
Ikari nodded. "Yeah… I'd like that."
"Alright, now how about you tell us where Kira and Roka are," Tristis folded her arms and narrowed her eyes a little.
"Oh, of course," Ikari shook her head and smiled. "I just sent them back to the Destiny Islands. They should be fine."
Tristis' expression softened in relief. "Guess we should all go home then, huh." She turned to face Tsuki and took one of her hands.
Laeta joined in holding hands with the two of them and the three girls formed a circle.
"Thanks, guys. Thank you for being there for me when I needed you," Tsuki smiled sadly.
They closed their eyes and Tsuki willed her heart to open up to her light and darkness.
"We'll always be with you," she heard Tristis say.
Tsuki nodded. "Yeah."
There was a pause as they stood there in silence.
"No, we'll literally be with you. Right here, in person. Laeta, we can't go back!"
The girls opened their eyes again and stared at each other in confusion.
"That's strange… But wait, now that I think about it… I feel a little fuller inside. Is this what being a complete person feels like?" Laeta placed a hand on her chest.
"Me too. Darkness isn't the only thing I can feel any more. I feel a little lighter, somehow. And look..." Tristis showed them her wrists and they saw that her silver shackles had disappeared.
"Hey, same with me!" Laeta looked down at her arms and saw that her white bandages had disappeared.
"Do you think… that my heart somehow found a light and darkness on its own? And that the two of you have complete hearts now?" it was the only explanation Tsuki could think of.
"It makes sense," Ikari spoke up. "Like, with Nobodies, I hear it's actually possible for them to eventually grow new hearts when they've lost theirs. Maybe the same thing applies when people lose the light and darkness in their hearts?"
Laeta gasped and covered her mouth, looking like she was about to burst into tears of joy at any moment. "So… So that means that… Tristis and I…"
"We get to stay with you!" Tristis cried in excitement as she hugged Tsuki.
Tsuki hugged back tightly and Laeta joined in, the three of them giggling together with relief and happiness.
"Alright everyone, let's go," Tsuki laughed as she pulled back, summoning a Corridor of Darkness.
Laeta linked arms with Tristis, who took Tsuki's hand. Tsuki offered Ikari her hand and she took it gladly.
It was all over. Tsuki's journey of saving hearts that had gone astray, Tristis and Laeta's journey to learn how to work together and live alongside each other, and Ikari's journey of finding forgiveness and a better life for herself had finally come to an end.
They were grinning as they stepped into the Dark Corridor together. They were going home.