The Sapphire Sorceress

Disclaimer: The rights to Kingdom Hearts belong to Disney and Square Enix.

Act 72: The Freeshooter

"Thank you, Sora's heart, for pushing him right into our clutches. Aren't hearts great? Steer us wrong every time."

The World That Never Was: Hall of Empty Melodies ( Kairi's POV )

This vast palace of nothingness was very long despite most of it having beings without hearts resided in this place. Running through these hallways with Riku, Pluto, and Namine I knew this was quite a strange sight, but right now I was only focusing on finding Sora to be reunited all three of us.

"We have to keep moving, Kairi!" I gave my friend a nod despite seeing Ansem's face instead of that boy who was seduced by the darkness. The consequences of that choice were still affecting him even now as he might ever change back into the old Riku from the islands where we grew up on. Of course, he wasn't the only one who's changed from those peaceful days. Instead of running away from these dancing nobodies who tried hitting me while twirling around I ran at them to strike back with this keyblade in my hands.

Meanwhile, Riku was blocking the kicks of these nobodies with his bat-shaped sword, but unlike myself, he was able to cut down these nobodies without too much trouble compared to how I was doing against these guys.

"This must be the strength of that fake Ansem that might rival even the leader of Organization XIII's power." Namine's words did make sense if Riku could easily defeat these lesser nobodies with a small amount of effort. Moving this weapon to connected with the nobodies moving to attack me with their legs as Namine remained far behind us to stay out of the danger.

As I stabbed another one of these creatures I felt the wide arms of Riku's body come around my frame as he told me to stay still.

"Xigbar..."

Peeking around this body shielding me I could see a few nobodies who were aiming at us with crossbows but they also could teleport around us while trying to fire off more blasts with their one good eye as the other eye was covered with a black eye-patch. They likely were his nobodies if they had a similar issue with their eyes as I tried to knock back these blasts coming from the snipers with my keyblade. I knew these kinds of guys would continue firing at us to keep their targets from striking at them, or stay away at a far enough range to avoid being found.

We can't give up here when everything is depending on us completing this mission we were trying to accomplish in the heart of such a heartless world. Casting wind magic to throw around these snipers Riku threw out some fireballs while these guys were not able to fire their crossbow weapons, but then I saw a few nobodies who were holding Namine back with swords pointing at her neck.

"Why are you not with Roxas anymore," I heard Namine actually speak to the nobodies holding her hostage with their weapons, even if she sounded rather calm about the situation. "I see...then he is truly one with Sora. Then, you're now following his orders out of fear of total extermination..."

"Why is she speaking to them in a friendly manner?" Riku asked me while we were taking care of the rest of these snipers and dancing nobodies in order to progress further into the castle to get out of this place.

"I see, then we must have to head to the main hall to find our way into the basement entrance." D-Did she actually put together all that just by speaking with those two warrior nobodies? I guess like the main members of this organization my own nobody could both speak with and understand these weaker ones.

"Then, let's move out of this area!" After stabbing the last dancing nobody who tried running away in the back while Riku chopped the last sniper trying to blast him right in half. Suddenly, the nobodies guarding Namine let her go without any harm done to her, the gesture surprising me and Riku as they disappeared without attacking us.

"You managed to reason with those nobodies, Namine?" She nodded while telling me that they were still loyal to Roxas even after he became one with his somebody, however, we might run into another samurai who doesn't have a choice in fighting against us.

'That is sad, and to know beings without a soul could have that much respect and loyalty towards their master.' All the more reason why we had to defeat the remaining members of this group. Running with Riku and Namine we could actually see outside of this castle again, so much that I could see that "moon" again only it looked further along in completion than when we had been up in the higher section of this castle. It seemed like it was becoming much more complete by the second; the hearts ripped out of the heartless by keyblades like mine helped fill up a hollow version of Kingdom Hearts.

"How many lives were sacrificed in order to help create that moon, they could actually be stuck in that crying out for help." Riku agreed with my feelings about whatever Organization XIII was planning to do with those hearts and souls as we continued forward to climb down some stairs. Seeing more of the sky I knew we had to be close to the entrance hallway, which was being protected by a couple of flying nobodies along with a few who were tossing around some dice in their hands.

"Watch out when fighting these guys. Those dice must have some trick behind them..." Riku warned me as I saw them point at me likely speaking to me despite the fact I couldn't understand.

"They are asking...to call the symbol on the dice. Guessing Game. Get an X or O symbol or get turned into a dice." Namine provided a good translation, so I nodded at the nobody who waited for me to call the guess.

"An X symbol!" Waiting for luck to decide I saw that my guess with indeed correct, so the nobody slumped over in defeat letting Riku cut down that nobody while I dealt with the dragon-themed enemies. Strange that nobody would want to play a fair game and honor their word like Roxas' nobodies, which meant even beings without a soul understood what keeping their word meant along with protecting certain areas of this castle despite knowing they would be destroyed in the process.

'Such a horrible thing to consider..." As I dodged the jumping nobodies who tried lunging at us with their spears from the air I began to understand how horrible being a nobody truly is. All of those things I've been saying to Aqua, but only now as I've gotten to understand more about Namine did my mind fully understand her position. Did I push her down into further depression over the lack of a heart? Was it too late to try and reason with her like everyone was telling me?

'No, I couldn't let self-doubt creep into my head! If it would come down to me and her...I had to survive no matter what!'

"Aqua might want the same thing, Kairi," Namine spoke to me, her comment catching me off-guard since I didn't think she could also read my own thoughts but that would make sense considering her true identity as my nobody. "An end to such a tragic second life..."

"Wait...do you hear that voice?" It was a faint whisper, but there were two male voices speaking with each other that I tried to hear with my ears so I followed the direction of this noise.

"Sora...you've done well." Sora?! Was he here in the castle as well? Running as fast as my legs could take me I began to hear more of the conversation taking place, and I did hear my friend's voice asking about where I was confirming my hopes of seeing him once again.

"Who knows? I expect she's catching up with her friend from the darkness."

"What do you mean?!" That guy from earlier must have been referring about Riku who I didn't see following after me along with Namine. Were they caught up with other nobodies or they got lost? Shaking my head I knew that I had to see if Sora was nearby me or not...

"She doesn't need you anymore."

"I'm supposed to believe that?" You shouldn't buy anything these nobodies are saying!

"Well, you don't have to...But you can believe this. Organization XIII has no further use for you. Just look there." He was likely speaking about that ominous moon in the sky that continued to shine brighter each second I looked at it.

"Our Kingdom Hearts...Thanks to you and your friend, we've collected countless hearts...Can you hear their euphoria?"

They wanted to be free and stuck inside of that place if I had to guess, and the fact I and Sora unwittingly helped out these nobodies only made that fact all the more painful to accept. Still, we had time left to fix everything and save the other worlds that are in danger!

"Now, all they need is one more helping from the Keyblade bearer!" Oh, no! I ran faster as I knew that meant they would try stealing his heart by controlling the heartless.

"We gotta fight!"

"But-Kingdom Hearts!"

"Sora!" I called out the second my eyes looked down at him from the area here that was built on the higher section of this room.

"Sora! It's really you!" Despite being in mortal danger I was on the verge of crying tears of joy at this moment.

"Kairi!" No! Not after finally seeing each other again, the heartless were trying to steal away my friend's life once more! This time I should be able to help him, so I took a risk by running off the platform to dive down below to help him out. Okay...this certainly put me through a lot of pain and not one of my brightest moves however this meant I could help stop these heartless with my own keyblade.

"You leave Sora alone!" I yelled out while using my own weapon to get myself back up, but then I saw the heartless began to appear where I had landed. I...have to fight back for the sake of my own heart...

"None of you are keeping me back from saving my friend!" Despite my weakened state I fought back with the remaining amount of magic left in this body, I won't let anyone down who believed in me. The passion grew into anger, hot as a volcano bursting and flowing with lava, no amount of restraint was being held back as I got rid of these small creatures of darkness before they could even touch me however my legs were still wobbling from the jump I made down here. Before I could do more, the heartless suddenly began to increase as I saw a few knight-themed heartless from Hollow Bastion trying to slash at me with their blades.

'There isn't any real way I can keep up with these numbers...' Despite how much adrenaline was pumping through my veins I knew these odds stacked against me.

'This must be part of their plans as well, the fact we have to destroy these heartless would only help speed up their scheme...' Damn it! Even now we were just being used by this group of nobodies, and there wasn't anything we could do to stop it! Closing my eyes in despair I feared this time would be the end of us when I felt someone pick me up by my arm...Riku?!

"Are you okay?" Just hearing him right made almost made the pain I was feeling go away, but I knew that it wouldn't be okay unless I could help out Sora.

"Are you sure it would be wise to fight alongside him? Chances are he must fight the remaining members of Organization XIII." So, is Riku telling me if I fought alongside my other best friend there will be much tougher fights ahead for myself? That would mean I would have to endure more pain and punishment most likely, even so, I refuse to run away from my duty!

"Then, you've already accepted her as your other self again but you don't yet realize it..."

"What do you mean?"

"You will understand eventually like Sora..." Great more cryptic meanings and puzzles.

"Very well get ready!" He didn't hesitate when he put me on his shoulders to help me jump down to the platform where Sora was along with Donald and Goofy, which allowed him time to run off to fight more of the remaining heartless and nobodies roaming around the castle...and find Namine as well. Whatever challenge faced me next I would be ready to face it with my friends...

"Well, well. Will the intrusions ever end?" Looking up back where I was that witch from before and her partner was looking down at us. Could they be trying to help us as well? Yeah right! More like just take advantage of this situation for their own personal gain. As long as she doesn't get in our way Maleficent shouldn't be our current priority here and now. Looking around at the room, the glimmer of a strange shining object caught my eye.

"Look out Sora!" We barely had time to move when I heard shots coming out from some kind of weapon revealing all sorts of projectiles coming our way, but instead of getting shot to death all of the other heartless surrounding us had vanished in an instant. Was this someone trying to help us?

"Have you been a good boy?" That voice sounded familiar...

"Show yourself!" Another one of these guys appeared, the moment I saw that black eye-patch like those other sniping nobodies I knew this was the one they called Xigbar!

"Oh, it sounds like you haven't. Sora! Roxas!" That voice sounded mocking like when he told me that I wouldn't be able to help out my friend anymore, so I was certainly glad this would be the first of these stronger nobodies I get to help take down.

"Roxas? Hey, did he just call me Roxas?" Donald nodded to my friend while I wondered if this nobody was merely messing with Sora's head like Aqua has been doing throughout the other worlds.

"You've really put Organization XIII in a pickle. I guess that must be why the Keyblade chose you. But MAN, did it pick a dud this time. You don't look like you're half the other the others were." That is it! Holding out my finger, a series of words filled my mind while my heart determined how to respond to such cruel things this nobody said about Sora.

"He's more of a hero than all of you nobodies! All you've done is make things worse for those who are only trying to live their existences in peace!"

"You're one to talk considering the fact that you aren't supposed to be here, girly." What is that supposed to mean?

"All because of that annoyance that should have been lost to the darkness. If she only remained in that realm YOU would have never gotten that weapon, but I guess that only made things more interesting than how the script was set up to play out in the first place..."

"Are you done rambling?"

"Rambling? As if! All I'm trying to tell you, traitor, is that your time is up!" Two sniping-weapons appeared in the nobody's hands meaning he would likely try blasting us apart like those heartless.

"Here he comes!" Goofy warned, but to my surprise, Xigbar jumped down to where all four of us were on this platform merely grinning at us. There was something about that yellow eye that gave me a creeping feeling just by looking at it.

"You really shouldn't have betrayed us."

Before we could even strike him, the nobody teleported out of range while putting his guns together making a sniper rifle. Then, moving to a higher perch he began to look at us with that weapon likely hoping to snipe at us from a far enough distance.

"Gotcha now!" We had to move and fast! Running around we tried our best to avoid getting blasted from one of those projectiles, but this wasn't going to drag him out from that safe area he was shooting us from.

"Now you'll see why they call me "The Freeshooter" Roxas!" Watching the scope move around I saw a projectile come near Sora's face, and I suddenly knocked the blast back with my keyblade. Sora followed in my footsteps, the both of us continued blasting these projectiles back at Xigbar who finally stopped firing after some time.

"You clever little sneak..."

He suddenly teleported near us while firing off more of those bullets from his now separated guns, so I held up my keyblade to deflect the blasts once again as did Sora. The problem was that unlike with Demyx we couldn't keep Xigbar in one place before he moved around to fire at us from a different position keeping us from getting much damage on him.

"Take this!" Xigbar's weapons suddenly began to fire off in a different direction from us, but then I saw the blast come through a portal near me and Sora showing how much scope this nobody truly had in this room.

'Nowhere is safe from his attacks...' That said, the projectiles could be knocked back like before meaning it might be the same for Xigbar. Watching this nobody defy gravity by standing upside down. Firing off some fire balls at Xigbar Sora and his friends took advantage of the window of chance to actually hit the nobody a few times before he teleported to a different location. It was going to take more than physical force to overcome this kind of enemy.

"Woah!" I didn't even realize how different the layout of this platform was until I saw how far we were from Xigbar's new sniping point. Did he actually...change the layout of this floor?

"We have to watch out for the layout of the floor, Sora!"

He took my advice while changing up his outfit, and it resembled the old one he used to wear back when we were much younger and unprepared for the harsh worlds surrounding our little island we called home. Rolling past the barrage of fire coming down our way Sora began to warp around like Xigbar while knocking the homing projectiles back in his direction. Donald also got to hit Xigbar with some ice magic, but Goofy couldn't get in some hits due to the fact he couldn't jump so high into the air.

"Jump on dis here shield like old times, Kairi." I nodded at Goofy's request to assist me in reaching up to whack him with my keyblade to our combined effort's success until Xigbar changed up the tiles around once again.

"So what you think?"

Xigbar was actually in the middle of this strange new set-up of the room while we had to run over to him while he began to charge up more projectile attacks that were heading our way.

"Take this!"

'Ugh! He's just going to keep taunting us each second isn't he?' Not that we had much time to focus on him; the moment we would stop to chat is when we get blasted in the face by his ammo that he seemed to only reload so often, and now that he was done adding new ammo his guns pointed right at our heads.

"R for reload!"

I felt a few shots from those arrow guns hit my arms and legs while Sora got blasted a couple of times in his chest, the bullets were going around his beating chest like he wanted Sora to get shot through the heart, and he Xigbar be to blame! Running over to Xigbar before he kept getting shots as the both of us from a far enough distance we struck back with several striking combo-hits with our keyblades. While frustrating to reach Xigbar wasn't truly a deadly threat like Demyx was, but I knew this was likely because I wasn't alone in this battle.

"Okay, now we're talking!" He fired off too many shots that Sora and I could block at once while the area once more shifted around, which was now a smaller platform that was far more difficult to move around on. Xigbar began to spin around while firing off several rounds from his guns and I had to duck to avoid the shots. Then, he teleported above the pit below us hovering in the air shooting off more shots at us. After that, I noticed his body was glowing brightly giving me a bad feeling about what he was trying to do next.

"Look what I've saved for ya!"

A series of projectiles began to come at us that was far more powerful than before, so we tried out best to avoid these blasts despite Xigbar teleporting around to ensure we would get hit by his guns eventually. Getting hit on the back I knew we were running out of time for dodging this attack when Xigbar suddenly appeared above our heads. I felt my leg cramp up from the pain I felt when a shot hit my limb making it difficult to even get up at the moment.

"Let's see how you dance."

A bunch of portals began to open, a huge rain of bullets began to fly down at us from each direction possible. Sora told me to grab onto his back, and I did so not sure about what he was going to do besides entering another form however instead he asked me to knock back the bullets from his back while he carried me on his body to keep me from getting hurt by this onslaught of bullets.

'You're so brave, Sora.'

Holding onto my friend tightly I looked at the bullets shooting down from the air coming ever so close to us four by the second, but Sora didn't look afraid as he ran around the platform in a circular formation likely to avoid getting stuck in a place where the shots wouldn't stop firing. I tried to knock back a few shots when they were close enough to hit us while Donald and Goofy were knocked out due to not running fast enough to avoid the rapid firing of arrows.

"The floor changed again..." Xigbar was once more perched up on the highest point of this room likely ready to snipe us again. Despite this leg causing me to slow down I knew that my body had to keep fighting to survive against this nobody. Looking up at Xigbar I waited for him to begin firing rather than moving around like Sora to avoid the projectiles.

"Oh, you wanna play tag? Fine just don't complain when I nail the big target on your head!" He can taunt me about that, but when I saw the shot come down and saw Sora rush over to me while I was barely able to hold myself up I knew what I was going to do with this projectile.

I began to charge up with a Fira spell closing my eyes to wait for the right moment when his arrow bullet was about to enter my skull like Xigbar wanted. The second it came in close enough range I cast a fire spell while hitting the projectile to knock it back with some extra kick to it, so much that Xigbar actually teleported away when it came back in his direction with enough force to nearly set that area on fire once the arrow hit the wall. Xigbar wasn't able to reload in time before Sora got in a couple of more hits before changing his outfit into a yellow-themed form this time.

"No way!"

Xigbar tried firing off more bullets however Sora's new form began to swing around a ball of wind even as Xigbar was trying to hit him with those bullets to no avail. Sora drew Xigbar over while the ball only grew bigger each second until it connected with him smacking the nobody with a powerful gust of wind leaving him vulnerable to attack. Continuing to nail him with the two keyblades that were followed up with several blasts of thunder spells combined with a barrier that deflected Xigbar's attacks back at him.

"I won't lose to a traitor like you, punk!" I saw him disappear only to grab hold of my arm while pointing his weapon right at my head as he was panting and looking stressed out likely feeling pain from Sora's last attack. He must be really desperate to hold me hostage to make Sora stop attacking him...

"Move one more inch, and I'll make sure her heart is broken up into so many pieces you won't put them back together!" I knew that this limb was the reason I couldn't do much besides remaining as just a mere burden for Sora to deal with even as Donald and Goofy looked ready to fight with their friend.

There had to be some way I can stop Xigbar from taking advantage of my injury...wait that's it!

"Xigbar! Tell me something who exactly are you referring to when you said, other heroes?" It would have to just be one second, a single moment, and only a short distraction for my idea to work out.

"Kairi? Why are you-"

"Zip it, kiddo! Now, why should I tell you something in your last moments? It would be easy just to put one of my bullets into this small brain of yours." I had to play the part of a girl who was afraid, yet determined, so I merely grunted in pain when he jabbed my head with the tip of his arrow gun.

"As if! You would want me to know something that couldn't possibly help before you take me away from the friend I've been hoping to reunite with once again." That is it! Xigbar's lips curved into a frown as he knew he couldn't just kill me now without making me suffer one last insult as he would put things.

"First off you can't steal my catchphrase because I'm not some ordinary dude! Secondly unlike Ven, Terra, and that brat Aqua who gave you the ability to even fight right now Sora is nothing but a shadow compared to them!" A shadow? That...could they have visited Destiny Islands in the past. Sora did mention seeing people from another world entirely along with Riku when they were little...and I know for sure I met Aqua in Radiant Garden.

"Compared to what they had to deal with in fighting the old man and stopping the beginning of a new Keyblade War you two nowhere in their league."

"I know me and Kairi will become great keyblade heroes one day! Just you wait and see!"

"Sora perhaps this nobody has a point about us, but since those other heroes aren't here that means it is up to "kids" like us to stop rotten adults like you!"

"Shut up, brat! Why is it when I look at your friend over here I always see that boy...no wait! Why do you look like that Replica now?!" Was he distracted by observing Sora?

I took advantage of his ranting to stab him right in his leg with my keyblade while Sora charged at him with his keyblade, and in his yellow form, he continued to use his dual keyblades for a seemingly endless stream of combination attacks that left Xigbar battered and hurt badly. Still, he fired off a few more rounds that I deflected back at him stunning him before Goofy, Donald, and Sora held out their weapons together to create a huge blinding attack to finish him off.

"I lost? ME?"

As he was kneeling in front of us, the arrow guns finally dropped out of his hands showing that he wasn't going to fight us anymore.

"Why did you call me Roxas?" Sora's question got some amusement out of Xigbar, the sniper merely chuckled while acting like his imminent demise was not a problem to him.

"Sorry. Guess she wants to be called Xion instead. That adorable poppet has become quite a stubborn pain in the neck. Either way seems like things aren't exactly going to plan anymore..." I demanded that he explain his words, but like with Demyx he slowly phased out of existence. It sounded like Xion and Roxas were still affecting Sora despite being a part of him, and he didn't realize that when I saw him ask me if I knew what that meant for him.

"I wish I could explain what he meant, but even I don't know all of the details. Whatever Xigbar was trying to say couldn't be figured out until we move ahead further up the castle." Sora's eyes brightened up as I gave him some words of encouragement while Donald used a Cura spell on my leg and Goofy let me lean on his should until the pain went away. These fights aren't becoming easier, but with friends like these my enemies better watch out!

"Kairi! There you are!" Turning around I saw plenty of faces of people I've gotten to meet during my travels throughout the universe. Hiro and his friends, Aladdin, The Beast, and stepping in front of me were and Spider-Woman or Gwen Stacy according to her own secret identity.

"You guys are here?!" I shouted in surprise while my blonde-haired friend spoke up while pointing to a watch similar to the one she let me borrow to visit other worlds.

"Yeah. After you took my trans-dimensional watch I knew there was trouble brewing in the multi-verse, so I hope you don't mind if I brought along some pals." Grinning, I was happy to see Gwen hanging out with the man in that red and blue spider-costume along with some other heroes who went by a singular name: The Avengers.

"Just remember when this is all over you gotta tell me if your home has some kind of music band. Freaking MJ wants to do a huge concert with the other girls, and I figured to make it a special one in a whole new world."

"That's why I'm gonna invite Miles to Gwen-I mean Spider-Woman's friend's concert once we help you take care of these freaky-looking nobodies." Kamala certainly must really like this Miles Morales if she wanted to do that with him. Beast and Aladdin also just wanted to live their lives in peace, which is why they were risking helping to help us deal with the darkness plaguing all the worlds once again.

"Thank you all for helping us. This means a lot to us..." Sora shared my exact feelings about this sight in front of us with everyone cheering to continue onward for the sake of the universe. Hiro, Tony, and many other people we've met gave us encouragement while Kamala and Gwen rubbed my hair and shoulders.

"When this is all over we are certainly having a get-together with us girls, so the boys can get a little jealous..."

I blushed when my friendly out of my neighborhood spider-woman suggested I even invite the other Princesses of Heart for this party to with Miss Marvel agreed wanting to even invite her own idol the original owner of the name and costume she was wearing right now. It certainly made having to continue fighting through this army of remaining foes and nobodies a lot less daunting knowing this would be what awaits me and Sora once this was over.

"I'm looking forward to that!" That along with a time of peace when I could enjoy spending time with my friends without the threat of darkness looming over us.

[ Another nobody bites the non-existent dust in the form of Xigbar. Hope you liked how I went with the battle this time around, but we will get to Final Form shortly don't worry. Next time for sure we will see Luxord try and win the game of fate while Auxaq realizes her destiny and duel with Kairi shortly to come in the future hope you're enjoying the last stages of this arc. BTW check out that new Spider-Man cartoon coming out soon it even has Gwen Stacy in it like Ultimate Spider-Man. ]