Chapter 20: Together Again

AN: The ending of this seems a bit rushed so I apologize. But hopefully it works nonetheless. Keep an eye on my profile for updates.

-April 10, 2009-

Kassy's POV

I began to swim towards the surface of consciousness. I kept my eyes closed from the lights filtering through my eyelids. I groaned quietly. Someone was fiddling with the bottom of my shirt.

Only one person did that blatantly without saying a word, "Sylvia? Why are you stripping me?"

I could hear four different pitches in the following collective laughter. Sylvia had a smile in her voice, "Well, you know. Squall told me to."

"For the last time, it's Leon. What's it going to take for you to call me that?" Frustration filled a young male's voice.

"You gotta admit she's a bit stubborn, 'eh Leon?" An older male snickered.

"I have a feeling she's not gonna quit any time soon." A young female gasped through her laughter.

I forced my eyes to open, turning my head slowly towards the direction of Sylvia's voice, "S-Syvy..."

She smiled, sitting beside me, "How are you feeling?"

I reached out for her head, squeezing tightly, tears burning hotly and cascading down my cheeks, "Y-You're here..."

She put her lips to my knuckles, "I'm here. Don't worry."

I hiccupped before dragging myself to a sitting position and wrapping my arms around her, burying my face into her shoulder, "W-What's happening?!"

She trailed her fingertips up and down my back soothingly, whispering in my ear, "Adventure, my friend. I think we have landed ourselves into the realm of Kingdom Hearts."

She pulled her head away and began humming what I recognized as the background music of the world we resided on. After a few moments I sniffled, watching as she pulled away with a grin, "So, what happened to you?!"

I frowned, looking down at my hands in my lap, "I was with Sora and... Then Kairi..." I shivered gripping the sheets tightly beneath me, "I-It was scary..."

Sylvia's eyes narrowed, "Hm... Well, are you hurt? Did any of them hurt you? I'll kick their ass!"

I snorted, "No, I'm fine. I just... It was weird... Very... different..." I scooted to the edge of the bed, swinging my legs to hang off. I finally met the other three figures' gazes in the room, "This is... Wow..."

Sylvia grinned, "I know right?! It's so great!"

"L-Leon... And Yuffie... And Cid!" I smiled widely, "Wow! This is incredible!"

Leon crossed his arms over his chest, "So, Kasandra, is it? We need to confirm something. Show us your stomach. There might be a mark there."

I blinked twice before lifting up my shirt just enough to reveal a black and red spiked heart. I gasped standing up so fast and bumping into the side table, effectively tripping over my own feet and falling to the ground.

Sylvia snickered for a moment before cutting herself off abruptly, helping me to my feet and guiding me back onto the bed, "Hey, hey... Shh... It's alright... You're okay... Whoa!"

Everyone jumped at the sudden exclamation. She quickly continued, quietly to me, "You remember after you woke up from your dream at my house? The licking your lips thing? Maybe it was a sign!"

Leon stepped closer to us, "It was most likely a connection her heart was making to the power of the Heartless Maiden. We're lucky-"

Sylvia snorted, "Heartless Maiden? That's so elaborate."

Yuffie bounced over and sat next to us on the bed, "I wouldn't be talking, Ms. Darkness Maiden."

I giggled, tears having been halted, as her jaw dropped, her face the definition of flabbergasted, "Fits you doesn't it, Syvy?"

"Shut the fuck up." Her bottom lip curled out into a deep pout, "And another thing! I am-"

A groaning behind us ceased the conversation, "Ow... My head..."

I turned around, sitting on my knees beside him. Yuffie stood on the other side of the bed next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder with a half-grin, "You okay?"

"More or less... What happened, Kasandra?" Yuffie scowled.

"What? No. I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie." She bit out.

"Huh?" He shook his head and glanced around, his gaze settling on me, "Kasandra?"

I smiled unsurely, "Yeah. Hey, Sora."

Sylvia gaped, "No fucking way!" Sora winced at the foul language. Sylvia ignored him, "This is too fucking good."

I nudged her arm to shut her up before speaking to him, "W-We're not on Destiny Islands anymore..."

My friend snorted, "No shit Sherlock."

"Shut up." I growled before shaking my head, "We're on a different world. Riku and Kairi are on different worlds too."

Sora frowned, looking down at his hands in his lap, "Riku... Kairi..."

I swallowed thickly, forcing the burning tears back, "They're safe... Just... Just trust me on that..."

Sylvia nodded, her words not including an insulting remark this time, "She's telling the truth. Don't be blind. Trust her."

But Sora wasn't listening to either of us. He muttered his friends' names, not looking up from his hands.

Tears stung my eyelids once more. I stood up shaking, "I-I'm sorry, Sora..." I pushed my way past Leon and towards the door. I knew Sylvia was hot on my trails, but not before a resounding slap filled the room.

"You fuckass." Without another word, she pushed me gently through the door and down the hall, "Come on. We're going back to the First District."

We fought our way through a small collective of Heartless before we burst through the doors. I walked silently while she rattled on and on about how cool our weapons were. We stopped at the tall railing wall in front of the Accessory Shop.

She put a hand on my shoulder, "Hey, seriously, Kassy. It's gonna be fine okay? Trust me. Things are... bigger than they seem okay?" She smiled a smile as if she knew something I didn't. Which was in all regards true, "Hey, what was that?"

I looked in the direction she was pointing. Towards the sky above the square below, a twinkling star seemed to be falling slowly.

We ran out to the middle, staring up. The star became bigger and bigger until we could distinguish the shape of a person. Sylvia and I all but dove backwards out of the way of the target landing. We ran to the figure after the dust cloud had cleared.

"Hazel!" Sylvia and I flipped her onto her back gently, "But where's Elena?"

Sylvia grinned and leaned down, yelling in her ear, "I stole your spork again!"

She sat up quickly, missing my head by a hairline as I pulled backwards, "NEVER AGAIN, YOU BITCH! YOU SAID NEVER AGAIN!" She paused, "S-Sylvia...? K-Kassy...?"

I wrapped my arms around her tightly. I felt her squeeze back. Sylvia joined in for a few moments before pulling away. I sat back, clutching her hands in mine, "Where's Elena...?"

She frowned, looking around the square, "She's not with you?"

Sylvia shook her head before hoping to her feet and holding a hand out for each of us and assisting us to our feet, "Come on. Let's go fine her."

I took about five steps forward before a swirling ball of darkness began growing a few feet away from us. Without warning someone soared through. I had no time to react and being in the crossfire, I fell onto my stomach with a resounding crack in my back.

"Elena!" The others pulled the weight off of me, "You okay, Kassy?"

I groaned, sitting up with difficulty, hearing my spine crack loudly and at uncomfortable angles, "Ow... I-I think you broke something..."

Sylvia poked my side causing me to squeal and curl into myself and away from the offending hand, "Nope. Just dramatic."

I pouted deeply before being attacked once more with a collective and much welcomed group hug.