A/N: Soooo I think I may have said that this story would only be a oneshot, but I couldn't help myself.
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2
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It had been weeks since she first started training. The days mostly blurred together; it was hard to pinpoint what she did when. From the swinging of her blade to spellcasting, to dodging and working on her agility, Kairi couldn't remember where training had exactly begun. She figured it was blocking, since Riku—Master Riku—insisted on it, not wanting her to get hurt. But defense came like second nature to her now, instinctively. Even shields were getting easier to conjure. She quickly learned it required patience, persistence, and faith—especially in herself.
"If you don't fully believe in yourself, your Keyblade won't either," Riku had said. "It's a part of you. It won't listen to you unless you mean it."
Kairi realized that in moments of panic or fear, her Keyblade reacted. Whenever Lea nearly struck and desperation hit her heart, when it was too late to lift her weapon to block, did her first barrier appear. Lea's Keyblade had bounced right off. The force sent him flying backwards to crash onto the floor. Both he and Riku were surprised, but not as much as Kairi. It had been her first spell.
So whenever it came time to strengthen that spell, Riku told her to focus on what she felt in the seconds leading up to its first summoning—fright, panic, adrenaline pumping through her veins. It had been a completely different process than summoning Fire or Thunder. In order to summon fire she had to envision heat, feel the warmth spread from her chest to her fingertips, and she needed to feel rage, which she didn't have a lot of. In those instances, she thought about being captured by her training comrade, or by Saïx, and then being used as nothing more than bait. The anger came to her quite easily after that.
Summoning lightning bolts was another story. Riku advised picturing the stormy nights on the Islands, when the skies turned dark and lightning would fire rapidly above. He said to recall the vibrancy and the way a loud strike made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. He told her to remember frustration and impatience, even if they weren't emotions she experienced often.
Lea managed to tick her off with his constant taunting, and that had been enough to summon the spell for the first time. The teasing quickly stopped.
It was Blizzard she had trouble summoning now, but it would have to wait. Today was their first mission outside of the training room, off-world. Riku decided Kairi and Lea needed more than just each other's attacks to get stronger; they needed live targets—Heartless.
Kairi rose from her seat once Riku stopped the Gummi ship, placing her hand on the back of his chair and looking out the wide windshield. "…Where are we?" she asked. With what little worlds she'd seen, she couldn't remember this one.
"It'll be pretty obvious when we touch ground," he said, pressing a few buttons on the dashboard. "You and Lea should get by the transporter. I'll be there in a sec."
"'Kay," she agreed, turning on her heel and doing as he asked of her. Lea handed her a few elixirs as he came out of the stockroom, juggling a couple more in his arms. "Thank you."
"Don't say I never gave you anything," he replied cheekily, to which she fought the urge to roll her eyes. He happened to glance out the window and his smirk disappeared. "Hey… I know this place."
"What?" Kairi wondered aloud, glancing from him to the front window.
"Yeah. It was when I was in the Organization. I came here with—" Lea stopped short, eyes softening. He swallowed. "…I came here with Roxas."
"Oh…" Kairi quietly looked away, giving the man privacy he deserved. She'd only met Roxas briefly, but she could tell he was a kind boy. It was a shame she didn't get to speak with him more. Her short conversation couldn't compare to Lea's relationship with him, though, that much she could tell.
Riku approached and Lea snapped out of it, offering the Master elixirs as well. "Thanks," he muttered, shoving them in his pockets before tapping coordinates into the transporter. "You guys ready? Things are a bit…different down there."
"Different how?" Kairi asked, her forehead creasing with worry. Was it bad?
"You'll find out soon enough."
Riku pressed one final button and moved to stand on the transporter pad with the two redheads. Within seconds a bright light swallowed them up, transferring them to the world's turf. When Kairi's eyes adjusted to the drastic contrast in lighting, she noticed just how dark the world was—tombstones casted shadows over the dirt around them and the air was brisk; blacks and purples and browns painted the world, apart from the few patches of orange here and there.
"…Are those pumpkins?" she wondered. Before she got her answer, a howl came from the distance, eliciting a gasp from her. She turned her head in that direction only to stop short when she saw who—or what—stood next to her. "…Lea?"
He was looking himself over, examining his hands and then his black and red suit. The jacket was torn and tarnished in places, around the cuffs and elbows and lapels; the red didn't pop as expected, more faded and ashy than normal. Two black horns peeked out from the spikes on his head, and his green eyes were rimmed with black shadow, almost like makeup.
Kairi yelped when something hit her side, only to discover it was a red tail.
Lea instantly chuckled. "Would you look at that? A handsome devil," he commented, intrigued. His gaze then locked onto her, roaming her figure. "And what do we have here?"
"Huh?" Kairi lowered her eyes to her form, confused until she realized her outfit had changed. She no longer wore the training clothes the three witches had so kindly created for her. Instead she donned a dress colored different shades of red, with a tattered hem that stopped mid-thigh; thankfully there were some spandex shorts underneath. The dress was held up by two thick, black straps that connected to her black undershirt. A matching arm band was wrapped around her left bicep, and black thigh-high stockings covered her legs, with army boots that looked a bit worn. She lifted her hand to her head when Lea pointed at it only to discover a large pin in her hair in the shape of a heart—also red.
"You might be a shout-out to the queen of hearts, don't you think?" Lea spoke, tilting his head.
"Wait, what?" Kairi sputtered, looking over herself again. If she'd had a mirror, she would have seen that she too had black shadows around her eyes, making their color pop.
"We change to adapt to the world," Riku declared, smirking at Kairi's expression. "It helps us to blend in a little. Protect the world order and all that, remember?"
Kairi nodded, though she found it hard to speak for a moment.
Riku was right—their appearance did change. While she bore resemblance to heart royalty (which she found ironic) and Lea the devil, Riku resembled a wolf of some kind. Maybe even a werewolf. His silver hair was messier, and he wore black and silver throughout his outfit—the jacket that had the sleeves cut off, or ripped off, and jeans with holes in them. He wore boots as well, though much like hers, they looked quite used. His aquamarine eyes were brighter than ever, and two slightly lengthened canines poked his lower lip whenever he closed his mouth. When he spoke, they gleamed in the moonlight.
"Whoa…" she couldn't help but say, to which he smirked again.
"I'm not the scariest thing around here. Just wait until you see the guy who runs this town."
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Jack Skellington—safe to say—caught Kairi off guard. As for Lea, who had been scared by the Pumpkin King upon reveal, denied ever being spooked by the man. She rolled her eyes at the claim.
"Riku, you say?" the skeleton man inquired. At Riku's nod, he tapped a bony finger against his skull before the black holes for his eyes widened. "Ah, yes! Sora's friend, aren't you?"
Kairi blinked at the name. Jack knew Sora?
The thought of the boy had Kairi sobering quickly. Where was he? He'd been gone days before she'd started training, and she hadn't spotted him once.
"Yeah," Riku replied. "This is Kairi, and that's Lea. We heard there were some Heartless wreaking havoc around here. Care to point us in the right direction?"
"Yes, yes. Just past the graveyard, in the hinterlands. You'll find them there. Something's keeping them around. No matter how many times we clear them out, they return a few hours later. Get rid of them, would you?" Jack shook his head. "They're ruining my Halloween planning. I have to make this next year the spookiest year yet!"
"You got it. Thanks."
As they turned to leave, Jack reached out a hand. "Oh, and if you see Sora, tell him hello for me. It's quite less…cheery without him around here, believe it or not."
Kairi looked over her shoulder at the skeleton and smiled weakly. "Of course."
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The three didn't encounter any Heartless as they trekked through the graveyard, just as Jack had told them, but upon reaching the hinterlands, Riku immediately grabbed Kairi's arm and moved behind a thick tree, Lea following close behind.
"What?" Kairi asked, only to be shushed by the Master.
"Darkness."
"Yeah, it's all around us," Lea piped. "What's your point?"
"Not that," Riku hissed. "Darkness. Heartless. I can smell them."
Kairi and Lea shared a brief look at the words, but otherwise didn't comment. "Where?" She peeked her head around the trunk, seeing nothing but more trees. Upon closer examination, she realized there were doors connected to those trees. "What're—"
"Kairi," Riku stated, silencing her instantly. "Are you ready for this? This isn't going to be like a sparring match with Lea."
"I know that," she replied, frowning. What made him think otherwise?
Riku's eyebrows furrowed. "You're a Princess of Heart. You have a heart of pure light. They'll want nothing more than to take it from you, especially you. You've gotta be ready to fend them off."
"I've done this before, Riku. In that castle, remember?"
He stared at her for a moment before sighing, lowering his gaze. "Yeah, I remember. Just…don't let your guard down, okay?"
He was worried for her, protective as always. Kairi gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled up at him. "I promise."
"Okay," Riku said, then looking to Lea. "You set?"
"I can take care of these punks, no sweat," Lea insisted, cracking his knuckles. He summoned his Keyblade to him in a flurry of flames, then smiling. "Piece of cake."
Riku narrowed his eyes doubtfully. "We'll see about that."
He finally released Kairi and took the lead, moving quickly and swiftly, his steps silent against the earth. Kairi copied to the best of her ability, with Lea taking up the rear. As they got closer, she realized she was right in what she thought before—there were doors on the tree trunks around the area. But where did they go?
She didn't have a chance to dwell on it, her recently-heightened senses picking up on another presence in the area. Just between her and Riku did a Heartless spawn, many just like it scattered across the new battlefield. A strange sensation washed over Kairi at the sight of the monsters, one her heart recognized instantly—darkness.
To her surprise, her Keyblade appeared on its own; she didn't have to call for it this time. Just as her heart recognized the darkness, her weapon did too. She held it at her side, her other arm folded in front of her body as she got ready to fight. Adrenaline kicked in as she looked around, spotting the glowing eyes of the Heartless as they locked onto her.
"Kairi," Riku started.
"I know," she told him quickly. "You were right."
The Heartless sensed the light in her heart and wanted nothing more than to smother it. She was the primary target. Kairi's grip tightened on her blade as the Heartless in front of her twitched and finally lunged, where she was quick to swipe and knock it away. Riku and Lea didn't hesitate fending off their enemies as well, though the three of them did their best to back each other up against the spawns of darkness.
After one batch of Heartless were defeated—much to Kairi's delight—another wave appeared. She ground her teeth at the realization that Jack really hadn't been kidding when he said they returned soon after they perished, though she thought it wouldn't have been this quickly.
Kairi winced when a claw scratched her calf, the girl quickly calling to her barrier to repel the demons. They flew in different directions, Riku batting one of them away when it nearly collided with him. Seconds later he turned to see the Heartless fleeing toward one side of the area.
"What…?" he muttered, panting heavily. He grunted upon realizing the truth. "The door! They're heading for the door!"
"Door?!" Lea called, eyebrows furrowing.
Kairi blinked when she recognized Riku was right. The Heartless swarmed around the door carved into one of the trunks, this one shaped like a Christmas tree. "But…but why?" she cried. She didn't understand.
Riku didn't answer, sprinting toward the tree. Kairi and Lea went after him, but they were too late. The last of the Heartless managed to jump through the door. Riku skidded to a stop in front of it, looking down into the black abyss within.
Kairi came up beside him, breathing unevenly from the battle. "Riku, what's going on? Where does this go?"
"From what Sora told me, it's the door to Christmas Town."
"Hold on a second," Lea tried, shaking his head. "First Halloween Town, and now Christmas Town?" He motioned to the door with an egg on it. "Let me guess, that's Easter Town too?"
Riku sent him a glare before looking back to the door. "It looks like they didn't have much trouble getting in. The door was left open."
"By who?" Lea asked. He peered over Kairi to look inside.
Kairi stared into the doorway for a moment before a wave of speculation hit her. She lifted a hand to her heart and swallowed, afraid her suspicions could be wrong. But with a look Riku's way, she realized he thought the same thing; his eyes could never lie, and right now they expressed enough for her to take a leap of faith.
Kairi sent her Keyblade away and quickly placed a foot on the edge of the doorway, ready to go in, but a tight grasp on her arm stopped her. Kairi looked from the hand to the person attached, eyebrows coming together. "What?"
"We don't know for sure. It could just be wishful thinking," Riku reasoned lowly, voice firm. "It might not—"
"Either way, Heartless are there. We have to go," she insisted, her tone uncharacteristically hard. All the while, her heart thudded unevenly with hope.
She had to see it for herself, whether her hunch was correct or not as to who left the door ajar and allowed the Heartless in. But something told her that the culprit was exactly who she thought it was.
Riku released her. She jumped right in.
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Her head spun from the whirlwind she experienced. Then all she felt was cold. So cold, in fact, that she snapped out of it instantly, lifting her head to see nothing but white.
"Agh!" she grunted painfully, feeling something land on top of her. By the wince, she corrected herself: it was someone. Riku to be exact.
"Sorry, Kairi," he muttered, climbing off of her. He stiffened at a muffled noise behind them and quickly pulled at her dress, moving her just in time. Lea crashed where she had previously been, his red mane dusted with snow.
Kairi got to her feet with Riku's help. Upon quick examination, she noticed his clothes had changed again; this time his cutoff shirt was lined with fluffy cotton and a deep shade of red, the holes in his pants covered by patches designed like ornaments or Christmas trees, and his boots resembled snow boots. His canine teeth had disappeared, though an elf hat sat on his head now.
She looked down and recognized the boots on her feet were those better fit for snow, like Riku's. Her dress no longer resembled the tattered wardrobe of heart royalty; instead it was lined with fuzzy white cotton and bright red with a black belt around her waist. It buttoned until her bust, where it was left open to reveal a white tank top instead of black. Her arm band now had small bells dangling from it and the pin on the side of her head that once resembled a heart was now shaped like a Santa hat.
She looked over as Lea grumbled about the cold. His suit had cleaned up nicely, now white and red instead of black. A bowtie accented the attire, but it was the top hat with a reindeer button that had Kairi giggling. He looked over at her curiously, but otherwise didn't comment. He focused ahead, nodding toward the small village down the hill.
"Looks like our little 'friends' headed down there," Lea mentioned. "Any words of advice before we go after them, Mr. Master?"
"Hmph," Riku grunted, smirking slightly. "I thought you could handle 'em on your own. Piece of cake, right?" As Lea adjusted his hat, Riku nudged Kairi lightly. "Tracks lead the way. Let's go."
And so they followed the footprints left by the Heartless, sliding down most of the hill when it became too steep. Kairi took in a breath at a particularly chilly breeze, shuddering slightly. Never before had she been this cold. The Islands didn't get snow, unless you were to visit the mountain, in which she never got the chance.
The tracks stopped just inside the village, though by the looks of things, it was abandoned. Kairi assumed it was the appearance of the Heartless that caused the evacuation. She ventured forward, approaching the carousel in the middle of the area. She placed a hand on one of the animal heads, a penguin, and smiled. The kids here must have loved riding the attraction.
She couldn't help but notice that the metal was warm, not cold. She ran her hand along it quizzically, feeling for the lingering presence of whatever last touched it. Her periwinkle eyes darted below the penguin to examine further, where she noticed an ember.
Kairi's eyebrows furrowed. "A Fire spell?" she whispered.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she whirled around in time to see Heartless spawning. Her Keyblade came to her hand instantly. Riku had just started for his closest target when Lea surrounded his Keyblade in flames and chucked it toward a group of monsters. Kairi decided to go for the group closest to the large green doors on the west side of the area, finding it harder to run through snow than she originally thought.
As she fought, she also noted how difficult it was to perform a back handspring to evade enemy attacks. She slipped and fell on her stomach in the snow. A Heartless resembling a Jack-in-the-box bounced toward her, jaw wide to take a bit out of her while she was vulnerable. Kairi gritted her teeth.
"Protect!" she cried, a sphere of magic surrounding her and repelling the Heartless. She gave herself a few short seconds to get back to her feet, but she realized it didn't matter much, considering another Heartless grabbed her by the arm and swung her around. Too dizzy to make sense of her surroundings, she was thrown into the snow, sliding along it until she finally stopped near a brick wall.
"Kairi!" Riku hollered, spotting her across the battlefield.
"I'm alright!" she yelled, looking from him to the Heartless that approached. To her surprise, it stopped…but a soldier appeared inside, aiming a gun. Kairi quickly rolled out of the way as a bullet whizzed past her, embedding itself into the brick. "These aren't like the ones back in Halloween Town!"
Back in the hinterlands they were ghosts and skeletons, resembling creatures of the world from which they came. Now they were Christmas themed, though hardly enjoyable.
Kairi called to a Fire spell and kept the Heartless away from her, but only for the time being. These Heartless were stronger than the ones they battled before. She didn't have enough experience to defeat ones like these!
"I thought you said you could handle these things!" Riku yelled, his words directed at Lea, who dodged small toy Heartless.
"I can, with my chakrams! This high and mighty Keyblade is still growing on me!" Lea whacked at an enemy, sending it into the carousel. "We're failing your pop quiz, Mr. Master! How about a cheat sheet?!"
"Here's a tip—focus!"
As the two bickered, Kairi could see that this wasn't going to end well. She and Lea weren't strong enough for this many yet, and Riku couldn't take them all on his own.
"We need to leave, now!" Lea shouted, holding his arm. "Maybe if we're lucky, they'll follow us back!"
"But we can't!" Kairi yelped. She grunted as she blocked an attack, her feet sliding in the snow. "The door was left open! We have to find—"
"He can handle it! He'll be fine!" Riku defeated a Heartless and started toward her in a sprint. "Lea's right! We gotta—"
He was interrupted by a kick to his side, a Jack-in-the-box Heartless sending him flying. Riku slid along the snow until he crashed into a wall, hitting his head.
"Riku!" Kairi yelped.
Lightning suddenly crackled near the carousel, sending bolts in random directions and hitting some of the Heartless. As they were sent into the air, what Riku once described as a Magnet spell—though this one was at highest level—trapped them there. A figure slid off the roof of a nearby building and leaped into action, attacking the Heartless midair. Movement to her side caught Kairi's attention, and she turned her head to see a snowman and a reindeer—no, not quite—rounding a corner to enter the area. Their mannerisms were too familiar to her, as were the shield and staff. There was a squawk as a spell was cast, and Kairi gasped.
Donald, and Goofy. If they were here, then that meant…
Kairi looked back to the sky in time to see the figure drop and swing around the carousel, trapping the Heartless in the whirlwind. He hopped off and slid on his feet in the snow, his back to her. She hardly paid attention to the Heartless dying off one by one, the few that lingered being propelled into the walls and vanishing on the spot from the sheer force. Instead she looked at the person who stood before her, his outfit consisting of mostly black. He donned a Santa hat and had the same cotton trim on his clothes as she did, though his legs were wrapped in red ribbon.
A thrust from Goofy's shield killed off the last Heartless, and the battlefield fell silent. Kairi looked from the dog and the duck to the boy that lingered in front of her. She recognized the Keyblade. Of course, she couldn't mistake the spiky hair either.
"…Sora," she managed, voice hoarse.
He turned around, bright blue eyes falling on her instantly. They widened once he recognized her. "Kairi?!"
He was here. After weeks of nothing—no letters, no visits, no news—she finally saw him again. Relief flooded Kairi's heart, her suspicions ringing true.
Sora had been the one who came here first. He accidentally left the door open.
A grunt not too far away had Kairi perking immediately. "Riku!" she called, scrambling to her feet and running to his side. She knelt down next to him, hearing the crunch of snow as rushed footsteps followed her. Kairi put a hand on Riku's shoulder when he slowly sat up. "Are you okay?"
"Mm," he mumbled, leaning against the brick behind him. After a heavy breath he opened his eyes and looked behind her. "About time you showed up."
"You made it easy for me," came the smooth voice that always warmed Kairi's heart.
"As usual. Slacker," Riku taunted, though he smirked in good nature.
Lea, Donald, and Goofy joined them, though the Keyblade-wielder-in-training was the first to speak. "What're you guys doing here?" he wondered. "Aren't you supposed to be finding some key or something?"
"Someone needed our help," Sora answered, reaching into one of his pockets. He stepped past Kairi and held out a potion to Riku, who shook his head. Sora reluctantly pocketed the item. "What about you?"
"Training," Lea answered, crossing his arms. "But it looks like we failed today's lesson."
Kairi closed her eyes at the words and pressed her lips together to keep from replying. She couldn't take her own anger at herself out on Lea, that wasn't fair. As disappointed as she was, he was right—they failed today. Someone could have gotten seriously hurt.
"Hey," Riku called to her quietly. Kairi opened her eyes to meet his. "Heal me. It'll give you some practice."
Kairi blinked, looking to the cuts and bruises he'd received. "B-but I'm not—"
"C'mon, have some confidence." He smiled weakly. "You can do it. Just give it a shot. It's not like you can make it any worse."
Kairi bit her lip at the words but didn't object any further. She nodded after another moment's hesitation and called her Keyblade back to her, not witnessing Sora's surprised expression at the summoning. She held the hilt and the teeth of the weapon in her hands and focused her energy on Riku's wounds, closing her eyes.
The trick she learned with this spell was to imagine wellness in its purest form, to imagine light. More specifically, her light. Her light was used for good, for healing in one form or another, for protection and safety. When she believed it fully, she discovered the power of Cure.
Kairi focused on Riku, on protecting him and mending his wounds. The care she already held for him only decreased the amount of time it took to summon the spell. "Heal," she called softly, opening her eyes to catch the green light and leaves sprinkling over his form. She watched his cuts close up and the bruises fade, though she figured the soreness would linger. After all, it was only the first level of the spell; she still had more to learn.
"Thank you," Riku said with a nod, and Kairi sighed quietly, sending her weapon away. She did it. Like he said, she didn't make it any worse. He moved to get up and she rose with him, though a gloved hand grasped Riku's to assist. Once he was on his feet, he nodded to Sora. "Thanks, buddy."
"You bet." Sora crossed his arms, looking between him and Kairi. She noticed his gaze lingered on her the longest. He avoided her gaze when he was caught in the act, though he covered it up with a quirk of an eyebrow. "Nice costumes."
Kairi glanced at her attire once more and felt heat rise to her cheeks. "We couldn't really help it. It just kind of…happened."
He shrugged. "Some worlds are special, I guess."
"You said someone needed your help," Riku said, changing the subject. "Who?"
Sora suddenly grinned. "Santa."
Riku and Kairi shared a look, the former lifting an eyebrow at Sora. "…Santa," he repeated, doubtful.
"The one and only." Sora's arms fell to his sides as he looked from Riku to the redhead beside him. "You guys wanna meet him?"
Kairi nodded enthusiastically, though Riku shrugged. "Might as well. Training's done for the day." However, he still seemed a bit cynical.
Sora led the way, Donald and Goofy in tow. Kairi made sure to stay close, too; it had been too long since she'd last seen Sora. There was so much to talk about. There was also the fact that she found it hard to believe he was here; she thought she might have been imagining it. If the cold was anything to go by, this was definitely real.
They filed into the house. As they entered the living room, Sora sent a grin over his shoulder at her. He stepped forward, forcing Kairi to peek around him to see just who he was looking at.
"Santa, I'd like you to meet a few friends of mine…"
Kairi's eyes grew the moment she spotted him. The red outfit, the hat, the beard—the roundness of his belly even had her gaping.
"Oh?" The old man adjusted his glasses. "Who's this?"
Sora sidestepped to motion to her. "This is Kairi, one of my friends from home," he explained. He then nodded toward the doorway. "That's Riku, and that's Lea."
"Riku, hm?" Santa narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned forward in his chair. Riku shrank slightly under his gaze. "Ah yes, you convinced Sora I didn't exist. Is that right?"
Riku's eyes widened considerably at the declaration, while Sora chuckled. "That's him," he confirmed. Kairi covered her mouth with her hands to conceal her giggles at Riku's expression—panic.
"Uh…I-I didn't—um…" Riku stuttered intelligently, then covering his face with his hand.
"And Kairi…" Santa turned to her. Under the weight of his stare she linked her hands behind her back, ducking her chin slightly. "Yes, yes… On the nice list every year. How is life treating you, dear?"
Kairi blinked at the question. "O-oh, well…" She glanced to the side. "It's been…different."
"Different, you say? Why, I imagine it has to do with all that light you hold inside you," Santa guessed. "Is that it?"
She put a hand to her heart instinctively.
The man chuckled. "I'm not Santa Claus for nothing, my dear," he told her. "Being in charge of a holiday as bright and cheerful as Christmas, it's not unreasonable that I see your light, is it? I noticed it in Sora as well, you know."
Sora nodded in confirmation.
"Because of that light and the strength of his heart, I called to Sora to help me solve a small problem I recently discovered here in my town. Those creatures have been diminishing the Christmas spirit not only here but other places too, and so I've asked him to start here, if nothing else." He clasped his hands together. "I see that you have also come to help."
"Well…not exactly," she admitted quietly.
"No?"
"We're, uh…training, sir," Riku managed.
Santa looked between them. "So that ruckus earlier was a lesson of yours?" he wondered aloud, much to Riku's embarrassment. The boy couldn't look him in the eye.
"It wasn't meant to go that far," he explained. "The Heartless managed to make it here through an opened door. I only planned on handling them in Halloween Town."
"Halloween Town," Santa repeated slowly. After a moment he frowned. "Ah, that Jack Skellington again! This is his fault, isn't it?"
"I-I'm sure it's not that!" Sora assured the man with a frantic wave of his hands. His cheeks were unusually rosy. "But besides that, the Heartless are gone now, so that's a plus!"
The round man grumbled quietly to himself. "I suppose you're right."
"Was there anything else you needed from us while we're here?"
Santa thought for a moment, holding his chin. He then nodded. "Yes. The carousel outside—as you know it's been acting up for a while now. See if there's a way to fix it? My elves are far too busy in the workshop to tend to it, and I have to finish checking my list."
"Of course. Leave it to me!" He stopped short and looked to his friends. He smiled sheepishly. "I mean—us!"
Santa nodded and rose from his seat. "Very well. Sora, I thank you for all your help. I very much appreciate it." When the boy nodded, Santa approached Kairi and took her hand. "Kairi, my dear, it has been a pleasure meeting you."
"You too, sir," she replied feebly. Heat rose to her cheeks, the girl suddenly shy. After all, Santa was shaking her hand. "Merry Christmas to you."
"You as well." He smiled at her before moving to Donald and Goofy, then finally Lea and Riku, one of which who hadn't spoken since arrival. "I appreciate what you boys have done, even if things did get a bit messy out there. Thank you for your hard work."
"You betcha," Lea said with a small nod. "Does that get me a place on the nice list?"
Santa eyed him carefully. "…Not quite. You still have a lot of owning up to do, young man."
Lea's lips parted slightly at the words, but he didn't argue. In fact, he seemed to accept them.
"And you, Riku…" Santa turned to him. "Although you convinced Sora I didn't exist when you were younger, I can see the past few years have taught you well. You're becoming a fine young man."
"Th-thank you, sir," Riku said with a faint nod.
"And while it's normal for children to deny my existence at such a young age, I see Sora has made a believer out of you today. No need to be embarrassed. Sora, for instance, had quite the expression upon seeing me for the first time."
Kairi looked to the boy beside her at the words, only to see him rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. She fought her giggles.
"Now then…I must make further preparations for the holiday. It's only a few days away, after all. Sora, please do take care of that carousel." Santa approached a nearby door and waved to them. "Good luck to you all. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas!" they all replied in unison.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Sora got right to work on the carousel, as promised. Of course, he didn't do it without a little help; Riku and Lea offered. Kairi sat on a small brick wall with Donald and Goofy, the three of them catching up as the boys worked.
"Ya know, Kairi, Sora thought about ya the last time we were here," Goofy mentioned, the three of them having talked about the coming holiday in a few days, and whether they would be home with their families.
"He did?" Kairi tilted her head, eyebrows lifting in surprise. Sora thought of her? But why?
"Yup! He was worried about the gifts he got ya in the past!"
"Really? How come?"
Donald shrugged. "He had trouble deciding, I guess," the duck spoke, lisp and all. "He always wanted to make sure it was perfect for you."
Kairi smiled, lowering her gaze to her lap. So Sora worried about that, even while they were separated? Her cheeks warmed at the thought. Christmas presents should have been the last thing on his mind when the worlds were at stake. She shouldn't have been on his mind either, but…she was.
"I loved everything he gave me," she told them quietly. "It never had to really be anything. As long as I got to spend Christmas with him, I…"
Donald and Goofy stared at her, and when she peeked out of the corner of her eye at them, she blushed. "Aww! Well aren't you sweet!" Goofy chuckled. "I bet he'd love to hear that!"
"Please…don't tell him!" she begged. "I…I don't want him to know that I—"
"Oh, it's okay!" Donald assured her. "He feels the same way, I bet!"
Kairi gazed at them for a moment, at their smiling faces, and she couldn't help but reciprocate the same expression. "…Thank you."
They both nodded and got to talking about Daisy, Donald's girl back home. While they did, Kairi paid attention to the boys as they worked. They were making progress, if a disembodied polar bear seat was anything to go by. Even if they put in equal work, Kairi's eyes lingered on Sora the most.
If he mentioned her here of all places while he was away, what else could he have said about her?
Kairi lifted her cold hands to her cheeks to counter the heat, but she figured the easiest way to forget about the whole thing was to distract herself. Considering training didn't go so well today, she convinced herself a little practice couldn't hurt any further. She dismounted her seat on the wall and journeyed around the corner, where Sora, Donald, and Goofy came from earlier. Behind Santa's house and around a small curved road was a small park with a frozen lake. Covered in snow and icicles, she couldn't deny its beauty.
Kairi already knew her Thunder spells worked, as well as her Cure and Barrier casting. Fire didn't need as much work, either, but she realized—being around the snow and ice and cold—that her Blizzard abilities had yet to appear. She hadn't even created a snowflake.
The redhead brushed her hair out of her face and approached the lake, seeing that it was frozen solid. The fountain in the middle of it was as well, the water that would normally flow from the spouts turned icy. She tilted her head and silently called to her Keyblade. Narrowing her eyes, Kairi aimed the tip of her blade at the fountain.
She felt the heat spread from her chest to her fingertips, coating the hilt of her blade. The summer heat she experienced back on the Islands filled her mind's eye for the moment, and once she had a grasp of it, she released it.
"Fire," she commanded, and a ball of flame ignited from the tip of her Keyblade and soared toward the fountain. The ice melted instantly and water began to pour from the fountain again. Kairi smiled at her skill, as amateur as it was.
Now she just had to figure out how to freeze it again.
Kairi stared at the fountain for a while, trying to think of how exactly she could conjure up a spell she'd never created before. Riku always gave her tips, but they never touched Blizzard before.
"What're you doing?"
Kairi jumped slightly at the voice, turning around to see Sora standing there, hands in his pockets. He looked from her to the fountain and started forward. His shoes crunched against the snow with every step he took.
"Oh, um…I'm trying to think of how to freeze it," Kairi admitted, glancing at the pouring water. "I still don't know how to do that yet."
"Mm," Sora hummed in thought. He lowered his eyes to her Keyblade and smiled weakly.
"What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious of her weapon. Yes, it was flowery, but it was still hers. Part of her, just like Riku said.
"Nothing, it's just…" Sora shook his head slightly. "You having a Keyblade…"
"Yeah?"
Sora sighed and met her gaze. "Kairi, it scares me."
She blinked, eyes wide. "Huh? Why?" Shouldn't it have scared her more? It did, of course, but…shouldn't it have settled his worries? She could protect herself. He didn't have to do it for her anymore.
Sora's smile disappeared, his bright eyes turning hard in seriousness. "…It means you're a target," he told her. "A bigger target, maybe, considering you're a Princess."
"But…I can protect myself now."
"I know, but…"
"But what?"
"I don't want to see you get hurt. Now that I realize it was you fighting those Heartless, I'm scared to death of something happening to you. Seeing you like that…" He lowered his gaze. "It didn't really make me feel any better."
"…You don't think I can do it?"
His eyes widened. "N-no! It's not that, I swear!" he replied, frantic.
"Then what is it?" Kairi asked, eyebrows furrowing.
Sora's eyes transitioned from fearful to resentful quickly. "…Xehanort."
Kairi could only stare at him, the name sending chills down her spine. Like Sora, she didn't like the man he spoke of, the Master of darkness that wished to start a Keyblade war that could destroy the worlds. The thought sent of a pang of worry to her heart, not only because of her personal fears, but because she was one of the seven Princesses of Heart. Her heart of pure light could be used as a tool in Xehanort's scheme.
Maybe Sora was right. Maybe it was too much. She could barely handle a group of Heartless! She would fall to Xehanort within seconds!
"…I can't," Sora started, "…I can't lose you again."
Kairi's gaze darted to him instantly.
"Not to him. He nearly had you once, but then you…" Sora lifted a hand to his heart.
Yes, she took refuge inside him. For protection. He saved her multiple times by just being him. She would forever be grateful for it. For him.
"And then when Axel—I mean, Lea… When he took you, and then Saïx got a hold of you, I knew that I had to protect you. Seeing you with a Keyblade is a good and bad thing, I guess." Sora smiled weakly. "Good, because you can take care of yourself, get stronger. Prove yourself, like you've always wanted."
Kairi nodded slightly.
"But…it also makes you a bigger target for Xehanort. You're not only a Princess, but you have a Keyblade too, which means trouble. And I hate to say that, because I know this means a lot to you, but…" Sora's voice faded as he looked at her, though he took his hat off after a moment to distract himself. He fumbled with it nervously. "…I want to protect you, more than anything."
"Sora," Kairi started, taking a small step closer to him. He met her gaze. "I never said you couldn't. I just want you to let me protect myself when I can. Today, I couldn't. You did." He nodded a little in understanding and she smiled warmly. "I appreciate it. I really do. It means a lot to me."
"Good."
"But, if you really want to help protect me, maybe you can teach me how to do it better myself."
Sora's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
She motioned to the fountain with her hand. "Teach me how to freeze it. You're good with magic, right?" Kairi shrugged. "You've been gone for a while, so I haven't had anybody but Riku to teach me. I could use a second opinion, you know?"
Sora's eyes darted from the fountain to her, where he studied her expression. He finally nodded after a moment. "Okay. Sure."
"Really?" Kairi asked, eyes widening.
"Yeah, of course."
She grinned suddenly and stepped toward the fountain again. Sora moved closer to her, his arm brushing hers as he reached up to steady her Keyblade. The contact had Kairi getting chills, ones she swore weren't caused by the cold weather.
"Keep your blade straight, like this," Sora instructed, moving her Keyblade slightly. "Good. But hold your hands closer together, at least at first. When the spell releases, it has a bit of kick to it."
Kairi shifted her grip. "Like this?"
"…Kinda," Sora answered. He moved behind her then, which made Kairi stiffen immediately. She felt his chest against her back, his arms moving to cover hers. His fingers wrapped around the hilt with hers as he set them into place correctly. She turned her head slightly only to realize his face was incredibly close, and she froze. Sora noticed as well, and they stared at each other for a moment.
His eyes were an even brighter blue up close. Kairi knew that she could swim in them for days on end before, but now…she could easily drown in their depths.
Sora cleared his throat suddenly and she looked away, heat rushing to her cheeks.
"Uh…" Sora held her hands despite the unexpectedly awkward position, his slender fingers supporting hers firmly but gently. Kairi wanted to take in the feeling for hours, her heart fluttering at his touch, but he spoke, shattering the dream. "Hold just like this, and set your feet slightly apart." She did so. "Good. Now, when the spell releases, I'll be here to support you, but you're gonna have to get used to the kick on your own."
"Okay." She gazed at their hands, then the fountain. "How do I cast the spell?"
"What does Riku tell you to do?"
"He says to imagine the way it feels," Kairi explained softly. Their close proximity and the quiet of the night didn't call for more than hushed voices. "With Fire, he tells me to feel the heat of the sun or a bonfire or a hot summer day, and channel it through to my Keyblade."
Sora nodded faintly. "That's one way of doing it."
"What about you?"
He smiled a little. "I picture the spell in my head, of where I want it to go and what I think it'll look like." He spoke in her ear, his breath fanning her hair gently. It sent her heart into a tizzy. "With Fire, I picture the flames leaving my blade and swarming my target. With Thunder, I think of how the lightning will strike them from above. With Blizzard, it's the same concept."
Sora pressed himself just a bit closer. Kairi held her breath. "Close your eyes," he instructed lowly. She did so, heart skipping as she felt his voice reverberate against her back. "Picture snowflakes leaving the tip of your Keyblade, cold as ice, sharp as a knife. See them circle the fountain. See every drop of water slowly harden as it freezes. See the fountain freeze, like it was before."
Kairi exhaled a soft breath and did as he said, envisioning all he asked of her. She saw it, clear as day in her mind. That was when she felt her fingertips suddenly become ice cold. Kairi opened her eyes as a shot of Blizzard flew from the tip of her Keyblade and circled the water, freezing it on the spot. The force behind the spell pushed her further into Sora, as he expected. His grip on her had tightened and she realized she was holding her breath when he chuckled lowly in her ear.
"Good job," he praised. "I knew you could do it."
Kairi giggled softly at his approval, though she quickly realized he hadn't let go of her just yet. Cautiously, she lowered her arms. Sora's hands didn't release her. Instead, they moved to sit at her elbows.
"Sora…" she whispered, voice hoarse all of a sudden.
"Hm?" he hummed in her ear.
"…Thank you."
"Of course."
She felt him take in a deep breath and then slowly exhale as he removed himself from her. His hands fell to his sides and he backed off, but Kairi found herself missing his warmth and touch. She masked her disappointment quickly and dismissed her Keyblade, turning to face him.
"So…" She linked her hands behind her back. For a quick second, she caught his eyes roaming her figure. She assumed it was due to her outfit change; he'd never seen her like this before. However, just as quickly, his eyes returned to hers again. "…I'll have to show Riku your method and see which one works better."
Sora laughed quietly and put his hands behind his head. "I bet he'll enjoy that."
"Enjoy what?"
Both teens turned to see said Master approaching from the village. He smirked at them, a taunting gleam in his eye, but it vanished just as quickly.
"Oh nothing, Sora just taught me Blizzard is all," Kairi said, nonchalant.
"Wait, what?" Riku looked to Sora for confirmation.
"Yup. She's a quick learner," he declared, grinning in Kairi's direction.
Her blush quickly returned.
"No way. Show me," Riku demanded, wanting proof. "It took you days to learn the others. There's no way he taught you better."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora challenged. "I do just fine on my own, you know."
"Yeah, but who's the trainer here?"
"Master Riku, of course."
"Jealous, aren't you? As usual."
"Me? Jealous of you? Get real!"
Kairi looked between the boys, smiling to herself. How long had it been since she'd seen them bicker with one another? Years, maybe. But just for a moment, despite being in the cold instead of the heat, and in another world and not on the Islands, she felt at home again.
Having these two boys with her. That was the best Christmas gift she could ask for.
A/N: So as you could probably tell, this was Christmas themed. Why? Because I wrote it for a fellow tumblr-er (?) for a Kingdom Hearts Secret Santa project. (And yes it was late. booooooo)
Also, you may have noticed that in the previous entry I mentioned Kairi could use Thunder and Fire, but in this one, she had only mastered her Barrier spell first. Well, this was created after that first entry and I kinda got ahead of myself.
I couldn't (and still can't) get the idea of Kairi and Lea training under Riku out of my head! It's such an interesting scenario and there are so many ways it could play out. Perhaps I'll write more? Let me know what you think. :)
Toodles!