People seemed pleasantly surprised when I revealed where Lea and Kairi are. Time to explore an entirely new Disney world.
Kairi's first thought was that the two of them made her think about Riku.
Not in the immediately obvious ways. Raya's suspicious expression and distrust reminded her of Riku during his darkest moments where he couldn't bring himself to reach out to his friends anymore. The abrasiveness was born from old wounds, but there was still kindness beneath the guilt. She was merely still learning to be happy and open with people again.
Sisu seemed more like the opposite of Riku on the surface. Her bright and excited personality was probably closer to Sora. But that wasn't the part that made Kairi think of her other friend. It was the way that she tried to pretend that she was human, which reminded Kairi of when Riku was trapped in the form of Xehanort's Heartless and didn't look like himself anymore. Or even when she found Sora as a small Shadow. It was the discrepancy that really hit her. It wasn't quite a sense of double-vision, but Kairi couldn't help being fully aware of their true selves regardless of their changed appearances.
One of the subtly useful abilities that apparently came with being a Princess of Heart. She could always see who they truly were within their hearts, regardless of transformations or illusions. Along with knowing when she was in the presence of another Princess of Heart.
That was what had drawn her to this world, though it had taken a moment for her to recognize the feeling for what it was. She hadn't been around any of the others since Hollow Bastion. But with one right in front of her, there was no mistaking it.
"Do you truly expect me to believe that these two binturis are from somewhere beyond Kumandra?" asked Raya, arms crossed. "Next you'll try to tell us that you don't know about the Druun."
"We don't," said Kairi honestly.
"The Druun? Scary swirling monsters of darkness and destruction? The embodiment of discord? Consuming everything in their wake like a relentless fire, leaving nothing but ash and stone? Swallowing people up to create more Drunn, leaving behind empty shells in the form of statues of their bodies?" asked Sisu. "None of this sound familiar?" When she was met with only blank expressions, she said, "Okay, great. Then I guess it's story time for our new friends."
"Friends?" asked Raya, raising an eyebrow as she eyed Kairi and Lea suspiciously.
"Or maybe you want to tell the story instead," she continued. "I bet you can tell them all about the stuff that I missed out on."
Raya stared at her. Clearly silently asking if she was serious. But apparently in addition to her high levels of cheerfulness and energy, Sisu also had vast amounts of stubbornness. The stare down continued longer than expected until Raya finally sighed and shook her head.
It briefly reminded Kairi of when they were younger and Sora would try to convince Riku to do something. She missed them both so much.
"So that's it then. You want to know who this world got so broken?" Raya gestured at the ruins around them. "Well, that all began 500 years ago. Back when all of this was Kumandra. When our land was whole, and we lived harmoniously alongside dragons. Magical creatures who brought us water and rain and peace. It was paradise."
She was better at hiding things than Sisu, but Kairi still saw the way that Raya's eyes flickered towards Sisu before turning more towards the statues around the large chamber. She also saw Lea taking note of the same thing.
"But then, the Druun came. A mindless plague that spread like wildfire, multiplying as they consumed life and turned everyone they touched into stone. The dragons fought for us the best they could, but it wasn't enough."
At that point, Raya visibly hesitated. As if trying to decide what to say for the next part of her story. Kairi couldn't help wondering if this part was connected to what she and Lea overheard them talking about when they first arrived. About Sisu's brothers and sisters and the Dragon Gem.
"According to all the stories," said Raya carefully, "that's when the mighty Sisudatu, the last dragon, concentrated all her magic into a gem and blasted the Druun away."
"It was more of a group effort," said Sisu. Stiffening a moment, she added, "Not that I was there or anything. Humans don't live five hundred years and I am clearly human. My name doesn't even sound the same."
"Anyway," she continued, "everyone that was turned to stone came back. Except the dragons. All that was left of Sisu—"
"Different Sisu. Not me. Right, Raya? Completely different one."
"—was her gem. It should have been this big inspirational moment, where humanity united over her sacrifice. But instead, people being people," Raya looked away with a shrug, "they all fought to possess the last remnant of dragon magic. Borders were drawn, Kumandra divided. We all became enemies, and the gem had to be hidden."
Raising his hand slightly, Lea said, "Right. The Druun? The black and purple swirling smoke cloud things? Now, just to make sure, you said that they were gone."
"Obviously it didn't last forever."
"And they come from discord," he confirmed. "Or you could say, they come from the darkness in people's hearts that causes discord. And it leaves behind the bodies afterwards, but they turn to stone and remain petrified until the Druun were destroyed. That about right?"
"Sounds like you have run into them after all," said Raya.
"Briefly," he agreed with a short nod. 'They were similar to some other creatures we've dealt with before. Those have lots of varieties, but the same basic origins. They're called Heartless and I'm thinking your Druun are just another type of them." Crossing his arms, Lea said, "But turning the bodies to stone afterwards? That's a new one. Anything else important to know about the Druun?"
"Don't let them touch you. And they don't like water," said Sisu helpfully.
Rolling his eyes, Lea muttered, "Of course they're weak to water."
"Fire isn't always the answer, Axel," muttered Kairi back, nudging him.
Shaking her head, Raya turned to look around the damaged ruins. She was staring at the cracked stonework and the thick vines in a way that made Kairi believe that she might be seeing something very different than the current reality. Raya's expression melted away to a more regretful and sorrowful one. And with far more guilt.
"But that wasn't truly what broke the world," she said quietly. "That happened six years ago. When the Dragon Gem shattered and the Drunn returned. The Heart tribe had become the guardians of the gem, but the others believed it brought prosperity to them and grew jealous. Hatred and distrust brewed between the people." Raya closed her eyes briefly before continuing through sheer stubbornness. "Chief Benja of Heart wanted to change that. He dreamed of a better world for his daughter. He invited the leaders of the other tribes for a feast and to try fostering some form of trust between them again. Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang. They came and at first, it seemed to be working. His daughter even thought that she might become friends with the Fang chieftess's daughter, Namaari." Her voice turning bitter, she said, "She trusted her new 'friend' enough to show her where the Dragon Gem was hidden."
Kairi could see Lea's faint wince. They both knew where this was going. That didn't mean they couldn't feel bad about the inevitable outcome.
"Namaari tried to steal the gem for Fang. And then Tail, Talon, and Spine joined in the struggle, all of them desperate for the potential benefits they believed it would bring their people and to claim that tiny spark of dragon magic still left in the world. Chief Benja tried to talk everyone down. But his attempt at a peaceful solution only managed to get him hurt and the Dragon Gem broken into multiple pieces. And with its destruction, the Drunn returned."
"And Chief Benja? Your… father?" asked Kairi cautiously, following her suspicions. "What happened to him?"
Refusing to look at them, Raya said quietly, "Ba… My… He didn't…" She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He made sure that I got away. But he didn't."
"Sorry," said Lea, scratching the back of his head as he glanced away for a moment.
"If he was here," she said, finally looking back towards them, "he would say to give you a chance. And maybe help you find your missing friends. If they are even here."
Nodding, Sisu said, "Right, your friends. Tell us about them. Names, what they look like… I mean, we haven't met a lot of people lately who aren't traveling with us, but you never know."
"Well, Riku is a little older and taller than me with silver hair. He's brave, strong, and stubborn," said Kairi. "Too stubborn. I'm definitely going to hit him for running off without a word. And…"
As she trailed off, Lea reached over to squeeze her shoulder encouragingly. She appreciated the reassurance.
"The other one might be a bit of a long shot, but he's a boy named Sora," said Lea. "Looks pretty harmless. Extremely cheerful and friendly. Big blue eyes and spikey brown hair."
"Spikier than yours?" asked Sisu.
Rolling his eyes slightly, he said, "Mostly, if you've seen a kid fighting monsters with a giant key, that's one of ours."
"A… giant key?" asked Raya. "Are you serious?"
"Deadly serious."
He'd been covered in too many bruises back in the day to think otherwise. Keyblades were absolutely dangerous, even in the hands of children. And the friendly kid was the most terrifying force in battle when he decided that someone needed to be taken down. Xehanort, Xemnas, and all of his different versions never stood a chance.
"I am fairly certain I would remember someone carrying around a giant key as a weapon," said Raya. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met either of your friends."
"We can bring them with us,' suggested Sisu excitedly.
"What?"
"I mean, we can help them look for their friends and they can help with the plan to fix the Dragon Gem." Sisu grinned at them. "We have most of the pieces collected. And when we get one more, we should be able to get rid of the Druun again and restore everyone."
Grabbing Sisu's arm, Raya said, "Excuse us for a moment."
As she dragged the transformed dragon away, hissing sharp words in a low voice, Kairi took the opportunity to turn back towards Lea. They should probably discuss things too. There was a lot going on.
"What do you think?" asked Kairi quietly.
"The Druun are almost definitely those Heartless that we ran into earlier," he said. "But if they turn someone else into a Heartless, it sounds like the body is left petrified and their Nobodies can never properly form. I don't know if Organization XIII ever ran reconnaissance here, but that would be enough to discourage Xemnas from focusing on this world when there were plenty of better options. As for the Dragon Gem, it might work similar to the Cornerstone of Light that they have at Disney Castle. While it was intact, it could discourage Heartless from invading this world. But once it broke…" He shook his head slightly. "I don't know if it is bad luck that there are so many Heartless running around or if somehow this world didn't get disconnected from the darkness when Sora sealed the Door to Darkness. If Kumandra is still connected, that would explain how we got here."
"I thought Raya said that all of this started hundreds of years ago. I thought Xehanort started things less than two decades ago and things didn't really get bad until… Radiant Garden…"
Shrugging, Lea said, "Time moves at different rates on different worlds. Besides, remember that I'm guessing on some of this stuff. Maybe there's another reason for their Heartless problem."
"We should stay and help them," she said slowly. "Sora would help them. And I want to do something useful, even if Riku or Sora aren't here." After a moment, Kairi added, "Besides, Princesses of Heart should stick together."
"Wait, what did you say?"
"It's what I sensed. A new Princess of Heart. That's what led me here."
Lea turned his head back towards the two quietly arguing girls, his expression contemplative as he studied them. Kairi could almost see him silently filing away the information and combining it with what he already knew. She'd seen the same look when they were training and Merlin would try to offer advice. He might not be a scientist at heart like Even or Ienzo, but Lea was clever and always paying attention.
"She's not exactly what I would expect. She doesn't look like a Princess of Heart." Smirking briefly, he admitted, "Of course, you don't look like one either when you're trying to smash my ribcage in."
Kairi grinned back at him. Just because she was a Princess of Heart didn't mean she had to be helpless or weak. She didn't have to wait to be rescued or protected. She could be the princess and the brave knight defending everyone. And when Lea chuckled as he reached out to ruffle her hair lightly, she didn't have to let him.
But she didn't mind it.
"All right," said Raya, pulling their attention back over. "Unfortunately, Boun's boat is getting rather full with everyone else and the Fang warriors weren't happy with us the last time we saw them. We can't drag along every stray that crosses our path. If you're coming along, we need people who can be helpful and take care of themselves in case things go wrong. Anything useful that we should know?"
Hand on his friend's shoulder, Lea said, "Kairi can beat up people twice her size and she's handy with a Cure spell. And I have a bit of a knack for fire." In response to the blank looks, he clarified, "Magic. We're good with magic. And fighting off Heartless like your Druun."
"Magic? Humans have magic where you're from?" asked Sisu, eyes wide.
"Not everyone, but some people. Like us. Kairi is a bit more versatile, but I have my speciality."
Grabbing Raya's arm excitedly, she said, "See? I told you. They'll be perfect to help us get to Fang and avoid the Druun. Then we can talk to Namaari and convince her to help."
Kairi barely knew anything about Namaari. Only what they had just heard about the Dragon Gem breaking. But it didn't look like Raya held high hopes for that plan to go well.
"Okay," said Sisu, tugging at her sleeve nervously. "If you're joining us, I do have a small confession to make. I might not be quite as human as I claimed."
"No, really?" said Lea in a deadpan tone, earning an elbow to the side from Kairi that he ignored. "Who would have guessed that?"
"Nope. Surprise! I'm actually a dragon."
And she abruptly was again. Though the physical change wasn't quite as impressive for Kairi since the illusion of humanity was already incomplete for her. Sisu did seem happier back in her original shape: a fluffy and bright dragon that actually looked rather cuddly.
"Yeah, if we're bringing more people on Boun's boat, you might need to stay in disguise or it's going to start getting crowded. You're a lot bigger as a dragon," said Raya.
Lea and Kairi were following the girl and the dragon down towards the river. Apparently Heart was an island in the middle of a wider part of the river, though they mentioned that there was a bridge. The plan was to wait for the boat to reach them with the rest of their group. But the two of them trailed further behind. It gave Raya and Sisu some space and it allowed the two of them to take in more of the world without distractions.
He was right when he guessed that they were in the middle of a tropical jungle. It was more obvious once they were outside the ruined temple, which seemed to be perched on a rather unique structure. A huge natural arch that they trekked down to reach the rest of the buildings on the island. A larger one that might be considered their version of a palace that Raya stared at for a moment with longing and an entire village of smaller homes.
Not a single soul in sight. Lea did spot a couple of stone statues of people with their hands cupped in front of their chest, but no one alive. And from the odd places that they were positioned, he suspected that they were the petrified population rather than examples of odd local taste in art.
It was a hot, humid, and beautiful place. And there truly was no one left living in Heart.
"Axel," said Kairi softly, grabbing his arm to stop him. "Wait."
She gestured slightly ahead towards the others. They seemed to be approaching the aforementioned bridge. And there was a shift in the older girl's posture. From warrior prepared for surprise attacks towards something more vulnerable that reminded him of Xion after a nightmare.
"I think they need a moment alone," she continued. Looking up at him, Kairi added, "Besides, we should probably call and let the others know how we're doing now that we're out of the Realm of Darkness."
Lea couldn't help wincing slightly. She was absolutely right. He should take the opportunity to contact their friends. He wasn't certain how long he and Kairi were gone since time moved differently there, but they should check in just in case. It didn't feel that long to him, but it could have been several days at a minimum for everyone else.
But regardless, he knew that Roxas, Xion, and Isa would not be happy about him disappearing like he did. And guilt was one of the downsides of having his heart back.
He closed his eyes briefly before digging out his Gummiphone. Lea briefly wonderd if it would be cowardly to ask Kairi to call them instead. Then he hit the button.
It barely had a chance to ring before the screen was filled with the deceptively calm expression on a furious Isa's face. Lea couldn't help the nervous grin he gave him.
"Hey there, Isa."
"Lea, are you and Kairi unharmed?" he asked shortly.
Scratching the back of his head, he said, "Yeah, we're safe. Don't worry. Just ended up with a small unexpected detour during our search for Riku."
"Good." Isa took a deep breath before glaring sharply. "Then I feel no guilt informing you of why we are upset with you for leaving without speaking to us first on the matter."
"Sorry about that."
"Do you know how little any of us appreciated returning to the apartment only to learn that you were gone? There was no warning of your intentions. You did not leave us any information on how to locate you if you did not contact us. If you were hurt or even killed, we would never be able to find you. You did not think this plan through at all, Lea."
"It was a spur of the moment decision. Kairi was worried about Riku and I wasn't going to let her run off completely alone," said Lea apologetically.
Isa's expression never wavered as he stared his friend down. It had been a long time since Lea had ticked him off that much. The cold expression reminded him a little of Saïx, though he would never tell him that. But eventually some of the anger born of worry simmered down a little.
"I am not the only one who is upset about you leaving without a word," he said finally before turning around the Gummiphone.
"Axel!"
Bright blue eyes crowded the screen as Roxas and Xion stared back at him. And their expressions were a complicated mixture of worry, relief, and anger that made his heart ache. He knew it was coming and they were always so open and honest about their feelings. Those big eyes could never hide how they felt. He'd earned those upset reactions from them with his actions. But that didn't make it any easier.
"Why did you leave without us? We could have helped," said Roxas.
"Because the two of you only had a few days left of school and a responsible guardian is supposed to make sure that you wouldn't miss it," he said. "I'd hoped to be back quick, but…" Lea shrugged vaguely. "Time works differently in the Realm of Darkness and apparently Riku isn't going to make it easy to find and drag him back home."
"But you'll let us join you now?" asked Xion hopefully. "Where are you?"
Smiling, he said, "A place called Kumandra. It has some rather interesting new Heartless." Raising his voice, Lea said, "Isa, you read all of those reports. Did anyone ever run reconnaissance on this world?"
Turning the Gummiphone back towards him, Isa said, "I believe that Xigbar visited there once. He reported that it would be unsuitable for the Organization's purposes."
"From what we've heard about these things, I would agree with that. We've finally found a Heartless that won't produce a Nobody. Not great for recruitment strategies. We're going to be helping the locals with their Heartless problem while seeing if there's any sign of Riku."
"Sounds like something Sora would do," said Roxas from off screen.
"Can't argue with you there. But at least they seem to have a plan in place to deal with the mess. We're going to be heading up the river," he said, "but I doubt it will take more than a few days. If you want to wait for that, we can meet up and continue searching for Riku afterwards or—"
"We both know that you were lucky to be allowed the time that you have already had," interrupted Isa. "I may be able to convince them to get a good night's sleep and get through a final day of school, but there is no possibility that Roxas and Xion will wait any longer than that."
"Not a chance," added Roxas.
Grinning sheepishly, Lea said, "Yeah. That would be too much to expect."
"You should have waited for us, Axel," he called from out of view of the Gummiphone.
"And I already apologized."
"I will ask Ienzo, Chip, or Dale to track where you are calling from so that we can locate the world," said Isa. "We will then follow the path of the river to join you once we reach Kumandra."
"Then I guess that means we'll see you three tomorrow sometime," said Lea. "Just be careful. These Heartless are apparently dangerous to come into contact with and are vulnerable to water."
"You need to be careful too," said Xion.
"And when you get here," he continued, "maybe we can introduce you to the Princess of Heart that we already found."
Frowning slightly in confusion, Isa asked, "You found what?"
"A Princess of Heart. We practically tripped over her. One of the perks of traveling with Kairi apparently." Shaking his head briefly, he said, "Make sure to stock up on supplies before you leave. The locals make it sound like there are a lot of these weird Heartless around. And you better at least take a bite of that cake that I ordered before leaving."
"We will. Be careful. And see you soon, Lea."
"See ya, Isa."
As the call ended, Kairi looked up at him with a curious look.
"You told them about her already?"
Chuckling, Lea said, "It was just funny. Maleficent was searching countless worlds for the seven Princess of Heart and then the Real Organization XIII went looking for the new ones. Meanwhile, we found Raya without even trying."
"Raya?" Kairi shook her head. "Axel, Raya isn't the Princess of Heart. I mean, she was the chief of Heart's daughter, but not the kind that you're talking about. Sisu is."
Hayner laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and trying to wrap his mind around everything that had happened that afternoon. Such an exercise in mental adjustments was not a new experience. He had been going through such things a lot since meeting Roxas and Xion. Or perhaps since Sora first arrived at Twilight Town. His worldview kept getting disrupted by new discoveries and changes.
Today didn't have new discoveries or revelations that completely destroyed everything that he believed to know. But it could still potentially change his life.
He raised his hand up, fingers curled like he was gripping an invisible handle. Nothing appeared in a flash of sparks. He was left holding nothing but thin air.
"Okay," said Hayner, trying not to feel stupid as he addressed whatever force would be responsible for what he was trying to do. "I don't know how this part works. I don't know if any of us will be worthy of… But if would be great if you could show up."
His fingers flexed briefly. What would his Keyblade look like? Xion and Sora's looked the most like giant, but ordinary keys. Both of Roxas's Keyblades were more decorative and elaborate, but the black one looked more like a key than the colorful one. Aqua's Keyblade was also just a fancy version of a key. But Lea's Keyblade could barely be described as one. There was clearly a lot of flexibility in the designs.
"Maybe it'll have spikes or lightning bolts or something cool like that," he muttered, trying to picture it.
His arm moved through the air, like he was attempting a series of lazy strikes. Imagining himself fighting off a Heartless. Between his countless Struggle matches with Roxas and Xion for the last several months and the visit for training with Phil, Hayner bet he could absolutely beat one on his first try with a Keyblade.
"Come on, heart. Any time that you want to help me out." Hayner let his arm drop back on the bed. "Maybe a small clue on how to encourage my Keyblade to show up?"
If his heart had any ideas on the subject, it was disappointingly silent. Groaning, Hayner rolled over so that his face was buried into his pillow in a way that might easily end with him smothering to death if he wasn't careful. But it hadn't so far, so he doubted it would kill him yet.
Sleep didn't take long to pull him under. He practically plunged into waiting dreams of colorful stained glass.
Lots of background information for "Raya and the Last Dragon" in this chapter and Lea getting scolded by his best friends for running off. But also a little bit of Hayner too. Hopefully people liked this chapter. Thanks for all the support.