- Chapter 34 -
Settling In
After everyone dispersed and went their own ways, Zephyr went looking for Kyra. He eventually found her in the training room, pounding away at a punching bag as Rusty sat nearby.
"What's up with you?" he asked. "You've been a grump all day."
"Why do you care?" Kyra snapped.
"Snapping at Riku's sister like that was uncalled for." Zephyr informed her. "She's been through enough already, Kyra."
"So what?" Kyra retorted.
"So she doesn't need you snapping and being all crabby." Zephyr insisted. "Seriously, what's your problem?"
"It's none of your business!" Kyra growled. "Why do you even care?"
"I'm curious." Zephyr replied. "You're pushing everyone away with your actions."
Kyra stopped pounding on the bag, and sighed.
"I miss my family..." she whispered.
Zephyr's eyes widened briefly in realization. "Oh... that's it. I see."
"It's not fair..." Kyra lamented. "Riku gets his family back, and he screwed up royally... I still have nothing..."
"You're like Kikyo." Zephyr remarked. "Your brother went dark, didn't he... like Riku."
Kyra nodded. "Yeah."
She took a seat, Zephyr sitting next to her.
"That's something you two have in common." he went on. "And that's why you have such a grudge against Riku, isn't it? He's free, and your brother isn't."
"I don't even know where he is." Kyra said sadly.
"I'm sorry." Zephyr told her. "But maybe you should apologize to Kikyo. You and she are alike."
Kyra stood up, running a hand through her hair.
"Yeah, you're right." she admitted. "I'll apologize."
"Good to hear." Zephyr said. "'Cause Ansem invited us all to dinner tonight."
Kyra raised an eyebrow. "Even me?"
"And me." Zephyr confirmed. "So we better go get cleaned up."
"Alright, fine." Kyra said, standing up. "And Zephyr... thanks."
Zephyr smiled at that. "Anytime."
Later, everyone was seated around the dining room table, including the Destiny Islanders' parents.
"Thank you for all joining." Ansem told them.
"Thank you for inviting us." Isaac answered.
"Of course." Ansem replied. "So, tell us about yourselves."
"Well, I work as a beach lifeguard back home." Levi said.
"And I'm a librarian." Marion added.
"I work on boats." Asher included.
"I'm the high school principal." said Artemis.
"I'm the mayor." said Isaac.
"I run a few disaster care businesses." Talitha concluded.
Even blinked at that. "You're all so... well..."
"Ordinary." Lea finished.
"Yeah, we know." Levi nodded. "Just normal people."
"Normal people who raised heroes." Ven pointed out.
"Pretty much, yeah." Isaac agreed.
"We never expected them to become heroes..." Artemis confessed. "No one had ever done anything close to what they've done before."
"It... must be hard to see them leave all the time." Hikari mused.
Marion sighed. "Yes... and then there was that time where we forgot about Sora. Apparently, that was due to Naminé, but it scared us. We forgot our own son."
"We thought his room was the water heater closet (1)." Levi added. "When we remembered him, we did everything to never forget him again."
"That's so sad." Aqua said sympathetically.
"We didn't know what had happened to our son for a long time." Asher piped up. "Kairi and Kikyo kept assuring us that he was alright, but we were still worried."
"I may as well admit this now." Kikyo confessed. "Riku met with me on the play island every Wednesday during that time. He made me promise not to tell Mom and Dad."
"At the time, I couldn't face anyone else." Riku admitted, his shoulders drooping a little. "I was afraid. But that's in the past. It's done and over with."
"You're right." Kyra declared. "And I wanted to apologize to both you and Kikyo for things I said earlier."
Riku and Kikyo exchanged surprised looks at that.
"I'm serious." Kyra insisted. "Look. The reason I snapped at you earlier, Kikyo, is because... well, I was jealous."
"Jealous?" Kikyo said, confused. "Of me?"
"You got your brother back. I didn't." Kyra explained. "Luke was just like Riku." She sniffled a bit. "It's not fair... you got Riku back. Luke is still gone."
"Is that why you've been so hostile to me?" Riku asked.
"Yeah." Kyra admitted. "And why I was so mean to Kikyo. I'm sorry."
"It's alright." Kikyo assured. "I forgive you."
Kyra smiled at that.
"Whatever happened to Luke?" Riku asked.
"He just disappeared." Kyra answered. "I miss him..."
"Well, maybe he's still alive." Sora proposed. "And if he is, we'll find him."
Kyra looked surprised at Sora's declaration, but that was soon replaced with happiness. "Thanks."
"Well, now that that's done, I have some questions." Isaac piped up, turning to Ansem. "Could you tell us about Kairi's birth parents? All we know is that her mother was your niece."
"I'd love to." Ansem said with a smile. "Rimi was as sweet as could be. She sewed clothes for the people in town. Kaname was brave, albeit very silly and often clumsy. Off duty, he could barely take two steps without falling all over himself, but he was a good man."
"The best." Sasuke included. "He was like a father to me. He taught me everything I know."
"They were good people, both of them." Lea added.
"I wish I could've met them." Talitha remarked.
"They would like you and be grateful." Ansem assured them. "As am I... I thought my dear grandniece was lost." He turned to Aqua. "I owe you a debt of gratitude as well, Aqua. You cast the spell that sent Kairi to safety."
"I just did what I felt was right." Aqua told him.
"Well, we're grateful for that as well." Talitha told her with a smile.
Ansem smiled as well, then sighed. "Of course, not everything was peaceful and happy in the past. Even before Xehanort came along, our world had problems."
"Like the Insurgos..." Sasuke remarked, saying the word with more than a little disdain. "A band of rebels formed during Ansem's mother's reign."
"They to kill the royal family completely." Ansem added.
"Why?" Marion asked.
"Because Ansem's mom was, to put it delicately, a totally heartless witch who made everyone in the kingdom miserable." Lea replied. "And those idiots thought her cruelty was in the blood and Ansem would eventually follow the same path."
"Exactly." said Ansem. "Kaname's father, Orochi, was one of them. It didn't matter to him that Kairi was his granddaughter; she was of royal blood, so he wanted her dead."
"His name is fitting." Hikari spat in disgust. "He definitely sounds like a snake."
"I met him. He definitely was." Sasuke confirmed. "He tried to kill me while making Kairi watch. It's a good thing Master Kaname showed up when he did."
"Tried to enslave me and Isa too." Lea included. "He's the reason Isa has those scars. And after Kaname intervened, Orochi killed himself just to spite him (2)."
"I don't get it." Kikyo piped up. "How could they do all those horrible things and think they were the good guys?"
"Some people believe that, without a doubt, everything they do is for the sake of justice." Zephyr explained. "Anyone who goes against them is going against justice and thus an evildoer, and they think they can do anything for their own sake, because they're justice."
"An apt description of the Insurgos indeed." Ansem agreed. "When Orochi was first imprisoned, he and the other Insurgo prisoners would often rant about such things, claiming they were working for the greater good and everyone in Radiant Garden was with them or against them." He sighed. "While the original cause against my parents was a just one, they took it too far and lost any noble ideas they once had."
"It wasn't helped by the fact that some of their members, like Orochi, were just violent lunatics who joined and used their mission as an excuse to hurt people." Even added. "And when those same members got promoted and took over, you can guess why and how they got so bad (3)."
"Wow..." Isaac managed. "The worst thing we've had is a few pirates. I couldn't imagine something like that."
"Then Xehanort came along, and things really went down the tube, little by little." Sasuke remarked. "The kidnapping I mentioned, where I was almost killed. The only reason Kairi wasn't killed is because Orochi was supposed to hand her over to Braig and Xehanort."
"That one-eyed rat was in league with Xehanort the whole time." Lea spat. "After that, he tricked us into going into the Great Maw and triggered a rockslide. Kairi and I were trapped under the rubble for two days before Sasuke and Isa found us. He wanted the three of us to die while he captured Kairi in the chaos."
Zephyr blinked at that, before turning to Ansem.
"And why exactly did you give that wack-a-doo a position in the guard?" he asked, totally deadpan.
"Braig was always a thrill-seeker." Ansem admitted. "He joined the guard for the thrill of the fight, and wanted us to become conquerors just so he'd have something to do. But I never thought it'd come to this." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "In all honesty, I should have fired him long before, but my parents were tyrants who would execute people for the slightest mistake, and I wanted to be different and give people second chances. Looking back on it now, I was too nice and reasonable."
"You were trying to do the right thing." Isaac told him. "He just took advantage of it."
"Yes..." Ansem said, "but sometimes, I can't help but wonder if he would have stayed loyal to us had Xehanort never come here."
"Personally, I doubt it." Sasuke admitted. "You saw how he acted and what a jerk he was from the start. There was something rotten inside Braig long before Xehanort ever came here. As far as I'm concerned, even if Xehanort hadn't twisted him and turned him against us, something else would've done it sooner or later." He scoffed. "Wouldn't surprise me a bit if he would've joined the Insurgos one day."
"Honestly, neither would I." Ansem confessed.
"But enough about that old dirtbag. Let's talk about some more fun and happy times." Lea declared. "Like that time Kairi and I put Lord Ansem's nasty old bat of a mom through the wringer."
Ansem chuckled. "That was a day."
"What happened?" Mickey asked.
"My mother came to take Kairi away. Ensure she 'married well." Ansem explained, a sour expression on his face at the memory. "Lea and Kairi took things into their own hands. They put glue on her hairbrush and chair, cut up her shoes and dress, and dumped a pile of snow on her head. She wanted nothing to do with Kairi after that. (4)"
"Serves her right." Nixe said with a giggle.
"Oh yeah." Lea agreed, grinning.
"Whatever happened to Hanako?" Sora questioned.
"The very last thing the Insurgos managed to do before the world fell was poison her. (5)" Ansem replied. "And I exaggerate nothing when I say nobody in Radiant Garden was sorry to see her go. While we still tried to hunt them down and arrest them for murder, even Kaname and Rimi were in agreement that if anyone deserved to be killed off by the Insurgos, it was her."
"I have a pretty good idea how everyone reacted when they found out." Zephyr said. "Bells ringing? Fireworks? Champagne popping? A choir dancing and singing 'Ding dong, the witch is dead'?"
"You're not far off." Lea confirmed. "Hell, all of her so-called 'mourners' just came to her funeral to make sure she was really dead."
Sï'Lea let out a whistle. "That's when you know you were a horrible ruler in life."
"No kidding." said Lea. "Getting off-topic for the happy stuff. Allow me to tell you about Kairi's fifth birthday party."
"That was a good day." Sasuke said with a smile. "I got Kairi a pet rabbit."
"That must be where Kairi got her love of rabbits." Talitha deduced. "She's got six of them at home."
Kairi twiddled her thumbs shyly. "Make that seven."
"Seven?" Isaac repeated.
"I... gave her another one as a coming home present." Sasuke admitted. "But don't worry, it's female."
"Good." Isaac said in relief. "The last thing I want is reproducing rabbits in my house. With how many bunnies she has already, we'd be overrun."
Sasuke chuckled. "Okay then."
The rest of the dinner was spent cracking jokes and telling stories. Everyone eventually turned in for the night. Sora went to the room next door, where his parents were.
"Sorry that you got pulled into this." he told them.
"Not your fault." Marion assured. "And it gives us an excuse to see you more often."
Sora managed a smile. "Yeah, there's that."
"And we can help." Levi added.
"You can help me out the best by staying out of harm's way." Sora insisted.
"Fine." Levi said. "But if there's anything we can do to help, let us know. We're not at home anymore... and it doesn't feel right just letting all of you do all the work. We're here. We're helping."
"Alright, fine." Sora gave in. "I know where I get my stubbornness from."
Levi ruffled his son's hair. "I know where you get it from too, kiddo."
The Kumos all shared a laugh at that.
-X-
In the Mae apartment, Kairi was seated on her parents' old bed when Isaac and Talitha entered.
"So this is your childhood home." Isaac mused. "Nice place."
"Yeah, it is." Kairi admitted.
"And... we've been talking..." Isaac began. "Kairi, if you want to stay here after everything is over, we won't make you come back to the islands."
Kairi looked up in surprise. "What?"
"This is your home too." Talitha told her. "If you wanted to stay here... we wouldn't be mad."
"Okay." Karai replied. "But I'm pretty sure I'll be going back to the islands. I belong there. I'll visit here, of course, but the islands are my home."
"Sounds like a plan." Isaac agreed, kissing her forehead.
"And while we're here, we'll do what we can to help you." Talitha assured.
-X-
Riku was heading to bed himself when he heard soft sobbing coming from his sister's room. Concerned, he entered, finding her hugging a pillow and weeping.
"Kiki?" he asked. "What's wrong?"
"I had a bad dream." Kikyo told him, wiping her eyes. "I know... I'm a little old to be crying over a dream."
"I wasn't gonna say anything." Riku assured her, sitting next to her. "Crying is okay, no matter how old you are." He put a comforting arm around her. "What was it about?"
"Xehanort and his goons..." Kikyo replied. "I was back in the cell... they were mocking me. Saying I was gonna be there forever. They said they were gonna hurt you... Mom and Dad too..."
She sniffled, tearing up again.
"Hey, hey." Riku pulled her into a hug. "Come here."
"I'm sorry..." Kikyo wept. "I'm sorry I'm weak... I can't do anything. I couldn't stop them. I just froze up. They're right. I'm pathetic."
Something snapped in Riku at that. He grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around so she was facing him.
"Enough." he said firmly. "Don't let them get in your head like that. You're much stronger than you think you are, Kikyo."
"I'm not like you though." Kikyo lamented. "I can't fight. I can't even protect myself."
"Maybe I could teach you." Riku offered.
"Really?" Kikyo questioned. "But what could I do... I'm tiny and frail. Even if I did learn, I couldn't do much."
"Kiki..." Riku sighed.
"Sorry..." Kikyo told him. "That's all I've heard for over a week. 'How can you be Riku's sister? You're so tiny and weak. You won't even fight... how pathetic.'"
"First, you need to stop thinking like that." Riku insisted. "You are not weak. If you were, you wouldn't spend most of your free time in shark-infested water. I'm not comfortable doing that, but you are."
Kikyo thought for a minute, then nodded. "Yeah... you're right."
"You might not have the physical strength, but you're strong." Riku went on, pointing at Kikyo's heart. "Strength doesn't just come from the body. It comes from here."
Kikyo giggled at that. "You sound like Sora."
"Yeah, but he's not wrong." Riku told her. "Maybe we can find something for you to learn to do. Maybe Kyra could teach you."
"Think she'd want to?" Kikyo asked.
"You two have some things in common, so yes." Riku answered. "We'll ask her tomorrow."
He got up to leave, but Kikyo grabbed his wrist.
"Could you stay here?" she asked. "I... I don't wanna be alone. Please, big bro."
Riku smiled. "Of course. All you have to do is ask."
Kikyo smiled, and got back under the covers. Riku laid out beside her.
"Goodnight, sis." he told her.
"Goodnight, big brother." Kikyo replied. "I love you."
With that, she curled up beside him and fell asleep. Riku put an arm around her, eventually doing the same.
Author's Note:
(1): See Kristen Verne's one-shot This Day.
(2): See Kristen Verne and YamiChaos27's fic Radiant Garden Renegades.
(3): My personal opinion on why the Insurgos got so evil in Kris' KH Universe. She admitted to me that's pretty much what happened.
(4): Same as (2).
(5): My personal touch. In reading Kris' stories where Hanako is featured, I found her to be such a bitch that I really wanted her to have a karmic death.
Well, another one bites the dust. As usual, thank you, Kristen Verne, for RPing this with me.
Please R&R. Until next time!