Two kinds of witches
"Just look at those two. They're so adorable." Kairi whispered to Naminé.
Their party was now in full swing. A warm blaze burned in the middle of the camp. And it would only be made brighter when night came. Their ample supply of firewood ensured that. Some of them would probably choose to retire by dusk. Aqua in particular would likely choose to do so as always. But most of them wanted to enjoy this rare chance to stay up late and wake up late to the fullest. Lea had been as good as his word, and there was plenty for them to eat. At this point in the evening foods you could cook over the fire had become popular. Roxas and Xion for instance had taken a liking to marshmallows, roasting them in the flames. Quite a few of those actually. Kairi hoped someone would have the good sense to stop them before they ate themselves sick. Then again, maybe that was just one part of the indulgence.
For things to do card and board games had been brought here. A net had been strung between the trees so they could play volleyball. At the moment it was Lea, Isa, Ventus and Mickey who were at it. As an extra treat Demyx had been convinced to come out here and play music to them with his sitar. It had to be admitted he played well once he had been talked into being on the mood to do it.
As for what had caught Naminé and Kairi's attention…
Aqua and Terra had spent most of the day together. Quite noticeably too. Something had changed between them. The shyness that had existed between them before seemed to be all but gone now. At the moment for instance she was sitting sideways on his lap, the two lost in each other's eyes, occasionally trading kisses, the surrounding world apparently forgotten. The others had let them be. Still, Kairi found this turn of events far too juicy not to gossip about, particularly as it was all right in front of her.
"Almost too sweet I would say. Almost." Naminé whispered back.
"Well I'm glad for them. Took them long enough." Kairi replied.
Naminé tilted her head. "Long enough… when did you know?"
"Oh I'd like to think I was among the first to figure it out. I have always had a knack for that. Even when I first started school back on Destiny Islands, I could sense how hearts connected between those around me. Which hearts resonated best with each other. It's not perfect though. I could still miss it if I didn't pay attention, but if I put my mind to it… I could get an impression on who was going end up with whom. At times I recognized it before even they did, though I made a point never to tell them beforehand. Didn't feel right to influence them. But rarely was I wrong. Even Sora and I was something I just… knew, as something that would be true given time. Though that one was a surprising discovery even for me."
"Maybe it's the Princess of Heart in me that allows me to see this much. Or maybe I'm just that good at figuring it out." She quipped.
"Maybe you are." Naminé agreed. "But perhaps that helps explain where my powers come from. Though my powers have more to do with memory than feelings. Still, it's an interesting similarity."
She turned her eyed back to Terra and Aqua. "They do make a lovely couple. And I think it will do both of them good. Aqua in particular."
"Maybe she will finally gain the confidence… to take the steps to save herself." She added, her voice momentarily more somber than before.
"Maybe. I hope so. In the meantime I'm glad she has found a bit of happiness for herself. I think she has earned that much." Kairi said, equally as seriously.
"Yeah. Absolutely. I'm as glad as you are they took this step." Naminé agreed.
"Speaking of which… I do wonder what the holdup with another couple here is?" She then wondered, glancing over at Lauriam and Elrena.
Then her eyes widened in shock as she realized what she had said. "Uh… please don't tell Elrena I said anything about that. I'm not really supposed to know that the two of them are a thing. It's just something I stumbled across some time back. And I'd rather not make her mad."
Kairi suppressed a chuckle. "No need to worry about her finding out about it from me. I want to live as much as you do."
"Besides, it's not exactly a revelation to me, despite what they might think." She added, looking at Elrena and Lauriam. As she watched, Elrena took a look at Aqua and Terra, then glanced at Lauriam sitting next to her before turning her eyes aside before others could notice, not realizing she had already been seen. It was a pattern she had repeated multiple times this evening. At other times Lauriam was doing the same. Now and then their eyes did meet, though that never seemed to last very long either. All the same Kairi got the impression there might have been more going on had they been in private. And it might have just been the fire, but Kairi thought she could detect a faint redness on their cheeks in the instances they did look on each other. Even without her talent it was not hard for her to figure out there was something between them. And with it… there was really no doubt.
"Yeah… a lot of couples on display here this evening. It makes me a bit jealous actually. I wish Sora was here. I know he would love to be at a party like this." Kairi said. "It feels wrong for him to not be here. Like something is missing."
"At least you have someone…" Naminé said quietly. There was a barely detectable note of bitterness in her voice.
Kairi gave Naminé a puzzled look and opened her mouth to ask for more details.
"Oh… damn!" A sound from Xion interrupted before Kairi could ask anything. Turning her head Kairi saw that Xion's most recent set of marshmallows had caught fire. "Damn!" The black haired girl cursed again dropping the stick she had the marshmallows on into the flames.
"Well… I believe those ones are a lost cause." She contemplated dryly.
"Here. Take mine." Roxas said with a smile, handing her his stick of marshmallows.
After a pause Xion accepted the stick, also breaking into a smile. "Thanks, Roxas. That's very sweet."
A faint smile on her lips, Kairi turned her head back to Naminé. Just in time to see a look of… wistfulness? It was gone as soon as she noticed it, but it was enough to pique Kairi's curiosity. She studied her former Nobody for a time.
"Naminé, is there something you'd like to discuss?" Kairi asked.
"I… no. Not really. It's not worth your time." Naminé said, shaking her head.
"You… wish there would be someone there for you?" Kairi guessed.
Naminé blinked, glancing at Kairi, then bowed her head.
"…Maybe." She admitted.
"I was born into loneliness. It's the first emotion I remember feeling. And I've loathed it ever since." She explained. "It doesn't usually bother me that much. I make do with the friends I have. But perhaps today of all days… makes it all a bit more pronounced."
"There was once a time I thought there might be something between me and him." Nodding towards Roxas. "But I've since come to understand… it was nothing more than the shadow of Xion that called him. The faint memory of her that lingered on."
"They say there is a little bit of Darkness in each of us. And in that case I suppose… deep down… envy is mine." She continued, clasping her hands together.
"Envy?" Kairi asked, frowning.
"I don't mean to feel that way. I don't want to." Naminé said hastily. "I get so angry at myself when I catch myself in the act. They both deserve far better from me. They are my friends, without a doubt. And I've no right to feel envious either. Not when they were the first. And I am happy for them. I truly am. It's just that…"
"Just that you still feel lonely?" Kairi finished for her.
Naminé nodded. "Maybe it's not even Roxas that I need. Just… someone."
"There was also the replica Riku. But that was… worse. Way worse. I planted those affections. Made them from scratch. It was fake. A lie. At the end of the day it was something horrible that should never have been done."
She shook her head. "Never again. Not like that. I can't become that. If I ever went down that road…"
"…Tell you a secret?" She asked after a moment of silence.
"Sure." Kairi replied.
"I'm afraid all the time… of what might happen if I just let go." Naminé said. She raised a hand towards the fire, as if to grasp the flames.
"If I ever wanted it, if I ever gave into temptation I could be a spider in her web, ever plucking the strings, making others move as I will. I could change anyone's mind if I wished to. Everyone's mind." She explained.
"It would be so easy. Anything I could wish for, right there in front of me. All I would need to do is reach out and take it." She closed her hand. "Everything could be exactly like I want it to be. And I if anything displeased me? I could rewrite it on a whim. A truly terrible witch."
She let her arm drop.
"But what matters is that you haven't done it. And I know that you never would." Kairi reassured.
"I suppose its fortunate then that I was born of you. I seem to have your sense of morality." Naminé said.
"I don't think it's from me. You're your own person. And have been for a good long while now. Your sense of right and wrong is your own. And that you haven't abused your powers… says a lot about you." Kairi said.
Naminé paused, then continued. "Well, regardless of the source I do understand how very wrong it would be to do that. Still, it is frightening stuff, knowing it's all just a choice away."
She bowed her head. "Power like mine isn't meant for this world. A being like me shouldn't even exist."
"Naminé, don't say things like that." Kairi tried.
But Naminé shook her head. "Even among Nobodies I'm an oddity. The circumstances of my existence so unusual I doubt there will ever be another like me. And I am forced to agree that would be a blessing. Someone else might not be as restrained."
"And yet… this is about the only skill I have. The only thing I really know how to do." She continued. She sighed heavily. "The only remotely interesting quality about me is something so potentially dangerous no one should have it. I'm terrified of the power, but what else do I have?"
"If you think that is the only remarkable thing about you, then you haven't been honest with yourself." Kairi said.
"Huh?" Naminé asked, looking surprised.
"Naminé, you shouldn't sell yourself short. There's a lot worthwhile about you. You've been kind to others. You've sought to do good each time the choice has been up to you. And you've been brave in your own way. And wise. Just think back on how many times people have come to you for advice or insight. And you've had plenty to offer." Kairi detailed.
"That… that's very kind of you to say." Naminé said.
"And for what it's worth I think there is someone there for you too. And remember, with me there is more to this than just a hunch or wishful thinking."
Naminé cocked her head, her curiosity piqued. "Really? You're certain? Who is it?
Kairi smiled and shook her head. "I told you. I don't tell. This is for you to discover."
"Come on. That isn't fair. First you would have me believe there is someone to find and now you won't even tell me where to look." Naminé protested.
"If I'm right then you don't need anyone to tell you. In that case your heart already knows. It's just a matter of realizing what it's telling you." Kairi replied.
"Exactly as it has been with the others here." She added, nodding toward the other couples around. "Trust in yourself and this will sort itself out."
Naminé considered, then smiled. "I suppose… I'll take you on your word for it. I hope you're correct. It would be a comfort."
"Thanks." She added.
"You're welcome." Kairi said, nodding.
Naminé paused, biting her lip. "I seem to have gone off on a bit of a tangent there. Sorry you had to listen to that diatribe. Didn't mean to trouble you with it."
She huffed at herself. "Unbelievable. This it meant to be a party where we let loose and have fun so we can forget about our worries for a bit. And what do I do? I decide now is a good time to be the only person not enjoying myself, moping over every little thing. How lame is that?"
"It was no trouble. Really. You'd be surprised how often people decide to confine in me." Kairi said. I suppose I have one of those faces." She added playfully.
Naminé smiled again. "Maybe so."
Naminé turned her attention back to the fire. "You know, I think I'll go save a few of the marshmallows before the bottomless hunger of Roxas and Xion deprive us of them."
Kairi chuckled. "I think I'll join you. And then I think it's our turn to play volleyball."
"Wait, M-me? Uh, I'm not sure I'd be any good at it…" Naminé stammered hesitantly.
"There is no better day than today to start learning then. Tomorrow we might be facing another crisis, another big battle. And if you want to have other skills it starts by taking the time to learn them. So what are you waiting for?" Kairi teased.
Naminé couldn't help but chuckle. "And playing volleyball is a good place to start?"
"As good as any." Kairi said with confidence.
After a pause Naminé began to grin. "You know what? You're absolutely right. And I do owe it to you to have some fun today."
"Then let's go." Kairi said, helping Naminé to her feet.
"I sure wish you hadn't traipsed all over this cave. Makes finding the correct footprints quite a bit harder." Gula said, on one knee and examining the sand covered floor.
"Yeah, well, perhaps we should not have. Too late to fix that now. Can you still do it?" Luxu asked.
"I should still be able to, provided any footprints of our intruders remain. But I make no promises on the quality of the results." Gula replied.
Several anxious minutes followed, Gula's eyes scanning the floor, searching.
"There. That set of prints looks plenty different from ours." He finally said. He moved his hand over the prints, and shortly after ghostly image appeared. Like Gula had warned, the apparition was jittery, occasionally distorting. The Foretellers even saw momentary flashes of each other as their own footprints interfered with the spell. But even so there was a distinct new figure that emerged into view.
"And there we have our thief. But just who… is he?" Ira wondered, examining the apparition.
Luxu gave a dramatic sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Pete… of course. Who else was it going to be?
"I take that to mean he is someone you know?" Aced asked.
"Um… sort of. He is Maleficent's henchman. I mentioned her in my story a couple times, didn't I?" Luxu replied.
He looked down at the ground and shook his head in annoyance. "I guess I should have suspected her from the start."
"And why is that?" Ira asked.
"Because she actually was looking around different worlds for the box, a while before the fight between the Guardians and the Organization. No idea how she found out about it in the first place, but it wasn't hard to figure out what her goal was." Luxu said.
"And you chose to do nothing about it then?" Ira pressed.
"Not worth the hassle with the Organization watching me. And honestly I didn't really think I needed to. She was kind of flailing about in her search. I figured she didn't actually have a decent chance of getting close to the box. It was well hidden at the time." Luxu said with a shrug. "I guess she was a tiny bit smarter than I gave her credit for. Not that it will help her much now."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "That stupid damned fairy. She just can't help sticking her hands in every pie she comes across. But this time she is going to get her hands burned for certain."
"Right then!" He said, clapping his hands together. "I'd best go hunt her down. Got several places I need to check so I ought to get right on it."
"A-And you won't be needing any backup on this at all?" Invi asked.
"What? Against those two second-rate villains? Oh please." Luxu scoffed. "This story stopped being about them a long time ago. If it ever really was about them. At best they have been useful idiots. But mostly just a thorn in everyone's side. And now I'm starting to think they've outlived any usefulness they might have had. Time to give them a reality check, so they know how out of their league they are.
"Oh… and you...?" He added pointing at Gula. "Thanks for the assists, but remembering how we got here in the first place I'm going to have to insist…"
"…That I'm confined to camp from now on?" Gula finished the sentence for him.
"Huh. You still catch on quickly at least." Luxu said with dry amusement. "But yeah, that's about it."
"It's fine. I didn't feel like going anywhere anyway." Gula replied. He promptly found himself a secluded corner in the cave and sat down to sulk. Luxu meanwhile turned around and strode out of the cave.
"And I suppose our standing order is to continue as before?" Ira said after Luxu was gone.
"That's what it always returns to it seems to me..." Aced said somberly.
"Regrettably." Invi agreed.
Ira turned his eyes to Gula. "Do you suppose… that we should set a guard on him? Luxu did not say anything about it, but he might expect it."
"I don't think he is in any mood to try leaving. Or do much else other than brood besides. But… perhaps just to be safe it might be better to have someone stay with him." Invi said.
"Then I'll be the first to stay for now. When you come back I'll go gather my share." Ira said.
Invi and Aced nodded and left, going their separate ways once out of the cave.
"And how much longer are we meant to wait? How much longer until those incompetents get themselves ready? How much longer till the Master finally deigns to have his plan come together? How many more innocents must we sacrifice till then?" Aced grumbled once he was out of earshot.
"And when it does finally come to pass? What then? How do we know this isn't just a sick joke form him? Can we even be sure this plan is his? He bears a Darkness just like we do. How do we know it has not corrupted him? What if in following him we are doing our enemy's bidding?" He continued. Lost in his thoughts he was oblivious of the shadowy wisps emanating from him.
"No. There has to be a better way. Something the Master has overlooked. A way forward that does not need as many deaths. That doesn't involve ripping hearts apart for scraps of light." he declared.
He paused, having a thought. "Scraps, yea. So many lost, and it only slows the enemy. But… if some light slows them… perhaps enough would stop them altogether? A true source instead of these fragments? Yes… perhaps that way. But where to find one…?"
Feeling a sense of nausea, he reached for a light vial. But before he could use it he swayed, putting a hand on his head. The shadows around him were momentarily more intense, swirling faster. His other hand moved on its own, letting the vial slip from his grasp and onto the ground, where it was left, forgotten. Without looking back Aced walked into a Dark Corridor and left.
