Author's Note.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexual harassment.
Guys, I am spoiling you for the sake of the warning: we're going to Hunchback of Notre Dame this chapter, and, you know, even in that Disney movie...Frollo is going to be Frollo to a female protagonist, regrettably.
Not regrettably, he's going to get his ass beat for it. Extremely, very badly. I am also spoiling that. Because FUCK THAT GUY. I had to rewatch the movie/DDD cutscenes and I seriously...wow. Forgot how awful they made him. Like JESUS that's dark.
Kairi gasped as the giant monkey Nightmare smacked her full on with a giant fist, sending her flying back across the square.
She hit and rolled, coming up clumsily. She winced as her foot shifted under her, twisting her ankle.
She staggered to one knee, breathing harshly.
Stamina...problems...are still...a problem!
This whole battle had been going on longer than most did for her.
Even with support, she was falling behind.
She didn't have much magical reserves left, either - she could feel it. If she had to quantify it, she'd have put it at one-fourth of its max capacity. Maybe even less...
Kairi heard a little trilling noise. She turned to see Cherry hopping her way toward her on thin air, less than a foot above the ground. The Spirit brought their long leaf limbs in toward their center, a blue and green light swirled around them, and then they jumped up and spread their leaf arms enthusiastically. Dual, green and blue light orbs swirled around Kairi; she gasped as the aching in her foot went away - as her body flushed with rejuvenation. But it was also more than that: she could feel mystic energy surging inside of her - up, up, back to full - and then still more!
Kairi straightened up again, raising a hand that glowed with blue light. She looked at Cherry in wonder. Her magic wasn't just back to maximum - it was in overdrive. And not just in capacity, either. The mystic energy itself was roiling inside her.
"Hey!" Ephemer called out to her, as he swung off a lamppost high into the air, avoiding a swing from the Nightmare. "I could use some help!" He flipped under an upward swing by the Nightmare, then planted his feet on its arm and leapt off to the side, where he bounced back off the wall with energy surging around him. He struck the giant Nightmare, staggering it.
Kairi raced forward faster than the eye could see, forming an array of Light Blades around her. She sent them flying forward, stabbing into the Nightmare's flank. She tossed her Keyblade like a buzzsaw and turned to light, darting up over it and reforming behind it. She raised her hands and cast double, rapid fire barrages of fireballs into its back. The Nightmare whipped around, swinging out an arm for her with orange energy. Kairi formed a barrier and took the hit, sliding backwards. Then she exploded her magic outward, sending it stumbling to land on its rear.
She called her weapon to hand and lit it up in golden light, then ran and leapt forward, swinging for the Nightmare's face!
She slashed across it, twirled her weapon and gave a swift stab of a follow-up-
The Nightmare brought its arms up for her as it roared.
Kairi used another instant, pink barrier dome; its claws stabbed into her barrier, and stopped, stuck part-way in. It hadn't broken. She held her Keyblade before her vertically, putting all her newfound power into it now. Then she dropped her barrier, and brought it crashing down for the Nightmare's head with a mighty yell.
The Nightmare began to shudder beneath her, light bursting out of it. Its body went rigid as it suddenly slid out from under her, starting to rising up into the air...
Then, it evaporated in smoke and shattered pieces of crystal.
Large, unfamiliar Dream Pieces came raining down into the square with the sounds of clinking glass.
Kairi lowered her weapon, sighing with relief. Ephemer came leaping down to her from the upper walkway, wiping at his forehead.
Kairi turned and looked to Cherry, who was bouncing her way back over to them now. She beamed, and bent down to give the Spirit a tight hug around her green plant stem of a midsection. "Thanks for the magic boost - and the heal," she told the little Spirit earnestly.
Cherry's eyes sparkled at Kairi, seeming extremely pleased with herself.
Kairi turned as Fin bumped into her side. She patted the fish Spirit, grinning. "Yeah, you were great, too. You really held your own against that big, scary Nightmare."
"So, hey, why did you seem to think you were the reason that Nightmare appeared?" Ephemer spoke casually.
Kairi sighed. "Because it happens all the time with the Heartless, out in the real world. It's not just the Keyblade that draws them to me - it's also that...I'm a Princess of Heart. Don't be weird about it, please," she added quickly.
Ephemer's eyes widened with shock. He stared at her, then away. Then he smiled, and nodded. "Huh...really? That's interesting."
Kairi laughed. "That works - thanks."
"Hey, no problem! So-"
Ephemer stopped, as suddenly a golden light began to shine down on them.
Kairi and Ephemer looked up at the night sky, to see a large, glowing golden Keyhole forming. She looked at him. He looked at her. His face scrunched up in deep thought. Then he smiled, crossing his arms.
"I think it's for you," he said lightly.
Kairi tilted her head at him. She looked up to the Keyhole. She put a hand to her chest, breathing, feeling...and she felt the pulse - the pull. A gentle tug, as if from a guiding hand of a friend's... She let her hand fall, raising her Keyblade, aiming it up to the Keyhole. A light shot out into it from the end of her weapon - and the Keyhole reacted in a way she'd never seen before.
The sky shattered like glass. The Keyhole itself became encased by an orange and yellow, six-sided symbol - and then, a glowing blue hexagon. And then, out beyond that, there was a ring of diamond symbols. Finally, there was a golden band of light on the outermost edge.
It was...absolutely beautiful.
Kairi turned to Ephemer with a smile. "Yeah. I think so, too."
Ephemer smiled back, a warm wind rustling at his vest, and the red scarf around his neck. "If you've never been through a Dive before...uh, just be careful. The Nightmares like to roam the paths between the Sleeping Worlds."
Kairi rolled her eyes. Of course they do. It was just like the Heartless and the Ocean Between. "I'll be careful," she replied. She paused. "See you on the other side?"
"Yeah. For sure," Ephemer said confidently.
Kairi gazed up at the Keyhole. As if sensing her readiness, a strong light blinded her, and a powerful force pulled at her, lifting her off her feet...
And then, in the very next moment, she was tumbling wildly down through a swirling magical tunnel, filled with debris from buildings and rocks, and there were Komory Bats and unfamiliar bee-looking ones floating around below her!
Okay, apparently the Sleeping Worlds were jerks!
"You didn't-" Kairi flailed wildly, slamming into a piece of a building and bouncing off to the right, violent winds whipping at her. "-have to just-" A bee Nightmare flew past her, knocking her off to the left into a swarm of Komory Bats. "-throw me into it!" she concluded, spinning her weapon around her telekinetically, lashing out at the Nightmares with a ring of furious Light magic and scattering them all.
And apparently a "Dive" was something to be taken very literally!
Kairi concentrated on gliding, turning her wild fall into a controlled descent. She used a burst of magic to dart forward, boosting herself along the tunnel.
The Nightmares fell behind - but more popped up in front of her, below her.
Kairi darted left and slashed at them as she passed, taking out two. She twisted around and thrust out a hand, sending out a homing Firaga; it neared the last three, and exploded, taking them out too.
She continued on her way - going left around a large section of a building - then ducking down beneath another one.
Then, below her, a huge, actual, intact two-story building just faded into reality, flying up at her!
Kairi flew upward, intending to go between the split rooftop-
And then something just as large appeared out of smoke and diamonds: a new Nightmare!
A huge one.
It was like a bipedal, yellow and black bee, with curled antennae and glowing red eyes. A sharp, narrow nose or beak, more like an owl's. It had a glowing green gem in a horned protrusion between the antennae, looking like a crown, almost. It was wearing a- straight up, a cinched waist, black dress, with white pearl collar, a white hem, and purple and pink teardrop shapes ringing the lower half. Emblazoned on the lower half of the dress, front and center, was that familiar symbol - the symbol of a Nightmare. It had two deadly looking arms, ending in spikes. There was a similar, huge pointy stinger sticking out from under its dress. Finally, it had four, large, butterfly wings; they were colored yellow near the base, turning to orange, then magenta, then light purple, and then deep, darkest purple. The pattern became spirals, with the ends of the wings pitch black. A two-toned inversion of colors, contrasting.
You are definitely a Queen Bee type, Kairi thought, admiring the monster's design (and fashion sense). The Heartless had nothing on Dream Eaters, in that regard. It really was too bad she was going to have to fight this thing...possibly destroy it - her?
Then again, this monster was enormous, and dangerous-looking, and she'd just come from a battle with another one like it - and she didn't have her Spirits with her here...
The odds really were stacked against her.
Maybe she should just try and get past it, then - get to the next world. Get to Ephemer again.
Kairi held her weapon out, setting her jaw.
Okay, queen: let's do this dance.
Kairi surged forward with magical power, closing the gap between her and the Nightmare. The monster immediately swiped its spiked arms for her; she twisted out of the way and flew straight on past it, darting past its head. She ducked under the building, putting out another burst of speed. She went left, then right, weaving around passing structures as she kept her speed up!
A sprawling city, split by twin river channels, came into focus far below her.
She flew on, and golden rings of light formed in front of her.
Kairi went straight for them, flying through. A four-pointed symbol appeared, and then a bright light flared.
She raised an arm in front of her face-
And then found herself falling face-first onto solid ground.
Cobblestone.
She groaned, pushing herself up and staring around her. She was in the middle of a city - the one she'd seen from above. Wooden, cramped, multi-stories buildings surrounded her. There were alleys and arches, leading down different streets and paths.
Kairi got to her feet, brushing herself off.
Whew. So that's a Dive. That's not going to be fun, if I have to do it every time I want to reach a new Sleeping World...
She looked around again, hoping to see Ephemer come striding up - but he didn't.
Someone else did.
A man turned the corner at the end of the street, walking her way. He was older, grey-haired. He wore long black robes, with purple trim - and red striped shoulder pads. He also wore a big, triangular hat. His hands were clasped together, adorned with various rings.
At first, Kairi thought he was just going to pass her by - but he stopped well short of her, startling into an awareness of his surroundings.
He gazed down on her, his eyes narrowing, his mouth curving. He looked at her - closely - up and down.
She felt not just a wave of darkness from the man, clear as day, shockingly cold and strong - but a wave of disgust up her own spine in response to the man. It was immediate, instinctive. A feeling she'd only had once or twice before, when she'd stayed out in the city a bit too late with Selphie, and- well-
"Ugh!" the man made a scoff of disgust and offense. "You bear the scars of rightful punishment for your disgusting attire, yet you still traipse down our holy streets openly!" he said with fury and passion, his hands shaking as they fell to his sides, curling into fists.
"Excuse you?" Kairi said, taking a step back, raising her arm in front of her. "What's wrong with my clothes? Actually, I don't care - it's none of your business, whoever you are!"
"Disrespectful gypsy! You dare speak to me that way!" the man snarled, stalking forward, leaning down to impose himself over her. His hand rose up and seized her arm. Painfully. "You, standing there, a little tramp who seeks to fill my holy mind with the most unholy of thoughts!" His dark eyes gazed down on her - in that way again.
"Back OFF!" Kairi closed a shaking fist of burning flames, and brought it swinging straight up into the man's stomach, casting a point blank Firaga!
The man was blown backwards across the street, rolling violently before coming to a stop. His hat had fallen off, his robes were being eaten by flames. He gasped, long and drawn out, raising his head. Dark, hateful eyes glowered at her. "You...would assault the honorable messenger of God, Judge Claude Frollo, with your wretched magicks?!" He pushed himself to unsteady feet again, swiping an arm. Kairi saw darkness flare around his hand. Then it shot up his arm, enveloping his entire form in an aura. "You vile, ungodly harlot!"
Kairi gritted her teeth and summoned her Keyblade to shaking hands. She held it before her, shifting her stance. "Fuck you, you disgusting creep!" she shouted.
"I have spent decades trying to purge my holy city of your kind - and I shall, one whore at a time! Clearly your previous punishment did not leave enough of an impression on you - but I assure you, mine will!" the man ranted, his eyes wide - leering now.
Kairi shivered, glancing away. Even on those mercifully few instances with Selphie, she had never been called these kinds of words before - and not all in the span of one encounter. Not in her life.
Well, that streak was broken, then.
Fine.
Now to do something about it!
Kairi flew forward across the street, magic rippling behind her, lightning crackling around her body, and a golden light bursting. She screamed out and slashed her weapon for the man's neck, wanting to erase that look from his face.