AN: Don't mind me, just getting in a bit more fluff and cuteness before shit hits the fan lol. xD We are gonna need it - and be grateful for it later...
End of AN!
Sora stared out the window of the airship in awe and wonder, grinning widely.
They'd done a lot of researching, and Ven had prooobably found a real lead on this Ultima Weapon - so that was where they were headed.
That Onterosa woman had wanted them to just use some teleporter thingy to get there, but after getting a look at the giant metal ships flying over the city, Sora had said no way - there was no way he was going to miss out on this experience! It wasn't like that Darkness was around here for sure or anything yet - or that she'd gotten some kind of lead ahead of them, either - so what was the harm in taking the scenic route? This was Aqua's home world, after all, too - Sora wanted to see all of it! The place where his Master had come from! Former Master, anyways...but still! And besides, the trip was still only going to take an hour or two.
Onterosa had told them she'd meet them there, then - that her mages and soldiers would go on ahead to "try to secure the area". Which suited Sora just fine.
Exceeeept...welllll...
After about half an hour Sora kinda got bored of looking at the scenery.
He crossed his arms, tapping his fingers. Then he sighed and turned from the window, walking back through the length of the ship's viewing lounge area. He went into the narrow metal hallways and found the room he'd gotten with Ven (Terra had his own). He twisted the metal handle and opened it up with a creak, stepping into the passengers quarters.
"Hey, Ven!"
Ven sat up on his small bed quickly, looking to Sora and giving a smile. "Uh - hey, Sora..."
Sora stopped, frowning at the older boy. "Everything...okay?"
Ven shook his head with a sigh. "Just - thinkin' about Aqua."
"It's a lot to take in, huh?" Sora said, going to sit down on his own little bed. "Who would have thought Aqua was an actual princess- I guess, queen now?"
Ven laughed softly, nodding. He lay back on his bed again, putting his hands behind his head. "Yeah...but, who would've thought I came from where I did, either, right? When I come from..." he said softly. "I can't really be all too mad at her, can I?"
"Hmmm..." Sora hummed, thinking. Then he shrugged. "I guess it's not really for me to say? She is my Master, and a friend, but...you've known her way longer than I have."
Ven paused, turning to look over at him. "...Thanks, that's helpful, Sora..." he said, in a sort of whining tone.
Sora grinned. "Sorry? I dunno what to really say? I mean - she's still Aqua, right? Like you're still you, no matter what. Or like...like Kairi's still the best friend I grew up with, Princess of Heart from another world or not-"
A blue light suddenly shined in the small room, blinding Sora and Ven!
Sora startled and covered his eyes with an arm, squinting around in the small space; Ven sat up fast, shocked and on his guard.
As Sora let his arm fall, blinking as the light faded with swirling blue energy...he couldn't believe his eyes! It was impossible, but it was- "K-Kairi...?" he said uncertainly.
It was Kairi - but the Kairi as he remembered her from when they'd first met. When she'd been...really little, and first shown up on the beach out of nowhere, the night of that meteor shower (well, he knew better now what it had been!). A lost, scared kid, who'd needed a home, and friends. She looked exactly the same as in those memories - the one standing right in front of him!
She was blinking around herself, holding her hands over her chest - her necklace, which was glowing, blinking and sputtering...before it went back to normal. Her eyes found Sora, then Ven, then...back to Sora.
Sora kind of just stared back at her, still just so shocked and- totally confused.
Kairi blinked at him, her face slowly changing. Her eyes widened, shimmering blue, and her mouth fell open with a high, small gasp.
"Uhhh...Kairi...?" Sora finally spoke again. "How'd you get so small...?! Wait, and how'd you get back from the Sleeping Realm? Where's Luxu?"
Kairi blinked at him rapidly, then shook her head fiercely. Then she shrugged. She tilted her head at him, then rushed forward and- hugged his legs?
Sora froze, staring down at her. He gave Ven a helpless grin and a shrug of his own. He reached out and patted Kairi on the head. She definitely felt real. But what even was this...?
"Ven, ummm, I think you should go get Terra, and-" Sora stopped. He shook his head. "Actually, just go tell Terra what's going on, annnd then you can come back here and make a portal to- Aqua?" he amended quickly, realizing it probably wouldn't be the best idea to let a Kairi who looked like this come face to face with Terra...
"Got it!" Ven nodded, jumping up and leaving the room quickly.
With Ven gone, Sora focused on Kairi again. He frowned a little, pulling his hand back. "Soooo...you don't know how you got this way - or here? Anything...?"
Kairi looked up at him, shrugging again. She let his legs go and climbed up onto the bed with him, turning to sit next to him. She sighed, then leaned against him and grabbed his arm now.
Sora raised a hand to his forehead, shrugging again too. "Okay...I guess we'll figure it all out later..." he murmured to himself.
It was completely weird, but Sora was still happy to just sit there with Kairi for a while; even if she was like this now, it was still Kairi.
But, wait...how could she have that necklace again now? Hadn't she given it away to her-
The door opened again, and Ven came striding in. Sora noticed the way Kairi startled - and hugged him even tighter than before.
"Okay, Terra says it's probably a good idea to take her to Aqua - she's good with magic and all that stuff, so she might be able to figure out what's goin' on here," Ven announced. He summoned his Keyblade and turned, creating a swirling light portal in the room that almost left no space for anyone to walk!
"Uh - right!" Sora got to his feet, then turned to look at Kairi. "Ummm...come on, Kairi - let's go see Aqua. Maybe she can put you back to normal-"
"Aqua?! You know Aqua!" Kairi exclaimed, suddenly jumping down to the floor.
Sora...stared down at her (it was still weird). "Uhhhh...yeah? Kairi, do you not- remember Aqua?"
"Of course I remember her!" Kairi said, staring up at him with a- way too familiar expression. Usually the one she gave him when he was being a "doofus" or some other word she liked to use with affection. "She's the lady who saved me!"
"Right..." Sora said slowly, feeling more confused than ever. "Let's go see her, then. She can probably help you again, now, okay?"
"Sure!'
"Uh - okay - then...just..." Sora awkwardly offered her his hand. She grabbed it immediately and stepped closer to him, flashing a wide smile now up at him. "Okay, here we go - through the portal. I'm guessing you don't remember light portals either, do you?"
Kairi immediately shook her head, turning to eye the portal warily.
"Alright - thought so," Sora muttered, nodding. "They don't hurt or anything, don't worry. You just walk through it - nothing to it! Okay?"
"'Kay!" Kairi agreed.
"Okay, how about we do this on three- hey!"
Kairi took off for the portal, dragging Sora forward! He got his feet moving and straightened up again, giving a small laugh; it was definitely Kairi, all right!
They passed through the portal, running through and coming out on the other side in the middle of Aqua's...castle (that was also still sort of weird to think about, honestly). Ven emerged right behind them, letting his Keyblade vanish - and the portal itself, too.
"Alright, why don't you let me take the lead now, huh, Kairi?" Sora said, turning and grinning down at her. "Unless you know where to find Aqua on your own in this whole, big castle?"
Kairi looked up at him, frowning. Then she nodded. "Okay - but you have to carry me!" she said quickly.
"Carry you...? Why?" Sora said, baffled.
"Because I want you to, silly!"
Sora sighed, then he grinned. "Okay," he said, kneeling down in front of her. "I guess you are pretty small now, aren't you? It'd take you forever to get anywhere."
Kairi huffed at him in response, then she hurried forward and threw her arms around his neck. Sora wobbled as he stood up again, wrapping his arms around her awkwardly. She gasped and clung to him with her legs now, too.
"Hey, I'm not going to drop you," Sora told her, reassuring. "I've- got you, Kairi. Okay?"
Kairi put her head against his chest and shook it, making a strange little high noise. "...Just in case," her voice came, in a high whisper.
"In case...what...?"
Kairi didn't answer, though.
Sora shrugged, shared a look with Ven, and started walking.
He made his way down the corridor, opening door after door, until-
"Sora? Ven? What are you doing back so..." Aqua came racing forward across the large bedroom, slowing as she reached them. She frowned, her eyes finding Kairi. She looked to Sora - then Ven. Her lips pressed thin, an exasperated noise escaping her still. "Okay, this is bordering on the grossly irresponsible at this point! How did this even happen? I'm going to have to go and have serious words with that Even man!"
"Huh? Wait, you think she's some kind of-" Sora started. Kairi suddenly broke out of his grasp, falling to the floor with a thump.
Kairi turned and looked at Aqua, her face lighting up. She ran at her and hugged her immediately. "It is you!" she cried. "Aqua..."
Aqua gasped, staring down at Kairi. She lowered herself to a knee, pushing her back and looking her in the eye. "You remember me?" she spoke, slowly and carefully.
"Why wouldn't I remember you? You did save me last year!" Kairi replied.
Aqua stared at her face for a moment. She smiled, nodding. "I did. I...Kairi, do you remember how you ended up here, exactly?"
Kairi gazed back at Aqua, frowning now. "I- something happened to my grandma, and then I was running, and I- I woke up in the castle with this girl, and I found Aeleus, and then there was a big flash of light and I was here! With them." She turned back to point at Sora and Ven.
"I see..." Aqua said quietly.
"Something's wrong with the castle; it was all broken..." Kairi said, in a hushed voice. "I don't want to go back there."
"Okay. Then...I want you to wait here for a minute, please. I need to talk to these two." Aqua stood up, taking Kairi's hand and guiding her over to a chair in front of a table with a mirror. "Just sit here. I'll come back."
Kairi got up on the chair, then turned to look at Aqua. She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay..."
"Thank you!" Aqua smiled at her and turned away. She strode out the door, gesturing at Sora and Ven. They followed her out quickly.
Aqua strode away down the hall a few feet before stopping and wheeling back around. "Okay, Sora-" Aqua started. She froze, as her long tail swung out and struck against the wall - and stayed there, the blade on the end of her tail embedding itself into the stone.
Sora stared. Ven stared.
Aqua flushed, turning away swiftly and reaching out with her hands to grab her own tail. She gritted her teeth and pulled it free with a yelp, stumbling in her heeled shoes and dress. She let out a breath, quickly brushing herself down before turning back to them like nothing had happened. "Ahem - Sora, what did you think some five year old Kairi could possibly be other than some kind of Replica?"
"I mean...I just thought she might've been our Kairi, but- turned into a kid again...or something," Sora said slowly.
"Except she only seems to have memories up to her current age - or, apparent age," Aqua countered. "How would you explain that part?"
"Someone erased her memories somehow?"
Aqua sighed, shaking her head. "No: obviously that can't be our Kairi. She said she came from Radiant Garden's castle...and came here in a flash of light..." She trailed off, her expression deeply thoughtful. "And she appeared to you, before you two brought her here to me?"
"Yeah," Sora answered. "Why?"
"Well, that's what my protection spell did for her the first time - our Kairi, that is," Aqua said. "If Replicas can copy our magical abilities, and even our Keyblades and their powers, I have to wonder if they could have copied the spell I put on Kairi's necklace, too."
"Maybe," Ven spoke up quietly. "Or she could be a time traveler - like me and my- old friends. Or...Young Xehanort..." he finished, even quieter, looking away from Aqua. "It'd fit with only havin' memories up to that point, and then ending up here - in our time."
"Maybe - but I don't see why anyone would see any use in bringing a five year old Kairi to this era of time," Aqua responded. "What could she possibly do for anyone that our actual Kairi couldn't also do?"
"Well, hey, Replica or time traveler or not - she's still just a kid, right?" Sora said. "So she needs someone to look after her here!"
"Are you volunteering? No offense, Sora, but-" Aqua started.
"Huh? No - I'm not a great babysitter - I was talking about you," Sora said with a laugh. "Ven and I need to get back to Terra, to check on this Ultima Weapon thing, soooo...it's not like we can take her with us into danger."
"Of course not," Aqua said firmly. "You two go - I'll take care of this...girl. When you come back, we can take her back to Radiant Garden together. She mentioned a girl was there when she woke up, and Aeleus, so they probably are fully aware she's missing right now. But, if she doesn't want to go back there...so much so that she triggered my protection spell, and found her way to you...it's probably best to just keep her here for a little while."
"Sounds like a plan," Ven said, grinning. "C'mon, Sora."
"Right!" Sora nodded.
Aqua stood watching as Ven summoned his weapon and opened up a portal in the hallway. Just as they were about to go through, her voice called out: "Ven!"
Ven stopped, turning back. "What?"
Aqua took a deep breath, looking down at her feet. "Be safe out there. And- and could you tell Terra for me..."
"Tell him what...?"
"Tell him I'm- sorry- for what I said earlier? I just..." Aqua stopped, letting a sigh out again.
Ven gazed at her, giving a small smile. "Of course I'll tell him. But...it'd probably be better if you told him yourself. If you just came with us, you could do that," he added - offered to her.
"I- I know, it's just-" Aqua stammered, then fell silent. She raised a hand to her face and turned away. "I have so many things to do now - to take care of. Izalla, this new Kairi now...a whole kingdom..."
"Maybe when we get back, then," Ven said lightly.
"Yes! I- yes. I will," Aqua said quickly, glancing up at him now, her cheeks flushed.
"Hehe, let's do it, then!" Sora said, turning and raising a fist to Ven. Ven laughed, grinned, and returned the fist-bump. "We'll be back before you know it, Aqua - uh, Master...Queen?"
"Just Aqua, please," the woman insisted, embarrassed.
"Got it!" Sora said, waving and racing into the portal. "Take care of Kairi for me!"