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Kairi came to the island everyday without fail now. It wasn’t like there was anything else to do. Nothing was the same anymore. After everything she had been through, her parents did not pressure her to open up. Kairi didn’t even know where to begin with them. The day she returned, she was inconsolable. All she could remember were tears and frenzy. Her tears, Riku’s tears, and frantic questions that she didn’t have the answers to. How could she? The second to last memory she had was pain; a sharp pain in her back and a dull pain in her heart. The last memory was gazing into his blue eyes, his thumb caressing her hand. How was she to know that he would disappear the next instant? She took in a deep breath. If she had known- No. She couldn’t go back to that thinking.
Every morning before dawn, she took her little row boat to the Kid Island. From dawn until dusk, Kairi waited on the beach for any sign. This wasn’t the first time she’d been apart from him, but previously, she didn’t remember him. Was that a blessing or a curse?
Last time he returned to her, he came down from the sky right there.
She couldn’t risk missing Sora when he returned. This beach was where they spent their childhood. With Riku, they planned their journey to see new worlds on the raft.. If he showed up anywhere, it would be here.
“Want some company?” She looked to her left to find Riku standing beside her.
Kairi patted the sand next to her. “Always.”
He hadn’t been on world for a week, and she missed him. These days he was either settling the newly recovered like Roxas, Naminé and Xion or meeting with Master Yen Sid. If not for Riku, she would have been broken beyond hope. He and Sora were the first friends she had, the first people she remembered meeting in her new life.
He took the seat beside her. They sat in heavy silence for a few minutes, but Riku was here for a reason. “I’m worried about him too.”
She looked upward and closed her eyes. “I’m not.”
“You’re not?”
Kairi shook her head. “Sora’s been through so much. How can we undermine that by worrying about him?” She laughed harshly. “Anyway, who am I to judge?”
“It is not your-”
She cut him off. “Save it. I know. Still, I just hope… wish that he isn’t alone.”
Riku put his arm around her shoulders. “That was his reasoning too. He didn’t want you to be alone. Not for one more second, he said.”
Her eyes welled up once more. At least once a day, the tears came back, but she refused to shed anymore. “I wouldn’t have minded!” She cried and dropped her face into her hands. “Not if he was safe.”
He pulled her into a hug. “I failed you both.” The words came out harshly against her hair. “I wanted the strength to protect what truly mattered. What good is that power if I couldn’t protect you? Or him?” A tear drop fell onto her face.
“Do. Not. Say. That.” She held him tightly against her. “We can’t change the past.”
“I should have stayed with you during the battle instead of letting you go off with another novice.” He pulled away from the hug. “Not anymore. I’m not losing sight of what’s important any longer.”
She smiled softly. “Wait till that lazy bum comes back. He doesn’t know how much we miss him.” Riku laughed deeply.
They returned to the silence of before with only the quiet crash of the waves to accompany them. The Destiny Islands were a paradise; other than the night of darkness, Kairi couldn’t remember a cloudy day. It was the flowering season on the island. Even that was ruined by the Keyblade. The same flowers that grew on the island made up her keychain, and she refused to summon her Keyblade anymore.
Kairi shook the thought of her Keyblade away and stared into the horizon. Wait. Who was rowing toward them? No one came out to the island anymore.
“Who is that?” Riku asked, trying to make out the figure. Kairi squinted and saw the tell-tale hairstyle. The guilt settled on her stomach once more but a whole new reason this time.
Selphie rowed faster and faster as if someone was chasing her.
“What is she doing here?”
Riku chuckled. “I don’t know. She looks excited though.” Kairi elbowed him in the stomach. He hadn’t been here for the last year and half. An excited Selphie was more than anyone, even a Keyblade Master, could handle.
They stood up as she tied her boat to the dock. She jumped out with a familiar device in hand. Riku raised his brow. “You gave her your Gummiphone?” He whispered standing up. Kairi followed suit, brushing the sand off her skirt.
“I didn’t need it anymore,” she muttered back.
“You. Guys. This thingamajiggy you have. It’s amazing. There’s a device that takes your picture instantly. I can search for anything. Can you believe how much info-”
“Selph, stop.” Kairi held out her hand, accidentally summoning her Keyblade. Her friend paused mid word and hand mid gesture.
Riku smacked her shoulder. “Good job, Kai. You need to control when you summon it.”
“I don’t want to summon it anyway.”
He didn’t hear her, or he chose to ignore her. Good. She didn’t want to argue with him about that today anyway. They waited a few more seconds for the stop to wear off.
“I didn’t realize your magic was so strong,” Riku commented.
Kairi winced. “It wasn’t before,” she admitted. Maybe if it had been…
“-rmation on it!” Selphie continued where she left off.
Kairi couldn’t stay annoyed at her. Selphie was hyperactive, and most of the time, it was a welcome distraction.
“Good to see you haven’t changed, Selphie.” Riku ruffled her hair.
Selphie grinned in return. “You’re so sweet.”
“Did you come rushing over here to show me my phone?” Kairi asked. She didn’t mind Selphie using the phone. Since she renounced her position as a Guardian, she didn’t need it or the Keyblade anymore. Selphie was free to use it.
“No. I came here to show you the message on the phone.” She stuck the device into Kairi’s face. Personal space was no barrier for Selphie Tilmitt.
Kairi unlocked the phone and went to her inbox. There was a message from Olette. Olette?
Chip and Dale gave up on maintaining any sort of world order after this last debacle. With King Mickey’s blessing and a stern warning from Master Yen Sid, they opened up the GummiWeb to everyone. Mr. McDuck was their first customer, buying up the entire stock of Gummiphones made by the chipmunks. He was not entirely lucrative, however. Scrooge McDuck may be greedy and frugal, but he appreciated the Guardians and their allies from the bottom of his heart. Every ally received a free Gummiphone with no strings attached. Last she heard, the Twilight Town gang went nuts with the news.
She swiped the message open and nearly wept once more. It was a picture of all of their friends in Twilight Town. Lea and Isa. Roxas, Naminé, and Xion. Hayner, Pence and Olette. All of them posed around a crown symbol embedded in the brick behind them.
Kairi paused and thought,
Lucky emblems aren’t crowns. Crowns were for-
“What’s the text say?”
Text? She completely missed the message accompanying the picture.
“We found new emblems all over Twilight Town while on a lucky emblem hunt for Mr. McDuck. These are different. They’re not hidden at all. It’s like someone is trying to send a message. Call me when you can,” she read aloud and gasped. “Riku. Do you think- No it has to be a joke.” She pulled back to throw the phone into the ocean. Riku plucked it out of her hand.
“Call first, toss later.” He dialed Olette’s number. Kairi took the phone back from him when the call was accepted. There was a scuffle on the other end of the call.
“Kairi!” A pang hit her heart at the sight. Xion looked straight back at her with a wide smile on her face. She seemed to be in the Usual Spot, the little alleyway the Twilight Town kids made their hangout. The setting sun streamed through the open rafters above her and bathed her in light. Kairi had to admit; light suited her.
“Hi Xion.” Out of all those connected to
his
heart, Xion was her favorite (she claimed
Naminé as her own). Roxas was brave and Ventus kind, but Xion understood Kairi’s pain. After all, she originated from Sora’s memories of Kairi; that alone made her special.
“We miss you and Riku- Roxas, give that back!” The camera pivoted once again to show Roxas.
“Correction. She misses Riku. You are beyond him in every way,” Roxas says to the camera. Riku grunts from behind her.
“Give him a break Roxas,” Another voice says off-camera. Was that Naminé? He points the camera toward her. “Hello!” She waves daintily. The small modicum of class Kairi had before her adventure started all went to Naminé.
Roxas turned the camera back to himself. “Kairi is still my favorite. The original,” he whispers loudly to the phone. “Ow!” he laughs.
“Stop kissing up and give Olette the phone.” Kairi heard Axel say as the camera shifted one more time to the owner.
“We all miss you. But there’s more important things to talk about. Look at this!” She rotated the camera, which now faced a brick wall.
“No way,” Riku whispered. Selphie leaned in closer to see what was on the screen. Kairi didn’t believe it either. There was a bright yellow crown shining on the wall.
Olette continued speaking. “These aren’t any secret. Someone wants us to find them. This one arrived just before your call.”
“It arrived?” Kairi asked. She couldn’t take her eyes off the pulsing crown. It called to her.
The other girl nodded. “These symbols, they show up out of the blue and disappear around a day later. We thought it was a joke, but then we found one yesterday.”
“It’s not just here.” Xion added. “Lea suggested asking Ienzo; there have been two sightings in Radiant Garden.”
Kairi turned to look at Riku. “It can’t be a coincidence, can it? He wears that necklace all the time,” her voice broke at the last word. Selphie put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I hope you don’t mind,” the camera shifted once more to reveal Pence, “but the GummiWeb is full of kids from Twilight Town posting pictures of these symbols. They showed up around the same time… well, you know. So we started a way of tracking where these symbols are.”
“How can you do that?” All this technology was new to the three of them. Even though Riku spent the better part of the year with Ansem the Wise, do not ask him to decipher anything with a computer.
“We posted on the GummiGram that any future crown symbols should be tagged #SearchForSora. Maybe the way they show up means something.” Olette said. “We’ll keep you updated. Bye!” The call ended with a chorus of goodbyes from the Usual Spot. It was a balm to her bruised soul to know that the battle was not in vain. Seeing former Nobodies living their lives gave Kairi hope. It was the little hopes that kept her spirit alive.
“Anything is better than nothing,” Kairi whispered, closing her eyes. Once again, her friends were doing more to help Sora than she was. All she could do is wait on the beach for him to come back.
“Maybe…waiting isn’t good enough.”
She remembered a younger, braver Kairi saying once on a beach. What happened to that courage? How could she let Xehanort take that spunk away from her?
“These crowns mean
something
. I’m going to figure it out,” she said with her right fist clenched around Destiny’s Embrace once more.
“Not without me.” This time, she raised her brow at Riku. He summoned his Keyblade as well. Selphie took a few steps away from them. A wise choice.
“Don’t you have better things to do than babysit, Master Riku?”
He put his Keyblade away and took a step toward her. She did not retreat. Riku narrowed his eyes, and she met his measure for measure. She would not back down this time. He sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Please. Don’t do this without me.”
“Riku, don’t you understand? You’re the one who will end up saving him. It’s always you.” She spoke the truth. If Kairi was part of Sora’s light in the darkness, then Riku was the other half. His inspiration. “You focus on finding him.”
“No. Not without you. Sora said his journey began the day he lost you, but he forgot to mention that I lost you too. I can’t lose either of you anymore. So if you are planning to do this, then I will be with you every step of the way.” His voice cracked.
Kairi’s face crumpled. She promised herself that today she wouldn’t cry, but just like every other day since her return, she failed. Kairi wrapped her arms around her best friend and wept. “Well, then let’s go find our lazy bum.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Kairi began to rethink her decision. Not her mission; never that. No, she regretted brushing off the Gummiphone as soon as Selphie started her lessons. If they were going to do this, they needed to learn everything about the phone. Selphie was the only one on Destiny Islands that could use the thing. She spent the last three days learning with the originals themselves. Chip and Dale guided her through everything and wished her luck. From their experience, Keyblade wielders couldn’t use technology. Kairi could not, for sure. Her only comfort was that Riku was only slightly less lost.Riku and Kairi sat at a table with their phones in front of them. Selphie stood at the front of the room with a stern face and arms akimbo. “Riku! Why do you not have a passcode for your phone?” Selphie scolded. “You need to keep your phone protected!”Kairi suppressed a laugh at Riku’s scowl. “What use is that? The phone isn’t leaving my pocket.” He slouched in his chair, crossing his arms.Selphie dropped her face in her hands. “You need to protect all the data on your phone. It has to stay your own; data can be corrupted.”“Do you want another Roxas, Riku?” Kairi teased. “You love him so much.” He turned the scowl onto her. Kairi returned a smile. There was no love lost between those two.Selphie smacked the table between them. “Focus! Next, let’s review tagging. Kairi?” she asked.“It’s a label that we can track on a post. If we click on it, we can find other pictures with the same tag. We can even check the location through tags.”“Excellent.” Selphie shot Riku a look and gestured to Kairi. “Emulate her.”“Get to the point, Selph,” he sighed. Selphie shrugged and turned back to the chalkboard she used to track their lesson.Kairi patted him on the hand. “Selphie is doing us the favor,” she reminded. Without these lessons, they would be lost when they went out into the worlds.“I know, but… it feels like we’re wasting time,” Riku said softly. “The King hasn’t given his approval yet.”She admitted that this worried her as well. Riku had one stipulation: the King needed to sign off on this expedition. After all, King Mickey was the final authority on the world order. For her part, Kairi planned to trample all over the world order to find any sign of Sora. Chip and Dale informed them that the King was off world visiting Master Yen Sid.“What if he says no?” Kairi asked, her voice barely breaking through. “Are you going to stay behind?”Riku looked at her. “What do you want the answer to be?”Kairi turned away. She wasn’t ready for this conversation yet. Meanwhile, life had returned close to normal for Donald and Goofy. As close as they could after- they were coping. Queen Minnie forced them to rest along with the King. Donald ruffled his feathers at the order, but the Queen would not budge on this. If they did not relax, she threatened them with exile. The threat straightened Donald and his feathers right away. Goofy took to relaxing better than Donald. Today was a day just like the last few weeks. Goofy forced Donald to lay on the soft courtyard grass, and they both practiced relaxation exercises.“Breathe in. Then,” Goofy exhaled, “Breathe out.” His eyes were closed and his breathing even.Donald did not have the same level of success. He quacked angrily. “This is useless!” He jumped up from his position on the ground. “What’s the p- WHAT’S THAT?” He exclaimed.Goofy sat up, alert. He followed to where Donald pointed. A bright light in the shape of a crown, Sora’s crown, pulsed on the wall.“You don’t think…” Goofy asked.“It has to be Sora!” Donald cried hopefully. This was the first sign of the missing boy since they saw him fade from Destiny Islands. It was hard to believe how dear Sora became to their hearts over the last two years. Had it only been two years since they met him? The bright boy they met in Traverse Town changed his life beyond anything he knew.“Gawrsh, do you think the King knows about this?”Donald shrugged impatiently. “We have to tell him. Sora needs us!” The mage twirled around to find Daisy standing behind them.“Donald Duck!” Both Goofy and Donald backed away at the scold. “You know the Queen’s orders were clear.”Goofy’s face fell. Donald’s eyes glistened. “But Daisy…” he started. Goofy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.Daisy’s eyes softened. “I understand. Not everything, but I know that Sora is special to you two. Whenever he returns, he will need you safe and sound.” She pulled him into her arms. He relaxed in her arms; if he had to admit, it was the first time since theirChip and Dale scurried out of the Gummi Garage. “Oh cool! We found one here!” Chip said excitedly.“What is it?” Goofy asked.“We don’t know. They’re popping up all over the worlds on the GummiGram,” Dale explained. “Kairi and Riku want to follow them through the worlds.”Donald perked up. Daisy glared at him and crossed her arms. “No. You are staying here.”Goofy supported Donald. “Daisy, they’ll need protectors. Riku is still recovering, and Kairi has never gone off on her own. Sora wouldn’t like it if we left them alone.”She turned on him. “Neither of you understand, do you? You are the captain of the Royal Guard. And you,” Daisy pivoted to Donald. “You are the Royal Magician. You both are needed here at the castle, not on a wild search throughout the worlds.”The two hunched over at the realization. Daisy softened the glare. “But we have other, younger options around the castle if you really think they need company.”Goofy scratched his head. Who was Daisy talking about? The triplets were still in Twilight Town building their empire. Scrooge McDuck made a real difference on those kids. Wait, kids… Goofy met Daisy’s eyes with a gulp. Aw, phooey. In recent memory, the Royal Guards were more of a decorative group than an active battalion. True, if the need arose, they would protect the Castle with their lives. Still, the youngest recruits yearned for something more. Something more along the lines of their fearless leader, rather than their current occupation: an afternoon game of checkers.“Come on Max, it’s your move,” PJ yawned. “Hurry it up.” He laid his head on his hands, ready for an afternoon nap. Bobby was already fast asleep in the corner. Of the younger guards, PJ was the most studious and, as Max found out over their years of friendship, the most kind. He figured that PJ compensated for the other half of his notorious family. Living in Pete’s shadow would have been hard for anyone, let alone his straight and narrow son.Max Goof wasn’t thinking about the game, but instead he contemplated the shift in atmosphere. The halls of Disney Castle were quieter these days. No one would say what was happening above stairs, but all the inhabitants knew there was something afoot. It was no coincidence that it happened when his dad returned this last time. For the last couple of years, the only thing the Guard knew was that Goofy and Donald were out protecting the other worlds and the light. Nothing else. Everyone in Disney Castle understood that the inner workings of the court were a secret. Everyone accepted that fact except Max. He needed answers from someone. Too many odd occurrences happened in the last year and a half for Max to just accept what he was told. This was his dad they were talking about.If only I knew what question to ask, Max thought with a sigh. He picked up a piece to make his move when a voice chimed in, “Why are you guys playing two-dimensional checkers when we could be playing four-dimensional chess?”“Aaah!” Both Max and PJ yelled. They turned to find their intruder floating outside their window.Webbigail Vanderquack, the fledgling wizard fondly known as Webby, landed on the windowsill gracefully and smiled. “Come on, you know that I need to practice my magic. Let’s play!” She looked neat as a pin with her pink witch’s hat strapped neatly to her head and her blue dress flared.Max groaned. She looked like an angel, but he knew better. After four years of living near Webby, he was hesitant to play any games with her. As the ward of Scrooge McDuck and the mentee of Donald, her mind and magic both terrified him. The last time they attempted chess, Webby opened a portal to a different realm, and then Max drew the line at any board games.“Webby, we’re just looking for a quiet afternoon,” PJ said with another yawn.“Hmm.” The younger girl tapped her feather to her chin. “I guess that means you’re too tired to hear what happened in the courtyard today then.”Max sat up alert. “What happened?”She jumped onto the ground with dramatic flair. “A crown appeared on the courtyard wall. No one knows from where or how it got there. Donald and Goofy think it’s a sign.”“A sign of what? That we live in a castle?” PJ asked, nudging Max with his elbow.Max ignored the friendly ribbing. “What do you think it means?” He asked Webby.The young wizard shrugged. “I was too far away to hear anything other than Donald’s squawking. Daisy forbid us from going there, remember?”If history indicated anything, Max knew that Goofy and Donald were about to embark on some crazy adventure without telling anyone. Not this time though; Max was going to put his foot down. His dad was not going to leave Disney Castle without giving him the answers he searched for.He grabbed his shield and stood up. “Hey Peej, can you hold down the fort?” He got a soft grunt from his soon to be asleep friend. Max figured that was enough affirmation and turned his attention to Webby. “Wanna go snoop around and find the truth?”If he wasn’t on her side, the smile on her face would have sent chills down his spine. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Sunsets felt incomplete without Sora at their side, but everyday without fail, Kairi and Riku spent the twilight hour at the beach. Kairi was adamant that if he returned on his own, this would be his first stop. Riku let her believe what she needed, and together, they waited on the paopu tree. She appreciated his thoughtfulness, especially today. The King finally received Riku’s message and replied promptly.-I’m coming ASAP to DI.The wait was agonizing. The message came through an hour ago, and she wanted to pull out her hair in anticipation. What was taking him so long? How far away had the Mysterious Tower moved?“Are you two sure about this?” The King’s voice came from behind them. Kairi nearly fell off the tree in shock. When had he arrived? Riku helped her down, and they faced King Mickey together. He wore a somber expression, the same one that he wore the day Kairi returned. “I don’t want your hopes to shatter if you don’t find anything.”“Mickey,” Riku started. Kairi cut in before he had a chance to continue. “If anything, this is my only hope. He’s out there somewhere, and he’s sending us a message.”Mickey nodded. “You’re willing to leave everything to go find him, aren’t you?” He asked softly.She shook her head. “Not everything. Not Riku.” She smiled at her friend. “We both want to find him. It’s only fair you allow him to travel with me.”The King laughed. “Riku never needed my permission before. I remember a time when he went and took a different form to find Sora,” He pointedly said to Riku.“I matured since then,” Riku said indignantly.“You’re a Master now. You are free to traverse the worlds as you see fit.”“And the world order?” Kairi asked.Mickey took a minute to ponder the subject. “If Chip and Dale are correct, which they usually are, the world order is no longer so restrictive. After all of Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s meddling, the order was shattered long ago. Besides,” he paused, then said, “All the worlds were one, once upon a time…” He trailed off.His words struck a faint memory. “The age of fairytales,” Kairi murmured.Mickey nodded. “The worlds may not be ready for this knowledge however. If you choose to go, at least attempt to keep the order. It will not be easy.”Riku agreed. “At least we’ll have Donald’s magic to help us blend in.” From what Sora told him, Donald was the last true believer in the world order. He ensured that they fit into every world they visited.Mickey wore a sheepish grin. “Actually, Donald and Goofy are under mandatory leave, by order of the Queen.”Kairi’s face fell. Not only would their journey be harder without them, but she looked forward to getting to know them better. Sora spoke highly of the pair.He must have seen the sad look on her face because not one second later, he patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Kairi! Chip and Dale informed me that Daisy has come up with a backup plan.”She punched the air in excitement and turned to Riku. “Are you ready to find him?” Kairi asked, but didn’t find him beside her.Riku returned to his spot against the tree and looked out to the horizon. “The first time I left the islands, I gave up everything to leave. I thought that you and Sora were with me.” He scoffed. “What a fool that kid was. And now we’re separated again. You were right Kairi.”“About?” She prodded softly, moving closer to him. Mickey waved goodbye and left the teenagers to their conversation.“We’re going to be the ones to save him.” He pulled her close with an arm around her shoulder. They watched the sun set one more time and futilely hoped that Sora would once again drop out of the sky to return to them.
“How are you doing that?” she asked him.
The other star pulsed in return. “I’m focusing all my energy into my memories.”
“Do you think they’ll find the connection?” Her star twinkled.
“If it’s my fate, then every step is one closer to home.” His star twirled among the clouds of this world, waiting for his light in the darkness.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Roxas waited for the rest of the house to fall asleep. Lea and Isa, the old geezers fell asleep much earlier in the evening. The girls, on the other hand, spent the last three hours wrenching every drop of togetherness before Namine returned to Radiant Garden the next day. She and Ienzo planned to set up a control center there to track any crowns that appeared in that world. They received news earlier that day that Kairi and Riku left Destiny Islands with the King. They were en route to Disney Castle last time they spoke that morning.Midnight was the perfect time for this call, but Roxas couldn’t help but feel guilty. He kept these calls a secret from both Xion and Namine. They had enough to deal with concerning the “Sora Symbols” (Hayner’s horrible suggestion) and adjusting to their new lives. Of the three newly formed Nobodies, Roxas was the only one who had lived a somewhat normal life. Not normal at all, considering the life he referred to was in a data simulation. Still, only one other person could understand what he felt right now, and he was only a phone call away.The soft jingle of the Gummiphone rang. Roxas looked up at the clock tower; he was right on time. He answered the video call with a smile. “Good morning Ventus.”His own face frowned back at him. Same blue eyes, same face shape, same hair style. Not his entirely. They both agreed that Roxas probably got his darker hair from Sora. From what Master Yen Sid explained, when Sora released his heart from his body, Ventus’ heart influenced Roxas’ birth. He wished Sora could have heard that conversation; knowing him, he would have pouted and complained that Roxas was his Nobody. If only he was there with them…“Roxas,” Ventus yawned. “Why can’t we talk at a more reasonable time? Dawn just broke here.” He pivoted the camera to show the landscape. The sun peeked out from between the mountains and pierced the bright blue sky with its rays. Every few days, Ventus sent him a picture of a different part of the world and castle, and Roxas returned the favor by showing him the Twilight Town sights.Ventus returned the camera to face him once again and tried to stifle his yawn.“Don’t you get tired of sleeping?” Roxas teased with a snicker.Ventus pouted. “I sleep for a decade, and everyone has jokes. Terra claims that I have permanent bedhead now, and Aqua uses it as excuse to have predawn training.” He brought the phone close to his face and whispered, “No one needs predawn training, Roxas. No one.”On the other end, Roxas agreed. He remembered the rigorous training in the Organization from day one (well, actually day seven). “You’re not wrong, brother.” The word slipped out before he realized it. Judging by Ventus’ face, he heard it too. One of the negative side effects of having a heart now was blushing; it was the second worst behind crying. His cheeks heated, and the porcelain skin he inherited from Ventus stained immediately.He heard snickering from the other end. Roxas was tempted to end the phone call right there. He couldn’t bring himself to do it though. The glee on Ventus’ face warmed his brand new heart.When his laughter subsided, Ventus sobered and gently said, “Truth is Roxas, don’t be embarrassed about little things like that. I don’t mind you calling me brother. It was actually the blush that set me off.”“How do you control your cheeks?”“I am sorry to say,” Ventus said without a hint of remorse on his face, “You cannot actually control blushing. We both wear our emotions on our skin.”“Ventus.” Roxas paused and thought about the subject he actually wanted to bring up this entire time. If there was anyone who would understand, it was Ventus. “Since that day on Destiny Islands, I’ve been- I’m not the same as I was before.” He laughed harshly. “Not that before was a benchmark by any means. Have you felt it too?”The silence stretched for several beats after he finished. Ventus wore a somber look. “I only told Chirithy.” He finally admitted. “Aqua and Terra… they’ve both been through so much. I don’t want to worry them.”“I thought the same about the guys here.”“It’s not like there is a piece missing anymore. I remember those days all too well.”Roxas nodded. Two completely different situations but similar feelings of incompletion. “Heart, body, and soul are all where they should be.”“It makes sense that without him, we don’t feel like ourselves. He was our second chance.” He heard the small catch in Ventus’ voice.“Self-sacrificing idiot,” Roxas muttered, wiping away a tear. “It wasn’t his turn to make that move again.” Anger bubbled in his chest. “He should be here with us! He should be laughing at my blushing and your adorable pictures of Chirithy. Instead, he’s gone, and we have no idea where he is.” He ducked his head down, holding the phone close to his chest. Faint sniffles were heard from the speaker, but he wouldn’t bring them up. Brothers teased and fought, yet when they hurt, they stayed together.“Ventus!” He heard the call come through the other side.The other boy dried his tears quickly. “That’s Aqua. Maybe today’s training will be useful. Bye Roxas. We’ll catch up later this week, okay?”Roxas nodded and pressed the end call button.“We miss him too,” A quiet voice said from behind him. He looked over his shoulder to find Xion and Naminé wrapped in blankets at the doorway. Xion padded closer and sat down next to him. Naminé followed suit on his left.“He was our second chance too,” Xion said, wrapping the blanket around Roxas. “We’re going to find him, one way or another. The crowns have to mean something.” A petty part of him was thankful that she didn’t use Hayner’s name for the crowns.Naminé leaned against him and placed her head on his shoulder. “Kairi and Riku won’t rest until they figure out what’s going on. Did Ventus know?”The blood drained from his face. He knew he forgot to mention something important in the call. “We didn’t get to that part of the conversation,” He admitted sheepishly.Xion nudged him sharply and scolded him. “Good going.” Naminé giggled softly.He shushed them both. “It’s okay. Between Kairi and Riku, they’ll get the news eventually. Let’s just take in this last evening together.” The three former Nobodies huddled together on the balcony and watched Twilight Town’s endless sunset inch closer and closer to the horizon until they fell asleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Max understood the need for secrecy, but crawling through the castle sewers late at night was overkill. They spent the entire day trying to figure out what had happened in the courtyard. The castle staff only saw the crown symbol glowing on the walls. For such a friendly open place, Disney Castle was becoming more and more secretive.“Web, everyone is asleep. We could go through the hallways,” he complained.Webby rolled her eyes at him. “Everyone but your dad and the court. King Mickey just returned from his travels. With. Guests!" She emphasized each word with a jab at his chest. The armor did not deflect the pain.He rubbed at the sore spot. She was strong for such a small wizard. “How did you find that out?”“Not the point, Max! Onward!” With only the small light at the end of her staff, they continued onward.The only sound in the sewers was the occasional drip of water and their feet splashing against the soggy ground. Other than the cleaners, no one used the sewers in years. Legend had it that there was a masked vigilante that roamed Disney Town many, many years ago; he made the sewers his hideout. The triplets said that he hadn't been seen in around a decade if he was real at all. Still, Max was the older of the two and responsible for their wellbeing. Webby might have the magic, but he had the shield. If any ne'er do well came around- Actually, on hindsight, Webby was far too comfortable with the sewers for his comfort.“Why are you so interested anyway?” He asked suddenly. “King Mickey’s court usually doesn’t intrigue you.” For all the years he knew her, Webby Vanderquack cared for two subjects: history and magic. The present didn’t concern her nearly as much. She spent hours upon hours in the castle library and studied all she could about the King’s realm. He barely saw her without her journal.Webby snickered. “The last couple of years have been anything but usual. The King disappeared and soon followed Donald and Goofy.” They reached an intersection, and she paused.“Do you-” “Shh! Wait.” She flicked her staff on the head. The light dimmed when she pointed it to her right and left. “Looks like we’re going straight ahead.”“You’re really getting better at your magic,” Max commented.She sighed. "What's the point if Donald won't let me do anything with it? Rumor has it that the three, the King included, have been off saving the worlds. Can you even imagine it, Max?"He had imagined it. The first time Goofy left home chasing after the King, he left Max for more than a year. Max could only imagine the worlds he faced out there looking for King Mickey’s key. The only news they got was from Chip and Dale and that was top secret at best. The outside worlds were not his concern, but Webby’s wistful look was. “Maybe you could explore too. Mr. McDuck and the triplets went off world.”Her face fell. “Granny barely let me come live here at the castle under Donald and Daisy’s care. Going off world is pushing my luck.”Max opened his mouth to respond when his ear perked up. “Do you hear that?”Webby paused and leaned closer to the wall. The faint light emphasized the shadow of her smile. “That’s Donald’s quack. We must be under the study!” Kairi tried to keep her eyes on the King in front of her. How could she when she was in the most ornate study she had seen in her life? Granted, she had only seen two others: Master Yen Sid and Merlin’s studies.The master’s study was spartan, but it housed all the Master needed. Merlin's study, on the other hand, lived by disorder and chaos. After all, as long as he knew where to find everything, what use was a system? Kairi refrained from disagreeing too loudly. She learned early on that angering their trainers was unwise. (She remembered the time Merryweather turned Axel blue when Kairi mentioned she preferred pink to blue)King Mickey was dwarfed by the tall bookcases behind him, filled to the brim with large, colorful tomes. The doors were flanked by portraits of whom she assumed were the King's ancestors. After all, they had been through, it was easy to forget that he was royalty.She wore her apprehension on her face. “Aw, don’t you worry, Kairi,” the King addressed her. “Minnie and Daisy are excited to meet you!”Minnie. As in his wife. As in the Queen. Maybe she should be worried. She smiled nervously back at him.A knock echoed through the library. The King cleared his throat. “Enter!”The door burst open to reveal an excited Donald and Goofy.“Kairi! Riku!” Donald quacked loudly as he pounced on Riku, who landed on the floor with a grunt.“It’s good to see you too Donald.” His voice was muffled by the feathers.She prepared for a similar greeting that never came. Goofy patted her on the head. "Hullo, Kairi. It's good to see you." The warmth in his voice undid her. She had done well so far keeping the tears back, but seeing more of Sora's friends emphasized his absence. The last time Kairi truly saw Donald and Goofy, they were staying back with Master Yen Sid at the Keyblade Graveyard. Before…A gloved hand took her right hand and enclosed it with another. “You must be Kairi,” a soft voice said. She surreptitiously wiped her eye and turned to find another mouse standing next to her. A lady in purple stood behind her. Based on their dress, there was no mistaking their identities.“Queen Minnie?” She asked hesitantly. The Queen smiled in return.“It is so good to finally meet you Kairi. I have heard so much about you.”The cold knot of dread settled in her stomach. Did the King tell his wife what happened at the Keyblade Graveyard? Or Twilight Town? Or the many times she was used as a pawn to hurt her friends.“Likewise, your Majesty,” she finally responded.Queen Minnie turned to the fireplace with a frown. “Oh dear, it seems we have eavesdroppers.” She smiled at her audience. “One moment, please.” She disappeared in a flash. Kairi glanced at the King; if he wasn’t worried, then why should she be? Though she did admit that Minnie was intense. She had a quiet strength; plus, very big eyes tended to unnerve her. The room flashed once more, and the Queen returned with a duck in a pink hat and a dog. The dog looked familiar. She couldn’t put her finger on it.“Maxie, what are you doing up so late?” Goofy asked.“Dad,” the boy groaned, “Don’t call me that in front of the King.”Kairi’s mouth fell open. “No way,” Riku whispered beside her. Sora never mentioned that Goofy had someone waiting for him back home, let alone a child. The resemblance was outstanding. The main difference was the full head of hair and the height. “Maxie” was a few inches taller than his father.“Why were you two in the sewers?” Donald quaked frantically at the girl. Daisy pulled him back by his collar.“What Donald is trying to say,” she sent him a look, “Is that it is dangerous to be roaming around so late. Under or aboveground,” she pointed out. “Max, you know better.”Max looked sheepish and shrugged a shoulder to the girl, who stood at attention with a wide smile.“Webbigail Vanderquack, at your service,” she said with an extravagant bow and flourish of a staff. “Webby for short. I am Donald’s best student.”“She’s my only student,” Kairi heard him mutter behind her.The King cleared his throat. “Now that everyone is here, let’s get to business.” He gestured to Max and Webby to come closer. “I expected you a little earlier.”Max looked perplexed. “How- Oh, that’s how you knew.”“We would have been here earlier, but Max was scared.”“Cautious,” he grumbled.“Due to Queen Minnie’s orders,” The King continued, “I cannot allow Donald and Goofy to accompany Kairi and Riku on their mission. However, Daisy informed me that you two show talent beyond your years. That’s why I am sending you with them.”Goofy’s face fell, while Donald turned red. Still, he did not say a word against the King.The room was silent. Queen Minnie sighed. "I understand your hesitation after everything that happened, but my decision is final. Neither of you two are in any state to protect Riku and Kairi. You have been through enough," She said gently.“If you don’t feel comfortable with it, we can go on our own.” Everyone turned to look at Kairi. “It’s our mission,” she professed. How did anyone think this is a good idea? Kairi understood their dilemma. Their situation was completely different from hers and Riku’s. Her own parents chafed at sending Kairi away once more. Riku’s mom wept when they told her. No one had the heart to tell Sora’s parents though; they had suffered enough. No need to feed them false hopes. “You shouldn’t lose anyone else.”Both Donald and Goofy’s eyes filled with tears. Donald’s tone softened. “We can’t do that Kairi. Sora will be mad when he comes back if you’re alone.”Riku smiled. “I am going with her. We don’t need protection.”Goofy placed a hand on Donald’s shoulder. “Sora didn’t need our protection either. He needed our friendship.”Max stepped closer toward the group. “Um, I will admit I don’t know what’s going on.” He scratched his head. “But even if you don’t need me, take Webby. She’s brilliant, and she can get in and out of situations like a champ.”Webby crossed her arms in defiance. “I’m not going without Max. If you two need a friend, there’s no one better.”The King intervened before they continued in this endless circle of platitudes. “It’s settled. The four of you will leave for Radiant Garden tomorrow morning to investigate.”Webby’s eyes brightened. “Another world? I can’t believe it!”Daisy pulled her young charge close. “You can start believing it while you pack tonight. Now march!” She pointed out the door. Webby shrugged and followed orders with Donald and Daisy chatting close behind.The King addressed Goofy and Max next. “Can you show Riku where the Guards’ chambers are? He will rest there tonight.”Max saluted his King enthusiastically. “Yes, your Majesty. Come on, let’s wake up PJ and Bobby. They won’t believe this!” Riku raised his brow at Kairi, and she returned the gesture. It looked like Riku was going to have a sleepover tonight.After they left, the King stood from his chair. He took Minnie's hands in his own. "I will leave Kairi in your capable hands, Minnie. Good night my dear." He held her hands close to his heart. She turned away to give them some privacy. When she heard the door open, she returned to face the Queen.“Ready?” How did one say no to a queen? This lesson wasn’t included at any curriculum on Destiny Islands. Kairi sat down on the softest bed she had ever felt. She doubted she would ever lie down on nicer bedding in her life. After the day’s events, she was exhausted. If she was lucky, maybe tonight’s sleep wouldn’t bring the nightmares again.The mattress dipped beside her. “I wanted to speak you alone, Kairi,” Minnie started. “I don’t understand everything you have been through; no one but you can. However, I know that you are missing more than Sora right now.”Kairi’s head shot up. “How do you know?” She laughed harshly. “I don’t even know what’s broken anymore.”“Nothing is broken,” she comforted. “Only missing. With time, you may find it again. Your light.”She wanted so badly to believe that she misheard the Queen, but deep inside, she knew her words were true. They felt true. The shard of pure light, one of the seven pure lights in the realm that rested within Kairi’s heart, was gone. When that evil man struck her down, he took away her body, her heart, and her light. If that wasn’t enough, his actions took away Sora, a crime greater than any for Kairi.“Maybe the light passed on to a better host,” Kairi admitted to the queen, her voice thick with emotion.Minnie disagreed. “The light passes to the next pure heart, yes. The other Princesses of Heart did not have a choice; their lights were used to reveal the Keyhole while they were asleep. Almost extracted.”“How do you know about the lights? Did you train to be a wielder as well?” Kairi asked.She shook her head. “No, I never trained. Between you and me, the King couldn’t handle the competition,” she joked. “I am not a Keyblade wielder. However, I once was a Princess of Heart.”That floored her. Of all of the discoveries tonight, this was the one she did not fathom. Her heart raced with the shock of the news. “You?” she exclaimed.“Is it so hard to believe?” She fluttered her lashes at Kairi with a coy smile.“No, it’s just- How?”Minnie sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. I didn’t know until I met Master Yen Sid. After that discovery, I understood the need to protect myself, to protect the light.”“Were you able to?”“I protected it long enough to pass it on to a new heart of pure light. If I remember it correctly, it was the day I married the King.”“It was that recent?”“Why yes. Only sixteen years ago.”"Only?" How old was the queen? Sixteen years was a long amount of time. "Wait…" Kairi calculated the number of years.Minnie nodded. “I know, I have not aged a day.”“No! Excuse me, your majesty, but did you pass your light to me?” If that was true, then she could never look Queen Minnie in the eye again. She was entrusted with the light, and she failed to keep it safe.“That may or may not be accurate, though the Master did say that newborn hearts of light take to the Seven Lights better. But yes, I do believe that you inherited my light. I couldn’t have chosen a better heir.”Kairi dropped her face into her hands. "You could have," she cried. "I failed you and everyone else. I didn't protect the light. I have a Keyblade, and I couldn't protect it." Her chest was heavy with sobs and the guilt of her actions.The queen gently pulled her hands away from her face. “Look at me.” Kairi acquiesced. “The past is behind you. I don’t believe you failed, but if you do, then move forward. Dwelling on the mistakes you made will not change the future. I only knew Sora briefly, but that boy was special. From what the King tells me, he thinks you are special too. My friends are my power, he would say. Are you telling me that Sora was wrong?”Kairi sniffed, trying to even out her breathing. “No… he is a goofball, and he can’t count. But he always believed in his friends.”"Exactly. During your journey, if you or Riku lose faith, remember that no matter where he is, Sora knows that you will come to find him." She gave Kairi a final pat on the hand and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Meeting you today proves that I did the right thing to pass on my shard of light."“Do you think someone has taken it already? Is it lost to me forever?”The queen frowned. “I wish I knew. I can only sense you don’t have it anymore. It is difficult to adapt to the empty part of you. In your case, it’s been with you your whole life. It will be hard to adjust. Still,” she said lightly, “stranger things have happened these last few years. My advice is to accept the good and the bad you will find on your journey. It is the only way to move past your past.” Minnie stood from the bed and strode to the door. “Good night Kairi.”Kairi called out, “Your Majesty?”“Yes?” She turned gracefully.She wanted to say so much. Sorry for losing a precious shard of light. Forgive me for putting everyone in danger. How can you still believe in me? I hope I don’t do anything stupid.“Thank you,” was all she could say. Tomorrow would be her first step in moving beyond the past. I’m coming to get you Sora. No matter what.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dear Sora,
I can’t sleep again tonight. I haven’t slept much since I last saw you. Every attempts begins and ends with your smiling face disappearing once more. I won’t lie; these weeks felt hopeless. Who could bring you back? The King was at a loss as was Master Yen Sid. All I could do was wait for you on the beach. Just like I always do. What else was I good for? I promised that I would keep you safe. If only I made that vow to myself… Maybe you would still be here with us?
Speaking of which, I am furious. Riku says I shouldn’t be, but who can stop me in a letter? I heard about your grand speech. All worried about me being alone when I might never see you again! It was reckless beyond belief; when I find you, you’re getting the scolding of your life.
Tomorrow, we set course for Radiant Garden, and after that, who knows? The only thing we know is that waiting isn’t good enough anymore. Riku and I are going to find you, no matter what comes our way.
Until the next time.
Yours truly,
Kairi
She set the pencil beside her on the bed. Birds chirped outside the window with the dawn. The early morning’s light was the backdrop to her journal entries. If she couldn’t sleep, she might as well write her feelings. Her little habit that she started in the forest kept her sane after Sora’s disappearance. This time, however, she wished he could see her scribblings. Back then, they had all the time in the world to speak to each other. Why would she show him her journal? Now… she blinked back the tears once more. No use in crying now. Everyone would wake soon.A knock at the door startled her. Her words came true sooner than she thought. Who else was awake right now?“Princess? Can I enter?” Webby’s voice came through.Kairi cringed at the title. After last night’s conversation with the Queen and the loose meaning of the title itself, she did not want anyone calling her Princess. It was a misnomer in itself. Only half of the last generation of Princesses were born royalty; Alice wasn’t a princess in any shape or form.“Come in!” She called out as she put away the writing supplies.The door creaked open, and Webby scooted in quietly, staring at the ground beneath her feet. It was a stark contrast to the confident girl she met last night. Kairi slid off the bed and studied the wizard in front of her. While Donald was brilliant but brash, Webby put on a facade to the world.“You know,” Kairi started, catching Webby’s attention. “You don’t have to call me Princess. It’s not a real title anyway,” she said gently.The younger girl’s face lit up. “Oh good! I was scared you’d be stuck up like a real princess.” She clapped her hands over her mouth, but a snicker escaped anyway.“Does Queen Minnie know you think she’s stuck up?” Kairi teased.“No, that’s not what I meant!” The duck gasped.Kairi patted Webby’s shoulder. “I understand. I wouldn’t want my traveling buddy to be a brat either.” She winked.Webby looked up at her with wonderment. “You want to be my buddy?” The hope in her voice nearly brought Kairi to tears once again that morning. This magnificent wunderkind thought that Kairi, of all people, would reject her friendship?“I’d be lucky to be your friend, Webby,” she firmly responded.“That’s nice because… ever since the triplets left the Castle, it’s been lonely. Max, PJ, and Bobby are always training, and it’s not fair to bother them.”Webby wasn’t much different from Kairi in that sense. “The boys left you behind to go on their own adventure,” she commented.Webby nodded. “Plus, I don’t have much luck with girl friends. There’s boys all over the castle, but I’m the only girl around my age.” She sighed. “When the King asked me to go off world and help you, I jumped at the chance. Then I met you, and…” Webby trailed off, once again staring at her feet.Kairi finished her sentence for her. “You didn’t think I’d want to be your friend?”The small wince was all Kairi needed to see to know that this girl was in dire need of a girl friend. If nothing else, Kairi was well-qualified for this job.“I’d be honored if you wanted me as a friend, Webbigail.” Kairi took a deep breath in. “I’m not gonna lie to you. I’m a bad bet right now, and you’d get the short end of the stick.” Speaking the blunt truth might help her own mental state after all these months. No use lying to everyone and herself.Webby spoke quietly. “Donald didn’t tell me everything, but he told me enough. You don’t have to share anything at all. It’s not my business.” She held out her little hand for Kairi to take.“Thank you.” She shook Webby’s hand for all it was worth and gave her a small smile. “It’s my pleasure.”-He had barely slept in the few hours since all the Guards fell asleep when the bugle call had started. PJ assured him last night that the bugle call was meant for the new trainees, not him. It didn’t stop the trumpets from waking him up. What time is it?“Morning Riku!” The overly cheerful voice penetrated the pillow covering his ears. A hand gently shook his shoulder.Riku groaned at the intrusion. “A few more minutes, Sora,” he mumbled. This was probably his last chance before they left- He jolted awake. “Sora?” He called out desperately.A shadow approached him. His vision was blurry, but he could tell that it wasn’t Sora. Too tall. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.His sight cleared to reveal Max standing at the end of his bunk. “Sorry,” Max apologized. “I didn’t mean to…”Riku shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He rested his arm on his knee and looked Max in the eye. He resembled his father (how had Goofy not told them about a son?!) and had his kind face. “I just miss him,” he admitted quietly.Max took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I don’t know what I would do if PJ or Bobby disappeared on me. I know I couldn’t pick myself up to find them through the worlds.”Riku let a small laugh slip. “I’ve done this song and dance before, but I knew he was safe that time.” He swung his legs over the bed and stood up. “Don’t worry about me Max,” Riku reassured him and started for the exit. He paused when he heard Max call his name.“Dad said that you’re a lonely guy. It doesn’t have to be that way.”He wanted to argue. He wasn’t alone. He had Kairi. Soon, they would find Sora. Riku didn’t need anyone else. Right?-They stood in the Gummi Hangar, waiting for Riku, Chip and Dale to return with the Gummiship. Donald, Daisy, and Goofy were their final sendoff party. The King and Queen provided the supplies for their journey, but Donald and Goofy held their judgment.“Do you all have your Gummiphones?”“Yes Donald,” Max answered, patting the phone in his own pocket.“Chargers?”“Yes Goofy.” Kairi grinned cheekily at the knight.“Snacks? Drinks? Potions?!” Donald quacked frantically as he pried Webby’s backpack open. She swatted him away and moved closer to Kairi.Daisy yanked him back by the collar. “Calm down, Donald!”Donald crossed his arms angrily. “They need to be prepared,” he insisted as Daisy let go of him.Goofy patted him on the shoulder. “We have to let the kids go at some point.”Donald harrumphed and turned away.Kairi took a little pity on him. “Would you like to check my bag?” She held out her case.Donald’s eyes shone at the request. He grabbed it quickly and rifled through the contents. “Kairi understands me,” he muttered. “Kairi is the smart one on this trip.”“Donald!” Daisy admonished. “Give her bag back and settle down.”Before the two could start another argument, the gears behind the group began to wind. They turned to find the Highwind rising to the platform. The ramp opened to reveal Riku and the chipmunks.“All aboard the best Gummiship in the realm!” Dale announced.Riku studied the group and their luggage. “Are we taking enough with us?” He joked despite the three teenagers waving their hands frantically behind Donald and Daisy.Luckily Goofy had a handle on the situation. “Their Majesties don’t want y’all to be missing anything.”Riku smiled slightly. “I wish we could thank them in person, but I want to get to Radiant Garden as soon as we can.” He clapped Donald and Goofy on their backs. “We’ll let you know when we find something.”Daisy pulled Webby into a tight hug. “I’ve been so used to having you around. Be brilliant out there!” She nuzzled her head onto Webby’s.“I’ll miss you too Daisy, but I can’t breathe!” Webby flapped her arms in distress.Daisy let go of the girl and smiled at Max. “You both have grown up so much.” Her eyes watered.Max felt the tears in his own eyes. Daisy had taken care of them both all these years in place of their real parents. She was the one who arranged birthday celebrations and made time in her busy schedule to attend to the castle wards. He put an arm around her shoulders. “Thank you Daisy.”Goofy pulled his son into his own embrace. “You’re taking after your pop after all. I’m proud of you, Maxie.”Kairi’s heart was heavy as they boarded the Gummiship. She took her seat in the co-pilot seat. The weight on her conscience didn’t lighten. As they left the world for Radiant Garden, the sensation only got worse. Maybe it was their sudden drop into Gummispace. Most likely, it was the fact that the fate of these two kids was tied to hers and Riku’s. The last time someone threw their lot in with them, he disappeared into the sunset.She only prayed destiny did not repeat itself.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Enough was enough. The last 24 hours passed without progress. If this morning did not result in any changes, Naminé swore she would chuck her pencil at them.“Them” referred to the castle inhabitants: Ansem the Wise and his apprentices. She was not sure who counted in that group anymore.She arrived this morning, escorted by Cid and Leon upon the King’s orders. Naminé expected a welcome akin to the one she received at her awakening. Tacit acceptance and professional respect. She assumed these grown men were mature enough to face her.Not at all. Aeleus, the silent stalwart, was kind enough to take her bags to her room and meet her with a small smile. The most Dilan did was allow her into the castle and direct her to the library. Inside sat only Ienzo, nervously shaking his leg. His long hair, messy as always, hung over his eyes.Naminé barely got one word out when he stood up and quickly blurted, “Welcome to the castle. Here’s your information. Goodbye!”Before she even blinked, he dropped a file at her feet and shot out of the room. The only sign that he was there was the cup of tea on the table.If she hadn’t been so shocked by his rudeness, Naminé would have been angry. If anyone should be wary, it was her! She came into this assignment with reservations, considering their shared past. She wanted to work with the Restoration Committee instead, but the King insisted that she take point. The Castle had better connections with the Gummi Network, and Ienzo already worked extensively with Chip and Dale. Ansem the Wise assured the King that she was welcome at the Castle.After spending the evening alone in her room with only the information in the file and dinner, she felt truly welcome that night. At least Ienzo left her room key in the file. Little favors, she supposed.Ansem the Wise, DiZ as she knew him, still held a grudge it seemed. Naminé was the loose end he never tied up. That fact alone is why it mystified her that he was the main reason she and Roxas came back. Without him and the other apprentices, it might not have been possible.Naminé knew when to be grateful. The window for gratitude was quickly closing. Her mission was to help Kairi and Riku find a way to bring Sora back, not deal with these childish antics.Well, if no one wanted to show her around, she might as well get used to her new headquarters in the lab. Naminé pulled the map out of the file Ienzo gave her and grabbed her bag. The route to the lab was legible and clearly marked. ‘This should be simple enough.’She tiptoed down the hallway and followed the dim lights to the lift stop at the end. The darkness frightened her just a bit. On one hand, the others would be asleep and not in her way. On the other, she hated being alone. From birth to rebirth, Naminé was alone. She was tired of it. When Riku came to escort her to Destiny Islands, she vowed that she would not allow anymore solitude in her life.Naminé thought on her promise as she entered the lift stop chamber. The moonlight filtered through the stained glass on the ceiling, reflecting light everywhere. If not for the dead silence in the castle, Naminé may have appreciated the view more. Right then, however, all she wanted was to get to the basement level. She stifled a small giggle; she doubted anyone ever hurried down to the laboratories.The computers’ soft buzzing welcomed her to the lab. She found multiple stations in various states of disarray. All except one. That one had only one piece of paper.
Welcome Naminé
If the handwriting on her file was any indication, this was Ienzo’s doing. Out of all of the apprentices, he was the mystery. His contradictory actions confused her. First, he meticulously organized a welcome packet for her, then soon after, dropped it and ran away.She waved away those thoughts. As long as she was here, she add a few personal touches to her workstation. She had already papered the walls at Isa and Lea’s house with her observational drawings. Naminé was determined to leave her mark everywhere now. Never again would she fade into oblivion with nothing to remember her by. Here, she started at her computer.As she considered which of her drawings to pin first, she heard the soft hiss of the sliding door to the manufactory. Someone else was down here. Gasp. Correction: someone else knew she was down here. She glanced out the door window and saw the glimpse of lavender hair.She shook her head. “I don’t bite, Ienzo,” Naminé called out to the man hiding behind the door. “You can come in.”The door slid open once again, and Ienzo poked his head around the corner. She waved him inside, and he slowly shuffled into the lab.“I did not want to - that is - You are settling? I mean, are you okay?” Ienzo stumbled over his words.She continued arranging the sketches on her desk and shrugged. “Well enough. Although,” she swiveled toward him on the chair, “I prefer my coworkers not avoiding me.”He winced. “We deserve that. I deserve that.” He walked slowly toward her and avoided eye contact.Even now, Naminé could not believe the treatment. He was talking to and still avoiding her. Enough was enough. She laughed harshly. “I expected at least professional courtesy despite our history.”Ienzo raised a brow, barely visible under his hair. “Despite?”“I am not just a Replica. I remember everything.” Remembered more than she cared to. Marluxia’s taunts and Larxene’s blows. Her time at Castle Oblivion and the Organization… the less she reminisced, the less it continued to hurt her.“Don’t you see! That’s why we decided to leave you be.”His words stalled Namine’s thoughts. “Pardon?” She asked, trying to meet his eyes.He refused to look at her, instead choosing to pace around the lab. “Ansem the Wise is terrified to see you,” Ienzo started.She did not predict that sentiment, and knowing it hurt more than she thought possible. It must be due to the new heart. If only data-hearts didn’t hurt as much as the real ones.“He’s scared? But I don’t even have my powers anymore!” Naminé insisted. “I can’t hurt anyone. I promise.” Tears burned her, trying to escape no matter how hard she held them back.Ienzo stopped his pacing and mouthed the words she just said.“Hurt anyone?” He whispered in confusion. He turned to her and saw her crumpled face. “Naminé,” he said softly. Ienzo knelt in front of her. “You don’t believe that, do you?”She felt the traitorous drops on her hands clenched in her skirt. She nodded.“The five of us harmed more lives than you can imagine. Even I, who was barely older than Kairi when everything occurred, share the blame. The only way to live the rest of our lives is to repay those we hurt. The Organization’s reach was great, but the greatest sin was their cruelty to you.”Naminé wiped her eyes and glanced at Ienzo. Standing, he towered over her, same as the rest of the apprentices. Now, he looked like he wanted to shrink into the ground at her feet.She spoke quietly, just loud enough to rival the hum of the machines.“Aren’t we all here to get over our pasts? How do we move beyond the horrible history we all share?”He looked up but didn’t answer her. Maybe there wasn’t a clear cut answer. Maybe, just maybe, she and Ienzo and all the other former Nobodies would find meaning in their lives past their darkest phase. Together.The next morning was a stark difference from the night prior. Instead of a cold dinner and solitude, she found a spread of piping hot breakfast items with a serving of company.Naminé cleared her throat. “Thank you for the invitation,” she directed to the five men sitting alongside her at the table. Ienzo chose the seat across from her. The others looked down at their meals in silent contemplation. He must have spoken to them after their late night chat. When he found the time, she had no idea.“Naminé.” Ansem moved from his position at the head of the table toward her. He placed a gift box in her hands with his head bowed. “We wanted to take this moment to officially welcome you to our group. Forgive our misguided actions.”Even scoffed. “Specify which ones, Master,” he murmured. Ansem turned a sharp eye to his apprentice. He, in return, shrugged it off and continued buttering his toast.Naminé opened the top to reveal a matching lab coat to the ones Ienzo and Even wore.“It is our small token of appreciation. We hope you will wear it to welcome Kairi and Riku when they arrive tomorrow.”“We all owe you thanks.” Naminé raised a brow. Surely Aeleus did not waste his precious words on her? How thoughtful.Dilan grunted. “Be thankful by allowing her and all of us to eat breakfast, you sap.” He pushed the eggs toward Aeleus with a sharp look.She chose to return to her food, lest she start crying, and the others followed suit. She doubted any of these men wished to see her bawl over their breakfast at their touching gesture. She glanced around the room and thought of a proper response to their kindness. Her eyes met Ienzo’s across the table. She thought of his words last night, thought of how he mentioned that there was still a debt to be paid.Naminé cleared her throat to gain their attention and raised her teacup. “You can thank me by helping us find Sora.”“Aye.” Ienzo responded by raising his as well.The others raised their various drinks in a toast. “To finding Sora,” Namine whispered with a smile.