Text Kingdom Hearts III-The Apocalypse Key

[Grotesquery 603]

Okay, new plan.

 

I've actually been thinking this over a bit for the last couple of days. And in that time, I've realized two things about this story.

 

First off, it isn't updating fast enough. It's good that I've managed to keep a monthly schedule so far, but frankly, I don't think that's good enough. I'm not entirely sure if I can commit to writing chapters any faster than I have, but at the very least, I want to start updating the story more frequently.

 

Secondly, the chapters themselves are too dang long. Normally, I wouldn't have an issue with this, but the fact of the matter is that practically every chapter is over 3000 words in length. Even for the most committed of readers, I think that can prove to be a daunting task the first time through.

 

Which is why I've decided to try and update the chapters in smaller, more manageable segments. Remember chapter 6? Yeah, well, it's still coming along, but the first part of it is actually all ready to go. So, instead of keeping it from you guys and periodically adding on to it like I've been doing for the previous chapters, I've decided to put it here first. The hope is that the chapter itself will overall be easier to digest, and that the story can end up maintaining a more productive update schedule.

 

As always, I would love to hear your feedback.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

                                                                                                  ~Chapter 6: Reflections~

 

Kairi walked beside Fauna as they moved towards the mirror chamber, with Flora and Merryweather trailing not far behind. After accepting Yen Sid’s offer, Kairi had been told she would need a new set of clothes if she was ever going to stand a chance against the dangers of the outside worlds. And as such, Yen Sid had assigned a trio of seamstresses, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, whom would be responsible for developing her brand new wardrobe.

 

After Kairi had been introduced to the fairies who would be outfitting her, the three wasted no time in whisking her out of the room and through a corridor off to the side. From what they told her, this passageway led towards what the fairies called “the mirror room”, which they said was going to serve as Kairi’s dressing area. Kairi was curious as to how such an unnecessarily long hallway managed to be constructed within the tower, but her thoughts were put to rest as the group finally came upon a large door leading out.

 

“Alright, we’re here!” Merryweather spoke up from behind Kairi as Flora pushed the doors open and entered the chamber. And before Kairi could even move to join her, she was ushered forward by the other two fairies passing into the new room. As everything started to calm down, Kairi spared a look at her new surroundings. There wasn’t much different in the scenery when compared with other areas of the tower, with the only real stand out decoration being several large mirrors of varying sizes scattered about the room. Which, as Kairi could only guess, were the key to the room’s namesake.

 

“Okay girls, let’s get busy!” Said Flora, with the others voicing their agreement. They all lined up in front of Kairi, and began looking her over. Kairi stood before them, awkwardly shifting her eyes between the three as an odd period of silence enveloped them all. Suddenly, Flora’s face turned slightly troubled.

 

“This may be harder than we thought, girls.” She said.

 

“Indeed,” Fauna spoke up, “It’s been a long time since we’ve had to design garments such as this.”

 

Merryweather continued with, “Yes, it seems like 30 years ago… And even that was only for a special occasion. The ones we made then were never really designed for battle.”

 

Flora perked up slightly, her downtrodden expression replaced with one of determination. “But that won’t stop us, now will it, girls!”

 

“No!” They all cried out in unison, with Kairi looking on in bewilderment.

 

“First things first,” began Merryweather, “We need to iron out a design for you.”

 

Flora glided around the young girl with a pensive look upon her face. “This will be a very delicate process, ladies. We should start from the ground up.”

 

“I agree,” said Fauna, “We’ll go with the base design for her starting out, and then add on to that.”

 

“Good idea!” said Merryweather, “Let’s get all of the boring stuff out of the way first!”

 

Flora flew up beside a very confused looking Kairi, placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “Now my dear, you’ll need to know that to start out, we’ll be designing your under armor first. Since it’s been so long since we did this, we’ll need to use you as the model. That means we’ll be removing your current get up, and replacing it with one of our own. Are you okay with that?”

 

Kairi nodded. “Yes, of course.” She said. “Whatever works best for you.”

 

Flora smiled, and went to join the other fairies facing Kairi. “Alright, we’ll need you to stand very still. On my count girls, we go at three!”

 

“One… Two… Three!” They all called out in unison, sending three swirling bursts of color off towards Kairi.

 

A brilliant influx of light filled the room, consuming Kairi’s frail form and casting a shadowy outline on all that stood within it. However, almost as soon as it came, it faded into nothing, returning to the room all of the color and form that it had stolen away.

 

Kairi was the last figure to take shape, her newfound outfit slowly being pulled forth from the dying luminance that surrounded her. As her visage slowly became clearer, the fairies looked upon the girl’s altered clothes, a strange sense of fulfillment in their eyes.

 

Kairi’s new clothes were somewhat lacking in substance, as they still appeared rather plain. Her new ensemble, skin-tight and dyed purple, could be broken into two segments, divided by her mid-section. Starting just underneath the chest, the first piece of clothing extended around her upper torso, yet stopped at the shoulder joints. It wrapped around her back and ran slightly up the back of her neck, yet left the front of it exposed.

 

At her waist, she wore a set of skin-tight shorts that extended down her legs and broke off at the knees. Another piece of fabric continued on past the knee joint and came down to rest at her ankles.

 

Around her biceps, she also wore small, bracer-like armbands that began at the end of her shoulder joints and stopped at her elbows. Like the rest of her get-up, they were dyed purple and made of the same curious fabric.

 

Merryweather clasped her hands together and smiled wide. “Oh yes,” she piped up, “I just knew that tone would look wonderful on you!” beside her, Flora spoke the same sense of approval. “You do look lovely,” she said with a nod, “I think we may end up outdoing ourselves this time.”

 

Kairi, a little flustered under all the undesired attention, hesitantly replied with, “I’m sorry, but, If it isn’t too much of a bother, could we please continue?” she asked, her words bookmarked with a shiver, “No offense, but these aren’t exactly the most comfortable of conditions.”

 

Fauna jolted at Kairi’s words, a newfound look of concern for the girl adorning her face. “Oh, we’re so very sorry!” she replied, “I’m afraid we simply got caught up in the moment, right, everyone?” The other fairies took on similar expressions, and spoke their apologies as well. Flora spoke up. “You’re right, Kairi, we should hurry this along as fast as we can.”

 

“Now again, stand still.” She continued. “This part will be much more difficult. Ready, girls? On three!” Once again, they all shouted in unison:

 

“One, Two, Three!”

 

Kairi was again caught up in a blinding outpour of light, as her figure was consumed once more by the magic of the fairies. This time, the flash took slightly longer to subside, but the wait was still markedly short.

 

As her form became clearer, the altered outline of her clothes became ever more apparent. At her waist, she had gained a new pair of loose fitting pink shorts, which reached down to just above her knees. On her torso, she now wore a short, white dress, somewhat akin to a camisole, which was pulled taut around her waist and tied together at the middle of her back. After a few seconds of recovering from the flash of light, Kairi took the opportunity to examine what had changed. After examining the dress tied around her torso, she had the fairies confirm that it was indeed the same one she wore underneath her old clothes.

 

Once they were finished exchanging a few more pleasantries, Fauna decided it was time to wrap things up. “Alright,” she started, “we’re going to add the final layer now. This one will be the most difficult, and will likely take the longest, so I’ll need you to stand absolutely still on this one, dear.”

 

Kairi nodded. “Of course.”

 

The three fairies exchanged glances with one another, before Flora spoke up once again. “Alright, everyone ready? On three!”

 

Once again, they all chanted the numbers leading up to their final spell. And once the last note was hit, they all consecutively released their own brand of vibrant energy off towards Kairi.

 

As Flora suspected, this step took the longest out of all the others. Once the light broke out, it failed to subside for a good 30 seconds. Nothing significant, but to the fairies orchestrating the endeavor, it was a lengthy, and delicate process.

 

Finally, the light faded, and Kairi stood upright, adorned in her newly fashioned clothing.

 

Now present over her white camisole, Kairi wore a thin, red and silver garment that wrapped around her upper body. Like the dress beneath it, it was also joined together at the middle back by a wide array of strings, tied and pulled together. At her hips, a large piece of fabric jutted out at the back, forming a small half-skirt that left the front exposed. At the middle of her upper body, the semi-dress she wore broke off into two directions, wrapping around her shoulders, yet coming together at her upper back to tie everything up. This left the first two layers of clothing, her white dress and the strange purple fabric wrapped around her neck, exposed.

 

Over all of that, she wore a small, pink and white jacket that failed to extend past the middle of her ribs. In addition, it curiously left Kairi’s already uncovered shoulders exposed once again, with the sleeves forming around her upper arms with the shoulders absent. Finally, she wore a pair of white and pink fingerless gloves, both incredibly reminiscent of Sora’s, yet still slightly unique in their own way.

 

Merryweather clasped her hands together excitedly, and rushed forward to meet a startled Kairi. “Oh, you look wonderful, darling! Really, truly… Why, I can barely find the words!”

 

Flora came up behind her, smiling in a sense of approval. “You do look rather striking, my dear.” She was joined by Fauna at her side, who chimed in with, “And to think, we actually believed we had lost our touch!”

 

Kairi was a bit flustered at all the attention, but she appreciated their words nonetheless. Deep down, she herself really didn’t know what to think about the change. She supposed she looked a bit more battle-ready than before, but when considering her old outfit, that was almost always going to be a given.

 

Steadily, she looked at her hands, than took a moment to glance once more at her newfound wardrobe, before finally shaking her head in dismissal. “Maybe it’s just the style around here.” She shrugged.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Yen Sid cleared his throat before the crowd of people gathered around him in the mirror chamber; Kairi, Riku, Mickey, The Fairies, and Zangan. Swiftly, they all turned their eyes towards him, as he prepared to speak.

 

“First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming here. To Kairi and Riku, for leaving their homeland behind in order to combat the dark times that lie before us, and to all of you,” he said, motioning towards Mickey, Zangan, and the Fairies, “for giving of your own accord so that we could make it this far. Without your assistance, none of this would be possible.”

 

“And lets us also thank both Merlin, as well as Sora, for doing the same. While they may not stand here beside us yet, their contributions deserve no less appreciation.” At his words, Kairi’s eyes widened slightly. She remembered that she had neglected to ask about Sora’s whereabouts, as well as when he would be coming back. She knew that now wasn’t the best time to ask, so she remained silent.

 

“Now,” Yen Sid continued, “We shall begin the training of both Kairi and Master Riku, in order to prepare them for the harrowing trials that they will surely face in the days ahead. But first, I believe an explanation is in order. While I’m sure most of you are aware of how these mirrors function, it would be best if we started by giving Riku and Kairi some insight, seeing as they have no experience with this method.”

 

Yen Sid beckoned for Kairi, as well as Zangan, to come and join him. “First of all, and undeniably the more chieftain among our priorities, we should begin Kairi’s training post-haste.” After both Kairi and Zangan were standing before him, Yen Sid turned his attention towards one of the many mirrors laid out within the room.

 

He turned towards Kairi, and said, “As I’ve told you, there is little time. We must make every moment count, which is why you must be willing to accept every order we give you without hesitation. Now, are you ready, Kairi?”

 

Kairi nodded, her expression unwavering. “Of course, Master. I’m determined to accomplish what I set out to do, and none of your words have nor ever will change that.”

 

Beside Yen Sid, Zangan gave a light smile. “Ah, so you can be bold, as well.” He whispered beneath his breath. “This one may be more interesting than either of us had anticipated.”

 

At Kairi’s words, Yen Sid nodded, and turned his head back towards the fairies. “Now, Fauna, Flora, Merryweather! It is time to open the chamber!” At his words, the Fairies all nodded in unison, and flitted over towards the mirror that Yen Sid, Kairi, and Zangan were all facing. The three of them took their places at the corners of the mirror, and with a burst of light, and a slight murmur of words, all three began channeling their energy into the reflective surface.

 

Kairi looked on, a mixture of shock, wonderment, and intrigue all plastered upon her face simultaneously. She turned her gaze towards Yen Sid as he began to speak once again, saying, “There are many things I wish for you to know, young one.”

 

“But the burden of knowledge is heavy, and the responsibility it carries weighs upon me especially. In time, I have faith that all of your questions will be answered. But for now, have faith in my words when I say that you do not need to hear it all from me. Much lies ahead on your path, I know it to be true. Now go, your answers await you.”

 

At Yen Sid’s order, Zangan stepped forward. Hesitantly, yet with a slight breadth of excitement etched upon her face, Kairi moved to join him. Stopping before the ominous mirror, Kairi took one last chance to look deep within it. What she saw she could only describe as some kind of frozen star-lite night, a radiant display of far-off glittering crystals plastered on a background of brilliant red. It was calm and comforting, yet at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by its looming, wondrous mystery. She would have loved to peer even deeper into the mirror, to see farther than its border allowed. She almost felt as if she was being drawn into it, slowly, yet surely.

 

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a harsh jolt on her upper back, Zangan, pushing her closer. She fell forward, straight into the mirror, and in a split moment, felt the world fade. Immediately, it gave rise to a new, strange sensation that filled her with the most foreboding sense of merriment she believed it possible to feel.

 

It was at this moment that she realized her adventure had finally begun.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

...

 

I've gotta tell you, I was honestly thinking about scraping that entire "Kairi dress-up scene" all-together. In the end, however, I once again said "screw it" and took my creative license into play. I don't/can't know if leaving the description bare-bones and then letting you guys fill in the design for yourselves with your own imaginations would have been better, but I think you were probably going to do that anyways, so why not? Let's just go ahead with what could possibly be the most awkward scene in the entire story so far.

 

It's not like I was going to miss that opportunity. I mean, come on.

 

... Anyways, now that I've posted the first part of the chapter, I'll later update this post with the second half. SO, LIKE ALWAYS, STAY TUNED FOR THE FUTURE.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I've finished the second part of chapter six. Just wanted to give you guys something before new years arrived, so here.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kairi slowly drifted through the odd world she now found herself in, floating among a vast plane of crimson that encompassed the entirety of her vision. Suddenly and without warning, she could feel her feet making contact with the ground. At least, she thought it was the ground? The young girl honestly couldn’t be sure herself; the entire place looked to be some kind of endless expanse, comprised of the exact same image she saw reflected in the mirror earlier. Kairi still found it beautiful, but right now her attention was drawn more towards what the mysterious place actually was.

 

Kairi looked down below her feet, and she saw much of the same. Kairi glanced around once more, and in every direction, it seemed as though the crimson background extended onwards to infinity. There was neither break nor outline within it; there was no floor for her to stand upon. Yet she could clearly feel a foundation beneath her feet, an invisible plane that separated her from the vast below.

 

Suddenly, Kairi felt a great pressure on her back. Without warning she had been pushed forward by some kind of unseen force, and brought face first with the floor of the strange world. Suddenly, she heard a commanding voice resound within her mind, which she instantly recognized as Zangan.

 

“We’ll begin with a few tests of your endurance and strength-building. 30 push-ups.”

 

“H-hold on!” Kairi called out beneath her breath, “What is this place, and… Where are you?”

 

“That can come later, or I can explain while you work. In any case, we won’t get anywhere if you just lay there.”

 

Remembering her promise to Yen Sid, Kairi reluctantly started pushing herself up from the ground repeatedly, all the while muttering, “Okay… Can you tell me what this place is now?” Once again, the voice resounded within her head.

 

“There’s no need to speak. It wastes both energy and breath. All you need to do from now on is think your questions, and then desire for me to hear them.”

 

Kairi nodded slightly, and continued her regimen as the voice picked up with, “Now, to answer your first question, this is a specially designed pocket world. Under most circumstances, it does not exist. However, when supplied with the correct kind of energy, it will take form, and we may shape it to our liking. At the moment, we possess six mirrors. All were designed by an elder master long ago, the senior of even our esteemed Yen Sid.”

 

Suddenly, Kairi collapsed onto the ground in a heap. “19…” She muttered, out of breath, “That’s… all I can do…”

 

Before she could waste even a moment resting on the ground, she was forced up to her feet. “That will be enough. Now run as fast as you can in that direction. Do not stop until I tell you to do so.”

 

Still determined, Kairi nodded her head and continued onward. While sprinting forward, she posed Zangan the question of, “Wait, if you can control any element of these mirrors, does that mean anything is possible within them?”

 

“No. Like the outside worlds you’ve seen, they also function by a set of rules. Each mirror has a different set of limitations, all designed for a specific purpose. It is quite literally impossible to create a world where anything can be possible.”

 

“So, what are the limitations of this mirror?” Kairi asked.

 

“This is known as the mirror of Valor. Its environment is designed for the training I’m subjecting you to. I’ll elaborate more on that later, but for now, you should be aware of how time functions within this mirror when compared to the outer world.”

 

“You see, these realms are temporally flexible. We can shift and manipulate the flow of time here to better suit our needs. A single moment in the real world could translate into an entire hour within this world.”

 

“But, wait.” Kairi said, “That can’t mean you can keep this mirror open for days on end, and get months of work done in that time, can it? That seems a tad too good to be true, if you ask me.”

 

“You are correct. The greatest down side to the mirrors is that they all require substantial amounts of energy to maintain. When taking into account that all of the fairies are keeping this one open, I would say that, at the most, we have around two minutes before they run out of stamina and need to close the chamber. Realistically speaking, that will give us about five days within this world.”

 

“Five days…” Kairi muttered to herself, “Will that be enough time to get everything done?”

 

“Of course not. There is an unfathomable amount of material I have to work with. Just the physical aspect of wielding the Keyblade has the potential to fill years of effort. What I will teach you is a grossly abridged version. You will not receive anywhere near the same benefit, but at the same time, neither have the others.”

 

“Who are the others?” Kairi panted. “Are you talking about Sora and Riku?”

 

“They’ve never used the mirrors. More likely, I was referring to a young man who we trained before you arrived here. Of course, that’s behind us all, and none of it should matter to you now.”

 

Kairi gasped for breath as her pace began to slow. Finally, she decided she could run no farther. At a loss for air, she halted abruptly and collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. “I’m sorry… That’s as far as I can go. Forgive me, I’ve never been the most athletic out of our group, or, of anyone, for that matter…”

 

“That does not matter. I am well aware of your physical limitations, and they do not matter. Your strength will not come from any kind of power that crude, simple exercise can give you. Rather, this was little more than a warm up.”

 

Kairi’s attention was suddenly caught by the appearance of a large burst of light not far from where she rested. Slowly, it took shape as a large and complex series of objects, and what appeared to be some odd kind of obstacles.
 

“I will allow you to rest for now. Within the next 5 minutes, you will continue.”

 

As Zangan said, Kairi took a moment to catch her breath and recompose her thoughts. She was still curious as to where exactly Zangan was, so she decided to continue from there.

 

“I asked you where you were earlier. Could you please tell me now?”

 

“Very well. Much like you, I have also entered the mirror. However, I have been given special privileges over this world; I have control over many of its rules and preside over what can be brought into it. In many ways, I have been appointed as the “master” of this realm. You simply cannot see me because I have deigned my presence a distraction, and will not allow you to see where I am.”

 

“Yeah,” Kairi thought, “and as if this booming voice in my head wasn’t a distraction…”

 

“I heard that.”

 

Kairi jolted up straighter than usual, her expression both surprised and slightly flustered. “Oh, um, sorry about that.” She stammered, “I guess I’m just feeling a bit frustrated right now.”

 

“It would be best to learn how to guard your thoughts from others. Such powers are not beyond the understanding of Xehanort and his colleagues. I recommend you inquire Merlin of it when he arrives, that field is one of his specialties.”

 

“Who’s Merlin?” Kairi asked. “I know the Master mentioned him before, but I don’t think I’ve ever met him.”

 

“I believe you have, once, long ago. He’s mentioned meeting you before, so I suppose he just didn’t leave much of an impression on you. As impossible as that sounds.”

 

“In any case, he is a wizard that we’ve associated with many times before. He was here not long ago, but briefly had to return to Radiant Garden. Yen Sid believes he should return shortly.”

 

Kairi nodded, her mind suddenly pre-occupied with thoughts of her home-world. Casting aside the sentiments for now, she rose from her place, and said, “Alright, I believe I’m ready to continue.”

 

“Then walk towards the training grounds I’ve established for you. We will continue from there.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Riku watched as Zangan pushed Kairi into the mirror. He instinctively reached out in concern, but managed to pull himself back. Silently, he watched as Zangan continued to leap through the portal himself.

 

Suddenly, Yen Sid turned towards him, and in an urgent tone, said, “Now, Riku, it is time for your training to begin as well.” Yen Sid glanced over at Mickey, who nodded as if receiving some kind of voiceless order. Swiftly, Mickey dashed over towards Riku, and grabbed him by the arm. “We don’t have much time, Riku!” He said, “We need to be finished with the Anti-Mirror before Kairi’s training is complete!”

 

Riku looked confused. “What are you talking about…?” He asked, before being ushered over towards a mirror adjacent to the one Kairi had entered. Mickey spoke up once again, as Yen Sid came up beside them. “I’ll tell ya’ later!” Said Mickey, “Right now, we’ve gotta get in here!”

 

Yen Sid formed a turbulent ball of energy within the clasp of his hands, and wasted no time in connecting it with the mirror Mickey and Riku stood before. Yen Sid’s energy formed a stream between the two, and Riku actually had to move to cover his face from the violent clash brewing between them.

 

Yen Sid looked over towards Riku and Mickey, his voice and expression strained, “Go!” he said, “I can only keep the mirror open for so long, and you are wasting precious time!”

 

Mickey nodded once again, and turned Riku’s attention towards the mirror. He peered into its reflective surface, and saw that it looked nothing like the one Kairi entered. It almost seemed to exude a harmful nature, its every corner filled with a deep, treacherous, black fog, that felt…

 

Riku’s thoughts were brought to a halt as Mickey leaped forward into the mirror, his momentum pulling them both in. Riku was suddenly hit with a harrowing chill of wind that forced his eyes shut, and filled his heart with dread. Yet at the same time, he felt as though it wrought his body to life, giving him a sense of exhilaration and awareness. Riku’s heart lurched as he began to fall through the darkness that now surrounded him, as the light of the world was stolen away and replaced by the harsh brutality of a realm clad in shadows.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kairi ran towards the large collection of structures, as Zangan’s voice continued to resound throughout her head. “I would advise starting with those ring structures over there. Summon your Keyblade, and attempt to hit them all within a five-second time frame.”

 

Kairi nodded, and ran towards the landmark he described. Swiftly calling her Keyblade, she drew it back and prepared to strike at the suspended rings.

 

“While you’re busy with that, I’ll take this opportunity to explain what purpose this all serves.”

 

Kairi jumped up, and brought her Keyblade crashing down on the first of the rings. As the next one came floating towards her, she readied another back-stroke in anticipation. “Is now the best time, though? Shouldn’t I focus all of my attention on the training itself?”

 

“That’s a good point, but it does not apply here. The idea is for you to know these strikes so fluently, that they become instinctual. Over time, you won’t need to focus in order to competently attack these targets. Think of this as a way of grooming you for that goal.”

 

Kairi struck at the fast approaching ring, knocking it back, and consequently sending another one barreling forward. “All right, if that’s what you say.”

 

“Now, allow me to return to the matter at hand. First of all, I will pose the question; do you know what a heart is?”

 

“A heart? I… I suppose so. I mean, I’ve seen them before, and Sora’s told me…”

 

“That’s not what I’m talking about. The heart is more than a wellspring of emotion. Ansem The Wise once believed that they were sources of great power. Do you know why?”

 

“No… I don’t. Not at all. In fact, I don’t really know much about them at all. I don’t know where they come from, nor do I know what other purposes they serve.”

 

“You are not the first to carry those sentiments. I’ve no doubt that Ansem himself once held thoughts much the same. He reached out to other worlds, and spent his life caught in nothing more than research regarding the heart and its processes. Fortunately, not all of that effort was wasted with his demise. Yen Sid, as well as Master Mickey, have archived a great deal of his research. And now, in order to properly understand your own power, you must learn the truth behind the heart as well.”

 

“Now, I’ll begin by telling you that the heart is not actually the centerpiece of your existence. It is essential, of course, and it is indeed a source of great power, but there are many factors that all play important parts on par with the heart. The first of those would be the soul.”

 

“All living things possess a soul. They are you. They are who you are. You are born with them, and they define who you will be as a person. All things that you feel and think, they are merely reflections of what was first felt within. If there is a centerpiece of the body, then it is the soul, not the heart.”

 

“The second piece is the heart. In essence, it is the physical manifestation of your soul. It is the purest energy you have to give, and can be seen as the power radiated by your own soul.  It is the centerpiece for all energy flow within your body. Without it, the energy most often cannot flow normally, and the body collapses. It is built upon by your memories and emotions, yet unlike the soul, can be destroyed or taken. But in return, it can also be rebuilt, nurtured, and born anew.”

 

“The third piece is the mind. The mind is your will, and it is inherently linked with your soul. In this way, the mind also acts as a kind of vault. All memories are born in the soul, but the soul cannot keep them. You must continue to experience new things, and those experiences will cause you to forget other memories and cast them aside. The mind is what stores these memories. It is what allows you to think, learn, experience, and remember.”

 

“The final piece unites all of the others, and is known as the body. Like the heart, the body can be destroyed. However, do not take this to mean that the pieces it houses are dependent upon it. You can destroy the body, but the heart will live on. You can corrupt the body, yet the mind will resist. Just as all of the parts rely upon one another, so does the body rely upon them.”

 

Kairi yet again prepared another strike as the next ring came barreling towards her. As she struck the hanging objects and listened to Zangan’s explanation, she noticed that her attacks were in fact growing easier to perform. Kairi had honestly lost track of how long she had been attacking the rings, but strangely, she also could not recall ever growing anymore tired since she had begun.

 

“Okay,” She thought, But why are you telling me this? What does any of it have to do with my training?”

 

“For one, knowing such things is a utility most Keyblade Wielders should possess. Throughout your training, you’ll learn many things that build upon these concepts. Overall, it is simply another piece of your education that will bring you closer to understanding the Keyblade.”

 

“Are you saying that there’s more you want to teach me that builds on this?” Kairi asked.

 

“Of course. I told you that the idea was to help you understand your own power, and I intend to explain it to you now.”

 

Suddenly, the large construct of floating rings that stood before Kairi vanished. She forced herself to stop mid-swing, and upon doing so found herself alone amongst the vast crimson void. Without warning, she felt her Keyblade forced away. Surprised, she attempted to summon it once again, but found herself unable to do so.

 

“For now, let us focus on the heart, and its connection to your own strength. Tell me, have you ever wondered how your friends could perform such impressive feats of strength as they do? Have you ever found yourself curious as to how possession of the Keyblade gives them such capabilities?

 

“Now that you mention it,” Kairi said, “I was always wondering how those two could be so strong. They never let me spar against them on the Island, but whenever they did fight, I could tell they were on a whole different level than anyone else I had ever seen before.”

 

“Indeed, Keyblade Wielders have far greater physical prowess than normal people. However, this does not specifically stem from the Keyblade itself. For those who possess a Keyblade, the might of the body only goes so far. A vast majority of their strength is derived from another source, the energy you yourself possess.”

 

“What’s energy?” Kairi asked, “Is it some kind of magic source?”

 

“That is one usage, yes. But its capabilities go far beyond that. The flow of energy throughout your body is what makes you strong. The greater and purer the flow, the stronger you are. And that potential is gleamed by your heart.”

 

“The heart?” Kairi said, as she placed a hand over her own. “What does that have to do with my energy?”

 

“Do you remember what I said about the heart? It is the purest form of energy you have to give. In a way, it is also the centerpiece of all the energy within your body. By understanding the strength of your heart, you can grasp the true potential of all your body’s energy.”

 

Kairi started, a look of realization dawning upon her face. “Wait, is that why Keyblade wielders are stronger than normal people? Because their hearts need to be stronger in order to wield a Keyblade?”

 

“Yes, exactly. In a sense, the Keyblade is an extension of the heart. The two are intrinsically linked, only those with powerful hearts may manifest one.”

 

Kairi gave a wide smile. “And the stronger the heart, the more powerful our energy is!”

 

“Indeed. That is the basis of this training. So far, your energy has stagnated as a result of disuse. In order to realize your true potential, it must be made to flow correctly once again.”

 

Suddenly, several large spheres of light appeared around Kairi. She looked around at them in a panic, and attempted once again to summon her Keyblade. However, like before, she failed.

 

“Think of your energy much like your Keyblade, as an extension of yourself. By utilizing it in such mundane attacks as a simple punch, you can turn even the most pathetic strike into a blow of devastation. The enemies before you will not be harmed by simple physical damage. You must destroy them using nothing more than the power at your disposal, bar the Keyblade, as well as magic.”

 

Still in a panic, Kairi tried to compose herself as the balls of light began to close in. Taking as strong a stance as she could manage, she girded herself before the oncoming threat.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Riku glanced around at the dark haze he found himself in. In every direction, as far as he could see, there appeared to be nothing but a deep fog of twisting shadows and deep-night pallets. From where he stood, it didn’t seem to be a regular kind of darkness, however. To test the visibility, Riku raised a hand before his face. For some odd reason, it seemed as though the impenetrable darkness was unable to touch him, making him feel like the only bastion of light in a vast plain of shadows.

 

Riku turned to look for Mickey, but his eyes were unable to penetrate the deep veil that surrounded him. “Mickey!?” he called out, “Where are you? What is this place? Why am I here?”

 

Riku stopped, as he heard a small voice ringing in his ears the moment he began to speak.

 

“Don’t worry yourself, Riku. If everything works out, you’ll know everything you need to by the time we’re done.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kairi swerved to her right, throwing her entire weight away just in time to avoid a stream of light aimed at where she once stood. Kairi clumsily rolled to her feet, yet stood at the ready before her numerous attackers. Panting in exhaustion, she barely managed to evade yet another strike from a sphere farther away.

 

Kairi knelt on the ground, struggling to catch her breath. She knew this wasn’t going to get her anywhere, but no matter how hard she tried, none of her attacks were able to connect. The ethereal globes may as well have been balls of air. Every time she struck, she felt as though she was striking at the wind.

 

Suddenly, this thought gave Kairi an idea. She sensed a wave of energy aimed at her direction, yet managed to evade it once more, just in time. Swiftly, she turned to face her attackers, and stood up straight once again. “Remember, Kairi.” She thought to herself, “This all has to be about willpower. There can’t be any other way to bring out my energy, not after all of the attacks I’ve made. Somehow, I need to will my energy to strike them, but even when I try that, it won’t work… There has to be something I’m missing, then.”

 

Kairi looked down at her open palm. Forcing all her concentration upon it, she tried once again to summon her Keyblade. However, this time, rather than envisioning her Keyblade, she instead pictured the enemy she faced. Before she could, though, another beam of light suddenly came careening towards her. Kairi once again ducked to the side, managing to dodge it. She knelt on one knee, and again attempted to focus all her attention on creating some kind of weapon.

 

As she continued to imagine the ball of light within her hand, she gradually began to notice a strange invigoration well up her arm. She felt an odd sense of warmth and comfort, as the mysterious force began to surface within her palm. Surprised, Kairi struggled to channel the energy throughout her hand. Feeling its presence spread, she cautiously balled her hand into a fist. With a new found look of determination on her face, she readily charged at the numerous spheres of light surrounding her.

 

The first one fired off a lightning fast bolt of light at her as she approached, barely grazing her shoulder. Undeterred, Kairi leapt forward and brought her clenched hand crashing into the ball of energy. With a gentle pop, the sphere vanished like a delicate bubble. Without taking a moment’s rest, Kairi moved to dodge the other orbs’ attacks. In retaliation, she burst through once again, placing her weight into every hit as she continued to shatter the spheres. And whenever the energy within her palm began to weaken, she simply forced more of her strength into it and continued on.

 

Finally, Kairi struck down the final sphere. With a yell, she brought her hand crashing down upon it, causing the orb to burst into numerous fragments of light. Slowly, Kairi took a deep breath, and dismissed the energy within her hand as she stood up straight once more.

 

“Excellent work.”

 

Kairi offered a light smile. “Thank you.” She said, “Although, I’m still not entirely sure what I did.”

 

“I can assume you summoned that energy by envisioning it in the same way you did your Keyblade. Is that correct?”

 

“Yeah, but it felt different, somehow.” Kairi replied. “It felt like I was summoning my Keyblade, but at the same time, I wasn’t really trying to summon the Keyblade. If that makes any sense.”

 

“What did you envision during the process of calling forth your energy?”

 

Kairi placed a hand below her chin, in a pensive look. “Well,” she started, “I think it was those balls of light you made me fight.”

 

“Yes, that would make sense. Those spheres are nothing more than simple constructs crafted from Light Energy and made to do their master’s bidding. It would be entirely possible you thought of them in the same way, as masses of power. If that’s true, then it would make sense your own Light Energy reacted to the thought of them.”

 

“Wait, Light Energy?” Kairi said. “You mean there’s more than one kind of energy?”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. What I’ve told you regarding energy is all that I intend to tell you for the remainder of your time here. Now, we will continue by attempting to hone the energy you have now awakened.”

 

Suddenly, another large group of training structures appeared a ways away from Kairi. She sighed in exhaustion and slight protest at the sight. “This is going to be a really long day, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Looks like we all had to settle for a new years miracle. Unfortunately, not even that could bring out the entire chapter.

 

Truly, this is a force to be reckoned with.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

This is going to be a really long day? I'm afraid you might be underestimating the might of the 6th chapter.

 

I honestly don't know what to say. There's something about me and putting off really long chapters. Even though I tried to break this one into smaller, more manageable pieces, it wasn't enough. It STILL took as long as homecoming. Yeah, it's just as long as that chapter now that it's complete, but I don't think that's justification. If I was really committed, I believe I could have had it done in 2 weeks. Instead, it wound up taking months.

 

It's getting to the point where I'm beginning to fear I have commitment issues. I mean, I still intend on continuing with the story, but I honestly have no idea how long it's going to take. Even a monthly update schedule isn't good enough for me.

 

I'm not going to stop or anything, I just need to pull some more motivation for myself. I'm not sure how to do this, but I'll certainly give it a try. If any of you have any suggestions, I would ask that you please offer them up.

 

Now, without further ado(AKA 3-MONTH WAITS) I present to you the final chapter of chapter 6 of the Apocalypse Key. SIX AND TIRED OF YOUR EXCUSES IS MORE LIKE IT

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Sora stretched out his neck upon exiting the portal from Traverse Town, casually rolling his shoulders back and forth as his eyes adjusted to the world he found himself in. After the pathway of light behind him closed shut, he took the opportunity to scan the tower, and the surrounding locals.

 

“Huh, that’s weird…” He thought. “Donald and Goofy said they would be waiting for me when I got back… I wonder where they wandered off to?” Sora shrugged it off, though, and began walking towards the tower’s entrance. “Master Yen Sid probably just needed them for something. Guess I can’t expect everyone to wait up…”

 

Sora started to open the tower’s front doorway, when suddenly, his attention was drawn away by a vibrant spark of blue radiating from far behind him. Curious and caught off-guard, Sora turned to examine the mysterious light, only to be pushed aside violently by a swift gust of wind.

 

“What the…?” Sora muttered, as he struggled to keep his footing. Confused, he glanced around the outside of the tower, searching for some kind of culprit. It was only then that he noticed, a short old man clad in a blue colored robe, dashing towards the tower in a panic.

 

Sora arched his eyebrows in disbelief. “Merlin…?” He muttered audibly. The old man turned his head towards Sora in response, and slowed his pace slightly. “Ah, sorry about that, Sora!” He exclaimed. “But I’m afraid I don’t have the time to be as courteous, at the moment! Again, I beg your pardon, as I really must get back post-haste!” At his last word, Merlin suddenly shot forward with an incredible burst of speed. He passed through the set of doors Sora had opened with ease, as he rapidly escalated up the stairs of the tower.

 

Sora looked on in both silent shock, and quiet confusion. He blinked his eyes rapidly, and then shook his head in disbelief. “Well,” he began, “guess that’s my cue to head up, too.” Wordlessly, he stood, and slowly walked towards the tower’s open doors.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kairi took her opportunity to glance around at the newfound environment. As opposed to the Mirror of Valor, the one she found herself in now was defined by an ever-present tone of blue. It matched the other mirror almost to a tee in terms of looks; it still maintained the vast, cosmic-like expanse of light and color, and retained its invisible floor-like surface that consistently found its way beneath Kairi’s feet.

 

After her training in the other mirror had been completed, Kairi had found herself back in the real world, as she was hurried along towards the next mirror. This time, instead of Zangan, she was ushered in by the three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Supposedly, Merlin was the one who was supposed to keep the mirror open for them. However, as he hadn’t returned by the time Kairi entered, Zangan was forced to assist Yen Sid in keeping it open, using his energy. Unfortunately, as he confirmed with the four that he never had much experience with magic, it’s unlikely that they’d be able to hold out for very long.

 

“So, how do you like it?” A voice resounded from behind Kairi. Caught completely off-guard, she turned on her heel in panic and alarm, only to be met with the startled faces of the three fairies. “Oh, my!” Merryweather exclaimed, as Flora continued on for her, “I-I’m terribly sorry, we didn’t mean to frighten you!” After noticing them, Kairi breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed. “No, it’s fine.” She replied. “I was just a little but surprised, is all. You see, in the mirror before this one, Zangan never showed up in person. I guess I just wasn’t used to seeing someone else in here with me.”

 

“Oh, yes.” Fauna began. “That sounds very much like him, so impersonal, always trying to be distant for the sake of others. In fact, it reminds me of someone we met a long time ago.” Kairi lifted her eyebrow in a questioning glance. “Oh, really? Who was that, if you don’t mind me asking?” She inquired innocently.

 

Flora casually swatted the question away. “Oh, you wouldn’t know him. His name was Noxus, an old acquaintance of Yen Sid. But that was so very long ago, and we haven’t heard anything about him since.” She answered. Kairi shrugged, “Alright, if you say so.”

 

Merryweather clapped her hands together audibly. “Well then,” she started. “Shall we get down to business then?” Fauna followed suit. “Oh, yes!” she said, “I can’t wait to! Do tell, dear,” she motioned to Kairi, “are you prepared?” Flora continued from there. “Yes, we have quite a bit of material to cover. In truth, I’m afraid you’re in for quite a lengthy lecture.” Kairi giggled slightly at their comments. “Of course, that’s fine.” She replied. “It’s not like I’m not used to it, after what Master Zangan had me listen to.”

 

“Alright, let’s get started, then!” Flora stated, a bit extravagantly. “First off, we’ll begin by explaining my field, Red magic!” Flora nodded at her two acquaintances, who returned the gesture. Slowly, they began to fade away, undeniably hiding themselves, just as Zangan did.

 

“Now,” Flora began, as Kairi looked on intently, “as I’m sure you’ve guessed, this is the mirror opposite the one you were in last. It’s called the Mirror of Wisdom, and focuses on the principles of magic.” Kairi nodded, a well of excitement brewing within her heart. Magic had always been her favorite aspect of wielding the Keyblade, and the fact that she would finally be learning how to properly control it excited her to no end.

 

“First off, I should firmly establish a solid definition of what magic actually is.” Flora continued. “Magic, in essence, is the manipulation of the energy around us to perform remarkable feats. For the sake of organization, the art of using magic is separated into three different schools.” Flora turned, and with a wave of her hand, called forth a massive, all-consuming sphere of crimson light, as Kairi looked on in wonder.

 

“The first of those schools is Red magic, which is the one I follow, and the one I’d guess is the kind you’re most familiar with.” Flora continued. “Red magic is defined as the act of exerting our influence over the thirteen natural elements, for our own personal means. Those natural elements which comprise the entire world are Light, Darkness, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, Plant, Gravity, Space, Time, and Magnetism.” She spoke, with the sphere before her shifting and changing to correspond with every element she introduced.

 

“Yeah, I remember Master Zangan mentioning something about different kinds of energy.” Kairi spoke up. “So, you mean there are thirteen kinds, and they all have their own corresponding element?” Flora nodded, a smile finding its way upon her face. Apparently, she was just as happy to discuss the subject as Kairi. “Yes, that’s exactly right. I’m sure Zangan also told you about the nature of the heart, as well?” She asked.

 

Kairi nodded in response. “Yes, it’s comprised of energy, right?” Flora nodded in response, and continued with, “That’s right, the purest energy you have.  However, there’s another side to that power. You see, hearts also have their own corresponding elements, as well.”

 

Kairi’s eyes widened. “So, you’re saying that every heart has its own element, out of thirteen different ones? How is the element determined, then?” Kairi asked. “Well,” Flora began. “to be frank, it really all depends on the kind of person. The heart’s element takes form in response to the emotions that a person portrays most dominantly. You see, each element has its own corresponding emotion. As a princess of heart, the element of your heart is predetermined. As I’m sure you could guess, all of the princesses have light as their element, naturally.”

 

Kairi nodded. “Okay, but what about the other elements?” She asked in return. “What are all the other emotions you talked about?” Flora laughed slightly at Kairi’s eagerness, then replied, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find that out for yourself. After all, you seem quite interested in the art of magic, such perception should come naturally to you, in time. And with all the different kinds of people you’re sure to meet out on your journey, I feel confident in saying that you’ll be witness to all different kinds of personalities and their own special brands of magic!”

 

Kairi grinned excitedly. “Alright,” she said, “But how do I actually use it? I’ve been going off of what Sora and Riku taught me for so long, and I’m afraid I’d be doing it wrong if I tried any now.” Flora offered a nod of agreement, before continuing with, “Yes, I suppose I’ve kept you busy with my lectures long enough. Now, let us move onto the core of the learning experience, actual energy manipulation.”

 

Kairi nodded, now full of verve, despite her relentless training under the command of Zangan not long ago. “Okay, I think I have a little bit of experience with this.” She said to Flora, as the fairy drifted down to Kairi’s side. “Master Zangan walked me through a little bit about energy before I came here… How did it go again…?” Kairi trailed off, as she lifted her hand in an attempt to replicate what she experienced fighting Zangan’s machinations. However, her thoughts were cut short by Flora, placing her hand upon Kairi’s outstretched arm.

 

“My dear,” She said, “No doubt, what you’ve dealt with so far isn’t much like what I’m trying to teach you. “ Kairi looked confused, to which, Flora responded by continuing, “What Zangan taught you was most likely the bare basics of the school of blue magic, which is the manipulation of the energy within ourselves.” Kairi cocked her head slightly, yet nodded in response. “Yeah,” she said, “It made me a whole lot stronger. I became faster, more agile, and overall more powerful whenever I used it. Are you saying that’s blue magic?”

 

Flora nodded. “Yes, and I’m afraid it isn’t what we’re covering today. You see, red magic focuses on controlling the elements to obtain a desired effect; it has much less to do with the focus on energy that’s within the body, like blue magic does. Red magic relies much more on the process of controlling and projecting energy, rather than the energy itself.”

 

“Okay,” Kairi said, nodding slightly in added affirmation. “So, how do I use red magic, then?”

 

Flora smiled at her. “I’m sure you have before, you just don’t know how you did it. You said you’d used magic previously, but have you ever really guessed about where it comes from?” Kairi looked up and away, briefly letting herself get lost in thought. “I can’t say, it’s definitely something I’ve wondered about, but I never really thought up an answer for where it came from.” She said.

 

Flora took Kairi by the hand, slowly drifting beside her. Calmly, she said, “Close your eyes, and relax. Listen to what I say, and try to envision what I tell you.” Kairi offered a questioning glance, yet showed no other hesitation. She steadily shut her eyes, and began to calm herself.

 

Suddenly, Kairi felt as though something had changed, as though she was no longer located within the same world as she was a moment ago. Instead, she felt like the blackness she saw with her eyes shut, was her world. It felt as though the darkness was a vast canvas, blank and consuming, simply waiting for something to be painted.

 

Far off, like a distant memory, Kairi recognized Flora’s words calling out into her void. “Now, I want you to imagine a something warm. A fire, a light, even the embrace of someone you love. Let it fill your mind, as if you could almost see it in front of you.” Kairi heeded the faint words, and as she did so, she saw wisps of red imprint upon the fabric of the darkness, almost like the imprint of light upon her eyelids. However, this was different. She could see the evanescent wisps as clearly as she desired, they seemed so real, it felt as though she could reach out and touch them.

 

“Now,” the voice beckoned once more, “I want you to take the red lines into your hand.” Kairi was skeptical, yet regardless, she raised her hand up towards the red streams, almost as if guided by some unseen force. Slowly, steadily, she reached her hand out, and took hold of the closest hint of red.

 

Suddenly, an overwhelming heat surged through her arm, as every stream that floated around zipped into her hand. Kairi’s eyes shot open in alarm, just in time to bear witness to burst of flame shoot forward from the palm of her hand. Flora, who was still holding onto Kairi’s arm, jolted back in shock. The force of the expulsion even managed to push Kairi back a few feet, as the ball of fire she launched continued forward. Slowly, it vanished into the abyss, as parts of its flame died out and were consumed by the surrounding energy.

 

Kairi huffed in taxation, her eyes opened wide in shock. Flora flew in near her, brushing soot off of her dress. While she certainly didn’t look ecstatic, there was an undeniable tint of pride in her eyes. “Well, I certainly can’t say I was expecting that big of a response.” Kairi still looked stunned, yet managed to turn her head towards Flora. “What… What was that? What just happened?” She exclaimed, turning her hand over to examine it for anything strange.

 

Flora turned Kairi’s attention towards her before she explained, “Kairi, my dear, you just reshaped the element of fire into a fire ball.” Kairi still looked stunned. “How did I do that?” She asked.

 

In response, Flora proceeded to motion towards the vast expanse of swirling blue that surrounded them both. “This place is special, Kairi.” She answered. “The make-up of this world is a heavy concentration of energy; a mix of all thirteen different elements, in their purest forms. In the real world, you’d be able to find the elements in their ethereal states as well, but not as easily here.”

 

She turned back towards Kairi. “What you did was locate a trifle amount of fire energy within this vortex, reach out to it, and channel it through your arm as a minor spell. That is the essence of red magic; that is the basis of manipulating energy that exists outside of your body.”

 

Kairi opened her hand and held it out in front of her face, gazing fixated upon its surface. Her arm still shook slightly from the surge of energy, so she tried her best to stifle the shivering. She placed another hand upon her forearm, closed her eyes, and tried as hard as she could to calm herself. Meanwhile, Flora floated nearer to her, and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder.

 

“It’s okay, dear.” She said. Kairi opened her eyes and turned towards the fairy, who smiled lightly at her. “Take your time, the last thing we want is for you to rush yourself.” Kairi looked back at her hand, as her expression turned stalwart. She clung once again to her arm, saying, “No, I’m ready.” Slowly, but surely, the shaking in her arm subsided.

 

She looked back at Flora, and said, “I can continue. Please, tell me more.” If Flora was surprised by Kairi’s conviction, she certainly didn’t show it. Rather, she smiled calmly at her ward, and replied to her with, “Yes, of course. Now then, let’s move on.”

 

Flora took Kairi by the hand once more, and urged the hesitant young girl forward. Looking back, Flora spoke to her, a warm smile upon her face. “We have a lot to show you, my dear.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Zangan looked Merlin up and down. The exhausted wizard was doubled over, barely able to catch his breath after his tedious sprint up the expansive tower. His face had a look of guilt and genuine apology, yet in spite of the man’s feeble appearance, Zangan wasn’t particularly in the mood for letting him off easily. “You’re late.” He grumbled. “I don’t know what exactly you were up to over in Radiant Garden, but I’m sure you’d agree this commitment of yours should have held greater precedence.”

 

“Ah, yes… Well, I…” Merlin mumbled still trying to catch his breath, all the while with Zangan peering at him, unfazed. Finally, Merlin stood prostrate as he could manage, before slowly answering, “You see, I was unfortunately held up by some… unforeseen consequences. Terribly sorry for being late, but as I’m sure you can understand, it was only by powers beyond my control!”

 

Zangan shook his head, exasperated. “And what exactly was so important that you had to stay, against Yen Sid’s request that you return immediately?” At Zangan’s question, Merlin simply swatted the inquiry away. “Oh, never mind that.” He replied. “Nothing that concerns any of us, all you need to know is that the situation is in perfectly capable hands now.”

 

Merlin passed Zangan, who still stood before the valor mirror. His stalwart expression hiding his inner exhaustion after so much time spent within the mirror’s surface. He walked up beside Merlin, who now stood before the mirror of wisdom. Cautiously, Merlin peered into its depths, trying to spot something of use, yet still making an attempt to stay as far away as possible. “Hmm…” He muttered. “Yes, it looks as though this one has some talent for the arts! I would be glad to help in any way I could.”

 

Zangan turned Merlin’s attention towards Yen Sid, who stood between the Wisdom mirror and the Anti-Mirror at the other end of the room, two solid streams of energy flowing from his hands, his eyes forced shut in concentration, as he struggled to keep both portals open. “Perhaps you could begin by lessening his burden.” Zangan said. Merlin jolted at the sight, and hastily nodded his head. “Ah, yes, o-of course!” Quickly, he reached forward and cautiously took hold of the energy formulated within Yen Sid’s hand, the brand which led to the Mirror of Wisdom. Merlin’s already drained expression contorted into one of even greater taxation, as he began holding the portal open.

 

Meanwhile, Zangan walked up beside him. “You understand what is required of you today, correct?” Merlin was unable to avert his attention away from the mirror, yet he still managed to reply, “Well… Would it be so much to ask that… you… help, jog my memory…?” Zangan nodded, and then responded, glancing over at the mirror, “It’s been about a minute and a half since they entered that chamber, so I presume they’re nearly finished. Once they emerge, you’ll take her to the third mirror. The fairies are the only ones who can keep it open at the moment, as I’m afraid Yen Sid is too drained to assist us any longer. However, they’re sure to be exhausted as well, considering everything they’ve done so far. Even if I lend them some of my own energy, as I did with Yen Sid, I can’t guarantee you’ll get more than a few moments from us. Whatever you need to teach this one, make it fast.”

 

Merlin struggled to nod in acknowledgment, still trying to focus as heavily as he could on the mirror. Suddenly, he smiled lightly, and then said, “Ah, wonderful timing, my boy! It seems as though they’re nearly finished. Alright then, let’s wrap this up, shall we?”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Yen Sid doubled over in exhaustion, swiftly, Zangan went to hold him up. The old master had a look of strain etched upon his face, unusual and off-putting given his respectable and stoic stature. As he struggled to catch his breath, Zangan asked of him, slightly concerned, “Are you well, old friend?”

 

Yen Sid muttered quietly in response, “It would seem… These old bones have little left to be proud of… but their age…” Slowly and cautiously, Yen Sid turned his head back towards the fairies, who lingered behind him at the third mirror in the room, struggling to keep it open just a little longer for Kairi and Merlin to wrap up their training. “They should be done shortly…” Yen Sid muttered, “and I imagine both Mickey and Riku are already on their way, as well.”

 

Yen Sid turned his attention back towards the entrance-way to the chamber. “Zangan, if you would be so kind, could you help me back to my seat?” Zangan nodded in response. “Of course.”

 

At that moment, the fairies collapsed in fatigue, and as a consequence, the mirror they were channeling their energies into lost its glow, and turned dull. Flora spoke up on all of their behalf, between strained breaths, “I’m afraid that’s as far as we go, as well… We can no longer keep the chambers open. Both Merlin and Kairi have been forced out of their realm, they should arrive soon.”

 

Yen Sid briefly took a moment to glance back at Flora. “Excellent, then we are nearly finished. Please inform Mickey, once he arrives, to meet me within the observatory… There are some matters I feel we need to discuss. Once Merlin returns, feel free to come join us. Riku and Kairi have less experience travelling between these realms… They may take a bit more time to emerge from their portals.” Flora nodded at Yen Sid, and replied, “Should we wait for them, guide them back towards your room?”

 

Yen Sid shook his head. “No, you all need your rest. After such taxation, it would be foolish to ask even the most mundane tasks of any of you.” After saying this, Yen Sid turned his gaze towards Zangan, who still struggled to keep the both of them standing. “Forgive me of asking this of you, especially, Zangan.”

 

In response, Zangan merely shook his head, and began walking forward, towards the exit-way of the chamber. “Don’t be. I’ve always had to carry the weight of others, but only because I choose to. It’s no shame to fall short, so long as you have someone willing to hold you up.” Yen Sid chuckled slightly at the man’s words. “You always spoke the most brutal words of us. I’m glad you, at the very least, still hold on to who you are.”

 

Zangan fell into silence. And in silence, they both remained, as the two men staggered through the exit-way and into the next room.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kairi stepped out of the final mirror. Being back on normal ground felt so strange to her, almost as if it had changed somehow, instead of her. Steps that once seemed so heavy were now like walking on air, and her arms almost felt as though they were branches, flowing in the wind.

 

As Kairi moved through the room, she could feel the surrounding energy flow around her. She was blind to it before, yet now, if she closed her eyes, she could see clearly. She could see everything she was missing.

 

Kairi wondered to herself if this is what Sora and Riku felt like. She couldn’t speak for them, but the experience of wielding the Keyblade like this had so far made her feel so distant to the people on the islands. Kairi felt almost guilty being able to see and feel so much more without them ever having the chance to know the same; it made her feel different from them. Which, in a sense, she was.

 

Kairi’s train of thought was interrupted by a steady hand, placed upon her shoulder. Kairi turned her eyes towards the source, and was met with Riku’s face, smiling back at her. Kairi couldn’t explain why, but she felt as though he seemed different, too. His eyes were much calmer, yet for some reason, he still seemed as stoic as ever. “Riku…”She muttered. “You… Look different.” Riku chuckled slightly at her words, and replied with, “I could say the same to you. But I suppose it makes sense, considering we’ve both been through some pretty similar circumstances.”

 

Kairi looked confused. “What, do you mean that the Master had you train, as well?” She asked. “I thought you passed the exam. What else was there for you to learn?” Riku shrugged slightly. “Just a little bit more, I suppose.” He answered, before turning his attention towards the exit of the mirror chamber. Kairi shrugged at his explanation and, in turn, followed his gaze.

 

“The others are waiting.” Riku stated, before looking back at Kairi. “Yen Sid has one final test for you.” At his words, Kairi’s expression turned sour and she immediately looked dumbfounded. “Wait, what?” She asked, incredulously. “Isn’t it proof enough that I’ve made it through their training? What else could they possibly have that I still need to pass!?” She exclaimed, with Riku laughing slightly at her outburst. He raised his arms up in defense, and slowly answered her inquiry as calmly as he could manage. “Don’t worry yourself, it isn’t anything that’s pass or fail anymore.”

 

Riku looked Kairi in the eyes, as she began to settle. He continued, “You pretty much cemented your position as a Keyblade Wielder from the moment you said yes to Yen Sid’s training. After that, the only person who decided when you were through was you, no one else. This is just the Master’s way of measuring your progress. And can you blame him? At this point, I’m sure we all want to see just how far you’ve come.”

 

Kairi looked back at Riku, now a little bit embarrassed at her outburst. Quickly, she nodded, then motioned for Riku to lead the way. “Alright, I understand. Let’s get going then.” Riku nodded in response, and went to open the door. Kairi followed, as they both passed through the passageway into Master Yen Sid’s chamber.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

After Kairi entered the room with Riku, she started off by exchanging a few pleasantries with the various people who taught her how to wield the Keyblade. While Riku was away discussing matters with Mickey, she seized the opportunity to thank Zangan, Merlin, as well as the fairies for all of their help, before turning her attention back at Yen Sid. And even though his expression was haggard and tried, he still sat prostrate as ever within his chair, with pride and dignity. Within his commanding presence, Kairi stood straighter than usual, as Riku finally took a place beside her.

 

With both his student and master in training present, Yen Sid decided it was time to begin. He cleared his throat, and started off by saying, “Firstly, I would like to commend you both for the conviction you have shown to the paths you each follow. Because of your commitment, I can rest easy, knowing that another corner of every world shall be safe beneath your watchful eyes.”

 

“To you, Kairi,” He motioned, “I hold both great pride, as well as relief, that you have not only weathered the storm, yet claimed its power for your own. From this day forward, I proclaim you to be a fully-fledged Keyblade Wielder, and let none dispute your capability to defend not only yourself but the things that matter most.” Kairi inwardly beamed with pride at the Master’s words, yet tried her best not to show it.

 

Yen Sid turned his attention towards Riku. “And to you, Master Riku, for your uncanny capability to conform to adversity as well as constraint. From what Mickey has told me, you have learned your ways in a most admirable measure of time. It is up to you from this point onwards, to master the power and knowledge you’ve been shown.” Riku nodded in response, yet Kairi still felt as she was left in the dark as to what exactly he and the Master were referring to.

 

“And now,” Yen Sid continued, “it has come time to conclude your stay here. I have nothing more to teach either of you; all that you can learn from here on out, you must learn yourself. However, there is one final thing that remains for you, young Kairi. One final…”

 

Suddenly, Yen Sid was interrupted by the sound of the entranceway to his chamber being forced open. Sora stumbled in, causing everyone within the room to turn their attention away from the master, and towards him.

 

“Man,” He started, scratching his head in a dumbfounded manner. “I swear this place gets more confusing every time I leave. I mean, I still don’t understand how you fit so many stairways inside a…” Sora stopped, and after glancing around curiously at everyone staring at him, finally took account of Kairi’s presence.

 

Yen Sid, upon taking notice of Sora’s entrance, smiled and looked ahead at the boy. “Ah, Sora!” He said, “Excellent timing.”

 

Sora’s expression, still fixated upon Kairi, turned from one of confusion to shock, as his jaw suddenly hit the floor. Despite his reaction, Kairi slowly began to grin at him, as it slowly started to register just exactly who barged in. “Kairi!?” Sora finally blurted out, all the while with Kairi responding in sort. “Sora!” She exclaimed as she bound forward, wrapping her arms around his waist in a crushing embrace. Riku let out a slight and awkward laugh at the display, still a bit surprised at Sora’s sudden entrance. Mickey chuckled, with the fairies beside him merely giggling in unison, as Zangan simply sighed audibly in exasperation.

 

Sora, still caught in Kairi’s embrace, tried his best to bend his neck down to look at her, his face still etched with confusion. Likewise, Kairi turned her gaze back up at him. “Kairi…” Sora stumbled, “What are you…?”

 

Finally, Yen Sid stood and intervened, then stated, “As I was saying before,” he continued, “Kairi, for your final test, you will be facing your fellow student in battle!” He proclaimed, motioning towards Sora. “We will gauge your progress based on how you compare to an experienced wielder of the Keyblade.”

 

Sora only grew more confused at Yen Sid’s words. He looked around, wide-eyed, at everyone still staring at him. Riku, the fairies, Merlin, Mickey, and people he didn’t even recognize, before ultimately breaking down. In desperation, he cried out one final time: “What is going on!!??”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

That's what I'd like to know.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Arcmin

[Kittenz 4,281]

The eternal wait

[Kittenz 4,281]

This story is really good, you should continue it. Of course, you don't have to and I won't mind or anything

But really, you have talent （＾＿＾）☆

[Grotesquery 603]

This story is really good, you should continue it. Of course, you don't have to and I won't mind or anything :)But really, you have talent （＾＿＾）☆

I'm flattered, really.Rest assured when I say that I have no intents of stopping this story now. Things in my life have just been a bit hectic lately, ever since college started up again. But regardless, I still hope to have the final part of chapter 6 finished by the end of January.

 

Thanks again for your support.

[Grotesquery 603]

                                                                                         ~Chapter 7: The Setting Sun~

 

 

Kairi’s eyes dotted across the vast expanse of the night sky, as she lay upon the soft field of grass that set out before Yen Sid’s tower. She turned her attention from star to star, an inquisitive look upon her face as she hummed in a pondering tone. Suddenly, she closed her eyes, and taking her hand, pointed up towards a random spot of the sky. “Okay.” She said, “And that one?”

 

Sora spoke up from beside her. “Umm, Agrabah, maybe?” He said, with a clear lack of surety to his words. Kairi giggled slightly at his response, yet continued on regardless. Incessantly, she once again moved her hand to point at another region of the sky. “Okay, how about that one? Have you been there before?”

 

Sora shook his head in exasperation. “Kairi, what makes you think I’ve been to every single world there is? And even if I have, how would I know them all so well that I could point them out just by looking at some random stars in the sky?” Kairi opened her eyes, sat up and turned towards Sora. “Well, how many worlds have you been to?” She asked.

 

Sora shrugged, still lying soundly upon the ground. “Uh, I don’t really know. Two dozen, maybe? Not sure if I can count some of those, though, considering I was technically dreaming when I visited them. I guess I would have to go out and see them for myself again now that they’ve awakened.” Kairi nodded, remembering the explanation Sora gave her about the sleeping worlds he and Riku traveled through for their exam.

 

Sora looked over at her, averting his gaze from the night sky. “Why are you so interested in the outer worlds, anyway?” Kairi turned away, and got a mischievous look on her face. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve been stuck on one while you two got to go out and see dozens more. I guess in your case, that child’s dream of yours to go see other worlds will kind of die out once you actually see them.”

 

Sora, in response, sat up himself, and added playfully, “Hey, don’t try to blame us! After we got Mickey’s letter, we both said we would have taken you if we could. You’re the one who told us you wanted to stay on the Islands.” At his words, Kairi felt a brief sting of sadness in her heart upon recollecting her reasons for staying. Yet she tried her hardest not to show it, and soon enough, the feeling passed.

 

Kairi smiled lightly at him. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe I am being a little unfair, I mean, I did get to see a lot of different worlds while you two were fighting the organization.” Sora nodded slightly in response. “Yeah, it’s just too bad that a lot of the time, some terrible things wound up happening whenever you went to another world.” Kairi giggled slightly at Sora’s words. “Oh, thanks! Now I really feel like I’m ready to start my career as an inter-galactic world saver.”

 

Sora chuckled nervously at Kairi’s words, on one hand a little bit embarrassed at his statement, but on the other visibly amused by Kairi’s innocent sentiments. Slowly, Sora stopped, and looked away. A nostalgic smile crept onto his face, as he muttered slightly: “I still can’t believe you’re actually here with us.”

 

At his words, Kairi arched an eyebrow, and with a sarcastic tone to her voice, replied, “Hey now, what exactly is THAT supposed to mean?” Sora turned his gaze towards her, a look of panic on his face as he raised his hands in a defensive sign. “Nothing, nothing!” He said swiftly. “It’s just… Well, I never really saw you as the kind of person who would willingly sign up for something like this. I mean… Something that can be pretty violent.”

 

Kairi’s expression softened at her friend’s words. A look of understanding came upon her expression, and she quietly responded, “Sora, I’m doing this for more reasons than you think. I’m not just here because I want to fight. Remember, I chose this for myself. That alone should speak volumes about why I really did.” Sora looked over at Kairi, and nodded in response. To be honest, he was a little surprised she was opening up to him like this. As her friend, he always felt like they could share anything with each-other. But lately, they had been a little distant. It was good to see that she still felt confident enough to confide in him, even with something like this.

 

“Yeah, I understand, Kairi.” He said to her in response. “I’m just worried about you, that’s all.” Kairi smiled at Sora’s words. “Thank you, but I just hope you understand that you might have to see me in a new way sometimes. When we’re fighting the heartless, and ultimately, Xehanort, there won’t be time for you to see me as powerless anymore.” Kairi giggled slightly at her own statement, and continued, “Wow, I just sounded unbearably over-confident, didn’t I?”

 

In turn, Sora laughed at Kairi’s behavior, and shook his head. “No, no, I get it. And you’re right. Just remember, no matter what happens, I’ll always be looking out for you. Because you’re my friend, and nothing’s ever going to change that.” Kairi nodded. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Sora.”

 

Sora smiled one last time at her, before finally standing up and taking the chance to look around. “Man, where’s Riku…? He said he would be back soon.” Kairi nodded in agreement, and rose to her feet as well. “You’re right. He said he was going into Twilight Town to get something, but I figured he would be back by now…”

 

Suddenly, the doors to Yen Sid’s tower were forced open with great vigor. Caught completely off-guard, Sora and Kairi turned towards the commotion with Panic-stricken faces. “Woah, woah!” Sora exclaimed, as Kairi stood, stunned before him. Slowly, Yen Sid emerged from his tower, his usual stoic and calm guise regained after exhausting himself in the mirror chamber. “The preparations are complete, young ones.” He said. “Your field of battle awaits you!”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Sora stood opposite of Kairi, stalwart and motionless upon what would soon become their battlefield. It was makeshift, nothing more than a large floating island near the one with Yen Sid’s tower, covered in grass, with sparse trees dotting the landscape. And even though its layout was simplistic, Yen Sid believed it was still more than adequate enough to serve as the backdrop for Kairi’s test.

 

The master stood between Sora and Kairi, while Mickey waited a little ways a way, settling as an observer. Zangan stood, leaning within the shade of a nearby tree, somewhat closer to the action then Mickey. Merlin and The fairies had declined the invitation to watch the fight, saying that they had enough faith in their charge to already know the outcome.

 

Sora glanced around at the rest of the field, wondering when the battle was set to start. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a brief flash of light, as Riku appeared upon the Island. He glanced around inquisitively, before saying, “Hey, what’d I miss?” In response, Sora yelled out, “Riku! Where have you been!?” Almost out of nowhere, Riku pulled a large pretzel up to his mouth, and began to eat it. “I decided to add some substance to this fight.”

 

Kairi looked at him, a little stunned. “With… A pretzel…?” Riku nodded in response. “I wasn’t going to get a watermelon, if that’s what you’re implying. Those things are way too pricey.” Sora shook his head in disbelief, as Kairi stood distant, still a little dumbfounded.

 

After everyone went silent, Yen Sid began to speak. “Today, you two have come together to meet in honorable combat. I will now explain the rules of your battle, and the limitations that will follow.”

 

Sora and Kairi perked up at his commanding voice, backs straighter than usual. “First, you must understand. This is not a battle to claim victory, yet merely to understand your strengths. As such, you are forbidden from willingly inflicting any serious harm upon one-other.” Sora and Kairi nodded, both a little surprised that Yen Sid felt it necessary to tell them not to hurt each-other, as each knew that the other would never do so purposefully. Yet Kairi understood a little better, after all, she was still learning how to use the Keyblade, and this was the first actual fight she would ever participate in. She knew that she would have to take extra care to not take things too far.

 

“Secondly!” Yen Sid continued. “I have no interest in making this a test of endurance. The battle will end only when one of you successfully knocks the Keyblade away from your opponent’s hands! In addition, the use of healing or recovery spells is strictly prohibited, as it runs the risk of letting this drag on far longer than need be. You may also not take in energy from your surroundings during the battle, for the same reason as before. You may store some of the energy around you now for future use, but that is all. What you have when you begin is what you must work with, if you must cast a spell, you must do so using the energy contained within yourselves, nothing more.”

 

“And finally, you must both hold nothing back! This fight must test your limits, and I am challenging you to reach them. Live every moment as if it was the last, and never surrender until the moment of truth is at hand! That is all.”

 

Sora and Kairi nodded, with Yen Sid giving the motion to prepare. Sora and Kairi readied their battle stances, and drew their Keyblades. Yen Sid slowly backed away, leaving their vicinity, and taking a moment to forge for himself a makeshift seat of wood and forestation. “You may begin when you are ready.” He said, as he went to rest.

 

Sora stood immobile, still a little hesitant to attack his friend. In his eyes, he still couldn’t help seeing her as the little girl he grew up with, and it would take something pretty big to break that-

 

Sora’s thought were suddenly interrupted by a flash of movement, right before his eyes. Kairi had shot forward from her position, and had come up from underneath Sora. She aimed a strike at Sora’s hand, hoping to be done with the battle as quickly as possible. And while Sora responded fast enough to block the first strike, it was already too late. Kairi followed up with a quick, brutal succession of blows that pushed Sora back, forcing him on the defensive.

 

Sora had been too slow in keeping up with her; she had turned the tempo of the battle in her favor. Now, all he could do to last was try and block her strikes as best he could. “She’s faster than I would have guessed…” Sora thought to himself. “I can’t afford to hold anything back… not now. It would be an insult to her… And everything she’s worked for!” Kairi drew a wide swing up at Sora, yelling her heart out in an energetic burst. Sora aimed the brunt of his Keyblade down, just barely managing to block the strike. The force of the hit threw the Keyblade, still in his hands, upward. Kairi, still caught in the arc of her swing, gave Sora the opportunity he needed to rebound.

 

Sora turned the Keyblade in his hand and, with a great yell, brought the shaft crashing into the ground before him, head first. Before Kairi could even react, Sora chanted the words: “Fira!” , bringing forth a wave of heat that set the surrounding grassland ablaze. Startled, Kairi backed away, while Sora withdrew his Keyblade from the earthy soil. The fire around him slowly started to recede, as the magic of Yen Sid’s world repaired the burnt ground at his feet.

 

Sora’s face took on a serious tone. “Don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Even If you’re going to win, you’re gonna have to work for it.” Resolving to hold nothing back any longer, Sora charged forward with a fierce yell, knowing he would have to go on the offensive.

 

But Kairi wasn’t prepared to go at it again. She had gambled a lot of energy on her first charge, and while she knew that Sora likely wasted quite a bit of his strength defending against it, she still understood that it was best for her to use her power in as cautious and deliberate of a manner as possible from then on out.

 

Kairi placed her Keyblade on the ground before her, and kneeling down, exclaimed, “Blizzaga!” Suddenly, Sora stopped in his tracks, as a massive sphere of Ice appeared before him. Knowing somehow that he had faced this kind of threat before, he instinctively backed off. However, Kairi would give him no release. “Blizzaga!” She chanted once more, as another large ball of ice appeared behind Sora.

 

Once again, Sora swiftly retreated from the large ice structure that appeared, but Kairi wouldn’t let up. She continuously chanted “Blizzaga, Blizzaga!” as more and more spheres of Ice began to materialize. Sora realized that soon, he would be in danger of being over-run. He faintly began to remember that striking these spheres would cause them to detonate, and with their vicinity right now, would be in danger of setting each-other off in a chain reaction.

 

Sora was surrounded; he had no way of safely detonating the ice without being damaged himself. If they all went off at once, he would be in serious trouble. As such, Sora resolved that now, there was only one way to safely get out of his predicament. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but I did say I wouldn’t hold anything back.” Sora looked around, and found himself a safe position, far away enough from the numerous mines that floated near him. Meanwhile, Kairi looked on in curiosity, having long since stopped her casting. “What’s he…?” She mumbled to herself.

 

Sora drew his Keyblade back, and slowly gathered a large ball of twisting light energy at the tip. With great force, he leapt up, and shouted: “Ragnarok!” The ball of light burst, as countless streams of light poured out, and struck the numerous blizzaga mines that littered the field. Each one burst into cold, frigid energy, yet they did so with Sora being a safe-distance away. Kairi watched on, stunned. She had put almost all of the energy she had left into the attack, she was at a loss.

 

Her attention wavered, and she failed to notice that a few streams of light had broken off from Sora’s Ragnarok, and were headed towards her. Riku tensed at the sight, and shouted out, “Kairi, snap out of it!”

 

Riku’s words were enough to get her attention, as Kairi perked up, and noticed the fast moving lines of light heading towards her. She moved to try and block them, but it was too late. The energy detonated in front of Kairi, kicking up dust and blinding her momentarily. She struggled to see clearly, and opened her eyes just in time to see Sora charging towards her. He rationed what little power he had left after Ragnarok, and rallied it for a last series of strikes on Kairi.

 

The roles had been completely reversed, Kairi was using the last of her strength to protect against Sora’s onslaught, and Sora was the one who had her on the defensive. Both were growing weaker by the moment, but Kairi’s strength was the first to let out. Sora brought one great swing down upon her with a vigorous yell, and while Kairi moved quickly enough to guard it, she lacked the power to back it up any longer.

 

The force of the strike hurled Kairi back, and forced her to the ground. And while she still held strong to her Keyblade, Sora was soon to relive her of it. He positioned himself above her, and brought his Keyblade high into the air for one last attack. Riku and Zangan’s eyes narrowed at the sight, and Mickey looked on in suspense. Kairi’s eyes darted back in forth. She was at the end of her line, she couldn’t keep up. She searched her mind desperately for something, anything she could do, and found nothing. The last burst of energy she had within herself took surface, and she surrendered her control to instinct. Her hand found its way to the ground, as a great pulse of energy radiated out into it, containing nothing more than Kairi’s desire to prove herself. At the sight that followed, Yen Sid stood up from his chair in shock.

 

Suddenly, Sora faltered. “What the…?” He muttered. He had been thrown off balance, but by what, he couldn’t be sure. He turned his attention back, and noticed a large root clinging to his ankle, pulling him back.

 

And that was all Kairi needed. With one final surge of strength, she shot forward, and in a victorious yell, struck the Keyblade from Sora’s hands. Sora turned his attention back, just in time to realize what had happened. He looked into his empty hands, with Kairi kneeling before him, exhausted.

 

Everyone stood, dumbfounded. Slowly, Yen Sid regained his composure, and yelled out, “The battle is decided! The winner, without any doubt, is Kairi!”

 

Sora was still a little surprised, even after Yen Sid announced his defeat. However, he quickly managed to pull himself together, and in response to Kairi’s victory, chuckled slightly. “That was crazy!” He exclaimed, before finally calling his misplaced Keyblade back into his hands.

 

He knelt down before the still exhausted Kairi, and offered to help her up. “You did great, Kairi. Way better than I would have ever imagined.” Kairi looked back at him, still out of breath, and slightly surprised for a moment. Quickly enough, though, her surprise faded, and she smiled back at him, and muttered, “Thanks, Sora.” She accepted his helping hand, as he finally pulled her up to her feet.

 

As Kairi looked up, she was struck with a familiar face, standing not too far away. Zangan stood prostrate before Kairi, as Sora watched on, a little confused. Slowly, Zangan bowed before her, pausing for a few moments to let the significance of the gesture sink in. Kairi looked at him, stunned, and muttering, “Master Zangan…” Slowly, Zangan stood tall once more. Then turned, and walked away. As if from nowhere he came, so as he also began to fade, the image of his back the only thing Kairi saw of him as a small rift opened ahead and he vanished into it.

 

Suddenly, off to the side, Sora and Kairi heard the sharp sound of solitary applause coming from a nearby source. They both turned their attention towards the noise, and saw Riku walking towards them, having just finished off his pretzel. “Well then, I see that I’m not the only one who’s been working, for once.” Kairi giggled slightly at his words, while Sora just huffed in disbelief. Riku stopped before Kairi, and offered her another light smile of approval. “In all seriousness though, congratulations, Kairi.” Kairi nodded at his words, and replied, “Thanks, Riku. Hearing that from both of you means a lot more than you’d think.”

 

Suddenly, A look of realization dawned upon Riku’s expression, as he said, “Hold on a second, I’ve got something for you guys. I’ll be right back!” Almost as quickly as he came, Riku turned and sprinted back towards the tree where Zangan once stood leaning against.

 

A small thought hit Kairi, as she turned her attention back towards Sora, and playfully added, “Who do you think would win one of your little races, now?” Sora chuckled, and in response, said, “Well, you were never really meant to be a contender for those things. If we were going to seriously go at it, though, we’d definitely need a bigger Island, if only just to pick up any speed.” Kairi laughed at his reply, as her attention started to wander.

 

Kairi slowly started to wonder why Riku and Zangan had been the only ones to come and greet them. She looked around for Mickey, and noticed that he was no longer where he stood a moment ago. She noticed him out of the corner of her eye, over near Master Yen Sid. Kairi couldn’t be sure from this far away, but it looked to her like the two were discussing something. Again, from this distance, Kairi couldn’t make out what it was, but it certainly left her curious, nonetheless.

 

Suddenly, Riku appeared before Sora and Kairi, holding a small white box. Sora looked at it in fascination. “You got us something?” Kairi walked closer to them both, and added, “You didn’t have to, Riku.” In response, Riku shook his head at them. “What do you mean? Of course I had to; this is a celebration, after all. To Kairi, for making it so far, and to Sora, for managing to get knocked off his high-horse once again.” Sora rolled his eyes at Riku’s words, and replied, “Yeah, I get it. Can we move on?” Riku, in turn, chuckled awkwardly. “Well, here’s the thing. You see, I wasn’t actually expecting you guys to take so long. So they might have… Melted, a little.” Riku opened the box, revealing three bars of wrapped ice cream. Sora eagerly grabbed one from the box, and held it close. “Woah! Thanks, Riku! I never thought I’d actually get to have one of these again, especially not one that Donald hadn’t hoarded for himself!” Kairi walked up to the box, and pulled out a bar for herself. “You got these from Twilight Town?” She asked.

 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, they’re called…” Riku began, before Kairi interrupted him with, “Sea-Salt Ice-Cream, right?” Riku nodded at her again, a little surprised. “Yeah, how did you know?” He asked. Kairi shrugged, and said, “The last time I was in Twilight Town, the group of kids I met up with mentioned it. The name reminded me of home, so I guess it just stuck.” Riku nodded at her in acknowledgment, and then proceeded to take the last bar for himself. “I’m just surprised this stuff really hasn’t melted yet.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Mickey looked up at Yen Sid, surprised, and yet confused at the same time. “Master…” He began, “Are you sure about this? Can’t ya say it was another kind of magic?” Yen Sid shook his head. “No, Mickey. I am certain, that girl, even if she was unaware of it, performed plant magic.”

 

Mickey’s eyes wandered, his expression troubled as he tried to work out the details. “Plant magic is infamous for requiring a whole lotta time and effort in order to master, which is why its use is so uncommon. Some could take 5 years at the least to learn the basics…” Yen Sid nodded at Mickey. “Indeed, only those whose hearts possess a natural affinity for the element can do so using base instinct… If Kairi was an ordinary student, then this situation would be far more simplistic.”

 

“But Kairi isn’t normal.” Mickey looked up at Yen Sid, and continued, “She’s a Princess of Heart. And that means, naturally, her heart must have an affinity for light.” Yen Sid looked off into the distance at his students. “No heart can have more than one elemental affinity, at least, none that I’ve seen…”

 

“Yen Sid?” Mickey piped up. The Master looked lost in thought, a strange expression finding its way onto his face, one that contained both unease, and slight relief. “She couldn’t have done it…” He muttered to himself. Mickey looked up at Yen Sid once more, and said, “Master, do you have some guess as to why this happened?”

 

Yen Sid shook his head once more. “I have nothing more than a theory, one that I would rather not burden anyone else with at the moment.” Yen Sid looked down at Mickey, and said, “Mickey, I will have to ask that you keep what was said here between us, and us alone.” Mickey nodded at him, and replied, “Of course, Master.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Sora, Riku, and Kairi sat at the edge of their floating Island, dangling their legs over the vast expanse of twisting color below them. In their hands, they each held a bar of Sea-Salt Ice-Cream. As Sora and Riku looked out over the seemingly endless void that they sat before, Kairi couldn’t help looking down.

 

“Uhm…” She began, garnering the attention of her friends. “Are you sure this is safe?” Riku shook his head. “Don’t worry, even if you fall, Yen Sid could probably teleport you back up here. This IS his world, after all.” Kairi nodded slightly, but still couldn’t shake a small feeling of unease. Instead of focusing on that minor stint of fear, however, she decided to distract herself by making small-talk with her friends.

 

“So… Riku.” She said. “Back there, you said you didn’t expect me and Sora to finish so quickly. What did you mean?” Riku looked over at her, and replied, “I meant that, at first, I thought it was going to be a completely one-sided battle. I assumed that either Sora would have gone too easy on you, or you would have held back against him. That’s why I figured I might as well go get something to help whoever lost swallow down their pride.” Sora spoke up from besides Kairi. “Hey!” He exclaimed.

 

Kairi turned back towards Sora, a look of surprise on her face. “Sora, are you saying that you weren’t holding back?” Sora looked her in the eyes, and took note of the sincerity in her voice. “N-no, I wasn’t. I mean, maybe a little bit in the beginning, but after that, I was definitely taking everything seriously.” Kairi looked away briefly, her expression showing that she was lost in thought.

 

They stayed like that for what seemed like ages. They sat in silence, merely gazing out in the abyss, left alone with nothing but their own thoughts. Finally, Sora broke the quiet. “How long has it been since we were all together like this? I mean, really?” He asked, looking at no one in particular. Kairi turned her head to look at him. “What do you mean?” She returned.

 

Sora shook his head. “I don’t know, it just feels like forever since we’ve had the chance to talk like this. I know we got together once right before Riku and I left the Islands for the second time… But remember? When we were kids, we used to see every sunset as some kind of celebration. We would meet up at the Paupu tree, and watch it set. Sometimes we didn’t even say anything. It was just the fact that we were all there together that made us do it all the time.” Sora looked over to his left, at both of his friends. Kairi had a slightly worried expression on her face that belied her surprise at Sora’s words. Riku, on the other hand, was still staring out into distance, his mind occupied with what, no one could be sure of.

 

Kairi looked away, took a bite from her now melting ice-cream, and then answered Sora with, “Where’s this coming from, all of a sudden? You never brought it up while we were on the Islands.” Sora chuckled nervously, and scratched his head. “I don’t really know, the thought just popped into my head all of a sudden. I guess being here… Eating Ice-Cream with my two best friends, sort of got me thinking about the past.” Kairi smiled lightly, as Riku finally turned his attention back towards Sora.

 

“Don’t worry.” Kairi turned and said to him. “We’ll be together every-day, right? Even if we can’t see each-other, we’ll never forget who matter most.” Kairi looked down, a new, nostalgic smile coming to her face. “Even if things change, we’ll always have each-other in our hearts. We have the memories of the people who we loved before, the people who were our friends. And so long as we hold on to those memories, what we really mean to each-other will never truly be forgotten.”

 

Riku looked over at Kairi, a little stunned. “… You’ve been thinking a lot about this, haven’t you?” She looked back up at him, a sweet smile still etched upon her face. “It’s thanks to you two. Remember back when you sealed Kingdom Hearts for the first time, and I returned to the Islands? Well, having you both gone for so long… I had a lot of time to think about what really mattered to me.”

 

Sora smiled at her. “Yeah, you’re right.” He said. “No matter what Xehanort throws at us, he’ll never be able to break away what we are right now. And right now, all that matters to me is that I’m here… Sharing this moment with my best friends.” Sora looked back towards the colorful expanse that stretched before him, and quietly finished with, “Thanks, Kairi.”

 

Kairi smiled one last time at him, before looking back at Riku. He smiled at her in sort, and nodded his head in acknowledgment and agreement of what both she and Sora had said. Slowly, they all returned to where they were before, silently gazing out into the world, trying to finish their ice-cream before it hit the melting point. Kairi retreated one again into her own thoughts, haphazardly working away at the ice-cream in her hands.

 

Things went on like this for a while. Minutes passed in what seemed like seconds, and before any of them knew, they had all finished their ice-cream, and were now bound to the moment through nothing but one-another. Suddenly, Riku finally decided to break the deafening silence. He brought to light a question that had been bothering him for a while, yet only just now managed to enter his mind once more.

 

“Hey, Sora.” He spoke up, “I forgot to ask you, where did you run off to before Kairi showed up?” Suddenly, Sora’s expression took on a look of sheer horror. He shot up from his place at the edge of the Island, and with his hands on his temples in a look of shock, he exclaimed, “ACK!” Kairi was jolted from her thoughts at the rude awakening, and jumped slightly in surprise. With a panicked look on her face, she struggled to maintain her hold on the ledge of the Island, as Riku looked on at them both, dumbfounded. “Was it something I said?” He asked, stunned.

 

Once more, Sora cried out, “I can’t believe I forgot about him!”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

ROLIN AROND AT DA SPED A SOND GOT PLACES 2 GO GOTA FOLOW MA RAINBOWS

 

Wow. WOW. What even is this? Could Arcmin truly have updated in a timely manner for once?

 

The disputable answer for now is yes. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed those of you hardcore fans out there who were looking forward to the suspenseful 4 month wait, but I regrettably cannot control the hazardous ebb and flow of the creative river. I can, however, swim in it.

 

I invite you to do the same.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Arcmin