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She dreams of so many things.
She dreams of an island surrounded by the sea
She dreams of a star-shaped fruit.
She dreams of Blue skies with clouds and an endless ocean.
She dreams of a clock tower. A beautiful sunset and blue ice cream.
She dreams of a beautiful light-filled land of flowers.
She dreams of a white prison.
She has so many dreams.
Kairi doesn’t know why she has these dreams, but she wants to know what they mean.
Dreams mean something. Not all of them do but…she just knows that whatever these dreams are, they’re important to her.
But at the same time, she doesn’t want to look into it.
Why would she?
After all-
She has a good life as far as she’s concerned. Granted, it would be better without the amnesia she was suffering from.
Still, her life with her sister Strelitzia was good, and she didn’t want to ruin it.
Besides, Kairi was already weird enough as it is. She didn’t need to add any more weirdness into her and her sister's life. It would only cause trouble and she didn’t want to do that to her sister.
…
Still
Kairi can’t help but feel like she’s missing something, something very important.
Whatever, it’s not like it’s something to worry about.
…right?
0Oo
Strelitzia remembers when she found Kairi. She remembers it well.
It was raining in Quadratum and she had been returning to her apartment when she heard a cat meowing in an alleyway.
She had paused and she was almost about to leave when she heard a moan of pain.
That was all it took for Strelitzia to go into the alleyway, despite the fact that this could very well be something bad.
But it wasn’t.
It was good, but it was also concerning.
Leaning on a wall was a girl, she looked to be around Strelitzia’s age or maybe she was older than her. She wore a dress that was covered in dirt and it was torn in places -It also looked slightly burned-. Her Auburn hair almost looked red and was covered in pink.
Strelizia couldn’t help but notice just how similar the girl looked to Master Ava.
But then she noticed the blood and panic took over.
Being as gentle as she could, she lifted the girl up and made her lean on her. And she was secretly glad that it was raining as there weren’t many people around to witness and accuse her of anything
They walked under her umbrella, Strelitzia practically dragging the occasions girl. The cat followed them and Strelitzia didn’t have it in her to make it go away so she allowed it to follow them.
They reached the apartment- and the rest, as they say, was history.
She had done her best to bandage Kairi’s back wound as best she could, but she had managed to do a rather decent job if she said so herself. The cat, now named Chirithy, stayed with them, and Strelitzia wasn’t sure how this happened but she wasn’t going to complain about it
It still hurt every time she called its name out. Why did she name it Chirithy of all things?
Kairi did eventually wake up.
She wasn’t okay.
Kairi was in a comatose state and it was clear that she couldn’t remember anything that happened to her before she appeared in that alleyway.
Strelitzia wasn’t blind, she knew that Kairi wasn’t from Quadratum.
But that still didn’t explain why she was like that .
Still, Strelitzia wasn’t going to just abandon her like that. So she did her best and took care of her and eventually, Kairi seemed to get better all on her own.
Her once dull eyes were a bright blue.
She talked more than she did before. There was no more silence between the two of them
And the light Strelitzia felt from her was absolutely radiating and blinding.
Over time Strelitzia grew to see Kairi as family, a sister.
She had always wanted a sister
She’s sure Lauriam would have loved her
As it turns out Kairi is older than her, by a whole year, but despite being older than her their dynamic is swapped. Strelitzia is the older sibling while Kairi is younger. Neither really cares about who’s older or younger, they’re sisters and that’s all that really matters,
As time passes Strelitzia finds out that Kairi is a keyblade wielder, just like she used to be. But just like Strelitzia, she doesn’t see the need to summon it anymore.
That didn’t stop the panic both she and Kairi had whenever she used magic without her keyblade.
Luckily enough she manages to calm her sister down and explain it to her.
And no , Strelitzia didn’t lie to her.
She told her the truth: That she was a Keyblade Wielder just like her that somehow ended up in Quadratum.
It isn’t a lie.
That’s the only truth that Strelitzia can give her. She has no idea how Kairi ended up here, but she does have a hunch about it
But there was no way Kairi had died as well...right?
Kairi didn’t ask any more questions, well she did but they weren’t anything big. Just normal questions
What does the Keyblade do?
What was their purpose?
Was it safe?
Ect.
After that, it was all normal.
…until it wasn’t.
Kairi began to dream, but they weren’t normal dreams. From what Strelitzia could deduce they were most likely her forgotten memories in dream form.
Some weren’t bad. Kairi would wake up and tell her about them and Strelitzia would nod with a smile on her face.
But the others… were bad.
Kairi would wake up screaming and Strelitzia would always burst into her sister's room. When Kairi had those dreams she didn’t want to be alone, so Strelitzia would stay with her the entire night. Chirithy would of course jump into bed with them, he was so spoiled, and so the three of them would sleep until the morning sun woke them up.
The dreams worried her.
She didn’t want Kairi to be in danger. She, from firsthand experience, knows how dangerous the role of a keyblade wielder can be.
Especially if you have a purpose out in the worlds.
Strelitzia knows she’s fulfilled part of her purpose. She knows that there is a reason she didn’t die and ended up here in Quadratum. She just doesn’t know what.
And frankly? She doesn’t care
And Strelitzia doesn’t want that to cause her sister any more pain. And even though neither knows what happened to her, it’s obvious that it’s only caused her nothing but suffering.
Strelitzia doesn’t want Kairi to suffer anymore.
She’ll keep her safe.
…she has to.
Or maybe she’s just trying to stop Kairi from leaving her all alone.
“I dreamt of someone”
Strelitzia glanced at her and hummed “Really?”
This was new…
“Yeah! Um, let’s see..” Kairi tapped her chin and then snapped her fingers “It was a blond girl! She wore a white dress”
Strelitzia smiled softly “Did it make you remember anything?”
Kairi sags “No.”
She leaned forward and patted her shoulder “It’s okay, you’ll remember one day”
She hopes she does at least.
“You know what I think you should do?” Strelitzia began and it works as she sees she caught Kairi’s attention. Doing her best to hide her smile she says: “I think you should draw your dreams”
“Draw them?” Kairi tilted her head
“Yeah. It could help you remember”
And that was how it Kairi’s room walls began to be covered by drawings. Some drawings were of creatures Strelitzia had never seen, but she had a good idea of what they could be
She would never forget what Heartless looked like.
And then some were of people and places Strelitzia had, once again, never seen or met before in her entire life.
But it doesn’t take long before Strelitzia realizes just what Kairi is drawing.
Her sister was drawing worlds and the residents of said worlds.
It was a shock to Strelitzia, but she also understood why Kairi was remembering those things in her dreams.
The things and people you meet and experience as a Keyblade Wielder aren’t exactly easy to forget.
But then there were the bad drawings.
A man with white hair.
A cage.
A keyblade that Streltizia had never seen in her entire life.
A white room void of all life that could be used as a prison.
A destroyed garden.
And then, the Keyblade Graveyard.
Strelitzia didn’t know what her sister had gone through, but the drawings were enough to tell her that whatever she had experienced was not good.
“You think I had a family before this?”
Strelitzia hummed “Maybe” a pause “I had a brother before I arrived here”
“Really?” she asked
She nodded
“So does that mean he’s my brother too?” she asked
Strelitzia chuckled “Of course. It’s not like he could get rid of you, and even if he tried I would never allow it to happen”
Kairi laughed softly and the two turned to stare up at the moon, Chirithy jumping up and curling up beside them.
Kairi sighed “I want to remember”
Strelitzia glanced at her and hummed “I’m sure you will”
Kairi smiled “Yeah! And then the two of us will be able to go back home!”
She blinked and she relaxed. “Yeah, home”
Will it really be home if everyone she knew was gone and already left her behind?
“What do you think it’ll be like?” Kairi asked her with a grin on her face
Strelitzia stared at her and smiled softly at her as she responded with:
“I’m sure it’ll be amazing”
Kairi beamed at that
And even if what Strelitzia said was a bit of a lie, it was worth it to see her sister smile like that.
0Oo
“Let me keep you safe”
“I told you, Sora. You’re safe with me”
Kairi gasped and sat up, touching her head as she felt the worst headache of her life hit her like a train at full speed.
She felt tears run down her face and jumped, she stared at her hands and frowned.
Why was she crying?
Why was she sad?
What had she just remembered?
Kairi sighed and shifted as she sat on her bed. Running a hand through her hair, which was long and messy, she couldn’t help but look at all the drawings surrounding her room.
She smiled softly and stood up. She walked to a drawing and stared at it. It was of her surrounded by many people that she couldn’t remember.
She placed a hand on it and smiled softly “Hey guys”
Kairi doesn’t remember them, but she knows she’s at least connected to them in one way or another. Still, it makes her curious of the duck and dog as well as the mouse. What kind of life had she lived before this?
“What beautiful drawings”
She jumped and turned around, a black-cloaked person stood there as he stared at the drawing of a brown spiky-haired boy. He hummed and tapped his cheek as he said with a bit of a joyful tone “But I think it could be bluer! Especially his eyes if I do say so myself”
She frowned “Who are you?”
He jumped and pointed at himself “Me?” he waved his hand “Oh I’m no one important. What about you? What’s your name?”
Kairi frowned and stared at him, she paused and finally said: “I’m Kairi”
“Just Kairi?”
She raised an eyebrow “Just Kairi. And who are you?”
He chuckled “As I said, I’m no one important. Now that girl you call sister? She’s someone very important”
Kairi felt her patience snap “Listen here. You can’t just burst into our apartment and say things like that. So get out before I do something I’ll end up regretting”
He sighed “Kids these days. Can’t take a joke”
She frowned “Then come up with better jokes old man”
He jumped back as if shocked “Old man?” he hummed “That’s a new one”. He stood straight and for a moment Kairi felt fear strike her, and she had no idea why she was afraid now. “You know, normally people would demand things from me. But you aren’t. Why?”
She blinked and then shrugged “Would you even give me the answers?”
He stared at her and laughed “Oh. You really are an interesting one. But you’re right, I wouldn’t give you the answer not directly at least. That’s too boring” he sighed and raised his hands in defense “But I’m not here to hurt you, on the contrary. I’m here to help you!”
“How”
He extended his hand “All you need to do is grab my hand”
She stared at his hand and after taking in a deep breath, she grabbed his hand.
The two then disappeared.
Kairi gasped as the two appeared on top of a rooftop. She yelped and looked at the man “Why did you-”
“Dreams are interesting, aren’t they?”
She stopped “What?”
“Dreams.” he tapped his head and sighed “The window to a person's mind and soul. Truly intriguing things, don’t you think”
“Where are you going with this?”
“Your dreams” he pointed at her
She jumped back and blinked “What?”
He seemed to be smiling but she couldn’t really tell with the hood covering his entire face “Your memories that you’re trying to ignore and forget about”
…
“What?”
He chuckled “See Kairi, you do remember who you are, you do remember what happened to you before you got here. You just refuse to accept it. You want to leave it behind”
He then spread his arms “And I don’t blame you! The life and path you were dragged into weren’t pretty. Getting left behind, then getting dragged into a war, and then getting killed in that war? I can’t blame you for wanting to forget”
Kairi glares at him “I do want to remember”
He snorts “No you don’t”
She stares at him and he looks at her and said: “Because if you wanted to remember you would already remember it. But you don’t. Which proves my point”
Kairi shook her head “I want to remember, I really do!”
“Then why don’t you remember?” he shot back at her
She tensed up and shook her head “I want to remember”
“Do you really?”
…
“Why are you doing this?”
He chuckled “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing this for you, you weren’t even supposed to be the one here. But things have changed and I have to work with what I have. Which are you and Strelitzia”
She tensed
“The story isn’t over yet, Kairi. It’s simply changed the main character” he said with a serious voice, he walked and looked at the sky, making a heart with his hands as he said “And I am itching to see what the both of you have to offer”
Kairi frowned “What does Strelitzia have to do with this?”
He chuckled “Oh, Kairi. Both of you belong to the same reality, the same world. This isn’t your world and you’re going to have to go back eventually” a pause “Do you know how old Streltizia is?”
She tilted her head “Sixteen?”
“Physically. But mentally? She’s over two hundred years old”
Her eyes widened
“That’s how long she’s been here Kairi. That’s how long you could be here for” He said as he looked down at her “So I’ll leave you with this”
“Will you remain trapped here for years? Without aging and letting the world move on without you?” he extended on hand to the left “Or will you stop being afraid and take control of Destiny?” he extended his right hand.
She stared at him before he sighed and dropped both hands
“I suppose I’ll leave that up to you.”
He snapped his fingers and suddenly she was back in her room. She stood there for a long time.
She didn’t know what to do now.
“Kairi?”
She jumped and looked at her sister, she stared at her and asked “Why didn’t you tell me how long you’ve been here?”
She saw her sister tense and for a moment she thinks Strelitzia will lie to her but instead she deflates and says “I didn’t want to”
“Why?”
She shrugged “It wasn’t important”
She walked and sat beside her “Did something happen?”
Kairi glanced at her and then back at her hands “I met someone. He…He didn’t tell me his name but he told me some things that I just don’t want to believe are true”
Strelitzia stared at her and hummed “I think I know who you’re talking about”
“You do?” she stared at her with wide eyes “Who is he?”
She shrugged “I don’t know but he’s been here as long as I’ve been. Maybe even longer” she sighed “He’s a character, isn’t he?”
Kairi chuckled “Yeah. He is”
Strelitzia stared at her and said, “What’s wrong?”
“He told me I didn’t want to remember. That if I really wanted to remember I would by now. But that can’t be true, I want to remember, I really do!”
Her sister stared at her and asked “Do you really?”
“Huh?”
“I do not doubt you Kairi. But everything you’ve been drawing, are your memories. People that you've met, worlds you’ve been to. They’re your memories through and through”
Kairi stared at her
“You just have to reach out and grasp them”
“But what if It all goes downhill? What if it all gets destroyed? Our lives, everything that we have now” Kairi sounded desperate
Strelitzia stared at her and thought of her brother, who was devastated by her death. Thought of Ventus who had been manipulated to kill her. Thought of Master Ava who had guided her to this fate. Thought of the foretellers.
She was afraid.
She was afraid of losing Kairi, who was her sister.
She was afraid of dying for real this time just because of some dreams Kairi had been having.
She’s afraid. But deep down she always knew it was going to come to this. She needed to be a Keyblade Wielder, a soldier, and fight to protect the light and worlds.
“I’m scared. You’re scared. But as long as the two of us are together, as long as we know what we’re fighting for. We’ll be fine.”
Kairi stared at her “Together?”
“Together” Strelitzia nodded and grasped her hands
Kairi nodded and took a deep breath.
It was time to remember.
Kairi felt the wind pass through her hair, staring up at the moon and with her hands made a heart shape. She stared and stared until she dropped her hands and sighed.
“You ready?”
She turns around and faces Strelitzia, who holds her own keyblade in hand. She walks and stands beside her as she stared at the moon as well.
Kairi smiled and nodded “Yeah”
She was ready, she was going home to her friends, to everyone that was waiting for them.
The two of them were afraid, they know that there was a big chance they won’t be able to make it home. But they have to try.
If not for themselves, then for everyone they had left behind
Kairi flicks her wrist and her keyblade appears, the two stare ahead as Heartless began appearing in the world.
“Ready?” Kairi grinned
Strelitzia smirked “Hope you can keep up with me”
Kairi snorted and the two raised forward “Let’s go! We have to go home!”
“Right!”
Behind them a cloaked figure watched and chuckled under his breath, turning around and walking away.
This certainly wasn’t part of his plan but there was no need to complain. After all, this would be so much more interesting
He looked over his shoulder and smiled
“May your heart be your guiding key”
And so, the story continues.