Chapter Text
Naminé sat on the palm tree looking out over the ocean. The sun was beginning to set and it turned the blue ocean and sky into a blaze of orange, red, and pink. It was beautiful but…still. She felt herself fall into despair as she watched the slowly sinking sun. The island was certainly better than the white walls of Castle Oblivion that never ended—trapped with no one but those who wished to use and abuse her. But…
“What was the point of leaving if I was just going to be alone again?” Namine asked herself as she bit her bottom lip—holding back tears. She didn’t want to be alone anymore. She had met so many people and made so many friends. And yet, she was still alone—left on the island as she was one of the few who could not wield a keyblade.
Isa couldn’t wield one, and neither could the twilight town gang but they all had each other when Axel, Xion, and Roxas began searching for Sora. Riku and King Mickey were also searching. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus were exploring the world of darkness. Ansem and his apprentices were searching Kairi’s heart for any clue as to where Sora might be—they had been for almost a year. She thought maybe, she could be helpful there. After all, she had power over the memories of those connected to Sora’s heart—surely that meant she could trace the connection.
“Thank you but…” Ienzo started as he looked up from his research data with sorrowful eyes. “We never learned the full extent of your powers. It’s possible that…” He didn’t have to finish the sentence she was more than aware of what he would say next.
“We don’t want to risk you accidentally erasing Kairi’s connection to Sora.”
It made her want to scream, cry, and curse simultaneously. She knew she was naïve to think anyone else besides Sora, Riku, and Kairi would trust her. They, especially those who had been stationed in the castle with her, knew better than to trust someone like her. Someone who had easily been persuaded to erase and rewrite Sora’s memories. All just so she could get a taste of freedom, and the chance to live even if it was at the cost of someone else’s heart.
But she threw it away the second she actually met Sora. The second she realized how genuinely kind he was—how he could forgive even someone like her who didn’t even have a heart until recently. Even at the cost of herself, she was willing to make things right. And then they brought her back. They didn’t have to. They could have focused all their energy on Roxas. But they still chose to bring her back. Why? So, she could be left behind again—all alone.
It may be a different cage but a cage was still a cage.
Naminé felt herself wringing her fingers before finally she huffed and stood up. She didn’t sit still like this even when her existence was on the line. She was done waiting around. If she had to, she would force them to accept her help at the lab or at the very least let her help take care of Kairi’s body. She would go mad if she stayed alone on that island for one more minute—one more second even.
She reached for her gummi phone, the one saving grace she was given before Riku and Kairi left the island, and began to dial up Ienzo. Maybe someone could be pried away from their research long enough to pick her up on a gummi ship and bring her to Radiant Garden. If not, she would damned well make someone available—even if that meant suffering through Axel’s horrifying flying.
The phone buzzed once, twice, and a third time. It didn’t take too long for her call to be answered. She could see Ansem on the other line, not Ienzo as she had expected. Somehow, she found that better. She had long since forgiven him for his mistreatment of her and Roxas but the man still felt like he owed them so much. The chances of him saying no to her were slim to none.
“Naminé,” he stated—clearly surprised to be receiving a call from her. “What is it you need my child?”
“I was wondering if someone would mind bringing me to Radiant Garden?” Naminé did her best to be as unassuming and polite as possible. She didn’t want to tip them off to her intent before she even got there.
“Now wouldn’t really be a good time, perhaps next week or…” he trailed off as there was a noise behind him. It was too gargled for Namine to make it out but it pulled Ansem’s attention away. What was going on over there? She really wanted to know; she didn’t want to be left out of anything. Especially if it pertained to Sora.
“We’re finally beginning to make some progress here,” Ienzo cut in before Ansem could answer any further. He was holding a box in his hand and appeared just over the scholar king’s shoulder. “We don’t have time to entertain you right now Naminé, I’m sorry.”
“Maybe I could–” she tried to say before she was cut off.
“No Naminé, we’ve been over this,” Ansem said in a stern voice before she could even continue her suggestion. “Right now, Kairi is in a very fragile state. We can’t risk trying anything new. I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to be patient for a little while longer. I’m sure Riku or those in Twilight Town will visit soon.”
“... okay,” Naminé finally answered even as she felt her new heart break a little. She was beginning to understand Xaldin’s aversion to it. It truly was a heavy burden to have one–yet strangely she cherished the pain. It was proof she was real. That she was someone. But still… it hurt.
“You’re a brave girl,” Ansem said softly then. “We’ll hopefully have some good news soon.”
“Alright, good luck,” Naminé signed off in defeat before the screen went black. Her small hands clung in a vice grip around the device before she finally let it fall to her side. She doesn’t know what she thought would happen. What she thought she could accomplish. Everyone made up their mind already long before she had even been placed in a replica.
She turns and begins making her rounds around Destiny Island. She knew all the paths, all the secrets having burned themselves in her memory between Kairi and Sora. It hadn’t taken her long to find her way to the cave. The blonde let her fingers trail over the cave drawing Sora and Kairi had completed together of their Popu Fruit exchange–a ghost of a smile on her lips as she looked at it.
Still, even as she replays the fond memories of others she can’t seem to shake the hurt and loneliness she feels. It was just more the same. No matter what she did, how much she atoned, she would be left behind again and again. It was that simple.
“Ah… my dear beloved, my noble and beautiful flower of evil, you are the fairest in the land.”
“Who’s there?” Naminé asked as she whipped her head around. She half expected to see Xehanort or some other cloaked figure. But there was no one else there. She was still completely alone.
“Magic mirror on the wall, who is the most…”
The voice trailed off and Namine heard a creaking sound. Her head turned and she gasped and staggered back as she saw the dark portal open–much like the dark gates the members of the Organization would take. She half expected a leather-cloaked figure to step out, but there was nothing. Just the darkness.
“O thee, guided by the Dark Mirror, follow thy heart’s desire.”
Her heart’s desire? She knew it was a horrible choice but still she found herself walking to the mirror and seeing the inky black reflection of herself in the portal–like staring into the abyss of darkness. Did this lead to the world or darkness? Another door to darkness?
“Take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror. Flames that incinerate even the stars, Ice that imprisons even time, the great tree that engulfs even the skies. Fear not the power of darkness, now–demonstrate thy powers.”
An inky hand lurches out and grabs at her wrist. She screams and does her best to pull away, but the grip is firm and it holds her tightly–pulling her into the portal until she’s falling. Nothing but black surrounded her as far as her eyes could see–shards of a mirror were her only companions as she fell and screamed at the top of her lungs.
“For me. For them. For you… We are all running out of time. No matter what, never let go of that hand.”
Her eyes slid shut–a firm and heavy feeling in her hand as she fell down and down and down.
Down into the darkness, and somewhere even beyond.