Chapter Text
“Guys, let’s go home!”
Kairi waved to her best friends, the chill of the dark corridor beckoning from behind her. She barely noticed it, because Sora and Riku were alive, smiling at each other like they did before it all went wrong. A little cold was nothing compared to the warmth she felt at being with them again.
This is real…
But the moment was interrupted by the ground shaking violently under their feet, and the shadowy door starting to close in response. The castle was crumbling — a final act of cruelty from Xemnas, or whatever was left of him.
“Sora… Riku!” Kairi cried out, reaching for them. Something was holding her in place, preventing her from running to them. It was the darkness of the corridor, wrapping itself around her shins in long, cold tendrils that made her skin feel numb. Naminé…?
Once Sora managed to regain his balance, he grabbed Riku by the arm and made a run for the portal. He reached it in time to take Kairi’s outstretched hand — then the ground shook again. The tower they were on was about to tip over, and Sora and Riku were slipping towards the edge, away from the portal. Reflexively, Kairi’s other hand shot out to wrap around Sora’s wrist. She held on tight, pulling as hard as she could to get them into the corridor. The darkness kept her steady and gave her extra leverage, and for a moment it seemed like it was working—
Then the tower buckled. Sora slipped out of her grasp with a panicked shout. “Kairi!”
For a long, painful moment, Kairi thought she was about to lose her best friends permanently. Thankfully, Riku managed to slow their fall in time, his arm wrapping around Sora as he braced them on the edge. Then when he looked down, he seemed to notice something far below. He met Kairi’s gaze, giving her a determined nod before he leapt off of the tower with the other boy in tow. Sora yelped, and Kairi’s heart dropped into her stomach — but they were only gone for a moment, as Riku had found a glider to land on. One of the Organization’s inventions, probably…
The last thing Kairi saw as the darkness closed in was Sora, looking back at her with a sad expression as Riku steered the glider away from the collapsing castle.
They were safe, but…
She wasn’t with them.
Static flooded her ears as the shadows took her. Her whole body went numb. She tried to scream, to call out for her friends one last time, but nothing came out.
The next thing she knew, she was stumbling out of the other end of the corridor, trying to regain her balance on the sandy shore of the play island.
Kairi stood there for a moment, still shaking from the adrenaline rush. The sun was setting, and all she could do was stare into it, trying to process what had just happened. She stared until there were spots in her vision.
Then exhaustion took hold, and her knees hit the ground. She didn’t care about the sand getting in her hair as she leaned forward and curled into herself. The warm evening light chased away the chill clinging to her body, though at that point she was shivering for an entirely different reason.
It wasn’t long before the tears came, a sob wrenching itself from her throat. She buried her fingers in the sand. It provided no comfort.
Why am I here without them again?
The thought played over and over again in her head.
She cried until her throat felt raw. The tears had already begun to dry at that point, but she didn’t have the energy to move from her position for a while.
Eventually, her legs started to feel tingly. It was probably time to move.
Slowly, Kairi sat up, brushing her hair out of her face. She didn’t stand yet, but she untucked her legs from under her and raised her knees to her chest. Her chin rested on her forearm, right hand dropping to her side and digging into the sand. This time, it actually helped her calm down, though the ache in her heart hadn’t faded yet.
She listened to the waves lapping at the shore. It was late enough in the day that she couldn’t hear any seagulls, but she could hear leaves rustling in the breeze, and the waterfall behind her.
It was all so familiar. But it didn’t feel like home. Not like this.
In that moment, Kairi finally understood why Riku wanted to leave so badly.
What am I supposed to do now?
Suddenly, her fidgeting fingers struck something solid. She turned her attention to the object she’d dug up. It was a thalassa shell. Her heart clenched at the sight.
In the past, Kairi was always crafting things from whatever she could find on the play island. Thanks to her foster parent and their partner — Raine and Eda — she learned how to make all sorts of little trinkets, both for herself and as gifts for her friends. The last thing she made was a wayfinder for Sora, a charm that came from an old islander tradition Eda had taught her about. But she hadn’t picked up the hobby again, not even when she got home. Raine asked her about it every now and then.
Kairi never gave a real answer. It wasn’t because she didn’t have one; she just wasn’t ready to unpack all of the feelings that came with it yet.
It didn’t help that she couldn’t remember Sora at the time.
She raised the seashell to eye level, letting the light of the sun shine through it. The shell was a unique color that she rarely saw; a light-colored mix of blue and green, like seafoam. Like every other thalassa shell, its color faded into pale yellow at the ends. It reminded her of something she’d long forgotten.
The day after Riku came up with the plan to leave the islands, Kairi secretly started collecting shells for her own project. By the time the three of them got around to building the raft, she had fourteen shells in three different colors — almost enough to make three wayfinder charms.
If Kairi had found this sea-green shell back then, she would’ve been able to finish her project…
But that was only what she wanted to think. She knew better.
I told Sora that I wanted the three of us to always be together. The charms were supposed to help us find each other, no matter what came our way…
Her eyes burned, angry tears pouring down her face until she couldn’t see the shell clearly anymore.
But I lied to Sora. I never made the other two, because I let my stupid, childish feelings get in the way of our friendship. And so did Riku.
Kairi clutched the shell to her chest. She really wanted to throw it into the ocean, but a part of her fought back that impulse. After all, this anger was exactly why she didn’t finish collecting the shells.
Why am I still holding on to this hurt? It wasn’t the first time she’d wondered that. When I already know…
Even after a year with most of her memories missing, the month before the storm was still fresh in her mind, though she wished it wasn’t. Sora didn’t know it, but he’d been presented with a choice leading up to that day: her, or Riku.
She knew it was unfair. They both did. But at that point, she and Riku were barely friends anymore. He’d made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. It was obviously an act, but Riku didn’t drop it — not even when Kairi told him he was being stupid, because it wasn’t like Sora would actually choose between his two closest friends.
Or so she’d thought.
On the same day they started working on the raft, the three of them sat together on the paopu tree to watch the sunset, just as they always had. But… that was the last time they ever did it.
She would regret it forever, but after that day, Kairi didn’t want to be anywhere near the paopu tree. Back then, it was only a bitter reminder of what happened when they left the tree that night.
Kairi didn’t know if Riku intended for it to happen, but she heard everything. As soon as Kairi was in the shack, she heard the telltale sound of leaves rustling, followed by Riku calling Sora’s name.
“Catch.”
“Wha—?”
“You wanted one, didn’t you?”
“A paopu fruit…?”
“If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They’ll remain a part of each other’s lives no matter what.”
She heard footsteps, then a small, surprised squeak. Sora’s, probably. It would’ve made her laugh in any other situation.
Riku’s voice was lower when he spoke again. “Come on, I know you want to try it.” More footsteps, though not as many as before. “Or should I try it first?”
Kairi couldn’t listen for another second. As quietly as she could, she ran down the stairs, waiting by the door until she heard them enter the shack. She was back at the docks shortly after, and Sora and Riku were none the wiser.
After they got back to the main island, Sora walked with Kairi to her home the way he always insisted on doing. But she didn’t miss the leaves sticking out of one of his pockets, nor did she miss the persistent flush on Sora’s face that night. She knew exactly what was responsible for it, and it wasn’t being in the sun all day.
She never found the last seafoam-colored shell.
Instead, she picked five new shells from her personal collection, all in her favorite colors; pink on one side, blue on the other.
The next day, Sora and Riku wanted to race to see who would be captain of the raft. Or at least, that’s what Sora wanted if he won. Riku, though…
Rather confusingly, Riku interrupted Sora to suggest a different prize.
“The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi.”
Kairi had no idea what to think of that. Initially, she wondered if he was trying to taunt her with that comment, but again, she wasn’t sure if he even intended for her to hear it.
It didn’t matter either way… because while Sora had won the race, he never shared a paopu fruit with her.
That same evening, Kairi tried to tell Sora that something was wrong with Riku. She wasn’t able to articulate what, though, because she didn’t actually know what was going on with their best friend. Then she suggested they take the raft and leave, just the two of them. She wished she’d never asked. It was unfair of her to put Sora on the spot like that, especially when she knew Riku could probably hear their conversation. But she wasn’t really thinking about the consequences.
Maybe that lack of foresight was why everything went downhill.
Her grip tightened on the shell. A jagged edge of it cut into her skin, but it remained intact. She couldn’t bring herself to break it.
She told herself she’d let go of it, but she was still so angry with Riku. He avoided her for weeks, treating her like she’d stolen his best friend from him when he knew Sora had chosen him from the start. When he found her in the Organization’s castle a year later, he was still acting like she was the one who’d won Sora over. But at that point it sounded like he was resigned to that reality, clinging to it even when Sora’s actions once they were reunited proved him wrong.
Why would Riku do that to me?
That wasn’t what bothered her most about his actions.
Why would he hurt Sora like that?
It didn’t make any sense. Riku had already won. Sora shared a paopu with him, right? He should’ve been over the moon, not jealous or resigned. Kairi was the one who got left behind, not him.
Kairi recalled the night of the storm. Riku had made it to the play island before her. She found him in the secret place, staring at the drawing she and Sora had made when they were five with an oddly blank expression. Something was different about it, but the growing dread in her heart distracted her from getting a better look.
When Riku realized she was there, he greeted her with a smile, and told her to wait in the secret place while he went to check on the raft. There was something incredibly wrong with Riku; whether it was the sudden friendliness, the darkness she’d unknowingly sensed in his heart, or something else, she didn’t know. Still, Kairi listened, and waited for him to come back.
Despite her anger, Kairi wanted to see the best in him. So when she’d gotten some time to think about it, she initially concluded that Riku just wanted the three of them to stay together, wherever the darkness took them next.
But that couldn’t be it, because Riku never made it back to the secret place. Sora did, but Riku wasn’t with him.
The door opened, and suddenly Kairi was trapped in Sora’s heart. There, she spent the next several weeks drifting in and out of awareness. When she was conscious enough to try, Kairi reached out to Sora, but it didn’t work. He chalked the visions up to missing her and eventually stopped paying attention to them altogether. So she simply waited, watching as Sora traveled from world to world with his new friends…
Without her and Riku.
Why did they get to stay with him, but we didn’t?
Riku must’ve felt the same. The moment he and Sora met in Traverse Town, Kairi felt the darkness in Riku’s heart. The rivalry that came so naturally to her best friends wasn’t playful anymore, tainted by jealousy and hurt as it was. And the whole time, Kairi was stuck watching her two favorite people fight over who would get to save her. Sora and Riku were acting like the three of them hadn’t been best friends for years, like she was just… just some girl they both wanted to be with.
Kairi tried not to think about that too much.
So… is that it? Was Riku keeping his distance because he was still hurt about Donald and Goofy? But Kairi knew Riku had grown past that kind of petty jealousy, just as she had. He didn’t tell her much in the Organization’s castle, but it was clear that he’d been through a lot to keep Sora safe while he slept. He wasn’t angry about being left behind anymore, because he was willing to let himself disappear for Sora’s sake.
That was the most concerning thing he’d said to her: “Don’t worry about me. You and Sora deserve to be happy together. I’ll fade into the darkness when all of this is done and you two are home.”
It startled her, how little those words surprised her.
Kairi thought back to what happened earlier, when the three of them were finally reunited. For some reason, Riku tried to leave before Sora even knew it was him. In the moment, she assumed it was because of his appearance, so she didn’t let him go. There was no way she could ever let him run away from their best friend over something trivial like that. Especially when they both knew Sora would never reject Riku for anything.
His appearance couldn’t be the reason, either.
Happy together…
Wait, that means… he did it so Sora and I could be together again, without him? Was that why he didn’t come back to the secret place? But that makes no sense.
Why would Riku think Sora wanted him to leave, after the two of them shared a—
Kairi’s thoughts came to a halt.
Suddenly, she realized what was wrong. She never actually saw Sora and Riku share the paopu fruit. She just assumed they did, after what she’d witnessed that night. But if they’d split it, they would’ve finished it together, because paopu fruits were meant to be eaten not long after they’d been picked. And Sora wouldn’t have kept his half of the fruit in his pocket anyway — he was a bit messy, but it was obviously a bad idea to save it for later like that. Sticky pockets weren’t easy to clean, after all, and Sora hated doing extra laundry.
So the paopu she saw sticking out of his pocket… it had to have been a whole fruit, not half.
Meaning…
They didn’t share the paopu fruit… Sora just kept the one Riku gave him.
That explained some of Riku’s odd behavior. But still, he’d won. Sora may not have shared the fruit with him, but he didn’t discard it. That wasn’t a rejection. Riku knew that, right?
Right?
She opened her eyes to look at the teal shell in her grasp, ignoring the tiny streak of blood on it — and suddenly, the image of Riku standing in the secret place popped into her head again.
Oh.
Riku was staring at the drawing that night… but more specifically, he was looking at the addition Sora made to it — which Kairi hadn’t seen until much later, after the Islands were restored.
Her heart sank as she remembered what it was.
She needed to see the drawing.
Trying to ignore the new ache in her heart, Kairi stood up, brushing the sand from her hands and knees and slipping the thalassa shell into her pocket. Then, she made her way to the tangle of vines next to the waterfall.
The secret place was just as she’d left it. She didn’t even look at the other drawings in the cave, as she only came to see one. When she reached it, she knelt down, tracing the lines on the stone with her uninjured hand.
At some point in the days leading up to the storm, Sora drew himself giving Kairi a paopu fruit. She guessed it must’ve been the same day Riku gave him one, because Sora was late to return to the main island that night. He didn’t mean to, but he kept her waiting for much longer than he usually did. At the very least, it gave Kairi some time to calm down, to clear her mind so she wouldn’t seem out of it when he got back.
Seeing the drawing herself… after everything that happened in that last week before the storm, she couldn’t read it as anything other than proof that Sora truly didn’t understand or care about the legend. Or maybe he was still treating her like a prize to be won, just as he did all throughout his first adventure. Him and Riku both. Maybe they’d learned that from the adults on the Islands; now that she’d gotten older, Kairi felt uncomfortable with all of the comments they made about her ending up with one of her best friends. She never liked Riku romantically, and Sora never reciprocated her feelings in any meaningful way. The teasing felt cruel to her past self. They got her hopes up, and what good did that do her? So of course, when Kairi saw the drawing a year ago, she cried.
When she felt calm enough to be rational, Kairi completed the drawing with a second paopu fruit. It was an attempt to convince herself that she was alright with being Sora’s friend and nothing else, that she wasn’t heartbroken over how easily he left her behind. To this day, she wasn’t sure if it worked. The hurt was still there. Maybe it would always be there.
But… this isn’t about what I feel. She needed to focus. What about Riku?
Kairi tried to imagine what Riku was thinking about in the secret place that night. What he felt, seeing what Sora drew. If he and Sora never actually shared that paopu fruit…
Oh, no.
He thought Sora shared the fruit with me.
Kairi felt sick.
It’s my fault. Riku tried to leave Sora behind because of me.
And the drawing Sora made for me was why Riku wanted to— She didn’t want to finish the thought. If I’d just set everything aside long enough to see what was happening to Riku…
Her vision blurred, tears pooling in her eyes anew.
All I did when Riku and I were together again was talk about Sora. I didn’t even tell him how much I missed him, too. She scrubbed at her face, trying to wipe away the evidence of her despair, but it was hopeless. I’m so selfish. I gave up on our friendship when Riku needed me most. All because of my stupid feelings.
Guilt washed over her, the ache in her heart growing with every passing moment, every new thought. Stars, I’m such a bad friend. Kairi hugged herself tightly, trying to contain her sobs and failing. Riku’s already done so much to fix his mistakes. I’ve done nothing. I just left Riku to his hurt, and left Sora to piece together what went wrong on his own. Maybe Sora even blames himself for what happened, he has no idea how bad things got between Riku and I.
All I’ve ever done is get in the way of their relationship. If I’d never ended up on the Islands… Riku would’ve never fallen to darkness. He and Sora could just be happy together, without all of the hurt my presence causes them.
Sora and Riku are better off without me…
The thought felt so wrong.
The truth was, she missed them. She always would, whenever they weren’t together. Things had changed a lot in a year, but when they reunited, Kairi was just happy to be with her best friends. She didn’t even care about how angry she was with Riku anymore. None of that was important. Now, though…
Kairi squeezed her eyes shut. They have each other. They’ll be okay. They’ll be home soon… She repeated those words over and over again, trying to make herself believe it.
Who am I kidding? They won’t come back to the Islands. This isn’t their home. Riku always wanted to leave. Sora would follow him anywhere. They wouldn’t come back just to see me, and they wouldn’t stay even if they did.
So why do I keep hoping for them to come home? Their home is with each other. I know this. That’s how it should be.
That thought felt wrong, too.
But then… where is my home?
Kairi’s fingers traced the paopu fruit carvings again.
Do I really want to stay on the Islands forever?
Now that she thought about it… there were so many worlds out there that she only caught glimpses of. And she knew Sora and Riku wanted her to join them on their adventures, even when things started to get complicated between the three of them. Deep down, Kairi was sure that hadn’t changed, in spite of the anger in her heart attempting to convince her otherwise.
Her eyes drifted to the ground, where a pointed stone lay — the same one she used almost a year ago.
Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. Sora’s drawing hurt Riku before, but even if he saw her addition to it now, he’d still feel hurt that he’d been left out.
Kairi knew what she wanted to do. She wouldn’t be the cause of Sora or Riku’s hurt ever again. They were her best friends, she knew that hadn’t changed. But she needed something to show for it. Even if it was more for herself than it was for them.
She picked up the stone, staring at it for a moment before she got to work carving a new image into the wall. She was careful not to irritate the cut in her palm.
It took some effort, but eventually Kairi reached a point where she was satisfied with the drawing. She sat back to inspect her work. In the blank space above the drawing she and Sora made, she drew the paopu tree, with her, Sora, and Riku sitting on it together. The three of them were holding hands, the same way they used to before everything fell apart. Something about the drawing was familiar, like she’d drawn something similar before, but she brushed the feeling aside before it could go anywhere.
Kairi set the stone back where she got it from. Her face was still wet with tears, but she felt better. Lighter. There was a certainty in her heart that hadn’t been there when she entered the cave.
No matter what may lie ahead, or what choices she’s presented with, there’s only one destiny Kairi wants to pursue.
I know the road my heart walks.
Sora… Riku… I will find you.
Kairi wiped her eyes, then got to her feet. She took one last glance around the secret place before leaving.
The sun had sunk below the horizon, but there was still enough light to see Sora’s Gummiship parked on the shore. Her heart leapt with hope for a moment, but the people standing by the ship weren’t her best friends.
It was just King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy.
She couldn’t hide her disappointment as she walked up to greet them.
King Mickey was the first to notice her approach. He gave her a gentle smile. Goofy did the same. Donald just looked… annoyed. As usual.
“How’re you feelin’, Kairi?” The King’s voice was light, but had an undertone of worry.
“I’m alright.” She smiled, though she wasn’t sure if it looked genuine. Her gaze drifted to the Gummiship. “Are Sora and Riku here…?”
The three of them traded glances, then shook their heads. Goofy frowned. “Gawrsh, we thought they were with you.”
A sigh escaped her lips. “No… the corridor closed before they could get through.”
King Mickey’s hand rested on her forearm. “I’m sure they’re okay if they have each other. The Organization’s world is still out there somewhere, we can start looking for ‘em there.” He looked around the island for a moment, then seemed to think of something as his eyes landed on Kairi again. “But you should go home for now, Kairi. Your family probably misses you.”
The King was right, but Kairi didn’t want to go home just yet. She shook her head minutely, avoiding eye contact.
Donald made some sort of frustrated noise. Out of the corner of her eye, Kairi could see him glaring at her. “What’s the big deal? You can’t just hide from your parents forever! Where else are you gonna sleep, anyway?!” Goofy placed a hand on the duck’s shoulder, which seemed to calm him down a bit. He grumbled, but didn’t say anything else.
Kairi bit her lip. She really didn’t want to see Raine right now. They were kind to her, and she cared about them, but she couldn’t stay here without her best friends. She could go home to pick up some of her stuff from her room, but there was only one thing she truly wanted to get, and she wouldn’t be able to avoid Raine if she tried to look for it this soon after sunset.
The King patted her arm, getting her attention. “It’s alright. We can take you somewhere else.” Donald spluttered angrily, but Goofy’s gentle grip on his shoulder kept him from voicing his frustrations. “There are plenty of guest rooms in Disney Castle. I’m sure Minnie would love to meet you!”
“I… I’d like that a lot. Thank you, Your Majesty…” Kairi’s voice felt far too small, but the King didn’t seem to notice.
“Just call me Mickey! We’re friends, aren’t we?” Mickey gave her arm another pat, then moved to open the rear hatch of the Gummiship for her and the others. “We’d better get going, before it gets too late.”
With that, the four of them piled into the Gummiship.
…
The trip was blessedly short, only taking about twenty minutes. On the way, Goofy informed her that he, Donald, and the King were dropped off at a place called the Mysterious Tower. The three of them had summoned the ship as soon as they popped out of the corridor, then made their way to Destiny Islands to see if she and her best friends had ended up there.
Kairi wondered how they knew to go there; Mickey was the one to answer, stating that he’d been on the Islands once before with an old friend. He didn’t say anything else, and Donald glared at her when she opened her mouth to ask. The rest of the trip was spent in small talk. Kairi tuned the conversation out to stare into the stars, thankfully thinking about nothing.
Once they’d parked the Gummiship, Mickey wanted to introduce Kairi to Chip and Dale, but the chipmunks were nowhere to be found in the castle hangar.
Mickey sounded disappointed, though Kairi could tell he wasn’t surprised. “They’ve probably gone to bed already. But I’m sure Minnie is still awake.”
Behind her, Donald made a panicked sound. She looked back, and was met with the rather amusing sight of Goofy grabbing Donald by the back of his shirt, an unbothered smile on his face as the duck struggled to escape. Mickey wasn’t fazed by the display, merely gesturing to the stairs for the three of them to follow.
They passed through a courtyard, then made their way up another flight of stairs and down a long hallway. The door at the end of the hall was cracked open, and Kairi could just barely hear someone on the other side. Mickey gestured for them to wait, then slipped into the room.
A few minutes later, Mickey reappeared, holding the door open for two people to pass through. Kairi assumed the mouse was Queen Minnie, but she had no idea who the duck following her was. Donald, on the other hand…
Goofy let go of Donald. The duck was promptly grabbed by the Queen’s companion and dragged down the hall, quacking in protest all the way to the stairs. Kairi almost laughed out loud, but managed to cover it with a cough.
Mickey placed a hand on the Queen’s back, a huge grin on his face as he introduced her. “This is Minnie, my spouse and the Queen of Disney Castle.” Mickey glanced past Kairi and Goofy, gesturing down the hall to where the Queen’s companion had taken Donald. “And that was Daisy, Donald’s partner.” Well. That explained what Kairi had just witnessed. She stifled another laugh, trying to maintain a respectful demeanor.
Queen Minnie didn’t seem to mind, thankfully. She took Kairi’s hand in greeting, giving her a gentle smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Kairi. Your friend was looking for you here, not too long ago.”
“Sora was here?” Kairi felt her heart clench, but she did her best to hide it.
The Queen nodded. “It was a few weeks ago. He asked if you and your friend Riku had been on this world.” Still holding Kairi’s hand, she looked at Mickey with a question in her eyes.
“Sora and Riku didn’t make it through the corridor in time. Kairi ended up on their home world instead of the Tower. But she didn’t want to stay on Destiny Islands, so she came with us.”
Kairi couldn’t look at the Queen, staring at the ground and willing herself to not look upset.
“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry.” The Queen gently pulled at her arm, leading her down the hall. “Let’s get you something to eat. You’ll feel better after a meal and a good night’s rest.”
Kairi’s voice wobbled a little. “Your Majesty…”
“Please, call me Minnie.” The Queen — Minnie — smiled warmly. Mickey wore a matching expression when Kairi looked to him for reassurance.
“Thank you, Minnie.” Kairi’s heart felt warm. She avoided their gazes again, but she felt Minnie’s hand squeeze hers comfortingly, and she saw Mickey’s pleased nod in the corner of her eye.
In spite of everything that had happened over the past several weeks, Kairi felt safe in this unfamiliar castle.
…
After dinner, Mickey assured Kairi that they’d start the search for Sora and Riku tomorrow. He and Goofy each gave her a hug — which she hadn’t been expecting, but accepted nonetheless. Then Minnie led her to one of the many guest quarters in the castle. Once the Queen was satisfied that she would be comfortable for the night, she wrapped Kairi in yet another hug and left her to get acquainted with her sleeping arrangements.
Kairi hadn’t been expecting so much care from the three of them, but she didn’t mind the comfort. She needed it.
The bedroom was surprisingly small. It was about the same size as her room back at home, but the ceiling was higher. The walls were painted navy blue, the floor was made of polished wood, and in the center of the room lay a large red carpet with a gold print of the royal emblem on it. The room was lit by a small, but intricate golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On the wall across from the door was a large window that had fancy red and gold curtains that reached from floor to ceiling. In the far left corner stood a royal blue canopy bed, with a queen-sized mattress and a variety of pillows. The bed had a fluffy white duvet, and an extra blanket of the same color as the canopy curtains sat folded on the foot of the bed. There was a wooden wardrobe in the far right corner, with a white and gold room divider set up between the wardrobe and the door. To her left, there was a red cushioned bench, and to her right, there was a white door that Minnie had told her led to a bathroom.
It was all very nice, if a little overwhelming. She’d never been in a bedroom this fancy before. But she liked it.
If she were planning on staying, she’d probably sleep well.
Kairi made her way into the bathroom, rinsing off the small cut on her palm that she’d somehow managed to hide from the others all night. She was relieved to see that it had been long enough for the wound to start closing — her body had always been quick to heal, likely due to her being a Princess of Heart. Still, she recalled the few spells Sora had told her about in the castle, and cast Cure on the cut just so it wouldn’t get infected. Then, she washed her face and took out the thalassa shell to clean it, rinsing the dried blood from it carefully and slipping it back into her pocket once it was dry again. When she was done, she leaned against the sink, staring hard at herself in the mirror.
She looked appropriately exhausted. There were shadows under her eyes, her skin looked a bit paler than it had before she left the Islands, and her hair was messier than she usually allowed it to get. Kairi ran her fingers through her red locks, combing out some of the tangles and making a mental note to cut it as soon as she could. It was easier to take care of when it was short, and she liked how she looked before it grew out. (Sora seemed to like it, too. Maybe if I looked more like I did a year ago, he’d still—)
While she worked, she thought about what to do next. One thing was clear: Kairi needed a plan. She wasn’t going to wait for Mickey and the others to bring her friends home. But how could she leave this world without drawing attention to herself? She didn’t think she could open a dark corridor — Naminé had been able to do it, but she wasn’t sure if that ability passed on to her when they merged. And it wasn’t like she knew how to pilot a Gummiship. She’d had the brief notion to ask Mickey to show her the basics earlier, but she didn’t think she could absorb all of it in the short amount of time it took to get to Disney Castle. That, and it would’ve been a little suspicious if she brought it up out of nowhere.
Still, Kairi was determined to try. She was willing to do anything to be with her best friends again.
Leaving the bathroom, Kairi flopped down on the bed. She didn’t want to sleep, and she didn’t think she could right now, but it wouldn’t hurt to rest for a moment.
She tried to recall how Naminé opened the corridors. She didn’t have any of Naminé’s memories — which was admittedly a bit odd, as she knew Naminé had all of her memories. But Naminé also wasn’t exactly a normal Nobody. So… maybe Kairi could ask her directly about the corridors, even now that they’d merged into one.
Closing her eyes, Kairi focused on the steady beat of her heart, trying to connect with her Other. She spent several minutes calling for Naminé, but she never got a response. Her heart remained the same, and there was no echo in her mind that indicated Naminé’s presence like there was back on the tower.
She wondered if that meant Naminé had left her heart, but brushed the thought aside as soon as it came. I need to figure something else out.
Thankfully, Kairi had also seen Axel and Riku open dark corridors before. It seemed simple, but she was there when Riku found he’d lost the ability to use the darkness in that way. Mickey had said something about Riku no longer belonging to the darkness, implying that was the reason he couldn’t open them anymore. And Kairi was a Princess of Heart, which meant her heart supposedly only had light in it. But did that mean she also couldn’t wield the darkness? She didn’t have a Heartless the way Sora did; was that a sign that she’d be unable to open a dark corridor on her own?
Then… what could she do?
This wouldn’t get her anywhere. Just sitting here and thinking wasn’t going to get her off of this world and to wherever Sora and Riku went. She knew this, but she kept going in circles, second-guessing herself at every turn. What if I mess up the corridor, and I end up stuck somewhere they can’t reach me? What if I can’t start the Gummiship? What if someone sees me leaving? What if—
Kairi really tried to stay awake, but she was exhausted in every sense of the word. The longer she thought, the more tired she felt.
It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
…
Kairi felt like she was floating. She wasn’t cold, but the space she was in felt vast and empty. If it could be called a space at all.
When she opened her eyes, she found she was underwater. She could see the moon above her, just beyond the surface of the ocean. Breathing wasn’t an issue, but she did feel the pressure of the water around her. And she was sinking, deeper and deeper into the endless abyss below.
Kairi sank until the light couldn’t reach her. Then she was standing, her feet landing on a ground she couldn’t see, the pressure slowly lifting until it felt like she wasn’t underwater anymore. She could see herself, but nothing around her was visible. She blinked a few times, hoping something would change as her eyes adjusted to the dark.
A flash of light came from below. It blinded her for a moment, but when she opened her eyes again, she could see the surface she was standing on.
It was a large, circular platform made of stained glass, with a powerful light shining through that Kairi felt inexplicably connected to. There was a figure depicted on the glass; herself, as she was now, with her eyes closed and Destiny’s Embrace held in her left hand. Her other hand was resting over her heart, fingers brushing against her necklace.
The background was a sunset with a silhouette of a dock at the bottom, which she was pretty sure was supposed to be the dock on the play island back home. The border of the image was composed of a ring of circles, each depicting alternating symbols of hearts, paopu fruits, and a star-like flower she’d never seen before.
Finally, on the upper half of the image, there was a circle with seven smaller circles in it, just behind her sleeping form. Six of the circles — arranged in a ring, with the seventh in the center — held the faces of Sora, Riku, Naminé, and three people she didn’t recognize smiling back at her.
Is this… my heart?
She moved closer to the circles to get a better look. The one in the center depicted a wayfinder, made of thalassa shells in five different colors: red, teal, pale blue, green, and purple. She felt like the colors represented something, but she couldn’t figure out what, so she moved on to the rest of the circles.
The first of the three unfamiliar faces belonged to a boy who seemed to be about the same age as Sora. He looked almost exactly like Roxas, but his hair was closer to Naminé’s in color, and his eyes were much greener. The second was a young woman with short blue hair and eyes that reminded her of the night sky just after sunset. The third and final face was that of a young man who looked quite a bit like Sora, though his eyes and hair were a shade darker.
But who are those people? Why are they here? Are they important to me?
A rumble interrupted Kairi’s thoughts. Suddenly, the glass under her feet began to ripple like water, and she realized something was emerging from the center of the platform. She took a few steps back and watched in horror as a massive Heartless she’d never seen before formed, rising to tower over her. It had what looked like a nest of tangled hair on its head, wrapped tightly around where its mouth would be. The beady eyes peering out from the mess of hair glowed with a piercing white light instead of the eerie yellow she was expecting, and there was a huge heart-shaped hole in its torso. To top it all off, the Heartless didn’t even look like it was a creature of the darkness, as its body was entirely composed of a water-like substance.
Kairi didn’t have much time to analyze it further; it was already moving towards her. She summoned her Keyblade and dashed forward, narrowly avoiding its fist coming down on her. As its hand crashed into the rippling glass, the Heartless made an eerie echoing sound that reminded her of a whale’s call. Then a pool of darkness spilled from the impact site, and from it rose a swarm of Shadows. She cut through the smaller Heartless easily, but the giant Heartless was already preparing for another attack. She had to take it down, fast.
Thinking quickly, she called on her heart to coat Destiny’s Embrace in light — something she saw Sora do back in the castle. The Heartless roared as she slashed through its legs. It wasn’t enough to kill it, but it certainly did some damage. She cheered internally as she dodged another strike, cutting through its arm with another burst of light. It’s working!
More Shadows gathered around her. The Heartless was doing something different now. It reared back, its body contorting as an ominous purple light grew in the heart-shaped cavity. Kairi only had a moment to prepare before the dark light flashed, a swirling orb of energy coming straight for her. She dodged it, but had to block another one head-on a second later.
Kairi kept dodging and blocking until she noticed an opening. The Heartless’s arm was resting on the ground, steady enough for her to climb it. Still avoiding the blasts of energy, she made a run for the creature’s arm, hopping up onto its shoulder. She called on the light of her heart once more, then plunged her Keyblade into the Heartless’s neck as hard as she could.
The Heartless screeched in agony, twisting and turning to shake her off. But she held on, sending another wave of light into the creature and watching as it ripped through the watery not-darkness. With a shout, Kairi threw all of her weight into her Keyblade, driving it deeper. The Heartless’s roars became ear-piercingly loud for a second — then it went completely silent, the only sound left being the skittering Shadows below.
True to its appearance, the Heartless sank into the platform again, the watery substance it was made of pouring off of the edge. Kairi wrenched her Keyblade from its rapidly dissolving neck and landed gracefully on the platform, ready to take out the remaining Heartless… but the Shadows weren’t attacking anymore. Instead they peered at her with their empty yellow eyes, motionless except for the minute twitches of their heads. They made some odd clicking noises at her that sounded a little like speech, then flattened their bodies and skittered over the edge.
For a moment, Kairi stood there, staring into the darkness surrounding the platform. She felt incredible. Sure, that Heartless was probably nowhere near the strength of the Nobodies she watched Sora and Riku take down in the castle, but she took this one down all on her own. My first real win…
I wish I could tell Sora and Riku about this.
And just like that, she felt sad again. What was the point of winning a single battle without them here to cheer her on? Sora would be so proud of her. Riku would, too, even if he didn’t show it as much as Sora did.
I need to find them.
The thought followed her into consciousness.
…
Kairi woke up with a start. Her heart was racing a little, adrenaline still pumping through her body from the dream. She felt more confident now than she had before she fell asleep — wait, how long was I asleep for?
She shot up from the bed, going straight to the windows and pulling the curtains aside. Thankfully, it was still dark out. That’s good…
It’s now or never.
Kairi didn’t waste any time in exiting the room and making her way to the hangar. She was careful not to make too much noise, but she couldn’t stop herself from sprinting as soon as she reached the courtyard. None of the doors in this castle were locked, surprisingly, so her path was unimpeded. Distantly, she wondered if there was some sort of magic protecting the castle when everything was just unlocked like this, but there was no time to think on that question at the moment.
The Gummiship was still right where the King parked it, and the hatch opened without issue when Kairi approached. She got in, settling into the pilot’s chair and looking around for a manual. Unfortunately, there was nothing. How did Sora learn to fly this thing?
Wait, Sora…
Maybe she didn’t need a book to fly.
Kairi took a deep breath, resting her hands in her lap as she let her eyes slip shut.
May my heart be my guiding key…
That’s it! But… where have I heard that before? She shook her head, forcing herself to remain focused. Not now.
Opening her eyes, Kairi found Destiny’s Embrace was already summoned. She smiled, then raised it, pointing it to the nose of the ship. The sound of the engine starting echoed through the hangar; she could only hope it wouldn’t wake anyone up. But at that point, she was getting a bit excited, and found it difficult to care all that much.
The guide lights in the tunnel ahead lit up, a flash of light appearing at the end to signal that the door at the end was open. Kairi settled back into the seat, letting her heart tell her what to do. The rest was easy.
Moments later, Kairi was in the Ocean Between.
She was free.
A screen to her left flickered on, providing her with a map. She could go anywhere in the universe, but she already had a goal in mind. It only took a few taps to set a course for Destiny Islands. Then she was on her way.
There weren’t any Heartless or Nobody ships in the Ocean Between, though she hadn’t expected any to be there. It made it easy for her to slip into a state of pure concentration. She steered her way around asteroids almost flawlessly, just like Sora did on his first adventure. Soon, a low series of beeps signaled her to slow down, and then she was looking at her home world again.
Kairi wasn’t sure how she was going to land at first, but then another set of beeps drew her attention to her left again. The words “engage autopilot?” flashed on the screen, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she hit “confirm.”
And just like that, Kairi was back where she’d started.
It didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. If anything, she felt excited. Relieved, even. She had a goal in mind, and she knew what steps she needed to take to reach it. It wasn’t her main goal, not even close, but it was a small milestone on the way to the finish line.
The hatch opened, and she hopped out of the ship and onto the sandy beach. The moon had been up for hours at that point, giving Kairi enough light to jog to the dock and see that one of the spare boats was still there. It took her a minute of fumbling with the knot to get going, but then she was on her way back to the mainland. And once she’d made it across the water, she found herself running again, this time to her foster home.
Kairi slowed down before she reached the street she lived on. The lights in her house weren’t on, thankfully, but she didn’t want to wake up Raine or their partner by making too much noise. After taking her sneakers off and setting them on the shoe rack next to the front door, she fished through her pocket for a moment. She was relieved to find that the thalassa shell she’d collected earlier was still there, along with her house key. Carefully, Kairi unlocked the door, slipping inside as quietly as she could.
The house was dead silent. Every noise Kairi made, however small, sounded way too loud to her ears. Her nerves were getting to her a bit, but she did her best to ignore them until she got to her room, down the hall to the left of the door. Once she was inside, she let go of a massive breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Then she glanced around the room, trying to remember where she kept the box she was looking for.
The lamps in the room were switched off, but it didn’t impede her vision too much. Nothing had really changed since she left a few weeks ago; the walls were still the same cherry wood paneling they’d always been, the strings of seashells she’d hung in front of the large window were still hanging there, and the plants she kept in her room were still thriving. It was much neater than she’d left it, but otherwise everything was exactly the same.
Kairi made her way to the desk across from the door, lit by the moonlight streaming through the window behind it. Her sketchbooks were still there, though they were mostly unused as she’d been too busy to draw in the past year. The shelves on the wall next to the window were filled with seashells she’d collected, but they weren’t what she was looking for. She glanced to the table in the corner to her left, where her gardening tools and most of her plants sat, scanning the area for the box she needed. No luck.
Next, Kairi checked the closet, on the wall to the left of the door. It was a little dusty, but the chalk flower drawings she’d made all over the pink wood hadn’t faded yet. When she opened it, she left it that way so she could change in a bit. Then she crouched down to open the drawers below the closet doors.
Once she was sure the box wasn’t in the closet, she slid the drawers shut and turned around. To her right, on the same wall where the door was, sat a wooden chest and a couple of bags with various treasures she’d collected in them. She opened the chest, but it only held her old toys, including a cat-like plushie with a little cape that she loved when she was a lot younger. Nothing she was looking for, so she moved on.
Her bed was pushed up against the wall beside the window. Raine had kept it tidy, the sheets still clean and inviting, but Kairi had no intention of resting here. She felt bad for leaving without at least writing another note, but she didn’t want to stay any longer than she had to. So she moved a bit faster, ignoring the guilt and crouching down to check under the bed.
Luckily, she found exactly what she was looking for there. Under the foot of the bed, just behind a yellow backpack she hadn’t used in ages, was a small, wooden box. She pulled both out, sitting back on her heels. With the box in her lap, she wiped a bit of dust off of the top — which was painted light blue and covered in star stickers — then lifted the lid and set it to the side with the backpack. When the box’s contents were revealed, her heart clenched ever so slightly.
There they were. Three sets of thalassa shells in three different colors, with everything she needed to make three wayfinder charms — everything but a final, sea-green shell that she’d never found until today.
Reaching into her pocket, Kairi took out the new shell, picking up the other four of the same color in the box. Having all five sea-green shells in hand felt like something clicking into place. This was… how it was supposed to be, before she shoved the box under her bed to forget about it.
These shells were meant for Riku’s wayfinder. The other two sets — blue like the ocean, and pink like the sunset — were for Sora and her. She even made little charms out of clay to represent the three of them, which were supposed to make up the center of each wayfinder.
It took her a bit to move again. It was surreal, to finally complete the set, but she also felt a sense of relief. In her hands was a chance to make things right, an opportunity to rebuild her connection with her best friends. She wanted to finish the project, so she could give the wayfinders to them when they reunited.
For that to happen, though, she’d need to leave. She could work on the charms while she looked for them.
Kairi was about to stand, when the sound of her bedroom door opening made her stop. She knew who she’d see if she turned around. Maybe if she pretended she hadn’t heard it, they would leave…
They didn’t. Footsteps approached her, and from the corner of her eye, she saw them kneel down beside her. There was a moment of silence, before they finally spoke.
“Kairi.” Raine’s voice was calm, but the sound made her jump a little. She looked up from the box, now closed with the new shell tucked safely away with the others.
Raine was smiling softly, but Kairi could see a hint of sadness in their olive eyes. Their short, mint hair was a bit messier than usual, which Kairi suspected was due to having just woken up. They were looking at the box in her lap with curiosity.
“…I’m sorry.” Kairi’s voice was as small as she felt. She opened her mouth to say more, but Raine cut her off.
“You haven’t found them yet?”
That caught her off guard. Kairi had written a note for Raine before she left, but she didn’t say where she was going or what she’d be doing, just that she would be back soon. “How did you…?”
Raine shook their head, eyes sparkling a little in the moonlight. “Eda and I knew you would leave eventually.” They placed a hand on her shoulder, brown contrasting with her lighter skin. The touch was warm and comforting. Raine’s head tilted to the side, and Kairi noticed for the first time that they had pointed ears — their hair hid it well before, she’d never seen them until now. Raine noticed her curious gaze and smiled a bit wider. “I can pack you some food for the road, if you’d like?”
Kairi’s eyes widened. “You’re not worried?”
They shook their head. “You can take care of yourself. Especially now that you have a certain power within your heart.” Raine’s smile held a hint of mischief, a knowing look in their eyes as their hand gently squeezed her shoulder.
Before Kairi could say anything else, Raine stood, walking back to the door. “I’ll leave you to it. When you’re ready, come to the kitchen.” They gave her another smile and a nod, and then the door closed behind them.
Kairi felt thoroughly confused. How do they know…? Were they referring to the light, or my Keyblade? And those ears— She ended that train of thought, knowing she had more important things to worry about. My friends are waiting for me.
…
Fifteen minutes later, Kairi was ready. She had changed out of her dress, and was now wearing a striped sleeveless turtleneck, with a short-sleeved hoodie over it that was lavender and cropped just below her ribs. Instead of one of her usual skirts, she wore pink denim shorts with flower patterns stitched into them, with striped leggings underneath that were white and bluish-grey to match her shirt. She’d also found a pair of boots the same color as her sneakers, and while she’d only worn them once before, she knew they were perfect for adventuring.
After she’d put together the main outfit, she dug through her closet to find some accessories. Besides her necklace, she also picked up a star clip that she hadn’t worn in years, putting it in her hair along with a white hair tie. From under her bed, she got a black belt with pouches that matched her shorts, something she previously used to hold onto anything she found on the play island. It was empty now, but she had a feeling it would prove useful on her journey. Finally, she slipped on a pair of durable fingerless gloves that matched her leggings and shirt.
Kairi felt very prepared. She was proud of herself, to be honest. Her backpack was also ready to go. Besides the box, it was filled with spare clothes and various necessities, along with some extra hair ties, a pair of scissors, and a first aid kit (she didn’t think she’d need it, but you never know). She’d also packed her sketchbooks and pencils, though she wasn’t really sure why. To top it all off, she’d made sure there was a bit of room left in the side and front pockets of the bag, just in case she needed the extra space.
When she was done, Kairi made her way down the hall to the kitchen. Raine was there, leaning against the counter with their arms crossed, a cooler bag sitting on the surface behind them. They nodded to her, a proud smile spreading across their face as they looked her up and down.
“You look great, Kairi.” They pushed off of the counter, arms coming up to hug her. She accepted it, burying her face in their shoulder as she squeezed them back. When the hug ended, Raine’s hand came up to Kairi’s hair, straightening the star clip and smoothing out the loose strands. Kairi felt overwhelmed with emotion, tears pooling in her eyes for what felt like the millionth time that day. Raine didn’t comment on it as they cradled her face in their hands, gazing deep into her eyes with a knowing smile.
“Did you get everything you needed?”
Kairi had a lot of questions — about Raine’s strangely pointed ears, how they knew about her supposed power, what they meant by the things they’d said earlier. But none of that mattered right now. She just felt safe, loved as much as she’d always been in this house. Home wasn’t with Raine and their partner, but they could’ve been her home if she’d never met Sora and Riku.
So when she opened her mouth to speak, all that came out was a quiet “yeah.”
“Good.” Raine’s tone was proud. Their thumbs wiped the gathering tears from her eyes, then they placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before pulling away. The cooler bag was in their hand when they turned back to her, a small leather pouch that she hadn’t seen before in their other hand. “Here. I packed a few of your favorite meals, there should be enough to last you a few days. And here’s some munny, just in case you need it.”
Kairi wiped the last of her tears away, then took the bags with a nod. She didn’t know what else to say once she’d tucked the pouch into her backpack, but she didn’t get the chance to before Raine was spinning her around and steering her to the door. “Wha—?”
Raine shushed her. “You’d better get going before the sun comes up. I’ll tell Eda and your classmates that you’re alright.” Kairi made a surprised sound, but Raine cut her off again, pushing her out the door. “Don’t worry about us. Go.”
Having no good arguments, Kairi just nodded, feeling a bit bewildered at the support. “Okay. I’ll— I’ll come home someday. With them. I promise.” She smiled at her foster parent, though it was a little shaky.
“I know you will.” Raine’s answering smile was brilliant. They nodded insistently in the general direction of the docks, urging her to leave.
As she started walking down the porch stairs, she heard them whisper something under their breath, just barely loud enough to hear.
“May your heart be your guiding key.”
She turned around to say something, but the door had already closed.
—
Aqua was so tired.
She’d passed through so many lost worlds that she’d lost count. Her Keyblade and armor were gone, lost when she sacrificed herself to save Terra from the darkness. Her former Master’s Keyblade had disappeared with the shadow of Destiny Islands. Now, she’d been wandering for ages, long enough for her muscles to be screaming for her to stop.
The whole time, Heartless had been hunting her relentlessly. After one particularly nasty encounter, Aqua was certain that she wouldn’t survive the next fight. So she’d taken to hiding, ducking between echoed ruins and nonsensical mazes of stone, resting in the remnants of the worlds that were lost to darkness.
They disappeared one by one some time ago, when Mickey and that silver-haired boy — Riku, if her memory could be trusted — closed the door to Kingdom Hearts. All that was left were shadows and echoes of the past; fragments of worlds scattered all throughout the endless darkness. They would never be recovered, too shattered to ever return to the light.
Lately, Aqua had been wondering if she was one of them. A heart broken beyond repair, consumed by a fate that was never meant for her.
She chose this path.
And now… Aqua felt like she had nothing left to live for.
“I promise I’ll be there, one day, to wake you up.”
A fleeting promise, made in her last moments in the light.
She was such a fool.
Exhaustion overcame her, and she slumped against the closest boulder, eyes briefly slipping shut.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw two figures emerging from a distant cloud of shadow — one taller than the other. They were approaching her at a steady pace… but though she could see their movement, Aqua could barely tell the difference between them and the environment. It didn’t help that she was fighting to stay awake.
The figures drew near, and Aqua could just barely make out brown and tan fabric, metal armor flashing in a light that wasn’t there. Then they each knelt down beside her, and a rush of panic went through her — but, unbidden, the memory of bright eyes and fond smiles surfaced in her mind, and the adrenaline faded as soon as it came. Their arms wrapped around her, and it was so, so very familiar, that she couldn’t bear to push them away.
It was cold. She barely noticed, as she was quickly losing all feeling in her limbs. The static that had been chasing her since she ended up in this realm finally caught up to her, flooding her senses with white noise.
The shadows… they weren’t her friends.
Aqua couldn’t find it in her to care.
Terra… Ven… I’m sorry.