Valiant Hearts II
Chapter XIII
Imbalance of Powers -
End of a Journey?
The hot flames had almost completely engulfed their shelter, the ash was swirling in the air. A mysterious darkness had eaten the clouds, deepening the grim atmosphere. A nightmare had come true. Their enemy had found them, floating at the top of the stable.
There was no time to lose. Summoning both Keyblades at once, Olette immediately took off, using the balks at the outside of the stable as platform to reach the top. If not for her insane training with Tifa, this would've been an impossible task. Naminè was still on the ground, in front of the burning stable. Having summoned Monochrome, she started firing weak ice magic at the stable, trying to prevent the fire from taking over other buildings.
Olette had to look out for burning planks that were falling down and was almost on the top when she hesitated a moment, not knowing where to jump next.
“Too slow!” Luxord yelled, vanishing in mid-air, virtually teleporting behind Olette, and hitting her with a card.
The pain was overwhelming. Nothing compared to when they had fought him on the ice field. Olette could feel the shock in every part of her body. The impact caused Olette to crash into the burning building, vanishing from both Luxord's and Naminè's visibility.
“Monster!”
Naminè was shouting at Luxord, preparing for another spell. She didn't care for the town anymore. With such a monstrous enemy, she couldn't be considerate of her surroundings. Luxord would not let her have the time to fully recite a spell. Naminè had learned from their first fight with Luxord that she was weaker than the others when it came to direct combat. Using the past few days to think of a way to counter that, Naminè had come up with a few tactics to prevent herself from being beaten up like on the ice field.
Firing several ice magics on the ground she was standing on, Naminè literally created a wall of massive ice around her, giving her some protection against Luxord.
Several long black things were lashing against the wall. Luxord wanted to avoid getting close to her. If she created an ice field like last time, she would freeze the entire town for all eternity, him included. A distance of at least thirty feet was necessary to avoid a fatal blow. But if he didn't break that wall...
“Damn it all!” Luxord angrily shouted, and made an instantaneous dash towards the ice blockade, giving up his position in mid-air, going on ground level. It withstood several brutal impacts until the first cracks showed up. Only a few more...!
Naminè's time was running out. She hadn't finished the recitation yet, and being unable to use higher grade magic instantly like Aerith was a huge handicap against such a powerful foe.
It broke. The ice broke, and Naminè was one second short of getting hit full-force by Luxord.
“As if I'd let you!” Olette came running out of the stable, burns all over the place, angrily throwing Hero's Crest after Luxord, who had no choice but to evade. An instantaneous movement later, he was again behind Olette, trying to repeat the previous attack.
“Now!” Olette yelled and let herself fall on the ground. It was wet, and she glided a few feet before coming to a halt.
“... send me your infernal blaze!” Naminè finished the recitation. Nothing seemed to happen.
Luxord fixed his eyes on the girl until he heard a weird swirling sound. Looking around him, dozens of fireballs were circling around him, ready to impact at any second. He could basically teleport, but not bypass matter. If he tried to get out of there, he would be hit by one of those things, probably causing all of them to ignite. He was imprisoned on the ground, robbed of his ability to float. Naminè was unable to walk away from the burning building without breaking the fire spell.
“Olette!” Naminè gave her friend a nod. Pointing at Luxord, she started her next spell. Relying on recitation magic was difficult, especially if it was a powerful one.
Olette, calling back Hero's Crest from the ground, sped up and ran towards the fireballs. She would hit the first of them in just a few seconds.
Naminè opened her eyes and pointed Monochrome at the ring of fire, which suddenly came to a halt. Olette used the moment to get in, and in less than half a second later, the fireballs were circling again.
Olette was an expert at close combat, and Luxord lacked space and time to evade in here. The circle had a diameter of less than fifteen feet, and Olette would have the definitive advantage in there.
Luxord summoned four cards around him, all of which showed the Ace of Hearts, and he hid himself behind them. Olette had little choice but to slash away at the cards, which were withstanding a lot of damage.
A double horizontal slash, followed by a combo of vertical slashes, kicks and punches, finished by a whirlwind attack, were unable to break through the ridiculously hard wall of cards. It was like hitting on steel.
“Naminè!” Olette shouted, and once again, the ring of fire opened, just to her back. A quick jump backwards later, each and every fireball started crashing into the card barrier, causing a huge explosion.
“...so I plead thee, Raijin, send thy rage upon my enemy!” From the dark clouds over them, a gigantic thunderbolt descended and impacted in the place the card barrier was, directly into the explosion of fireballs.
“Did we get him?” They couldn't see because of the smoke.
“No.”
In a mere second, the ground behind them broke up, and an angry and slightly burned Luxord came out, sending Olette flying. Two cards at once, and the impact was big enough to have Olette flipping over the ground before she finally crashed into a nearby building.
Olette instantly lost consciousness. Naminè was the only one left standing, and there wasn't enough time use any magic. Drawing a card, Luxord used its ability directly against Naminè.
The blond girl could feel a terrible impact at her chest, leaving her unable to breathe, thinking her heart had been crushed. Sinking to the ground, Naminè was still conscious but unable to even move a finger.
He didn't want to play around anymore. Luxord walked over to the building into which Olette had crashed. The girl was lying there, unconscious on the ground. An easy target for him. He would not make the error of leaving her enough time to recover.
The fire had gotten worse. Several buildings had caught fire, and the first Heartless showed up, coming out of the shadows one after another, an endless number of them.
The girl with the double Keyblades would be first. He hadn't forgotten the damage she had caused at the ice field. Even now, the long-healed wound still hurt when he thought about the attack. He had wanted to have his revenge, and he would not underestimate the Keyblader again.
Taking the Ace of Spades, Luxord used it to ram the impact into Olette's chest. And again. And again.
Olette coughed up blood, the impact shaking her whole body. And again. She would soon die if this continued. Naminè could do nothing, not even scream. Her mind was filled with the horrifying thought of Olette dying. But she couldn't do anything.
Why was he so strong? Or were they so weak? How could they have beaten him before? Was there so much of a difference now?
Naminè knew the answer. It was so obvious what was missing. Kairi.
“Time to end this,” Luxord said. Stepping back, he raised both his arms over his head, summoning an bigger version of the Ace of Spades.
Luxord screamed out. Darkness from the shadows was being drawn towards the card. And it grew. If this hit Olette, she would die for sure!
Naminè tried to ignore the pain, tried to get up, wanted to help Olette, to prevent the only friend she had left in this world from dying. She had already lost Kairi because of this man, she would not lose Olette too!
But it was hopeless. Her body was numb from the pain. Naminè couldn't even move a single finger, not even speak.
The card got even bigger. It had already surpassed Olette in size and still continued to grow.
If only Kairi had been with them. If only Kairi were here. They would never lose against anyone with her. If only...
“Kairi!!” Naminè managed to scream out, her last desperate call for help.
But nobody came. Luxord just ignored Naminè, continuing to let the card grow. He would shred the girl to pieces, to little, tiny pieces...
“Kairi...” Naminè started crying. Why did nobody come? Had all their hope been for naught? Why was she so weak? Why couldn't she help Olette? Naminè cursed her own weakness. She squeezed her eyes closed, unable to witness the end of her last friend.
Naminè just couldn't accept this. It was weak of her to always rely on Kairi in such a situation. She had to do something.
Naminè's whole being burned when she tried to get up. She managed to get on all four limbs, just to fall back down on the wet ground. Not giving up, determined to save her friend, she tried again. And managed to get in a upright position, if only kneeling.
Luxord didn't seem to notice her. Naminè had to hurry, the card was already the size of Luxord's body. If that thing hit Olette it would be too late.
“Light of Yggdrasil, source of all being, grant those I love your blessing.”
A white light emitted from Naminè, flowing over to where Olette was. But this time, Luxord noticed it.
“You little wretch, are you still trying to avoid the inevitable? No matter what you do, you two will die here!”
Turning around, he changed his target. Not wasting any time, he started running towards Naminè, ready to blast the card right at her.
It was over. Naminè knew it was over. Even if Olette regained consciousness, she wouldn't be able to save her from this. Her legs refused to move, and there was not enough time to use any magic.
“Impact!” Luxord yelled, and a gigantic explosion occurred. Naminè could feel the shockwave and stone shards slicing open her arms. Naminè was numb from the pain, just seconds away from losing consciousness. Opening her eyes, she saw the impossible.
Looking up, just a few feet away, Luxord was lying on the ground. On top of him...was Olette. She had no power left to attack with her Keyblades. All she could do was run and tackle Luxord from behind as hard as she could, causing him to fall over.
In front of Luxord was a huge crater, at least thirty feet in diameter and a few feet deep.
Naminè's mind was hazy, and the last spell she had used to save Olette started to take its toll. Her vision went blurry and her head started to hurt like never before. Slowly falling unconscious, Naminè knew that even if she stayed conscious, there was nothing more she could do.
Luxord got up with such a speed that Olette was sent flying, crashing on the ground but not losing consciousness. Gritting her teeth, she summoned both Keyblades and ignored the massive pain everywhere in her body. She would not let Naminè's brave act go to waste.
“You really are the plague!” Luxord pointed at Olette, looking humiliated.
“Look who's talking!” Olette responded.
Luxord was tired of this game. Dashing towards Olette, he drew a couple of cards, attacking Olette head on.
Olette had the advantage in close combat, but her condition wasn't good. She had to try, no matter what the outcome would be!
Luxord looked at Olette, disgusted and angry, first trying to land a hit on her face, which was rigorously blocked by two Keyblades. It was hard to keep holding the Keyblades, Luxord's punch was ridiculously powerful. Just where had he gotten that strength? He hadn't had that kind of power before.
“It's time to end this little game of mine!” Luxord yelled, using another instantaneous movement to get behind Olette.
She knew what was coming. An impact. Barely turning around in time, Olette used the momentum of herself spinning around to kick Luxord in the ribs, sending him flying for a change. He crashed into a pile of wooden chests.
“You can't win, little girl. Not against me!” Luxord shouted, freeing himself of the wooden trash.
“Don't give up. We can beat him!”
Olette was shocked. Next to her...stood Kairi, out of breath and exhausted.
“I'll explain later, he's coming!”
Olette took a second too long to notice that Luxord was suddenly right in front of her. Kairi used the only means available and pushed Olette out of the way, herself taking a few steps back. Luxord took the bait and started to attack Kairi, who was able to block one attack after another. Luxord's punches had such force that it felt like someone was continuously stepping on her hands.
Olette was back on her feet and looked at Kairi fighting Luxord. She was half in a trance until she understood that it was all real. Kairi was alive, and a chance to win had come.
Running, ignoring pain and exhaustion, Olette attacked Luxord from behind, which forced him to turn around to keep from being attacked from both sides by the girls.
“You will never win against me!”
But with Kairi on her side, Olette knew she had a chance.
Luxord had other plans. Seeing as it was two versus one, he grew a little bit desperate. He would just knock out one girl with an impact and then...
He vanished. He vanished in the midst of the girls attacking him. But that was already a really familiar pattern to Olette. He would show up either behind herself or Kairi.
“Down!” Olette yelled in time, seeing how Luxord appeared right behind Kairi. With a last effort, Olette jumped at Kairi, pushing her to the ground—but for that, she suffered the effect of the card, which caused her to crash to the ground.
Luxord's expression was showing malicious joy. He was sure he won.
“I've won!”
“I don't think so.”
Before he knew what was happening, something hit his left leg, followed by a hit on his back that slashed open most of his spine. Kairi had made full use of Olette's sacrifice and had used the opportunity to attack Luxord when he let his guard down.
Luxord screamed out in pain and used a card to vanish. That was her chance.
“Naminè, get a grip!”
“...Kairi!?” Naminè tried to open her eyes, her vision blurry. It took her a moment to notice her sorroundings. Naminè couldn't believe her eyes. Kairi was kneeling next to her, using a cure spell, and then...there was Olette, lying on the ground, injured.
“I know you have a thousand things to say...but he could come back any second. Please, heal Olette, she is dying!” Kairi said, well knowing that it must be hard for Naminè to just accept it like that.
“But...but you were...” Naminè couldn't understand. It really was Kairi, she could feel it for some reason. But how had she gotten here?
“Naminè! Olette is dying!” Kairi emphasized it so that Naminé was getting a grip.
It worked. Naminè looked at Olette. If not for a powerful cure spell, she really would die from her internal injuries. As she immediately started the recitation, Kairi stood up, looking around. She herself was seemingly uninjured. The last time Naminé had seen her...Kairi had been dying. Just how...?
“He will come back any moment. I will explain everything once we get out of here.”
Kairi was unable to spot Luxord. He had just vanished on the spot, but she was completely sure she had gotten his leg and back. Even he would need a moment to heal those injuries. Kairi looked at Olette and knew that a simple Cure wasn't enough to heal her. If not for Naminè, Olette surely would've died.
“...and in thy name, Phoenix, I plead you to grant this girl the life she deserves, and bring her back from the Gates of Hades!”
Naminè finished her recitation and a bright red light descended from her hands into Olette, who immediately coughed up more blood, her body shaking from the abrupt healing of her inner injuries. Either the pain or the healing got Olette back to a conscious state.
“My head...” Olette opened her eyes and saw right next to Naminé...Kairi. So it hadn't been a dream, an illusion.
“Kairi!” Olette called out, trying to stand up.
“Naminè, use a cure spell on her. Just getting her back from dying isn't enough to have her fighting. We need her. I need her.”
“What happened to him?” Olette asked, recalling that she had protected Kairi and gotten hit by Luxord.
“I'll explain later, Olette, we've got to escape.”
Kairi knew that her attack wouldn't be enough to take him out. He was still somewhere out there, waiting for her to divert her attention.
Naminè finished up her cure recitation and Olette could feel the pain of her injuries being forcefully healed much faster than humanly possible. Gritting her teeth, Olette could feel feeling returning to her legs and arms, and the bleeding was fully stopped.
“Naminè, your status?” Kairi had the hope that Olette would put aside the matter of her coming back for now.
“I'm fine,” Naminè blatantly lied. It was obvious, she was squeezing her eyes closed and holding her head. But it was a clear sign of change to Kairi that Naminè was not complaining.
“Kairi, how—” Kairi put a finger to Olette's lips.
“Get your Keyblades. This is going to be really hard. The next portal is on the other end of the town.” Kairi spoke quickly; they had to avoid wasting any more time.
The ground was trembling, and the burning stable finally completely collapsed. The fire was spreading further, and soon, the whole town would be ablaze. They had no option. Their lives were more important than a town in another world.
Naminè only noticed it now, but there was no sign of the enemy. If Kairi really had gotten him, where was he? Olette didn't seem to know anything either. What had happened while she had been unconscious?
“As if I'd let you go!” Luxord appeared a good fifty feet away from them, his face giving away insanity and anger.
“I already thought one of you was missing. Pretty smart to wait until I let my guard down, but that won't happen again.”
Not wasting a single second, Luxord started running towards them. No teleport-like movement, no vanishing, he just plain started running.
“Naminè!” Kairi had faith in her, using her experience to do the right thing.
“Yes!” Naminè answered, and fired multiple ice magics on the ground, creating yet another wall of mirror-slick ice.
Luxord showed up right in front of the barrier, not even bothering to look at it, yet unleashing everything he had. The barrier was shaking and trembling with each hit, the first cracks showing up after a few moments.
Suddenly, the barrier broke, and Luxord lost his balance for a second. It was enough for the girls to deliver a counter blow.
Kairi and Olette were both approaching Luxord from behind, Kairi on the ground, Olette in mid-air. He had no time to bring up any defense. Kairi used a feint, and instead of hitting Luxord's legs, she slid past him, using the remains of the ice wall to fly up in mid-air.
Olette was about to hit when Kairi showed up behind her. Olette used both Keyblades to get a rotation starting, and Kairi used Oathkeeper to hit Hero's Crest full force. The repel force caused herself to hit the ground but accelerating Olette's whirl.
Luxord had enough time to get up the Ace of Heart, but against the whirling Keyblades, he had a hard time keeping it intact.
“...and let the eternal frost freeze my enemy forever and all time!” Naminè had finished her recitation. They had to escape, not beat him. Just freezing him would be enough.
“Damn it!!” Luxord had no choice but to disable his defense and escape, even if that meant getting hit by the rotating Keyblades.
The card vanished, and in the split second between that and the next, Olette finally managed to hit, almost cutting off his left arm. Luxord yelled out in pain. Blood was everywhere, and he used his remaining functioning arm to use a movement card.
The last time, he had taken a long time to treat his injuries with his powers. Kairi would take this chance to get them all out of this hell.
The town was burning, engulfed in flames. Screams of people, being eaten by the Heartless, burning to death. Ash in the air complicated their breathing. It hurt Kairi to not be able to do anything for these people, but staying here and fighting the Organization was just too dangerous.
“Go!” Kairi shouted, jumping over a burning carriage.
Olette knew that Naminè was still sick, but Kairi didn't, and it was unlikely that she would manage to run through the whole town. Without a word, Olette took Naminè on her back and following Kairi, slowly catching up.
Kairi knew that they had not much time. If he recovered before they reached the portal...
“Just...how did you survive?” Olette caught up with Kairi, and they both ran at full speed, ignoring the Heartless in their way, just trying to get as far away as possible from the monster from the Organization.
“Run, we talk later!” Kairi replied, trying not to waste her breath on talking.
“But...” Olette bit her lip, well knowing that Kairi was right.
Kairi gave her a nod. Naminé was conscious but didn't say a word, even though she really wanted to.
The fire was spreading faster than anticipated. Soon they were looking at a dead end further ahead. In front of them, a huge building collapsed.
“Naminè!” Kairi looked at the girl. It was asking much, but they couldn't be considerate of anything now.
She understood instantly. They could not make any detours. Every second was important. The enemy could catch up any second, and if that happened...
“Great Lord of Fire, Ifrit, engulf what is yours, and let cease what stands in our way!” Naminè shouted, pointing her Keyblade at the house in front. Seconds later, it was destroyed by a massive explosion.
“Close your eyes and jump!” Kairi ordered and used a former balcony as ramp to jump over the burning remains of the building.
Olette followed a second later. Both of them landed safely but suffered a few burns. But that was nothing compared to what they had endured in the past.
“Almost there!” Kairi yelled, her lungs on the edge of bursting.
Both Olette and Kairi were at their limits, but the gateway couldn't be much further away. Neither of them could leave on their own, they were dependent on each other.
“There!” Kairi pointed at a burning house near the east town gate.
Olette could feel her hope fall. If the keyhole was in there, they had a major problem.
“Naminè, use a reflect spell to protect us from the flames. Two minutes is enough.”
Kairi only knew the rough location. She was the only one out of the three that could detect gateways over a long distance. It could very well be anywhere in the house, or even above it, but this was their only chance.
Slowing down, Kairi stopped in front of the inferno, feeling the heat on her face. Concentrating, she tried to grasp the location of the keyhole better.
Naminè had almost finished the recitation spell when further away, a gigantic explosion took place. It was visible on the dark sky from all over the city.
“He is on his way,” Olette said, but they all already knew it.
“Reality Shield!” Naminè ended her spell, and the three of them were covered by a green shimmering light.
“Go!” Kairi gave a hand sign and the three entered the building.
It was terribly hot. Even though they were shielded against burns, the heat was immense, almost making them lose their senses.
Kairi stopped, looking around for a split second, then entered a door to the right.
The living room. The view was horrible. A whole family had died in here, and now their bodies were burning just below their feet. Kairi managed to control herself, but Olette couldn't and threw up, right outside the room. Naminé wasn't able to see the ground, but was worried what Olette might have seen to react that way.
“Here!” Kairi pointed at a swirl in the air that seemed unnatural. It was hard to see, but it looked different from the air around them.
“Use your Keyblades!” Kairi ordered, directing Oathkeeper at the point.
Olette let Naminè down, and Olette summoned Circle of Life. For whatever reason, she could only utilize the power of one Keyblade to open a portal.
Circle of Life, Monochrome and Oathkeeper's light rays combined at the point in the air, and slowly a gateway opened.
Another explosion, much closer than before. He was coming. If they didn't hurry...
Kairi didn't know if the Organization could enter the gateways, but if they could, they had to close the portal before he reached it. It took time to do so, and there was not enough of that.
“It's open!” Kairi shouted, waiting for Olette and Naminè to jump through it.
Olette managed to jump in at first try, but about three feet in mid-air was too high for Naminè. Reaching out her hand, Olette drew Naminè up, followed by Kairi, who jumped in.
And then it happened.
The entrance of the house was torn to pieces. He was there, he found them. There was not enough time to close the portal!
“I will keep him busy! Olette, you close the portal!” Kairi ordered.
The pain of being slapped by Olette was much more than Kairi had expected.
“What are you saying, idiot?! I'm, no, we're not leaving you here, again!”
And time ran out.
“Why won't you pests just die?!” Luxord yelled. Only a few feet separated the girls from him. His raged increased indefinitely upon seeing the portal.
Not wasting a single second more, he made a dash towards the portal. The room was too small to use teleportation cards or to unleash any long-range attacks.
“...so Titan, Lord of Ground, let the World tremble!” Naminè had casted a spell without Kairi or Olette noticing.
A immense earthquake erupted, throwing Luxord off his balance. It was their only chance to escape. Kairi knew that Olette wouldn't let her sacrifice herself again, and Naminè had even thought ahead as far as this.
Kairi just gave a nod, and all three of them directed their Keyblades at the portal, closing it. Luxord was trying to reach it. His hand had already passed the border of the worlds when the portal finally closed, cutting off his hand and leaving a wounded Luxord back in the burning house that finally trembled under the quake.
They were all at their limits. Naminè lost temporarily consciousness, under the immense burden of so many recitation spells. Olette could only lay on her back, trying to catch her breath, unable to even move a finger. Kairi was in better condition than both of them, but refrained from doing anything. She too, was exhausted, and her body started to ache again.
They were finally safe, escaped from him. Just who was he? What was he? What was the Organization's true aim? And just how powerful were they? Kairi had so many question that were left unanswered, it was depressing.
Several minutes passed, the three of them sitting around, resting their bodies and minds, calming down. Barely escaping death had been a horrifying experience. The sheer difference in power was overwhelming. Even after all that, he surely was still alive.
Naminé had come to, and just by looking at Kairi, it was hard to comprehend that they were back together. Slowly getting up, Naminé walked over to where Kairi was sitting. It was cold on the paths, but there was this fuzzy and warm feeling that kept her going when looking at Kairi.
“Kairi...” Naminé was near tears, her body trembling. She had almost given up hope of finding Kairi, and now they were suddenly back together.
Kairi didn't say anything when Naminè knelt down and started hugging her, just laying her arms around the girl. Naminè just wanted to stay like that, but when Kairi started to pet her head, Naminè realized how unfair it was for only her to be like this with Kairi. A feeling of guilt came up inside her, and she looked over at Olette.
The brunette was sitting not too far away, looking at them, still catching her breath and trying to ignore the pain in her body. Olette wasn't the overly emotional type, not at all. But it still would've been nice to even hug Kairi once.
“Olette...” Naminè whispered, suddenly not feeling so good anymore. If being with Kairi was leaving out Olette like this, then it came with a really bitter taste.
Naminè let Kairi go, who was a bit surprised. She had imagined that Naminè wouldn't let her go for hours after they reunited.
Olette was surprised when Naminè held out her hand, waiting for Olette to take it.
“Even with Kairi, I'm lonely without you.”
Kairi didn't know what had happened while she was recovering, but it did seem like Olette and Naminè had grown much closer.
Olette let out a sigh, then stood up. For a second, she looked at Naminè, then closed her eyes and petted Naminè's head. She really was different from back then. She would've just cared about Kairi and forgotten about everything else.
Both of them walked over to Kairi, who stood up, and both of them looked at her, silent and with delighted expressions.
“I...I'm sorry, and...” Kairi started, not knowing how to explain everything.
“We're just happy that you're back,” both of them said at once. Smiling at each other, Olette and Naminè hugged Kairi, who was surprised at Olette's behavior.
“I'm really sorry, you two. I didn't know you two cared so much about me.”
Kairi had always been a bit slow when it came to such things. Often, she thought that people only protected her because she was a Keyblader.
“Stupid. Everyone cares about you. Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, Leon, Cid and all the others!” Olette said, pretty angry about how Kairi was thinking.
“Olette is right...and...I don't know if I...we...could go on without you.” Naminè finally broke out in tears, leaning on Kairi's chest.
Kairi didn't know what to say. No one had ever said something like that to her. Just how could she answer that?
“You don't need to answer. I know you're not good with these things. Just don't do something so stupid ever, ever, again, you hear me?” Olette said, letting go of Kairi and taking her hand. She sat next to her, leaning on her shoulder.
“The hardest thing all this time was...not knowing if you were alive.”
Naminè had stopped crying, and just leaned on Kairi, closing her eyes and longing for nearness.
Olette had been silent for a while now, and it worried Kairi. She had been much more reserved before, so what had brought about that sudden change?
“I won't ever let go of you again.”
“You don't have to go that far, Olette.” Kairi was sort of embarassed. It was weird for Olette to say that. It seemed much more like a thing Naminè would say.
“No, I mean it. I won't ever let you go anywhere alone.” Olette turned around, looking straight into Kairi's eyes. There was this extremely determined brilliance in her eyes.
Kairi couldn't help but look confused.
Olette calmed down and let go of Kairi, just to stand up, walk behind her, and hug her from behind.
“Do you know how much I missed you...?”
Olette was just whispering in Kairi's ear.
“What...”
“I missed you so much...I thought my heart would break.”
Kairi blushed at those words and felt slightly uncomfortable.
“You're the first person to ever accept me for what I am. I don't know what I would do without you.”
Kairi was speechless. She hadn't known that Olette felt like that.
“So I'm not going to let you go anywhere alone. I will always be there for you.”
With that, Olette leaned her head on Kairi's back, closing her eyes for just a second.
Naminè opened her eyes and looked up at Kairi. It was like a happy dream for her to be finally reunited with Kairi. Just spending time like this, even if it was on the icy paths between the worlds. Naminè didn't feel cold when she was near Kairi. But it felt different from before, now that Olette was also with them. It felt better, warmer.
Naminè knew that there was still one problem, but they had time for that later. For now, she only wanted to enjoy being together with these two. Right. These two. It wasn't just Kairi anymore. Her world had expanded.
Time flew past as they continued to sit there in perfect silence. It was only after so long that curiosity got the better of Naminè.
“Just...what happened after the portal closed?”
“I want to know too,” Olette set after.
“It isn't a very eventful story, but I can tell you...we should get going, though,” Kairi said, looking at the closed portal.
She was uncertain if the Organization people could enter these gateways alone, but if so...they had already wasted way too much time.
“Naminè, can you walk?” Olette was almost used to carrying her, and it wasn't much of a burden anymore.
“I'm fine, but thank you.” Naminé didn't want to be anymore of a burden to Olette.
“After the portal closed, I was dying. I lost consciousness, and I guess I was really close to death when Sparrow found me. He had been hiding on top of a palm the whole time and watched our fight. He saved me and treated my wounds. He said I slept two days straight without waking up. The first time I woke up...I was so weak, I could only drink a bit of coconut milk.”
Kairi made a break and looked to her right side, where Naminé was walking. She really had changed. Naminè seemed much more mature than before. And Olette did too. She would've never expected her to come up and hug her like that.
“It continued for a while—I'm not sure how many days—until I was finally able to get up on my own. After that...I wanted to look for you two. I had a guess that you didn't leave this world. Sparrow helped me to steal a ship that was making a halt at the island.”
Olette stopped. It had been pure coincidence that they found each other. If Kairi had guessed wrong, and had left for Hollow Bastion, they both would've died.
Kairi noticed the brunette had stopped walking and looked at Olette, who was seemingly scared of her own thoughts.
“Are you okay, Olette?” Naminè asked.
“I'm fine, just...a bit tired.”
Olette caught up with the others, and Kairi continued her story.
“It was then that I remembered that both of you have Keyblades that were originally mine. I just concentrated on finding them, and managed to reach both of you in time. Sparrow said that he saw no profit in fighting our enemy, stole another ship, and left.”
Kairi shook her head and muttered something about unreliable pirates and greed, letting out a sigh at the end. Looking in turns at Naminè and Olette, she now wanted to know what happened to them.
“I'm sure a lot of things happened to you while I was gone,” Kairi started.
Olette and Naminè looked at each other. How much should they tell Kairi? Deep down, they decided to leave some parts out, such as them talking about how she liked Kairi, and Olette stealing food and them being chased out.
Olette nodded and took a deep breath.
“Right after we left the pathway...”
---Valiant Hearts---
“But Your Majesty, why aren't we taking the Gummi Jet to travel?” a croaking voice spoke to a much smaller figure in front of him.
“We need to not be seen. We have the chance to travel unseen by the eyes of Maleficent, so we should use it. There are also the new enemies Leon reported,” the small figure answered in a squeaky voice.
“Who was that again?” a rather dull voice asked. He was the tallest of the group, almost twice in height compared to the croaking voice.
“The leader of the group that has the Keyblader girl, you dumbass,” the croaking voice said, obviously annoyed at the taller one.
“Oh, yeah. So why are we going there?” He didn't seem to notice that he annoyed the other one.
“Just keep your mouth shut and keep walking.”
“Now, now, both of you, don't argue. We're soon there, we're right now passing another world, so there shouldn't be any Heartless for a while,” the smallest figure said.
“Yes, Your Highness!” both figures replied synchronously, and saluted.
---Valiant Hearts---
“And then we started fighting that guy...you know the rest.” Olette finished her story.
Kairi was a little depressed about how much Olette and Naminè had suffered because of her. But it didn't help them that she felt bad.
“Just how far away from Hollow Bastion are we? I don't remember the way at all...” Naminé said, nervously looking around. She had a grim feeling that they weren't in safety yet.
Kairi knew the way, and they still would have to walk at least a little over a hour to get to the keyhole that led to Hollow Bastion.
“Are you tired?” Olette asked.
“No, it's just...I'm a bit scared. What if that guy finds a way to follow us?” Naminè replied.
“That won't happen. The gateways only open for those with the Keyblades. He has no way to follow us,” Kairi interrupted.
If Kairi was right, they were safe. But the gateways were just that—gates that connected little paths with the worlds amidst the mass of darkness. But if the Organization had a way to penetrate the small shield of those paths, they could enter from the darkness...
“We're gonna be okay,” Kairi assured them.
“I wonder about that.”
It was like icy water that ran down their spines. There was no mistaking it. That voice came out straight of a nightmare.
They looked in front of them. He stood there, a good deal ahead, ready to attack them anytime. They could feel it. He was literally enjoying their fear.
Olette wanted to shout, “Naminé getting ready for a spell!” but Kairi knew that he was at a massive advantage and held them back with a hand sign. They had no place to escape to, no chance. They were worn out, and if one of them fell off the path in the darkness, there was absolutely no way back.
“How did you get here? Nobody but us Keybladers should be able to enter these paths!”
Kairi was trying to win time by asking questions. She had to come up with some sort of plan. If everything else failed, they had to try and take the next portal, no matter which world it led to.
“You sure think of yourself all high 'n mighty, don't you?”
He was laughing. Luxord was laughing. He knew they couldn't escape here, and he had the advantage both in power and field. He could easily draw out thousands of Heartless on one of these paths. Why not enjoy their fear a bit more and keep talking? There was nothing and nobody left that could stop him.
“These paths have been here from way before the first Keyblader was born. They are the Anu Dazo, as the Superior calls them—the paths of darkness. It is more of a mystery that you are here than that I am.”
Launching a surprise attack when he let his guard down? The chance of that working was too small. He was clearly superior in terms of power and combat experience. What else was there? The next portal was over three hundred feet away. If they used a massive ice spell to block the way, would they make it? But—
“Now who is sounding all high 'n mighty? We beat you once, what makes you think we can't do it again?!”
Olette had reached her limit. This guy was the source of all their misery—heck, it was his fault that Kairi almost died. She wanted to beat him up so badly that it hurt to just stand back and do nothing.
Olette tightened her grip on her Keyblades, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to hold herself back much longer. While keeping up a facade of believing that Kairi was alive she had suppressed a lot of emotions, and they were coming out.
Kairi could have hit Olette. What good did it do to provoke Luxord now? If he attacked now, they had no chance of winning.
Luxord laid a hand on his forehead, his voice trembling a bit. He was clearly angry. Really angry. Being reminded of his loss at the ice field, the shame and the ignominy was all but pleasant.
“I don't like fighting someone without a name. What is yours?”
Kairi tried to get the conversation back in motion, but it was too late. Luxord was already angry, and he didn't want to spend a single second more looking at their faces. He would eliminate them once and for all.
Suddenly, without a warning or anything, Luxord made a dash towards Olette. He grabbed at her face with his right arm, pushing Olette violently on the ground. A split second later, both Kairi and Naminè could feel the emitting force on the ground. He had used an impact directly at Olette's face.
“One out.”
He was tired of playing around, tired of fighting these brats. It was time to dispose of them.
Kairi tried to launch a counter attack but he was too fast. He virtually vanished from her field of vision, and before she knew it, something sharp and long hit her on the back. Piercing pain ran through her body—of her back being slashed open. It was just too much to bear and even though she didn't lose consciousness, Kairi was paralyzed by the pain.
“Two out.”
One more. He would just drop the bodies in the darkness beneath the path. They would vanish for good.
Naminè was all alone. He knew her abilities, that she was a spell caster, like Demyx. But she was also helpless if she couldn't finish a spell. That was the reason Demyx had come up with his water clone spell.
“Your friends aren't dead. Not yet.”
And again, Luxord started laughing. A honest to goddess villain laugh, one that had gone insane long ago.
“Well, enough of this. I won't make this fast or painless.”
And he didn't. He slowly walked towards Naminè, drawing a card, showing it to her—The Ace of Spades—and grinning. He had won. Finally. They had been stupid enough to escape to a place surrounded by darkness.
“Great Will of Fire, grant me your power and—” Naminè felt a impact at her stomach, too weak to be the Ace of Spades, but strong enough to send her flying.
Luxord knew that he couldn't underestimate the girl's spells, but it didn't take much to cancel one.
Naminè had to go for a shorter version. Kairi was in dire need for a cure spell. Olette too. And he was seemingly still uninjured.
Just how did he survive all they had done to him? How had he recovered so fast? It was so unnatural, it was almost like he was not real.
“Blaze of the Gods, burn my ene—”
A brutal kick in the face. Naminè was sent flying yet again, crashing on the icy ground, rolling over. Her face hurt really bad, and she could feel blood running down from her lips and nose. But what could she do? If she shortened the recitation any more, it would be like a slightly stronger grade I spell. She wouldn't even scratch him with that.
Naminè tried to stand up. She knelt on all four limbs, looking at the blood on the ground, dripping from her face. Was this it? Had they fought that valiantly to be defeated like this? She...she had to do something!
The pain was immense. It was like every single bone in her back broke. The force of the impact pushed her on the ground, unable to even move a finger.
“Three out. That's all of them. Time to get rid of them.”
Grabbing Naminè by her hair, pulling her along, Luxord walked over to where the other two girls were lying on the ground. Kicking Naminè in the side, he walked over to Olette and sat down on her back, showing not a grain of respect for his defeated enemies.
Really, this had been such a hassle. Good that he had followed Xigbar's advice. The battle in the town would've gone terribly wrong if not for that.
Digging in his cloak, he finally found what he was looking for—a case of cigarettes. Taking one out and putting it on his lips, he proceeded to light it with a card. Taking a deep breath, Luxord finally calmed down.
Looking down, he could see Kairi fixating him with her eyes, angrier than ever, loathing him. It annoyed him. Still daring to defy him, that girl was getting on his nerves.
He would dispose of her first.
Grabbing Kairi by her hair, he slowly walked over to the edge of the path. The iciness was even painful for him. There was nothing but darkness from there on.
Pulling Kairi up, still on her hair, he held her over the edge. Almost instantly, Heartless showed up, grabbing her legs, arms, swarming all over her. Luxord had a hateful smile on his face as he looked straight into Kairi's eyes. Eyes that were filled with hate and fear.
“See you in hell!”
---Valiant Hearts---
It was dark. It was like the loneliness had a tight grip of her heart. How long had it been? She didn't know. It was like a piece of her life had been stolen by the darkness. What should she do? Why was she so powerless?
It was cold. Much colder than it should have been. The nights seemed endless, and the days dull and matte. Every day, her hope shrank even more.
A creaking sound. The stairs. Someone came down the stairs. It couldn't be her, could it?
The steps came closer and closer, coming to a halt right next to her. No words were said. They understood each other without that.
“Kairi will come back, I'm sure.”
A gentle voice, trying to ease the other one a bit.
“Aerith...I just can't take it any longer.”
Tifa was at her limit. Barely sleeping and eating, she had been worried sick ever since the morning they had noticed Kairi, Naminè and Olette were gone. At first, they had thought they were just hiding, but after days had passed, Tifa was sure that they had left for another world.
Laying a hand behind Tifa's neck, Aerith slowly pulled Tifa towards herself, caressing her back.
Aerith herself was just as worried as Tifa, but she wasn't in such a bad condition. Each single day, Tifa spent her time looking around Hollow Bastion, looking for any signs that Kairi had returned. But there was nothing. With time passing, Aerith started to believe that Kairi was being held up in another world, be it by the new enemy or by Heartless. Her only hope was that those three were strong enough to overcome it.
“Do you really think Kairi will come back...or even wants to come back?” Her voice was trembling.
“Silly, we're like family for Kairi, and she is family for us...why would she not want to come back?”
“But...why did she leave without saying a word then?”
Even Aerith didn't know that. She could only guess, but for now, saying something soothing to Tifa was more important.
“Kairi is only sixteen. It's that age. They're probably well and will laugh at us for worrying so much.”
It did sound silly, but Tifa lightened up a bit. Aerith always knew the right things to say. Tifa never regretted to have fallen in love with her. Thinking back, it was a shame that she had followed Cloud around for so long. There was only place for one thing in his heart, and that wasn't her. Aerith never failed to show how much she loved her.
“Thank you...I don't know what I would do without you.”
Tifa let herself go, sinking down on Aerith's lap, laying on the couch, looking at a dark room. Aerith proceed to play a bit with Tifa's hair, then caressed her cheek. It was important to both of them that Kairi came back, and especially in situations like these, that they were there for each other.
“I also don't know what you would do without me. You're terrible at house chores. And I'm sure you'd live off instant food like Yuffie. You'd get fat.”
Aerith was teasing Tifa a bit, and even though it was dark, she could feel how Tifa was showing a small smile. It put Aerith at ease, seeing that Tifa wasn't drowning herself in desperation anymore. They had done this almost every night since Kairi was gone, and only then was Aerith showing how much she was worrying about Kairi. It didn't make her suffer as much as Tifa, but she really did need the support of her partner in such a hard time.
“You're mean. But I know it's true.”
Tifa moved over, now looking right up in the face of her lover. It had been some time since they slept with each other, and neither of them was really in mood for it since Kairi left. But Tifa was longing for some nearness, longing for caresses.
Aerith leaned over Tifa and moved one finger over her lips. It was like she could read Tifa's mind.
“Don't, it would taste horrible. I forgot to brush my teeth.”
Of course she was just teasing Tifa again. It was a little game of ever-circling teasing with those two.
“I don't mind. Didn't brush mine either.”
Aerith made a exaggerated disgusted expression and then bowed down, kissing the black-haired woman gently, delighted that there was someone she could share her worries with.
---Valiant Hearts---
“I won't let you do that!”
Luxord was surprised. Who dared to defy him, so close before his goal? Who was fool enough to attack him?
Something tall and oddly-shaped crashed into him before he could react, forcing him to drop Kairi, who was caught by the odd something.
“Goofy, bring her back to the others and then provide back up for me. Donald, you heal them please. I will face him. He is a formidable opponent.”
Luxord knew who was in front of him. Of all times, why did he have to show up here, at this very moment? He had been so close to finishing them, and now he was further away than he had ever been. Things were not in his favor.
“Why are you here, little King?” Luxord had to think. What had Zexion written in his report about the little king? If he could only recall it!
“I don't think a villain needs to know why and where I go!”
“King Mickey, who is that guy? What was he doing with those girls?”
Mickey. The king of Castle Disney, a Keyblader of a much earlier generation than Kairi. He was keeping Maleficent in check, preventing the Heartless from taking over any more worlds.
“Goofy, Donald, watch out for him. He should be really strong.”
“He sure looks weird, yeah,” Goofy replied.
“Look who's talking!” Luxord angrily replied.
What kind of joke was this? Not only had he to fight the king himself but also his bodyguards. From sight alone, he could tell that this duck was able to use high-level magic instantaneously. That was a real problem. And that tall something—even though it looked about as smart as a rock, it wasn't to be underestimated. He had tackled him without him even noticing he was there.
It would be a fool's act to fight the king of Castle Disney here. He was strong enough to hold Maleficent, one of the masters of the Heartless, in check. Fighting him without knowing his abilities could prove to be a devastating error.
“This...this is not the last you'll see of me!” Luxord yelled, opening a portal of darkness behind him and escaping.
Mickey was delighted. He did not want to fight a member of Organization XIII on an Anu Dazo, a path of darkness. He had recognized Kairi the instant he saw her. But who were the other two girls? Leon had written in his message that he had welcome news regarding the Keyblade, but were those two related to it? Could they possibly be...?
“Donald, how are they?” Mickey was looking at his court magician with worried eyes.
“They're in pretty bad shape. With Curega magic alone, they'll make it, but they will need to recover by themselves for some time.”
Mickey let out a sigh and looked at Kairi. She had finally lost consciousness when Goofy tackled Luxord and almost dropped her in the infinite darkness. Just how strong was the Organization?
“Goofy, you pick up the brunette and the blond girl. Donald, use a gravity spell to have the remaining girl floating next to you. We should arrive in a hour or less at Hollow Bastion.” Mickey looked ahead, hoping there wouldn't be any more obstacles to this journey.
---Valiant Hearts---
“Leon, why didn't you ask him to look for Kairi?!” Tifa was pushing Leon against the wall.
They had called the two women to a meeting, talking about what they would do if Kairi did not return, what they would do if she returned, or rather what punishment they would give her, and Leon informed everyone that the king of Castle Disney was supposed to arrive this very day.
Tifa was first shocked and then unimaginably angry that Leon had the means to contact the king and didn't tell him that Kairi had vanished.
“Just how many worlds do you think there are, Tifa?! Should he leave the Heartless alone and abandon countless worlds to look for Kairi, who could be in a dozen different worlds?!”
“But still...! Still...” Pushing him once again against the wall, Tifa went on.
“We all miss Kairi, Tifa. But...Leon is right. Even if we knew which world Kairi was in, how long do you think it would take to find her? Kairi is a important to us all, but we can't just desert countless worlds for her sake.” Yuffie, looking depressed that she had to say all that, tried to calm down her friend.
Tifa felt defeated. Yuffie was right, she knew that. But what should she do? Just give up and wait for Kairi to eventually return?
“Wow, hey, the machine is picking up a signal. The portal at the library is opening!” Cid interrupted and gave the round a meaningful look.
Not a minute passed and the whole room was empty with the exception of Leon. He stayed back for his own reasons.
“Tifa is becoming a problem.”
Tifa was running as fast as she could. Only Yuffie was able to keep up with her, leaving the others way behind them. Blood rushed in Tifa's ears; she was unable to think straight. It must be Kairi who was coming back. It had to be!
“She really cares about Kairi the most, huh?” Cid was running next to Aerith.
“I'm the exception to that rule,” Aerith answered.
The mechanic decided to just shut up and save his breath.
Tifa and Yuffie had already reached the library. There, in front of the portal, they couldn't trust their eyes.
“What...what happened to them...?” Yuffie was worried. Kairi, Naminè and Olette were in pretty bad shape. Injured all over the place, but it seemed like their wounds had already been treated a bit by magic.
Tifa was just speechless and knelt next to the unconscious Kairi.
“They're alive, don't worry. Donald healed them, but they will need to rest some time before walking around,” Mickey explained.
Slowly, the others reached the library, looking at the three beat-up girls. Aerith knelt next to Tifa, taking her hand, whispering something in her ear.
“They're going to be okay.”
Tifa was in shock. It was just too much at once. Her head felt like it was going to explode any second. Her vision went fuzzy and she started shaking.
Yuffie, knowing that Tifa was about to faint or worse, took her hand and led her away from the girls. She knew how much Tifa had suffered in these past days. It would be better for her to first calm down before going back in. Digging in her pouch, Yuffie took out a small can. She opened it and gave it to Tifa.
“Did she...?” Aerith was worried when Yuffie returned alone.
“I gave her some canned tea. You don't want her to faint, right? That's a hundred-fifty munny for the tea.”
“You're a real money maker, aren't you? But...thank you. I sometimes don't know what I would do without you, Yuffie.”
Yuffie just smiled and then looked at Kairi.
“Just who did this to them? It looks horrible.”
Aerith shook her head, unable to answer that question. But whoever did it, one day, she would pay them back.
Cid had led Mickey, Donald, and Goofy out of the library and back to the house they used for meetings, where Leon was waiting.
“King Mickey, it's good to see you.”
A formal greeting. Leon preferred to be reserved with the king of Castle Disney. He seemed nice and friendly, but he had a natural mistrust against people.
“Good to see you too, Leon.”
A moment of awkward silence emerged between the king and Leon. He didn't trust Mickey's companions. It was his motto. Only trust yourself and those your life depends on.
“Donald, Goofy, can you leave us alone for a moment? Stand guard at the door, please.”
He could feel the vibes of displeasure from his loyal subjects. It wasn't nice of Leon to mistrust them, but given how his world was taken by the Heartless, there was no one that could blame him on that.
“The fact that you are here and the others aren't tells me that you brought our lost sheep back home.”
Leon was more than just displeased with this development. He had planned to use the news of two new Keybladers to exchange information. They were in need of information, regarding both the Organization and what the Heartless were doing.
“And I guess I know what you wanted to tell me. The girls with Kairi are also Keybladers, aren't they?” Mickey was sharp. It was easy to figure out that a girl that was traveling with a Keyblader, with no apparent weapon, must be a Keyblader too.
“I'm coming straight to the point. What can you tell us about the Organization XIII, the one that has been utilizing those white creatures?”
Mickey sighed and looked around, as if someone was listening in. What Leon asked of him was highly dangerous information and if the wrong ears heard them...
“Organization XIII. The Nobodies. They are the shells that were left behind by truly great people. Good or bad, doesn't matter. If someone of great importance is made into a Heartless, the shell that is left behind will continue to 'live' on. It is a sad life, without emotions and without heart. In a sense, they are to be pitied.”
Silence. He hadn't heard enough. It was important information to know who your enemy was, but it was just as important to know what he was up to.
“Even I don't know what they're planning. Their leader—they call him 'The Superior'—seems to be an absurdly powerful being. We can only guess at his motives. But one thing is clear. They're neither our nor the Heartless' allies. They're powerful and they have their own goals.”
“Not as powerful as you think. We raided their place on a whim, and thinking back, it was a stupid thing to do. But the majority was against me, I couldn't have stopped it anyway. If all of them are only as strong as the ones we fought, then there is nothing to fear. The Heartless are more of a threat.”
Leon remembered the fight. They had been hardly a challenge. But if they were so weak, why was the king thinking of them as a powerful Organization? Something wasn't right. And it wasn't the king.
“Are you absolutely sure they're this powerful? When I fought one, it was hardly any different from fighting a low-class Heartless. Just—”
“Don't be fooled. Are you absolutely sure they sent out their most powerful fighters? They saw you coming, didn't they? They let you invade the place, steal their data, and the people you fought were weak.”
Just where had he gotten this information from? Detailed info on their trip was supposed to be top secret information. But asking wouldn't get him an answer. The king never named his sources.
“Just go and take a look at Kairi. They were three against one, and looking at them and him, he could have beaten them with a blindfold on. I can't be sure, but he was about as strong as I am. The Heartless are weak to the Keyblades. They fear and hate, they love and desire it. But the Nobodies have neither fear nor hate for it. To them, it is just another blade.”
“So what do you propose we should do?” Leon was getting impatient. The king kept telling him that the new enemy was much more powerful than he had ever imagined. If that really was true, he had to reconsider a lot of things.
“For now, stay put. Even they wouldn't dare to attack you here. Kairi and those other girls—can you tell me their names?—need rest. They won't be able to fight for some time. I also fear that the Heartless see a threat in the Nobodies, and Maleficent seems to be up to something extremely dangerous. My hands are tied with the recent events. We only can wait for now.”
With that, Mickey looked around yet again, as if someone were eavesdropping. It was a bad habit that he had developed when people started allying with the Heartless.
“Just stay put? Is that all we can do?” Leon was clearly annoyed at this turn of events.
“I know you want to stop the Heartless. I know that you want to get your world back. But not everything will always follow your will. You need to accept that, Leon.”
With those words, Mickey put up his hood and left the room. He quickly spoke with Donald and Goofy, then walked away in the direction of the castle.
Leon was left alone in the room. The sun was slowly setting, just like his hopes to get her back. The night's darkness started to wrap up the town in its iron clutches, just like the darkness in Leon's heart.
Whispering one last word, Leon too, left the meeting room and went to his apartment. Only emptiness and the darkness of the one reoccurring nightmare awaited him.
“Ri...”
---Valiant Hearts---
It was warm and soft. Was this heaven? Had she lost the fight and died? Slowly opening her eyes, Kairi looked around. If this was heaven, then heaven looked amazingly similiar to her room back in Hollow Bastion.
“Welcome home, Kairi.”
Startled, the redhead looked to the right side, where a tall black-haired woman sat on the ground, next to the bed.
“Tifa...Tifa, is that really you?” Kairi couldn't believe what was happening.
“Are...the other two—” Kairi had problems speaking. Her throat hurt and there was a stinging pain in her head.
“Naminè and Olette are okay. They're sleeping next door. Aerith is with them. It took a lot out of her to heal you three...and...”
Aerith had advised Tifa not to go overboard, but it was just too much.
“I'm just...so happy...that you're back. I...we...were so worried! I wouldn't know...what to do...if you had died out there!” Tifa was sobbing and even though Kairi felt at fault, she was unable to say anything.
It was her fault. It was all her fault. She had underestimated the dangers of this journey, and they had almost paid with their lives for it.
“I'm...I'm so sorry, Tifa.” She felt miserable, and looking at Tifa, she knew why. Making someone else feel like that, because of her own stupid stu
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