Gambling
“What business has the Organization here?” Kairi yelled over at the man with the black coat.
She had to stall as long as possible. Right now, they were in the worst situation possible, and Kairi had no plan. Naminè was exhausted, and fighting on magically created ice was just ridiculous.
“That is none of your business, Keyblader.”
He didn't seem very talkative. That wasn't good. This worked so very well in theory, but in reality, the enemy didn't wait until one was ready to fight.
“Who—” Kairi was cut off before she could say anything further.
“I'm not here to talk or drink tea. It is none of your business who I am, what I am after, or what I am doing here.”
And to stress those facts even more, he came at the girls with surprising speed. He, however, didn't leave the ice, and that was enough for Kairi to handle a emergency tactic.
“Olette, in front of me. You're the best close up. I will back you up.”
The ice bridge wasn't that wide, and there was only one enemy. They had the advantage here.
Olette did as instructed and passed Kairi in the instant the Organization member had almost reached them. While running, Olette materialized her second blade, the Hero's Crest, and launched a brutal frontal attack at the enemy—
—only find out immediately that this wouldn't be so easy. A giant card had materialized out of thin air directly between Olette and the man.
“Ace of Hearts, Absolute Protection,” a voice rang from behind the at least eight-foot-tall card.
“Ace of Spades, Impact!” was the next thing Olette heard before she was sent flying.
Something had tackled her and robbed her of breath. It was like Tifa had just hit her with all her strength. To her luck, Kairi was watching the scenario and caught Olette before she could hit the icy hard ground.
“Just what in the hell was that?” Olette complained, barely able to speak.
“His cards. From the reports the other gave, each of the Organization members has his own special style of fighting. This one seems to be fighting with cards.”
Now it was time to launch a counter-offensive. Kairi used a fast cure spell on Olette and waited for a moment. Naminè would finish her preparations for a wide-scale ice spell any second now. That would clear the condition of the ground. Now, Kairi had to figure out how to deal with this card maniac.
But where was he? Neither Kairi nor Olette was able to spot him. Kairi had lost focus of him when she saved Olette.
“Queen of Diamonds, Illusion Door and King of Spades, Royal Tackle!”
The man appeared out of thin air right between Kairi and Olette, and before they could react, the next card was played and both of them were thrown to the ground. It was like the effect of a tenfold increase in gravity.
Both of them could feel the impact on the ice. It hurt like crap, but it would've been worse if the ground had been made of stone. Magically-created ice was just about as solid and strong as natural ice. If this attack had landed a successful hit on stone ground, it would have been devastating.
Kairi gave Olette a nod, and a split second later, the brunette was in mid-air, both Keyblades roaring through the night, heading right at the enemy.
“Jack of Hearts, Mir—” he was cut off.
“No, not this time!” Kairi yelled, kicking after his legs and managing to throw him off balance. On the unstable ground, he couldn't get any grip, and before he could finish playing his card, Olette was about to slash him to pieces.
“Three of six!” he shouted, and threw a few dice. Time seemed to stand still. Olette was frozen in mid-air, the enemy falling, Kairi only able to watch. Only the dice were rolling. One stopped. Six. The second stopped. Six. The third was rolling on the ice. One.
Time continued to work and the man got hit by a brutal frontal double-slash from an angry brunette. He screamed out in pain and held his left shoulder, which was bleeding heavily.
“Seven of Diamonds, Teleport!”
And he was gone from their eyes.
They hadn't won, that Kairi won. Someone who could throw them around like that wouldn't turn tail and run because of a single injury.
And it was finally time for Naminè to show her power.
“Lord of Ice, Mother to the Infinite Cold, Celsius, hear my plea! Grant thy power upon thy servant, the force to freeze what is live, to have stand still what is time, and to bring destruction upon thy foes! Let us walk the path of eternity together!”
Naminè knew this spell from a book she had read in library in Hollow Bastion, which told about the lords of the elements. They were dangerous beings, much stronger than the beings that were called upon in a summon. They were the ultimate incarnation of the element itself. It was dangerous alone to use a recitation with a single spell, and trying to summon one of those was basically suicide.
Their situation was desperate, and without such a powerful recitation, Naminè would have failed to use another large-scale magical attack.
Kairi reacted immediately. Olette didn't know what was going on, but was drawn by Kairi to where Naminè was. In the first seconds nothing happened.
“Naminè, are you okay? Just what was that spell you used? I never heard Aerith calling upon Celsius. Whom did you ask for power?”
Before Naminè could answer that, she felt the spell starting to take form—but it was uncontrollable and much too strong. Naminè got scared and tried to disrupt the spell flow, but it was already too late.
Right below them, the ice gave a cracking sound. The air around them cooled down so rapidly that they started coughing. Something was wrong—horribly wrong—with that spell.
“Naminè, what did you do?” Olette asked, trying to suppress the pain in her lungs and continue breathing. The temperature must have been way below zero degrees.
“I tried to get power from the Spirit Lord of Ice, Celsius. But something went wrong. I couldn't control the spell, and the power is much too great for what I asked.”
“I only asked you to—” Kairi could not finish her line.
Below them, the ice broke and another level of ice, massive and much bigger than before, formed around them. It expanded rapidly, and soon, the ice bridge had vanished, and a gigantic platform of ice had formed in its place. It wasn't as smooth as the magical ice, and it wasn't even. All over the place monstrous spikes were rising from the ground. The whole place looked like a hell of ice.
“I think this is overdoing it a bit...” Olette said and looked around.
In the same moment, it started snowing. In the middle of the south sea, it started snowing.
“At least we can fight now,” Kairi said, and started looking for the enemy. “Olette, you try to confront him in close range. I will try to back you up. Naminè, as soon as you feel good enough, try to support us with curative magic. And both of you, try to keep moving. It should be much harder for the enemy to hit us when we're split up moving.”
As soon as the instruction was given, the three of them left to different sides.
“Ace of Clubs, Long Arch's Whip. Seven of Clubs, Roaring Air. Nine of Clubs, Sixteen Slashes!” the voice echoed from above them.
Up there, over twenty feet above them, was the man, standing on a oversized card.
“The King of Diamonds...I didn't hear him using that one before,” Kairi said. The effects of the cards he just used were unknown. The Ace was directed at Olette, the Seven at herself, and the Nine at Naminè.
“Keep moving! Use the terrain to your advantage!” Kairi yelled.
The first card to take action was the Ace. Olette could feel it coming. With a fast left turn, she avoided the first impact. A boulder of ice was sliced in half and then destroyed. The flowing ice dust revealed what had caused the damage—a whip, seemingly made of air. Olette looked around, trying to find a way to get close to the enemy, but there was nothing remotely high enough to reach him.
Kairi was next. She had already a good idea of what was coming. Right behind her, something was roaring over the ice, like a miniature tornado that was following her. Jumping on one of the ice spikes, she tricked the effect and it crashed into the spike. “Seems he isn't used to Club cards,” Kairi noticed. “Naminè! Use a reflect spell!”
Something was coming up on her; Naminè immediately got goosebumps. Kairi told her to use reflect, but for that she had to stop moving. Would there be enough time? A fast recitation would have to do.
“Jewel's Mirror, Erolis, protect me!”
It was barely in time. The reflect was up and just a split second later, exactly sixteen impacts clashed onto the spell.
That was enough for Kairi. If the spell names described the attacks so accurately, it was stupid to call the names out like that. Why was he doing it?
“I've never seen a ice spell of this scale.”
The man was talking loudly enough for them all to hear it, even though they were over fifty feet apart from each other.
“I am Luxord, the Gambler. This game is becoming very interesting.”
“You're sick if you think of this as game!” Olette shouted. She was still looking for a possibility to reach him up there. Maybe it was time to use that.
“But of course is this a game. You're not telling me that you've been fighting me seriously up to now, are you?”
Olette could only shake her head in incomprehension. At the beginning, she had thought of fighting the Heartless as kind of a game, not so different from Struggle. But Olette soon noticed that it wasn't something to enjoy. It was a battle, something very serious, and she had learned that the hard way.
It was more than clear than Luxord was enjoying himself. Even though they had managed to get away from his cards so far and avoid any major injuries, he was out of reach and didn't have the same level of exhaustion.
Kairi tried to analyze the situation. He was using cards as his ability resource. From the looks of it, Club cards served range attacks and Spade cards close range. The other two were not as clear, as he was using a Diamond card to float up there and had used a Heart card to completely deflect Olette's first attack. What else could those two suits do?
Naminè was running. She had almost reached Kairi. It was too dangerous for her to be too far away from the other two. If Luxord would get at her with a Spade...
“Let the true game begin!”
And it did. Luxord ceased his use of King of Diamonds, and with a not-so-elegant impact, crushed down the thick ice, leaving a little crater around the impact point.
“Ace of Clubs, Three of Four!”
The card was frozen halfway, the dices rolling. Four. Another Four. The last one was still spinning. Kairi had a good idea of what the cards did, but the dice thing was a complete mystery.
“Three of Four, Wheel of Repeat!” Luxord jubilated when the Ace of Clubs started working and launched multiple attacks against Kairi and Naminè, who were standing at least fifty feet away from Olette.
They had no time to lose and started running. From the past attacks, Kairi could already say that the value of the card was a rough estimate of the attack power. And the Ace was the highest value in a game...
On a wild run from the invisible whip attacks, Kairi came up with a possible way to attack Luxord. The card was just a tool—a mindless mechanic that did its job until it was done.
Cutting a edge, Kairi turned away, trying to spot Luxord. He was in close combat with Olette. The moment she saw the two, an explosion rose around them, wrapping them in ice dust.
“Ace of Spades, Impact!”
But Olette had found a way to counter. Both Keyblades served as shield, crossed before her, taking the impact and countering with a equal force of brutality.
“King of Hearts, Wa—” He was too late.
Olette whirled around and kicked Luxord in the abdomen and following with a double horizon slash that sent the Organization member flying. He crashed into a boulder of ice.
If there was one thing she had learned, then it was that people had no mercy on the battlefield. Before Luxord could get up, Olette was already above him, roaring through mid-air with Keyblades directed at him. The impact was enough to leave a five-foot crater around them.
Luxord had escaped.
The Ace of Clubs card was still working; it was seemingly now redirected at Olette, who had to make a run for it. For her, the fastest of the three, it wasn't much of a problem to evade the ranged attacks of the card.
Kairi's plan had failed upon the re-direction of the card, but at least Naminè, who had been using reflect spells to defend against the Clubs card, was now safe. For now.
Where was Luxord? Kairi could only think it once before he appeared out of nowhere behind her, already setting for a card.
“Queen of Spades, Hammer Hilt Bash!”
Kairi could feel the impact. It was breath-robbing, and if not for her daily training, it could easily have blown her lights out. However, she had already a plan for such a scenario. Before the impact was fully over, Kairi de-materialized Oathkeeper and grabbed Luxord's arm with both hands, taking him along on the flight of the impact.
Luxord was so taken by surprise that he was unable to move or act. Seconds later, he could feel massive ice on his back, and see how Kairi, now materializing Oathkeeper, was about to launch a attack.
“Ace of Hearts, Absolute Protection.”
He was barely in time. Kairi had used the momentum of the flight to attack him head-on, and the shock wave upon Oathkeeper clashing onto the barrier was enough to push Luxord further into the ice.
“Queen of Dia—” He couldn't play the card in time.
Luxord took too much time playing his cards. It was impossible for him to play two cards this close in succession. Kairi already had turned once, and was about to unleash the next attack, aiming for his head. “You can't run!” she yelled, closing in.
“Ace of Hearts, Absolute Protection.”
He was slow. Too slow. Kairi was half-through the barrier when the card took effect. Even though it influenced her aim, she managed to pierce Luxord's right arm. Blood clung to Oathkeeper's blade, the yell of pain went through her head. This was a battle, not a playground.
“Ace of Diamonds, Dimension Door!”
Kairi had no time to disrupt him with another attack. The Ace of Hearts had pushed her back, and a good five feet separated her from the enemy. He was gone.
But Kairi knew he was there. Somewhere.
“King of Hearts, Particle of Life!”
The words echoed over the place. Kairi had not only caused him to flee for a second. She had also stopped the Ace of Clubs card from working, which finally give Olette a chance to catch her breath.
He was a stronger foe than anything Kairi had ever met. Truly, the Organization was powerful. But to be this powerful, there must be some flaw.
“Ace of Spades, Impact!”
Again, he appeared out of thin air, this time attacking Naminè, who was unable to block a hit that close in that short of time. The attack was strong enough to make her fly over twenty feet. She crashed into a pillar of ice, losing consciousness.
“This game will end with three to zero for me.” The man laughed and again, he played the Ace of Diamonds. It didn't look like he wanted to finish Naminè.
Olette caught up to Kairi, who was running over to Naminè. The enemy was not to be trusted, Kairi had to make sure Naminè wasn't badly injured. But it only looked like she had lost consciousness from the impact.
“Three of Three, Jack of Spades, Storm Lancer.”
He appeared right between them, standing there like it was natural to be almost back-to-back with the enemy.
And again, time seemed to stand still. The dices were rolling. Kairi had to do something about those dices. The last time he got Three of Four, the Ace he played was working on a endless repeat. Whatever Three of Three did, it couldn't be good. But luck was with them; the first was a six. Second a five. Third a two.
The card Luxord was playing vanished into nothingness, leaving his defense completely open. Kairi took immediately advantage of that, rushing at Luxord. Olette did the same.
Seconds later, both his sides were slashed. As Kairi passed left, Olette passed right. It was worth the try and Kairi grabbed Olette's hand, taking a turn on the ice. She whirled around and sent the brunette flying at the wounded Organization member. It was head-on, he was taken by surprise, unable to do anything before Olette could land her attack.
But the second Olette would have landed a hit, the enemy was gone. Not there. Something was wrong, and the first clue was that there wasn't any blood on either Circle of Life or Hero's Crest.
“That sure was unexpected. I thought you were just little girls. I think it's time I stop giving you advantages and play a bit more seriously.”
The voice seemed to come from above. Had they attacked a illusion? But when did he create one? Just how many tricks had this man up his sleeve?
No more words came, instead Kairi could feel something behind her. Olette was about to point at something on her back when Kairi felt a familiar impact and got sent flying directly at Olette. Kairi would take her with her unless Olette was able to evade. Even so, Olette did nothing of that sort. She stomped once on the ice, increasing her grip, and crossed both Keyblades in front of her as if she were defending.
Kairi had only a guess what Olette was about to do, but that was the only logical explanation for what she did. Trying her best, Kairi managed to move in mid-air. Now her feet were directed at the crossed Keyblades. The impact sent pain up her legs. It was like her bones were breaking. Olette was pushed back about a foot, leaving scars in the ice. She gritted her teeth in pain, then sent Kairi right back in the direction she came from.
Luxord was surprised enough to have left his defense open. Kairi was unable to hit him with Oathkeeper; instead she fell into a frontal tackle, ripping him off his stance. He crashed into the same pillar Naminè had crashed into, definitely causing some damage to the Organization member. He spat some blood and Kairi was sure she heard something cracking.
That was enough for the flaxen-haired man. This was no longer a simple game for entertainment. He wanted to kill them. No matter how important they were, if he died here, all his moves would be for naught.
Once again, he vanished, just to appear a split second later behind Olette. He attacked with the Ace of Spades, vanished again, and then appeared before Kairi and used the Eight of Spades. The force was enough to break the pillar and leave Kairi laying on the ground. Her left arm was cut all over the place from ice shards, and she was losing blood. Worse, Kairi had fallen unconscious. Only Olette was left.
“I'm not going to make the same error a second time. I'm going to win with a royal flush!”
His voice was not amused anymore; it was cold and cruel. He stood above Kairi, seemingly thinking on how to finish her off.
“...let the inferno self massacre my enemy!”
A giant fireball flew over the ice, melting anything below it and leaving a enormous explosion upon the impact on Luxord. The man was burning, set on fire, and screaming in pain.
Naminè had regained consciousness and recited a Firega. It was buying them time. Luxord had broken out in panic and was trying to diminish the fire, still screaming in pain.
“Great Forest of Life, grant thy child the blessing of life!”
Naminè used a Curera spell on Kairi, trying to get her back to consciousness.
Olette was having problems wielding her Keyblades. The previous action had put a lot of stress on her muscles and it was hard to ignore the aching pain in her arms. But right now was a chance to test that.
Running with all her might, ignoring the numb feeling in her feet, Olette got closer to the burning Luxord by the second. She had practiced this move over and over with Tifa, and while it was a bad idea to use it with her arms like that, this could be the decisive attack.
Luxord had regained some of his cool. With all his concentration, he caused first a crater in the ice with the Ace of Spades. But before the second Ace could work, Olette started her attack. Throwing both Keyblades right and left past Luxord, she quickly closed in on him.
“Ace of Hear—”
“Too slow!” Olette yelled, and landed a furious punch on Luxord's abdomen. She could feel one or two bones breaking, but half her body was already numb from the cold. Suppressing the urge to yell out in pain, she turned and set on the same spot a kick. Again, something definitely broke, and Luxord was sent flying.
The Keyblades Olette had thrown were on their way back, crossing the air-line of Luxord. Both his sides got cut, and he still continued to fly, finally crashing into a pillar of ice over thirty feet away. The impact caused the pillar to break, burying the man under massive ice.
Olette could not bear it anymore. She fell on her back and screamed out in agony, feeling through all the numbness from the cold the pain of broken bones in her hands and legs.
Meanwhile, Kairi had regained consciousness even though she was barely able to stand. It had become a battle of endurance. The cold was making her senses numb, and it was adding the pain of frostbite to the other injuries. It was hard on Naminè, but without a powerful cure spell, they would lose their lives.
Kairi got up, supported by Naminè, and walked over to where Olette was lying on the ice, trying to suppress the urge to scream out further.
It did seem like either Luxord had either passed out or he was dead. Kairi hoped for the latter. They weren't in any condition to finish him off anyway.
“Naminè, just try a cure spell. The strongest you have. We need to get away from here quickly.”
Naminè had not taken as much damage as it seemed, upon the impact on the pillar. “I will try my best.”
“Blessing of the Moon, shine down upon us.”
More than a Curera spell was just plain impossible.
“Do you think he is...?” Naminè couldn't say it. It was hard to grab the reality of actually having helped to kill someone.
“I hope so. It didn't look like he was going to spare me,” Kairi replied.
“If he survived that blow,” Olette gritted her teeth upon feeling that her bones were being fixed by magic—a very painful method compared to natural healing. “Then he should at least be out cold for a while. But I don't think I...really did it.”
It wasn't easy for Olette either. Taking on Heartless and Nobodies was one thing. But this was different. He was alive, a person with a free will. She did feel bad about it, but Olette knew that there had been little choice. It was him or them.
Something cracked. Olette yelled out in pain and rolled over. The bones were fixed, but she was on the verge of passing out from the pain.
“I will finish this. If we don't, he will come back soon enough. Olette, Naminè, wait here. This is not something I want either of you to have to witness.”
Kairi stood up and gathered her concentration. It was hard to do so, not only because magic cure was painful for the body if used for greater wounds, but also because of the frostbite from the ice that the girls had all over the place.
The other two didn't move an inch. Was Kairi really going to...?
Only a few feet separated Kairi from the place where Luxord had crashed into the ice pillar. It was untouched. If he really was still there, he had to be unconscious.
Kairi would not take the risk of being victim to a surprise attack. It was just ice. Nothing a single Firera spell couldn't solve.
Directing Oathkeeper at the wild pile of crushed ice, a fireball emerged from it, flying over and clashing onto the ice. It wasn't enough. Whatever had caused Naminè's spell to go wild, this ice was far beyond anything Kairi had ever seen.
Another set of Firera later, the ice had melted away. There was nothing below it. But how could there be nothing? Kairi couldn't believe her eyes. She got closer, watching the surroundings. Several things in Kairi's head were spinning. Using magic in her condition was dangerous.
There really was nothing. But how had he escaped? Olette's all-out attack should have knocked him out. And if only sitting and lying on the ice caused severe frostbite to them, what would being buried alive do to someone? Something was wrong.
As fast as her legs allowed her to, Kairi got back to the other two.
“He wasn't there!”
Naminè didn't seem to mind much; it was more that she was relieved that Kairi didn't have to kill someone. But Olette was shocked.
“What? I hit him so hard that I broke my bones! He should have at least been knocked out. Are you sure he didn't hide somewhere under the ice?”
Kairi hit Oathkeeper in the ground, cutting a little piece of ice out of it. She didn't dare to pick it up with bare hands. Instead, she pierced it with her Keyblade.
“This stuff is incredibly cold. We're getting frostbite by just sitting and laying on it. I don't think he would survive long if he really were buried under there. I didn't think about that before. That was my fault. He somehow escaped. And I have a feeling this is not the last we'll see of him.”
Kairi threw the piece of ice away but didn't dematerialize Oathkeeper. The enemy could still be close by. Now that they knew he had escaped a freezing death, they had to be even more cautious.
“Stick close to each other. Olette ,can you walk? What about you, Naminè, are you okay?”
Even though Olette's bones had just been fixed and it would hurt like hell to walk anywhere, she nodded. Naminè was mentally exhausted but also gave Kairi an okay nod.
Looking closely at the two, Kairi was thinking how she was unable to protect them from the fate of a Keyblader. Even though she had given it her all, it was not enough. It was mortifying to admit that.
Olette leaned on Kairi, and Naminè walked close behind them. The gateway was nearby, but the risk of Luxord attacking them now, when they were wounded and vulnerable, was high.
“Direct your Keyblades at this point. Focus your thoughts on nothing but the gateway. You will feel a bit of a mental strain, but that will only be temporary.” Kairi finished her instructions and waited for the others to follow her example.
There was nothing in the air. On the point Oathkeeper, Monochrome and Circle of Life met each other, something slowly started to form. Too slowly. Had they passed the time limit?
The keyhole was now visible, but the mental strain was much harder than expected. They were far over time, but they had little choice. They could go back to the island, but the keyhole would have completely vanished by the time they could try again, and staying on the ice platform was not even an option.
“My head hurts like crap,” Olette complained but held out.
“We're almost there.” Kairi knew that was a lie. They would barely be able to open it at this rate.
Going all out, the portal finally materialized and opened up. The pain in Kairi's head was almost strong enough to make her pass out. Only a few more seconds...
“That's big enough to go through one at a time.” Kairi couldn't take it much longer.
“Naminè, go first, then you, Olette. I'll follow after you two.”
The portal wavered in the moment Naminè passed through. The missing Keyblade immediately showed an effect—the gateway seemed to be more instable than ever.
“Are you sure this is supposed to...are you okay, Kairi?” Olette got a bit curious. Kairi was completely pale, even though she hadn't looked that bad before.
“I'm fine. Now go, I have no idea how long this thing will stay open.” Kairi rarely lost her cool, but this didn't allow any further delay.
Olette sort of understood and immediately jumped through the gate. Another missing Keyblade seemed to be too much for the gate. It wavered, then broke down.
“What...Kairi!”
The portal was closed. It was finally over. Now they could go back to Hollow Bastion.
Kairi had no power left, neither to think nor to stand. The moon was still shining bright on the massive ice platform. It was cold, freezing and silent. Kairi couldn't even hear her own voice anymore. She was completely exhausted in mind and body, unable to speak or move.
Looking in the sky, where the stars were shining, Kairi could now feel a sense of regret. It was stupid to sneak out to another world alone. If she hadn't been that foolish, all this wouldn't have happened. But what else was left but regret?
She could barely see the sky. If they had tried with their usual means, the portal wouldn't have opened. Kairi had had to sacrifice more energy than she had imagined, but she had kept her promise. They could now go back to Hollow Bastion.
The night was getting darker. Her legs refused to work, and her arms couldn't hold the Keyblade. Was this it? Kairi knew that being a Chosen was bound to be risky, but that those risks would demand their price so soon was unexpected. She had always been wary and acted tactical.
Unable to move, Kairi stood there, not knowing what now would come. The ice must have been freezing her body, as she couldn't feel anything. Slowly, her legs gave out, and Kairi fell on the ice. It was not cold.
Next to her, on the ground, lay Oathkeeper. After all that happened, she couldn't keep the other promise she had made.
“I'll find you two, no matter where you go!”
Kairi couldn't even cry. The ice was freezing her tears on the spot.
Soon, her eyes closed and all got dark. It was a welcome darkness, numbing her thoughts.
No long after, even her mind was blank.
And then, only nothingness remained.
----Valiant Hearts---
“It won't work. Why won't it work?!” Olette was furious. The thought of what was happening to Kairi was eating at her insides. Her anger mixed with fear and Olette left all rationality behind her, trying to open the gateway that had crumbled behind her.
Naminè sat there, unable to think. Where was Kairi? What was happening? The shock was immense and Naminè was unable to comprehend anything.
Minutes that lingered for ages went by and Olette, exhausted and in horrible pain from the wounds all over her body, continued to rage, trying to open the portal. Even with two Keyblades, it refused to work. It didn't even show any sign that there still was a portal.
“She...she will find another way. I'm sure. Kairi isn't going to stay on that dammed island. I'm sure she is going to be all 'Surprise! You two fell for it' when we meet up.”
Olette wanted to believe it. She really did. But for now, she didn't know anything about what had really happened to Kairi, not even if she was still alive. That thought was paralyzing her body. The simple thought of Kairi not coming back, never seeing her again, was horrifying.
“Olette...can we go somewhere?” Naminè believed what Olette said. The idea of giving up on Kairi was too much to even consider.
There were no words that had to be said. Olette couldn't say “She might not be coming back.” She refused to believe it herself.
“I...don't think Kairi will leave this world. We should look for her. Let's take the next portal. I can't explain why, but I have a feeling that she won't go back to Hollow Bastion. Not like this.” Olette clung to that idea. She really thought that Kairi was still on the ice platform, but that thought was like poison.
“Hm.” Naminè could barely speak. She believed in Olette and in Kairi. Believed in Kairi to come back to her.
Olette was aching all over the place, but she was able to walk. The inside of the gateway was as dark as ever. There must be another portal to this world. It was hard to concentrate when her whole body was a road of pain, but it was necessary.
Naminè was still a bit numb from the mental exhaustion. It barely allowed her to gather her thoughts on what she would say to Kairi when they met again.
Time went by, and the more it did, the more clear it was to Olette how slim the chances were for Kairi to escape the freezing hell. Even if she managed to go back to the island...
“Say, Olette...do you think we will see Kairi soon?” It was like Naminè was putting a needle in Olette's heart.
“Yeah. We will.” She didn't look back. She couldn't.
How would Naminè react when she found out that Kairi was...?
But that wasn't even sure yet! Olette wanted to think positively. She had to!
Both of them silently continued to walk. A eternity later, Olette stopped. How long had they been walking? One hour? One day? She had no sense of time anymore. Her mind was pure chaos, everything seemed to focus on Kairi.
Olette rarely cried about anything, but she had reached her limit. Cold tears ran over her face as she finally let out what had been building up ever since the portal closed.
“Olette, are you crying?” Naminè seemed to be able to look right through other people.
“It's just my body hurting like hell,” tried Olette, desperate to escape the reality of the situation.
Yes. It was only her body that was hurt. How could she admit to herself that her heart was just as much hurt? Since when did she care that much for Kairi?
A second later, Olette could feel Naminè embracing her from behind. Olette was not eager to be comforted by Naminè. This situation wasn't one that would be fixed by such simple things.
“I'm hurt too...” said Naminè, and from her voice, Olette knew immediately that it wasn't just her that was crying bitter tears.
For now, the brunette was okay with this. Maybe Naminè instinctively knew what really was going on. Maybe not. It didn't matter to her. She could feel Naminè's tears on her back. It was okay to cry in such a moment, wasn't it? It must be...
Standing like that for a while, Olette tried to get back to thinking a bit more realistically. Kairi wasn't that weak. She wasn't dumb, either. Kairi wouldn't sacrifice her life like that. She must have had some kind of plan.
Naminè didn't move one inch the whole time. She didn't know why, but her heart was aching even more than her head. It was like a needle of stone that pierced right through her. A undeniable truth was coming to her. It hurt to even think about it.
“Will we really...see Kairi again?” Naminè's voice was barely audible, so faint was she.
“Kairi will find us. You know her. She probably has a plan for all this. I don't think she can manage a portal on her own, so she'll try to meet us somewhere in this world. We're together, we should be able to open a small portal.”
Olette was, for once, in the position where she had to cheer Naminè up. She herself only believed in parts of what she said, but to believe was better than giving up all hope.
“Hm, I think you're right.”
It was really good to hear that from Naminè. It enforced her belief that Kairi was still somewhere out there.
Naminè took a deep breath and let Olette go. The crying had helped to put her mind at ease.
“Let's look for a portal,” Olette said.
---Valiant Hearts---
Things didn't look very bright. A unknown town, nowhere to go. The fading hope that Kairi was still alive. It was as if the dark clouds of the night were showing their feelings. It was cold, but not because of night. It was her. She was missing.
“Kairi...”
Naminè still couldn't fully comprehend it. Ever since she had come to Hollow Bastion, they had been together. But Olette had said that she would see Kairi again. It wasn't a eternal farewell.
Olette looked around. Even at night, the town didn't look very pleasant. Trash in the streets, rowdy sounds from the tavern nearby, and a disgusting smell polluted the air. No question, this was not a appropriate place for two young girls. To top it off, they were injured, hungry, and exhausted, both mental and physically. Even a Keyblader couldn't go on nonstop.
“Let's find somewhere to stay for the rest of the night,” Olette said, and Naminè just gave a single nod.
But without money, where would they stay? Olette had never bothered to think about it. What would they do for food and water? In such a place, a teenage girl finding work just didn't seem likely. The only choice left was nothing Olette would be proud of. But what choice did they have?
After walking through a few streets and taking a few minutes' rest on a wall, Naminè was so exhausted that she had fallen asleep. Olette had to carry her piggyback from this point on.
A bit later, Olette walked down a nasty-smelling street, not knowing what unpleasant surprise waited for them. Right before them, a whole bunch of drunkards came out a tavern. It immediately reeked of bad news, and Olette turned around and tried to get away, but one of the men called out.
“ 'Ay, what two fine youn' gals we have her'...”
His voice was deep and rough. Olette ignored it and walked faster. Her muscles were aching, burning, and if she overdid it, all healing wouldn't help her regain her power.
“Hey, wait up, ye brat!” one of the pirates yelled out and started to go after the girls.
She had no chance to escape. Alone, maybe, but leaving Naminè to those bastards was out of the question. Fight them? Fighting Heartless was one thing...but fighting humans? She couldn't do that. Not in this condition anyway.
Olette wanted to run and get away from those men. The day had been long enough, longer than any day before. She'd lost Kairi, and if she lost Naminè or herself now, her will to keep walking would completely fade.
“I said, wait up, ye damn brat!” One of the men grabbed her shoulder.
He was at least two heads taller than Olette and muscular. He had a wild and rough face and was reeking very badly of alcohol.
“Leave me alone!” Olette shouted and tried to get free.
“Ah, I dun' think so, gal. We'll have some fun with yer little friend here.”
Olette was desperate. Naminè was such a pure girl. If anything happened to her, if she ever met Kairi again...Olette wouldn't be able to face her. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if anything happened to her.
Even if Naminè was sometimes an annoyance...she was a close friend.
“I said, let me go. If you touch her, you'll regret it.”
“Heya, heard what this little bitch said? We'll regret it, ha!”
Another of the men was standing in front of Olette and looking at her. The smell of alcohol almost made Olette vomit. It was so disgusting, she almost couldn't bear breathing.
“Maybe we'll have some fun with ye first!” another one said.
The man behind her had now grabbed both her shoulders to have her stay put. It hurt, both physically because of her injuries, and mentally, because she was unable to do anything.
Seconds later, Olette could feel a rough and bulky hand on her face, then on her chest. She had never imagined what it would be like to be raped, but this was already much worse than anything she ever lived through.
Olette loathed the men. She wished the Heartless would attack and rob them of their mind. Or that she was able to fight, to kill them. Olette was on the verge of dropping Naminè, and summoning her Keyblade to hack off those dirty hands that—
One of the men, right behind her, gave off a disgusting sound. A split second later, the others drew their weapons and something fell to ground. Olette managed to look over her shoulder, and one of the men was lying on the ground next to an iron hammer that had apparently hit his face.
“That's far enough! That's no way to treat two young ladies!” A male voice came from the entrance of a nearby house. Only his silhouette was visible, but one thing was clear. He was holding a sword-like weapon.
“Who's there?! Show yerself, bastard!”
“There's no need to tell some drunkards my name.”
That behavior...could it be? Jack Sparrow? But that was clearly not his voice.
“I tell ye, yer gonna regret meddling with my fun, bastard!” One of the men said, and the rest of them also drew their weapons.
Olette was released. Their attention had been drawn to the man who had obviously thrown the hammer. Not hesitating one second, Olette walked away as fast as she could. Running was no option, not like this, not while carrying Naminè. The sound of clashing swords echoed through the streets, clearly audible for Olette.
It hurt inside, hurt her pride as a fighter, that she was just running away, when someone had stood up to save her. But what if that man had had the same intentions? Was just saving them to assault them later?
Deep inside, Olette swore never to trust anyone in this town.
Minutes after, when Olette was on the verge of collapsing, the sword sounds had dried up. If they came after her and found them, there would be no escape. Olette would have no strength to even protect Naminè.
Next to her was a building for what seemed like storage. On its side was a hole in the wall, like a window without glass, right next to a bunch of chests. Olette could barely believe that something this convenient existed, but after a day full of suffering, she truly could have shed tears about this little ray of fortune.
With her last bit of power, Olette climbed the chests, still carrying Naminè, and managed to enter the building. The landing was quite rough, and her body screamed in pain, but they were finally safe.
Unable to even look for something to cover herself and Naminè, Olette leaned against the blond girl and fell asleep.
---Valiant Hearts---
It was dark around her, a deeper darkness than any night, a darkness that even devoured the light. Was she alive? Was she dead? Where was this place?
It seemed like she spent an eternity walking in the darkness, unable to feel anything, until she reached a place where a faraway light was shining. It came closer each second, and after her eyes got used to the blinding light, she gasped.
Before her stood three girls, Kairi, Naminè and Olette. All three of them smiling. She wanted to call out to them, call their names. But her voiced had dried up. Not a tune came out, not a single sound.
Desperation was grabbing her soul. The three girls were just standing there, smiling, not seeing her. Why couldn't she call out to them?!
Slowly, the light faded, and their smiles vanished. First, Kairi disappeared, leaving behind Olette and Naminè. Both of them were now showing sad faces, but getting closer. Naminè was being comforted by Olette, both of them looking as sad as a ocean of tears.
The light was getting weaker, and soon, the image vanished. Only darkness, ultimate impenetrable darkness, remained.
She wanted to cry out, to grab the last fading straw of light, but she couldn't. It was like a chain, a icy cold chain paralyzing her body.
She didn't know how long she remained in darkness, but it seemed like forever. But the pain never stopped. The pain about losing Kairi. Would the pain never stop?
Not light, but a image appeared before her. A dark image, showing something she had never wanted to see in her life.
It was Hollow Bastion, on a rainy and dark night. Most of the people she knew and had come to like were standing in a circle. She could feel the rain pouring on her, could feel a immeasurable pain...if one could lose a part of their soul, then this pain must be comparable to that.
She both wanted to look what was inside the circle and not. A inner voice was telling her not to look, to run away from this...
But before she could avert her eyes, the people before her, Aerith and Tifa, opened a window of sight for her. If she could have cried, she would've. If she could have screamed out, she would've. It was like her mind was breaking.
It was a coffin, open and decorated with flowers. Next to it, a girl was kneeling with a Keyblade. Her face was warped in pain.
She wanted to see the inside of the coffin and not. Wanted to be certain. In that moment, the girl looked back, right at where she was, and her eyes were asking just one thing.
“Why?!”
She could now see the inside of the coffin. In there was...
---Valiant Hearts---
It was a rainy day. The sun was hidden beneath the clouds and the ocean was fighting a eternal battle for superiority against the land. The atmosphere was dark and depressed.
Olette's eyes were frozen in shock. She could only gaze at the empty wall, unable to comprehend, unable to think, unable to move. She just sat there, staring at the wooden wall.
“Kairi...”
Something next to her moved. She finally snapped out of it. Was it...a dream?
“It's cold...”
Naminè was next to her. Naminè was really next to her. She was not...
“Olette..are you...okay?” Naminè's voice was watery, as if she were about to cry.
Was she the only one to have that dream? Olette reacted to what Naminè said by shaking her head and looking around for something to cover them up with.
Nothing much was there, but something like a cover blanket was on some boxes in the store. Olette took it, every muscle of her body aching from the day before, and gave it to Naminè.
Only then did she notice that she was shivering and half her body was partially numb from the cold. But before she could say anything, Naminè had moved really close to her, sharing the blanket.
“You must be cold too,” Naminè said.
“Thanks.”
It was weird. If this had happened with Kairi, Olette would have probably jumped away and boasted that she wasn't cold. Or just sat there, silent and red like a tomato. Now that she had lost her, it was quite clear that she had liked Kairi, and in a romantic way.
In the end, that had made her and Naminè rivals in love. And to share with her a blanket...it felt a bit weird, but not quite as awkward as she had been imagining.
Naminè really was close, and after Olette didn't stop shivering, she really got worried.
“Does your body still hurt?” Naminè was asking in a way that wanted an absolutely honest answer.
“I ache all over the place. My head feels like it could explode any second, and don't even mention my left arm and leg. I am icy cold for some reason, too...” Olette answered truthfully before she knew it. Why was she being so trusting? She never told anyone about when she was hurt.
Naminè could explain the aching and the injuries to herself, but the reason for the shivering must be something else.
With a sudden move, Naminè knelt before Olette, being so close to her face that Olette was short of thinking Naminè would kiss her any second. That thought wasn't really exciting her. It felt somewhat weird to even imagine it.
Naminè laid her hand on Olette's forehead and immediately took it back. Her forehead was burning. Olette must have pushed herself much too far. She had a horrible fever, and that was anything but good.
“You have a fever. A really bad one, too.” Naminè really was sounding worried.
It was then that Naminè first noticed how important a friend Olette was to her. Up to now, her eyes had been glued to Kairi whenever they were together. She had never really thought about what would happen if Olette left her.
It was a sad thought, and Naminè didn't want it as much as she didn't want Kairi to leave.
“I will heal your injuries as good as possible.”
“Don't push yourself, Naminè, I—”
“I will not lose you too!” Naminè suddenly yelled out, and Olette was a bit shocked.
Naminè was close to tears, and she was really surprised when she could feel Olette's hand on her head.
“Don't worry, stupid, I won't go anywhere.”
Olette didn't feel weird anymore. It was still only Kairi she was interested in, but if it was Naminè, she didn't mind being this close to her.
But the fever forced its pay, and Olette started to shiver even worse than before. Naminè's surprised look changed back to a worried one, and she started to chant a healing spell. If this was all she could do, then she would at least stay by Olette, until she was well again.
The healing spell put Olette a bit at ease. The aching was much less than before, and even the pain of her arm and leg nearly disappeared. Now that the pain was gone, though, the fever made her feel even worse than before.
Naminè was not dumb and could see it too. She looked around and finally found another blanket, one that was full of dust. She shook it a bit to get rid of the dust, but that resulted only in coughing.
“Don't push yourself. A bit of a fever isn't going to kill me,” Olette said, knowing well that her condition wasn't the best.
“Don't say that!” Naminè seemed a bit angry.
“I'm sorry. If...you want to help me, you can come and stay close to me. I felt a lot better with you next to me than all wrapped up in blankets alone.” Olette expected to blush at asking that, or at least, Naminè to do so. But neither happened.
Naminè didn't say anything. She took the additional blanket, threw it over Olette, and crawled under it.
“I hope we find Kairi soon...”
It was like a bad dream. All of this. Lost in another world, in a town where they had neither money nor friends, without Kairi, and the Organization probably still on their trails. For now, they had to ensure their survival.
“I'm sure she's out there.” Olette was trying to not think about it too much.
If Kairi really survived, that alone would be a miracle. But how would she escape the island? How would she find Olette and Naminè? This world was big, and the chances were slim that they would ever find each other. But the end was really only the end if you gave up hope.
“What are we going to do now?” Naminè was asking.
The first water drops of a upcoming storm clashed onto the roof. Dark clouds, deep as the night, were walling up to a wave, ready to swallow all light. Olette was hesitant to answer. They were lost, alone in a foreign city, and had neither food nor water.
“We'll start looking for Kairi as soon as I get better. We need something to eat. Water too. I'll organize something.” Olette tried her best not to sound discouraged.
More raindrops were falling. Soon, the storm would unleash its mighty force. It got colder and Olette's shivering got worse by the moment. Naminè would be a fool to not notice it and moved even closer to her friend.
“I miss her.”
She felt like that too...but who wouldn't miss a close friend...or rather...? But what use did brooding over it do? Kairi wouldn't mystically appear just because they kept their minds occupied with her.
“We'll see her soon.”
It was the best Olette could do. Naminè would not stop worrying no matter what she said, but if she gave up hope, Naminè surely would break down. Right now it was most important to get a grip on themselves.
“But she isn't here now.”
She knew. She knew, dammit! But what could she do? Anger walled up inside her, anger at herself, that she had been unable to protect her better, anger about Naminè for keeping it up. She missed Kairi too! And...anger at Kairi. Why had she stayed behind? Not told them about what condition she was in? Did she trust them only that much? It would've been better to stay together on the island than have just the two of them alone in this town.
“I know that. You don't need to tell me!”
Olette bit her lips. She didn't mean to be that harsh with Naminè, but sometimes her temper really got the better of her.
“I'm sorry...I just wanted—” Naminè couldn't finish her line.
“I know...sorry I snapped.”
Olette let out a deep sigh and held her forehead. It really wasn't her day.
“At least we're still together, right?”
Naminè only gave her a nod. She wouldn't pursue the subject any further. It hurt. It hurt to be separated from Kairi. It was dark and cold without her, but she wasn't all alone. Naminè still had Olette. It was only now that she noticed how important Olette really was to her.
“I'm glad you're with me,” Naminè said, before leaning on Olette and resting her head on her shoulder.
“I feel the same way.”
Olette could barely express how glad she was that she wasn't alone. Back in Twilight Town, she had been all alone. Even amongst her friends, she had been all alone. Her heart had been alone, all this time.
But not anymore. Kairi was alive, Olette was sure. She had to be. And Naminè was with her. And back at Hollow Bastion...at her new home...everyone was there, waiting for her.
Rain started to pour from the skies, as to express the sadness and ordeal both of the girls had to face. Lightning roared across the sky, and thunder made the clouds tremble. Far below, in a small storehouse, two girls were sitting, snuggled up to each other.
Naminè couldn't fall asleep. Too many things were troubling her. Was Kairi really all right? When would she see her again? When could they return to Hollow Bastion? Return home?
It was hard on her, much harder than she had ever imagined. The loss of Kairi had taken its toll, and again, her tears started to flow, now silently and unnoticed. Soon after her thoughts had switched to Kairi, and the tears had begun flowing, Naminè could feel a hand on her head.
She looked up. It was Olette, who smiled at her. Despite the situation, she still smiled. Naminè secretly wanted to be as strong as Olette...but it felt good to be comforted, to have someone on your side.
It was weird, but a moment before, Olette had just wanted to join in. To let tears fall for once, to let her emotions run wild. But who would be there to comfort Naminè then? She felt like it was her obligation to do so. No...that was wrong. Not her obligation. She wanted do to it. To be there for the fragile girl.
Seconds after she stopped petting her head, Olette laid one hand on Naminè's cheek. She took a tear away and raised her head a bit.
“Don't cry. Didn't I say we find her? Don't you trust me?”
Naminè did. She trusted Olette with her life. Kairi trusted Olette, and Naminè felt, it would be betraying her own feelings to not trust her. Olette had been there for her, ever since she had come to Hollow Bastion. Ever since she had meet her.
“Will we really find her?”
“I promise we'll find her. Have I ever broken a promise I've made?”
Olette had to convince herself to believe it. Yes, they would find Kairi. At any cost.
“No. No, you didn't.” Naminè finally stopped crying and a trace of hope was visible in her eyes.
“So, can you promise me something too?”
Naminè was slightly confused but gave a nod. What could Olette want from her?
“Can you promise me not to cry anymore? For Kairi's sake too.”
Naminè took a deep breath and cleaned the tears from her eyes. “I'll try.”
Naminè couldn't help but think that in this moment, Olette was a little bit like Kairi sometimes. It really had a soothing effect. Even if Kairi was away...as long Olette was with her, Naminè wouldn't cry anymore. She wanted to be strong too. Strong like Kairi and Olette.
“Promise?” Olette asked, still smiling.
Olette had to try so hard to smile that it was exhausting. She was just as worried about Kairi as Naminè was, and her condition didn't make it easier for her to cheer Naminè up. But from what she had learned, Naminè hadn't known anything when she came to Hollow Bastion. She hadn't known how to deal with her own feelings, with sadness, desperation and other things. Olette had to be strong, for Naminè too.
“Promise.”
A short moment of silence followed, and Olette went back to letting her mind rest. Doing all this with a fever was really something.
“You're weird, Olette...I wouldn't be able to go on like this if you weren't here.”
“You're the weird one, Naminè. So weird, sometimes I have no idea what you're thinking,” Olette said, and burst out in a small cough. She felt awkward, but not as bad as before.
“I can't imagine just giving up. What kind of friend would do that?”
“You...you're right.” Naminè shook her head. Olette was right.
An awkward silence followed, and Naminè felt like she had insulted Olette. She wanted to make it up somehow, but nothing came to mind.
“I'm so sorry I can't heal your fever...if only Aerith were here...I wish I could use magic better.” Naminè sighed about her own inability.
“You're already a fine magician, Naminè.” Olette started petting Naminè's head again.
It helped to put their minds off of what had caused this situation in the first place. It gave them a slight moment of ease, a short break in this never ending storm.
“As soon as I get better, we'll start searching for Kairi. I know she's out there somewhere.”
Naminè nodded with a somewhat hopeful expression. It was so much easier to believe if someone at your side believed too.
Silence followed, disturbed only by the sound of Olette petting Naminè's head. Both of them had moved together, as close as they could, almost holding each other. The day was as dark as the night, and the dark clouds threw their shadow over the town and an upcoming calamity.
---Valiant Hearts---
How long had it been? Olette had fallen asleep, with Naminè leaning onto her. The rain was still pouring, and once in a while she could hear thunder.
She felt considerably better than before. Her fever must have gone down quite a bit. Was it because of Naminè? Had she cast another healing spell after she had fallen asleep? But right now the blond girl was sleeping, and Olette didn't want to wake her up. Thirst and hunger became apparent needs now, and when Naminè woke up, she would surely have the same problems.
This was a storehouse, after all. There must be something to drink at least. Food was another matter. They could survive up to a week without food. But water was a really pressing matter.
A few more minutes wouldn't kill her, though. As long Naminè was asleep, Olette had time to think everything through. They had to take measure to stay alive themselves. Had to think how to eventually escape this world. But for now, all that was important was finding shelter and securing food and water.
How long would they need to stay here? One week? Two weeks? A month? Olette had read a few books about being marooned on a island, all alone and how people survived. But how did one survive in a town without money, shelter or work? It really hurt her pride, but Olette would have to resort to really low means.
No matter how long it would be, they had to find better shelter and had to manage food and water. Only if they secured their own survival, then, they could start looking for Kairi. They had to find a way back. Being a Keyblader didn't help much in such a situation, but Naminè's magic would come in very handy, especially her ice magic. It was the easiest and most secure way to get a steady hold of water. For food...no magic in this world was capable of doing that. Shelter was a different matter, but in such a old town, there should been abandoned buildings.
“No...Kairi, don't go...Olette...”
Naminè was sleep talking. It was kind of cute, but it did seem she was having a nightmare. Naminè got rather agitated and started moving around until Olette petted her head, immediately calming her down. It took only a few more seconds until Naminè had gone back to her previous state, calm and peacefully sleeping.
---Valiant Hearts---
With the exception of how to provide food, Olette had gotten a pretty solid plan for what to do. It was a game against time. No matter how long it would take, how long they had to search, how long they would have to wait, they would find Kairi.
“Naminè, wake up.”
Olette purposely said it with a soft voice, trying to not startle Naminè. It took her a few attempts until the blond girl slowly opened her eyes, looking around her confusedly. After a few moments, Naminè remembered where they were.
“Are you feeling better?”
Olette would've thought that Naminè's first question would be if there were any news at all. News about Kairi. But it seemed even Naminè was capable of not drowning herself into worries. It put Olette at ease, knowing that Naminè was not breaking down.
“Much better. Thanks to you, Naminè.”
Olette again petted her head, it had become sort of a habit. She had wanted to protect Naminè, and if it was at the cost of her life. For the first time in her life, Olette felt that she finally had found something important to protect. Whatever the future held, whatever danger was lay ahead, Olette would protect her. Protect Naminè.
The rain still was coming down. Would it ever stop? Night had come, and it was as dark as the path between the worlds. They were hungry and thirsty, so Naminè started looking inside the boxes.
In most were stuff like the swill Jack Sparow had drunk on the island. At least, it smelled in the same unpleasant way. Further back Naminè had found some dried fruits and bread that was old and nasty but still edible. All they to drink was water from a barrel that was right outside and filled with rainwater, so they filled a couple of bottles with it. The previous contents of the bottles had vanished into the ground, but the water still tasted a bit like it.
“Bear with it. I know it's gross, but we shouldn't risk dehydration or hunger,” Olette said, and with a deep sigh, she bit into the nasty bread.
“I would even eat Tifa's curry now...” Naminè said, and drank another bit of the water.
“You're hardcore...” Olette said, quite surprised someone wanted to eat Tifa's food.
“I'm just really hungry,” Naminè said and proceeded to eat some of the bread.
“I already feel much better. I think we can start looking for a boat or some info on the island tomorrow.”
Naminè gave her a nod and continued chewing in silence.
The night went by without any further events. Olette and Naminè wasted a bit of time talking about Hollow Bastion, Aerith and Tifa, and their training. Both avoided the topic of Kairi on purpose, as they both believed they would find her.
The morning was damp, but the sun had come out. Olette had once more proven that she was downright a monster and was almost over her fever.
“Thank God you didn't catch a cold or my fever. I would've felt really irresponsible,” Olette said and for the first time in two days, she walked around without feeling every muscle in her body ache.
“Are you really okay? If you still feel sick, I can start looking for clues at my own,” Naminé said, which immediately earned a laugh from Olette.
“I would worry about you so much in this dangerous town that I'd probably get worse by the second.”
“Meanie,” Naminè said and started to sulk.
“Let's first look for information on the island,” Olette said, and climbed out of the window.
They had agreed on using the window as entrance to prevent people from noticing that someone was hiding in the storehouse. Olette reached her hand out to Naminè, pulling her up.
“We...should avoid the tavern and the harbor. Two girls like us will probably catch too much unwanted attention.”
Olette remembered the night they had first arrived in the town. The men from the tavern that almost...if she ever saw those men again, they would find themselves on the bottom of the harbor.
“But whom do we ask?”
Even Olette was kinda lost at that. She could go to a tavern alone. Even if someone assaulted her, if Naminè was safe, she could go wild and beat them up. The training with Tifa would come in handy. But would Naminè stay put if she knew Olette was throwing herself into danger?
“I want you to stay here, Naminè. People will call you a witch if you use magic here, and it's really hard for me to protect you against a whole bunch of people. I'll go and look for some information and...organize some food.”
Olette could feel her heart ache when she told Naminè indirectly that she was in the way.
“I trust you. I'll stay here, but if anything happens, come back...please.”
Naminè seemed honestly worried. Olette gave her a nod and ran off.
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