Prism Hearts Chapter 8 One Winged Angel by Amazoness Duo amazonessduo@hotmail.com I’ll be here... I’ll be waiting... here… Why? For what? I’ll be waiting... for you... If you come here... You’ll find me... I promise. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The hills stretched on for an eternity. Or so it seemed, at least. Sora’s legs ached. It felt as if he had been marching on endlessly for his entire life. The one thing that kept him going was the image of Kairi and Riku, reaching out to him. He had to find Riku. He couldn’t go back home to Kairi alone. They would see her again together. He was sure of it. All he had to do was find that Doorway to the Light and free Riku. That idiot. If he hadn’t sacrificed himself to stop the Heartless, he wouldn’t be stuck behind that doorway now. But if it hadn’t been for Riku’s sacrifice, the Heartless would’ve consumed everything. Sora just couldn’t leave him there. Riku was his best friend. It wasn’t right to go on without him. He, Kairi, and Riku completed a puzzle. They needed each other. All three of them were essential parts to that. If he went back to Kairi alone, something would be missing. Donald and Goofy followed close behind. Goofy was rather optimistic about things, sure that over every hill would be the Doorway they sought. Donald was his normal, highly irritable self. Sora sighed as the duck grumbled about something for the thousandth time that day. Still, even with Donald’s bitching, he wouldn’t want to do this on his own. They were his friends. He wanted them by his side. “Can we even open the door?” Donald asked at last. “It took your Keyblade and King Mickey’s to close the Doorway to the Darkness. But if King Mickey is stuck on the other side of it...” Sora shook his head. “We’ll find a way. Remember what King Mickey said. There will always be a door to the light.” He sighed. Donald narrowed his eyes. “We have to find it first.” Sighing, Sora nodded. He didn’t even know where to begin. And they had been searching for so long... Just what were they looking for anyway? Where would the Doorway to all of Light itself be? It didn’t seem like it would just be lying around in some corner. If only... But Sora’s thoughts were cut short. He glimpsed something on the next hill. Someone, waiting. Silver hair fluttering in the wind. “Riku?” His eyes widened. But Riku was trapped behind the Doorway. How could he be here? But the how of things barely mattered. Sora broke into a run. “Riku!” He ran as quickly as he could, exhilarated to see his best friend once more. They would be going home to Kairi together after all. “What is it?” Goofy asked as he and Donald struggled to keep up with the Keyblade Master. Donald shrugged. “He finally cracked,” came his reply. “Riku!” Sora yelled, laughing. It was just like the older boy to do this. He always managed to pull off the impossible, pulling ahead of Sora and the others. It made sense that somehow he had found a way out. If anyone could, it was Riku. His journey was finally nearing its end. They could finally go home. Heaven. It would be just like heaven. But as he neared the silver haired figure, he began to slow. The figure was taller, with longer hair. He was wearing all black. A single, dark wing was behind his right shoulder. “You’re not Riku...” The man watched him curiously for a long moment before replying. “One who knows nothing can understand nothing.” “Ansem?!” Sora took a step back, caught off guard. This man didn’t look like Ansem, the man who had been used by the Heartless to open the Doorway to the Darkness, but Sora had heard those same words from Ansem before their battle. “Oh? So you have met his majesty after all. It’s been so long since anyone has seen him that I thought it may have merely been a rumor,” the man said conversationally, standing tall against the wind that buffeted the hilltop. “Ansem’s... He’s dead,” Sora said reluctantly. He knew that Ansem had once been a respected and loved king. Most people didn’t know of his fall from grace, his consumption by the Heartless. He didn’t want to hurt anyone who cared for their king with the details. The man nodded as if this were expected. “Her highness felt it. She knew he was dead. That’s why she knew she had to act.” He stepped closer, eyeing Sora, inspecting him. “You’re Sora? You’re the boy the princess sent me to find?” The princess? What was going on? Sora nodded slowly. “I’m Sora. Who are you?” He had an uneasy feeling about all of this. This man had known what had happened to Ansem. Even Leon and Aerith hadn’t known for sure what had happened to him. And who was this princess? “Sephiroth, SOLDIER 1st Class,” the man explained, his eyes glowing a brilliant green. “Princess Hikari’s personal bodyguard. I’ve been protecting the princess since she was but a tiny child. King Ansem personally assigned me to watch over his daughter.” Well... That certainly didn’t explain anything. Sora simply blinked. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Ansem had been consumed by the Heartless, but Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith had all been from that planet, too, and they’d been heroes. So was he a friend or an enemy? And who was this Princess Hikari? Sora hadn’t known Ansem had even had a daughter. “So you’re her nanny?” Donald asked, not liking being ignored in all of this. He crossed his arms, waiting at Sora’s right. Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. “I like to think of it as something a bit more than that. I would do anything for her highness. I would die for her.” ‘This guy does remind me a lot of Riku, after all. Riku would’ve done anything for Kairi, too. Even surround himself with darkness,’ Sora thought to himself. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “That’s great and all. But we’re a little too busy to be making visits right now. Maybe after we find Riku. Tell her we said thanks!” “And that we appreciate the offer!” Goofy added, grinning. “We’d love to go later.” Donald simply rolled his eyes. All three turned to continue their search. Sephiroth gripped the hilt of his sword, his single wing unfurling. “If that’s the case, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to do this by force. You will see her highness. She demands it.” “We’ve got more important things to worry about right now that some bratty princess,” Sora retorted. “If that’s how you want to play, fine. Don’t blame me for your headache when you wake up on the grass.” He willed the Keyblade into his hand, getting into a fighting position. Donald and Goofy readied themselves at his sides. The silver haired SOLDIER grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” With that, he lunged forward, his impossibly long sword arcing through the air. Sora blocked the blow with his Keyblade, but he felt the power of the strike reverberating through his entire body. Two legendary weapons, the dreaded Masamune and the fated Keyblade, clashed again and again. Sora swiped forward, trying to catch the princess’s bodyguard, but he leapt into the air, his wing somehow keeping him aloft for a moment before he descended with a flurry of blows that sent Sora reeling. He tried desperately to ward them off, but they came one after the other, wearing him down. He quickly summoned his magic, casting a barrier of wind to protect him from the deadly blade. “Fire!” Donald shouted, launching a ball of fire at the SOLDIER. But Sephiroth was fast. The flame missed its target, dissipating into the distance. Before Donald could prepare another spell, Sephiroth swept past him. The mage’s staff fell to the floor seconds before its owner collapsed next to it. “Donald!” Sora cried. Enraged by his friend’s injury, Sora leapt at his attacker, intent on ending this now. He didn’t care who this man was. He had stopped Ansem. He wouldn’t let some princess’s bodyguard hurt his friends. “Ars Arcanum!” Using the attack he had learned, Sora launched into a series of quick jabs at the silver haired man. To his shock, Sephiroth dodged and parried every blow. Sephiroth laughed as he saw the surprise on the younger boy’s face. “Been taking some lessons from Cloud, have you? Now it’s my turn.” With blinding speed, he was nearly against Sora. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Keyblade hurtling through the air, finally clattering to the grass much too far away for Sora to reach in time. “What was that about me waking up on the grass?” the SOLDIER asked, pulling up the Masamune. Sora could only stare at the older man. How had this happened? In all of his battles, he had never lost this badly. Even when Leon had attacked him in Traverse Town and when he’d fought Cloud at the Coliseum. He hadn’t won either battle, but it had taken him longer to lose, at any rate. But somehow he had always won when it mattered. He’d stopped Ansem. How could one of Ansem’s soldiers defeat him? “Sora!” Goofy rushed headlong at the SOLDIER 1st Class, trying to force him away from the younger boy. Sephiroth managed to sidestep past Goofy’s charge. Before Goofy could turn around to guard with his shield, Sephiroth cast a spell, sending small comets pelting into the knight. Goofy collapsed onto the grass. “Goofy! How could you?” Sora growled, his fists clenched. Impotent rage burnt within him. This man had decimated his party when their battle was finally supposed to be over. How could he snatch their hard won victories away from them? Sephiroth turned, his long silver hair sweeping about in the wind. “That was some nice practice. I’ve been cooped up for far too long. But I’m ending this now. I mustn’t keep Princess Hikari waiting.” Raising a hand in the air, he summoned all of the magic at his disposal, the sky turning black with his power. “Sin Harvest!” The world was torn apart around Sora. And everything became dark as he lost his grasp on consciousness, spiraling into the abyss. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Are you feeling any better?” Yuna asked softly, sitting on the edge of her bed. Her blankets were wrapped around the still damp catgirl Selphie had helped her carry in from the beach. The catgirl had just recently regained consciousness. She’d been half-drowned when Yuna had found her on the beach. Rikku nodded weakly, her head still swimming. “Yeah, I’m better. Nothing can keep me down for long.” She smiled, her fangs showing. A small giggle flowed from her. “I’m starting to sound like Yuffie. Kid would be horrified.” Returning the smile, Yuna watched the catgirl in her bed. She had no idea what Rikku was talking about, but if she was feeling better, that was the important thing. She was so curious about this girl who had washed up. Yuna had spent her entire life on the Destiny Islands; the only outsider she had ever met was Kairi, and Kairi hadn’t remembered anything from the outside. This girl was so different, even her body was not completely human. Yuna wanted to know everything, curious in the way little girls would be over what happened next in a fairy tale. Everything about her seemed magical. Little mysteries surround the strange girl. Where had she come from? What was she? Who was she? “Are you a Ronso?” Yuna asked after a moment’s thought. “A whatso?” she asked in return, blinking her big, jade, spiral eyes. “A Ronso. They’re catlike people. I think they have horns. My father met them a long time ago,” Yuna explained. Though if she had to clarify, the girl probably wasn’t one. The catgirl shook her head, her dusty blonde braids swishing past her bare shoulders. “Nope. Never heard of them. I’m Rikku Kisaragi! Member of the acting troupe, Radical Dreamers, and a mysterious thief! Though I’m not so good at the mysterious thief part.” The catgirl groused, sitting up, her paws on her ankles. The blanket fell about her lap, leaving only her fur to cover herself. She quickly pulled the blanket back up, self-conscious regardless of her fur. “I kinda angered a white mage because I didn’t get out of her hotel before she got back. She wasn’t very happy with me, so she changed me into a kitten. She wouldn’t even listen to my side of the story! Just ‘Bam! You’re a cat!’” “What was your side of the story?” Yuna inquired, tilting her head to the side. “Umm... well...” Rikku laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. “I might have had a good reason if she’d bothered to ask. I didn’t have a good reason, though, but how was she supposed to know that? She could’ve at least given me a chance to apologize. Do you know how horrifying it is to find yourself in a puddle of clothes on all fours with an angry white mage towering over you?” She shook her head, her ears twitching. She still had nightmares about that. “Oh, I’m sorry. That must have been terrible,” Yuna said apologetically. She reached forward hesitantly, squeezing one of Rikku’s paws reassuringly. Rikku smiled brightly. This shy, quiet girl was so sweet. Much better than the crazy, nunchuku wielding one. She rubbed her head, wincing at the thought. But at least this one seemed worried about her. But that look in her eyes, one blue and one green, was so sad, as if she truly empathized with Rikku’s predicament. “But I’m all right now. My sister used the Dragon Tear of Hate on me and it at least made me halfway human. I heard if we can get the Dragon Tear of Love, I can change myself back the rest of the way. So it’s not too bad. And Yuffie said I make a cute catgirl, so maybe it’s not too completely evil,” Rikku shrugged. With a soft smile, the brunette nodded. “She was right. You do make a very cute catgirl. So you shouldn’t be worried about it if you have to stay that way. But I hope you can find the Dragon Tear of Love soon, then. Just don’t feel too bad in the meantime.” She shook her head quickly. She shouldn’t be saying things like that. That wasn’t what Rikku would want to hear, certainly. “If I can help at all, please let me know.” But Rikku wasn’t listening to the last bit. She was still playing Yuna’s earlier words over in her head. “You think this is okay?” she asked, still surprised. She hadn’t thought about it that way. She’d been thinking about it as a curse, as something horrible she had to endure until she could get rid of it. It hadn’t once crossed her mind about staying this way. This strange, not-quite-human way. Her body was different now, but as the other girl had pointed out, was that really a bad thing? “I’m sorry,” Yuna apologized, bowing her head low. She hadn’t meant to upset the catgirl. She’d just stated her opinion. She needed to be more careful about that. She didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Especially this new girl. She wanted to get to know her. To be friends. There was something about her…. But they’d never be friends if she said stupid things like that. How would she like it if she was stuck in a cursed body? Warm paws took her hands, the pads near the thumbs and fingers pressed against her skin. She lifted her face slightly until she was looking into the catgirl’s spiral eyes again. Rikku was smiling happily. Yuna’s cheeks flushed lightly, but she returned the smile. So the catgirl wasn’t upset with her after all. “Don’t be sorry. I’m really glad you’d think so. Maybe I’ve been going about this the wrong way. Maybe... maybe it’s not so bad,” Rikku ventured. She giggled, baring her fangs again. “As long as you don’t call me Kitty, that is.” Yuna nodded swiftly, her chestnut hair swishing about her face. “Whatever you want... Rikku…” This girl was so vibrant, so full of life. Watching her had a way of lifting up Yuna’s spirits. Rikku brought her hands to her chest to keep a hold of the blanket. “And you’re Yunie, right? I thought I heard the other girl say your name while you were dragging me along the beach.” Though she’d only been semi-conscious for that. They’d dragged her quite a ways. No wonder her body ached. “Umm... Yuna, actually...” The brunette corrected quietly, tucking some hair behind one of her ears. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yunie!” Rikku said enthusiastically. “It’s so nice to have someone to talk to after all of this time meowing at people.” Both girls giggled. “I’m glad. It was nice to meet you, too, Rikku.” Yuna smiled genuinely, her hands on her lap. “I think the Islands needed some new life to them. Someone to brighten things up.” Rikku nodded determinedly. “I’ll try my hardest! I don’t know how long I’m stuck here anyway. So I might as well try to keep things interesting while I can.” “That’s one way of putting it. You’ve definitely made things more interesting. For me, at least,” Yuna admitted, tucking her legs up underneath herself. She knew the other girl wasn’t really a catgirl or anything of the sort, but she still couldn’t help but feel as if she’d brought a stray cat home. Something that was all her own, that she would take care of and love and nurture. Like her very own pet. She tried to push the thought away, but it was lodged stubbornly in her brain. She sighed. She’d eventually get over it. When Rikku wound up leaving. That thought was far too depressing; people had been leaving all her life, and she still wasn’t capable of dealing with it. She still cried herself to sleep over her father’s death, years ago. That’s why she had tried not to think about Kairi leaving or Riku and Sora’s disappearances. She couldn’t handle goodbyes. And just thinking about not have the catgirl around frightened her more than she could explain away. “Oh, would it be all right if I asked for some clothes?” Rikku voiced sheepishly. “I’ve been running around without anything for way too long now. I feel like a nudist. My clothes are probably still on the floor of that damn hotel room.” She sighed. “Oh well. They were just hand me downs of Yuffie’s, anyway.” Blinking, Yuna tried to comprehend what Rikku had said. Why would the catgirl need clothes? Cats didn’t wear clothes. They had fur. Ohhhhh... She shook her head. Of course she’d want clothes. She wasn’t used to being a catgirl. Fur or not, she was used to wearing something. “Yes, I’ll get you something. You’re a little younger than me, but you should be able to fit into one of my outfits.” “Thanks, Yunie!” Rikku grinned and pounced catlike on the unsuspecting brunette, hugging her in gratitude. “That would help a lot!” “You.. You’re welcome..” Yuna responded, blushing faintly again. She swallowed, embarrassed. She slowly began to rub Rikku’s back using the arm that wasn’t pinned to her side. The catgirl’s fur felt wonderfully soft to her touch, her fingers gliding over it. She rubbed a bit more, enjoying the feel of the fur underneath her fingers and the growing thrum in her ears. It took her a moment to realize that Rikku was purring loudly against her. Her eyes widened in surprise, her flush darkening, but she couldn't get herself to stop. The catgirl was so cute and enthusiastic, Yuna couldn’t help but pet her, as if she had found a larger-than-life kitten. Rikku was so glad Yuna couldn’t see her face as she hugged the other girl. She was so embarrassed. She knew she wasn’t a cat. She was a normal, human girl. But her body didn’t seem to agree with her. She couldn’t stop herself from purring as Yuna’s gentle fingers slid up and down her back. Her body betrayed her, her chest thrumming with her purring. ‘Will you make up your mind? Am I a cat or not? I’m not!’ Rikku thought in frustration. But her body still wasn’t listening. Her tail swished happily from side to side. She sighed, giving in. It did feel nice, to have someone to hug after she’d been unable to do much of anything as a whole cat. She rested her head on Yuna’s shoulder, closing her emerald eyes and purring louder. ‘Well, maybe just this once...’ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Okay, I’m going to use my... Shiva card. Yes, that should do nicely.” Quistis smiled as she placed they detailed card down on the floor of her room, right beside one of a strange flying serpent. A blond boy sighed, rolling his eyes. “If it didn’t take you ten minutes to decide each turn, then we would be able to play a lot more of this, Quistis,” he chided, slapping down a card with a cactuar on it. “You’re just too impatient, Seifer,” Quistis countered, gazing at her cards again. “Hmm...” She let her fingers browse across the cards, trying to select the perfect one. She wasn’t playing just this turn, but where the next turn might lead. Selphie watched the two playing Triple Triad on the floor of Quistis’s room. They were upside down, as if they were sitting on the roof, gravity in reverse. The cards were set down on the roof before the brunette. At least, that’s how it appeared to Selphie. She was slumped on Quistis’s bed, her sandals left somewhere near the door, her head hanging off the edge of the bed so that everything was upside down for her. Her legs were wrapped around Quistis’s pillow. She’d much rather they be wrapped around her blonde girlfriend, but Quistis was caught up in that boring card game. Here she was lying on her girlfriend’s bed, innocent and vulnerable, and all Quistis could think about was what card went next. Selphie pouted. She should be on the bed with her, kissing her. Anything but playing cards. “There!” Quistis smiled as she set down the next card. Unless Seifer had some unexpected cards or a rather healthy dose of luck on his side, she was pretty much guaranteed victory. And to the contrary of Selphie’s thinking, Quistis was having a very difficult time ignoring the fact that Selphie was lying so cutely on her bed. And that she would love to take the place of that pillow, to let her hands travel across Selphie’s stomach, exploring her skin and the cloth of her dress, kissing her everywhere she could... Quistis blinked quickly, trying to force out the images. She adjusted her glasses, hoping she didn’t look as flustered as she felt. It was so difficult being the mature, responsible one sometimes. She sighed inwardly. Yes, Selphie would need a good spanking after Seifer was gone. If he ever left. He’d been there for well over an hour now. Seifer was her friend, but he either couldn’t take a hint or he enjoyed making her suffer. “I’m kind of envious of Riku, Sora, and Kairi,” Seifer said at last, placing down a chocobo card from his hand. “They finally did realize their beautiful dream of escaping these islands, of going to explore other worlds. Think of the possibilities. The excitement. I’m sure it’s more interesting than a card game.” “Don’t say that!” Selphie admonished from the bed, rolling onto her stomach. “Who knows where they are? What’s wrong with staying here?” Seifer grinned at Selphie’s outbust, looking up at the girl on Quistis’s bed. “I’m surprised you wouldn’t want to go yourself, Selphie. The Destiny Islands barely seem to hold in all that energy you have. It’s amazing you haven’t gotten bored yet.” “But they could be lost anywhere! They could be scared and miserable and so far away from home.” A chill passed through Selphie at the thought. “Yeah, it would be fun to travel, but I don’t see what’s wrong with staying home, either. It’s fun here. All my friends are here. My Quisty’s here. I’m perfectly happy at home.” Pushing her glasses up, Quistis nodded. “I agree with Selphie. Leaving would only make sense if you weren’t satisfied with where you are. If there’s something missing in your life. And my life feels complete here.” She looked back over her shoulder, smiling at Selphie. Yes, there wasn’t anything she needed. The cute brunette returned her smile, her legs kicking up behind her. Seifer laughed in response. “Of course you’d agree with Selphie. It isn’t wise to disagree with one’s girlfriend. Especially one as hyper as her.” The blond boy sat back, his hands supporting him as he stared up at the roof. “Me, I understand why they’d want to leave. This place can feel like a prison sometimes. Water everywhere, flowing endlessly around us. This place is a paradise, but it’s sheltered. I think you need the good with the bad. It’s a gilded cage. You can’t experience everything if you’re cooped up here. You can treat a prisoner like a king, give him everything he could ever want. But if all he wants is freedom, he’s still a prisoner. Life can be as plush as you could want. But if you can’t realize your beautiful dreams, I still say something’s missing.” Quistis sighed. Not this again. The last thing she needed was for Seifer to get strange ideas in Selphie’s head. Thankfully, Selphie hadn’t liked Riku and Sora’s idea to leave the island in the first place. “And what’s your beautiful dream, Seifer?” A grin passed across his face as Seifer turned his gaze to Quistis. “To be the Sorceress’s Knight, of course. To protect my sorceress with my life. To grant her every whim. To give her my all.” Resting her chin in her hands, Selphie raised a curious eyebrow. “Why can’t you do that here? No dragons to slay?” Her bare feet continued kicking in the air behind her in a slow rhythm. “Hah.” The blond boy waved off the notion. “It’s nothing like that. You’re thinking of it too literally. Maybe I wouldn’t mind so much if I could find my sorceress. Then I could be her knight here on the Destiny Islands. But you never know what’s waiting for you out there. All those worlds, each with new sights and experiences around every corner. Must be exciting, wherever they are.” Selphie blinked thoughtfully. “I wonder what my beautiful dream is...” Quistis turned, her legs still tucked demurely underneath her. “Don’t worry about it, Selphie. You have plenty of beautiful dreams. And you have the energy to make them all come true, I’m certain.” The brunette smiled brightly, her previous concerns forgotten. “Thanks, Quisty! You’re right! I won’t give up on any of my beautiful dreams!” she said excitedly. “But you don’t know what they are yet...” Seifer replied, sweatdropping. Quisits turned an icy glare on her friend. “Shush, you.” “Right...” Seifer shook his head. “I’m just saying that wherever they are, they’re probably doing more than playing cards.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Unnhhh...” Sora moaned, rolling onto his side. His entire body ached, every fiber of his being calling out as fire burned through him. His muscles didn’t want to respond at first and he found himself cringing as he tried to move. What had happened? He could barely think through the haze of pain that was erecting a palace in his head. The clatter and noise of their hard work droned out all conscious thought. But Sora was nothing if not persistent. He forced himself to his knees only to regret the decision. The world seemed to curve around him, taunting him. ‘What happened?’ he managed to think at last. Dim, vague images came to him, feelings that should go with them but he couldn’t be sure of. Anger, shock, sadness, defeat. A man... Riku? No.. Not Riku. Though it had felt like it. “Owwww...” He clutched his head, trying to force the pain and its workers out of it. Suddenly, his head shot up. He winced at the pain it caused, but ignored it. “Donald? Goofy?” His eyes darted about insistently, but his companions where nowhere to be seen. That’s when it first struck him. He certainly wasn’t in the grassy fields he had previously been. Where was this? How had he ended up here? Where were his friends? The lone boy slowly managed to get to his feet after a prolonged struggle that seemed to play out over an eternity. His body cried in protest, but he refused to listen to it. Riku’s words spurred him forward. ‘Giving up already, Sora? I thought you were stronger than that.’ Riku had faith in him. His rival always pulled out more from him than Sora even knew he had. So he’d push through this. What would Riku say if he saw him lying helplessly on the floor? With those thoughts spinning through his abused head, the brown haired boy tried to gauge his surroundings. The young Keyblade Master found himself in the middle of a palace courtyard. Or was it the middle of a school? The place looked like a bizarre amalgamation of the two. Statues of students heading to classes that would never happen littered the otherwise empty courtyard, frozen forever in place. Palace maids and busy dignitaries shared space with the students, looking busy even in their state of rest. Lockers were covered in beautiful purple flowers and vines. A large fountain stood at the center. It looked like a statue should in the midst of it, but it was curiously missing. Strange for a place filled with so many statues. But as Sora looked closer, they looked less like shadows and more and more like a lifeless photograph. As if that sparkle of life had just been extinguished in one horrifying second. He shuddered and tried to ignore the creepy feeling. Staggering past several of the statues, Sora began to make his way forward (or at least in the direction he hoped was forward). Where was this place? Halfway between here and there, it felt like some freakish riddle. As he entered the large hallway that the courtyard led to, it didn’t get any better. There were large, beautiful paintings along one wall. To his other side, there was no wall. Just a large abyss, leading off into darkness. In his weakened state, he tried not to look to that side. He felt too dizzy staring off into it. He instead turned his attention back to the paintings. He could recognize some of the people in them. Wasn’t that Alice? And in that other one, wasn’t that Aladdin and Jasmine? And the Beast in another. That looked like Aerith and some of her friends in the one down the hall, didn’t it? Wasn’t that Selphie and Quistis and some others? What were they doing with Squall in that painting? He shook his head. “Weird..” he muttered. His voice sounded tiny, weak in this place. It made him feel acutely alone. Continuing down the seemingly endless hallway, Sora continued glancing at paintings. There was Cinderella, one of the seven princesses. And Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, and some others he didn’t recognize. Why were these paintings here? Why were they of people he knew? What significance did they have to this twisted palace? Looking back from a painting, the brown haired boy found some doors before him that previously hadn’t been there. A mixture of relief and apprehension poured throughout him. At least he was getting somewhere. But whoever had brought him here had obviously intended that. But why? What did they want? Well, he’d never find out if he didn’t push forward. ‘I’m not about to give up, Riku,’ he thought determinedly. Stepping forward, he pushed open the large doors. “Sora!” Sora could only blink dumbly for a long moment. “Kairi!?” The princess’s face lit up brightly as she ran to him, nearly toppling him over as she leapt into his arms, hugging him fiercely. Kairi held onto him tightly, almost painfully. “I won’t ever let you disappear again, Sora. I won’t let anyone take you away from me. I promise.” She buried her head against his shoulder, almost afraid that a stray wind would carry him off. No, he was finally there. And Princess Hikari would do everything she could to make sure he stayed that way.