Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Dearly Beloved ❯ Bustin' on the Beach ( Chapter 8 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Spark of Life 
Kairi chooses to fight and the Knight Errant gives her a Sword
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance / Suspense / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.23.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 336 | Status: Work In Progress
Kairi chooses to fight and the Knight Errant gives her a Sword
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance / Suspense / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.23.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 336 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 7: Bustin’ on the Beach
They choose to fight. To fight is to love and they choose to love fiercely.
Namine woke up some time after her encounter with the mystery person. She looked around and didn’t recognize anything of her surroundings. There were a bunch of gauges and lights and levers and all sorts of things that looked that it required tons of knowledge to operate. She realized that she was on a bed.
With her eyes, she found someone in the standard dress of Juusan Kikan, the black trench overcoat. With the hood over this person’s head, it was tough to discern the identity. However, she didn’t care. She just wanted to be free. Analyzing the figure, she noticed that there was a Keyblade in his hand. It was unlike any that she had seen. She knew that Roxas’s were onyx and pearl white, Sora’s was platinum and the mouse king’s was gold. This one was silver, pure silver. She remembered a silver Keyblade. It belonged to the man who kidnapped her. All she knew was that it wasn’t Roxas. Roxas wasn’t as tall as the man.
She wondered what his plans were. Was he going to kill her? That would be a relief compared to the suffering that Juusan Kikan, san Axel and Roxas, had bestowed upon her. When she thought back on them, she had a warm feeling about them. She didn’t know how to characterize it. It wasn’t as if she had a heart to convey these emotions but there was just something about it. She didn’t know what though.
The man got up and looked at her. Well, she thought he was looking at her. She couldn’t tell because the hood obscured his face. “Good evening, Namine.” She cringed. It was reflexive. She had no idea what he was going to do to her. “How are you?”
Namine didn’t answer. She was afraid, which, when one thought about it, was ironic. The figure nodded. “I suppose you are afraid of me. I don’t blame you.”
“What do you want with me?” She asked, finding her voice.
“Me? I want nothing.” That surprised her. She had been used for so long, manipulating the memories of others, that the fact someone didn’t want her to do something was disconcerting. “But, let me ask you a question. What do you want?” The guy was full of surprises. No one, save Axel or Roxas, had ever cared enough to ask her what she wanted. It was strange, to say the least.
“I don’t want to be here anymore.” She answered honestly.
“Do you want to go home?” He queried. “Do you want to return to where you belong?” She had no idea what he meant. “Do you want to be whole again? With her?” All of a sudden, she realized what he intended by that question.
“You’re going to let me go?”
“She needs you, Namine. She wants to fight and she can’t do it without you.” Namine looked at the figure and realized that he was going to return her to Kairi. “No one’s stopping you. Juusan Kikan has up and left this star. So, the decision is all yours. Do you want to go?”
“Yes.” Namine responded. The figure held out his hand, the one without the Keyblade, out to her. She took it and walked with him outside wherever she was. “What is this place?”
“This is a power plant. The princess and her knights need to stay here a bit longer until they are empowered. So, they need living conditions. This power plant will supply them with electricity until the time comes when they leave this star and go to war.”
Namine unconsciously could feel the soul of this man as he led her. It was powerful, light and darkness fused together in a way that she could never imagine before. “Who are you?”
“Knight Errant shall suffice, Namine. Now hold on to my hand.” He led her to the sea and stepped onto the water. When Namine saw this, she expected that he would be submerged but he stepped onto the water, he walked on top of it. He led her across and she found out that she could walk on top of the water as well.
“How are you doing this?” She asked.
“It’s all a process of mind over matter.” The Knight Errant responded.
After walking across the surface of the water, they made their way to the Children’s Island. The Knight Errant let go of Namine’s hand and walked towards the beach where Sora, Kairi and Riku were sleeping. None of them noticed the two’s presence. “Do you want to return?” He asked. She nodded. “Then, return!” The blonde girl walked towards Kairi and smiled wanly. She is about to be complete.
Namine held out her hand to Kairi. An unconscious redhead’s hand was pulled as if by some sort of wires. The Nobody grabbed her hand then she faded away, as if but a whisper. The Knight Errant turned away and headed back to the plant. “Sleep well, Princess. You have a long day tomorrow.” He disappeared across the water, creating a powerful wave with his tremendous speed.
Kairi felt herself sinking a world that wasn’t light or darkness. It was strange. It felt like a dream and reality at the same time. There was something pulling at her, beckoning her to come and she obeyed. For some reason, she suddenly stopped. Whatever was drawing her to this had stopped and appeared before her. Kairi saw a girl about her age, blonde and wearing a white dress.
“Who are you?” Kairi asked.
“I’m ….” Something sounding like static or wind prevented the girl from telling the Princess her name. The blonde girl looked sad. “So you can’t hear it yet!” She looked away from the redhead.
“What is this?” Kairi asked, hoping to get an answer with this question.
“This is your soul, Kairi.” The blonde told her. “You have come because you want to fight.”
And this was true. After the encounter with Juusan Kikan and the blonde woman with the knives, she wanted to fight and protect that which was precious to her. But she was conflicted. She never fought before and fighting would mean that there would be pain and death. Kairi didn’t know if she wanted this. Also, for whom will she fight: Sora or Riku? Each seemed willing to fight for her but choosing one and scorning the other made her feel bad.
“You are conflicted.” The blonde girl told her, apparently knowing what is tormenting her. “You can’t fight with a conflicted heart, Kairi.”
“But, I don’t know what to think.” The redhead shouted. “Who do I choose? Sora or Riku?”
“You already know what choice you are going to make, Kairi. You needn’t worry. Your heart is big enough for your wish. But you still have to make a choice. Are you going to fight?” The blonde already knew the answer.
“Yes, I want to fight.” Conviction shone in her eyes.
“Then wait for him. The man with light and darkness in his heart will show you the way to call me. Call me and I will help you to protect that which you deem precious.”
Kairi smiled a bit with that reassurance. “Will I ever know your name?”
The blonde girl smiled back to the Princess. “Of course you will. I promise. Think of me as you, your will to fight.”
With that, Kairi woke up from her dream. The sun was rising over the horizon. The light was so bright that Kairi had to cover her eyes. She looked around and saw that both Sora and Riku draped a protective arm around her, their fingers interlocking with each other. Kairi thought that was strange. She gently disentangled herself from the boys and got up to bathe.
Kairi first made her way to the original shack on the island to get some toiletries. She made her way to a waterfall on the other side of the island. She removed her clothes and stepped under the water. It was warm and she appreciated it. She poured some shampoo on her hair and thought about the dream. It felt so real, as if the blonde girl was real. The blonde girl said something she thought was strange. ‘You already know what choice you are going to make.’ That was weird. The Princess didn’t know what choice she was going to make. In fact, that made her more confused. She finished her ablutions and got dressed. The blonde girl said that the man with light and darkness in his heart was coming to show her the way to call the blonde girl, whatever that meant.
Riku was the next person to wake up from sleep after noticing that some of the warmth disappeared. He realized that he was holding on to Sora’s hand. It made him smile. He rubbed the palm of Sora’s hand with his thumb, memorizing the feel and texture of it. With that, he let go of his hand and went to look for Kairi.
Riku didn’t hear the sound of a motor running before he got up, signifying that Kairi took a boat off the island. Therefore, she still had to be here somewhere. The logical place would be on the other side of the island. With that, he set off to find her. Sure enough, his hunch was right. Kairi was bathing under the waterfall. He was dumbstruck. Here was one of the objects of his affection bathing. The silver-haired boy did the only thing a sixteen year old boy would do in the presence of one of his crushes. He hid in some foliage. He felt dirty looking at her like a voyeur and yet he could not turn away when the goddess was removing the grime of last night from her body. Riku could not control his breathing and so he put a hand over his mouth and continued to watch until she finished and put on her clothes.
Kairi, after finishing her morning ritual, walked around the island, oblivious to Riku’s presence. She ambled her way to the docks, feeling as though something would happen there.
Sora woke up and realized that he overslept. Neither Kairi nor Riku were there. He decided that he’d take a quick bath and hurry to get to work on the other shack. He made his way to the waterfall, as it was the shower away from a shower if the kids were on the island. Running so that neither of the two teenagers would stop him, Sora completely missed seeing Kairi sitting on the docks and Riku hiding in the foliage.
As Sora was about to take his bath, he noticed that there were some toiletries left by the waterfall, signifying that someone else was here. Thanking whomever was here before him, the Hero of Light began his morning ritual.
Riku couldn't believe his luck, good or bad, that allowed him to see the naked forms of both of his crushes today. It wasn't even thirty minutes since the two of them stripped in front of him, oblivious to his voyeurism. Riku felt himself growing hard as he remembered Kairi and her supple, feminine form and as he watched Sora and his angular, masculine form. He could imagine himself nuzzling Kairi's perky breasts just as easily as he could imagine himself caressing Sora's member.
The heart was such a fickle and selfish thing. Sora and Kairi were two totally different people and he loved them equally. He thought himself a lost soul when he locked himself inside Kingdom Hearts. He had hoped that Sora would protect Kairi and someday fall in love with each other. That would be the penance for his dark deeds. But, when he came out of Kingdom Hearts through the Nexus and back to Destiny Island, the two embraced him as if nothing had happened. That made him feel better, even considering the reason why the island was destroyed in the first place. His dark passion led him astray, made him vulnerable to the machinations of Ansem and Maleficent. Still, there was hope that Sora and Kairi would acknowledge the fierce love that he had for the two of them.
Until then, he had only his erotic dreams to keep him company. As he felt himself swell at the knowledge that his friend was naked under the waterfall just minutes after Kairi, he bit his hand softly and with his free hand touched himself. Unzipping his pants, he allowed his sword to be free. He grabbed it and tugged on it, which would have earned a moan had he not bit on his hand. Riku imagined Kairi and Sora were taking turns pleasuring him. He could almost see their lust-filled expressions as they did their best to make the silver-haired teen feel good. It was all for him. Riku enjoyed it. He nearly forgot it was he that was caressing his member. It was he that was imagining, living in a dream world. It was he that was...
Riku could feel it coming, the climax. His imagination showed him images of Sora and Kairi writhing beneath him in pleasure, with the other one trying to bring completion to the threesome. It was that which sent him over the edge, spilling the proof of his passion on the sandy beach. His breathing was shallow and ragged. His brow was covered in sweat. When the waves of pleasure left him, Riku was filled with shame at exploiting Sora and Kairi's privacy for his own lust-filled fantasy. He put his sword away and cursed himself.
Kairi sat on the dock, waiting. She knew whatever person the blonde girl was talking about was going to come today. And sure enough, she saw a figure walking on the water. It was wearing the black trench overcoat of Juusan Kikan but in its hand was the silver Keyblade. It had to be the Knight Errant. Kairi could feel something inside of her telling her that she was correct.
The Knight Errant moved closer to the Princess and, when he was standing upon the water on the dock, he jumped upon the dock in one bound. “You’ve been expecting me, Princess, haven’t you?” He asked
“She told me that you would be here today.” She responded.
“Is that so? Well, you waiting for me means that you wish to fight for what you deem precious. Is that correct?” Kairi could feel the Knight Errant looking into her soul, even though she couldn’t see his eyes.
Kairi nodded in the affirmative. “I want to fight.”
“So be it. Follow me.” The Knight Errant led her to the beach.
After Riku was done with his voyeurism, he went to look for Kairi. He hadn’t seen her since she had finished her bath and there was a niggling feeling in his stomach that told him that all was not right with her. The silver-haired teen was about to go look for her when he heard a voice coming from the direction of the waterfall.
Sora had finished bathing and was in a rush to put on his clothes when he saw Riku. Well, the more correct thing to say was to say that he saw Riku’s back. He was about to chase after him when he realized that he forgot his sneakers at the waterfall. Sora was now torn as to what to do when he stepped on something that wasn’t sand. That’s not true. It was sand but there was something in the sand, something sticky. He bent over to look at it. It looked like spit that the sand absorbed. He touched it and realized that it wasn’t spit after all. There was something in his mind that told him that he knew what this was but this was just too much thinking for one day. Sora would file this away and peruse at a later date. Right now, he was catching up to Riku. Wiping the substance on his pants, he called out to the boy.
“Riku!” Sora called out to him. Riku turned around in surprise as the brunet ran after him. “Riku! Where are you going?” Sora then stopped and sniffed the air. There was something different with the air around Riku. “What is that smell?” he asked. “It’s smells a bit salty.”
Riku blanched. He didn’t expect Sora to pick up on that. He didn’t want Sora to realize that he enjoyed himself while watching Sora bathe. “Well, we do live on an island. It’s probably the sea.” Riku said a bit too quickly.
“Really? I’ve lived by the sea my whole life and that scent was never….” Sora shook his head. “Never mind. Where’s Kairi?”
Riku was glad that Sora changed the subject. “I was about to go look for her.”
“You mean she wasn’t with you?” Sora then felt something prick his conscience. Something wasn’t right. “Do you feel like there’s something wrong?”
Riku commended Sora’s empathy. “Yeah. Let’s go look for her.” The two nodded and set out to look for Kairi.
“Do you know what fighting entails, Princess?” The Knight Errant asked. “There will be pain, suffering and death. Even so, will you fight?”
Kairi nodded. “I don’t want to be a burden on everyone. I want to stand tall with Sora and Riku. This time, I’ll fight.”
“Is this your true wish, Princess? If it is, then I can help you procure a weapon, but only if you truly wish to fight.”
Kairi looked at the Knight Errant with steely green eyes. “I will fight.”
The Knight Errant nodded… at least Kairi figured that it was a nod as the hood of his jacket flapped up and down, signifying one. He walked over to her and grabbed her left hand gently. “Then, I shall give you a weapon.”
Sora and Riku was about to check the entire island when they found her on the beach with someone. They noticed the jacket as being the one that Juusan Kikan wore. They brandished their weapons and ran towards Kairi to protect her.
The Knight Errant placed a hand near her chest and moved his face towards Kairi. She could feel his breath on her lips and see the blue-green of his eyes. He whispered
Oh Rose of the Noble Heart
I beseech thee
Come forth
As the words were being spoken, Kairi felt herself being pushed back gently, as if being pulled. If one were looking at the scene from a distance, it looked like the Knight Errant and Kairi were posing for a harlequin cover. She saw dazzling light erupting from the gap between his hand and her chest. When the words were finished being spoken, she felt something come out of her chest. She maneuvered her head to look and was surprised to see what looked like a sword handle coming out of her chest. It looked like a blue wave gently caressing a beach. She gasped as the handle started to be pulled out of her, revealing a Keyblade that looked like water coming from a geyser. The Keyblade was removed from her body.
As Sora and Riku rushed to save Kairi, they saw something that inflamed them. The person in the black trench overcoat was encroaching on what they deemed to be theirs. The person’s face was next to Kairi. The person’s hand was on her chest. Then, power seemed to emanate from was happening and what looked like a sword was being pulled out of her body. Shocked, neither of them could move as the person with Juusan Kikan’s jacket pulled it out of her and strangely handed the Keyblade to Kairi.
Kairi could not believe what was happening. In her hands was a Keyblade. Somehow, the Knight Errant pulled it out of her. This was entirely strange. In fact, strange didn’t even cover it. Bizarre, however, was closer to the actual truth.
“This is what is called a Soul Sword, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her. “This is your will to fight, manifested into a weapon. If your will to fight is strong then so is your sword. If it isn’t, then your sword can shatter. Do not let it shatter, Princess, for you will shatter your own soul.”
“Why does it look like a Keyblade?” She asked.
“It’s not a Keyblade, just a form you are accustomed to seeing.”
Kairi was dumbfounded but grateful. Now she could fight. She started to walk away when the Knight Errant called out to her. “There’s one thing I forgot to mention to you, Princess.” Kairi turned around and listened. “For it to activate, there needs to be a sacrifice of blood.”
Sora and Riku were stunned. A sacrifice of blood? Of Kairi’s blood? They wouldn’t allow it. Kairi turned around, a blank look in her eyes. “My blood?” She asked, giving the Heroes’ fears a form.
“No, Princess. The blood of the one who pulled it out of you in the first place. My blood.”
“Your blood? Why?”
“Don’t know why. It always has been this way. So now, if you truly want to fight, start with me. Let’s see your resolve.” The Knight Errant challenged Kairi with outstretched arms. “Please pay attention to this because, if you are able to cut me at least once, you’ll need to know how to summon your Soul Sword.”
Oh Rose of the Noble Heart
The power that sleeps within me
Answer the call of thy master
And appear before me
As he started to chant, a fierce wind circulated around the Knight Errant. When he finished chanting, his silver Keyblade came out of his chest, hilt first then the blade itself and the handle floated into his hand. Kairi watched and unconsciously memorized everything that the Knight did, mapping out the way that his hands stretched out and his body was poised for future reference.
“Now I don’t usually have to summon my Keyblade like this but I am showing you so that you know.” The Knight Errant told her. “One question, Princess. Do you know the name of your Soul Sword?” Kairi looked at the Knight as if he were strange. “I see. You haven’t. I suppose that’s irrelevant now. Well then, shall we begin?”
He pointed his Keyblade at Sora and Riku. Kairi looked and saw the two boys there. “Sora, Riku.” She called out, surprised to see them. The two boys wanted to take her away from the Knight but they didn’t realize that he put up a barrier, separating the Princess from her Heroes.
“No, no, no, Princess. This is a one-on-one fight.” The Knight Errant pointed his weapon at Kairi. “Come, show me your resolve to fight.”
Kairi took a deep breath. It looks like she’s going to have to fight after all. She charged at the Knight with him coming at her as well. Their blades collided, sounding like metal hitting metal. “Well met, Princess. However…” With a swing, the Knight hit the Princess’s Keyblade with such force that she fell down. “Please don’t think that I will pull punches with you. Juusan Kikan will not recognize your sovereignty as a Princess of Heart if you choose to stand against them. Besides, you wanted to fight.”
She got up in time as the Knight Errant charged at Kairi, attacking her three times. She deflected all three blows and tried to charge but was pushed back by the Knight’s free hand. “I wonder why it is that you want to fight now, Princess. Did you feel helpless during Sora’s first journey? I wonder…”
Kairi tried another charge, her Keyblade aimed at his chest but that attack was deflected and she was pushed to the ground. “Is it because you feel responsible for what happened as a result of you being a Princess of Heart? Or maybe, there is a need for bloodshed.” The Knight rushed at her, pushing her back with thrusts and Kairi barely deflecting them. “The first time I met you, I knew that you would be affected by the events of your journey. I knew that you would be conflicted by whether to embrace light or darkness and so you deny yourself both. I wonder if you even realize it yourself.”
Kairi rolled out of the way and stood ready to take on any attack. “You amuse me, Princess. You have no idea how either if them feels. You are so selfish.” Kairi charged at him with a battle cry but the Knight amazingly caught her blade with a gloved hand.
She gasped in surprise. “How did you do that?” She asked
“I told you that if your will to fight is strong, so will your sword. Therefore…” He left that open to interpretation.
Sora and Riku banged on the barrier, trying to help Kairi but finding it futile.
Sora broke down; tears were welling up in his eyes. “I have to help her, Riku.”
Riku looked at him, wondering whether this was a wish to help a friend or to help a lover. “Is she that precious to you?” The silver-haired teen asked, afraid of the answer.
“Of course she is, Riku.” Sora answered, causing Riku to frown. “But if it were you in there, the answer would be the same. You are precious to me as well.”
Riku unconsciously smiled. “I feel the same way about the two of you.” He told Sora. Sora looked at him, blue-eyes shimmering with something other than tears. Riku wiped away Sora’s tears. “We’ll save her. This I promise.” With that, he summoned his Keyblade and attacked the barrier. Sora followed suit, his heart lighter.
Kairi gasped heavily after being thrown by the Knight Errant. She was tired. She had never fought before and it was showing. “I’ll beat you.” She told the Knight.
The Knight Errant chuckled. “Is that so? You look exhausted. Poor thing!” Then he thrust his Keyblade at her. “I will absolutely not let up on you.”
Kairi jumped back to avoid the attack. Crouching, she propelled forward to strike the Knight with her Keyblade. Yelling, she believed that she caught the Knight Errant off guard when he jumped over her in a single bound. The Princess gasped, not expecting that. She turned around just to be pushed to the ground. She fell on the beach face first, sand getting in her mouth.
It was seeing Kairi being pushed around like a dog that Sora felt a pulse flowing through him. Anger and love mixed together and he could feel it coursing through his body. Riku noticed that and gasped.
Kairi could feel something emanating in Sora’s direction. It was power. Even the Knight Errant turned around to see what would happen.
Sora held his Keyblade in the air as light shone around him. With a single strike, Sora brought his Keyblade down upon the barrier, shattering it. Riku took this opening to charge the Knight Errant. With his Keyblade, Way to the Dawn, in hand, Riku went after the Knight.
Kairi could feel herself being pulled akin to being caught in a vortex. It was strange. Time itself seemed to be stopping. Nothing moved. It was strange. It was during that that he saw her again, the blonde girl.
“Is this what you want, Kairi?” The blonde girl asked. “Do you want others to fight for you?”
Kairi looked away and thought for a moment. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Not really. However, there are times where you have to take it upon yourself and fight for what you believe is the right path. If you allow Sora or Riku to fight for you all the time, no matter how you feel about either of them, you will never understand them. Only a warrior can understand a warrior.”
Kairi’s eyes shone with resolve. “I’ll finish this.” She told her.
“If you ever feel like you’ve lost your resolve, your conviction, please call on me and I will help you.” The blonde girl told her. “I, Namine, will give you everything that I can to help you conquer any enemy.”
For the first time since last night when she saw her, she could hear Namine’s name. Kairi was glad. “Thank you, Namine.”
The blonde girl smiled. “So you can hear my name. I’m glad.”
With that, time seemed to return to normal. Kairi saw Riku still running towards the Knight Errant, poised for attack. She called out to the silver-haired teen. “Riku, stop please.”
Riku stopped on the dime. He turned towards Kairi. “Kairi…” he started. But the red-haired shook her head.
“I have to finish what I start, Riku. I have to fight.” Riku looked into Kairi’s green eyes and saw that she was serious. Although it hurt his heart to let Kairi fight, if it would make her happy, then he would give in to this request.
Sora walked up to Kairi, stunned by her sudden resolve. “But we can protect you, Kairi. You aren’t a burden.”
Kairi smiled at Sora, causing him to blush a bit. “I know, Sora. But I want to protect you guys too.” Sora realized this need and nodded, allowing her to challenge the Knight Errant again.
She turned towards the Knight Errant. “I’m ready again.”
While all of the events were transpiring, the Knight Errant felt a Pulse from Kairi. It was similar to when Sora broke his barrier. It seems as if the Princess was tapping into her power. “If you say so.”
Kairi pointed her Keyblade at the Knight. “You asked me before what the name of my Keyblade was, right? It’s Namine.”
The Knight appeared to be nodding, at least that’s what she could tell from the hood’s movement. “I see. So you can communicate with her. Glad to hear it.”
Kairi charged at the Knight and their weapons collided, the sound of metal banging against metal echoed through the beach. She swung her Sword at the Knight and he dodged. Her next attack was a lunge but the Knight pivoted and dodged that attack. He jumped back and the Princess attacked again. But this time, the man with the Keyblade swung his weapon upwards, the reverberations of such an attack pushed Kairi backwards, trying to regain her footing.
The Knight Errant pointed his Keyblade at Kairi. “How interesting!” He told her. “One conversation with Namine and your resolve is stronger. Well then, come and attack me.” He taunted.
Kairi charged the Knight Errant but her attack was deflected and she stumbled a bit behind the Knight. “Your attack was full of hidden feelings.” The Knight told her.
Kairi tried another lunge but it was deflected in the same manner. This time, she felt a hand on her back push her. She stumbled a bit and fell on the beach. “How painful these feelings must be for you.”
As Kairi was getting up, she saw the Knight Errant lunge at her with his Keyblade. She brought her Sword to defend herself. His first attack, which was aimed for her head, was deflected and she was pushed back some. His second attack, which was aimed at her left shoulder, was repelled in the same fashion. His third attack, which was aimed at her right shoulder, caused her to block the attack in an awkward manner which left her open to his final lunge at her head.
“Kairi” Both Sora and Riku shouted as the Keyblade came dangerously close to impaling her.
Kairi flinched, closed her eyes and wheeled backwards. When she opened one of her eyes to peek, she saw the tip of the Knight’s Errant’s Keyblade pointed right at her eye. The control that he had in stopping right before it gouged out her eye was amazing. Taking a deep breath, she opened both of her eyes.“No more hesitation, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her.
He pulled his weapon back and thrust. Kairi saw this and moved to the left and charged at him. However, she did not see the Knight’s leg coming towards her. His leg caught her right arm, the arm with the sword, and led it down and away from him. Kairi was shocked as she was left with an opening. The Knight grabbed her left shoulder and turned her around to face him. He charged and launched attack after attack while Kairi held up a meager and pathetic attempt to defend herself.
Kairi saw that she was being pushed towards the sea. Realizing that this would probably be bad for her, she jumped back and charged again, watching the Knight do the exact same thing. She barely had enough time to turn around when the redhead noticed the glint of a Keyblade attack her. It gently cut across her wrists, causing minimal bleeding. She brought the Keyblade up to defend herself when she felt the weapons collide with each other, the force of which pushed her back onto the sand.
Kairi was breathing hard. She ignored the bleeding and got up again. She could hear the Knight Errant snort in disgust.
“Princesses don’t fight; they are fought for.” He told her. “Princesses don’t protect; they are protected. Stay a princess and have your future shaped for you or become a warrior, and with your blood-stained blade, create your our future.”
Resolve shone in the Princess’s eyes as she charged the Knight. Power began to spring from the redhead, ready to strike. “It’s one or the other, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her as he charged her as well.
Sora and Riku held their breath as the fight drew to a close. They prayed that she would be able to overcome the Knight.
There was a clank and a flash of light. When that passed, Kairi felt herself rolling on the beach violently. Her breath came in ragged and harsh. She looked at the Knight and saw that the right arm of his jacket was cut. The Princess wondered if she did that because she didn’t remember doing that.
The Knight saw that the right arm of his jacket was cut. He examined the cut with a gloved hand. As his fingers probed the cut, they came out with a smattering of blood. She had cut him.
“Very good. The sacrifice is complete.” The Knight Errant declared. “You can now be acknowledged as a warrior, Kairi. However, do not be cocky. Though you are able to cut me now, the road you have chosen will be filled with battles that you must fight. Continue to train and protect that which you deem precious. The Soul Sword, Namine, is yours.”
He walked towards Sora and Riku. “Sora, I’m surprised that you were able to break my barrier. It seems as though the clothes I have given you are already starting to help.” He put a hand on the brunet and watched as Sora and his blue eyes didn’t move. “Get stronger, Sora.”
He sauntered away and Riku turned to watch him go. He thought he heard something from him that sounded like ‘I will see you tonight’. It was like an ominous warning. However, there were more important things on his mind, like checking on Kairi. He turned towards Sora. “We need to check on her.”
With that, the two boys ran towards Kairi. Kairi, however, was looking at her Soul Sword and contemplating.
“Kairi, are you alright?” Riku asked. Sora saw that there was blood on Kairi’s hand, originating from her wrists.
“I’m fine.” Kairi told them. “Just exhausted. It was my first fight.” When she said that, she did something weird. She started laughing. The laughter was unexpected, but welcomed because it allowed all the tension to seep out of her body.
“We need to bandage your wrists, Kairi.” Sora told her. She nodded but could not get up as her legs felt like jelly. The two boys realized this and picked her up and supported her as they moved her towards the shack.
“Kairi” Sora asked. “Why do you want to fight?”
“I just want to understand you guys a bit more.” She said honestly. “This Keyblade thing just put a rift between us. I didn’t like it.”
“Kairi, you don’t have to fight if you don’t want to.” Riku told her. “I’m sure that I speak for the both of us when I say that we don’t mind protecting you.”
“But I want to protect you two as well.” Tears started to form but she didn’t allow them to fall down her checks. She was a warrior now. Tears are not meant for warriors. “I want to protect what is precious to me, the two most precious things to me.” She didn’t realize what she said until the echoes of the conversation came back to her. It was then when she realized what Namine meant by ‘You already know what choice you are going to make’. Sora and Riku caught that smiled. Riku smiled because he believed he was getting closer to that which he wanted. Sora smiled because it looked like she found a purpose.
As she was being carried over to the shack, she knew what she wanted from herself and from her Soul Sword, Namine. She wanted to protect this feeling.
They choose to fight. To fight is to love and they choose to love fiercely.
Namine woke up some time after her encounter with the mystery person. She looked around and didn’t recognize anything of her surroundings. There were a bunch of gauges and lights and levers and all sorts of things that looked that it required tons of knowledge to operate. She realized that she was on a bed.
With her eyes, she found someone in the standard dress of Juusan Kikan, the black trench overcoat. With the hood over this person’s head, it was tough to discern the identity. However, she didn’t care. She just wanted to be free. Analyzing the figure, she noticed that there was a Keyblade in his hand. It was unlike any that she had seen. She knew that Roxas’s were onyx and pearl white, Sora’s was platinum and the mouse king’s was gold. This one was silver, pure silver. She remembered a silver Keyblade. It belonged to the man who kidnapped her. All she knew was that it wasn’t Roxas. Roxas wasn’t as tall as the man.
She wondered what his plans were. Was he going to kill her? That would be a relief compared to the suffering that Juusan Kikan, san Axel and Roxas, had bestowed upon her. When she thought back on them, she had a warm feeling about them. She didn’t know how to characterize it. It wasn’t as if she had a heart to convey these emotions but there was just something about it. She didn’t know what though.
The man got up and looked at her. Well, she thought he was looking at her. She couldn’t tell because the hood obscured his face. “Good evening, Namine.” She cringed. It was reflexive. She had no idea what he was going to do to her. “How are you?”
Namine didn’t answer. She was afraid, which, when one thought about it, was ironic. The figure nodded. “I suppose you are afraid of me. I don’t blame you.”
“What do you want with me?” She asked, finding her voice.
“Me? I want nothing.” That surprised her. She had been used for so long, manipulating the memories of others, that the fact someone didn’t want her to do something was disconcerting. “But, let me ask you a question. What do you want?” The guy was full of surprises. No one, save Axel or Roxas, had ever cared enough to ask her what she wanted. It was strange, to say the least.
“I don’t want to be here anymore.” She answered honestly.
“Do you want to go home?” He queried. “Do you want to return to where you belong?” She had no idea what he meant. “Do you want to be whole again? With her?” All of a sudden, she realized what he intended by that question.
“You’re going to let me go?”
“She needs you, Namine. She wants to fight and she can’t do it without you.” Namine looked at the figure and realized that he was going to return her to Kairi. “No one’s stopping you. Juusan Kikan has up and left this star. So, the decision is all yours. Do you want to go?”
“Yes.” Namine responded. The figure held out his hand, the one without the Keyblade, out to her. She took it and walked with him outside wherever she was. “What is this place?”
“This is a power plant. The princess and her knights need to stay here a bit longer until they are empowered. So, they need living conditions. This power plant will supply them with electricity until the time comes when they leave this star and go to war.”
Namine unconsciously could feel the soul of this man as he led her. It was powerful, light and darkness fused together in a way that she could never imagine before. “Who are you?”
“Knight Errant shall suffice, Namine. Now hold on to my hand.” He led her to the sea and stepped onto the water. When Namine saw this, she expected that he would be submerged but he stepped onto the water, he walked on top of it. He led her across and she found out that she could walk on top of the water as well.
“How are you doing this?” She asked.
“It’s all a process of mind over matter.” The Knight Errant responded.
After walking across the surface of the water, they made their way to the Children’s Island. The Knight Errant let go of Namine’s hand and walked towards the beach where Sora, Kairi and Riku were sleeping. None of them noticed the two’s presence. “Do you want to return?” He asked. She nodded. “Then, return!” The blonde girl walked towards Kairi and smiled wanly. She is about to be complete.
Namine held out her hand to Kairi. An unconscious redhead’s hand was pulled as if by some sort of wires. The Nobody grabbed her hand then she faded away, as if but a whisper. The Knight Errant turned away and headed back to the plant. “Sleep well, Princess. You have a long day tomorrow.” He disappeared across the water, creating a powerful wave with his tremendous speed.
Kairi felt herself sinking a world that wasn’t light or darkness. It was strange. It felt like a dream and reality at the same time. There was something pulling at her, beckoning her to come and she obeyed. For some reason, she suddenly stopped. Whatever was drawing her to this had stopped and appeared before her. Kairi saw a girl about her age, blonde and wearing a white dress.
“Who are you?” Kairi asked.
“I’m ….” Something sounding like static or wind prevented the girl from telling the Princess her name. The blonde girl looked sad. “So you can’t hear it yet!” She looked away from the redhead.
“What is this?” Kairi asked, hoping to get an answer with this question.
“This is your soul, Kairi.” The blonde told her. “You have come because you want to fight.”
And this was true. After the encounter with Juusan Kikan and the blonde woman with the knives, she wanted to fight and protect that which was precious to her. But she was conflicted. She never fought before and fighting would mean that there would be pain and death. Kairi didn’t know if she wanted this. Also, for whom will she fight: Sora or Riku? Each seemed willing to fight for her but choosing one and scorning the other made her feel bad.
“You are conflicted.” The blonde girl told her, apparently knowing what is tormenting her. “You can’t fight with a conflicted heart, Kairi.”
“But, I don’t know what to think.” The redhead shouted. “Who do I choose? Sora or Riku?”
“You already know what choice you are going to make, Kairi. You needn’t worry. Your heart is big enough for your wish. But you still have to make a choice. Are you going to fight?” The blonde already knew the answer.
“Yes, I want to fight.” Conviction shone in her eyes.
“Then wait for him. The man with light and darkness in his heart will show you the way to call me. Call me and I will help you to protect that which you deem precious.”
Kairi smiled a bit with that reassurance. “Will I ever know your name?”
The blonde girl smiled back to the Princess. “Of course you will. I promise. Think of me as you, your will to fight.”
With that, Kairi woke up from her dream. The sun was rising over the horizon. The light was so bright that Kairi had to cover her eyes. She looked around and saw that both Sora and Riku draped a protective arm around her, their fingers interlocking with each other. Kairi thought that was strange. She gently disentangled herself from the boys and got up to bathe.
Kairi first made her way to the original shack on the island to get some toiletries. She made her way to a waterfall on the other side of the island. She removed her clothes and stepped under the water. It was warm and she appreciated it. She poured some shampoo on her hair and thought about the dream. It felt so real, as if the blonde girl was real. The blonde girl said something she thought was strange. ‘You already know what choice you are going to make.’ That was weird. The Princess didn’t know what choice she was going to make. In fact, that made her more confused. She finished her ablutions and got dressed. The blonde girl said that the man with light and darkness in his heart was coming to show her the way to call the blonde girl, whatever that meant.
Riku was the next person to wake up from sleep after noticing that some of the warmth disappeared. He realized that he was holding on to Sora’s hand. It made him smile. He rubbed the palm of Sora’s hand with his thumb, memorizing the feel and texture of it. With that, he let go of his hand and went to look for Kairi.
Riku didn’t hear the sound of a motor running before he got up, signifying that Kairi took a boat off the island. Therefore, she still had to be here somewhere. The logical place would be on the other side of the island. With that, he set off to find her. Sure enough, his hunch was right. Kairi was bathing under the waterfall. He was dumbstruck. Here was one of the objects of his affection bathing. The silver-haired boy did the only thing a sixteen year old boy would do in the presence of one of his crushes. He hid in some foliage. He felt dirty looking at her like a voyeur and yet he could not turn away when the goddess was removing the grime of last night from her body. Riku could not control his breathing and so he put a hand over his mouth and continued to watch until she finished and put on her clothes.
Kairi, after finishing her morning ritual, walked around the island, oblivious to Riku’s presence. She ambled her way to the docks, feeling as though something would happen there.
Sora woke up and realized that he overslept. Neither Kairi nor Riku were there. He decided that he’d take a quick bath and hurry to get to work on the other shack. He made his way to the waterfall, as it was the shower away from a shower if the kids were on the island. Running so that neither of the two teenagers would stop him, Sora completely missed seeing Kairi sitting on the docks and Riku hiding in the foliage.
As Sora was about to take his bath, he noticed that there were some toiletries left by the waterfall, signifying that someone else was here. Thanking whomever was here before him, the Hero of Light began his morning ritual.
Riku couldn't believe his luck, good or bad, that allowed him to see the naked forms of both of his crushes today. It wasn't even thirty minutes since the two of them stripped in front of him, oblivious to his voyeurism. Riku felt himself growing hard as he remembered Kairi and her supple, feminine form and as he watched Sora and his angular, masculine form. He could imagine himself nuzzling Kairi's perky breasts just as easily as he could imagine himself caressing Sora's member.
The heart was such a fickle and selfish thing. Sora and Kairi were two totally different people and he loved them equally. He thought himself a lost soul when he locked himself inside Kingdom Hearts. He had hoped that Sora would protect Kairi and someday fall in love with each other. That would be the penance for his dark deeds. But, when he came out of Kingdom Hearts through the Nexus and back to Destiny Island, the two embraced him as if nothing had happened. That made him feel better, even considering the reason why the island was destroyed in the first place. His dark passion led him astray, made him vulnerable to the machinations of Ansem and Maleficent. Still, there was hope that Sora and Kairi would acknowledge the fierce love that he had for the two of them.
Until then, he had only his erotic dreams to keep him company. As he felt himself swell at the knowledge that his friend was naked under the waterfall just minutes after Kairi, he bit his hand softly and with his free hand touched himself. Unzipping his pants, he allowed his sword to be free. He grabbed it and tugged on it, which would have earned a moan had he not bit on his hand. Riku imagined Kairi and Sora were taking turns pleasuring him. He could almost see their lust-filled expressions as they did their best to make the silver-haired teen feel good. It was all for him. Riku enjoyed it. He nearly forgot it was he that was caressing his member. It was he that was imagining, living in a dream world. It was he that was...
Riku could feel it coming, the climax. His imagination showed him images of Sora and Kairi writhing beneath him in pleasure, with the other one trying to bring completion to the threesome. It was that which sent him over the edge, spilling the proof of his passion on the sandy beach. His breathing was shallow and ragged. His brow was covered in sweat. When the waves of pleasure left him, Riku was filled with shame at exploiting Sora and Kairi's privacy for his own lust-filled fantasy. He put his sword away and cursed himself.
Kairi sat on the dock, waiting. She knew whatever person the blonde girl was talking about was going to come today. And sure enough, she saw a figure walking on the water. It was wearing the black trench overcoat of Juusan Kikan but in its hand was the silver Keyblade. It had to be the Knight Errant. Kairi could feel something inside of her telling her that she was correct.
The Knight Errant moved closer to the Princess and, when he was standing upon the water on the dock, he jumped upon the dock in one bound. “You’ve been expecting me, Princess, haven’t you?” He asked
“She told me that you would be here today.” She responded.
“Is that so? Well, you waiting for me means that you wish to fight for what you deem precious. Is that correct?” Kairi could feel the Knight Errant looking into her soul, even though she couldn’t see his eyes.
Kairi nodded in the affirmative. “I want to fight.”
“So be it. Follow me.” The Knight Errant led her to the beach.
After Riku was done with his voyeurism, he went to look for Kairi. He hadn’t seen her since she had finished her bath and there was a niggling feeling in his stomach that told him that all was not right with her. The silver-haired teen was about to go look for her when he heard a voice coming from the direction of the waterfall.
Sora had finished bathing and was in a rush to put on his clothes when he saw Riku. Well, the more correct thing to say was to say that he saw Riku’s back. He was about to chase after him when he realized that he forgot his sneakers at the waterfall. Sora was now torn as to what to do when he stepped on something that wasn’t sand. That’s not true. It was sand but there was something in the sand, something sticky. He bent over to look at it. It looked like spit that the sand absorbed. He touched it and realized that it wasn’t spit after all. There was something in his mind that told him that he knew what this was but this was just too much thinking for one day. Sora would file this away and peruse at a later date. Right now, he was catching up to Riku. Wiping the substance on his pants, he called out to the boy.
“Riku!” Sora called out to him. Riku turned around in surprise as the brunet ran after him. “Riku! Where are you going?” Sora then stopped and sniffed the air. There was something different with the air around Riku. “What is that smell?” he asked. “It’s smells a bit salty.”
Riku blanched. He didn’t expect Sora to pick up on that. He didn’t want Sora to realize that he enjoyed himself while watching Sora bathe. “Well, we do live on an island. It’s probably the sea.” Riku said a bit too quickly.
“Really? I’ve lived by the sea my whole life and that scent was never….” Sora shook his head. “Never mind. Where’s Kairi?”
Riku was glad that Sora changed the subject. “I was about to go look for her.”
“You mean she wasn’t with you?” Sora then felt something prick his conscience. Something wasn’t right. “Do you feel like there’s something wrong?”
Riku commended Sora’s empathy. “Yeah. Let’s go look for her.” The two nodded and set out to look for Kairi.
“Do you know what fighting entails, Princess?” The Knight Errant asked. “There will be pain, suffering and death. Even so, will you fight?”
Kairi nodded. “I don’t want to be a burden on everyone. I want to stand tall with Sora and Riku. This time, I’ll fight.”
“Is this your true wish, Princess? If it is, then I can help you procure a weapon, but only if you truly wish to fight.”
Kairi looked at the Knight Errant with steely green eyes. “I will fight.”
The Knight Errant nodded… at least Kairi figured that it was a nod as the hood of his jacket flapped up and down, signifying one. He walked over to her and grabbed her left hand gently. “Then, I shall give you a weapon.”
Sora and Riku was about to check the entire island when they found her on the beach with someone. They noticed the jacket as being the one that Juusan Kikan wore. They brandished their weapons and ran towards Kairi to protect her.
The Knight Errant placed a hand near her chest and moved his face towards Kairi. She could feel his breath on her lips and see the blue-green of his eyes. He whispered
Oh Rose of the Noble Heart
I beseech thee
Come forth
As the words were being spoken, Kairi felt herself being pushed back gently, as if being pulled. If one were looking at the scene from a distance, it looked like the Knight Errant and Kairi were posing for a harlequin cover. She saw dazzling light erupting from the gap between his hand and her chest. When the words were finished being spoken, she felt something come out of her chest. She maneuvered her head to look and was surprised to see what looked like a sword handle coming out of her chest. It looked like a blue wave gently caressing a beach. She gasped as the handle started to be pulled out of her, revealing a Keyblade that looked like water coming from a geyser. The Keyblade was removed from her body.
As Sora and Riku rushed to save Kairi, they saw something that inflamed them. The person in the black trench overcoat was encroaching on what they deemed to be theirs. The person’s face was next to Kairi. The person’s hand was on her chest. Then, power seemed to emanate from was happening and what looked like a sword was being pulled out of her body. Shocked, neither of them could move as the person with Juusan Kikan’s jacket pulled it out of her and strangely handed the Keyblade to Kairi.
Kairi could not believe what was happening. In her hands was a Keyblade. Somehow, the Knight Errant pulled it out of her. This was entirely strange. In fact, strange didn’t even cover it. Bizarre, however, was closer to the actual truth.
“This is what is called a Soul Sword, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her. “This is your will to fight, manifested into a weapon. If your will to fight is strong then so is your sword. If it isn’t, then your sword can shatter. Do not let it shatter, Princess, for you will shatter your own soul.”
“Why does it look like a Keyblade?” She asked.
“It’s not a Keyblade, just a form you are accustomed to seeing.”
Kairi was dumbfounded but grateful. Now she could fight. She started to walk away when the Knight Errant called out to her. “There’s one thing I forgot to mention to you, Princess.” Kairi turned around and listened. “For it to activate, there needs to be a sacrifice of blood.”
Sora and Riku were stunned. A sacrifice of blood? Of Kairi’s blood? They wouldn’t allow it. Kairi turned around, a blank look in her eyes. “My blood?” She asked, giving the Heroes’ fears a form.
“No, Princess. The blood of the one who pulled it out of you in the first place. My blood.”
“Your blood? Why?”
“Don’t know why. It always has been this way. So now, if you truly want to fight, start with me. Let’s see your resolve.” The Knight Errant challenged Kairi with outstretched arms. “Please pay attention to this because, if you are able to cut me at least once, you’ll need to know how to summon your Soul Sword.”
Oh Rose of the Noble Heart
The power that sleeps within me
Answer the call of thy master
And appear before me
As he started to chant, a fierce wind circulated around the Knight Errant. When he finished chanting, his silver Keyblade came out of his chest, hilt first then the blade itself and the handle floated into his hand. Kairi watched and unconsciously memorized everything that the Knight did, mapping out the way that his hands stretched out and his body was poised for future reference.
“Now I don’t usually have to summon my Keyblade like this but I am showing you so that you know.” The Knight Errant told her. “One question, Princess. Do you know the name of your Soul Sword?” Kairi looked at the Knight as if he were strange. “I see. You haven’t. I suppose that’s irrelevant now. Well then, shall we begin?”
He pointed his Keyblade at Sora and Riku. Kairi looked and saw the two boys there. “Sora, Riku.” She called out, surprised to see them. The two boys wanted to take her away from the Knight but they didn’t realize that he put up a barrier, separating the Princess from her Heroes.
“No, no, no, Princess. This is a one-on-one fight.” The Knight Errant pointed his weapon at Kairi. “Come, show me your resolve to fight.”
Kairi took a deep breath. It looks like she’s going to have to fight after all. She charged at the Knight with him coming at her as well. Their blades collided, sounding like metal hitting metal. “Well met, Princess. However…” With a swing, the Knight hit the Princess’s Keyblade with such force that she fell down. “Please don’t think that I will pull punches with you. Juusan Kikan will not recognize your sovereignty as a Princess of Heart if you choose to stand against them. Besides, you wanted to fight.”
She got up in time as the Knight Errant charged at Kairi, attacking her three times. She deflected all three blows and tried to charge but was pushed back by the Knight’s free hand. “I wonder why it is that you want to fight now, Princess. Did you feel helpless during Sora’s first journey? I wonder…”
Kairi tried another charge, her Keyblade aimed at his chest but that attack was deflected and she was pushed to the ground. “Is it because you feel responsible for what happened as a result of you being a Princess of Heart? Or maybe, there is a need for bloodshed.” The Knight rushed at her, pushing her back with thrusts and Kairi barely deflecting them. “The first time I met you, I knew that you would be affected by the events of your journey. I knew that you would be conflicted by whether to embrace light or darkness and so you deny yourself both. I wonder if you even realize it yourself.”
Kairi rolled out of the way and stood ready to take on any attack. “You amuse me, Princess. You have no idea how either if them feels. You are so selfish.” Kairi charged at him with a battle cry but the Knight amazingly caught her blade with a gloved hand.
She gasped in surprise. “How did you do that?” She asked
“I told you that if your will to fight is strong, so will your sword. Therefore…” He left that open to interpretation.
Sora and Riku banged on the barrier, trying to help Kairi but finding it futile.
Sora broke down; tears were welling up in his eyes. “I have to help her, Riku.”
Riku looked at him, wondering whether this was a wish to help a friend or to help a lover. “Is she that precious to you?” The silver-haired teen asked, afraid of the answer.
“Of course she is, Riku.” Sora answered, causing Riku to frown. “But if it were you in there, the answer would be the same. You are precious to me as well.”
Riku unconsciously smiled. “I feel the same way about the two of you.” He told Sora. Sora looked at him, blue-eyes shimmering with something other than tears. Riku wiped away Sora’s tears. “We’ll save her. This I promise.” With that, he summoned his Keyblade and attacked the barrier. Sora followed suit, his heart lighter.
Kairi gasped heavily after being thrown by the Knight Errant. She was tired. She had never fought before and it was showing. “I’ll beat you.” She told the Knight.
The Knight Errant chuckled. “Is that so? You look exhausted. Poor thing!” Then he thrust his Keyblade at her. “I will absolutely not let up on you.”
Kairi jumped back to avoid the attack. Crouching, she propelled forward to strike the Knight with her Keyblade. Yelling, she believed that she caught the Knight Errant off guard when he jumped over her in a single bound. The Princess gasped, not expecting that. She turned around just to be pushed to the ground. She fell on the beach face first, sand getting in her mouth.
It was seeing Kairi being pushed around like a dog that Sora felt a pulse flowing through him. Anger and love mixed together and he could feel it coursing through his body. Riku noticed that and gasped.
Kairi could feel something emanating in Sora’s direction. It was power. Even the Knight Errant turned around to see what would happen.
Sora held his Keyblade in the air as light shone around him. With a single strike, Sora brought his Keyblade down upon the barrier, shattering it. Riku took this opening to charge the Knight Errant. With his Keyblade, Way to the Dawn, in hand, Riku went after the Knight.
Kairi could feel herself being pulled akin to being caught in a vortex. It was strange. Time itself seemed to be stopping. Nothing moved. It was strange. It was during that that he saw her again, the blonde girl.
“Is this what you want, Kairi?” The blonde girl asked. “Do you want others to fight for you?”
Kairi looked away and thought for a moment. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Not really. However, there are times where you have to take it upon yourself and fight for what you believe is the right path. If you allow Sora or Riku to fight for you all the time, no matter how you feel about either of them, you will never understand them. Only a warrior can understand a warrior.”
Kairi’s eyes shone with resolve. “I’ll finish this.” She told her.
“If you ever feel like you’ve lost your resolve, your conviction, please call on me and I will help you.” The blonde girl told her. “I, Namine, will give you everything that I can to help you conquer any enemy.”
For the first time since last night when she saw her, she could hear Namine’s name. Kairi was glad. “Thank you, Namine.”
The blonde girl smiled. “So you can hear my name. I’m glad.”
With that, time seemed to return to normal. Kairi saw Riku still running towards the Knight Errant, poised for attack. She called out to the silver-haired teen. “Riku, stop please.”
Riku stopped on the dime. He turned towards Kairi. “Kairi…” he started. But the red-haired shook her head.
“I have to finish what I start, Riku. I have to fight.” Riku looked into Kairi’s green eyes and saw that she was serious. Although it hurt his heart to let Kairi fight, if it would make her happy, then he would give in to this request.
Sora walked up to Kairi, stunned by her sudden resolve. “But we can protect you, Kairi. You aren’t a burden.”
Kairi smiled at Sora, causing him to blush a bit. “I know, Sora. But I want to protect you guys too.” Sora realized this need and nodded, allowing her to challenge the Knight Errant again.
She turned towards the Knight Errant. “I’m ready again.”
While all of the events were transpiring, the Knight Errant felt a Pulse from Kairi. It was similar to when Sora broke his barrier. It seems as if the Princess was tapping into her power. “If you say so.”
Kairi pointed her Keyblade at the Knight. “You asked me before what the name of my Keyblade was, right? It’s Namine.”
The Knight appeared to be nodding, at least that’s what she could tell from the hood’s movement. “I see. So you can communicate with her. Glad to hear it.”
Kairi charged at the Knight and their weapons collided, the sound of metal banging against metal echoed through the beach. She swung her Sword at the Knight and he dodged. Her next attack was a lunge but the Knight pivoted and dodged that attack. He jumped back and the Princess attacked again. But this time, the man with the Keyblade swung his weapon upwards, the reverberations of such an attack pushed Kairi backwards, trying to regain her footing.
The Knight Errant pointed his Keyblade at Kairi. “How interesting!” He told her. “One conversation with Namine and your resolve is stronger. Well then, come and attack me.” He taunted.
Kairi charged the Knight Errant but her attack was deflected and she stumbled a bit behind the Knight. “Your attack was full of hidden feelings.” The Knight told her.
Kairi tried another lunge but it was deflected in the same manner. This time, she felt a hand on her back push her. She stumbled a bit and fell on the beach. “How painful these feelings must be for you.”
As Kairi was getting up, she saw the Knight Errant lunge at her with his Keyblade. She brought her Sword to defend herself. His first attack, which was aimed for her head, was deflected and she was pushed back some. His second attack, which was aimed at her left shoulder, was repelled in the same fashion. His third attack, which was aimed at her right shoulder, caused her to block the attack in an awkward manner which left her open to his final lunge at her head.
“Kairi” Both Sora and Riku shouted as the Keyblade came dangerously close to impaling her.
Kairi flinched, closed her eyes and wheeled backwards. When she opened one of her eyes to peek, she saw the tip of the Knight’s Errant’s Keyblade pointed right at her eye. The control that he had in stopping right before it gouged out her eye was amazing. Taking a deep breath, she opened both of her eyes.“No more hesitation, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her.
He pulled his weapon back and thrust. Kairi saw this and moved to the left and charged at him. However, she did not see the Knight’s leg coming towards her. His leg caught her right arm, the arm with the sword, and led it down and away from him. Kairi was shocked as she was left with an opening. The Knight grabbed her left shoulder and turned her around to face him. He charged and launched attack after attack while Kairi held up a meager and pathetic attempt to defend herself.
Kairi saw that she was being pushed towards the sea. Realizing that this would probably be bad for her, she jumped back and charged again, watching the Knight do the exact same thing. She barely had enough time to turn around when the redhead noticed the glint of a Keyblade attack her. It gently cut across her wrists, causing minimal bleeding. She brought the Keyblade up to defend herself when she felt the weapons collide with each other, the force of which pushed her back onto the sand.
Kairi was breathing hard. She ignored the bleeding and got up again. She could hear the Knight Errant snort in disgust.
“Princesses don’t fight; they are fought for.” He told her. “Princesses don’t protect; they are protected. Stay a princess and have your future shaped for you or become a warrior, and with your blood-stained blade, create your our future.”
Resolve shone in the Princess’s eyes as she charged the Knight. Power began to spring from the redhead, ready to strike. “It’s one or the other, Princess.” The Knight Errant told her as he charged her as well.
Sora and Riku held their breath as the fight drew to a close. They prayed that she would be able to overcome the Knight.
There was a clank and a flash of light. When that passed, Kairi felt herself rolling on the beach violently. Her breath came in ragged and harsh. She looked at the Knight and saw that the right arm of his jacket was cut. The Princess wondered if she did that because she didn’t remember doing that.
The Knight saw that the right arm of his jacket was cut. He examined the cut with a gloved hand. As his fingers probed the cut, they came out with a smattering of blood. She had cut him.
“Very good. The sacrifice is complete.” The Knight Errant declared. “You can now be acknowledged as a warrior, Kairi. However, do not be cocky. Though you are able to cut me now, the road you have chosen will be filled with battles that you must fight. Continue to train and protect that which you deem precious. The Soul Sword, Namine, is yours.”
He walked towards Sora and Riku. “Sora, I’m surprised that you were able to break my barrier. It seems as though the clothes I have given you are already starting to help.” He put a hand on the brunet and watched as Sora and his blue eyes didn’t move. “Get stronger, Sora.”
He sauntered away and Riku turned to watch him go. He thought he heard something from him that sounded like ‘I will see you tonight’. It was like an ominous warning. However, there were more important things on his mind, like checking on Kairi. He turned towards Sora. “We need to check on her.”
With that, the two boys ran towards Kairi. Kairi, however, was looking at her Soul Sword and contemplating.
“Kairi, are you alright?” Riku asked. Sora saw that there was blood on Kairi’s hand, originating from her wrists.
“I’m fine.” Kairi told them. “Just exhausted. It was my first fight.” When she said that, she did something weird. She started laughing. The laughter was unexpected, but welcomed because it allowed all the tension to seep out of her body.
“We need to bandage your wrists, Kairi.” Sora told her. She nodded but could not get up as her legs felt like jelly. The two boys realized this and picked her up and supported her as they moved her towards the shack.
“Kairi” Sora asked. “Why do you want to fight?”
“I just want to understand you guys a bit more.” She said honestly. “This Keyblade thing just put a rift between us. I didn’t like it.”
“Kairi, you don’t have to fight if you don’t want to.” Riku told her. “I’m sure that I speak for the both of us when I say that we don’t mind protecting you.”
“But I want to protect you two as well.” Tears started to form but she didn’t allow them to fall down her checks. She was a warrior now. Tears are not meant for warriors. “I want to protect what is precious to me, the two most precious things to me.” She didn’t realize what she said until the echoes of the conversation came back to her. It was then when she realized what Namine meant by ‘You already know what choice you are going to make’. Sora and Riku caught that smiled. Riku smiled because he believed he was getting closer to that which he wanted. Sora smiled because it looked like she found a purpose.
As she was being carried over to the shack, she knew what she wanted from herself and from her Soul Sword, Namine. She wanted to protect this feeling.