Well, wouldn't ya know? I was wrong again. I just happen to have this chapter done earlier than expected!
I really hope you guys like this one. It explains some stuff. I just hope you all understand it.
Oh and remember what I said before. This fic isn't based on anything that happened in KH2 because I know nothing about the game yet. I'm waiting till it comes out so whatever you read in here probably will be different from the game. So don't complain about that! ^_^
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Chapter 14 – Choices of the Heart
Riku and I sat on the narrow dock that extended over the ocean, our feet dangling freely off the edge. We were completely silent as we watched the colorful sunset, its’ brilliant shades blending into one marvelous hue. I closed my eyes as a strong ocean breeze ran over my face and through my hair. I tried so hard to gather all my thoughts, but my mind was unanimously empty - except for one single thing.
I could die.
After Riku had brought this horrifying fact to my attention, I nearly fainted from the emotional impact it caused. We then decided to take a walk while he tried to explain it all to me. At first it didn’t really make much sense, but now that I think about it, it seemed so incredibly obvious.
We took a long walk towards the sandy beach, my arm linked tightly in his. I didn’t do this for affection, but for stability. I couldn’t concentrate enough to watch where I was going so Riku’s arm provided me with balance. The whole way, I didn’t say a thing. I just listened to every dreadful word that escaped his mouth.
“I know this is probably a huge shock to you Kairi,” he began. “But there are some things I need to explain. And once I do, you’ll understand why you need to give up this baby.”
I kept my mouth shut, suddenly interested in whatever he had to tell me.
“While Sora and I were gone, something…bad happened between us,” he paused for a few moments, making me only want to know more. “You know how we were both fighting for you? Well, I sort of took the wrong path to do it.”
“The path to darkness?” I unexpectedly spoke out.
“Yea…” he shamefully agreed, keeping his eyes low on the ground.
I gazed up at him, my eyes crinkling in confusion. “But I already knew that, Riku.”
“I know. But as I went on, I only delved deeper and deeper into darkness. Eventually, it completely consumed me. I would have died, but Sora, being the brave and courageous person he is, saved me. Even though we had our differences, he still came through and put his life on the line for me.”
Although this only seemed to raise more questions, I remained silent, waiting for him to continue his explanation.
“Anyway, although Sora saved me, the darkness could not be fully removed from me,” he said, stopping in his tracks to face me. “Darkness still runs through my veins, Kairi. And that can’t be good for our baby.”
I glared into his serious eyes, a glint of concern hidden behind them. I actually feared this the moment I found out I was pregnant. But since things had been overly crazy the past few weeks, I had completely forgotten about it.
“Why do you think this?” I asked, wondering how this could possibly be true.
Riku kept quiet for a few seconds as he carefully gathered his words. “When I was lost to darkness, I fell in with the wrong group of people. They made me much stronger and I learned a lot from them. But they also made me fall deeper into the darkness.”
I continued to glare at him hazily, not exactly sure where this was going.
“Anyway, you know how the light can overcome darkness, right?”
I nodded.
“Well, when you mix pure darkness and pure light, you get…twilight.”
My stare became even hazier. I didn’t understand what he was saying one bit. I suppose he noticed how lost I looked and felt the need to explain further.
“Twilight is another form between light and darkness. It’s very powerful, if not more powerful than the others.”
“So what you’re saying,” I began. “Is that our baby is gonna be some powerful twilight…thing?”
“Yes and no. There’s a chance it will just be a normal child, with the pure heart of it’s mother. And because the light can overcome darkness, it will not be purely dark. But it will most likely become twilight.”
As I listened to Riku, I finally understood what he was talking about. It made perfect sense since I am a Princess of Heart and he still has darkness within him. “Alright, but why is this going to kill me?”
Riku sighed, as if preparing himself for the worst. “Remember how I said twilight is very powerful? Well, there’s a chance this baby could be…more powerful than you.”
I raised my eyebrows and dropped my jaw in shock. “So, you’re saying that I’m not strong enough to handle this child?...” I asked, appalled that he could even think this.
“No, that’s not it. I know you are strong Kairi. But this baby…it could become so powerful and physically drain you of all your light.”
When he said this, I felt a cold chill travel up my spine. “It just doesn’t make sense…” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.
“I know it seems confusing. But it’s true. The baby has already been infused with my darkness. As you give birth, it will withdraw every ounce of light in your heart. And then…it will become twilight.”
And that means it will kill me...
I remained silent. At that moment, there were no thoughts running through my mind, no words forming in my throat. I felt as if I wasn’t even me anymore. Like this whole mess was a terrible nightmare and I would wake up screaming in the comfort of my bed.
“Kairi?...” I suddenly felt everything rush in again. I was me. And this was real.
“How…how do you know this? How can you be sure this will happen?”
“When I fell in with the wrong group of people, they taught me many things. Although I learned about every aspect of darkness, I also learned about twilight and its’ mysterious power.”
I guess I continued to give him a blank expression because he soon put both hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes, instantly sending a warm and gentle calm throughout me. He then spoke softly, making me completely believe every word he said. “You have to trust me, Kairi. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this. Especially since it means your life.”
I nodded, completely understanding everything he said to me. By this time, we had already reached the abandoned beach and were sitting on the edge of the dock. The sun was almost fully set, the stars just starting to peek from the night sky. I stared at the ocean as its waves came crashing upon the legs of the pier, gradually wearing them down. And as I thought more and more about my future, I knew what I needed to do.
“Okay…” I finally whispered, standing up on the dock. “I trust you Riku.”
He smiled faintly and pushed himself up to stand next to me. “Good. You know what you have to do now, right?”
I nodded again, inhaling the salty ocean air. “Yea. But I’m still having this baby.”
“What?!” Riku responded, obviously surprised of my decision.
“I already told you, Riku. No matter what, I’m not giving up on this child. Thank you for letting me know all this though. It gives me time to…prepare,” I said calmly, turning around and making my way back home.
“Wait, Kairi! You don’t understand! If this baby is brought into our world, it can easily destroy not only you, but everything else!”
I quickly snapped my head over my shoulder and spoke a little more stern. “You said that this baby could be twilight. But you also said that it could be normal. I think I’m going to take those chances.”
“Kairi, you can’t!”
But I was already half way down the dock when he shouted after me. I had made my decision and that was final. No one could make me change my mind, no matter what the consequence. Although everything Riku told me seemed true, I just couldn’t believe that this child would cause my death. I am a Princess of Heart and I’m strong. Nothing could change that.
I approached my house only to find a white envelope on the front step with my name on it. I hesitantly reached down to pick it up and slid my finger under the seal to open it. As I read the clearly rushed note, I felt my heart sink.
Kairi,
Please meet me in the Secret Place at 9 PM sharp. There are some things we need to talk about.
Sora