Kairi sighed, pacing back and forth in her small bedroom.

Three days ago, she had escaped from the overrun Hollow Bastion with Sora and his new companions.

Her heart raced with adrenaline as they fled the ruined Castle, the small Gummi Ship located at the other end of the frozen cavern. She felt helpless as Sora met the Heartless head on, while his companions supported him with their staffs and shields.

"What about Riku? We can't just leave him . . ." she mumbled, glancing over her shoulder as Sora pulled her into the small ship. "Sora, you know he wanted to see –"

"I know," he replied, looking out the window. "We'll get him back Kai, we'll release him from Ansem's control and send the Princesses of Heart back to their World."

"Gawsh, what about Kairi?" Goofy called from the passenger seat. "We can't take her to the End of the World –"

"Traverse Town!" Donald quacked, drowning out Chip and Dale's comment from the radio.

"Oh yeah!" Sora said, turning away from Hollow Bastion as the Gummi ship took off, the stars flying past them. "You'll get to meet Aeris, Leon, and Yuffie – they're originally from Hollow Bastion as well."

"And you're going to leave me there, aren't you?" Kairi mumbled, watching Hollow Bastion fall further away from them as they sped off. "Just like the Princesses of Heart . . . I'm waiting for a hero."

After the heart-pounding adrenaline their flight from the remains of Hallow Bastion had instilled in her, she had high hopes of what was waiting for them in Traverse Town. Instead, Sora had mentioned the events to Cid and Leon – and that was the end of it.

The three of them, alongside Aeris had taken off to Merlin's Study in the Third District to discuss strategies, leaving Kairi a prisoner in the hotel room; Donald's magic having made it a safe haven. At least until Yuffie had shown up, grinning wildly after picking the lock and flopping on Kairi's bed. Apparently she had been left out of the strategies as well, but had offered to break Kairi out of her imprisonment, pointing her in the direction of the underground water cavern leading to Merlin's backdoor.

# # #

Kairi sighed, a frown marring her features as she stared at the dark waters surrounding Merlin's Study. If she had known Aeris was merely dropping her off for Merlin to watch, she would have protested. Instead, she followed along, intrigued at learning healing magic – would she be able to travel with Sora then? – she had agreed to study under Merlin.

Only, hours later, she learned that Aeris and the others had returned to Hollow Bastion, intent on resurrecting their darkened world. Was that why Yuffie had seemed distant at breakfast, the chatty ninja staring dejectedly at her plate.

"Why wouldn't they take me too?" Kairi mumbled, kicking a pebble into the water. "Ansem isn't even there anymore . . . it's hardly dangerous." But she knew why; she overheard Merlin talking to Mort, his squirrel familiar, that after the darkness had stabilized and the path to Destiny Islands was stable, she would be sent back.

His choice of words didn't escape her – she would be sent back.

She was going to return to the Destiny Islands alone . . . Sora's story wasn't finished yet.

She jumped as she heard a crash from within the small study, Merlin's front door flying open moments later. "Mort – where'd that girl go? She better not have –"

Kairi sighed, tossing another pebble into the water before standing up, brushing the dirt off her skirt. "I'm right here, Merlin," she said as she came around the corner; the wizard's back to her, his familiar on his shoulder. "Did you need me for something?"

Was he going to send her to Hallow Bastion? She'd make her opinion quite clear multiple times.

"It seems the time has come," Merlin said, ushering her back into the small house. "I have just had the most interesting conversation about the current state of the Worlds," he said, casting a glance over his shoulder at Kairi, the front door closing behind her. "We didn't expect the timeline for these events to escalate so quickly – there is no time to wait. You're training is to begin now."

"Training?" Kairi paused, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not . . . Sora already has a wizard on his team."

Merlin nodded, but Kairi had a feeling he wasn't listening to her as she noticed Mort on his shoulder, chattering away. "That is correct, but the thirteen of darkness is on the rise. The seven will need to be awakened soon."

"Merlin?"

"Ah yes," Merlin said, dropping his gaze from Mort to her. "We have a lot to cover and not a lot of time available. The room upstairs will help increase agility and magic abilities – the current Keyblade Bearer tested his skill here as well."

Kairi nodded, following after Merlin as he started up the rickety old staircase. "Wait," Kairi paused, frowning slightly. "You said the current Keyblade Bearer . . . but Sora is . . ."

Radiant Garden was a peaceful place, where she spent most of her time picking flowers in her grandparents' garden. The Castle loomed above the town, a place that she would fantasize about, dreaming she was a Princess.

Then the fantasy came true – her grandmother had been invited to the Castle, and she was going too.

Flowers in hand – they were to be a gift for Ansem – she had run ahead of her grandmother, happy to be able to see the inside of the Castle. Maybe she would get to see a Princess.

However, something had crawled out of the shadows, making straight for her, claws outstretched.

She screamed, dropping the flowers, when they appeared and fought back the shadows.

"I sense light within this girl. You think that's why they attacked her?"

"Nice to meet you too, I'm –"

"Kairi, about that light; I just cast a magic spell on you. One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another – someone to keep you safe."

Merlin didn't answer her as he produced a set of keys from within his wizards' cloak, unlocking the seldom used training area.

"There was another . . . a girl with blue hair . . ." How had she forgotten that?

Merlin sighed, pushing the door open. He had heard from King Mickey that Aqua was the one who saved Kairi from the Unversed as a child, days before she was sent away to safety on the Destiny Islands. But, after the battle at the Keyblade Graveyard, she vanished, never to be seen again.

"Mort is right in reminding us that time is running out, your training begins now."

# # #

"The Worlds . . . it can't be . . ." Kairi glanced up from the book Merlin had set out for her, raising an eyebrow. Merlin had his back to her, his squirrel familiar on his shoulder, a large diagram of the Universe stretched out in front of them. "He actually succeeded."

Kairi closed her eyes momentarily, her heart beating against her ribcage – was it happiness she was feeling? Sora . . . he had found Riku, right? It was over, they could return home together.

"I knew he could do it," Kairi said with a small smile, placing the text on the nearest table as she approached Merlin. "Once Sora decides on something, he won't stop until he succeeds."

"That has always been a trait of the Keyblade Masters," Merlin replied, his eyes trained on the display before him; the barriers around the remaining Worlds repairing themselves. Mort twitched his tail, chattering quietly as he looked on. "Ah, yes, thank you Mort," Merlin nodded, turning on his heel to look at Kairi, as if he only just remembered the red-haired girl was there. "All that remains now is to return you to your Island before the barrier has finished repairing itself."

Kairi shook her head, backing up. "No. I want to see Sora – we promised to go back to our Island together – after we've rescued Riku. I won't go home without them."

Merlin sighed, running a hand over his face. He was too old to take on young apprentices; no wonder Yen Sid had retired, creating his own world outside the flow of time. "The balance between Light and Dark is not yet complete; there is still unfinished work the Keyblade Masters need to complete. But the light works in mysterious ways . . . perhaps you will receive your wish."

Kairi raised an eyebrow at Merlin's words – she definitely heard him say Keyblade Masters.

Even though Sora had received the Keyblade a few months ago, and was great in her opinion, it was impossible that someone like Merlin thought he was a Master.

There was more than one Keyblade Bearer – Sora wasn't the first.

She herself had met a Keyblade Bearer as a child; the blue-haired woman sensing a light in her. Had she known back than that Kairi was a Princess of Heart?

Cinderella had mentioned it back in Hollow Bastion as well, that the Hero of Light helped her attend the ball and dance with the Prince. Had they known she would someday become a Princess of Heart?

Kairi jumped, feeling a slight breeze surround her. Shaking her head, she glanced around the small living room, locking eyes with Merlin. He was trying to send her back to the Destiny Islands before the barrier finished repairing itself. She tried to move her legs – she had so many questions – but found herself unable to move.

"Merlin!" she called above the wind whipping around her. "There's more than one, isn't there! Sora isn't the only Keyblade Bearer?"

There had been at least two others in the past – the woman she had met and the man Cinderella met. If only she could remember the blue-haired woman's name.

Merlin sighed, patting the top of Mort's head. "He is the only one remaining. The others have been lost," Merlin said, with a shake of his head. "However, the future is still in a state of flux. There is a chance those lost will –"

Merlin's words trailed off, the small living room disappearing as the spell weaving its way around her took effect. Kairi sighed with a frown, closing her eyes, her mind on Sora. Clasping her hands together, she wished – hoped – that she would find her way back to Sora instead.

She couldn't imagine going back to the Destiny Islands alone.

Opening her eyes, she frowned, shuffling her feet. Her wish hadn't worked as the sand stretched out before her.

"Kairi!"

She gasped, recognizing the voice as she looked up, a smile on her face. "Sora!"

He was there, running down the path towards her. Merlin's magic hadn't completely worked; it had taken her wishes into consideration. She frowned though as she tried to move her feet – Sora was right there! – and was unable to move her feet away from the sand.

Was Merlin's magic holding her in place?

Or was it waiting for Sora, intent on returning both of them back to their Island.

But, where was Riku?

The question was on the tip of her tongue as Sora approached; however, the ground underfoot shook, unbalancing her. Throwing her arms out to steady herself, she grinned slightly as she felt Sora's hand grab hers, steadying her. As she looked down at their clasped hands, she did notice something that made her frown. Between the sand she stood on and the white pebbles Sora was on . . . the gap between the two was slowly, but steadily increasing.

"Kairi, remember what you said before?" Sora seemed to notice the growing distance between them as well, his tone becoming urgent. "I'm always with you too!" His hand held hers tighter, despite the fact that her fingers were slipping through his. "I'll come back to you, I promise!"

"I know you will!" She cried as her fingers slipped through his, the space between them too far apart.

All she could do was stand there and watch the brunette grow smaller as he called out to her, his words ripped away before she could hear them. She shook her head, what was he trying to say to her? She shuddered as she felt a chill run down her spine as something momentarily fell from the sky – was it snow?

As the falling flecks stopped just as quick as they started, she glanced to where Sora had been – and felt her heart drop. He was gone, the surf rushing in to meet the sand, the Papou trees appearing behind her as the Destiny Islands were rebuilt.

Those falling flecks . . . it was the protective barrier of the Destiny Islands.

"Sora . . ." He was gone and she was trapped within the confines of the Island. "I'll be . . . waiting."

Unless I find a way to you first, she thought as she walked the familiar path.

She didn't want to be the standard Damsel in Distress, waiting for the hero to return to her.

And when she saw the Papou drawing in the Secret Cave, it made her resolve concrete.

Sora felt the same way that she did. She wasn't just some Princess of Heart, she could be a hero in her own right. It might take her some time, but she would find a way off the Island.

The Destiny Islands weren't home without them by her side.

She would find Riku – where was he? – and reunite with Sora.

# # #

A/N: I had originally planned to do the remaining Princesses of Heart first, but after rereading Cinderella's chapter, I got inspired to do Kairi next since the idea seemed to build a bit more here/remind Kairi of her past run-in with the Keyblade. I will probably do a few more Kairi inspired chapters re. the events of Kingdom Hearts 2 down the road.