Kairi was smart.

Kairi was pretty.

Kairi was 'the flower of the islands'.

Kairi was loyal.

Kairi was feisty.

Kairi was only in training for less than a month before she was shoved into the fight.

Kairi was very badly hurt, but grinning in absolute denial "I'm fine, Sora."

Sora only reached for her bleeding arm "A Heartless got you-"

"Fine. I'm fine. You've had worse." She quipped, tears in her eyes. That cut was deep and it HURT. Her hand gripping at it to quench the flow wasn't making the situation more pleasant. Ethers already used up and mana slowly replenishing itself was just making it one long agonizing wait. But she gritted her teeth and smiled; both her boys had had worse so why was she gonna cry about this measly boo-boo?

Sora shook his head and roughly grabbed Kairi's injured arm, tired of seeing her trying to mask her suffering. "Kairi, it's gonna get infected if we don't do anything." he said sternly as he healed her arm "If it gets infected, you're gonna enjoy it even less."

Kairi watched him in wonder. The laughter had vanished from his eyes, and his expression was suddenly grim and hardened. She didn't notice it during the fight, but the Sora she knew had vanished. He almost looked pained himself from seeing her like this- or maybe it was from the gash in his side and the cuts on his arms and cheek. She then registered him muttering angrily "She's barely begun her training... no reason for her to learn it the way we did..."

Riku walked up to him and held his shoulder "Sora, you know we're getting desperate-"

"SHE DOESN'T NEED TO FIGHT AT ALL!" Sora violently lashed out at him. After a blink or two, his harsh glare softened to remorse "Oh jeez, R-RIku I'm-"

"You're good." Riku cut him off, as if he already anticipated the apology "We're all stressed and I can tell Kairi's involvement is getting to you more than the situation with Xehanort."

Kairi brought her arm back, assuming Sora was done "I can too fight-"

"No, not really." Sora only sighed as he brought her arm back again. Kairi noted there was only a scar left, but Sora seemed intent on making sure the arm was better than it used to be. Sora very gently placed her arm back at her side, saying sternly "Now Kairi, if I say you gotta stay out, you STAY. OUT."

Kairi folded her arms, and looked away with a pout "You're not the boss of me!"

"Kairi this is not a game!" Sora snapped at her "This is not me and Riku sparring! This is not ANYONE messing around! This is real life, and you could get KILLED."

Kairi's shoulders slumped. She understood that "It's not fair... I'm always on the sidelines and you two are taking all the weight..."

Riku looked at Sora questioningly; indeed, now that he thought of it Kairi had been absent from every battle so far. Sora glared back at him. The intent to intimidate was unfortunately lost to an almost endearing temper tantrum look that said "shut up you're not funny" more than "I have my reasons".

After softening his glare, Sora grabbed Kairi's shoulders. When she continued to refuse looking at him he gently grabbed her chin "Kairi, I don't want you to get hurt."

She pulled away, sighing "I won't!"

Sora's glare was returning; he admired Kairi's loyalty and expectation of equal treatment a lot but Kingdom Hearts this was not one of those times where he liked it "You will!"

"I won't!"

"You WILL!"

Riku stepped between the two before things became too heated "Guys, calm down."

Sora scowled at Riku a moment before he turned around and walked away "I'll scout ahead."

Kairi reached after him but Riku held his arm up to stop her "Let him cool down a bit."

Kairi huffed "I thought he thought that I was good."

Riku sighed "He said you were good for the amount of training you had received, but when it comes to actual combat you aren't ready." Kairi turned to him with a broken look; he didn't believe in her? Neither of them believed in her?

Riku then quickly shook his head and muttered criticism to himself "Kingdom Hearts that came out wrong- Kairi, I mean that we're keeping you out because we're not sure how badly you could get hurt." he smiled- the crooked smile he'd always use after his ascension to Master "We LOVE that you know how to take care of yourself in a small fight, but you're just not at the right level to fight what we're fighting right now, okay?"

She nodded "Okay." She noted Riku walking on, but she stared at her feet, awkwardly gripping her arm. She summoned her Keyblade, as if expecting the weight and warmth to comfort her. Instead it felt like a burden dragging her deeper and deeper downwards.

"It's not fair..." she whispered to herself "You both have done too much work." Her head wound backwards in time. She closed her eyes. That year was hell without them. She waited for at least a month, getting up daily and waiting on the shore from dawn to midday, but then she forgot Sora. It was almost like she forgot herself starting then.

She decided to make some more friends since Riku was most likely not coming back (Sora? Who was that? There was never a Sora in her life at this point) but quickly learned the harsh lesson of prejudice. Tidus and Wakka immaturely wouldn't let her play with them anymore, often citing "cooties" or "You're just a girl!". When she countered that they would play with her if Riku was there, they'd only shrug "That was Riku."

Then the girls were just as ruthless. Not wearing a skirt or dress? Good grief you're not a real girl. Wanting to fight? Uh, no way! Proper ladies don't fight! No kitchen or artistic skills? Get a life loser! And short hair looks really ugly on you have you considered extensions?

After awhile she caved in to their harsh demands, deciding that having friends was better than being an outcast.

She'd smile, but it was fake. She'd wear what they wanted her to (even the perverted guys, occasionally), but inside she wondered if it was truly her. She'd soared into the scene as a girl who learned and mastered a lot of things quickly- great cooking, great drawings, perfect grades, sociable personality, goddess-like looks -but she'd often sit there looking blankly at her achievements and wondering their worth. She felt hollow. Successful, but hollow.

And then she remembered Sora. A light turned on in her life: yes! Sora! She'd completely forgotten that HE would always tell her she was fine just the way she was, HE would always insist that Kairi was no different when it came to anything, HE would always tell her he appreciated her friendship without her jumping through hoops.

The letter that resulted had to be rewritten countless times, but when it got out, Kairi knew that she'd been doing everything wrong. But then again, Sora (AND Riku, she had to remind herself, pushing past assumptions that he'd passed away) was still not home yet, so for now she'd have to settle for what she had been doing.

Of course, then they got together again, and here they were. But gosh darn it all she was so TIRED of waiting, she was so SICK of being held back and considered weak, and she was 358% percent DONE with what everyone thought she was.

"Kairi, you okay?" Riku called back to her. She looked up, then smiled a little.

"Yeah, I guess."

Riku studied her a moment, then said "You know, Kairi, me and Sora love you. We love you a whole lot-"

She nodded "I know."

Riku held up his hand "Let me finish- what we're doing is protecting you. Then again I honestly think you should be given more of a chance than what Sora's giving, but I also don't want you out doing this." Kairi saw a resurgence of the sadness Riku had carried since the whole thing started "Fighting isn't something you should be doing."

She nodded a little, her smile growing bigger "Yeah, I guess." she then smiled cockily, putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward "but I'll still take on some of the smaller things, okay?"

Riku smiled "That's my girl. Great compromise." he walked back to her, and they began walking forward "Let's go suggest that to Sora."

Ugh motherfricking Kairi just fricking Kairi. Weheheheheheeheeeehhhhhhh I just want people to realize that Kairi is just so freaking done with everything and wants to be badass but no one's letting her and gosh darn it sh can't be badass if you don't let her.