Appeared In:
Kingdom Hearts (Birth By Sleep, 1, 2, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2: A Fragmentary Passage, and 3)
Name:
Kairi
Age:
16
Gender:
Female
Appearance:
Kairi
Personality:
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."
Kairi is caring, kindhearted, and not afraid to speak her mind, usually appearing very cheerful and upbeat. She is loyal to her friends and headstrong, and can be rather stubborn sometimes. Courageous and determined, Kairi will go out of her way to help those she cares about if they are in danger, often risking her own safety in reckless bravery. This side of her is what causes her to hate feeling useless and being left behind, making her determined to help fight against the Heartless as a Keyblade wielder, though she often has doubt in her abilities despite the skill that she's learned.
Over the years, Kairi has matured from the brash and bold girl that she was into a young woman with wisdom beyond her years. However, she still retains her playful and spunky side, as well as her strong sense of adventure. Even when she ends up getting captured, she won't back down without a fight, becoming aggressive towards her captors. Just as she motivates them, Kairi's strong bond with Sora and Riku also drives her to fight alongside them, her feelings for Sora in particular being the driving force.
Powers:
As a Princess of Heart, Kairi has some ability in holding back the forces of Darkness through latent magic alone. However, this power is not very strong, as she hasn't learned to use it properly. Despite this, she has the power to sense Darkness, and sometimes looks sick when in the presence of a large amount. Because of her heart's Light, she could travel through Corridors of Darkness without negative effects.
After some training with her Keyblade, Kairi has access to the all basic magic spells, being most proficient with Fire and Cure. She also has a list of unique abilities that make use of her inherent Light.
Abilities:
Weapons:
Equipment:
Awareness:
Yes, having learned about it from Yen Sid.
History:
Kairi is a Princess of Heart, one of seven young women in the worlds that were born with a heart of pure light. She was born in Radiant Garden, and had a close relationship with her grandmother. She was always told a story of the creation of all the worlds from a single one, and darkness born of greed and selfishness for the light.
One day, while she was out picking flowers, she was attacked by strange dark creatures. Thankfully, she was rescued by the Keyblade Master Aqua and King Mickey, the latter suddenly disappearing after the fight while the young Kairi gave her flowers to Aqua in thanks for saving her. In return, Aqua, seeing her heart full of light, placed a protective charm on her necklace, telling her:
"One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another, someone to keep you safe."
This spell would come to effect one year later, when Radiant Garden was taken by the Heartless. Thanks to the woman's spell, the five-year-old Kairi was magically whisked away to the world of Destiny Islands, where she was adopted by the town's mayor on the mainland. She became great friends with the other children on the world, Sora and Riku foremost among them. Over the years, she supported the many competitions between Sora and Riku, not knowing that they were truly contests for her affection rather than just playful rivalry.
By the age of fourteen, she had lost all memory of her fateful encounter a decade prior, and had no memory of her past before the island at all. This sparked the trio to try to leave the world to see what the others were like for themselves. Trying to set out using a simple raft, they had no idea what was truly in store for them all.
One day, Heartless attacked on the night before they would set out. In the trio's Secret Place, while she stood weak against the darkness that enshrouded the world, Kairi's heart entered Sora's body, her own comatose form whisked away to another world, before Destiny Islands fell to darkness and forced the remaining friends apart. During her time in Sora's heart, her memories partially seeped into his, including her grandmother's story. Throughout the adventure, her heart experienced his travels and friendships in a silent, dormant state.
Meanwhile, her comatose body was found by the group of villains led by Maleficent, who used her to further convince Riku in joining her side with false hope in saving her. Riku would keep Kairi away from Sora during his journey, their rivalry turning adversarial as a result. Eventually, their travels would lead them with Kairi to the world of Hollow Bastion, what had become of Radiant Garden after its destruction. At the Final Keyhole, Riku; possessed by the Heartless known as "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness;" battled Sora with a Keyblade formed of the hearts of the other six Princesses of Heart.
Though Sora was victorious, it was realized that Kairi's heart rested within him, this being the reason for his visions of her throughout his journey. Using Riku-Ansem's Keyblade of People's Hearts, he impaled himself, releasing her heart and seven others, inadvertently creating his Nobody, Roxas, and her own, Naminé. Upon her heart returning to her, Kairi awoke only for her to witness Sora's supposed death, his turning into a Heartless due to the removal of his heart. Distraught, she was left with no other choice but to escape, at the behest of a temporarily-in-control Riku, along with Sora's friends, Donald Duck and Goofy, while the rest of the awakened Princesses kept the darkness of the Keyhole at bay with their latent power.
During their escape, they were found by a lone Shadow Heartless, with Kairi recognizing it as Sora by its behavior. In an attempt to protect him, she held him close despite the potential danger, shielding him from the other attacking Heartless. Then, through some unknown power with her heart of light, as well as her belief in Sora, she brought him back from the darkness, restoring him to his original self. Together, they fled the world that she realized was her own.
From then on, Kairi took refuge in Traverse Town along with the rest of Radiant Garden's former citizens. Though reluctantly remaining on the world, wanting to help Sora save Riku instead of getting left behind, she gave him her lucky charm; a Wayfinder made of thalassa shells; and obligated that he give it back to her once they meet again. Her last words to him before he set off was for him for to remember that, no matter where he goes, she would always be with him.
That promise would turn out to take longer than she thought, however. After the defeat of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness to the light of Kingdom Hearts, she returned to Destiny Islands, one of the many worlds to be restored upon the disappearance of the Heartless world. Though Riku was saved, he was lost to the Realm of Darkness, with Sora ultimately deciding to look for him to bring him home. Before the two were separated from each other, he promised to come back to her, leaving Kairi to return alone.
Despite her sadness in being separated from her friends, Kairi awaited them in Destiny Islands, going on with her life like normal whilst she waited. For the day the three of them could be together again, and for the day that she could share a Paopu fruit with Sora...
...Or she would have, if not for the events that took place in Castle Oblivion some time later. Due to the events involving the enigmatic Organization XIII, and that of Naminé and her power over Sora's memories, she completely forgot Sora but for a vague sense that some "other boy" aside from Riku used to play with them. For a year, she went on with her life as if she had not left at all, becoming more studious and withdrawn while still trying to remember the other boy. One day, she suddenly heard the voice of a mysterious boy within her mind, who recognized her from Sora's memories. When she pleaded with him to help her remember "his" name, another, familiar voice came to her, teasing her and leaving a hint that it started with an 'S.'
Waking up from this encounter, Kairi finally remembered Sora, motivating her to send a letter she wrote in a bottle to the seas, hoping it would reach him. She continued in awaiting his and Riku's return, one day contemplating that waiting for them wasn't enough anymore.
Immediately after, she was found by the Nobody Axel, who appeared to her with an offer to take her to Sora. However, with his threatening to use force with his lesser Nobodies, she refused, evading him along with the dog Pluto through a Corridor of Darkness left by Riku, one that led her to Twilight Town. There, she met the friends Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and became fast friends with them, telling them about herself and her world-hopping adventures. However, Axel arrived not long after, taking her away with relative ease. She managed to get away from him, only to be found by Saïx and taken as a prisoner within the Castle That Never Was, to be used as bait to fuel Sora's anger.
She remained there, doing her best not to lose her resolve despite her hopeless situation. It was until much later that she was freed by Naminé, an event that took place at the same time Sora and friends reached the castle to save her. While trying to escape the castle with her Nobody, they were confronted by many Nobodies, only for Riku; in the form of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness; to save them. From him, Kairi was handed a Keyblade: her own Destiny's Embrace that she inherited from Aqua so many years ago.
She rescued Sora from an onslaught of Shadows called upon by the Organization, embracing him in their reunion and helping him reunite with Riku. The trio of friends back together again, they journeyed onward through the castle, taking out the last few members; Xigbar, Luxord, and Saïx; along the way. Nearly reaching the top, they came upon King Mickey and Ansem the Wise, the real Ansem, the latter of whom sacrificed himself to destroy the moon that was Organization XIII's attempt to summon Kingdom Hearts, the act restoring Riku to his normal form.
Despite her best efforts, Kairi was unable to take part in the final battle against Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, due to a building crashing into the door that led to the battle, keeping her and the King out of the fight. However, after Sora and friends thought to have defeated him, a spectral form of Naminé appeared, creating a Corridor that would lead everyone back to Destiny Islands. Before she would enter the portal, Kairi, along with Sora, thanked Naminé for her help, her Nobody trying to make Sora, as well as Roxas, remember her. With the spectral form of Roxas appearing from Sora, the Nobodies briefly reunited before returning to their Somebodies. With that, Kairi entered the Corridor, only for it to close before Sora and Riku could go through, separating the friends once more.
Returning to Destiny Islands along with the King, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, Kairi once more waited the return of her friends. Thankfully, it wouldn't take long, thanks to the letter she sent finally reaching them at the End of Sea after the fall of Xemnas. With the memory of her summoning the Door to the Light, Sora and Riku returned to their homeworld, reuniting with Kairi properly. Welcoming them back home, Sora returned her Wayfinder like he promised, the three friends back together again.
However, it wouldn't be long before they would be separated for a time once more. While on the island where they used to always play, Kairi found a letter in a bottle with the King's seal on it. She brought this to Sora and Riku, where they opened it up and read its contents. The letter spoke of "the truth behind the Keyblade" now resting in their hearts, the suffering of those connected to them, and that Sora was the only one who could end their sadness. Knowing that Sora and Riku would be off once more, Kairi gave her Wayfinder to Sora yet again, knowing he would come back to her soon. With that, Sora and Riku left to take the Mark of Mastery, in order to become full-fledged Keyblade Masters against the next upcoming threat.
Kairi would await their return yet again, lamenting her tendency to always be left behind. However, two events connected to the multiversal event that was the Great Convergence would soon lead to her own journey to become a Keyblade wielder in her own right. The first was a sudden attack by a dark girl named Lidia, who held a contempt for her for a reason the Princess of Heart did not understand. Despite her lack of Keyblade training, having had trouble summoning Destiny's Embrace back to her hand before, she managed to do so in her bout of panic, and was able to fend off the girl in spite of her lack of experience, driving her off whilst she swore to get back at her.
The next happened not long after that encounter, on a night when a familiar meteor shower took place. While walking alongside the beach of the mainland, Kairi suddenly came upon an unconscious girl washed up on the shore, a familiar scenario. She immediately ran to her side, trying to wake her, while Naminé; her Nobody still existing deep within her heart; conversed with the girl in a dream, having formed a small connection due to Sora seeing her in his venture into the Sleeping Worlds. Afterwards, the girl known as Audrey Crowe awoke, in fear and uncertainty of her surroundings. Kairi was able to calm her down, reassuring that whatever nightmare she was in was over. With the Princess' kind heart and partial connection through Sora, the two became fast friends.
Not long after, Riku returned to the island; having passed the Mastery exam and becoming a Keyblade Master; sent by the sorcerer Yen Sid to bring her to the Mysterious Tower, as well as Audrey for reasons unknown. As they were taken there, the sorcerer explained that, with her use of the Keyblade, she would receive her own training as one of the Seven Guardians of Light.
Before that would take place, she was brought up to speed in regards to their mission: the return of Master Xehanort and the newly revived Organization XIII, and the missing Keyblade wielders Terra, Aqua, and Ven, who could be the keys to their chance at victory. It was also here that she, Riku, and King Mickey learned of the Great Convergence, the actions of Xehanort causing a ripple effect that reached the Realm of Reality itself, displacing many people across worlds, with Audrey, and supposedly Lidia, being one of several of these 'Convergers.'
With everything said and done, Riku and the King were assigned to rescue Aqua from the Realm of Darkness, whilst Kairi would undergo training under the wizard Merlin alongside a fellow new wielder of the Keyblade, Lea. To her dismay, this turned out to be the completed form of Axel, the Nobody that kidnapped her before. Despite her hesitation, she was reassured by the King and Riku that he was a different person, and had even helped them save Sora.
And so, heading to Radiant Garden, with Audrey temporarily joining her to learn of her own powers, Kairi would go on to undergo her training, along with a remorseful Lea, who continuously apologized to her for his kidnapping. They were sent to a secret forest, where time didn't move at all, allowing them as much time as they needed to train in the use of their Keyblades. There, they bonded together over the course of their training, Kairi learning of his wanting to save his best friend Roxas, and Lea trying to recall something, or someone, that the Princess reminded him of.
Despite the necessity of their training, however, a part of Kairi yearned to go out in the worlds on her own, to journey out like Sora and Riku always did and meet new faces, tired of feeling left behind all of the time. Though resolving to continue her training in order to help out against the Thirteen Seekers of Darkness, that chance would soon come, but not in the way she would expect...
Sample Post:
One, two, clash. Keyblades locking, flowery Destiny's Embrace clashing against Flame Liberator until she successfully shoved him away. Leaping back, she fired her Flower Shot, knocking her opponent back, but not doing too much damage to him due to his affinity to Fire. However, this was just to distract him; as he stumbled back, she leapt back in, launching herself in the air with a spinning attack, juggling him in the air and throwing him into a tree.
It was clear who won the duel in this round. As she landed back on the ground, Kairi jumped for joy, cheering her head off for her first victory.
"Yes! I did it!" A groan behind her, however, snapped her out of her victorious mood. Immediately, she turned around to her partner in training, her hands over her mouth in worry. "Oh...oh no, Axel! Are you okay?"
'Axel', or rather Lea, held up an arm before she started fretting, reassuring her that he was just fine. "Yeah, yeah...handled worse than that." He managed back to his feet, giving a smirk to the Princess of Heart. "Got one heck of a 'key' arm there. That old man won't know what's comin' for him, that's for sure."
Though Kairi was glad that she didn't hurt him too hard, she still had to frown despite his compliments. Her victory seemed a little too easy, now that she thought of it. She placed her hands on her hips, a stern look in her eyes.
"You were holding back, weren't you?"
"Huh? No, I didn't!" Lea held up his hands defensively, his smile turning nervous. "I gave it my all there! You won fair and square, trust me!"
She could tell he was lying. Was it because of the guilt he still had of kidnapping her, or was it from whatever it was he was trying to remember? Whatever it was, she decided not to press further, her cheerful smile returning. "I guess I did. Guess I'm a lot stronger than I thought, huh?"
"Yep, looks like it." The former Flurry of Dancing Flames hooked a thumb towards a pathway behind him. "I'm gonna go grab a little something to celebrate your victory."
"Let me guess: more ice cream?"
"You've got me all figured out now, huh?"
A small giggle, the girl gesturing to her forehead, mimicking his catchphrase, "I got it memorized."
A chuckle in return. "Right, right, I'll be back."
She watched him walk off until he was out of sight. Once he did, her smile disappeared, replaced with a sigh. She knew this was for their benefit, that their training in a place where time stood still would allow them to catch up at a quicker pace. But at the same time, she wondered why this had to be when Sora and Riku could pick up their skills by traveling the worlds and actively fighting the Heartless. Why did she have to be closed off from them, when she could be doing the same thing...?
The Princess decided to express this bit of frustration in the only way she could, that didn't involve taking it out on the environment. Taking a seat on a nearby log, she pulled out her notepad and pencil and began to write. Another letter to Sora, one that, like the others, she wouldn't send. It was more for her benefit than anything.
Dear Sora,
How is everything? You must be traveling to new places, making new friends. I'm sure you must be having the time of your life, huh?
...
Sorry, that came off a little rude, didn't it? To tell you the truth, I'm kind of jealous. You and Riku are always heading out there, making a difference for so many. And here I am, stuck in a bubble just trying to catch up to you. I know this training is supposed to help, but I feel like it's another excuse to hold me back.
Well, I'm starting to get better with the Keyblade, at least. I managed to beat L...Axel in a spar. Though honestly, I think he's holding back on me...
And honestly, that's another thing, too. It feels like people still see me as some princess that needs protecting. I want to improve, to show off what I can do, but how can I when no one gives me a chance?
Sora...I wish I could be there, fighting alongside you. Not just for this upcoming battle, but adventuring the worlds with you, in person. It's always you, Riku, the King, Donald, and Goofy. I want to be there, too, even if I'm just cheering on the sidelines. At least knowing I could be there for all of you...that has to count for something, right?
...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into a rant. It's just...frustrating, that's all. But...I'm here for a reason, aren't I? Just as you're heading out for a reason. I know you're not giving up, so I shouldn't either. I'll train twice as hard if it means proving myself to everyone out there.
Sora...let's both do our best, for everyone's sake.
Closing the notebook, Kairi breathed another sigh. She was calm now that she got that off her chest, but there was still that hint of frustration lingering. Looking up to the perpetual sunset-tinted sky, she held her notebook close to her chest.
"...There are many worlds, but they share the same sky. One sky, one destiny..."
Kingdom Hearts (Birth By Sleep, 1, 2, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2: A Fragmentary Passage, and 3)
Name:
Kairi
Age:
16
Gender:
Female
Appearance:
Kairi
Personality:
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."
Kairi is caring, kindhearted, and not afraid to speak her mind, usually appearing very cheerful and upbeat. She is loyal to her friends and headstrong, and can be rather stubborn sometimes. Courageous and determined, Kairi will go out of her way to help those she cares about if they are in danger, often risking her own safety in reckless bravery. This side of her is what causes her to hate feeling useless and being left behind, making her determined to help fight against the Heartless as a Keyblade wielder, though she often has doubt in her abilities despite the skill that she's learned.
Over the years, Kairi has matured from the brash and bold girl that she was into a young woman with wisdom beyond her years. However, she still retains her playful and spunky side, as well as her strong sense of adventure. Even when she ends up getting captured, she won't back down without a fight, becoming aggressive towards her captors. Just as she motivates them, Kairi's strong bond with Sora and Riku also drives her to fight alongside them, her feelings for Sora in particular being the driving force.
Powers:
As a Princess of Heart, Kairi has some ability in holding back the forces of Darkness through latent magic alone. However, this power is not very strong, as she hasn't learned to use it properly. Despite this, she has the power to sense Darkness, and sometimes looks sick when in the presence of a large amount. Because of her heart's Light, she could travel through Corridors of Darkness without negative effects.
After some training with her Keyblade, Kairi has access to the all basic magic spells, being most proficient with Fire and Cure. She also has a list of unique abilities that make use of her inherent Light.
- Flower Shoot: Fires a projectile of Light, similar to the Pearl spell, but with additional Fire damage.
- Seven Wishes: Kairi teleports and blitzes across the enemy, attacking them seven times in quick succession.
- Slide (Dodge): Using her inner light, Kairi can dash forward a brief distance in order to avoid something or otherwise move faster than she can run, leaving behind a trail of golden light particles as she does. This works both on ground and in the air.
- Doubleflight: Allows Kairi a form of double-jump by forming an ephemeral platform of light mid-jump.
- Starcracker (Counter): Kairi can create a transparent shield of light around herself in an emergency, then thrust her Keyblade up, letting loose a blinding flash of light to force opponents away.
- Heart of a Princess (Shotlock): Summon a shower of light-based "meteors" to barrage the landscape, flying down to a nearby location in the process.
- Teleportation: By throwing her Keyblade in a Strike Raid fashion, Kairi can teleport in two flashes of light to its location.
- One Heart (Team Attack): When fighting alongside Sora, they manifest angel-like wings in tandem with each other, formed from the memories of each other, before flying around the battlefield to attack.
Abilities:
- Enhanced Speed: Thanks to her training with the Keyblade, Kairi is capable of moving at extremely high speed, approaching the speed of sound, by thrusting her Keyblade forward. However, she has less reaction time than her fellow Keyblade wielders as a drawback, leaving her to be easily caught off-guard.
- Spiral Bloom (Finisher): Kairi performs a corkscrew attack in the air for multiple hits, stunning her foes and juggling them in the air while leaving behind a trail of flower petals.
Weapons:
- Destiny's Embrace: A Keyblade that she unintentionally inherited from Aqua as a child. It has decent attack and magic power, and can land critical hits with ease despite its seemingly harmless appearance.
Equipment:
- Keychains: As Kairi can wield a Keyblade, she can collect sets of Keychains to enhance her Keyblade's power. Although she only carries the one for Destiny's Embrace, she can potentially gain more.
Awareness:
Yes, having learned about it from Yen Sid.
History:
Kairi is a Princess of Heart, one of seven young women in the worlds that were born with a heart of pure light. She was born in Radiant Garden, and had a close relationship with her grandmother. She was always told a story of the creation of all the worlds from a single one, and darkness born of greed and selfishness for the light.
One day, while she was out picking flowers, she was attacked by strange dark creatures. Thankfully, she was rescued by the Keyblade Master Aqua and King Mickey, the latter suddenly disappearing after the fight while the young Kairi gave her flowers to Aqua in thanks for saving her. In return, Aqua, seeing her heart full of light, placed a protective charm on her necklace, telling her:
"One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another, someone to keep you safe."
This spell would come to effect one year later, when Radiant Garden was taken by the Heartless. Thanks to the woman's spell, the five-year-old Kairi was magically whisked away to the world of Destiny Islands, where she was adopted by the town's mayor on the mainland. She became great friends with the other children on the world, Sora and Riku foremost among them. Over the years, she supported the many competitions between Sora and Riku, not knowing that they were truly contests for her affection rather than just playful rivalry.
By the age of fourteen, she had lost all memory of her fateful encounter a decade prior, and had no memory of her past before the island at all. This sparked the trio to try to leave the world to see what the others were like for themselves. Trying to set out using a simple raft, they had no idea what was truly in store for them all.
One day, Heartless attacked on the night before they would set out. In the trio's Secret Place, while she stood weak against the darkness that enshrouded the world, Kairi's heart entered Sora's body, her own comatose form whisked away to another world, before Destiny Islands fell to darkness and forced the remaining friends apart. During her time in Sora's heart, her memories partially seeped into his, including her grandmother's story. Throughout the adventure, her heart experienced his travels and friendships in a silent, dormant state.
Meanwhile, her comatose body was found by the group of villains led by Maleficent, who used her to further convince Riku in joining her side with false hope in saving her. Riku would keep Kairi away from Sora during his journey, their rivalry turning adversarial as a result. Eventually, their travels would lead them with Kairi to the world of Hollow Bastion, what had become of Radiant Garden after its destruction. At the Final Keyhole, Riku; possessed by the Heartless known as "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness;" battled Sora with a Keyblade formed of the hearts of the other six Princesses of Heart.
Though Sora was victorious, it was realized that Kairi's heart rested within him, this being the reason for his visions of her throughout his journey. Using Riku-Ansem's Keyblade of People's Hearts, he impaled himself, releasing her heart and seven others, inadvertently creating his Nobody, Roxas, and her own, Naminé. Upon her heart returning to her, Kairi awoke only for her to witness Sora's supposed death, his turning into a Heartless due to the removal of his heart. Distraught, she was left with no other choice but to escape, at the behest of a temporarily-in-control Riku, along with Sora's friends, Donald Duck and Goofy, while the rest of the awakened Princesses kept the darkness of the Keyhole at bay with their latent power.
During their escape, they were found by a lone Shadow Heartless, with Kairi recognizing it as Sora by its behavior. In an attempt to protect him, she held him close despite the potential danger, shielding him from the other attacking Heartless. Then, through some unknown power with her heart of light, as well as her belief in Sora, she brought him back from the darkness, restoring him to his original self. Together, they fled the world that she realized was her own.
From then on, Kairi took refuge in Traverse Town along with the rest of Radiant Garden's former citizens. Though reluctantly remaining on the world, wanting to help Sora save Riku instead of getting left behind, she gave him her lucky charm; a Wayfinder made of thalassa shells; and obligated that he give it back to her once they meet again. Her last words to him before he set off was for him for to remember that, no matter where he goes, she would always be with him.
That promise would turn out to take longer than she thought, however. After the defeat of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness to the light of Kingdom Hearts, she returned to Destiny Islands, one of the many worlds to be restored upon the disappearance of the Heartless world. Though Riku was saved, he was lost to the Realm of Darkness, with Sora ultimately deciding to look for him to bring him home. Before the two were separated from each other, he promised to come back to her, leaving Kairi to return alone.
Despite her sadness in being separated from her friends, Kairi awaited them in Destiny Islands, going on with her life like normal whilst she waited. For the day the three of them could be together again, and for the day that she could share a Paopu fruit with Sora...
...Or she would have, if not for the events that took place in Castle Oblivion some time later. Due to the events involving the enigmatic Organization XIII, and that of Naminé and her power over Sora's memories, she completely forgot Sora but for a vague sense that some "other boy" aside from Riku used to play with them. For a year, she went on with her life as if she had not left at all, becoming more studious and withdrawn while still trying to remember the other boy. One day, she suddenly heard the voice of a mysterious boy within her mind, who recognized her from Sora's memories. When she pleaded with him to help her remember "his" name, another, familiar voice came to her, teasing her and leaving a hint that it started with an 'S.'
Waking up from this encounter, Kairi finally remembered Sora, motivating her to send a letter she wrote in a bottle to the seas, hoping it would reach him. She continued in awaiting his and Riku's return, one day contemplating that waiting for them wasn't enough anymore.
Immediately after, she was found by the Nobody Axel, who appeared to her with an offer to take her to Sora. However, with his threatening to use force with his lesser Nobodies, she refused, evading him along with the dog Pluto through a Corridor of Darkness left by Riku, one that led her to Twilight Town. There, she met the friends Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and became fast friends with them, telling them about herself and her world-hopping adventures. However, Axel arrived not long after, taking her away with relative ease. She managed to get away from him, only to be found by Saïx and taken as a prisoner within the Castle That Never Was, to be used as bait to fuel Sora's anger.
She remained there, doing her best not to lose her resolve despite her hopeless situation. It was until much later that she was freed by Naminé, an event that took place at the same time Sora and friends reached the castle to save her. While trying to escape the castle with her Nobody, they were confronted by many Nobodies, only for Riku; in the form of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness; to save them. From him, Kairi was handed a Keyblade: her own Destiny's Embrace that she inherited from Aqua so many years ago.
She rescued Sora from an onslaught of Shadows called upon by the Organization, embracing him in their reunion and helping him reunite with Riku. The trio of friends back together again, they journeyed onward through the castle, taking out the last few members; Xigbar, Luxord, and Saïx; along the way. Nearly reaching the top, they came upon King Mickey and Ansem the Wise, the real Ansem, the latter of whom sacrificed himself to destroy the moon that was Organization XIII's attempt to summon Kingdom Hearts, the act restoring Riku to his normal form.
Despite her best efforts, Kairi was unable to take part in the final battle against Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, due to a building crashing into the door that led to the battle, keeping her and the King out of the fight. However, after Sora and friends thought to have defeated him, a spectral form of Naminé appeared, creating a Corridor that would lead everyone back to Destiny Islands. Before she would enter the portal, Kairi, along with Sora, thanked Naminé for her help, her Nobody trying to make Sora, as well as Roxas, remember her. With the spectral form of Roxas appearing from Sora, the Nobodies briefly reunited before returning to their Somebodies. With that, Kairi entered the Corridor, only for it to close before Sora and Riku could go through, separating the friends once more.
Returning to Destiny Islands along with the King, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, Kairi once more waited the return of her friends. Thankfully, it wouldn't take long, thanks to the letter she sent finally reaching them at the End of Sea after the fall of Xemnas. With the memory of her summoning the Door to the Light, Sora and Riku returned to their homeworld, reuniting with Kairi properly. Welcoming them back home, Sora returned her Wayfinder like he promised, the three friends back together again.
However, it wouldn't be long before they would be separated for a time once more. While on the island where they used to always play, Kairi found a letter in a bottle with the King's seal on it. She brought this to Sora and Riku, where they opened it up and read its contents. The letter spoke of "the truth behind the Keyblade" now resting in their hearts, the suffering of those connected to them, and that Sora was the only one who could end their sadness. Knowing that Sora and Riku would be off once more, Kairi gave her Wayfinder to Sora yet again, knowing he would come back to her soon. With that, Sora and Riku left to take the Mark of Mastery, in order to become full-fledged Keyblade Masters against the next upcoming threat.
Kairi would await their return yet again, lamenting her tendency to always be left behind. However, two events connected to the multiversal event that was the Great Convergence would soon lead to her own journey to become a Keyblade wielder in her own right. The first was a sudden attack by a dark girl named Lidia, who held a contempt for her for a reason the Princess of Heart did not understand. Despite her lack of Keyblade training, having had trouble summoning Destiny's Embrace back to her hand before, she managed to do so in her bout of panic, and was able to fend off the girl in spite of her lack of experience, driving her off whilst she swore to get back at her.
The next happened not long after that encounter, on a night when a familiar meteor shower took place. While walking alongside the beach of the mainland, Kairi suddenly came upon an unconscious girl washed up on the shore, a familiar scenario. She immediately ran to her side, trying to wake her, while Naminé; her Nobody still existing deep within her heart; conversed with the girl in a dream, having formed a small connection due to Sora seeing her in his venture into the Sleeping Worlds. Afterwards, the girl known as Audrey Crowe awoke, in fear and uncertainty of her surroundings. Kairi was able to calm her down, reassuring that whatever nightmare she was in was over. With the Princess' kind heart and partial connection through Sora, the two became fast friends.
Not long after, Riku returned to the island; having passed the Mastery exam and becoming a Keyblade Master; sent by the sorcerer Yen Sid to bring her to the Mysterious Tower, as well as Audrey for reasons unknown. As they were taken there, the sorcerer explained that, with her use of the Keyblade, she would receive her own training as one of the Seven Guardians of Light.
Before that would take place, she was brought up to speed in regards to their mission: the return of Master Xehanort and the newly revived Organization XIII, and the missing Keyblade wielders Terra, Aqua, and Ven, who could be the keys to their chance at victory. It was also here that she, Riku, and King Mickey learned of the Great Convergence, the actions of Xehanort causing a ripple effect that reached the Realm of Reality itself, displacing many people across worlds, with Audrey, and supposedly Lidia, being one of several of these 'Convergers.'
With everything said and done, Riku and the King were assigned to rescue Aqua from the Realm of Darkness, whilst Kairi would undergo training under the wizard Merlin alongside a fellow new wielder of the Keyblade, Lea. To her dismay, this turned out to be the completed form of Axel, the Nobody that kidnapped her before. Despite her hesitation, she was reassured by the King and Riku that he was a different person, and had even helped them save Sora.
And so, heading to Radiant Garden, with Audrey temporarily joining her to learn of her own powers, Kairi would go on to undergo her training, along with a remorseful Lea, who continuously apologized to her for his kidnapping. They were sent to a secret forest, where time didn't move at all, allowing them as much time as they needed to train in the use of their Keyblades. There, they bonded together over the course of their training, Kairi learning of his wanting to save his best friend Roxas, and Lea trying to recall something, or someone, that the Princess reminded him of.
Despite the necessity of their training, however, a part of Kairi yearned to go out in the worlds on her own, to journey out like Sora and Riku always did and meet new faces, tired of feeling left behind all of the time. Though resolving to continue her training in order to help out against the Thirteen Seekers of Darkness, that chance would soon come, but not in the way she would expect...
Sample Post:
One, two, clash. Keyblades locking, flowery Destiny's Embrace clashing against Flame Liberator until she successfully shoved him away. Leaping back, she fired her Flower Shot, knocking her opponent back, but not doing too much damage to him due to his affinity to Fire. However, this was just to distract him; as he stumbled back, she leapt back in, launching herself in the air with a spinning attack, juggling him in the air and throwing him into a tree.
It was clear who won the duel in this round. As she landed back on the ground, Kairi jumped for joy, cheering her head off for her first victory.
"Yes! I did it!" A groan behind her, however, snapped her out of her victorious mood. Immediately, she turned around to her partner in training, her hands over her mouth in worry. "Oh...oh no, Axel! Are you okay?"
'Axel', or rather Lea, held up an arm before she started fretting, reassuring her that he was just fine. "Yeah, yeah...handled worse than that." He managed back to his feet, giving a smirk to the Princess of Heart. "Got one heck of a 'key' arm there. That old man won't know what's comin' for him, that's for sure."
Though Kairi was glad that she didn't hurt him too hard, she still had to frown despite his compliments. Her victory seemed a little too easy, now that she thought of it. She placed her hands on her hips, a stern look in her eyes.
"You were holding back, weren't you?"
"Huh? No, I didn't!" Lea held up his hands defensively, his smile turning nervous. "I gave it my all there! You won fair and square, trust me!"
She could tell he was lying. Was it because of the guilt he still had of kidnapping her, or was it from whatever it was he was trying to remember? Whatever it was, she decided not to press further, her cheerful smile returning. "I guess I did. Guess I'm a lot stronger than I thought, huh?"
"Yep, looks like it." The former Flurry of Dancing Flames hooked a thumb towards a pathway behind him. "I'm gonna go grab a little something to celebrate your victory."
"Let me guess: more ice cream?"
"You've got me all figured out now, huh?"
A small giggle, the girl gesturing to her forehead, mimicking his catchphrase, "I got it memorized."
A chuckle in return. "Right, right, I'll be back."
She watched him walk off until he was out of sight. Once he did, her smile disappeared, replaced with a sigh. She knew this was for their benefit, that their training in a place where time stood still would allow them to catch up at a quicker pace. But at the same time, she wondered why this had to be when Sora and Riku could pick up their skills by traveling the worlds and actively fighting the Heartless. Why did she have to be closed off from them, when she could be doing the same thing...?
The Princess decided to express this bit of frustration in the only way she could, that didn't involve taking it out on the environment. Taking a seat on a nearby log, she pulled out her notepad and pencil and began to write. Another letter to Sora, one that, like the others, she wouldn't send. It was more for her benefit than anything.
Dear Sora,
How is everything? You must be traveling to new places, making new friends. I'm sure you must be having the time of your life, huh?
...
Sorry, that came off a little rude, didn't it? To tell you the truth, I'm kind of jealous. You and Riku are always heading out there, making a difference for so many. And here I am, stuck in a bubble just trying to catch up to you. I know this training is supposed to help, but I feel like it's another excuse to hold me back.
Well, I'm starting to get better with the Keyblade, at least. I managed to beat L...Axel in a spar. Though honestly, I think he's holding back on me...
And honestly, that's another thing, too. It feels like people still see me as some princess that needs protecting. I want to improve, to show off what I can do, but how can I when no one gives me a chance?
Sora...I wish I could be there, fighting alongside you. Not just for this upcoming battle, but adventuring the worlds with you, in person. It's always you, Riku, the King, Donald, and Goofy. I want to be there, too, even if I'm just cheering on the sidelines. At least knowing I could be there for all of you...that has to count for something, right?
...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into a rant. It's just...frustrating, that's all. But...I'm here for a reason, aren't I? Just as you're heading out for a reason. I know you're not giving up, so I shouldn't either. I'll train twice as hard if it means proving myself to everyone out there.
Sora...let's both do our best, for everyone's sake.
Wishing you luck,
Kairi
Kairi
Closing the notebook, Kairi breathed another sigh. She was calm now that she got that off her chest, but there was still that hint of frustration lingering. Looking up to the perpetual sunset-tinted sky, she held her notebook close to her chest.
"...There are many worlds, but they share the same sky. One sky, one destiny..."
