Revenge of the Hearts

Chapter XL

"You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And of all those colors, red is the one that travels the furthest." ~Axel (Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days)
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So much for a vacation after everything we worked for. Sora and Riku departed the next day to the Mysterious Tower. It was then Kairi and I decided it was high time we returned to school. Going back to school was...awkward, at the very least. Everyone gawked at me, surprised and relieved at my return. After forgetting me for an entire year thanks to Naminé, seeing I was back must be like seeing a ghost to them.

Soon after, I was called into the administrative office for a talk. The principal sat across from me, and I had a sense of déjà vu from our last talk together. "So, Sakura," the principal sat to me. "You disappear for an entire year, taking all records and memories of you as well and suddenly, everyone remembered you at once and you returned to our records. Do you have an explanation for that?"

"None, I'm afraid," I shook my head, remembering the rules of meddling with other worlds. If Destiny Islands wasn't aware of the forces of darkness, then I shouldn't bring it up.

"Is it that you really don't know, or you can't tell me?" The principal asked me. I remained silent, not answering that question as they sighed, "Right. Does this have to do with the disappearance of Sora and Riku?"

"...Somewhat," I replied.

"Do you know where they are?" The principal continued.

"No, but I know they are someplace safe," I stated.

"Right," the principal nodded. "Back to you, Sakura. Unfortunately, due to you disappearing for a year, you will have to retake the entire year. I'm very sorry, Sakura, but there's no other way. You can try to make up everything you missed, but it is much easier if you just cut your losses and just repeat a year."

"I see," I said.

"That is all," the principal finished. "You are dismissed. You're free to leave. Hopefully, I won't see you back here for a long time, Sakura."

"Right," I laughed dryly as I got from the chair and exited the office.

*~*~*~*~*~

"How was the visit?" Kairi asked me as we walked home from school.

"Not so bad," I stretched. "The principal asked me why did I go missing and how all memory of me disappeared at once and then told me I gotta repeat an entire year of school, saying it was easier than trying to make up everything I missed while I was gone."

"Aw, I'm sorry," Kairi sighed.

"I'm not going to listen to him," I shrugged. "I'm going to learn everything I missed so that I'm up to speed with everyone else."

"And teach me how to use the Keyblade as well?" Kairi raised a brow at me.

"And that too," I nodded. "Don't think I forgot that promise I made to you."

"I know you didn't," Kairi replied. "But you're going to have your hands full for a while. Think you can manage?"

"Trust me, after everything I've been through,this is nothing," I assured her.

As we continued down the path home, a Corridor of Darkness opened ahead of us. Kairi and I froze, dropping our book bags as I glanced around for any witnesses. Seeing no one was in sight, I summoned my Keyblade and Kairi copied me as we took a defensive stance. "Can't run, or else we'll endanger everyone else around us, best thing to do is to knock out whoever's behind that or convince them to go. Most likely we'll have to do the former over the latter," I whispered my game plan to Kairi and she nodded, taking a defensive stance as well.

But I wasn't prepared for who stepped out of that portal. Axel came through and seeing us with our weapons out, read to beat the crud out of someone, he held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He said. "It's just me, remember?"

My eyes widened as j lowered my Keyblade, dispelling it in the process. Kairi looked at me with confusion. "Sakura, what are you doing?" She cried. "Axel is dangerous, you know that!"

"Not Axel," he shook his head. "The name's Lea. Got it memorized?"

"B-But...you...died...I saw..." I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Turns out when you destroy a person's Nobody and Heartless you restore them to how they were before," Lea shrugged. "I just woke up, and here I am now. Thought I pay you a visit and embarrass you over what you said to me on my deathbed."

"You better not Ax-er, Lea!" I laughed as he ruffled my hair.

Kairi eyed Lea with suspicion, as he was the one who kidnapped her after all. Lea, notching this, gave her an awkward smile, "Hey, no hard feelings over me kidnapping you?"

Kairi blinked before sighing, forcing a smile through gritted teeth. "None, whatsoever," she spat.

Lea leaned down and whispered to me, "Why do I get the feeling that she doesn't mean it?"

"That's because she's doesn't," I replied.

"Oh, this is going to be harder than I thought," Lea rubbed the back of his head.

"What, you thought that now you're whole again Kairi was just going to forgive you?" I cried.

"You did," Axel smirked at me.

"That's different and you know that!" I shouted at him.

"Oh, Sakura, Kairi!" A voice yelled. We all turned to see King Mickey bolting towards us. "Good, Lea, you found them," he nodded.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" I asked.

"Something terrible has happened," King Mickey explained. "The Mark of Mastery exams have been hijacked by the forces of darkness and forced Sora into a slumber! The darkness have Sora on their side!"

"WHAT?!" Kairi and I screamed at the top of our lungs.

"Sakura, I need you to team up with Lea and I as we enter the exam and rescue Sora!" King Mickey said.

"On it!" I nodded.

"I'm coming too!" Kairi yelled.

"No, Kairi, it's too dangerous," King Mickey shook his head.

"What?!" Kairi cried, exasperated. "I've been training, too! I'm not some liability, I can fight—"

"Kairi," King Mickey interrupted her. "This isn't like the training Sakura has been doing. This is the real thing, and you are far from prepared to help. We have experience so we know what we are doing. Please, Kairi, I know you are worried for Sora. I am as well. We all are, and we want him back in one piece just as much as you."

"Kairi," I said, approaching my sister and placing a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be alright. Please trust the King. You'll get your chance, someday. Just not today."

Kairi had an unsure look on her face before she reluctantly nodded, sighing. "Thank you, Kairi," King Mickey nodded.

"And just so that we are clear," Kairi added. "If Sakura and/or Sora home with a single scratch on them, I will be yelling all of your ears off and you'll regret leaving me out of this one!"

"Kairi!" I cried as she laughed.

"Okay, where to?" Lea asked.

"Mysterious Tower," King Mickey replied.

"Gotcha," Lea nodded as he opened a Corridor of Darkness and he and King Mickey stepped through. I gave Kairi a reassuring smile and she nodded as I stepped through the portal as well.