I Want to be a Hero (Chp. 39)

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Scratched, bruised, and nearly broken, we're suddenly back on the circular platform we were before we had entered Kingdom Hearts. Xemnas is on his knees, clutching at his chest.

"I need... more rage. I need more... hearts." Sora put his hands on his hips.

"Xemnas, there's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?" He looks up to Sora, a glare apparent on his face as he starts to fade away.

"Unfortunately, I don't." And he's gone. I want to cry, I want to smile and cheer, but I don't. Because with his defeat, the end of this in sight, I am just still. Frozen.

"You're coming back with us, right?" Sora smiles brightly to Riku. He didn't even notice what I was noticing, then.

"I had given in to the darkness.." He looks to the ground. "How am I gonna face everyone?"

"Like this!" Sora uses his fists to squish his cheeks together, and I can't help but give a sad smile.

"And like this." Blair wraps her hand tightly in Riku's, who pauses from his laugh at Sora. Soon, the building is shaking beneath our feet.

"How do we get out of here, your magesty?" A portal is opened to our left, and I see a blond girl that had been in Mio's memories.

"Who did this?" Donald looks around, but he can't see Namine like I can. Was it our connection?

"Well, I'm not sure, but we'd better hurry and get through." Mickey, Donald and Goofy hustle through the portal.

"Thank you, Namine." Kairi approaches the girl, who also turns to look at me.

"I can't thank you enough, Mio." I feel a cool sensation, and suddenly Mio is in front of me, slightly transparent, but there all the same.

"Anything for friends." She looks to Sora, and soon Roxas is stepping from him too. A Nobody party.

"You said we'd meet again, but when we did we might not recognize each other." Roxas smiles to Namine and Mio.

"I did, didn't I?" Namine brings a hand to her chin, but Mio holds up a suggestive finger.

"I think it's that we all recognize each other because we see each other the way we remember each other. I see Roxas in Sora because that's the connection our hearts share, and the same goes for you two! Our friendships connect our hearts, and we see each other even in our other forms."

"I always thought nobodies were doomed to fade back into the darkness."

"But here we are!" Mio smiles.

"We can be together again, through our original selves."

"Anytime Rea, Sora, and Kairi together, we'll be able to see each other!" My heart drops as I see Mio's face fall.

"We'll be together every day, right Sora?" Kairi smiles.

"Uh... yeah!" Mio turns from the group and Kairi takes Namine's hand and vanishes back into Kairi.

"... I'm sorry." Mio gives me her best brave smile. "Did you love him?"

"Of course I did, I am you, after all." She places her hand over my heart and vanishes. Mio. My nobody with a heart just as broken as mine.

"We should go." I look to Sora, and he gives me a nod. I step into the portal, Kairi stepping in right after me. Her screaming stops me short.

"SORA! RIKU!" I turn, and there's nothing. Kairi standing in front of nothing. No portal. No boys.

"What the HELL did you do?" I storm up to her and she shakes her head.

"I-I didn't do anything! The portal just closed! I tried to get them but.. it just... closed." She looks like she's about to cry. I feel like I am. But, for once I choose not to dabble on it, and instead just lead Kairi by the hand through the dark corridor and to the light I see in the distance. I hear waves crashing, I smell the ocean and warm air. When we finish through the portal, only the shoreline is visible. A setting sun over a green-blue sea. "I'm sorry.." Kairi whispers.

"You didn't do anything." I stare out at the ocean, I felt completely lost in it, even though my boots were on the dry sand. Kairi brings a hand up to her eye, and I know she's crying. I just simply grip her hand tighter.

"How do you get to be so brave?" She sniffles, and I look back to her, watching a few small tears fall from her bright blue eyes.

"I'm not sure I'm as brave as you think." She shakes her head.

"No, I watched you. You dove in to protect Sora, from heartless, you took a spear to the shoulder for him, you aren't afraid to speak your mind... You're the first to jump to action, and you've always got a plan. You said you went in alone to save your sister, against such an evil woman... How do you find that in you?" I let out a small, sad laugh.

"It's like I said before... What I do is out of love. Love for my friends, love for my sister, and love .. for Sora." I sigh. "You know, before I even really understood who you were, I was jealous of you." I look back to her blue eyes, stopped in shock. "Sora told me all about what happened two years ago, everything he went through to make sure you and Riku got home safe. At first, I was just impressed with him, so optimistic when so much has happened to him... I can't really remember when that changed." I look back out to the sea, begging for a sign of him anywhere. "I just remember that every time he told me he needed to find you, I would get so unbelievably mad. I'd blame you for my misery when you had no influence over it what-so-ever."

"Do you hate me?" She whispers, and I give her a squeeze on the hand.

"No, I don't. It'd be to easy to play the victim, anyways. You're not the cause of my insecurities, you're not doing anything to further them, I was just always trying to find someone to blame." I give her a large smile. "When I got out of that mindset and focused on who I wanted to be, rather than what I thought I was, it was pretty easy to make good decisions for the people I love. Acting on impulse doesn't seem as brave when you know you're only doing what you should." She wipes her eyes one last time and gives me a nod. I look back out to the sea, wondering in the back of my mind if I'd be stuck here. Would Sora be stuck there?

"If there's one thing I've learned about Sora, it's that he always finds his way back." Kairi stares out at the sea with me, and as the warm breeze hits my face, and the sunset makes the ocean waves sparkle in the distance, I decide that maybe being stuck here wouldn't be so bad. I release Kairi's hands, and untie my boots. Removing my socks, and leaving both in the sand, I let my bare feet dig into the warm that the grains of soft sand offered. I really take in my surrounding area, the place where Sora had lived his whole life. So many palm trees, sounds of seagulls and a water fall, a dock in the distance. It was beautiful here. With daring steps, I step to the shoreline and let the waves cover my feet like blankets. The water wasn't cold, like it was back home. Instead, it offered a refreshing temperature that proved the sun shone on it daily, another contrast from back home. Tropical fished peered at me through the crystal clear waters. Destiny Islands was just about as perfect as the people who took up residence on it.

I wasn't sure what to do. I felt helpless, but at the same time I felt like I needed to help. There was no apparent answer, so I just did what I always did when I couldn't get my mind straight. I turned up my ipod and sang along. "There I was again tonight-- forcing laughter, faking smiles, same old tired lonely place. Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy-- vanish when I saw your face. All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you.... your eyes whispered have we met? Across the room your silhouette starts to make it's way to me. The playful conversation starts. Counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy." I can feel my face heating up, and my eyes threatening to cry, but I just scream it out. "And it was enchanting to meet you! All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you. This night is sparkling, don't you let it go! I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you!" I remove and arm from my crossed position on my chest and wipe the tears from my eyes, I need him so badly right now. I need him forever. "The lingering question kept me up at 2am: Who do you love? I wonder til I'm wide awake! Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door. I'd open up and you would say: Hey it was enchanting to meet you. All I know is I was enchanted to meet you." My throat shakes. "This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew. This night is flawless, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, dancing 'round all alone. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you!" The waves crash at my knees, and dig into cuts I didn't even know I had. "This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends. My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again. These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon: I was enchanted to meet you. Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you." I repeat it, again and again and it makes me think back to who I used to be. Who I am now... "This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew... This night is flawless, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, dancing round all alone. I'll spend forever, wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you!" I rub my eyes, I can't even look at the sea now, it reminds me too much of his eyes. "Please don't be in love with someone else... please don't have somebody waiting on you.."

"Sora!" Kairi's voice comes from behind me, but when I pull my hands from my eyes, there's no one in front of me.

"There the are! Look, that's Sora, Riku and Blair, too!" Mickey's voice from the shoreline, I turn and see him, Donald and Goofy. Kairi's eyes are fixed on the sky. When I turn and look up, sure enough, my boy is falling from the sky like a shooting star, Blair and Riku trailing after him.

"Sora." My legs step slowly at first, but as I see him swimming towards the shore, they push me further and further. He can barely reach knee-deep water before I tackle him, pushing us back into the water.

"Rea." His arms wrap around me, and despite getting thoroughly soaked, I don't think I've ever been more at peace. "I'm glad you're okay.." He whispers in my ear, the waves around us calming and barely pushing any water towards the shore at all.

"I could say the same to you." I pull away, laughing as I realize what an idiot move it was to tackle him in the middle of the ocean water. Before I can completely back away from my space in between his legs, he pushes my back to bring my body back to his.

"I couldn't keep my mind off of you.. off of how badly I needed.." He looks to my lips, his cheeks tinted a light pink color as he smiles, before simply grabbing the back of my head and smashing his desired kiss onto him. I don't feel the salt in my wounds, the sounds of the seagulls have dulled, and I was fairly sure that what I was hearing was no longer the waves, but my own blood flowing through my veins after an imagined delay. He wants to pull away, but I keep pushing myself in for more, he finally manages to pull me off when my lips hit his teeth from his laughter. "Guess you were thinking about me too."

"Always." Sora lights himself up out of the water, giving an extra laugh at his soaked clothes before holding out a hand to me. I take his hand, and he pulls me up to wrap another hand around my waist.

"Time to face the music, I guess." we start walking to the shore, hand in hand. Did he mean just seeing everyone? or did he mean seeing everyone off, me included?

"SORA!" Donald and Goofy tackle Sora into a hug, and Mickey offers the same gesture for Riku. Sora splashes back down into the water with a laugh.

"Aw c'mon, guys! I just got out!" Donald and Goofy stop their cuddling to share a laugh. I look to Blair, who stared lovingly at Riku, then look to Kairi with a devious look that she matches.

"BLAIR!" We shout, running at the girl full speed and letting her crash into the water under our hugs.

"What a welcome!" She laughs, rubbing her hand on the top of my head and ruffling my hair. I look to her with a small smile.

"It's.. more of a goodbye." Her smile fades, and what I see through her pink eyes breaks my heart. She's sad.

"Rea..." Kairi looks at us both before rising out of the water. Blair takes both her arms around me, and much to my surprise, she shakes. "I .. I forgot." I hear her sniffle, and I bring my arms around her, trying myself not to cry. "I got so used to you always being here for me that I never really... thought you wouldn't be."

"You're my best friend, Blair.." My heart is pained. It's one thing to move to a different town, because at least then you could drive back to see your friends.. but when you live in two different worlds, it's much harder to fathom a time where you can actually return. "Thank you for every night we spent together, every day we spent training, every absolutely fantastic pun," We pause in our tears to share a small laugh, still holding each other tight "and for always protecting and caring for me in the times I needed it most."

"I love you, ray-ray." Her forehead rests on my shoulder, and I just latch on to her tighter as we share tears. We're only interrupted by the sound of Donald clearing his throat. I look up, give him a nod, them pull myself from Blair. I offer her my best smile and a hand up, which she takes. Riku's immediately at her side, and I'm pointing a finger in his face.

"You take good care of my precious Blair, or so help me, I will find a way back here to kick your ass." Riku chuckles, clearly not threatened by the girl nearly 6 inches shorter than him.

"Sure thing." I nod, and wipe my face free from tears one more time. I look to Donald, Goofy, and Sora with a nod. I stop as I reach Mickey, kneeling down to meet his eye level.

"Do me a favor.. and if you ever see Ansem again.." His eyes read me, and I take a deep breath. "Let him know I forgive him." The king gives me a nod and I wrap my arms around him, finding myself smiling as his arms wrap around me as well. I stand again, look to Kairi and put my hands on my hips. "Make sure they eat at the right times, and get to sleep at night. God knows these two can hardly survive without me." Kairi covers her mouth in a giggle. I give her a nod with a smile, and meet with my three boys.

"I managed to get Chip and Dale to bring the gummi ship over to the north side of the island, we'll head to Radiant Garden for your sister.." I nod at Donald, who was a bit more quiet and sad than normal.

"And then Shady Isle." I can't swallow the lump in my throat, so I give a quick nod instead, fighting back more tears.

"I'll come." Sora looks to them, and they nod, then he looks to me. "I don't want to leave this off here." My lip quivers, but I smile none the less. Sora was perfect, and if I didn't cry now, I felt like I wouldn't be human.

"This way."

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"It's hard to believe that this is goodbye..." Mikoto had let her hair down from her pigtails, and instead chose to let in flow in the soft breeze that drifted across the town. Aerith wiped a tear from her cheeks.

"It's never a goodbye forever, you know. We're always in each other's hearts, always connected." She points to Mikoto's chest, who gives her a happy nod in response.

"Don't forget what I taught you." Leon crosses his arms, and the smile that comes to Mikoto's face is one that I hadn't seen in a while.

"I think the next time an old biddy tries to kidnap me, I've got enough tricks in my book to knock her down!" She gives Leon a thumbs up, and as she lowers her hand, I can see the decision flow through her head. Before Leon can even argue, she's wrapped him in a hug. He's stunned, but decides none the less, to let it happen. "Thank you for everything." She steps away and gives Yuffie a salute, before turning back to me. "I think I'm ready now." I give a nod, my hand tightly latched around Sora's. Donald and Goofy lead Mikoto into the Gummi ship, and I'm about to step in before I stop and see a figure in the distance. She raises her hand to me, and I cant help but smile.

Cali's hair had gotten a little longer, and by her side stood a man. I guess she had found who she was looking for after all. I raise my hand back to wave, and even from so far away I can see her smile. I give her one last glance before following Sora into the gummi ship. Mikoto is staring in awe at all the features on the ship, and I look to Sora, who gives me a gesture to follow him down the hall.

We're back in his room for the last time together. He locks the door, and I stumble over to the dresser, being quick to change out from my sea-soaked clothes and into some pajamas. When I turn, I see that he's staring at me. He approaches me, and as badly as I want to just entangle myself in him, I instead reach for a pair of his pajamas, and hand them to him. He nods, placing the pjs down on his dresser and stripping from his own soaked clothes. My chest hurt, and I knew that despite not thinking I was, I was undoubtedly crying still.

He approaches me again, fresh clothes, and I let him scoop me into his arms. We lay in bed with no words, but our eyes could write novels. What I needed was his optimism, but I could tell he left that back at the islands. In his own eyes, I saw reflections of the same things I was feeling-- heartbreak, sorrow...hopelessness.

"When two people share a paupou fruit.. their destinies become intertwined, and they'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what." Sora cups my face gently, and I lean into his touch. "I was thinking about how this day would go, when I gave you that fruit.. I guess it didn't take shape exactly how I thought it would."

"Sora." I let tears fall just to maintain my vision.

"I wanted you to stay." He gives a sad smile, and he starts crying himself. My heart can't take it. "It's so stupidly selfish... but I don't wan't to be without you." I bring my hands to his face, and we're both holding each other and crying like star-crossed lovers. If I could change my fate, I would. If I could change Mikoto's mind, I would. It's not ethical, and maybe I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life.. but maybe it would be better than feeling how I do now.

"I love you so much." I choke on a sob, and he brings me in for a kiss, then another, then so many more I lose count. I would freeze time if I could, and just stay right here with only me and him for the rest of eternity, stuck on a ship in space.

"I love you, Rea." I see him biting on the inside of his cheek, and he finally vocalizes his own insecurity. "Please don't... go back to Hikaru." I stare in disbelief for a moment, before letting out a strange mix between a laugh and a sob.

"You idiot." I wipe his cheeks. "You're the only one I'll ever love." His sad blue eyes stare into my soul. "When I get off this ship, I'm leaving my whole heart with you." He brings me in for another kiss. "And here I was, worried that you'd move on to Kairi.."

"She's not you." I can't breathe. My body clings to him, and I just cry into his chest. "You're the only one I'll ever love, Rea."



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