Kairi's Doubt? & Cid and Aerith: LIMIT BREAK!

"How about we try this one next?" Kairi and Naminé had just finished resting up for their next opponent and decided to take an interesting-looking cove to their left. Kairi peered closer. "What is that, a comb?"

Naminé laughed. "Yeah, right. Most of the Organization may be idiots, but who would be stupid enough to fight with a hair accessory?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Kairi took a deep breath before reaching out to touch the shadowy object. The bright light engulfed them once again. As soon as the light faded, they found themselves in a white circular arena with posts jutting out every few feet.

"Nice to see a change of scenery," Naminé commented.

Data streams appeared in front of them, twisting into shape. Kairi got into position. The data finished forming, revealing...

"A woman?" Kairi wondered. "Naminé, I thought the Organization were all guys."

The blonde girl brushed off her shoulders as if there were flies on her cloak. Her emerald green eyes seemed to pierce Kairi. "Well, what do we have here?"

"Larxene," Naminé growled from the back of Kairi's mind.

Kairi was shocked to hear Naminé's angry tone. "You know her?"

"She's the wench who used to beat me up back in Castle Oblivion!" Naminé replied curtly. "Larxene was the only female member of the Organization for as long as I can remember."

"Oh yeah, I know who you are now." Larxene grinned. "You must be Kairi. The hero's love interest."

"Huh? You know me?" Kairi asked, completely taken off guard.

Larxene waved the question away with a careless air. "How could I not? You're that girl that Sora had his sights on before he decided to..." She dramatically stopped mid-sentence. "No, it might break that weak, little heart of yours."

"What?" Kairi foolishly asked. "Tell me!"

Larxene placed her hands on her hips arrogantly. "Let me ask you, do you really believe that Sora has any feelings for you?"

Kairi's Keyblade arm dropped to her side. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you know how pathetically easy it was for him to forget about you?" Larxene raised an eyebrow. "Face it, he didn't want anything to do with you! That's why he left you back on your pitiful island. He had enough of you and decided to get away as far as possible!"

"What?" Kairi's heart started to ache. "No...that can't be..."

"Didn't he even say to you that you'd just be in his way?" Larxene continued. "And as soon as he entered Castle Oblivion, he forgot about you and that silly little promise you made!"

"Kairi! Don't listen to her!" Naminé pleaded.

"Sora went through Castle Oblivion for the sole purpose of seeing Naminé! While you were stuck waiting for him, he was cheating on you!" Kairi's doubt must have shown on her face, because Larxene's evil grin grew wider. "What? Does the truth break your heart?"

Kairi didn't know what to say. "I..." She could feel tears start to form in her eyes as sorrow and despair infiltrated her mind.

"That's not true!" Naminé said. "Kairi, he truly was and still is in love with you! He only came after me because I was forced to redirect his feelings for you!"

"Love," Larxene said, "It's all a bunch of nonsense! Too often, "I love you" is something people say when they want to get something out of you or control you. They don't actually mean anything by it." She tilted her head to one side, clearly enjoying the mental anguish she was causing Kairi. "You should just forget him. He never cared for you. You were just some toy whose feelings he could manipulate very easily."

"Is it true, Sora?" Kairi thought sadly. "Did you...really forget our promise?"

"Kairi, listen to me!" Naminé cried. "Larxene is someone who loves nothing more than to bring other people down. She's playing with your emotions, trying to weaken the bond between you and Sora!"

"Naminé," Kairi began slowly, "answer me truthfully. Did Sora forget the promise we made?"

Naminé took a few seconds to choose her words carefully. "He could never truly forget your promise. I may have altered his memories, but he stayed true to it. And if you still don't believe in his true feelings for you, check your belt!" Kairi's hand ran over her waist until she felt what Naminé was talking about.

* * *

"It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me!"

"Don't worry, I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."

"I'm always with you too. I'll come back to you! I promise!"

"W-We're back!"

"You're home."

* * *

"No," Kairi whispered.

Larxene looked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

"I SAID, NO!" Kairi cried, her voice becoming stronger. "It may not be enough to say "I love you." You can love more than one person. You can love in more than one way. You can love somebody as a friend. But it's just not that I love him, Larxene. It's not just that he loves me. We need each other." Kairi wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. There were no more tears in her eyes, but sparkles of faith. "That's how Sora beat you! Our hearts are connected and they always will be!"

Larxene was no longer smiling. "You'd fight for a heartless hero?"

"The only one who's heartless around here is you!" Kairi shot back, pointing her Keyblade.

Larxene giggled. "Well, duh! I'm a member of the Organization; I don't have a heart!"

Kairi could feel Naminé's fury start to boil over in her mind. "Let me at her!" Naminé argued.

"No!" Kairi snapped. "She's mine."

"Says the girl with the underdeveloped chest," Larxene taunted. Kairi usually never got angry. Her heart just never seemed to comprehend the emotion. She may have felt fear, concern and jealousy, but she never truly hated anyone. But after having her wedding ruined, being captured by a giant Heartless, personally violated by a Nobody and having to deal with all of this on her 16th birthday...

"Okay, b$#%h! You asked for it!" Kairi exploded as she tightened her grip on the Keyblade.

Lightning blasted from Larxene's hands as they formed kunai knives between her fingers. The air around her sparked with electrical fury. "It's your funeral."

Kairi's eyes narrowed. "Bring it, blondie!"

* * *

Aerith and Cid were trying to make their way to Ansem's Study so they could activate the town's security grid. Unfortunately, they soon found themselves trapped in-between Armored Knight Heartless and Sorcerer Nobodies.

"Well, looks like we've got no choice, then," Cid sighed. He turned to Aerith. "One more for old times sake?"

Aerith winked coyly. "You better believe it." Out of nowhere, Aerith whipped out what looked like a short stick. Clicking a button on the side, the stick expanded until it became a long metal staff. "Shall we?"

As the Heartless got closer, Aerith closed her eyes and started chanting in an ancient tongue as her body began to pulsate with ever-brightening light. After a few seconds, a soft drizzle started to fall. Her eyes snapped open as she threw her staff a few feet from her, magically hovering tall and erect. The light finally blasted outward from her body instantaneously stopping the rain. White-hot shafts of energy burned down through the sky, incinerating the Heartless.

The Sorcerer Nobodies started to close in on Cid. Sighing, he let out a long, sharp whistle. From behind cloud cover, a giant airship flew into position with its cannons locked-on to the enemy. Cid raised his arm and signaled the crew to open fire. Missiles bombarded the battlefield, taking out each and every single Nobody in their vicinity.

As soon as the smoke cleared, Cid chuckled. "Gotta love Shera. She knows exactly how to make a man feel proud."