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The Gift From Beyond (SoKai Week 2022)

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Greetings readers and fellow SoKai fans! Thanks again for coming back for the next instalment.

This one’s going to be the longest chapter since it contains my own take on Kairi’s Radiant Garden roots. Hope you all like it.

This chapter also contains an interesting concept I came up with that will really come as a surprise to you all.

So, let’s see how this visit with Kairi’s family progresses. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Sharing Stories

Radiant Garden

As she continued to be embraced by her birth family, Kairi started to realize how long she had been in this group hug. ‘Can’t blame them for wanting to make up for lost time. But I’m sure Joshua didn’t bring them here just for this.’

“Mom? Dad? Grandma? Not that I’m not enjoying this, but I think there’s other things we should be doing,” said the Princess of Heart.

Lillie was the first to break off from the embrace. “I’m afraid Kairi’s right. We’ve got to make the most of this visit and we can’t spend it just doing this. Especially since we’re leaving Kairi’s husband out of it.”

Grant’s face suddenly became uneasy. “Husband?” he muttered.

“Yes, dear. Today is our daughter’s wedding day so a significant other is usually part of the equation,” said Summer.

“Well, all right then,” said Grant as he reluctantly released his daughter and wife who then released each other.

Kairi then turned to the love of her life. “Sora! You can come over here now!” she called.

‘Well, here goes nothing,’ thought Sora as he approached the group.

As her husband got closer, Kairi could see the anxiety in his eyes. ‘Can’t really blame him for that. Mom and Dad don’t exactly know our history so he’s probably afraid they’re going to think he’s not good enough for me. But they don’t really know me that well either.’

Once Sora had properly joined the group, Kairi’s parents looked him over like her grandmother had done before. Though Summer regarded Sora with a gentle smile, Grant didn’t look all that impressed but neither did he look disapproving.

“Mom, Dad, this is Sora, my husband,” said Kairi.

“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. You know, Lillie mentioned earlier how Kairi took after you in looks and now that we’ve met, I can see how true that really is. You definitely must be her parents,” said Sora hoping his statement didn’t sound as awkward as he thought it was.

Kairi winced. ‘Oh, Sora. I know you’re feeling nervous around my parents. But that definitely was not your best icebreaker.’

Fortunately, her mother seemed to find it amusing as she chuckled. “Yes, we truly are, Sora. And we’re glad to meet you as well. Right, Grant?” asked Summer.

Grant said nothing. He still looked at Sora with uncertainty causing the Hero of the Keyblade to feel more uneasy.

Summer noticed and she did not like how her husband was regarding their son-in-law. She then gave him a small nudge with her elbow in his side.

“Oh. Uh, right! Likewise! Very happy to meet you!” Grant blurted out.

An uncomfortable silence then hung between the groom and the bride’s parents. Kairi then leaned close to her grandmother so she could whisper in her ear. “Grandma, this doesn’t seem to be off to a good start.”

“I can see that, Kairi. I actually anticipated something like this would happen on this visit. Fortunately, I know a way we can fix that,” Lillie whispered back before moving forward, so she was in between Kairi’s parents and Sora.

“It’s clear there’s some there’s a lot of tension here right now. But I believe that’s because we all really don’t know each other too well. I think the best thing we can do is simply sit down and talk about it,” Lillie stated.

“That sounds like a very good idea, Mother,” said Summer.

Inwardly, Sora breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank you, Lillie. Once we do that, maybe things won’t feel so awkward. But we’re going to need a few more things to sit on.’

He then looked around the garden and his eyes soon fell on some patio furniture a short distance away. There was another two-person bench and a single chair.

“I’m going to go bring that over here so you all will have a place to sit,” he said as he began to walk in their direction.

“That’s very considerate of you, Sora. Grant, I think you should go help him,” said Summer.

“Huh?” asked Grant.

“Look, Dad, it’s clear that Sora’s feeling a little pressure. Maybe you could help lessen it by getting a head start on getting to know him,” said Kairi with her mother and grandmother nodding in agreement.

Grant sighed. “You’re probably right, Kairi.”

He then ran in Sora’s direction. “Wait up, Sora. Let me help you. That bench especially looks like a two-person job.”

“Uh thank you, sir,” said Sora nervously as he and Grant walked side-by-side.

Grant noticed Sora’s tense demeanor. “Look, Sora, could we clear the air here?”.

“Uh sure,” Sora asked questioningly.

“You probably noticed that I’ve been acting a little odd about everything. And I just want to say that it’s not that I have anything against you. It’s just…” said Grant unsure of how to phrase it.

“Say no more, sir. I think I understand.”

“You do?”

“Yes. It is a rather unusual situation here, isn’t it? The last time you and your wife saw Kairi, she was just your newborn baby. So, going from that to seeing her as a married woman must be hard to reconcile.”

Grant blinked in surprise. He couldn’t believe how accurate Sora was. And though he hadn’t known his son-in-law for that very long, he could see that Sora was someone he might be able to trust.

He let out a sigh. “It is hard, Sora. Summer may be taking it in stride. But being able to do that has always been one of her best qualities. For me, it’s more difficult and it actually bothers me a little knowing that I don’t really know my own daughter,” he said as they finally reached the bench.

As they each took position on either end of the bench, lifted it up and began to walk it back to the others, Sora said, “If you don’t mind, sir, I might be able to tell you a little about Kairi.”

“I guess that could be helpful,” said Grant.

“All right then. Although, it might be a little difficult because there are no words good enough to describe how amazing she really is.”

Grant gave a small chuckle. “Go on.”

“Well, for starters, let me just tell you she has one of the strongest and most caring hearts in all the worlds. I’d never have been able to do my part in protecting the worlds from the forces of darkness without her. We’ve been best friends for a long time and when we took the step up to being lovers, I couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend.”

A part of Sora’s statement struck a chord within Grant. ‘Protecting the worlds from darkness? What exactly is he involved in?’

Then Sora suddenly frowned. “However, there are times when I wonder how I managed to win the heart of someone so wonderful because, to be honest, I’ve also wondered if she would’ve been better off finding someone else to love.”

“What do you mean?” Grant asked.

Sora sighed. “The truth is, sir, Kairi’s been through a lot of bad times, and they’ve happened because of me. Believe me, it was never intentional and there were other factors at work. But I still played my part and I’ll never forgive myself for that. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she ever thought that loving me was more trouble than it’s worth. But in the end, in spite of everything that’s happened, she still wanted to be with me. Because that’s just the kind of person she is, and I absolutely love her for it.”

As they continued to walk the bench over to the others, Grant considered Sora’s words. Though he didn’t outright show it, he was impressed by how Sora praised his daughter’s best qualities instead of promoting his own. And while he still wondered about those bad times and what exactly his daughter and son-in-law’s lives had been like, he had to acknowledge Sora’s integrity in admitting his role in the times Kairi suffered.

Finally, for the first time, Grant gave Sora a smile. “You know, Summer’s and my time with Kairi was pretty brief so we never really considered anything about who she would marry.”

Sora chuckled. “Well, it was kind of early since she was just a baby.”

Grant chuckled as well. “Yes. That is true. But I know that we’d only want the best for her. And it starting to seem to me like she found it.”

Upon hearing those words from his father-in-law, Sora felt a mix of pride and relief. It seemed that he and Grant were starting to click.

It wasn’t too long after the end of their conversation that they finally reached the others. Sora and Grant then placed the bench on the ground near the bench Sora and Kairi had been sitting on earlier.

“I’ll go back and get that chair now. But I can handle it on my own,” said Sora.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like any help with it?” asked Grant.

Sora shook his head. “No. But thanks for the offer. See you all in a bit,” he said as he headed back to retrieve the chair.

Kairi walked up to her father. “You two certainly took your time.”

“Well, you did want me to get a head start on getting to know him and that’s what I was doing,” said Grant. ‘Although, Sora was actually helping me get to know you better actually. And he certainly gave me a very good impression of you, precious.’

“I do hope that’s really what you were doing, and you weren’t actually giving him a hard time or trying to intimidate him or something else like that. Did you, Grant?” asked Lillie.

“Because you never liked that when my own father did that to you,” added Summer.

Grant held up his hands in defense. “Believe me, I didn’t do anything of the sort.”

Kairi sighed in relief. “Thank you so much for that, Dad. In the early days after we became girlfriend and boyfriend, Sora always felt a little on edge around my adoptive father. Guess the fact that he was the Islands’ mayor made Sora afraid of displeasing him.”

Grant laughed. “Well, I guess it’s lucky for him that I don’t wield any kind of political power.”

Then he gave his daughter a gentle smile. “But I can tell you this, Kairi. From what I’ve seen of Sora now, you really found someone pretty special.”

Kairi then looked off in the direction where Sora was. A loving look came to her eye as she saw watched Sora bring over the chair.

‘He always has been. Just can’t believe it took a bunch of crazy adventures for me to realize just how special he really was to me.’

Finally, Sora had returned to them with the chair in hand. He placed it near the two benches, so the three pieces of furniture formed a near triangular arrangement so when everyone would be facing each other once they sat down.

Everyone soon took their places. Sora and Kairi returned to the bench they had used earlier. Grant and Summer sat on the other bench and Lillie took the chair.

“There we go. Now that we’re all seated, we’ve got some stories to share,” said Lillie.

“So, darling, who wants to go first? Us or you?” Summer asked Sora and Kairi.

Kairi then piped up. “Well, if you don’t mind, since Sora’s and mine is very long, could you tell us about yourselves first? Like what did you both do for a living and how you met? I’m sure Grandma might’ve told me before when I was young. But that was so long ago, my memory may need some refreshing.”

“I guess that’ll do to start things. Well, Kairi, the story that answers your questions actually begins with your father’s hobby which later became his career. Grant?” asked Lillie.

Grant cleared his throat. “I’ve always been an art lover ever since I was a boy and I hoped I could pursue a career in it when I got older. The hard part was deciding exactly what kind of artist I wanted to be. A painter? A sculptor? There were so many options. I couldn’t decide until I realized I could blend my love of art with something else I loved.”

“And what was that?” asked Sora.

“Gardening,” said Lillie answering the question on her son’s behalf. “Aside from being an art lover, Grant also loved to work outside. Especially with flowers. When he was young, he would always be my special helper whenever we planted flowers together. Just like how we used to as well, Kairi. But I noticed that he went far above simply planting. He had a talent for arranging them, alongside various structures and ornaments, in ways that resembled great works of art.”

“I will admit it was risky. I mean, Radiant Garden has so many other talented gardeners so it would be hard for me to make my mark. But eventually, my talent was recognized, and many started to hire me for my garden designs. For everyone who hired me, I always made a unique design for them,” said Grant.

“Best exterior designer in all of Radiant Garden,” said Summer.

“Even Ansem the Wise himself hired your father to design a garden for the castle,” said Lillie.

“He did?” asked Kairi.

Grant nodded. “Who do you think designed this particular garden we’re sitting in?” he asked as he gestured to their surroundings causing Sora and Kairi to gasp in surprise.

“This garden was designed by you?” asked Sora.

“Yes, indeed. And I can’t believe how little it’s changed even years after we’ve been gone. They’ve even kept using the same flowers and ornaments.”

“I guess the Restoration Committee must’ve liked your design, they couldn’t bear to change it even during the time Ansem was gone,” said Kairi.

Lillie’s eyes widened. “Restoration Committee? Something happened to Ansem? What was it?”

“Well, that’s one part of the very long story and we’ll fill you in on it later. But he is back now and he’s still ruling this world and researching ways to keep it and the rest of the worlds safe,” said Sora. ‘And thankfully, he and his apprentices, both old and new, know not to go too far.’

“Well, that’s good to hear,” said Lillie.

“Now getting back to the previous subject, that’s pretty amazing that Dad designed this garden. It makes me wonder what other gardens here are his works,” said Kairi.

“Well, darling, it has been a long time and I imagine a few of his previous clients may have done something different with their gardens since then. But his designs were pretty popular so maybe a few still do use them,” said Summer.

“So, how did that lead to you two meeting?” Sora asked.

Summer smiled. “Well, any artist needs their supplies for their creations. So, like a painter needs paint, your father needed flowers for his garden designs and that’s what lead him to me. You see, I was in the business of growing flowers and selling them.”

“So, you were a florist?” asked Sora.

“Not exactly, Sora. I was more into growing flowers for people to replant in their gardens. I was pretty good at it. Although, it helps that I had the best mentor in that area of expertise, Elmyra Gainsborough. She taught me everything I know, and she was also a very good friend,” Summer answered.

“Hold it, Mom. Sorry to interrupt but did you say Gainsborough?” asked Kairi.

Summer looked puzzled. “Yes, that’s right. Why do you ask?”

“That’s our friend Aerith’s last name,” said Sora.

“Oh! You still know Aerith?” asked Lillie.

Kairi became confused as she looked at her grandmother. “Still? You mean I knew her before?”

“Oh yes. Despite your difference in age, you two were actually pretty good friends. She actually was almost like an older sister to you,” said Lillie.

“Now I remember! Elmyra was raising a little girl that she had adopted. Well, I’m glad you two became friends,” said Summer.

Now Kairi was even more confused as she turned to Sora. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Why didn’t Aerith recognize me when we met her later?”

“Well, in all fairness to her, it had been a long time since you had seen each other. And remember, Mickey didn’t remember helping save you until Aqua brought it up. But I guess we have some things we need to talk to her about,” said Sora.

Upon hearing the exchange between her daughter and her son-in-law, a concerned look came to Summer’s face. “Kairi, what do you mean someone saved you?”

“Yes. I’m wondering about that myself. You never told me about anything like that,” said Lillie giving a bit of a hard stare to her granddaughter.

“And your grandmother also mentioned to us that you went missing from Radiant Garden and she never saw you again. What exactly has happened to you in your life?” asked Grant.

Kairi let out a sigh. “Those are all parts of the long story that Sora mentioned. But we’ll tell you once you and Mom are finished yours. That is, unless you want us to start it now?”

Grant, Summer and Lillie exchanged glances. When they agreed to this visit, they knew they would have so many questions about Kairi’s life. And now, it was becoming clear that her life may have contained some very worrisome aspects.

Finally, Summer said, “Okay, Kairi. We’ll continue. But maybe it’s best that you and Sora hold off on referring to certain parts of your lives that could cause us to worry.”

“We’ll try,” said Kairi as Sora nodded in agreement.

“All right then. Honey, would you care to take over from here?” Summer asked her husband.

“Gladly. Well, one day, I was working on one of my garden projects. Problem was, it called for a very special kind of flower. I looked in all of the shops, but I couldn’t find them anywhere. That is, until I came to Gainsborough Gardening. I was about to ask about the flowers I needed. But when I saw this lovely redheaded woman in the shop, I practically forgot what I had come in for,” said Grant as he exchanged a smile with his wife.

“Aww!” Kairi cooed as she instinctively grasped Sora’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. ‘Looks like it was love at first sight. Just like us, Sora, even if we didn’t know it at the time.’

Summer let out a giggle. “I must admit, I had never gotten that kind of reaction from someone before. It felt a little strange but at the same time, I also felt pretty flattered. Eventually, Grant snapped out of it, and I guided him to the flowers he was looking for. That could have been the only time I ever saw him. But fortunately, I was wrong.”

Grant chuckled. “I started to frequent Gainsborough Gardening more than other shop for my supplies. It may not have been cost effective at times. But it was worth it to get a chance to talk to Summer. Eventually, I summoned the courage to ask her out to one of Radiant Garden’s annual festivals. To both my absolute joy and absolute terror, she said yes.”

“Oh, I remember how nervous you were before that date, Grant. But I also remember how you came home with that look of absolute bliss on your face,” said Lillie eliciting laughs from Sora, Kairi and Summer.

“Ma!” exclaimed Grant as his cheeks reddened.

“It was after that festival date that our courtship truly began. We did many things together over the next two years. Then, on the anniversary of the day he first walked into Gainsborough Gardens, Grant invited me to his personal garden to show me a new design he had been working on. Kairi, you could only imagine my surprise when I saw exactly what it was,” said Summer.

“What was it?” asked Kairi.

“Your father had, with flowers, spelled out the words ‘Marry me, Summer?’. And when I turned around to face him, he was down on knees and holding out a box with a ring in it. It took me a few moments to shake off my initial shock. But in the end, I managed to say yes,” said Summer gazing lovingly at her husband.

“Wow! You really went all out with that proposal,” said Sora.

“Yours was just as wonderful too, Sora. Returning my lucky charm with an engagement ring attached to it? It was so sweet and so you,” said Kairi.

“A few months later, we were married. And let me just say, Kairi, in that gown you’re wearing, you’re the spitting image of your mother on that day,” said Grant.

“So, I’ve heard,” said Kairi.

“Huh?”

“Grandma sort of told me that earlier.”

Grant looked over to his mother who gave a sheepish shrug. ‘Way to steal my thunder, Ma,’ he thought as he folded his arms with a small huff.

“It was indeed a wonderful ceremony. I was so proud of my boy. He and Summer truly had found someone to always treasure and love,” said Lillie as she wiped away a tear.

Then Sora piped up. “Hold on for a second. By any chance, was the wedding held in the Angels in Flight Chapel?” he asked.

Summer’s eyes opened in surprise. “Why, yes Sora. That is where Grant and I got married. Why do you…?” Summer responded before her eyes got even wider in realization as did Grant’s.

“Oh my gosh! That’s where you two got married today, didn’t you?” asked Grant.

Sora nodded. “Yes, indeed. After he got news of our engagement, Ansem insisted that we have the ceremony in the finest chapel in Radiant Garden. I’ve seen some pretty impressive buildings throughout the worlds and the Angels in Flight definitely counts as one of them.”

“It was such a special place to have our wedding. And now it’s even more special knowing that’s where you two got married as well,” Kairi added.

“It’s great to know that, Kairi. Anyway, after your parents had their honeymoon, they moved into their new home and even asked me to come to live with them,” said Lillie.

“You all lived together, Grandma?” asked Kairi.

“Oh yes. Your father had lived with me since your grandfather passed. And even though he now had a wife of his own, he didn’t want me to be alone even though I said I would be fine. But when Summer insisted as well, I just couldn’t say no,” said Lillie.

“So, there we were. A married couple with steady and successful jobs starting out on our lives. We thought life couldn’t get any better. That is, until we learned we were expecting our first child,” said Grant.

“And Kairi, the day you were born, well, words can’t describe our joy. When we first held you in our arms, we felt truly blessed,” said Summer.

“I’ll never forget when we first saw those lovely blue eyes of yours. True, they were similar to mine and your grandmother’s. But there was something a little more to them. They shined in a way that reminded us of the sea,” said Grant.

Kairi gasped. “Is that why…?”

“Yes, dear. They decided to give you a name related to the sea. So, I suggested that they name you Kairi,” said Lillie.

“What was Baby Kairi like?” asked Sora.

“Sora!” exclaimed Kairi.

“What? My mom’s told you all about how I was when I was baby. Now it’s my turn to find out about you,” said Sora.

Kairi sighed. “Very well. Go ahead.”

“Well, Sora, to answer your question, Kairi was actually a pretty friendly baby. She rarely cried and she always took to meeting new people so easily,” said Summer.

“But, boy, she was a feisty one once she was able to move on her own. I never thought something so little could contain so much energy,” added Grant.

Sora laughed. “Well, you’ll be interested to know that she hasn’t changed that much.”

“Yes. We were all so happy, the four of us. The future looked bright, and its possibilities seemed endless,” said Lillie before her face saddened. “So unfortunate when a twist of fate dashes all that.”

Summer, Grant and Lillie gazed sadly at each other. They knew what part of their story was coming up. And it obviously wasn’t something they looked forward to telling.

“If this is too uncomfortable for you to tell…,” said Sora.

“You don’t have to…” added Kairi.

“No, Kairi. You deserve to know what happened. After all, I was going to tell you someday when you got older,” said Lillie.

“You always told me something bad happened to Mom and Dad and that was why they weren’t around. But you never told me exactly what,” said Kairi.

“Do you still want to know?” asked Summer.

Kairi thought for a second. Then she nodded.

“Alright. Well, Kairi, the day we lost your parents was one of the most horrible days in Radiant Garden’s history. It started like any other day. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But then all of a sudden, a mysterious explosion came from underground and decimated part of the town. Many lives were lost and sadly, my beloved son and daughter-in-law were among them,” said Lillie sadly.

“Oh no,” muttered Kairi as Sora squeezed her hand in comfort.

“Did they ever find out what caused that explosion?” asked Sora.

Lillie shook her head. “I’m afraid they never found the reason for it, Sora. Although, there were rumors that survivors who had been working underground saw some sort of shadowy figure before the explosion. But nothing was ever confirmed.”

Sora thought about what he just heard. ‘A Heartless? Or maybe it was some other kind of creature from the Darkness?’

Then a horrible thought came to the Hero of Keyblade. ‘Or worse. What if it was someone like Xehanort or the Master of Masters and they caused they caused the death of her parents and others to set Kairi on her supposed destined path? I really hope that wasn’t the case because it really makes me angry when someone does these horrible things and justifies them by saying destiny says so.’

Lillie continued with her story. “Regardless of how it happened, the loss of your parents left me devastated. But my heart especially ached for you, Kairi. You were so young to be without your parents and now you would never truly know how wonderful they were. I knew I could never replace them, and an uncertain future lay ahead for both of us. But, in spite of that, I vowed that no matter what, you have the best childhood and best life that I could give you.”

“Well, I’d say you succeeded with that, Grandma. From what I can remember, living in Radiant Garden with you was a very happy time in my life. While there were times you were busy working to provide for us, you always made time to play with me and tell me stories and just be the best grandmother I could ask for,” said Kairi

The Princess of Heart then lowered her head. “But I never realized how hard it must have been for you. You must have had to be so strong to do what you had to do for both of us and I never really thanked you for it.”

Lillie gave her granddaughter a gentle smile. “You never had to, my child. True, there were times when it felt difficult, and things seemed like they weren’t going to work out. But you know what always gave me strength to carry on? You.”

“Me?” asked Kairi.

“Yes. Whenever things were looking bleak, I just remembered who I was doing it all for. Through the toughest and darkest times, you, my beloved granddaughter, were my light.”

Sora looked at his wife with a smile. ‘That’s hardly a surprise. Kairi can bring light to anyone by just being herself.’

“Well, I guess there’s nothing more to say then. Now I believe it’s time that you two told us your story,” said Lillie as Grant and Summer nodded in agreement.

“Wait a minute, Grandma. There’s still one more thing I need to know from you before we start that,” said Kairi.

Lillie gave a perplexed look. “Oh. Of course. What is it?”

Kairi took a deep breath before she asked, “What happened to you after I disappeared from Radiant Garden?”

Her grandmother suddenly looked hesitant. “Oh, Kairi, I don’t know if you want to hear that.”

“Why not, Ma?” asked Grant.

“Yes, you didn’t seem to have any trouble telling her about what happened to us,” said Summer.

“This is a different matter. Kairi, you know when you apologized earlier, and I told you it wasn’t your fault?” Lillie asked her granddaughter.

“Yes?” Kairi responded with confusion in her voice.

“Well, I’m afraid if I tell you what happened to me, you might start to blame yourself for it even though you’re not responsible for it.”

Kairi gasped as horrible thoughts ran through her head. ‘Did something bad happen to Grandma because I disappeared?’

“Kai, listen to me,” Sora piped up getting his wife’s attention.

He took her hands into his. “If your disappearance had anything to do with what happened to her, then you know who’s really to blame for it. You didn’t leave Radiant Garden by choice. Just remember that.”

Grant looked like he wanted to ask Sora for details on what he meant by that. But before he could, Summer took his hand and shook her head.

“I know that sounded concerning, honey. But I’m sure Kairi and Sora will tell us when the time comes,” she whispered to her husband who gave her a nod.

Kairi, in the meantime, finished contemplating her husband’s words. Then she nodded and then turned back to her grandmother.

“Grandma, please tell me what happened. I have to know.”

Lillie let out a sigh. “All right then. Well, Kairi, though the day you went missing was one I’d rather forget, I unfortunately never can. Dinnertime had come but you had not returned home. That was so unlike you. I thought you may have gotten occupied picking flowers or something and lost track of time, so I left home to look for you. But you were not in the places you usually were. I was getting more worried. I started asking the neighbors and the shopkeepers if they had seen you. I even informed the town constable. But no one had see you. After I had done all I could, I returned home to wait and hope for your return.”

‘And I never did,’ thought Kairi whose heart was aching for all her grandmother had been through.

“So, what happened next?” Sora asked.

“A few days passed with no sign of her. Then things took another turn for the worse. Radiant Garden was hit by a storm. It frightened me. Not just because I had no idea where Kairi was, but also there was also something unnatural about this storm. Then, through my window, I saw the creatures. Dark monsters with glowing yellow eyes prowling around attacking anyone they could find. Then I remembered the stories. Stories about worlds falling into the Darkness and I realized that it was now happening to Radiant Garden. That’s when the sheer enormity of all the tragedy that had occurred in my life finally caught up to me. The sudden loss of my son and his wife. The mysterious disappearance of my granddaughter who meant so much to me. And now, my home was being consumed by the Darkness. It all became too much for me to bear that I lost the will to live and passed away,” said Lillie as she hung her head in sadness.

Sora’s face showed no emotion. But inside, he was fuming. Hearing Lillie’s tale made him realize she was another life ruined by Xehanort. And since he knew by now that Xehanort had been a pawn of his, the Master of Masters was responsible as well.

“Oh Grandma. I’m sorry you had to go through all that,” said Kairi as she reached over and took her grandmother’s hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Lillie’s sadness soon gave way to a smile. “It’s all right, Kairi. If it’s any comfort, when I reached the afterlife and reunited with your parents, I learned that you weren’t there yet. That gave me hope that somewhere, you were alive, safe and in the company of someone good.”

Then Lillie looked to Sora. “And it looks like that’s what happened,” she said giving her grandson-in-law a smile.

Kairi turned to Sora. ‘Yes, Grandma. That’s exactly what happened,’ she thought as she smiled at her husband.

“Well, I guess that’s all we can really say about our stories,” said Lillie

“Which means it’s finally time for you two to tell us yours,” said Summer.

“And don’t hold back on anything, no matter what. We’d like to know everything, the good and the bad,” said Grant firmly.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other. As much as they’d love to share their story, they knew it also entailed bringing up a few bad memories. But they also knew this was their only time with Kairi’s family to tell it so they had no other choice.

“Mom, Dad, Grandma, we’re ready to tell you everything. And it’s a good thing Joshua brought us to this plane where time moves slower,” said Kairi.

“Because the tale we have to tell is long and complicated. There are even a few parts we barely understand ourselves. But we’ll do our best,” said Sora.

And so, the newlyweds began their story. The bride’s family listened with complete attention. They did not want to miss a single detail that Sora and Kairi had to give.

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“And when we finally defeated the final Darkness along with the Master of Masters, we finally entered into the peaceful time we are in now,” said Kairi bring their tale to a close.

The newlyweds gazed at Kairi’s parents and grandmother. They had remained silent throughout the whole story save for some occasional questions when certain aspects needed clarification. But now, even though the tale was over, they still were at a loss for words.

“Are you all okay? I hope we didn’t upset you too much. I know some parts weren’t very pleasant,” said Sora.

“No, we’re fine, Sora. I guess we’re still trying to take it all in. I mean, you and Kairi didn’t have what most people would call a normal life,” said Summer.

Kairi weakly chuckled. “That is true. We really missed out on that. Our adventures sure cost us a lot.”

Sora then squeezed Kairi’s hand. “But we also like to believe we gained a lot too from them.”

“Well, I do have this to say,” said Lillie before fixing her granddaughter with a hard stare. “Kairi, why in all the worlds, did you never tell me about that incident where Master Aqua and King Mickey saved you from those Unversed creatures? Especially since it led to you accidentally acquiring the power of the Keyblade.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma. That was so long ago that I can’t remember exactly why I never told you about that. I guess maybe I didn’t want you to worry too much especially after what happened to Mom and Dad. And, remember, I didn’t know that I could wield a Keyblade until years later when Riku gave me mine in the Organization’s castle.”

Lillie sighed. “Well, I guess I can’t be too mad at you for that. It was so long ago. And I guess I should be grateful that someone was there to save you. Could you thank Master Aqua and King Mickey on my behalf?”

“We will,” said Sora.

Summer then piped up. “I still find it amazing that our daughter is so integral to the survival of the worlds’ light since she’s one of these Princesses of Heart. You know, when Kairi was born, Grant and I felt that there was something special about her. Who could’ve known how right we really were?”

“Thanks, Mom. It has been an honor to carry this pure light within my heart and it’s enabled me to do some amazing things once I learned how. Although, I will admit, there were times when it’s felt more like a curse than an honor,” said Kairi hanging her head.

“I can understand why. It was because you were one of the Princesses that Xehanort sent you away from Radiant Garden believing you would be drawn to a Keyblade wielder,” said Lillie.

Grant clenched his fist. “Xehanort,” he growled.

Sora looked a Grant with sympathy. Kairi’s father had been in that frame of mind ever since they told him of what happened in their final battle against Xehanort.

“Grant, it’s not doing you any good to keep dwelling like that,” said Summer.

“It was horrible, Dad. But it really doesn’t matter now since Xehanort’s been long gone. Sora made sure of that,” said Kairi.

“I know, Kairi. I know. But I can’t help it. Sending you away from Radiant Garden was bad enough. But just picturing what he did to you during this Keyblade War? Well, he’s lucky I wasn't there, or I would have torn him limb from limb. That is, if I had some kind of weapon that could best his Keyblade or the χ-blade,” said her father.

“I know how you feel, Grant. Throughout our last battle, I wanted to make him pay for what he did to her. I really wanted to shatter his heart into a million pieces the way he just did mine,” said Sora grimly.

Now it was Grant’s turn to give a look of sympathy to his son-in-law. As horrible as it was for him to learn about Xehanort’s horrible deed, it more horrible for Sora since he had to actually watch it happen.

“And yet, you didn’t, Sora. Even after he had just apparently taken Kairi’s life in front of you, you managed to keep it together during the battle,” said Grant.

“You didn’t even kill him yourself after it was over,” added Summer.

“It takes a special kind of strength to not give in to that kind of darkness, Sora, and I commend you for that,” said Lillie.

“Believe me, it wasn’t easy. In previous battles, I had struck down villains such as Maleficent before. But, except for Davy Jones after he stabbed my friend Will and nearly killed him, none of them had ever made it personal like Xehanort had. Even after Xion told me Kairi would be okay, I still wanted to avenge her. But I knew that I couldn’t risk giving into hatred, not when the fate of all the worlds was at stake,” said Sora.

“That’s right, Sora. If that had happened, Xehanort probably could’ve used it to his advantage and won the fight. Or worse. You could’ve become a Heartless again,” said Kairi.

“And unlike the first time you changed, you probably would have been no different than any other Heartless. And Kairi wouldn’t have been around that time to bring you back. You would’ve been lost forever,” said Lillie.

Sora nodded. “Exactly. But you want to know what else kept me from letting the darkness overcome me?” he asked causing everyone to nod clearly wanting to know.

“It was Kairi. Although she wasn’t there with me, I knew that she wouldn’t want me to sink to Xehanort’s level. Had I done that, I would only end up betraying everything she ever loved about me.”

Sora then turned to Kairi and smiled. “After all, you once told me, ‘Sora, don’t ever change.’ And I definitely wasn’t going to start at that moment.”

Kairi smiled; her heart touched by her husband’s words. “Oh, Sora. I’m glad to hear that my words were able to keep you in the light,” she said causing Sora’s smile to grow bigger.

Then she giggled. “But seriously? Sora, we were so young when I told you that and looking back, it was kind of childish to think that nothing would change. After all, everything does eventually.”

Sora nodded. “Yes, I know, Kai. We both have changed in so many ways over the years and it was inevitable. But I like to believe that, in the best ways, we’ve remained the same.”

“And that’s something I heartily agree with you on,” said Kairi squeezing her husband’s hands.

Kairi’s parents and grandmother watched the exchange between the newlyweds. They found it both amusing and touching.

“Well, aside from all the dark times you both went through, you both seem to have had some amazing adventures,” said Lillie.

“It sounds like you’ve also made a lot of incredible friends. And such a wide variety too,” said Summer.

“Royalty, animals, superheroes, merpeople, pirates, monsters, living toys, computer programs; it absolutely blows my mind. And you say they all came to your wedding?” asked Grant.

“Oh yes. It took a lot of Gummi Ship trips and some of our guests required some magical assistance. But we managed to make it so all our friends from around the worlds could share this special day with us,” said Kairi.

“And not just from the other worlds. We also managed to have our friends from the other universes here as well,” chimed in Sora.

“Other universes? What do you mean by that?” asked Lillie.

“Oh! We didn’t mention that?” asked Sora to which Lillie, Summer and Grant shook their heads.

“I can’t believe we forgot to mention it since it was such a big adventure even if it was kind of a side story that wasn’t as connected as our other adventures had been. But since it’s come up, we might as well tell you if you’re interested,” said Kairi to which her parents and grandmother nodded.

“Well, as it turns out, all the worlds and all the realms that we know, including even Quadratum, make up one single universe. And there’s apparently many others each with their own worlds, heroes and villains,” said Sora.

“We all learned about them when Sora, along with the other universes’ greatest heroes, was called upon to fight against two evil entities, one of darkness and one of light,” said Kairi. ‘And it certainly wasn’t the first time when we learned that light didn’t necessarily mean goodness.’

“This sounds fascinating. What are some of these other universes like?” asked Grant.

“Well, let’s see. There’s this one universe that’s essentially a kingdom of mushrooms and it’s always being threatened by a villain who’s a cross between a turtle and a dragon. And you won’t believe it, but the main hero who protects this kingdom is a plumber,” said Sora.

“A plumber, you say?” asked Lillie.

“Yes. Heroes really do come in all shapes and sizes. Especially in this other universe where a crazy doctor tries to conquer the world with machines and he’s constantly thwarted by a group of animals that include a blue hedgehog with super speed, a fox with two tails who can fly, and a red echidna who really packs a punch,” said Kairi.

“What’s an echidna?” asked Grant.

“Well, according to other worlds’ animal knowledge, it’s a kind of mammal that’s a cross between an anteater and a porcupine. And it also lays eggs,” said Kairi. ‘And oddly enough, we ended up befriending another egg-laying mammal on one of the worlds in our universe. And he’s a secret agent too.’

“Interesting. Can you tell us about some others? Maybe some that really stood out to you?” asked Summer.

“Oh yes, there definitely was one that really surprised me because it actually had alternate versions of some of our friends from Radiant Garden. I couldn’t believe it. They were pretty similar in appearance. But their backgrounds and personalities all had some major differences,” said Sora before frowning slightly. ‘And sadly, one of the biggest differences is that one of them is dead in that universe. But best not to tell them that especially since Lillie knew the version we have here.’

“I definitely need to tell you about one of my favorites. It’s a universe that’s home to an immense variety of amazing creatures. From ones with various powers over fire, water, earth, and electricity to others that resemble plants, ghosts, bugs and fairies. They kind of reminded me of the Dream Eaters from the Realm of Sleep. And a lot of them are absolutely adorable!” Kairi exclaimed causing Sora and her family to laugh.

Once their laughing died down, they all gave sighs of contentment. For a few moments, the five of them just exchanged smiles.

Then Lillie piped up. “Well, Kairi, Sora, you certainly have told us quite an epic tale. After hearing it, I’d say we now know you both a lot better now.”

“Yes. When Joshua said he was bringing us to see you, your mother and I were wondering what kind of person our daughter turned out to be. And now, we can see you turned out to be a very wonderful woman. No parents could be prouder,” said Grant causing Kairi to smile.

“Though it saddens us to know that it wasn’t because we raised you that way ourselves, we’re grateful that you found people who did. You will thank your adoptive parents for us, will you?” asked Summer.

“Of course, Mom,” said Kairi.

“And if it’s worth anything, after getting to know all of you, I’m sure Kairi would’ve turned out just as well had she been raised by you,” said Sora.

Grant smiled at his son-in-law. “Thank you, Sora.”

“All of us have certainly learned a lot from each other as we talked about our pasts. But now I think our next topic is learning what Sora and Kairi have planned for their future,” said Lillie.

“Ma’s right. What are you two going to do now that you’re married?” asked Grant.

Sora and Kairi exchanged glances out of the corner of their eyes. An air of apprehension hung between them.

“I guess we should have seen this coming, Kai. We have to tell them,” Sora whispered to his wife.

Kairi nodded. “I know we do, Sora. I only hope they’ll approve,” she whispered back.

Clearly, something was causing the newlyweds to be hesitant about revealing their plans for the future. But since there was no chance of avoiding the subject, they had no choice but to be honest and hope that Kairi’s family would understand.

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Notes from the Mad Doctor:

Ooh! Is there something about their future plans that Sora and Kairi are afraid her family will disapprove of? Or is it something else entirely? You’ll just have to find out next chapter!

I’m a little unsure if I did a good job in conveying the initial awkwardness that Sora would feel while meeting Kairi’s parents. It was not an easy thing to write so I can only hope that I succeeded.

I also hope you enjoyed the backstory I came up with Kairi’s grandmother and parents. It’s highly likely be negated if we ever learn Kairi’s full canon backstory. Hopefully, someday Tetsuya Nomura will finally see fit to reveal it.

I certainly hope you weren't expecting me to write Sora and Kairi tell their whole story. It would probably take me over a year or two to write such a thing so I’m sorry to disappoint you LOL!

I can imagine all of us SoKai fans, like Grant, wanted to rip Xehanort apart for denying us a SoKai happy ending. In fact, when I struck the final blow on him in the game, I was thinking, ‘That was for Kairi!’.

In case it wasn’t blatantly obvious, the concept of alternate universes was a way to tie Super Smash Bros. to Kingdom Hearts. I know those games cannot possibly be canon to all the franchises represented. But given Kingdom Hearts is a crossover naturally, it’s not too big a stretch in my opinion.

Care to guess which universes Sora and Kairi were talking about? As if, they weren’t obvious as well.

I give my thanks to whoever reads this chapter.

I also give my special thanks to @ultramimicook, @bmc181, @chirithy564, @thepyrolectricfox, @frostdemon38, @fandomchanger and @multifandom-lonnie for liking the previous chapters as well as @sokaiweek, @the-secret-place, and @phoenix-downer for reblogging the previous chapters.

Comments, likes and reblogs are much appreciated! We’ll find out what Sora and Kairi have planned for their future and what they’re so afraid of revealing to her family next chapter! Stay tuned!

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Onto the next chapter!

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