I barely ever write Kairi, so here's some attempt to remedy that. :)
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Kairi's face was inches from Sora's.
It was as shining and red as her hair. Her brow was creased in concentration, her teeth gritted. They'd exchanged a flurry of blows, flashes of silver and gold against the sun, until they'd locked their Keyblades together, neither giving ground, both out of breath. Sora was proud of her, how far she'd come in such a short space of time, how quickly she took to the Keyblade, just like he had more than a year ago, just like Riku had more recently. She wielded it so naturally, like an extension of herself, even though she'd only fought one real battle in her life. Every day, she got faster, stronger; soon she might even be able to start on magic.
Then she collapsed onto her knees in the sand. Sora had her in his arms in an instant. At the other end of the beach, Riku jumped to his feet, but Sora made a gesture -- it's okay, it's fine, I have this under control.
Reluctantly, Riku sank back down. He always watched the two of them train, though he never took part himself. He'd sworn never to harm either of them again, ever, even in training. Sora thought it was silly, that he didn't trust himself around his best friends like that, but he wasn't going to force him. Riku took his new resolve extremely seriously.
Kairi slumped against Sora, her knuckles white on the hilt of her Keyblade. "I'm okay," she said. "Just need to rest a second."
Sora shook his head. "You should take a break, Kairi. You've been working way too hard."
"No!" She stared around at him, eyes afire. "I need to train. We don't have much time. I told you I want to fight with you both, by your side. I don't want to have to be rescued any more, or kidnapped, or sit around waiting, or..." she pulled away from Sora, "...taken care of, all the time."
Her limbs were still trembling slightly from the morning's exertion and lingering adrenaline, and it seemed only that and her sheer force of will were holding her upright. She looked so determined, it almost made him ashamed of insulting her by suggesting they stop.
But Sora pushed the thought aside, and climbed to his feet. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way. "The way you're training, you seriously do need rescuing. Just one more time -- from giving yourself heatstroke." He held out a hand to help her up. "We'll take a break, get you something to eat and drink, then we can go over that move one more time. Deal?"
Kairi looked at him, then to her Keyblade, and for a moment he thought she'd refuse. But then she gave a weak smile, and took his hand.
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Kairi's face was inches from Sora's.
It was as shining and red as her hair. Her brow was creased in concentration, her teeth gritted. They'd exchanged a flurry of blows, flashes of silver and gold against the sun, until they'd locked their Keyblades together, neither giving ground, both out of breath. Sora was proud of her, how far she'd come in such a short space of time, how quickly she took to the Keyblade, just like he had more than a year ago, just like Riku had more recently. She wielded it so naturally, like an extension of herself, even though she'd only fought one real battle in her life. Every day, she got faster, stronger; soon she might even be able to start on magic.
Then she collapsed onto her knees in the sand. Sora had her in his arms in an instant. At the other end of the beach, Riku jumped to his feet, but Sora made a gesture -- it's okay, it's fine, I have this under control.
Reluctantly, Riku sank back down. He always watched the two of them train, though he never took part himself. He'd sworn never to harm either of them again, ever, even in training. Sora thought it was silly, that he didn't trust himself around his best friends like that, but he wasn't going to force him. Riku took his new resolve extremely seriously.
Kairi slumped against Sora, her knuckles white on the hilt of her Keyblade. "I'm okay," she said. "Just need to rest a second."
Sora shook his head. "You should take a break, Kairi. You've been working way too hard."
"No!" She stared around at him, eyes afire. "I need to train. We don't have much time. I told you I want to fight with you both, by your side. I don't want to have to be rescued any more, or kidnapped, or sit around waiting, or..." she pulled away from Sora, "...taken care of, all the time."
Her limbs were still trembling slightly from the morning's exertion and lingering adrenaline, and it seemed only that and her sheer force of will were holding her upright. She looked so determined, it almost made him ashamed of insulting her by suggesting they stop.
But Sora pushed the thought aside, and climbed to his feet. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way. "The way you're training, you seriously do need rescuing. Just one more time -- from giving yourself heatstroke." He held out a hand to help her up. "We'll take a break, get you something to eat and drink, then we can go over that move one more time. Deal?"
Kairi looked at him, then to her Keyblade, and for a moment he thought she'd refuse. But then she gave a weak smile, and took his hand.
"Deal."