Time Marches On (Kairi centric Kingdom Hearts Fanfic)

A boy is a bug trapped in a bubble

A few hours and multiple casts of Stop later, Kairi has managed to carry the Unversed up to the main hall. After being too late with the first recasting— and having to chase the creature across the main island in the dark —she was now repeating it every time one of the antennae so much as started to twitch.

She's resigned to just waiting for the others to wake, it shouldn't be long now. But rather than exhaust herself with time magic until then, she thinks casting one of the boundary bubbles that Aqua had shown her might work better. A shimmer of purple and gold light seems to weave up from the floor around the Unversed, creating a small enclosed bubble. Only a little more than a foot in all directions, pulsing with the same light that it appeared to be made of. When Kairi touches the edge it makes a soft humming noise and glows a little brighter, most importantly it's solid enough to contain the creature.

Once the last bit of Stop fades, the Unversed is right back to the frantic jolting way movements as before. Not always solid, not always fully visible. There are dull thunking noises each time it collides with the barrier, as though it's bouncing off thick glass.

"You're just going to hurt yourself." Kairi tells it, sitting down on the floor next to her bubble. "I'm not letting you out, so just sit there and behave."

She isn't even sure it's listening. It hasn't seemed to acknowledge her at all after that first moment, and it's eyes haven't gone yellow again since she first caught it.

"Kairi?" Ventus pushes through the door carrying a heavy platter piled with breakfast food. "You're awake early."

"I was hoping you would be the first one here," Kairi says, scooting back to reveal the barrier and the Unversed inside. "I-" But before she can get another word out, Terra and Aqua file in, and she's cut off by Terra's exclamation:

"An Unversed!"

"Wait!" Kairi insists, jumping up and putting herself between the creature and the trio once more. "It's not just an Unversed it's-"

"-Vanitas." Ventus finishes, peering around Kairi at the creature in the bubble. "Or, what's left of him."

"Yes." Kairi confirms, relief flooding her at the realization that Ventus can tell like she can. Likely even better, given their connection. "I found him outside."

She steps aside as Ventus drops to a crouch in front of the bubble, making eye contact with the small creature that was Vanitas. It goes ballistic against its prison, eyes flashing rapidly between yellow and red as it ricochets off the bubble and floor. Ventus looks back at the older two and says, "We should bring him to Radiant Garden, get Even and Ienzo working on a replica for him."

"Ven..." Aqua starts "I don't know if that's the best idea."

"He deserves a chance!" Ventus says sharply "Our whole lives he's just been told he's half a person, nothing but the dark half of my heart, but he's got his own, I know it- Kairi—" He looks hopefully over to her "— you can feel it can't you?"

Kairi looks back at the Unversed, watches it go suddenly still as its eyes fade back to red. She thinks about Sora carrying so many hearts his whole life, how some of them hadn't even started out real. Thinks about that little shadow he had become after returning her heart all those years ago...

"I agree with Ventus." Kairi says firmly, "Vanitas deserves, at least, to have a proper body again."

"Terra?" Ventus asks, and Kairi can't help but wonder if Terra takes his own second chances into account when he nods.

"If it goes badly," He says "we just take him out again. Kairi, you should contact Master Yen Sid and let him know about this. You should probably be the one to take Vanitas to Radiant Garden, and Ven— you should go with her."

"What if Vanitas tries to fuse with you again?" Aqua asks, staring Ventus down like she's daring him to have a real answer.

Ventus scowls right back, "He didn't last time. Seemed pretty content to just 'Be darkness', whatever he meant by that." After a moment though, his expression goes soft and he adds, "I'll be careful, I promise. Plus, we don't even know if we'll be able to get him in a vessel when he's like this."

He's right on that count. Kairi isn't sure how they'll be able to move his heart from the Unversed form to one of the waiting replicas. The replicas can take a willing heart so long as it's close, but detaching from the Unversed might prove... unpleasant.

Kairi can't remember much of the night she got her heart back from Sora. She doesn't know how his body came back, or his heart. But releasing it...

That gave her an idea.

~*~

"And you're sure of this?" Master Yen Sid asks, raising a single eyebrow as though he does not believe a word.

"We're sure he should have the chance." Ventus replies, glancing over at Kairi before continuing. "I'll need that keychain, I think it will let us take his heart from the form he's in without-"

"Without killing him." Kairi finishes.

"Understood. I will send word ahead to Ansem the Wise, and let him know what to expect when you both arrive."

"Thank you, Master." Not for the first time, Kairi is glad she can hide her uncertainties so well. While she agrees with Ventus that they should try and give Vanitas another chance, it doesn't make the idea of bringing back one of the former pieces of Xehanort any more palatable. Especially not one so complicated as Vanitas is.

"One more thing," Master Yen Sid's voice breaks her train of thought. His tone has gone further into concern this time as he fixes Ventus with his colorless eyes. "Due to your connection with Vanitas, I think it would be best if you were not the one to restore his heart."

"But-" Ventus began to protest, but Master Yen Sid did not stop, turning his gaze on Kairi rather than arguing.

"-Kairi. Your status as a Princess of Heart should keep you protected, from whatever complications may arise out of such a heart. Nevertheless, be cautious. Do not let that creature out of sight."