The Girl With Wings Like Glass (A Kingdom Hearts Story)

Demons Of the Past

Iris ran through the streets of Traverse Town, calling out Sunny's name every once in a while. Sunny responded, though she sounded terrified.

Finally, Iris skidded through the doors of the Second District, and was met with a horrible sight.

The entire district was completely overtaken by masses of black creatures. They were small, but with huge lamplike eyes. They seemed to sort of stagger on two feet, instead of truly walking.

In the center of this turmoil, Sunny was throwing beams of light from the palms of her hands. She could do that, as her entire race could.

Sunny caught sight of Iris and yelled, "They all just appeared...I didn't even get a warning! I'm ok right now but...these things are persistent!"

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Iris yelled.

Iris then pulled out her wand - something she rarely used nowadays, as she had no reason to use it.

Twirling her wrist, she sent two beams of light magic toward the masses of creatures. They scattered where the beams hit.

She flicked her wrist upwards, sending several orbs of light into the air and raining down on the creatures like missiles. They disappeared when they were hit.

With Sunny and Iris working together, it didn't take long for the creatures to be eradicated.

Sunny ran up to Iris. "Thank you! Oh thank you! I didn't know how long I would have been able to hold out..." She hugged Iris.

"Those creatures..." Iris said, turning away.

"Yes... they're the same ones that..." Sunny shook her head. "This...isn't good. If they're showing up here..."

"Then this world is in danger." Iris finished. "We need to leave"

"We can't just leave! They've already taken our original homes. Are you just going to let them take our new home?" Sunny asked, agitated.

"...I don't think I'm ready to face the past just yet." Iris said, turning.

"So that's it. You're just going to give up. Because you're afraid." Sunny said, an undertone in her voice that Iris had never heard before.

"...I just can't face the past! Not yet..."

"You forget, I went through the same thing, and do you see me giving up the minute these creatures appear? No! You're just -"

Iris wheeled on Sunny, something she hadn't done ever.

"You don't understand! My mother, in her dying words, told me to run. And to never hold a grudge against these creatures. If I can't be safe, if I can't survive, if I can't stay alive to keep my race alive.... I'll be failing my mother."

Sunny stared at her back. "Fine." She said. "You go. You fly away, you run. You be a coward and let another world be consumed as yours was. But I'm staying. I'm going to protect this world."

"Sunny, don't you see? They'll overwhelm you, and your race will die out for good! I'm trying to save you!" Iris yelled, turning again.

"You're trying to save yourself! You don't want to face your demons, you're too afraid. You're a coward and nothing more." Sunny said, actually crying.

"....Fine. You stay here. You be consumed, and I won't help you. I won't come back. In fact, I don't care what happens to you!"

Sunny stepped back, at a loss for words. Then she said, "I - I  - do you mean that?"

Iris didn't say anything, just started to walk. Away from her.

"Tell me. Tell me you don't mean it." Sunny said a little desperately.

"I'm going now" Iris said in a hard voice.

"....I see." Sunny said, trying to suppress her tears. "Well then, I won't bother you anymore."

Sunny turned and started to walk the other way.

Iris left the second district, tucking her wand away. She moved almost robotically, as if she didn't process what had just happened.

She went to their house to get the one thing she still had with her, a small locket she had forgotten to put on that morning. It held a single, still living piece of leaf from her world.

She clipped it on, tucking it in her shirt. Then she went back outside and walked to the flat, open plaza. Taking one last look around, she took to the sky.

When she looked down, she could see the whole world. She could even see Sunny, a glowing light, walking away with a hooded figure - wait.

She looked closer. This time she could see Sunny wasn't walking. She was being dragged along by the figure. Sunny kept trying to pull away.

Iris watched, and then her eyes widened as she saw the hooded figure open a portal.

"No!" She yelled. Forgetting everything that just happened, she swooped down as fast as she could. She could see Sunny look up, and she opened her mouth to say something, but the figure pulled Sunny through the portal and it closed behind them.

Iris stood there in shock, still trying to comprehend what just happened. "Sunny..." She buried her face in her hands. "I...I never meant any of that..."

"I promise I'll find you. Then we'll come back here. Well defend this world together." Iris said aloud, to no one.

Then she took to the sky. She needed to save her friend.