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Current mood:	tired
Entry tags:	angst, kairi, namine, pairings implied, sora/namine

Fic--Brightly-Colored Sacrifice--PG-13
Title: Brightly-Colored Sacrifice
Author: Rubyfruit Pixie
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters: Kairi, Namine
Summary: "A Princess of Heart is, above all, the embodiment of Sacrifice." Kairi takes this saying a little too far in the midst of preparations for Sora's big homecoming party.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Self-inflicted violence, blood, profanity
Disclaimer: Disclaimers are an endless waltz in which I must say, time and time again, that Kingdom Hearts is not my property. Square-Enix-Soft and the smoking crater where Disney once stood does own the rights. I am merely borrowing the characters and settings.
A/N: I decided to rewrite "Stadt von Wundern", mostly because I liked the story, and because I need an interlude between "A Doll Princess" and the rewrite of "Last Moment". This turned out to be a tad longer than the original fic as well (1,410 words here versus 1,036 on the original).



    While everyone else on the Destiny Islands prepared for the celebration to end all celebrations, from the largest cities giving of their money to the smallest of rural towns giving of their time and resources, one girl was preparing to give the ultimate gift.

Just outside of town, Kairi prepared herself for a ritual that could, at best, put her in the hospital for a while. As she carved the simple circle into the hardwood floor of the now-empty living room, she figured that between the preparations, the actual celebration, and the many after-parties and cleanup, it would be a month before she'd be found in this large, quiet house. She checked the book again, making sure that she got the pattern down. One wrong stroke and the ritual would fail, her time and injuries worth nothing.

As she moved from the center, carving intricate patterns that spawned from one large infinity symbol in the center, Kairi thought about why she was doing this in the first place. It wasn't as if she was in love with Sora, not enough to do a Soul-Cutting Rite for him. They were close, yes, but it wasn't as if Sora would do the same for her. Heroes weren't expected to do such things.

As she finished, she could hear Aerith's voice nagging at her, telling her what it meant to be a Princess of Heart.

'A Princess of Heart is the embodiment of grace. A Princess of Heart is never angry, never sad, and always bears the worst of things with a gentle smile on her face. Above all, a Princess of Heart is the embodiment of sacrifice'

Pulling a bright blue rubber band out of her pocket, Kairi pulled her hair into a simple ponytail before writing a simple note if ever she was found.

'To Anyone Who May Find Me,

    I hope I have been the embodiment of sacrifice as I complete this Soul-Cutting Rite. There are no regrets, and I have no thoughts but the happiness of those around me as I do so. Please, do not cry for me. I've gone to a better place. I have no regrets.
--Kairi'

She left the note outside of the circle as she summoned her Keyblade. Kairi looked at the flowery weapon with disgust one last time as she knelt down in the center of the circle, pointed it at herself, and drove it into her stomach.

"Goodbye," Kairi said, her blood filling the channels she carved as she lay there in the ornate Soul-Cutting Circle. As the last rays of the sun filtered through the gauzy white curtains, she closed her eyes and smiled peacefully.

---------------

    Namine looked around, wondering how she was back and why. Sora wasn't in danger and Kairi seemed to be just fine. As she sat on the plaid love seat in the dining room, she remembered that this was Kairi's house.

The fact that she was on the love seat in the dining room just brought up more questions. Why was the love seat in the dining room? She almost tripped on the coffee table trying to get to the front door.

"What's this doing here...?”

Once she got to the living room, stripped of all furniture, Namine's blue eyes were wide with shock. Everything came together. As she took in the sight of Kairi's lifeless body, she recognized everything from the position of the redhead's body to the symbol carved into the floor.

'So,' Namine thought, 'She did all this for me.' It was typical of Kairi to do it, she was so noble. In a way, this simple act was far nobler than anything Sora did. She picked up the note and cringed at the stilted language.

Kairi decided to do this for her sake. How noble! How kind! How utterly ridiculous of Kairi to do such a thing, thinking that this was what Namine wanted. How ridiculous, yet Namine expected it out of her. The result of having it drilled into her head that she had to give everything and to do everything, expecting nothing in return.

"...Dammit," Namine said, summoning a first-aid kit and five different potions, hoping that one of the potions did the job.

-----------------

"Would you like to tell me what the hell you were thinking, Kairi?"

    Kairi opened her eyes, awakened by a harsh slap to the face. The floor felt cold and sticky beneath her, every sound muted at first, then turning into a sonic boom. She opened her eyes a bit more, her vision blurred. She recognized the ceiling color and remembered where she was, what she did. Her whole body ached when she tried to move her arm to rub her stinging cheeks. Kairi winced again, Namine’s voice thundering above her.

"Wait," Namine said, "Don't tell me. You weren't thinking."

"Actually," Kairi said, "I was--"

"Thinking too much," Namine interrupted, "I know. In the near future, I advise that you run away instead of running yourself through. Fewer injuries that way."

Kairi tilted her head. "I wasn't supposed to be alive....you should've left me there."

"No," Namine said, "Don't say anything like that again. Now, to the dining room with you."

Kairi frowned, standing up unsteadily, then falling over. “Fine.”

Namine sighed, helping the other girl over to the dining room, remembering that it would take a while for the potions to take effect. Even then, she figured that it would take a while for Kairi to be coherent enough to explain herself.

------------------

    Kairi sighed, breaking the awkward silence as she sat across from Namine in the big red recliner. The clock ticked next to her, its presence comforting.  She didn't say anything about what she was really thinking as she plunged the flowery Keyblade into her gut. The feelings of being out of place, of being cut out of Sora's life, out of the Destiny Islands' collective mind. She wondered how she could put it into words, especially since she was faced with one of the people she thought would be happy for her.

"I understand why you would do this," Namine said, "It's a noble thing, trying to bring me and Sora happiness..."

Kairi smiled a bit, then cringed as Namine continued, "Did you honestly think he wanted you to die? That I wanted you to die? Seriously? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't belong anywhere," Kairi answered, "I failed at being a Princess in every way. They would have killed me anyway."

Namine rolled her eyes. "What does being a Princess of Heart mean, anyway?! That you kill yourself if it’d make people happy?"

"A Princess of Heart is the embodiment of sacrifice," Kairi said automatically, "A Princess of Heart bears all things with a gentle smile. A Princess of Heart is the embodiment of grace--"

Namine shook her head. "I know all of that. You should listen to Aerith a little less. Okay, a lot less." When she was a part of Kairi, there was something about Aerith that seemed off to the blonde. Maybe it was because Aerith seemed like a cult leader, maybe it was because Aerith seemed to hate Quistis in a way that seemed familiar. Whatever it was, Namine did not like Aerith in the least.

"You have to think about it," Namine said, "Do not sacrifice yourself for your position."

Kairi frowned. "I wanted out so badly...I have to speak at Sora's big victory party. What the hell am I supposed to say?"

Namine smiled a bit. "Resign then and there.”

"What…?" Kairi asked, "What? What you're saying is like treason--"

Namine frowned. "You said you wanted out. I'm giving you a way out. I'm sure that they'll go back to celebrating the return of their hometown hero and forget what you've said."

"After all, I've got nothing to lose, right?" Kairi asked, though she was still doubtful.

Namine nodded. "Exactly."

"Make him happy, all right?" Kairi said, "Or else." She smiled a bit.

Namine laughed a bit. "Right, right. I'll make Sora happy. You find happiness, too, okay?"

With that, Namine got up to leave, only to trip over the coffee table again. "And put your furniture back, will you? Please?”

Kairi shook her head. "I'll get around to it."

------

    As Namine left, Kairi started moving her furniture back into the living room, not bothering to cover the large circle she carved into the floor, though she did clean it before she moved the glass coffee table. She imagined that it would make a killer of a conversation piece if she ever invited anyone over again. Once she was done moving everything, she curled up on the plaid love seat and went to sleep.

(End)