Chapter 7 (KAIRI): The Escape from Wonderland!

Chapter 7: The Escape from Wonderland!

        Kairi and Alice dodged another flaming assault from the Jabberwocky, but both girls stumbled over a piece of a collapsed rose bush and fell to the ground with a thud.  Kairi picked Alice and herself up from the ground and kept running.  But their running came to a grinding halt when all the duo discovered remained of the garden were a few oak trees.  Kairi pushed Alice towards the tree and made a defiant charge at the Jabberwocky with her Keyblade.  But the beast simply flicked Kairi back towards the tree in his unbridled confidence.  Kairi collapsed beside Alice, moments from fainting.  

      "For all of your brash gusto" the beast boasted, "you are nothing more than a frail little girl!"

      Alice tried to help Kairi to her feet, but the girl was too fatigued to stand.  "Please, Kairi!  You have to get up!  Do it for Sora and for Mickey and for everyone!"

       Kairi sighed.  "I just don't think I can..."  Seconds later, Kairi collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.  

       Alice looked at the beast in horror.  She clasped her hands to her heart.  "Everyone!  Please!  We need your lights!  Kairi needs your light!  Help her stand again!"

       A swirling light energy appeared above Kairi and shined all over her entire body.  Moments later, Kairi pushed herself back to her feet and smiled.  "I feel a lot better!  Thank you, Alice."

       "I'm just glad you're alright" Alice cheerfully spoke, until her eyes once more met the Jabberwocky's.  "I cannot say that it will always be that way, though."

        The Jabberwocky towered over the girls, licking his lips.  "So" the beast roared at his adversaries, "I can finally dine on the flesh of a Princess of Heart.  Oh, how I have waited for this day.  To think that everything has occurred exactly as Xehanort predicted it would."  The beast extended his tongue to wrap the girls inside it.  But as the beast prepared to do so, Riku appeared out of nowhere and sliced the tongue of the beast off with his Keyblade!  Riku rolled to Kairi's defense, his Keyblade poised to kill.

         "Kairi" Riku called to his friend, almost glad to take in the onslaught this new fiend had to offer.  "Get Alice back to Disneyland and have Mickey seal the entrance."  

        "I'm not leaving you behind, Riku" Kairi answered bitterly.  

        "I'm giving you an order!  Now go back and--"  Before Riku could finish, the Jabberwocky struck again, breathing purple and black flames at the young warrior.  Riku easily dodged the attack, lunging for the beast with his Keyblade in hand.
          Kairi held her hand to her heart.  "I'm not abandoning Riku this time!"  She led Alice to a safe hiding place behind the final few trees that stood.  "Stay here!  I have to help Riku!"
         "Please be careful, Kairi" Alice pleaded.
          Kairi nodded and dashed back to Riku's side, her Keyblade as eager to defend the light as she was.  When Riku saw Kairi appear beside him, he was dumbfounded.  "I thought I--"
         "When have Sora and I ever listened to you?" Kairi asked rhetorically.  "Besides, how will you ever think I'm ready to be one of you guys if you never give me the chance?"
           Riku was about to explode, but restrained himself.  Kairi nodded.  Riku was giving her the chance she needed.  Now it's time to prove myself!  No more hiding with the princess for me!  This time, I fight with the Masters!
          The Jabberwocky roared once more and stomped on the ground.  Neither Keyblade wielder was intimidated or amused.  Both knew what was at stake and neither was inclined to allow such a terrible thing to pass.

Boss Battle: Jabberwocky

HP: 915

Boss Music: Desire For All That Is Lost

GET BONUS:

Kairi Learned Cure

+5 HP

Riku: +30 Friendship

+20 HP

       The Jabberwocky reared back one final time, before dissolving into purple flames, which crackled and torched the beast until it's cried could be heard no more.  When the mounting flames began to die down, a heart appeared from it's dissolving ashes, before vanishing into the darkness.  

        Riku looked to Kairi and finally smiled.  "I gotta admit, Kairi, I was a little worried about you at first.  I have to call it brotherly intuition, I guess.  But you really are starting to grow stronger with the Keyblade.  I'm proud of you."

        Kairi beamed.  "I'm glad to hear you say that.  Now, I'm one step closer to being a Keyblade Master, like you."  

        "You both did a splendid job" Alice answered from behind the tree.  The young girl returned to the forefront to greet them.  "I am truly grateful for you all saving me from both that horrid man and the Jabberwocky."  

        "Alice" Riku called to the girl, "why did you return to Wonderland in the first place?"

        "I didn't have a choice in the matter" Alice answered, a sad look on her face.  "A few moments after Kairi disappeared into the Dwarfs Mine, the Queen's Card Soldiers arrived and kidnapped me.  They brought me here to resume our trial that Sora had saved me from."

        "How did the Card Soldiers get into Disneyland?" Riku asked aloud, both curiously and accusatory.  

        "From what I recall" the young girl recounted, "the Card Soldiers kept saying something about a man named Xehanort."

        "XEHANORT?!" both Kairi and Riku exclaimed at the same time.  

        "Is he someone you know?" Alice asked.
        Kairi was ready to answer the inquisitive princess, but Riku used his Keyblade to summon a portal of light for them to escape Wonderland from.  "Alice, we need you to remain in Disney Castle at all times.  Until Xehanort is at least restrained, you are not safe here."

        "If you insist" Alice answered curiously, "though I doubt it will do if some of that man's men can get into Disneyland."  

        Riku looked out into the now barren plains of Wonderland, only to find a near innumerous amount of Heartless gathering.  Riku looked back to Kairi and Alice.  "This time, Kairi, do as your told.  Bring Alice to Mickey immediately and tell him Xehanort is once more at large.  I'll meet you back in Disneyland when I can.  Go!"  

        Kairi nodded, grabbed Alice's hand and led the girl through the portal of light.  She made one last glance to Riku before she and Alice vanished from Wonderland.

        Forged a D-Link with Riku

Kairi Obtained the Vorpal Blade Keychain

STR: +5

MAG: +1

Ability:

Boost the strength of Ground Combo Attacks

        Kairi and Alice climbed out of the Rabbit Hole attraction and collapsed to the ground.  Both girls were drained of almost all of their power by their experiences in Wonderland.  Kairi pushed herself to her feet and pulled Alice to hers.  "We made it."
        "But at what cost?" Alice asked.  

        "Kairi?  Alice!" a voice called out to them.  Mickey hurried over to the recently arrived Princesses and sighed when he saw they were alright.  "Thank goodness you two are alright.  But, where's Riku?"

        Kairi shook her head.  "There was some kind of Heartless monster engulfing the world.  He told us to come back here to Disneyland, where it's safe."

        "And to inform you that Master Xehanort is once more at large, Your Majesty" Alice chimed in sadly.

        Mickey clenched his fists.  "I should have known it wouldn't take long for him to show up.  I'll alert the others."  Mickey turned to Alice.  "You should probably go into the library and help Queen Minnie and Snow White."  Alice did as she was told, looked admiringly to Kairi and vanished into the castle.  Mickey returned his attention to Kairi.  "The offer still stands for you too, Kairi.  If this is too hard for you, I'll have no problem keeping you here."
       Kairi gasped.  "Are you kidding?  If that's the kind of danger we're up against, I have to be out there.  You can't just keep me on the sidelines!  Sora and Riku need me."

      Mickey sighed.  "If something happened to you, Sora would never forgive me.  I don't think Riku would, either."  The little mouse put his hands to his sides.  "I don't know.  Maybe we should wait until Sora or Riku returns."

     Kairi lowered her head.  "Mickey, I've seen some of the same things you all have.  What if we wait too long and Xehanort goes after another Princess?  How could we protect the world without all of them?"

      Mickey sighed.  "I guess you're right.  But I want you to be extremely careful, Kairi.  I'm sending you after Cinderella in her world.  Find her, and bring her back to Disneyland."  

      Kairi cheered.  "Yes!"

      Mickey shook his head.  "But be careful.  We don't know when Xehanort or his flunkies will strike again.  If anything happens, I want you to call on me and I will be there."  Mickey turned and looked towards the carousel in the center of Fantasy Land.  "That is the gateway to Cinderella's world.  Use it to make your way there."  Mickey then dashed off into the palace.  Kairi looked towards the carousel and smiled.

      "I can handle this" she spoke to herself as she approached the carousel.

Forged a D-Link with Mickey