Chapter Text
Even in a world so dominated by technology, where every night (pre-PSICOM curfew) is lit with dazzling electronic lights, Chancellor Ardyn of Bright Oasis, current regent of Radiant Garden, still prefers to do his late night reading by candlelight.
And there is so much of it to do. It had taken a week of scouring the underground complex beneath the Radiant Garden castle, assisted somewhat by a few of his soldiers, before finding what he was looking for. The fruit of that searching lies spread out on the table before him: the complete (as far as he can tell) gathered works of Xehanort and Ansem the Wise's traitorous apprentices' research.
The chancellor had spent another two days figuring out which papers belonged to which apprentice, until he finally had a comprehensive view of each man's specialty. Each one fascinating in their own ways.
He considers Dilan, whose treatises expound upon psychological experiments where subjects' spirits are broken down with mere words. Then there's Aeleus, a master at pushing human bodies to their limits and beyond. Even, his mad command of genetics capable of twisted feats, and perhaps most impressive is Ienzo, an excellent engineer despite his young age. They are, morality of their actions aside, an impressive bunch.
Fascinating men with fascinating studies, but not what Ardyn is looking for. Maybe if his allies in the Garden ever get rowdy, a look at these horribly incriminating files will help harden their resolve. Though they'll have to be carefully edited to keep Xehanort out of the record, naturally.
As expected, there's been nothing found of that one's research, except a few excerpts from the "Ansem Reports" that read more like a diary than a proper scientific journal. Whatever secrets the silver-haired scientist held, they will be found in the digital realm. So far the PSICOM tech team hasn't been able to penetrate the system security, but they're smart people and will have something adequate in time.
Which, hopefully, will include what it is that Ardyn is actually looking for. Xehanort isn't the only apprentice whose research is missing.
From the apprentice known has Braig, the only thing the chancellor has been able to find is a few dry treatises about economic theory and a single unedited manuscript: Lost Locales and Hidden Treasures: Braig's Guide To The Unknown. A rather grandiose title for what reads more like a tourist's guide to a few of the old-style ruins that exist in the wilderness between Radiant Garden and Bright Oasis.
It had gotten Ardyn's hopes up for a minute or so, only to end up disappointing. A more thorough search of Braig's office had turned up nothing either, a conspicuous lack. There's something more that this apprentice is hiding, and it is his personal mission to ensure it be found.
A soft knock on the room's door draws the chancellor from his musings. "You may come in," he calls out, placing the sheet he was reading facedown on the desk.
The door slides open, a female private Ardyn doesn't recognize entering the room with a snappy salute. Behind her follows Alyssa Zaidelle, the young Radiant Garden technician that had been so helpful before. The young woman smooths out the front of her white coat, looking rather pleased.
"A positive development, I take it?" Ardyn asks with his usual affability.
She nods, grin growing even wider. "It's the best I've ever put together. Those old security programs won't know what hit 'em. Whatever information is still hiding in that system will be an open book before this time tomorrow."
"That will be a welcome change," the chancellor says, nodding. "This city has hidden far too many secrets for far too long. It's time to finally get them out into the light, where I hope they can serve the people."
"As do I," Zaidelle agrees with a crisp nod. Having said all she needs to, the technician and her escort take their leave.
This is good. Certainly he has exhausted all of his possible avenues in the physical realm. In such a high tech world, there are more disadvantages to old-fashioned thinking than there are positives. But Ardyn doesn't hold his occasional backwards-thinking against himself. After all, he is an older man.
Quite old indeed.
KH-KH-KH
A young girl sits before her vanity mirror, brushing through her long red hair with slow, languid strokes. Staring into her reflection, eyes largely unfocused, she seems to be performing the task on autopilot, no thought necessary.
Kairi stands just inside the room's doorway, watching the girl and thinking how similar she is to herself. Brushing her hair is one of the few times when the Princess of Heart allows her mind to stop racing as it usually does. From behind it would be easy to mistake this girl for Kairi.
She stands in the bedroom of the mystery Princess of Heart (somehow Kairi just knows that the person before her bears the same power as she), a stone room that must be at the top of a tower, judging by the ceiling. Morning light streams in from a large window and open double doors that lead out onto a wide balcony. Plush rugs cover the floor, and a huge bed with a gauzy canopy takes up most of the back wall, the rest dominated by a well-maintained white brick fireplace. The vanity and a wardrobe fill out the remaining space, several leather-bound books piled in various places around the room. Overall it seems a nice, homey place.
She remembers the Princess in one of her other dreams, Rapunzel, speaking of a tower room where she'd apparently been imprisoned most of her life. Kairi assumes that this new girl isn't living in similar circumstances. It would just be too weird.
A knock on the room's door interrupts the young woman's thoughts, and with a slight raise of her eyebrows she turns toward the room's entrance. "Sir Namingway?"
"Yes, Princess Sara, it's me," the prospective entrant calls back. "I think I have something!"
The redhead relaxes somewhat, giving her hair another, much softer brushing. "You can come in, I'm decent."
The doors opens with barely a creak, and for a moment Kairi is startled to find nobody waiting on the other side. Then she has the good sense to look down, and what she finds there isn't what she expected at all. A diminutive, red-robed figure stands at the threshold, a book tucked into the crook of his arm. He resembles nothing less than a bunny rabbit in appearance, white fur and whiskers peeking out from beneath the robe's hood, two-foot long ears poking up into the air.
"Good morning," the little creature says with a respectful nod, entering the room and carefully closing the door behind him.
"Good morning," Sara replies, smiling softly. "What's this you have for me?"
Namingway moves with quick, almost hopping steps to the vanity. With a jump befitting his form, he hops up onto a plushy stool and places the large tome in his hands on the table. Kairi moves closer, hoping to see what is written on the page.
"There is quite a lot of lore involving the Sacred Heart Amulet," Namingway explains, taking out a pair of spectacles and perching them above his button nose. Kairi reminds herself that this is a serious dream vision, and squealing at the cuteness would definitely not be appropriate. "Many of them date back several hundred years. Most of them you were told upon receiving it. Given to the firstborn princess, brings good luck in matchmaking, first wearable upon the recipient's fifteenth birthday…"
"What about the dreams?" Sara asks, frowning. "Why do I keep seeing these other girls? Why is it always glowing when I wake up?"
Her companion holds up his paws placatingly. "You must remain calm, Princess. There is an old legend about a maiden with a heart of pure Light. It is said that this young woman will appear in Cornelia's royal bloodline, and it is upon her that the future of the kingdom will spin."
The princess doesn't look comforted by that, and Kairi can understand why. But what's this about the amulet sending her dreams of other girls? She'd been assuming her own experiences were some kind of Princess of Heart thing, no amulet needed. It may not be the dreams' cause, but in some way it's connected to this girl's own experience.
"Well, I must say that 'around which the future of the kingdom spins' business isn't terribly calming," the girl declares, still quite shaken. "Please, Namingway, there must be something I can actually use! Some kind of power, or…"
The rabbit man clears his throat loudly, and Sara's burgeoning rant dies on the vine. "There is one last legend, though it is more… fanciful than the others. It is said that, in her time of greatest need, the princess may use the amulet to call upon an advisor and protector. Someone who will come to help her make the correct decisions to ensure Cornelia's future."
Sara sits back, frowning and biting her lip. After a few moments of what appear to be intense thought, she stands and begins moving across the bedroom floor. Kairi has to move quickly to sidestep out of the princess's way, watching as she reaches her bedside table. Opening the topmost drawer, she pulls out a small square box of white wood.
Inside it is a necklace made of white gold links that catch the morning sun and sparkle like they've been caught in a strobe light. Inside a heart-shaped pendant dangling in the middle rests a pink gemstone, also sparkling. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Princess Sara moves to clasp the necklace to her delicate throat.
"I think I'm in need of just that kind of help, Namingway," she says, steel in every word. "Please, tell me how I can get it. Now."
KH-KH-KH
With a bright flash of white light, Kairi and her team enter into the computer system.
There's not much to see, just a building made of dark blue material, glowing lines running along the lines and floors. The room's most prominent feature is a pedestal in the middle, directly underneath an opening that shines down a steady stream of what looks like early morning, pink-tinged sunlight.
"Everything alright in there?" Rinoa's voice booms from the hole, like the woman is some kind of god speaking from on high.
Kairi looks down at herself to check, and finds pretty much what she expected. Sora hadn't had much to say about his digital experience, mostly just how much he liked Tron, but Telary had been a lot more eager to give details. He'd mentioned that appearance within the digital system appeared to be very standardized, everyone wearing almost identical blue and white armor. That's the case with her, definitely. Even her hair is tucked tightly into a helmet.
Irvine and Lulu wear similar forms, though in concession to the clothes they'd been wearing when they'd digitized, flaring out from his hips are long flaps like those of his open coat, while she retains her skirt.
"Everyone looks good!" Kairi calls up at the ceiling, unable to keep from feeling a little silly. She looks back to her compatriots. "Are we all good?"
"Doin' alright, boss lady," Irvine replies with his usual cool grin.
Lulu just nods, no words necessary.
"Yeah, all good!" Kairi finishes. "I don't see 9S though…"
"I'm here," comes the program's voice from the room's entrance. He enters at a quick pace, smiling at his visitors. Unlike them, the lines running between his blue armor are a strange bright black, pulsing in time with what on an organic being would be a heartbeat.
Seeing him in motion like this, Kairi can't help but find the black blindfold he wears a bit weird. She's seen him wearing it when communicating with Mid and the rest of the resistance, and knows intellectually that its a HUD visor and not an actual blindfold, but still.
"I just had to check a few things while I waited for you to download," he explains. "In physical terms, we're pretty far out from the main server, but its dead out there."
"Didn't you say we weren't going to be able to come in quietly?" Lulu asks, frowning.
9S nods. "Yeah. Making the I/O tower was a silent process, but as soon as we connected it to the main server and uploaded all of you, the signal went out far and wide."
"We came in ringing the dinner bill, eh?" Irvine says with a slight chuckle.
"Even if we hadn't, sending a message to Tron would have announced our presence just as clearly." The program sighs. "Stealth was never really an option here, I'm afraid."
Kairi laughs as a realization comes to her. "Good thing for the Don he never got the chance to try this pre-occupation. Anyway, now that we're in it's time to start the plan. Can you contact Tron, 9S?"
He's already at the room's terminal, and within a few moments he has confirmed the connection. A white wheel spins on the blank screen, everyone watching it with held breath. Kairi bites her lip nervously, surprised to find a slight buzzing where teeth meet skin. After a long minute, the screen goes red and reads NO RESPONSE. TRY AGAIN Y/N?
"Is that bad?" Kairi asks, her composure obviously slipping.
9S doesn't reply for a few moments, thinking the question over. "Well, it isn't a positive sign, that's for sure. Probably just means there's something else occupying Tron's focus right now."
"Like a massive invasion by hostile programs," Lulu states sardonically.
"Is there a way you can get moving on your own?" Rinoa asks from outside the system. "Maybe one of those Recognizers?"
"Yeah, there should be some in a hangar down below," 9S confirms, though the program sounds distracted. He sighs. "Ugh, I really should have thought this through better. Of course Tron's got other things to focus on right now."
Kairi puts a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay 9S. We all had a hand in the planning of this thing, and we knew there might be problems. The mission pretty much required us going in blind. That's part of it, and we can just move on and…"
A harsh alarm begins to blare from the terminal, its screen red with a glowing white bell in the center. 9S returns to it, tapping a few keys to determine the problem. The alarm stops and the red screen is replaced with an image of the sky outside. Two red-tinted vehicles are on the approach. There are no markings on them, but Kairi knows without a doubt that they belong to the enemy.
"That was mighty fast," Irvine remarks, sounding more bemused than worried. "Must've been hungry boys."
"Not now, hayseed," Lulu snaps at him.
Kairi steps between her companions. "Looks like we're starting off with a fight, though not necessarily. Maybe we can sneak down to that Recognizer hangar before they're here. Let's move out." Before she moves, the Princess of Heart looks to the ceiling and calls, "We're headed out now! You remember how to shut down the tower, right!"
"No worries, Kairi," Rinoa assures her. "You just do what you need to do. We'll be looking for your signal."
Kairi lets 9S go in front, summoning her Keyblade to hand in anticipation of enemy contact. Lulu's got her hands held out, obviously gathering magic, but Irvine looks frustrated.
"I know I had that rifle when we got all digitized," he grumbles quietly to himself. It's a departure from his normally cool demeanor, to be sure. "Just great. I doubt these guys'll be too deterred by harsh language, the only blamed weapon I got left."
Both Kairi and Lulu open their mouths, one to reassure the young man and the other to reprimand him for chattering. But before either lady can say a word, the sound of footsteps draws the group's attention. Easily a dozen, probably more.
They're in the tower's lobby now, a wide open space with only two exits aside from the communications room they'd just left. One is straight ahead and leads into a downward stairwell, and the other is off to the left and much wider, no doubt the main entrance. The squad heads straight, though not without wary glances over their shoulders every few steps.
"Halt!"
The voice is electronically modulated, sounding weirdly nasal and actually rather silly. Still moving forward, Kairi throws a glance over her shoulder. Entering the tower is a group of skeletal-looking programs, their heads an odd elongated shape with no visible mouths and only small black slits for eyes. In their red-tinted, three-fingered hands each grasps a compact black rifle, raised and pointed at their target.
"I said halt, scum," the same spokesprogram demands. Despite the angry words, its electronic voice remains neutral. "One more step and you…"
Before the program can finish its threat, Kairi is moving. Her Keyblade comes to one hand and spits out a fireball at the same instant, and an almost immeasurably short second after that the Princess of Heart has her free hand open and calling up a square shield of pure Light. The fireball hits the programs like a bowling ball through pins, and the ones with enough wherewithal to open fire get their shots deflected easily.
Lulu attacks a few heartbeats later, long shards of spear-sharp ice piercing the chests of a few more enemies. They each explode in a shower of barely visible fragments, leaving only a pair behind. The quartet duck around a bend in the hallway, paying no mind to the meager shots that follow.
By then, they're too focused on the second squad of battle programs coming up the stairway.
This time its 9S with the quickest reaction. The scanner program holds out his opened hands, and suddenly a spinning wheel of black light whirls before him. The enemies' shots hit it and bounce back, most of them going wild. However, a few do manage to reflect perfectly back to their original targets.
"Keep going!" Kairi calls, flinging an orb of Light. "We can get through these guys, and then…"
A much larger bolt of energy slams into 9S's whirling shield, pushing it and its master backwards. Everyone behind him stumbles as a consequence, throwing off their prepared attacks. Kairi grits her teeth and plants one foot hard on the smooth floor, and on pure impulse uses it to launch herself forward. Leaping up and over a flurry of shots, she slams her Keyblade down into the nearest program's head.
Now on the inside of the group's range, the Princess of Heart moves forward, slashing at enemies with every step. The battle programs go down easily, until she reaches the end of the group and Destiny's Embrace hits much greater resistance with a resounding clang!
Whatever it is, it's much broader and a darker red than its fellows. Kairi steps to the right, just a whisper ahead of her opponent's hand swinging up at her. Without much thought, she calls power to the tip of her Keyblade. Once it's got a solid glow on, she stabs Destiny's Embrace into the enemy program.
She watches it as it falls backwards. This model is wider and bulkier, though the fact that its elongated head is embedded in its upper chest makes the thing look a bit squatter. Instead of articulate hands it has what look more like wide mittens, its weapon built directly into each wrist.
The stairs ahead look clear. "More coming in through the front!" Irvine reports, obviously still frustrated with his lack of weaponry. "Some big spider-lookin' sucker with 'em, too!"
"Follow me!" Kairi commands, moving down the stairs two at a time. Light is already gathered in her free hand, ready to fling. A good instinct, as she encounters a trio of the super battle programs. One is taken down with her orb, and she darts to the side as the other two open fire. She leaps at one, cutting it sending it spinning. Stepping up, she cuts the legs out from the other, stabbing Destiny's Embrace down into the loose torso. As the remaining enemy fires, she raises what's left of its comrade to block. The loose torso shatters into fragments, Kairi stepping through the shimmering curtain and cutting down her last foe.
Throwing a look over her shoulder, she sees Irvine and 9S making their way quickly down the staircase. Lulu follows a few seconds later, chased by a blast of heat and light from one last, giant Firaga spell to slow their pursuers down.
"I think there were even more behind us," 9S reports grimly. "So let's find a Recognizer and get out of here!"
Kairi nods in agreement, moving from the small antechamber into the hangar itself. Its a cavernous chamber, a massive set of doors in the center of the far wall parted for arrivals and departures. The gutted, shattered remains of two or three different vehicles lays scattered on the open ground, and a red-tinted gunship hovers in the air. Only instinct allows Kairi to dodge out of the way of its blasters. Irvine, 9S, and Lulu move to take cover on either side of the antechamber doors.
"Well, crap," Kairi mutters to herself, throwing her body forward as the gunship's cannons begin tracking her. Calling upon her powers once more, the redhead zips across the hangar at incredible speed, sliding to a stop behind the remains of a Recognizer.
Crouched behind her cover, she desperately searches her mind for some kind of plan. Maybe if she puts on another burst of speed and jumps, she can slice through the gunship with enough force. The rubble around her bounces and shifts as blasts slam into it, and she knows that she's just going to have to go for it.
"Kairi, wait!"
9S's call stops her in her tracks, and with a confused frown her gaze darts back to her companions. She barely has eyes on them before a loud sound of rushing air brings her attention back to the wider hangar.
The upside-down U-shape of a Recognizer hovers at the hangar's open door. Kairi's hearts soars as she takes in its blue coloring, which means that it wasn't just PSICOM that had received notice of their arrival.
Twin beams of blue slam into the gunship's rear, rocking the enemy vessel hard. It has no chance to recover, as more and more blasts eliminate it completely. It crashes down hard on the hangar floor, joining the remains of the vessels it destroyed.
"Guys, I think that…!"
Kairi's reassuring call dries up in her throat as she looks back and sees the rest of her squad sprinting free from the antechamber. Energy blasts follow them out, the enemy programs stuck in a bottleneck as they attempt to exit. 9S thrusts a hand out and his spinning sword slices through the red-tinted ranks with abandon.
A loud thunk announces the Recognizer's landing, a rectangular platform lowering itself to the ground. It immediately begins blasting the battle programs that march through the antechamber door. With their enemies so effectively blockaded, the squad has a clear run to safety. As soon as they're all huddled together on the platform it begins to raise back up.
The Recognizer's cockpit is far from roomy, definitely not built with the idea of four passengers in mind, but at least it's safe. Tron stands at the vehicle's controls, tossing a grin over his shoulder even as he fires the cannons once again.
"Greetings, Users!" he says. After one last blast for good measure, the Recognizer rises another few feet before turning and taking off out of the hangar. "I apologize for my tardiness, but I had to secure things at the base as much as possible before coming."
"I think the timing was just fine, Tron," Kairi assures the security program. "It gave us a good look at what we're up against, at least."
"Those B1s are just the small fries, I'm afraid," Tron explains with a frown. "Though in the kind of numbers PSICOM deploys them on an open battlefield they're dangerous enough."
"So, then it's like we suspected," Lulu remarks. "You've been under siege for all this time."
Tron nods. "That's the right word for it. I've been doing the best I can, but under the circumstances that's only just been good enough. Luckily, they don't seem to be interested in the destruction of most of the system's ordinary programs. I've been able to keep anything they are interested in out of their hands." The program sighs. "But I'm running out of room to maneuver."
"What can we do?" Kairi asks.
"Before the invasion, I was onto something," the program explains. "But I'll need User help in order to get what I need. I…"
"Damn!" Irvine suddenly exclaims. Looking out the viewport, the rest of the squad all silently concur with his assessment.
They're approaching the crest of a hill, a squat fortress sitting atop it and looking out over a wide valley. Marching down and spreading out from the hill's base is a veritable sea of glowing blue lights, larger four-legged programs rising above as they fire from long cannons mounted atop them. The blue extends out for what looks to be a mile or so, and there it meets a competing rush of red and orange programs. This band stretches into the distance, and from what Kairi can see, it's pushing hard against the defenders.
"They must have something new," Tron mutters, shaking his head. He taps a button on his console, and suddenly the view in front of him leaps forward. When it settles, he has an up-close view of the front lines.
Hundreds of the B1 programs stand against a force of tall programs in bulky blue-gray armor. In a bit of a disconcerting detail, none of the defenders have faces underneath their helmets. Just smooth, flat planes glowing blue. Each soldier on either side carries a blaster, firing away at their enemies. Dozens of programs die every few seconds, only to be almost instantly replaced by identical soldiers. In a way, it's one of the most horrifying things Kairi has ever witnessed.
With so much of the same thing repeating itself along the front lines, there's a marked contrast to what's happening at the tip of the red-tinged enemy's spear. A massive program leads the way, its armor glowing bone white in the midst of crimson and blue. Its face is an unexpressive mask, with slitted pupils above an elongated jaw shining a cruel yellow that reminds Kairi all too well of the Heartless. Wide legs with claws that dig into the ground propel it forward, and the equally sharp claws of its hands each grasp a glowing line of white light. A black cloak flaps in the breeze created by its quick movements, each twitch signaling an enemy felled.
"What is that?" Irvine asks, grimacing.
"Like I said," Tron replies, equally tense. "Something new."
"Nothing we can't handle," Kairi remarks, though her confidence isn't totally rock solid in the face of this new digital foe.
Tron nods. "I'm sure. I've got to get to the fortress and start directing our forces, but I can drop you off."
"Now wait just one minute!" Irvine interjects. "I still ain't got a weapon, and tough as I am, I ain't going up against these guys with just fists!"
"Didn't you bring a rifle with you?"
"Course I did," the sharpshooter replies. "But I think it mighta got lost in transit or somethin'."
Tron shakes his head. "No, it's still with you. Any transferred items should be stored on you somewhere."
Irvine frowns, patting himself down. As he reaches around to his back, tapping it once, a three-dimensional image of a rifle emerges. Feeling it back there, he grabs the gun and it solidifies into a usable weapon.
"Nice," the sharpshooter declares with a sigh of relief. He lifts the rifle to his eyes and checks that all the sights are within parameters. "Feels like putting my pants back on."
The girls give each other dubious looks at that simile, but then their Recognizer lurches and it's back to business. Tron dips the throttle even lower, taking a bit of small arms fire and shrugging it off. The screen is back to normal, and Kairi can see that the red line at the end of Tron's blue security forces is fast approaching.
"Coming closer now, just a few seconds," Tron announces, flipping a switch. The Recognizer's hatch opens, a loud rushing of air entering the cabin.
Kairi nods, summoning Destiny's Embrace and preparing herself mentally. "Irvine and 9S, stay with Tron. Lulu, you focus on crowd control and let me handle the big guy."
There's no real time for anyone to comment, as Tron dips the Recognizer even lower. Kairi jumps without hesitation, Lulu following in her wake. The security programs below part silently, allowing the girls a landing zone and a clear corridor to the action ahead.
The enemy programs quickly cuts down the crop of useless fodder it was dealing with, turning cold digital eyes to its new opponents. The intensity of that gaze puts a slight hitch in Kairi's stride as she charges toward her opponent, but there's nothing to do but steel her resolve and keep moving.
The general swings its left-hand blade in a wide horizontal swipe. Kairi leaps over the slash, turning a perfect somersault. As soon as her foot hits ground she's pivoting, thrusting her Keyblade to knock the next attack away and give her a moment to recover. Behind the Princess of Heart, explosions of flame provided by Lulu burn away a few meters worth of enemy programs.
The enemy attacks come fast, deadly beams of light slashing at Kairi from all angles. She blocks every one, no matter how oddly timed or directed, losing a bit of ground but otherwise staying strong. Her reflexes have never been this good, and even her flip a few moments ago was much smoother than usual. Is there something about the digital realm giving her a boost…?
But this is really not the time to be pondering that, as her opponent somehow finds even more speed for his swings. Kairi is forced back a few steps, at one point raising her free hand to call a transparent Light shield and block an attack she can't get to quickly enough.
That only spurs her opponent on, the program taking steps now with each swing, forcing her back more and more. A bubble-shield is required when it slashes both blades down at her hard, Destiny's Embrace already turned to point at the ground. Whatever had eased her way in the initial fight is definitely gone now.
"Lulu!" Kairi calls out as the shield bursts. She moves her Keyblade to block more blows, fighting hard to keep the weapon in place as it is struck with inhuman power.
Large chunks of gleaming ice hurtle toward the enemy general, and some part of Kairi's mind recognizes that spell as the only option. Fire or lightning would be too unpredictable with her fighting at such close range. The program takes a step back, one sword blurring to intercept the projectiles while the other swipes hard downward to keep Kairi from pressing an attack of her own.
This is probably a fair distance for Lulu to use one of her more powerful spells, Kairi judges. But before anything of that nature can occur, the blue-tinted security programs swarm onto the enemy general. Half-a-dozen die before they can lay hands on, but there are just too many of them to hold back. Even as they begin to dogpile in earnest, both of the general's blades work to kill them in numbers, only to be met with yet more. Even considering these are faceless pawns sacrificing themselves for her, it's one of the most horrific things Kairi has ever seen.
And it becomes even moreso. She can't see the enemy general within the press of bodies, but even over the din of battle she hears something: a loud snap-hiss unlike anything she's ever heard before.
Suddenly the slaughter of Tron's programs begins in earnest, and within seconds she can see why. Two more blades of light have joined the general's others, four bright lines dealing death at a speed Kairi's eyes can't even properly follow.
At the same time, the enemy forces begin another surge in earnest. The skinny red programs begin to rush forward just as their blue counterparts had, and Kairi knows instantly that she has to get out of the way or she'll be crushed between the two forces.
"Kairi!"
9S's voice calls from somewhere behind her, and Kairi risks a look. The program is standing several yards away, in the middle of a space made empty of security programs. But there are several rows of soldiers between here and there, so…
Duh!
Kairi turns on her heel and sprints for the frontline, gathering power with each step. A flash of Light bursts from within her, and a heartbeat later she finds herself in the safety zone. She barely has herself properly oriented before the loud crash of the armies slamming into each other fills the air. Kairi wobbles, nearly falling before 9S has a hand on her shoulder to keep her upright.
"Thanks," she says with a smile. "And good looking out. I like pancakes, but I would never want to be one."
The program shoots her a grin of his own. "No worries, it's literally what I was made to do." He looks around, suddenly frowning. "Is, um, something different suddenly?"
Kairi takes her surroundings in once again as well. Not far away, Lulu is using a Reflect spell to give herself the space she needs to retreat, and the security programs' dogpile on the enemy general is shrinking even further as those not slashed to pieces begin to shy back. But there's something new about each individual soldier.
"They've got faces!" Kairi exclaims.
"Tron's face," 9S elaborates.
A rank of blue-armored programs parts to allow Lulu access to the clear circle. She looks pretty ticked, though whether that's at Kairi kind of ditching her or just her usual expression is impossible to tell yet.
"Sorry, I…"
The witch holds up a hand. "It was a sound tactic. Speaking of…"
The enemy forces begin to retreat, the general sheathing his blazing swords and quickly turning to follow its forces. Tron's army follows for a few dozen steps before stopping in perfect sync, just watching with their newly-acquired eyes.
"Does this mean we win?" Kairi asks her companions.
"For now," Lulu says with a cynical shake of her head.
"It's a strategic retreat," 9S explains. 'They weren't prepared for that much of a fight, must have been counting on Tron's absence."
Kairi hums as she realizes something. "That's why they had faces all of the sudden. Tron took direct control and started giving them their marching orders."
"He needs to be in the command post for that to happen?" Lulu asks. When 9S nods, her usual frown deepens. "That means he'll be of limited help."
"As things stand, yes," 9S confirms, though the way he's speaking has Kairi intrigued. "C'mon, let's get back to the command post. We need to know more about what the situation is here."
That's certainly true.
KH-KH-KH
As it sweeps into the command unit from which his tactical program had been directing the offensive while it took the front as per its design, GR3V05 begins to feel the first primitive stirrings of its inaugural emotion: burning blind rage.
It knows the reason for which it exists: to crush the enemy, leave the Radiant Garden databanks open for its Users to freely plunder. It had been executing its mission so well, hundreds of foes fodder for the majesty of its bladework. It might as well not have taken the rest of its army for the mission, so futile was the enemy attempt at resistance,
And then that new program had arrived, the one with a blade of its own. The one which GR3V05 had been unable to classify, a new and more powerful thing than it had been prepared to encounter. In its moment of triumph, the general had been… stalled. Temporarily of course, there would be no stopping its prime directive. But still…
"General," an aide program interrupts its thought process, standing by its shoulder. "General, your amplified power reserves show considerable depletion. You will need a new infusion before any more attempts at fulfilling your directive can be made."
"I know that!" GR3V05 snaps, barely restraining itself from tearing the annoyance's head straight off their body. "But the time for a new offensive is now, when they are still attempting to recover from our last assault."
"An assault which was turned back," the tactical program remarks from across the room. It stares placidly back as GR3V05 shoots it a hateful look. "If the opposition has acquired new assets, then it would behoove us to do the same."
"Then contact the Users," GR3V05 orders dismissively.
"A fine course of action, General… for later," its aide chimes in, a hint of nervousness in its voice. "You must begin recharging soon."
GR3V05 nods, though not without another grumbling growl. It makes its way to another chamber, this one bare except for a single large tube of see-through material. The tank is full from top to bottom with glowing liquid, pure power that the general must absorb to maintain its high levels of deadliness. Its glow is duller than it remembers, however.
"It loses its potency," GR3V05 declares with another glare at its cowering aide. "Will it still be adequate to recharge me?"
"Not quite to your full potency, General," the aide admits. "But another fresh source has been found, and the power you require should arrive within the cycle. We'll transfer it while you're in stasis, you won't even notice."
"Very well," the war program says with a quick nod. "And send a spyware program to scout the enemy base. This may only be the beginning of their new tactics, and I must be prepared."
As GR3V05 lowers itself into the recharge tank, just before drifting off into stasis, it makes itself one promise, the foolishness of that notion mitigated by the strangely satisfying thought it's attached to: the next time it sees that unusual program, employing all four blades will be the least of its strategy.
KH-KH-KH
The command room within the hilltop bunker isn't what Kairi would have expected from an operation in the middle of a war. There's hardly anyone in it, for one thing, and other than Tron everyone is the exact same configuration. None of them have the same spark to them as the system administrator, just walking from screen to screen and checking what appear to be tactical radars.
Tron has the Users and 9S gather around a central console, a cone of faintly blue light floating above it. Normally there would be a visual representation of ongoing battle, but at this currently peaceful moment it's empty.
"This is the first time in several cycles they've backed off," Tron explains, not sounding as relieved as his words might suggest. "Though as far as new variables go, the four-armed laserblade wielding death program is foremost in my processing."
"Whatever it is they think you have, PSICOM really wants it," Kairi remarks.
"And we don't even really have anything," the administrator agrees. "Unless they're thinking to self-destruct the castle and take the town with it."
Lulu shakes her head at that. "No, there's no profit in that for them, other than as some kind of last resort to play against the resistance. Given the way they've conducted the occupation so far, that doesn't seem likely."
"Then they must think you have more Xehanort files," 9S declares. "It's really the only explanation that makes sense."
"Where are we on that, anyway?" Kairi asks, her head tilting slightly. "You said that you had something you need our help with."
Tron makes a small noise of agreement, just one of a hundred little things that makes him so clearly more human than any of the rest of the programs, even 9S to an extent. "I was attempting to track the origin of this system, which had been copied from an existing one by Ansem the Wise. That search took me to the farthest reaches, where I finally found something worth noting.
"It was extremely well hidden, almost certainly a data cache of some kind. Maybe even on its own server. Anyway, the security was extensive. I barely made it through, and then when I finally reached the accessible entrance… well, I guess I shouldn't have used the word accessible there. I was completely shut out."
"So we're back to looking for a password?" 9S interrupts, frowning. "I don't really see how…"
"You don't understand," Tron says. "There wasn't even an interface that I could interact with to input a password. No matter what I did, the entrance acted as if I wasn't even there."
"That's… well, I'm not really sure. I have a lot of information about data protection, getting around it is half my designed function, but I've never heard of something like that."
"And we can somehow… help with this?" Irvine asks. He barely understood half the words either program had used.
Kairi's eyes widen. "What about the Keyblade? You think I could use it to open up the data vault?"
"That was my first thought," Tron confirms. "But I think it's actually more simple even than that. When I finally had time to analyze what I'd encountered, I realized there was a peculiar energy about it. A kind of higher harmonic that I could only barely sense."
Irvine groans. "Please, please, please find some words we can all understand."
"That really puts a limit of him as far as syllables," Lulu mutters, arms crossed over her chest.
"Okay, okay," Tron says. "To put it in simple terms: only a User can get into that data cache."
After a moment of comprehension, Kairi speaks up. "That actually makes sense. Xehanort had the digitizer, it stands to reason he had something in mind he wanted to use it for. He must have entered the system and set up that vault for his own use. That way, it would be almost impossible for anyone to actually get at his greatest secrets."
"It certainly isn't the first thing you might leap to," 9S agrees.
"So what are we doin' sittin' around here staring at each other?" Irvine asks, punching a fist into his open palm. "Just point us in the right direction and let's get this mission started proper."
"There's just one wrinkle in that plan," Tron announces, frowning. "The defenses around the vault are incredibly complex, and I'm the only one who has been able to make it through. Getting all of you through will require a flawless showing, and I'm not sure even a split-off program could accomplish it effectively."
"So, you go with us," Lulu says with a shrug.
An idea strikes Kairi when she spots the look on Tron's face. "But that would require you leaving this post without you."
The administrator nods. "There are quite a few programs hidden in this bunker that I wouldn't want PSICOM getting its hands on, no matter how lowly their functions."
"Is there nothing else you would trust?"
"Maybe I could do it."
All eyes turn to 9S, the program looking back through his blindfold. "I mean, it certainly isn't my primary function, but I might be able to hack it."
"Is that really possible?" Kairi asks Tron.
The administrator program doesn't answer for a moment, processing. Eventually, he nods. "I think it might be. But just to be sure…"
Without finishing the thought, Tron heads to a nearby terminal. Lighting the screen, he takes in a green-and-red-tinged readout that none of the Users can decipher. Studying it a moment, he leans back and begins scratching at his chin. "Hmm…"
"Is, uh, that a good 'hmm'?" Irvine takes it upon himself to ask.
"It's very good," Tron replies, turning to the group with a wide grin. "9S is going to need more processing power to handle a new function like this, and that means finding a pure power source. Luckily, my programs were able to find one before this mess started, and it's not far away to boot."
"So we need to go get this extra pure power," Kairi confirms, "then bring it back and use it to, um, upgrade 9S?"
"Precisely."
The scanning program seems to like that idea, his whole body perking up at the thought. "I certainly have no objections."
"Didn't think you would," Tron chuckles. He looks to Kairi. "I hate to impose on you again so soon, but…?"
"Tron," the Princess interrupts, one hand raised in showy modesty, "you don't even have to ask."
KH-KH-KH
The faintly glowing landscape once again sweeps by Kairi steers her borrowed Recognizer to the coordinates Tron had given. She watches it go by, fascinated despite what is objectively such a tedious sight. And underneath that fascination, something else…
"It's kinda wild, ain't it?" Irvine asks, looking through the viewport himself. "Right under our noses, in something we just take for granted every day, there's this whole other world."
"I suppose it is," Lulu agrees. She's leaned back against the wall, and Kairi has been feeling the witch's eyes on her for a while now. "Is that what's on your mind too, Kairi? Other worlds, and the people there?"
The Princess of Heart sighs. Busted. "Yeah, I guess it was. He's been here before, in this computer system. This is just the kind of place he'd love to show me around."
"You'll get your chance," Lulu assures her. "I…"
An alert sounds from the console, curtailing the conversation. Kairi looks down at her console, and by then it's already too late to do much but swerve as an enemy fighter swings toward them, an identical partner right behind it. Laser beams flash towards them, Kairi barely able to swing their vessel and take the damage in nonvital areas.
They'd taken the liberty of outfitting the Recognizer with a rear-facing turret before leaving the base, and Irvine has his hands on the controls in a blink. His return fire rakes one enemy fighter, nearly startling the program into its partner. With the two enemies so close, his next barrage is even more devastating.
Kairi doesn't have time to keep watch on the confrontation in the air as a beep from the bit hovering over her announces that they've nearly reached their destination. A third flying program hovers over the site, and radar detects at least a dozen more enemy soldiers on the ground. And underneath a force field, how nice.
The enemy fighter abandons its guard post to come at them directly. Kairi tugs the controls into a fast swerve, a sudden frustrated grunt from behind confirming that she'd thrown off Irvine's shot. Regrettable, but survival is more important.
"Still got one," the gunner calls up to her. "Then gained one, of course, but that's how it goes I guess."
Reading the radar, Kairi starts jinking and juking around laser blasts. The power supply is just up ahead, they're nearly flying over it now.
"Time to go," the redhead mutters to herself, standing up even as she continues working the controls. "Lulu, can you take over for me?"
Before the witch has time to realize the question's implications, Kairi has the bottom hatch opening up and is turning to make a run for it. She's moving too fast to actually see the look Lulu gives her, but can she ever feel its intense displeasure. It's there and gone in an instant, and then Kairi is falling through the air.
As she goes, she notices a slight flicker of blue energy surrounding her. It cuts through the rushing air where it appears, helping her keep focused on what's below her. Through the hazy half-sphere of the enemy forcefield below, she can see that a group of battle programs are draining the lightly glowing power into some kind of large collection vehicle, through a hose. Quite a hot item, this stuff.
There's a (very, very) brief moment, just before she hits the shield waiting for her, when the Princess of Heart really, really hopes that she didn't miscalculate this. This is yet another reason she needs Sora around: so she can start being the sensible one again.
The barrier turns out to give her no trouble, which is good. There's a slight tingle as she goes through, but nothing more. When Kairi hits the ground, Destiny's Embrace in hand and ready to do damage, the energy that had been building up around her dissipates in an explosive flash. A wave of invisible force radiates from her body, throwing her enemies almost comically through the air.
One program doesn't take the hit, standing its ground and digging the long staff it's holding into the ground beneath its feet. It charges forward, the long cape it wears wrapped around its shoulders flapping behind it. Kairi sidesteps the first downward swing, raising her blade to block the follow-up.
The next few moves, several high-and-low parry-and-riposte sequences which results in a few lost steps from Kairi. Meanwhile, the rest of the security programs are recovering. She needs to make an opening, find a way to disengage.
Caught up in her thoughts, she isn't ready for her opponent to break off their lock. It takes a step back and twirls its staff, throwing Kairi's Keyblade off and quickly darting back down to Kairi's side. Sparks of electricity burst from the point of impact, and the redheaded User stumbles back with a cry.
Working on pure reflex, she gathers Light energy into a sphere in her hand and launches it at her opponent. The program sidesteps, twirling its staff again as it begins to advance. Kairi does her best to ignore the pain still lingering in her side, settling into her battle stance.
The program suddenly lurches forward, shards of familiar Light scattering out from its back. Instinct pulls Kairi forward, slashing at her unbalanced opponent. Her first swing takes one arm from its socket, the other separating its head from its shoulders.
She has to step around it, then, to confront the rest of her enemies. She easily takes down a pair of the spindly soldiers, then with a jolt makes an instinctive pivot with Destiny's Embrace raised. A good thing too, as it appears even decapitation isn't enough to finish her first opponent off.
But the lack of its arm lessens the swing's force, allowing Kairi to counter with a single arm as well. With the other free, she fires off a few more Light spheres. Not at her current opponent, but the force field behind her. Like the previous orb they bounce off the powered barrier, ricocheting out to hit approaching enemies.
Her next exchange with the staff-wielding program is faster and more furious than the last, and when she ducks underneath a blow in order to get beneath the program's guard, she finds herself turned away with a kick.
Only instinct allows her to block the next blow, an overhead chop that just might have crushed her skull. She fires Light at the program's foot, blowing off one shin. Unbalanced by the sudden loss, the enemy program hops backwards. It's enough for Kairi to once again retreat.
But the program just keeps coming, hopping after her on one foot. At least losing the foot slows it down enough to give Kairi some time with her other remaining foes. She turns and charges a group of programs, a spin of her Keyblade deflecting the shots that get close enough to her. Two of the enemy are decapitated by a single swing, and it's a simple matter for her to turn and spear another one.
Pulling out, Kairi swings her Keyblade around behind her back, parallel with her spine, and blocks yet another determined staff swing. Grunting slightly at the effort, she thrusts her free hand forward and fires off a Light sphere. She's already moving by the time it hits the force field, stepping to the side and letting the rebounding orb punch through her opponent's chest. Finally, the program goes down.
And Kairi finds herself alone in the bubble. Letting out a weary sigh, she dismisses her weapon and reaches for the container on her back. She's just leaning down to scoop up the glowing liquid when the loud whine of rapidly displaced air draws her attention to the sky.
One of the enemy fighters falls to the glowing ground with a deep, resounding BOOM. Parts of the giant program go flying, quickly bursting into huge collections of glowing bytes. Kairi watches it all, breathing heavily. After a moment, she once again leans down and pulls a containerfull of Power out of the small lake.
Turning away from the wreckage, Kairi smiles as she looks up and spots the blue Recognizer coming down to pick her up. Mission accomplished.