Chapters A Lost Clone in a New Land
A Lost Clone in a New Land.
‘You really think you can defeat me, real thing!? Newsflash, I’m the real and perfect Kairi! Not you, coward!’
‘I won’t lose… I WON’T!!!’
‘T-the darkness… No, no… I don’t want to go!’
‘I want to be with you… p-please… save me… R-roxas…’
‘I’m scared… scared of the darkness… please… save me, R-roxas!’
‘ROXAS!’
Her pale-complexed eyelids opened wide for her blue eyes to scan the surroundings around her – it was dark… very dark and green? A forest of somekind…?
Releasing a groan, she sat up while rubbing her fingers through her short auburn red hair and wondering where she was. It was clear that this was somekind of forest but where exactly? Was this Twilight Town – more specifically the courtyard of that old abandoned mansion? It didn’t seem like it.
It was then that she realized that she was still alive and breathing which meant one thing – she had survived her encounter with… the real Kairi (her original persona) yet she didn’t have a clue on where she was right now.
Didn’t matter since all it did was made her sad and depressed at her current situation. So close… she was this close to securing victory in besting her original persona and becoming her own person yet the outcome ended in her defeat and death. It didn’t help that Roxas couldn’t save her and let her perish into the darkness.
She felt like crying and letting out her frustrations but couldn’t since she wasn’t a real person nor her own separate being. She was a goddamn CLONE! A clone who had her memories rewritten and forced into a pointless battle! It made her so angry…
Everyone had used her and then tossed her like garbage. Only one cared about her and that was Roxas – yet he wasn’t here now. It was just her… alone and without a purpose. At least she was far away from Castle Oblivion.
Releasing a sigh to herself, she stood up and pulled out a star charm that was given to her by a Roxas – a sign of their ‘friendship/affection’ for one another even if it was false. “I’ll miss you… Roxas. I don’t care if everything was false or if I was forced to have my memories rewritten… I’m keeping this charm no matter what – a token of our ‘relationship’. Goodbye…” She whispered sadly to herself before pocketing the charm back.
Now though where would she go next? First, she needed to escape from this forest and find out where she was. Easier said than done.
A soft gust of wind blew into her body and she began to shiver. She looked at her clothes and groaned once more when she realized that she was wearing her original persona’s casual clothes:
A black top underneath a white one, purple bike shorts that were hidden by a purple skirt being held all together by a blue belt and two white slip-on shoes/sandals with purple caps that adorned her feet. She also came to notice that the copied accessories of her original were still there - the black choker was on her neck, the yellow wristband along with the purple armband on her left arm and two bracelets on the right. Finally, the necklace with the silver bead was there as well.
Damned Vexen for not giving her a proper wardrobe when creating her… from this angle, she was looking like a doll that would be played by a small child or something similar to that.
Another gust of wind blew once more and she shivered yet again. She needed to get to some place warmer before she froze to death… literally. Then she would be able to-
Suddenly, she felt a huge pain coming from her chest and screamed while grabbing. “Ah-ah! M-my replicated heart… it’s hurting… th-the light! Ah-ah!” She yelled in pain.
When Vexen created her, the scientist gave her a cloned fake heart to keep track of her movements and also make sure that she remained loyal to the members stationed in Castle Oblivion. In addition, he also imputed a little fail-save in case she tried to use the light as her weapon – if light or anything was registered in her heart instead of darkness, the two sides would clash and eventually kill her.
That was what was happening to her right now – the light inside of her heart was clashing with the darkness… and it was hurting her so back. It began to get bigger which made her scream. “Ah-ah! My heart… it hurts so bad!”
She needed to do something before it the light overwhelmed her heart and killed her instead of this damn cold. “I… need to get away… I need to- AH-AH!” She screamed once more as the light inside of her continued to grow.
The pain was too much for her to handle. She was feeling weaker and was about to die soon unless she did something to-
She gasped upon realizing what she needed to do – darkness. She needed to channel her darkness NOW!
Her replicated heart continued to hurt due to the light but she got up slowly while breathing deeply and trying to ignore the pain that continued inside of her. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated and then yelled. “DARKNESS!”
A dark aura appeared around her before wrapping itself all over her body and forming a blackish-blue muscle tissue bodysuit with a heart-styled logo on the purple-blue colored chest while the black faded to red around the wrists which exposed a pair of purple gloves that were tucked under the suit along with a cloth with an off-white color that faded into dark purple and it was also ripped at the bottom which was held by a dark purple belt and purple boots with black soles.
Once the suit had been formed, the aura was gone and the pain inside her chest (mainly, her replicated heart) stopped all of a sudden. It made her sigh in relief since she was close to death and she didn’t want that right now – not when she had just woken up in a new place and free from the manipulations of her creator and the rest of the Organization.
However, that relief soon turned into sadness due to having to rely on the darkness and wearing this damned bodysuit… but at least she wasn’t dead. Not yet anyways…
She sighed once more to herself before speaking. “For the time being, I have to stay in the suit lest I want to perish due to the light and darkness crashing…”
She really didn’t want to be classified as a creature of darkness but what else was she? She was a clone – nothing more, nothing else. She had no purpose, no direction, no future. But at least she was free from Castle Oblivion… that’s something.
“At least this place isn’t the castle or the illusions… I need to find out where I am and decide what to do next. Shame that Roxas broke my memories, some dark-typed spells could come in handy right now.” She commented to herself.
Speaking of the darkness, she pulled out her left hand and concentrated. In a flash of darkness, she summoned a complete copy of the reddish-purple and blue demonic sword Soul Eater. “Well, at least I still have something to defend myself in case the locals here are… unfriendly.” She said that last part with a shiver due to remembering about Larxene and her sadistic moments.
Dismissing Soul Eater, she took a deep breath before heading forward and searching for a way out of this dark forest. If there was an exit, she would be able to find it… plus, trying to regain some of her dark-styled abilities and spells.
And with that, the replica of Kairi/Kairi Replica, proceeded forward in the Everfree Forest in search of freedom… and a purpose in her fake life.
Author's Note
Author's Notes : Dunno why I started writing this... for the practice or the hell of it, I guess. But it's worth a try to see who'll enjoy it and who won't.
Also, I know that it will never happen - but this is a roleswap AU thing where Kairi was in Riku's role and Ansem possessed her. Don't go giving me harsh criticism and such - please.
Happy reading and enjoy the prologue!
A Lost Clone meets a New Friend
A Lost Clone meets a New Friend.
Replica Kairi didn’t want to admit it but she was beginning to get tired of this damn forest. So far, she had been walking for nearly 10/20 minutes in search for an exit but there wasn’t any at all! It was frustrating her to the point that she was planning to summon Soul Eater and cut her way through the trees and leave by force if necessary.
Letting a groan of annoyance, she just continued on her way. “Trees, trees, trees! Goddamn trees! Ugh, there has to be a way out of this forest! I just know there is!” She yelled in anger before stopping and taking deep breaths to calm down.
One, two, three…
Taking another batch of deep breaths, she was able to calm down and eliminate the frustrations inside of her mind. Then she continued on her way in search of an exit from this damn forest. Sooner if possible…
Though she didn’t admit, the dark section of this forest was starting to give her the creeps. Weird noises coming from the bushes, the cold wind continuing to blow into her body and everything else to be honest. Actually, scratch that – this whole forest was giving her the creeps.
Scratching the back of her head with her gloved hand, she had to wonder why she was sent to this forest instead of the darkness. Did someone revived her in order to control her like how Marluxia and cronies almost did? Maybe it was Roxas or the real Kairi? No, scratch that – the boy with whom she was in ‘love’ wouldn’t have done this and she doubted that her real persona would have a spell or ability powerful enough to revive and send her away.
Whoever send her here was going to pay – big time. He/she would feel the wrath of the copied Soul Eater and perish… provided that she would find the culprit or get out of this creepy place.
Another thing that really bothered her was Kairi – the real Kairi. Why? What was so special about her that she had to remain in the Realm of Light instead of ending in the darkness?
Overcoming her fear of the dark with the help of Roxas? Defeating Ansem and helping Riku close the door in the End of the World? So many possibilities yet there weren’t any answers to the questions in her mind.
Until she stopped walking and placed her gloved hand on her chest. Maybe… It was the real Kairi’s heart. Was that what made her a special case and if so why?
A special heart, perhaps? Something that held both light/darkness together – a twilight? She had no clue…
“A heart with both light and darkness… I wonder if I have one even if it’s a replicated one.” The clone inquired to herself before sighing and shaking her head.
Having a heart with both light and darkness… pfft! What a joke! She wasn’t a real person nor did she have her own identity! She was a simple clone! Nothing more and nothing else.
Dismissing that thought she continued on her way to escape from this forest and learn where in the seventh princes of heart she was exactly. She failed to notice the yellow eyes watching her nor did she notice the figure with the black coat hiding and observing her presence. “Now, Replica Kairi… it’s time to see if you were worth saving from falling into the darkness.” He commented and couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.
The yellow eyes began to move slowly as a couple of growls were overheard much to the black coat’s amusement.
(Later…)
Relief – that’s what was inside her head right now. She had finally made her way out of the darkness section of the forest and found herself in a light one. Luckily, it didn’t affect her nor did it make her heart experience pain since she was still clad in her Dark Mode. While she didn’t enjoy wearing the suit a lot, it was the only way she could remain alive without the light and darkness inside of her clashing and attempting to kill her.
Speaking of that, she was in an area where there was light… why wasn’t it affecting her at all? Some Kind of resistance or a huge amount of darkness in this area? There may be more possibilities but she didn't have a clue on what they were unfortunately. Oh, well… that wasn’t important right now. She was out of the dark and into the light. A relief – even if it was a small one.
Now to continue on her main quest which was to find out what world she was on and determine her next course of action. She took a few steps only to accidentally step on something that felt like liquid. Looking down, she realized it was a mud puddle which had dirtied her boots sadly and made her groan in annoyance.
“Ugh… damn mud.” She commented as she jumped on dry soil and tried searching for some grass to remove the mud. Out of all the patches she could have stepped on, it was a mud puddle. This day wasn’t going out well so far and honestly, she was beginning to think it would get so much worse.
“Come on, there’s got to be a patch of grass to get rid this mud on my boot!” She told herself while looking for that patch.
Nothing unfortunately – just bushes, trees, yellow eyes watching her and more mud- Wait, yellow eyes…? Heartless!?
Forgetting about the mud, she conjured Soul Eater and got into a fighting position. How the hell were the Heartless here? Were they memory-based like in Castle Oblivion? She would soon find out and eliminate them before they caused serious damage.
The yellow eyes that were watching her from the bushes disappeared as growls were overheard. It confused the clone – Heartless don’t growl. Not any Heartless that she had met, of course. The bushes began to twitch as someone or something came out of it.
Replica Kairi was at a loss for words. It wasn’t Heartless that came out… it was wolves made of wood?
“Wooden wolves? That’s… pretty weird.” She commented.
Wooden wolves? That’s what growled at her? A pack of sticks combined together and shaped likes wolves? She expected Heartless or other types of animals… not wood.
Dismissing Soul Eater, she shook her head and was about to leave only one of the wolves to jump in the air and preparing to attack. She sensed it, did a backflip and re-summoned her sword. “Not very friendly, are you?” The clone questioned as the wolves growled at her yet again.
The sight of this made her grin – finally, something to relieve her frustration due to this god-awful day. Flickering her hair, she looked at the wolves before provoking them with her pinky finger. “Come at me, wolfies.” She mocked and prepared for a fight.
One of the wolves charged forward and attempted to bite her only to get slashed in half thanks to the terrifying strength of her weapon. It exploded into small twigs much to the clone’s surprise. That’s her opponent? A bunch of wooden wolves that are weak? Wow, so disappointing… she expected a strong Heartless or something like a ‘Nobody’ but all she got was a weak pack of wolves made from wood.
Now her mood was back to being a ruined one. She was really hoping for something to fix up her frustrations yet it was- Oh, shit! Another one nearly got her yet she jumped back in time, charged forward and immediately destroyed the second wolf.
The third one as expected jumped to attack via the air only for her to block its attack with Soul Eater and knock it back. Charging forward, she slashed it in half and it exploded as small twigs fell to the ground.
Okay, she took it back… the wolves were somewhat proper opponents even if they were weak and weren’t like the Heartless sadly. Aggressive as well…
Dismissing Soul Eater, she looked around the area where the battle took place and then the twigs. What an easy battle… which didn’t fix her mood unfortunately. This day wasn’t going so well.
She sighed before looking down to see if the mud mess was still on her boot. To her relief, it wasn’t. That was something even if it was only minor and left a small brown mark afterwards. With any luck, she could find a clear water patch and remove it. First though – finding a way out. Her primary goal.
Passing over the twigs and moving forward, she failed to notice the remaining pieces of the wooden wolves twitching and gathering together to form a gigantic wolf that began to growl at Replica Kairi and startling her.
Turning around, she gasped in shock when she saw the final twigs connecting together to enlarge the wolf. It growled at her and she couldn’t help but gulp. “Oh, dear…” She commented before stepping back, turning around and starting to run away.
Sadly, the wooden wolf quickly got in front of her and glared at her. She had no choice but to summon her weapon and fight the beast to escape.
The wolf began by trying to chomp her only for her to perform another backflip and land some feet away from the beast. Unfortunately, she couldn’t rest due to her opponent charging forward which was a dumb move on its part. It allowed her to dodge sideways and slash a part of wooden body.
The beast growled in anger and pain before overlooking at the bodysuited clone with pure rage. Turning around, it jumped in the air yet it didn’t land on her at all since she moved back a bit.
Delivering a couple of slashes to its body, she noticed that some of the twigs had dispersed onto the ground which was a good sign. As she was about to do more damage to the wolf, it unfortunately swatted her away which its wooden tail. She crashed into a nearby tree which hurt a little bit but not enough for her to gain a wound or an open cut.
Getting up quickly, she felt a little disoriented yet she shook her head and got up just in time to see the wolf charging at her. Luckily, she dodged out of the way as it crashed into the tree and more twigs were dispersed onto the greenish landscape. The wolf groaned a bit and felt disoriented which allowed her to prepare for cutting it in half.
She jumped in the air and came down just as the wolf regained his orientation. He was about to attack only for her to slash the main part of his body and cut it in half. It moaned before it twitched and exploded into a million twigs.
Replica Kairi landed gently onto the ground and breathed slowly. She then got onto one knee and released tiring breaths. Okay, she takes it back – that wolf was definitely something. Granted, it wasn’t a Heartless but it was something.
Wherever she landed, it was clear that there was more to this world than meets the eye. Something inside told her that she needed to be careful… for her sake.
She stood up slowly and dismissed Soul Eater before continuing on her way in search-
Her walking came to a halt when she heard rustling from a nearby bush. Groaning in frustration, she turned around and resummoned Soul Eater. “Okay, you damn wolves! Knock it off! I’m getting tired of you!” She admitted with an angry look on her face.
“Eeep!” A scared squeal occurred as the bush began to rustle again. The frustrations on the bodysuited girl disappeared and were replaced by a surprised one.
Eeep? That sounded like a squeal… coming from a human or one of the inhabitants! So there was life in this world as well!
“U-ummm… P-please don’t hurt me… I… I o-only wanted to come out so I can i-investigate the sounds. I d-didn’t know someone else was in the Everfree Forest.” The source of the ‘Eeep’ said – it sounded… female.
The Everfree Forest, huh? Interesting name…
“Where am I exactly and who are you?” Replica Kairi inquired as the female source came out from the bush.
It was a young girl with long pink hair and teal eyes. Her attire consisted of a light-yellow t-shirt with pink butterfly decorations, a pair of pink shorts with a chain to hold them and yellow sandals with pink soles. Her accessories consisted of a pink butterfly hair clip and some bracelets.
Needless to say, the clone was at a loss for this… this radiance of light… this beauty. This girl… she was… she was… Replica Kairi shook her head and got back onto the topic at hand.
“Who are you and why were you watching me?” She demanded the answer which startled the girl. She began to shake in fear and it made the clone slap herself in annoyance for that.
Of course, how could she forget? She’s still a creature of the darkness and a carbon fake. No wonder the girl got afraid. Nevertheless, she needed some answers.
Dismissing Soul Eater, she tried again – this time with a little more gentleness. “I… apologize for my rude words. Could we try again please?” She questioned.
The girl stopped shaking yet looked down but nodded nevertheless. “I’m… Fluttershy…” She whispered her name quietly yet the replica didn’t understand it.
“What? Could you repeat that please?” She asked.
“F-fluttershy.” She answered a bit clearer this time.
Fluttershy… what a cute name for a cute girl.
“Right… Fluttershy. Could you tell me where I am – besides this forest?” The clone asked.
Fluttershy was stroking her hair but spoke. “You’re in Equestria – outside this forest lies Ponyville. My home.” She answered.
Ponyville? Equestria? But… Fluttershy was human! Shouldn’t she be a pony or a horse? What kind of world did she find herself in!?
Actually, never mind that… at least she had a name for this world. She won’t die ignorant at all then.
“I see… Do you know where the exit to this forest is? I wish to get out and be on my way.” She asked.
Her question confused Fluttershy a bit. “On your way? Do you have somewhere you wish to be? Maybe I could help you.” She questioned.
That question made Replica Kairi resist the urge to roll her eyes – help her? A fake, a clone of a real person? Yeah, right!
Shaking her head, she looked at Fluttershy and answered. “No thank you… I don’t need help. You shouldn't waste your time trying to help a fake like me.”
Her answer shocked Fluttershy. “How can you say that!? Why would ever call yourself a ‘fake’!? You aren’t anything like that!” She replied.
Replica Kairi began to laugh before it turned into complete sadness. “Because I am! Because I’m not a real person! I’m a clone! A replica! A copy! I was never real!” She admitted.
Fluttershy was horrified upon hearing that and immediately felt sympathy for this ‘clone’ or ‘replica’. “No! You’re not a fake or a clone! You’re real! Nothing more, nothing else! You aren’t a fake – you are your own person!” She declared but her answer made Replica Kairi laugh again.
“Oh, that’s rich! Yeah, feel sympathy for the poor ‘fake’! And then use her as your puppet! Oh, yes! You are so right – I’m so ‘real’! Stop pretending! I told you that I’m not my own person!” She declared.
Fluttershy was shocked once more but then it turned to confusion due to hearing ‘use her as your puppet’. Did something bad happen to this poor thing? “You were used?” She asked.
Replica Kairi nodded in frustration and began to go into a rant. “Yes, I was! They created me to replace my original persona, rewrite my memories, twists my feelings into something comedic, used me to battle Riku, tried to destroy me, broke my memories… everything! I hate it! Everything! I thought that if I could gain some strength, I would be different from the real Kairi! Yet everything remains the same… I’m nothing more than a carbon copy! So, yes! That’s what I am – a copy, a fake, a replica!” She finished with a relieved look due to wanting to release everything about her life outside.
But yet… all it did in the end was make her more depressed and without any purpose whatsoever. “I’m not someone to be pitied… nor do I want any sympathy. I’m just a fake and that’s all I’ll ever be. Please… just point me to the exit and leave me… actually, I’ll find it myself. Sorry to bother you, Fluttershy.” She apologized.
Just as she was about to take a step however, she was stopped by Fluttershy holding her hand very tightly. “Stop. Now.” She demanded in a serious tone.
Replica Kairi didn’t bother listening and instead attempted to pry her hand off Fluttershy’s yet she couldn’t. “Let me go! I don’t want any sympathy!” She once again reminded only for Fluttershy to embrace her into a hug much to the surprise.
The clone tried to pry herself off Fluttershy by force if necessary yet it wasn’t working. “Didn’t you hear me!? I said let me-”
“Enough!” She ordered in a stern motherly tone as Replica Kairi eventually relented and sighed.
Might as well hear out what Fluttershy has to say.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight no matter what.” Fluttershy told her plainly to which Replica Kairi glared at her. “I’ll hurt you if you don’t let me leave.” She warned.
Surprisingly, Fluttershy wasn’t unfazed by her threats. “Go ahead and hurt me… but I won’t care. So long as I can help you, I don’t mind at all.” She told her.
The clone was surprised by her answer. “Did you not hear me at all? I possess a dangerous sword in my arsenal that can injure and cut through any types of opponents! You should be scared!” She told her.
Fluttershy shook her head. “No… I’m not. Do you want to know why? Because right now I want to help you and save you from your pain.” She answered calmly.
The clone in response just laughed. “I don’t need help from anyone! I’m a fa-” She couldn’t finish due to Fluttershy putting a finger on her lips. “No! Not another mention of that word!”
Replica Kairi stared at her in disbelief as Fluttershy continued to speak. “I don’t care if you are a ‘fake’ or ‘clone’. I don’t care if you were used as a ‘puppet’. I don’t care if you don’t deserve ‘sympathy’… what I care is helping you cope with the pain.”
In response to that, the bodysuited girl laughed. “Cope with the pain? How do you expect that to happen, huh?” She asked in disbelief.
“No matter how… I will help you.” She replied in a firm tone which annoyed the clone and caused her to reply in an annoyed tone. “I don’t need sympathy! Especially from you!”
“Clearly you do! You are suffering so much right now… and to be honest – hearing all the things that had happened to you makes me want to do my best… to help you.” Fluttershy told her yet Replica Kairi was in disbelief. “Why? Would you risk helping out a fake like me when I don’t need help?” She questioned.
Fluttershy released her and then held her hand gently while smiling. “Because… I don’t see a ‘fake’ right in front of me. I see a brave girl who fought what she believed in – regardless if she was used or not. You’re not a ‘clone’ or a ‘fake’ – not in my eyes. You are your own person and you have your own identity.” She answered.
Replica Kairi was in disbelief again. “I keep telling you that I’m not-” She couldn’t answer due to Fluttershy looking at her straight in the eye. “Don’t bother with the bad part of your past and treasure the good moments that you had – even if you did have some of your memories broken. Regardless if you were used as a pawn or not, I bet that there were some people who saw you as a different being. Think of them and forget all the bad things that happened.” She advised the clone.
That… was actually good advice. Come to think of it, even with false memories she did have one person/friend that at least cared for her – Roxas. Unlike the rest of the Organization, he cared for her. He… and Riku as well.
All of this made her sigh. “But still… why would you help me? I don’t feel anything since I have a replicated heart. Why would you risk helping me?” She questioned.
Fluttershy smiled gently. “Because I want to… and it’s the right thing to do. I’ll help you out no matter what. My parents always taught me this: Help out anyone at any time as best you can, Fluttershy. It’s the right thing to do… - Right now, you are clearly suffering and I wish to save you from making a very bad mistake. So, please – let me help you.” She extended a hand for the clone to grab.
Replica Kairi was truly at a loss – having just woken up in the darkest part of the Everfree Forest only to battle wooden wolves and then meet a girl that wants to help her. What was her world coming too?
Why would Fluttershy do this… the clone explained that she wasn’t a real person. Just a clone of the original Kairi yet the pink-haired girl didn’t care if that was the case or not. She wanted to help her… to help out a clone that didn’t need any sympathy or care. So, why? Why was she doing this?
And then… she sensed something… something bright inside of Fluttershy… a heart so pure and untouched by the darkness. A pure light… just like Riku and by a small coincidence – Roxas.
Was this why she awoke in Equestria? To discover this pure light and meet it? It had to be a coincidence… maybe there was another reason why she was sent to this world.
But the more she sensed the light in Fluttershy, the more convinced she felt that this was the case. A pure light… to protect and defend from the darkness. Just like… Roxas.
All of sudden, Replica Kairi felt like she wanted to stay here and defend Fluttershy – protect her, save her… just like how she would do with Roxas back at Castle Oblivion.
She had made her decision. “Alright… Fluttershy.” She grasped the pink-haired girl’s hand gently, smiled and replied. “I’ll… accept your help.”
Fluttershy felt relieved upon hearing that and hugged the clone. “Thank you… I promise you that I will help you out no matter what. Even if it kills me, I’ll help you.” She assured her.
For some reason, being hugged by Fluttershy made Replica Kairi feel warm and calm. She returned the hug before letting go. “Alright… I’ll hold you to that.” She told her.
Fluttershy smiled again before confusion appeared on her face. “Ooh, shoot! I never did get your name. I apologize for that.” She admitted.
The clone raised her hand. “It’s fine. Anyways… I remember telling you that I was created as a ‘replica’ and that my borrowed features belonged to a girl called Kairi. They called me the Kairi Replica or Replica Kairi.” She answered with Fluttershy nodding.
“I see… it would be weird of me to call you a ‘replica’ so instead I’ll just call you Kairi. Remember that as of right now, you’re your own person – not a clone.” Fluttershy reminded her as the clone nodded.
“Right.” She replied – it wouldn’t be easy since she was still considered a carbon copy or a fake but she would try her best to forget about that… for Fluttershy’s sake.
“Good… also, I know that I’m not the one to question your fashion choices but is there any way you can remove your weird ‘outfit’? It could attract some very unpleasant questions – especially if we enter town.” Fluttershy told her yet the clone just chuckled sadly.
“I wish that I would… yet this suit is keeping me alive, I’m afraid. My creator built a failsafe for me – if I’m not wearing my Dark Mode, light and darkness will clash inside my replicated heart and in the end, I’ll perish for good.” She answered.
Fluttershy gasped in shock at this revelation – the poor thing. Her shock turned into anger towards the creator of Kairi – if she ever found him, he would be in a deep world of pain. How dare he do this to her?
“I understand… very well, Kairi. I apologize for my question since I can tell that its very hard for you.” Fluttershy apologized once more.
“It’s fine… so, where do we head now?” The clone asked with Fluttershy answering immediately. “My house which is located at the entrance to the Everfree Forest. Some rest and food will do you good, Kairi.”
Rest and food, huh? She honestly didn’t mind that.
“Very well… lead the way.” Kairi told her.
Fluttershy grasped her hand gently and the two soon began walking towards the exit of the forest. Inside her mind though, Replica Kairi was still wondering if this was a good idea or not:
Should she really do this? Accept help from this person whom she had just met? What if this was one of the Organization members? What if this was still Castle Oblivion? What if her memories were broken yet again?
No… impossible. This place was real and the pure light inside Fluttershy’s heart was as real as it could get. She wasn’t fit to be a member of the Organization nor did she seem like the kind of person to join their ranks. So far, she was acting very gentle and caring… like how Roxas was.
Hmmm… maybe… she could help her… maybe she could give her the purpose that she was looking for her in her entire fake existence. It was worth a try.
Something told her that she was going to enjoy being with Fluttershy and accepting her help. Plus, she had just made a new friend…
…A friend. She could really use one right now… maybe there was one already… maybe it was Fluttershy.
As both individuals continued out of the Everfree Forest, they were unaware of the same black coat that was over watching them by leaning on a tree. Though his face was covered by the hood, he was somewhat amused by the outcome.
“Well, guess icy prince Vexen’s little project didn’t seem to be a total failure. I’m gonna have so much fun and study with this. Time to see what you are made of, Replica Kairi.” He declared before teleporting away to an unknown location.
Author's Note
Author's Notes : So, story started off really well surprisingly and with so many faves and follows! I'm glad that you enjoyed the prologue - granted, there was 1 dislike but I like to think of those as either one of the Castle Oblivion goons putting hate in the story. I'll ignore the haters and just write for the hell of it.
We've finally introduced Fluttershy to Replica Kairi - the start wasn't good yet both were convinced that they could help one another at the end. But the inspiration for human Fluttershy's outfit came from here: https://puricodraws.tumblr.com/post/184056492771/inspired-by-mattycroker1998-s-kh-redesigns-i - Giving credit to the person who made the outfit!
Also, that cloaked being... who is he, I have to wonder? Maybe we'll find out soon enough! Until next time!
A Lost Clone in the house of Fluttershy
A Lost Clone in the House of Fluttershy
Her pale eyelids opened slowly due to her still awakening from her slumber. She sat up slowly while taking in her surroundings which seemed to be a room of some kind. It had yellow-colored walls, a window and some bookcases.
“Huh… where exactly did I- Oh… I remember now – Fluttershy took me in and gave me a room to sleep.” Replica Kairi recalled as she released a yawn which was blocked by her gloved hand.
She didn’t typically sleep with a blanket since her dark suit provided her body with enough warmth even though she still didn’t understand how that was possible. Maybe it was just something she couldn’t exactly grasp on her own or it was probably how Vexen designed her? Either way – she wasn’t complaining since the suit was keeping her warm.
Getting off from the bed that she was using to sleep, she stretched her arms and wondered if Fluttershy was already awake and preparing breakfast downstairs. Replica Kairi didn’t eat much last night and was feeling very ravenous this morning. Back at Castle Oblivion, she didn’t get much nourishment thanks to her ‘guardians’ giving her nothing but stale bread and water. It wasn’t much yet she knew if she protested then either Vexen or Marluxia would punish her severely.
As Kairi was still waking up, a knock on the door occurred – must be Fluttershy. “Yes?” The red-head questioned.
The door opened slowly as Fluttershy’s face pepped a little bit. “I just wanted to ask if you would like to have some breakfast with me. I could use the company.”
Kairi Replica nodded as her stomach growled. “That answers my question. Of course, I’ll come.” She assured her and walked straight for the door as Fluttershy opened it for her to pass.
“I’m not sure what to give you for breakfast… so I’ll let you decide… if that’s not too much trouble of course.” Fluttershy told her.
“Shouldn’t be a bother… lead the way.” Kairi Replica encouraged her as the two descended downstairs where a couple of animals were resting or hibernating… the clone couldn’t really tell.
“You have a wide variety of animals, Flutters.” The clone pointed out and the pink-haired girl nodded in agreement.
“Well, I do love to care about different types of animals. It’s like a hobby or a job.”
“What’s your favorite animal if I might ask?” Replica Kairi inquired.
Fluttershy placed a finger on her chin to think. “A tough one to answer… hmm, let’s see…”
Their arrival to the kitchen was spent in silence as Fluttershy was still thinking about the question while preparing the table.
Forks were placed down along with some glass cups – no doubt for drinking liquids. “Well, I do have a weakness for cute bunny rabbits.” Fluttershy answered while getting two juice boxes.
“Rabbits are cute.” Kairi agreed with a small smile.
“They are… so do you want – apple or orange juice?” Fluttershy asked.
Kairi thought about it and went with the apple juice option. Fluttershy nodded and poured her a glass.
“So, what would you like to eat?” Fluttershy questioned.
Hmmm… what did she want to eat exactly? Something crunchy and sweet? Something savory and soft? She hoped it wasn’t just water and bread… If she had to eat just plain bread again, she’d scream.
“What are you offering exactly?” Kairi questioned.
“I have some cereal if you want it or maybe some waffles. An omelet as well if that’s what you want,” Fluttershy pointed her choices for a breakfast.
Kairi didn’t need to decide much. “Omelet… back in my old home I didn’t get much in the way of variety. Well, I say that, but really the only thing I’ve ever eaten is stale bread,” She admitted.
“Those cruel monsters… how could they do this to you…” Fluttershy was sympathetic towards the clone who just shrugged.
The pink-haired girl turned on the stove and began preparing the omelet. “I’ll make it the best omelet for you to enjoy, Kairi.” She told her guest who nodded.
“Of course – I’ll be waiting as long as it takes.”
Fluttershy went back to preparing the omelet while Kairi just sat at one of the chairs and waited patiently. She still couldn’t believe that she was in an actual house. All she had ever known were memory-based worlds in Castle Oblivion. Kairi preferred this. A real place in the real world simply couldn’t compare to Castle Oblivion’s fake world.
Her host seemed nice and the atmosphere was pleasant… still, the clone wondered if Fluttershy’s friends were kind people. She was still a little paranoid from the whole ‘Memory stealing’ fiasco though she kept her worried hidden behind a mask.
If Fluttershy introduced her to her friends soon, how would they act? Would they be accepting towards her or possibly hostile? Maybe… maybe not. But still…
“Say, Fluttershy.” Kairi spoke as the pink-haired girl spared a glance at her while cooking the omelet.
“Anything on your mind, Kairi?” Fluttershy questioned.
“Yeah… your friends. Do you plan on introducing me to them soon?” The clone asked.
“Oh! Well… I do but there in lies the problem with your suit – it would attract the wrong kind of attention and well… Is there anyway you can take it off? Just for an hour or a couple of minutes?” Fluttershy asked.
That unfortunately wasn’t an option… Kairi shook her head. “Fluttershy, I can’t. This suit is the only thing keeping me alive and I’m not if I can last an hour without it… let alone five minutes. I’m sorry…” She apologized.
Fluttershy sighed – it definitely would be a problem. She didn’t know how the girls were going to react to this… Twilight especially. No doubt she would love to experiment with Kairi and learn how much darkness was in her. The pink-haired girl had to be careful when the time came…
After a few seconds of cooking, the omelet was finished and ready to be served for the clone.
“And… done!” Fluttershy declared as she placed the well-cooked omelet on a plate and severed it to the clone. “Hopefully the right amount of salt was added, I know everyone has their personal tastes, but… enjoy!” The pink-haired girl wished.
Kairi picked her fork and began to eat… the omelet was… it was… so soft and fluffy! It was like she was launched straight into Heaven! She began to eat very fast much to Fluttershy’s surprise.
“Oh, my! You were definitely hungry a lot, aren’t you?”
In response to that question, Kairi slowed down with her eating and nodded sheepishly. “I… I didn’t have much to eat… so, I apologize if I’m eating like an animal. I’m just so hungry.” She admitted after swallowing a mouthful of omelet.
Fluttershy understood her and sympathized deeply with her – life in that castle according to Kairi seemed like a real miserable one… being a prisoner and forced to obey your orders.
“If you’re still hungry, I can prepare something else for you.” Fluttershy offered while she ate her own breakfast which was oatmeal.
Despite the generous offer, Kairi shook her head and replied. “I think this omelet might enough for now… we’ll see if my stomach growls again by lunchtime.”
“Well, alright… but don’t hesitate to ask me if you are still feeling hungry. I’ll whip up something for you very quickly.” Fluttershy assured her.
Kairi nodded and finished her omelet while her host continued with her oatmeal. The two were exchanging a pleasant small talk – mainly about Equestria and its inhabitants.
“So… these two princesses… they raise the sun and moon? But… how do they do that exactly?” Kairi wondered.
“Oh, that’s easy – magic. In the beginning, it was just Princess Celestia who raised both the sun and moon… without her sister.” Fluttershy spoke that last part with a small hint of hesitation in her tone.
‘Without her sister’? Normally, that phrase wouldn’t be enough to garner attention. However, the way Fluttershy paused before saying it had Kairi curious. Wouldn’t it be natural for a younger sister not to take part in something that big until she was of age? The clone needed to know a little bit more about the situation if she was going to be living here.
“Pardon my intrusion but what do you mean by ‘without her sister’? Did something bad happened to her?” Kairi questioned yet it made Fluttershy a little nervous.
Did she push the topic too quickly? God, she hoped that wasn’t the case…
In any event, Fluttershy gave a small sigh before answering. “Kairi, let me put it this way – sometimes people can get-” She was cut off by a loud banging on the door.
Fluttershy was confused as she got off the table and went to peak through the keyhole to see who it was. Kairi sat in her place and waited for her host to return which wasn’t long.
Her face was one of worry. “Kairi, we need to hide you… QUICKLY.” She stated and grabbed the clone’s glove hand much to her confusion.
With no time for explanations, Fluttershy and Kairi quickly ascended the stairs and entered one of the bedrooms. “Kairi, a friend of mine is at the front door right now… and she can’t see you no matter what.” The pink-haired girl explained as she looked around the room for a good hiding spot.
Kairi became confused. “Why? Why shouldn’t she see me? Fluttershy, what’s the matter?” She asked.
Fluttershy was still searching for a hiding spot but conversing with her guest. “Her name is Twilight – one of my friends… and you’ll be in huge trouble if she discovers you.”
“But why? I don’t understand… please explain it to me,” Kairi pleaded.
Fluttershy sighed and turned to explain yet the door banging increased which made the pink-haired girl quite worried. “No time… I’ll have to explain it later! Kairi, please trust me.” She pleaded with the clone.
The clone stared her dead in the eyes… and saw the seriousness in them. It made her sigh heavily but she complied with the request.
“Alright… but I want some answers when your friend is gone, is that clear?” Kairi asked and Fluttershy nodded.
“I promise… one more thing though, is there are any way you can remove your suit for a couple of minutes?”
It was a very curious question but it would result in her dying due to the light and darkness clashing in her artificial heart.
“I can try and stay out of the suit but why?” Kairi asked.
“Because my friend is very perceptive when detecting darkness… if she comes into this room, she might detect it… then we’ll be in trouble.” Fluttershy explained.
That… would be a problem… she could take off the suit but how long would she last before the light and darkness in her heart destroyed her? This was very bad news…
“I… I don’t know if I can stay without the suit for too long… maybe a couple of minutes but that’s it…” Kairi admitted.
Fluttershy nodded albeit reluctantly… could she get Twilight out of her house for at least 5 minutes so that Kairi could get back into that suit? It was worth a shot…
“I’ll try and get her out as soon as possible… but in the meantime, remove your bodysuit and hide somewhere. I’ll be back soon.” Fluttershy assured her.
Kairi did as she was told and dismissed her bodysuit. She was a little scared about how this would go down and shivered yet Fluttershy grabbed her hand gently. “Don’t worry… I’ll make her go away and I’ll come back in a bit.” She promised.
Kairi nodded albeit still worried. “I’ll… try my best to remain calm.” She assured and hid under the bed. Already she could feel the beginnings of pain in her Heart as the Light and Darkness clashed within her.
Fluttershy sighed a little bit before leaving the bedroom and going to confront Twilight who was no doubt here at this very moment due to detecting Kairi and the darkness inside of her.
Kairi remained underneath the bed and was waiting for Fluttershy to return. She had to hope out that things would turn in her favor. She had come too far to die under someone’s bed!
She went silent as she heard Fluttershy opening the door downstairs and talking with the person who was most likely Twilight. Their voices were muffled since she was upstairs and hiding under a bed. A shame really since she wanted to know what they were talking about…
There was nothing to do but wait and see what exactly would happen… hopefully she could survive long enough. She had just earned a new purpose in her fake life and didn’t want to die yet! Keeping her fingers crossed that it wouldn’t kill her and it would be worth it in the end.
‘Fluttershy! I know I sensed darkness! What are you hiding?’ A new voice spoke – it was no doubt Twilight whose footsteps could be heard.
‘Twi, please understand! I’m not hiding anything – there’s nothing! Honest truth!’ Fluttershy lied which relieved Kairi – good… for some reason, the clone was afraid of this ‘Twilight’.
‘Fluttershy… I sensed the darkness coming from your home. You’re hiding something…’
‘Twilight, I’m not… look, I’m just… tired. Haven’t really slept… please, Twi – nothing is wrong.’
‘Fluttershy… I know you are lying. I want you to tell me what you’re hiding.’
‘No, Twilight. I’m not hiding anything… Honest truth. Please… I just want some rest.’
‘No. Until you tell me what you’re hiding, I’m not moving from this spot.’
As she listened between their conversation, Kairi felt a pain in her chest where her false heart was. It was beginning to be more than she could tolerate… she pleaded for Fluttershy to hurry before it was too late.
‘What!? What do you mean I’m leaving!? Do you understand what you are-‘
‘Twilight… I’m not in the mood and I’m gaining a headache right now. Please just leave.’
‘Did you even-’
‘No. Leave please.’
As the pains in her chest continued, Kairi started to sweat heavily and felt the light and darkness clashing… It was hurting very badly.
In the meantime, Twilight grumbled with a huff and descended down the stairs before exiting her friend’s home which made Fluttershy sigh in relief. The pink-haired girl entered the bedroom where Kairi was.
“Kairi, she’s gone… hopefully. You can come out and equip your suit once more.” Fluttershy called out to Kairi who was still holding her chest that was hurting.
“DARKNESS!” Kairi yelled before the suit made its way back and wrapped itself around her entire body. With that done, her heart began to breathe normally and she sighed in relief.
The clone slipped out of the bed, stood up and posed a question. “You sure she’s gone? I’m not in the mood to get dissected or experimented on just because I can use the darkness freely.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Don’t worry… Twilight left my house. But she’s not pleased with how I kicked her out… she’ll come back eventually, Kairi.”
The clone sighed heavily. “Figures… even here I feel like my past continues to follow me wherever I go.”
Fluttershy placed a hand on her shoulder. “Remember what I told you? That part of your life is over… you can start over with a clean slate… and I’ll be here to help you out.” She promised.
“But what about Twilight? What if she learns that the darkness hasn’t vanished and finds me?” Kairi asked.
Fluttershy had to admit that she brought up a good point. “Hmmm… isolation won’t do any good for your mental and we definitely need to make sure that Twilight doesn’t find out about that darkness inside of you… what to do… what to do…” She trailed off and began to pace.
Kairi sat on the bed as Fluttershy continued to pace back and forth while trying to think of an idea for how to make this all work. So far all of her answers involved Twilight figuring out about the clone and such… it wasn’t good.
Seconds later, however…
“Hmmm… I do know one person that might be able to help out… or two depending on the situation. You can trust them.” Fluttershy assured her.
“Are they like Twilight though?” The clone questioned but Fluttershy shook her head.
“Nope. The princesses will be able to help you out… at times they can be strict but also fair. It’s our best shot if we don’t want an accident involving Twilight going crazy over your darkness.” Fluttershy explained.
“But what if they want to hurt me as well?” Kairi asked worriedly yet Fluttershy sat down next to her and held her gloved hands gently.
“It won’t come to that… but if it does, we’ll run away and I’ll do my best to make sure that you’re safe and sound. I promise.” Fluttershy assured her.
Kairi’s heart began to beat heavily… though it was artificial, the things she was feeling right now was real in a way. And mainly the fact that she found soothing comfort in Fluttershy’s words.
“I… Alright… but I’m still a bit worried.” Kairi admitted.
Fluttershy understood her and nodded. “I’ll help you. I promise.”
With that cleared up, the two left the bedroom and made their way downstairs for preparations in sending a letter to the rules of this worlds in regard to the problem that Replica Kairi was having.
There were no doubt other ways… but this was the only one since they could make sure that Twilight never finds out. Plus, the clone would be meeting new people.
It was worth a shot…
View Online
A Lost Clone meets the Princess of the Night.
A Lost Clone meets the Princess of the Night
“...And that is why I am in dire need of your presence, Princess Luna. I hope you’ll be able to help us both out since there’s no telling when Twilight might come again and investigate Kairi and the dark powers resting inside her body.
With warm regards, Fluttershy.”
Princess Luna’s first thought about the letter was surprise. Up until now she had never received any letter from anyone else - especially one of the Elements. Though as someone would often say it was a first time for everything.
The second thing that ran through her mind was interest - a young child wielding darkness in both combat and a need to stay alive? It sounded incredulous… a bit too incredulous though. Luna had to wonder if the Element of Kindness was being serious in her words about the child… from the way that the letter was structured, it definitely seemed to be real enough.
Lastly, there was worry at the fact that Twilight Sparkle had taken a special interest in this due to her stance that light was superior and darkness wasn’t. Damn Celestia.
Sure, darkness was a dangerous tool when used in the wrong hands but a few miscreants using something for evil did not make the thing itself evil. If controlled properly it can be a powerful ability to have on your side. The fact that this Kairi had an entire suit made out of darkness was quite an achievement.
The more Luna thought about it, the more she became intrigued. This was definitely worth investigating and plus she had a feeling that she was going to gain a new friend very soon. With her mind made up, Luna prepared herself for the trip to the eccentric town of Ponyville. She was oblivious to what would go down soon…
(Two hours later...)
Fluttershy was busy cleaning up her house all the while Kairi was spending her free time petting the animals that had surrounded her. To her surprise, they didn’t seem to cower in fear at her or the dark suit that was covering her body. It was definitely a nice change of pace and Fluttershy found it adorable for some reason.
Lately, the pinkette had been feeling like she had truly established a friendship with the clone who in turn felt nothing but gratitude. However Fluttershy began feeling something else as well - a weird emotion along with butterflies in her stomach. Something was definitely amiss and the more she bonded with the red-haired clone, the weirder she felt.
As Fluttershy was cleaning the kitchen, she felt a knock on the front door and got startled alongside Kairi who began to get worried a little. The pinkette dropped whatever she was doing and walked slowly towards the door but was already feeling nervous at the unexpected guest that was still knocking.
What if it was Twilight? Did she come back to investigate the source that was Kairi herself? If that was the case then she would have to call Kairi and tell her that she would have to dismiss her suit and hide until the Element of Magic was gone or if things truly got ugly then they both would start running away.
Fluttershy had stopped in front of the door before she spared a glance at Kairi who was shifting her purple-colored boots and looking nervous. The pinkette gave her a small smile that was hoping it would be convincing yet she herself felt like a broken record.
Trying to relax, she took a deep breath and placed her hand on the handle before twisting it. Opening the door slowly, her fear immediately evaporated when she saw that it wasn’t Twilight, but a woman with moderate cyan eyes and fair skin while her long hairstyle had a moderate sapphire blue with grayish Persian blue outline color. She wore a royalty attire which consisted of a light-dark blue top with a Moon symbol that showcased her cleavage, a light blue arm bracelet was on her right hand while a disconnected long sleeve covered her left. Her lower attire was a dark blue skirt that covered her knees and lastly light blue sandals with blue soles adorned her feet. The dark crown rested atop her hair while a small string with a red rose held both the skirt and top together. If anything, Fluttershy was glad that none other than Princess Luna had arrived.
“Princess, thank you for answering my call.” Fluttershy thanked with a bow yet Luna raised her hand. “No need for thanks, young one. If someone is in dire need of my assistance, I shall come henceforth. Now then - may I see the mystery child in question?”
Fluttershy nodded and let her inside her house before entering the living room where Kairi was. Luna was surprised to see that Fluttershy wasn’t exaggerating when she wrote that letter. To see the young child in front and in a suit made out of darkness was something that Luna never expected to see in her life.
“Fascinating…” Luna commented and placed a finger on her chin as she examined the young red-head from top to bottom. But then she turned her attention towards the suit that Kairi wore… it was definitely giving off a dark aura. Luna was impressed at how well this little one had survived while using the darkness to sustain herself.
Kairi in the meantime couldn’t help but keep her eyes on the woman at all times. There was something about her that made the replica trust her… a sense of warmth and comfort was hidden inside the mysterious woman’s heart. She definitely wouldn't mind if she got to know her better.
“Mhm… interesting. Fluttershy mentioned in a letter to me that your suit is the reason why you are still alive, yes?” Luna questioned with a raised brow.
Kairi nodded. “Somewhat. But there’s also my replicated heart.”
“Replicated heart?” Luna questioned in a confused tone before Kairi began to explain her life story and situation. The Princess of the Night just listened to every single detail and couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the child. Whatever experiments this ‘Organization’ did to her it wasn’t right… in fact, it was sickening.
But there was one thing that caught Luna’s interest - the Keyblade. She had never heard of such a weapon before nor its capabilities. A mental note appeared in her head to investigate the lore of the legendary weapon and its capabilities once things were wrapped here.
After a while, Kairi had finished her story. “...and I found myself in this world where Fluttershy found me and took me in.”
Silence fell as Kairi wondered what fate had in store for her. Was Luna going to punish her and remove the suit forcefully in order to let her die? Was she going to inform Twilight about her? What would happen to her? All questions… no answers.
And then Luna spoke with a small sigh. “After hearing your story… I can safely do this.” She paused and then embraced the replica in a motherly hug much to her surprise.
Once she released her, Luna grabbed her hands. “I can’t imagine how much suffering you went through, little one. I offer you my deep sympathies in regards to having your memories be manipulated. Nobody, especially you, shouldn’t have to go through that nor your friend Roxas.” She told her.
Never before had Kairi experienced this sort of behavior before. She didn’t understand why people were showing her sympathy. They had to understand that she was a clone! Not a flesh-and-blood person! Why are people trying to sympathize with her!? It just didn’t make sense…
She never asked for this! She didn’t want to be created in the first place! She… she… She wanted someone… anyone. To keep her company and comfort her… like Roxas did while in Castle Oblivion.
Her first response was to let out a couple of tears but nothing came out from her eyes. Was it because she was a replica and couldn’t stimulate emotions at least? It was the only explanation that she had.
In the end, she just gave a sigh with a shrug. “It’s not your fault.” She assured the princess who didn’t say a word. It was clear that she too was trying to process how to deal with the story of the replica.
After a small silence, Fluttershy spoke. “Princess… If I might speak?”
Luna turned to her and nodded as Fluttershy continued. “About her heart and the suit that’s keeping her… is there a way to counter the darkness?”
That’s what was on Luna’s mind at the moment - how to counter the light and darkness from clashing and make Kairi stop wearing the suit. Unfortunately, no answer was coming at the moment. She first had to see what she was dealing with and have the replica perform some tests in order to determine how she can help out the young girl.
What she needed was the perfect spot and she knew exactly where they could start with the examination. It was decided and a smile appeared on her lips.
“Very well… girls, I don't have an answer right now but I do have a plan in mind. One that could help me get to the bottom of this. First things first, take my hands. We’re going to need a lot more room than this house.” Luna told them.
Fluttershy and Kairi shared a glance of worry at what the princess was planning but decided to humor her. Grabbing her hands, the woman muttered a strange incantation before a bright light glowed and filled the entire room. Once it died down, the three individuals had disappeared as if it was a magic trick that had just been performed. It once again became peaceful and quiet… however said silence was interrupted by the door opening very loudly as Twilight stepped in with a frown on her face.
“I know I sensed the darkness in here! I can still sense dark energy somewhere in this room! Fluttershy, I know you’re hiding something! Come out and show it!” The librarian demanded but upon noticing that there wasn’t anyone in the room her frown turned into frustration.
And with that she started looking around for any signs of darkness unaware of the fact that had she arrived earlier, she would have caught a glimpse of the Kairi Replica who was currently with Luna and Fluttershy. Boy, oh boy - would the three be surprised when they returned.
A Lost Clone's Training in Darkness
A Lost Clone's Training in Darkness
A bright light had formed in the darkened area which grew and expanded until it resulted in 3 beings standing there and observing their surroundings… Well, one of them landed on the ground and let out a ‘Oof’ noise as they rubbed their butt.
“Ugh… that was a hard landing.” The figure spoke in the darkness which was soon followed by a clap.
The lights had turned on and filled the entire room along with revealing who it was that had appeared - Luna, Kairi Replica and Fluttershy. The pinkette and redhead looked and discovered that they were in an arena that was large enough to host tournaments or training sessions.
Kairi whistled. “Impressive… What is this place though, Princess?” She wondered.
In response to the question, Luna’s lips made way for a grin. “A little place bordering on the light and darkness - the Arena of Twilight. I often use this place to meditate and practice my skills.”
“Practice your skills, Princess?” Fluttershy inquired with a curious expression as Luna answered. “Fighting skills and magic as well. I’m into fencing.”
“Like Princess Celestia in the old days?” Fluttershy asked.
Luna gave a nod before turning towards Kairi. “Now then… we’re going to conduct a few tests before I can determine exactly how I’m going to help you out.”
“Tests? As in experiments that are deadly?” Kairi began to feel nervous and wondered if agreeing to come was already a bad idea. She started getting flashbacks to Vexen and his twisted experiments.
To her relief, Luna had other plans. “Nothing of the sort. I wish to see how well you can fight.”
“Oh? Is that it?” Kairi asked in a relieved tone. Easy as pie - fighting was in her blood after all. At least she thought it was going to be easy at first…
Until Luna smirked. “And I want to see if you can last long without using the darkness as a backup.”
Oh… that might be a little hard since she had drawn strength from the power of darkness. To not rely on it would be challenging… but if she wanted all the help that was possible then that’s what she would do. Plus, she can’t use her dark powers all the time.
Luna then closed her eyes as she began to mutter an ancient incantation that was unfamiliar to both Kairi and Fluttershy. What occurred next was the Princess of the Night glowing an aura followed by immovable dummies spawning all around the arena. Once that was done, Luna made a couple of gestures with her hands and muttered an ancient incantation that Kairi didn’t seem to catch onto due to the language not even sounding like English.
The dummies glowed for a few seconds before it disappeared. Kairi wondered where Luna was going with this… until she saw the wooden fingers of the puppets twitch. Ah, now she understands… she was going to stand her ground against a couple of puppets. Very well.
Kairi summoned the Soul Eater and got into position. Fluttershy was sent to a secure platform on the upper part of the arena to watch alongside Luna who appeared next to her.
“This should give us both a clear view of the performance downstairs. Fluttershy, I wish that you examine the entire fight and memorize every detail. Can I count on you for that?”
Fluttershy gave a nod. She’d give it her best to watch Kairi fight against those wooden dummies in the arena. Though truth be told… she was a little worried about the clone and her fighting capabilities. Little did she know that she was about to have the most interesting viewing experience.
Luna just sat patiently in her chair and watched as the clone began to fight against the now live wooden dummies. One thing that intrigued the princess was the child’s fighting capabilities and especially that sword of hers. She was hoping that the girl would last at least for a couple of minutes - maybe 3 to 4.
A wooden dummy attempted to strike Kairi from behind but she sideswept and sliced it in half. It disintegrated into sawdust as the red-head replica moved onto the next opponent and eliminated it easily.
A couple of slashes and swishes from her sword along with quick reflexes and she had defeated them all eventually. She started breathing slowly before dismissing Soul Eater and then looking up at Luna. “How’d I do?”
“Hmmm… very effective for a child your age. Not bad at all, honey. Now though - I’d like for you to have another go at the dummies again. But this time, I want you to use the power of darkness at your disposal.”
“Anything specific?” Kairi wondered with a raised brow as she flung her sword over her shoulder.
“For now, just use the darkness as a source of strength. Don’t rely on anything magical or your weapons. The darkness will serve as your shield against the dummies. Let them attack you and don’t do anything. Understand?”
Not relying on her sword and letting them attack… that would be a complication. But on the other hand, she would see just how much darkness she could use before exhausting herself. An interesting test indeed.
There was a bit of irony on that part since taking off her suit would result in her artificial heart’s light and darkness fighting and that would end with her dying completely. But if she used too much darkness would she still succumb to it? That was a good question.
In the end, it didn’t matter. She was still a creature born in darkness and she’ll no doubt die while staring in the face of darkness. Or maybe there will be a way to defy her fate? Only the future would reveal the answer.
For now, the second phase of the test began with dummies being spawned while Kairi concentrated and coated herself with a dark aura in the form of a shield. The wooden puppets charged forward and attempted to attack her yet they all got sent back as the replica stood still in a single place.
Seconds later, the dummies got up and attempted to strike her in multiple places only to be denied as the dark aura shield protecting Kairi remained in place without it being dismissed. Fluttershy couldn’t help but stare in awe. Just how much darkness was in this girl…?
The same question was on the mind of Luna. Kairi’s performance was definitely worth supervising… if there was any hope of giving the red-haired child a chance in the world of Equestria, then this test was one she couldn’t afford to fail.
A minute or two later, the puppets had all disintegrated into dust as Kairi stood to attention and looked at Luna who had performed the deed. “How’d I do?”
“So far, you’re doing pretty well, hon. Now we’re going to combine your attack and defense together… you’ll be using the darkness as a power up in your attacks along with defending yourself. Think you can handle it?”
Kairi just gave a nod. “I think I’ll manage. What exactly do you want me to use in regards to darkness?”
Luna paused to think as she placed a finger on her chin. “Hmm… powering up your sword and using dark-typed spells. Maybe even cast a barrier that would protect you… to see how long it lasts.”
“Alright… shouldn’t be a problem.” Kairi assured her and prepared for the next part of the lesson.
Utilizing the powers of darkness, she surrounded herself with a dark-like shield just as more dummies began to spawn. Luna and Fluttershy watched her from the platform.
While the pinkette knew that Kairi wasn’t going to have any trouble in taking on the dummies, there still remained a worried expression on her face. Despite having met her not too long ago, the red-haired girl was already someone whom she considered a friend. If something happened to her, Fluttershy wasn’t sure how she would be able to handle it.
As for Luna, she was keeping a closer eye on the girl’s fighting and darkness capabilities. The red-haired teenager slashed another dummy in half with her sword before she launched a dark-styled fireball that was colored in dark purple and white at another of her opponents. Hmm, she was very quick and agile… although, there was always room for mistakes.
Another thing that popped on her mind was the small amount of darkness that the girl was currently using at her disposal. It would seem that young Fluttershy wasn’t exaggerating in her letter when she said that this child was afraid of fully utilizing her Darkness. She was playing it smart… good for her. At least there wasn’t going to be any sort of trouble for the foreseeable future.
Seconds later, Kairi had finished slashing the final dummy which disappeared. Luna and Fluttershy teleported back down and the latter went to check up on her.
“You okay?” Fluttershy asked and received a nod from Kairi.
Before the pinkette could say anything, Luna spoke in her stead. “The lesson is at an end. You performed well, young one. I’ve gotten all of the data I need from the fight but it will take some time to get it analyzed. Hopefully the analysis will help determine the darkness inside your heart. Maybe there is a way for you to live a normal existence without everybody fearing you and calling you a creature of darkness.”
Kairi was hoping that was the case. If there was a way for her to live without the darkness by her side, then she might have a chance at a normal life. All she could hope was wait and see if the princess had an idea on what to do next.
Muttering the words, Luna casted the spell on herself and the two girls before they teleported away from the arena which became silent once more. In a flash of light, they returned back to Fluttershy’s living room… only to be greeted with a shocking sight.
The entire living room had been turned upside down… the coach and bookcases were flipped completely, the carpets were rolled up, chairs were thrown at all locations, some were even broken. Fluttershy was in complete disbelief… her home… it was vandalized.
Then she ran upstairs to check the rest of the house. Luna had a worried expression on her face. Who could have vandalized the poor child’s home…? A thief or someone else…? The Night Princess couldn’t be sure.
Fluttershy then came back down and her face was one of despair and sadness. “My home… it’s all vandalized. My bedroom, my bathroom… everything!” She yelled and felt the tears leak.
Kairi was overcome by a wave of guilt and felt like this was her fault. She looked down and sighed sadly. “I feel like I should leave… it’s all because of me that this has happened.”
Fluttershy looked at her in surprise but then she shook her head. “No, no… this wasn’t your doing. It was someone else… you don’t have to blame yourself for any of this.”
“But… but…”
“AH-HA! I KNEW IT!!!” A voice spoke.
All three individuals turned to see… none other than Twilight Sparkle herself who was having an insane grin on her face and pointing her finger at the replica of Kairi.
“I knew it! DARKNESS! There she is! The one who is using the powers of darkness at her disposal! I have you!” Twilight Sparkle declared and cackled evilly.
Fluttershy and Luna were both shocked while Kairi was stunned… this was definitely bad. VERY BAD!
The Moon Princess moved in front of Kairi and shielded her before she turned to look at Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle. I ask you that you calm yourself and dismiss these delusional thoughts from your mind and hear us out.”
“NO! I finally found her and now I can finally take her down!” Twilight declared and cackled once more.
Fluttershy was speechless… what the hell was going on right now through Twilight’s mind!?
