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Dec. 20th, 2014 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
youlazybumCharacter Info
◎ Character's Name: Kairi
◎ Character's Canon: Kingdom Hearts
◎ Character's Age: Fifteen
◎ Canon Point: Before Kingdom Hearts 2 (About Day 345 of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days)
◎ Background/History: Kairicentric
◎ Is the character a hacker and/or do they have a sixth-sense? Nope! At least none that she is aware of.
◎ Personality:
Kairi comes off as a spunky girl with a light sense of humor and a gentle heart. Growing up with so many boys around her, with her closest friends being Sora and Riku, it's safe to say that she carries a spark of a tomboy attitude. She's not afraid to get out there and get her hands dirty as expressed through her time growing up on the islands. She certainly won't be the type to cry over sand in her shoes or getting soaked. If anything, it means payback is imminent. That is, lighthearted retaliation. Kairi isn't cruel in any means whether it be due to her status as a Princess of Heart or just the nature of her being. At most, Kairi's an instigator. This is particularly true between her friends, Sora and Riku. In the very beginnings before Sora's journey lifts off, when they disagreed on something, Kairi would offer to play referee to their antics. A race to name the raft would be one clear example. Of course, unknown to Kairi is the potential push and pull between her friends for her attention although whether she acknowledges it or not remains unseen throughout the series.
Despite her warm, fond light that people well associate Kairi with though, that doesn't mean she can't showcase a dislike for people. Even without having a drop of darkness in her heart, Kairi can hold a disdain for people she feels deserve it- but that's just that. They are people that have wronged her or her friends in the first place purposefully and usually without carrying any regret towards their actions. And those sorts of people bring out a steadfast and brave-faced girl. She's upfront and brash in her words. But while indignant those towards people, she isn't the type to seriously call people names. That's left to more endearing jeering such as when she calls Sora a "lazy bum". However, Kairi remains open about her feelings towards people like shouting at Axel that he wasn't very nice and showing an obvious lack of trust. Like Sora, Kairi also tends to wear her heart on her sleeve. What she thinks is often spelled out straight up. If she likes something, she likes something. If she doesn't, people know, too. She isn't one to hold secrets about herself. About the only time she would withhold information would be to protect her friends from people intent on using what she knows with ill intentions. Otherwise, most likely, if she hasn't told someone something, it's simply because she doesn't think its context is relevant or important rather than her being worried about what people will think.
Being a Princess of Heart is one of those matters. While she knows it's part of who she is, the role isn't something she makes a spectacle of. To her, she's still Kairi. The additional title has just become a part of her and while she acknowledges it, she has yet to let it get to her head. She really just takes the matter in stride, an attitude that Kairi generally seems to pronounce. As if complimenting the origin of her name, Kairi tends to go with the flow. A few key matters really make light of this attitude. One is how she just isn't all that concerned about her origins. Even knowing that she's adopted and wasn't born on the islands, Kairi finds herself content with how things are. She doesn't remember anything, but she doesn't really let it bother her. Her focus is on the now rather than on the past. However, at the same time, when her friends express an interest to try and make a raft so they can sail out to find other worlds with the intent of finding the one she came from, Kairi doesn't reject the idea either. Rather, she follows along with it, ending up playing stock keeper and keeping Sora on the run for supplies. At least when she’s not slacking off herself.
That isn't to say that her flow can't be ruptured though. New situations breed new actions. But she will more than likely be the one to step forward and react rather than shut down- take the reins rather than stall out and just let things happen. One such example is expressed in the way how almost immediately after her heart is recovered in Hollow Bastion, Kairi throws herself on her feet and runs to catch Sora despite just having been revived from her comatose state which she resides in for most of the first journey. Another is demonstrated in the way she adamantly tries to protect Sora in his Heartless form, using herself as a shield even while knowing there was a good chance she would be hurt in the process. Kairi just tends to act first and think later, following the judgment of her heart- which can be troubling for her friends if things don't work out to her advantage. For while she's courageous, that can also transpire to a stubborn, headstrong attitude at times. This has led her to instances where she has put herself in harm’s way and potentially nearly made things worse on more than one occasion. Kairi clearly isn't a physical fighter as demonstrated at Destiny Islands. Back then, she's the only member in her circle of friends who does not spar against Sora. She doesn't even own a weapon of any sort. This makes it a possibility that at least during their quiet island life, it might be led to believe Kairi didn't have a desire to take up false arms even just for fun. That's not to say she's a pacifist. Just simply not someone who may have been interested in fighting without a good cause for it.
Regardless, even if things don’t work out the way she intends though, Kairi isn’t commonly one to brood. On the inside, perhaps she’s frightened and worried, but on the outside, she continues to move forward. She has a lot of faith in her friends. It’s enough that she will agree to stand by and wait for their safe return. She spends a year doing so before Sora’s third journey begins. And despite waiting as long as she has, Kairi holds a calm view to her. She knows that they’re out there somewhere still rather than believing that something bad has happened to them. This is expressed through her conversation with Selphie back on their home island. Another example to mind towards lack of brooding would be the matter of not coming from Destiny Islands. While recognizing it, the idea isn’t something that sits on the forefront of her thoughts constantly. It’s something she’s accepted, and while curious, chances are without the wistfulness of her friends, Kairi probably wouldn’t have ever really considered trying to take a raft out to see other worlds and perhaps find the one she came from. It just doesn’t weigh on her. That doesn’t necessarily mean she wouldn’t be curious about it. She certainly implies as such. Still, she would rather enjoy the what she has, seeming to hold a philosophy of living in the now.
For as much as she tends to keep herself together though, there are subtle hints of her insecurities. One to note is how she has Sora hold onto her lucky charm and then presses him to promise to bring it back since it’s something important to her. From one perspective, it may just appear as a reassurance to him, especially when she furthermore states “Wherever you go, I’m always with you". But on the other side of the coin, no doubt she fears for him and wants him to return safely with Riku. By giving Sora the good luck charm and having him make that promise, that reaffirms that Sora will come back. He has to come back. And perhaps in a way, it’s a guiding light for her to continue to hold the faith she always does with her friends. For if Kairi were to ever lose them, it’s hard to say what she would do, especially for someone so faithful in her friends. From this, however, it can be led to believe that Kairi does have her fears yet chances are that she bottles them up. She certainly doesn't upfront talk about them- perhaps ironic considering how straightforward she is otherwise. Instead, she ops to hold to her faith.
Surprisingly, despite all the hardships that Kairi has either heard of or seen take place, she remains a positive individual who tends to make friends easily enough. Her enthusiasm rivals Sora’s at times in its ridiculousness. She is heavily optimistic, wearing a smile that’s contagious. And while she will sympathize with someone, she won’t be one to just share in their misery. If anything, she’ll try to find the light in the darkness of the situation. One such case would eventually be when she first discovers Riku at The World That Never Was. Instead of being miserable over the form he has taken, Kairi still very much sees Riku as who he is and goes further to prompt him to remain by her side and then later to confront Sora. She won’t have him removing himself from the trio despite what he’s become. Riku’s still Riku to her. And she stubbornly won’t let him walk out of their lives again and shoulder all the weight of his misdeeds by himself. And while from her canon point, she has yet to uncover things, it’s a future undeniably consistent with sort of goes-with-the-flow gone stubborn persona she holds.
Still, it's safe to say that being separated from her best friends has a great effect on her. It's enough for her to withdraw from her usual island antics. She stops even going to the play island anymore and her talk with Selphie emphasizes that there's a good chance she doesn't talk with Wakka and Tidus as often as she used to. Generally, it seems she's become withdrawn from the people back home which is some ways no real surprise after she's seen what she's seen and knowing that her friends are out there somewhere. And while she does try to remain positive (such as later on down the line sending out that letter to Sora- whom she just remembers his name at that point), her actions speak loudly in her posture and gestures that she's more thoughtful and a bit less peppy than she used to be.
Her general scope of things will generally be shaken, too, by her timepoint since she doesn't recall Sora. She knows there was another boy on the island aside from Riku, Wakka, and Tidus, but the details otherwise have been lost to her. It also doesn't help that the others are unsure about it themselves since their own memories have been altered, too. Despite how discouraging that has made that thought, however, Kairi's pretty persistent in her desire to remember him. Whoever this other boy was, he must have been pretty important to her, she thinks. Otherwise, why would she have such an inkling that she was forgetting something important.
Because Sora's someone very important to Kairi. Both him and Riku are her driving force. That isn't to say she doesn't value her other friends back at home or even the friends she gets to make at Traverse Town. However, Sora and Riku are the two she holds highest. They're her best friends, the ones she confides and trusts the most. But also in that sense, they're her focal point and their happiness is her own. In that sense, they can really make or break Kairi. From the perspective of what's been seen of her, Kairi tends to be a follower to them more than any leader of her own goals and ambitions throughout her fourteenth year. While it's also important to recall that she did spend most of the time in the first game with her heart lost, after she finally regains it, Kairi spends her time waiting for her friends at Traverse Town- and then shortly after Ansem: Seeker of Darkness' defeat, she's sent back to the islands where once more, she waits. It's perhaps that very waiting though that ends up as a driving force for her, too. For while she does have a lot of faith in her friends, it's safe to say that a year passing without any word from the people closest to her? Well, that would weigh heavily on anyone. And perhaps it's really that waiting that changes her the most. It makes her more inclined to act and become involved. That doesn't erase the trust she has for her friends but it does give her more solid footing and independence.
Still, leading back to her relationship with them, while she's very socially intimate with the both of them which can be seen clear as day in the way she speaks with them and her body language around the boys, there is a tiny speck of difference between them. Kairi isn't lost to the changes that Riku has apparently gone through upon realizing her mysterious origins in the very beginning. She realizes that there's something about him that's off far early and seems to make a subtle note of it towards Sora by claiming they should leave together, just the two of them, rather than bring Riku along. She shakes it off shortly after like it's nothing but before it seems like it was just some joke, she tells him to "Don't ever change". Despite how confused Sora himself is, it hints to the audience that there's something bothering Kairi about Riku's eagerness. But beyond that uneasy feeling towards his persistence, her relationship with both boys seems to run fairly even with both of them valuing her highly. It's hard to argue otherwise considering she's the catalyst and purpose for a considerate amount of actions in the first journey alone.
On a side note, it’s still unclear if Kairi really has any recollection at all through Sora’s perspective of the journey he first took. There are hints in her guidance from the way a phantom of her speaks to Sora here and there throughout his journey while her heart is inside him, but those times are never acknowledged later when she and Sora are reunited. Perhaps, it was therefore an subconscious choice that she, herself, doesn’t recall.
◎ Powers/Abilities:
⚖ Princess of Heart
She's known as a one for a reason and it certainly isn't just a title. A Princess of Heart is rare person who has a heart completely devoid of darkness. Emphasis on "princess" since the only ones who seem to hold to that special scenario are of the feminine side of the coin. The only exception to this ruling is Ventus, himself, and only due to Master Xehanort's actions where he removed the darkness himself which forms into Ven's counterpart, Vanitas. Not a natural occurrence. There are seven princesses in total and despite the title, not all of them are actual princesses (Alice, for example). Regardless. Because of this unique trait, their hearts are the key to opening the door to The Heart of All Worlds. It's also due to this that Kairi becomes like a lifeless doll rather than turning into a Shadow like Sora and why Naminé's birth is such a special case, only being created when her heart is released from Sora rather than Kairi, herself.
As a Princess of Heart, it is believed that Kairi can hold back darkness as the other princesses stress their ability to do so when Hollow Bastion begins to come apart. They stay behind to try and delay things. Another hint of this ability to stanch darkness can be seen in the way Kairi restores Sora to his true form after he becomes a heartless. It's safe to say though that while Kairi has these latent abilities though, she has yet to really formally master them by any margin.
⚖ Potential Keybearer
While by this canon point, Kairi currently bears no keyblade to call her own, having touched Aqua's keyblade years ago, the girl unknowingly initiated a Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony. In short, Kairi has the potential to wield a keyblade much like her friends, Sora and Riku. Whether or not she will in-game though, only time will tell.
◎ Weapons & Other Special Inventory:
No weapons at the moment! This may change in the future.
Kairi often carries a pouch on her with little useful things (like bandaids and other helpful little first aid things) as well as little things she collects off the shore of her home island. A few pieces of rock from when she used to draw on the cave walls have managed to sneak in, too. Also, Selphie might have occasionally used it for shopping overflow, leaving Kairi randomly with lipstick or something. Seriously, it's not hers.
CEREALIA-Specific
◎ Element:
Water, for a number of reasons. While she originally hails from Radiant Garden, Destiny Island is truly the home of her heart. This small duo of islands' main highlight is its beaches where she spends the majority of her free time with her friends. At least up until the events of the first game where Sora chooses not to return to the island with her in order to go find Riku and return with him. Her name also refers to the sea and her personality reflects it as much. She is gentle, compassionate, and kind, but she is also underestimated and not to be trifled with for there are storms abound for those who have wrong her or her friends.
◎ Sense:
Hearing.
Kairi comes off as one that listens to others unless they have proven themselves not trustworthy. She is likely to lend an ear to anyone who needs it and do her best to understand them. That doesn't mean she can't be brash and cannot misinterpret things, but she tries her best not to. That vantage point also gives her the push to know when to know there are things that must be heard, even if the person might not at first believe in those words. Her later encounter with Riku in the form of Xehanort's Heartless in Kingdom Hearts II attests to that as much.
As far as literal hearing goes, she can pick up on tones of voice easily and will gently handle things and adapt to the situation as needed.
◎ Seven Character Traits: + compassionate, brave, selfless ~ honest - dependent, brash, self-sacrificing
Samples
◎ First-Person Sample:
Bakerstreet thread
◎ Third-Person Sample:
How long had it been?
Time was such a fickle thing. Making the best of times feel so short lived and the most mundane, stretch on for what felt like days when it was only a few hours. Those were the days that Kairi felt, opposed to hours in actuality, when she would stand at the shore as she did, looking out to the play island where she was certain Tidus and Wakka had to be. More than likely, they were still up in arms about that game they were so insistent on practicing lately. Not that taking Blitzball to the water wasn't a cool idea. It just didn't seem as much fun to her without Riku around. Like they were moving on from their friends- ...friend. And while Selphie had been insistent that it wasn't the case at all and, deep down, Kairi knew it, too? It just didn't feel right all the same. And that? Left her back to waffling as she did.
It was pretty much habit then. She would go to school as she always did. Because no matter the way things were, that didn't mean she was going to put her life entirely at a standstill. Despite the slump here and there, she still managed to get her homework done on time. Her test scores were up there as they usually were. Actually, they were higher than they had ever been since she had more time on her hands. Time where she wouldn't be prodded and poked to come along on some grand scheme... or she wouldn't be instigating it in the first place as an excuse to escape for a few hours from the confines of her desk in her room, instead opting to run on the beach with her friends, laughing and splashing each other, getting tackled to the sand or ganging up to dogpile someone.
Those times had slowly phased out- certainly not out of memory but out of the present. Now, much of the time when she wasn't concerned with school work, she was being taken along by an insistent Selphie. It hadn't been lost to her nor the others how Kairi had changed, how withdrawn she had become. But while Tidus and Wakka would complain that Kairi wasn't being any fun anymore, Selphie had done just the opposite, inviting Kairi along for shopping trips. Those shopping trips were, well, window shopping more often than not. However, having been around mostly boys for much of their childhoods, when they weren't seriously investigating a store for something nice and new to wear for a holiday break, the two were falling into fits of giggles from trying on the tackiest clothing. Or perhaps they would find some silly hats or shades and parade them around in the store. Fortune smiled on them that the island was close-nit and the shop keepers themselves knew no harm was meant. However, that didn't stop a few of them from at least politely asking them to decline from their antics on here and there.
The horsing around did wonders for Kairi, helping her at least put her wondering thoughts on hold. Letting her still enjoy herself and enjoy her home even while at her low points, she felt like it didn't quite feel as homely as it used to. But then she would shake it off and try to focus on the upsides that ranged from simply the bright sunshine to the way Tidus and Wakka would always seem to disrupt class with something at least once a day whether by tossing a blitzball around or shooting rubber bands. Whatever the case, they always found some new way to get in trouble.
But even bearing that in mind, that hadn't stopped her habit. Every day after school, no matter rain or shine, Kairi would find herself standing on the shore and looking out to the play islands. It was what she was doing at the moment, actually. Her bag clutched softly at the handle. Her other hand only moved to address her hair, fixing it when a breeze picked up and really threw it into disarray. Otherwise, she stood there, gaze remaining thoughtful. Nostalgic. But if there was any sadness to her, it was held in her heart rather than on her sleeve.
She waited there, watched there. Letting that same moment that passed like a day just pass once again. Just a little bit of solace, an uninterrupted train of thought. One that was interrupted by the soft, familiar swish of sand under sneakers and Kairi turned her attention away from the sea to find Selphie jogging over to her.
"Kairi!"
"Hey, Selphie!" She found herself smiling fondly as the other girl closed the rest of the distance and then took a moment to catch her breath with her hands on her knees. And then, straightening up, she was looking to Kairi with a big smile on her face although her words came out in a bit of a pout.
"Hey, I thought we were going shopping today!"
"Oh!" Kairi's eyes went wide in recognition. But surprise soon twisted into embarrassment. "We were supposed to meet up right after school, weren't we." Her smile that returned was definitely a sheepish one as she readjusted the bag on her shoulder. "Sorry, Selphie."
The other girl simply shook her head, smiling knowingly in turn. "It's alright. Just next time tell me if you want to come here first, alright? That's all." Kairi simply nodded at that, giving the play island one last glance. Selphie watched her a little longer before leaning forward and peeking up at the other girl. "You know? He'll be back before you know it. Why don't you come with next time I go? They might not say it much, but you know Wakka and Tidus miss you being there."
Kairi didn't reply at first, keeping her attention on the island. It almost seemed like she hadn't heard her friend, like she was in a trance. But then, finally, softly. "I know. And you, Tidus, and Wakka. You'll always be my friends, too." And then, finally looking at Selphie with that endearing smile of hers she always wore. "But it's just not the same without all six of us."
Selphie studied Kairi for a moment, just staring... before she couldn't help herself. A giggle sneaked its way out, causing Kairi to tilt her heard slightly in confusion. "What?"
"Kairi, I think you miscounted. Since when were there six? You, Tidus, Wakka, me, and Riku. That's five, isn't it? Unless Tidus' evil clone is real, but I doubt that."
"Oh- Right!" Kairi giggled just a bit in turn, hand covering her mouth slightly. Yet, why was there some inkling in her heart right then... that she had been right in the first place? The feeling only lasted a moment though because soon after, Selphie was taking her by the wrist and pulling her along.
"Anyway, come on! We have tons of places to hit up today!" Kairi nearly tripped on her own two feet at first before she managed to right herself and follow, that same old Kairi smile spreading across her face. Seemed like she was in for another day of shenanigans. Not that she would complain.
◎ Is your character retaining any previous game memories?
Nope, fresh out of canon!
◎ Character's Name: Kairi
◎ Character's Canon: Kingdom Hearts
◎ Character's Age: Fifteen
◎ Canon Point: Before Kingdom Hearts 2 (About Day 345 of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days)
◎ Background/History: Kairicentric
◎ Is the character a hacker and/or do they have a sixth-sense? Nope! At least none that she is aware of.
◎ Personality:
Kairi comes off as a spunky girl with a light sense of humor and a gentle heart. Growing up with so many boys around her, with her closest friends being Sora and Riku, it's safe to say that she carries a spark of a tomboy attitude. She's not afraid to get out there and get her hands dirty as expressed through her time growing up on the islands. She certainly won't be the type to cry over sand in her shoes or getting soaked. If anything, it means payback is imminent. That is, lighthearted retaliation. Kairi isn't cruel in any means whether it be due to her status as a Princess of Heart or just the nature of her being. At most, Kairi's an instigator. This is particularly true between her friends, Sora and Riku. In the very beginnings before Sora's journey lifts off, when they disagreed on something, Kairi would offer to play referee to their antics. A race to name the raft would be one clear example. Of course, unknown to Kairi is the potential push and pull between her friends for her attention although whether she acknowledges it or not remains unseen throughout the series.
Despite her warm, fond light that people well associate Kairi with though, that doesn't mean she can't showcase a dislike for people. Even without having a drop of darkness in her heart, Kairi can hold a disdain for people she feels deserve it- but that's just that. They are people that have wronged her or her friends in the first place purposefully and usually without carrying any regret towards their actions. And those sorts of people bring out a steadfast and brave-faced girl. She's upfront and brash in her words. But while indignant those towards people, she isn't the type to seriously call people names. That's left to more endearing jeering such as when she calls Sora a "lazy bum". However, Kairi remains open about her feelings towards people like shouting at Axel that he wasn't very nice and showing an obvious lack of trust. Like Sora, Kairi also tends to wear her heart on her sleeve. What she thinks is often spelled out straight up. If she likes something, she likes something. If she doesn't, people know, too. She isn't one to hold secrets about herself. About the only time she would withhold information would be to protect her friends from people intent on using what she knows with ill intentions. Otherwise, most likely, if she hasn't told someone something, it's simply because she doesn't think its context is relevant or important rather than her being worried about what people will think.
Being a Princess of Heart is one of those matters. While she knows it's part of who she is, the role isn't something she makes a spectacle of. To her, she's still Kairi. The additional title has just become a part of her and while she acknowledges it, she has yet to let it get to her head. She really just takes the matter in stride, an attitude that Kairi generally seems to pronounce. As if complimenting the origin of her name, Kairi tends to go with the flow. A few key matters really make light of this attitude. One is how she just isn't all that concerned about her origins. Even knowing that she's adopted and wasn't born on the islands, Kairi finds herself content with how things are. She doesn't remember anything, but she doesn't really let it bother her. Her focus is on the now rather than on the past. However, at the same time, when her friends express an interest to try and make a raft so they can sail out to find other worlds with the intent of finding the one she came from, Kairi doesn't reject the idea either. Rather, she follows along with it, ending up playing stock keeper and keeping Sora on the run for supplies. At least when she’s not slacking off herself.
That isn't to say that her flow can't be ruptured though. New situations breed new actions. But she will more than likely be the one to step forward and react rather than shut down- take the reins rather than stall out and just let things happen. One such example is expressed in the way how almost immediately after her heart is recovered in Hollow Bastion, Kairi throws herself on her feet and runs to catch Sora despite just having been revived from her comatose state which she resides in for most of the first journey. Another is demonstrated in the way she adamantly tries to protect Sora in his Heartless form, using herself as a shield even while knowing there was a good chance she would be hurt in the process. Kairi just tends to act first and think later, following the judgment of her heart- which can be troubling for her friends if things don't work out to her advantage. For while she's courageous, that can also transpire to a stubborn, headstrong attitude at times. This has led her to instances where she has put herself in harm’s way and potentially nearly made things worse on more than one occasion. Kairi clearly isn't a physical fighter as demonstrated at Destiny Islands. Back then, she's the only member in her circle of friends who does not spar against Sora. She doesn't even own a weapon of any sort. This makes it a possibility that at least during their quiet island life, it might be led to believe Kairi didn't have a desire to take up false arms even just for fun. That's not to say she's a pacifist. Just simply not someone who may have been interested in fighting without a good cause for it.
Regardless, even if things don’t work out the way she intends though, Kairi isn’t commonly one to brood. On the inside, perhaps she’s frightened and worried, but on the outside, she continues to move forward. She has a lot of faith in her friends. It’s enough that she will agree to stand by and wait for their safe return. She spends a year doing so before Sora’s third journey begins. And despite waiting as long as she has, Kairi holds a calm view to her. She knows that they’re out there somewhere still rather than believing that something bad has happened to them. This is expressed through her conversation with Selphie back on their home island. Another example to mind towards lack of brooding would be the matter of not coming from Destiny Islands. While recognizing it, the idea isn’t something that sits on the forefront of her thoughts constantly. It’s something she’s accepted, and while curious, chances are without the wistfulness of her friends, Kairi probably wouldn’t have ever really considered trying to take a raft out to see other worlds and perhaps find the one she came from. It just doesn’t weigh on her. That doesn’t necessarily mean she wouldn’t be curious about it. She certainly implies as such. Still, she would rather enjoy the what she has, seeming to hold a philosophy of living in the now.
For as much as she tends to keep herself together though, there are subtle hints of her insecurities. One to note is how she has Sora hold onto her lucky charm and then presses him to promise to bring it back since it’s something important to her. From one perspective, it may just appear as a reassurance to him, especially when she furthermore states “Wherever you go, I’m always with you". But on the other side of the coin, no doubt she fears for him and wants him to return safely with Riku. By giving Sora the good luck charm and having him make that promise, that reaffirms that Sora will come back. He has to come back. And perhaps in a way, it’s a guiding light for her to continue to hold the faith she always does with her friends. For if Kairi were to ever lose them, it’s hard to say what she would do, especially for someone so faithful in her friends. From this, however, it can be led to believe that Kairi does have her fears yet chances are that she bottles them up. She certainly doesn't upfront talk about them- perhaps ironic considering how straightforward she is otherwise. Instead, she ops to hold to her faith.
Surprisingly, despite all the hardships that Kairi has either heard of or seen take place, she remains a positive individual who tends to make friends easily enough. Her enthusiasm rivals Sora’s at times in its ridiculousness. She is heavily optimistic, wearing a smile that’s contagious. And while she will sympathize with someone, she won’t be one to just share in their misery. If anything, she’ll try to find the light in the darkness of the situation. One such case would eventually be when she first discovers Riku at The World That Never Was. Instead of being miserable over the form he has taken, Kairi still very much sees Riku as who he is and goes further to prompt him to remain by her side and then later to confront Sora. She won’t have him removing himself from the trio despite what he’s become. Riku’s still Riku to her. And she stubbornly won’t let him walk out of their lives again and shoulder all the weight of his misdeeds by himself. And while from her canon point, she has yet to uncover things, it’s a future undeniably consistent with sort of goes-with-the-flow gone stubborn persona she holds.
Still, it's safe to say that being separated from her best friends has a great effect on her. It's enough for her to withdraw from her usual island antics. She stops even going to the play island anymore and her talk with Selphie emphasizes that there's a good chance she doesn't talk with Wakka and Tidus as often as she used to. Generally, it seems she's become withdrawn from the people back home which is some ways no real surprise after she's seen what she's seen and knowing that her friends are out there somewhere. And while she does try to remain positive (such as later on down the line sending out that letter to Sora- whom she just remembers his name at that point), her actions speak loudly in her posture and gestures that she's more thoughtful and a bit less peppy than she used to be.
Her general scope of things will generally be shaken, too, by her timepoint since she doesn't recall Sora. She knows there was another boy on the island aside from Riku, Wakka, and Tidus, but the details otherwise have been lost to her. It also doesn't help that the others are unsure about it themselves since their own memories have been altered, too. Despite how discouraging that has made that thought, however, Kairi's pretty persistent in her desire to remember him. Whoever this other boy was, he must have been pretty important to her, she thinks. Otherwise, why would she have such an inkling that she was forgetting something important.
Because Sora's someone very important to Kairi. Both him and Riku are her driving force. That isn't to say she doesn't value her other friends back at home or even the friends she gets to make at Traverse Town. However, Sora and Riku are the two she holds highest. They're her best friends, the ones she confides and trusts the most. But also in that sense, they're her focal point and their happiness is her own. In that sense, they can really make or break Kairi. From the perspective of what's been seen of her, Kairi tends to be a follower to them more than any leader of her own goals and ambitions throughout her fourteenth year. While it's also important to recall that she did spend most of the time in the first game with her heart lost, after she finally regains it, Kairi spends her time waiting for her friends at Traverse Town- and then shortly after Ansem: Seeker of Darkness' defeat, she's sent back to the islands where once more, she waits. It's perhaps that very waiting though that ends up as a driving force for her, too. For while she does have a lot of faith in her friends, it's safe to say that a year passing without any word from the people closest to her? Well, that would weigh heavily on anyone. And perhaps it's really that waiting that changes her the most. It makes her more inclined to act and become involved. That doesn't erase the trust she has for her friends but it does give her more solid footing and independence.
Still, leading back to her relationship with them, while she's very socially intimate with the both of them which can be seen clear as day in the way she speaks with them and her body language around the boys, there is a tiny speck of difference between them. Kairi isn't lost to the changes that Riku has apparently gone through upon realizing her mysterious origins in the very beginning. She realizes that there's something about him that's off far early and seems to make a subtle note of it towards Sora by claiming they should leave together, just the two of them, rather than bring Riku along. She shakes it off shortly after like it's nothing but before it seems like it was just some joke, she tells him to "Don't ever change". Despite how confused Sora himself is, it hints to the audience that there's something bothering Kairi about Riku's eagerness. But beyond that uneasy feeling towards his persistence, her relationship with both boys seems to run fairly even with both of them valuing her highly. It's hard to argue otherwise considering she's the catalyst and purpose for a considerate amount of actions in the first journey alone.
On a side note, it’s still unclear if Kairi really has any recollection at all through Sora’s perspective of the journey he first took. There are hints in her guidance from the way a phantom of her speaks to Sora here and there throughout his journey while her heart is inside him, but those times are never acknowledged later when she and Sora are reunited. Perhaps, it was therefore an subconscious choice that she, herself, doesn’t recall.
◎ Powers/Abilities:
⚖ Princess of Heart
She's known as a one for a reason and it certainly isn't just a title. A Princess of Heart is rare person who has a heart completely devoid of darkness. Emphasis on "princess" since the only ones who seem to hold to that special scenario are of the feminine side of the coin. The only exception to this ruling is Ventus, himself, and only due to Master Xehanort's actions where he removed the darkness himself which forms into Ven's counterpart, Vanitas. Not a natural occurrence. There are seven princesses in total and despite the title, not all of them are actual princesses (Alice, for example). Regardless. Because of this unique trait, their hearts are the key to opening the door to The Heart of All Worlds. It's also due to this that Kairi becomes like a lifeless doll rather than turning into a Shadow like Sora and why Naminé's birth is such a special case, only being created when her heart is released from Sora rather than Kairi, herself.
As a Princess of Heart, it is believed that Kairi can hold back darkness as the other princesses stress their ability to do so when Hollow Bastion begins to come apart. They stay behind to try and delay things. Another hint of this ability to stanch darkness can be seen in the way Kairi restores Sora to his true form after he becomes a heartless. It's safe to say though that while Kairi has these latent abilities though, she has yet to really formally master them by any margin.
⚖ Potential Keybearer
While by this canon point, Kairi currently bears no keyblade to call her own, having touched Aqua's keyblade years ago, the girl unknowingly initiated a Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony. In short, Kairi has the potential to wield a keyblade much like her friends, Sora and Riku. Whether or not she will in-game though, only time will tell.
◎ Weapons & Other Special Inventory:
No weapons at the moment! This may change in the future.
Kairi often carries a pouch on her with little useful things (like bandaids and other helpful little first aid things) as well as little things she collects off the shore of her home island. A few pieces of rock from when she used to draw on the cave walls have managed to sneak in, too. Also, Selphie might have occasionally used it for shopping overflow, leaving Kairi randomly with lipstick or something. Seriously, it's not hers.
CEREALIA-Specific
◎ Element:
Water, for a number of reasons. While she originally hails from Radiant Garden, Destiny Island is truly the home of her heart. This small duo of islands' main highlight is its beaches where she spends the majority of her free time with her friends. At least up until the events of the first game where Sora chooses not to return to the island with her in order to go find Riku and return with him. Her name also refers to the sea and her personality reflects it as much. She is gentle, compassionate, and kind, but she is also underestimated and not to be trifled with for there are storms abound for those who have wrong her or her friends.
◎ Sense:
Hearing.
Kairi comes off as one that listens to others unless they have proven themselves not trustworthy. She is likely to lend an ear to anyone who needs it and do her best to understand them. That doesn't mean she can't be brash and cannot misinterpret things, but she tries her best not to. That vantage point also gives her the push to know when to know there are things that must be heard, even if the person might not at first believe in those words. Her later encounter with Riku in the form of Xehanort's Heartless in Kingdom Hearts II attests to that as much.
As far as literal hearing goes, she can pick up on tones of voice easily and will gently handle things and adapt to the situation as needed.
◎ Seven Character Traits: + compassionate, brave, selfless ~ honest - dependent, brash, self-sacrificing
Samples
◎ First-Person Sample:
Bakerstreet thread
◎ Third-Person Sample:
How long had it been?
Time was such a fickle thing. Making the best of times feel so short lived and the most mundane, stretch on for what felt like days when it was only a few hours. Those were the days that Kairi felt, opposed to hours in actuality, when she would stand at the shore as she did, looking out to the play island where she was certain Tidus and Wakka had to be. More than likely, they were still up in arms about that game they were so insistent on practicing lately. Not that taking Blitzball to the water wasn't a cool idea. It just didn't seem as much fun to her without Riku around. Like they were moving on from their friends- ...friend. And while Selphie had been insistent that it wasn't the case at all and, deep down, Kairi knew it, too? It just didn't feel right all the same. And that? Left her back to waffling as she did.
It was pretty much habit then. She would go to school as she always did. Because no matter the way things were, that didn't mean she was going to put her life entirely at a standstill. Despite the slump here and there, she still managed to get her homework done on time. Her test scores were up there as they usually were. Actually, they were higher than they had ever been since she had more time on her hands. Time where she wouldn't be prodded and poked to come along on some grand scheme... or she wouldn't be instigating it in the first place as an excuse to escape for a few hours from the confines of her desk in her room, instead opting to run on the beach with her friends, laughing and splashing each other, getting tackled to the sand or ganging up to dogpile someone.
Those times had slowly phased out- certainly not out of memory but out of the present. Now, much of the time when she wasn't concerned with school work, she was being taken along by an insistent Selphie. It hadn't been lost to her nor the others how Kairi had changed, how withdrawn she had become. But while Tidus and Wakka would complain that Kairi wasn't being any fun anymore, Selphie had done just the opposite, inviting Kairi along for shopping trips. Those shopping trips were, well, window shopping more often than not. However, having been around mostly boys for much of their childhoods, when they weren't seriously investigating a store for something nice and new to wear for a holiday break, the two were falling into fits of giggles from trying on the tackiest clothing. Or perhaps they would find some silly hats or shades and parade them around in the store. Fortune smiled on them that the island was close-nit and the shop keepers themselves knew no harm was meant. However, that didn't stop a few of them from at least politely asking them to decline from their antics on here and there.
The horsing around did wonders for Kairi, helping her at least put her wondering thoughts on hold. Letting her still enjoy herself and enjoy her home even while at her low points, she felt like it didn't quite feel as homely as it used to. But then she would shake it off and try to focus on the upsides that ranged from simply the bright sunshine to the way Tidus and Wakka would always seem to disrupt class with something at least once a day whether by tossing a blitzball around or shooting rubber bands. Whatever the case, they always found some new way to get in trouble.
But even bearing that in mind, that hadn't stopped her habit. Every day after school, no matter rain or shine, Kairi would find herself standing on the shore and looking out to the play islands. It was what she was doing at the moment, actually. Her bag clutched softly at the handle. Her other hand only moved to address her hair, fixing it when a breeze picked up and really threw it into disarray. Otherwise, she stood there, gaze remaining thoughtful. Nostalgic. But if there was any sadness to her, it was held in her heart rather than on her sleeve.
She waited there, watched there. Letting that same moment that passed like a day just pass once again. Just a little bit of solace, an uninterrupted train of thought. One that was interrupted by the soft, familiar swish of sand under sneakers and Kairi turned her attention away from the sea to find Selphie jogging over to her.
"Kairi!"
"Hey, Selphie!" She found herself smiling fondly as the other girl closed the rest of the distance and then took a moment to catch her breath with her hands on her knees. And then, straightening up, she was looking to Kairi with a big smile on her face although her words came out in a bit of a pout.
"Hey, I thought we were going shopping today!"
"Oh!" Kairi's eyes went wide in recognition. But surprise soon twisted into embarrassment. "We were supposed to meet up right after school, weren't we." Her smile that returned was definitely a sheepish one as she readjusted the bag on her shoulder. "Sorry, Selphie."
The other girl simply shook her head, smiling knowingly in turn. "It's alright. Just next time tell me if you want to come here first, alright? That's all." Kairi simply nodded at that, giving the play island one last glance. Selphie watched her a little longer before leaning forward and peeking up at the other girl. "You know? He'll be back before you know it. Why don't you come with next time I go? They might not say it much, but you know Wakka and Tidus miss you being there."
Kairi didn't reply at first, keeping her attention on the island. It almost seemed like she hadn't heard her friend, like she was in a trance. But then, finally, softly. "I know. And you, Tidus, and Wakka. You'll always be my friends, too." And then, finally looking at Selphie with that endearing smile of hers she always wore. "But it's just not the same without all six of us."
Selphie studied Kairi for a moment, just staring... before she couldn't help herself. A giggle sneaked its way out, causing Kairi to tilt her heard slightly in confusion. "What?"
"Kairi, I think you miscounted. Since when were there six? You, Tidus, Wakka, me, and Riku. That's five, isn't it? Unless Tidus' evil clone is real, but I doubt that."
"Oh- Right!" Kairi giggled just a bit in turn, hand covering her mouth slightly. Yet, why was there some inkling in her heart right then... that she had been right in the first place? The feeling only lasted a moment though because soon after, Selphie was taking her by the wrist and pulling her along.
"Anyway, come on! We have tons of places to hit up today!" Kairi nearly tripped on her own two feet at first before she managed to right herself and follow, that same old Kairi smile spreading across her face. Seemed like she was in for another day of shenanigans. Not that she would complain.
◎ Is your character retaining any previous game memories?
Nope, fresh out of canon!
