"Hey, sis?"
"Yeah?"
"How long'll you be gone?"
The blue haired girl stood up, smiling at the younger that was still seated on the browned grass.. "As long as it takes for me to finish school, silly."
The younger ducked his head a little, finding his thoughts. "Will you try to find the place with the star fruit?"
She laughed, ruffling his blue head. "You and your stars." The four-year-old waited in anticipation, his eyes wide. "Of course! But only because you're my favorite brother."
He cocked an eyebrow. "I'm your only brother."
"Yeah, but you're still the best ever," she said with a smile. The young girl kneeled again, giving her little brother a big hug, almost missing what was whispered.
"You're the best sister ever…"
/
Aqua was destined for great things.
At least, that was what this mysterious man was saying. It was all too easy for the young girl's parents to dismiss him simply as a deranged individual with a giant key.
When he showed them some of his abilities, however, they felt there was something greater happening. Aqua's mother, especially, was rather open-minded.
"Keyblades? That weapon you wield reminds me of the guardians many of our people tell stories about. I've never witnessed them myself, though…"
"We have protected the worlds from darkness for generations upon generations. I can assure you we are very real. Though we do prefer our privacy,"
Aqua was born into little, surrounded by poverty and dull colors. Her entire family belonged to a smaller ethnic group called the Levanspeople. Typically blue-haired with sharp features and an affinity for nature-based magic, settlers whom had invaded their land industrialized it and regulated them to a poor area near the pollution of three different factories. Whether it was for textiles or machinery, nearly every 'Bluey' as they were affectionately called became regulated to low-paying factory work.
Things had improved much in terms of civil rights and equal treatment, but prejudice still existed and most of her kind was stuck in the same poverty-stricken conditions with barely enough to care for a family. Many children had to take shifts after school when they reached ten. Though Aqua's family in particular, mostly working in the textile mills, kept she and her siblings well clothed with bright colors and fresh styles that hid their poorness rather well.
The man with the key, whom had proven himself to be quite the exceptional individual, spent nearly a month conversing with Aqua's family about her potential as the newest Guardian of Light. He promised that she would write letters yearly via the Sea Between Worlds and when she finished her training to mastery level, she would come back for a big celebration at home.
Alois and Bryn, Aqua's parents, faced a dilemma: either take the chance of letting their daughter become something amazing or have her remain in the throes of poverty and factory work.
In the end, they decided to break the cycle.
Aqua said her goodbyes to her mother, father, sister on-the-way, and her little brother. The parting with her brother would be especially tough, as Aqua and he were very close and almost unbreakable in their bond. He was only four when she left, but already so bright and observant. At his age, however, he only knew that Aqua was going away to a special school for magic. Nothing more. It would be too complicated for a four-year-old to grasp in her parents' opinion.
Leaving home for such a large period of time would be hard for anyone. For a seven-year-old with such a big heart and attachment to her family, the separation was made even worse.
Aqua promised to make her family proud, to come back as a Keyblade Master and prove herself worthy to face them again. After all, she would never break a promise, not on her life.
/
The letters the Keyblade Apprentice wrote came once a year and were filled with exposition on what she was learning and how excited she was to meet a friend like Terra—whose name she did not disclose under Master Eraqus's advice on privacy—, her fellow trainee. Aqua's brother brimmed with questions in letters sent back, all of which she was happy to answer.
Years passed with the same stream of letters until Aqua's studies became more challenging. She had to practice fighting more, had taken a special interest in the magic she had an affinity for, and had much to learn and study. She was twelve when the letters she wrote became much more brief.
Her brother was able to write well at that point and took over the writing while their parents were busy with work. He still asked her questions, but now it concerned how she was and what her comings and goings were. Aqua responded with a similar caliber of questions, additionally asking about how their home in general was doing. His positive responses were enough to make her happy. Apparently, he had made a new friend too. One Aqua sensed had as much of an impact on him as Terra did for her.
More time passed. With it came more intensive training, the arrival of a new trainee, and the fine-tuning of Aqua's skills. By the time she was sixteen, her writing had become even briefer. Not because she didn't care anymore, but because Aqua wanted to complete her mastery as soon as possible and see her family at a first moment's notice. Her brother's letters died down to, as he was forced to take on shifts at the textile factory her parents worked at (something that gave Aqua pure heartache), take honors classes, and he tried to work in as much time as possible to hang out with his best friend. With all of that, Aqua's brother made his letters much shorter as well. He was still under the impression that she was away at some high-end school for magic, and Aqua was fine with that. The surprise in his face when they finally reunited would be priceless.
Aqua was seventeen by the time the Mark of Mastery rolled around and she was appointed Master. However, the brand new Guardian of Light had the realization that her promise was not truly fulfilled. Far from it.
/
She had failed; failed Terra, failed Eraqus, failed everyone. Aqua had the perfect opportunity to waltz right up to her front door and be greeted with open arms, but with her inability to protect one of the most precious people in her life from the grasp of darkness she had no right to call herself a master. Her title was unearned. Aqua couldn't go home just yet.
So here she was, in the center of one of the more upper class parts of Radiant Garden—her home world—arguing with the friend she was trying so desperately to protect. She pretended like she didn't know this place, that this wasn't her true home. After all, she hadn't earned her spot back home. Not yet.
When she finally was able to help Terra, and now Ven, then Aqua would truly be able to call herself a master. Truly face her parents and the sister she had never seen in person. Truly be a figure for her brother to admire.
But first, she had to take care of these matters.
Then she could finally, after all these years, see her family again. Sure, she would still be a Keyblade Master and still have a duty to protect the Light but her promise would be met to her standards and she could finally face the family she left behind.
After that, everything would be okay.
/
Stuck in the Realm of Darkness, Aqua almost laughed.
Not because anything was particularly funny, but more out of bitterness. She should have just checked in with her family when she had the chance, true master or not.
Now, she would probably never see them.
Aqua had walked for so long she no longer knew how much time had passed. The darkness plagued her mind, which she fought off to the best of her ability. Her determination to return home and see her friends and family was enough to keep her going. The memories of the latter became foggier each passing day, with how long she had been away.
It had been eleven years since she left them, now possibly more with her ever-growing time down here.
Terra. Ven. Eraqus. Xehanort. Mom. Dad. –
'You abandoned them, you know."
Aqua's eyes widened, steps ceasing as the eerie voice resonated in her ears.
"Yeah, you. You didn't even say hi to them. You didn't meet your sister. See your parents."
"Your games will not work on me, Darkness," Aqua said evenly.
"That is okay. Sooner or later you will meet the same fate your brother did."
At this her tone changed completely, from strength to anger. "What game are you playing? Who are you?"
"Your brother is with us now. Would you like to say hi?"
"Shut up," Aqua warned, summoning her Keyblade and feeling magic fizzle at her fingertips. "You can't fool me. My brother is home. If not, my parents are protecting him."
A dark shape took form in front of her, a silhouette of a figure she recognized and didn't recognize. "He got too close to the dark, you see. Your friend's Other, a denizen with us, took interest in him, brother of his dearest of friends. Potential. He saw that, found out about it. Didn't tell him, however." The silhouette disappeared into the earth below them and rose back up as a taller one. "Then he was nothing. And now, he's one of us."
"Stop it!"
"You could have saved him. He missed you and you didn't even visit when you could have."
"You're lying!"
"When Radiant Garden fell, so did the boy you call your brother. The boy you forgot."
"I never forgot. I couldn't face him, them!"
The silhouette became a small figure Aqua quickly identified as her little brother, even after all that time.
"You caused this."
The figure exploded into a pool of darkness, voices fading. Aqua fell to her knees, tears in her eyes.
Had he really fallen into darkness?
If he did, then it truly was her fault.
"Terra. Ven. Master." She called the names out as a reminder.
"Mom. Dad."
Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to compose herself.
"I-I—"
Images flashed into her mind, of days long ago spent with a kind, quiet boy interested in the world around him. He had so much potential, so much light. Aqua was happy to call him her little brother.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Grief overtook her at the thought of him losing his heart to darkness. It was too much on top of everything else that had transpired.
Aqua was destined for great things.
It was in her making to be a Guardian of Light. A protector. A savior.
She must save Terra. Save Ven. Save the Worlds.
And now, possibly save her brother. That is, if the Darkness she encountered spoke any truth.
"Isa."
The name fell from her lips as a nostalgic reminder.
She would do it, too. Do everything she could to set things right.
Just like that, Aqua brushed herself off and moved forward, any Darkness trying to influence her being negated by the overwhelming Light in her heart.
There was only the future, not the past.