... At first all they were were just simple glances. And unusual ones for him at that - rarely did he smile at anything like that, not to mention never at anyone. But she would steal those precious moments from him, even though neither of the two ever noticed.
The glances were directed to Eraqus's 'daughter' - the one Terra and Aqua learned he took in and cared for when she was little. Her name was Amelie.
She was about their age, but the first time they ever saw her was when she visited them, now. Apparently, after she reached certain age, Eraqus found a new home for her, and she left the Land of Departure. She just came to see her old 'father', as well as visit her childhood home.
But what came as most puzzling on the matter for the Master's pupils was - that Amelie was not a Keyblade Wielder.
She wasn't ordinary, that was for sure - but she was completely different from them. While Aqua and Terra spent their time mostly on training, Amelie was always with her head stuck in books, papers and, what seemed to be, maps of all sorts of Stars.
Eraqus revealed to them that she had one side of her that was to be approached with utmost care - she had always wanted to be a Keyblade Master when she was a child; alas - she didn't have it in her. They learned that early on - before she reached her teens. Also, he noted that she could never live it down; she always looked up to him, the other wielders, and wanted to be a part of it all. And when she finally accepted the fact, her only consolation was to still stay involved with it somehow. That's where Master Yen Sid stepped in the picture. The girl always had a knack for stargazing and had a poetic side to her - talents the former mentioned Master recognized as ones that could be used in a way he himself practiced. So, with a load of literature and a new home found for her alone, she set off, and left the place that started burdening her with her inability to be like everyone she admired.
It seems though, that even after years she still felt the same. Amelie did not communicate much with either of the two - Terra nor Aqua - and was rarely seen anywhere around at the beginning. It wasn't like she was doing it on purpose, or out of jealousy - she was simply shy and felt inferior to them. She tried her best not to bother Master Eraqus as well. Respecting her and thinking it was best that way, he too did not try making her get involved in their everyday routine. However, this was one thing that he did not tell Terra and Aqua.
In Terra's eyes, she was beautiful - she had long very curly blue hair, but not the same shade as Aqua's. It differ in brightness, from the top to the bottom as well as her the outer curls from the deeper ones, but it could be best described as azure. Her eyes were emerald green, and she wore a long floppy dress, light blue and teal color, as well as matching slippers, and also had a few green ribbons wrapped around her ankles. And, as mentioned, she always carried folders of papers and pencils. But it wasn't her looks that caught his attention - there was something about her, something else.
Aqua was his best girl friend - and though she was not someone to be taken lightly in a fight - she was by all rights girly. She had that girly posture; she responded to things in a feminine way, and even in her voice you could hear that gentility that would make any other guy let his guard down. But what Aqua had, and Amelie lacked, was a lot of self-confidence - to that extent that she never had to defend herself in any way and that made her always be at peace. On contrast - Amelie never spoke surely - even almost quietly, and, though she appeared a lot more feminine in comparison (maybe because there was no actual armor or training gear on her), she never had a self-conscious walk like most girls have - but was rather like floating through the air when walking, be it fast or slow.
But, since her arrival and onwards, the other blue-haired girl seemed somewhat nervous in their presence, avoided eye-contact and never approached them in any way. It puzzled Terra - he could sense that she was doing it for a reason, and he instantly felt the need to loosen things up. There was some big invisible wall that needed breaking.
From Amelie's point of view, it was kinda a direct hit in the heart when she saw that her guardian-father now had real students of his own, and also ones he treated like his own children. She felt like a complete failure and nuisance. Alas, with their hospitality, they at least helped her feel like she won't be of any bother to them at all. And Eraqus was glad to see her - he had so many questions to ask her about her new life. She was still a grown-up child he let go to him.
And the Land of Departure... The place didn't change one bit and was as beautiful as it always was. She wanted to visit every corner of it and reminiscence about the good old days... except there was one problem. The new students that occupied the place.
She knew Keyblade's chosen ones had to face daily hardship she could never comprehend - and also ones that required a lot more of one's strength than she had - so she stayed clear out of the way, not wanting to endanger her hopes of still being able to roam freely through a place she loved, but that was now to be inhabited by others way out of her league. So one could imagine that it came like a complete shock when Terra approached her.
Truth be told, Aqua was the first to do it - but it was more in a matter of greeting, and both students wordlessly decided that was best because she was a girl. There weren't many Keyblade Wielders nowadays that were females, so that might have had a positive impact on her.
It broke through the ice, that was evident, but Amelie was still edgy around them. They were determined to make her feel comfortable, but it was no easy task. It would have to take days...
And then it started happening.
At first both of them tried starting small conversations with Amelie. And they were literally small: like, just: "Hi! How are you today?", "I'm good, thanks," and such. But then Terra suddenly took the initiative and started adding more, with some simple questions, like what's she up to, if she'll be joining them in the gardens later, or will they all have lunch/dinner together. And it seemed that Terra even bothering to ask her such stuff came as a complete surprise to Amelie. But not a bad surprise - on the contrary; after that she started actually looking them straight in the eyes when talking, and didn't seem kinda 'fidgety' when normally passing by them, or walking through the same room they were in. She even begun starting conversations with Aqua.
He didn't dare ask her anything about Keyblades or if she'd like to watch them train. He knew he'd be walking on thin ice with such topics... So, instead, he focused on asking about her and her interests. And, slowly, she started opening up more and more. Then he realized she was simply shy by nature, and that he actually made a big breakthrough. Just the thought of it gave him immense joy.
Suddenly they started spending more time talking, and he genuinely tried to use up every possible opportunity to do so. She talked about her days spent in the Land of Departure; revealed to him the simplest tricks to star-reading, and even mentioned she wrote poetry. And after that, there was no turning back - he became her friend and could finally communicate with her with ease. Aqua was speechless.
It was around then that Terra started sending Amelie glances. He often did it in Aqua's presence, and it didn't take her long to realize that he himself wasn't aware he was doing it. And the more time passed, the more he did it, and smiling all the while. So Aqua started catching up on what was going on...
After a few more small-talks, when Terra became able to bring up his and his friend's trainings as topics, he gathered enough courage to ask her if she would like to spend her time near them, while they trained. He simply put it like it would be nice if they could spend more time together at the same places. Amelie accepted. Terra couldn't be more glad. But Aqua... The poor girl's troubles just started.
She also thought it would be great if Amelie would spend her time outdoors, doing what she normally does and while she and Terra spar in the background. But when Terra started swinging his Keyblade in an overly-used fashion - or he'd miss his targets altogether - she saw that it wasn't such a good idea.
She tried her best to keep it to herself, she really did - it was as clear as day that Terra was developing a crush on Amelie, and she thought to let things go their natural course without adding anything up; but once he started showing-off in front of her when they were practicing, she had to speak up her mind.
"Terra!" she tried to call him back to reality while they were in a middle of yet another sparring session, "Focus! Your Keyblade should go more this way around, instead of making a whole circle!"
"What are you talking about, Aqua?" he replied with a grin. "I was merely trying out another approach!"
"I know where your approaches are headed," she argued, "and they are far away from your training ground, and a lot more that way!" She ended the sentence quickly pointing at the currently oblivious Amelie sitting by a stone table. That caught Terra off-guard.
"W-what?... I'm not... I don't know what you're talking about, Aqua!" he threw his arms in the air, playing dumb. Aqua gave him the look.
"Of course you don't. You're unconsciously trying to look great in front of Amelie!"
"What?! I'm not -"
"You like her," Aqua cut him off, but trying her best not to raise her voice, "and if it were more obvious than it already is, the trees and birds would start talking about it!"
Terra blushed in a deep red, and looked away, trying to hide it. He couldn't talk back to her though.
"... Now come on and let's finish today's training," she called him back, and he turned to her, but with his gaze still glued to the floor.
That day's training ended well, but Terra had notably begun loosing focus afterwards, so much that in the end they had to consult Master Eraqus about it, and their teacher decided it was best if Terra started sparring with him alone in the Throne Room. It hurt Terra's pride somewhat, but he didn't go against his Master's wishes, and decided it was best to obey - even though he didn't see the problem Aqua and Eraqus did. It also took him some time to adjust - for he was no match for Eraqus, and had to put everything in a training if he wanted to learn anything. That left Aqua and Amelie alone to each other.
Aqua found a way to train on her own , and now that the spirited brunette was out of the picture, it left Amelie nothing else to focus on, but her own work.
It was still amazing to her, the whole thing: she always felt kind of intimidated by buff guys; yet Terra broke through that intimidation within weeks. At first, when she arrived, all she managed to notice were a tall well-built young stranger, and a pretty, but strong and serious girl of her age, and neither of them were appealing in her eyes. She was too shy to even properly look at their faces, let alone approach them. But her adoptive father encouraged her to make some communication, and before she knew it, Aqua and Terra were doing the same.
They weren't like what they appeared to be - serious students whose minds were focused only on self-improvement in battle - but were actually friendly and welcoming. And after Terra started small-talking with her, she finally started noticing other details about them. First and foremost were Terra's facial features - he had a sincere gaze, and totally unlike the rest of him, his eyes offered gentility, especially with their bright blue color and long eyelashes. As a matter of fact, she thought he looked handsome.
With Aqua she had even less problem afterwards - after all, she was a girl too. And soon, she started wondering what it was like for her to be a real Keyblade Wielder. Now that they were alone, she could ask her about it.
"Oh, it's really no big deal," Aqua waved it off, referring to the trainings themselves. "After a while, you get used to it, and your body does too. You keep pushing your limits."
"I see..." Amelie trailed off. Aqua could sense that even with that it was bothering her.
"You know..." she started carefully,"... the Master told us that your dream was to become a Keyblade Wielder. I'm really sorry that didn't work out."
"... I'm still feeling sorry about it too," Amelie finally opened up. "But what can I do... I could just accept it and be who I am."
Aqua thought for a moment. "You can still train. You don't have to use a Keyblade to fight for what's right..."
"I know - but it was just too painful for me..." And Amelie's expression supported her words. "Besides... Master Eraqus said I wasn't really built for battle. And I can't argue with that... Even the simplest of things I tried took me a lot more to learn than it would any other student.
... Then again, when I think about it - I never learned even those." She looked up at Aqua and smiled sweetly, joking with her for the first time. Aqua chuckled lightly.
"What about your maps?" the short-blue-haired girl asked, pointing at the ones that always lied on the table. "I hear you're good at stargazing."
"Oh, yes..." Amelie responded. "Well, these are just patterns of the Lanes Between that connect the Worlds... And some stars are actually connected to each other. There are also ones that are so similar..." Amelie continued explaining. "... It's amazing, all those Worlds out there."
She really did seem amazed about what she was talking. It made Aqua smile.
"I also hear you're a great poet," she brought up.
"Well... I write things down whenever inspiration hits me... And that happens fairly often..."
"... Would you mind if I read any of those?"
"Not at all," Amelie answered, and pulled out a paper she wrote onto barely an hour ago.
Aqua read it. It was a genuine poem about matching Stars, students and teachers; also something about a forgotten land... but that wasn't finished. Either way, it left her without a comment, even though they were works in progress.
"I really like this..." Aqua said, in awe.
"Thank you," Amelie responded.
"... You know, I think you're best with what you do." The other girl looked at her. "You are best with what you already are." She handed her back the paper.
"... Thank you, Aqua," she told her after a few moments, meaning it. "... But I still find being a Keyblade Wielder far more fascinating..."
Aqua chuckled. "It's not like that's all there is to us."
"No? But what else is there in your life?"
"Well... I'm good at baking," Aqua smirked.
From that day onward, Aqua and Amelie became friends too.
Also, talking about baking... There was one more event that 'spiced' things up. One evening, all four of them sat down for dinner, and this time Aqua's specialties were on the menu. Poor Terra felt devastated.
"Not your sweet-stuff again..." he complained, before even being served. "I didn't make strawberry cake for you, sourpuss," Aqua commented. That surprised him. "I made some green salad and a carrot-cake with nuts. Neither are very sweet..."
Terra blinked. "What made you go out of your way?" he asked in disbelief.
"Let's just say that Master Eraqus and I faced an even match in our preferences..."
He was still confused.
"You're not the only one that has a dislike for freshly picked fruits and sugar," Master Eraqus explained. Amelie shifted in her seat at this, suppressing a giggle.
"What, you too?" he practically jumped up. "Oh, thank goodness! Somebody that finally understands what it's like to be surrounded by addicts with a sweet tooth!"
They all laughed at that point. But Terra was really glad - not only would he probably be able to eat a lot less sugary stuff while she was here, but he and Amelie actually had something in common...
... And Master Eraqus acknowledged this too. He noticed how, right from the start, Terra showed a lot of interest in gaining Amelie's trust and making her comfortable. But he didn't put much thought into it; Terra was that kind of person. However, he did mentally jaw-dropped when he saw his oldest student in the gardens with his 'daughter' - stretched out on a stone chair by the table and not in his usual 'macho' posture, while having a relaxed conversation with her. It became clear that he was also showing interest in gaining her affection, and now he'd have to keep a close eye on the two, worrying and hoping that nothing goes wrong.
But it didn't. Aside from that problem of Terra not being able to focus on his training while around her, everything else went it's best way. He even felt thankful to him, because Terra managed to reach Amelie in a way he himself never did.
"Hi!" the boy greeted Amelie, finding her at at the usual spot.
"Hi," she greeted back. It was starting to get late, and Terra just joined her after a long day of practicing with his Master.
"... How's your day been?" he asked, sitting down not far away from her. He was somewhat jealous of Aqua now that she was the only one that had her attention during the day, but he tried not to show it to anyone.
"Good, thanks. I didn't manage to work much on what I started yesterday, and I think I'm gonna spend the night looking up at the sky."
"Oh, really?..." he said, leaning on his elbow tiredly.
"... How are you?" she asked back.
"Tired..." he answered, suppressing a yawn. "I was put through some really hard drill today..."
She chuckled. "How come you're not headed to bed then?"
"I wanted to catch some fresh air before it," he lied. He crossed his arms on the table and rested his head atop of them now, shutting his eyes for a moment. He truly did seem exhausted, although his appearance was somewhat... well, refreshed.
The secret was that he actually went to have a shower after the training, and also got into some clean clothes so as not to come completely rugged and with bad odor in Amelie's presence. The hilarious fact was, once again, that he did all that without thinking why he was doing it - it was all instinctively. Luckily nobody saw him, so nobody could tease him for it, and Amelie was as clueless as he was.
Terra tried to strike some small-talk with her, but, before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep. Maybe that was the moment Amelie began to feel that all he wanted was to see her, and not catch 'some fresh air' as he put it. She took some light clothing she brought for herself for when it started to get chilly, and covered him with it. He was so fast asleep that he didn't even feel her doing it.
After that, she took her telescope and went a bit away from the table, not wanting to wake him up. He clearly stated he didn't want to go inside anytime soon, so she respected his wish.
However, when she finished most of what she wanted and it became colder, Amelie had to wake him up.
"... Terra," she called him, gently nudging his shoulder. "Terra, wake up..."
He grumbled, slowly coming back to reality. He looked around having no idea where he is.
"... Amelie?" he said when he saw her. Then he remembered. "Oh gosh," he frowned, bringing his hand up to his forehead and pressing it, "I fell asleep; I'm so sorry..."
The clothes from his back slipped down when he straightened, but the girl caught them in time. Terra quickly turned around to see what happened, and almost flushed when he realized she put those over him so he wouldn't catch a cold.
"It's okay," Amelie responded to his apology," you had a hard day. Let's go back inside." She took her equipment and waited for him to get up.
He looked like a defenseless lamb after being woken up. "Yeah..." he said, getting up and collecting his composure. They slowly went back to the castle and wished each other good night before parting for their rooms.
It was Aqua who got up first in the morning. She looked around for her two friends, but they were nowhere to be found. After a while she stumbled upon Master Eraqus.
"Good morning, Master," she greeted.
"Ah, Aqua - good morning," he greeted back.
"I can't seem to find Terra and Amelie anywhere," she told him. "Should I be headed to the Summit?..."
"No, that won't be of need today," he surprised her. "Terra and Amelie won't be up anytime soon either, I'm certain. And as for your today's trainings - you can take a day off. You both deserve it."
"... Yes, Master," Aqua said.
"Might I also suggest all three of you go out somewhere together? I'm sure it would do you all good."
"Yes, of course." It sounded like a good idea to her. "But won't you be joining us?"
"No, my dear - I think my presence would be more than unnecessary," he answered, smirking.
Aqua smirked back. "All right. I suppose we'll be joining you this afternoon then?"
Eragus nodded, and with that he dismissed her. Since Terra was not up yet, she headed for the kitchen.
When the brunette finally woke up, Aqua immediately confronted him.
"Hey. What have you been doing all night to get up this late?"
"Huh? N-nothing. I had a long day with the Master is all..." he answered, stuttering a bit, still sleepy.
"I have good news. We have a day off."
"Really?" Terra stretched and yawned.
"Yup. And we'll go out for a picnic. What do you think?"
"W-we?" he looked at her.
"The three of us. Amelie, you and me."
Terra blinked sheepishly. "What about the Master?" Aqua shook her head.
"He'll be staying here."
Terra thought for a moment. "Okay - I'll be back in a few..." he said and scurried off to his room. That left only Amelie.
When Aqua heard movements coming from her room, she knocked and called.
"Yes?" Amelie answered from her bed, but still in the same clothes from last night. The other girl slowly opened the door and greeted her with a smile.
"Good morning. Are you up?"
"Yeah. I'll be out in a minute or two..."
"Great. Terra and I got a day off. We thought about going out on a picnic. Is that okay with you?"
Amelie gaped in surprise. Was that an... invite?
"You mean... the three of us?" Aqua nodded. "S-sure... Just give me a minute to pack a few things," Amelie said standing up from her bed.
"Take your time," Aqua told her. "Terra has yet to get ready too." Amelie was already going around her room and picking stuff. "Oh, and -" Aqua added, "I took care of the food. Green salad and carrots - your favorite, right?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Aqua smiled sweetly. "Meet you at the gates then, okay?" Amelie acknowledged it and with that the other girl left her to prepare.
When she finally finished, she met up with Aqua, who was carrying a basket, near the entrance. When they went outside, they saw Terra already waiting for them there, a rucksack hanging over his shoulder.
"So... You ready?" he asked them. Aqua and Amelie looked at each other and nodded. "Great! Let's get going..."
They took the downhill path and proceeded to the opening surrounded by the river and a forest. It was a long time, Amelie thought, since she walked on those paths, Eraqus taking her out like this as well. She was so young back then, she barely remembered all of it now. It felt rather nice though - being taken to the same place by her Master's pupils.
After about half an hour of walking, they came across the small river. It was ankle-deep.
"Oh boy..." Amelie mumbled worriedly. Aqua made her way through the water already, having armored boots that protected her feet completely. Alas, Amelie was still in her slippers, and there seemed to be no way across by stone or shallow water.
"Everything okay?" Terra asked, noticing Amelie nervously looking up and down the current. "I forgot to put on proper footwear..." she answered. He looked at her feet and got what she meant. "Oh. Well... Wait here," he said, then run over to the other side. Having boots similar to Aqua's, it was of no problem to him. He put his rucksack on the dry bank, then rushed back to Amelie, who was wondering what he meant by 'wait here'.
He stopped in front of her, his feet in the river, and opened both his arms up to her. "...I can carry you across, if it's okay with you..." he offered politely. That caught her by surprise.
"Oh!... No, I wouldn't want to burden you..." Amelie stuttered.
"It's okay," he reassured with a smile.
Amelie looked at him in the eyes. Then, slowly, she approached him, and put one of her hands on his arm, while he carefully put his around her waist. Then he reached his other one under her legs, while she now clung around the back of his neck.
The moment he took her off the ground his heart leaped in the air. He carried her carefully, cradling her like he was carrying a little bird. His heartbeat increased rapidly, making him think it was gonna beat its way through his chest.
Amelie felt as light as a feather in his arms - and it was the first time she experienced how strong he actually was. But that wasn't all - she felt a certain inclination, and it had nothing to do with how carefully she was held at every step Terra made. A storm of butterflies fluttered from her stomach up to her throat, making her aware of his closeness. It wasn't the feeling of being carried by a boy for the first time, no - there was something more to it; something more that made her blood rush to her head.
With the same delicacy he used when lifting her up, Terra slowly set her down. She put her feet into the dry grass as he lightly crouched, calmly taking her arms from around his neck. For some unspeakable reason, she couldn't even mutter a 'thank you' nor look at him, but both knew she was grateful.
It was such a cute scene from Aqua's point of view. Terra took his rucksack and he and Amelie shyly came over to the tree under which she was waiting for them. They unpacked and sat down, but did so on the grass itself, since no one was bothered by it.
After breakfast they started to chat idly, and after a while, everyone turned to doing what they brought to do with them. Terra took out a thick wooden branch and his knife, and continued carving it from before. Amelie wondered what he was making, but didn't ask, and instead turned to her own work on paper. Aqua packed up what was left in her basket, then turned to the other two and said: "I'm gonna go and look for some wild nuts and berries. I'll be back in a few."
"Okay," Terra said, not looking up from his carving. Amelie seemed alright with it too. Aqua took up and left.
They were busy for a while, then Terra decided to make a break. He put the wood on the ground, then leaned backwards, resting on both of his arms. He exhaled and closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze. Amelie put down her notebook and looked at him.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke up: "So... You've ever been here before?" Amelie thought.
"I can't remember if I've been here," she answered, "but I remember being taken by Master Eraqus around the land before..."
"... You must have been real close."
"Yeah..." Nostalgia came over her. She sighed and let herself fall in the grass. "... This World is in such wonderful balance... I miss being here."
"You can come as much as you want," Terra told her. "You're not bothering anyone here."
Amelie didn't answer back. Instead she shut her eyes tight and frowned like in light pain.
He really felt for her. He himself couldn't imagine what he would do if he suddenly lost the power to wield a Keyblade. He wanted to do anything to make her feel better.
"Amelie..." he started, " ... I think you're an amazing person."
"... What is there that's amazing about me?" she asked, almost cynically.
"Well... For one - you're beautiful," he barely managed to say without losing his composure or making it a whisper. "... There's something about you... that makes you shine from the inside, like a star." She looked at him, blushing a bit. "It must be your heart," he added, lowering himself a little closer to her. "You just need to let it shine more often."
She chuckled, looking away. "... How brightly do you shine then, Mister Keyblade Wielder?" She turned around and gave him a playful nudge in the chest, breaking his coolness. "Not to mention when you become a Master." Terra laughed lightly. "... I'm no Keyblade Master material yet," he said. Amelie bent her head to the side, puzzled.
"You doubt yourself?"
"No," he said, "but I still have a long way to go."
She was now silent for a moment. "You'll make it," she assured him. Terra smiled.
"Thanks."
That's when they heard footsteps coming closer to them. Aqua came back.
"Got 'em!" she said proudly.
"... Just be sure not to mix one with the other when you bake," Terra told her.
"I'll keep that in mind if I ever enter the kitchen blindfolded," Aqua teased back. They laughed.
The trio left the place before the sun started to set. Once again, Terra used the opportunity to hold Amelie by carrying her across the river - and this time he got a genuine 'thank you.'
When night fell and the girls went to their rooms, Master Eraqus found his student wondering in the halls.
"Not sleepy yet?" he asked Terra.
"No," the boy replied. Eraqus thought for a moment.
"You know, I really have to thank you, for what you did with Amelie." Terra now faced him fully, taken aback. "The girl was so full of self-pity for years, and I didn't know what to do about it. Yet... The more time she spends with you, the more I see her confidence grow stronger."
Terra didn't know what to say.
Eraqus put a hand on his shoulder. "Keep her light shining bright."
"Yes," Terra answered. Eraqus gave him a grateful look, then let him go and went to his own chambers.
Terra stood in place for a couple of minutes. Then he turned his gaze towards Amelie's room, and, finally, went down the hallway.
"Hey," he greeted her, finding her at the same place as always. "Hi," she turned to him, smiling. It was a beautiful day.
"Wanna go for a walk?" Terra asked. Amelie nodded. She stood up and went with him towards the mountain pass. As they proceeded, he tried to walk as close to her as possible. She didn't seem to mind though. He was in inch away from her.
They stopped once they reached the pond with water-lilies. Amelie bent over it and looked at their reflections. Their eyes met. She looked away, shyly; but kept on smiling. Terra smiled too.
There was a beautiful flower in full bloom, just close enough for him to reach for it. He crouched and picked it from the pond, careful not to get it wet. Then he turned and offered it to Amelie. She blushed lightly.
"... You know, I think it would look better if you put it in your hair," he stated. "May I...?"
She let him touch curls as he entangled the flower between them. "There," he said, "Take a look."
Amelie glanced at her reflection once again. "It's beautiful," she said. "Thanks." Terra gleamed.
"... Hey, how about we continue to the summit?" he offered. "There's a good look on the castle from up there."
"Sure," she agreed.
Once up there, they went and sat down on the stone bench. The view on the Land of Departure really was best from up there.
"... Master Eraqus said I can stay," she spoke suddenly.
"You can?" Terra asked in surprise. "That's great!"
"Yeah, it is..." she smiled to herself. "... He also said I should take more part in your trainings..."
Those were even better news for him. "What did he tell you to do?"
"Keep a close eye on you two, and make sure you take the best roads in your journey," Amelie answered, still not facing him.
"You mean like a council?" he asked.
"Yes."
Terra hesitated for a moment. "I'd leave my fate to you any day," he said, putting his hand over hers. She looked at him for a moment, then blushed and turned away. He blushed equally.
Carefully, he scooted closer to her, then slowly began to encircle her waist with his arm. He leaned closer, and her hair tickled his neck and chin. He couldn't see her face, but he could tell she was blushing furiously.
"... I like you," she spoke in a low voice.
Terra closed his eyes, now in pure bliss. It was a dream come true.
He blinked opening his eyelids; but suddenly the whole place started to fade away. The land disappeared slowly, Amelie melted into the white light, and only the feeling of holding her lingered behind. In the end, that perished too. He was now facing his bedsheets and pillow, which were under his grasp. He was in his room.
He looked up and around, as to confirm his whereabouts. It was morning, and he was lying in his bed. He slowly rose up, blinked a few times, then rubbed his eyes. There was no mistaking it - it was all a dream.
He sighed. 'I really am in love with her...' he thought to himself.
The rest of the day Terra spent avoiding Amelie and making eye-contact with her. It completely puzzled the girl.
"What's up with Terra?" she asked Aqua. "He's been... acting kind of unusual today..."
"I don't know, " Aqua said, with full honesty - though she had a feeling that it had something to do with Amelie. The girl next to her exhaled sadly.
"It's too bad," she said. "I hope I'll get the chance to spend more time with both of you in the next few days." Aqua gave her a questioning look. "I'm leaving in 3 days..."
Aqua came across Terra in the castle later that evening.
"What are you doing?!" she scolded him. "Amelie's going home practically the day after tomorrow, and you spend your last moments avoiding her?" The boy was left in shock.
"What?!"
"She can't stay any longer. She needs to go back."
Terra was devastated. "I thought... When did she tell you?"
"Somewhere around noon."
He looked at the floor in loss of words, guilt spreading across his face. "... Is she in her room?"
"Last I saw her, she was in the gardens."
"Okay. Thanks." He bolted off outside, leaving Aqua behind.
Luckily for him, he stumbled upon Amelie just when she packed and started to leave towards the castle. He stopped dead in his tracks right in front of her.
"Hey..." he spoke, not really knowing what to say.
"Um, hi..." she responded the same way.
"Uhh... Aqua just told me... you are leaving in a few days..." he said nervously.
"Oh... Yeah... I have to go back... They sent a note for me telling me they expect me before the end of the week," she explained. Terra was truly sad to hear it. "I wanted to tell you, uh, but..." she trailed off, unsure of how to put what she had to say.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that..." he said, looking at the ground. "... I had some stupid things on my mind today, and I let them preoccupy me more than I should have..." He was really angry at himself now - letting such a thing as an embarrassment to face her because of a single dream he had with her make him lose precious time he could have spent in reality.
"It's... okay," she forgave him, deciding to forget about the whole thing. He looked up at her, apologetically. "... I'll start packing on the 3rd day from now," she added. "I'm still here for two more full days."
"... When are you coming back?" he asked. The question took her aback somewhat, but she quickly answered: "I don't know. I won't be able to visit in less than a month or so... But I can't be certain for after that."
"... Okay," he said in a somewhat broken voice. "... Let's go back and go to sleep..." he collected himself and turned to the castle, but couldn't lift his gaze from the ground for the remainder of the return.
They used up most of their time to be with Amelie for the next two days - and Master Eraqus let them. But something was bugging Terra still; he felt like he should be doing something in addition to that. He didn't know when will he be able to see her again, and was afraid that it might turn out to be a lot more than just a month. After all, this was her first visit to the Land of Departure since Aqua and he came here too, and they were there for quite a while. He needed to give her something - something that would remind her of him; a keepsake of sorts.
But what could he possibly give her? Jewelry was out of the question - that would have been too much of a straight-forward symbol of affection, and they weren't that close. What else was there...?... She wasn't into things he was, and he didn't have a clue on what she would like related to her interests... Not to mention she practically had everything.
He thought harder. He was good at carving things from wood, but what could he make that Amelie would like...?... And then it hit him. He immediately went to look for a perfect piece of wood he could work on. But he had to hurry - there wasn't much time left...
And there was another problem. Master Eraqus did let them spend most of their time with the girl, but he hadn't cut their trainings completely. He just timed them to be when Amelie was having her private time, or late in the evenings. Also, the exercises they were doing were particularly hard on their arms - and since Terra was doing a delicate job on a small object, and concentrated twice than usual since he never went into details this much before - he had to ask their Master for a huge favor.
"Master Eraqus," he approached him the first chance he got, "may I please ask something of you?"
"Yes, Terra - what is it?" Eraqus asked back.
"... There is something I really need to work on right now - and these particular trainings are making it too hard for me. Please, Master - can I ask of you to practice a little less, or perhaps change to another routine just for two days?" he pleaded, bowing in respect.
Eraqus was bewildered. It was the first time his student had put his training in second place, and came up with such a request. Normally, he would have wanted to know the exact reason for this, but this time something told him he didn't have to.
"Very well, Terra," he said after thinking it over. "You may do as you requested. But know that I expect from you to catch up with what you missed as soon as those two days are over."
"Yes, Master!" Terra accepted with a smile. Eraqus nodded and dismissed him.
Among them, Eraqus was not the only one who did not try to spend time with Amelie. However, he did it a lot more subtly than his pupils.
Two days before departure, Amelie found him alone in the Throne Room at night. He expected that she and others have already gone to sleep. She approached him, seemingly wanting to talk about something.
"Master," she started.
"Yes, Amelie?"
"... It's probably going to take me some time before I manage to come back here again," she said.
"... Take as much as you need to," he told her. "Our doors will be always open for you."
"Thank you..." But there was something more she needed to say, just couldn't.
"So..." Eraqus broke the silence, "what do you make of my students?"
She looked up and smiled. "I think they're the best ones you could have possibly asked for." Eraqus smiled back.
"I am glad to hear that from you." He thought for a moment, then added: "I am also very proud of you. You have come a long way since you were a child, and I see that being here for the past month has done you great good."
"... This land has always treated me well," she responded.
"Yes, it has... Perhaps sending you to another World may not have been the best decision... Yet I find it might have been necessary for you to grow. Things be as they are - I am delighted that I was once again able to have you in my presence, filled with joy you once had."
Amelie was touched by those words. "I am too." She walked up to him, opened her arms and received a welcoming embrace. "... I have missed you, father," she told him, her eyes closed.
"I missed you as well... daughter," Master Eraqus replied, still holding her in a warm hug.
As time usually does when ones are enjoying themselves the most, it passed quickly. The day of Amelie's departure dawned. Right after breakfast - when she went to her room to pack - Terra used the opportunity to surprise her with the little gift he finally finished that morning.
"Hey," he called to get her attention, standing outside the frame of her door. "I've got something for you..." He took out a wonderfully carved wooden pen. It was bigger than a normal one, but still very light. It looked like a small stylized wand.
"Oh my... Did you make this?" Amelie asked in awe, marveling the gift.
"Yeah..." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "I hope you like it."
"It's beautiful," she responded, looking at it from every angle. "Thank you!"
"No problem," he said, still nervous, but glad his hard work received such a praise.
But now - Amelie felt she needed to give him something in return. And like Terra - she was clueless as to what he might like. He probably had no interest in trinkets - and everything else he might like she could neither make or find anywhere for him. Although... he used his skill to create something that was useful and pretty to her; maybe she could do the same for him.
She took a piece of paper and started scribbling down; even during lunch - making everyone wonder what was so important that she was doing.
The girl rewrote the poem she composed on paper, trying her best to make the letters as beautiful as she could. Once done, she went to look for Terra. She came from behind him and poked him lightly. He turned around.
"This is for you..." she handed him the sheet. Terra took it curiously and began to read.
"Star shine, star bright,
Please lend me your hand tonight.
As I turn looking for a light,
It is you who I find shining bright.
They don't know what you and I do;
It is your heart that shines so true.
And it is the power that cuts through;
All that darkness brought it will undo.
Star light, majestic sight,
You shine brightest when in fight;
A fight for everything that is right.
You truly are the World's white knight.
And please, don't let it bother you,
What they say isn't true:
Only a World's heart shines in sky blue;
We both know you're up there too.
Oh brightest light - take flight,
And all that's wrong go and smite.
... Until all hearts reunite,
Never give up - you'll make it through the night."
He was left speechless.
"I'm sorry it's kinda unfinished," Amelie said, "I didn't have enough time to add more..."
"Amelie, this is..." he spoke, "... It's the most unique gift I ever got... It's beautiful." A huge burden fell off her chest.
"I am very glad you like it that much," she smiled sweetly at him. And she did seem as happy. Terra returned the smile. They stared at each others' eyes for a few moments, but then Aqua entered the room.
"Amelie..." she said slowly, "... they're here for you."
It took her about 30 minutes more to take the last of her things and get to the Throne Room, where the Master and his students were waiting for her.
"Goodbye, Amelie," Aqua came up to her first, offering a light hug. "Come and visit us soon, okay?"
Then the curly-haired girl turned to her foster father. "Farewell my child. Take care."
Lastly, she took a step towards Terra. "... Umm... I'm not really good at saying goodbyes..." he said, "... but since we're going to see each other again, I guess it isn't really needed." Amelie smiled, and put her hand in his.
"Goodbye, Terra," she told him in a gentle voice. "Aqua, Master...
I'll let you know as soon as I'm able to come back again."
Aqua and Eraqus nodded. Only then did she let go of Terra's hand.
She picked up her stuff and went towards the exit.
With that, her first visit ended.
Hi peeps!
Long time no see.
... I have been working on this story for about 3 months - it started writing itself in my mind ever since I bought "KH II.5 HD ReMIX" and started playing "Birth By Sleep". I was debating on whether I should let it out at all (and weather to make a drawing or a fiction), but Nigsea convinced me to do it. lol
Also, a great thank you goes to her, for being my beta-reader, and for being there for me throughout the past 3 months when I was sick (and really had nothing better to do than write a fan fiction). Also, I thank her for putting up with me and my horrible procrastination on the collab we're working on on deviantART.
... While I'm still at saying 'thank-you's - another one goes to my Club of martial arts - because the insight of being a part of such a thing and around equally great people has helped me write this fic. I love you guys, and thanks for being there for me and accepting me for who I am - even though I was a major slacker. ;P
... Other than that, I should tell you that is is the first part of the story I'm working on, and I plan to add at least 2 more parts - one with Ventus in it, and the other concerning the tragedy that befell the three Keyblade Wielders, and how it affected Amelie's destiny.
After that, I don't know what I'll do.
... If you're interested in finding more about the whole Terra X OC thing, I suggest you visit my dA account: .com - then go into the gallery and search for "terra oc" or "kingdom hearts" related things in the browser. It's probably going to open up my whole own KH Universe, but you'll find your way through it. ;P
Also, as for "Star Guardian" - I have yet to go back to it and finish it. This fic will be more or less connected to it, and Amelie should make a cameo appearance somewhere in the far future, but don't trouble yourselves with that.
... I hope you've enjoyed this, and I'll ask of you to please forgive me for a lot of style and grammar mistakes I am sure I have but cannot see - and for some stuff I still left unedited, because I have worked on this for so long that I just wanna publish it and get it over with.
... Well, that's it!
Sorry if the first part was too long.
Till next time~!