Chapter 1- the silence and the missing

Edit 1(4/6/15): This edit was made to correct mistakes and remove ridiculous content. When I originally wrote this, I was far younger and had far less experienced as a writer. As such, this story still contains things that I am not proud of; hence it has been discontinued. I will leave this close to its original state, but know that I have improved over time and no longer plan on continuing this. There are aspects of this story that were poorly done objectively, and some subjects were not treated with the proper respect. I apologize for this, and would recommend not reading this story if themes of self-harm or abuse bother you. Therefore, know that this does not reflect my current opinion, and that it is only here for the original fans of the story. Thank you for your understanding.

Thank you to everyone who reads my stories, and special thanks to any reviewers! Also, thanks to everyone who favorited and followed the stories or me, you guys rock.!

There will be some minor OC characters involved, but only to fill places I didn't know how to.

This was originally meant to be many shorter chapters, but I decided to compress them. The rest of the story will continue in this style, so I'm sorry if it takes me at least a week if not two and a half to update on it.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

(Link's POV)

Silence. I could only give people silence. Everyone who met me was shocked to learn that, and all of my friends never got used to it, even after they knew me well. No one understood me, but I could handle that. I learned by now how to live with it.

I thought my life would be normal, a fifteen year old kid living in Florida, trying to keep his grades above a C. I couldn't have possibly been more wrong.

It all started that week.

I left home at the same time as always, 6:30 AM. I pulled the straps of my back pack onto my shoulder and didn't pay much attention to my surroundings, weaving in and out of people making their morning commutes on the sidewalk. I wasn't paying attention to anything until I saw a sign on the telephone pole near the post office. I stopped.

It read: Missing Children.

I walked over to the sign and scanned it. Usually those ads were about people who had gone missing years, sometimes even decades ago. Though, I recognized the two people on the poster. They went to the same school as I did, but I wouldn't exactly call them my friends. I stared at the poster slowly, Aqua and Ventus… They were friends with that brunette guy from the fencing studio.

I stared at it for another moment, it didn't make any sense whatsoever. How had they both vanished in the same night? I read a little farther down and it said they were both last seen with the same person, Terra…

I shook off the strange feeling I got in my stomach and continued on my way to school.

When I reached school, everyone was whispering about the missing kids. Some of them were also whispering, or talking rather loudly about him and how he just had to be some kind of sociopathic murderer.

I walked over to my locker, trying to ignore the whispers that were no longer about how weird I was. I dug around my messy locker, trying to find my US History book. I moved around crumpled up papers and homework trying to find it when I heard a voice shouting my name, "Link, Link, Link, Link, Link, Link!"

I sighed, Sora…

Sora bolted to me. His brown spiky hair was frizzy - which made me wonder whether or not he'd brushed it that morning - even though the spikes were still mysteriously perfect. Sora was 15, like me. He was wearing a red hoodie with the sleeves cut off and black shorts, his shoes were once again very big, probably hand-me downs from his older brother Cloud, "Link, have you seen Kairi?"

I shook my head, finally managing to pull out my book through a sea of crumpled notes. Riku wandered up from behind Sora, "Hey, guys, what's going on?"

Riku was the oldest of our group of friends as a 16 year old. His silver hair was well-groomed. I still didn't understand why he decided to dye it that color, "Well?"

Since I couldn't speak up, Sora did, "We can't find Kairi."

Riku frowned and crossed his arms, "That's not good. Did you check if anyone saw her today?"

"I bet you the murder boy got her too," a voice said from behind Riku.

Standing behind him was Larxene. She somehow walked around the school in 8 inch pink heels. Larxene crossed her arms over her chest, "You did hear about the missing kids right?"

Riku crossed his arms, giving her a terrible look, "Who hasn't heard about the missing kids, Larxene."

Larxene continued snobbishly, "You know that Terra kid did it all right?"

Sora crossed his arms, and I did as well, even though I couldn't verbally add to the argument, "Larxene, you can't just accuse people of murder. It's not right!"

"Whatever," Larxene muttered, "but I bet you he did murder them. And I bet he killed your little girl friend too, Sora."

Sora's hands clenched into fists and even though he appeared, I could tell he was on the verge of bursting into tears, "N-no. It's not true. You're lying! Kairi… Kairi's going to be fine."

Larxene smirked, "Then explain why her name is with the other two on the wall."

I glanced up and sure as she said, there it was on the wall, along with the other two kids. My heart sank. She laughed, "I think they should kill the kid before it's one of you next."

I frowned and stared daggers at her, thinking of all of the awful things I would say to her if I could actually talk. Sora was despondent and Riku had his arms crossed across his chest. Larxene smirked and waltzed down the hall in her ultra-high heels and her back retreated into the crowd of people. all of them whispered the same tale, all talked of the missing or the murdered or both.

(Riku's POV)

After school ended, Link, Sora and I walked up behind Terra, who must have realized we were coming up behind him because he slammed his locker shut and growled, "Are you here to interrogate me like the others? Or are you just here to mock me like the asshole I am?"

We were silent.

Terra was always different. In a town of pure hearted Christian perfectionists, he was the delinquent, the outsider, and now, the murderer. He stood out like a black wolf in a flock of pure white sheep. He was 19 years old, and had brown hair that spiked and went down to his shoulders. He had a pair of tall black boots on and under one was a small bump which might have been an ankle tracker. I frowned, "Terra do you know what happened to the missing people?"

Terra punched his locker and then turned to us; he had dark circles under his eyes. He sighed, "I don't know. All I know is that I saw them last."

I frowned, and Sora asked, "Then why wouldn't they arrest you?"

Link and I elbowed him in a manner that clearly said, "SHUT UP!"

Terra turned away from us, "They did. They let me out with a tracker when they realized I didn't know anything."

I frowned, "I'm sorry about your friends."

"You mean you're sorry about my brother and my girlfriend who everyone thinks I murdered?"

I froze. I was interrogating him, "I'm sorry."

Terra picked his back pack off the ground, "You shouldn't be. I'm going to find them. I don't care how long it takes."

I nodded, "I was only asking because our friend Kairi disappeared. We need to find her and we were hoping you might know something."

Terra flung his back pack over his shoulders, "Well, I don't know anything, okay? Stop asking me."

He started to walk away when Sora's voice quietly cut the air, "You didn't do anything did you?"

Terra froze, not turning around, "Really? What gave that away?"

His words dripped with sarcasm.

Sora once again said softly, "I know how you feel. Imagine how I feel about Kairi going missing. I was hoping you could help us."

"Well, I can't," he replied shortly, walking away, ignoring everyone's whispers and glares.

The three of us gathered into a small huddle, "Well he wasn't helpful at all."

"I think he was just sad," Sora replied softly.

"Well you certainly didn't help," I muttered.

"Riku! Stop being so insensitive," Sora whispered.

I growled, "Focus on the real problem here, Sora, Kairi!"

"We aren't the only ones who are in pain," Sora complained obnoxiously.

Link stepped in between us and pushed us away from one another, giving us both looks that clearly said, Stop it you two.

I sighed, "Link's right, Sora, we should be looking for Kairi, not arguing about this."

Link nodded curtly, but Sora crossed his arms, giving us the, I'm not going to move until you say yes eyes.

I growled, "Just no, Sora. Maybe if we knew more about him I'd say yes."

"What about Ven and Aqua then?" Sora asked quietly.

I froze thinking about those two for a moment before shaking my head, "Sora, it's not a good idea to get involved with this, and - until his case clears up - I don't think it's a good idea to get involved with him."

"But-"

"No, Sora! Look, he seems innocent, but there's only one suspect and that's him," I continued, annoyed, "What happens if he did kill them, huh? What happens then? What hope would we have of finding Kairi if we help him?"

I hadn't realized how loud or how harsh I was because Sora was crying at the end of my speech. He whispered, "Riku, you insensitive jerk," and ran off towards the nearest bathroom.

I swear sometimes he can be such a- I shook off that thought and glanced at Link, who I'd almost forgotten was even there, "Link, I should talk to Sora. You should go home. Oh, and be careful. I don't want to be looking for you too."

Link wrote a small note down on a piece of paper, See, Riku? This is why you don't have a girlfriend.

"Oh shut up…"

I weaved my way through the crowd of people and quickly made my way to the bathroom where Sora was crying openly over one of the sinks. He didn't look up when I came up next to him. I would've comforted him if not for the fact that this place was usually teeming with bullies and druggies (no doubt the next top story would be how we were gay for one another). Some people are just so crazy, aren't they?

"Sora…"

"Kairi," he whispered.

I sighed, "Hey. We can find her. I don't care if we're up all night for the next year searching. Heck I don't care how long I have to look. I would give up everything to see her again, and I know that you would too."

He nodded, "Now stop crying."

Sora nodded and made it half way through a turn, "Riku…"

I turned around and my eyes widened, "What the heck is that?"

In front of a stall was a sparkling blue light, and it almost seemed to pulse, like a heart.

I jokingly said, "Well, I knew someone was smoking something funny in here…"

Sora walked forward, "Don't you hear it Riku?"

"Hear what?" I asked, worried about Sora's psychological state.

"That voice. There's a girl… she's calling to me," Sora said, walking closer to the light.

"Okay, Sora, just stay away from it!"

He ignored me,and went to the light, touching it. His body started to shine and fade and he shouted in fear, "Riku!"

He vanished into thin air, "Sora?"

The light started to fade and I ran straight into it before it vanished like Sora had.

The light vanished behind me and the two of us were gone.

(Link's POV)

I walked past my house to where Terra lived. I knew that look I'd seen in his eyes: the desperate look of someone who knows they're telling the truth even though everyone else won't or can't listen. He couldn't get arrested for this. He couldn't be killed for this. It just wasn't right. I slowly rang the doorbell, causing a light buzzing sound to hit the air.

A man opened the door, someone who I didn't recognize. He had black slightly long hair that was pulled up in a messy little top-not. His eyes were tired and had dark circles around them, which was understandable as one of his sons was being tried for murder and the other one was missing, "Yes?"

I brought a small note pad with me, and I quickly wrote on it, I'm here to see Terra.

He frowned and opened the door, "I'm sorry, he isn't home right now. He's being questioned about that Kairi girl, though you're welcome to come in."

I entered the house, which once again seemed perfectly normal on the inside. I slowly wrote, I'm sorry for being blunt. I'm Link. Who are you?

He read the paper evenly, "I'm Terra's guardian. Just call me Eraqus."

I nodded, but I was quietly wondering, why doesn't Terra have real parents? I guess I shouldn't be encroaching on his privacy…

Eraqus walked over to the stairs, "Roxas! We have a visitor, make sure you're decent!"

The two of us stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited for Roxas to come down. It took him about five minutes and his jacket was only half on when he came down. Roxas and Ventus were identical down to the spikes on their hair. Roxas's normally blonde spiky hair was matted down and brown because he'd just come out of the showerHe looked to be about thirteen years old. His clothes were hand me downs from his brother. "Dad, who is this?"

"This is Link," Eraqus replied, "He's your brother's friend."

Roxas examined me, but there was nothing spiteful in his eyes, only curiosity, "Alright. Dad, can I go bring Terra home?"

Eraqus sighed, "I'm sorry, Roxas, but the police won't let your brother go unless they are certain he's not guilty."

"But he isn't guilty," Roxas complained, "Terra would never hurt Ven or Aqua or that Kairi girl."

Eraqus nodded, "I know he wouldn't, but they won't believe him. He's their only suspect at the moment, and you know how Terra is when he's impatient-"

Roxas cut him off, "He's my brother and they won't hurt him! I don't care!"

I quickly wrote, I'll go with him.

Eraqus and Roxas read the paper, and Eraqus replied, "Fine. Just come back safe. I can't guarantee they'll let him come home with you though."

Roxas smiled, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! C'mon Link, let's go get Terra."

I nodded and thought, how are Terra and Roxas brothers? They're not alike at all…

Roxas rode his skateboard to the station and I had to run to keep up with him because he was going so fast. When we got there the man behind the counter seemed to recognize him, "Hello, Roxas."

"Hello, Officer Johnston," Roxas replied easily.

The officer smiled. He was a tall Indian man who had well-kept hair, and kept a smile on his face even in the most trying of circumstances, "You're brother is currently in questioning."

Roxas did his best to look adorable, which didn't take a lot of effort, "Please, officer, can we at least see him? I feel like I'm losing both of my brothers at once."

The officer smiled again, though his eyes expressed his sadness, "Sure, you can go watch it."

He led the two of us to a glass window that viewed the questioning room, where a negotiator was deep in her interrogation.

(Terra's POV)

The negotiator stared at me long and hard across the table. I was cuffed to the chair behind me, but I was fine, I'd been in this position before.

"Now, tell me," she placed a picture of a red haired girl on the table in front of me, "Have you ever seen this girl before?"

I looked at her, and remembered what I'd learned before when I'd come here, tell the truth. Tell the truth enough times and they'll know you're not lying.

I looked up at her calmly, "I've seen her before, but I've never spoken to her. I think she's Sora's girlfriend."

The negotiator nodded at me. She had short brown hair and green eyes. She was very short, but her words cut sharper than knives. Her nametag, displayed proudly on her dark blue uniform, Officer Sofie. Sofie leaned over the table, "You've never spoken to her?"

Here they go again … Ask the same question a million times and see if I can answer it verbatim every time… "Never."

Sofie nodded, though she was really thinking, It has to be him. It just has to be. There's no way it's not. Let's try…

She continued on, "I heard you broke a man's arm once, tell me about that."

I slowly said, "Ma'am. There is no connection between that case and my current case. Even if there were any charges made, they were against him not me."

"I'm curious now," Sofie said, "Tell me, what happened then."

I swallowed hard, "He… he hurt Aqua."

"Who is Aqua sweetie," she asked again, confusing me, "your friend?"

"Aqua's my girlfriend," I said slowly, "I just protected her."

Sofie smiled at me, I'd never been through a negotiation like this, "I'm sure you must love her very much then."

I nodded calmly, "Yes."

Her disposition suddenly changed, "Tell me, did you two ever argue?"

So that's what she's trying to do… Find my motives indirectly. You want to break my heart; I'll break yours. I shook my head, "I never was angry with her. She was one of the only people who ever cared about me, the only person who ever understood me."

I saw something sparkle at the edge of Sofie's eye, and I knew that I was winning. She decided to quickly change tactics, "So. I want to understand you better, Terra. You live with your father?"

"No," I replied evenly, "I live with my guardian."

"Oh really," she asked, "Why not your parents?"

She's really trying to make me guilty, isn't she? "My father was abusive. My teacher adopted us."

"I see, and did that abuse ever do anything to you," she asked.

"No," I replied.

"I have one more question," Sofie said softly, though I could tell I was slowly breaking her heart, "Have you ever harmed yourself in anyway?"

I slowly admitted, "Yes… I used to be..."

She frowned, "What made you stop?"

"Aqua," I said softly, "Aqua brought me back. She was the angel that brought me out of darkness. She found me trying to bleed myself out through my wrists once and she saved me. (1)"

She started to tear up a little, "Are you… Are you looking for her?"

I nodded, "I will always look for her until she's back in my arms."

She was sniffing and crying and she knelt down next to me and hugged me, "I'm so sorry. You're innocent, I'm sorry."

Wow, my life story broke a police negotiator. That's pathetic.

The police officer who brought me there opened the door, "Officer Sofie?"

"Let him out," she said, her voice breaking, "He's innocent, let the poor boy go."

The man nodded, releasing my scarred wrists from the shackles and letting me out of the room where my brother Roxas and, to my surprise, one of the boys who was questioning me earlier: Link.

(Roxas's POV)

As soon as my brother left the room I hugged him, "Terra!"

He smiled and hugged me, "Hey little bro. Did you bring your friend with you?"

I shook my head, "I thought that he was your friend."

Terra turned toward Link, "What are you doing here?"

Link started to write very quickly on his paper and it read, I came to help you, but if I help you, you need to help me.

I came to a realization. Link was a good kid. A really good kid, but he just wanted his friend back. He wanted it more than anything to find Kairi, and that was it. I understood it now, and I could sympathize with him. I wanted my brother back too.

I frowned, "Is that the only reason you came?"

He quickly wrote on the paper, No, I came to help.

I nodded, "Come on, let's go home. Dad is worried."

Terra smiled at me and messed up my hair, making me smile back, "Everything will be fine, Roxas. This will all work out, and everything will go back to normal."

The three of us quietly left. I knew Terra was trying to be comforting, but I also knew he was lying. More than likely Ven was… no… No, he couldn't be. He wasn't dead, I wouldn't accept that.

We walked down the street silently. That was until we saw a glow a few blocks down. I assumed at first that it was a flashlight, but as we got closer to it, I realized I was wrong.

No, it wasn't a flash light. It was a pure silver light, hovering above the side walk. The three of us froze and suddenly Link and my brother looked like they were listening to someone's voice. Link stepped forward into the light and his body flashed several times before vanishing.

I gasped, "What?"

What just happened? Where did he go!?

I stared at Terra frantically, though he seemed entranced with the light, as if it had cast a spell on him, "Terra? Terra, snap out of it!"

Terra didn't blink, he just mumbled, "Roxas, can't you hear her?" and took a step forward towards the mysterious light.

"What are you talking about, Terra?" I asked.

Terra walked forward again, his steps were slow, as if he was trying to decipher whether or not he should be walking, "Aqua."

"Terra, Aqua's gone," I said, starting to worry he was hallucinating.

Terra shook his head, and stretched out his hand, his fingertips hitting the light, "No. She's right here."

His body flashed several times and disappeared. I gasped and looked around, finding no one. The light was quickly fading from its position on the street. I rushed into it before it could vanish completely, not caring where it took me. I just didn't want to lose the only family I had left.

I felt myself fall through the light and realized that I was quite literally diving through the sky. I tried to control myself on my rapid descent to destruction, but my eyes… They were… so heavy.

I lost consciousness as I fell from the night.