The Seeker
He should stop.
But he can't.
Xehanort knows very well the dangers of the experiments, why Ansem is putting a stop to them. They're too dangerous – for everyone, in all the worlds. But then, why did they ever assume that exploring the darkness in one's heart might be a safe thing?
Is Xehanort even his name? It feels so right and yet so wrong at the same time. He remembers nothing and he feels nothing for anything.
Except for the armor.
Lying on the table, battered and dirtied but still somehow strong, the metal pieces resonate with him. There's a hum in them, a song that reaches out and crawls under Xehanort's skin. The little hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a shiver slides down his spine like an unexpected breath of cold air. His heart swells and aches and hurts in the confines of his chest. There's a tug inside of him that feels like his memories are just about to break free.
They never do. But it drives him mad because there's something there. He has to know.
He should stop this, stop everything.
But he won't.
He doesn't.
He should have.
,
,
The Wanderer
Her feet hurt.
Aqua forced herself off the ground, just managing not to fall over herself. She couldn't afford weakness, not now. Not when she could hardly see what lay in the dark. Not when she had no one watching her back. Not when she was trapped in the realm of darkness with no way out that she knew of.
Just how long had she been here for already? What was Terra doing right now? Was he looking for her? Looking for Ven?
Did Xehanort still possess him?
With trembling fingers, Aqua quickly brushed the blue Wayfinder in her pocket. It was her one small light in this realm and while it wasn't enough to ward away the shadows, it was warm. It was bright. It was home.
Terra was stronger than Xehanort. She trusted that; she believed it.
"Terra … Ven … just wait a little while longer for me – okay?"
Slowly, almost agonizingly, she placed one foot in front of the other and pushing herself forward. She took another step.
And then another.
And another.
And another.
And another.
And another…
,
,
The One Who Waits
Terra…
Aqua…
Where are they? Why haven't they come get him yet? He's seeing – dreaming – experiencing things and he's not quite sure what to make of them. He sees creatures of darkness that are different from the Unversed. He feels the salty sea air kissing his skin in the early morning. There's a claw digging in at his side, making him bleed red as little stars dance around the edges of his vision.
Terra is close, so close and yet so far. Even in the general peacefulness of wherever he is, it's enough to make him cry tears of frustration.
Terra!
But then, he's gone.
He's gone.
Gone.
Gone…
He doesn't understand. Did they forget about him? They couldn't have. …Could they? But they're his friends! Maybe … it just isn't time yet. Yes, that must be it. But one day, they'll come and they'll wake him up with a smile on their tired faces.
He just needs to be a little more patient. They'll come for him soon and when they do, he'll be right here.
Waiting.
,
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Author's Note: So, this was originally supposed to be separated into three chapters. Unfortunately, the scenes were so short that I decided to fit it all into a one-shot instead.
Thank you for reading this fic! I hope you enjoyed it. Please, feel free to leave a comment; I'm always happy to receive constructive criticism.