An image kept flashing in Sora's head about a woman who visited his island when he was little. She made him promise to protect the people closest to him while giving a comforting smile. As if she knew the fate that awaited her, but deep down she believed it would be all right in the end. Standing before her now after more than a decade with her blue hair faded to white, her blue eyes overshadowed by a haunting yellow and her clothes tattered and covered in darkness; Sora could not believe this was the same woman.
She took a fighting stance against him with the intent to do him harm.
"All I have left in my heart is misery and despair. And I want you to feel it!" Her suffering had gone on for so long without end that contempt and anger had moved into her heart where joy and hope should be. Anyone else would've seen her as beyond help now.
...But that just made Sora's drive to save her even stronger.
"Aqua! I'm here for you! I know it took a long time...but your friends are here for you." He put his hand to his chest. "Right here." Her gaze narrowed a bit, but her stance stood firm.
"My friends? What do YOU know of MY FRIENDS?" Aqua asked darkly with a tone that promised pain. Firing a Darkness based orb of magic at him forcing Sora to dodge on instinct with how fast it flew toward his last position. Causing an explosion and a crater to be left behind on the beach behind him.
"I risked everything for my friends, and despite that I've lost them both!" Aqua said teleporting to slash her keyblade at Sora who tried to parry her attacks as best he could. Trying to hit her limbs without doing permanent damage.
He had to find someway to stop her without hurting her too much! A restraint that Aquanort lacked.
As she appeared a distance from him after getting hit on her keyblade arm. Now three of them aiming their dark orbs at him and firing the magical attacks at him.
"What do you know of pain? of solitude? To be abandoned and left to die in this hell?!" Aqua continued to rage against the boy who stood firm before her after he dodged her attacks. Closing the distance to hit her in nonlethal slashes from his keyblade.
"I don't know what it's like to be in this realm for over ten years, I'm sorry I didn't know sooner-"
"YOU THINK I WANT YOUR APOLOGY?!" Aqua shouted closing the distance between them as she lashed out with her strength overpowering his. Deflecting his keyblade high before pushing him to the ground. Straddling him as her darkness enhanced keyblade hovered over his heart.
"I don't want your sorry, Sora, I want you to feel my pain!" Aqua said as her keyblade thrust at his heart, causing the boy to scream in pain as her heart was now connected to his. But to her surprise, she wasn't easily getting in and overwhelming his heart with her darkness like she expected. it was clashing in a contest of will with Sora's light now shining against her darkness pushing against it. His heart looked like a fountain of light and darkness clashing against each other as Aqua tried to pour all of her feelings into him.
(Sora's P.O.V.)
He could feel it... all the rage, the sorrow, the hatred, the regret, the self loathing, the despair, the longing for her dear friends... He felt it all, he wanted to cry at how much suffering Aqua had endured and how this pain was nearly consuming her soul. But there was a light, it was small, weak, but there.
A small speck. he could feel it. Opening his eyes, he saw his dive to heart and a tunnel of darkness leading to Aqua's own dive to heart. Taking the chance he focused as he guided his spirit to her heart.
On the outside Sora's eyes glowed as his keyblade formed and struck Aqua's chest in turn. Now both of them pouring their respective elements into the other to let them feel their hearts feelings.
(Dive to Heart)
Sora landed on the glass platform to see Aqua weeping on the center of the platform. Darkness surrounding her, entrapping her in a sphere of sorrow and agony. Reaching out for her the sphere reacted and lashed out darkness at him.
"Aaaarrgghhhh!" Sora shouted in pain, almost drawing back his arm, but stopped as he saw Aqua. All alone, lost in her despair... no, he couldn't give up. Regardless what happens to him, he HAD to save her from this hell!
Pushing his body against the darkness trying to keep him out and her it's prisoner. Sora's body glowed with a white light that made Aqua's cry lessen. Turning to face the light reaching out for her.
"Aqua! Please! I'm here for you! Don't give up!" Sora cried reaching out for her hand as she watched with tear stricken cheeks.
(Aqua's P.O.V.)
Who...is this? This boy... this light...it feels so much like... Ven? No it can't be. I left him safe at Castle Oblivion, no one should have found him... And he can't wake up anyway... So... why is this light...so familiar and warm? Why is it reaching out for me?' Aqua thought as she hesitantly reached out for the boy, slow, agonizing, as she tried to push out the demons in her mind.
The ones telling her she's not good enough for the light anymore, that her heart is as hollow as a demon's now. That she was better off alone in the darkness, it was all that was good for a wretch like her.
But yet... this light, she wanted it. Yearned for it. Longing to once again know comfort, love, and happiness again. Was it so wrong... to want to be saved? To try one more time?
"Please...help me!" Aqua begged reaching for his hand as the darkness tried to keep both separate now.
(3rd P.O.V.)
Sora hearing her cry focused as he poured all his will and strength into reaching her. "I will, Aqua! I won't lose you!" Sora shouted as he forced his body forward and grasped her hand. Connecting their hearts as his light shined brighter than ever. Chasing away the shadows of Xehanort that screamed as he faded away from Aqua's heart. Everything turning white.
(Aqua's P.O.V.)
She...felt warm...safe...content...how long has it been since she felt such things? Too long, she reasoned. She soon felt memories and feelings flowing into her mind, not her own, but... the boy?
"Sora you lazy bum."
"Giving up already?"
"One who know nothing, can understand nothing."
"The keyblade chooses its master and it chose you."
"For your light?...Don't lose sight of it."
"Genie get rid of these guys!"
"I'm the one and only, Genie of the lamp!"
"There is no room in my ocean for you or your key!
"The darkness won't consume me, my heart is too strong."
"Here go play hero with this."
"Sora...sorry…"
"The Darkness will destroy you."
"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere!"
"All for one and one for all!"
"So...your heart won this battle."
"Open the door! Lead me to everlasting darkness!"
"You have come this far and still you understand nothing!"
"I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts, is light!"
So many...memories...his feelings... there was so much. His heart... it was connected to so many people. Despite all the struggles she could feel he faced... his heart was still so bright...How? He was never even properly trained or guided, and yet he still carried this burden with such a smile?
It was then she felt it, his heart's struggles as she his battles before her eyes now. No longer just words, it was like living through his eyes. She couldn't help feeling for the boy, no... boy isn't right after all the hardship he faced cleaning up the messes she made. Terra...he was Xemnas and Ansem? What had happened? Why did Roxas look so much like Ven?!
So many questions...
"I'm sorry, Aqua, I'm sorry you had to endure so much…" Aqua soon felt arms wrapping around her to see Sora behind her, crying... Why was he crying for her?
"Sora...why?" Aqua said making him raise his tear stained face to face her. Making her frown at once again seeing another soul she has hurt, how many mistakes can one foolish woman make?
"I couldn't leave you like this Aqua, I had to save you."
"WHY?! You would've been better off without a failure like me! I've seen your memories, I've seen the mess I played a part in creating because I couldn't save my best friends!" Aqua raged beating on him weakly as she broke down into sobs in his arms.
"I didn't try to do the Inheritance Ceremony and you STILL got a keyblade, you STILL had to fight Riku like I feared you would, I just wanted to keep you safe from my fate and here I am causing you nothing but pain. So why...WHY SAVE ME?!" Aqua demanded before feeling Sora tighten his hug on her.
"Cause your hurting Aqua, what happened to you isn't fair and I can't in good conscience ignore this." Sora said sincerely making her tear up. Why? Why couldn't this foolishly kind soul save himself?! She wasn't worth it!
"Besides, I saw your memories too... I'm sorry you suffered so much, I'm sorry for what happened to Terra, to Ventus, to Eragus, but I'm more sorry that you had to suffer in this hell for so long. No one deserves to be alone in darkness like this Aqua and I won't leave you here."
"Why...I can't be-"
"Yes you can!" Sora cut her off, surprising her as he looked at her determined. "I already said it once Aqua, I won't give up. I've seen your heart and I know what you faced. You're a good person who had suffered more than anyone should. So I promise you Aqua," Sora began looking her in the eyes as he hugged her close, taking her breath away as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes. Eyes like the sky, much like Ven...
"I WILL SAVE YOU, AQUA! NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES! I WON'T GIVE UP ON YOU! NOW OR EVER!" Sora said as she began to openly cry.
"S-Sora…" Aqua barely managed to get out before collapsing into his arms, pouring out her heart's feelings that was trapped inside with no one to care for her all this time. Receiving a loving and protective hug that made her feel safe as everything faded to light.
"You're fine, Aqua. When you wake, I promise you that I will be here... Right at your side, waiting for you." Sora said as she felt everything fade into light.
(Outside of their Stations of Awakening)
Aqua's keyblade stopped emitting darkness and fell out of her hand as her body fell limply. Only to be caught by an exhausted Sora, struggling to keep her from hitting her head on the ground. Letting her head rest on her shoulder as he smiled tiredly at her peaceful expression.
She now had blue hair again and her darkness influenced clothing was faded away. Leaving her in tatters of her old clothes that really need to be replaced. He blushed as he saw some hints of her skin normally hidden by clothing, but not everything.
Looking back at her face, his blush started to fade as he smiled in content. He had done it, he saved her...
"Sora! Are you okay?!" Riku called rushing for them with concern on both his face and Mickey's.
Aqua awakens in Yen Sid's Tower in a bed she didn't recognize. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the light after so many years drowning in darkness. After sitting up in the bed and looking around the room; she locked eyes on a sleeping Sora slumped over in a chair next to her. She then noticed that her clothes had been pilfered off of her as she quickly pulled the blankets back up over herself on reflex.
Her frantic movements woke Sora who thankfully didn't see anything as he greeted her with a warm smile.
"Good morning, Starshine. Welcome back."
His smile always put her at ease...but not this time.
"W-where are my clothes?!" She meekly asks him. Sora looked confused.
"Your...clothes? Wait. Are you…?" He quickly got up from his seat and turned away from her.
"Do you want me to leave?" She reached for him, but was unable to grasp his hand before he started walking towards the door.
"No! ...Please. Don't leave me." Just as his hand reached the handle, he stopped and turned back toward her.
"I won't. I promise." He spoke in a tone most comforting. "You don't have to go it alone anymore. From now on; wherever you go… I'm always with you. I will be your Wayfinder." He spoke his oath to her as he placed his hand on hers.
Tears began to well up in her eyes as she pulled him in for a hug; careful not to uncover herself and preserve her modesty. Sora made sure to keep his eyes above shoulder level just in case. As they stared into each other's eyes, Sora's face began to lean in towards Aqua's. She accepted his advances and met him halfway; leaning in to lock lips.
Sora used their kiss to show her just how serious he was about the promise, doing his best to let his heart speak to her through the kiss. Her heart melted under the unrelenting affection she felt being poured out onto her through Sora's lips. This was it. Finally. She was free from her sadness, pain and despair. Instead, her heart was filled with...LOVE.
Suddenly, Riku barged into the room with Aqua's repaired clothes. "Hey, so the fairies wanted me to ask you if you were alright with them changing the colors or...um..." His question trailed off as he realized what he walked in on and smirked with a sense of pride in his friend as well as a tint of smugness.
Aqua immediately pulled back and sank herself into the bed. "For Light's sake, Riku! DO YOU KNOCK?!" She practically screamed at him a fit of embarrassment and annoyance as both her and Sora try to hide their flushed faces.
Riku shook his head. "Sorry. I'm an only child. Never had a reason to. But what do you think YOU'RE doing, huh?"
Sora answered right away. "NOTHING! ...Please don't tell my mom. She'll kill me."
~THE END~