Prologue
A promise is a silent oath between two people.
That oath becomes a bond between their hearts.
And through this bond, their light shines brighter than it did alone.
If our all hearts were to connect then surely,
No darkness can overtake us.
Taylor fell.
Through a seemingly never ending ocean of darkness.
The locker seemed like a distant memory now.
It felt like she had fell forever. Time disappeared for her. As did the world, her fears, anger and worry.
Everything was so far away, as she kept falling. It was nice even. Like the gentle way one tumbles into the realm of sleep.
This is dying, isn't it? Taylor wondered. Maybe...maybe it isn't so bad, if its this peacef-
A wind crash violently into her. Like colliding with a sudden phantom.
The fall was no long slow and gentle. Taylor felt it, as her body gained speed. She saw a destination to her fall in this darkness. A platform made from what seemed like glass.
A picture of a boy - that she didn't have time to discern - upon it, as she crashed into the platform.
Taylor thought she would die from the sudden impact, only for her body to breakthrough the glass as the entire platform shatter with a very loud clang.
More than any physical pain of the impact with the glass platform, the voice that shouted out to her hurt much more.
Ven.
A voice, so tired yet so powerful vibrated in her head, and into the very core of her being. Deep into her chest, deeper than where her physical heart is, the voice called out.
And with the voice, images flashed before her eyes, accompanied by emotions visibly shaped enough that she understood belonged not to her.
Warmth. Joy. Mischief. Happiness after sadness or longing had passed.
Emotions she hadn't experienced for a long time, and ones she couldn't help but envy.
A young boy, amber hair and ridiculously stylish clothes (seriously, most capes don't even have stuff that cool and unique. And these seemed like his everyday clothes), stood side by side with a young man, training with oddly shaped swords.
The boy was scolded by the young man, before the young man's expression softened and he patted the boy on the head.
"Terra!"
"Take me with you."
"Enough, Terra. He's right..."
"I'm asking you as a friend..."
There were too many memories flowing into Taylor. She couldn't fully process them.
Another platform came in sight. She could think enough to at least shield her body, distracted by the voices and sound not of her own memory.
She crash through the platform, this one with an image of a blue haired young woman.
Aqua.
Another set of images and sounds replaced the ones roaring in her mind.
A young woman, a friend, a rival, fighting, laughing and smiling with the young man and the young boy. They were like an inseparable family.
A friendship beautifully weaved together, that even though the memories were overwhelming, Taylor couldn't help crying at being reminded at the friendship she lost.
"I made us good luck charms."
"Terra... Ven ran away from home."
"We make a good team."
"I was told... The Master was struck down."
Bit by bit Taylor was able to, not comprehend, but have an idea of what the memories showed her.
Three people had once been the best of friends, and yet circumstances forced the apart, only for them to fight to not break their friendship and not lose themselves to their inner demons. A story that filled her heart with ache. She wasn't sure what the ending to their friendship was, only a feeling of dread accompanied that.
Taylor herself only felt sorrow and shame as the memories passed through her. She could help but compare herself to the three friends. They fought for their bond no matter the difficulty, believing in themselves and each other. But herself didn't. She lost her friend and gained a hellish enemy and tormentor.
Why? Why wasn't she strong enough to fight for her bond with Emma?
As the memories shifted in her mind showing more and more events, too rapid for her to understand, but for the simplest of meanings, the feeling of dread grew ever more. The memories to the story of the happy three friends, did not have the warmest of endings. That's the emotion she most felt, and Taylor cried ever more. For if a beautiful friendship like the three friend could end tragically, it meant she never had a chance.
Another platform appeared, and the dread kept growing.
Long before she was even close to fall through this platform, the voice roared and pain engulfed her.
XEHANORT!
Taylor crashed through and this time, the pain was more visible, more real to her senses. However it wasn't from the fall or impact, it was from the voice. With its shout, it brought a new set of emotions. Before the emotions accompanying the memories related to the young boy and young woman held joy and content, these one brought with them a wrath and hatred so powerful it physically harmed her.
The rage passed through her breaking her bones and ripping her muscles. The hatred was both slow and quick to devour and fill her, burning through her nerves and drowning her lungs.
A new image that appeared in her mind. A memory of an old man, whose presence held a terror behind the false veil of of age's fragility and yet even thought the memory wasn't happy, it wasn't joyful or warm, it was clear, more than any memory before it.
"Darkness can not be destroyed, it can only be channeled."
"Savor that rage and despair. Let it empower you! Let your whole heart blacken with anger!"
"At last our moment is here."
Memories and emotions passed through her, bringing pain beyond what she could ever imagine. All of her suffering before were as pitiful rain drops to the ocean she was now submerged in.
But she also gained an understanding.
She understood why the story of the three friend had a sad ending. She understood why everything went wrong.
Through the pain, the image of the old man was overlapped by the imaged of a dark skin girl.
Their fault.
People like them who harm and steal the happiness of others, without any regard.
Their fault.
Xehanort. He ripped apart their happy friendship.
Their fault.
Sophia. She was the one who destroyed hers.
Their fault.
Taylor shouted. Her new anger in harmony with the memories and emotions in her heart.
Their fault.
Their fault.
Their fault.
And through the haze of wrath and pain, a single plea reached out to her.
A plea to fulfill an oath.
"Aqua... Ven... One day I will set this right."
And before her mind finally relented and locked down, bringing her to peaceful unconsciousness, Taylor accepted.
In her last moments, Taylor recalled one thing.
Light.
Not warm, or depressing, or joyous, or angering.
It was power.
And it was now her duty to give it a will.
Finally Taylor slept.
The Lingering Heart
Forged Through Promise