Okay and welcome back to this story! I know it took a bit to get this chapter out, but I have been working on it. I appreciate all the feedback I received of you all wanting this to continue, so I'm going to do my best for it. Also, thanks to my friend RikuKingdomHearts again for helping to edit this and all. Well, without further ado, let's get to it!


Chapter 2

The three of them were staring at Xehanort intently, a look of surprise on their faces at seeing him, but it was quickly replaced by an expression of worry and anger. Ven-Van did not take his eyes off of the old man as he continued to walk slowly towards them. As he approached, he directed a glance towards the fused boy as he admired his new look.

"Ah, it seems you have finally rejoined now. The X-blade looks magnificent. Now with this tremendous power, the door to Kingdom Hearts can finally be opened!' he stated emphatically as his voice slightly raised at the end.

Ven-Van responded to him, not with words, but with a slight nod as a grin came to his face.

Xehanort smiled at this as he continued. "Good good. It seems now you are more powerful that before I split the two of you up. It's gone all according to my plan. Ventus was too weak before to be able to harbor my being. But now, that body is stronger than even these two," he prattled as he pointed towards the two fallen keyblade wielders.

Xehanort summoned his keyblade as he gave a look towards Ven-Van. Upon seeing this, the boy moved to the side, allowing Xehanort to pass by him. As he moved past him, the grin from Ven-Van disappeared and was replaced by a blank, emotionless expression. Xehanort walked slowly towards Terra and Aqua as his sullen face showed a look of satisfaction. As he approached them, he began to gloat just as he always did.

"You see...You can't really avoid your fate. In the end, this has all happened exactly as I predicted it would. Don't you understand? You all were just pawns in my little game here. I was curious to see what the outcome was here. For on this land shall darkness prevail, and the light, expire," Xehanort stated bluntly with a definitive look of accomplishment on his face.

Aqua shifted a bit as she tried to move. "Whatever you're planning it won't work. We'll find a way to stop you for sure. All of us. Together!"

She looked over at Terra briefly, and he nodded his head in approval. He was too exhausted though to attempt any form of speech. Soon, however, that moment was interrupted.

"Hmpf, very optimistic there young Aqua. But you see, I already have everything that I need right here, in this very place. All of you have played an integral part in my story. But it seems that the final move has been made. A checkmate if you will," Xehanort smiled coldly.

Unable to take what he was hearing any longer, Ven-Van decided to speak up. He wanted to know just what Xehanort had meant by some of those words, and how he phrased them.

"Just...what do you mean pawns in the game? You mean all of us right?" Ven-Van questioned him intently.

Xehanort turned his attention towards the fused boy with the same smile on his face.

"Of course. You and Ventus played your roles quite well, and walked the path that I set out for you. Now, what I have longed for is right in front of me," he said, pointing his keyblade at Ven-Van before he continued. "Ventus was always too weak to fill the role for my vessel. So, in case you hadn't figured out by now, that is why I made you, Vanitas. When you both would become stronger and fuse back into one, that would be the right time. Now your body is ripe for the picking. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with a younger, stronger new one!"

Ven-Van just stared at Xehanort. Inside, Vanitas and Ventus both were a bit surprised to hear all of this, but now realized everything that had happened now made sense.

"But, I...so, that's what all of this is about…" Ven-Van trailed off with his thoughts.

Xehanort tilted his head slightly. "Oh, is there some issue with this perhaps, Vanitas?"

Ven-Van wavered for a moment. "No...not at all. I...understand."

That last part from before, when Xehanort spoke his name, was heavy, and filled with malicious intent. The fusion of the two just stood there without saying another word, and kept himself open, almost as if not wanting to raise a fight. Xehanort smiled at his response as he lifted his keyblade up and turned it upon himself, ready to pierce his own heart with it to start the process. As he was about to do so, there was a cry that distracted him.

"Stop! Don't do this. Please...not with Ven in there. He...doesn't deserve this," Aqua shouted in defiance at Xehanort's actions.

"If you want a vessel, then just take me instead," Terra retorted as a desperate plea.

Aqua shot a glance at Terra. "No, Terra, why would you say that?

"Because I don't want to see Ven become part of that...monster."

"No, there has to be another way. I just...can't accept that. I don't want to lose either of you."

Xehanort paused and turned his attention back to the two fallen keyblade wielders. He laughed a bit at their banter between each other.

"Ah yes, you two always have been the self-sacrificing type. How noble of you to give yourself for your friend. Though…" he paused as he walked up in front of Terra. "Your darkness is strong… Stronger than you realize. It could indeed be the arc that sustains me. I will admit that you were my backup plan should Ventus and Vanitas fail to evolve like I wanted. But your actions… they are all for naught. My plan is already set in motion, and nothing can stop me now!"

Xehanort stepped back from Terra until he was standing closely in front of he and Aqua once again. He held his keyblade out in front of him again.

"I have no more use for the two of you. You shall both go the same way as your master."

He started to build dark energy at the end of his keyblade. Purple and black flames started to develop into the shape of a ball. It continued to grow in size, it's power staggering as the air around it begin to warp.

Terra was seething at the comment that Xehanort had made about Eraqus, as he wanted so badly to do something about it. Darkness started to form around him slowly, but then he felt a warm, gentle touch on his hand. Aqua laid her hand on his and shared a look with him. He was able to slightly calm himself. They both realized there was nothing they could do.

Xehanort had finally finished building his attack, and was ready to fire it off at them. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, unlike anything he had ever felt before. His magic power dipped and his attack faded away. He looked down at his chest and saw a blade end sticking out in front of him. But it wasn't just any blade, it was the X-blade. He turned his head to the left to look behind him with his peripheral vision. At the other end of that blade was Ven-Van.

Terra and Aqua looked up in shock at what they were seeing. Neither one of them had expected Ven-Van to act in such a way, but the two of them shared the same thought that there must be a part of Ven in control there. But also, could it be that maybe be that Vanitas was harboring some feelings about it too? Thoughts raced through both of their minds as they were trying to figure out what was happening.

Blood slowly dripped from the tip of the keyblade and down to the ground. Ven-Van then roughly pulled the keyblade back and out of the wound he had just made. Xehanort coughed roughly as he slightly hunched over at the force of that being removed. Quite a bit more blood spilled from the new chest wound and pooled at his feet. He used his keyblade as a prop as he slowly turned around to face the one who had just wounded him.

"You...Vanitas! What do you think you're doing? As much as I know that Ventus despised me, he would never have done this. This was your part. Did you forget who created you?!"

Ven-Van scoffed at his remarks. "Blah blah blah. That's all you do old man, is prattle on about how you've planned everything, and that everything always is something you've thought out before. Well guess what?! You didn't see this coming did you? You were too blinded by your own goals that you must have forgotten everything you've done to us. You just couldn't see the forest for the trees."

"You ungrateful thing. You're not even a proper being. You're just darkness I pulled from Ventus. Nothing but an empty vessel to house my existence. That was your purpose all along."

"Well too bad for you. You tortured both of us, both mentally and physically. We don't care that you created me. We've always hated you, but you never realized that did you? Too busy fawning over your precious Kingdom Hearts. Nobody gives a shit about that! So...why don't you just all do us a favor...and die," Ven-Van finished saying with a smirk on his face.

Terra and Aqua were both as shocked to hear this as Xehanort was. They never imagined that Vanitas felt that kind of pain, or that he was really feeling anything in general. They both realized they might have misjudged him all along. But it seemed that not all of this anger was coming from Vanitas as the more that he had talked, the more they heard both voices of Ventus and Vanitas. So, Ventus was coming through after all. However, the thing that Aqua was concerned about is what came out of his mouth, or rather Ventus's face. She was sure that she had never taught him language like that. It must be Vanitas.

Xehanort just stared intently at the boy. He normally always kept his composure, but this was a different matter entirely. Everything that he had worked so hard for was going to be undone by a shadow of a person. He couldn't let that happen. He would just have to weaken the boy enough so that he could finally take control without any resistance.

Ven-Van finally spoke up again. "So, what's it gonna be old man? If you're too scared to fight, then I'll just end you right now. Think of it as a mercy, even though you don't deserve it."

"I won't let you ruin my plans boy. I can't die just yet. Don't worry, this will all be over soon and you won't have to worry about feeling anymore," Xehanort replied with a serious tone.

Xehanort summoned some dark magic in his hands. The ball of darkness grew and swirled in a color of radian purple with black flames surrounding it. He took and then plunged his hand into his open wound. He slightly cringed at the impact of it, but soon he had recovered. He allowed the dark magic to heal up the wound from the inside, fixing the internal damages that had been done. After a few minutes, he finally regained his composure and was ready to begin. Though not fully healed, it was enough, or so he thought.

Ven-Van raised the X-blade in preparation to fight, as a grin came across his face.

"Alright...looks like it's time to show you the door old man."


And there's the end of that chapter. I know that it was a short chapter, but I felt that it was appropriate. Also, I have much planned out for this still so there will be more. I hope that you guys are enjoying it. If you are, let me know. Anyways, until the next time!