Lingering Sentiment
Summary:
A two-shot story focusing on the reunion of two KH characters (Aqua and Terra obviously). This is purely speculation about how it will happen, but I can dream right? The first chapter will be Aqua finding Terra, and the second chapter will be Terra finding Aqua. Expect angst, a pinch of fluff, and plenty of Heartless/Nobody smashing. A few setting tweaks, but it's for dramatic effect.
Special guest in this chapter!
Chapter 2: Found Before Dawn
Terra was never the one to formulate plans and complex strategies. The role of the wise planner was often filled by his blue-haired counterpart. He preferred the role of the Forward, the one who goes in first to take the full punishment of an enemy while others move in for its weaknesses. It was a role he was often frowned upon by his master and friends, but he did not care.
He determined deep within his heart years ago — perhaps the moment he felt his keyblade in hand — that he will accept the blows for his friends. His mind drifted to the mysterious Dive into the Heart. The starting point of every wielder of the keyblade.
His heart was explored, and the mysterious voice guided him to make a choice on how he would grow as a fighter. The wand, the sword, or the shield were his choices.
For years, people would grow to assume he had taken the sword, the path to power. He would simply smile and laugh. He had chosen the shield. He wanted to walk the path of the guardian, the protector, the sentinel of hearts.
Why did he want to become a master of the keyblade? So he could travel throughout the worlds and protect all hearts.
Why did he train day in, and day out, to be physically superior? So he could shield more people from the darkness. He needed a strong body to withstand the sting of taking attacks on behalf of others.
Why did his keyblade end up being so large? So it can be more than just a sword.
He was the guardian, and even in the midst of the struggle to keep his body and heart, he will be the guardian. So when his heart and body came together once more, and Xehanort overshadowed his heart, Terra executed his only fall back plan.
He fled his body, and latched on to the anchor that was his soul.
The journey from his possessed body to the Lingering Will was perilous. He braved waves of darkness, hordes of thirsty Heartless, and packs of hungry, hollow Nobodies. His heart followed the path to his soul, and found the shell that housed what little was left behind on that sandy ground.
The armor that rested within the sands of the Badlands jostled suddenly. Its stiff grip on its tall keyblade loosened before becoming firm once more. After what seemed to be ages of motionless waiting, the Lingering Will stood up. Within it burned a fire to set things right.
The Lingering Will became Terra once more.
"It worked." His voice came out as a whisper. He tightened his hands into fists and relaxed them once more. He continued to test his joints and muscles, only to find he had none. By some unknown circumstance, he had some semblance of a body, but none of the muscle and bone to ache for it.
Terra's quiet wonder was interrupted by the sudden feeling of darkness around him. He briefly feared it was his own darkness, but realized that it was instead a pack of Heartless coming to steal his heart.
"Angry I managed to get away?" Terra would have smirked bitterly at the shadowy creatures if he could. Shadows and Neo Shadows slowly encircled him and prepared to pounce, as more pools of darkness formed around Terra. "I really don't think you guys know what you're getting into."
The armored keybearer whipped around to his right, his large keyblade swinging with a blur of bronze. A Neo Shadow fell to the rusty sands before vanishing in a plume of black smoke. It was the first of many to fall, as the horde of Heartless pounced upon Terra as one.
Swing after wide, sweeping swing, Terra sent the Heartless into oblivion and released the hearts confined by their darkness. With a loud shout, he slammed his keyblade into the sandy ground and sent all remaining Heartless soaring away from him.
Terra slowly stood up and placed his keyblade upon his shoulder. "Get the idea yet?" He growled at the shadowy creatures dragging themselves to their feet. "Your darkness can't touch me." He looked up into the sky that seemed perpetually in twilight. "Not anymore." His shoulders relaxed when he felt the Heartless retreat, assuming them to be frightened by his display of strength.
"Now, to start looking for my friends." Terra sent his keyblade away and began walking towards the Twister Trench. Thankfully, the twisters of raging Unversed were gone, leaving a windy trench of dark memories for him.
Alone and quietly advancing, it felt like hours before Terra finally made it to the opposite end of the Fissure. He stepped onto the sacred ground of Keyblade Graveyard and gazed upon the battlefield where he nearly lost everything dear to him. It was where he gave in to the darkness, lost sight of his light, and used rage to fight for his friends one last time.
"Xehanort." The name was spoken without a second thought. His heart had already sworn to make the old man pay for his actions, ten fold. But for now, he reasoned, he needs to find his friends. He must renew the bonds he almost broke.
As if reaching out to the desires of his heart, the swirling winds moved the veil of rust-colored sand. Standing at the center of the graveyard, was a hooded figure.
Terra cautiously approached the motionless man and addressed him briefly. "I don't suppose you've seen a girl with blue hair, or a kid with blonde, spiky hair and blues eyes?"
He received no reply.
"Are you the one who put all of these keyblades back in their place?" Terra motioned to the perfect rows of keyblades, each one put in the exact spot he remembered seeing them years before. The living suit of armor sighed when he received only silence in reply.
He looked up towards the sky again. "I guess I could search every world in the Realm of Light for clues on Ven, but I'll need a door to the Realm of Darkness to find Aqua." He briefly contemplated opening a Corridor of Darkness. It would solve his problem, but then he remembered how his heart was weak to the pull of darkness. "It's a risk I'm willing to take, but I'd have no clue where to start in the Realm of Darkness."
The Realm of Darkness is, indeed, a vast place.
Terra jumped and looked to the hooded man standing a few paces from him. He knew the voice had come from within the shadows of the mysterious man's hood, but he heard no voice. All he heard were gusts of wind, but his mind understood words. It was strange, but Terra thought nothing of it. "Is there some way you can help me?"
There are many ways, and there are few ways.
"Skip the riddles," Terra warned his strange acquaintance. "If you can help me find my friend, then great, otherwise shut up and let me think in peace."
Your will to protect is great, no wonder you chose the shield when you went to Dive Within the Heart. It almost consumes your thoughts, perhaps enough to drive you close to the darkness.
Terra squashed the impulse to summon Ends of the Earth and fixed the hooded man with a steady stare. If he had eyes that he knew of, he'd glare with them. "How do you know about that?" He suddenly recoiled back, "Wait, your voice is familiar."
Just as Terra was about to ask further questions, the phantom waved its hand. A Corridor of Darkness opened on the western path of the crossroad. When Terra's gaze shifted to the corridor and back to the phantom, it pointed for him to go into the corridor.
"Well, that'll help me get into the Realm of Darkness without corroding my heart." Terra looked to his hooded friend. "You wouldn't happen to have an Aqua detector on hand would you?" He said this with a chuckle, but the phantom did not laugh. Instead, it approached him and pointed to his chest — where his heart was.
A heart never truly forgets its bonds Terra. Even in the deepest darkness, bonds of friendship and love can guide hearts together. Follow the path your heart leads you, and at its end you will find who you wish to see.
Terra touched his chest and sighed at the metal shell that was his body for the time-being. "Our bond will guide me huh," he looked at the ground in shame. "I'm not even sure I deserve to keep a bond with someone as pure as her."
Bonds of the heart are not a matter of deserving or not deserving.
"Whatever you say." Terra didn't hide his skepticism. He turned to the dark corridor and stepped towards it with a heavy, measured pace. He stopped a couple of feet in front of it, and paused to fill his heart with as much light as he could muster. Having experienced the last few years as little more than a spectator of how far he ca fall, he had to gather quite a bit.
A warning before you dive into the darkness.
Terra glanced over his shoulder when he heard the hooded figure speak once more. Briefly, he recalled just how much he hated last minute warnings.
There are many things hidden within the Realm of Darkness. Heartless too dark and powerful to speak of, darkness so cold it drains your very life force, and horrors locked away for none to awaken.
The hollow armor faced forward again, and gazed into the swirling vortex of darkness. "So you're telling me I'm going to see some real bad stuff in there?" He remembered his time as the Seeker of Darkness. "Nothing I haven't experienced before."
Remember Terra, the true light sleeps deep within the darkness. If you are in trouble while in the Realm of Darkness, then seek it out.
"The true light?" Terra turned around to ask for more information, but found nobody standing there. He looked around for the hooded figure, but he was all that was left in the field of sleeping keyblades. Vowing to return to this sacred place later, Terra faced the dark corridor once more and walked through.
The golden hue of the lifeless Keyblade Graveyard gave way to the swirling violet and blue of the Realm of Darkness. Terra felt his light waver slightly, but he quickly steeled himself. His hand rested on his chest, above his heart, as his shoulders sagged. He felt short of breath, and his armored shell of a body felt much, much heavier than before.
"Come on Terra," he shook his head, "get it together." He stood up straight and tried to shake the darkness that was lapping at his heart. "You won't have a chance of saving Aqua if you can't even function in this place."
He immediately regretted that thought the moment it struck him.
The darkness found an opening to assault his heart, to try and claim him once more. Memories of failing the friends he swore to protect began to flood Terra's mind, nipping at both his heart and soul. He began to hate himself, doubt his ability as a keyblade bearer, and he felt unworthy.
"No!" Terra roared to himself. He forced his heart to remember his anchor, to remember his light. Flashes of memories replayed in his mind, memories he could use to bolster his reserve of light.
He remembered those warm days when he would sit around with Aqua and Ven. Terra called up memories of their master expressing how proud he was of all three of them. The most powerful memory of all, however, was one that he cherished from before he met Ventus. It was the day he first saw her smile at him, even if it was due to a joke at his dispense.
Terra snapped back to his senses. Aware once more, he noticed that he had assumed a kneeling position — Ends of the Earth held before him. All around him, Heartless crept ever closer, hungry for his heart.
"Get lost!" He shouted and stood up. A bright flash of light banished the Heartless away, leaving Terra alone in the darkness once more.
Relishing the solitude, Terra looked at his surroundings and sighed. "Just as barren and creepy as I remember it." He allowed his broad shoulders to sag before he began his long trek down the winding, shadowy road.
After hours of walking, Terra stopped to look at his surroundings once more. Nothing changed from the spot where he first arrived. The road was still purple and seemed to go on to eternity, and endless darkness swirled everywhere else. "I don't even know if I'm going in the right direction." He growled with frustration and tried to think of something he could do. It didn't take him long to recall the words of his hooded friend.
"Bonds huh." Terra decided he nothing to lose, and focused. Spending years under the tutelage of a Keyblade Master of Light had its advantages. Master Eraqus made sure to instill in each of his students the importance of communicating with their hearts. According to his late master, memories were the best way to find and use the bonds of the heart.
"Aqua," Terra spoke her name softly, "where are you?" He pictured her face bathed in the glow of some massive source of light. His heart grew warm, but he didn't feel a direction. Next, he remembered the feeling she gave him when in her presence. This time, he felt a light tug, but it was too vague to follow.
Terra felt a brief surge of frustration. "I'm sure she'd give me an ear full for taking so long with this." His head snapped up at that thought. Instantly, he recalled her voice, a voice that sounded melodious even when she was scolding him.
The effect was instantaneous.
What Terra could only describe as an unseen hand grabbed him and pulled him down the road. He was going in the right direction, and if his senses were anything like they used to be, she was closer than he thought.
"Hang on Aqua," Terra began running where he heart led him, "I'm coming." He was sure that if he had eyes, they'd be burning with tears of joy. "I promise I'll let you yell at me all day, as long as you don't lose your heart on me."
Thankfully, Terra's lack of an actual body came in handy for him. Without lungs or muscles to get tired, he could run for a limitless amount of time and not feel drained. The thought never struck him, however, and neither did the fact that his surroundings changed drastically.
What Terra did notice was the strong pulse that hit him like a raging bull. Barely keeping himself from crashing to his knees, Terra came to a staggering halt and gripped his chest once more. The darkness was much stronger, much more dense in this part of the Dark Realm. Though his heart's bond with Aqua urged him forward, Terra feared what would happen if he journeyed further.
"How deep are you in the darkness Aqua?" Terra asked the air. He looked around and shivered at the lifeless buildings, empty streets, and towering pillars of black stone that were his surroundings. He was standing in the middle of a deserted city, much like the World That Never Was — the former home of his Nobody. This place felt different, it felt darker.
Terra cautiously walked forward. His feet felt heavier than before, yet the force of his heart's pull drove him onward. The ominous feeling, however, only grew with every step. "Something tells me," Terra looked down pitch black alleyways, "nobody should be here."
He cautiously continued into the desolate city. Along the way, he continued to take in his surroundings. The strangest thing he noticed was the state of the buildings as he journeyed on. The tall skyscrapers were more and more damaged the further he walked towards the city's center. Whole sides of colossal buildings were torn away and caved in. Some skyscrapers were even leaned against each other, their foundations all but destroyed.
A sudden pulse of darkness broke Terra's observations. He snapped his head level with the horizon, and saw a small pack of Heartless dancing around a heap of blue and white. Terra knew right away who it was.
"Get away from her!" Terra roared and summoned Ends of the Earth. Leaping high into the air, Terra raised his large keyblade and landed heavily over the potential victim on the shadowy creatures. He turned his body and swung his keyblade from his shoulders. The hard blow was enough to banish the Neo Shadows back into the endless darkness, but the Shadows were quick enough to flatten below the strike.
Terra eyed the Shadows as they encircled him. He crouched low to better protect the defenseless heart between his feet, and waited patiently. The moment he waited for came sooner than he thought, but he simply raised his keyblade and summoned a ring of magical land-mines around him. The weak level Heartless didn't stand a chance.
His enemies beaten back into the deepest recesses of the darkness, Terra looked down to inspect the pile of blue and white. To his dismay, all he saw was the outer robes of Aqua's outfit. "But, I could've sworn..." Terra gathered up the white sash that she wore around her waist, and a large piece of the blue cloth she always hung on either side of her hips.
"My heart is telling me she's near, but why are these here?" He inspected the pavement for blood and gratefully found none. The presence of the Heartless around her missing pieces of clothing might mean they are hunting for her. Terra looked up from the pavement and down the street he was on.
The wide city street must have been an important street because it led to a grand staircase. He followed the staircase up to a row of tall, broad doors and upwards still into the heights of the building that seemed to reach into the clouds. Statues of angels, woman draped in robes, and fearsome gargoyles stood guard from their decorated perches that littered the upper portions of the enormous structure.
Terra expected to feel waves of darkness from such a place, but the structure felt like the exact opposite. Instead of pushing away his light and pulling in his darkness, the building felt like a sanctuary for his wavering light.
"Aqua would go there." Terra said with absolute confidence. "If that place really is a sanctuary, there's no doubt she would've hidden herself in there."
The armored keybearer continued down the road until he came up to the grand set of stairs leading up to the sanctuary's doors. He paused at the foot of the stairs and looked up into the blackness of the entrance. Carefully, he set foot on the first step, and he instantly felt something change.
The sanctuary no longer felt welcoming. Instead, it felt... uneasy. He felt like a stranger in the presence of the building's silent guardians — a guest not yet welcome. Terra shifted his weight to climb another stair, but stopped when he heard a sound break the perpetual silence of the Realm of Darkness.
Slow, steady footsteps grew closer, and they were coming from the entrance to the sanctuary. Terra looked at the dark door and waited for who he hoped was Aqua. Indeed, he saw a head of blue hair, but it was far darker than Aqua's. The wearer of such dark blue hair was male, just as tall as Terra, and wore all black clothing.
From atop the stairs, cold eyes of crimson peered down upon fragmented keybearer. The true protector of the sanctuary stood before the former Lingering Will. To the guardian's back was the hope of finding the light of a heart once lost to darkness.
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A/N: So yeah, that whole two-shot thing? Make it a three-shot because my creative mind went into overdrive with this chapter. A lot of fighting next time, and the reunion you all are reading for. It's only now that I noticed just how messed up Terra's life is. He has a lot to work through, and its a good thing he has a smart, blue-haired "friend" to help him through.
Until next time: thank you for reading, and please drop a review or two.