Later they learned that Ventus wasn't dead, per se, as his heart had merely left. His body was only an empty shell. Although for all intents and purposes, Ventus was gone. No matter what bliss he had on his face, it never moved into the smile Terra and Aqua loved. No laughter parted from his lips. The bouncing, happy child that was so loved had made an ultimate sacrifice for his friends.

Terra and Aqua rebuilt the Land of Departure, but they left one room at the very peak of the castle. Blank, white walls cradling a lonely throne on which Ventus went through his long- possibly eternal -rest.

Ten years passed. Aqua declared Terra a Keyblade Master. They generally kept world order, but like Eraqus before them they mostly meditated on the worlds and kept out of things. All the friends they had made on their adventure slipped away into obscurity.

Terra didn't forget one boy, though.

"Hey, Aqua." He said one day. Aqua only got up and started heading up towards what they had decided on calling "The Room". Terra sighed, "Aqua,"

"No thank you, Master Terra." She said softly.

Terra only kept following, "Aqua, we won't live forever."

"Good." she quipped back.

Terra took a deep breath, "We need to find more people to take on the Keyblade-"

Aqua rounded another flight of stairs vacantly, "We're enough."

Terra shook his head, "No, no we're not. Not with only King Mickey to help support us."

"Yen Sid." Aqua countered, "He's still around-"

"Aqua he's retired."

"But he's still here and he can still help us." Aqua stopped her ascent. Her hand gripped the stair rail with white knuckles, her voice was strained and edgy, "Now that is enough of this nonsense, Master Terra."

Terra quietly went one step ahead of her, then bent down slightly and hugged her, "There's no need to call me Master."

Aqua buried her head in his shoulder "I don't..." she hiccuped "I don't want another..."

Terra smoothed her hair, "I know, I know it still hurts..." He delicately laid his head on top of hers "I know... It hurts to think of what can happen." He sighed, then bit his lip. He thought everything over while he carefully rocked himself and Aqua. He then said, "Aqua, we have a duty as Keyblade Masters to ensure the worlds are safe, but if we don't continue the lineage we'll be the last."

Aqua pulled away, then resumed going up the stairs.

...

Terra looked behind him. He was glad Aqua had decided to accompany him to picking up his little investment from so long ago. He then quietly turned forward and knocked on the door in front of him.

It took only a moment of speech with the parent's of the household to be let in, a little longer to explain, and then after that less time for the chosen boy to come down.

Needless to say, Riku was much different than Terra thought he would be. His hair was still short, but looked long compared to other boys and didn't contrast much with his pale skin. He'd also gained a lot of muscle, along with a glint in his eyes that was competitive and cold. Aqua frowned, but Terra only welcomed Riku like an old friend.

"I was wondering if I'd made all that up." Riku said, "I was wondering if I was just imagining things just to find some chance of getting away to cling to."

"Well, rest assured this is the part where you really get to learn it all." Terra smiled.

The door suddenly opened "Hey Ri-" the boy who'd interrupted stopped "...ku." He was much more different. His skin was tanned, his eyes were blue, hair brown, honestly not much of note. Except Aqua remembered him. And now that he was older, he was indeed the spitting image of Ventus. The same smile wrinkles, the same shade of blue hope and wonder in his gaze, even the same laugh when he said, "Oh, sorry! I thought Riku wasn't doin' anything!"

Aqua kept staring at him. Terra looked him over, "Oh well, kind of-"

"Hey you're that guy! a-and that lady!" the boy suddenly exclaimed. It was clear he was a little bit slow.

Riku glared at him, "Yes, and they're here to train me."

"Train you?" the boy asked, "But Riku, you're already the best at everything here."

Riku folded his arms with a confident smirk "They're gonna take me into an apprenticeship for something called a Keyblade."

"Aw man! No fair Riku!" Sora whined.

Terra held a hand to his chin, "Well, nothing against two apprentices, actually-"

"NO!" Aqua yelled. When she realized her emotions had gotten out of hand, she repeated softer, "No, no I am not training him-"

"The name's Sora, miss." the boy said.

Aqua walked out, "We have Riku and that's who we came here for-"

"Hey wait you mean he's gone?! He's leaving?! forever?!" Sora protested.

Terra walked up to her, "Aqua, Aqua I know he looks like Ventus but-"

"No 'but's. I am not training with him." Aqua said firmly.

She stopped when Sora grabbed on of her sleeves, "Miss, please, I've always dreamt of the outside worlds!"

Riku glared at him again, then looked at Terra with a strained smile, "He's just talking nonsense-"

"There's more than one, isn't there? More than just this?" Sora continued, "And don't lie to me I dream of them every night!"

Terra turned and bent down to eye level with Sora "Is that true?"

Aqua stared ahead, eyes wide, when Sora firmly said, "Yes! I dream of the stars and cities and mountains! I dream of wind at my back and under my feet! I dream of colliseum matches and heroes! I dream of meadows, and beauty, and friends I have yet to meet-"

Riku covered Sora's mouth, "He's always been a little nuts."

Aqua turned around, "You... dream of these every night?"

Sora nodded eagerly.

Aqua then turned to Terra "He..."

Sora pulled out a piece of paper, "Hey, um, would this Keyblade thing happen to be this?"

Aqua felt herself buckle into Terra at the sight of her Keyblade, Terra's, and Ven's. She looked up at Terra, "He can come with us."

oooooOOOOOOooooooo what is this? Sora's psychic?