Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my oc's, any fan-made keyblades I made up all rights belong to Square Enix, Disney dreamworks and Tetsuya Nomura and their repeated creators.

Chapter 2 Bonds of Friendship

The two keyblades clashed. Azura pushed against Ventus' keyblade. "Give up?" Laughing she challenged him on. The two of them have been sparing since dawn. Well, it felt that way.

Neither one backing down. "No way am I giving up now," Ven said his eyes gleamed with excitement. "I'm going to win this."

Master Eraqus asked her to train with Ventus today. Since he was training the other two. Azura pushed back knocking Ven backward. "Whoa!" He quickly regains his balance their keyblades clashed once more.

Ventus half stumbled changed to knock her down with a swift slash from QUICK BLITZ. He fell back she stood in her defensive stance Light's Wind glowed. "Give up?" She asked him a smirk plastered on her face. "Nope." He got back up on his feet.

"Alight Ven, don't say I didn't give you a chance" Then She lunged at him. Their keyblade clashed. Azura spun around, Ven matched her attack. Right now she was seeing if he could get past her defense. As Ven tried a SLIDE DASH swiftly counted with BRIGHT STRIKE.

It knocked Ven down she pointed Light's Wind at him the tip glowed blue. "I win." She said with a smile she held out her hand. Ven smirked and took her hand. "I almost had you." He pouted as she chuckled. "Almost is not what we are looking for Ven. Your reaction times are improving through." This cheered him up more.

"Now let-" "Hey, Az, Ven." The two younger keyblade wielders looked to see Aqua and Terra walking up. Az pouted, "can't you see we're training here." She scuffed.

Terra laughed at her. She rolled her eyes at him. "Hey, Ven come here will ya?" "Okay." Ven dashed over to Terra. "Those two are like brothers," Az commented as she took few of the books Terra dumped onto Aqua.

She didn't mind taking a break from practice she and Ven been at it for a while now. "Yeah your right, and you're like my sister." Az set the books down and the two went to find the boys. "I bet Ven feels the same way. Like he has a family." Az watched as Terra talked to Ven.

Ven held a wooden Keyblade Terra made a month ago. After his first training session with them. Ven notices the two girls and waved. Az waved back. "Come on Ven let's work on your defense before lunch is ready." She called to him. Terra walked up with Ven.

Ven grinned walking with his hands behind his head. "Thanks for taking care of those books for me Az." She shrugged. "Next time don't dump all of them on Aqua." Azura scold. Terra ruffled her. "Right squirt." she pouted, red-faced.

"Hey, not kid you know." It was true... she was a teen like the others. But she's younger than all of them. Ven as only older by a year and two months. Terra was 20 now Aqua around 18 while Ven was 16 and she was 15.

As both Terra and Aqua walked away letting the younger teens spare once more. "Ok, Ven let's see your stance once more." She faced her opponent. Grinning he summons Wayward Wind and got into his defensive stance.

"Ok, try to block this." Summoning her keyblade it glowed then she lunged. It lit up with bright flash Ventus put his key up to block, but he was bit slow the strike knocked him, back on his butt key rested at his side as she stood up.

"Not bad but your reaction time improve you just keep practicing." Ventus got up on his feet. "Got it." He said, grinning as she charged up next attack.

About ten minutes later Aqua called them in for lunch. Ven and Az sat for last five minutes rest and talking. She went over a few basic strategies she picked up from another friend. Aqua laughed looked at the two.

Laying out on the grass watching the clouds. Az had closed her eyes within minutes she was asleep. When Aqua had walked up Ven also was resting. Aqua looked down at them. A soft laugh before she woke both of them.

Az mumbled as she sat down. Aqua sat next to Terra while Ven sat between her and Terra. "Nice bedhead Az." Terra teased her as Master Eraqus walked eyes his three pupils. Eyebrow raised looking at them. The four grew quiet and ate. "Az." she looked to see "yes Ven?" She asked to put the last of the dishes away.

Then faced her friend. "Could you help me with my work?" Az smirked. "How about we sit down later and I'll help you." She offered him. Being an apprentice and master was hard because Eraqus had her running few errands him or she had her own little homework stuff to do. "Thanks, Az you're the best." Ventus quickly left to watch Aqua and Terra spare in the courtyard.

Az sat flipping through a history book. Master Eraqus suggested she do some school like work to understand the world's she called home now. For the past four years, she had been doing just that. "Why doesn't he just introduce them other worlds? That's the best way to learn then being sheltered from outside worlds." Sighing she shut the book and left her library.

"Hey, Ven." He looked up from his desk as she walked over and pulled up a chair. With that, the two went over the work Eraqus gave him to do. "Think I get it," Ven spoke as she wrote down. What she told him.

Az grinned as she watched. "Glad to hear Ven." Standing up she stretched. "Better get my own work done." She said and walked out of the room. "If you have questions knock ok." She said over her shoulder then turned the corner and was gone.

That night she laid awake her mind was going 100 miles per hour. She had been counting down the days until the Mark of Mastery. Dredd gnawed her as she thought about it. She wouldn't stop it now. Azura did her best to prepare herself and her friends. They might never know what she has sacrificed for their future.

She knew it had to play out fight. Ven should sleep. Aqua should wander and Terra goes missing for 13 years. A lone tear ran down her face she rolled over facing the wall. "I hope you're ready." She whispered to herself closing her eyes and let few more tear escape. Unknown to her Ven saw it he quickly went to find Aqua and Terra.

Az eyes snapped open as knocking at her door broke her train of thought. She sat up rubbing her eyes as she looked to see the three apprentices standing at her door. "Hey. are you ok?" Aqua asked her she walked in followed by the others. She nodded, "yeah, sorry." She told them.

Ven couldn't tell but, others saw guilt in her eyes. Plus her body language told him otherwise. Her left arm rubbed her right upper arm. It didn't last very long.

"Hey, Az, what you upset about?" Ven asked her while she took a deep breath, the bed moved as Aqua at down. "About my friends Ven."

After that, she told them about her four other friends. Stories that made her laugh along with them. Sure she knew these times will not last, but thanks to Ven and the others they will live on in her.