A/N: This is just a quick apology for the long wait for this chapter, I've been dealing with a lot of school work from exams to oral exams for my final to finishing projects that are apart of those final exams, so life's been hectic and this chapter has been sitting on my computer for over a week now half-finished. But, thankfully, I have a two week break now so I'll try to write in-between studying so I can just upload chapters later on when I'll be super busy.

Sorry for the shorter chapter this time, but the next few will be getting longer hopefully and I have time to write now so here's to hoping. I hope you enjoy.

A soft breeze blew Aqua's hair back into her face as the gust of wind left by the ship's takeoff soon faded into the clouds, leaving her watching with hitched breath. A sharp clap echoed in the skies, somewhat like thunder, before the Land of Departure drew silent.

The looseness of her limbs was a steady recovery, giving way for slight aches now and again that she simply decided to ignore. Spending most of their lives training to hone such vulnerabilities seemed to finally come with positive results.

Spending our childhood as soldiers… waiting for a battle we were destined to lose.

Aqua shook such thoughts away, instead rolling her neck against the smooth wind that brushed off her skin. She welcomed such sensations as she allowed her eyes to shut. Feeling the tingle of her skin against the radiant sun, the pureness of the air brush off her lips, the warmth of the sun hot against her… and yet, she couldn't.

Sora. The boy who had saved them.

He was… gone.

Faded away into the same winds he had sacrificed himself to allow them to feel once more.

Aqua opened her eyes eyes at the sound of rubber skidding on dirt, blinking as if expecting to meet an obsolete land of ash and rusted metal. Instead, she saw Ven twist back around from his spot a few feet ahead. He bounced on his heels, that peculiar creature clinging for dear life to his shoulder plate.

She smiled, chuckling as she brushed a hand over her lips at the sight of him awkwardly shrugging. The creature seemed to have no trouble telling him off.

"I thought it would be a while before I heard that."

Twisting back, Aqua arched a brow at her older friend. Terra paced himself, his stance casual as he strolled to her side before crossing his arms over his chest. "Hear what?"

"Your laugh." She blinked at his reply, his tone soft. The corners of his lips curled, "I… I missed it."

"Terra-"

He raised his hands in false defense, chuckling with a sideways glance back towards Ven. "I know, I know… there'll be time for mushy stuff later!" Before she could reply, he continued onwards, tilting his head back towards her before nudging his shoulder ahead.

Aqua made the move to speak, but found her words stolen at the distant shout of Ven.

She pursed her lips, failing to hide her smile. Not even a day back and he's already impatient.

Refusing to waste any more time, Aqua broke into a light jog in order to catch up to them, slowing to a stop at Terra's side in order to join him in meeting at the entrance to their home. Her heart ached at the sight of the courtyard, recalling how the darkness swept in and engulfed all she had known, all she had loved.

No, now is not the time for memories. she pushed back such thoughts, focusing of quirking a brow towards the 'Chirithy', as Ven had called it, as it passed its weight between its feet. The small creature was loyal, never wavering from her friend for more than a few minutes.

Ven grinned back at them, turning back mid-step to gesture them inside before racing ahead. The Chirithy sighed, casting a look at Aqua and Terra before following the teen. Terra only snorted at the sight of the stout creature waddling after him, almost breaking into hysterics if not for Ven's catching onto its plight and lifting it back onto his shoulder.

"I hope Ven knows how much care that… thing will need."

Aqua nodded, glancing to the much taller man at her side with a hum. "If I'm being honest, I think perhaps it will end up looking after him." She smiled at the sound of her friend's chuckle.

"Let's hope he's right about it."

Blowing a soft breath through her lips, Aqua walked forwards before turning back to him. "Come on, I'm sure there some of the master's tea left in the pantry… I think we could use some."

"But-"

"Terra."

He paused at the assertion of her voice, the sharp tone that drew his eyes slowly to meet hers. He blinked first. "I'm… I'm sorry."

Aqua sighed, her gaze fell to the path before them and how the heels of her shoes clicked off the mossy stone. Her stare was strong, mighty compared to the feeble drop of gaze he returned. Terra swallowed down the parched dryness of his throat, shrugging away the fumbling ball of flames building up in his chest. "Nevermind… let's go."

Aqua made little attempt to stop him from continuing his slow pace after Ven, watching him space himself from her just as another breeze flew against her back. Her shoulders tightened, straightening her arms against her side. She hummed in newborn submission before quickly following him.

What could be said — what should've been said as soon as they had left those desolate wastelands with Ven content to catch up with Mickey and the others — refused to resurface beyond her thoughts. How could she bring up the wounds, the scars so freshly sheared into both flesh and mind? A decade of torture, restrained by word and soul. Of wandering a shadowy lands that still crept into her muscles, jolting and flinching at every touch, every graze of a comforting hand that failed to catch her notice until contact struck.

How could they begin to heal — when neither of them wanted to reopen that most recent past?

How could she call herself Master? How could she attempt to help in saving the boy who had dragged her with love alone back into the light, awakening Ven and giving Terra the will to finally break his bonds?

How could she face such a new world?

How could she face these new fears?

This new time that felt so familiar and yet so different? That crept by without a glance towards their suffering; ignorant to the unfair hurt that seeped into her until breaking through like a blade through flesh, a blunt object to the harshness of ice.

Aqua sighed, grazing her fingertips along her biceps and tracing the shapes of faded darkness, left without so much as a shadow of what she had become. Of the phantom that still lingered in her mind, whispering and curling it's dark claws around her throat. Of squeezing until she couldn't breath, until her heart bled black and her blade struck the innocent, those restrained by the orders of those they trusted.

Blinking, she allowing her eyes to trace around the courtyard where their Master—their father—had been struck down.

Perhaps she too succumbed to the ignorance of the world. Or maybe to the tiredness that still made her tastes yearn for the deep aroma her Master had allowed her to taste once reaching Ven's age and the strain of late nights gorging on the feast of whatever books he would give her from his collection.

For once in a long time, she didn't care for the figure who shaped out in the corner of her eye for a moment, until she truly looked.

But there was nothing.

Her instincts were still dazed, her mind worn from a decade of exhaustion crashing down upon them.

Swallowing, she followed her friends into the foyer of the once-Castle Oblivion, as Riku had commented. She shut the door behind her with a click.

She had work to do, she couldn't think of those shadows, of those phantoms in the depths of her. Sora had risked the danger of the darkness, of an irreversible fate to allow them to be together… that debt had to be repaid. Words about the past could wait — she had a fellow Master to save.

No matter what Yen Sid said.

Watching the blue-haired Master's guilt seemed to awaken something in Invi, tracing her fingers along the fallen blade with words of blessing on her lips. Whoever their Master had been… his blade held a great light.

She could understand the trio's pain — the loss of her Master, if even for only a time until this age had sent a rift through them… she could only hope perhaps the three could avoid such a fate. They had only just recovered one another; if what little her Master had told her of them was to be believed. To be thrown back head-first into conflict was… was a familiar ache her heart too felt.

The Master hadn't even stayed for a day… gone, just as suddenly as last time into a portal of darkness of all things. Invi pursed her lips, shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts that laid triumphant in her heart, that long clouded her vision upon Luxu calling them.

There was no time for questions.

"Later." The Master had said… "We'll have plenty of time for all those once we-"

Another task was dumped upon their laps, talk of history and grand feats of magic in this time… what about their time? Their unions? Their home? Did none of that matter? Was… was there no time to mourn everything they had ever known?!

Lifting her head, Invi gazed around the impressive structures littered about the high mountainous plains of the Departure, the worn stone paths and golden railings and lanterns stained by centuries.

It reminded her of Daybreak Town.

How? How could their Master continue onwards with a spring in his step, a chuckle or quip ready on his lips when the shadows of her heart threatened to swallow her? How could he handle this pain so… so nonchalantly? Did he care? Why didn't he care?

And that blonde child… had a chirithy. He was the same age as Gula and A-

Ava.

Where was she? What had Luxu meant by 'completed her role'? Hadn't they all followed their roles aside from Aced, so foolish to quickly step out of the Master's teachings in order to save the light.

Perhaps he had been right.

Perhaps… the Master was wrong?

The winds blew gently on the fabric of her hood, wrinkling the soft material and causing the sides to flap against her cheeks. Allowing the sun to sink into her robes, feeling their warmth against her skin… how long had it been since she had simply stood. How long had it been since she feasted on the words of something beyond the book given by the Master? Since she had stole alone, not watching the others or analysing those ancient words with Ira.

How long had it been since she had been a child.

No titles, no missing pages or boxes lent to be carried through time.

When had their family broken apart?

Invi swallowed back the ball threatened to form in the back of her throat, her face with a hand before pursing her lips. Straightening the shape of her mask back into place, she turned on her heel back towards that 'Land of Departure'.

The Master had said that there was something in those walls that they needed to retrieve… and before long, she would have help in doing so.

Patient.

Quiet.

Aware.

All of those qualities he had long praised against the ruckuss of Aced's arrogance or Ira's isolation… he needed her to await a friend, a guide.

Sighing with a final glance over her robes, Invi began to walk.

She needed to trust the Master.

To do as he said.

To retrieve this 'lost piece'.

Then, she could find Ava.

Then and only then, could they fix what was broken so long ago.