Disclaimer: I own nothing written about in this story.

Keybearers

AN: Points to volcanopit for guessing correctly first (Yes, it's Reno) and a few points to Ultimate Black Ace for being clever. Anyway, for anyone that questions it, Sora's parents have been altered from their original KH roles to serve this greater purpose, because why not? Enjoy the last part of the great Gathering!

Chapter Four – Gathering – Part Three

After arriving on one of the beaches of a world called Destiny Islands, Aqua suddenly found herself and her group surrounded by a number of teenagers and the range of their different hair colors was astounding. They asked Aqua if she and her friends had come from another world, making her pause cautiously. How did they know of the other worlds? Had someone leaked that sensitive information in the past?

As a plethora of other questions were thrown at her, Aqua could only look to the masters for guidance. Surely not all of these children were Keybearers?

"Do any of you still have parents?" Eraqus rumbled loudly over the din of young voices, though he somehow kept his tone gentle.

"We do," one of the boys answered, sharing a glance with his dark haired brother. After the hasty and excited introductions, Aqua somehow remembered that the speaker was Sora. The boy had brown hair that spiked out in various directions, though it was much lighter than Terra's and he had vibrant blue eyes similar to Ven's. He wore a black and white vest over a funny little red outfit with a pair of shorts that ended just below his knees.

By contrast, his twin brother Vanitas had black hair and a pair of calculating amber eyes. He wore a similar outfit but instead of shorts he had black pants trimmed with red, while the rest of his clothes had the same dark color scheme. He hadn't uttered a single word that Aqua could remember and he often sent his bother glares as he seemed to talk too much for the both of them.

"Want me to go get them?" Sora spoke up once again.

Eraqus nodded and looked over to the red haired girl, Kairi as she piped up as well. "And I'll go fetch Grandma," she said and took off in Sora's wake after nodding to her twin sister Naminé and their half-sister Xion, who was a year younger, if Aqua remembered correctly.

Unlike Kairi, Naminé had pale blond hair but shared the same blue eyes as her sisters. Xion on the other hand had raven-black hair much like Vanitas' and she stood the closest to Aqua, blinking up at her curiously. All three girls wore sleeveless shirts and shorts under their skirts in varying colors. Naminé and Xion seemed more reserved than Kairi, but they were both very inquisitive and highly interested in learning about their guests.

"Are you here to help us fight the monsters?" the boy with silver hair asked Eraqus. His name was Riku, Aqua recalled, and he seemed a little older than the rest, perhaps the same age as Lea. His attire was similar to Vanitas', though the colors were yellow and blue instead of black and red. His hair lay flat over his head but spiked downward behind his neck and he had aquamarine eyes that seemed to spark with intelligence as he regarded the masters. "The attacks get worse every week."

Aqua didn't quite catch her master's reply, the day was catching up to her and she barely registered the following exchange as master Xehanort suddenly placed a hand on Riku's shoulder.

"Boy," he growled at the silver haired teen. "What was your grandmother's name?"

"I... don't know," Riku replied, taken back by the severity in the elder's tone. "I never knew her or my grandfather, and my parents died when I was little. Sora's parents practically raised me."

"Yeah," Sora mused, hands behind his head smugly. "You'd think he'd have turned out better."

"Hey!" Riku snarled playfully and gave his friend a shove. "You're no better, slacker."

Xehanort sneered at the boys and turned away, only to meet Eraqus' careful gaze. "Something amiss, Brother?"

"No," the bald man grumbled, amber eyes cast sidelong at the silver haired boy. "Just a feeling."

Not understanding the significance of their words, Aqus's mind was still reeling by the time the teenagers' parents were brought before them.

A handsome couple, probably in their early thirties, strode towards the gathering with Sora bounding ahead of them. The father had messy blond hair and matching blue eyes and his unusual outfit was indescribable in Aqua's mind but he wore an impressive sword safely sheathed at his back. The mother had wavy brown hair the same tint as Sora's, though her eyes were curiously different, in that one was green and the other blue. The woman's attire was that of robes and a sash and she carried a unique looking wand but Aqua was still too captivated by the strange duality of her eyes.

An elderly woman trailed behind them with Kairi at her side and holding her hand to help balance her. The old lady was fairly short, with the fourteen year old Kairi already taller, she waddled precariously in her purple dress while her thin gray hair trembled with the ocean's breeze.

"See? I told you!" Sora exclaimed as he trotted back into the fold of teenagers, leaving his parents to catch up at a more moderate speed.

"I'll admit," the blond man said once he came to stand before Eraqus. "I didn't really believe him when he said we had off-world visitors. But here you are." He gave the odd group a once over before turning back to the master with a toothy grin. "I'm Tidus." He glanced to the woman at his side. "And my wife, Yuna."

Eraqus nodded to both of them and then to Kairi's grandmother as she too came forward. After another series of introductions, the master began his explanation. "I'll get right to the point." He swept his gaze from Tidus, to Yuna and then to the elderly woman where it remained for a moment. He must have noticed that she hadn't said anything since her arrival, not even offering her name during the introductions. Instead she watched Eraqus with a guarded gaze, carefully studying him as he spoke. "My friends and I are searching for those with unique abilities, the latent power of a weapon of light. I believe your young ones here posses such abilities."

The parents and grandmother glanced at each other, seeming somewhat astonished that a stranger would know such a thing about their children. "I am told that the monster attacks on your village keep getting worse," Eraqus commented with an appreciative nod to Riku.

"Yeah," Tidus replied with a weary sigh as he crossed his arms. "Me and Yuna are all that's left. All the other parents were killed by the shadow beasts."

"Unfortunately, the darkness is especially drawn to those that wield the light," Eraqus said solemnly. His gray eyes were sympathetic as they passed over some of the children before returning to Yuna and Tidus. "Those that harbor the Keys are often the first to die, since no loving parent would ever sit idly by and watch their child be killed. However, to fight this darkness without the power of a Key is futile. The fact that the both of you are still alive is remarkable."

Tidus grinned suddenly and aimed a thumb at Yuna. "That's because my wife here is a genius."

Obviously puzzled, Eraqus turned to the brunet and she in turn took on a sheepish expression. "I learned how to send the monsters to another dimension, that's all. It's just a reverse summoning. Instead of calling the great dragon Bahamut from his empty void, I cast a magnet spell and pull the monsters into the portal. But it drains me, and with the attacks getting worse, well-"

"Can you show us?" Eraqus cut in abruptly, his attention was intent and suddenly so was Xehanort's. "The portal to this void?"

Yuna nodded hesitantly after sharing a look with her husband, who shrugged indifferently. The woman stepped away so that no one was within ten feet of her and began an elaborate yet brief dance that ended with a flourish of her staff. The children had all grown very quiet and Aqua herself felt mesmerized by the display. She wasn't sure what to expect, but the dark portal that suddenly appeared behind Yuna made her blink in surprise. A strange, powerful aura pulsed from the whirling black gate, though Aqua could not determine its nature, be it malevolence or otherwise.

"Incredible," Eraqus breathed in wonder as he stepped closer, Xehanort on his heels. He looked to Yuna. "And this Bahamut, he doesn't mind sharing his realm with the shadows you send him?"

There was a distinctive rumble that growled out of the void, causing the sand under Aqua's feet to tremble. She decided that if this was Bahamut's voice then she didn't care to see him in person, but the sound merely caused Yuna to chuckle. "I think he eats them, actually."

Eraqus looked to Xehanort. "Can you duplicate it?" The older man gave his peer a dry look before stepping forward and without hesitation went straight into the swirling blackness.

"No wait!" Yuna called and reached out to stop him but the man had already disappeared into the void.

Before Eraqus could set her mind at ease the first portal closed while another opened behind him and out of it stepped Xehanort. The left shoulder of his black coat smoldered and he patted at it absently as if it were merely a pest. "Your dragon doesn't seem to mind his shadowy guests, but he took no liking to me."

Yuna and Tidus blinked at him, utterly bewildered. "I- I tried to warn you," the brunet woman said, though she obviously hadn't expected him to come back alive, if at all. "How did you-?"

Xehanort waved a dismissive hand and the dark gate vanished. "A trivial matter. With training, your sons will one day be capable of the same." He turned to Eraqus, his crumbling voice held a note of genuine interest. "This void could prove useful."

"Indeed," the reigning master replied. He turned back to the parents, who were as speechless as the children, all of them still gawking in wonder. "But back to the matter at hand. Where we live, the monsters cannot enter, the children will be safe there. It's best that we take them with us so that no more people are hurt."

Yuna and Tidus shared a grieved look, but they were no doubt coming to the sad conclusion that they would not be capable of protecting the teenagers for much longer. As the parents contemplated the matter, Aqua felt her mind returning to an issue she had put off for long enough. Taking the opportunity while the children were captivated, she tugged at Terra's arm and led him away and out of earshot. He was curious and followed obediently.

"Terra, about what you said before..." She felt herself falter briefly, the subject she was about to address caused a stab of pain in her chest and she took a deep breath for the courage to continue. "I'm worried that you might be giving the darkness a foothold in your heart." She bit her lip, willing herself not to back down. "If I'm the cause of something negative, then maybe we shouldn't-"

"I already told you," he cut her off, his deep voice firm and determined. "I'm not giving you up. Be it another person, darkness or whatever." He leaned closer to her lovingly but held it at that, knowing better than to start something with so many people around. "I'm going to stick by you until you're annoyed to pieces with me."

"Terra..." Aqua sighed in defeat, but nodded with an incorrigible smile. "Alright, you win." She gave him a hard look. "But I'll have you know that I am not a possession. And should any of these boys cross the line, I am fully capable of handling the matter myself." Her expression turned sly. "Or have you forgotten the outcome of our most recent spar?"

Terra made a face and looked away in a pout. "Doesn't count. I was distracted."

"Regardless," Aqua said, her tone shifting serious even though it still held flecks of humor. "I don't want to see or hear about you fighting over me with anyone. If I do, well, you won't like the punishment I have in mind, trust me."

"That depends. What does this punishment entail exactly?"

"For starters, how about me not talking to you for a week?"

"Oh," Terra said with a wince. "No, I wouldn't like that."

"As I thought," she said. "So you had better behave."

Eraqus waited patiently for the parents to decide on the matter. He fully understood the fact that this was not a decision to be taken lightly. He could tell that it was not just their two sons that weighed on their minds, but that they had inadvertently adopted the rest of the children over time. Taking them all at once would no doubt be likened to ripping a part of their very lives away.

He was suddenly aware of the six teenagers in question creeping closer to huddle around their guardians, concern and confusion written all over their faces. He was also absently aware of Terra and Aqua slipping away from the group in order to converse quietly to each other. Lea, Roxas and Ven remained where they had been the whole time, talking excitedly with each other about the void and the roar that had erupted from it.

Distracted, Eraqus looked down when he felt a tug on his sleeve. The grandmother was there, staring at him with a determined expression. "I would speak with you a moment, please." The woman's voice was gentle and rickety, like the rest of her, but her eyes shown with a sound mind.

He nodded and led her a short distance away, giving Yuna and Tidus some space to converse with the children about their fate. Xehanort had moved to stand with their newest recruits, probably grumbling annoyed answers to their exuberant questions.

"You intend to take my granddaughters, do you?"

"We have come to recruit, not to enslave," he told her truthfully. "It is their decision in the end. Though as I said, if they stay here, more people are bound to get hurt."

"I want nothing more than to see my girls grow up safe and happy. Can you offer them this?"

"I can no more offer safety and happiness than I can keep the stars from shining," Eraqus answered honestly. "However, should their hearts be inclined to help others, they will be happy. Should they learn to wield their powers effectively, they will be safer than they are now."

"I suppose that's as close to a yes as I'll get." With a wry smile she turned a curious gaze over to Terra and Aqua. "Are those two your successors?"

Eraqus cast his eyes to the couple as well, his eyes softening with the thought. "That is my hope."

"They seem to love each other very much," she observed aloud. "Will they be watching over the children?"

"Partially."

"Then I will gladly hand over my girls to you. I can rest easy knowing they are in the care of such a responsible looking couple."

Not anticipating that reaction from her, Eraqus blinked, then bowed in respect and acceptance. He hadn't expected Terra and Aqua's relationship to be turned into a boon in such a way. Oddly enough though, he could now foresee them playing the parental roles for the new students quite well, while he and Xehanort held the task of teaching all of them. It was a lot to ask of the two apprentices, but they would be an important equation in forming the uncertain future to come.

"I will watch over them as if they were my own children," he told her solemnly. It was the truth. His students became his children, plain and simple.

"That is all I ask," the elderly woman said and allowed him to lead her back to the group. They were both suddenly aware of some sobbing and noticed that Yuna seemed to be attempting to gather all six teens like an eagle over its fledglings, but her arms weren't long enough and she had to settle for touching their heads one at a time.

Tidus looked up and met the master's gaze, a forlorn smile on his face as he ruffled Sora and Vanitas' hair. "They've decided to go with you, if it means the village will be safer."

"A noble decision," Eraqus said, nodding to the teens in turn. "Remember that you may come back and visit later."

The children nodded their understanding but a few wailed and clung to Yuna even tighter. It seemed that their resolve to leave was hampered by a sudden fear of losing the only parents they had known for many years.

Yuna offered a hopeless, wet smile; the separation was proving to be just as emotional for her it seemed. "Give us a little longer to say goodbye?"

"Of course," Eraqus said, tipping his head compliantly as he turned to join Xehanort and the first three recruits, with Terra and Aqua approaching a moment later.

"The Heartless," Aqua said, sad eyes roving around at all the orphaned teenagers, two of whom stood beside her. "They've destroyed so many lives."

"That's why it's so important for us to train these young ones," Eraqus replied, placing a hand on Ven's shoulder profoundly, his expression gentle as he regarded Aqua. "When they can use their powers effectively, then they can make a real difference in the World."

AN: That's it for the long intro! It only took 10k words... Anyway, next chapter, the 1000-word drabbles finally begin!