Chapter 4: The Ball

~/~

I think that this world might have been my only reprieve. This might have been the last time I was confident. The last time something was simple.

The last time I could think about the tasks ahead without trepidation.

~/~

I had barely entered the starry Lanes Between when I found a flaw in my plan to talk to Master Yen Sid.

I had no idea how to choose where I landed.

Wonderful.

I wracked my brains as I sped past the twinkling lights of the other worlds, trying to remember the single lecture that Master Eraqus had given on the Lanes Between. The most I could remember was goofing off with Ven while Aqua rolled her eyes in exasperation. If only I had actually listened at the time…

My furious attempts to jog my memory were interrupted when a portal that shimmered directly in front of me caught my eye. I tried to turn, but the movement was too late. I had already shot into the world.

I sighed as I walked into a dark, gloomy forest, where crickets chirped tiredly in the dim recesses of bushes and millions of stars winked at me overhead. I kept my armor on, debating whether to head back into the Lanes Between, when another sound broke through the fairly quiet forest.

It was hushed, and sounded almost muffled, but I could still recognize it. It was the sound of sobbing.

I let my armor fade into nothingness and glanced around. The crickets had gone quiet quite suddenly in respect to the grief of whoever was crying, and I figured that the sound came from my left, down a dark, overgrown path. I stepped cautiously closer, and made my way along the shadowy footpath until I found myself in a large clearing. The space was rather bare, filled only by a quiet, dribbling fountain that sputtered in the center. As I walked further in, another shape caught my eye.

At the edge of the clearing, under a large, drooping willow tree, I saw the huddled figure of a girl in a torn dress who was sobbing dispiritedly onto a stone bench.

I crept slowly closer, and as I approached, I saw that she had very pretty, styled golden hair, and wore a pink dress which had evidently once been elegant. I kneeled down next to her and tried to catch her eye.

"Hey, uh," I began awkwardly, feeling un-fit for a situation like this, "Is something wrong?"

I felt like kicking myself once the words left my lips. Way to point out the obvious. She was crying her eyes out, of course something was wrong.

She didn't even look up.

"It's just that my friends made me the m-most beautiful dress—but my stepmother and stepsisters r-ruined it. And I was so looking forward to the ball." She hiccupped out, not even looking at me, before breaking into fresh tears.

I had no idea about this "ball" that she was missing, but I knew firsthand the disappointment of not being able to do something you wanted. Something you'd been looking forward to.

I bit my lip as I watched her tremble. I wasn't sure what to say.

After a moment, words oft-repeated by Master Eraqus came to mind.

"Darkness always finds a way into a wounded heart," I told her, knowing that it was one lesson that I had been forcibly taught. I wasn't sure if this would help her, but I plowed on anyway.

"You have to be strong." For a second, I wasn't sure who I was trying to reassure: the girl, or myself. "Strength of heart will carry you through the hardest of trials."

She gulped, and turned a tear-filled blue eye towards me. "But I…" she began, but was interrupted when I heard a tell-tale sound.

"Unversed!"

I gritted my teeth and summoned Earthshaker, spinning to face the threat. Floods rose from the shadowy ground and jerked forward, threateningly. I threw myself at the first wave before they could make another move and slashed them into nothingness. Scrappers popped up next, accompanied by a Red Hot Chili, and I turned my attention to them. I Froze one of the Scrappers and destroyed the other, and threw a Freeze at the Chili, which fell, and slammed my Keyblade into the center of the red Unversed. It exploded on my blade, and I turned and decimated the remaining Scrapper.

A new type of Unversed showed up next, right beside two other Scrappers. I glanced back, checking on the girl. She was still leaning on the bench behind me, but I saw that she had turned around when the Unversed arrived, staring with horror and terror battling on her face, at the creeping monsters, hands over her mouth.

I turned back to the Unversed as the new ones hopped forwards. They looked almost cute, with big ears and sad red eyes. I hesitated for a half a second before I attacked one, trying to see through the gloom as to whether the bunny-like creature had the Unversed emblem.

I was saved the necessity of checking if they were enemies when the one closest to me brought its floppy ears up and whacked my shin, sending me stumbling backwards. What kind of Unversed fought with its ears?

Their small bodies seemed almost too small for their gigantic ears, which were evidently their only weapon. I hobbled backwards, cursing my leg as it stung with the shock of the blow, as the little Unversed drew nearer, red eyes gleaming in the semi-darkness. As soon as I could stand upright, I dashed for the nearest and dispatched them easily.

I was about to congratulate myself on the successful battle when no other Unversed popped up for a moment, but felt my triumph quickly fall to annoyance as one of the great big Bruiser Unversed globbed up from the ground.

I scowled as I faced the huge Unversed. It swayed dreamily on the spot for a moment before heaving its great body off the ground and jumping forward, landing and sending out a white magic shock wave, which I jumped over easily. I used the momentum from the leap and sliced down on the Unversed, managing to strike a few times before ducking back to avoid its flailing fists. I dashed back in, and with another heavy strike, it exploded. I grinned briefly, but was denied triumph once again when the girl shrieked behind me.

I spun, and saw that a singular Flood had managed to pass me at some point. It was advancing on the girl, who had stumbled away from the bench and fallen to the ground some feet away, arms over her head, waiting for the monster to finish her off. Ignoring the first fear that exploded in my stomach, I drew Earthshaker back and threw it towards the blue Unversed, which disappeared as the Keyblade slammed into it. I dismissed my Keyblade before it flew back, and ran over to help the girl up.

She shakily lowered her arms and looked up as me as I drew closer. Tears filled her bright blue eyes and cascaded down her cheeks still, and she regarded me dispiritedly and still half-terrified.

I held my hand out to help her up. "Are you okay, uh…" I trailed off as her slender fingers closed around mine, realizing that I still didn't know her name.

"I'm Cinderella," she said as I drew her to her feet. I smiled slightly.

She stumbled back to the stone bench, hugging herself. She began crying as she sat, shaking her head and biting her lip. Cinderella looked around, almost as though fearful of more Unversed, but just burst into greater tears, her grief greater than her fear. "I'm sorry," she began, "I just… I just can't believe… not anymore."

I furrowed my brows and sucked in a breath sharply.

However, before I had a chance to do anything other than blink and try and formulate a reply, another voice spoke up. "Strength of heart is important, but that's not all you need."

The voice reverberated around the now silent clearing, and I noticed faintly that there were sparkles filling the air. Sparkles? I blinked, but they didn't go away.

A bright light began to shine, right next to Cinderella, and grew larger. I let out a confused "Huh?" and glanced around quickly, confused. Cinderella ignored the light's presence, and sobbed out between her hands, "There's nothing left to believe in… nothing!" She broke into greater tears.

The light, having reached its limit, formed itself into a figure, which grew clearer and clearer until I could make out a blue-cloaked figure of an old woman who perched on the bench beside Cinderella. "Nothing at all, my dear?" The old woman asked, placing a hand on Cinderella's shoulder and gazing at the blonde with a kind smile. "Oh, now, you don't really mean that."

Cinderella seemed unbothered by the woman's sudden materialization. She leaned over until she was collapsed on the woman's shoulder. "Oh… but I do. It's just no use."

The woman shook her head adamantly, grinning. "Nonsense! If you'd lost all of your faith, I couldn't be here, yet here I am!"

I was very confused at that point.

Cinderella looked up as the old woman laughed, heartily and joyously. She took Cinderella's hands. "Oh, come now, dry those tears. You can't go to the ball looking like that!"

They both stood up. The old woman positively beamed at Cinderella, who suddenly had a strange light in her eyes. The blonde had finally ceased crying, and she regarded the old woman with shock. "The ball? Oh, but, I'm not—"

"Of course you are!" The old woman would have none of that, and shook her head, "But we'll have to hurry." She drew a long silver stick out of her blue sleeve, and lifted it, furrowing her brow in annoyance.

"Now, what were those magic words?"

Magic words?

"Oh yes!" She looked back up with a smile and brought the stick up, making her way past me and to the middle of the clearing. More white sparkles exploded out of the end, and she raised it like a conductor's baton.

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!" The old woman cried.

I suddenly missed the Mirror and its stupid rhymes.

Sparkles shot out of the end of her wand and flew over Cinderella's head to a small patch of pumpkins, landing on the biggest one. The pumpkin's vines wriggled and writhed, before curving up and hoisting the pumpkin into the air, bouncing it over to the old woman. She was a magician of some sort, obviously, though I'd never seen magic the type of which she was using.

With another wave and burst of sparkles, the pumpkin started growing. It enlarged piece by piece, first the vines, then the stem and the body bursting larger with every passing second. After a couple moments it had turned completely white, the vines had curled and formed wheels, and it was big enough to climb in. After another moment, a driver and pure white horses appeared, summoned by more white sparkles which lashed them to the carriage by the same vines which made the wheels.

Cinderella, all tears forgotten, dashed up, and with exclamations of delight, examined the gleaming white ride.

The older woman waved her wand once again, and this time Cinderella was enveloped in the white light. When the shine faded, her torn pink dress had been replaced by a voluminous white one, complete with a sparkling tiara and immaculate gloves. She looked down, examining the new dress with surprise and exultation, and exclaimed, "Oh! It's a beautiful dress!"

I walked closer, and as her sadness disappeared, I felt something radiating off of her in waves. "Why, it's a dream come true!" She finished, and as she rushed past me and danced around, twirling and laughing sweetly, I recognized it for what it was: Light. Light exploded from her very being like a flame, filled the air with her tinkling laugh, and I realized distantly that she was a Princess of Heart. Just like Aurora and Snow White, her very existence was pure light.

I barely registered that the older woman had started talking once more, something about dreams not lasting forever.

Cinderella turned around from where she had been examining herself in the glassy fountain. The older woman finished her explanation, "You'll have only 'till midnight, I'm afraid. Then, on the stroke of twelve, the spell will be broken and everything will be as it was before."

Cinderella nodded fervently, a hopeful and beautiful gleam in her bright blue eyes that I hadn't seen before. "Yes, I understand." She replied, rushing over and hugging the blue-cloaked woman.

Cinderella turned to enter the carriage, but hesitated briefly. She spun around and faced me, giving me a dazzling smile that I couldn't help but return. "Thank you!"

I nodded, and she turned back. The Princess of Heart stepped up and into the white carriage, which promptly rolled off, while she waved from the wide window. The magician waved back and Cinderella's smile grew.

Once the carriage was out of sight, I addressed the woman. "Her heart was full of light. Why didn't I see it?" I turned fully to the blue-cloaked mage. "What did you do? I can hardly tell that she's the same person."

Smiling serenely, she gazed at me, and, instead of answering, asked, "Who are you?"

"Terra."

She inclined her head and continued. "Terra, in your heart, do you believe that dreams can come true?"

It was a strange question. Dreams? Like the one Aqua and I had cherished for so long, of becoming Masters together? The one that had been torn from me so suddenly and ripped my lungs out with it? But something inside of me trusted the woman, and I answered. "I do. But I also believe that you have to make an effort to make them come true. They don't just happen on their own."

"Yes, of course," agreed the woman. "But sometimes, just believing in dreams is harder than working to make them happen. It's easier said than done, you know. It is easy to have a dream, but to believe that it could come true despite every circumstance telling you it can't is a task that most can't achieve.

"Cinderella believes her dreams can come true. I wanted her to see that she is right."

I nodded thoughtfully. "So that's what made her shine: faith in her heart that anything is possible." I blinked, and paused momentarily. "Where did she go?"

"To the royal ball, at the palace," The woman's white hair bobbed as she smiled.

"Go on. When you see her dancing, you'll know that she believes," She paused for a moment and placed a kind hand on my shoulder, "and that will help you believe, too."

I turned, glancing down the road that Cinderella had disappeared on, and gazed at the pristine white castle which sat in the middle of the mountains, gleaming in the starlight.

The trip to the castle, which had lead me past several vacant, luxurious houses and a rippling brook, took a very short amount of time despite the apparent distance. The curvy, white main gates were flung wide to welcome the night breeze, and nothing in the deep green hedges or the tranquil, dark blue overhead indicated anything other than a normal night. As the gate came into view, the carriage that had carried Cinderella to the castle rolled past me, back towards the clearing. I stared after it for a moment, but continued on, towards the castle. It must have just dropped her off, though the fact that it left so soon sparked worry in my chest.

However, any and all peace was shattered as I made my way past the sparkling fountain and I heard a shrill scream.

I summoned Earthshaker on instinct and my gaze flew from the gravel beneath my feet to the steps ahead, where I saw a flash of blue. And a gleam of red eyes.

The sudden urge to slam my fist into something was overwhelming. Unversed had to show up here, too, didn't they?

I sprinted up the stairs and slashed through the Floods even as they leapt forward to attack.

With bursts of black, they exploded on the blade, and moments later, I lowered my Keyblade warily and turned to face the girl who had been a second away from death. She looked up at the same time I turned, and my eyes lighted on the glimmering white dress and the golden hair before I recognized her

"Cinderella?" Her blue eyes filled with relief as they locked with mine. I helped her to her feet, and when she had straightened, Cinderella asked, "You saved me back in the clearing too. What are you doing here?"

I smiled wryly. "I wanted to make sure that you got here safely. I'm glad I came by when I did."

She smiled, wide, and I saw only pure happiness in her eyes. "Me too."

The light that spilled from the open doors to my left was interrupted briefly as the distinctive sound of Unversed broke the silence, and I turned, lifting Earthshaker. Scrappers had popped up in the hall, claws raised. I clenched my jaw and prepared to charge forward. "Wait here, okay? I'll take care of them."

I wasn't about to let a Princess of Heart get attacked by Unversed. But before I could move, Cinderella stepped forward and stopped me with a small hand on my arm. "Please, may I go with you? I so want to get to the ball."

Despite her polite, soft tone, the blue eyes that pierced me were full of determination. Cinderella wasn't about to let anything get in the way of her dream.

I wanted her to make it too, to see her dream come true. And if there weren't a lot of Unversed, I could probably keep them at bay while leading her to wherever she needed to go…

"All right." I said, eyes flicking back to the enemies. "But stay behind me, or you'll get hurt."

I saw her smile out of the corner of my eye. "You're not worried?" I asked her.

She shook her head adamantly. "Didn't you just tell me that it was important to stay strong?"

My exhale was almost a huff of laughter. "Oh. I guess I did."

My eyes found hers once again as she laughed. She was just like Snow White.

So trusting.

"Ready?" Earthshaker gleamed in the golden light from the empty hall.

The large, sweeping hall was only sparsely populated by Unversed, which did nothing to appease my reservations about allowing Cinderella to accompany me. The deep red carpet hid only three Scrappers and a group of Floods, but I still checked behind each gold and red drape for new enemies.

It wasn't until I made it into the foyer that I really found a challenge.

The first wave of Floods was destroyed easily, while Cinderella warily waited back a few steps. I was about to gesture for her to come closer when two Bruisers and a large group of Scrappers appeared ahead of me.

I set the first Bruiser aflame and turned to the Scrappers, which furtively ducked left and right, as though to avoid my gaze.

However, they were easily dispatched with a few Freezes, and the remaining two removed my need to chase them and walked into my attack. The first of the bigger Unversed fell when I threw my spinning Keyblade through its belly.

Then it was just me and the last Bruiser.

I was hoping that it would just ignore Cinderella and attack me, but luck was not in my favor that time. The Bruiser turned immediately to the blonde and launched itself up, ignoring her gasp of fear. I dashed forward until I stood directly in front of her, and squared off with the giant Unversed, which slammed into the ground as I brought Earthshaker up.

Thankfully, my Keyblade absorbed the magic shockwave, and I jerked forward once it had dissipated, scowling a challenge.

I slashed, exhaling and somehow managing to force the Bruiser back a step before it began attacking once again, shooting its giant fists frantically out towards me. I blocked the fists and turned the Keyblade, slicing down, casting Fire as I did and cloaking the blade with flames.

With a final, tearing, upward slash, the Bruiser disappeared and I felt a corner of my mouth twitch up.

Cinderella let out a relieved breath behind me, and I glanced back briefly at her. She looked none the worse for being attacked several times in one night, and the determination glittering in her eyes had not decreased. I nodded and we strode forward together, I with my Keyblade raised while she stepped carefully and quietly right behind my shoulder. I couldn't help but think of how strong she was, being attacked by monsters twice in one night but still able to function and chase her dream.

She stopped, however, when we started up a flight of wine-colored stairs, and placed a hand on the golden banister. I turned to her, one eye still scanning for Unversed. She looked up before I could ask her why she paused. "Hear that?"

I furrowed my brows, and concentrated. I could faintly make out the sound of… was that music? Once I was aware of it, it became louder, and I identified a slow and beautiful tune which echoed from above us, at the top of the second staircase ahead. Cinderella beamed. "It's the ball!"

She pushed past me impatiently, skipping up the steps in her clear high-heels, too eager to get to her dream to think of such trivial, base things as Unversed. I started after her, Earthshaker lowering as we approached the music. She made it to the top of the steps first, and thankfully no enemies rose to challenge her.

Cinderella froze once there, eyes locked on the wide open doors ahead of her. I slowed to a stop next to her, and got a glimpse of a twirling mass of colors that filled the room in front of me before the Princess of Heart had flown off once again.

She was almost across the threshold of the room when she stopped. Cinderella turned back to me, and as I stepped closer, smiled. "Thank you so much," she began, eyes shining, but trailed off momentarily. She blinked, and laughed. "I don't even know your name…"

"Terra," I supplied, and she nodded, grinning brightly.

"Thank you, Terra!" Her face was full of a sincere, glowing happiness and earnest gratitude, and I couldn't help but smile.

"No problem." I replied, realizing that I meant it. She was kind and beautiful, and the light which cloaked her energized me.

I waved for her to enter, and she turned, entering the mass of twirling dancers as though she belonged there. I watched her as she expertly dodged the couples, swaying slightly to the music and gazing around, enraptured by the beauty and music. My gaze flicked to the left, and I saw that a well-dressed, tall man had caught sight of Cinderella and was waving off two girls who had been fawning over him. He wove through the dancers, heading towards the Princess of Heart. He was captivated, eyes fixed on her face, and she blushed when she became aware of his presence. He extended a gloved hand, which she accepted, curtsying.

Cinderella looked almost hesitant, but a radiance hung about her and she smiled wide at the man.

The music picked up, and the other pairs started a new step, but my eyes stayed on Cinderella and her partner. I could feel her happiness from all the way across the room, and as she twirled, something that had hung like a cloud over my heart seemed to dissipate. I had barely noticed that a dark fog had been bogging my mind down, at least since leaving Maleficent's world, and maybe even since the Mark of Mastery. My heart lifted as Cinderella's eyes lit up as they focused on her partner. Smiling slightly, I felt hope spark in my heart.

Maybe… maybe just believing is enough.

Maybe I could hold my darkness in check. I could stand up to Maleficent. I could earn the Mark.

Maybe I wasn't a failure.

The buoyant thoughts had barely begun to circulate through my veins and release the tension bunched in my muscles when I saw the first sign of an impending chaos.

Far across the room, a dark balcony that overlooked the ball caught my eye. The shadows which hung behind the white banister made it hard to see, but as my eyes caught on the room, a flash of glowing red burst in the middle of the darkness. I froze, eyes locked on the gloom. Not more Unversed. Not again.

I got a glimpse of gold and another gleam of red eyes before moving. Frustration overrode the optimism, and I gritted my teeth, scanning the room for a staircase which would lead to the balcony. Finding none, I turned my eyes to the people milling around the ballroom, searching for a servant or someone who looked like they would know the place. My gaze landed on a portentous-looking man who stood to the side, contentedly watching the couples dancing. I dashed over, dodging the pairs of dancers and mumbling apologies when I stepped on someone's foot or dress or bumped into a shoulder.

Once I reached him, I pointed up to the now-empty balcony and asked, rather abruptly, "How do I get up there?" I wanted to get rid of the Unversed before they could disrupt Cinderella's big night.

The man looked almost affronted for a moment, but cleared his throat and replied, "Well, there is a passageway beneath the foyer staircase, but I really don't see why you want to leave the party—"

I spun and dashed back the way I had come, ignoring his continuing babble.

The trip to the balcony was swift and easy. I was unchallenged but that did nothing to appease the sinking in my stomach. Even when I entered the gloomy space, Keyblade raised, I confronted an empty room.

Blinking, I straightened and furrowed my brows. I knew that I had seen something. Foreboding grumbled in my gut, and I tightened my grip on Earthshaker.

I checked the carpet for any darker shades were the little Floods could have sunk, scowling. They had to be here somewhere…

But the enemy I spotted next wasn't a Flood, not even close.

With a harsh, grating sound like nails on a chalkboard, a giant Unversed rose from the floor directly in front of me. Once it had completely risen from the ground, it hovered, red eyes angrily piercing mine.

I drew in a breath and readied Earthshaker.

It was hard to tell in the gloom, but the huge Unversed looked to be white and gold, vaguely humanoid, and holding a golden stick that looked almost like a conductor's baton. What appeared to be a magenta tall hat sat on its round head, above the glowing eyes. The feet which floated inches above the ground looked to be clad in black boots, and golden accents trailed up and down its arms and torso.

As I watched, the huge Unversed waved its baton. Three instruments—instruments? What?—burst into existence and commenced to circle their master.

With another wave, the instruments began to play, and the music hit me like a battering ram. My ears rang with the loud, warped music, and I growled with pain, shrinking back. I raised Earthshaker as though it could block the sound, my left hand moving to cover my ear, trying to escape the haunting melody which felt like a hundred bricks grinding themselves into my eardrums.

I stumbled back, closing my eyes as the music pounded gratingly in my ears, and didn't even open them when I felt something in my pocket grow hot.

I managed to wrench one eye open in time to see the pocket that held the Wayfinder begin to glow, white and blinding.

I felt myself tugged downwards, and my stomach lurched. For a second, the white light engulfed me and everything inside of me froze as my feet left the floor.

Gravity claimed me and I fell, fast, or at least, it felt like I did.

I yelled even as the sensation ceased, and when I opened my eyes, ears ringing but no longer assaulted, I found myself in the middle of the crowd of dancers who inhabited the floor below the balcony. I was back in the ballroom.

"Huh?" I looked around at the couples, but none of them were paying me any attention. Every eye was fixed on the balcony I had just disappeared from, where the white figure of the Unversed loomed, instruments still swirling. The Unversed was looking from side to side, confused, and I realized that I had been teleported out of the room, out of the way of the Unversed's attack.

Even as the screaming started and I was buffeted as the people in the ballroom ran, terrified, I felt a rush of affection towards Aqua as I glanced down at the pocket which contained the Wayfinder.

"A little magic"? More like Aqua being over-protective, as usual.

Grinning, I hefted Earthshaker. I heard guards being yelled for and shrieks of fear, but did not turn for a moment.

I kept my eyes on the Unversed, which spun, as though sensing my gaze, and rose over the balcony railing, swiftly flying straight towards me.

I risked a glance back, making sure that I was alone. I saw Cinderella behind the shoulder of her partner as they backed out, and locked eyes with her briefly, trying to send her a message. I'll take care of this. Her blue eyes widened in understanding, and she nodded and tugged on her partner's arm, and they fled together. Satisfied, I turned to face the Unversed.

While the Wayfinder had teleported me out of the way, it had done nothing to deplete my reserves of magic or use my energy, and I brought my Keyblade up, determination steeling my veins. I would dispatch this stupid interrupter, and let the rest of Cinderella's night finish smoothly.

The conductor Unversed stopped in the middle of the room, twirling its baton as a challenge.

I charged in, yelling, and struck at the first instrument I saw: the big, red drum. I figured that starting with the instruments would give me an advantage—without a weapon, how well could the Unversed fight?

I knocked the drum out of the circle, cloaking my Keyblade in ice and slamming the drum into the ground and then jumping back as the drum rose, jerking forward as though to strike me. I sliced back, and it vanished in a puff of dark particles.

Momentarily caught off guard at how easily it was defeated, I neglected to notice that the Conductor had snuck up on me, and was knocked forwards as a blast of music hit me like a physical blow.

Gritting my teeth, I dodged to the left, turning, and saw that the second instrument, a violin, had floated forwards, bow singing across the strings, purple magic humming off the strings like shock waves.

I disrupted the music when I cast Fire and knocked the violin back. I sprinted forward and brought Earthshaker up and speared the violin, which dissipated.

The surge of triumph in my chest was quickly knocked away as the final instrument, a golden trumpet, zoomed forward and slammed into my chest. I stumbled back, and regained my balance just in time to jerk to the side to avoid a long magic blast that issued from the horn, scraping against my ears even though I dodged the magic strike. I encased it within a block of ice shortly, and sent my spinning Keyblade to dash through the instrument. I summoned it back and as the weapon knocked into the trumpet again, it disappeared.

I blinked, surprised, as my fingers closed around Earthshaker's hilt and I turned to the Conductor. I was taken aback at how quickly the instruments had been defeated. I expected them to be more of a challenge, as they were the Unversed's only weapons.

I was proved wrong moments later. The Unversed held only the gold baton, which it was still flicking back and forth to conduct instruments that were no longer there, but as I turned it seemed to realize its own predicament, the red slits of eyes narrowing even further as a dark aura sprung from the baton like flames.

Charging forwards, weapon raised, the Conductor sped across the air between us, and I drew back, firing spells, hoping that they would slow it down even marginally.

Nothing even phased the monster, and I ended up ducking back as it drew closer, hoping to avoid its wrath.

There was no need for me to back up to avoid its charge, however, because instead of ramming into me, it flew straight up before getting close. Some sixth sense warned me to move regardless, and I raced out of the way as the Conductor crashed into the space I had previously occupied. I blocked the magic shockwave, and managed to strike the monster a few times before it drew back, gliding backwards till it drew to a stop in a corner of the large room.

I pursued, but warily. My opponent was too still, too calm. I expected it to attack without pause, not sulk in the corner.

As I drew closer, I noticed that the weapon was glowing darkly, and I narrowed my eyes at it. Was it just me, or did the baton look bigger?

The Conductor drew back the baton, and threw it straight at me, and as it shot towards me, I decided that, yes, the baton was bigger than it had been, and magic was flickering across it ominously. I brought Earthshaker up and felt the baton slam into the magic-imbued Keyblade, rocking me back. It clattered dully to the floor, but I ignored it and continued chasing the Conductor, firing spells which impacted with no visible signs of damage on the Unversed's hide.

When I got close enough to strike directly with the Keyblade, the Conductor shot back up into the air, and I flipped back, knowing what was coming before it slammed down next to me.

As the Unversed retrieved its baton and hovered, feet away, I charged back in and managed to knock the Conductor back, slamming it into the ground where it collapsed, evidently wounded.

Steely triumph gave strength to my flagging muscles, and I took advantage of the Unversed's weakness, slashing hard at the downed enemy.

I realized my mistake immediately after making contact.

The Conductor had been smarter than I had thought, lulling me into a false sense of security by pretending to be wounded.

As soon as my Keyblade made contact, the Unversed struck out, magic lending strength to its blow, and I flew backwards, slamming into a marble pillar.

I slid to the ground, a groan escaping my lips.

Inwardly berating myself, I gritted my teeth and started to haul myself to my feet. How many times had Master told me to be sure the enemy was truly weakened before attacking? Evidently, it hadn't been enough.

I was able to get my feet under me and raise Earthshaker just as the Conducter glided over. I hefted my Keyblade and met the Unversed with a half-hearted slash. Pain throbbed along with my heartbeat, tugging at my limbs and slowing my mind, and I could barely bring myself to dodge as it flew up and crashed down where I had been. It floated backwards, and despite the knowledge that it was only preparing another attack, I stumbled back, panting, trying to catch my breath as it was stolen by the pain that rung in my ears.

I was jerked out of my attempt to recover when the Conductor's baton sliced into my shoulder, sending me reeling, clutching the shoulder. Thankfully, my shoulder guard had deflected the sharp point, and the baton hadn't broken the skin, though I felt my arm spasm as an apple-sized lump of pain appeared where the weapon had struck.

Scowling, I turned furious eyes to the Unversed, and fired off a few spells at the long distance. These spells actually seemed to make contact, staggering the Conductor and checking his progress as he leisurely came closer.

My entire chest and back felt like a huge punching bag, and my every move reminded me that my spine hadn't liked getting rammed into a pillar, but I moved to attack the Unversed as it prepared to strike again.

I brought my Keyblade down, cloaking it with my last bit of magic and watching as it visibly stumbled under my strike, then, with a grunt of effort, I spun and slammed my blade across the Conductor's chest.

With one, final wheeze of harsh music, the Unversed crumbled into nothingness.

Finally. I nearly crashed to the ground then and there. I needed to find a potion, and maybe rest a bit so my magic could replenish before I headed to talk to Yen Sid, though I still hadn't figured out how I would be able to get to his world.

However, I was interrupted when the pompous servant who had given me directions to the balcony jogged up to me, wiping his brow. "Oh, thank you! You saved us all. I don't know what we would have done without you…" the man trailed off, and I nodded, panting.

He sighed and continued, "The guests were just starting to enjoy themselves…"

My mind flashed immediately to Cinderella. Had she gotten out alright? Had there been more Unversed in the hall?

I turned immediately to look out in the crowded foyer, eyes scanning the various people who had trickled back up when the danger passed. My eyes landed on the figure I was looking at after a moment, and I grinned tiredly. "Well, don't give up just yet."

My spirits lifted marginally as I watched Cinderella converse animatedly to her partner, holding his hands and smiling with an inward glow. The man beside me looked over too, finding the couple I was watching easily, and let out a breath of excitement.

Her partner was earnestly talking, enraptured by the Princess of Heart, and Cinderella smiled wider. She replied, but I was too far away to hear what was said.

I was happy that she was happy. I was glad that her big night had gone well, that she had met someone. Believing in her dream had been enough to make it come to fruition, so maybe the same held true for my dream.

I knew it was time to be moving on. But before I left, I needed to find something out. I turned to the man beside me and said, "Tell me something. Have you always had a problem around here with those monsters?"

The man bit his lip thoughtfully, but shook his head. "No. I believe… they began to appear shortly after a boy in a mask arrived in our kingdom. Those that saw him said that the monsters obeyed his every command."

My eyes widened. A boy in a mask? Who could control the Unversed?

That didn't sound good.

"Do you know where he is now?" I asked, urgency sparking in my brain. If I could defeat their controller, wouldn't the Unversed disappear too?

"Uh…" the man stuttered momentarily, "N-no, I don't believe anyone has seen him for a day or so."

"I see." I replied, though it was a lie. I didn't see at all.

Master Xehanort, the Unversed, the Princesses of Heart, and now a masked boy? Nothing was making sense. I wracked my brains, but I could see no discernable connection. There was so much more going on than what I could see. But it was the masked boy who held my attention. How did he control the Unversed? Did he create them? Where did he come from? What was his intention?

I was interrupted when a clock began to toll. I blinked, and as it rang out, I realized it was midnight. My mind flashed to the magician who had made the pumpkin and Cinderella's dress, and the warning she had given. It was something about the spell she'd given ending at midnight…

I turned to look at Cinderella. I heard her gasp, saw her draw away from her partner. She glanced around desperately, then looked back at him and said something I couldn't hear but assumed was a farewell. The blonde spun and raced off, down the stairs. Her partner reached after her, and I heard him shout, "Wait! Come back! Please!"

The man beside me gasped and raced forward as her partner moved to chase after her. Wincing at the renewed pain, I followed. I wanted to make sure that Cinderella got out safely.

I peered down once I reached the balcony, having passed the minute crowd, watching the partner chase after Cinderella, impeded by the remaining people. The Princess of Heart turned around once she reached the base of the stairs, far out of reach of her partner, and waved, calling back fleetingly, "I'm sorry!"

Her partner continued chasing after her, but I knew he wouldn't catch her.

The man who had helped me looked conflicted, sighing and shaking his head, saddened. I looked over.

He was murmuring something to himself, almost as though he'd forgotten I was there, and as I leaned closer, I heard him muttering, "Of course the young lady would be running. The only girl that the Prince has shown any interest in would disappear after the ball… Oh, what to do, what to do!"

I drew back, surprised. "Wait, Cinderella's partner was the prince?"

The man turned to me, mouth opening. "You know the lady who the Prince was dancing with? Splendid! Please, tell me where she lives! Who is she?"

I huffed out a breath, ignoring his questions. Wow, not bad for her first ball… noticed by the prince. I shouldn't have been surprised. I'd noticed the many admiring looks that she had received.

The man was still eagerly quizzing me about Cinderella, not put off by the fact that I hadn't responded once, but stopped when he caught sight of the Prince once more.

The young, dark-haired Prince was still chasing after the Princess of Heart, dodging the few dancers still cluttering the hall, and he shot out of the foyer doors with a remarkable speed. The man next to me gasped and yelled, "Wait, Your Highness! Don't go out alone! Not with the monsters still around!" and took off, loping after the Prince.

I smirked, and turned from the view. It was time to go. I needed to talk to Master Yen Sid, see if he knew anything about the masked boy, and Master Xehanort.

I headed slowly down the stairs dodging dancers, and left the hall behind. I emerged into the crisp, starry night, leaving the crowds behind. The gardens were deserted of both the Prince and the man who chased after him, and I was alone other than one figure who stood by the fountain, head turned towards the gate and beyond.

I furrowed my brows as I drew closer. The figure looked almost like…

"Aqua?"

She turned, eyes wide. Then Aqua waved, a slight grin on her face. "Terra!"

I jogged closer, and squared off next to her.

I opened my mouth to speak as I drew to a halt, intending to tell her about the Unversed and Master Xehanort, but I had barely drawn breath when she spoke.

"Terra, Ven ran away from home." Aqua's bright blue eyes were filled with worry, and I sucked in a breath. Ven?

"What?"

Aqua bit her lip. "I think he left to find you…"

Find me? Why would he need to find me?

"Do you have any idea why?" Aqua locked eyes with me, worry and confusion dominating her gaze.

"No…" I responded quietly. I cast my thoughts back to the day of the Mark. Ven had come racing up to me, just before I left. "Actually… just before I left, he tried to tell me something." I paused, worry and guilt rising within me. "I should have listened to what he had to say."

Aqua blinked, but shook her head. "It's not your fault."

I grimaced slightly, and shrugged the shoulder that wasn't aching. "Either way, we need to find him so he can get home."

My friend nodded, but her eyes remained on my face. "Yeah. I'm worried that he might get into a situation he can't get out of. This isn't a leisure trip."

I snorted. "You got that right." I massaged my throbbing shoulder, scowling.

Aqua noticed my pain and jerked forward, almost subconsciously. "Are you hurt?"

Immediately regretting my show of pain, I shook my head. "Uh, no—"

Aqua ignored my denial and reached forward, slim fingers lightly moving my right hand out of the way and gingerly probing the shoulder, around my shoulder guard. I winced as she touched on the bruise, and she frowned. "'No'? Really?"

Casting her eyes heavenward, she sighed and murmured "Cura."

Her fingers began to glow, greenish in the shadow, and as the healing magic spread from my shoulder to my back, Aqua nonchalantly asked, "So… did you manage to locate Master Xehanort?"

Relaxing unconsciously as the burning pain cooled, I shook my head. "No, but it seems like he's looking for pure hearts filled with light."

Aqua kept her eyes on her fingers as they continued to glow, releasing the raw feeling in my head and back, but she frowned deeper and repeated, "Pure hearts? Like the Princesses of Heart?"

I nodded. "All I can tell you that his search hasn't taken him here, at least not yet."

The green glow faded and Aqua stepped back, eyes moving back to my face. "Okay."

I smiled slightly at her. I wanted to tell her about the masked boy, but something stopped me. This was my lead. I could take care of it. After an awkward pause, I exhaled and turned my eyes to the gate. "I should get going."

Aqua dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Just keep an eye out for Ven. If he's looking for you, maybe you can convince him to go home if you meet him… I think I'll stay and see if I can find more clues."

"All right." I stepped to the side and closer to the gate. "There's a Prince who should be coming back soon—he might have some answers."

"Thanks," Aqua grinned softly, and brushed a long, blue bang out of her eyes.

We parted, and I started down the walk, heading out of the castle gates.

Then, not able to contain the question, I turned. "Wait."

Aqua spun around.

"Do you still have the same dream?" I asked, not making eye contact. Do you still have the same dream of being Keyblade Masters together?

I saw her tilt her head curiously at my question. "Well…" she hesitated, then blinked and answered as though it should have been obvious. "Yes."

I licked my lips, but dragged my eyes up to hers. "There's this girl here—her name is Cinderella. She made me realize how powerful it is just to believe. She made me remember that no matter how impossible things may seem… a powerful dream will always be able to light the darkness."

Aqua looked surprised at first, but then a bright grin stole over her features. It was the first true smile I'd seen her wear since the night when she gave me and Ven the Wayfinders. That felt like a long time ago, for some reason. She nodded.

"If you see her," I continued, "Give her my thanks."

Aqua's eyes were soft as she replied. "Will do."

I turned and strode away, feeling lighter than I could remember since the Mark. Aqua stopped me with a farewell. "Just take care of yourself, Terra."

Turning my head till I could see her, I smiled and nodded. "You too."

I heard her start walking the other direction, and I focused my thoughts inward. Who was the boy in the mask? How could he control the Unversed?

Does he have anything to do with Master Xehanort's disappearance?

AN: Terra's an idiot. But I love him.

I actually rather liked this one. Hope you all did too! Thanks so so much for reading!

As before, Seabit is my amazing beta-reader! Many thanks to her for fixing this chapter up.

Fav's and follows and reviews are my candy! I appreciate it all, but the fact that you're reading this is good enough for me!

.