Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Kingdom Hearts in any way, shape, or form. I own NOTHING!

Chapter 6

Initially, Aqua wanted to go to either Disney Town to see Mickey or to Radiant Garden to talk to Lea and Isa. She planned on going to both places but in no particular order since she was certain that surely one of those worlds could give them a clue to where Ven was. That was her plan until they talked to the Master. He was convinced that they should speak with Master Yen Sid before they did anything else.

In hindsight, his plan had been much better than hers. Seeing Yen Sid first certainly made more sense considering his knowledge and wisdom. So, Aqua complied while Terra seemed content to just follow her lead.

The tower stood as it always did, tall and crooked amongst the glittering stars. Seas of bright, glowing orange warded off the presence of perpetual night, coloring the sky a much paler hue of black. The strange ocean reflected up the horizon and landscape until the heavens were more dark blue than black but that didn't keep the stars from shining brightly overhead.

She could never determine if it was early morning or late evening here. As a traveler and Keyblade Master, she was used to times and seasons varying depending on the worlds she visited but this one was so unusual she could never quite pinpoint the correct hour. Was the sun rising or setting over the large, green, mossy mountains that jutted out of the bizarre orange swell?

"What time do you think it is here?" Aqua asked.

Terra had been unnaturally quiet since they left The Land of Departure. Aqua certainly wasn't a super talkative individual herself, (that honor went to Ven) but Terra's noiselessness did bother her. Perhaps what bothered her wasn't the silence or the lack of conversation itself but the fact that it was unlike him. Terra wasn't as talkative as Ven—who could strike up a conversation with just about anyone or anything—but he certainly wasn't what she would call shy or quiet.

He shrugged. "Twilight? Late evening?"

She nodded and began her trek up the creamy steps of the tower, accepting that her attempt at conversation had failed. Terra was simply uninterested and detached although he had agreed they should search for Ven as a team. He was uncertain, as he seemed to be with everything lately, hesitant to the point of withdrawal and inactivity. He seemed so afraid of failing or messing up again that he barely did anything.

Terra was fractured. She could see that, feel it even but he had to get his confidence back if they were going to make a good team.

The trip up the seemingly endless flights of stairs was like their trip to the world itself: quiet. Terra followed closely on her heels as she led the way. Sometimes she would feel his eyes boring into her back and she would look over her shoulder at him to give him a reassuring smile. His features would soften and he would almost smile but not quite.

Halfway up, Aqua slowed. She placed her hands on her back and stretched her sore torso.

She was a lot better. Terra had done a magnificent job of healing her and she had continued to work on the injury herself but Vanitas had really done a number on her waist.

"How is it?" Terra had caught up to her and was eyeing her closely.

Aqua grimaced. She really hoped he wouldn't notice that it was pain that had slowed her down but he'd seen through her ruse.

"Better. A lot better but I'm still kind of sore," she admitted.

"Need me to look at it?"

"No." Aqua's brow furrowed and she shook her head, adamant. "That's not necessary. I can look at it later. Thank you though."

He nodded and with that, he slipped back into muteness, nothing changing except this time he took the lead.

Aqua sighed and for a moment, wished she'd let him look at her injury. It might've kept him from slipping back into this despondent mood a bit longer.

Finally, they reached the final tier and Master Yen Sid's door. Aqua took it upon herself to knock when Terra merely stood at the entrance.

"Enter."

They did as commanded and saw the old sorcerer calmly waiting inside. As expected, he sat before a wall of large windows that mimicked the shapes and forms of a crescent moon and stars. His large, green chair was so tall it towered far over his head, threatening to scrape the ceiling. The candle atop the strange skull on his desk was lit, suggesting he was likely trying to read from the massive book in front of him before they had intruded.

"Master Yen Sid." Aqua bowed, and as if attached to her by invisible strings, Terra followed suit and bowed at well.

Yen Sid's eyes brightened and his mouth twitched, his imitation of a smile. "Terra, Aqua."

"We're terribly sorry to intrude but something has happened…" Aqua began, casting Terra a quick glance as they approached the desk. "Vanitas has returned and Ven is missing."

Master Yen Sid's expression held a flash of surprise before it turned hard again.

"I went to the Keyblade Graveyard to search for Xehanort. I didn't find him but I stumbled upon Vanitas. We fought and I won but I was injured. I passed out and when I came to, I was with Terra and he informed me that Vanitas was gone. And now Ven is missing, too, which is why we're here. We thought maybe you could help us and give us some advice on where to look and what to do now…"

Yen Sid sighed and leaned back into his chair. "If Vanitas is back, that means Xehanort is probably back as well. It is unlikely that Vanitas would act unless given orders to do so."

"That's what I'm afraid of. What if Vanitas was distracting me so Xehanort could get his hands on Ven…?"

"I wouldn't put such plotting beyond Xehanort. After all, he has had three years to dwell on all of this and carefully calculate his next move. However, Ventus is no pushover and he knows the dangers now as we all do. Xehanort has more obstacles to overcome this time as well. We know of the overall goal of his plans, which does give us some advantage but we must find Ventus so Xehanort cannot forge the χ-blade." Yen Sid rose to his feet and walked to the large, half-moon shaped window.

"I thought we should talk to Mickey and Ven's friends in Radiant Garden before we assume the worst… We were going to go there as soon as we realized Ven was missing but the Master thought it would be wise for us to seek your counsel first," Aqua said calmly, professionally.

The sorcerer nodded. "Consulting Mickey and his friends would be a wise first step. I would be happy to contact him for you so that the two of you may start your search in Radiant Garden. After that, if you still have not found him, we will have to take a more drastic course of action since then it would be safe to assume he is in danger and likely with Xehanort, but that will be hard to do. Finding him would then become like finding a needle in a haystack."

"Just like it was the first time…" Aqua sighed and massaged her eyes. She felt defeated and they hadn't even really started yet. "It's like it is happening all over again…"

"We don't know that." Terra placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her although her thoughts and concerns were probably identical to his. "Let's not assume the worst. Master Yen Sid is right. Ven isn't a kid anymore. He can take care of himself."

She brought her hands to her mouth as if she were praying. "Yes, but that doesn't make me feel any better. Both Ven and Vanitas are bigger now. I've watched Ven grow as a wielder and as a man. He is stronger than he has ever been although the Master and I have been trying for years to somewhat curb his growth since the χ-blade is still a possibility. Fighting Vanitas reminded me of why we did that, as cruel as it was. It was to keep the χ-blade's power at bay. Just imagine how powerful it would be now if they merged… They are twice the wielders they were before. Not only would it be stronger, but the individual wielding it would be, too."

"Ven won't let that happen. He knows as well as you do how dangerous that weapon is, how important it is that it not come into existence," Terra insisted. "He won't do anything that would endanger the worlds or the balance."

She nodded. "You're right. I'm jumping to conclusions, but I'm just…scared."

Aqua admitting she was scared was like hearing Ven say he wanted to take a bath. Such things just didn't happen. Fear was something that was and always would be foreign on Aqua, but when she said she was scared, she didn't mean that she was scared personally. She was scared for Ven, for the worlds she protected, for those who could be in danger because she couldn't stop Xehanort three years ago.

"I will do all I can to help while you venture out to look for Ven physically," Yen Sid said calmly. "If I hear or learn anything that might be of some help, I will let you and Master Eraqus know immediately. First, before you head out, I think you and Terra should consult one of my books."

Terra and Aqua exchanged glances while Yen Sid began walking towards the dual doors on the other side of the room. He opened the doors and motioned for the duo to follow him. They did as instructed, Terra doing so more begrudgingly than Aqua.

Master Yen Sid pulled out a massive book from a nearby bookshelf. It was blue with spiraling gold trim and Aqua could smell it's musty, old pages even though she had yet to open it.

"I believe this book contains material that may be helpful to you on your journey."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Terra asked and Aqua was glad he did so. It was a good question, one she was ashamed she hadn't asked herself.

"You'll know it when you find it," he replied ominously before he began strolling out of the room.

"I-I appreciate the offer but I'm not sure we have time for—" Aqua began but he was already gone, leaving them alone with the enormous book filled with endless amounts of knowledge.

Terra sighed and placed his hands on his hips, looking around the room, likely looking for an escape.

"He probably isn't going to let us leave until we at least pretend to look over this stuff." Aqua took a seat in one of the empty chairs at the table and prepared to sift through it.

Terra nodded and eventually plopped into the seat beside her. He already appeared bored and she could tell that the years had done nothing for his patience.

When they were younger, when the Master gave them assignments, they would often go to the library and study together. Terra would put forth some effort initially but she would end up doing most of the work while he would merely watch her, wooden Keyblade firmly in hand.

Much like when they were younger, Aqua had her nose in the book and Terra merely peered over her shoulder to gaze at the pages occasionally. Most of the time, he simply sat there with his arms folded over his chest, staring out at nothing, at one of the mirrors in the room, or staring at her. After a while, he would shift positions or get out of his seat altogether, flop onto the floor, and lie on his back.

Presently, he was doing a lot of the latter.

Aqua glanced over her shoulder at him. "You making it okay?"

"Mm," he mumbled. "My back got tired. Again."

Aqua chuckled. "Sitting in a chair is tough."

Terra stared holes into the ceiling but every now and then, she'd feel his eyes on her, which made focusing on the books a little harder. However, she resolved to be patient and search diligently for information she may or may not find.

For a long time, she didn't find anything that seemed helpful. She checked the pages Yen Sid had marked or written on but none of it seemed significant until she found a section on Keychains. Undoubtedly, that was why he'd given them this particular book before they began their search.

There was a whole history within those pages. It even gave examples. There was an example involving two brothers. Their Keychain lasted until they disposed of an emperor who was trying to find a way to take over all worlds by force.

Meanwhile, some of the documentation of Keychains even dated back to the Keyblade War. One of which was romantic. It was between two people who had never met each other prior to the birth of their Keychain. During the war, the male counterpart of the chain had saved the female's life. It said that the Keychain came to life the instant he touched her in order to heal her but they didn't actually fall in love until later or perhaps they just didn't realize it until later. They married but the man was killed in the war shortly after. It was documented that his wife lost her mind instantly in her grief and lied next to him on the ground until she was slain too.

Aqua visibly grimaced at that.

"Aqua?" Terra's hand found her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Sensing her distress, he had gotten up and back into his chair but she had been so absorbed in what she was reading, she didn't notice.

"I just…read something unpleasant. I'm fine."

"What was it?" he asked timidly.

"Just some stuff about Keychains and the Keyblade War. Some of it is hard to read," she said, turning the page.

Terra nodded his understanding but didn't pry further.

Diving back in, Aqua mostly read echoes of what Master Eraqus had already told them. It said that each Keychain was different depending on the bond, those involved, and sometimes, what already existed between counterparts. The extent of the bond depended on the relationship in one form or another. It could enhance abilities and even give birth to new (usually temporary) abilities like being able to read the mind of a counterpart if one concentrated enough or if another wanted their thoughts to be heard. Keychains supposedly heightened whatever senses or powers one already possessed. There were even reports that said that a key could attract a counterpart or counterparts who would then act as a form of guardian.

There were lots of theories and inconsistencies but almost all accounts described the bond as a benefit, a gift bestowed upon peacekeepers to save one or many, to protect one or protect all. It was a power that could be unlocked by the keys themselves by tapping into the connections and links they had with other people's hearts.

I guess that means we are capable of creating this bond ourselves. Does that mean that I could have done this? No. I would have been conscious of it.

The only thing that really surprised her in the book was the content stating that wielders could feel when/if the bond left them. There were journal entries where individuals wrote about feeling a disconnect instantly. Some even went into depression afterwards. Once the alleged threat was gone and balance was restored, the unnatural element of the bond retreated as well. The natural links made within the relationship remained, but that particular link was gone forever.

Aqua had the distinct feeling that what she and Terra had was meant to bring about the end to this conflict with Xehanort. Fate knew that they would be separated from Ven and that they would need this bond to put an end to this struggle. That was their destiny. They were bound so that they could defeat Xehanort with the bonds added power and when they managed to do that, their Keychain would no longer exist.

Feeling drained, she closed the book and pushed it towards Terra. Briefly, he glanced at the marked pages and some of Yen Sid's notes again as if to get a summary or hit some of the highlights.

"Do you have any questions?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Not really."

That was code for: Yeah, I've got a lot of questions but neither of you are capable of answering them.

Assuming that they were pretty much done here, Aqua picked up the book and made her way for the door. Terra followed her out of the room and back to Master Yen Sid's desk.

As gently as possible, she placed the massive book back onto his desk. The sorcerer's dull eyes locked onto the book for a moment before they lazily lifted and focused on them.

"Did you find anything of interest in the book?"

"Not particularly…" she replied.

Master Yen Sid nodded as if he were mentally noting something, like he caught something she didn't. She thought he would explain but instead he proceeded to say: "You best be on your way. Master Eraqus and I will act as a rendezvous point for you, Mickey, and the others. After you go to Radiant Garden, let us know what you find. Meanwhile, I will inform Mickey of our situation and if necessary, I will send him to the Keyblade Graveyard but I hope it doesn't come to that."

"What do you mean you didn't kill her?!"

Ven's eyes slowly opened but the haze was too thick, his eyes were too muddled. He couldn't see where he was or who was talking. His head hurt, the sound of gushing water loud in his ears and the ground he lied upon was cold and sleek and…orange?

"Just what I said. I didn't kill her. The oaf showed up just as I was about to finish her off and I was in no condition to fight him after—"

"After Aqua whooped your ass!" a third voice mused and began braying with unhinged laughter.

"You try killing her then! I'd love to watch her take you down a few notches!"

"As if!"

"Do not patronize Braig, Vanitas. He did his job," Xehanort's rattling voice chided and Ven became painfully aware of the voices around him. "But it doesn't matter. Aqua will get what is coming to her soon enough. I would have rather had her out of the way before she could cause any more problems, but I am not beyond making adjustments."

"Want us to go finish her off?" Braig offered confidently, cocking his arrowgun in his hand.

Xehanort pondered this for a moment, folding his hands behind his arched back. "No."

"No?" Braig reeled. "Why the hell not? She's been nothing but a wrench in the works since the very beginning!"

"Yes, but if what Vanitas says is true, she is with Terra now and that is a problem. I have no doubts you and Vanitas could take her alone but not with Terra." Xehanort shook his head.

Vanitas scoffed. Clearly, he begged to differ but refrained from arguing with his master.

"However, this could still be used to our advantage. Our new plan will simply be our old plan. Aqua will be disposed of but we will wait for the right time to do so. Her death will be the final blow to Terra's resolve then, my vessel will be ready."

"A-Aqua? Terra?" Ven called, his voice hoarse and weak.

The haze in his eyes started to clear and he could suddenly make out some of his surroundings again. He tried to move but he quickly realized he was in chains and he was face first on the ground in a very uncomfortable position.

Instinctively, he began fighting the restraints.

"He's coming to," Vanitas grumbled without looking in Ven's direction, and Braig jumped to attention, taking a few apprehensive, cowardly steps away from the Keyblade wielder although he was restrained.

"Ah, we meet again boy," Xehanort greeted, kneeling down in front of Ventus' prostrate form.

"Get away from me!' Ven hissed although he could barely make out Xehanort's features, he knew his voice and knew he was close, too close. If he were capable of shooting Aeroga from his mouth, he would have.

"Calm down, Ventus. Is that any way to greet your old master? We haven't spoken in years and you can't even give me a proper greeting?" Xehanort placed a hand over his heart and feigned genuine hurt.

Ven had no words. All he could muster was a nasty glare.

"I can see you've been growing as a key slinger. You've got the angry look down." Braig folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at him contemptibly.

"Shut up!"

Xehanort sneered. "Now, now, Ventus. Don't go wasting your energy. You are going to need it to make the χ-blade."

A/N: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!