Shadows of Beginning
Chapter 6 – Brothers
Something was desperately wrong, Aqua knew that the second she got back to Radiant Garden. In comparison to months before, it was dark and people talked in hushed whispers on the streets.
Rushing quickly through the cobblestone streets, Aqua made sure to get to Merlin's house as quickly as possible. But she wasn't expecting such a joyous greeting.
Merlin had actually hugged her. Merlin. Hugged her. She usually annoyed him and he usually annoyed her. It was a win-win situation between them that they had already come to terms about. But for him to hug her? She knew that something was wrong.
"I'm so glad you're back," Merlin said happily. "Are Ventus and Terra with you?"
She shook her head quickly and said, "No, why?"
"Oh well, I guess just you will have to do."
"What's going on Merlin?" she demanded before he could spout anything else out.
Merlin glanced over his shoulder at her and said, "You must have noticed the chance."
"In the city? Any person who's only taken a glance at this place would be able to notice how paranoid everyone seems to be."
"There's something dark plaguing our world and it has the King and Queen worried. Dark creatures were seen close to the castle already, and with the Princess's… urm…condition, it's important that nothing happens to her. Almost as much as the Keyblade Master."
"What does this have to do with me?" Aqua asked.
"The King and Queen wish to speak to you. If I'm correct, they probably want you to watch over the princess."
"But I…" Aqua trailed off. Her blue eyes looked down at her hands for a moment as she thought. She needed to help Ventus protect his brother, bur really, could she leave another child at the mercy of the darkness? A child that was just as important?
"Alright," Aqua said. "I'll go see the King and Queen, and if they want me to guard the Princess than I'm sure that Ventus will understand."
Merlin smiled and said, "Excellent, I imagine Princess Kairi will be most excited to have a new person to torture."
"She's what, four years old? How much trouble can she be?"
VVVVVVVVVVV
Ventus was surprised when Terra told him to take the gummi ship. Usually the older boy preferred having it with him at all times, but he said that he had other means of travel. So after dropping Aqua off in Radiant Garden, Ventus used his control over the ship to speed faster than he would normally be allowed.
He made it back to Destiny Islands in record timing. Like always, he hid the gummi ship away so no one could find it and then he headed home on foot. He had always enjoyed these beaches, even back when they were part of Twilight's Destiny. It made him glad that he had ended up in Destiny Islands instead of Twilight Town when his home split.
Movement from over at the little play island caught his attention. He looked over and let out a groan of annoyance as he saw two small figures running around on the beach of the small island. He couldn't see the features that well from this far away, but he knew very well that the smaller of the two was his brother.
With a frown on his face, Ventus made his way over to a boat to get over to the play island. He didn't let his brother see him as he crept around the island to observe why the little boy was at this place again after what had happened last time.
He stayed in the shadows as he watched his brother play with Riku. Actually, the more that Ventus looked, the more he realized that the little boys weren't actually playing. Instead, they appeared to be sparring with one another as best as a little four-year-old and five-year-old could. They splashed about in the shallow water, using tiny wooden swords to play-fight with each other.
He wondered why Sora would come back to this island on his own since he had actually drowned the last time he was there, and would have died if Ventus hadn't been there to save it.
"Sora, Riku, you're getting into the deeper water, come back some."
Relief flooded over Ventus' body as he looked over to see his mother watching over the two from the blanket she sat on. They must have wanted to come over to the island, but since it was too dangerous to come on their own, it made sense that an adult would come with them. Riku's father worked in the mayor's office and his mother was a nurse, so Sora's mother going only made sense because she didn't have a job.
With a smile on his face, Ventus walked out of he shadows and onto the beach so that he could be seen. Sora paused in mid-swing of his wooden sword before quickly turning around. A huge smile appeared on the tiny boy's face, despite the fact that Riku accidentally hit him on the shoulder with his own sword. Then, with reflexes that made Ventus blink with surprise, Sora started rushing towards him, yelling out, "Venny!"
Ayame turned around quickly with surprise when she heard Sora's yell. A smile crossed her features when she saw that Ventus was indeed there.
The young man knelt down on the sand and laughed as his little brother hugged him tightly. He held onto Sora and stood up again. "Hey lil' buddy."
"Look Venny," Sora said happily as he waved his sword around in the air wildly. "I'm learning ta fight."
"Now why would you do that? Hey Riku," Ventus rustled the other boy's hair with a smile. Riku grinned back before heading over to where Ayame sat.
"So I know how ta fight when I'm bigger."
Ventus sat on the ground and greeted his mother before turning back to Sora as the boy sat beside Riku.
"Okay, but why would you need to fight when you're bigger?"
"Have ta. Keep bad man away," Sora answered as his mother passed him a quarter of a sandwich before giving Riku another quarter.
"Bad man?"
Sora nodded and, as if there was nothing to worry about, he said, "He's trying ta find me Venny."
"Show him what you found Sora," Riku said eagerly, but not without a tiny bit of jealously in his voice. "I can't use it, it vanishes when I touch it."
Ventus felt goosebumps rise on his skin at Riku's words. He stared at his brother, waiting to see what would happen. There was a flash of light, and Ventus was sure his heart had stopped.
It was much to heavy for him to lift up, but there, across Sora's lap, was a Keyblade. Not just any Keyblade either, the Kingdom Key. According to Mickey, it was what would mark the Keyblade Master. Others could use it for short periods of time when the Keyblade Master allowed them to (subconsciously or not), but they couldn't carry it for long.
Ventus stared at it for a moment before saying, in a very serious voice, "Put it away Sora. Now."
Sora blinked with surprise at the harshness of his brother's words and the Keyblade vanished. Being only four-years-old, he thought he was in trouble and tears welded up in Sora's cerulean eyes. "I'm sorry Venny."
Ventus's eyes softened before he said, "Hey, none of that. I'm not mad. I'm just worried. Riku, can you do be a big favor? A really big one that I only trust with adults?"
Riku's green eyes widened with excitement at the thought of getting a job an adult normally does and nodded his head eagerly.
"Don't tell anyone about this thing, okay. Not even your parents. It's important. I'm trusting you to help protect Sora."
Riku tilted his head a bit before understanding. Ventus wanted Riku to be Sora's guardian, another big brother, when Ventus couldn't be. He needed to protect the little guy.
"I promise," Riku said before he started digging into his lunch.
"Here Ven," his mother said, distracting him from the two little boys. She held out a sandwich to him and said, "You look like you haven't eaten a proper meal since you left."
"Nothing's a proper meal compared to your food mom," Ventus said before he eagerly started tearing into the bread and meat.
"Are you staying for long?" Ayame asked as Sora and Riku proceeded to ignore her and Ventus.
"Yeah," he replied after swallowing. "I need to be here."
"Mommy, Riku and I are going into the water again," Sora informed her.
"Alright, but remember, stay very close to the shore."
"Kay mommy. You coming Venny?"
"You two go play, I'm gonna stay here with mom so she doesn't get bored," Ventus said with a warm smile. Without a look back the two boys started off towards the edge of the beach, and it wasn't lost on Ventus that Sora was suddenly fighting a little harder than he was before.
"He's trying to impress you."
Ventus looked over at his mother, but as he did his smile melted off of his face. She was staring at him curiously, a look of wonder dancing across her eyes, mingling with fear.
"The Keyblade," she said after a moment. Ayame knew that she didn't need to say anything more for Ventus to answer her.
"Sora will wield the Keyblade in a way that neither Terra, Aqua nor I ever could. He's the Master of the Keyblade, and one of the stronger ones to ever exist." Ventus smiled bitterly. "It makes me wish that I had taken the power of Kingdom Hearts when I was younger, even though the ruler of Twilight's Destiny is only suppose to be given the power on their coronation. Then he wouldn't be such a target."
"So he was right when he said that someone was coming to get him."
Ventus looked up at his mother again, expecting to see fear across her features, but there wasn't. Her face was neutral, but her hands were clenched tightly into fists and her eyes were dark with anger. He nodded cautiously.
"Who is it again, Ventus?"
"A man named Xehanort."
Ayame looked at the younger of her two sons, anger still apparent on her features. "I've heard that name before. I needed to know who had caused the destruction of our home, and Terra found out for me. Xehanort controls the Endless, he's the one who ordered them to destroy Twilight's Destiny."
"He knew," Ventus said suddenly. "Xehanort knew that the Keyblade Master would be there and wanted to get rid of him early on, but failed. He must have been laying low, trying to find Sora again after all these years."
"Does he know?"
"Not that I'm aware of, but Terra and Mickey agree that he will soon if he already doesn't."
A loud splash and laughter distracted them from their rather serious conversation. They looked around and couldn't help but grin as they saw little Sora and Riku trying to wrestle with each other in the shallow water.
"I'm going to teach him to swim," Ventus blurted out suddenly. "Before I leave again."
"Do you know when that will be?"
"I might leave for a day or two here and there," he answered after a moment of thought. "But not long. I'm not going to leave until I'm sure Sora's safe."
His mother nodded and said, "I'm sure Sora will enjoy the extra time with you. Teaching him to swim is a great idea. I had planned on putting him in swimming lessons, but aside from Riku, and those other little kids around the neighborhood, Wakka, Tidus and Selphie, he doesn't seem to get along with anyone."
"He's different mom. No one really knows it anymore, but they can feel it. Twilight's Destiny was a strange world, we both know it. The people who had any type of power were never normal. Our world was never normal. It was almost like our home had a mind of it's own."
"Now who told you that?" Ayame asked with amusement.
"Grandpa," Ventus said with a grin. "Too bad we only have half of that world right now. I suppose it's better than none though."
Ayame was about to answer back when Sora let out a loud howl of panic. Both she and her elder son whipped around again to see a laughing Riku and Sora waving his finger around wildly, a tiny (very tiny) crab stuck on the end of it.
Sora waved his arm around, angry that Riku was laughing at him. Finally, the little crab flew off and hit Riku on the nose, latching onto it. Riku yelled in pain and pulled the crab off, but not without causing his nose to bleed.
There was a silent pause as Sora and Riku stared at each other before both started to panic and rushed over to Sora's mother. They were both babbling loudly about the crab (a little hermit crab) and both pointing to their 'battle wounds'.
Ventus rolled his eyes and groaned. Every time his brother came near this beach he ended up being hurt.
Four years olds were way too much trouble some times.
VVVVVVVVVVV
Ventus had to grin as he watched his mother apologize over and over again to Riku's mother. She was supposed to watch the little boy and instead she had let him get mauled by a crab (her words, not his). Riku's mother said it was alright the first time, but Ayame continued to apologize anyway.
Ventus stood at the end of the dirt walkway, waiting for his mother just outside of the white picket fence around the Keimei household. He held Sora in his arms, listening to his little brother snore in a light slumber. All the adventure of the day had exhausted him.
Finally, his mother turned and started walking down the path to them. Without a word the three of them started heading back towards their house on foot. Well, Sora didn't actually walk, but that wasn't the point.
Sora stayed asleep until they got home, but the second they had entered the door his eyes had opened and he was a little bundle of energy again, wanting his older brother to play with him. Ayame hadn't said much, she just laughed and went into the kitchen.
"See Venny? I can make things with this," Sora said happily as he mushed small pieces of red and white play-doh. He played with the pieces for a moment before frowning and saying, "Ewww it's pink now. Why'd it turn pink Venny?"
"Because that's what the colors red and white make," he answered as he sat on the floor beside his brother. The little bit of armor he usually wore had been tossed aside in his room along with his traveling clothes, and now he looked very bit of a normal islander with his cream-colored t-shirt and his black shorts.
"Why?"
"It just does. Kind of like red and yellow make orange or blue and yellow make green."
"Wow, you're smart Venny. I wish I was smart too, but I'm not. Kids at school call me a dummy."
"You're not dumb Sora," Ventus said with a frown.
Sora snorted as he started wrapping another piece of red play-doh around a piece of white. He happily manipulated the putty, humming a merry tune to himself. Ventus didn't say anything else, but instead leaned back and relaxed, enjoying the quietness of the moment.
"Venny?"
He looked over again, at his smiling brother and glanced down as Sora pointed to what he had made. After a moment he said, "Are those people?"
"Yup," Sora said happily as he pointed to the faces he had made. "That's me and the one with grey is Riku."
Ventus chuckled at this before asking, "Who are they then?" He was pointing to four blobs and assumed what Sora was trying to make. The first had red hair and purple eyes, the next had yellow hair and purple eyes, another one had green hair and red eyes and the last had yellow hair and blue eyes.
Sora picked up the one made of green, red and white and said, "She's suppose' to have black hair n' brown eyes, but I don't have those colors. Well I had brown, but I needed it for me. She's Mi—Midi. Yeah, Midi." He set it down quickly and picked up the yellow and purple blob. "This one is Nami. Right now she has brown eyes but they'll be purple someday." He put that one down too. "She's Kairi."
Ventus raised an eyebrow at the tiny blush on his brother's face and he asked, "Who's Kairi?"
"She not my friend yet, but she will be," Sora said and sat that play-doh head down. He stared at the last one oddly, as if not sure why he actually made it.
"Who is it?" Ventus asked after a moment of waiting.
"I dunno," Sora said, his eyes studying it. "Me?"
"But you're here."
"But that's me too."
"When you get older?"
Sora seemed to contemplate this before shaking his head. "No, that's the other me that lives inside of me. I'm going to call him Roxas."
Shock flashed through Ventus's body at the little boy's words. He wasn't the only one either. Their mother had come into the room with some snacks in her arms and froze when she heard what her youngest son said.
Ventus knew for a fact that no one had ever told Sora about Roxas. Hell, most people didn't even know that Roxas ever existed.
"How did you know that name?" Ventus asked after a moment.
Sora just shrugged and went back to squishing play-doh onto the hardwood floor. Ayame was thankful that she didn't have carpeting for that reason alone. Suddenly though, Sora's head shot around and he stared at the window. His eyes never wavered, and even though he couldn't see out of the window, he knew something was there.
Ventus watched his brother for a moment before getting up and looking out the window. A chill of fear went up his spine when he saw a dark figure, something that seemed to bend in ways that would normally be impossible, vanish in the distance.
He looked around at his mother, who was now holding Sora tightly, having too seen the creature vanish. Neither of them said a word but they both knew what had just happened.
As much as Ventus wanted to deny it, he knew there was no way around the truth. He had little doubt now that Xehanort knew who the Keyblade Master was and now he knew where the Keyblade Master lived.
"It's going to take me away like it took Roxas away," Sora said seriously. It was hard to take his tiny, childish voice serious at the best of time, but neither Ayame nor Ventus could ignore what he said.
"What do we do?" Ayame asked her eldest son.
"Stay put," he answered after a moment. "We have home-turf advantage. If they come and actually try something, we'll be ready for them. I promise."
VVVVVVVVVVV
Author's Note
Sorry for the long wait, but I've literally been spending 13 hours a day at school. It's horrible and I'm about ready to drop, I'm that tired. At least the semester's almost over, but then I'm moving, and then there's work practicum, and then graduation. I love run-on sentences. And I'm officially in university for next year too so it should be fun!
On the bonus side, when I get free time updates will be faster? Why? I finished writing this. I just have to edit it (which won't be to the extent I edited my other two, and I missed some typos there!).
So thank you for the reviews! I know this story may seem tedious, so I really really appreciate it.
Kingdom hearts birth by sleep – lol thank you. I'm not as confident with this story, so hearing that people like it really brightens my day.
DAN88 – Don't worry bout being a minor, it'll all go by fast (disgusting fast really).
Chasingfireflies – So sue me, I have a habit of giggling at everything. Actually, you and your future ferret better not sue me, I need my money for uni. No, I have a dedication to getting my projects actually done and if I stay at school I'll actually work on it, where as if I'm home I'll get distracted by things like reviews. LMAO the way my mother makes herself feel better about the bad effects in the original star wars is that the Emperor pretty much destroyed all technology so that's what they have to work with. My Sora is cute, and your Sora IS an ass.
Catharsis25 – You were the only one who mentioned being freaked out, but little kids can be creepy at the best of times. They make the creepiest horror movies.
Iaveina – LMAO that part freaks catharsis25 out and it makes you go 'awww cute'. Yes markers and glue. Although spending 13 hours in a classroom can make your head do funny things without anything like that. A girl at one of the other computers freaked out when she hit her chip bag and it made a noise. It was funny actually.
Trainalf – I have no doubt that they're OOC, but like you said, that game isn't out so I can do what I want.
So I better go now, gotta go to school for a little while longer. And I promise once I get some free time that updates will come faster.
Krystal Lily Potter