Disclaimer: I own nothing written about in this story.

Pursuit

Minor-Pairing note: I ask that my readers please be patient with this chapter, as I am giving some minor-pairings a small window here. However, this should be the only chapter where this happens. I feel this was necessary, because otherwise the epilogue wouldn't make much sense.

Chapter Eleven – of Sorrow

One foot after the other. Terra repeated that phrase over and over in his head with a mounting urgency as he staggered through the foliage. The filtered daylight above was waning, giving way to an almost eerie darkness amid towering trees and looming vines. Aqua's agonized howling wove through the jungle like that of a vengeful banshee's shrieking straight out of a nightmare. Once again he had to convince himself that it was not his unconscious mind presenting him with such tragedies and horrors. Eraq had been taken, and Aqua's cries were real. He thus made every effort to hasten his stride even though his legs ached terribly and his lungs felt like they were ablaze in his chest.

A moment later and her wailing ceased abruptly, causing him to push through the thick brush all the more urgently. He spotted her upon reaching the clearing with the gorillas and slowed his pace, relieved to see she wasn't in any danger. She was facing him, though her head was bowed and her back was hunched forward as she clutched at her stomach miserably. After noting that the same female gorilla from before was sitting nearby, no doubt attempting to console the woman, Terra approached cautiously, not wanting to startle either of them.

After getting a bit closer he could clearly understand why Aqua had stopped crying out. Her whole body shuddered and the sound of her violent retching made him wince. Was a mother's grief so much worse than that of a father's? Or was he simply more positive about the matter? He had every confidence that they'd find both Eraq and Ven. It was just a matter of time really. He just had to somehow make her believe that as well.

Aqua still hadn't noticed him as he stepped closer, but she was suddenly distracted by Kala as the female gorilla nudged her and gently cooed at her, no doubt once again trying to console the despairing woman.

Terra cocked his head curiously, noting how his wife seemed stunned or awestruck as she stared at Kala, as if she could understand what the animal was trying to convey.

The blue haired Keybearer shook out of her daze when she finally heard his footfalls, turning up to regard him with a worn and far off gaze. "Hey," he started softly, his wheezing breath barely allowing him to speak, though his mind wasn't doing a very good job with words either. 'Are you alright?' certainly wasn't going to work. And 'What's wrong?' would be downright ignorant to ask. What wasn't wrong at this point? Still, he had to say something. "How are you holding up?"

"I feel like I'm dying, Terra." She gave him a withered look, though it was not bitter, just lost, and empty. "I feel like- Like some important organ was just ripped out of me."

Terra felt his chest tighten with an anguished pang. Was it really that bad? Was her body really turning on her to such an extent in response to the grief? He made it a point not to regard the soiled bush in front of her. He certainly felt confused and helpless at the moment but his body wasn't rejecting his existence, not yet anyway. "Hey, I told you, we'll get him back." He knelt down and carefully tucked her shoulder length blue tresses behind her ears in case she had another bout of nausea. "Besides, Ven and Angelo are with him. He'll be fine."

Terra tried not to cringe visibly as he remembered the state his blond friend was in before leaping headlong into that black abyss. Both he and the dog had been tagged by bloody splotches, though things had happened in such a blur that he couldn't tell if they were simply covered in superficial scrapes or if the injuries were actually serious. He thought it better not to mention that bit of information. Aqua was upset enough and she didn't need to hear anymore bad news.

Even though Ven was a Keyblade Master now, they both still worried about him. Old habits were hard to stamp out completely and Terra was beginning to feel rather guilty for not considering Ven's exhausted state sooner. Though he felt a little better knowing that whatever world they ended up in, Ven would be able to heal himself if he had to.

"But that's just it!" Aqua snapped suddenly, her blue eyes flaring with despair and frustration. "Not only is Eraq gone but we've lost Ven again too!" She sighed then, the fight leaving her as swiftly as she had summoned it. "And even though he has his armor and glider, Eraq doesn't, and Ven won't leave him, not even for a minute. You know he won't."

Terra sighed as well, feeling defeated in so many ways. It was true, without a ship or armor for Eraq they were stuck on whatever world they landed in until someone found them. And who knows how long that would take... The more he thought about it the more things really did seem bleak. "I'm sorry Aqua," he said through a ragged breath. His lungs had finally recovered from his marathon through the jungle but now his emotions were bubbling up to his throat. "This- this is all my fault. If I could go back and change things-"

"I know exactly who's to blame for this," Aqua snapped, her tone dangerous and low and chipped with ice. "I would know her darkness anywhere."

Terra was silent for a moment and studied his wife carefully. Revenge was not an expression he was used to seeing on her features. Her mouth was pulled up into a fierce scowl, and her eyes, her normally loving, bright, sky blue eyes, were bitter and... Dark.

He hesitated for an instant, but reached out a hand to her shoulder. He had to calm her down, for he knew too well that path leading to destruction. "Aqua, we'll find them-"

"Stop trying to fix me, Terra." Aqua bristled and shrugged off his hand. "This isn't something you can fix. I need to feel these things, and I need to work through them."

"It's not that easy and you know it," he countered with more severity than he intended. Taking a deep, calming breath, he tried to tamp down the pang in his heart from her words and softened his own voice. "Let me help you."

He could see the memory of their ironic role reversal pass over her eyes like an unwelcome shadow. Her reluctance suddenly abated and she nodded agreement with a downward countenance. Though any reply she would have made was promptly cut off as a clamor drew their attention to the treeline behind them.

Zack and Rinoa emerged from the dark underbrush, both of them out of breath and looking around wildly until they spotted the two keybearers. "What's with all the screaming?"

The cockpit was quiet. Eerily quiet. Even the faint sounds of clothes rustling and buckles clicking were muffled as the foursome settled into their seats with heavy hearts.

Terra lingered in the ship's corridor as he watched his remaining companions find their seats. Rinoa and Zack had grown very silent after the situation had been explained. Perhaps they were still trying to wrap their minds around the tragedy, or maybe they just didn't know how to offer any comfort yet.

Not that Aqua was accepting it anyway. He guessed that Rinoa sensed that somehow as well, knowing that any comfort offered would instantly be rejected.

Terra wouldn't let that stop him from trying though. He couldn't, not when the woman he loved so fiercely was in such raw agony right in front of him. She was taking this loss as badly as he had anticipated and he knew the only way they would ever get through such a trial was to share the pain somehow. Honestly, he wished he could bear the brunt of it all, but ironically knew that the opposite was true with that vacant, lost look in his wife's eyes.

Aqua had just fastened her safety belt with a swift efficiency when Terra stepped to her side and met her empty gaze. "We'll find them," he said and leaned down to place a reassuring kiss to her forehead only to have her shift away from the gesture.

"Let's just go," she murmured, her foggy eyes aimed out the window away from him.

Terra could only sigh in defeat, his expression creased with worry. He suspected her mental state would either plummet continuously or eventually level out. He knew when to take a hint though, and the signals she was giving him now was to back off, but that didn't mean he was about to stop in his attempts to comfort her.

He felt like his legs were full of lead as he moved to the pilot's seat, his gaze taking in Rinoa and Zack and noting their own downward gazes. "I mean it guys," he told them earnestly and caught a miserable glance from both of them. "We will find them."

If it was the last thing he did.

Terra landed the ship on one of the large landing bays of Cid's enormous hanger and glanced around at his companions. The atmosphere of the cockpit hadn't changed much in the hours following their takeoff from the previous world.

Rinoa and Zack were slowly unlatching their belts almost solemnly as Terra stood and watched as the two passed Aqua in her seat, neither saying a word but both of them touched a comforting hand to her shoulder as they went. The blue haired woman merely turned to their gestures with a flicker of appreciation but said nothing and turned her eyes briefly up to meet Terra's, only to shift away almost instantly.

He sighed for the umpteenth time in the past few hours. Was that annoyance or anger in her expression? He couldn't decipher it, and she wasn't exactly giving off very clear signals. "Come on. We should tell the other masters what's happened."

"We shouldn't be wasting time here," she finally snapped, the blue fire in her eyes darting at him suddenly. "We should be out there, looking for them."

Terra blinked at her for a dumb moment. Did she really think that was a better idea than asking for help? Now he knew for sure she wasn't thinking clearly. The Aqua he knew would always choose the most efficient, intelligent option and not the hasty, radical one.

And that fierce, angry look she had him pinned with suddenly made a new realization dawn in his mind. She blamed him. She did. But it didn't effect him like he thought it should have. She had every right to blame this mess on him because it was his fault and he knew it.

They were alone in the cockpit now, Rinoa and Zack making themselves scarce promptly after Aqua's outburst. A long series of moments must have passed by, but Terra could only match her pointed stare with his own drawn and wounded one. "Forget it, let's just hurry up with this and get back out there," she said with a frustrated sigh and stood up beside him.

Aqua's miserable expression softened in that instant, giving him the jolt of resolve to confront the matter. "I know you have every right to hate me," he started and grasped her left hand in his right and gave a little tug to gain her full attention. "But that just isn't in you." His darker shade of blue pinned her own lighter ones. "You aren't capable of hate."

"Terra," Aqua breathed out miserably. "I don't hate you at all."

"Then why do I feel like you do?"

That was it. The last straw. He could see a fresh gleam flash in her eyes, her face contorted terribly and he watched painfully as the walls she had built up over the past hours crumbled in a matter of seconds. New tears carved their way down her cheeks while the sobs once again wracked her body and she finally reached out for him in her grief.

As she curled her fists into the fabric of his shirt, Terra in turn enveloped her shoulders with both arms, oddly relieved that she was now willing to accept some comfort. An important step that he knew was required in order to move forward if they intended to accomplish their goal of finding the wayward trio in the end.

"He'll be okay," Terra soothed into the crown of her head, closing his arms around her more firmly. "Ven will take care of him. He'll be okay," he repeated, as if the words were a magical chant that would somehow become reality.

"That's what I want to believe. But somehow, I just can't."

"You're his mom," Terra told her with a sincere smile as he pulled back from his embrace and placed both hands firmly on her shoulders. "If anyone should keep believing, it's you."

"I must be a horrible mother then." She sniffed stubbornly and turned away as she appeared to will her tears to stop.

"That's not what I meant." He moved one hand to bring her chin up so she would meet his concerned gaze. "Something else is bothering you." It wasn't a question but it might as well have been.

"I think," she started but hesitated, biting her lower lip as she dropped her gaze before trying again with a hitched breath. "I think I'm pregnant."

For the second time in his life, Terra absorbed those words with surprise. This time, however, he was at a loss as to how to react. "That's..." Any words his jumbled mind could throw at him were lost somewhere between his brain and his mouth. On one hand he felt like he should be happy about the news, but on the other, the timing was simply just too inappropriate. He dropped his hands from her shoulders slowly and looked away as well, suddenly feeling like she would resent his touch. "That... Complicates things."

"Yeah," Aqua bit out with something between a sob and a bitter laugh. Taking his withdraw the wrong way, she stepped back and hugged herself, her expression turning hard and angry as a lone tear slid down her face. "We're already," she said between a wretched sob, "replacing him."

"No," Terra ground out firmly, his eyes suddenly resolute as they shot up to pin hers. "Never." He advanced on her in one long stride and pulled her to him in a tight, desperate embrace. He was not about to allow her to entertain such thoughts, not now, not ever. "Aqua, we'll find him. We'll find him and he'll be safe and sound. We'll bring him home and our new baby is going to grow up with an overprotective older brother."

His words actually instigated a warmhearted chuckle from the woman among her irregular sobbing. "Like you and Ven."

"Yeah," Terra soothed. "Like me and Ven."

Rotors whirred and gears clicked as the hatch above the landing pad clamped shut with a resounding boom. Rinoa shifted uncomfortably next to Zack as they stood together in the landing bay, some distance from the ship's doorway in order to give their friends some time alone to talk.

The tension in the air almost seemed to spark tangibly and she could sense Zack's own anxiety as he was fidgeting while making those whining noises he always made when he was unsure of what to say. The number of times he opened and closed his mouth to say something was almost comical, and under normal circumstances she may have smiled at his expense.

"Look, Rin..," he finally managed while unclasping his crossed arms in order to reach out a tentative hand to her. "I know how important Angelo is to you-"

"I'm fine, Zack," she cut in gently and offered a sad smile after noting how his hand merely hovered near her shoulder. "It's Eraq and Ven we should be worried about. Besides, Angelo is smart. She's gotten out of tight spots before. She'll be fine."

She could tell that her fake smile wasn't working on him when his frown deepened as he studied her carefully. He looked about ready to reply when his attention was suddenly drawn to a metal door that apparently led out of the hanger. A few seconds later and Rinoa could hear the muffled footsteps as well, soon followed by a deep, yet somehow familiar voice as the door slid open with a hiss. "You guys are back early. I was on patrol and seen your ship land, so I thought I'd check-"

Rinoa and Zack must have been standing in the shadows of the ship, because the man that walked in had obviously mistaken them for Terra and Aqua. That is, until he took a few steps closer, and promptly froze mid-stride, all speech dying away from his mouth as it hung open awkwardly.

Rinoa had much the same expression as she studied the stranger in turn, though oddly enough, wasn't really a stranger, regardless of the changes in his appearance compared to the foggy image of him in her memory. Naturally he was taller than she remembered, and his brown hair was longer now. And that scar, still a fresh wound when they had been separated, cut a clean line between his eyes. Those same wild, blue eyes flashed with realization as he finally fought off the shock and cautiously stepped closer, as though he were afraid she'd disappear if he spooked her.

"S-S-" she tried in vain to say his name, but her mouth refused to perform its desired function, much like the rest of her body, paralyzed in its place. Zack was fidgeting again, but she couldn't spare him a glance and could only focus on the brunette some paces away.

The newcomer's steps halted abruptly as he came within a couple feet of her and face to face, both of them still unable to speak. Rinoa could feel her heart pounding fiercely in her chest. She was either going to start crying or laughing hysterically from the amount of emotions running rampant in her mind. What she really wanted to do was throw her arms around him and start screaming unintelligibly. But the instant his hands came to rest on her shoulders, as if to stabilize her existence, he was suddenly shoved away, and she could only blink dumbly at the revelation.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Zack growled indignantly, forcing his way between them and gave the newcomer a sharp look. "Hands off pal."

Once again, Rinoa could only gawk wordlessly, though her eyes were instead drawn to her overprotective and self-appointed guardian. She could only assume that Zack had translated her lack of movement and speech as a sign of fear. Then, to her horror, she switched back to the other man as he scowled deeply and silently brought a cold brand of steel to bear, only for the blade to meet with a ringing clang when the familiar obstruction of a Buster Sword blocked the threat.

"Well hello to you, too!" Zack sneered from around his weapon and shoved back with a parry, prepared to carry out a counterattack when Rin yanked at one of his arms. She had finally fought off her shock-induced paralysis and came to stand between them, immediately halting all hostilities.

"Stop it, both of you!" she shouted at them. "Zack, this is Squall." She turned to the brunette, her expression softening extensively. "Squall, this is Zack. He's a friend."

"Huh? You mean this is-?" Zack promptly dropped his blade, noting as his opponent's weapon fell away as well in response to the female interception. "Oh." He sheathed his sword behind his back and scratched at his neck awkwardly. "Eh, I'm just gonna, be over there, somewhere..." He shuffled away, meeting the other man's gaze briefly with a sheepish grin before he made his exit. "Nice weapon by the way."

The brunette simply raised a curious brow at Zack's sudden retreat and set his Gunblade to its resting place before turning back to Rinoa with an odd expression. "I haven't heard anyone call me by that name in a long time." When she tipped her head in question, he added, "I go by Leon now."

Before she could even respond with a snarky comment she was distracted by one of his gloved hands reaching up, as if he wanted to touch her face. She noted how his hand was trembling slightly, hovering there, only inches away as if he were suddenly afraid to initiate contact. She wanted badly to just ease into his touch, but he started speaking again and she found herself entranced by the intensity in his voice and the pain in his eyes. "I don't understand. I thought you died that day."

Rinoa's expression saddened then, her gaze dropping away for an instant as she hugged her torso in hopes of stabilizing a sudden rush of heartache. "A man called Auron saved me. He took me to Olympus and taught me how to survive on my own."

"Olympus?" Leon snapped suddenly, causing the woman before him to flinch as he once again grasped her by the shoulders, the physical barrier broken. "But I was there, competing in the games! Where were you?" His eyes were wild and frenzied, as though he were frustrated with himself.

"I- I always steered clear of the arena." She looked up at him apologetically, noting absently how he was only half a head taller. "I had no idea that you'd show up there..."

"I would have looked everywhere for you!" he nearly cried, his voice wavering uncharacteristically and he seemed ready to collapse in a mix of despair and frustration but she reached out to steady him. "If I'd known you were alive-"

"I sent you a letter," Rinoa cut in matter-of-factually, hoping to turn the negative tide. "Did those fairies forget to deliver it? They said they'd seen you before, but I had to wonder..."

"I got the letter. But a part of me thought- I thought it was a prank. Those three never take anything seriously." He rolled his eyes, and Rinoa could imagine all to well how Yuna may have wagged a finger at him obnoxiously while attempting to tell him that the letter was legit. His gaze turned back to her, serious again, though it had lost the tint of anguish and now only a residual sadness remained. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

"I'm here now," she told him brightly, tipping her head cutely and offering a contented smile before finally giving in to the urge to hug him. His arms automatically shifted to envelop her in return and she could feel the strong thump of his heart when she set her head to his chest, relishing his warmth and an unmistakable sense of safety. They remained that way for awhile, both simply enjoying the silent moment; the reunion that they had both no doubt envisioned countless times.

The peaceful silence didn't last long though, as she felt a familiar mischief bubbling up in response to the way his long brown hair tickled her cheek. "So, why change your name?" It made sense to her now as to why Aqua didn't seem to recognize the name Squall. "Not that I don't like it." Rinoa pulled away enough to smile coyly at him and reached up to twine a lock of his long brown hair around her fingers. "It matches this mane you have going."

Leon offered a small grunt in response to the jab but smiled back nonetheless. "Well, actually once Radiant Garden returned to normal, I had planned on switching back to Squall, but Yuffie said that it would be really annoying since she was just getting used to calling me Leon..."

The dark haired woman perked up at that. "Yuffie's here too?"

"Of course," he told her with a rare, Leon grin. "So is Cid and Aerith, the whole gang, actually."

Rinoa would have delved into more questions about everyone but her attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps from the ship and she found herself frowning deeply. At the sight of Terra and Aqua's withered, tormented state, she suddenly felt a wash of guilt by how distracted she had gotten. "Oh no," she breathed out and dropped her gaze to the floor in shame as her grip on his shirt tightened. "How could I forget so easily?"

"Forget what?" Leon wondered, eyes averted to the two keybearers as well.

Rinoa couldn't bring herself to look at him, instead choosing to clamp her eyes shut as recent events flashed to the fore of her mind. "There's been a terrible accident."

Zack cursed his short attention span. He wanted to stick around and make sure Rin was safe, but he just got so bored standing a ways off, just awkwardly watching her reunion with her "man". He wanted to give them their privacy too though, and the guy seemed capable enough. Somewhat trigger happy, but it was for the right reason, so Zack was ok with that.

The swordsman sighed as he walked along, hands folded behind his head and eyes aimed at the clear blue sky above. He had managed to navigate himself out of the hanger and wandered into a pleasant courtyard with flowerbeds and benches round about and a single water fountain at its center. The place was definitely pretty, but his mind swiveled back to Rinoa, his forehead creased in concentration. "Maybe its time I handed her off. I mean, she sure seems happy with the guy," he spoke softly to the sky, as if he were consulting an old friend, though he was merely contemplating out loud.

"Quick, catch him!" So engrossed in his musing, he was caught completely off guard by the sudden assault clawing its way up his person before everything went dark.

"What the-?" Zack yelped into what felt like thick, fluffy fur and whatever the creature was, it had its claws digging into his scalp. Startled, off balance and completely weirded out, he howled and fell backward, landing on his rump with a thud. Before he could utter another word though, the creature yowled and scrambled off his head, finally giving him a chance to see its lithe form and whipping tail. "A cat?" He placed a tentative hand to his offended head, watching quizzically as the animal scampered off. Seriously, did all cats hate his guts or something?

"Oh no, are you alright?" a melodious woman's voice called down to him. "Honestly, I think that cat is turning wild."

With the feline's assault to his head promptly forgotten, Zack gawked up at the woman, hoping to absorb her every detail. Her shining emerald eyes drew him in instantly, while her beautiful face and gentle expression was framed by thick, brown bangs. She was dressed in two shades of pink and her entire appearance left him in awe, in fact, he could have sworn that he had caught a glimpse of a pair of wings behind her. "An angel?"

"Not quite. I'm Aerith." She bent forward, hands on her knees as she tipped her head curiously. "I don't think I've seen you here before, are you new at the Academy?"

"Oh, I'm Zack," he replied with a sheepish smile. "Yep, I'm brand new here."

A few silent seconds passed as she returned a pleasant smile before frowning at something on the ground where he sat. "You're sitting on them..." She gestured at the flowerbed he had unceremoniously landed in, where he was surrounded by countless brilliant, yellow blossoms.

"Huh?" Looking down, Zack cringed at the damage he had wrought. To be honest, he had no special reservation towards the colorful flora, but he didn't want to offend the angel- er, Aerith. "Oh shoot, sorry about that." He stood up as carefully as possible so as not to crush more of the delicate plants.

"It's alright, don't worry about it."

"No, no..." he drawled mischievously. "I'll make up for this somehow." He took a few steps away, hand to chin in concentration before turning to her and snapping his fingers. "Aha, how about one date?"

"Huh?" Aerith blinked at him for a moment before turning away with a bashful smile and a chirp of amusement. "What are you saying? Don't be silly."

"Aww, I knew it." Humming in frustration, Zack threw both hands behind his head again and paced a bit. "You've already got a guy, am I right?"

With her hands clasped behind her back, Aerith seemed to contemplate the question for a bit, staring up at the sky. "Hm, no."

"Really?" Zack gaped at her, not really caring that he probably looked like a love-struck idiot. How could this beautiful angel not have a guy in her life already? It just didn't make any sense to him, but he wasn't about to argue with fate. Not when it was going in his favor, anyway.

He must have been zoned out for awhile, because the pink clad woman was studying him closely now, or rather, studying the huge sword at his back, to his great disappointment. "Zack, that weapon, it looks really familiar."

"Hm? Oh this? My mentor gave it to me after he saved me when my world was destroyed." The raven haired man grinned and hefted the huge blade for her to see. "I couldn't even lift it when he first gave it to me, so it spent a few years collecting dust. A shame, since it would've come in handy with my fight against Terra way back when."

The woman's green eyes sparked suddenly and she once again tipped her head curiously. "You know Terra?"

"Of course! It was Terra and Aqua that brought me here..." He felt a sudden stab of guilt in his gut at the mention of them. It had been a brief lapse, but he had definitely forgotten about the current crisis. "We uh, came to get help. Eraq and Ven fell into a dark portal and we don't know what world they ended up in."

"Oh no!" Aerith gasped and covered her mouth with both hands in horror. "That's terrible! Come on, we have to gather the council!"

"Woah!" Zack yelped as Aerith grabbed one of his arms and yanked him along with her. "R-right." He wasn't exactly sure why he was needed for such a task, but he was happy to lop along at her bidding. He felt like he would do just about anything in order to stay in her radiant presence a little longer.

Aqua wasn't sure how long she had been crying, but it must have been quite a while with how damp the front of Terra's haori was. This was why she hadn't wanted to confide in him in the first place, knowing that it would inevitably lead to an emotional collapse for her. Admitting her pregnancy aloud to him was almost like admitting it to herself, as if she hadn't really believed it until the words spilled out of her own mouth. She suddenly realized just how vulnerable and unbalanced she felt and allowed herself to be comforted by the fortress Terra's arms provided.

She knew that the crying was a stage in the grieving process, but she had to keep reminding herself that Eraq and Ven were just lost, and what was lost could be found again. She also had to remember that her hormones were most likely to blame for her heightened sense of anguish, but regardless of the reasons, in her mind it was just time wasted that could have been used searching for Eraq and Ven.

But no more. She made a silent vow to herself right then and there, not to cry again until they found them. And they would be only happy tears, just like when she, Terra and Ven had been reunited all those years ago.

She felt Terra's warm breath on her head as he nuzzled her hair, and felt his strong, steady heartbeats against the ear she had pressed to his chest. He was waiting for her cue, giving her as much time as she needed to come to terms with the situation, and she didn't doubt that he would wait an eternity if that's what it took.

When she finally pulled away from him, her tears had dried, the sobbing abated completely. She reluctantly met his saddened, darker shade of blue with her own, numbed and glazed orbs.

"Ready?"

Aqua nodded with a determined scowl before releasing him completely, turned and marched out of the cockpit and down the corridor to the exit of the ship. Once out in the hanger, she paused, sensing movement at the nose of the ship. She assumed it was Zack and Rinoa, waiting patiently for direction, but was surprised to see Leon instead of Zack, and in close proximity of Rinoa at that.

Mildly curious, Aqua blinked at the pair as they approached, hand in hand. Was Leon the guy she had been talking about? Serious and sometimes moody Leon? It was then that she suddenly remembered Yuffie slipping up once or twice, calling the man Squall instead. Honestly though, she just couldn't bring herself to show any interest on the matter and merely acknowledged them with a nod as they drew close.

"Rinoa filled me in on the situation," Leon began after a nod of his own toward the two keybearers. "No one's been deployed for the Heartless threat yet, so we can send out as many search parties as possible after we meet to discuss the plan."

Aqua nodded curtly, not even sparing a second to respond as she turned and headed for the hanger's exit. She knew she was being short and bordering rude, but she just didn't care anymore. Enough time had been wasted already, the adopted brother she had nearly raised and the boy she had birthed was out there somewhere and they needed her. It was time to move.

She didn't need to turn and see him to know Terra was offering the pair an apologetic look before following after her. He was just going to have to get used to picking up the pieces and cleaning up after her if that's what he intended to do, because she refused to tip toe around the situation. They simply didn't have time for dilly dallying in any form. She knew all too well the odds they faced. It could very well take years to search the worlds and she by no means believed in luck. Destiny, maybe, but you didn't find destiny, it found you.

And if destiny wasn't involving itself here, then she would just have to find her boys the old fashioned way, with stubborn determination and an unyielding endeavor.

So consumed and focused on the path in front of her, Aqua was startled to a halt when she felt a gentle impact of a smaller body while slender arms wrapped about her waist in a tight hug. She looked down to see a splash of vibrant, pink hair. "Master! I just heard what happened. I'm so sorry!"

"Huh?" Aqua cautiously pulled out of the person's grip to get a better look, though she could have guessed who it was easy enough. "Claire? What are you doing here?"

Claire stepped back as well and looked up to meet Aqua's gaze with her own pale blue eyes. Her pretty young face was framed by that rose colored hair in a style not unlike her own, in fact, the girl seemed to be using Aqua as a model, as her wardrobe consisted of a white vest very similar in the making. Although as young as she was, she was already heading down a tomboy's path, with baggy gray pants equipped with large pockets and long brown boots, both sections providing a practical use in her training at the Academy.

The girl frowned up at Aqua. Even though she was only eleven, she was still just a little over a head shorter than the blue haired Keybearer. "I told you, I heard what happened with Eraq. I came to tell you that the masters are gathering in the council room as we speak."

Aqua turned from the student and continued forward, a hard, determined look returning to her normally peaceful features. She could hear Terra's footfalls halt briefly where she had stood beside Claire, but she didn't see the frown he aimed in her direction, nor did she see him turn to the girl with a murmured apology and an encouraging pat on the head.

Aqua could see only one thing now, and that was the path that led her to her boys.