Disclaimer: I wish I owned Kingdom Hearts, but unfortunately, I don't. Just this story. :P This 50 Drabble Challenge belongs to Terra ForceXIII.

A/N: I am so sorry that I'm falling behind schedule again. The last few weeks have been hectic. =_=; Won't bore you with the details, but I will say, I'm not abandoning anything I write guys. I have this thing where I have to finish everything I do otherwise I'll feel like crap. :P
Anyways! More detail/development this chapter. :) I'll get on with our couples next chapter. I miss writing Fuu and her one-liners. ;-; Oh, and I just realized how much I like Vanitas and Ventus interacting. It's so awesome (even though Vanitas wanted to kill Ventus in-game. OTL)!

Thanks for reading and reviewing guys and gals! Please enjoy and R&R!

~ Empty Tides ~

"You!" Vanitas growled, already feeling his angry raising again. "You're the bastard who took my string!"

"Took? As if. You gave it up remember?" Xigbar reminded before jumping backwards to avoid Terra's attack. He landed a distance away and grinned. "Hey, I'm just telling it as it is!"

Terra pointed at Xigbar in a serious fashion. "It's because of you Aqua's not talking to me, you ass! Get your butt back to the Realm Between before I hurl you there myself!"

"T-That's not the point, Terra!" Aqua fumed; cheeks red. She instructed Terra with a stamp of her foot. "Just go after him already!"

Xigbar laughed again, wiping a tear away for emphasis. "Aw man, you guys are good for a laugh."

This is fricken ridiculous, Vanitas gritted his teeth before crying out again, "I don't give a crap about what goes on between you three—I just want my stupid string back!"

"Well here's the painful truth, Spikes." Xigbar hummed, his face set in a steady expression as he replied. "…You're not getting it back and I doubt you will since I tied up loose ends with that string of yours already. I'm pretty sure you saw my handiwork…right?" The raven-haired teen felt the blackness surrounding him again, but before he could actually summon any Unversed, Vanitas was tackled to the ground and snapped out of his stupor.

"Wait!" Ugh, it was that blond kid again. "You can't get mad! You'll summon the Unversed again!"

"That was the fricken point!" Vanitas growled. "…Get off me."

"Ha! The Unversed sure bring back memories." Xigbar sighed and summoned a dark portal…thing as he reminisced. "Except, you know, they actually did damage to someone."

Without another word, Terra ran after Xigbar through the portal; the brunet's voice echoing, "Like hell I'm going to let you get away!"

"Terra!" Ventus cried out once the portal disappeared. He and Vanitas stood up on their feet again and the raven-haired teen heard Ventus worry. "He's…"

"It's okay." Aqua reassured, dismissing her key-weapon before tucking a lock of hair behind her right ear. "Terra will be fine. He'll come back."

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. He was irritated with how calm Aqua could be when her 'boy toy' just leaped to unknown territories. Huh—she must be really been mad at the guy… Vanitas was liking Aqua already. He crossed his arms and asked, "So what? Not even worried for that knucklehead?"

"That's not it," Aqua explained, holding a hand over her heart. She was smiling in a way that left a bad taste in Vanitas's mouth. "I don't have to worry because I know Terra will come back. He always does…"

…Scratch that—Vanitas thought she was airheaded and delirious.

"Anyways, for now, I'm going to warn you both," Aqua explained; suddenly serious. "It's mandatory for Terra and I to go after Xigbar; that's part of our job." She looked at Vanitas expectantly. "Your job is to make sure the Unversed never come out again."

- 21 -
.: Mandatory :.

~ Windy Skies ~

"Isn't that a little easier said than done?" Ventus asked nervously, Vanitas looks like one of those people who'd just get mad easily…

Aqua nodded in agreement. "Yes. I would've made something to nullify the summoning of Unversed, but unfortunately, all my magic goes to pinpointing Xigbar's location… He's a slippery one."

"Then forget it," Vanitas piped up in a mumbled whisper. Ventus saw him tightened a fist as he turned away. "I don't care anymore; I'm letting Xion go."

"But!" Ventus ran around Vanitas to stand in front of him. He pursed his lips and tightly held Vanitas's shoulders. "But what about you? That isn't fair!"

Vanitas rolled his eyes, brooding. "Life isn't fair, idiot."

He didn't know why, but the blond suddenly felt…anger bubbling inside him. Without warning, Ventus smacked the back of Vanitas's head…hard. Aqua gasped in surprise; the raven-haired teen looking more shocked than mad.

Ventus had enough! Too many people were being moody to his liking and a lot of them were giving up so easily! Ventus hated it! Placing hands on his hips, Ventus sternly annotated, "I'm sick and tired of hearing the same thing all the time! Vanitas, we don't know each other, but Sora's looking way cooler than you right now!"

"You wanna fight—?" Vanitas snarled, only for Ventus to cut him off again.

"That's why!" Ventus offered his hand with a smile. "I'm going to help you. That's what friends are for, right?"

The raven-haired male stared in shock before frowning. Darting his eyes away, Vanitas muttered, "You really are stupid. Why do you want to help me?"

"Because you remind me of someone I really care about," Ventus admitted; unsure of why he was blushing beet red. He looked at his feet and stammered. "Y-You keep to yourself…and there's this sad air around you…um…"

"…Do not tell me that 'Figbar' paired me up with this doofus for laughs." Vanitas leaned away in disgust.

Ventus's eyes widened. "What? No! I'm paired with a girl already! A girl!"

"Right."

"It's true!"

Aqua's laughter broke their argument and she smiled in amusement. Glancing at each of them, she ruffled their hair; much to the protest of the boys. "I think you get along nicely. Alright! Ventus, I'm leaving Vanitas in your care until this mayhem with Xigbar disappears."

Before Vanitas could retort, Ventus cried out, "Right! I gotcha!"

Nodding, Aqua glanced at Vanitas again and reassured, "Don't worry, Vanitas. As long as Xion and Riku don't reach the Ephemeral Shift, there's still hope to turn things around."

"…What's an 'Ephemeral Shift?'" Vanitas questioned.

"It's the final color change a thread goes through. Blue to purple to red… If your partner's thread matches your red, you're going to be together until the next life—an unbreakable bond," Aqua explained, looking up at the setting sun. "That's why…you shouldn't give up yet."

Give up… Ventus looked down at his string, Fuu's face flashing in mind, Me too…I'm not going to give up on her.