The eerie land outside of the castle had faded away to a worn dirt path in the middle of a vast field. The group had been quiet, walking at a steady clip, mostly keeping to themselves. Riku and Kairi made sure that Sora and Ventus stayed separate.

Sora suddenly squinted, then said "Hey, is that...?"

Two figures were seen in the distance, one tall and lanky, the other short. Ventus gently pushed past Kairi and Riku, looking shocked. His face broke into a smile. Goofy and Donald stopped, and were about to note Ven's presence before Riku and Kairi quickly shook their heads. "Later!" Kairi mouthed.

They blinked slowly, then smiled "Well, you all sure seem different."

"You're alive. You're safe." Ventus sobbed breathlessly. Kairi gently goaded him to a bush "You can catch up later, I promise, okay?" He nodded.

Goofy and Donald broke out into smiling faces as everyone else walked over to gather themselves back up.

"Where've ya been?!"

"We missed you!"

Sora, Kairi, and Riku nodded and smiled, noting the Goofy had a broken arm in a sling and Donald had several feathers signed off. "You guys okay?" Sora asked.

Donald shrugged "We had to take on Maleficent to get the Princesses of Heart to safety, but we could be worse. Say, Sora, are you guys okay?"

Sora winced, then glared at the ground. "Fine."

Riku sighed "Well they already had a few... Scuffles, to put it lightly, with that Ansem guy." Riku's voice changed a little when he mentioned Ansem "But we're pretty okay."

"Not dad." Kairi said softly. She started hugging herself.

Goofy thought a moment, then asked her cautiously "Now, speaking of His Majesty, where is he?"

Kairi shook her head "The Realm of Darkness..."

"But what's he doing there?!" Donald demanded.

Kairi didn't say, deciding to sit down on the packed earth. While that was going on, Riku explained "We had to seal away Kingdom Hearts. It was his choice to stay behind." Donald and Goofy both sank with the realization, but then Goofy said "Well, the Highwind isn't too far off from here, we can go back to Disney Castle and gather ourselves there."

"But why didn't you do that in the first place?" Sora asked, much to everyone's surprise. "I mean, you both look like you got pretty hurt."

Donald shrugged "We had to find you guys. You're out here in the middle of nowhere." Sora then changed the conversation "By the way, we found some guy in a cloak. Had a deep voice, talked about some Organization. You got a clue?"

Goofy then held his chin in thought "Well, no, but I bet he isn't a lot of good news. I dunno. Never really heard of any 'Organization' before, how about you, Donald?"

The duck shrugged. Goofy then turned back around "You know, let's just head back. We'll bother ourselves with this later, we just need to settle down. A lot has happened in a short amount of time, and I think if we get a nice rest things will get better."

Everyone agreed, and soon they were on their way back to Disney Castle. Goofy and Donald said they'd take the rear, only Riku and Kairi hearing the excited whispers of an old friendship being revived.

...

Sora and company were greeted by Queen Minnie and Daisy the moment they stepped off of the Gummi ship. Sora curtly said hello before walking off, leaving everyone behind for his own ventures. Then Minnie noticed Ventus, flanked by Donald and Goofy, and she stopped in mid-sentence, her mouth a small 'o'.

Ventus weakly smiled, and bowed. His voice was softer than a breeze "Hello, your majesty."

Minnie's shock melded into joy, and she said "I'm so glad to see you're safe, Ventus. Wait until I tell Mickey-"

"Mom," Kairi began softly "Dad's... Dad's not gonna be back for awhile..." She looked tearful, and obviously had trouble saying the words.

Minnie shrugged lightly "I can always send a letter-"

"He's... Mom, he's in the Realm of Darkness..."

Minnie blinked, then her face fell into a soft expression of loss. She folded her hands in front of her, saying "Well... I'm sure he'll find a way out." Tears were just barely beginning to show.

Ventus then knelt down and gently took one of Minnie's hands in his "Of course he will. He's Mickey."

Minnie smiled and nodded "Of course he will."

Ventus nodded, then began undoing his armor with a small sigh "Don't think I'll need this any longer..."

He stopped when the pauldron on his left shoulder came undone, and he stared at his reflection in the metal. Nostalgia washed over his thoughts, memories of friends and battles and moments now long gone running through his mind. He felt a sincere longing for a life he left behind, with just him, Terra, and Aqua still training, still blissfully unaware of what fate had in store for them. When was the last time he had seen any of them? He wanted to see everyone so bad he wouldn't care if Eraqus still wanted to destroy him, just as long as he knew if he was forgiven. He wouldn't care if Terra was consumed by darkness, he would just tackle him and weep for the fact he was still okay. He wouldn't care how cross Aqua would be with him just as long as she could run her hands through his hair and tell him everything was alright and the whole thing was just a nightmare-

"Hey, are you okay?" He felt Riku place a hand on his shoulder, and he blinked. His vision focused, revealing small droplets on the tarnished metal. He wiped at his eyes, sighing "Yeah... I'm fine..."

He tried smiling, but he just couldn't, so he said "You know, I'll just take the rest off later." He let them lead him away, as his hands clenched around the memories of a life he didn't want to forget.

Goofy then said louder than the rest of the talk "Oh I can't wait to show ya around, Ventus-"

Sora, who had almost left the hangar, froze. He turned around, his eyes widening at the sight of Ventus. Goofy shrank a little "Oh gawrsh... I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?"

Riku jogged up to him "Sora, I know-"

"You lied to me?" Sora hissed, his eyes narrow. Riku shifted lightly "I-it was for-"

Sora shoved him, screeching "I DON'T CARE WHAT IT WAS FOR! YOU LIED TO ME!" he sobbed a little, then resumed "After all these years you lied to me!" As Sora continued, Riku's gaze went hollower and hollower, sadder and sadder.

There was a clang of discarded metal "Leave him alone."

Sora stopped yelling at Riku to retrain his gaze on Ventus. The boy wasn't exactly glaring at Sora, but he said sternly "Isn't it me you're really mad at?"

Sora shoved Riku again "We'll settle this later." and began marching back over to Ven "Yeah, jackass has a point."

Goofy, Kairi, and Donald got in front of Ven "Now hold on! Ven's as sweet as can be!"

Sora paused, then hissed "Get out of the way."

Kairi summoned he Keyblade "No!" she then added "Goofy, this might get too dangerous for mom, could ya take her somewhere safer?" Goofy unhesitantly started guiding Queen Minnie and Daisy away. Ventus called after her "Don't worry! I'll be fine!"

Sora summoned his own Keyblade "Stand down, both of you."

"Not until you calm down." Donald said.

Ven pushed Kairi aside "Hey, I don't need you to-" Sora took opportunity and smacked Ventus straight into a wall, then rushed after and pinned him against it. "Don't even touch her." he growled, then he shook Ven "YOU HEAR ME?" Ventus nodded. Sora then started winding his fist back "So let's see? What exactly have you done?"

Ventus looked away slightly "I... I-"

"MAGNERA!" Donald and Kairi cried together. Sora tried punching Ven, but found that his fist was held back. He glared at them "Quit ganging up on me, that's not fair."

Kairi shook her head "Says the hypocrite! Violence only leads to more violence!" Riku recovered, then nodded "Sora, please, he's-"

"THE GUY WHO TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY, RIKU!" Sora screamed, sounding immensely betrayed and angry "YOU of all people shouldn't be taking his side!" Riku clammed up again.

Kairi looked at Sora with disbelief "How could you...? He's you friend!"

"He's taking the side of the most monstrous person I've ever met!" Sora snapped at her. Ventus lowered his head "Kairi, he's right-"

"No he isn't." Kairi said firmly "Ven, I've only known you for a short time but you aren't a monster..." Kairi trailed off as her mana dwindled to none. She glanced at Donald, who also looked at his staff as his power faded away as well. Sora grinned "Well, now let's begin the blame game, Ven."

One sickening crack as fist met jaw "You killed my parents!'

Another and a gasp of pain as a knee went right into Ven's solar plexus "Destroyed my home!"

A few more punches, lightning fast and at full power "You destroyed my WORLD!"

Sora tossed Ventus across the room with a final punch and scream "AND YOU'VE LEFT ME WITH TOO MANY SCARS I CAN'T HEAL!"

Ventus collapsed a yard or two away, gasping and curling up on himself. Sora walked over, fists balled and knuckles bloody. "And now you're still stealing everything I have left..." he sobbed "This stupid pile of shit in front of me still manages to convince everyone I'm the bad guy, when I'm really the victim..." When Ventus turned over to try and get up, Sora kicked him square in the face "ROT IN THE DEEPEST PITS OF HELL YOU MONSTER!" Ventus finally let out a howl of anguish, clutching his face and writhing lightly.

Kairi couldn't believe her eyes at how apathetic and cruel Sora could be. She continued gazing ahead, vacant, as Sora walked right past her, panting and sobbing. In all of her life, she had never seen anything more horrible, and yet, so pitiful.

Even then, the grisly event had snapped something inside of Kairi.

Donald rushed to Ventus, hurriedly trying to console and heal him up.

Riku was now sitting on the stairs to the rest of the castle, leaning against the wall with tears flowing down his face.

The Gummi Ship hangar was silent save for the sound of soft sobbing.

...

Later Ventus stepped out of a hospital wing, still recovering from his earlier one-sided beatdown from Sora.

Upon finding his clothes too small, he had received a new outfit: A long sleeved, white collared shirt was loose and comfortable against his back, pristine and buttoned to his neck. He had a set of dark slacks on, with a new set of armored shoes on his feet. He kept his black and white wristband, and his Wayfinder and Aqua's reassuringly added weight to his pocket.

Mementos, In Memoriam of the old him.

"You look great Ventus!" Kairi grinned, but it was missing something.

Riku, who was next to her, nodded "Yeah, it looks good on you." He was just as empty. He turned to Kairi, and she did the same. They both looked down uncomfortably.

Ventus smiled briefly, but then asked "Hey, where's Sora?" Riku shrugged "I dunno, he's been moping in our room..." Then his voice trailed off in worry, and he got up and left without another word.

Kairi took Ven's hand and began leading him away as well "Come on! Let's show everyone the new you."

Riku, meanwhile, knocked on their door. "Sora, you in here?" He inquired as he opened it, finding the room to be as dim as the lighting of Disney Castle would allow.

Sora was laying down on his bed, on leg crossed over the other and one hand behind his head as he stared at a small lump of cloth in his other hand. It looked white with edges of navy blue, an occasional splatter of red tainting the fabric.

Riku sat next to him in silence.

"So... come to show me how bad I am, huh?" Sora softly asked. He clenched his old shirt tighter "Show me how horrible I was to the poor monster...!"

Riku was silent. He held Sora's shoulder "I'm sorry for lying... I really am."

"Oh sure you are." Sora hissed. He then sighed "Can you just leave me alone to sort things out here?"

Riku held out his pinky finger, saying "Pinky promise you're not gonna leave me first."

Sora glared at him. Riku said sternly "I don't care if you think I'm making all the wrong choices here, just promise me that you won't leave me alone." he then added softer "And I'm really, really sorry I lied to you... I wanted to make sure you were more stable before working things out with Ven."

Sora then took his free hand out from behind his head, and locked pinkies with Riku "Of course."

...

"...Do you think Sora's really gonna ever forgive me?" Ventus asked her as he leaned on a bridge in the gardens, staring at their reflections in the bubbling water. He had just finished telling her and Queen Minnie exactly what had happened with him, his friends, his life. He felt hollow, like the past had sucked away his energy in a vortex of sorrow.

Kairi huffed "He better."

Minnie, who was sitting on the railing, gently held Ventus's hand "He will eventually. It's hard on him too."

Kairi sighed, knowing how confused Sora's heart felt at the edges of hers. Hatred and acceptance were dancing a wild battle, fighting over the dominance concerning the opinion of Ventus. Hatred had been winning for awhile now... She tried bringing it closer, but was overwhelmed again by the negativity and darkness, and had to shove it away. It was getting harder and harder to find that light within him.

She shook her concentration away, then raised her hand and directed it elsewhere. The water flowed into the air, and then morphed into a replica of Ventus. Ventus stared at it, then sank again. Kairi stubbornly tried to make him smile, and tried replicating Terra and Aqua. She had only seen them in the picture that rested on King Mickey's desk, so it was a tad more difficult.

Soon, Terra and Aqua were smiling at Ventus.

"Cheer up Ven." Kairi forced water-Aqua to speak and cup Ven's cheek. "Everything will be fine-" water-Terra got out before they both were splashed away by Ventus, who suddenly sobbed at her

"THAT DOESN'T HELP!"

Kairi was about to bring them up again before Ventus sank against the railing, crying softly "You don't know what they're like... You don't know what I've lost..."

Minnie patted his back, telling him "Kairi was only trying to make you feel better."

"I'm sorry," he began "it's just... That felt like an insult."

Kairi turned around, and stared at the sky "Sorry... Kinda hard being the only person here who can keep their sanity together. Sora's either extremely depressed or incredibly violent, Riku has barely any personality besides a caretaker, and you're an apologizing wreck-"

"I'm sorry-"

"See? There you go, doing it again." She puffed a bit of hair out of her eyes "It feels like I'm the only one here who hasn't lost her mind. Well, besides you, Daisy, and my uncles, Mom..."

"It's alright dear." Minnie sighed.

Kairi's mouth tweaked into a small smile, but she sighed "Why can't we find a life lie the sky? So perfect, unblemished and happy-"

"The sky changes." Ventus murmured "One day it's lovely, then the next it's stormy gray and raining."

Kairi bowed her head, saying "I guess you have a point."

They sat in the still sounds of the garden before Minnie left, deciding to resume her duties as ruler. Kairi quietly left shortly after, leaving Ventus alone.

Ven gently plucked a flower, and began undoing the petals while whispering "They're alive... They aren't... They're alive... They aren't..."

Changed up Sora and Ven's "scuffle" a bit. Weee fist fights :D (just FYI if I ever use :D again I probably mean it sarcastically)