Jessica's Point of View
The Land of Departure isn't the Land of Departure anymore. It's a new place. I think Aqua might have done something to this place. The castle is green, gold, and brown. This is not the place I grew up in. It's now someplace else. It should have a new name. Perhaps I will think of one.
My thoughts turned back to my situation with my parents. I knew they didn't want me. They made that obvious when they let Master Xehanort take me away so easily. They didn't even protest. But then... Why is there this strong pain in my heart? Why? I decided to go inside.
The inside of the castle was completely white, except for a golden-brown door. I walked up to it. "Jessica" I heard Master Eraqus' voice whisper softly inside my head. "Wh-who's there? Show yourself!" I demanded. I heard his voice whisper my name inside my head again, and again, and again, each time getting louder.
I've had enough of this! I closed my eyes and screamed. Suddenly, the whispers stopped. I opened my eyes. In my hands were two cards. My body started moving by itself, holding up a card to the door. The card disappears in my hand. I opened the door and closed it behind me. The door disappeared. I was back at the castle in Sunset Kingdom. There were three figures in front of me. Two of them were Mom and Dad. The final one is... "Master?!" I exclaimed, shocked to see him. Rather than turn my way, he acted like I wasn't there. I ran to him and went to tug at his robe, but my hand passed right through him. That was when I understood. This is an illusion.
King Lumaria, Queen Arlene, please. I know it would mean the world to her." Master Eraqus pleaded. Is he talking about me? Look, it's bad enough I had to play the part of Mommy. I don't care what day it is! I'm not going." Mom growled. "Arlene, it's her birthday. We should do this. If not for her, then at least for Even." Dad said. What does Mr. Even have to do with this. This is so confusing. Is this when Master Eraqus brought Mom and Dad to the Land of Departure for my bbirthday "Alright, for Even, and for Miyuu." Mom sighed. Who's Miyuu? "Alright. We'll do it. You're providing the gift?" Dad asked. "Yes." Master Eraqus answered. There was another bright light and I was back in the room I came from. "So then, they never even wanted so come for my birthday. Figures." I sigh. There's still one card left. It might only bring me more pain, but it might give me a critical piece of information. I decide to use the second card. This time the card stayed in my hand. I hold it up to the door and open the door just like I did before. Instead of closing the door, I don't bother with it. The door disappeared. I guess it will disappear whether I close it or not.
The room is completely white. In the center of the room is Master Eraqus. I assume he's just another illusion. "Jessica." He says, smiling. "M-Master?! Is it really you?!" I shriek hoping that he'll respond. Maybe it's not an illusion. Maybe he's real. "Yes, Jessica. It is me." Master Eraqus answers. "But- but you were dead! I saw you die with my own two eyes!" I exclaimed. "No. You didn't see me die. You saw me preserve myself. When Xehanort stabbed me, I knew it was a matter of seconds before I would die. I had to act fast. I became one with this land in order to regenerate." He stated. I gave him a confused look. "In other words, I temporarily made a connection between myself and the Land of Departure and faded into light to restore myself." Master Eraqus explained. "How temporary. It feels like ages since that happened. I know that it's been less than a year, but still." I sighed. "I would have already returned if it wasn't for one thing. Aqua sealed a lock on the Land of Departure, turning the Land of Departure to what you see now. The only thing I can do is stay in this room. It must stay like this until the Land of Departure is restored and for that, Aqua would need to restore it. Do you know where she is by any chance?" Master Eraqus wondered. Tears started to pour out of my eyes.
"Aqua, Terra, and Ventus aren't available right now." I sobbed. "What do you mean? Tell me, what has happened." Master Eraqus urged. I did my best to get my crying under control. "Aqua, Terra, and Ventus had a big battle with Xehanort. Afterwards, Ven fell asleep and Master Yen Sid said that he might not wake up. Terra was missing, so Aqua left to find him. Because there was no one who could take care of me, Mickey took me to stay with some friends of his in Radiant Gardens. That night, something didn't feel quite right. I looked out my window and saw what was a merge of Terra and Xehanort. Aqua and this... Terranort as I sometimes like to think of him as, fought. In the end Aqua won and Terra almost drowned in a pool of darkness, but then Aqua... Then Aqua jumped in the darkness to save Terranort. In the end, she succeeded in saving Terra, but not in saving herself. I don't know what happened to her. The next morning, one of the apprentices to Mr. Ansme, the man who took me in, found Terranort and brought him to the castle in Radiant Gardens, the place I was staying in. Mr. Ansem took in Terranort. I guess he said that his name was Xehanort because that's what they told me. He also claims to have amnesia. I'm still looking in on that. Master Yen Sid asked me to be keeping tabs on him. I've been doing just that ever since." I explained. Master Eraqus didn't speak for a long time. He just stood there and stared.
When he finally did speak, this is what he said. "So... Terra, Aqua, and Ventus are currently gone?" I nodded. "And you've been with strangers ever since?" I nodded again. What happened next surprised me. He hugged me. "Jessica, I'm so so sorry. I wish I wasn't forced to leave you like this." His embrace was warm. I never realized just how much I missed it. I started to cry. "I missed you so much. Please, let me stay here. I'll do anything, just let me stay here." I begged. Master Eraqus. Master Eraqus let me go. "Jessica, you can't stay here. We both know you can't. I can't provide for you here. You said that there are people who are taking care of you in Radiant Gardens. You should go there." He sighed. I considered telling him what Mr. Even said, but decided against it. I didn't want him to worry. "Okay." I sobbed. Master Eraqus wiped the tears from my face. "You can't live here, but you can still visit me anytime with that card. Although, you are the only one who is able to see, feel, or hear me." He smiled. "Why is that?" I asked. "I'll tell you when you're older." He chuckled.
When I went outside, Mickey was there. "Jessica, I'm so glad I found you!" Mickey exclaimed. Uh oh. I know what's coming next. He's going to ask me to come back. "Please come back with me Jessica." He pleaded. Told you so. When I didn't make a move, he reached for my hand, but I took a step back. "I don't want to go back." I said. "Please Jess. I'll tell you what. You come back and listen to the explanation that Mr. Even and Mr. Ansem have, and I'll buy you some ice cream." Mickey bribed. "You actually think bribery will work?" I laughed. Then I thought about his offer. Eternal Friendship ice cream is really good. "Well maybe it'll work, just a little." I admitted.
All readers will either love, hate, or be like "What the heck was sailorsenshi13 thinking?" with the next chapter. The questions you have about Ansem and his apprentices and their connection to Jessica will be answered.