Ventus

He was weak. There wasn't nearly enough light in Sora's heart to restore him, like planned, but the good news was there wasn't much darkness either. He had been absorbing all of it. Ven was trying his absolute best to protect Sora from the monster that came from him. It was the least he could do for dragging him into the other's heart when he asked for sanctuary. How could he be so stupid?

Not that he really knew Vanitas was there at first. He did a really good job at hiding himself for a long time. Cullen figured it was because Ven shattered their hearts, Vanitas didn't have the strength to pull himself together. There wasn't enough darkness in the heart of a child to give him strength. But there was plenty of light, which helped restore Ven pretty sufficiently, even if his heart was still pretty fragile.

Now, the scale had tipped. Vanitas stood on the islet, pulling darkness into himself and fending off all attackers. There weren't many willing to help. Only a small handful were willing to put their hearts on the line to protect Sora and keep Vanitas trapped. They knew what could happen if he was released.

Ven was being dragged away as his form flickered. He wanted to fight. He needed to get in there and destroy him! After all, this was his fault. Vanitas was his problem. He wasn't going to let him get out, even if it killed him.

"Don't be a fool!" Lyrica urged, pulling him across the bridge. "At this rate, you'll burn yourself out of existence! Sora's trying to help you, but you're using all he can give fighting him!"

Ven growled, trying to pull away from the ghost that had taken refuge when Sora offered. "But he'll—"

"Shut up," she kicked his shin, causing him to stumble, making it easier for her to pull him to the door. Ven glanced over, seeing Cullen doing all he could to fight without his Keyblade. It was in Kairi's hands for now. Ven wished he could loan him Wayward Wind if neither of them were going to let him fight.

She led him into the Secret Place and shoved him to the ground. He was used to her rough nature and understood she was only acting this way because he was being difficult. Her eyes burned with fury as she punched the door that lead to the deepest parts of Sora's heart. The brunette turned to him, her eyes softening.

"Look at you, Ven…" Ven looked at his hands. He was becoming transparent. He'd used too much of his strength. Lyrica knelt in front of him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "If you don't take it easy… he'll be too strong. You need the power to have control when you get out. He's already decided you won't be alone, so don't give him the satisfaction of taking over."

"He's already… what if he decides Sora's too weak?" Ven asked. "He's seen what Sora can do. He knows his heart can waver under distress. What if he takes that moment to invade Sora?"

Lyrica laughed. "Would you want that?" The girl rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "It's crowded in here. Even if there wasn't a fight, do you want a heart that's housing all of us?"

"I… suppose not." Ven's frown deepened.

"Exactly." It was not Lyrica who spoke. The dark voice echoed through the chamber as footsteps crunched towards them. The raven-haired doppelganger leaned a hip into his fist, a smirk crossing his features as his gold eyes glanced over the two Keyblade wielders, one a ghost and the other fairly close to becoming one.

Lyrica stood up, summoning her blade to stand in front of Ventus and defend him. She and Cullen deemed themselves his protectors when Vanitas began to gain power as he lost it. They had always been closest to him during the time they spent in Sora's heart. Cullen, because he made an effort to get to know all of their "roommates" ever since he started this, and Lyrica, because of their close age and similar stories.

"Who wants a heart filled with ghosts?" Vanitas sneered, his gold eyes glinting with malice. His expression was so off-putting now. Looking at Sora for so long, all Ven could imagine was a friendly smile and a welcoming glow when he saw that face. Vanitas made a good effort to sully that image. "Now, an empty vessel. A chance to return to my former self… that's tantalizing." He reached a hand towards Ven as the blonde scrambled to his feet. "It's time to go, Ventus."

Lyrica lunged for Vanitas. Ven cried out, reaching for her. She shouldn't fight him alone! He was too powerful! The girl swung her blade as a shout from the entrance echoes. Cullen ran up behind Vanitas, sweeping his Keyblade towards the shadow's knees.

Wait. Cullen. Cullen had his Keyblade. But Kairi was holding that Keyblade! What happened to Kairi?!

Ven summoned Wayward Wind, rushing to attack when a voice chuckled above him.

"Too slow," Vanitas appeared in a swirl of shadow, his afterimage fading where Cullen and Lyrica sliced. The boy came down upon the blonde, laughing manically. Ven fell to the ground, too weak to get back up. He could see his arms flickering, the ghosts quickly turning to face Vanitas. The other grabbed Ven by the back of his scruff, pulling him up.

"We don't have time to play, Ven," Vanitas growled. "Our window is closing. And I can't leave without you."

Ven could only glare at him. His energy had long since faded; battle-worn from the moment he entered this heart. He pulled as much as he could from what was offered, unable to gather what he needed. And here he was. Taking what he wanted without permission. In some way, it was a good thing, Ven thought. The darkness that tainted Sora's heart was being channeled elsewhere. If only it wasn't into a being of pure darkness. A darkness that didn't even belong to Sora.

"Say goodbye," Vanitas twisted Ven to face Lyrica and Cullen. Darkness began to swirl around them, light bursting from Ven. "With any luck, you won't see them again."

Cullen and Lyrica exchanged glances. The girl's mouth was set and the man's brows furrowed with worry. They knew there wasn't much they could do. Yet, the girl ran at them, into the vortex that engulfed them and grabbed Ven's hand.

She stubbornly glared at Vanitas. "You're right," she said firmly, pulling herself close to Ven causing heat to rise to his cheeks. "He's not going alone."

Vanitas snorted. "Fine. You won't last long in our heart anyway."

Sora

The Realm of Darkness never changed. This much Sora understood. Living in it for most of his life, he felt her understood it. Yes, there were large chunks of this vast dark world missing from when they had restored the worlds by closing the door. But it was still endless. There were still creatures of darkness. There was still a looming thought of entrapment.

His whole life, he believed they would leave. But never once did the feeling of freedom ever feel real until they arrived in Traverse Town. He believed it to be something made up by the adults to help him feel better about their situation. To give him something to look forward to when they escaped. Freedom wasn't real here. And it was so suffocating.

Now that he had tasted freedom, he longed for it. Sora felt like someone was pushing up against his windpipe, forcing him to breathe stagnant air and take shallow breaths. He itched for the sun and the moon and the stars. He craved human contact besides these two, whom he still cared for deeply. It just wasn't the same. He needed more. He needed all of the friends he made. He needed Aqua. He needed DiZ. He needed Kairi.

When the bag of trail mix shared between them was gone, Sora felt like the last piece of freedom had vanished with it. There wasn't anything real to cling to besides these two and Kairi's charm. He finally understood how his friends had been driven mad in this Realm while he still held on to his sanity. They knew freedom. They knew life. He knew… this. He thought he would be okay coming back. He and Aqua knew this might happen. Now that it had, he couldn't take it.

He did well with pretending to keep himself. He needed Riku and Cloud to know things were going to be just fine. They had to know they would return to their freedom and their blue skies and their warm oceans. They needed a reminder that there was life outside of this. They needed hope. Sora knew his hope worked wonders for DiZ and Aqua, so it might help Riku and Cloud deal with their situation. If Sora acted like he usually did, he might even fool himself enough to forget about freedom.

He lost it. He let himself go and broke his façade of optimism in one fell swoop and all because of one stupid Keyblade.

When Total Eclipse appeared in his hand, he wasn't sure what to make of it at first. He didn't recall summoning a Keyblade. They didn't need it, since they were walking to their next location and the monsters were quite a distance away. He wondered if the Keyblade sensed a danger he didn't, since that tended to happen a lot. Maybe it was trying to tell him to open a door somewhere. Then, he remembered it was this one.

This was the one he loaned Kairi. It returned to him.

Stopping in his tracks, Sora simply stared at the blade. A million different thoughts and ideas where racing through his head as he tried to piece together what he could about this situation. How and why did the Keyblade return? Was Kairi okay? What was going on out there that forced Kairi to dismiss Total Eclipse?

"Riku?" Sora started in a small voice. Riku and Cloud continued walking, clearly not having heard Sora. "Riku?" Sora tried again a little louder and a lot more urgently. The silver-haired boy stopped to turn to him. Sora only stared at the blade in his hand. "It's Kairi's." he said. "It's Kairi's!"

The older boy strode up to him cautiously. Ever since he had lost control of the darkness in his heart, Sora could sense Riku's apprehension every time Sora didn't seem to act like himself. When his emotions ran high, his friend tread carefully around him while attempting to keep him grounded. "It's okay, Sora." Riku said slowly. "What happened?"

"I… I don't know," his voice rose with panic. "I don't know! It just appeared!"

"Okay," Riku rested a palm on Sora's hand that held the blade. "It's fine." He pressed, meeting Sora's gaze with his calm blue eyes. "Look, it happens all the time. She might have been in a fight and lost it. She might have just dismissed it out of habit. She's fine. She's with Aqua. Aqua will keep her safe."

"But we don't know!" Sora cried out, pulling away from Riku. "We don't know because she's in the light and we're stuck here! We have to… we have to find a way!" Sora turned frantically, perhaps hoping a door would open just with his urgency. "Right now! We need to get to her… I need to see she's safe! I need to give this back to her!" Sora wheeled on Riku, clutching his brown hair with his free hand. "She's defenseless right now! She needs this to go against Xemnas!"

"Sora!" Riku shouted, grabbing the boy by the wrists. Sora dismissed the blade, trying to pull away from Riku. "Look at me!" He continued to tug at him, panic swelling in his chest. It was so hard to breathe… "Sora, calm down! There's nothing we can do right now! Please, just listen to me!"

"She's—ugn!" Sora grunted, curling in on himself. That wasn't panic. No, the pain that seared through his chest was something else entirely. As his heart pounded again, as if it were trying to burst through his ribcage, he realized something was amiss. This was familiar, yet, different. He cried out again, falling to his knees, finally tugging his hands free to clutch at his chest.

He faintly heard Cloud and Riku calling for him, asking if he was alright. This pain… was less like a release and more like an escape. This wasn't right. Ventus wasn't ready to be on his own yet. He tried to hold the vying heart back, only to feel it rip through his chest. The sensation was so painful, he saw spots cloud his vision as the heart dumped into his palm. Gasping, he tried to keep a hold of it. He needed to bring it back into his heart. Ven needed to recover. He wasn't nearly ready enough to return to his own body just yet.

"Ven… no!" Sora grasped for the heart that rose beyond his reach. "Ven!"

The glittering heart wasn't the same heart that he released not too long ago. Darkness shrouded the glimmer of light as two small sparks circled around it. Ven wasn't alone in this escape. Who went with him? Vanitas? Something else entirely? What would become of Ven?

Sora.

Sora turned. Who called for him?

Sora!

He froze, realizing neither Riku nor Cloud called for him. There was no one with them. The three of them were alone. So who was it?

Can you hear me?

"Y-Yes…?" Sora slowly got to his feet, turning in his spot. He stopped when Riku and Cloud backed up, alarm in their eyes. They couldn't hear the voice. Maybe… maybe it was Ventus, still in his heart, calling for him to hear him. Sora relaxed for a moment. He needed to collect himself and calm down.

After a few deep breaths, he closed his eyes and listened. When he opened them, he stood on a stained glass tower and before him, stood a man clutching Total Eclipse. The relief that crossed his face put Sora at ease. But… who was he? Why was he in Sora's heart?

"Sora," the man breathed. "Finally. We meet again."

"Again…?" Sora quirked his head, confused.

He laughed. "It's been a long time. You were young when you took us in and still young when the darkness took those memories."

"Oh… uh," Sora grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's fine," the man laughed, genuinely not even bothered by Sora's disrememberance. "We can speak of that another time. For now… Ventus."

Sora stepped closer to the man. "What happened?" He could feel the panic tighten in his throat.

"Vanitas pulled him from you before he was ready." The man explained solemnly. "He was absorbing all of the darkness you took on. He was too strong for us. Ventus tried to fight him, using all of the energy he could." He shook his head, his lips tightening. "He won't be strong enough to hold Vanitas in when they return to him. Another refugee, Lyrica, hitched a ride to help protect him. There's only so much she can do…"

"What… what can I do?" Sora's voice was small, desperate. He needed to get back to the light. He needed to protect his friends. "I'm trapped here. I'm a prisoner to the darkness again and I don't know if I can even get back!"

"Sora," he put his hands firmly on Sora's shoulders. "You are stronger than you know. You are the most extraordinary person I've ever met in both life and death. Do not lose hope. You will return to the light. You will save Ventus once more. He was the first light you gave hope to and he won't be the last. Everything you touch is left a little bit better. Go forth… and protect the light."

The absolute faith this man had in him. Warmth swelled within his belly, unable to form words. He knew just the right words to put him at ease. Still, it did not help their situation. "But… how can I get to him?" he asked again. "I want to save him… I want to protect Kairi… but how? I've spent my whole life here and… the only reason we even found a door to the light was because of a message Kairi wrote me."

The other chewed his lip, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He didn't have a clue. Sora's heart sank. How could this strange man tell him this without telling him how to help Ven? He seemed to sense Sora's disappointment from the small frown that he gave.

"Ventus… he's our friend, too." He explained. "He greeted us when we arrive. We sent him off when he left. We wanted to help him in any way we could. Which is why Lyrica left the sanctuary of your heart, risking her own fragment in order to protect him. We know if anyone can save Ventus, it's you. You'll return to the light. It will be sooner than you think. Ventus can be whole and we can be at peace."

Not much of what he said made any sense. He still didn't know who this man was or who Lyrica was. From the way he was speaking, there had to be more. From the Keyblade the man in armor wore, Sora thought… maybe they were the reason he could wield more than one. Where they came from, he had no idea. But this man did not seem malicious. He warned Sora of the darkness that threatened their friend. And if Ven was friends with them, they couldn't be bad, right?

Sora chose to trust him. He nodded, "Okay," he said firmly. "Okay. We're going to leave this Realm and save Ven. And… what about you?"

The man smiled gently. "Just… listen." He said. "When it's time, I'll call upon you to ask you to fulfill your promise."

"I…. made a promise?" Sora asked, furrowing his brow. He felt terrible. He couldn't remember this promise for the life of him.

The man chuckled, ruffling his hair. "You are a kind and selfless boy, Sora. For that, we will see you to the end of your journey. We will take care of your and lend you our power. When you no longer need us, we would like to be released. To finally be at peace."

He didn't get it. But if they were going to help him, he'd be glad to assist them in whatever why he could. Sora nodded, grinning from ear to ear. When he finally came to, aware that Riku and Cloud were still careful, watching him for any sudden movements, he gave them a thumbs-up. He explained to them what happened, that Ven was in trouble. That they needed to find a way out of the darkness as soon as they could to save him from his own darkness.

The encounter with the strange man in his heart renewed his hope. If that stranger had so much faith in him, how could he let him down?

Vanitas

Waking was the strangest sensation he'd ever experienced. Being in a physical body was disorienting at best. The worst part was that it wasn't his own body. His own body was painful. Then again, it was his own fault that he had been in so much pain. It was an endless cycle that he couldn't stand and when Ventus finally destroyed his physical form, he was relieved.

He wished his existence vanished forever. It would have been much more merciful than the fate he endured.

This room was strange. He'd never seen it before. The pastel stucco walls were easy on the eyes, but the loud posters threw him for a loop. Sitting up, he could only ever remember once being in a room like this. Ven's room was loud with lights and colors and… seemed pretty cozy, if he was being honest. Being a creature wrought from darkness, sleep wasn't really a requirement, so, a bedroom wasn't something he really had.

This room was equally loud, yet, softer. It made him wince when he saw the pastel blue desk with a soft purple vase and plastic pale pink flowers. This room was horrifying. Even the television with a game system attached to it was a light green color. It was like someone drank milk and puked a rainbow.

When he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he noticed the note with Ventus's name on the side table. Picking it up, he glanced over it before he opened it to read.

Ven,

Don't freak out! If you wake up before we get back to you, I just want you to know you're safe. Kairi's parents were kind enough to let you stay here while we tried to a better, safer place for you. They are very kind people and be sure to thank them before you leave.

We can explain better if you meet us. You can stay here, with them, or meet us in Radiant Garden/Hollow Bastion (whatever they're calling it now). Kairi is sure we will be moving our base there, since that is where everyone else is from and the worlds have been restored (yay!).

In a different scrawl, a side note was written on the margin with an arrow pointing to the last remark: We did it! The worlds are back! Yay! -K There was also a little drawing of fireworks in celebration.

I'm so happy you're awake! I can't wait to tell you everything. Hope to see you soon!

Aqua

Who the hell was Kairi? And what the hell were parents?

He stood up, crumbling the note in his hand, dropping it as he made for the door. He needed to get out of this sickening room. He needed to get out of this house before the people (parents?!) found him. He wasn't about to get asked questions he didn't have the patience for and he certainly didn't want to be mistaken for his light.

As he walked briskly through the house, he searched for a door. There! Through the living room, towards the front door, as he opened it, a man in shorts and a polo, covered in dirt and sweat blocked his path. God damn it. This might have been a parent. Please, don't be a parent.

"Ven!" the man gave a pleasantly surprised smile. "You're awake! Aqua thought they would be back before you woke up. Are you okay? Hungry? Give me a minute to wash up and I'll get you something to eat."

He didn't move. He only glared at the man, willing him to step out of the way. The name sent a flare of anger coursing through him. Aqua. She was still alive. The man seemed ignorant to his mood, perhaps mistaking it for grogginess. In fact, he had never been more alert.

"Are you a parent?" he asked darkly. Maybe they were guardians of some sort, protecting his Kairi girl. Maybe he should expect a fight.

"Yes!" he grinned. "Sorry, where are my manners?" the man laughed. "I'm Kairi's father. Tarou. Now, how about some lunch?"

He didn't move from the doorway. He just wanted to leave. This man was trying to get in, that much was clear. But he wasn't about to let him get through first. He just wanted to get out and for this man to show some respect. He seemed so easily crushable. This father or parent or whatever he was was currently defenseless, save for the tiny shovel in his hand.

"Out of my way." He ordered Tarou. Tarou seemed to finally understand that he wasn't playing around. But the man moved too slowly for him. He held a hand towards the man, casting a burst of darkness that threw him away from the threshold. Stepping over the fallen man and through the front gate, he made his way through this tiny, sleepy town. Where was he? What world had those wrenches taken him to?

Walking through this place, it was familiar. Like a dream he had long ago forgotten. He'd been here before. When? The streets were alive with happy people. Some rowdy teenagers lingered outside of a shop carrying bags of sweets he'd never had the luxury of tasting (Ven's memories of them served him well enough—he began to crave the sweets Aqua liked to bake). When he finally made it to the beach that was when he recognized where he was: Destiny Island.

It was a small world. One that was peaceful and calming. He liked it here. He found himself returning to this world often when he needed to wrest control of his negativity. He never had total control, but the environment this world provided would give him the concentration he needed to calm himself. When the pain of his destroyed fledglings became too much, he would come here to endure it.

He debated staying here. For now, he had control. The Unversed weren't being created and he was in check. It was hard to have any negative feelings on this beach with the sun beating against your face and the waves lapping at your feet. But Aqua was returning. And he needed to find Xehanort. He wondered briefly if Xehanort had gained the new vessel he was hoping to acquire. He had to, right?

Sifting through the memories Ventus unwillingly loaned him, he found the answers he was looking for. Yes, Xehanort found himself a new vessel. Then proceeded to destroy it. Would the creature that remained of Xehanort even remember who he was? He would try. And if this Xemnas couldn't help him, then he would be fine on his own.

After all, he had a stable body of his own now, didn't he?

This was a super fun chapter to write! =D Vanitas is such a great character. I'm taking some stuff from the BBS novels to help develop him a bit. So much for sticking to Sora, Riku, and Kairi's perspectives. xD