I woke up in the trash and got adopted by the local trio.

I didn't mean for this to be a multichapter monster like this. OTL

TW: Throwing up/being sick

Please R&R!

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

When Vanitas had first fallen Asleep, Merlin hadn't thought much of it. When a full day turned into two he became increasingly concerned and began to investigate. He found the boy to be in some sort of stasis, which seemed to be a strangely common thing for Keyblade Wielders whose Hearts had decided Enough was Enough.

He ruffled his hair and shoved up his glasses. This simply wouldn't do.

He cautiously invited the three children over to have them speak with the comatose boy. To see if his Heart would respond to the cries of their Hearts. But it was a vain effort, and after four days he was forced to speak with Yen Sid.

"That's unlike you, Merlin, to wait this long to contact me over something so serious."

Merlin sighed, "I had no desire to alert anyone if it was unnecessary, but I see that it was foolish of me to wait. His body seems healthy enough despite its state, so it truly must be an issue of the Heart or Mind. I cannot discern which, and his Dreams are far out of reach. I cannot touch them if he's having any. I may very well need the assistance of The Fairy Godmother in that regard."

"Have you spoken to Even from Radiant Garden at all?"

"...Even? What for?"

Yen Sid sighed with a shake of his head,

"Merlin. Even created the Replicas. If the body Vanitas now resides is truly a Replica, then Even must be made aware of his reappearance and wellbeing. He, and perhaps Naminé if she is willing, can get to the bottom of his ailment. We also cannot have Ventus falling into Slumber again because of this either."

The man had made his points clear.

There was a strangely high amount of risk with Vanitas Asleep like this. He may not have had many positive connections, but his primary one- Ventus, was in the most danger if this continued. Merlin had given his blessings for the boy to be informed of the situation, and now the Wizard found himself Magically transporting his ward to Radiant Garden.

It was a short enough trip, and he poofed into the main computer room. Ansem the Wise, Even, and Ienzo were prepared to meet him. Even stepped forward and motioned with his hand to the empty cot, "If you would please place Vanitas there, we will do some preliminary scans that may or may not take some time."

Merlin nodded and gently set the boy down with a slow wave of his wand, "Why the difference in possibilities?"

Even clicked his tongue in distaste, "If he is indeed using one of my Replica bodies, it shouldn't take all that long since their base data is present in the systems here. However, if he has gained for himself his own body, it will take time to extract information and data from him."

Merlin nodded, "I see. It may, perhaps, be uncharacteristic of me, but I shall stay here either way. He is my responsibility, and I took too long to act in his favor."

Ansem observed the boy, perturbed at his resemblance to Sora and shook his head as he began the initiation process, "I know that feeling quite well, Merlin. Fear not, we will find answers for his ailment, one way or another."

Merlin nodded and moved across the floor to stare out into the vast hall of energy cores. He crossed his arms and gripped them, feeling that he had failed once again in some manner.

After Even and Ienzo had ensured Vanitas was stable and ready, Ienzo left to fetch Naminé while the two older men worked. Time passed, and Merlin felt as if he were aging by years as he stood there with impatience in his gut. It felt like forever had passed when Ienzo finally returned with a nervous Naminé, a serious Aqua and Terra, and a concerned but curious Ventus, "I'm back, Master."

Ansem nodded silently while Even typed away on the keyboard. Lines of data appeared on the screen in a continuous fashion that was almost dizzying. Even was displeased as he slapped the edge of the console, "I don't understand! This is most certainly my work, yet it is as though someone or something interfered with it! These readings are all off!"

Naminé cautiously approached the cot, careful to not be within the scanner's line of sight as it continued to copy Vanitas's data. Ventus moved partway across the room near her before Terra reached out and held him in place. Ventus looked back at his friend pleadingly, but Terra shook his head in the negative and Ventus slumped with a small sigh before turning his gaze back to Vanitas sadly.

It was true that Vanitas had Hurt them. Had gleefully joined in the ranks of those who had tried to bring an end to the Worlds… But Ventus wanted Vanitas to have a chance. To be his own person with his own choices, free of Xehanort's influence.

He'd felt things occasionally the past couple of weeks. Moments of anxiety when Vanitas must have been feeling the emotion intensely. He'd begun to Dream odd Dreams, strange shadowy snippets of short lived Memories that stayed out of his grasp.

Ventus didn't know enough about his Other or what it meant for him to be affected by Vanitas's emotions, but he wanted to have the chance to talk to him and get to know him. To understand what was happening.

Naminé turned to Ventus, "...Do you feel anything, Ven?"

Ventus shook his head, "No." He placed a hand on his chest, "I just feel me, and no one else."

Naminé nodded morosely before turning back to Vanitas. She really didn't want to have to take a look into his Heart or Memories. She wasn't really sure if she even could… But she'd been able to trace and reach out to Terra's Will that had been left over in his armor… so maybe… maybe she could reach Vanitas.

He was just so full of Darkness that it frightened her.

She placed a hand on her chest to ground herself in preparation. Ienzo brought a chair over to her along with a sketchbook and colored pencils, "Is this alright?"

Naminé nodded, "Yes. Thank you, Ienzo."

He nodded as she sat down and settled the pad and utensils on her lap.

Aqua looked to Ienzo, "What is she going to do?"

Ienzo shifted his attention to the Master, "Well. Naminé has a very special ability that may be of help to us. She can connect to those who are connected to Sora… and well. Somehow, considering his appearance, Vanitas may have enough of a connection for her to trace." He glanced back at the nervous girl, "She draws the things she sees in the chains of people's Memories. So… Maybe we'll be able to find the source of Vanitas's ailment like this."

Aqua nodded while Terra simply watched with his arms crossed.

Somehow, Terra knew of and understood Naminé's ability. He may have been deep within himself because of Xehanort, but the small part of his Will, and the small vague remnants of Xemnas- they held just enough information for him to know that what Ienzo said was true.

They could trust her. For Ventus's sake, if nothing else.

Naminé steadied her breathing and closed her eyes. She reached out into the dark, trying to feel anything from Vanitas's Heart.

There was cold, and it was just so lonely. There were sharp things and soft slimy things. But somehow, everything Hurt! She could barely comprehend the level of pain she could sense from him, a constant gnawing thing that ate away at the mind and body as he was forced to continue onwards.

She shifted her attention, trying to get away from that pain.

Something chimed as her foot met something, like glass sliding on a surface. She was standing on something, but it was completely covered in the deepest black that made her eyes hurt as it blended into everything around her.

A spider's thread, a very tiny thin one just barely gleamed in the distance. She stared at it, not even entirely sure if she was actually seeing it… but it shifted just slightly, and it caught a light she couldn't see.

Cautiously she moved towards that spider thread. One foot carefully dragged across the unseen surface, one after another.

She did not want to discover the edge the hard way.

Finally she was close to it, too tiny and frail to grasp as she examined it. It had seemed white from far away, but up close it was a brilliant red.

She raised her hand towards it and hovered just over the thread to trace it and gasped as the void around her changed to a full scenery as sounds, voices, and cold wet surrounded her.

Naminé was trapped in place, clearly a mere spectator in whatever this phenomenon was.

She was behind glass, it was night. No one was around save for a single blurred shadow on the sidewalk that seemed to be staring at its reflection in the window.

Does anyone even miss me?

Her Heart ached.

She knew that voice to the depths of her bones.

S-!

Of course they miss you, idiot.

It's me they'd never miss.

She felt as if she were doused in cold water as she gasped and took a step back, breaking the connection to the Memory and colliding with a body.

Naminé screamed and turned, only to have her shoulder harshly grabbed by Vanitas, the stained glass of his healing Heart now visible beneath them as it glowed dimly, "Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing in my Heart!?"

She shrunk into herself, tears gathering into her eyes as she felt Vanitas's rage. She inhaled, "I'm trying to help!"

Vanitas's grey eyes bore into hers. Drinking her in as he tried to place her appearance. He was angry, but the fact his Heart had responded to an outside threat was a relief. It meant he wasn't so far into Sleep that he couldn't be Awoken, or need the Power of Waking.

"Tch." Vanitas released her and sharply turned his head to the side, breaking his eye contact with her, "Help me? By invading my Memories?"

Naminé swallowed as she gripped her clasped hands and held them tight to her chest, "No! I just. I was trying to find out why you've been Asleep for several days!"

Vanitas's eyes widened for a moment before he seemed to relax. He relented to her case, "Days?"

Naminé shrugged, "I wasn't exactly given the specifics, but it was long enough for Merlin to bring you to Radiant Garden to be examined."

Vanitas made an agitated face before sighing and shoving his hands into his pockets. He looked outwards towards the abyss behind her, "Examined?"

Naminé nodded, "Ansem, Even, and Ienzo are trying to figure out what's going on with your body. Why you fell Asleep." She pursed her lips as she gazed down at the mending glass beneath her feet. "...Ventus and his friends are here, too, since they're afraid your Sleep might affect him."

Vanitas tsk'd in disgust before rolling his eyes, "Of course. Gotta protect little Venty wenty from harm."

Naminé frowned at him, "That's what friends do."

Vanitas looked at her in boredom, "So I hear." He paused and inquired, "You saw something."

Naminé grimaced, "I thought… I thought I heard Sora's voice."

Vanitas was silent for a long moment, "...You might be right."

She blinked as she looked up to him, "...You think?"

Vanitas made an unreadable face. Was it longing or disgruntled affection? She couldn't tell because of how strange it was on him.

"I think my connection to Ventus got hijacked, and is now going in a different direction." Vanitas seemed to grow tired and exhausted as he spoke, "And yet, I keep seeing these- Memories!" He was now frustrated! "Flashes of people, of places I don't know! Dreams of just swirling Darkness and voices as we speak amongst ourselves in a tongue I no longer know!" He grabbed his hair harshly as he pressed the heels of his hands into his skull to ward off a headache with clenched teeth and eyes, "I just don't get it! I want it to stop!"

He sounded so desperate, that Naminé moved without thinking and gently caressed his face with tears in her eyes.

Vanitas froze as he looked down at her in frenzied fear.

She could feel the tangled knot that was as large as a softball that held his Memories.

Naminé hesitated, she wanted to just act, but something was wrong here. She couldn't just do as she pleased.

She spoke weakly, "Do you want me to help?"

Tears were gathering in his eyes as they stayed wide open in fear, "Help? With what?" A manic gleam was entering his voice and eyes, "I'm going crazy here! I'm seeing Memories that might be mine, and connecting through Dreams to-!" He gasped and pulled away from her, harshly scrubbing his eyes on his sleeve before grinding out a command, "Leave."

Naminé gasped as she suddenly sat up straight in her chair, dropping her pencils and sketchbook as her shaking hands flew to her mouth. She could feel trails of tears, old and new as they made their paths. Her stomach churned viciously from the abrupt departure back into her own mind.

Ienzo rushed to her side, "Naminé! What happened?"

Ventus moved to her other side to carefully pick up the pencils and paper she'd dropped. He watched her as she made a distressed noise.

Naminé felt nauseous. She'd never felt sick like this before! She just didn't know what to do, or what to even say! She just wanted to run somewhere in panic and hide, to try and make this horrible feeling stop-!

Aqua acted quickly, grabbing the nearest wastebasket before she grasped Ienzo by the shoulder and pulled him back. He yelped in surprise, but was cut off as Aqua deftly placed the bin in Naminé's lap just as she gagged and threw up. Ventus jumped back, and Aqua steadied the girl and the bin as she coughed and cried in confusion.

Ventus clung to the art supplies, a grimace on his face as he looked away from her to Vanitas. 'What did you do? What happened?' He just had so many questions about everything.

Aqua was rubbing Naminé's back as she cried softly. The nausea slowly bled away from her, but now she was just embarrassed and ashamed for becoming sick like that, yet, the Master reassured her, "It's alright Naminé. That happens sometimes when we feel too much, or are sick with the flu. It happens."

Naminé hiccupped as she gingerly wiped her eyes with her wrist. She felt disgusting and needed a moment to clean up. Gently Aqua coaxed her to stand and looked back to the others, "I'll take care of her for now."

Ienzo nodded and moved across the room, "Let me show you the way, please."

Aqua nodded gratefully and together they left the room.

Terra watched in silence. There wasn't much of anything he could do for the present situation and couldn't help but feel useless.

Ansem pursed his lips, "Even." His fellow scientist shifted his focus from the computer before him to his leader, "I think we should pull up Sora's data."

Even sputtered, "But Master Ansem! There's no reason why-"

Ansem looked at his apprentice sharply, "I have copies of Sora and Ventus's data stored here. There are lines of code that I recognize. I did not spend the better part of a year trying to get that boy's Heart and Powers back together to not be able to recognize it."

Even grimaced before turning back to the computer. He deftly pulled up the data for the two Wielders in new windows and prompted the computer to cross reference these new sources. Ventus frowned at the screen as he set down the sketchbook and pencils.

A pop sounded, "...Maybe I should try?"

Terra flinched as Ventus snapped his head to the side. "Chirithy!"

Even and Ansem also turned their gaze to the odd creature as they rubbed the back of their head, flustered. Merlin frowned as he asked, "What are you, little one?"

Chirithy shifted slightly and raised their hand in greeting to the Wizard, "I'm Chirithy!" They placed their paw on their chest, "I'm Ven's personal Guide! Or well, I was." They slumped slightly before straightening up again, "But that's not exactly my purpose anymore- not really. I'm just happy to be by his side." They swayed in place with a smile in their eyes.

Merlin moved a little closer to the creature, "You believe you can help?"

Chirithy hummed and crossed their arms, "We~ll, I could try to help. I'm a Dream Eater! I can peek into Dreams, and I can also look into a Wielder's Memory! Mind you, it's only supposed to be the Wielder I'm bound to, but all things considered, I think Vanitas sort of counts." They sighed, "There's not a whole lot else I can do that I used to. I lost a lot of my powers when Ven was split!"

Ven blinked, "Wait, you can look into my Memories?!" There was so much he didn't know about himself!

Chirithy waffled for a moment, curling into themselves slightly before sighing in exasperation, "Well, if we're talking about the Memories you lost… I know about those. No need for peeking when I was by your side! But…" Chirithy turned to look up at their Wielder sadly, "Even before we met, there weren't a whole lot of Memories for me to see to get to know you! You kinda just showed up one day, and your Heart resonated with me, so I came to you and gave you your first Keyblade."

Ventus was surprised, it felt like he'd learned so much despite knowing it was next to nothing.

But it was more than he'd ever recalled about himself, before coming into Master Eraqus's care. His voice was hoarse, "Chirithy… where did we meet?"

Chirithy withdrew and clutched their paws to their chest, "Ven…" They turned slightly, "I don't want to hurt you. Your Memories of your past- they're locked up tight. So much so, that to try and prod at them can cause you great harm! It's why…" They sighed as they turned back to Ventus, "It's why I was alright with waiting in The Final World until you came to your own end. To simply wait until you passed through so that we could go to the other side together."

Ventus wanted to cry. He felt his eyes burn and his throat close up, but he swallowed and pushed the tears away, "Chirithy… I would have hated that! You must have been so lonely!"

Chirithy bowed their head, "I made it my duty to watch over the Hearts that stayed in that place until they moved on. It was… it was nice. Being able to care for other Hearts as they slowly became at peace with their deaths." They looked up to Ventus, "I'm sorry Ven. Sora didn't think you'd like it either, and that's why he brought me back! And now I'm so glad he did, even though it cost him so much!" They turned towards Vanitas, "I may not have much power left at all, but… if it'll protect you, I'll do it. I know Sora wouldn't give up on Vanitas either."

Ventus sniffled with a nod, "Yeah. He would've done what he could."

Chirithy took a deep breath before exhaling softly. They looked at the others before looking up to Ansem, "I'll need to lay on Vanitas's chest to connect with him. Is that alright?"

Ansem hummed as he brought a hand to his chin in thought. "Even?"

Even grumbled, "Whatever! You all can just do as you please!"

Ansem smirked at the man's abrasive frustration, but he knew it came from a place of concern.

Chirithy raised their arms, and Ventus obliged the little cat-like creature and set it down on the cot next to Vanitas. Gingerly the Dream Eater placed himself on Vanitas's chest in a way that would have seemed like an adorable cuddle if it weren't for the fact that they knew they would be doing something the others couldn't quite grasp. "Hey Ven?"

"Hm?"

"Can you keep your hand on my back?"

Ventus blinked, "Sure, but why?" He settled his palm on his Dream Eater, and Chirithy smiled to themself.

"Because it might help me connect to Vanitas, and well. He's a Heart of Pure Darkness. I don't wanna be influenced by that and turn into a Nightmare."

Ventus shivered, "Got it." He had a feeling of foreboding.

Chirithy closed their eyes and was silent for a long time.

Aqua returned with Naminé and Ienzo not too long afterwards. Terra filled her in while Ansem gently informed Naminé and Ienzo.

The humming of machines took over the silence, and eventually Chirithy gasped and sprung up as he startled Ventus with his abrupt movement. Chirithy hopped into Ventus's arms as Vanitas groaned and opened bleary eyes and shielded them. "Augh fuck! Why is there so much light!?"

Ansem choked and moved the scanner so that it was no longer directed at the teen. Even shook his head, "Such vulgarity."

Vanitas scowled, "Who asked yo-" He froze as his eyes widened. He looked back and forth wildly as he took everything around him in and shrunk into himself before asking in a near strangled and hysteric whisper, "Where the fuck am I?"

Ventus rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, Radiant Garden?"

Vanitas stared at Ventus with an unreadable expression as he seemed to be trying to keep his anxiety in check before he sprung off the cot in the opposite direction towards Merlin and promptly fell flat on his face.

He garbled an aggravated yell, "Why won't my body move!?"

Merlin sighed softly as he made his way over to the boy and let the Flood that had been hidden within the folds of his robes go to his side, "You've been Asleep for seven days. That's not exactly good for the body, so you're just a little weak from the lack of movement, food, and water."

Vanitas's vision was filled with black specks as his Flood cozied up to him and nuzzled his face. He was disgruntled as he sat back on his legs and pulled the Flood into his lap before resting his head on the stupid thing.

You sleep. We worry.

Right. Of course.

Merlin lightly patted Vanitas on the head, "What happened? Olette told me you were spooked pretty badly when I sent you on that errand."

Vanitas did not want to make a show in front of Ventus and his friends, but he'd already done a spectacular job of embarrassing himself, so why even bother? He sighed gustily, "I met Isa the other d-week?"

Merlin nodded, and after a glance up to him Vanitas continued as he looked inward to explain, "I noticed a man with long pink hair, a white button up shirt, black vest and boots, and magenta pants passively staring at me. I left. I thought I felt his gaze again when I last went out, but it was malevolent."

Even frowned in thought while Ienzo placed his hand on his chin and inquired, "While I can't say for sure based on the clothing description… The only person that comes to mind with long pink hair is Marluxia."

Even closed his eyes, "Yes, my thoughts exactly. So perhaps he also became recompleted?"

Ienzo tilted his head, "Still, we can't make use of the Dark Corridors anymore, and most of us either cannot access our same powers as Nobodies, or our strength has been greatly diminished."

Chirithy piped up, "I saw his Memory." They all turned to them as Vanitas was carefully brought back to his feet by the Old Wizard. "They were someone I recognized from the past."

Ventus's eyes widened as he froze, "He's someone I knew?"

Chirithy bowed their head while Vanitas stared passively at the creature, "...Yes."

Ventus frowned as the Dream Eater hesitated to elaborate. Ventus prodded gently, "...Chirithy. I know you wanna protect me, and maybe even Vanitas a little, but if we don't know for sure what happened before… How can we protect ourselves here and now?"

That clinched it for them, but still. Chirithy didn't want to hurt their Wielder and bemoaned, "Because it might unravel everything! You might end up remembering, or only remember pieces and be confused and Hurt all over again! You never had the chance…" They slumped, "Nothing was resolved. I'm not even exactly sure what happened after you fell Asleep…"

Ventus frowned as Aqua observed Chirithy, "What do you mean by that, Chirithy?"

Chirithy was silent for a long moment before Vanitas cautiously spoke, "Ventus was my jailer."

Chirithy popped up as all eyes fell on Vanitas. He couldn't even feel anxious as he held his Flood tightly to his chest, "I told you. I am Darkness. I wasn't being philosophical or flowery with my words. I meant that literally. I was, and am a sentient part of the Darkness." He lowered his gaze to the floor to keep his nerve, "Really, it'd be better for everyone if I were gone. Having a body… it does no one, let alone me, any good." He'd forgotten his original purpose and intent completely.

Merlin huffed, "Well, unfortunately for you, I'm committed to ensuring you have a life beyond your original purpose."

Vanitas scoffed as he glanced back at him, "Even if it was something I devised myself? That I manipulated my way into? I've done heinous things in the past."

Merlin folded his arms and snootily shrugged, "I won't take back our discussions, young man. You might've missed the whole part about humanity of being born as a baby and having a childhood, but I believe it's worth it for you to be able to live from now on and grow."

Vanitas fought with that internally as he returned his gaze to Ventus, "I came from you- not because you yourself had some sort of polarized personality disorder of good and evil. You literally were a Heart of Pure Light, strong enough to trap a piece of sentient Darkness that had planned to take for themselves vessels for a purpose I no longer remember. I was thwarted by your purity, but if any of the others made it, I don't know. I wasn't the first to try, and those others before me were also trapped by Strong Hearts of Light."

Aqua clenched her firsts as Terra finally shifted to speak, "How do you know all of this Vanitas? Did you remember something Ven doesn't?"

Vanitas clenched his teeth and swallowed, "I didn't want my Memories to be freed." He glanced at Naminé for a split second before continuing, "But Ventus's stupid Dream Eater went around and rummaged through my Memories. They saw the weird Dreams I've been having." He looked away, "That Union Leader has all the right in the world to seek my destruction."

Ventus felt his world go grey, "...Union Leader?" He felt weak as something in him slowly came undone.

Chirithy panicked, "Ven, don't! Don't think about it!"

But it was too late.

Suddenly a door opened in his mind as chains shattered and fell away. Naminé gasped as she felt the shift happen and Ventus's arms became loose as they released Chirithy. They caught themselves when they landed with an unsteady hop and frantically looked up at their Wielder as Ventus swayed on his feet. His eyes slowly fell shut, and Aqua barely had time to catch him before he fell Asleep.

Vanitas scoffed, "Of course, always running from your problems. Always talking big but falling prey to weakness." He turned his back to his brother, "What an idiot."

Aqua glared at Vanitas, "Don't you dare talk about him like that!"

Vanitas glanced back at her tiredly, "I'll talk about him however I like, Master."

Merlin frowned, "Vanitas."

Vanitas sighed as he turned his attention to Merlin. "How much do you know about the Keyblade War? The Wielders who were made to participate in that atrocity as you would all deem it. I can't even tell you how or why Xehanort decided the x-blade legacy came from that era, and how to bring about its existence. How much do any of you know about where Keyblade Wielders came from?"

Merlin took a short step back as he felt his confidence waver. He knew Yen Sid had charged King Mickey with researching such things in Scala ad Caelum, but the mouse King was slow to give reports, as he sometimes preferred to give it all at once instead of in increments. Even from the Garden of Avalon, for all that he could see from that high tower, he was not omnipotent. He was still just one mortal, no matter how long lived he could be. Some knowledge was beyond him.

"I will claim ignorance on the matter, Vanitas. I know I am lacking when it comes to such things."

Vanitas was disappointed, but not enraged. Admitting to not having knowledge was far wiser than pretending you knew and spouting nonsense, he could respect that.

Vanitas turned to address Chirithy when Ventus's eyes fluttered open. He gathered himself from his slumped standing position in Aqua's hold and grasped his chest as he bit his lower lip while keeping his focus on the floor. Aqua shifted and hovered by his side, "Ven… are you alright?"

The truth was Ventus wasn't alright. He couldn't make heads or tales of some of the Memories that had awoken at Vanitas's words. But his Heart ached. He abruptly missed his friends and was crushed with the realization that he may never see a single one of them again. That maybe, even if there was at least one, that he could never be friends with him again after the events that had happened in the past.

He took in a short shuddered breath as tears rolled down his face, "I don't understand…" He looked at Vanitas pleadingly for answers, "How did I end up here..?"

Vanitas shrugged, "Don't know. You were Asleep whenever… this happened." He had motioned with his arms at that last part, to signify the World or perhaps the era they found themselves in. Neither really knew.

Ventus bowed his head, "I wish there was someone I could ask. It's so hard to remember!" He clenched his eyes and balled his fists, "It had started snowing, and we were on the bridge!" He covered his face and breathed out shakily, "We'd thought about playing in the snow before his Chirithy summoned us-"

Terra frowned, "Chirithy? What are you talking about Ven, this one here?"

Chirithy nervously minded their paws, "No! There- There were many Chirithy! Every Keyblade Wielder had one! It was Br-" It stopped and pulled back into itself before relenting. It truly would cause Ventus more harm than good now that he'd suddenly begun to remember, "They were Brain's Chirithy. They were the one to fetch Ven and Skuld, from what I remember."

Ventus gasped as he straightened, "That's right! There was Ephemer, Skuld, Brain, and… Lauriam. He wasn't around much because he was searching for…" He trailed off and withdrew again.

Chirithy sighed with a slump, "...Ven, it wasn't your fault."

Ventus clenched his teeth and eyes as he swallowed. Aqua was fed up, "Chirithy, what are you talking about? You're all speaking in fragments!"

Vanitas sighed gustily, "See, that's the problem with remembering. It's not always clear cut and easily digestible."

Merlin cleared his throat, "Still. None of this explains your cautious anxiety. You say you recognized the man who caused you to collapse. Is it this Lauriam fellow?" Vanitas nodded as the Wizard continued, "Then it seems you will have to have an escort to go around town. I won't have you attacked by some random man just because of remnant grudges from Memories you can't clearly recall."

Vanitas scowled, "I don't deserve to be protected, Merlin."

Ansem cut in, "And many of us here don't deserve much either, Vanitas." Vanitas turned to the man as Ansem clasped his hands behind his back and stood straight in confession, "I hurt Naminé and Roxas. I allowed terrible experiments to happen within these very walls. Experiments on the Heart in search of clues for one's Memory. People died here, Vanitas. We willingly partook in human experimentation. We can't exactly turn you away and give you up as a lost cause when we ourselves have done perhaps more than you ever have."

Vanitas swallowed thickly as Aqua, Terra, and Ventus became unsettled by Ansem the Wise's confession. Even and Ienzo made no defense for themselves, and Naminé could only bow her head sadly. She took a quiet breath, "Vanitas… even I've done some pretty terrible things. I didn't give Xion any hope when she was absorbing Roxas's powers. I manipulated Roxas to become one with Sora to help restore him. Their sacrifices weren't in vain, and we're together again… but I still led them to their deaths. I messed up and manipulated Sora's Memories, and caused almost everyone who'd ever known or loved him to forget all about him." She clenched her hands in front of her, "We might be trying to atone for what we've done, but we can't do that if we pretend what happened in the past never did. That we aren't responsible for the actions we took at that time." She looked at him with courage in her gaze, "It's up to you to decide what you want to do with yourself. How you want to live your life… but we aren't free of our own guilt either."

Vanitas stared at them in wonder. Why were they trying to justify his existence!? Why should they care!? He bowed his head and stared at his Flood.

His own evil was paltry.

Vanitas felt tired. An emotional exhaustion that he didn't know how to handle as he deadpanned, "Take me back to Twilight Town, Merlin."

He had a lot to figure out, and an ancient Keyblade Wielder to avoid.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Isa was having a pleasant afternoon, sitting outdoors at Le Grand Bistro when he gained an uninvited guest in the middle of his reading. "Saix." Isa looked over to the man who had slid into the seat across from him.

"My name is Isa, Marluxia."

The man nodded, "My apologies. My name is Lauriam."

Isa sighed internally as he marked his page and set down his book, adjusting in his seat to face the man as he clasped his hands on the table, "And what might I be able to do for you, Lauriam. I can't help but find it rude that you simply invited yourself to a seat."

Lauriam had the vaguest smile before his face fell flat, "Have you seen or heard anything about Elre- Larxene?"

Isa found the mix-up curious, but settled back into his seat, "No. I haven't seen or heard any news of her, why do you ask?"

Lauriam frowned as he shifted his gaze away from Isa, "After I became recomplete once again… I found myself trapped on a new World. I spent the better part of a year in the World of Corona, retraining myself so that I might traverse Worlds once again in search of her. We both managed to make it here despite not knowing if we would ever meet anyone we ever knew again." He looked at Isa as something flashed outside of the blue haired man's view. Lauriam set his Keyblade, Divine Rose, onto the table, "I need help."

Isa felt shocked. He couldn't help but feel unsettled as he unconsciously went to reach for it as if bewitched, as though he could check its authenticity before clenching it and pulling his hand back to his side. "I see." He looked Lauriam over, "So you are a Keyblade Wielder."

Lauriam sighed, "I and many others, long long ago."

Isa furrowed his brows, "In the past?" He abruptly straightened as he recalled Xehanort's reasoning for bringing the traitors back into his fold and lowly inquired, "The Keyblade War?"

Lauriam was silent for a moment, staring at his Keyblade before he dismissed it and looked Isa in the eyes, "Yes. Myself, Elrena, and Ventus."

"We are all from the now ancient past."