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

Me: This fic's gonna use the Twilight Trio kids a lot! -smile-
Fic: LOL -sucker punches that idea into oblivion and complicates it.-

I'll get back to the Twilight Town kids, I promise. I have to. I'll disappoint myself otherwise, lol. This chapter went in a COMPLETELY different direction than I ever thought it would, along with Lauriam. He's curbing his own bloodlust as I write. -grimace-

TW: Characters suffering from emotional trauma to the point of nausea.

Please R&R!

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Vanitas honestly couldn't care about remembering the past. He was better off without those Memories.

There had been calls from Aqua, Terra, and Ventus to Merlin to speak with him, but he didn't want to deal with their curiosity. Their confusion and invasive questions.

Certainly not Ventus.

Vanitas honestly wanted to start people watching again, but knew he couldn't go alone. Especially when the urge was strongest while Hayner, Pence, and Olette were at school. Vanitas wanted to hang out with them like a normal teenager. The desire for something as unobtainable as ordinary and normal made him want to laugh bitterly and scream at the world for such a stupid want. Isa's words were true.

He hugged his Flood, and they were pleased by their Master's affection.

Find Isa?

Vanitas didn't know where the man stayed, and he wasn't keen on befriending him despite his peaceful aura.

He didn't want to shackle him with being a chaperone.

Vanitas laid out in the grass within Merlin's little World and exhaled. He stared up at the sky as he thought over the Memories he'd recovered and the Dreams, now that he was actually aware of them, where he'd spoken with Sora.

Because that was the only thing he'd allow Merlin to ask him about, especially once Naminé showed up in Merlin's abode alone by herself to speak with him, to discuss how she might be able to help.

He could begrudgingly respect her determination. To do something only she could no matter how uncomfortable it was for her. For them both.

Vanitas had decided to cooperate with the scientists in Radiant Garden due to the Data they'd extracted from his body. Sora's code had appeared haphazardly shoved into strange places, corrupting his stability. He wasn't in pain, which might be a plus to his unwitting brother's influence, but it was a primary driver for his ramped up anxiety.

Vanitas was good at bluffing, so he knew he alone had his fair share of anxiety that did not need an external push, thanks.

So Naminé would now be scheduled sessions with him. Quiet silent moments where she simply drew the things she picked up from him. At first the idea was irksome and invasive, but after he fell asleep to the soft scratching of her drawing tools, he found that it really wasn't all that bad.

Her artwork sucked though, and he got a feisty kick in the shin from the girl for his opinion on the matter.

She was with him now in this calm little World, her tools softly coloring the canvas of her sketchbook as he ruminated on his latest foray into Dreaming Sleep.

"I have a confession."

Vanitas raised an eyebrow as he watched Sora become increasingly uncomfortable as he stood before the darkened glass on the outside. It was strange to be the one 'inside,' warm and safe while the brunette was stuck outside in the cold misty rain fidgeting. "Okay?" What was he even supposed to say?

Sora's smile had a tinge of cynicism as he stilled. It was normally strange seeing a face like his own bright and happy.

Now it just looked strange for his reflection to feel just as negative as he usually felt.

"I'm scared."

"Everyone gets scared." He'd know, he fed off of fear. Even the strongest of people were afraid sometimes, "What's different about this time? You're no coward." It's why he could stomach him.

Sora's smile became a little more genuine, the light in his eyes brightening for a moment before it disappeared and he looked depressed again. "I'm lonely."

"...I guess that's understandable." He was no comforter.

Sora laughed weakly, his sadness bleeding through his pathetic chuckle, "It's not a normal kind of loneliness Vanitas. It's…" He sighed and gave up trying to be cheery, "No one notices me. I feel like I'm being watched, but… people walk through me like I'm a ghost."

Vanitas felt a chill down his spine, "You're not dead, Sora." He didn't know why he was so confident about it, but he knew it to be true.

"No, I'm not… but for some reason, wherever this is that I am… It's like I don't exist. At least this way I can talk to my reflection when you're there instead, and not look crazy to other people. But it's still lonely and scary."

Vanitas felt… sympathy. His Heart reached out to that sadness, not in hunger, but as if he could soothe it by reaching out with his feelings.

Sora slowly smiled and looked Vanitas in the eyes, as if he'd felt Vanitas reach out to him. "Thanks."

Vanitas inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling.

Naminé set down her pencil, "I can feel Sora when you sleep."

Vanitas snorted, "He's reaching out to me more these days. I've barely been alive for three weeks and I can't even dream by myself." He found he didn't actually mind though, which was annoying in its own way. But it kept away nightmares.

Naminé lightly brushed her fingers over the paper before her, "Do you want to see what I drew?"

Vanitas stared at the sky for a moment longer before pushing himself up off of his back. He winced as it hurt from how long he'd been laying there and let his Flood loose to do as they pleased.

He needed to stop falling asleep on the ground like this. It was with great concern that Ansem and Even discussed just how damaged his back was, that even though his body was new, it was simply being eviscerated by his unreleased Unversed when they tried to leave him while in distress.

The body in which his Heart now resided simply couldn't bear the strain of producing Unversed. Even his original body should not have had to suffer such constant abuse.

The torture he'd endured would follow him for the rest of his days. He'd carry that pain for the things he'd done in the past. It was simply a matter of whether or not he could learn to control his negativity so that the Unversed could settle and disperse into something that humans lived with.

That was his new goal now, to learn to pull back his desire to feed off of negativity and multiply it for the sake of having a better, longer life. He no longer needed it to be sustained.

It was perhaps something that could be seen as 'good' and a form of 'reformation,' but what it really was was selfishness. It was something he had to do for his own sake and no one else's.

There might even be a chance that if needed, he could funnel his overflow of negative emotion into the passive Flood he'd spawned that seemed more than happy to not be absorbed back into himself… but that was a contemplation for another time.

Vanitas stretched carefully before meandering over to Naminé, "Show me."

Naminé gave him a tiny smile. His personality was gruff and impersonal, yet, he found himself drawn to others like a moth to a light source. He had a cat-like personality, if she had to put it into words. Do not touch when undesired, and love when it is demanded.

He just wasn't prepared for receiving affection yet, knowing that some of what he longed for was simply a shoulder to lean against in the silence.

Quiet companionship was where he flourished, even in the loudest of surroundings.

Naminé pulled away her hand and shifted the sketchbook so that he could see the image more easily. It was a split image that resonated with him immediately. A dark blue background with speckles of white behind a tired looking Sora, and on the other was an image of himself. A red-orange background with four blobs of dark and a tiny white blob as his image seemed to be reluctantly happy.

Vanitas wanted to deny that he was slowly gaining something as positive as joy and friendship, it seemed blasphemous.

Yet, he had begun to have small moments of happiness. Of joy. Of stopping himself from becoming too overwhelmed with the desire to laugh genuinely with others, instead of his usual defensive form of painful laughter.

He couldn't help but ask, "What are the blobs?"

Naminé blinked at him before looking down at the image. She hummed, "I think they're a representation of people you have a tolerance for." She avoided using the word 'like.' That would just be too much for him, and almost too much of an assumption.

He hummed and placed a pointed finger on the white blob, "That's you, isn't it."

Naminé felt her face warm at his admission. His sensitivity to realizing her hesitant subtlety. "...Is that what you think?"

Vanitas knew her game, knew she wouldn't presume, "It is."

Naminé bowed her head slightly flustered, "Then it is so, if that's what you think."

Vanitas hummed contemplatively as he settled on the rock beside her. An exact hand width between them as he pulled his legs up onto its side while he balanced comfortably, staring out towards the horizon with his arms relaxed in his lap and over his knees. "You are a child of the Light, but it's more like the gentleness of the moon." It didn't hurt or sting to be by her side.

Naminé startled, looking to him in surprise that he would explain himself further. He was being uncharacteristically chatty as he continued, "You have a connection to the Princess."

Naminé twitched before shifting her gaze to the horizon as well, "Yes. I'm Kairi's Nobody."

"A Princess of Heart can't make a Nobody." He was so confident in his statement.

Naminé tilted her head in acquiescence as she tried to decide how to answer him, "I was born when Roxas was. When Sora stabbed himself with the Keyblade of Heart, to release Kairi's from his body. He didn't know how else to do it." They'd learned much safer ways much, much later.

But then again, she and Roxas would've never been born to eventually need to find those answers if it hadn't happened in the first place.

"So you're really Sora's Nobody."

Naminé felt her face twist in rejection, "I don't see myself that way. Riku even said I-" She paused as her cheeks warmed. She swallowed her words as she gripped her sketchpad before exhaling, "That I smell like Kairi."

Ah, now her cheeks were completely red. This was somehow... really embarrassing to say out loud!

It was silent between them for a long moment and nerves ate at her, causing her to glance at Vanitas. She did a double take at his shocked expression as he stared at her in surprise. She felt her blush reach her chest, "What!? That's what he said!"

Vanitas slapped a hand over his face, a warmth slowly coloring his cheeks as he avoided her gaze, "What a fucking idiot."

Naminé sputtered, "Don't talk about Riku like that!"

Vanitas rolled his eyes and chuckled darkly to himself, "I haven't met the Princess, but I thought normal people weren't supposed to talk about how others smell."

Naminé puffed her cheeks and pouted, curling slightly into herself as she pulled up her knees and hugged her drawing. She mumbled, "Well that's what happened."

Vanitas smirked, tucking his palm under his cheek as he adjusted his position to prop himself up, "How cute."

Naminé glared at the ground, knowing he was vaguely teasing both her and Riku. She couldn't help but feel annoyed, that a Memory that was just… slightly important to her could be made fun of by Vanitas, the jerk!

It was silent between them before he notably exhaled, "I wonder what he meant."

Naminé blinked as her annoyance bled away to piqued curiosity, "What do you mean?"

Vanitas was silent again, collecting his thoughts before a tiny bit of warmth returned to his cheeks, "It's pleasant."

Naminé frowned as she questioned him, "What's pleasant?"

"...Your scent."

Naminé blushed and turned her face away, "And you said it wasn't appropriate."

Vanitas scoffed, "I'm not normal people."

Naminé smiled slightly, realizing he was being genuine and teasing all at once. She shifted into a more stiff and proper position while raising her head in faux pride, "Well, at least you aren't comparing my appearance to someone else." It was becoming nice to not be compared to Kairi since he didn't know her well. Naminé was her own person after all.

Vanitas smirked before turning his eyes towards the horizon again, "I wonder who the other four are."

Naminé blinked, relaxing as she turned to him, "You don't know?"

Vanitas grumbled to himself before responding, "I would think Ventus was one of those- but they're all unclear. Indistinct shadows. I don't think they're Hayner, Pence, and Olette- not yet anyway. For some reason I sort of feel like…" He trailed off, turning inward as he examined himself. It shouldn't be this way, in his mind, but somehow… "Maybe one is Isa."

Naminé was surprised, "He left that much of an impression on you?"

Vanitas shrugged, "He's… neutral? The two of you are alike I guess. In your tranquility."

Naminé felt herself gape at him for a moment before pursing her lips in thought. She mulled over his words, "Well, Isa does get stronger with the moon."

Vanitas scoffed, "That's not the point. He may not have helped, but he never made things worse for me. He…" He hesitated, "He allowed Vexen to give me a Replica Body. He was there when I woke up after my Heart was hastily shoved into one." He took a few measured breaths and shifted before quietly speaking shakily, "I think they lost time doing that for me."

Xehanort never would have taken the risk in losing his lead to save him- to make his existence more comfortable. Yet, Vexen and Saix had, despite it putting back their timetable of helping the Guardians of Light.

He'd known that's what they were up to in some way, and had been more than happy to stick it to Xehanort and say nothing.

The man had never deserved him, let alone the powers of the x-blade and Kingdom Hearts.

Naminé observed him for a long moment, "I see."

They were silent after that, companionable as the soft breeze that passed through that World caressed them.

Naminé nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Vanitas lean against her, but caught herself in time when his head lolled to the side, nearly touching hers.

He'd fallen asleep next to her while sitting up. It was strange, and just a little flattering, that he had become so accustomed to her presence already to be so vulnerable.

It really shouldn't have surprised her, since he normally would've never allowed himself to fall asleep with anyone in the room before. It was progress, one she wasn't sure she should be happy with or not. Somehow, it felt wrong that he could become comfortable in her presence like this, when she was there to poke and prod into his Dreams.

His Memories.

She cautiously turned back the page to the first image she'd drawn, and there on a dark background, was a faceless girl in white.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Axel gaped at the man who had become a companion at Isa's table. "M-Marluxia!?"

Lauriam smirked disparagingly at the man, a book of his own in hand with a cool cup of tea in front of him while Isa gave his friend a bored look, "I told you about Lauriam, Lea."

Axel made a few faces while he spluttered as Roxas and Xion stood on either side of him curious. Roxas smiled, "It's nice to see you again, Marluxia." The man hadn't been around for long after he'd become aware before being sent to Castle Oblivion, but he remembered Marluxia treating him pleasantly.

Lauriam nodded in greeting, "Hello Roxas." He stared at Xion, "...And you were Number Fourteen, Xion, right?"

Xion nodded hesitantly, "I'm sorry… I don't really remember all that much about you or the others that went to Castle Oblivion." But she did know about how he'd treated Naminé. The girl had told her and Roxas both about it.

Roxas's brows furrowed, "Naminé told us about you and Larxene." Ah, he could catch her thoughts so easily.

Lauriam's face fell blank as his pleasant mood dried up. "Ah." He averted his gaze, "I see." He owed no apologies to the people before him, but the girl for certain deserved more than the treatment he'd given her. He looked to them, "I wish her well."

Roxas became annoyed while Xion felt distinctly uncomfortable. Axel sighed gustily and crossed his arms, glancing between his two half pints, "I didn't treat Naminé all that well in the Castle either- used her really. I'm not that much better than him." Even if he had gotten better. Somehow, meeting Sora had drastically changed his Nobody's behavior along with Roxas.

The two turned to him and cried simultaneously, "But Axel!"

Axel patted them on the head and ruffled their hair with a smile, "It's alright to feel defensive for the sake of your friends, but give them the chance to work themselves out, too."

Roxas grumbled while Xion nodded, "Alright."

Lauriam smiled kindly, "You three are certainly close. I'm glad."

Axel smirked and puffed up a bit in pride, "They're my best friends!"

Isa scoffed, "Yes yes, we get it, Lea."

Axel rolled his eyes before leaning slightly forward, "You know you're still number one of all of my friends, Isa."

Isa looked up to him bored, "I should hope so, with how long I've had to put up with you and your lines."

Axel pulled back, "My lines!?"

Isa smirked and tapped his temple, "Go it Memorized?"

Axel groaned and threw out his arms dramatically, "Don't go bringing that up now!"

Isa snickered, "It was a terrible way to try and keep hold of your humanity."

Axel pouted and cupped his hands behind his head, "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, why don'tya." The redhead glanced at Lauriam, and found himself surprised by the man's affectionate look as he smiled at their conversation. He lowered his arms and put his hands on his hips, "What've you been up to, Marly?"

The smile and affection died as he monotoned, "Please just call me Lauriam."

Axel clicked his tongue, "You're no fun."

"It pains me to say this, but if you must call me by a nickname, I will begrudgingly accept you calling me Laury."

Axel's eyes brightened, "Really!?"

Lauriam's eyes turned hard, "Do not push it, Axel."

Axel snickered, "Fine."

The pink haired man was silent for a moment, "So then, what should I call you? Lea, or Axel?"

Axel sniffed, "Well. I don't mind being called either, though it feels more natural for anyone who's met me as 'Axel' to call me that, than insisting on my actual name. I rather like Axel over the name Lea, anyways."

Lauriam turned to Isa in silent question as Isa clarified, "We were childhood friends. It helps to ground me in my humanity to call him Lea."

Lauriam nodded in understanding. His Nobody had had plenty of flower motifs, but being around flowers, laying in fields of them- that was something he'd done well before living in Daybreak Town. His humanity and Memories were deeply rooted in flowers of all kinds.

His (...) was the same way.

Axel shifted his head in an attempt to stretch out his neck muscles and maybe crack his neck, "So, Isa told me something interesting…"

Lauriam blinked before looking at the man. Isa glared at Axel, "Lea."

Axel was pointedly looking between his two charges, and Lauriam caught on to his hint. He couldn't help but stare at Roxas, how he looked so much like Ventus. It caused him a great number of conflicting emotions that turned his stomach. He pushed those murky feelings away- they were no good now. Not when Darkness in any of its forms could be out there somewhere.

He wondered how Brain would have dealt with the situation.

Lauriam sighed softly as he stood to his feet. Axel took a reflexive step back, while Xion and Roxas moved with him, the blond's hands itching as his Keyblades called to him in response.

Lauriam smirked as he addressed Axel, "I vaguely recall that you gained your own Keyblade, did you not?"

Axel grit his teeth and became defensive, "Yeah, why?"

Lauriam chuckled softly and called forth Divine Rose. Axel startled, a flicker of flames coming to his still untrained hand in reflex before he clenched it. He stared at it in shock while Roxas and Xion gaped in surprised wonder. Roxas looked up at the man, "You've got a Keyblade too!?"

Axel grumbled, "It's like they're just handing 'em out like candy these days."

Isa covered his mouth as he held back a snort, "Like yours?"

Axel bared his teeth, "Awe, c'mon Isa!"

Lauriam wasn't laughing though, "You aren't exactly wrong."

Axel pulled back in surprise, "Huh?!"

Lauriam sighed as he lifted his Keyblade and held the shaft in his free hand, "A long long time ago… before the first Keyblade War… yes. Keyblades were handed out like candy. To the strong of Heart. To those who wished to Protect. More Wielders than you could ever imagine."

He looked at them all, "And I was one of them."

Axel gaped, "Wh-what?! Before the first Keyblade War!? But that was- ages ago! Ancient history!"

Isa quipped, "Like you'd know much about the Keyblade Legend or its history, Lea."

Axel sputtered before crying, "So what!?"

Lauriam chuckled softly before dismissing Divine Rose and lowering his arms, "I was painfully jealous of the Keyblade Hero. I wanted his Keyblade, incapable of remembering why. I do now, now that I am recomplete. That I have won its favor once more." He sat down once more in quiet contemplation, "I have lost much."

Roxas frowned. He couldn't help but ask, "So how did you end up here and why?"

Lauriam looked Roxas in the eyes. His Heart ached as he thought of the young and innocent Ventus.

He couldn't bare the idea of losing him, yet would in the same breath murder him for his (...)'s Memory. "That's a rather long story, and one I still don't quite recall. There are fragments, but until I can find Elrena… until I can perhaps, meet any of the others… I don't know if I'll ever truly remember what happened. I do know that the Keyblade War happened. I was one of the few allowed to remember it, after all."

Isa frowned, "And why is that?"

Lauriam smirked bitterly, "Because I was one of the chosen five Union Leaders to look after the Dandelions once the Foretellers were gone. To keep order." He bowed his head, "But instead, I spent a majority of my time looking for clues for my…" He trailed off, lifting his right hand as it lay empty before him, "Someone who was important to me."

Isa frowned. He could understand wanting to find someone- he and Lea had spent their years in the Organization looking for clues as to the whereabouts of their unnamed friend who'd disappeared.

She was why he'd returned to it, to continue searching.

Axel shifted uncomfortably, "I get it. Isa and I are looking for someone ourselves. An amnesiac girl who had a lot of light, and long black hair."

Lauriam looked between Isa and Axel in shock. The description tugged on his Heart desperately. He gasped, bowing his head as a headache pierced him. He gripped his chest with one hand and his knee with the other, "Why..?" Why was he reacting?

There were plenty of girls who could fit that description, and yet…

He chuckled breathlessly.

He remembered Brain so clearly now, how there were so many unknowns at their moment of departure.

He laughed weakly with sorrow, "May your Heart be your Guiding Key." He lifted himself and looked up to Roxas and spoke brokenly, "Was it you, Skuld? Might we meet again?"

Roxas was perturbed by the man's focus on him. He knew he was seeing Ventus's face behind his own features.

Lauriam bowed his head and went silent in grief.

None of them knew how to respond.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Ventus sat on his favorite cliffside, his Chirithy in his arms as he swung his legs over the precipice. They'd been there for some time after Ventus had completed his training for the day.

He was lonely, what with Aqua and Terra trying to make sense of what to do from now on with the Castle. Aqua was training Kairi while also learning how to be a Master on the fly.

Terra still didn't have his mark, but he was studying to get it. To train himself to control his darkness.

Ventus was self training to properly regain his stamina and strength, but it was hard when all he'd done is guess how to do everything.

Even when Master Eraqus was around, he'd had to do a lot of instinctual guessing to make it through each day.

He sighed gustily, and Chirithy looked up at him, "What's wrong Ven?"

Ventus bit the inside of his cheek, "I never got the chance to talk all that much with Sora… I miss him."

Chirithy hummed, "But that's not all, now is it?"

Ventus felt himself deflate before he quietly spoke with a quiver, "Do I deserve to be here, Chirithy?"

Chirithy gasped, "Of course you do, Ven! Why would you-" They stopped, knowing full well what he really meant. They were bonded after all, "Oh." They bowed their head for a moment before looking out towards the horizon, "Of course you do Ven. You're here, aren't you? That means they protected you, even though everything was a mess… 'cause at the end of the day, you were all friends who cared for one another."

Ventus felt himself tear up, as grief weighed on his chest and he croaked, "I wish…" He looked up towards the stars as tears began to travel down his cheeks while he hugged Chirithy close, "I wish I could talk to them. Any of them really! I just… I'm so confused! And I miss them!" He sucked in a choking breath before continuing, "I've started to think that when I go into the kitchen for breakfast, that Ephemer should be there with a big reassuring smile on his face as he greets me in the morning. I keep thinking Skuld will be just around the corner, or that Lauriam will just walk in and take a seat while we discuss lessons that Master Eraqus taught us. I-" He gasped, taking a moment to sniffle and rub at his cheeks harshly, "I feel like Brain should always be there, somewhere. Anywhere in the room, looking through that book. I miss them so much, Chirithy!" He buried his face into the crown of Chirithy's head, "I feel so guilty!"

Chirithy frowned, "Why though? It's normal to miss your friends, Ven!"

Ventus took a few moments to breathe and collect his thoughts, sniffling and attempting to regain his voice, "I don't miss Master Eraqus. Not the way I miss them."

Chirithy understood. They knew Ventus grieved his Master- his feelings weren't for show. Yet, the others who he had worked beside… who had treated him as an equal and someone of value… had still valued him even after finding out he should've never been there. That he'd taken the place of Lauriam's sister after being controlled by the Darkness.

They were so precious to him, for being kind enough to gently bring him to the truth of his own tragedy. How they were still willing to protect him from Lauriam's wrath.

How Lauriam had still cared for him despite that, when he had fought with and sealed (...).

His head was starting to hurt again from his Memories.

Ventus sniffed and pulled himself up to stare at the sky again, "I hope I can meet at least one of them again some day… so I can say… that I'm sorry."

Chirithy settled against Ventus sadly, "If it'll help you feel better, then alright. I'll hope for that too." Chirithy knew that apologizing was scary sometimes. That for Ventus, it would mean accepting everything that went wrong.

That he had never belonged.

Chirithy held back tears as they recalled how no one wanted to work with Ventus because of how young he'd been.

He'd been too young to be rejected like that. It made the whole situation that much more cruel.

Even with Aqua and Terra at his side, it would hurt a lot. It would continue to Hurt, there was no getting around it.

It was something their Wielder would have to face someday, one way or another.

Ventus sighed softly after a long time and stood, shifting to carefully keep hold of his Chirithy as he made his way back to the Castle. Tomorrow would be another day for hoping for news about Sora from Riku.

Hoping that maybe there would be something more he and the others could do.

"There you are!" Ventus stopped and turned, smiling slightly as Kairi ran up to him.

"Hey Kairi."

Kairi grinned toothily as she held her hands behind her back and leaned forward, "What've you been up to?" She paused, noticing that he was more visibly distressed than happy. She set her playfulness aside, "...Are you alright, Ven?"

Ventus wanted to give her a reassuring smile, but he just didn't have it in him. He had so many swirling thoughts and feelings that he had no way of expressing. "No." He'd admit it to her, there was no point in faking it. "I was training by myself, and then just... thinking, with Chirithy."

Kairi looked at the Dream Eater and smiled at them with a nod of greeting before holding out her hand, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Ventus stared at her hand before hesitantly holding it gently, "I don't know how. I'm still trying to get things straight."

Kairi nodded before gently tugging him along as Ventus easily fell into step beside her. He wondered if he should feel embarrassed that a girl younger than him was trying to comfort him like this, but he just didn't have the strength to hold onto that line of thought. He honestly didn't care.

He held onto her hand more firmly while staring out ahead of him, "How was your training with Aqua?"

Kairi smiled, tugging him along to a different hall and deciding they'd walk around the Castle. It allowed her to explore at her leisure without feeling anxious for approval, "It was good! I'm learning a whole lot, and it's nice to learn from another girl. There were times while I trained under Merlin or with Lea that just…" She sighed gustily, "Sometimes the way they'd try to tell me how to move simply didn't work. I've got a lot of instinct from being within Sora for a time, when he first got his Keyblade… but that could only carry me so far." She looked over to him, "I hope we can spar sometime soon, Ven."

Ventus felt a cold sweat break out on his skin. In the past, he would have loved the idea! He'd loved training hand to hand with Aqua and Terra- especially right before their Mark of Mastery! But now that he had fragmented Memories of his past, the idea itself was too nauseating to consider. He Dreamed remnants of Wielders fighting, of wanting them to stop and running away from it all. He remembered blood and-

Chirithy called, "Ven!"

He dropped Chirithy and covered his mouth as Kairi startled. She turned pale and fearful as she helped to support him as his stomach turned dangerously, "What's wrong Ven!?"

He couldn't answer right away, but managed to keep himself on his feet while placing his hand on her shoulder with a shaky hand, "No."

Kairi blinked, "Huh?"

Ventus swallowed thickly, grimacing as he straightened himself out after a long moment. He shifted his gaze to her, still trying to keep himself from being sick right then and there while Chirithy fretted below him, "I won't. Never again." He turned his eyes to his Dream Eater as his voice faded, "I won't fight another Keyblade Wielder ever again. Not for fun. I don't want to."

Kairi wanted to protest, but pursed her lips as she observed him. She studied him for a long moment as he slowly got over his feeling of nausea, "I'm sorry." Ventus blinked and looked to her in confusion as she continued, "I didn't know that it would bother you so much. Aqua and Terra talked about-" She rethought her words, "Well. I'll let them know, is that okay?"

Ventus didn't want them to worry. They had so much on their plate, and yet he was nodding despite his own wishes. He croaked, "Okay." He felt tears again. Why did the idea of not being capable of sparring hurt so much?

He grimaced and turned his face away, covering his eyes as if to hide away shamefully from the world, "I'm sorry."

Kairi frowned before gently coaxing him to face her again. He couldn't help but to pointedly avoid her gaze, so he was somewhat startled when she was suddenly embracing him, a hand on the back of his head gently petting his hair as she quietly murmured, "It's alright Ven. There's nothing wrong with needing to take things at your own pace. Trauma does things to us, things that we loved can become scary. It's okay."

He slowly relaxed into her and hugged her desperately. He tried to hold back a sob but failed, weeping quietly into her shoulder.

He didn't want this! He loved being able to protect his friends, to be able to fight alongside them. There was an exhilaration in being able to fight together!

But he'd been so weak during the second Keyblade War- it was barely better then the first.

He sighed as his grief wore out again and relaxed his hold on her.

Kairi patted his head lightly before carefully pulling back. She pulled out a kerchief that he was more than happy to make use of as she asked, "Feel better?"

Ventus nodded silently, now embarrassed that he'd cried like that on her. She was still almost a stranger to him!

Kairi grinned, "I'm glad."

Ventus felt warmth in his chest. He was grateful for her presence. He never could have done that with Aqua and Terra. Not because they didn't love him or that he didn't trust him. No, it was simply that it felt childish.

He was so tired of being seen as 'the kid.' He was seventeen for Light's sake!

"Ven."

He almost smiled. Why was his mind playing games with him now, again? Yet, when he looked at Kairi she was startled, staring at something near them with her hand by her mouth in silent confusion.

Ventus nearly jumped, shifting quickly to look at what she'd noticed.

He was a ghost of a Memory, but he was there, smiling at him like he always used to. His Heart lurched as he weakly asked, "...Ephemer?"

The silver haired teen grinned, his red scarf a familiar comfort along with his white button up shirt, black cropped jacket, boots and gloves, taupe pants, and light brown pack. "So you finally remember!"

Ventus hesitantly stepped forward. He really was seeing a ghost here! His heart was beating fast in his chest, exhilaration, fear, joy at being able to reunite and grief that the teen in front of him was long dead. "M-mostly? What- What are you?"

Ephemer laughed lightly, "I'm just a recording. Couldn't really tell you how this works- but the me you're talking to is just a Memory of myself left behind. A little bit of your own Memory affects this after all."

Ventus felt Kairi grab his hand and squeeze it, to ground him as well as silently question.

He'd ignore her for a moment, "Why are you here, now?"

Ephemer crossed his arms, his smile becoming more mature and gentle as he spoke, "Go to Scala ad Caelum. I left things behind for you and the others- I ended up being left behind by myself… but I built Daybreak Town anew from the ground up!" He grinned, "I thought of you all, as I couldn't help but hope you'd all end up happy… but there's just so much to talk about, that's left unsaid!"

The Memory summoned the ghost of Master Keeper, "Take my Keyblade to go there, Ventus. It'll lead you to where you need to go."

Ventus nodded jerkily, "O-okay. I will." He had no idea why Ephemer had Brain's Keyblade. Now how Master Eraqus had eventually ended up with it.

Ephemer dismissed the Memory of the Keyblade and moved closer to him before clasping his shoulder. Ventus could feel this Memory's hand as if it were truly there, and it made his chest ache even more. "I'm sorry." Ventus felt the hand squeeze his shoulder comfortingly, "I stopped calling you 'Ven' after finding out the truth… but you're still my friend. I shouldn't have done that to you- not when you were at your most vulnerable. You really saved us back then, and I kind of always lamented that I never got to call you Ven again, face to face. So… I'm sorry, and thank you."

The Memory faded away, the feeling of Ephemer's hand disappeared just as quickly as his image.

Ventus gasped, desperately reaching forward as more tears burned his tired eyes, "Ephemer wait!" The ghost was gone and he was alone again.

He covered his face and cried out. He was just so exhausted! He curled slightly into himself, trying to hold back the tears, knowing Ephemer had more that he'd wanted to tell him- things he'd left behind.

Ventus could only hope they'd survived whatever had wiped out Scala ad Caelum in the first place.

Kairi held him from the side, tears prickling her own eyes despite her lack of understanding. She could empathize with his grief- she'd forgotten a lot herself. She'd never know who her parents were, she simply didn't remember them.

She'd lost Sora and Riku before as well, even if she'd forgotten Sora for a time, she'd still desperately missed the person behind the hole in her heart.

Eventually his emotions ran dry and all he could feel was tiredness. Ventus slumped against Kairi as she helped coax him along to the kitchen to get him a drink and maybe a little food to help his depleted resources.

She settled him on one of the table seats there in the kitchen and grabbed a glass, filling it from the tap and setting it before him. Ventus mechanically took it while she pulled out a few slices of bread, butter, and jam before setting that down for him for his preference along with a knife. She sat down across from him, her own glass in hand as she quietly watched him.

"...Do you want me to get it for you after telling Aqua and Terra?"

Ventus looked to her with dull eyes as he pulled the glass from his lips, "Huh?"

"Your Master's Keyblade. You three made a memorial for him with it, right?"

Ventus grimaced as he set down his glass, "Y-you're right." That Keyblade had survived since ancient times. He didn't know why he said it, yet the words flowed from his mouth, "That Keyblade shouldn't be left outside to rot, anyway. It's…" He swallowed back another wave of grief, "It's important to me. It's all that I have left… of my friends."

Of his past.

Kairi nodded in understanding, "Exactly, so… would you like me to do that for you?"

Ventus contemplated while picking up his knife and haphazardly buttering a piece of bread before he responded, "Keyblades can be picky. They can hurt you if you aren't supposed to hold them." He picked up his bread and took a bite, chewing methodically before swallowing. "I'd appreciate it, if you told Aqua and Terra that I need it. I… I think I'd like to carry my Wayfinder around again, anyway."

There was a small fear, that just like his friends long ago, that they wouldn't be able to find one another again.

Aqua's charm had worked.

Kairi nodded with a phantom smile, "Alright. Do you want me to stay, or leave you alone for now?"

"Stay!" He nearly choked on how swiftly he spoke. He didn't want to sound desperate, but…

He was desperate to not be left alone!

Kairi was surprised at his exclamation, but smiled kindly with a nod, "Alright. I'll keep you company, Ven."

Ventus felt himself relax with a gusty sigh as he continued to nibble on his bread, "Thanks Kairi."

"You're welcome."

Tomorrow would be a new day.