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

When Isa stepped foot onto lush green with remnants of vast ice Magic burned into its earth, he rejected it.

Something fully rejected this path within him, and his Keyblade made itself quite clear.

What you seek is not here.

Isa frowned. Keyblades could speak?

Elrena groaned, "Augh, it's Arendelle. At least it isn't covered in snow and ice, but still. This World was so annoying!"

Lauriam was silent for a moment before he turned to her with a small smile, "I'm starting to think a majority of things are annoying to you."

Elrena grumbled and ruffled her hair, "Yeah well." She became slightly flustered, "You're not wrong."

Lauriam chuckled lightly, "At least you can be honest about it."

Elrena pouted and crossed her arms.

Axel rubbed a shoulder, "So… which way should we go?"

Isa didn't even want to take another step, "Nowhere." The three turned to him. He felt horribly stiff, but his goal was clear in his Heart and Mind. He would find that girl. "Tell me about yourselves. Where is it that you came from, and where were you when you were recruited by Xigbar? He had a habit of leaving cryptic information that was just enough to let his reports pass."

Lauriam crossed his arms and regarded Isa before nodding, "We are from the ancient past, when Keyblade Wielders were first made plentiful. We lived within Daybreak Town, and went on missions, unaware that the Worlds we traveled to to collect Lux were projections of future Worlds from the Book of Prophecies." Elrena was staring at him in confused wonder, but he knew that he was one of the few who'd been allowed to know and remember these things.

"When the first Keyblade War happened, we Dandelions who were recruited by Master Ava ended up being sent to a Digital version of Daybreak Town unaware. The five of us as Union Leaders were allowed to remember the Keyblade War while the rest had their Memories suppressed. The five of us headed the old Unions that the Foretellers had left behind to keep order, and new missions were given out, amongst other modifications to our Keyblade use." He took in a deep breath and exhaled to take a moment, "Time passed, and eventually a certain event was triggered to destroy the Digital Daybreak Town. It was for a specific purpose, to trap the remaining Darknesses… but there is a great deal I am unsure about. In fact, I don't believe any of us, even Brain, were fully aware of the scope of things. It's all a rather large mess that I simply can't make heads or tails of. Perhaps, if I still had my Chirithy, they would be able to assist me in recalling… but I know not what happens to a Chirithy when their Wielder is cleaved in twain, and made into a Nobody."

Elrena turned away slightly, silently saddened by the loss of her own Chirithy. It was a mutual pain- they were dear companions and Guides.

Isa nodded, "So then, if you're from the ancient past, how did you end up in this era?"

Lauriam closed his eyes and tapped his right fingers on his left arm in thought before squeezing his arms and relaxing, "Well. The particulars are unclear, if I were to be honest. I placed Ventus into an Ark, and then Elrena and I took to our own Arks. We said our goodbyes to Brain, and I ended up in Enchanted Dominion. I woke up in a field of flowers, confused. My Memories had somehow become fuzzy, and eventually I ended up facing Maleficent again when she'd decided to steal for herself the World's Princess of Heart. I failed to protect the Princess and next I knew, I was a mere husk." He glanced at Elrena, "So where did you end up?"

Elrena shuffled and rubbed her shoulders uneasily, "A storming mountainside in Dwarf Woodlands. Things immediately went to shit, and that's all I've got to say about it. Woke up as a husk, we found each other, end of story."

Isa hummed in contemplation as he folded his arms and held a hand to his chin in thought, "Are they Worlds you traveled to on Missions?"

The two nodded as Isa slowly nodded, "Then let's look into those Worlds first. What were they in particular?"

Elrena made a disgruntled face, "Other than Daybreak Town itself there was Dwarf Woodlands, Agrabah, Wonderland, Enchanted Dominion, Castle of Dreams, Olympus Coliseum, Beast's Castle…" She glanced at Lauriam, "Was there anything else?"

"Other than the Dark Realm, there was a World Ephemer and that person traveled to when the end was near, but I didn't go there, so I have no idea what that World was called."

Isa hummed in thought. Why had they traveled to Arendelle if it was not a previously traversed World? Was it connected to Elrena somehow? He recalled sending her here, and she claimed there were two New Princesses of Heart present on this World.

Isa looked down at his Starlight and studied it, "...Shall I try something?"

Lauriam nodded while Elrena boredly waved him off.

Axel grinned, "You've got a plan?"

Isa nodded silently and directed his Keyblade forward. He closed his eyes, and thought of the lost girl who had ended up in Radiant Garden. X, who had been the victim of many experiments, who had been the small and gentle beacon of Light within the darkness of that horrible basement full of the dead and dying.

The girl he and Lea had not been able to rescue as they'd promised.

A beam shot forward and created a new Corridor. Axel whistled and grabbed his shoulder, "You've got a good handle on that already, Isa!"

Isa gave him a bored look, "It's not something I could use in a fight- it's far too light for my style. But… thank you."

Axel blinked before smirking and looking back at the other two, "Well then, shall we try again?"

Lauriam nodded as Elrena whined, "I can't believe you people! We didn't even look at this World!"

Isa gave her an empty look, "If you want to look around this World you may feel free to do so, but I will not waste my time here. My Heart says this is not the correct World. I believe we may find her in a World you all have been, and if you never traveled to Arendelle in those ancient days, then she will not be here."

"That's conjecture!"

"Precisely." Isa stood his ground, "If you know of anything else that she was connected to, please feel free to tell us."

Lauriam gently placed a hand onto Elrena's shoulder, "Let's go with it for now. Skuld is an important friend, but I honestly cannot say I knew much about her. Ephemer and Ventus were far closer to her than I, let alone you."

Elrena huffed, "Fine."

Isa and Lauriam nodded in affirmation towards one another before going through the new Light Corridor. Isa's knuckles were nearly white by the time they exited onto a new World.

Dwarf Woodlands

"Not this World! I hate this World!" Elrena was more than disgruntled. She almost seemed half panicked. Isa turned to her with a frown of concern as Lauriam watched her.

"...Elrena, if you don't want to be here-"

Elrena snapped to him with a small fear, "No. I am not leaving your side again!"

Lauriam paused internally at that before slowly nodding, "...Alright. But if it becomes too much, I am willing to return to Twilight Town with you."

Elrena hugged herself tightly and moved close to his side, "Let's just get this over with."

Isa and Axel glanced at one another before checking with Lauriam one last time before moving onwards. Isa led the group. He had been to a majority of the Worlds, but they were not overtly familiar to him. Axel seemed somewhat more at ease along with Lauriam, but Elrena… well. He didn't know what to do for her.

They didn't dare ask why she was so troubled by this World. It was not their place to do so.

They made their way through the woods until they suddenly found themselves close to the World's Castle. Isa paused as he observed it.

Lauriam hummed, "It's a bit different than last time."

Axel turned to him, "Howso?"

Lauriam tilted his head slightly, "...It feels brighter."

There was gentle singing in the distance, and Isa moved towards the sweet soprano voice. It was a little difficult to find their way to the vocalist, as the stonework sometimes tricked them with how the sound reverberated, but soon enough they found her.

Isa shouldn't have been surprised, "...Oh."

The teen stopped with a soft gasp while she quickly spun. She froze before clasping her hands before her, "Oh dear, you're from the outside, aren't you?"

Isa was distinctly uncomfortable while Axel grinned and walked right up to her, "Yup! Sorry to drop in on you, princess. Snow White, right?"

She frowned in concern, "...Oh. Have you seen any of the other princesses? Or Sora, maybe?"

Axel nodded, "Yup! We're Sora's friends! I'm Axel, that's Isa, Lauriam, and over there's Elrena."

Snow White nodded as she examined them all before turning back to the redhead, "How can I be of help to you? I may no longer be a Princess of Heart, but you must be here for some reason, correct?"

Axel agreed with her, "We were looking for an old friend of ours. A teenage girl who didn't know who she was or anything about her past."

Snow White pursed her lips in contemplation, "...Is there anything else you can tell me about her?"

Isa spoke, "She had a great deal of Light and long black hair."

Snow White's eyes lit with a small amount of recognition. "I'm not entirely sure about her age… and I wouldn't really know anything about her… However." She turned and looked up towards the highest part of the castle, "When Maleficent came to take me from this World and plunged it into darkness… there was a girl that had tried to fight her off and protect me. She used a sword I wasn't able to recognize, but perhaps it had been a Keyblade?"

Isa tried to keep his hopes low. The story Snow White was telling seemed dire from the start.

"Maleficent beat her, and sealed her within the topmost tower." She turned to them, "Shall I take you there?"

Isa nodded and stepped forward, "Please."

Snow White nodded and led them into the castle. Servants gave them strange looks as their Princess led them towards the empty part of the castle. Cleaned and protected, she carefully led them up a very narrow staircase. Isa nearly had to move sideways with how narrow it was compared to his build, and Lauriam was also rather disgruntled by the tightness of the space. Elrena was grasping tightly onto the back of his vest, and Lauriam felt sympathy for her. He could feel her shaking slightly.

They all squeezed into the bedroom sized room, and there, encased in ice, thorns, and green fire that lived within the ice, was a young woman.

Eyes closed and arms clasped over her chest as though in prayer, black robes, pants, and boots. Familiar long black hair, a kind face.

Isa felt the air leave him while Axel reacted much the same. They took a few desperate steps forward, "X!"

Lauriam was stunned, and Elrena felt herself wanting to burst into tears at the sight of her.

There were cuts and bruises that lingered over all of these years she'd been placed into cursed Sleep. Dirt and blood littered her garments, but she had clearly put up a good fight. A fight grand enough to be encased to not cause further trouble down the road for the evil faerie.

Lauriam slowly walked up to the ice and went to touch it before Snow White called out, "Don't!" He paused and looked to the Princess in question as she explained, "That ice is enchanted. It harms any who dare touch it."

Lauriam nodded and took a few steps back. He looked to Isa and Axel, "Let the three of us use our Keyblades together to try to break her free." He placed a hand on his chest, "If we believe with all of our Hearts together, we may be able to lift the curse she is under."

They nodded, and they summoned their respective Keyblades.

Elrena and Snow White hoped and prayed for their collective success.

The girl deserved better than this.

The three men channeled their Keyblades, and in unison lifted them together to a point. Isa, Lauriam, and Axel concentrated, their wishes and desire for the girl's safe retrieval strong and true.

A unified beam of Light shot out, hitting the flaming ice crystal she was encased in. It evaporated in a shower of glitter as the thorny vines retreated with holy fire destroying them. The girl was suspended in the air for a moment as color returned to her pale skin.

They lowered their Keyblades, and the young woman gently floated down to the floor from where she'd been held captive. She wavered and her eyes slowly opened as her arms slowly dropped to her sides. A spark of recognition came to her, but she was too exhausted. Between her fight and enchantment, she was horribly weak and immediately began to fall forward. Lauriam rushed ahead and caught her, "Skuld!"

The young woman gasped softly as she shakily lifted her arms to cling onto the sides of his vest, "...The smell of flowers…" She tiredly looked up to him as he helped to settle her on the floor as he looked over her injuries, "...I can't remember… though we were friends…" Her eyes became glossy with frustration and shame.

"Lauriam. My name is Lauriam, and you are Skuld."

She gazed at him, and she nodded slowly, "...Yes… Lauriam. Skuld." She bowed her head tiredly with grievous joy, "...You made it."

The others were as distressed as he was at her state. Snow White settled beside him and gently touched her shoulder. Skuld looked at her wearily and slowly brightened, "You're alright..!"

Snow White gave her a sympathetic look as Light began to glow at her fingertips, "You fought valiantly… But I will not lie. The evil Fae you fought won, and Maleficent plunged this World into darkness and stole me away."

Skuld bowed her head as Lauriam lifted Divine Rose and silently used Curaga. Flower petals surrounded them, and Skuld felt relief as many wounds and hurts healed over.

Still, Snow White continued her own form of healing- perhaps it was a healing of imbuing Light into someone who had been sealed by the Darkness for far too long. Whatever it was, it seemed to still be of help to the young woman.

Slowly Skuld seemed to become somewhat more lucid as she looked towards the Princess, "...Your Light…"

Snow White smiled, "I may no longer be a Princess of Heart, but I still have lingering abilities from the role, in case something were to happen to the Worlds once again."

Skuld nodded slowly, "I see… but you are alive despite the fall of this World. I am glad, Princess Snow White."

Snow White giggled, "Please, just call me Snow White, dear maiden."

Skuld slowly nodded before shifting. Snow White began to pull back her hand before Skuld grasped it kindly, "My name is Skuld. I had forgotten who I was, but Lauriam here has reminded me of my identity. It isn't much, but please remember me as someone who wishes you the greatest of health."

Snow White smiled warmly, "Yes, thank you, Skuld. My protector and warrior who fought valiantly for the safety of myself and my World. Thank you."

Skuld bowed her head and pressed her forehead against Snow White's knuckles, "It is my honor and duty. You are most welcome."

Axel sniffed and wiped a dramatic tear away from his eye, "I'm so glad you all could reunite... but, enough with the formalities, already!"

Isa glared at him, "Lea."

Snow White giggled as she pushed herself up onto her feet. Lauriam looked Skuld over, "Do you think you can walk, or would you like for me to carry you?"

Skuld frowned before sheepishly smiling, "I think I need help."

Lauriam nodded and shifted. After securing her he stood and carried her easily in his arms. "It seems some time has passed for you as well."

Skuld tilted her head in question, "What do you mean?"

"How long has it been since you awoke without any Memory?"

Skuld hummed as Lauriam turned to face the others, "...Five years, I guess?" She looked at Axel and Isa and was surprised all over again, "Oh! It's… are you two the two boys who would come to see me in that cell?"

Lauriam looked down at her with immediate concern as the two men nodded. Axel pointed his thumb to himself, "Name's Lea, though a lot of people call me Axel."

Isa nodded in greeting, "Isa."

Skuld smiled and giggled lightly, "I see. You two have changed quite a lot physically since the last I saw you. How long has it been?"

Isa answered, "More than ten years. We've been trying to find you ever since you disappeared."

Skuld was shocked. She absorbed that before she slowly nodded, "I see." She smiled, "A man with an eyepatch took me from my cell."

Axel balked while Isa thought he might see red. Or pass out from shock. He wasn't sure which aspect was more surprising or infuriating, "Braig?! Braig took you!?"

Skuld winced, "...Is that bad?"

Isa covered his face with an exhausted sigh as he tried to reign back his rage. He did not need to go berserk here. "...Xigbar... Braig- he was a character, to put it mildly. I never even suspected him." He pulled his hands away from his face and focused on his clenched hands, "Xehanort was convinced Ansem the Wise had taken and hidden you. Even up until the end, he believed that wholeheartedly."

Skuld nodded absently as Lauriam looked at him, "...Xigbar was the one who recruited Larxene and I to the Organization. Both times."

Isa stilled and furrowed his brows. Axel rubbed his head in contemplation, "...Isa, do you think he somehow knew..?"

Isa sighed and turned to leave the room, "I know not how Xehanort knew who of our number had come from the ancient past. Simply that he somehow had the knowledge. I don't know how Demyx and Luxord are involved in the ancient past either, but he believed them to also be related. For now, let us make our leave so that Skuld can properly recover."

They all nodded, and Snow White led them down that narrow staircase. Lauriam went last as he would take longer to go down in such a narrow and steep stairwell.

Soon enough they were back in the regular wings of the castle and followed Snow White back outside. She turned to them, "Won't you all stay for dinner?"

Axel smiled and waved his hand dismissively, "Nah, we better go and not cause anymore fuss. World Order and all that."

Isa nodded, "Thank you for the offer, but Lea is right. It would be best to not linger."

Snow White nodded, "I understand. Thank you for coming by, and I'm so glad that you were able to free Skuld and find your friend. Please give Sora my regards, and tell him to visit. The seven Dwarves would love to thank him for his help."

Lauriam couldn't help but wonder, "Before Skuld… did you ever run into any other Keyblade Wielders?"

Snow White tilted her head, "Oh, well. There was the tall one with strange clothing that frightened me… and Ven, who protected me when we went through that terrifying forest. There was also Aqua when I woke up, too."

Axel was surprised, "So you've met Terra, Aqua, and Ven?"

Snow White nodded in partial uncertainty, "Why yes. Ventus was wonderful when he helped me. I was so very scared, and he kept me safe."

Lauriam's Heart both hurt and warmed at Snow White's admission. "I'm glad Ventus was there to help you, Snow White."

Snow White smiled brilliantly, "If you know him, please tell him and his friends to also say hello, and give my regards to them also."

The three men nodded and responded, "We will."

Snow White giggled and approached Elrena. Elrena backed up slightly, but allowed the Princess to gently take her hands and lightly squeeze them. Light passed from Snow White to Elrena as the Princess comforted her, "Be well, friend."

Elrena grit her teeth and swallowed before nodding, "Thank you, you too, Snow White."

Snow White released her and took a few steps back as she clasped her hands before her, "Then I suppose I will not be seeing you off. Be safe on your journeys, and may all of your dreams come true."

She waved, and they bowed collectively, "Thank you, Snow White."

She giggled and took a few steps back with a tiny curtsey.

They were free to go, and so they reentered the woods with final looks and waves of goodbye, with hearts happy and light.

Their friend had been returned to them.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

It was evening when they all returned to Twilight Town from Destiny Islands. Roxas and Xion decided to check in with Axel, Isa, and their friends. Kairi and Ventus weren't sure about what they wanted to do, so they decided to go to Twilight Town as well to catch up with the others, and maybe stay with Merlin for the night like Naminé.

Kairi and Ventus were still a little too nervous to return to The Land of Departure, and it felt strange to go back to Scala ad Caelum at the moment. They needed a little bit more time in "reality" before heading back for answers.

Vanitas was just slightly annoyed with them all for it, but accepted their reasons begrudgingly.

Ventus stretched with a groan as they walked away from their return point at the Old Mansion, "Man. Do you guys ever get tired of going through the sewers?"

Vanitas felt his stomach roll hard, "Don't remind me about what we're about to walk through."

Ventus winced as Roxas nodded morosely, "I really miss the hole in the outer wall."

Vanitas, "I should just make a new one."

The five of them immediately responded, "No Vanitas."

Vanitas grinned toothily, "Vanitas yes!"

Naminé snorted before she laughed, "You're so bad sometimes."

Vanitas flicked his bangs as if he were trying to look refreshing and charming, "It's what I'm good at. Bad decisions and influence? All me."

Naminé shook her head as the others had similar amused expressions.

Vanitas led them through the tunnels as he tried not to breathe or step in questionable puddles. His memory of waking up in the trash was a bit too strong and when he got out of the underground tunnel he found the closest corner and heaved for a moment in memory.

Ventus looked at the others in concern and all Naminé could do was shrug helplessly as she answered his silence, "Vanitas gets sick a lot."

Ventus looked to Roxas and Xion, "How'd he get to Destiny Islands?"

The two answered in tandem, "Dark Corridor."

Ventus blinked, "He chose our way for the return?"

They nodded and Naminé frowned with suspicion. Kairi noticed and tilted her head in question. Naminé shook her head, "He'll let someone know if he wants to." Kairi nodded at that answer and dropped it.

Vanitas coughed and wiped his mouth. He didn't manage to throw up, but he was still somewhat miserable, and he needed water to cleanse his mouth. He turned to look at them tiredly, "What're you all looking at?"

Kairi smiled, "Just worried about you, that's all."

Vanitas sighed and shook his head as he pulled away from his corner of misery, "...It's embarrassing."

Kairi grinned, "Well, sometimes concern can feel that way."

Xion glanced around as they began to walk towards the middle of town, "...Do you guys wanna get a snack?"

Roxas frowned, "I'd rather find Axel."

Xion took out her Gummi phone and showed him a message, "It looks like they went off-World earlier."

Roxas blinked before glancing towards Le Grand Bistro, "...Isn't that them, there?"

The group stilled as they glanced at the outside courtyard of the restaurant. There they noticed a familiar group as Naminé huddled behind Kairi. Axel, Isa, Lauriam, and Elrena sat with a girl dressed in black boots, leggings, shorts, white top, and cropped long sleeved black jacket. She had a silver necklace and earring set with stars, and Ventus felt his chest constrict.

He recognized the girl!

Ventus ran forward, surprising them as Vanitas took a few steps back in recognition of her as well.

Axel noticed him first and waved, "Ven!"

The girl looked at the approaching boy and gasped in shock as she stood up quickly, "Ven!?"

Ventus laughed tearily, "Skuld! Is it really you!?"

Skuld nodded with a teary smile as he barely slowed down enough to not slam into her before hugging her. They laughed wetly and rejoiced. Skuld couldn't help but exclaim weepily, "You've grown since I last saw you!"

Ven laughed awkwardly, "You think so? Everyone says I'm short for my age!"

Skuld ruffled his hair, "How long has it been for you?"

Ventus's joy cut off as he went silent and tried to think about how to answer that. "Uh... well… After I woke up here and lost my memory, and nearly died, it was four years… but then I kind of... went to Sleep? And uhm, before I knew it around ten years had passed, and now I've been awake a year. So uh… fifteen and five?"

Skuld stared at him wide eyed as Axel flopped back into his chair, "Why's everything gotta be so complicated with our group!?"

Ventus gave him an awkward look before returning his attention to Skuld as he gently grasped her hands, "Still, I'm super glad you're safe!"

Skuld nodded happily and turned to Lauriam and Elrena hesitantly.

Ventus blinked and turned, nearly jumping out of his shoes at the sight of him, "L-Lauriam!"

Should he run or be happy?

Lauriam nodded with a neutral expression, "It's good to see you well, Ventus."

Skuld glanced around the blond, "...Do you have a twin or something?"

Ventus choked as Roxas was somewhere between a pout and a scowl as the wayward teen answered, "No! We just, stuff happened, and he ended up looking like me!" He laughed nervously and felt a pinch of hysteria set in.

Skuld gave him a bewildered look and Ventus slumped as he released her hands and ruffled his hair, "It's… oh man, it's a really long story."

Elrena sniffed, "Then start talking, shorty."

Roxas and Ventus cried at the same time, "Hey!"

Elrena glanced at Roxas and rolled her eyes, "Oh great, it's the little zombie."

Roxas glowered, "I am not a zombie you have to babysit anymore, Larxene!"

Axel tried to keep a straight face while Isa flatly intoned, "Roxas could very easily kick our collective asses."

Elrena stared at him stunned as Axel tried to smother an outburst of laughter. Roxas preened, remembering how he'd beaten Saix while leaving the Organization, as well as assisting in putting him down in the Keyblade Graveyard.

Xion stayed back with Naminé, not entirely comfortable with the lightning nymph herself, as she hadn't had the chance to really interact with Larxene before the transfer to Castle Oblivion.

But Naminé's and Axel's stories were enough to make her weary of her and Marluxia. Even if Roxas had a far more neutral respect for the latter than the former.

Ventus hesitated, "So uhm, where'd you guys find Skuld?"

Lauriam responded, "Dwarf Woodlands. She'd been sealed in the castle after protecting Snow White."

Ventus was surprised and looked to Skuld for confirmation. She nodded and he gave her a sympathetic look, "Oh… I'm sorry. I wish I could have helped find you!"

Skuld smiled easily, "It's alright, Ven. Lea and Isa have been searching for me for a really long time, and Lauriam and Elrena helped them." She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, "It really is alright." She paused with a frown as a thought struck her, "...Does anyone know what happened to Brain and Ephemer?"

Lauriam shook his head, "I have my suspicions, but-"

"They're gone." The three ancient Wielders looked to their youngest as he clearly felt grief and called forth Master's Luster. The adults felt surprise at Ven's handling and ownership of the weapon. Isa and Axel recognized it as Aqua's, while the others saw it as Brain's, and depending on the witness, Ephemer's Keyblade.

Lauriam frowned and couldn't help his accusing tone, "Why do you have that?" He was annoyed by the idea of Ventus having that particular Keyblade.

Ventus felt his chest constrict terribly, and Kairi stepped up beside him and lifted her arm in front of him, as if to shield him from scrutiny, "Because Master Ephemer's Memory asked us to! Why do we need your permission to get answers about Ven's past?! It was Master Eraqus's, and then Master Aqua's. You don't get to judge us, when you were part of the group who helped to kill me and the reason why Sora's gone!" Tears were in her eyes by the end. She was just so tired of everyone giving Ventus a hard time!

Lauriam winced. While not aware of what transpired after his defeat in the Graveyard, he had heard some things. None of them were great, other than the fact that the Light had won.

Skuld frowned. She glanced at Axel and Isa questioningly, and Isa raised his hand, "Let's shelf the past for now, everyone. Skuld needs to be brought up to speed on who we all are, what's happened to us and the Worlds, and maybe decide what to do from now on. Don't fight over the past when there's nothing to help it at this time."

Lauriam nodded, chastised while Kairi sniffed and tried to calm herself down. Ventus gripped Master's Luster tightly for a long moment before dismissing it.

His heart felt heavy, but when he glanced back towards Naminé and saw how unnerved she was, he let it go.

They all had their problems, and a simple chat over tea wasn't going to fix all of their hurts.

It was then that Ventus realized Vanitas was gone.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Vanitas practically kicked the door in when he came back.

Merlin startled, and dropped his favorite tea set onto the floor in a burned panic to keep that exact thing from happening as the pieces shattered. The young-looking Wizard had an immediate negative reaction, "VANITA-" His voice caught. He swallowed air as he took in the boy's devastated appearance as the door slowly swung almost shut behind him.

The early evening light was reddish orange as it illuminated Vanitas's slightly hunched frame as he stayed in the entryway, his breath held with gloved hands tight over his mouth. His eyes were empty and glossy, and somehow Merlin knew the teen had been crying without realizing it.

Merlin took in a deep cleansing breath before exhaling out his rage. He waved his wand lazily and his tea set was restored anew, and with another swift flick the mess of tea was washed away.

He kept his distance. Vanitas wasn't one who took kindly to being yelled at, so to approach him at the moment would be ill-advised.

Merlin put away his wand and gently laid his hands over his abdomen passively as he watched the Darkling and spoke with a soft and soothing tone, "Vanitas." The teen looked at him with a somewhat frenzied look in his eyes. Merlin couldn't figure out if Vanitas was going to be sick, or cry out wailing. It wasn't something he could make heads or tails of.

Slowly Merlin opened his arms and kept them below elbow height to be as unaggressive as possible, "What happened?"

Vanitas stared at him with terrified and painfully innocent wide eyes. Merlin felt like he was looking at a wild animal who needed help, and it distressed him that somehow they'd taken a massive leap back with Vanitas's progress.

Vanitas lingered where he'd frozen before he tapped the door shut with his foot and then wearily moved towards Merlin's arms.

He froze a few feet away from the Wizard before stumbling forward and latching onto the man. Merlin blinked in surprise at Vanitas's desperate hold on him while the Darkling shook with restrained emotion. The teen buried his face into the Wizard's white and blue robes and barely breathed out, "...Enough. I don't… I don't want to go outside anymore."

Merlin's eyes widened, "...Vanitas?"

Vanitas took in a shuddering breath and bemoaned, "The Shadows… they wanted to eat me! Darkness is me, and I am them! Yet they wanted to devour me, as if I had-" His hold on Merlin tightened to a painful degree as his voice became weaker and more muffled, "As if I had Light!" Vanitas felt sick and weak at the thought.

He was a child of the Darkness. The Light had no claim upon him.

Merlin held Vanitas close and placed a gentle hand on his head. He gently ran his hand over the teen's hair to try and soothe him, but he had no words of comfort for the Darkling.

He could confirm it himself. Somehow, someway, Vanitas had gained a speck of Light in his fragile Heart.

Merlin didn't know if it was because of Sora, or Vanitas's own choices, but somehow what once was only Darkness had begun to grow a speckle of Light over these past handful of weeks.

Vanitas took in a shuddering breath before continuing, "I don't want to be found by those people I Hurt. I don't want them to remember the things I did and said before I gained mortality." Merlin blinked as Vanitas continued to ramble, "I don't want to remember! I don't want these feelings of guilt! I was happy hurting people, it's what darkness is good at! Yet…" He took in a gasping breath as he pulled away enough to look Merlin in the eyes, "Yet I… I found myself comforted by Sora's dad on the Play Island, and why should he even care!? And Sora's mom wasn't even mad when Roxas and I fought on their lawn and she took care of my face and I…" He looked almost downcast as he let his forehead fall onto Merlin's chest, "For some reason I've started to care… To care about the people around me, and the pain they're in. That I can take in that emotional pain and alleviate it one way or another."

Vanitas took in a shaking calming breath as he tried to collect himself, "Is that compassion? Showing Sora in my reflection to Kairi, letting them talk through me… was that actually kindness? I just don't understand why I even bothered… But they both seemed so happy… and it made me feel... nice."

Vanitas sighed as he intoned flatly, "I'm covered in blood. I don't deserve to be happy, Merlin." He didn't deserve to feel good.

Merlin frowned. "Vanitas." He lifted the exhausted teens face, "What did you do?"

Vanitas's eyes were hollow, "I killed Lauriam's sister to make Ventus's wish for friends come true."

"I killed Strelitzia."

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

A/N: If you're wondering why I didn't prolong the search for Skuld, it's because I don't like dealing with the Disney Worlds, and I haven't seen the majority of the KH3 involved ones. I hadn't really thought over how to deal with her search, and then the idea of her being in an enchanted seal after being saved from experimentation made some level of sense to me. DW was one of the Worlds brought down before KH1, so I can imagine Xehanort not being aware of what happened there, and Maleficent was going with her own plans initially there. Kinda. So she was kind of "hidden in plain sight."

I also figure, why drag this out in fic when canon's gonna drag it for all it's worth anyways?

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please R&R!