AN: I lied, shit happens here. Muhahahaha. xD I loved writing this chapter! This is FUN! :D A bit of fluff, a bit of angst, and a bit of...well, in the words of the Master of Masters: *Flexes hand dramatically* "You'll see..."


Xion wandered alone through Traverse Town's districts.

She didn't know where she was going, or what she wanted to do - she was just walking...walking...

She wished...she wanted-

"Oof! Oh! I'm sorry!"

Xion bounced back from the person she had bumped into, startling. She stared up at the face of the blue haired Keyblade Master - Aqua. A real keyblade wielder. And a real girl...

Xion ignored the woman's words, turning away immediately.

"Wait - please - Xion, isn't it?" Aqua's voice called after her.

Xion stopped. She let her head fall. "Yes...?" she mumbled out.

"Are you...all right? You look - troubled."

Xion turned back to face the woman, looking up at her. She tugged and toyed with her purple jacket, then pushed her hands into the pockets. "I do?"

"Very troubled, yes," Aqua said, staring into her eyes with a frown. "I know we've hardly just met, but...would you like to talk about it?"

Xion frowned too.

"Never mind - I'm sorry for intruding-" Aqua said quickly.

"I'm not a real girl," Xion found herself speaking quietly. "I was made to...copy Kairi. Her keyblade. And I was made to...fight her. Or to be destroyed if I failed. I remember now - when I was made. It wasn't just the man who made me who was there. Vexen wasn't the only one...Xemnas was there too. I...I recognized him, in Castle Oblivion, when we fought him together. His face and that voice...and those eyes staring at me..." She trailed off, clenching her fists in her jacket, this burning feeling in her chest, rising in her throat. She couldn't look at Aqua anymore. She dropped her head again, staring at her shoes instead.

"I- I'm sorry," Aqua said, strained. "That's just...reprehensible."

"Repre...what?" Xion muttered.

"It means that they were wrong to treat you in that way. Like a...a tool."

"Do you think...they were wrong to make me, then? That's the only reason I exist..."

"No!" Aqua's voice came, loud and firm. It made Xion glance up again, more out of surprise than anything else. "No, no, no! Xion, you are a life - a beautiful life. And it could never be wrong that you were...made. No one ever asks to be made, Xion. And no one deserves or not to exist in this World! We just do."

"But what if I'm still being used by them? A spy - or what if they make me fight her again?" Xion exclaimed, all those thoughts in her head bursting out of her now. "What if they did more to me when I was made than just give me a Keyblade, or- what if I-"

"If that ever becomes true, then you have plenty of people around who can stop you - and snap you out of it - don't you?" Aqua cut across. "Your friends, your - sister, would all save you if that were to happen. They wouldn't just let you stay that way. And they would never blame you, either."

Xion couldn't really find a way to argue with the woman about that. So she argued something else. More worries, more fears...

"Even if I am a real person by that definition...my keyblade still isn't real. Is it?" Xion persisted.

Aqua frowned. She sighed, then smiled. "Would you mind calling your Keyblade, Xion?"

Xion stared at her. Then she nodded, raising her hand slowly. Her weapon appeared in a flash of light.

Aqua hesitated, half reaching out a hand. "Could I...see it for a moment, please?"

Xion didn't hesitate to hand it over to the woman, watching her.

Aqua stood, striding off, then doing an about-face. She looked the Keyblade over closely. She ran her hand along its length. Then she started giving it a few twirls and swings - gentle, but complicated. All around her body, spinning it beneath her arms and around her waist and neck. She tossed it up in the air. It spun and came down right into her hand again. She turned to Xion with a big smile, nodding to herself. "It...isn't 'real', no. But then, that means it's no different from any other Keyblade."

"What do you mean?" Xion said.

Aqua's smile grew. She offered Xion her weapon back, handle first; Xion didn't take it. "Not much is known about the earliest era of this World, but what we do have are legends and fairy tales - and, more than that, we have information passed down from our Keyblade wielding forebearers. And one thing we do know is the origin of the Keyblades we all wield. It's known...that the earliest Keyblades, and every Keyblade since, were man-made. Forged in the image of the one, true, original Keyblade that existed in nature, from the beginning of the universe itself - the X-Blade. It existed to safeguard its counterpart, the true Kingdom Hearts, which was lost when the Age of Fairy Tales came to an end, plunging all into darkness, and dividing the singular world of light into...what it is today: many smaller, scattered worlds, separated by an ocean of dark space."

Xion looked at her with wide eyes, taking her words in. She looked down at her weapon, and she took it at last. She held it up before her in both hands, gazing at it. "So...even...Kairi's, and Ventus's Keyblades are...the same as mine? Mine is the same as theirs? Truly?"

"That's right," Aqua stated. "Even mine isn't any different, when you get down to it. Every Keyblade was 'artificially' brought into being, in one way or another. But if they all behave the same, possessing the same capabilities...then where is that difference, really? It's like you, yourself, Xion: how a person is brought into this world doesn't matter - and there are so many ways that a person can be born into this world, even 'artificially' - so much as what they do with the life they've been given. It doesn't matter exactly how your Keyblade was made - what matters is what you do with it. Because, I promise you, it is just as valid as any of ours."

Xion let her Keyblade vanish, closing her fist. She lowered her hand, grasping it with the other. "You...really think so? Kairi really thinks that, too? And- Sora as well? Ventus, Aerith, and-"

"Everyone who matters to you in your life...will think of you exactly the same as they always have," Aqua interjected gently, but firmly.

"It really doesn't matter to you that I'm a replica? That I was made by your enemies? By Xehanort? That I..."

"No," Aqua said. "That isn't a mark against you, Xion - it's only another mark against him, for treating a beautiful life so callously!"

"I...so, you're saying we can be friends? You don't hate me?"

"Of course I don't hate you - and I would love to be your friend, Xion," Aqua said sincerely.

Xion...really had nothing to worry about? She let out a breath, and she smiled.

"Do you want to play kickball, then? That's what we usually do together here...my- sister, and my friends," Xion spoke shyly.

Aqua smiled back at her, bending down and setting her hands on her knees. "I think that sounds like fun. I could use a fun, friendly game with a friend right now - after so long alone, doing nothing but fighting the Heartless."

"Ok. Come on; we'll have to find a ball first..."

"Let's find one, then!"


Ventus walked through First District, after leaving the cafe - and after a nice, long chat with Tifa.

He headed for the steps upon spotting Kairi and Sora coming out of a shop together. He raised a hand to wave. "Hey, you guys."

They turned to him, smiling together and waving back, greeting him in return.

"Heya, Ventus," Sora grinned. "What's up?"

"Nothin' much - just looking for-" Ventus began.

A trail of golden sparkles and a glowing projectile blew past him, causing him to duck instinctively.

What in the world had just-

The projectile suddenly stopped in mid air, and Ven saw it was a tiny person. A girl? In a little green dress? With blonde hair tied up, and fluttering wings...?

"Wait a sec - Tinker Bell?!" Ven exclaimed, ecstatic.

She turned back to stare at him. Her tiny mouth wordlessly formed the name, the question in turn: Ventus?

"Hey!" Ven exclaimed, beaming at her as he raced up to her. "How'd you get here?! Where's Peter and the Lost Boys - is that Hook guy still giving you trouble or-"

Tinker Bell flew at Ven, slamming into his chest and full body hugging him.

Ven looked down at her, laughing. He raised a hand and gingerly patted at her backside. "Y-yeah, good to see you too! It's been a- a long time, I know..."

Kairi and Sora came over, looking a mix of shocked and happy. "No way, Ven, you know Tinker Bell?" Sora said excitedly.

"How did you two meet?" Kairi asked curiously.

Tinker Bell released Ven and whipped back to look at Kairi and Sora. Then she fluttered up over Ven and dropped down to sit right on his head. She crossed her legs and raised an arm - preening.

"Hah - she really must be glad to see me again..." Ven remarked, flushing a little. "It wasn't a big thing; I was just passing through her world one time, back - you know - years ago? I met Peter, and Tink, of course, and we went looking for this shooting star. It actually turned out to be this thing called a Star Shard-"

"Star Shard?" Kairi exclaimed. "Mickey gave us one of those things. It takes you to other worlds - terribly."

Ven stared, then he laughed. "You met Mickey? And he gave you a Star Shard? Guess some things really don't change!"

"That's how we got to Castle Oblivion," Sora added. He frowned. "And how we lost Riku..."

Ven's smile faded somewhat. But he went on quickly with, "Anyways, while I was in Neverland, Tink ended up getting pixie-napped- OW." He stopped as Tinker Bell grabbed his hair and pulled on it. Real hard! "Alright, we'll skip that part," he went on, reaching up to swat at her half-heartedly. "Anyways, I fought Captain Hook, and Peter and the boys got this chest back from him. It was supposed to be full of treasures, but it was empty. Though, we ended up putting the things that were real treasures to us inside of it."

"What did you put in it?" Kairi asked.

"This wooden sword that meant a lot to me - to Terra and Aqua, too," Ven said fondly. "But I didn't need it, because I had my memories of them in my Heart."

"That's so sweet," Kairi sighed, smiling at him.

Ven found himself blushing again, rubbing at his neck. "Uhh...yeah, guess so?" He tilted his head back and reached up to feel for Tinker Bell. She kicked his hand for his troubles. "Are you really gonna stay up there now?" He waited. Then he sighed, shaking his head and smiling to himself. "Okay, fine...guess it's everybody's vacation time here, isn't it?" he laughed.

"So, you fought Hook?" Kairi said, conversational.

"Sure did," Ven replied, grinning. "He wasn't too tough."

"You know I fought him too," Kairi went on, eyeing him intently. Meaningfully.

Ven blinked at her. Then he gasped. "Y-yeah, I know - right! Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to...uh..."

Kairi sighed, leaning back and putting hands behind her back, gazing up at the night sky. "It's okay. I still like you," she added, flashing him a small grin.

"N-no, I didn't mean to be all insensitive or anything," Ven went on quickly. "I wasn't thinking when I brought the guy up, I was just-"

"It really is okay," Kairi said seriously. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," Ven agreed, still feeling a bit guilty about it. How could he have been that thoughtless? Just bringing up his fight with that guy like it was some happy tale, when for Kairi it was...a terrible thing in her memories? "So, uh-" he began.

"Ven!"

Ventus turned to see Aqua striding down the stairs, coming over from Second District.

"Aqua - hey," he greeted. "You'll never believe who I-"

"Ven, if you have the time, there are some things we should discuss," Aqua spoke, in a voice he knew well by now. It was that voice...

"Okay," he said instantly, frowning. He reached up and gently brushed Tinker Bell off, sending her flipping through the air. She crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue at him, then flew over to land on Kairi's shoulder. "Sorry, Tink, but Aqua's got some stuff to talk about with me, apparently." He glanced at Kairi and Sora. "See you guys in a minute."

"Okay," they said together.

Aqua gazed at him, looking both stern and...uncertain. She had a hand on her hip. Whenever she had that hand on that hip...never a great sign.

Ven slowly made his way up the stairs to meet her. "What's going on, Aqua? What do we need to talk about that can't wait?"

"Extremely important things," Aqua said shortly. "Come with me, Ven. We need privacy."

Ven sighed. "Alright..."

Whatever it was, it was definitely serious.

Ven followed Aqua down the alley, around a corner, then on into Second District. She led him off to the left, behind the hotel building. Into a back alley. From there, she led him to the far side, and then...she raised a hand and shrouded a sewer grate in magic, pulling it free. He stared at the opening, then at her. "Uhhh...Aqua...this is getting kinda creepy."

"We can't risk being overheard. Not about this. It concerns...home, Ven. The Master..." Aqua whispered.

Ven hesitated. "Okay..." He nodded, and went in through the opening.

It led into darkness, into dampness, and...a cave system.

Aqua raised a hand and blasted out with a wave of ice, freezing over the little lake inside the cavernous interior. They walked across it onto uneven stone - but solid ground again. There was a stairwell to the left, and out across the lake was a mural, an image of-

"Ven."

Ven blinked. "What?"

Aqua was staring at him strangely now. Looking him up and down. She was...thinking about something.

"What're we here to talk about?" Ven said, a bit annoyed now. Weirded out, too.

"First, how you're here with a body again," Aqua began at last, in quiet tones. "And second...I need to ask you about your past. Your life before Xehanort left you with us and the Master."

"Huh? Why would you wanna know about that? Why now?"

Aqua just stared at him for a few moments again. Then- "Because when we were at Castle Oblivion, we met two people who...said they knew you. From before. They said they were Keyblade wielders, from the same world as you, and that you trained and fought the darkness together, before you...lost that home to the darkness. They said you were separated, then, and that they lost their memories. But that must have applied to you, as well...because you've never remembered your past, Ven. Isn't that right?"

Ven winced, frowning deeply as he bowed his head. His hands trembled in his lap, curling to fists... "I...? Y-yeah? Right? I haven't...I don't have...anything from...I don't know what happened, I don't know how Xehanort found me, or- or- I DON'T KNOW, AQUA!"

"I know - I know - and I'm sorry. But they were your friends, and they want to see you again - to know you're safe. That you've been safe, all this time." Aqua paused, watching him closely. "They're a few years older than me or Terra - around ten years older than you, I'd say. One of them was a woman with yellow hair and green eyes, and the other was a man who had pink hair and blue eyes. Their names were...the woman was Elrena and the man was called Lauriam. And Lauriam, he said he had a sister who was also a wielder alongside you - her name was...Strelitzia-?"

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" Ven screamed, grabbing his head as he suddenly fell to the ground, agony exploding in his mind, eating away at his chest!

"VEN!"

"ARGHHH, AHHH!" Ven curled in on himself as his body convulsed, as feelings and images rushed through his Heart and mind.

A town of buildings with purple rooftops, a giant twin clocktower - a room of gears - a vast chamber with a big machine and metallic pods - a dark warehouse, standing in the shadows, watching the girl with long twin tails of orange hair getting closer and closer, oblivious, that Book in her hand - the Dark Figure lunging out to strike her down as Ven stood there and watched-

"VEN, VENTUS, PLEASE! VEN!"

"It's my fault...I'm sorry, Lauriam...I'm responsible for what happened to her..." Ven whispered out through it all, with a shocking, sudden sense of clarity.

Then it was all lost to him as his world went black...


"I shouldn't have even asked him! I shouldn't have- what was I thinking?!"

"Someone was going to have to tell him at some point, right?" Kairi said quietly, sitting in the hotel room with Aqua. With Aerith, too, who was attending to Ven with a hand swimming with magic, held over his forehead. "It's not like we could have just kept this from him. They were his friends, they did know him. Ven proved that himself, with what you said that he said in that cave."

Aqua sat against the wall, her knees drawn in, her arms wrapped around them tightly. She gave a nod, then let her head fall to her knees. "Yes - it seems it was all true - and that means I just made him relive...what must have been the most awful of memories. I know what it's like to lose a home, and I made him remember-"

"I know what it's like too," Kairi interrupted firmly. "And I know that I'd rather remember the home I lost, hold all that pain in my Heart, than to forget and never realize it was my home. And I know Ven feels the same. We talked about it before, about Radiant Garden. So even if it hurts now, even if he has to deal with it all inside now...that just means it was always something worth holding onto in his Heart."

"Yes..." Aqua's voice came, flat and quiet. "You're right, of course. But...still...I've never seen Ven that way before. Not even when we first met. When he was...and I caused him that pain..."

"I'm sure he'll forgive you. So all you have to do is forgive yourself."

Aqua raised her head, gazing at Kairi with surprise. She nodded, then dropped her head once more. "You really are a wonderful girl, Kairi. A wise one, too, for one so young. Truly, you are a Princess of Heart..."

"I'll let it slide, just this once," Kairi murmured, smiling slightly.

Aqua gave a snort into her knees. "Sorry..."

"I said I'll let it slide," Kairi said, half serious, half jesting still.

Aerith let out a sigh, sitting back from Ventus on the floor. She braced herself on an arm, turning to Aqua and Kairi. "He's going to be just fine - physically, at least. But his Heart and mind...it's in turmoil right now."

"Thank you for stating the obvious - how wonderfully astute!" Aqua snapped, her head whipping up. She froze, her lips trembling. Her eyes glistening. She fell forward again, slumping bodily now. "I'm sorry..." she said, in a high voice of distress.

"Oh, trust me, it would take so much more than a little bit of cattiness to get under my skin," Aerith replied serenely. "Besides, I know that you're still hardly even a day removed from a ten year stint in the Dark Realm itself. A...let's say frayed mental state is the most understandable, and least worrying behavior you could ever display."

Aqua slowly raised her head again, blinking at Aerith. Her cheeks flushed now, as her lips parted. "Thank you...but...you shouldn't be giving me an out, even so. I- I am sorry..." she croaked.

Aerith tilted her head at Aqua, her hands rising to her chest as she straightened up where she sat. "It's really admirable of you to hold yourself up like that, but you're free to let it all go, you know. It's all right now..." she said softly.

Aqua gasped. She screwed her face up, her eyes shutting tight. She turned away, covering her face. "I- I- n-no...can't...Ven still needs..." she murmured swiftly.

"Ven has a good dozen people around these parts who can care for and look after him," Aerith said gently. "Whatever he needs, we're here for him. All of us. Now how about what Aqua needs?"

Aqua slammed her head back against the wall with a loud crack, startling Kairi something fierce. Then she jumped to her feet, hands falling away. Her face was twisted, she looked...caught, or trapped. Panicked. Then she slid back down to the floor, that expression draining away. She closed her eyes and fell sideways, letting out a long breath. Her arms went around herself, and her lips began to move wordlessly. "N-not just Ven...Terra too..." she muttered, barely whispering. Just thin air from her lungs, the words half formed.

Aerith gazed at her, looking extremely troubled. And sympathetic. But she shook her head and stood. "Come on now, Kairi. We should leave them be together."

Kairi stood quickly, exiting the room after Aerith.


Aqua sat there in the room, alone with Ven, for hours, perhaps.

It didn't matter to her.

She wasn't a stranger to time meaning nothing. To watching it get away from her.

Eventually, however, like with her time in that Realm of Darkness, a single sound to break the silence caused her body to go into high alert.

Her head came up, her body tensed, and she turned toward the bed to see Ven opening his eyes. Sitting up.

"Ugh..." Ven groaned.

As he moved, Aqua stared at him, feeling a sense of supreme...oddness. It...honestly didn't register, for a good full second of time. What was wrong. Different. Off. But then, oh, then it did.

She blinked, as she realized that Ven's clothes had changed. He wasn't wearing his usual attire, but instead...a black coat with chains and a zipper. The same coat that seemed to belong to this Organization XIII that Xemnas - Xehanort - had formed in these worlds, in this new era, to advance his latest schemes.

Aqua stood slowly, her weapon hand clenching into a fist at her side. "V-Ven...?" she breathed.

Ven stared all around himself, as if he didn't recognize his surroundings. Then, he turned to look at her with pure confusion. "Who are you talking about? I'm Roxas." His voice, it was different from Ven's, immediately, despite being so familiar. The intonations, even the pitch seemed a bit deeper, and the pronunciations, and of course...the total lack of warmth or familiarity when speaking to Aqua. When looking at her. No, no...in that face...there was nothing familiar! It wasn't Ven looking out at her.

But then who...?

Aqua unclenched her hand, and her Keyblade appeared at her side. She took a step forward, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you? What have you done with Ventus?"

Ven- no, Not-Ven - Roxas? - he jumped up to his feet off the bed, staring at her with his head tilted. His eyebrows furrowed. His gaze fell to her Keyblade. "What are you talking about? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? Where even-"

Aqua raised her Keyblade at the boy. "Answer me!" she ordered, hard.

Ven- Roxas, stared at her with wariness now. Then he turned and quickly raised a hand, and a dark portal appeared in the middle of the room. It oozed, it rippled off through the air, it wrapped around Aqua, familiar, trying to seep into her Heart even from afar-

Aqua moved quickly toward the boy in Ven's body, raising her Keyblade.

This Roxas boy raised his hand again swiftly, and Ven's Keyblade appeared in his grasp!

Pure fury rose in Aqua's Heart at the sight. She swung for the boy with a yell-

Roxas ducked under her attack and dove for the portal.

Aqua whirled, flashing out a hand! "NO!" she cried. She would not let someone take Ven from her again! NEVER! She was NOT losing him AGAIN! SHE REFUSED TO! Her icy blast of power flooded out across the room, coalescing around Roxas and freezing him in place with thick patches of ice across his entire body. She strode forward and put her Keyblade to his neck (reminding herself that it was not Ven's neck - not right now). "Tell me who you are! What are you doing inside of Ventus?!"

That dark portal evaporated as Roxas struggled against the ice. Then, he stopped struggling.

He gazed at her with his eyes alone, his head struggling to turn even a few inches. There was fear there now. Panic, in those eyes. "I don't know who you're talking about! Who's Ventus? I'm me, nobody else, okay?!" he shouted at her, suddenly angry.

"Don't you dare-" Aqua began furiously.

The door flew open, and Kairi came rushing into the room, Keyblade in hand.

"What's going on in here?" Kairi demanded, looking between them in shock. "Why is Ven-"

"It's not Ven!" Aqua said firmly.

Roxas's eyes found Kairi. They widened - with recognition? With relief. With hope. With joy, even, for an instant. But then...there was only that confusion. But now, more than ever, Aqua noted.

"Xikira...?" Roxas gasped. "What are you doing here? What's going on, what is-"

Kairi blinked, hesitating. "What did you call me?" she cut him off quickly.

"Xikira? Wait, no, you're not...?" Roxas's frozen face did its best to frown. "Who...?"

"I'm Kairi. You know Xikira?"

"Wait...Kairi? YOU'RE Kairi?" Roxas exclaimed.

"Yes? Who are you?" Kairi retorted.

Roxas's frozen fingers suddenly relaxed, and Ven's Keyblade vanished from his grasp. "I'm Roxas..." he said slowly, but firmly.

"Roxas?" Kairi traded glances with Aqua. Then she let her weapon go too. She held Aqua's gaze, insisting wordlessly. Determined - and begging her to trust her...

Aqua trusted the girl - but she only lowered her Keyblade to hold at her side.

"What...is going on here?" Aqua asked tersely. "Kairi, I hope you have some sort of idea that can explain this...?"

Kairi stared at Roxas intently. Then her eyes went wide, a gasp escaping her. She strode forward briskly, hands behind her back. She shoved her face in his.

"Uhhh..." Roxas stammered. "What-"

Kairi's hand shot up, covering his frost-bitten mouth. Her eyes narrowed into slits, sweeping him up and down. Up close. Taking in his attire. She chewed at her lip. Then she dropped her arm, stepped away, and jumped in the air with a fist pump.

"WE HAD TWINS!" she shouted out joyfully.

"...What?" Roxas said blankly.

"WHAT?!" Aqua shrilled.

"Oh, I am going to kick her little butt for not telling me, next time I see her!" Kairi went on furiously. "Aqua, go find Sora for me - Roxas - sit your bum down right here, now!" She whirled and jabbed a finger at the bed.

"Um...I'm still frozen," Roxas said awkwardly.

Kairi frowned. "Right...AQUA! How dare you freeze my son! I should kick your butt for this - but I won't, because I'm joking, and I know I couldn't actually do it!" she went on swiftly.

Aqua put a hand to her forehead, swaying. "What...? I'd appreciate that explanation, Kairi..."

"Roxas, are you or are you not a Nobody?" Kairi said, rounding on the still-frozen boy.

"Yes?"

"And are you or are you not...a Nobody who was made from me and a boy named Sora - like Xikira was?" Kairi rattled off.

"Uh, yes, that's right too," Roxas said again, giving a tiny nod, breaking off tiny bits of ice as he did.

Aqua stared between the two of them. From Roxas to Kairi, and back again. Her own mind was whirling now. Working overtime, honestly. But she thought...the pieces were...starting to come together...

In a way that made sense.

Particularly in light of all she'd learned in Castle Oblivion...

Ven's Heart in Sora...a Nobody being what a body left behind turned into after one became a Heartless...the fact that Kairi had brought Sora back from being a Heartless, yet...if they both still had- Nobodies in existence, like that Xikira girl, and now here, this Roxas boy...then...then...

Aqua knew well how Heart and body interacted, how one informed the other, shaped and molded it, how one's inner appearance reflected upon the outer, and how...

Castle Oblivion...

Ven...and Roxas...

No Heart...an empty body...but if a Heart was still within it...wouldn't it change to reflect that? Wouldn't it be possible...?

Aqua finally let her Keyblade vanish, a gasp escaping her. She raised her hand and dispelled the ice from Roxas's body. From Ven's- no, from possibly Sora's! If her headache-inducing thought processes could possibly be trusted. "Roxas, Kairi, both of you need to come with me. Now."

"No, he needs to sit here so I can-" Kairi began.

"Kairi. I think I might know what's going on here. But I need to check on something first," Aqua spoke firmly, interrupting her. "I need Roxas with me - you can come along for his sake, if you like."

"What do you need to check on?" Kairi said, serious now.

"We need to go back to Castle Oblivion - where I hid Ven's body," Aqua stated.

Realization in Kairi's eyes. A shared understanding, in that moment.

It let Aqua know she was...probably on the right track here.

Kairi nodded. "Okay. Let's go!"