So we got ourselves a relatively shorter chapter this time around, mostly because its an interval chapter that's meant to set stuff up for later on. I also kinda borrowed a bit from KH3 here (haven't needed to do that in awhile) but I would still pay attention all the same since there are quite a few significant differences in store here for you all. Anyway, with all that out of the way, let's get started!


Chapter 25: The Key and the Sea

I really don't get what everyone else believes

"After all, word on the street is that the old man has you pegged for our missing number thirteen."

"You're going around, acting like you're one of the guardians of light, but between that scar and those cracks on your Keyblade, I'd say you've got more of the mark of a seeker of darkness instead."

"The darkness residing in the depths of your own heart has always been there. All we're doing is tapping into that darkness to claim it, and you, as our own."

"Try as you might, you can't save everyone. Not your missing lights, and especially not yourself."

"For when the time comes that you have fully submitted to my power, then not only shall you be the one to deliver to me the thirteen Keys to the Kingdom, but through you, I shall lay claim to the very heart of all worlds itself: Kingdom Hearts!"

"The Organization always lies…" Sora whispers to himself both out of anxiety and desperation. It's the most he can really do to banish the ever-growing collection of supposed "lies" from his troubled thoughts. Yet that attempt all but fails as he steals another glance up at the small mirror in front of him, only to be inevitably caught off guard by the changes starting to become more and more apparent in his own reflection. A few more stray, sparse locks of his hair have started shifting from brown to white, and the lingering specks of gold in his eyes are all too quickly beginning to turn into blotches. Both small, subtle differences, ones that could only really be picked up by someone paying extremely close attention; and even if no one else is, Sora can't help but do exactly that.

"T-the Organization always lies…" he repeats, staring his own reflection down sternly. He ruffles his hair up a bit to conceal the white within it, and while what's happening with his eyes will be much harder to hide, he still hopes it isn't enough for either Donald or Goofy to easily notice. Just as much as he wishes he could find a way to just forget about it all himself.

And yet, with the constant reminders from the Organization and his own appearance alike, forgetting or ignoring this problem is becoming increasingly more difficult to do. Which is why the most he can do for the moment is hope that his worst fears are wrong, that all these troubling signs are something else and the Organization's usual dishonesty is nothing more than that. Because giving into the opposite line of thought and all of the dread and fear that comes along with it is almost certainly what Xehanort wants him to do.

So once again, Sora forces himself to put those fretful thoughts by the wayside, at least for the time being. "The Organization always lies," he reiterates to himself one final time, though this time a rather invasive, unwelcome thought comes along with it. And so do you.

Because I have to, he argues with himself, letting out a frustrated, tired sigh as he begins to make his way back up to the Gummi Ship's main deck. I don't really have any other choice…

Sora receives yet another reminder of that fact as he reaches the cockpit, only to be met by bright, encouraging smiles from Donald and Goofy alike as he makes his way back to his seat. He forces on a fake, easy grin of his own to meet theirs, one that's still weighed down by palpable guilt that he doesn't dare show. Despite voicing his desire to be included as part of the team again, Sora knows he isn't exactly maintaining the balance he expects from them on his end of things. He's long since stopped keeping count of just how many lies he's told and secrets he's been keeping from them, the ones that he's accidentally already revealed themselves to the pair, like his cracked Keyblade or scarred chest, notwithstanding. But still, how can he possibly tell them the truth now, after all of the worry and stress he'd put them through when he had let himself be captured and tortured by Maleficent? They've only just started easing up on their constant fretting over him, their rather stifling, restraining concern calming back down into their usual relaxed rapport. As far as he's concerned, the last thing he wants or needs now is to stir them up once more over something that might arguably be even worse. Especially since he's still largely hopeful that this is something he'll be able to take care of and resolve on his own.

And if he can't, well, he'll just have to cross that bridge when and if he gets to it.

As caught up in his own anxious thoughts as he is, Sora doesn't even overhear most of the conversation Donald and Goofy have started without him until he's directly brought back into it. "So?" the magician asks impatiently. "Any ideas?"

"Huh?" Sora blinks, completely lost as he glances back at his companions. "Um… ideas about what?"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Donald huffs as Goofy lets out a small chuckle. "Would it kill you to pay attention for a change?"

"We were just talkin' about where we should head to next," Goofy explains. "Has your Keys Instinct picked up on where we should look for another one?"

"Oh, uh, well, to be honest, I… I haven't really been focusing on looking…" Sora says with a small shrug.

"Then what have you been focusing on?" Donald raises a skeptical eyebrow.

"Um…" Sora hesitates. He quickly shifts his train of thought away from what he actually had been focusing on to something that's much easier to discuss with them instead. Something that he certainly has been focusing on as well, ever since they'd left Atlantis. "I-I've just been thinking about what Terra‒or, uh, his memories, I guess‒told me about how we can help him. He said we should start by finding Ventus."

"Well, gee, Sora, that's gonna be pretty tricky," Jiminy points out as he hops up to take a perch on Sora's shoulder. "Didn't the king say Master Aqua is the only one who knows where Ventus is?"

"Yeah, w-well, since Ventus' heart is in mine, maybe he can give us some sort of clue?" Sora suggests. "He did help me figure out that guy in the armor was connected to Terra, after all."

"Ok, then has he told you anything about where we might be able to find him yet?" Goofy asks, curiously.

"No…" Sora sighs, having a shaking suspicion as to why. Because if Ventus is anything like Roxas, then certainly, he's likely joined his Nobody in his valiant, selfless mission to internally shield his heart against Xehanort's malice. A noble goal, one Sora would usually be immensely grateful for… if such protection didn't come at the expense of both Roxas and Ventus resigning themselves to remain trapped within the prison that is his very own heart. "B-but that doesn't mean he won't. And if he doesn't, then maybe… maybe we could work on getting Aqua back in the meantime!"

"But Riku and the king are already doing that!" Donald protests.

"Yeah, and look how far they've gotten in finding her," Sora counters, a clear hint of dry sarcasm in his tone. "It's been months now and she's still stuck in the Realm of Darkness. So maybe if they're having a hard time finding her there, we should go and try to find her ourselves!"

"What?" Donald balks incredulously at this plan. "No way! You should already know why that's a bad idea! You being ready to get back into the worlds and face off against Heartless and Nobodies is one thing-"

"But going somewhere like the Realm of Darkness so soon after, w-well, ya know, might not be the best thing for you to do right now, Sora," Goofy finishes calmly.

"You guys don't know that," Sora argues, annoyed at even this vague mention of his captivity and its aftermath. "You've never even been there before, but I have, with Riku, remember?"

"Yeah, and you almost weren't able to get back either, remember?" Donald counters crossly.

"Well, we did," Sora stands up on his chair so he can properly face both of his companions. "Look, I'm just saying, going to the Realm of Darkness ourselves might be our best shot at helping Aqua. And, once she's back, she can help us find Ventus, and both of them can help us save Terra. Then, after we get the rest of the Keys, we'll have everything and everyone we need to take on the Organization and stop Xehanort once and for all!" And maybe that'll be enough to stop this too… he thinks, briefly glancing down at his hands to see the slightest bit of familiar, unwelcome darkness just starting to peek past his gloves as it spills onto his fingers. Another sign, another piece of proof that he can only hope will go away if the elderly master causing it all is finally defeated.

"I… don't think it's that simple…" Jiminy notes with a frown. "For starters, do you even know how to get into the Realm of Darkness, Sora?"

Sora flinches, his resolve and readiness to go through with such a risky plan completely undermined by the logistics of it. "Well, no…" He's quick to come up with an idea to change that, however, as he pulls his Gummi Phone out. "But Riku and the king do!"

"They won't tell you," Donald counters.

"Nope, at least not until we've finished finding all the Keys," Goofy agrees.

"And especially not after what happened with Maleficent," the magician counters sternly.

Though Sora is more than ready to argue that point in particular, he narrowly refrains, knowing just how much of an earful he'd likely get if he told them that Riku really has no idea about his brief stint as Maleficent's prisoner or the lengthy recovery period that came after it. And as far as he's concerned, he has every intention of keeping it that way, regardless of a certain promise he might have made to someone else to do otherwise.

Even so, Sora ultimately knows both of his companions are absolutely right. The chance of either Riku or the king divulging their method for getting to the Realm of Darkness is quite low, especially since finding Aqua is their primary mission, not the trio's. But even beyond that, Sora can practically hear what Riku would say if he actually did call him to ask; he would chastise him for his brash, brazen behavior before simply rejecting his request and reminding him to get back to looking for the rest of the Keys. And after that, it would be over. It's such a predictable conversation that it would be a waste of time even to have it, yet that hardly stops Sora from wanting to try all the same. If only for just the smallest of a chance to set a series of events in motion that could very well end up saving his heart and his life.

He's just about to make the call to make that attempt too, until the Gummi Phone ironically enough rings with an incoming call instead.

"The king?" Donald and Goofy exchange a curious glance.

"Riku," Sora guesses, taking in a deep breath and resolving himself to not back down, no matter what Riku might have to say. However, when he presses the button to answer the call, he's surprised to find that isn't who's actually on the other end of the line.

"...Is this a bad time?"Ienzo greets with a confused frown upon hearing the trio let out a shared disappointed groan.

"No, uh, we were just… sort of expecting someone else," Sora admits with a small sigh.

"Oh," Ienzo says shortly before continuing with his purpose behind this call. "Well, I do have some news about Ansem's code and how it relates to bringing Roxas back."

"Wait, really?" Sora asks, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy all perking up alongside him upon hearing this. "What is it?"

"Well, let's start with the Virtual Twilight Town," Ienzo begins, offering a small chuckle over the group's newfound enthusiasm. "We've been working on decrypting its data and the progress has been promising. I don't think it will be very long at all before we get the transporter up and running again and once we do-"

"Then we can finally help Roxas, right?" Sora ventures, genuinely hopeful even if he's largely lost amidst all this talk of virtual worlds and data.

"We'll be a good step closer toward doing so, at least," Ienzo corrects. "But we'd still need to find a way to release his heart from yours, Sora. Which brings me to Ansem the Wise's data. We've discovered a very interesting passage; I'll read you exactly what he wrote: 'I have discovered three unique hearts inside of Sora's. One is Roxas. The second has been with Sora for nearly as long. And a third has resided in Sora for even longer‒most of his life, in fact. This is a truly astonishing discovery. While these hearts have now melded with Sora‒grown silent and indistinct‒he retains the memories of all three. The memories have been compartmentalized-each placed in its own 'box,' so to speak. I surmise the hearts can be awoken, provided that each of them is returned to the box that contains the correct memories. Awaken and release these hearts, unite each with its own memories, and I believe any or all three of these people can be made real again."

While this piece of information is dense to say the least, a number of details stand out to the trio, a handful of which they're already aware of. However, something in particular catches Sora's attention above all else. "Three hearts?" he skims a hand over his own where these three are supposedly hidden. "I thought it was just two…"

"Yep, Roxas and Ventus," Goofy notes knowingly.

"So who's the third one then?" Donald asks, confused.

"I… have no idea…" Sora shakes his head. "I didn't‒wait," he stops short, his eyes wide as a sudden, dreadful thought occurs to him yet again. "Uh, h-hey, Ienzo? J-just curious, when's this data from, exactly?"

"Oh, well, it's from right before Ansem the Wise… d-disappeared," Ienzo glances down sadly. "The timestamp marks the day of its writing at around half a year ago, so I would say it's mostly timely, if that's what you're worried about."

"Y-yeah," Sora lets out a sigh of relief. After all, if this information is from that long ago, before his ill-fated Mark of Mastery exam at least, then that fortunately rules out the absolute worst possible identity for that third unknown heart inside his own. "Thanks…"

"Even if the owner of this third heart is currently unclear, Ansem's research does mention something that could prove to be useful in recovering all three," Ienzo continues, referencing his copious notes all the while. "He refers to it as 'the Key to Return Hearts'. It's a Keyblade that has the ability to do, well, exactly as its name implies: return lost hearts to where they belong."

"Well, golly, that sounds like just the thing we need!" Jiminy chimes in, impressed.

"Yeah, can you tell us where we can find it?" Sora eagerly asks, excited at the prospect of a tool that could so easily help Roxas, Ventus, and perhaps even that unknown third heart in one fell swoop.

"That's… where things get complicated…" Ienzo sighs. "The data on this Key is very limited at best. It's basically a minor footnote compared to everything else Ansem recorded. What I just told you is all I really know about it at the moment, but if you'd like, I can try to do more digging to see if I can uncover anything else."

"That would be great," Sora says with an allayed smile. "Thanks for your help, Ienzo."

"Certainly," Ienzo returns his cordial grin. "As always, I'll make sure you all will be the first to know when there's a new development. Until then, take care."

With this, the scientist signs off, leaving the others to mull over the very useful, though still somewhat mystifying findings he's provided them with. "Gawrsh, maybe we should be on the lookout for this 'Key to Return Hearts' too," Goofy suggests. "Ya know, as long as we're out and about in the worlds."

"Another Key to search for?" Donald groans tiredly. "Don't we already have enough to track down?"

"Looking for this one will be worth it," Sora insists earnestly. "Especially if it can really set Roxas and Ventus free."

"What about that third heart?" Jiminy inquires.

"Them too," Sora nods, resolved. "I have a feeling that whoever they are, they need our help just as much as the others do."

"As if our list of people you want to help wasn't already long enough as it is…" Donald says somewhat teasingly.

"Aw, shucks, Donald, I happen to think that Sora's knack for helping people is one of the best things about him," Goofy remarks with a proud smile.

"Well, at least someone does," Sora smirks back at both of his companions fondly. "Still, we won't be helping anyone if we don't get the rest of those Keys."

"That's the spirit!" Donald chimes impatiently. "At least you're finally off that going to the Realm of Darkness kick…"

"Hey, only because there's a better option out there," Sora counters, his tone turning a bit more serious. "If we don't find that Key to Return Hearts soon, then going to the Realm of Darkness is back on the table."

"Then we better hope Riku and the king beat us to it first," Goofy chuckles as Donald joined in.

"Yeah, then we won't have to worry about Sora getting himself lost in there without us," the magician jokes lightly.

"Aw, c'mon, fellas, cut Sora a little slack," Jiminy adds, joining the levity as he hops up onto the back of the chair. "I'm sure he'd find his way around the Realm of Darkness just fine. Well, as long as he had a map on him, that is."

At this, all three of them burst into a hearty round of laughter, one Sora makes no effort to join in on. Instead, he turns away from all three of them, a severely irritated scowl on his face as he crosses his arms tightly. While he usually would counter such playful claims with an even bout of teasing all his own, this time he remains silent, stewing in growing frustration over their obvious doubts in his abilities. Doubts they still have no qualms about showing even despite their promise to treat him like an equal member of the team instead of the weakest link within it.

Still, Sora ignores those pressing doubts in favor of focusing his thoughts on a much more important cause. Namely, the three hearts resting inside his own, each awaiting some kind of release. And each depending on him to offer them that release. He'd already made such a promise to Roxas before, and while he hasn't had the chance to meet Ventus personally, he's just as ready to carry that promise over to him as well. The third heart is still a mystery, an absolute unknown that throws a surprising wrench into an already complicated matter. Yet Sora can't help but strive to assist them as well, regardless of who they might be. And if this supposed, elusive Key to Return Hearts is the best way to do exactly that, then he won't rest until it's found and those wayward, trapped hearts are back where they belong.

After all, it's the least he can do to repay the bravery and kindness of three innocent hearts that have courageously, selflessly taken on the burden of protecting his own. However undeserving and unimportant his own heart might be by comparison.

"In fact, I would like to believe... Maybe he can set things right. A boy like him who touches so many hearts—he could open the right door, and save all those people whose lives I managed to ruin. So many are still waiting for their new beginning, their birth by sleep. Even me...and even you."

"What's this boy's name?"

"His name… is…"

"Sora…" Aqua repeats once more, her voice barely above a whisper, though a calm, comforted smile still hangs on her face all the while. She isn't sure how long she's been sitting on this darkened shore‒time in general is just about impossible to determine in the Realm of Darkness, after all. But for now, she's content to remain here, glad to find a rare place of peace and a friendly face, even if the face of her current companion is concealed by the dark hood covering his head.

As for that companion, he's quite mysterious to say the least, seemingly bereft of all knowledge of his own name and most of his history, or so he said. Even so, the tale he'd just regaled to Aqua, one of periled worlds, encroaching darkness, and the brave boy who had risen to the occasion to restore the fading light, has thoroughly warmed her heart. Especially when she realizes that means that the assistance she had risked so much to offer Riku and Mickey had not gone in vain after all. But even more than that, she can't help but smile when she thinks about Sora, that young, sweet, spirited boy she'd briefly met on the Destiny Islands what felt like a lifetime ago now. Sora, who had apparently grown up to become a true hero when the worlds needed one most. Sora, who, at least as far as her hooded companion was concerned, could be the key to liberating Terra and Ventus and perhaps, even herself.

And after all of the misery and loneliness Aqua had become acquainted with in this doomed, forgotten realm, the promise, the hope that she might finally return to the world of light and to her lost friends once more, is well worth holding out just a bit longer for.

The constant quiet din of the gentle dark tide washing up on the shadowy shore is soon interrupted by a sudden question from the hooded man sitting beside her. "Tell me," he begins, his face still all but obscured as he looks down at her. "Will you stay here?"

Aqua nods, not really needing to think twice about it. "I can't shake the feeling that these waters touch another shore I've visited," she replies, fondly imaging that sunset-soaked sea and its peaceful warmth once more.

"The Destiny Islands…" her companion correctly muses.

"You've heard of them?"

"Yes. They are quite lovely‒a far cry from this wasteland."

Aqua finds herself smiling along with this statement, longing to see that shore, longing to bask in the radiance of its vibrant sun, longing to find her way back to the light where she belongs. "I'm staying," she affirms, confident in her decision. "Someone will come for me."

"These waters are the in-between of dark and light," the hooded man explains poetically. "Its shores the margins of day and night. They brought you and I together; so why not you and another?"

"Yes," Aqua soundly agrees, holding onto that hope. It might not be easy, but she wills herself to until that distant dream of going home, of being back within the realm of light, finally becomes a reality.

And so the unlikely pair sits together like that for quite some time, awash in the solemn serenity of the dark sea before them as they patiently await some form of salvation from the other side of it. There's no telling exactly when that salvation will end up coming, but for her part at least, Aqua is certain that it will eventually. And besides, she's waited this long; certainly, she can afford to wait just a little longer.

Or so she thinks.

In time, in the span of what only feels like a few mere hours, the steady calm of the shadowed scene before them is soon broken. Aqua catches onto the sound of approaching footsteps in the sand somewhere behind them, an all-too-familiar aura of sinister intent tipping her keen senses off. And in an instant she knows, they're no longer alone.

"Who's there?" she calls, distrustfully glancing over her shoulder at this new arrival. Her hooded companion does the same to find a man, clad in a black coat practically identical to his own, marching straight toward them. His hood is down, revealing his long silver white hair, piercing golden eyes, and fierce features. Though Aqua knows she's never once met him in her life, she could swear there's something almost strangely… familiar about him, though she can't even begin to place how.

"You…" the hooded man seems to recognize him, his tone immediately filled with ire as he stands. Aqua does the same, warily keeping her sights set on the newcomer as she takes up a defensive stance. After all, darkness practically radiates off of him. She wishes she still had her master's treasured Keyblade on hand, she knows she'll do well to prepare herself for a potential struggle all the same.

What she isn't prepared for is what comes next. "Master…" the newcomer begins, his tone even yet dripping with faux respect as he addresses the hooded man. "I must have a word with you..."

At this, her companion finally removes his hood for the first time, catching Aqua off guard in the process. Her newfound friend is unsurprisingly well-on in years, with an aged, yet wizened way about him, even if some unknown hint of regret still fills his eyes all the same. "'Master'?" he scoffs bitterly. "So now you mock me."

The newcomer ignores him, clearly having an unknown intention of his own in mind with this meeting. "Since the time that we last met, you've been quite busy, haven't you?" he asks, his tone icy as he begins to step forward. "Your research has been scattered, but word has it that a handful of your once-turncoat apprentices have returned to pick up where you left off."

The so-called master seems genuinely stunned by this news. "M-my apprentices…" he repeats, shaken. "Who-"

"Nevermind who exactly," the newcomer interrupts him. "They're all traitors to the Organization they once served. And yet, their work is still proving useful to our cause all the same, though only to a certain extent. There are still some… gaps in their findings, so to speak. Which is why I decided to come directly to the source to fill those gaps in."

The master glares his supposed former apprentice down sternly upon hearing this. "You will receive no such assistance from me. Now, away with you!"

Aqua likewise narrows her eyes at the newcomer, her hands clenched into tight fists as she internally confirms that this strange man is trouble. Yet even so, he makes no effort to leave as he simply smiles calmly. "All I seek is your reports on matters of memory. I know such notes exist, particularly when it comes to reconstructing memories, just as you did for Sora."

Aqua is unable to hold back a soft, startled gasp, her eyes widening as she hears this clearly wicked man so much as merely mention Sora. Obviously, there's an entirely untold story here that she doesn't know, but she refrains from voicing any of her countless questions about it in favor of continuing to listen to see what else she can somehow glean. "The driving force behind recovering Sora's memories was not me," the master shakes his head. "Rather, it was Naminé. The answers that you seek lie with her, and at the moment, I am deeply disheartened to say that she is completely unavailable to give them to you, or to anyone else, for that matter."

"Naminé is hardly a concern of ours," the newcomer counters. "You were still there with her while she was restoring his memories; you observed her power firsthand and documented every ounce of research on it you possibly could. Which is why I want to know, where are those missing notes?"

"Why do you seek them?" the master asks suspiciously. "What purpose could such information serve the Organization in its current state at all?"

"It could serve to help sway a certain wayward vessel to our side," the newcomer says ominously. "For certainly, if one has the knowledge of reconstructing memories, then that information could just as easily be turned around to deconstruct memories as well, wouldn't you agree? And if Naminé herself is no longer around to do the job for us, then why not look for assistance from the next best source?"

The master has only a serve, steadfast scowl to offer his former apprentice at this, rejecting any sort of request for his aid whatsoever. "I have no intentions of helping you drag some poor, innocent soul into your depraved designs by tearing their memories apart," he concludes, refusing to say anything more on the matter.

The newcomer however, simply meets that refusal with another smug, callous smirk. "Very well," he takes another step forward as he reaches out to the master. "If you won't tell me here, then-"

He's abruptly cut off as a sudden hand comes in to harshly swipe his away. For the first time since his arrival, the newcomer finally turns his attention to Aqua, who's come to stand between him and the master. "I think you should go," she asserts, refusing to back down, even despite her glaring lack of a weapon.

The newcomer regards her for a moment, his expression hardly seeming to convey any sort of confusion as he looks her over. "A lost guardian of light?" he raises a knowing eyebrow before taking on a haughty smirk. "You wait here, for the king and his fool. But certainly, you must know… they'll never be able to find you."

Aqua doesn't get a chance to respond as a new figure suddenly bursts out of the shadows behind the newcomer, a massive monster composed of sheer darkness, one that doesn't hesitate to lash out to strike her. As unprepared as she is for the blow, it hits her hard in her abdomen, sending her flying across the shore to the point that she only narrowly makes a clean landing upon it. Her stomach aches, the wind knocked out of her as she takes a moment to recover, and though her hand flinches out on instinct, unsurprisingly, no Keyblade takes its place within her grasp.

The newcomer seems to notice this too as she stands back up to properly face him. "Where is your Keyblade?" he asks, an edge of cruel mockery in his tone.

Aqua huffs, wiping away the sparse drops of blood that had escaped her mouth from the monster's heavy blow as she prepares to rush back into the fray. "Don't need it," she hisses, bravely running forward at full speed. She performs a high, graceful leap, sweeping her leg out wide to land a heavy, retaliating kick to the face of the monster that had struck her. It reels back as she leaps away from it, though only for a moment. In an instant, it catches her by the leg, drawing her back in as its beedy gaze leers at her with clearly violent intent.

Yet before it can carry that intent out, her companion quickly rushes in to try and put a stop to it. "No more!" he cries in protest, desperate to ensure no harm will come to his new friend. "I-I'll go."

"You are indeed wise," the newcomer grins, his tone cloying amidst his triumph. It's a triumph Aqua refuses to let him achieve so easily, however, as she succeeds in wrenching herself out of the monster's grip. She aims another kick at the newcomer himself, though he easily blocks it off with his forearm. She's repelled back to the edge of the shore, ready for whatever he intends on throwing her way next.

And yet…

"Poor thing," the newcomer smiles maliciously, his guardian converging a sheer orb of immense, pure darkness high above him. "I mustn't leave you with nothing…"

Aqua raises her already high guard as that emerging darkness only grows more immense with each passing second. And yet, despite her best attempts to be prepared, there's little she could do as the guardian launched it right at her.

Perhaps if she still had a Keyblade on her side, perhaps if she had even a small, sparing ounce of luck for a change, things might go differently. But as it stands, the brutal attack strikes her chest squarely, throwing her back violently toward the dark ocean behind her. She's barely even aware that she's flying back toward it as time seems to slow to an agonizing crawl, pain wracking through her chest and striking at her heart in particular. That pain is all she's even remotely able to feel as she crashes into the shadowy sea, breaking its surface as she begins to sink into its unfathomable depths entirely.

All her newfound friend can do is watch in horror from his place on the shore as she disappears into the sea, collapsing to his knees in mourning over the valiant guardian of light now lost to the darkness. Just as is the inevitable fate of everything and everyone who is unfortunate to fall into this miserable, nightmarish realm of decay and death to begin with.

She drowns within a sea of nothingness.

There's no other word to describe it. She sinks further and further into the endless void of the dark sea, her hands outstretched toward a surface she can no longer find. The icy water surrounding her deafens her, drenches her in its bitter, numbing chill as it fills her lungs, clouds her mind, leeches away at her heart. And yet, the waters themselves are far from the only thing poisoning her heart at present.

"W-what… what is this feeling…?" she chokes, unsure of if she's even able to speak aloud as everything seems to echo off into empty silence around her. Slowly, she glances down at her chest, to the very spot that darkened orb had struck her, only to find that its shadows have stuck with her, spreading across her entire body like a thick, inky shroud. The searing pain she'd known just moments ago soon begins to dull into a constant, cold ache, her heart starting to waver under the swift, subtle shadows falling over it. Perhaps if that darkness hadn't also begun to dull her thoughts along with it, she would have thought to fight back against it. But instead, she languishes in it, unable to fight, unable to move, unable to barely even think as grief and despair and fear overwhelm her senses all at once.

That is, until she sees them, both of them, falling ever deeper into the pitch black ocean alongside her. Both of their eyes are a piercing, unnatural shade of gold as they stare at her wordlessly. Expecting her to save them both even as she begins to lose herself entirely.

"V-Ven…" she reaches out to him first, her hand trembling as the darkness continues to cover it like a glove. He's clad in a dark bodysuit she knows well isn't his own, his gaze harsh and bitter and brimming with malice and hatred that certainly have no place there in the slightest.

"T-Terra…" she tries to reach him next, her heart breaking at the mere sight of him. His hair has shifted from its natural earthy brown to an alarming shade of pure white, his eyes offering her a sinister glare that lacks every ounce of warmth and kindness she knows should be there instead.

And, almost as soon as she sees them, they're gone, mere visions of what she once had. What she's likely lost for good. For as much as she had dreamed, she had hoped and waited for so long now to see them both, even if only for one last time, all those hopes had been in vain. Because now, without a doubt, she knows... that she'll never find her way back to them again.

"Aqua… do not lose sight of the light within the darkness…"

"M-Master Eraqus…?" she mutters, confused amidst her anguish. By now the darkness has all but binded her as she finally reaches the very bottom of the dark sea, her back resting upon a solid, glass-like surface as she lay silent, uncertain of what might become of her next. Still, she doesn't fight the darkness as it continues to swallow her from the inside out, changing her, transforming her in ways she isn't even aware of as her heart is hollowed out by it completely. As it steals everything from her and leaves nothing behind in its wake.

She only barely manages to regain any sense of cognizance at all as a Keyblade suddenly slams down onto the ground directly beside her head. She shudders, startled as she bolts upright to see who her attacker is, only to find herself standing right in front of her. Or rather, her phantom, a familiar trick the Realm of Darkness has thrown her way several times already. Which is why it's hardly any surprise to see this sadistic apparition now.

"Y-you again…" she scowls, forcing herself to stand even despite the heavy feeling of weakness weighing her down all the while. "Is… is enough never enough for you…?"

Her phantom largely ignores her sardonic remark, sneering coldly as she brandishes her master's former Keyblade almost mockingly at her. "The last spark of light inside your heart is dying," her voice is just as empty and cruel as it always is. "There's no use in trying to save it. The moment it's extinguished, you'll finally become one with the darkness. Just like you've always deserved."

Aqua tenses, glancing down at her trembling hands to see that they're starting to look more like claws instead, still drenched in the deepest shadows all the while. No doubt a sign of what the darkness is doing to her, of the monster it's trying to force her to become. "N-no…" she whispers, genuinely frightened. Still, she's quick to turn that fear into resolve as her master's words echo in the back of her scattered mind once more. "I can't… I won't lose sight of the light within the darkness!"

Her phantom's wicked expression only grows more severe at this as she prepares to unleash a brutal attack. "You already have," she growls before she launches herself forward for her first strike.

Without any way to defend herself, the blow hits Aqua hard, sending her flying back hard across the mirror-like ground. As she strikes it, she manages to finally catch a glimpse of her reflection. Her usually blue locks are starting to be overtaken by white, her similarly-colored eyes taking on a haunting yellow glow so similar to what she'd seen in Ventus and Terra's. She's losing this battle before it's even really begun, she knows that. And yet, some stubborn, perhaps even foolish part of her urges her onward to fight it with everything she has all the same. For herself, and for them.

It isn't long before her phantom is upon her again, but this time, Aqua is ready for her. She manages to maneuver out of the path of her Keyblade just in time before making use of the only weapon she has at her disposal now: her newfound claws. She lashes out harshly, catching her phantom across the face and tearing a long, jagged series of bloodless cuts clear themselves away in an instant. The phantom quickly retaliates with a series of fast, broad swipes, all of which Aqua does her best to avoid. Though it's much harder to block out the vicious remarks her double sends her way with each one.

"The life you used to know is over," she says, her dry tone dripping with sheer malice. "Even if you could go back to the realm of light, there's nothing left for you there. You don't even belong there to begin with."

Aqua says nothing in response to these callous claims, knowing it would be hard to counter something so undeniably true. Instead, she keeps her movements as fast and steady as she possibly can, trying not to stumble even as the darkness continues to try to anchor her down into stillness. With a Keyblade on hand, her phantom clearly has the advantage in this fight, but Aqua hardly lets that stop her as she rushes in once more, this time on the offensive. Her claws lash out widely, striking her phantom squarely in the chest, but this time she doesn't stop. She keeps going, ripping into her wicked reflection over and over again with a manic, almost feral sort of fury. Fury that only serves to stoke the fires of malice and hatred sparking up within her.

Her phantom lets it happen, smiling, laughing twistedly all the while. Consumed in her own vibrant rage, Aqua hardly pays her any mind as she lands a brutal kick to knock her phantom back roughly. The double crashes to the glassy ground, her Keyblade disappearing just before she begins to do the same. Yet even as she does, she weras a demented smile as Aqua glares down at her, darkness bristling around her as nothing less than the deepest disdain floods through her viens.

"Don't you see?" the phantom asks with a smug, practically triumphant smirk. "Your light was lost from the very start. And now, all that's left… is a vessel of darkness."

Aqua jolts at this, her common sense swiftly returning to her as she realizes just what she's been doing. But by all accounts, that realization comes far too late. She looks down at her reflection once more only to see someone she doesn't even recognize her in the slightest. She only briefly glances up as her phantom disappears into nothingness, her sadistic laughter echoing in her mind as she slowly collapses to her knees in grief, anger, and shame.

Grief over the light she knows she's long since lost, over the friends she'll never get to see again, over the life she'll never get to have back. Anger, over being abandoned for so long, over being forced to wander an empty, forsaken realm while everyone else gets to thrive back in the light, over just how unfair it all is, over how she had hoped and fought and struggled for so much only to end up with nothing to show for it in the end. Shame over how powerless she is to change any of it, how she's far too weak to save herself, or anyone else for that matter. Over how no matter how long or how hard she fought, there had never been any hope for her from the very beginning.

The venom of darkness has just about worked its devastating course through her body, mind, and heart, and this time, she doesn't try to resist it. Instead, she lies down upon the mirror below her, staring up at the dark sea above her with tears in her now-golden eyes. A few of those tears fall as she lets out a soft, resigned breath, ready to let it take her away from all of the pain she knows she's powerless to escape on her own. And yet, just before she allows those shadows to consume her entirely, she whispers one final, mournful message to her two closest friends, even though she knows there isn't the faintest of chances that they'll somehow hear her. Just like she knows she'll never, ever stand under the same stars as either of them ever again.

"Terra… Ven… I'm so sorry…"

And just like that, she silently, solemnly lets the darkness snuff out what little is left of her light. Because after wandering in the shadows for so long, it only makes sense for her to finally become one herself.


Awwww poor Aqua! Honestly, I love her and I'm so glad I finally got to write for her 25 chapters into this story smh. She really is one of my favorite KH characters though, so I'm looking forward to writing more of her later on down the line. Anyway, next time around is a Disney world I've been really looking forward to, one that's from KH3, though I intend on basically overhauling it and doing almost my entirely own thing with it. So that'll be a lot of fun! Until then, don't forget to REVIEW please! Until next time!