A/N: Another quick update, then I'll probably have to take a break for a little bit. I have to work on an original story for my creative writing class, so of course that's when my motivation to write fanfiction increases exponentially xD

The third morning of Aqua's incarceration, she awoke before Void. The first rays of morning inched across the floor, lighting the motes of dust so they looked like floating stars. She breathed them in. After two days, she hardly felt how they tickled her throat.

Void snored softly. Funny, how relaxed he could sound. The cagelike Unversed - Void had called it a Cursed Coach - rocked peacefully, as if it really did share his emotions. Maybe she could use that. Somehow.

She took an empty potion bottle from the corner of her cage and used magic to spray it full of water. The previous day she had come up with fragments of a plan, which lay encoded in the pages scattered on the floor around her, but she still felt at an impasse. Her most hopeful step had been an utter failure. In the afternoon while Void had been gone, she had attempted to sneak out through the Cursed Coach's barred mouth, but the creature had constricted, slamming its ceiling down on her over and over until it broke through her Barrier spell. If Void knew what had happened, he hadn't said anything about it. He'd come back in a flying rampage, smashing crates and leaking out inky Unversed. She didn't know why, and she hadn't asked. She was simply grateful he hadn't attacked her.

Grateful? No. She wouldn't show gratitude to that monster. She was just relieved, perhaps.

She splashed the water from her bottle on her face, then swished the dregs around in her mouth. She could have waited for Void to wake and take her to the bathroom - which had looked ornate but abandoned, with white marble countertops layered in dust - but she shuddered at the thought of traveling through his dark portals again. Eventually she would grow desperate enough for a toilet, but she hated the way the darkness pressed in, like it wanted to push out all of her insides. If it didn't make her so weak, she would have relished the time in the bathrooms as a means to escape.

After performing that small bit of hygiene, she munched on a bag of granola she'd packed. Five days of rations left.

While one piece of her plan had proved useless, she still had at least two more ideas to attempt today. Unfortunately, those ideas all involved actually speaking with Void. And not just speaking - speaking politely. She could do it, but it chafed her pride to be forced to negotiate with a monster.

He snored again. The human sound still felt jarring, coming from him. It was a noise that could have as easily come from Terra or Ven. Maybe even in his sleep he was trying to manipulate her.

She was tempted to yell at him to wake up, but she needed him in a good mood for her request, so she waited. Her journal was going to run out of pages at this rate. She doodled her Wayfinder in it, then Terra and Ven's faces. Terra's head came out looking like a brick, and Ven appeared cross-eyed. It was so terrible she almost laughed.

Light, I hope they're doing better than I am. Especially Ven. Terra she trusted to take care of himself, regardless of what the Master said, but Ven… she'd always felt an innate responsibility to protect him, like the little brother she'd never had.

Void didn't wake up until the sun came streaming in across his helmet - he did sleep in it, remarkably. It reflected the light into her eyes, blinding her when she happened to look up.

"Ugh…" Void kicked the thick blankets off, and she realized he'd worn his boots to sleep, too. She had slipped hers off the day before and hadn't bothered to replace them, considering she probably wouldn't be walking outside for a little while. "Gotta block out that window…"

He stumbled out of bed, out of her line of sight, presumably to the source of the light. She heard sounds of cracking wood, and then the light disappeared in patches until she could hardly see. She lit a Fire to hover nearby, agitating the Cursed Coach. It swelled up to twice its size in order to put more distance between itself and the flames. I should have tried this when I tried to escape.

"Great. You're awake. Don't suppose you're going to talk to me today, either," he mumbled. She wasn't sure that he intended for her to hear, but she responded anyway.

"I am, actually." She cleared her throat, gathering her courage. He perched on the footboard of the bed, knees bent, the ends of his skirt hanging down by his feet.

"Alright then, spit it out. I don't have all day."

"I want to see Vanitas," she said. She doubted he would accept her request, but it was worth a try before she made a more reasonable pitch.

He snorted. "So you two can try to make an escape plan together? I don't think so."

"What could we do? You'd be right there watching us," Aqua retorted.

"You're a prisoner. You don't get to make demands. Besides, what makes you think he'd even want to see you? You're the one who got him stuck in this mess."

She bit her lip. She shouldn't let Void's words get to her, even if they were true. "Then let me apologize to him. He deserves that much."

He laughed wickedly. "That idiot deserves a punch in the face. Beg all you want, Aqua, it's not going to happen."

A frown parted her lips at his words. His voice, the way he'd said that… She had to be imagining things, but for half a second, it had reminded her of Vanitas. Maybe she just missed him more than she'd thought.

"Then how do I know you even have him?" She asked boldly. Void didn't respond immediately. She could only assume he was staring at her through that dark mask of his. "You leave from time to time, but you never mention checking on him. All your complaints are about different worlds, or you just break things. I don't think a harmless boy would make you so angry."

Void chuckled. "He's not as harmless as you think."

Aqua wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, if it meant anything at all. "I asked you a question, Void."

He shrugged. "Alright. Fine. You want to know I've got him? Write him a letter. I'll give it to the brat, let him write you one back."

She let a smile pull the corner of her lips. "I suppose that will work." She held out two sheets of paper that she'd been sure to keep safe and unwrinkled.

"What are you-?" He laughed, and his next words sounded almost impressed. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it. You knew I wouldn't let you see him."

She flashed a knowing smile as one of his Scrappers appeared and stole away the pages, taking them back to its master. She had scored one point against Void. Thinking about it that way gave her hope - it was almost like a game.

And as Terra and Ven could attest, Aqua was ruthless at games.

XXX

"Vanitas. I need to speak with you at once."

Really? Now? He had just corridored to a secluded part of the woods in the Castle of Dreams, where he could read Aqua's letter in relative peace. Of course, he should have predicted that Xehanort would summon him early today. If Terra hadn't moved on to Radiant Garden, Vanitas would be the one taking the blame. As usual.

He folded the sheets of paper into a tight square and tucked it in his belt, then opened a dark corridor to the Keyblade Graveyard.

"Vanitas," Xehanort snapped before he had fully emerged from the darkness. Then the Master flashed forward and gripped the front of his helmet. "I gave you an order. Why have you disobeyed me?"

Vanitas stayed very, very still, hoping Xehanort wouldn't shatter his helmet again. Last time the shards had nearly stabbed him in the eyes. "I didn't. Terra just didn't take the bait."

"Then make the bait more enticing. I don't have time to deal with stubborn children."

"What, is your body giving out on you already?" Vanitas replied snidely. He should've known better. Did know better. But he couldn't put the sarcastic words back in his mouth.

Then his helmet was frosting over. He had just enough time to squeeze his eyes shut before the dark glass shattered, sprinkling to the ground and inside the metal piece cupping his chin. One shard cut a thin line across his cheek. "You tell me, boy."

Vanitas swallowed. Xehanort would be able to see his face now; that was always dangerous. A few Floods of fear attempted to escape him, but he held them back by practice and sheer force of will.

"I get the message," he muttered. "But it still isn't my fault. Terra came back to the Castle of Dreams."

"The Castle of Dreams?" Xehanort clasped his hands behind his back. "How do you know this?"

"Through Ventus. I felt him there and got a few clues. Does the name Cinderella mean anything to you?" Of course, Vanitas already knew what it meant, but it would be best to keep that to himself.

"Bah. That girl he mentioned, the Princess of Heart. I trust you've kept an eye on her?" He asked in a voice that indicated he didn't trust him at all.

"Of course I have. I used her light just the other day, didn't I? I think she and Terra went to some fancy ball at the castle there."

"And you didn't tell me before?"

Vanitas kept a cold glare on his face, a mask to hide his more traitorous emotions. "You didn't ask."

"Hmph." Xehanort flicked his wrist and shot an electric shock through him, nothing too damaging - just enough to make him feel like his skin was going to melt off. He suppressed a scream but didn't bother casting Cure; that would only make Xehanort do it again. "You were supposed to drive Terra and Ventus apart. Now they are together with this Cinderella. Fix this, Vanitas. You have three days."

Three days? Coming from Xehanort, that was almost generous, but Vanitas still wasn't sure it would be enough. The old man didn't seem like he intended to give him a more specific plan. "Does that mean I have permission to hurt your vessel?"

"For every scar you leave on him, expect to receive one yourself," Xehanort threatened calmly. "But you may engage him in combat. Do not fight Ventus. He still lacks the strength he needs to become the X-Blade."

"I know that." Vanitas rolled his eyes, then remembered that Xehanort could now see the expression. He was just glad the old man didn't shock him again for it. "What about the girl?"

"The Princesses of Heart must also be protected, in case all else fails." Vanitas was surprised to hear the Master admit that his plans had a chance of failure. He always sounded so confident, but maybe that confidence came from having many plans rather than one foolproof one. Still, it was uncomfortable to think that forging the X-Blade might not be Xehanort's only priority. "However, if threatening her would cause Terra to step closer to the darkness, you may do so. Do not fail me again."

Vanitas bit his tongue - not trusting it not to betray him - and nodded.

"And one more thing, Vanitas." Of course. Xehanort couldn't let him go without another dose of drama.

"What?"

His golden eyes glowed dangerously. "The Castle of Dreams is where you destroyed Aqua, correct?"

Vanitas held his breath, but nodded again.

"I wonder," Xehanort began slowly, "If Terra and Ventus are aware of this fact? Could that, and not just the Princess, be why they have not moved on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Perhaps they believe she is missing. I doubt they would believe the newest Keyblade Master is dead without seeing the evidence. As I find myself doubting."

A Flood started to sprout from his back; he took a deep breath and pulled it back in. "I told you, I took care of her." It was easier to keep his face blank for the half-lie rather than a full one.

"Then where is her keyblade?" Xehanort asked. "I had presumed you would bring it back here, where it belongs."

"I was the one who killed her. I can keep it wherever I want," he snapped. Xehanort responded with another pulse of electricity; Vanitas fell to one knee, bracing himself with his fist against the ground.

"I will allow you your little trophy," Xehanort replied calmly, as if he hadn't just sent thousands of volts through Vanitas's system. "But first you will show it to me. As a token of trust. Do you understand, boy?"

Vanitas spat on the dusty ground. "Yeah."

"Leave, and return here at once."

He didn't need to be told twice. He opened a corridor behind him and staggered to his feet, but looked back before leaving.

"I hate you."

Xehanort smiled, the expression contorting his face so it looked even more wicked than usual. "I would be concerned if you did not."

Hate would protect him. Hate would make him stronger. Vanitas remembered the Master's teachings even as he wanted to punch that smile off of his leathery face.

Repressing that violent impulse, he spun and vanished into the darkness.

XXX

Vanitas barely remembered to reform his mask before bursting from the dark corridor. When Aqua pressed herself to the back of the Cursed Coach, he realized how terrifying he must look. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to worry about putting her heart at ease.

"Give me your keyblade," he ordered, grabbing the bars of her cage. He was growing used to the scent of her light, but it still burned through him at such close range, like inhaling a perfume straight from the bottle. At least his mask protected him a little. He couldn't afford to let the sharp floral scent affect him now.

"Why?" She put on a brave face and asked. "Did something happen with Vanitas? Do you have his letter for me?"

"There's no time for that now," he replied, about to lose his patience. Floods and Hareraisers were already peeling off of him, dispersing through the room and running off through their own little corridors of darkness, probably on their way to find Terra and Ventus. So much for laying low.

"Then I don't have time to give you my keyblade." She crossed her arms.

Vanitas growled deep in his throat. A Bruiser ripped out of his back, taking some of his anger with it, but not enough. "Look, there is really no time for this! Just give it!"

She glared hard enough, she probably could've cast Fire from her eyes. "Make me."

He wanted to scream. She knew he couldn't do it, she knew she was too important for him to hurt. She wasn't supposed to have realized that yet. He'd been too soft. He summoned electricity to his palm, thinking about trying Xehanort's tactic - then imagined her face contorted with the same agony that had taken him minutes before, her lips parted in a wordless scream. The lightning died at his fingertips.

What is wrong with me!? He wanted to scream, but couldn't let her see that much weakness. Instead he slammed his fist into the side of the Cursed Coach, wincing when its pain became his own.

"Look, Aqua. If you want to live, you will hand over your keyblade, or so help me I will come in there and pry it from your cold, dead fingers."

A flicker of fear passed over her face, then was gone. "Then why don't you? Are you afraid to fight me?"

Unversed were still spilling from him, dozens of Floods and Scrappers at a time, proving his words wrong. Threats weren't getting him anywhere; she wasn't even flinching at his Unversed. He heard Xehanort's voice in the back of his head ordering him to return to the Graveyard.

"Aqua, listen to me. If you don't let me borrow your keyblade, we're both dead."

For some reason, that got her attention. "What do you mean, we're both dead?"

Vanitas blinked. He'd admitted more than he'd meant to. But he'd worry about those consequences later. "I mean exactly what I said. I just need it for a few minutes. Hand it to me, and don't you dare summon it back until I return."

After a moment of agonizing silence - broken only by Xehanort's incessant calls - Aqua held out her hand. A cobalt blue blade appeared there, one he had never seen up close. She pointed the tip towards him, then reluctantly flipped it to offer the hilt.

He snatched it before she could change her mind. "Remember. Do not let it disappear."

She nodded, still staring at him with cold, hard eyes. Void, but that expression looked good on her. If only it weren't directed at him.

He shook the irrelevant thought from his head and fled through another corridor.

XXX

"Here." Vanitas plunged Aqua's keyblade into the hard-packed dirt. "Happy?"

"Hmm… I suppose that will do." Xehanort gave a curt nod. "It seems our newest Master was not as qualified as Eraqus assumed."

"She put up a good fight," Vanitas found himself defending her, even though it was a lie. Unless the way her light speared his heart counted.

"I should hope so. Yet Ventus and Terra will have to prove more worthy opponents, if they are to fulfill their uses." He paced slowly in front of Vanitas. "Strengthen your Unversed. Use the rage I have given you. Push Terra and Ventus to their limits."

Yes, Master, Vanitas mouthed sarcastically behind his helmet. Because it would kill the geezer to actually perform part of his plan himself.

Whatever. Just wait til I forge the X-Blade…

XXX

Aqua might not have breathed in the whole time it took for Void to return. Every muscle in her body stayed taut, ready to fight or flee if the situation demanded. At least the Unversed had all disappeared without harming her, though she had no idea where they had gone off to.

After several long minutes, a watered-down sense of nausea as well as the whoosh of an opening portal announced Void's arrival. He walked through, his shoulders slumped from his usual arrogant posture. He tossed her keyblade back to her without a word; it skidded on the Cursed Coach's floor.

"Void…?" She asked as she picked up her blade. It felt the same as normal, though she wasn't sure how she would tell if he had tampered with it. "What happened?"

She was surprised at how gentle the words came out. He didn't deserve her sympathy; this was probably all some kind of trick anyway. But she still felt like the pieces didn't add up.

"So now you want to get chatty," he grumbled. She wouldn't call three words "chatty,"but she had given him the silent treatment the previous day, once she'd realized that he wouldn't answer any of her direct questions.

"There's someone else behind this," she voiced her theory. He snorted noncommittally. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"I'm the only one you need to worry about. To everyone else, you're dead."

"Like I would really lose to someone like you," she retorted, her brief moment of sympathy disappearing with the return of his arrogance.

"But Aqua - you already have."

He faded into the darkness again. She hadn't even had time to ask about Vanitas. Had Void delivered her letter? And why had he needed her keyblade? There were too many things she was missing, too many things that she couldn't see through her barred window.

If this was a game, she wished she knew the rules.

XXX

Vanitas sat in the crook of a familiar tree, close to the edge of the woods, and kept his eyes trained on Cinderella's house. Mansion, more like. Who else lived there with her, or did she have a whole house to herself? He'd never seen anyone else outside.

Just like he didn't see anyone outside now. He figured if he was going to find Terra, the easiest way would be to find the girl. Unless Xehanort was right, and he really was looking for Aqua… well, Vanitas would fix that. Terra wasn't half as bright as the Master; all Vanitas would have to do was tell him that his friend was dead, and his darkness would overflow before he could blink. And of course, if that failed, he could always threaten Cinderella. It was nice to have a few backups.

Now, if only someone would show up…

He sighed and let out Monotrucker in irritation. The rolling Unversed dropped to the ground and wheeled off into the forest. That wasn't a bad idea, actually - he released a larger horde of Unversed, hissing as their negativity bubbled out of him.

"No, not the woods, idiots." He rolled his eyes at them, then pointed towards the mansion. "That way. Terra will have to show up if you make a big enough mess."

The motley group of Unversed obligingly lumbered, dashed, and rolled off. He watched a few Hareraisers dig up the garden before turning his mind to more interesting things. Namely, the letter he had tucked inside his belt.

He searched for it with his fingers, panicked for half a second when he felt nothing, then sighed in relief when he found it. If he had dropped that in the Keyblade Graveyard… he shuddered. He might be important to Xehanort's plan, but the old Master would still murder him if he saw a friendly letter from Aqua.

He unfolded the two pages and began to read.

Void - I know you're reading this.

Vanitas's eyes widened; had she guessed so quickly?

I'm not stupid. You wouldn't give this letter to Vanitas without making sure we're not planning anything first. So I might as well tell you that as soon as I get out of here, you're going to pay if you've hurt him.

He chuckled, half from relief that she was still clueless, half from the irony. She was threatening him for hurting himself. And while she was still a helpless prisoner, too. He had to give her points for boldness.

I don't know why you're doing this, and I know you won't answer my questions if I ask. But I'm going to ask anyway, because what else do you expect me to do while I'm trapped here?

What do you want with my light? What did you mean about Terra falling into darkness? How do you know us, and why do you care? Why are you releasing your Unversed on the worlds?

He could practically feel the desperation coming off of her words. Funny, after she had been so silent yesterday. She must have poured all the words she would have said into this letter. Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to give her a tease of an answer, a taste. A reward if she would behave.

Whatever you're after, you won't win. Light is always able to push back the darkness.

Vanitas rolled his eyes at that. Spoken just like her light-crazed Master. Why was he still bothering with her?

Those were the only words on the first page. He flipped it over, just in case there was something on the back, but that was it. He snorted. Did she expect that last line to mean something? Convert him from his dark ways? If anything he was even more determined to prove her wrong.

Folding the first page, he tucked it away and smoothed out the second one. His heart sped up before he even began reading, the stupid thing. He wasn't afraid, or angry, so what was wrong with it? Whatever, he would worry about it later.

Dear Vanitas,

First of all, I want you to know that I am so, so sorry. You must be so scared and confused right now. I don't know what Void has told you, if he's told you anything at all, but I owe you an explanation. As much of an explanation as I can give, anyway. I don't know why he kidnapped us for sure. He wants something with my light, and I think he took you to get to me. Again, I'm so sorry you were dragged into this. I promise I will find a way to get you out.

So a little bit of an explanation. I'm not really supposed to talk about this, but you deserve to know. I'm not actually from this world. I don't think Void is either. I'm a Keyblade Master, and the weapon Void has is a keyblade, too. It's very dangerous, so do not think about fighting him. Please.

...He said you put up a fight when he tried to kidnap me, though. What did you do? Do you know a secret to fighting him? Nevermind, I'm sure Void is reading this letter, so don't answer that. If he even lets you read it.

Speaking of which, when you write back - I hope you're not too mad at me to write back, though if you are, I understand - can you include something so I know it's you? Something that Void wouldn't know. I don't trust him not to forge a letter from you.

I'm sorry again. I can't say I'm sorry enough. If I had told the truth about being a Keyblade Master before, you might have known better than to spend the evening with me. I was trying to follow the rules, but I think I was being selfish, too. I really enjoyed spending time with you…

I really hope you're alright, wherever Void is keeping you. I wish there was more I could do to help you. If there is anything I can do - if there's anything Void will let me do - I'll do it.

Hang in there, Vanitas. I'll think of something.

Sincerely,

Aqua

…

…

Vanitas stared at the page, his eyes searching for more words, even though both sides of the paper were completely filled with squished but neat handwriting. He was… he didn't know what he was. Stunned? Dumbstruck? Whatever the strong feeling was, it didn't produce an Unversed, which was unusual.

Void's Abyss. She really does care. About someone who didn't really exist. Sure, "Vanitas" might share his name, but that one unmasked night already felt like eons ago. He might not have even lived it.

Except, if he closed his eyes, he could still feel the phantom sensation of her hand in his, of her warm arms around him…

He spun and punched the rough trunk of the tree. Beneath his suit, he could feel the skin scrape from his knuckles. Stupid, stupid idiot! He didn't know if he was cursing himself for punching the tree, or for letting himself remember Aqua's touch, or both. He should forget that night. It never should have happened. All it had done was show him what he could never have, and now he would spend the rest of his pathetic life wanting it back.

No, not the rest of his life. He'd forge the X-Blade, and then he could take back whatever he wanted. He would have light; he would be whole. He would be stronger than anyone.

But, even then, would Aqua look at him the way she had that night?

I won't need her to. I'll have my own light. That was the only reason it felt so good to be around her. Right?

A Scrapper was scaling his tree, its giant claws sticking into the bark as it hauled itself upward.

"What is it?" Vanitas demanded, reaching down to grab its head and drop it on the limb he was perched on. "Can't you idiots do your job without me?"

The Unversed hugged itself with one arm, pointing towards Cinderella's mansion with the other. Vanitas glared at the large building and registered the tall brunette running towards it. Moments later he felt the slices of a keyblade striking down his Unversed, like cutting off a hundred phantom limbs. Vanitas hissed; the closer he physically was when the monsters were destroyed, the more it hurt.

"Took you long enough, Terra." He folded Aqua's letter and returned it to his belt. His hands itched to summon his keyblade; it would feel so good to release his frustration on the bigger apprentice, instead of in the form of Unversed.

But he couldn't. Not yet. Xehanort always said he was too reckless, too focused on immediate gratification to see the bigger picture. Vanitas thought they just had different ideas of what the bigger picture actually was. Regardless, he would prove he could carry out this mission.

After all, his life depended on it.