Chapter 4: Role of the Bearers

Note: I may take some liberties with the Precepts of the Keybearers, since ya know, THEY WERE NEVER REALLY DISCLOSED TO US outside that one line between Eraqus and Xehanort baring knowledge about the Keyblade War and the X-Blade.

Terra was apprehensive, watching Aqua quietly eat out of the corner of his eyes. He hadn't realized just how badly off she was since her rebirth. He had hoped they would be able to pick things back up where they had left off, but after that display... it just wasn't going to happen. He had been foolish to think it would.

Aqua was nowhere near ready to retake her mantle as a Keyblade Master, no, not retake it, start it. She had barely had time to begin her initial duties last time around. Regardless, Aqua could put up a fake controlled front, but underneath it she was a complete mess. No, not even underneath it, the damage to her showed through far to often these last few days. He didn't know what to honestly do to help her. He told her to 'let it go', but that wasn't something easily done, especially now that he knew she had her Heartless's memories.

Light...

He didn't know how she was still sane, and it deeply scared him. The horrors that thing had done, atrocities it had committed, the friends it had hurt... it had nearly wiped out the entire Realm of Light. It took an inner strength and will he couldn't fathom to keep going despite all of that in her head, the guilt he knew was devouring her whole. Was she capable of keeping on going for much longer? If not, how long could she stand it?

He didn't want to treat her like she was brittle. He was a believer of self-fulfilling prophecies. If he treated her like glass, he would be pushing her make her glass. Though... back during their training, both before and after Xehanort cracked her heart, Aqua never let them go easy on her. If he treated her like she was fragile, he was curious if she'd get over her unwillingness to spar and show him what for with a whack upside the head.

Terra banished his thoughts, turning his head when Eraqus cleared his throat and tapped a fork loudly on his plate for attention. "I'd like to take this opportunity while most of us are gathered to bridge the topic of the Precepts we Keybearers have lived by in the past. The worlds have changed heavily within this last decade, faults that our rules allowed or encouraged. Some of our laws are no longer even possible to maintain anymore."

"Shouldn't we have Mickey here for this?" spoke up Sora.

Yen Sid pulled on his beard. "Yes, and no."

"Huh?" questioned Sora.

"Mickey will not be available in the foreseeable future, with his duties to both his homeworld and helping his wife resuming in earnest," explained Yen Sid, "He has been... absent there, for many years during the Heartless Apocalypse, and has much he must relearn and adjust to. It is not a fault nor a complaint, but Mickey has never solely been a Keybearer, his role as King is something he cannot afford to shirk anymore due to pained past. While he will aid us if we call, it is on us, as full-time Keybearers, to decide our future."

Terra nodded. "Agreed. He will have his hands far to full at the moment."

"Alright, so, where do we start with that whole Precepts mess?" asked Ven.

"I suppose with what does not work anymore," said Eraqus, "The worlds not knowing about one another. What are your opinions on this?"

"Isn't that... already moot?" asked Kairi, "I thought most worlds know about eachother now?"

"Not quite," explained Eraqus, "There are many worlds that fell before we could arrive to help. If I had to guess, roughly thirty to forty percent of the Realm of Light now knows about other worlds. It is enlightening these reborn worlds that we are deciding."

Deciding to be the devil's advocate, Terra spoke up, "If nothing is done with it, people would naturally forget over a long period of time. Generations later, the Heartless Apocalypse may become an old wives tale, or attributed to something else aside from 'shadowy monsters'."

"Perhaps," said Eraqus.

"But nothing would have been learned then," said Aqua softly before her voice slowly began to rise, "What would the point of all of this been then? Keybearers may have learned from this, might change a rule or two but, forgive me, we already have to much power as it is. All it took was one Master, Xehanort, misusing his abilities for his own desires, and all of this spiraled out from it. How long will it be before it happens again? A few generations of keybearers down the line? The worlds need to have more power, more knowledge, and the ability to keep Keybearers in check if they abuse their strength."

"Well said Aqua," complimented Eraqus, approval in his eyes.

Terra readily agreed, but rather than voice it, he was curious if he could draw more from her, he liked seeing her confident. "What would you suggest Aqua?"

Aqua withdrew a little, looking all the sudden aware that everyone was looking at her an waiting for her opinion. "Well... I... the Keyblade, and darkness, can be used to damage a heart. How many people of the worlds understand that there is more to a heart that it's physical aspect beating in their chests? How many have any knowledge of how to defend their hearts?"

"Not many," mused Terra, "Hell, we didn't learn the concept till the last parts of our apprenticeship."

"Which was a mistake," said Eraqus sadly, "Something we rectified with Sora and Riku after teaching them the basics. It is a subject now taught far sooner in an apprenticeship than later."

Yen Sid nodded before pulling on his beard and looking slowly around the table. "So we are in agreement then? The worlds are to be enlightened. Told of the Light and the Dark, of the Keyblade, and of the Heart."

There was a collective nod, and with that, Yen Sid snapped his fingers, quill-pen and parchment appearing in the air and levitating down to the table before him. Slowly, he began to write what they had decided down. Terra rubbed his chin in though, considering the next topic he had in mind, something he knew was going to be a interesting one.

"The next precept that bear focus in my opinion," began Terra, "Is one I expect disagreement on."

He waited a second for everyone's focus to turn to him before announcing the subject, "The amount of Keybearers allowed, and whether they should be bound or at least connected to the Order of Keyblade Masters."

There was a few confused looks shot his way, though Aqua's eyes went wide slightly, he figured she understood what he was getting at. "Terra... that's dangerous."

Terra nodded. "I'm aware."

"The process of choosing a future Keybearer is not something easily amplified," said Eraqus, "And while greater numbers would have been useful during the Heartless Apocalypse, there are risks associated with having to many of our kind."

"True," said Terra, nodding in acknowledgement before continuing, "During the Apocalypse, there were many a champion of the world that, when told the Keyblade was one of the only ways to truly defeat the Heartless, asked about how to obtain one. Many that we have met have the potential, they may not shine out to us as Sora, Riku, Kairi, or us ourselves did to our Masters, but the potential, while less, is there. Uther for example I know all of us here would trust with the responsibility of a Keyblade."

There was a heavy frown from Eraqus. "Asking the champions of the worlds to give up their lives and adopt the role of the Keyblade is not something to be made lightly. And even if you had them take up a role similar to Mickey's, connected to both us and their own worlds, tasked with helping to maintain a balance..."

"That's not what Terra is saying Master," interrupted Aqua softly, "He's not saying that they should be connected to us at all."

She always was good at listening and understanding. "Correct. I'm proposing that a very select few from each world be chosen for the Keyblade, trained and taught its ways, but left in that world with the responsibility of protecting it alone."

Eraqus's eyes went wide. "Terra! That... that would create potentially hundreds of Keybearers! Especially once they pass on the Keyblade."

"And with such numbers," warned Yen Sid, "We risk the factionization of the worlds, a precursor to a new Keyblade War."

"And perhaps," said Ven quietly, for once going against Terra's words, "While those we may choose might turn out okay, there's no guarantee those our chosen choose will. To use who you said, Uther I'd trust, hell yea I would, but I know Uther loves Arthas like a son, he'd choose him no question. While I think Arthas is a good person at heart, he makes terrible choices and could do awful things with the Keyblade if the power went to his head."

Terra noticed an uncomfortable frown in Sora's direction, but he said nothing. He knew Sora cared for the troubled prince, but it was willful blindness not to at least acknowledge the potential danger.

"Yeah? So what?" said Kairi crossly, her voice rising a bit to loudly, "You act as if that can't happen to us when Master Aqua mentioned it like two minutes ago. Hellooo? Xehanort anyone?"

Aqua reached over and put a hand on her apprentice's shoulder. "Civil, Kairi."

"You especially know it's true," said Kairi, glancing at her.

"I do, but there's no need to yell your point," said Aqua, "A discussion or debate should be kept calm and level, and insult and rebuke free. We argue our opinion, not shove them down someone's throat."

Kairi grumbled and crossed her arms, going silent. Terra had a half smile on his face, not offended; Kairi was a passionate one.

"Perhaps," said Eraqus, a hint of discomfort on his shoulders, "This topic should be shelved and revisited once we see the benefits or disadvantages of other changes. It is a massive change that cannot be taken lightly."

Terra tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Fair enough."

Even if it was shot down, the idea was out there now, left to stew in the back of their minds. He expected, the next time that the topic came up, there would be a lot more carefully crafted arguments both for and against the change.

"A more neutral topic would be that of Nobodies," offered Eraqus, "And one with no precedent within the Precepts of the Keybearers."

Terra noticed Kairi's attention immediately snap towards the old master, her eyes intently focused. Now this would be a topic that she could offer great insight in, Aqua to perhaps.

"You know, it might help to have a Nobody here to ask their opinions," offered Aqua, "Where is Axel? I haven't seem him all day."

"Said he was going home for awhile and left in the morning," said Sora, "Said something about tracking down some guy named 'Isa' and trying to patch things up."

"Isa?" murmured Kairi, "Xisa. Xsia, Xsai, Sxai, Siax, Sai... oh, Saix."

"What was all that mumbo jumbo?" asked Sora in a teasing tone.

"It's the organization name rule," explained Kairi, "You take their original name, add an X to it, and mix it up."

Eraqus gave a heavy sigh and massaged his forehead. "Even as a Nobody, Xehanort was still obsessed with the X-Blade. The X in the names I doubt is purely an X, Xehanort was most likely having it allude to the Recusant Sigil."

Terra noted Aqua flinch slightly at the word 'Recusant'. Curious. Why did that word get a reaction out of her?

"What exactly is it? And hows it related to the X-Blade?" asked Kairi.

Eraqus's lips drew a thin, unpleasant line. "While it may have different terminology and meaning to other worlds or peoples, in terms of the Keybearers, a Recusant Sigil is also known as a Mark of Heresy. To forsake your duties and responsibilities as a Keybearer, to turn on those you were meant to protect, to become all that you were supposed to stand against. The few Keybearers since the Keyblade Wars who did this were stripped of their Keyblade, their powers locked within their heart, and branded with the mark before being exiled to their home worlds. It is both ironic and fitting that Xehanort chose that symbol, considering that would be at bare minimum his punishment if he were captured."

Terra nodded grimly at that, but rather than speak, he watched Kairi, her eyes dancing back and forth on nothing, her eyes furrowed in thought, before rage played across her face. "To renounce their sense of self. That bastard..."

"Kairi?" questioned Sora.

"He wanted anything and everything that would encourage Nobodies to renounce who they had been, to make them more easier hosts to implant copies of his heart in with his artificial kingdom hearts," spat out Kairi.

"Artificial WHAT?" said Ven, half rising out of his seat, damn near half the table doing the same.

Terra stared at Kairi, mouth agape, before closing it. "Perhaps we need to have your debrief of what happened sooner rather than later."

Kairi looked exasperated. "Did Axel not tell you anything?"

"Axel rushed through his whole explanation, half of it didn't honestly make sense," said Terra with equal exasperation, "I quote 'We went into the Giant Heart in the sky, fought Xehanort, lost Xigbar and Aqua, beat him, then Kairi basically crashed it into the World that Never was and blew it up.'"

Kairi chocked a bit. "Seriously Axel?"

Terra slowly shook his head. "I take it the 'giant heart in the sky' he refereed to was Kingdom Hearts. In hindsight, its obvious, in the middle of his spiel, nonsense."

Kairi snorted. "Oh Axel... you're ridiculous. Its a wonder Xion likes you half as much as she does."

"Kairi's 'debrief' can wait for another time," butted in Aqua, "One thing at a time, we're discussing precepts at the moment. Back on topic."

Terra sighed before relenting, the table settling down as he began again, "Alright then, so Kairi, if you would: Assume we are completely unknowledgeable about what a Nobody is. Explain what they are to us."

Kairi gave him a half puzzled look before shrugging. "A Nobody is the body left behind from a person who lost their heart. From what I remember overhearing, Nobody's bodies typically fade out of the Realm of Light briefly to adjust to their new state before reappearing in another world. I have no clue how that world is determined. Typically, a Nobody will remember everything from their previous lives, though I heard it mentioned that its not always the case. A Nobody cannot feel, though they remember what they are supposed to feel..."

She trailed off briefly, looking uncomfortable. "At first glance, without looking deeper, you can walk into a bar filled with Nobodies, and mistake them for normal people. But... their interactions are as if they are missing something. Xifta... or Tifa as I had known her, her smile just wasn't right..."

She shook her head. "Some overcompensate and try to act hyper emotional, which is just as awkward. But the common theme is the same, many Nobodies simply wanted back what they had lost. It's the Nobodies who lost their hearts, and didn't care to get them back, that could be extremely dangerous, because there would be no morals or feelings to get in their way. They frequently had a sense of being 'abandoned' by 'somebodies', those with hearts, thinking they wouldn't give a damn about them."

She smiled a sad smile. "Sometimes all they needed was someone to show them they cared. It was like that with Larxene and Xokie, er, Eiko."

There was a sputtering from both Sora and Riku. "Eiko?!"

Kairi tilted her head. "You knew her when she was a somebody?"

The two boys seemed extremely uncomfortable, Riku spoke quietly, "We were there when she lost her heart."

There was a moment of awkwardness before Kairi offered, "Well, she should be back now if you guys ever wanna go in and say hi."

"We will at some point," offered Terra, "Light knows we all fought absurdly hard for that world. It would be nice to see Alexandria and its champions prospering for once. Now, continue Kairi."

Kairi frowned. "Nobodies tend to think logically since they can't rely on their emotions and gut feelings to guide them. On one hand, it lets them make clear cut decisions, on the other hand, it can let someone, like Xehanort, lead them by the nose since they can't feel anything off about the situation and their logic makes sense."

"Let it be said however," interrupted Eraqus, "That Xehanort was far more capable of fooling people than just Nobodies. He fooled the rest of us for years, his acting is deceptively powerful."

Kairi nodded. "I guess, but I still think what I said stands. Nobodies aren't bad people, they just want back what's lost. They have their extremists just as normal people do."

Terra gave a slow nod. "A fair enough statement."

"And, dare it be said, most of the conflict with them wouldn't have occurred if not for Xehanort's influence over their group," offered Yen Sid.

Kairi scowled. "Agreed."

She shook her head slowly. "A Nobody can regain their heart two ways. One, through interaction with people overtime they'll slowly regain their emotional capabilities and create a new heart. I... think its quicker if a Princess of Heart is involved, but I'm not sure. The second method, which I don't like at all, is for their Heartless and Nobody to be destroyed. I'm not sure on the order of it, or if it matters, but with Aqua, her Heartless fell before her Nobody did."

For once, Terra was glad to see the discomfort on Aqua's face about her heartless, if only as a distraction. He didn't really want either of them to dwell long on the subject of Recompletion, one stray thought leading to Xehanort potentially being back would have them both out on a tangent.

"I think everyone would find it in good taste, that the first method would be the desired one," said Terra.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, the Nobodies lost their hearts, their lives, once already, getting killed a second time and reborn that way is trauma they really don't need."

Terra resisted the urge to not glance at Aqua with that statement, and instead hurried it on, "Agreed. The second method should only be done as a last resort, if they are to dangerous to leave as a Nobody, or if they ask for it."

Kairi scowled. "Ask for it?!"

Ven shrugged. "I imagine it might be quicker to get their heart back that way."

Kairi scoffed. "IF, and that's a big IF, their Heartless is already dead. If not, they could be stuck in... limbo, or whatever state they'd be in, while waiting for it to be destroyed, which it might not ever be if the Heartless goes back to the Realm of Darkness."

"Point taken," said Ven, shrugging.

Yen Sid pulled on his beard. "The topic brings up an interesting question. What happens to someone, who has rebuilt their heart as a Nobody, and then the Heartless containing their heart is destroyed? Would the two hearts merge? Would the new one be driven out in favor of the older one? Or would the old heart simply fade away?"

Terra leaned his head back, a hint of a frown on his face. "I don't have the faintest idea."

He turned his head to their quietest table member. "Aurora?"

The elder Princess of Heart merely shook her head. "I wouldn't have the experience or knowledge to say. If I had to guess, it would depend on the hearts in question. On whether they would accept one another or not. If they do, a seamless merging would most likely happen. If not... I'm not sure."

"Sounds reasonable," said Sora before he elbowed Riku, "Waja think?"

Riku gave him an incredulous look. "Do I look like I'd have a clue?"

Terra glanced over at the two, slightly amused. "Boys."

Terra refocused on Aurora after the two gave him innocent looks. "As a note, just because this is a discussion about Keybearers and our roles, it doesn't mean we wouldn't value your opinion. The weight of the eldest Princess of Heart's opinion does matter. You may see or think of something we don't."

Aurora nodded, offering a quiet, "Of course."

"It's off topic, but if I may...," began Aqua, "I know the other princesses were returned to their homes..."

For a brief moment, a shadow crossed the Princess's face. "I have nowhere to return to, Maleficent saw to that."

Aqua winced. "Oh, forgive..."

Aurora shook her head. "It's fine."

Terra distinctly remembered how the Princess had reacted when they had brought her home, only to find her castle in utter ruin, not a single soul of those from her earlier life there. That desolation on her face had set him ill at ease. Allowing her to find home here, a place she had come to see as home anyway, was beyond the right decision to make.

He rubbed his chin thought, what subject to broach next...

"So...," spoke up Ven, "I kind of figured it went out the window since no one said anything about Kairi seeing her family, or Sora and Riku going to check on their homes, but what about the whole family rule thing?"

Oh... yeah, that was probably a good idea. He had honestly forgotten about it.

Kairi tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Sora and Riku echoed her confusion. Considering they had lost their families, the topic had never actually been broached.

Terra cleared his throats, "The role of a Keybearer is a tough one, it can be a long and difficult life, full of hardships and strife. It requires an immense dedication. As such, in the past, it requires Keybearers to have... no split loyalties, nothing that can be held against or over them. For myself, Aqua, and Ventus, it wasn't exactly a problem, we were either orphans, our parents were dead, or we didn't remember. But..."

He really didn't want to deliver this one, especially when he had every intention of voting to throw this particular Precept away.

Thankfully, Eraqus seemed to take pity on him, "Keybearers in the past were required to sever all familial ties."

Kairi chocked and sputtered a bit. "E-excuse me?!"

Sora and Riku visibly blanched.

"Yeah, no," said Kairi icily, "That rule gets thrown out or I'm walking out the door, again."

Terra raised an eyebrow. "Not that I agree with the Precept in question, but giving an ultimatum is not a way to win an argument."

"It's not an ultimatum," said Kairi warningly, "It's a fact."

Which was still an ultimatum, he wasn't exactly impressed. Still... he was more than aware Kairi was loyal to people, her family, her friends, those she cared for. She was not loyal to the line Keybearers; not that they hadn't seriously shot themselves in the foot with that stupid idea to try and keep her trapped here and away from Aqua's heartless. It made her a sort of... watcher, if they ever lost their way, the girl sure as hell wouldn't stand for it. Not to say she wasn't most likely biased in certain topics, but she would at least serve as an indicator.

"In the past," explained Eraqus, drawing Terra out of his thoughts, "The families of Keybeares of old were used against them, causing them to fall into traps or do things for kidnappers lest their families be killed. In some cases, families greedily tried to influence the Keybearer to do things for them."

Kairi crossed her arms. "So the few ruin it for the whole? How is that fair?"

"I'm not saying it is, and I have the most peculiar hunch the Precept is about to fade," said Eraqus, "But I want you, and Sora and Riku, to understand the dangers, risks, and responsibilities that come with this."

The older man leveled his gaze squarely on the young Princess of Heart. "If someone were to capture your family, and tell you to kill someone otherwise they would kill your family, what would you do Kairi?"

A deep scowl crossed Kairi's face. "I'm not stupid. If I did that, I might as well have killed my family myself. Dad sure as hell would never forgive me for it, probably never want to see me again, and mom, she'd look at me like I was a stranger. My family would never want me to murder innocents to save them."

Riku agreed, "I don't remember much about him, but I know my father was a good man, he'd never want that either-and Sora's mom was such a gushy-goody two-shoes..."

"Hey!" said Sora, swatting Riku's shoulder, "That's my mother you're talking about!"

Riku grinned at him before going serious, "I don't think any of us will have an issue."

"Perhaps not," said Yen Sid, pulling on his beard, "I hold doubt that any who remember the trials of the last decade will fall to the wayward path. But, generations later, I can not say."

"Well then, guess we'd just have to set a good example for future generations," challenged Kairi.

"If only it were so simple," mused Eraqus, "Regardless, do we believe this Precept should be discarded?"

It was almost unanimous, save for Yen Sid and Eraqus.

Yen Sid pulled on his beard, not in agitation, but thought. "I acknowledge its potential, yet I fear the dangers this change represents for the future. If we truly wish it gone, then so be it, but I ask that it be written, that this specific Precept be revisited in the future, if the responsibility becomes to much to bear."

Terra tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Very well."

He waited for Yen Sid to write it down, the elder man ignoring the glare Kairi was shooting at him, before he cleared his throat. "Moving on, the next topic I expect to be... argued heavily. Both for and against, but it bears consideration either way."

He waited a second for all of their attention to fall on him. "Keybearers are forbidden from influencing or interacting with the natural fates of worlds. We generally keep our distance and watch from afar, or go in incognito, unless unnatural darkness or people not of that specific world try to alter it's fate. If such a thing happens, Keybearers try to help direct things back to their original path."

"It's basically a none-interference rule," he heard Aqua whisper to Kairi.

Kairi tilted. "I'm not sure I understand, are you saying you don't get involved, no matter what, unless Heartless appear or some rogue starts messing with other worlds?"

"That is correct," said Eraqus.

"But... what if someone's in trouble and needs our help?" Kairi asked, her voice steadily rising in agitation, "What if someones about to get murdered right in front of us? Are you seriously telling me were not supposed to interfere and save them?"

"I do recall a certain young Keybearer taking maters into his own hands in his youth many times to ever save damsels in distress, much to his master's ire," said Yen Sid, an almost sly look on his face as he glanced at Eraqus.

Oh? What was that now? Terra gave Eraqus a humored look, both Ven and Aqua snickering.

Eraqus looked chagrined. "I admit, I was foolish and hotheaded in my youth, rushing headfirst into situations without consideration of the consequences."

"How can you think saving people is foolish?" asked Kairi, incredulous, voice painfully closing onto a shrill tone.

Eraqus sighed. "Because, it could have been that specific person's time to fade, and by saving them, we drastically alter the fate of a world."

"Screw fate," said Kairi crossly, "Saving the life of an innocent or a good person is never a bad thing."

"Or saving them from themselves and their mistakes," added in Sora, hesitatingly.

Yen Sid slowly shook his head. "A noble intent, however, consider the consequences of such an act. In addition to what Eraqus said, what if we interfered in a situation that we didn't need to? We cannot remain in any one world for long, and by robbing the person we saved of the chance to struggle and grow on their own, they are weaker for their next trial, and we are not there to help them the next time."

Kairi's jaw set, irritation playing across her face. "Well, maybe we should stick around longer in the worlds. Help make them stable, peaceful, the way they should be."

"But Kairi," said Aqua softly, "Not that I disagree with peace, but, who are we to decide how things should be?"

"People with common fricken sense, that's who," answered Kairi.

"And if people disagree?" asked Terra, "What if the people of a world resist our help? Are we to impose our way of life, our laws, our desires on that world?"

"That's not what I'm saying!" said Kairi, outraged.

"Maybe not," spoke up Riku, "But it's what it could lead to."

"Well said Apprentice," praised Terra, an approving smile given to the boy, before he turned solemnly to Kairi, and made a point he knew she wasn't going to like, "Is it not what Xehanort wanted? To use Kingdom Hearts to remake the worlds to his own liking? Isn't that at heart similar to what your saying?"

"Terra!" exclaimed a shocked Aqua, "That's not fair and not even a close comparison!"

Kairi didn't even answer, she glared furiously at him before pushing from the table and storming out of the room. Well... that reaction just about fit her age and temperament. Light, had he been like that at her age?

Yeah probably.

"Perhaps a recess would do for now," suggested Yen Sid.

Terra sighed and nodded. "Very well, all of you take an hour to rest and think of anything you want to bring up. We will continue this specific argument when we return."

Mere moments after rising from his seat, Aqua had his arm in a near death-grip and dragged him into the kitchen, closing the door behind them, hard. "Terra... I know what you were trying to do, but seriously, why that way? Xehanort's machinations stole so much from her and hurt her badly. To compare what she was saying to HIM?"

"It's an honest one," countered Terra, holding up a hand to forestall a rebuttal, "I'm not worried about Kairi, about anyone here going off and becoming the next Xehanort. But we have to think generations down the road. When the lessons and consequences of what happened to us don't seem as important anymore to those who come next."

Aqua sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I get it, I do, but still... I wish you had used a different example. I'll go talk to her and try to explain what you meant."

She brushed passed without a further word and left. Terra crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door, tilting his head back. Not that the girl didn't bring up good points, and a different viewpoint to bounce ideas against, but he wondered if she was ready to be in this discussion. He wanted the next generation of Keybearers to have a say in their future. Hell, Sora and Riku weren't that far off from their Mark of Mastery Exam if he had anything to say about it, they deserved a chance to express their opinion.

To that end, perhaps he should encourage them to speak up more when they resumed, rather than sit back and watch the elder Keybearers, and Kairi, argue it out.

But Kairi... was heavily jaded by her experiences, and had lived a very small part of her life as a Keybearer. She still had so much more to learn and understand. He was pretty sure at this point she didn't have a diplomatic bone in her body. Pure hotheadedness and emotion drove her when her heart didn't. It was going to get her in serious trouble someday, not that it hadn't already during the Heartless Apocalypse, and dealing with the Organization.

He shook his head. Why in the world had she not come to them? Three masters, a sorcerer, and two senior apprentices could have made it much easier to defeat Xehanort's Nobody. At least he believed so. Did she just not trust them? Wait a sec...

Now that he thought about it, no, she didn't. Hadn't for some time.

He frowned and rubbed his chin. Lack of trust was... not a good thing, in any group or organization. It led to stress, pointless clashes, rebelliousness for the sake of it, suspicion, and always looking over one's shoulder, among a great many other things. He did recognize that the Keybearers had panicked and made a grave error during the Heartless Apocalypse in trying to imprison her, but Kairi herself also had much to prove. He would always approve of and be deeply impressed by her final actions during the Apocalypse, near sacrificing her heart to destroy Aqua's Heartless. When it truly mattered, he didn't think she'd ever let them down, her heart would not lead her astray.

It was all other times that had him worried. She needed to learn how to slow down and think. At the moment, her passions ran hot and wild, uncontrollable when she really got going. She was young, just starting her apprenticeship, and relatively unproven, at least in regards to matters of the Keyblade and her role as a Keybearer. Yes they needed to earn her trust back, but she also had to prove herself and earn theirs.

He frowned momentarily as an unwelcome thought hit him. Kairi had to earn their trust, but so unfortunately did Aqua. The woman, his friend, had suffered greatly, and not everything that had happened had been her fault, it never would have happened without Xehanort. The whole thing had been an outright clusterfuck (not that he'd say that out loud lest Eraqus still scold him for his language) if anyone asked his opinion. But, she still had some responsibility. a large chunk of it. To that end, he knew they, or at least him and Ven, still needed to have the talk with her. Yet... he really didn't want to confront Aqua about what the hell she had been thinking, not while she was still so raw over it all.

The problem was, he didn't think she was going to come anywhere near close to a full recovery from what had happened anytime soon. And they really couldn't put off just sitting down with her and hashing it out for years, perhaps decades, if she ever came to terms with it at all. Perhaps... as rough as it would be, it would be better to get it out of the way quicker. He'd have to ask Ven for his thoughts. He considered for a moment asking Eraqus or Yen Sid's opinion, but banished it.

Their actions, or lack therein of them during that crisis, eliminated them from being involved in that discussion. While he had forgiven them a long time ago, they had no right to confront Aqua about it. And speaking of confrontations, he did not want to be Eraqus when he and Aqua eventually had to face off with what the Master had tried to do to her and Ventus. Both he and Ven had forgiven him, but Aqua? She never had a chance.

Which led to another conundrum for him.

Aqua barely had a week after they thought Xehanort was defeated to process that time period before she lost her heart. He knew full well she had shoved that to the back of her mind to focus on just being reunited with her friends, and watching in anticipation as Ven prepared for and passed his 'Mark of Mastery Exam'. She had so many things she needed to come to terms with...

He sighed and left the room. He wanted a bit of fresh air before they all returned to the discussion for another few hours. He made his way towards the summit, it always helped him clear his mind to go up there and simply stare up at the stars in the sky. He paused just before entering the area, hearing voices speaking.

"...can't seriously agree with him, can you?" exclaimed Kairi.

He heard Aqua sigh. "Kairi, no, I don't personally agree with the non-interference rule, at least, not all of it. I agree that we shouldn't decide the fates of any specific world ourselves, but not helping those in immediate danger and need, that I disagree with."

"So why didn't you say anything Master Aqua?" demanded Kairi.

"Even before the..." began Aqua before uncomfortably trailing off, an audible anxious gulp escaping her throat, enough to draw Terra's concern.

He heard the rustling of her hair, imagining her shaking her head. "Even before the whole mess with Xehanort, neither of us followed the precepts to a T."

She chuckled fondly. "I remember once, on our first unchaperoned observational mission, that Terra and I saw a boat capsize on a lake. Without a second's hesitation to wonder if we should interfere or not, Terra threw himself into the lake and swam out to save those people. It filled me with such pride and admiration for him when he did, especially since he was such a lousy swimmer."

Terra blushed in his hiding place, recalling that day, and waited for her to continue, but was confused when she didn't finish the story. "The point is, Terra loves to argue and play the devil's advocate. Sometimes it can be hard to see if he actually believes in what he's arguing for, or helping you figure out your reasoning for arguing against."

Well, she had him pegged. Yet... he was a little concerned about something. How she downplayed, no, outright ignored her own actions that day. He had dove in yes, but she had followed him in seconds later, and helped him not drown when he really overexerted and didn't pace himself going back and forth between the boat and the shore (nearly drowning had not been a pleasant experience). Perhaps her ignoring it was nothing to worry about and he was overthinking it, but... he hoped she wouldn't make a common practice of it. She shouldn't ignore the good she had done in the face of the havoc the last ten years had wrought.

Decided he had eavesdropped enough, he walked into the summit, spotting the two of them standing a ways in. "Well, I do love arguing with people."

He watched as both Aqua and Kairi, who were sitting on a bench, jump a little bit of surprise.

He winked at Aqua. "Talking about me behind me back are we?"

Aqua grinned sheepishly, "Just telling her some old stories."

"Oh?" he said, faking ignorance, "What ones? I have some fun ones from our early apprenticeship I could share in turn."

Aqua's eyes widened and she shook both of her hands. "No, no that's okay."

"Really? Aw, but that one time we pranked the Master with the jelly-jar bomb...," he slyly led into.

Kairi chocked a bit. "You what?!"

Aqua blushed furiously. "I um... might have put a bit of magic into a jar of jelly while Terra was sick he and asked the Master for a sandwich. It exploded in his face and ruined his robes. He was so pissed."

Terra grinned. "Yeah he was. Sick or not, I got loaded with chores for that, we both did."

Aqua bashfully scratched her head. "Ugh... I had to clean the bathrooms for three months straight."

Kairi giggled a little bit. "Serves you right! Light, I don't even want to think what dad would have done if I tried anything like that. Mom though probably would have had a fit of laughter."

"So, what story were you telling her?" led in Terra.

Aqua hesitated, but Kairi had no qualms. "Something about your first unsupervised mission together."

"Ohhh," said Terra, giving Aqua a grin, "The one with the boat? I tell you, Aqua looked like a wet cat after diving in after me to help save those people."

Aqua huffed. "Better a wet cat than a smelly wet dog."

"Hey!" exclaimed Terra, "Rude."

Aqua stuck her tongue out, and Terra made an effort to grab at it, only for her to dance away. "Anyway, I'll... see you two back inside."

Terra blinked a few times, taken offguard by her abrupt departure, and made to call her back, but she was already gone, walking so swiftly away it was almost as if she were running away. "Hmm..."

"Terra," said Kairi slowly, "Were you just arguing for the sake of it, or do you really believe we shouldn't even interfere to save people's lives?"

Terra sighed. "Kairi... No, I wouldn't just let an innocent die in front of me, but I would understand and accept the consequences of such actions."

He motioned for her to sit on a nearby bench as he knelt down and rested on his knees. "Even the single noble act of saving someone's life can have drastic consequences Kairi. I doubt you will like this reasoning any better than the other examples, but, imagine, for a moment, an utterly cruel world, filled with violence and suffering and tyranny. Someone is meant to rise against it, had been building towards the point of action for some time, all they need in one final push... and you save the person whose death would have spurned a revolution. Thus, that person doesn't have that trigger, and by seeing someone else they think is handling the problem, lose their steam."

Kairi crossed her arms, jaw set, teeth grinding, but kept a level voice. "Then I'd say it would be our duty then to..."

"To take on a revolution that could potentially take years?" questioned Terra, "We cannot be everywhere Kairi, especially for long periods of time where our duty is elsewhere."

She scowled. "There are who knows how many worlds. We can't be everywhere anyway. Take the time to fix one world at a time and I think it would be better in the long run."

Terra smiled, rather enjoying the back and forth. "How would you be certain you were fighting on the right side in such an extended conflict?"

"Common sense and following my heart," she short back, "I'm not going to adopt some crazy crusade to wipe or convert people out or anything like that. It doesn't take a genius to figure out whose a bad guy or not and what cause is or isn't righteous."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," said Terra, "And what if no one's cause is righteous? What if two sides of a war are fighting for a completely wasteful reason, or just plain hate eachother?"

That got Kairi to pause briefly, eyebrows furrowed in thought, before she scoffed. "If I can stop them from fighting, then I will, otherwise I wash my hands of it."

Slightly better answer he supposed. "And how long would it take you to figure out that such a conflict wasn't justified? How steep would you have waded into the conflict before you realized the truth?"

Kairi scowled at him again, but didn't respond.

"Stopping to observe and learn is important," he instructed, "While a Keybearer must be ready to have haste and urgency if the situation dictates it, assessing and learning as much as you can about a situation is equally so."

"Yeah? Well what if while we're 'observing' we fail to act when we need to?" she countered back.

Terra smiled and decided it was time to end the back and forth. "I feel that we're not going to agree on this point. Suffice to say, young one, that a Keybearer must wield both patience and the willingness to act in both hands. Now, we ought to go back."

He didn't get very far before her voice range out, "I have a question on one of the earlier rules that was thrown out."

He turned his head. "Which one?"

"The family connection one," she said sourly.

"What of it?" he asked.

She grew oddly quiet, contemplative for a moment, before asking quietly, "Does... that apply to love?"

Terra blinked a few times before answering slowly, "Love is something that cannot be stopped no matter how hard one tries. It didn't happen often in our history with how Keybearers never stay in one place. Generally when it does, its between Keybearers, or Wards of the Keybearers like Aurora."

He studied her for a moment before he raised an eyebrow. "You are about that age, I'm assuming your parents gave you the talk?"

Kairi chocked a little. "T-that is none of your business!"

Terra grew amused. "I remember when Eraqus gave us the talk, boy that was awkward. His advice boiled down to" 'If you must, at least use protection.'"

Kairi's face turned beat red, and she couldn't even stammer out a reply.

He slowly shook his head. "Regardless, so long as it didn't end in a child, love was warily permitted. But if it ever got in the way of our duty, intervention happened."

He felt Kairi's irritation before he heard it. "So you can't settle down and start a family?!"

He turned his head and spared her a curious look. "That matters to you?"

"Not for at least another ten years," rebuffed Kairi, "I haven't given it much thought, I'm not even sixteen yet, let alone an adult, but... eventually... I think I'd want a family. So what happens then?"

"In the past, if it came down to it, Keybearers gave up their duty, had their ability to summon the Keyblade sealed, and were left on the world of their choosing," said Terra.

"Why?" asked Kairi.

"More than duty, the Precepts feared and prohibited a Keyblade Dynasty," explained Terra, "From what little we understand of the times before the Keyblade War, that was apparently a common thing, for entire Bloodlines to wield the Keyblade generation to generation. It was deemed to much power to put in the hands of a select few."

"You mean like your little group here?" she said, eyebrow raised challengingly, "Family is FAR more than just blood. I'm not related to Leon or Yuffie at all, but they are family to me. Xion is family to me. Axel is family to Xion, thus to me as well. Aqua changed my life so much, and I don't know if she thinks the same of me, but I consider her family for as little as we know eachother. All the people I used to know back in Traverse Town, so much of them were like one giant family. Are you going to say it isn't the same between you, Ven, Aqua, Eraqus, Micky, and Yen Sid?"

There was a reason Terra liked her despite how hot her emotions ran. "Not so much on the last two, they're more good friends than family, but I do get your point. Perhaps that Precept should come up for appraisal as well."

At that, Kairi looked smugly satisfied. "Good."

Terra resisted the childish urge to roll his eyes. Gosh, he had been like that in his early apprenticeship, hadn't he? Him and Aqua both had been a terror for Eraqus. He probably owed the old man a drink or ten.

"Alright, let's head back," he said, waving them forward.

Back to the keep, back to the dinning hall, back to the table, and back to a whole lot of arguing about rules made by people in eras gone by...

Aqua had been in a lot of uncomfortable situations in her life. This though? Was oddly high ranking. Every time they asked her input on a rule or regulation or precept was like a jolt of lightning down her spine, with one word echoing in her head.

Unworthy...

She had no right to be here, making these determinations. Even IF her opinion and experiences did help, she didn't feel like she should be giving her thoughts as an equal. Not to ignore that the young apprentices were here giving their thoughts to. It wasn't that she disagreed with them giving their ideas, but it was so alien compared to her own apprenticeship to Eraqus. Talking, countering, and rebuking so freely as they were now would have gotten her a set of chores in her early years as a student. There was a time and a place for it as her Master used to say, but like this? Not even close. That Eraqus himself was showing such thoughtful patience and explanations was... jarring.

Sometimes it was the most oddest things that really hit home that it had been over a decade since she had last been here and seen her friends...

"All in favor of removing the Anti-Dynasty precept?" asked Terra.

Aqua absentmindedly voted in favor. Though, she couldn't help but scoff to herself at the title of it. Back in the day of the survivors of the Keyblade War, did they really see family as a 'Dynasty'? She shook her head at the thought of it.

"The next topic is..." there was hesitation and trepidation in Terra's voice, the man glancing her way, "A difficult one, one that has been deeply forbidden since the Precepts were made. We have so little information on it, that's its difficult to understand, combat, and plan around."

Aqua furrowed her eyes. "The Keyblade War?"

"Darkness," said Terra.

Aqua stiffened at that and went silent, staring at Terra warily, chills of apprehension going down her spine. She was pretty sure her face had paled quite a bit as well.

"Darkness is a forbidden subject for Keybearers," said Terra cautiously, "All we are told is that it is our antitheses, despite knowing it is half of everything. We know so little of its powers or abilities except for what we encounter. We are... fortunate... to have someone who can enlighten us on this subject."

Aqua's throat felt oh so dry. "W-what exactly are you asking for Terra? What it feels like? How it affects or changes those who use or succumb to it? The signs to watch out for? H-how to use it? What you can do with..."

"Everything," said Terra softly, making Aqua tense.

There was a level of discomfort and wariness lining the table. Ven looked back and forth between Terra and Aqua, fidgeting. Kairi was glaring at the man in disbelief. Sora and Riku looked like they wanted to sink into their chairs and disappear. Yen Sid had a pen and parchment out, eyes appraising, but not showing anything else. Eraqus was rubbing his forehead and looking like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"This is a bad idea," said Aqua quietly.

"It's important Aqua," said Terra.

"You're going to take down this knowledge and just... leave it for anyone to stumble across? You're going to give people access to it?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, light no, Aqua," said Terra, "It's knowledge, dangerous knowledge, that will be restricted to Keyblade Masters, or perhaps Apprentices on the cusp of Mastery. This is information that could help those who struggle generations from now..."

Like she had...

"Or help Keybearers predict or combat a Keybearer who goes dark and abuses their power like Xehanort did," offered Terra.

She frowned, more than little unhappy, but she wasn't stupid, this... this was important. "I see."

Aqua closed her eyes to think and ponder. Where in the world was she to begin on this subject? Light... she just wanted to go to her room and burrow her face in a pillow than bring up old memories. But she had a duty to do, so she dredged up her memories of the time after Ven entered her life, after Xehanort had cracked her heart.

"What happened with and to me isn't necessarily what will happen to someone else," began Aqua slowly, "I had no idea what was going on when it all began. It just suddenly started happening, little tints of darkness or bursts of emotion that I had never had to struggle with before. I had thought something was wrong with me as a person, not that something had been done to me. I... was ashamed of myself at the time, thought I had failed my Master's teachings. So... I did my best to hide it, I never went to anyone for help."

There was a brief torrent of emotions running across Terra's face before he masked it. "So, you'd say to be on the watch for sudden unexplained seclusion? Shame without reason? Any hints of darkness where there was none before?"

Aqua hesitated. "Y-yes? I'm not honestly sure, it depends on the person. With me, I was never anything originally like an introvert. I had my moments, but you and I hung out, played a lot, and spent a great deal of time together in our youth before Xehanort cracked my heart. I suppose I'll just say, in cases like mine, be aware of sudden unexplained changes in behavior and emotion."

Terra nodded. "Agreed."

She waited until Yen Sid finished scribbling down his notes before continuing, "I can't exactly describe what a... solo fall... to darkness would be like, I never really had that experience. Xehanort goaded and guided me down that path for so long..."

"What do you mean by 'so long'?" asked Eraqus, eyes narrowed.

Aqua averted her eyes. "I... he... when I was struggling with controlling my darkness, the first time he came to 'check in' on Ventus. He goaded me into a spar, and into using my darkness. I kind of freaked when he did, but he didn't turn me in, I... I was so foolishly and naively glad to have someone to confide in, who appeared to understand me. He gave me my first lesson on darkness then and there."

"First?!" asked Terra in disbelief, "Just how long did his 'lessons' go on for?"

"Until the Mark of Mastery Exam," admitted Aqua quietly.

"T-that...," whispered Ven in horror, "That was years! Four years Aqua!"

Aqua watched, a bit stunned, as the room collectively paled. The hurricane of shock-horror-regret-guilt-shame-fear and more negative emotions was so massive she had to momentarily cut off her ability to feel them. She had to blink a few times to get the backlash-black spots dancing across her vision to go away.

Eraqus put his head in a hand. "It was so much worse than I imagined. He led you down that path, right under my nose, without me having the slightest clue, for years on end. I should have known, should have known you wouldn't have walked that path unless someone treacherously led you down it. Every time he came to visit Ventus, we left you alone with him after he was done. And I had so foolishly thought it was a good thing, for you to get over your hostility towards him."

"He... visited a few times without even checking in with you or Ventus," muttered Aqua.

"Even worse," rasped out Eraqus, more emotion on his face than she had EVER seen, even after she and him had fought, "I left you alone with a predator seeking to twist you in his image."

Aqua said nothing, shifting uncomfortably, averting her eyes. Terra had such rage in his eyes, fists clenching the table so tightly she could see little cracks splintering. She swore she could see him killing Xehanort in his mind's eye over and over again. Ven looked so grief stricken she wondered if he were going to cry. Kairi looked anxious and disturbed, with Sora and Riku echoing that look to a confused degree.

"He didn't hurt me or anything during those times," Aqua murmured, trying to calm the room with a token offering, trying to get rid of those looks being sent her way.

"No," spat out Terra, "He just kept poisoning your mind instead."

Aqua closed her eyes and sighed, but said nothing. She wanted to curl up and hide away from all the pity and sorrow being sent her way. "I am the one who chose to listen to him."

She could feel Terra narrowing his eyes at her, wanting to argue with her, his irritation spilling into her masked senses, but before he could speak-

"I think, the lesson to be learned," said Yen Sid after loudly clearing his throat, "Is not to leave young, struggling, and impressionable apprentices alone with questionable individuals."

"No kidding," chocked out Ven.

Eraqus let out a loud, drawn out sigh. "You did not think to come to us, Aqua."

She hesitated a few times. The way he sounded... it wasn't a question? "I didn't."

"Then I truly failed you badly," said Eraqus heavily, "Rather than come to me, your Master, your teacher, someone who was supposed to guide you, you went to the apparent kind ear willing to hear your troubles. You feared my reaction, and perhaps rightly so. My rebuke and discipline at the time, had you confessed, or had I personally caught sight of your darkness, would have been an awful thing. I created an atmosphere where the Apprentice could not trust in the Master, was afraid."

Aqua was silent for a moment before answering softly, "Either way, I still didn't come to you, to any of you. I felt... trapped... in a sense I suppose."

"Then it is on us, on others down the road, to not make the same mistakes," said Terra grimly, "To not make our fellow Keybearers afraid to seek help, and not to leave them alone in their suffering and struggles if we see it. We must be watchful and wary, if not for our sake, then for the worlds."

The room quieted down a bit, Aqua glanced down before opening her eyes, not wanting to see the others staring at her. She could easily feel it as is.

Yen Sid pulled on his beard in thought. "I am honestly surprised, with four years effort, things did not end in his favor. I know this was not the point of this topic, but when did you turn on Xehanort, Aqua?"

"Shortly after Kairi repaired my heart in Radiant Garden," said Aqua, "Or really, in the middle of that, when Kairi said she saw a 'grumpy mean looking bald guy with yellow eyes' when she repaired the cracks in my heart. To be honest, the first doubts started working their way in when Maleficent told me that Xehanort had instructed her to mess with me with the whole Aurora's heart thing."

There was a not-so-subtle flinch from Aurora at that.

"Maleficent figured I'd end up stronger than Xehanort in the end and sided with me, telling me a bit of Xehanort's scheming, and helped me learn the basics of truly controlling my darkness," said Aqua.

"Wait, you learned from the Witch?" asked Ven in disbelief, "I kinda remember you looking like you wanted to throttle her at one point, not learn from her."

"It was a pact," admitted Aqua, "I'd spare her life, in exchanged, she'd teach me how to control my power so no one could use it against me. I had wanted to make sure no one could force me to hurt someone again, or so I thought. Damn Witch could have told me from the get go it had been Xehanort."

"Wait, what?" said Terra, "What do you mean it had been Xehanort?"

"All Maleficent did was put me to sleep for a little bit while Xehanort stole Aurora's heart. She played along with his plan in order to make me doubt myself," said Aqua, "Xehanort had probably meant for me to seek him out, not Maleficent, in taking my next steps into darkness."

There was silence for a solid stunned minute before Yen Sid quietly confirmed, "I sense no lies nor deception."

Aqua bristled in irritation for them not believing her on that. Not that they didn't have a reason to have their doubts.

"You know," said Kairi sourly, "Xehanort was a special kind of scumbag."

Aqua snorted. "No kidding."

She turned her head at a kind of faint choking sound, sighting Aurora staring at her with so much regret it hurt. The Princess took a few moments to collect herself before offering a quiet, "You have my apologies for doubting a Keybearer's integrity all this time."

Aqua slowly shook her head. "You have every right to doubt who you so wish. If not of that crime, there are plenty of other reasons to place doubt on me."

"Aqua...," began Terra sternly.

Aqua didn't bother arguing with him. Right now, she needed... needed to just be out of here. They had BARELY started going into her knowledge of Darkness and her experiences during the Xehanort conflict and she couldn't stand the atmosphere of the room. To much, it was far to much to handle right now. To much sorrow, anger, grief, guilt... so much old wounds brought back up and broken back open, it was suffocating.

Terra had once said to her Hearthless that he had no more tears to shed for her, that he had come to terms with her loss a long time ago. Judging by the outpour of anger and fury at Xehanort her first few confessions of that time had brought out, he obviously hadn't. And that didn't cover the others gathered here. Perhaps they had come to terms with what they had personally gone through, but there was a side to every story, and they didn't know hers.

Aqua pushed from the table, standing up and turning away fast enough to only see blurs instead of faces. "We will continue this topic another time. I... I need to..."

She couldn't put words into what she was feeling, and instead walked just short of running out of the room. She just had to get away... She did not want to deal with any of them at the moment, any pity or guilt stricken apologies or sad gazes, or anything. Nor bring up any more memories of that time. The moment she was out of sight, she took a Dark Corridor straight into the Realm of Darkness, found herself a spot between to softly glowing pale rocks, and plopped herself down, taking in deep ragged breaths, using the darkness of the place as a crutch to drown out what she felt...

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the big delay, but coming up with this stuff to fill an entire chapter the size I've been making chapters in this story was... rough. I let myself get distracted alot rather than work on this. Not that I haven't enjoyed gaming, reading other fanfics, and writing other fanfics ^_^.

However...

For this story, writing these huge chapters is... a lot of hefty work, difficult, easy to drop, pick up, write a few hundred words, then drop for a week, then pickback up, re-read what I've written, and repeat the process all over again. Would people be against this steadily returning to the normal size I have chapters? (3k-5k words I believe is my average in chapters for my various fanfics. Breaching 10k words per chapter is rough, and sometimes makes me feel like I'm dragging on or embellishing to much on things.

IDK, maybe it was just this chapter that was rough to write for me, what do you guys think on the topic of length?

Review Responses:

VioletKatana: Daww... shucks, thanks for that review.

Goodstringer: If I don't keep doing mega-sized chapters, it will probably pick up in speed (rather than months of waiting). Aqua's come to terms won't be so much a recover as much as a necessity of 'use your power or people you care about are going to die' kind of thing.

Wandering-Reader: Thanks, and wish granted.

HakaishinChampa: Ah Potara... that one's staying dead for awhile while I figure out WTF to do with it. Kind of thinking a rewrite maybe, IDK. I personally think my fics do well in the 'off the beaten path' kind of thing, but who knows, just glad people enjoy ^_^.

Randompasserby: :(, long chapters are difficult, but glad you enjoy.

Guest: I have no idea who Caulifa/Kale/Kefla is. So not sure what you're saying.

Bigriff: Thanks.

Guest2: Hmm... PTSD... maybe, maybe not. Massive guilt syndrome and lack of faith in one's self though.

AmeYuuki: Thanks.

Vigriff: Hmmm... yeah, its honestly not in question. He's Xehanort, kid or not, he's in it for himself.

The Keeper of Worlds: Mmm, meetings alternate versions really depends on if this is the last book or not. If Aqua and Co. win VS Xehanort in the final battle or not.

Guest3: It's a bit worse than that. Perhaps its a spoiler, but, you're not thinking on the dream sequence correctly. Is it a prison if the prisoner doesn't want to escape? Though it is going to take someone powerful to rain on Kairi's dream parade.

Umbrardor: Oh yeah it will, and we have a whole pre-conflict and then Abomination/Ascended sequence before we even hit the Mark of Mastery. Maleficent is going to cause MAJOR, yet indirect, trouble in a way I'm hoping no one sees coming. Let's just say I'm not afraid to really hurt my characters, even if they've already been kicked while they're down several times.

Expressz641: Get ready for trouble! Make it double!

Lauralkelly99: Soz. Don't have a beta, and I read my chapters multiple times, but I still miss things. :P

Nyxnsu: Thanks :D. In-Texts spoilers/hints are fun.