Here's the betaed chapter one! Hope you enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts is owned by Disney and Square Enix


"Hey Aqua? Y'ever wonder what stars are? Where light comes from?" Ven asked almost idly, staring up at the night sky.

"Hm... well they say-" A male voice interrupted her.

"-That every star up there is another world." The pair turned around to see a young man with shoulder-length brown hair and a young woman with dark red hair tied into two thick braids that fell to the middle of her chest.

"Terra." Aqua greeted.

"Ember!" Ven grinned at his sister.

"Hard to believe that there are many worlds out there besides our own, huh?" Ember commented leaning against the stone bench while Terra teased Ven about something.

A while later found the four all sitting on the edge, watching the stars. "Oh!" Aqua began, "Terra, Ember. We have our Mark of Mastery exams tomorrow." She pulled out four star-shaped charms. "I made us good luck charms." She tossed one to each of the friends, laughing at Ven's excitement at being included. "Of course. One for each of us." She looked up at the sky. "Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star shaped fruit... and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart."

"Oy. You can be such a girl sometimes..."

Ember gazed at her red and gold charm while the others talked; a word rested on her lips as she traced the edges. "...Wayfinder..." Her friends looked over at her and she shrugged, raising her charm. "That's what these are called. Or what I call them, anyway. With them, our hearts will always be able to find their way to each other."

"Now who's the girl?" Terra joked and Ember smirked at him.

"Really, Terra? You've only just figured that out?" She shook her head in mock shame, her warm gold eyes glinting with mirth.

"Hey!" Laughter filled the air again. "So anyone want to spar?" Terra offered, summoning his Keyblade.

"I can take ya!"

Aqua and Ember stood off to the side while the boys practiced. Ember kept staring off to the horizon, slowly toying with her hair. "Is something wrong?" The redhead snapped back to the present and glanced, slightly startled, at her friend. "You okay? You look worried about something."

"I'm fine." Ember stated a little too quickly, running her long fingers through her bangs. "Just... uneasy I guess..."

"About the exam? Ember, you'll do great."

Ember smiled at her blue-haired friend. "It's not that... it's just," the smile became a little sad and she looked over at the boys. "it won't always be like this."

"Change isn't bad, Ember."

"I'm not saying it is. Just so long as we don't lose ourselves during it." She shook her head and straightened. "Whatever. I'm just overthinking things."

Ven's playfully disappointed shout signaled the end of the match and the girls moved closer. "Who's next?" The victor challenged and Ember rolled her eyes, playing with the gold cuff she wore on her wrist and tugging her black gloves on a little snugger.

"Think you can handle me?" Ember taunted teasingly, summoning her Keyblade - a delicate yet strong configuration of twisting metal colored like flames.

"You're on."

Flamedancer and Earthshaker clashed, sparking off each other before disengaging and clashing again. Ember did a series of back-handsprings to give herself more space before running at Terra again - this time using his leg as a springboard and flipping over his shoulder, hitting Terra on the back with the flat of her Keyblade. Her sheer red skirt flowed around her black clad legs as she landed, making the orange flames on the hem dance.

The match continued furiously, neither side seeming to be losing. Terra focused on brute strength, trying to overwhelm Ember; but Ember never seemed to hold still long enough for him to get a good hit in.

It ended with Terra on one knee, Earthshaker planted in the ground for support, and Ember standing a few feet away, breathing hard.

"It is always so cool when you two spar!" Everyone laughed at Ven's exclamation and Terra stood. Ember reached into the pouch she wore on her belt, gold heart symbol flashing at the buckle, and tossed a potion to Terra. "You guys are totally ready for your exam tomorrow." The tall young man ruffled his little brother's hair in a silent thanks of the comment. Ember smiled around at her friends - her family- with a pang in her heart.

That was the last night we spent together under the same stars.

####

Ember stood in front of Master Eraqus with Aqua and Terra, listening with half an ear to what he was saying. The rest of her was split between shuddering at the presence of Xehanort and worrying about what his reappearance meant for Ventus. "...not a test of wills, but a test of heart. All of you may prevail, or none."

Ember returned her full attention to the exam as the Master finished his speech and glowing spheres appeared. Before any of the three testers could do much more than follow the orbs with their eyes, the glow pulsed and turned purple. All four learners summoned their Keyblades.

"Ven, get out of here!" Aqua called to the boy.

"No way! I've been looking forward to this... to see you three become Masters. I'm not leaving."

"Don't be a fool. Go wait in your room."

Ember shook her head slightly; sometimes she wasn't sure if Aqua's mother-hen tendencies were a good thing or not.

"He can take care of himself." Terra cut in softly. "He's been out there training just as hard as we have."

"Trust him a little, Aqua." Ember murmured. "He's in no way defenseless..."

Aqua nodded with a slight sigh. Ember could tell she still worried for the youngest member of their group - and so did Ember - but the blunette was willing to put her faith in him, and the others' ability to back him up if he needed it.

The fight with the spheres went quickly, all things considered, though Ember was concerned at the way the spheres seemed to converge on Ventus when given the chance. But then, given what Ven was, it shouldn't have been a surprise that Darkness tried to attack him.

"You all did well." Eraqus said while Xehanort smirked in the background. "And now you will fight each other. But this is not a battle for supremacy. For when equal forces collide, their true essence is revealed." The Master returned to his chair. "Terra, Aqua, you first. Ember will fight one of my choice afterwards."

As the two sparred, Ember watched quietly, playing idly with the straps on her shirt, two that crossed and one that intersected the X, while keeping one eye on Xehanort. She shuddered minutely at his expression when Terra's aggravation manifested itself in the form of Darkness collecting around his hand.

Their spar ended and Eraqus turned to Aqua. "Take a few minutes, Aqua. You will be fighting Ember next." The blunette nodded and cast a quick Cura on herself.

####

Ember flipped away from Aqua's attack and her Keyblade lit up for the coming counterattack. "Fire Tornado!" Aqua could only block as flames spiraled around her.

"Blizzaga!" She returned, hitting her opponent in the stomach and Ember stumbled back a few steps, her free hand moving to her bare midriff. The redhead backflipped again, then crouched, breathing heavily; Aqua followed up her attack ruthlessly, but Ember neatly avoided each one.

Dark Energy surrounded her right hand and she spun around to fling the energy at Aqua. There were multiple gasps as the purple-ish energy hit the Wielder in the chest, causing her to freeze and Rainfell clattered to the ground. The blunette recovered quickly but the match was already over.

"You all performed admirably." Eraqus spoke to them, Xehanort sneering behind him. "But only Aqua has shown the Mark of Mastery." Terra and Aqua both reacted in surprise and disappointment, but Ember just bowed her head in acknowledgement.

Aqua turned to Ember as Eraqus spoke quietly to Terra for a moment. "I'm sorry, Ember-"

"Don't worry about it. I accepted that I would probably never receive my Mastery a long time ago." The other girl was speechless. "But congratulations, Aqua."

Aqua left shortly after Terra had stormed out and Eraqus turned to Ember. "Ember, your final technique was disturbing." Ember didn't respond, her face unreadable. "You need to learn to control your Darkness-"

"With all due respect, Master, I was in perfect control during the duel."

Eraqus shook his head, "No, Ember you were not; your use of Darkness against Aqua is proof of that."

Ember sighed and bowed her head. "I'm sorry you feel that way." Eraqus tensed slightly at her response. "Just remember, Eraqus- those who look into the light for too long will end up blind."

With that, the Keyblade Wielder bowed to her Master and left the room, the heels of her boots making an echoing noise in the room, leaving a bewildered and tired warrior to fear the growing Darkness.


Alright. I have the next two chapters written, they just need to be checked over by Gemini.

"There will always be a door to the light..."

***Wayfinder***