Disclaimer: Well I don't anything. Kingdom Hearts and RWBY belong to their respective owners.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait for a new chapter. Also, I may not write a lot about Terra, because I want to focus on Ruby's relationship with Ventus. Pretty much mostly everything that happened to Ventus and Terra within the game will stay the same, until I start diverging the story away from the original. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Sorry for any errors and I'm sorry for not knowing how to write fight scenes.
At Castle of Dreams:
"Wow...this place is huge." I can't help saying once we arrived at our first destination. Aqua told me it's called Castle of Dreams, which is a pretty good name since this castle looks like one from a dream.
"Focus Ruby. We need to search for Ven."
"Roger that." I was about to run off, but Aqua grabbed the hood of my cloak.
"We need to search for Ven together. I promised Master Eraqus that I'll look after you, and I don't want you to go missing too."
"...Fine." I pout slightly. I wanted to split up and cover more ground in order to find Ventus using my speed. I don't how I got my speed, but it just appeared one day when I was playing with everyone. Ventus thought we should play tag as a training exercise, and we all agreed. Long story short, I was it and I was able to catch everyone using my unnatural speed. The really weird thing is that I feel like I had for a long time, even though I have no...memories.
"Hey, don't worry we'll find Ven." Aqua placed a hand on my shoulder, not knowing what was really distressing.
"Right!" I gave her my widest smile.
"Aqua! Ruby!" We both heard someone yell, turning around to see Terra running towards us.
"Terra," we say simultaneously. Aqua immediately tells Terra that Ven ran away from home.
As Terra and Aqua talk, I just slowly tune them out and look at my surroundings. This place is really nice, I just wish I was here with Ven. I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks again. I quickly shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus back on Terra's and Aqua's conversation.
Terra is walking away and Aqua tells him that we're gonna look for clues for Ventus. Then out of nowhere Terra asks us, "Ruby. Aqua. Do you both have the same dream?"
"Well...yes." Aqua responds.
"Of course I do." I practically shout my response.
Terra then proceeds to tell us about a girl named Cinderella and how she taught him powerful it is to believe. He asks to thank her, which agree to do. As he continues to walk away, I can't help but to ask, "Why are you letting Terra go by himself?"
The only response I receive is, "He'll be alright. He won't give into it."
I can't help but smile when I see Aqua's small smile. Then we walk into the castle to go ask the prince if he knows anything.
As we enter further inside the castle, I can't help stare at these ugly ladies who are leaving. Not pay attention, I crash into Aqua who suddenly stopped. Her whole body is tensed as she stares at them.
"What's wrong Aqua?"
Aqua doesn't respond to my question, instead asks another skinny man with a mustache, "Who are those ladies?"
The man responds, "Oh, er, if I recall correctly, that is Lady Tremaine and those are her daughters."
I'm kind of upset that Aqua completely ignored me, but I can see that something is wrong by her both just stare after the three ladies. Now that I think about it, their ugliness wasn't just their physical appearance, but something deeper.
"You came back!"
"Huh?" We both turn to see this guy approach us.
The guy looked shocked, and apologized to Aqua, thinking she was someone else.
Mustache man, addressing the other guy as Your Highness, showed the guy a glass slipper, which I involuntarily cringe. They look slightly painful to wear, plus they brought up a memory, a memory that I haven't seen before. I was in a red dress and wearing black heels, but I wasn't able to walk in them, nearly dying multiple times.
I push the memory to the back of my mind, not wanting to appear distracted. I focus back on the conversion between Mustache Guy and the prince. They were talking about looking for some pretty lady that the prince wanted to marry.
As Mustache Guy walks away, Aqua tells me, "Come on, Ruby. Let's go pay Lady Tremaine a visit."
"Alright." We both follow Mustache Guy.
At Lady Tremaine's Residence:
"As I feared. There is darkness here."
The air around us becoming very serious and tense, I could feel the overwhelming of darkness coming from inside the house even though Aqua and I were standing outside. We both summoned our keyblades.
Before we could enter the Tremaine's home, a voice stopped us, "Wait! It's dangerous to fight the darkness with the light, my dears."
We both turned around to see an old lady appear from nowhere. Aqua pushed me behind her and asked"Who are you?"
"Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. I appear to those who believe dreams come true."
"Hey wasn't Terra talking about dreams and some girl named Cinderella earlier," I ask, stepping beside Aqua.
Aqua gives me a reprimanding look before addressing the old lady in front of us. "I am honored. I'm Aqua and this is Ruby. But why would you advise not to fight darkness with light?"
"Strong rays of sun create dark shadows. Sadly, Lady Tremaine and her daughters are jealous of Cinderella's charm and beauty, qualities that appear to you as "light". Jealousy is darkness. Light and dark go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other."
As the old lady kept on talking, I was getting slightly lost. "Huh? I still don't understand why we can't use the light to fight darkness."
Aqua sighed, shaking her head slightly, and for a split second the image of Aqua was replaced for another girl with white hair. The image quickly vanished when Aqua tried to explain it to me, but I still didn't get it one hundred percent. However, we couldn't waste anymore time so I told her that I did.
Once Aqua was done explaining, she asked the old lady, "Then what should we do?"
"It's quite simple, my dear. One of Cinderella's friends is trying very hard to keep her light from fading. I want you two to join little Jaq and help him."
"We can totally do that." I shout, making a superhero pose.
Aqua looks at me with amusement and ruffles my hair. "Yes we can."
" Good, you both will need a little bit of my magic to help Jaq." The old lady pulled a wand from her sleeve and said some magic words before we were both surrounded by light.
When the light faded, we saw a giant mouse dragging a giant key. "Well you don't see that everyday."
Then I noticed that everything around us was larger then normal, "Whoa that Fairy Godmother made everything bigger."
"Or she shrunk us. Come on, there's no time to waste. Let's go talk to that mouse."
"Right!" I felt stupid for a split second, but Aqua was right, we had a mission.
Running after the mouse, who looked he was having trouble.
"Hey are you okay?" Aqua asked.
"Cinderelly stepmuthy lock her in her room. Gotta let her out. Gotta save Cinderelly!"
"Let us help!" I shout.
"Oh thank you. Oh that's a like Ven-Ven's. Didja ever meet a Ven?" The mouse said when he our keyblades.
"I'm Aqua and this is Ruby, but tell me how you know about Ven."
"Us a friend-good friends. Ven-Ven helped Jaq fix a Cinderelly's dress."
"And where is he now," Aqua asked.
"Looking for friend- other friend."
"Oh, I see...Ven, you must have just missed Terra."
"Oh man, this is gonna be harder than I thought it would be."
"I can't see why..." We turn to where the voice came from, "It always fit perfectly before."
"Quite enough of this. The next young lady. Please..."
"Oh no! Hear that! We've gotta hurry! Cinderelly gotta try the slipper!"
"Don't worry we've got this!" I can't help, but shout as I place my hand on his shoulder.
As we begin to hurry forward, strange shadow monsters appear out of nowhere. For a moment, a memory, a dark one, flashed before my eyes. I see these creatures that look like animals, but they are black as shadows and they have white mask with red marks. However, I quickly snap out of it when I hear Jaq freaking out.
"Ah! No, no, no! Us a gotta flurry!"
"Don't worry! We've got this! Jaq stand behind us and don't lose that key," Aqua told Jaq as we summoned our keyblades.
We move forward to attack the unversed. Although, I've never seen one nor fought one, it all felt familiar. Like I have been fighting them for a long time, but then it occurs to me what if the feeling of familiarity is from fighting something else...maybe I have been fighting monsters like the unversed for a long time.
This last thought distracts me for a moment, a moment too long, because an unversed takes advantage of my distracted state and try to get past me to attack Jaq. Luckily, I was fast enough to react, and run in front of Jaq at the last second to take it out with one slash.
Once we finished off all the unversed, Jaq thanks us as he hurries off to a mouse hole. Aqua approaches me, a frown on her face.
"What happened Ruby? Why were you distracted? Do you realize the unversed could have hurt Jaq and take the key?"
"I know, I know...it's just...Don't worry, I won't let it happen again."
"Ruby..."
"Let's go see how the shoe fitting is going." I run off to the other room, and Aqua follows.
"Are you the only ladies here," Mustache Guy asks Lady Tremaine and her daughters. We arrived on time to see the other Tremaine daughter try on the killer glass slipper, and boy was it funny seeing her try to force the slipper of death to fit. I couldn't help, but laugh. Even Aqua giggled a bit.
However, right now all humor has gone out the window and we're actually very worried, because Cinderella has yet to appear. In hindsight, it would have been smart to send either Aqua or me to go with Jaq, just in case more unversed appear or if he needs help with anything else. Lady Tremaine already denied having another daughter, man I wish we were bigger so we could do something to stall for more time.
"Come on Jaq...hurry." Aqua was worried too, probably wishing the same thing as me. Mustache Guy was walking away and both me and Aqua must have had the same idea, because we both were began to run forward.
Then, just like magic, we both got bigger, and we both fell from the top stairs to the floor very hard. I guess we should be grateful because it caused enough commotion to get Mustache Guy's attention. Of course, it was still painful and everyone was staring at us, especially the three Tremaine women who were glaring at us.
I was too shocked and nervous, because the old lady scared me, to say anything, but fortunately Aqua spoke up. "Oh...would it...Would it be alright...if I tried on the glass slipper?"
I looked at Aqua like she grew an extra head, but then I realized that she is probably stalling for time since the glass slipper of death should only fit Cinderella.
"Hmm...I met you at the palace. Unfortunately, you are not the young lady the Prince is looking for."
OH NO! Aqua's plan backfired. What are we going to do? How are we going to make him stay for a bit longer? Think Ruby! THINK! Maybe we can force him to stay longer. Maybe I can hold on to his legs, or maybe I can...break his legs? Where did that idea come from? It sounds so familiar...
"But I am a girl. I should at least be given the chance to try it on," Aqua replied to Mustache Guy. Thank goodness, Aqua's here. I'm so bad at talking to people, that Mustache Guy would have probably left already.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house," the scary old lady demanded.
"They're probably here to rob us," one of the girls shouted.
"Mother, do something," the other whined.
"Whoa, hold on a sec! First of all, we wouldn't have been caught if we were trying to rob y-" Aqua stopped me from continuing by covering my mouth with her hand.
"How insufferable. Those two girls does not live here. I have only have two daughters. I believe you are finished here, Your Grace."
"Regardless...they mean no harm." Mustache Guy walks towards us, and I can't help but give a small fist pump. "Here you are, my dear."
Before Aqua could grab the slipper, another female voice is heard. "Your Grace...Please wait. May I try it on?"
We all look to where the voice came from and see a blonde girl running down the stairs. She must be the person everyone has been talking about, Cinderella.
Then the old lady walked in front of Mustache Guy to tell him that Cinderella is a crazy person, who he should forget it. Luckily, Mustache Guy wasn't listening to her nonsense. Aqua then told him to let Cinderella go first and her to the seat. Everything seemed to be going well and Aqua thanked Cinderella for teaching Terra to keep believing. Of course, the old lady had to ruin the moment and trip Mustache Guy. The slipper slipped out of his hands, and time slowed down as it descended to the floor. I tried to jump and catch it before it hit the ground, but I didn't react fast as it fell and shattered.
It was hopeless now. There was nothing Aqua and I could do, and Mustache Guy just cried. The old lady sneered in satisfaction. We lost the battle against darkness, or so we thought. Cinderella pulled out the other slipper that she was hiding, and Mustache Guy was kissing as if it was his girlfriend or something. Honestly, I've never seen anyone so happy to see a shoe, especially one that could potentially kill you.
Obviously the slipper fit Cinderella, and most of us were happy that Cinderella would finally get her happy ending. Aqua and I walked outside of the Tremaine's house with Cinderella and Mustache Guy to see them off as they left for the castle.
Not even a minute passed when we hear a women's scream.
"What's that," we both asked simultaneously. We then see Mustache Guy running towards us looking extremely panicked.
"What happened? Where's Cinderella?" Aqua began questioning him.
"Sh-she was attacked by a-a-a cr-creature...a m-monster in the f-forest..." He heavily breathed out. As soon as he finished, I took off, running to towards the direction he came from.
"Ruby!" I ignored Aqua, my focus solely on saving Cinderella.
It didn't take long to find Cinderella and the monster. Cinderella was on the floor unconscious, and behind her was a...pumpkin carriage monster? A bit scary, but mostly weird. It was shooting pumpkin bombs that blew up once they hit the ground. Also, old lady Tremaine and her three whiny daughters were standing next to the pumpkin carriage monster.
Without missing a beat, I immediately rush to Cinderella using my speed. I gotta get her out of the way, before she gets hurt. I was able to pull her to safety, just moments before the pumpkin bombs hit her. Aqua came running behind me.
"Are you both okay?"
"Yeah, we're fi-" Aqua pulled me into a hug, before I finished.
"Ruby, you shouldn't run off like that! We're supposed to stick together. I don't know what I'll do if you got injured."
"I'm sorry Aqua, but Cinderella was in trouble. I couldn't just standby. I just...reacted."
"It's okay. We'll talk more about this later. Right now we have to defeat that creature." I nod my head in agreement and we both summon our keyblades.
"This is what happens when you go against my wishes! As for you two, you shouldn't have gotten in my way helped that worthless child!" Old lady Tremaine gave an evil laugh. That was until a pumpkin bomb landed in front of the three Tremaine women. We watched as it went off, and the three women screamed in agony.
"The darkness in their hearts overtook them," Aqua told Cinderella and me. I kind of feel...sorry for them. I wish I could have been able to do something in order to get rid of the darkness in their hearts.
Aqua sent Cinderella to go to safety, while we deal with the monster. Without a second to waste, we both rush forward. It was slightly difficult to get close by the pumpkin carriage monster because of the pumpkin bombs, but I was able to give a few orders to Aqua that allowed her to distract the monster while I made the killing blow. It was weird to give Aqua commands since she is the KEYBLADE MASTER, but it felt so natural to give someone orders.
"Good job, Ruby," Aqua patted my head, she had already dispelled her keyblade.
"Thanks," I smile as I lean on my keyblade, slightly exhausted from running so much.
"Hey are you okay?"
"Yeah...Just give me a second..."
"Excuse me...I-I just want to thank the both of you for saving me." Cinderella came running back, looking slightly winded.
"Oh th-there y-you...are," Mustache Guy, poor guy looked like he was going to pass out right in front of us. It took him a few moments to catch his breathe, before he addressed us. "And you two, thank you so much for all you have done."
My smile grew a mile wide, "It was no problem at all."
"If there is anything I can do for you both, don't hesitate to ask," Mustache Guy said.
"If you don't mind, can we receive a ride from you to return back to the castle," Aqua asked.
"Of course, my dear! Let's head off immediately."
The moment we arrived at the castle, Cinderella ran straight to her prince. Aqua and I just sat down on the edge of a water fountain. Aqua was staring at the couple with a small smile, as they hugged each other for the longest time.
I just looked up at the night sky, swinging my feat back and forth. I had so many questions, yet so little answers, and it didn't help that I was worried about Ventus. I was so distracted by my thoughts, that I didn't notice when Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appeared. I would have fallen into the fountain, if it wasn't for Aqua grabbing my arm before I fell back.
"A pure heart filled with light...It's strange, the Master taught us darkness needs to be destroyed. But how, if not by light," Aqua asked Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. I was wondering the same thing.
"Oh my dear, you're both too young to know. Experience more things, and you'll find the answer. Just trust in your dreams."
Aqua nodded her head in agreement, as I sighed. If what Cinderella's Fairy Godmother says is true, then I have a long way to go before I find the answer. However, I can't give up hope now. I have to be strong and have faith that everything will turn out okay. So with those thoughts in my mind, I jumped to my feet, "Thank you for your help, but I think it's time for us to go. We have so much more to experience, and we can't do it if we stay here. So, this is goodbye for now."
Aqua just giggles slightly, "I'm afraid Ruby is right. Thank you so much. Hopefully we cross paths again. Come on, let's go Ruby."
"All right! Let's go find Ven!" With that said, we took our leave.