Chapter Three: Memorial
Terra stood in the center of a narrow pathway, surrounded on either side by the fallen forms of Keyblades. They formed a crossroads in the dusty center of the Horizon Plains. Terra stood to the east, watching the others coming.
Aqua came from the path to the west, sunlight glinting off of her helmet. Ven came from the north, and Xehanort from the south. Together they walked to the center of the crossroad, driving their Keyblades into the ground and looking up at the sky.
It was ritual. As Chasers, the final remaining Keybladers truly in service to Kingdom Hearts, they were required each year on the anniversary of the last great Battle to come and pay respects to the fallen. They knelt, taking their Keyblades back, and walked back in the four separate directions. Under their helmets, it was impossible to tell their individual expressions, but it was obvious that Terra was somber, Aqua was crying, Ven was attempting to put on a blank face, and Xehanort was trying to maintain calm.
When they met back at their home later, they all sat around one of the living rooms, just thinking and reminiscing.
"I wish we didn't have to do that." Ven said.
Terra shook his head. "It is our duty, based from the responsibilities we were given." He didn't want to put the younger ones through it. They suffered badly enough as it was, especially Aqua with her nightmares. But it was required of them to bear the memory of the past gone wrong, so that they could prevent it from ever happening again. "It gives me no pleasure to have you three go through the ritual. If it were up to me, I would not do it. But it isn't up to me."
"We know, Terra." Xehanort said. "It's fine. We'll just have to endure. That's part of being a Chaser, right?"
Terra nodded, though his heart wasn't in it, and sighed. He watched Aqua go over to sit with Ven, and saw the faintly jealous look Xehanort wore as he noticed. This would not go well in the future unless they watched out. Dissent among their ranks was not something that they needed. He knew that Aqua would never want to break up the four, but he decided to watch Ven and Xehanort closely. They were both too strong-willed to leave unobserved. After all, jealousy often led to betrayal…