Chapter 2
Xemnas stepped out of the dark corridor and into Castle Oblivion. He looked up at the dark sky and saw a swarm of beasts surrounding a person. He peered closer. It was Aqua! Nothing she did had any effect. A creature struck her in the back and she fell unconscious.
Xemnas leaped up and smacked his blades into several of the beasts- which he identified as Nobodies- killing them. He shot blades off in all directions, effectively clearing the area of the creatures.
He grabbed Aqua, then created a ship beneath his feet and rode it down to the Castle. He lifted the girl up and carried her in, then set her gently on the floor.
He cast a powerful Cure spell, but it had no effect on her. He checked her pulse. Still there.
He shook her shoulders. "Aqua! Wake up! Aqua!" Nothing.
An unusual feeling overcame him. He leaned in close to her ears and whispered, "Aqua. It's me, Terra. Wake up. I'm here, Aqua."
Aqua stirred, but didn't open her eyes. "Terra..." She hugged Xemnas around the neck and drew him close.
The feeling disappeared. "Aqua, you're hugging my head."
Aqua opened her eyes and looked at who she was hugging. As she let go, she said, "But, you said you were him."
Xemnas shook his head. "I don't know why I said that."
Aqua sat up and unzipped Xemnas' jacket, revealing the uniform beneath. "You're still wearing your old clothes!"
Xemnas said, "I don't know why I have these. I've had these since..." He trailed off and stared at the floor, in his eyes an indescribable expression.
"Since when?" Aqua asked.
"Since the beginning," he muttered, still staring at the floor, amber eyes glossy. He blinked and looked at her, the trance gone. "These can't be his."
Aqua sighed. "You look just like him."
Xemnas said, "I'm sorry. I have to go." He snapped open a Dark Corridor and headed off to wherever it would take him.
xxx
Xemnas stepped out into the library. He breathed in the familiar scent of books, then made a beeline for Ansem's computer.
He booted it up, then typed in "Another", then the other passwords. The door slid open and he proceeded down the hall to the Chamber of Repose.
"I'm back, friend," he said as he entered the Chamber, but was surprised to see that the armor and Keyblade was gone. "Oh, no," he groaned, kneeling next to the platform. "Why are you gone?" He sat on the chair next to the platform and buried his face in his hands.
Some pictures passed through his mind. A boy who looked like Roxas. Aqua. An old man. Creatures. And finally a young adult with tannish skin and brown hair.
He opened his eyes. Memories always came to him here, but only images, never sounds or names.
An idea came to him. Aqua may just know where the Chamber of Awakening is! He rushed out the door, locking it shut behind him, and returned to Castle Oblivion via Dark Corridor.
xxx
Aqua sat down on the floor and leaned against the plain white wall. Everything was so...white here.
A Dark Corridor opened in front of her and Xemnas quickly came out and closed it behind himself. He looked at her, a well-feigned expression of relief on his face and said, "Aqua, do you know where the Chamber of Awakening is?"
Aqua stood up near instantly. "Come on." She grabbed the slightly confused silvernette's hand and pulled him down the hall.
She found the plain door again and pushed it open, revealing a sleeping Ventus.
Xemnas made a weird sound halfway between a squeal and a gasp, then ran over to Ven and shook his shoulders. "Ven! Ven! Ven!"
Aqua found this scene both charming and strange. Xemnas may possibly be Terra, so it was cute to see the two reunited, but she still found it weird to see a deep-voice older man shaking a sleeping boy.
Ven opened his eyes and looked drowsily at Xemnas. "Who...are you?"
"I'm," Xemnas began, then shook his head. "I don't even know anymore." He sat down on the arm of the throne and cupped his face in his hands. "I think I'm Xemnas, Nobody of Xehanort, but Aqua thinks I'm Terra. I don't know her, but I know everything about her. Same with you, Ven."
Ven sat up and grabbed Xemnas' arm. "You do look like Terra."
Xemnas touched Ven's hand. "Apparently so." He grasped the younger boy's hand. "Maybe I am him, maybe not."
That made Aqua remember something important. "I've got to go check something out."
xxx
She ran out to the walkway outside the castle and summoned her armor and Rider, the flew off to find it.
Aqua removed her armor and walked among the rows of fallen Keyblades. She was at the Keyblade Graveyard.
She stood at the top of the plateau and saw him, kneeling away from her. She sneaked towards him and leaped, hugging him from behind.
Terra jerked forward suddenly and squirmed around, trying to see Aqua.
Aqua hugged him tight enough that was still comfortable. "Terra! It's been so long!"
Terra stopped squirming. "Aqua...please...don't do that..." His voice sounded rough and inhuman.
Aqua let go and allowed the armored man to face her. She was surprised when he embraced her suddenly, his steely grip ungentle. If she could see his face, tears would be running down his face.
"A..qua..." he said, voice still strange. "I've...missed you so...much..."
Aqua smiled and tried to get comfortable in his iron grip. "I missed you too, Terra." She touched the sides of his helm and he released her. She wanted to see his charming smile, his earthy brown hair, his ocean blue eyes. She couldn't resist any longer and plucked his helmet right off.
No face. There was nothing underneath his helmet.
Aqua gasped. Terra groaned and his armor-maybe his body-creaked in protest as he shifted onto his hands and knees. The armor was completely empty. "Nothing...no body...Aqua..."
Aqua put the helmet back in place and allowed herself to cry. Terra didn't have his body. Xehanort did.
The Sentiment reached out and gently stroked her cheek. "Don't...cry...Aqua..." She could hear all the loneliness in its voice now. "Please..."
Aqua sniffed and held back her tears.
The Lingering Sentiment took her hands and stood up with her. She hugged it so tight she hurt her arms. It rubbed her head. She let go and smiled at its visor.
"Want to...practice?" The armor drew its Keyblade and stuck it into the ground, waiting for her response.
Aqua was surprised. She certainly didn't expect a request like that. "Well...of course!" She summoned Rainstorm and her armor and the fight began.
After the fight, Aqua kneeled down, panting like a dog. The Sentiment had so many skills that the old Terra didn't; on top of that, it didn't even seem tired.
She dismissed her armor and stood up. "You're not even tired! Cheater!"
The Sentiment emitted something that sounded like a laugh. "Sorry...but you did..." It raised its left hand, which abruptly fell off.
Aqua gasped and rushed over to pick up the pieces. The Sentiment seemed amused. The pieces reconstituted into the Sentiment's hand. "You didn't...need to..." it said.
Aqua pushed it playfully on the chest. "Why didn't you just say that?"
The Sentiment answered, "You didn't...give me...time..."
Aqua smiled and laughed. "Oh, yeah. True."
Aqua glanced at the sun. Twilight crept closer every second. She turned to the Sentiment. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."
It nodded. "I...understand... feel free...to go..."
She summoned her armor and Rider and sat down on the seat. She was about to leave when it spoke again.
"It was...nice...to...see you...again...Aqua...thank you."
Aqua felt a tear roll down her cheek. "You're welcome." She flew away into a portal of light.