Body and Soul

by Dark Slayer Reborn

When a mysterious woman with blue hair wielding a keyblade appears, Xemnas orders his Organization to capture her at all costs. But who is she? And why is Xemnas after her? Complete. Epilogue Posted.

11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Day 311: Tale As Old As Time.

The air was cold. Crickets chirped. Sapphire eyes blinked open.

Aqua lied sprawled out on hard stone ground, right under the night sky. She slowly rose up on her hands and knees, wincing, her whole body sore after lying there for an untold amount of time. The young maiden rubbed the side of her temple, fighting a headache.

As she rose to sit on her knees, Aqua took in the surroundings of this new world.

She was outside in the open, that much was obvious, and she was a wide spacious bridge with four statues wielding spears on both sides of it. Aqua stood up, rubbing her sore knees and stared in silent awe, head tilting back. She stood directly in front of a large stone castle, multiple towers rising from it. Against the clear night sky and dozens of white stars, it was a breathtaking sight. Aqua stared at the castle, taking a small step toward it before stopping to turn around and see what was behind her. It was a gate blocking off the edges of a forest and Aqua noticed that the forest came to a dead end, literally, the bridge suspended over a very nasty looking fall into a river below.

Aqua stumbled slightly, dizzy with vertigo at the thought of falling off this bridge.

Her left hand reached into her pouch, fishing for a certain item. Aqua felt her fingers brush around it and she pulled out the gleaming green star shaped gem. She looked at it, frowning at the object bemusedly.

Aqua, "A desert kingdom, a world of wonder and now a big gated off castle?" She gave a small chuckle and shook her head before returning her gaze on the fragment. "Could you take me to a beach paradise for once?" The gem only sparkled slightly under the faint starlight.

Aqua put the fragment back in her pouch before turning away from the castle and heading towards the gate to the forest. As soon as she reached it and started to move her hand over to the iron gate, a deep hungry howl echoed off the trees from somewhere deep in the forest. Aqua snapped her hand back and took a step back.

She returned her gaze onto the imposing castle, noting a single dark cloud was obscuring the moonlight now. She sighed, taking one last look into the forest. She could see a faint mist rising off the ground, shadows shifting through the fog.

"Looks like I'll have to take my chances in the castle."

Shaking her head, Aqua headed for the opposite end of the bridge, to an even larger gate, this one wooden and reminding the water maiden of a cathedral's doors.

Engraved on both pillars on the sides of the gates were two rearing lions. Right over the gate and between the two lions was the crest of a male lion. Aqua stared up at the crest for a moment, feeling a raw prideful strength coming off of it. She returned her attention to the gate after a moment. This one was unlocked and Aqua opened it, stepping through and carefully shutting it behind her to make as little noise as possible. Aqua turned to face the new area.

It was a huge courtyard, surrounded on all sides by high walls on stone concrete. In the very center of the courtyard was a large circular area, royal emblems engraved on the ground and four gargoyles wielding spears at each corner, standing vigilant on their podiums. Aqua turned her attention from the emblems design to the front of the castle. There were some steps leading up to two long double doors, two more male lions statues on either side of the door connected by two small towers. They were sitting regally with their empty eyes watching everything in this courtyard, always observant and never blinking. Perfect guards.

Aqua smiled up at the statues before walking up the steps towards the doors. Aqua stood in front of the doors, not moving for a brief moment before she reached for the handle-

There was a loud booming sound. For a brief moment, she thought she heard thunder.

Aqua's hand froze halfway towards the door and then the water maiden flinched back when she heard the sound again. No, not thunder, she realized.

A roar.

Aqua looked up at the castle's huge central tower, her eyes wandering towards the lion statues for a spilt-second before the roar echoed again, louder then ever and the young girl found herself backing up quickly. When she thought about the earlier howl of that animal in the woods, she compared it to this one and then concluded next to it, that one had been a kitten's mewing.

Aqua continued to back away from the doors, wondering what she should do. Should she go back up those steps and through the doors directly into the castle? The roar had been so loud she really couldn't tell where it had come from. For all she knew it could be from deep within the castle's catacombs. Or right in the foyer through those doors, a little voice in the back of her mind whispered.

Aqua shook her head, still walking backwards and then she looked back up at the castle, wondering what to do…

The exposed part of her back brushed something hard and rough.

Aqua let out a squeak of fright and whirled around, arms flailing-

Hitting the stone wing of one of the gargoyle guard statues.

The water maiden let out a chuckle of amusement at her own jumpiness. Aqua looked at the statue, smiling slightly. "You don't scare easy do you?" She patted the unresponsive gargoyle, noticing it shifted slightly, moving a little-

There was a sound behind her, causing Aqua to while, hands raised in case it was the source of the roars. But she saw no roaring monster and instead watched some stones shift at the base of the left tower by the door and lion statues. The new hole in the tower was a perfect square, just wide and high enough for someone of Aqua's height or shorter to enter through. Aqua stared at it for a moment before looking back at the gargoyle statue she had accidentally moved. She saw that when she touched it, she had pushed the podium it sat on slightly over a circular pad under it. Aqua realized that must have triggered some hidden switch or mechanism and revealed that door.

Aqua stared at the revealed passage for a moment, wondering if she head through it and see where it led when the roar sounded once more, echoing loudly from inside the passage. Aqua shuddered, wondering what terrible monster could own such a voice. For a terrible second, Aqua thought about taking her chances in the woods.

But then, she wondered if a Heartless was the source of that roar. And if it was, the only reason a Heartless would be here was if there were hearts to devour, people to attack. And Aqua couldn't walk away from someone in trouble.

Aqua took a deep breath; her whole body straightening up as she steeled herself. She looked at the passage and stepped towards it quickly. Right as she reached it, another roar echoed from deep inside the castle, causing Aqua to freeze mid-step. But she took another deep breath, fists clenching at her side. The water maiden crouched slightly and entered through the passage into the tower.

From atop one of the watchtowers connected to the wall around the castle gates, a tall muscular figure wearing a black cloak watched Aqua through the darkness of his hood, arms crossed behind his back.

---

The water maiden found herself walking up a short flight of stairs and into a long brick hallway with a dead end. Aqua walked down the brick hall, her eyes wandering towards a strange device by the end of the hall. It was a diamond shaped hole with a series of yellow gears inside it and a lever under it.

Aqua looked at the wall barring her path and then back to the lever. She raised her arm, gloved hand wrapping around the lever and with a little force, she brought it down. There was a loud 'click' and then an even louder rumbling sound coming from all around her. Aqua heard the bricks shift and dust fell from the ceiling above. The girl turned her head and saw the brick wall in front of her shifting and shaking before rising into the ceiling.

And revealing another hallway, this one made of marble.

Aqua stepped into this new passage. She walked down the small circular path, coming to a stop when she saw another set of double doors like the ones at the entrance of the castle. But when Aqua tried to open these she found them locked. Aqua turned her attention from the doors to the stain glass mural engraved on the wall. It was the image of the castle from the outside, but instead of the peaceful night sky that Aqua had seen, this mural depicted the castle set to a lightning storm. Aqua stared at the mural for a second before looking down the rest of the passageway. With one last glance at the besieged castle in the mural, Aqua continued down the hall.

She found another dead end but also another switch. Aqua reached for this one's handle and pulled it down like the first one. There was another 'click' quickly followed by another rumble and shifting bricks and dust. The wall in front of Aqua lifted away…revealing a barred off dead end.

The water maiden frowned and stepped down the new passageway, walking right up to the barred stairs. What blocked her from going any further were the six inch steel bars. Aqua ran a finger over one of them, briefly toying with the idea of trying Fire or Ice magic on them but quickly realized this passageway was the mirror reflection of the one she had entered from and if she did break these bars down, she'd just end up back in the courtyard. The water maiden sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned around and leaned back against the gate. She bowed her head, eyes closed as she thought what to do next. She had a thought and opened her eyes, raising her head.

She smiled when she saw a third lever. Aqua moved away from the bars, arms moving to her sides as she stepped up to this lever. "And let's see what's behind…" She started to say as she gripped the lever and pulled it down. There was one last 'click' and surprisingly even louder rumble. Aqua saw the wall to her left rise up into the ceiling, revealing a third passageway connecting the two tower entranceways. "Door number three."

This hall was filled with large crates and Aqua saw one of them was right under a large crack in the wall.

Frowning, Aqua slowly walked down the passage and up to the crate. She could see the roof of the castles foyer room. Aqua looked at the crate before propping herself up on top of it. She walked to the edge of the crack and grabbed the side of the wall to steady and balance herself, keeping a very firm grip on it. Aqua took a deep breath and then looked down from the spot she stood. The young keyblade mistress found herself once again hit with a dizzying sense of vertigo and felt the blood drain from her face as she gazed down. It was the foyer of the castle alright and Aqua couldn't judge the distance from where she stood to the floor of the foyer below.

The young girl had a perfect view of a set of stairs leading to two wings of the castle and a door right in the middle of the stairs that Aqua didn't know where it led.

She tried to get a better look of the foyer from this height but all she could really see were those stairs and the doorways to the other castle wings. But she knew for certain there was no-

The roar this time was so loud and booming Aqua feared she'd be deaf after it ended. If it ever ended. She gasped, stepping back and nearly fell off the box had it not been for the frantic flailing, her hand latching into the broken side of the wall and hanging on for dear life. The roar echoed but it was more like deep snarling. Aqua stepped away from the hole to get better footing on the box-

Then she caught another sound. Faint, and almost drowned out by the roars echo but still there. Voices. The first voice was a child's, small and scared.

"Mommy, can the master handle all those monsters by himself?"

The next voice was an older woman's, her tone soothing to calm the child.

"Have no fear deary, the master can't be harmed by such despicable creatures. And he won't let them hurt any of us."

The next voice was stuffy and nervous sounding, almost bossy.

"Yes, but we should still seek out a place to hide where those shadows won't find us."

Shadows, Aqua repeated in her head. She only knew one thing that could be both monster and shadow. Heartless.

The last voice was smooth and next to the older woman's, the most calm and carried an accent.

"Now, now. Let us go to the ballroom. Those shadows wouldn't think of following us in there."

The voices lowered to where Aqua couldn't hear them clearly anymore but from what she could make out they were all agreeing. Then there was a sound Aqua couldn't quite identify, like objects clunking around on the floor after being knocked over but it was more likely just those people walking. There was the sound of a door creaking, then shutting as quietly as it could.

Aqua stood by the hole in the wall for another moment, looking down at the drop below with dismay.

Then she sighed and took a big step, falling down to the foyer below.

She tucked in midair, landing on her knees hard but rolling the rest of the way to cushion the fall.

The keyblade mistress sat back on her bottom, face wincing when she saw she had torn her black stockings and scraped her knees. But, she supposed it could have been worse and stood up, wincing a little. Aqua thought about using Cure for a second but decided she didn't want to waste the magic on such minor scrapes.

Aqua took a quick look around the foyer of the castle, seeing she had landed on a long red rug that led to the front doors and then to the stairs, stopping at a second set of double doors. There were four pillars supporting the floor above the foyer, two on each side directly in front of two more doors also on either side of the room, the doors adorned by red tapestries. Aqua wondered which of these doors the owners of those voices had gone through when she remembered the accented one had mentioned a ballroom. It didn't really help tell her which door led to the ballroom but-

There was a sound like air blowing, followed by armor clanking.

Aqua tensed, the sound echoing behind her.

The water maiden whirled around, eyes darting up the steps. She growled upon seeing a group of three blue-skinned Heartless with large red claws at the ends of their hands, metal armbands under their shoulders and greaves on their feet, along with helms on their heads but the visors were all raised up and Aqua could see their blank yellow eyes gazing at her with the hungry look all Heartless had. The red and black Heartless emblems were right on their chests, barely visible in the darkness of the foyer.

"On second thought," Aqua began, remembering what she had jokingly asked the fragment earlier. Her keyblade appeared in a flash of light and the water maiden pointed it at the small group of Soldier Heartless.

"I think I'll settle for a world where these things don't show up every five minutes."

The Heartless jerkily approached her, heads cocking slightly. But one of them didn't move, instead looked at the double doors. It placed a red claw on the front of the door, head cocking in confusion. It suddenly pulled back, armor clanking and it whirled around to look at its companions, jumping up and down wildly.

Both the Soldiers and Aqua looked at the jumping Heartless in confusion, until the other Soldiers looked at the door as well and the jumping Soldier nodded. The Heartless flinched in surprise before jumping in excitement as well. Aqua watched the spectacle of jumping Heartless in both confusion and slight amusement. And then before she could take another step, the Heartless jumped slightly above the floor and their forms shimmered, covered in a purple light before they shrink in on themselves and vanished.

Aqua stared at the spot where they had been, lowering her keyblade a little but not dispelling it. Aqua muttered a confused, "Ok…?" She was about to start checking doors when she heard screams.

A woman and child's.

Aqua gasped and looked back at the double doors in understanding. Those were the doors to the ballroom. And those people were now trapped in there with the Heartless!

Breaking into a sprint, Aqua dashed up the stairs two at a time and tackled into the doors, forcing them open.

The keyblade mistress suddenly found herself blinded by a bright intense light. Aqua cried out in surprise, her left hand shooting over her eyes to shield them from the light. Her eyes had grown use to the barely lit catacombs and foyer of the castle and to stumble upon this unprepared blinded her.

Gritting her teeth, Aqua lowered her hand, raising the other one with her keyblade out and forced her eyes to open. She was briefly blinded by the brightest shade of white she had ever seen but gradually it began to fade down, the light still bright but the white was bleeding into gold. Slowly, Aqua was able to make out the room she now stood in.

And what a sight to take in.

It was a massive circular dance hall, complete with a large ornate chandelier dangling from the ceiling above and a huge glass wall and doors leading one outside to a balcony that no doubt overlooked the entire countryside of this world. There was a second floor above supported by at least of dozen pillars on this floor alone, blue tapestries hanging from above between each pillar and under the floor also between each pillar was a smaller golden candle chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Aqua blinked her eyes rapidly, her arm still raised slightly over her face. She'd appreciate the beauty of this room later; right now she couldn't see the Heartless or the woman and child that had screamed-

"Miss watch out!"

It was the voice of that woman she had heard soothing that child's worries and scream mere moments ago. No sooner had that voice cried out her warning, Aqua saw a flash of red claws-

The keyblade mistress ducked under the slash and jumped back before charging forward and thrusting her blade out. The end of her weapon pierced through the Soldier Heartless's stomach, sending black mist in the air. The Heartless jerked and flailed for a moment before exploding in a shower of black mist, a single pink heart floating away. Aqua squinted slightly, looking around the room, the air shimmering and black light flashed above the floor in several places as more Soldier Heartless appeared, their armored feet clanking as they each hit the floor. The Heartless each focused their beady yellow eyes on Aqua, claws twitching and heads jerking as the stepped towards her.

Aqua forced her eyes to open a little wider but they were still squinting slightly and her vision was blurry. She thought she counted nine of these Soldier Heartless but she didn't trust her vision at the moment. The keyblade mistress raised her keyblade, twirling it and deciding if she couldn't rely on her vision she'd put her faith in her keyblade.

A Soldier decided to strike first and charged at Aqua, leaping and pulling its claws back to tear into her chest and rip out her heart-

Aqua stood her ground and thrust her keyblade out again, this time cleaving the Soldier in two. The torso and legs struck the floor, a heart floating in the air, disappearing into thin air as the torso and legs melted into shadow. Aqua charged into the Soldiers, the Heartless crouching before they all charged at her. Their claws all tried to rend her flesh but with a sweep of her blade, Aqua's Reflect Barrier appeared, deflecting their attacks and causing all the Heartless to bounce back, scattering across the room. Aqua lowered her barrier and thrust her keyblade out. Icicles burst from the floor, impaling several of the Soldiers and causing them to vanish in puffs of black mist and pink hearts. Aqua swept her keyblade out and the icicles still sticking out of the floor exploded, sending deadly projectiles everywhere. The small missiles struck two more Soldiers, piercing through them and destroying them instantly. Aqua looked around as the ice melted rapidly and she counted three Soldiers left.

They had backed away from the water maiden, crouching and bouncing on their feet anxiously. Aqua flashed the Heartless a playful smile and said, "Come on boys, no need to be shy. I don't bite…"

The Soldier closest to Aqua charged, claws drawn back and it leapt at her, thrusting its arms towards her chest-

Aqua ducked and spun, keyblade slashing. She slid under the Soldier as it completed its leap, landing on the floor in several pieces. Aqua stood up, still smiling. Aqua, "But I can play rough." The last two Soldiers charged recklessly, not bothering to try and leap at her, easily allowing Aqua to dodge and cut them down. The only sound in the ballroom now was of mist billowing and pink hearts fluttering into the air. Aqua did a quick spin where she stood, looking around the whole ballroom before lowering her keyblade. She smiled, putting her hand on her hip. Aqua, "Well, that's that."

Aqua lowered her hand and looked around the ballroom, trying to see which pillars those people were hiding behind. But she couldn't spot a silhouette or even an outline of a shadow. Aqua frowned and called, "Hello? I know you're in here. There's no reason to keep hiding. The monsters are all gone, I promise." There was no response and Aqua's frown deepened, concerned. Then she heard a sound behind her and she whirled, arm rising to call her keyblade if need be.

But there were no Heartless. Or the owners of those voices.

But Aqua could see something faintly sticking out from behind a pillar. The water maiden couldn't tell what it was from here and moved closer. She reached the pillar, moving behind it to see what it was.

Aqua blinked.

It was a little clock.

Aqua knelt down on her knees to get a better look at it. It was made of polished brown wood, a small glass door on its front and a small golden clacker inside it. From where it hung under the clocks white face, Aqua amusingly thought it looked like a tie. She then noticed the hands on the face of the clock were stuck on the three and nine. Again, Aqua found herself thinking it resembled a little moustache. Aqua gently picked the little clock up by its sides, her fingers under its wooden handles. Aqua examined the clock, wondering aloud, "Who would leave this here?"

She looked down the path of pillars but didn't see any people. Aqua sighed; guessing while she had battled the Heartless the people in here must have run for another safe place to hide. Aqua looked at the clock again, noticing it had stopped.

Well that's easy to fix. Aqua opened the little glass door on the clock's front and touched the clacker, remembering these old clocks needed a clacker to operate-

The glass door snapped shut over Aqua's fingers when they grazed the gold clacker.

Aqua yelped, snatching her hand back and dropping the clock. Aqua waved her stinging hand but froze when she heard a low groan.

"Oh me…" Voice groaned, "Didn't anyone teach you how to handle delicate items?!"

Aqua looked around for the owner of the voice but still she saw no one.

"Ahem."

Aqua froze, eyes widening in realization.

She slowly looked down, at the clock. And saw it was standing up, its little handles fussily shutting its glass door front while two eyes and mouth had appeared above and under the hands on its circular white face. It snapped its door closed and glared up at Aqua.

"I say, would you like it if someone picked you up and manhandled you?"

Aqua didn't respond, just pointed at the clock, her mouth hanging open. She quickly shook her head and looked down at the clock curiously. Aqua, "Another talking item? I thought I left that place behind."

The clock looked up at Aqua in annoyance. "What are you talking about? I say, make sense girl!"

Aqua flinched back from the clocks angry tone. Aqua, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop you, it's just…"

The clock sighed, waving its little handle arm in a dismissing manner. "Oh, forget about it. You're not the first and probably not the last…"

There was an amused chuckle from behind the clock and a loud clacking sound. Aqua's eyes widened as a golden candlestick hopped over, a face on the middle candle in its center while its two arms were crossed over its middle, the candles on them melted down slightly, little flames lit on them as well.

The candlestick spoke with that accented voice from earlier. "Well well, Cogsworth! I see you've found a lovely new guest!"

There was more clacking sounds and from behind the candlestick and then a ornate tea pot and a cup with similar design following, but Aqua noticed there was a chip in the cup's top.

Aqua saw like the candlestick and the clock, Cogsworth, these new items had eyes and mouths as well. The little cup hopped towards Aqua excitedly. "Wow ma'am!" Aqua realized this was the child's voice from earlier and the little cup gushed on, "You beat up all those monsters, squishin' 'em like they were bugs!" The ornate teapot laughed in that way adults do as they listen to a child talk about something and hopped over to the little cup, rubbing it and saying with the voice of that elderly woman, "Now dear, like Lumiere said she is a guest and we have yet to introduce ourselves."

The candlestick hopped over while saying, "Oui! Indeed we 'ave not!" He gave Aqua a little bow, his right arm crossed over his chest while his other crossed behind his back in a classic gentlemen's gesture. "I am Lumiere! And the pleasure of meeting your lovely person is all mine…"

Aqua frowned. Did a candlestick just flirt with her? That thought was interrupted by the tea pot hopping forward, also bowing, the little cup hopping frantically behind the pot and quickly bowing as well.

"I am Mrs. Pots deary, and this is Chip, my son."

The three living items looked at Cogsworth, who had yet to formally introduce himself. The clock had crossed his handle arms over his glass chest giving a little 'hmph!' of indifference but still faced Aqua and said politely, "I am Cogsworth and we've already met."

Aqua smiled down at the items, still slightly unnerved by yet another encounter with living objects but enjoying their better manners when compared to the door knob that just slept and acted like Aqua was a bother. Aqua knelt down to get a better look at the items before placing her hand on her chest and bowing her head. "It's an honor to meet all of you. My name is Aqua."

The candlestick, Lumiere, chuckled and said, "Well, our lovely lady guest knows her manners, unlike the unrefined Cogsworth."

Cogsworth drew himself up, the hands on his clock face twitching and spinning a little. Cogsworth, "Manners?! She opened my chest! That is the equivalent of disrobing me!"

Lumiere and Cogsworth began bickering but Aqua hardly noticed when she saw Mrs. Pots and Chip hop over. Mrs. Pots looked at the arguing candlestick and clock before looking up at Aqua with a 'what can you do' look. Mrs. Pots, "Forgive them my dear, they're not use to having guests over." She frowned a little up at Aqua and asked slowly, "And I feel inclined to ask what it is you're doing here?"

Aqua smiled helplessly and replied, "I kind of wandered in, though I almost didn't come in when I heard those roars-""

At the mention of the roars, Lumiere and Cogsworth stopped arguing, gasping and looking at each other in realization. "The master!" They both cried.

Suddenly, a chilling sound filled the ballroom and no doubt other parts of the castle as well. It was a sound worse then the monsters roars. It was a woman's screams.

Mrs. Pots and Chip gasped in horror while Aqua shot straight up, her expression worried but determined. Mrs. Pots and Chip gasped in worry, "Miss Belle!" Not waiting to hear anymore, Aqua broke into a sprint, ignoring the surprised cries of the objects behind her.

In a moment the water maiden was back at the base of the steps in front of the ballroom doors, looking around wildly for the direction of the scream. She didn't have too look long when the scream echoed even louder then before, and Aqua snapped her head up towards the right stars, seeing an open door leading to a wing of the castle. Aqua quickly ran up the stairs, two at a time but froze halfway as the roar sounded again, this time the loudest yet. The reason, Aqua realized, was because how close it was.

It was coming from the wing these steps led into.

Aqua ran even faster, practically jumping the rest of the way and sprinted into the wing, hardly noticing the sets of armor on either side of her. But she did see the huge slash marks on the walls around them. Big tears. Big claws.

Aqua ran passed them and into the long hall of the wing, seeing more claw marks to her left, embedded deep in the wall between two long candlesticks, these just regular non talking ones though.

The keyblade mistress looked at them a moment before looking towards the opposite end of the hall. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a second staircase, this one not as big as the one in the foyer but much more impressive looking thanks to the pillars around it, the two front ones supported by twin statues of ogres. But Aqua didn't have to appreciate the art of the pillars.

She could see a woman's form down the hall, wearing something blue and white and Aqua also her hair was brown. But Aqua only noticed this out of a quick glance. What she was really drawn too was the hulking seven foot tall monster looming over the woman with brown hair.

Aqua didn't waste any time.

With a swipe of her arm, her keyblade appeared in her hand and she charged down the hallway towards the monster. The woman with brown hair saw Aqua racing over and her eyes widened in shock. The monster saw her surprise and whirled around, its eyes flaring and its mouth opening in a fierce snarl. With the loudest battle cry she could scream, Aqua leapt, gripping her keyblade with both hands as she pulled it over her head and swinging it down with all her strength.

The sound of metal striking something very hard resonated off the halls walls.

Aqua hovered in midair, hands still holding her keyblade down against the monsters claws, her arms and her blade shaking from maintaining her strength and hold on the keyblade. It felt like if she gave an inch the monster would swipe her and her weapon aside.

Aqua found herself getting a much better view of the monster as she fought to keep her blade from flying out of her hands.

The whole massive muscular body of the monster was covered in a deep rich brown fur and it had horns above its eyes, though they were very small. Aqua noted in slight amusement that the fur of the monsters eyebrows and goatee was much lighter, almost blonde, though she was slightly disturbed to see that the creature wore tattered remnants of a pair of royal blue pants and a purple cloak or cape.

Aqua's eyes narrowed in confusion when she saw binding the cloak to the monsters neck was a royal gold emblem.

The monster's blue eyes narrowed when they saw Aqua's confusion and with a mighty bellow, its clawed arm shoved her back and away, sparks flying between the metal of her keyblade and the black bone of its claws.

Aqua flew back, crying in shock from the monsters raw strength. She managed to back flip before she landed, her metal boots hitting the soft carpet on the floor, but the momentum built from the toss caused her to slide back several feet until she was almost halfway down the hall. She snapped her head up to glare at the creature an it returned the look in kind, the fingers of its clawed hand crackling in anticipation.

Aqua raised her arm, keyblade extended out in a classic fencers stance.

The woman behind the monster looked at the monster and then at Aqua, her brown eyes wide with fear and concern. Aqua wanted to say something to assure her but had to keep her focus on the monster before her and just spared the woman a quick glance, making eye contact and giving a quick nod to let her know everything would be ok. This made the woman frown in confusion but Aqua hadn't noticed since the brown furred monster let out another below and charged her.

Aqua stood her ground as it charged and pulled its clawed hand back. She waited until it was in front of her and brining its claws down to call her barrier up. It took the brunt of the damage but where the monster struck her green shield cracked and splintered. Aqua found herself sliding back again, forced to lower her barrier. And collapse to her knees.

The water maiden was in shock. The raw strength behind those strikes had left her drained simply trying to block them. This monster was far more powerful then anything she had faced up to this point. The creature slowly approached Aqua's winded form, the joints of its clawed fingers popping. Aqua barely had the energy left to raise her head to look up at the monster as it stood before her. She could see the rage in its face, bestial features set in the most angry gaze she had ever seen on man or beast.

But before either the beats or Aqua could do anything, a voice called from the end of the hall behind the monster.

"Don't!"

This caused the monster to flinch and Aqua to blink. They both looked at the woman at the end of the hall. The woman had taken a step towards them, her right hand held out pleadingly while her left was clutched to her chest. Aqua toyed with the thought of attacking the monster as it glared at the woman but it was so far taking all her strength just to look up at the woman with brown hair. And then something happened that seemed to be happening a lot lately but still managed to surprise Aqua each time.

The monster spoke back at the woman with a deep snarling voice.

"Stop?! She attacked me!" It roared, sweeping its hand out and causing its cloak to flare out. Aqua just watched, her eyes wide and shocked.

To Aqua's impression the woman didn't so much as flinch at the monsters harsh snap and spoke slowly, soothingly. "She only thought you were with those Heartless…don't you see her weapon?" The beast growled but turned its head slightly, angry blue eyes looking down at the long weapon still clutched in Aqua's hand. The creature regarded her keyblade in slight annoyance before looking back at the woman. To Aqua's amazement, some of its rage had died down.

"Hrr…"The monster growled. "She is still an intruder in my castle!" That would have caused the water maiden to do a double take had it not required more energy, which she sadly lacked right now.

The woman still kept calm and slowly approached the beast, speaking soothingly. "Let her explain herself. She isn't here to harm you or anyone else here." She looked at Aqua, but while her face was trusting, her eyes weren't so much.

The creature growled and turned, looking back down at Aqua, who finally managed to rise back to her knees, using her keyblade as a crutch. The monster snarled, "Why are you in my castle?"

Aqua looked up at the beast's face, still seeing the rage in those eyes but also noting it had simmered down a little. Aqua took a breath and replied slowly, "I found myself in front of your castle…and I heard these roars coming from inside it." Aqua paused to look up at the monster again, trying to gauge its reactions but it maintained its watchful stare.

Aqua went on. "So I decided to investigate. I encountered some Heartless attacking…the inhabitants of your castle and destroyed them. Then, I heard the roar again, coming from this wing and followed it. And…well here we are."

She looked up at the beast, which only continued to watch her accusingly. The brown-eyed woman only let out a breath of relief, he face matching her feelings. The beast itself didn't seem to know what to do next now. Its features had softened to but not by much.

But before it or the woman behind itself could say or do anything else, there was a loud rapid clacking sound behind them all and a stuffy voice called in a panic, "MAAAAASTEEEEERRR!"

Both beast and brown and blue haired women all turned to look down the hall. They all saw it was the item shaped castle servants rushing over, hopping their bodies frantically to get down the hall as fast as possible.

Cogsworth stopped in front of the beast and Aqua while Mrs. Pots, Chip and Lumiere raced over towards the woman. Mrs. Pots spoke first, "Are you alright Belle? Did those shadows hurt you or the master?"

'Belle' smiled and shook her head. Belle, "No, Beast protected me." Aqua looked at the appropriately named master of the castle and to her amazement, he almost seemed suddenly bashful of Belle's comment. Chip suddenly looked at Aqua and hopped over, his little face set in worry. "Miss Aqua," he asked. "Are you ok?"

Aqua looked down at the little cup, smiling and nodding. Aqua, "I'm alright. Just…very tired."

It didn't get any truer then that. Aqua was exhausted. She had no time to rest while in Wonderland save for the few moments she hadn't been fighting or running and it turns out waking up from passing out from spontaneous teleporting and finding herself on hard stone really didn't give one the rest their body desperately needed.

The brown-eyed woman, Belle, looked at Aqua in concern, walking over and helping her stand up all the way, Aqua using her keyblade as a crutch to support herself. Belle looked away from the water maiden towards the beast and asked, "The poor girl is about to fall over. Beast, can she rest in one of the guest rooms?"

The Beast growled a little, looking slightly annoyed but even more reluctant.

His hardened blue eyes softened at Belle's pleading face and he sighed, closing his eyes and nodding.

Aqua was glad he allowed it because mere seconds later she fell over, eyes rolling and the whole world going black.

---

Belle gently closed the door of the guest room, pausing to look at the sleeping blue haired maiden on the bed. She had not stirred once on the way to the east wing and Belle realized how truly exhausted the poor girl must have been. The beautiful brown haired woman turned to look at the Beast and his servants. Mrs. Pots hopped forward, her brow furrowed in concern. Mrs. Pots, "Will she be alright?"

Belle nodded, smiling. Belle, "She just needs to sleep for a little while."

This caused all the servants to let out breathes of relief. The Beast merely grunted in indifference. With a sweep of his cloak, he headed down the wing for the stairs. Beast, "I will be patrolling the halls for the rest of the night. The Heartless may still be lurking around." He looked over his shoulder at Belle, his rough features softening just a little. Beast, "Send Lumiere and Cogsworth for me when she wakes up."

The young woman smiled and nodded. The Beast suddenly looked bashful and turned away, quickly leaving the hall. Belle watched him leave before looking down at the servants, bending over slightly. Belle, "Chip, what did you say her name was?"

The little cup bounced up and down, smiling as he replied, "She said her name was Aqua!"

Belle smiled in return and rose up, glancing back over at the guest room where the girl slept. With one last wondering glance, Belle headed for her room, the servants following her.

---

For almost an hour, Aqua lay in the same curled position under the sheets of the canopy bed, her face peaceful, blue hair fanning her head like a halo.

She slept undisturbed.

And she dreamed.

---

"I finally have a decent lead."

Aqua blinked, looking at Terra from the top of the stairs.

The male keyblade apprentice turned and looked up at her.

Terra, "A wizard by the name of Yen Sid told me about the legend of the keyblade war and how Xehanort was always studying those legends."

Aqua, "But how is that a lead? It doesn't tell you how to find him."

Terra smirked. "I was getting there. There's another legend intimately connected to the legends around the keyblade. A story that talks about seven princesses, whose hearts know no darkness. If one was to bring all seven of these princesses together…"

Terra turned away from Aqua, looking away as he finished.

"…They could summon Kingdom Heats."

Aqua's eyes widened.

Aqua, "Xehanort…he wants to summon Kingdom Hearts?"

Terra shrugged. "That could be his goal. It makes no difference to me. I know he's looking for these princesses. I missed him here…"

He started walking, moving towards the exit.

Terra, "But I'll find him soon enough."

Aqua watched him go, a slight fear and trepidation in her heart, making her shudder.

The princesses…Kingdom Hearts…

The princesses…

---

Sapphire eyes blinked open gently.

Aqua found herself on a very comfortable bed and pillow, a soft sheet draped over her.

She lied there for a few moments, briefly wondering how she had gotten there and where she was.

Then, she remembered where she was, and her encounter with those living items, the Beast and that woman, Belle. The water maiden sat up, rubbing the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. She still felt a little tired but much better then earlier.

She rose up in a sitting position, the sheets falling over her legs. She looked around the room, noting how nice it was. Her eyes fell on the dresser, seeing her pouch, bell sleeves, and to her joy a new pair of stockings. Her shoes were next to her keyblade, which lay against the wall, gleaming under the moonlight. Aqua stared at the items for a moment before looking away.

All she could think about at the moment was her dream.

That world she and Terra had been on had been a beautiful one, with a magnificent white castle and kind people and animals. Well, not all the people had been nice and there had been a very ugly and mean cat…But still.

Aqua had watched true love bloom between a prince and a woman named Cinderella…

But the dream had barely shown her memories of that world and inhabitants, just recalling what Terra had told her.

About the princesses and their connection to Kingdom Hearts. As it turned out, Cinderella had been one of them. The next one Aqua had met was a young girl named Snow White. And then a maiden named Aurora.

Three of the seven.

Aqua frowned, remembering Xehanort had just used another means of summoning Kingdom Hearts. And it had cost her two friends hearts, her teacher's life and an entire world to do it.

The water maiden shook her head.

Anger over memories was useless at this point.

Aqua kicked the sheets away and stood up, stretching for a second before walking over to the dresser. She slipped on her sleeves and the new stockings, then her socks and metal boots. She tied her pouch back to her belt and picked up her keyblade. With a swing of her hand, it vanished in a flash of light.

Aqua took one last look around the room before walking over to the door. With a turn of the knob she opened it and stepped out into an unfamiliar hallway. Aqua looked around a second before closing the door. She looked around the hall another moment and realized she was in another wing of the castle.

Aqua had only taken a few steps when she heard the sound of a doorknob turning and then a 'click'.

Aqua turned toward the sound and saw a door at the end of the hall open and the woman in the blue and white dress step out. The woman spotted Aqua and smiled, saying, "Oh, you're awake."

She walked over to Aqua, leaving the door to her room open. "How do you feel?"

Aqua rolled her left shoulder, feeling a slight crick there but other then that she felt much better, if not still a little tired. Aqua, "I feel much better after that nap."

The woman smiled and opened her mouth to say something when the voice of the tea pot, Mrs. Pots, called, "Miss Belle? Dear?"

Both women turned toward he still open door and saw Mrs. Pots hop into view. When she caught sight of the two ladies she smiled and said, "Well, our guest is awake!" There was a sudden chatter coming from inside the room and Aqua heard more hopping objects. Cogsworh, Lumiere and Chip came into view, pushing the door open wider. When the item shaped servants saw Aqua their faces all lit up as well.

Lumiere, "Ah! Our guest, she is awake!" He hopped over to Aqua, his two candle arms grabbing her hand and planting on kiss on the back of her hand. Lumiere, "And lovelier then ever…"

Aqua blinked in utter shock. Was this candlestick really flirting with her? Cogsworth sighed in aggravation, hopping over as well and pulling Lumiere away from Aqua. Cogsworth, "Heel boy. The master needs to be alerted, remember?"

Lumiere sighed; theatrically waving his candle arms Lumiere, "Alas, duty before romance. I bid you adieu my lovely blue flower." With that, the clock and candlestick hopped off and down the stairs of the east wing. Aqua watched them go, her face still showing confusion.

Aqua, "Um, does he…" "Always act like that?" Belle finished helpfully. Aqua nodded. Belle giggled, closing her eyes and smiling, shoulders shrugging helplessly. Belle, "Lumiere's just not use to having other guests beside myself. None of them are really."

Aqua frowned and looked at Mrs. Pots and Chip. She then returned her gaze to Belle. Aqua, "So you're not a resident of this castle?"

Belle nodded. Belle, "Well, I am now. But I wasn't when…" She trailed off, looking at Mrs. Pits and Chip. She moved back towards her room, beckoning Aqua to follow. Belle, "It's for the best that they explain." Aqua looked at the servants then back at Belle, nodding and following after her.

The door to Belle's room closed as they all stepped inside.

The hall was empty, moon and starlight bathing down from the windows.

By the stairs, the cloaked figure idly tapped a long purple lance against the floor.

---

The Beast was in the dungeon hall beside his bedroom, slowly lumbering around, sniffing for any remaining Heartless. He had started his search in the foyer and looked through the study and the dining room, then the kitchen and ballroom. There had been no Heartless in any of those rooms and so he headed for the west wing hall. There had been no Heartless in that hall and so the Beast had moved on to the dungeons.

Surely, they were the perfect place for these disgusting creatures of darkness to hide. He had walked through the darkened stone hallway, noting with annoyance that the torches had gone out. Light was a luxury that he didn't need. His senses allowed him to move through this darkened hall as easily as if torches lighted it. The Beast moved on, slowly but steadily. He reached the end of the hall and a dead end.

For a split-second he was confused, remembering there had been a passageway at the end of the dungeons hallway. He ran a clawed hand over the brick wall and growled in annoyance, briefly considering breaking this wall down and make his own way out. But then he remembered that one of his servants might have lowered the brick wall over the passage by turning the wheel back near the dungeons entrance.

It didn't really matter; the Beast could smell nor sense any Heartless. There was only one last place to check and that was his room's hallway. And if the Heartless were truly as stupid as most people claimed they were and decided to try and enter his room, he'd rip them back down to the shadows they were.

With an excited and amused growl, the Beast turned, cloak flaring out, the claws of his feet clacking against the stone floor. The lord of the castle retraced his steps, moving down the steps, passing over the large ledge above.

"She will only bring ruin."

The Beast whirled around, roaring. "Who's there?!" He demanded.

The voice continued.

"Those who wield the keyblade bring ruin and destruction to the worlds."

The Beast snarled and snapped his head up towards the large ledge but he still couldn't find the source of the voice.

And still, the voice went on.

"You willingly allow her to stay, you willingly allow destruction upon your home."

The Beast snarled, swiping his claws out. Beast, "No one will harm my home or anything in it!" The voice only chuckled humorlessly.

"Even with your strength, it is still nothing before the keyblade. Ask yourself… Why are there so many Heartless appearing?"

This question caught the Beast off guard, causing him to frown. Beast, "There have always been Heartless…"

"But never this many, never invading your home so easily." The voice argued.

The Beast furrowed his brow, the words sinking in deeply.

"You have great and terrible strength, so much the Heartless are nothing to you. But that woman…She wields the keyblade, the weapon the Heartless fear and despise. They seek to destroy it. And because she is here, in your castle, the Heartless will return. And in their mad dash for the intruder to your domain, they will devour everyone in their way…"

The last thing the Beast heard the voice say caused him to snap up straight.

"Including her…And your rose…"

The Beast slowly hunched over, his large arms and claws shaking. A swirling aura of black miasma covered him, causing his blue eyes to flash yellow. With a loud growl, the castle's lord and master stomped back down the dungeon hall, his mighty claws leaving deep cracks in the floor.

Above on the ledge looking over the Beast, the cloaked figure grinned under his hood, a lance in each hand.

---

Belle and the servants had led Aqua back to the foyer and through one of the doors, leading the water maiden into a large dining hall. Inside the dining hall, Aqua and Belle had sat at the end of the long table while Mrs. Pots poured them each a cup of tea. Aqua blew the steam off the top of her cup before taking a sip. It was easily the best tea she ever had.

Belle did the same, taking a sip as well before lowering her cup and looking at Aqua. Belle, "Mrs. Pots and Chip told me how you saved them from the Heartless." Aqua nodded humbly as Chip and Mrs. Pots smiled up at her. Belle smiled at Aqua and continued. Belle, "You have my thanks. They're both very close friends of mine."

Aqua rubbed the back of her head, looking sheepish. Aqua, "It was nothing. It's my duty to eradicate the Heartless and protect those who can't protect themselves from the darkness."

Belle nodded. "Because you wield the keyblade?"

Aqua nodded. The water maiden decided to ask, "So, you know of the legends?"

Belle nodded, taking another sip. Belle, "Very well actually. Believe it or not I've met another one who could use the keyblade's power." Belle frowned, brow furrowing. "Though...I'm having a hard time recalling his name…"

Aqua gripped her teacup tightly, biting the inside of her lip as she decided to take a chance.

Aqua, "Was it…'Sora', by any chance?"

Belle looked surprised for a second before nodding. Belle, "Yes, I think that was his name. Strange, it's getting harder to remember him." Aqua looked down into her cup, staring at the tea inside. Yet another person from another world spoke of this Sora person. Who was he? Where was he? How had he obtained the keyblade?

She sighed, eyes closing for a moment before she looked back at Belle. The two women didn't say anything for a moment, until Belle asked, "How did you get here? I know it's possible to travel to other worlds but I had thought they were no longer connected."

Aqua sighed. "I didn't exactly plan on coming here. It's hard to explain but my method of transportation isn't easy to control or predict. I use to have a better way to move between worlds but I have to settle for this." Belle nodded. Aqua looked from her to Mrs. Pots and Chip, who had remained respectfully silent as the two women conversed.

Aqua, "Forgive me if it's not place, but I really want ask…"

Mrs. Pots smiled and finished for her, "Why the inhabitants of this castle are all changed into different forms?" Aqua nodded, offering a sheepish smile. Mrs. Pots laughed, her kettle clanking a little. Mrs. Pots, "It's alright deary, no need to feel embarrassed for being curious." She hopped towards the two women, speaking softly as she did.

Mrs. Pots, "Oh it was a long, long time ago, on a cold and miserable night. A poor old woman knocked on our castle's doors and the master answered. She asked if she could stay inside until the storm passed. The master responded by slamming the door in her face."

Aqua gasped, her eyes widening in shock and outrage. Aqua, "He just left her out there in the cold?! How horrible!"

Both Mrs. Pots and Belle sighed. Belle looked at Aqua with sympathetic eyes, but not for the water maiden. Belle, "Believe me, it is a decision he will never repeat again."

Mrs. Pots nodded and continued. "The poor old woman suddenly appeared inside the castle, only to change before our very eyes into a beautiful enchantress. She chided the master for judging people on appearances alone and placed a curse on the castle. We, the servants, were changed into common items. A lesser punishment considering what befell the master."

Mrs. Pots sighed, not noticing Chip hopping over to his mother, rubbing his little cup body against hers soothingly. The teapot smiled, rubbing her son back. Aqua smiled a little at the tender exchange. Mrs. Pots went on, her tone still sad. "The master's form was changed to reflect his selfish heart. The enchantress cursed him to look like a monstrous beast."

Aqua's eyes widened in realization. She looked at Belle, who nodded. Belle, "Yes, the Beast is the master Mrs. Pots spoke of."

Aqua blinked, very confused. "But I still don't understand. Belle, why are you here?"

Mrs. Pots suddenly smiled, looking up at Belle. Mrs. Pots, "The enchantress did not place this curse on the master to simply punish him. He left him with a way to break the curse." Belle suddenly blushed furiously, looking away from Mrs. Pots, who had a dreamy smile while Chip was giggling childishly. Aqua looked between the servants and lady, wondering what was so amusing to them yet embarrassing for Belle.

Mrs. Pots went on, her tone as dreamy as her gaze. Mrs. Pots, "If the master can meet a maiden of pure beauty and help her to teach him to learn to be kind and gentle to others, and use these teachings to make her fall in love with him, the curse can be broken on all of us."

Aqua let the words sink in and suddenly understood Belle's embarrassment, finding her own face flushing. Aqua, "The beast needs to learn true love to break the spell? No small task." Belle sighed, nodding in agreement. Belle, "Believe me, we still have a long way to go." The young woman smiled, eyes wandering and she murmured almost too low for Aqua to hear, "But he's learning…so maybe one day."

Mrs. Pots looked at Aqua and said, "Miss Belle is the first person to truly reach the master. She is giving us a gift we all haven't felt in a long time: Hope."

That made Aqua smile again. She could feel a strong light around Belle, and it seemed all the brighter inside this castle and when compared to that aura of rage around the Beast. Belle sighed and said, "Well, now you know."

Aqua nodded, sipping the last of her tea. Aqua, "It certainly explains a lot. And you have my sympathies and respect for such an undertaking. This castle's master doesn't seem like a willing student." Belle nodded vigorously in agreement.

There was a sudden loud sound back in the foyer, causing all of them to look over at the door. Aqua frowned, feeling a deep darkness emitting from behind the door. She glanced at Belle, noticing a similar look on her face. Mrs. Pots and Chip anxiously looked between the two women. Mrs. Pots, "Dears? What's the matter?"

Aqua stood up, pushing her chair back as she did. Aqua, "Stay here. Something's not right." Aqua moved toward the door but stopped when she heard fast footsteps behind her. The water maiden turned and saw Belle had followed her. Aqua frowned and said, "You should stay with them."

Belle shook her head, Belle, "I can't let a guest of the castle wander around alone. This place is bigger then it looks." Belle smiled at Aqua and the keyblade mistress found herself smiling back. Aqua, "Alright, but stay close." Aqua opened the door and the two stepped back into the foyer. As they did, both women felt the surge of darkness grow even stronger but felt a deep rage under it. Almost by pure instinct, Aqua swung her hand out, keyblade appearing. Belle looked at her, face confused and slightly frightened. Aqua had her head bowed, using all her senses to pinpoint the source of the darkness. She looked up at the stairs, Belle following her gaze.

A look of relief fell on Belle's beautiful features when she saw the Beast standing at the base of the stairs, looking right at the two women with his fierce blue eyes. Aqua did not look relieved, nor lower her keyblade. She could feel the darkness and rage rolling off the beast's form, but it felt different from their first encounter, somehow darker and more refined. Almost as if someone had tempered it…

Belle stepped towards the Beast, saying s she did, "Oh, Beast, it's just you. Look," she glanced at Aqua then back to the Beast. "Our new guest is…" Belle's face fell when she saw the angry glare in Beast's eyes and her eyes fell towards his flexing claws. She took a hesitant step back while Aqua stepped forward, moving in front of Belle and facing Beast.

The castle's master settled his fierce ice blue eyes on her keyblade and for a brief second, a dark aura could be seen around the Beast. Both Aqua and Belle gasped as they caught sight of the swirling darkness around the Beast. Before either woman could say or do anything, the Beast charged, rearing his claws back and roaring.

Aqua raised her keyblade in front of herself, her palm lying flat against the blade, adding a little strength to keep it firm as Beast's claws struck the shaft of the blade. Aqua slid back down the foyer's hall, almost reaching the double doors before she finally managed to stop. Aqua swung her keyblade out; streams of lightning shooting off from the end and striking the Beast in the chest, the yellow streams circling around his body, making him flinch and jerk, roaring in annoyance but not pain. Belle gasped in horror and cried to Aqua, "Please don't hurt him!"

Aqua wanted to respond back that she had no choice but the Beast made that clear as he lowered his head and charged Aqua, threatening to smash her against a wall of the foyer. Aqua tensed before cartwheeling to the right, dodging the Beast's charge. The lord of the castle slammed into the wall, stumbling back and clutching his head. Aqua knew he was going to have a bad headache after a hit like that. Seeing her chance while he was momentarily stunned, Aqua charged over and spun, her keyblade striking the Beast in the chest repeatedly. The lord of the castle fell back, roaring in annoyance once again. Belle gasped, her hand shooting over her mouth before she screamed. "Don't hurt him!"

Aqua growled and shouted back, "I don't have a choice! He's possessed by darkness and I have to defend myself!" As if to help make her point the Beast let out another below, the dark aura around him flaring up. Aqua suddenly had an idea, and she aimed her keyblade at the Beast as he charged her again. Shards of light shot out, striking the Beast all over. The mighty lord stopped charging, roaring in genuine pain at last. Aqua saw she had torn the aura in several places and while she knew she had shaken the hold darkness had on the Beast her eyes narrowed in dismay as the spots healed over and the Beast resumed glaring at her.

Aqua dodged another charge, jumping away as she shot more shards of light into the Beast's back, tearing at the darkness once again. The Beast roared in pain once again, and Aqua saw the darkness was slower to grow back this time. To Aqua's relief the aura flickered slightly, almost fading away before reappearing stronger then ever, black mist rolling off the Beast's body. The Castle's lord looked at Aqua, snarling something. "…ruin…" Aqua blinked, her keyblade lowering ever so slightly-

And giving the Beast the opening it needed to charge into Aqua, punching her in the stomach. Aqua's face contorted in pain as she was launched back but the Best grabbed her ankle and swung her around like a rag doll, tossing her all the way across the foyer, Aqua's body hitting the double doors. They held and Aqua slid down to the floor, her whole body in massive pain. Aqua could only lie there, her hand weakly gripping her keyblade as the Beast advanced, the claws on his right fingers flexing, joints popping in preparation. Aqua feebly kicked the floor of the foyer, pushing herself up against the door but little else. The Beast was almost on her when a familiar stuffy voice cried, "Master! What are you doing?!"

The Beast flinched suddenly and Aqua and Belle both looked behind him towards the stairs, where the voice had called. There stood Cogsworth and Luimere, looking at the darkness possessed Beast in horror. Luimere looked at Belle and called, "What has happened to 'im?"

Belle called back, "Darkness has taken hold of him! He's consumed by rage!" Cogsworth gasped and hopped down the steps as fast as his body could carry him. Cogsworth, "Master, please control yourself! You must wake up!" Amazingly, the little clock's voice seemed to shake the darkness's hold on Beast, he aura flickering rapidly, the beastly lord stumbling on his feet, hand on his face as he groaned and growled.

Belle looked at the Beast, her face set in a determination before she raced across the foyer hall over towards him, her arms wrapping around his huge body in a fierce embrace.

As soon as she made contact with the Beast, the castle lord roared in agony, the darkness on his body flickering randomly, almost as if it was in pain. Aqua gasped in shock, wondering what Belle was doing, stunned that she would put herself in such danger.

Then, something happened. Aqua's eyes widened again, this time in shocked awe.

A soft white glow had begun to radiate from Belle's body, the young woman's eyes closed and her face serene while the Beast flailed and roared, the aura of darkness around him flickering wilder and more rapidly until finally…

It exploded in a rush of black mist. The servants all cried in shock, moving quickly behind anything larger then themselves to shield their bodies. Aqua merely raised her keyblade over her face as the dark air rushed at her. Belle maintained her embrace on Beast, her white glow flaring for a brief moment to make the black air of darkness fade away. As soon as the foyer was clear of the darkness, the servants peeked from their hiding spots, eyes wide with awe towards Belle. Aqua lowered her blade and watched Belle and the Beast.

The Beast slowly fell to his knees, arms dangling limply at his sides and his head bowing in exhaustion. Belle smiled against his fur, stroking his back gently. "You're ok now…" she whispered. She gently pulled away from him, allowing the servants to rush over to check on their master while Belle quickly turned to face Aqua.

The water maiden had pushed herself further up, using her keyblade as a crutch again to steady herself. Aqua gingerly touched her side where she had slammed into the doors and hissed, flinching back as she felt a stabbing sensation there. "Aqua!" The keyblade mistress looked over to see Belle rushing over towards her. Aqua, "I'm alright-"

Her voice was drowned out by a howl.

Not the howl of the Beast, but the howl of a fierce rushing wind.

Everyone in the foyer looked around in confusion as wind began to blow, pushing at the servants smaller bodies and forcing them to take cover under their master's robes, his huge body unfazed by the sudden gale even while unconscious.

Belle stumbled, her hair and dress rippling under the winds roar. Aqua herself wasn't better off, finding herself pushed against the door. She had her hand over face, eyes squinting shut against the wind but slowly realizing what was behind it and no doubt behind the Beast's possession by darkness. The wind suddenly picked up its strength, blowing so hard Belle was knocked flat on her side. Aqua was shoved against the doors hard, momentarily dazed as the pain in her side shot up. All of the wind seemed to shove against the keyblade mistress again-

And she was shoved so hard against the doors again they flew open and Aqua was launched off her feet and into the castle courtyard.

The servants gasped in horror while Belle cried, "Aqua!"

The wind blew once more, slamming the doors shut. Magic flashed, a barrier sealing it shut and Belle and the items inside. And trapping Aqua outside.

---

Aqua slammed into the hard stone ground, her shoulder scarping hard and tearing, blood staining the ground. Aqua groaned, rising back on her hands, blood running down her right arm. She stumbled up, her side aching furiously.

She heard the tell tell sound of magic and saw a barrier flash over the doors, trapping her here. With whoever was controlling the wind and barrier.

Aqua still clutched her keyblade and looked around the courtyard. The statues were still here but the secret passage in the tower wall was sealed off again. Aqua continued to look around, feeling a gentle breeze blowing her hair slightly. Still spotting no one or anything else she called out, "Why don't you just show yourself already? I already know you're here."

The breeze picked up, but moved away from Aqua, leaves and a visible greenish blue wind circling at the top of the gate wall across from Aqua. The wind turned black, forming into a Corridor of Darkness from which emerged a person wearing a black cloak.

Aqua was really getting sick of those cloaks.

The person moved away from the Corridor, his arms behind his back as he turned his hidden eyes down on Aqua. A low chuckled echoed silently off the courtyards walls. The cloaked person began speaking. "Straight to business? I like that."

Aqua glared up at him and snapped back, "Yeah? Well I don't like you."

The cloaked figure chuckled humorlessly and calmly jumped down from the gate wall, a fierce breeze slowing his descent and allowing him to land unharmed.

Aqua glared at this person and snapped, "It was you, wasn't it? You did that to Beast, letting darkness take root in his heart."

The cloaked person nodded and replied, "Not exactly. I merely tempered what was already there and helped it awaken. He is a creature of rage and destruction after all. I reminded him of that."

Aqua's glare intensified and she snapped, "You don't know that! His servants all say he's learning to be better and all you did was let darkness take hold of a hurting and tormented heart!"

The cloaked person shook his head. "You disappoint me. I expected more of a true master of the keyblade and yet you're just another naïve weakling, believing in these stupid false romantic tales." Aqua gasped, flinching back.

The cloaked person moved his left arm from behind his back, grabbing his hood and lowering it. Aqua saw this new Organization member had long black hair tied down in dreadlocks with a longer ponytail sticking out and huge side burns, practically mutton chops. His storm blue eyes glared at Aqua in annoyance.

"I thought you knew the true values of any world, that strength is needed to conquer all." To empathize his point his clenched his fist and the air suddenly blew fiercely, pushing Aqua back a little. The man lowered his hand in a swipe of his arm. "But now I see the petty ties of your heart hold you down, weakening your true potential. As long as you have a heart, you will never reach your full strength."

Aqua pointed her keyblade at him and snapped, "Why don't you show me 'true strength'?"

The man scoffed, arms crossing back behind his back and he stood still. "I would but I'm under orders. I'm not to harm you." He suddenly grinned. Aqua blinked and wondered what he was about to do-

There was a flash of purple metal and shining blades and Aqua gasped, jumping back as several objects shot around her, spinning rapidly and trapping her in place. When they stopped moving, Aqua saw she was trapped in a cage. She struck the bars, crying out in outrage. The man scowled in annoyance at her actions as Aqua furiously slammed against the bars of the cage and even swung her keyblade against them a few times.

"Why do you struggle? It's useless to resist." He said in a monotone voice with just a tinge of annoyance mixed in.

Aqua slammed against the cage again, ignoring the pain growing in her sides and shoulder. She glared at the man and snapped, "I'm not going to let you get away with hurting Beast! I don't care that you captured me but by using him you put everyone in that castle in danger!"

The man cocked a brow.

"I put everyone in danger? Little girl, the only the reason the darkness took root in his heart was because it was already there. I merely tempered it as I said."

Aqua swung her keyblade again before lowering it and just glared at the man. Aqua, "You should have just come after me instead of behind a coward and hiding behind someone else to do your dirty work."

Aqua hoped that remark would anger the man to the point where he would free her and attack. But instead, he merely dryly chuckled.

"Don't think I'm like the other three little girl," He sneered. "I'm not like them. I don't pretend to have what we've all lost. There's no need for it. I remember and that is enough." He crossed his arms behind his back again, his sneer never fading as he looked at Aqua.

"But why do you call me a coward, when it is you who are the coward."

Aqua flinched, eyes widening in shock and anger. Aqua, "I'm not-"

"You are," He interrupted.

"You've run from us to three different worlds out of fear. And wherever you go, innocent people suffer the consequences of your cowardice. The street rat was captured to lure you outside of the city in the desert to avoid harming innocent people. The Bandersnatch Heartless Luxord freed only attacked the girl because it couldn't find you. And that Jabberwocky dragon Heartless was formed from the darkness in that queen's heart. She might have been able to escape from that fate…had you not sealed off the only other exit to safety."

Aqua's eyes widened and she stood perfectly still in shock.

The man laughed. "And once again, I only used the Beast in hopes to avoid confrontation for the sake of those in this castle. But you once again involved innocent people in this battle."

He chuckled as aqua's hands wrapped around the bars of his cage, her blue bangs obscuring her eyes but he could imagine the torment in them.

"It is not we who endanger the innocent inhabitants of these worlds…But you, keyblade holder!"

He sneered as she flinched, gripping the bars tighter. "Surely you know the legends? Of how the keyblade brings ruin and despair to the worlds it appears on. You've been on three worlds…and three times innocents were put in harms way as we peacefully tried to convince you to come with us. I'd say that legend rings true, wouldn't you agree?"

He chuckled as Aqua's hands trembled around the bars, seeing her lips quivering as well and realizing she was on the verge of tears.

I've had my fun, he decided and turned to the gate, raising his hand to call a Corridor of Darkness-

There was a burst of pure white light magic and a sound like metal falling on hard stone. The man whirled, momentarily blinded by the intense light.

"What- GAGH!"

He clutched his face, feeling blood seep from a burning cut on the side of his face, the thick red liquid dripping down his neck. He looked up, snarling as he saw Aqua standing a few feet away, keyblade drawn and glowing a pure white. Aqua glared at the man, but not in anger towards his words aimed to break her.

Aqua, "You say the ones who have come after me have tried to keep innocent lives away from harm. You say that all three before you have peacefully tried to convince me to go with them."

Aqua lowered her keyblade but not her glare. Aqua, "But I ask you, is it peaceful, to throw a flaming chakram at me? Is it peaceful to try and drown me? Was it peaceful when the last one who attacked me cut my side open?"

Aqua thrust her keyblade back up at the man's throat, meeting his outraged glare with icy blue eyes.

Aqua, "Were those three protecting innocents from me when your water manipulator attacked Aladdin, an innocent man, and trapped his fiancé Jasmine and pet under a collapsed building? Was your gambler protecting the innocent from me when he turned that queen into a Heartless? She may have been selfish but did she deserve such a fate? Or how about when he held Alice, an innocent girl, to force me to play his game?"

Aqua's glare intensified as she finished, "Were you protecting the innocent when you turned the Beast into his namesake? Did you care that all he wants back is his and the humanity his servants have lost? No. You used him like the coward you are to weaken me, thinking how easy it would be to use someone else to do your dirty work."

The man grit his teeth as his hands shook, the wind beginning to pick up.

He stood up straight, regaining some of his composure.

"Little girl…I must thank you. You have given me an excuse." He ran a finger over the cut on his cheek, and licked the blood off his glove. He grinned, a terrible smile. "So I can explain why you're half dead when I drag you back to the Castle."

With a flash of movement, his arms crossed over his face and the wind roared. The shattered metal bars around Aqua's feet vanished in bursts of black wind and six miniature black tornados rose around him, arcs of lightning shooting off them.

Aqua stood her ground, keeping her keyblade raised towards him.

The tornados died down as her foe thrust his arms out, revealing six long purple lances. The top ends each baring three blades shaped like 't's while the bottoms resembled the heads of dragons. Head tossed back, arms thrust out from his sides, her enemy moved quickly as his lances swirled around him. He caught one in his right hand, then a second in his left, then at third back in his right. The other three floated behind him, idly spinning as the wind roared and raised him slightly above ground. His storm blue eyes met Aqua's sapphire ones.

"Now you will see the true power of the Organization as I, Xaldin, the Whirlwind Lancer, defeat you here!"

Aqua charged as he finished that declaration and leapt, keyblade drawn back to smash his head in-

Two of his floating lances blocked her attack and launched her back, sending her flying back in the air allowing Xaldin to swing his arm out and send three of his lances at her. Aqua quickly shielded herself with her Reflect Barrier, grunting in effort to keep it up as the lances struck again and again, cracking it in several spots. Aqua fell back to the courtyards ground, dispelling her barrier as the lances shot down after her. She cartwheeld to the side and they embedded themselves in the ground, shaking slightly. Seeing her chance, the water maiden charged, keyblade pulled back and then swinging as she reached Xaldin, trying to slash his chest open. He easily blocked with his right hand that held two lances and swept the third in his left at her forcing Aqua to duck and allowing Xaldin a chance to kick her had Aqua not jumped back again. The water maiden skidded back and heard stone scrape metal as the three other lances freed themselves. They shot at her again but Aqua blocked all three with her keyblade and shoved them back.

They flew back over to their master, resuming their floating positions behind him. Xaldin scowled when he saw Aqua was already sweating and said, "There's no fun in this."

Aqua wiped her brow and charged trying to hit him again but Xaldin suddenly moved, jumping high into the air. Aqua came to a jerking stop and looked up, confused. Then her eyes widened as Xaldin shot back down, all six of his lances aimed down to impale her. Aqua jumped back as Xaldin slammed into the ground so hard stone shattered, dust picking up as small chunks of rock flew everywhere. Aqua saw another opening and thrust her keyblade out, yellow streams of lightning shooting out towards Xaldin. The Whirlwind Lancer looked up, sneering as he saw the spell shoot towards him. Two of his floating lances snapped in front of him, crossing over each other to resemble an 'X' and deflected the lightning and causing it to harmlessly strike the ground. Aqua flinched as Xaldin deflected her spell so easily. The Lancer floated towards her slowly, laughing as he said, "Is this all? The others made you out to be some unbeatable adversary! And right now that's not how you look from here."

Aqua stepped back, keeping her keyblade raised though the light around it had faded. She panted as she moved back and circled. She had only landed one hit so far but that was before he summoned those lances. She had never faced an enemy who could wield not one nor two but six weapons at once. To get passed his defense she had to hit him from all sides at once. And she had just the move for that. Aqua dispelled her keyblade and extended her arms out, eyes closing. Xaldin paused in his floating, watching her curiously. He heard a sound from behind the gate and looked in its direction. He knew this sound. It was-

A large sphere of water rose from the gate and shot over to Aqua, engulfing her. The water maiden lived up to her name as she surrounded herself in a bubble of water and opened her eyes to glare at Xaldin. The Whirlwind Lancer smirked, twirling one of his spears in interest. Demyx had mentioned this attack, saying she had used it not only to catch the Melodious Nocturne off guard but also defeat him with his own element. Xaldin extended his hand out, still balancing his lance on the flat of his palm before making the 'bring it' gesture. Aqua's glare narrowed and multiple smaller orbs of water shot off her larger protective sphere, shooting right at Xaldin. The Lancer merely swung his weapon of choice to deflect the attack, quickly swinging a second lance to block another hit and then his third and pretty soon his lances were nothing but purple blurs as he spun and swung them to deflect all of the water shots Aqua sent his way. Aqua watched in stunned shock as Xaldin effortlessly blocked all of her shots. She quickly threw her own protective sphere at him, hoping it would be too big to deflect. And it was. Xaldin swung his lances but failed to cut this one down, instead only thrusting them inside the water and causing the sphere to explode, showering him in pressurized water. A mist surrounded the Whirlwind Lancer and Aqua watched it carefully, panting and slightly bent over but still standing. She couldn't see any movement as the mist left behind by the water faded and breathed a sigh of relief, eyes closing for a split second.

Long enough for her guard to drop and allow all six of Xaldin's lances to shoot out from the mist and at her. Aqua gasped, quickly calling her barrier up-

Only for it to smash into tiny green shards and allow all six lances to cut her arms, chest and legs up. Aqua screamed as she was forced back, the lances tearing into her for several agonizing seconds when they suddenly shot back over to Xaldin as he stepped out of the mist, his black hair plastered to his skull. Xaldin caught two of his lances and let the other four float behind him. He twirled the lances in front of himself and shouted, "Feel the winds wrath!" He slashed his lances out, summoning a green tornado of magic wind that shot over to Aqua's stumbling form and propelled her into the air above the courtyards grounds. Aqua screamed as the wind tore into her skin like the lances before it only not stopping, her blood tinting the green wind red. Finally, it dissipated and Aqua began to fall back to the ground below, her keyblade falling from her limp hand.

"Aqua!"

The keyblade mistress heard her name and another sound, like metal clanking against metal and looked towards Xaldin with weary eyes. They promptly widened when she saw the Lancer standing atop his lances, all six weapons having merged and tripled in size to form something that resembled a dragon with its mouth wide open. A vortex of gray wind gathered in its maw and lightning arced from inside it as well. Aqua and her keyblade had almost hit the ground of the courtyard when Xaldin's dragon weapon fired a swirling vortex that contained all the fury and power of thunderstorm in one shot. It struck and struck hard, sending her flying into the wall of the courtyards gate, propelling Aqua with such force the wall cracked, spider web like fractures zigzagging across its surface.

The water maiden had a look of utter pain on her face as she slid back down to the ground, falling to her knees before falling flat on her face, arms outstretched by her keyblade, the fingers limply around the hilt.

Xaldin jumped off his lances as they returned to normal size and idly floated behind their wielder as he slowly approached Aqua. He scoffed at the sight of her beaten, bruised and bloodied body.

"What a weakling."

Xaldin was half way to her, right in front of the gate doors when he stopped. He cocked his head a little frowning. The air was suddenly cold.

Xaldin noticed a thin wisp of white air escape his mouth and nearly did a double take. Correction, very cold. He briefly wondered if in his manipulation of the wind of this world he had accidentally brought a cold front to the castle but then he shivered suddenly.

His legs felt numb.

Frowning, he looked down wondering why they felt so cold-

His storm blue eyes widened in shock when he saw ice was beginning to form around them. And steadily rise up his legs. Crying out, he tried to free himself only to discover he was stuck. He turned and reached for his lances only to watch them fall to the ground, covered in snow and ice. Teeth chattering Xaldin whirled to try and see what was causing this-

And saw Aqua rising in the air, twirling, eyes closed in a serene state. Xaldin's eyes widened. The more she twirled; the more ice crept up his legs. His whole body shaking, Xaldin spat, "L-l-little g-g-g-girl, s-s-stop this NOW!"

To his surprise she did, but she still floated in the air. Her sapphire eyes met his storm blue and she held his glare, which had made other fighters and fellow Organization members shudder. She twirled her keyblade and an orb of light appeared in front of him. Xaldin only had time for one split-second blink right before Aqua dashed at him, keyblade cutting through his chest. The Lancer howled in agony and tried to raise his lances but they remained frozen on the ground. The orb moved behind Xaldin and Aqua slashed through him again, making him scream in pain. The orb moved one more time and Aqua came barreling down even faster then before, slamming her keyblade into him so hard he was freed from the ice and propelled through the gates of the courtyard, landing in a heap of wood and ice chips on the bridge.

Xaldin heard a clatter of metal and saw one of his lances had been freed as well. And Aqua's approaching form. Xaldin scrambled up, grabbing his lance and swinging it out. Aqua ducked and shot at him, her keyblade slamming into the wound on his chest. Xaldin hacked blood and stumbled towards the edge of the bridge, leaning on it for support. He saw Aqua charge at him out of the corner of his eye. His face contorted in shock, thinking, hoping, that she wasn't going to do what he thought she was-

Aqua's keyblade slammed into his jaw in a powerful uppercut. The strength behind the blow knocked him off his feet-

And over the bridge's edge.

Xaldin screamed as he plummeted for the waters below.

---

With a roar, the front doors of the castle exploded off their hinges, flying through the air before slamming on the ground and sliding a few feet. The Beast stepped out of the doorway, growling as his servants and Belle followed. Cogsworth looked at the shattered doors and then back up to his lord. Cogsworth, "Forgive me master but was that necessary?"

The Beast merely growled and ignored him. His icy blue eyes and Belle's chocolate brown orbs surveyed the damage to the courtyard, noting the cracks in the ground and the damages to the gate and walls. Belle spotted a blue form collapsed on the bridge and cried, "Aqua!" She raced over while the Beast slowly lumbered after her. While Belle raced over to Aqua and crouched by her injured form, the Beast picked up one of the thawing lances, studying the dragonhead at the end it. He jerked in surprise when the lance and its companions vanished in a burst of black wind. He looked at his empty claws for a second before turning his gaze to Belle and Aqua.

Aqua was a mess of blood and partially healed cuts. She had used a Cure spell before the others broke the doors down but her magic reserves were low. The Beast reached the two women, looking down on Aqua's injured form. She met his gaze evenly, unafraid.

Beast growled, "Who did this?"

Aqua didn't reply for a moment, her eyes wondering for a second. Then, she said, "Those door to door salesmen really don't know when to take no for an answer."

Both Belle and the Beast blinked, completely caught off guard. Belle covered her mouth to stifle her laughter while the Beast merely grinned in amusement. Beast, "To laugh in the face of such pain…Hrr." He reached behind his cloak, and there was a brief sound of items shuffling before he held his hand out, a golden elixir bottle in hand. Aqua weakly raised her own hand but it dropped quickly, fresh sweat breaking out on her forehead.

Belle took the elixir and opened it, placing it against Aqua's lips and tilting her head back. A little of the liquid dribbled down her chin but Aqua swallowed most of the healing restorative. As she swallowed it, her cuts healed, the torn skin knitting back together without any scars at all. Aqua slowly rose up on shaky feet, Belle helping her up.

Aqua looked passed the two and viewed the damage left behind from her battle with the silver-tongued lancer. She lowered her head and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Belle looked confused while the Beast only glanced a little. Belle, "Whatever for?" Aqua waved her hand in the direction of the ruined courtyard. Aqua, "I couldn't prevent all this damage…"

And the Beast's possession was my fault, she added silently in her head.

Belle looked at Aqua in concern while the Beast glanced at the ruined courtyard. Then his eyes fell on his approaching servants.

Beast, "But you did prevent something worse."

Both Aqua and Belle looked at Beast, the castle's lord keeping his gaze on his servants. Beast, "I was outnumbered by the Heartless as I tried to fight them off and protect Belle. In the rage of battle, I forgot the others close to my heart." He looked at Aqua, giving a genuine smile, not a hint of rage in his features.

"But you appeared, entering my castle bravely despite my roars of rage. You protected my dear servants, no, my friends, when I couldn't."

Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Pots and Chip reached the three, smiling up at all of them. Beast smiled back. "And that's all that matters."

Aqua found her sadness lifting, causing a small smile to appear on her lips. Belle smiled at the Beast and then looked at Aqua. Belle, "The damage can be repaired, but lives can't be restored easily. If you hadn't appeared here when you were needed, the damage could have been a lot worse."

Aqua nodded, her smile growing.

Lumiere hopped forward and said in that accent of his, "Plus, we would not have been graced by a beauty that rivals lady Belle's! And that would have been a real shame!" Cogsworth groaned, slapping his little handle hand on his white face while Belle and Aqua laughed, though the Beast looked slightly flustered.

Belle smiled as Cogsworth began yelling at Lumiere while Mrs. Pots sighed and Chip watched the exchange. She looked at Aqua and asked, "Would you like to stay another night before you-Ah!"

Aqua sighed as a light flashed on Belle's chest and from the fragment in her pouch.

The beast and the items gasped. Aqua held up a hand. Aqua, "It's alright."

A circle of light appeared around Belle, her eyes closing and her body glowing. Another bright flash and the Star Fragment appeared between the two women. It began to glow brighter, light circling it-

And then there was a black spark.

Aqua saw this and gasped, trying to move to grab the Fragment-

A bright flash of pure white light erupted off Belle, but one could see a burst of shadow come off the fragment.

The items all shielded their eyes by hiding behind the Beast, who stared into the light, growling as he caught a faint scent of darkness. When the light faded, Belle gently floated down, unconscious. The beast moved forward, catching her quickly. He looked around the bridge and saw Aqua was gone.

Lumiere and Cogsworth stepped after their master. Cogsworth, "Master, where did she go? And what was that light?"

The Beast could only stare at the empty bridge and shake his head. Beast, "I don't know." He looked at Belle's sleeping form in his arms and turned, heading back for the castle beyond the ruined courtyard, his servants following after.

---

Water splashed, rushing past a pair of heavy black boots followed by the unconscious body of Xaldin dragged by his hair. A figure in the same black cloak as Xaldin threw the Whirlwind Lancer on the shore, his lance impaling in the dirt scant inches from his head a second later. The figure turned his head up towards the bridge, witnessing the great flash of light. And seeing the burst of shadows inside the light as well.

A single amber eye narrowed as lips pulled back into a smirk.

Xigbar turned his gaze away from the bridge and flicked his wrist. A swirling Corridor of Darkness rose up. Xigbar snatched Xaldin's lance and grabbed the Whirlwind Lancer by his hair, dragging him through the Corridor, both vanishing in mere seconds.

---

The camera moved slowly and steadily, moving from left to right.

Every day it captured the same image over and over again: The large steel floor and the terminal and screen for the impressive computer. There was never anything out of place; nothing disturbed the order of the images.

Until today that is.

It didn't register at first when the camera turned to the left once again, briefly glimpsing the metal walkway, the shadows covering that area completely. That's why the camera started to turn back, never noticing the cloaked figure emerge from the walkway. When the figure stepped closer inside the terminal, the camera turned swiftly, zooming on the person henceforth labeled by the monitor as 'Unknown'.

It only had time to capture the image of a tall broad shouldered and muscular figure in a black cloak, the hood raised to hide his face. And then the Unknown raised his right hand, red energy swirling in his palm and something shot from his palm, towards the camera-

---

The Unknown figure stared at the smoking, sparking remnants of the security camera before turning his attention to the large computer terminal built into the overlooking wall of the giant laboratory complex. The Unknown walked up to the terminal, reaching inside his black cloak and pulling out a gray disk. He slid it into a disc port on the terminal and then placed his hands on the keyboard, waiting for a second as the monitor read: Now Loading.

Then a single line of empty space appeared on the monitor.

The Unknown stared for a moment before looking down at the keyboard, rapidly typing away. His fingers hit the following keys:

ANOTHER.

The line of text flashed and a second screen appeared, this one containing six empty text bars, all connected to a circular symbol in the center of the screen. The Unknown stared for a few more seconds and then looked back down at the keyboard, typing rapidly again.

The first keys he typed in were:

XEHANORT.

Then:

BRAIG.

And then:

DILAN.

Followed by:

EVEN.

And then:

AELEUS.

And finally finishing with:

IENZO.

With each password typed in, the lines connecting the codes to the circle in the center of the screen lit up, transferring data to the center of the circle. The Unknown stood there for a moment, waiting, fingers resting on the keys. Then, the circle in the center of the screen flashed and a message read: System Start.

The whole screen flashed again and the disc slid out of the port. The Unknown moved away from the computer, gently grabbing the disc and sliding it back in a pocket of his cloak as he headed through the open door across from himself. He walked calmly and slowly down a series of metal stairs and walkways until he reached another door, which slid open and then the Unknown walked to the base of the last set of stairs, standing before a huge open space of the lab.

He walked all the way down the steps, standing on a series of illuminated tiles. There was a bright flash in front of him and a section of the metal floor before him split open, sliding away to reveal a long walkway with glowing, pulsing lights on its side to guide one down as they descended deep underground. The Unknown resumed walking, heavy boots making no sound as they walked down the illuminated path way, not even glancing over his shoulder as the floor closed above him.

The Unknown arrived at the bottom of the walkway and turned away from it, noticing but not acknowledging the path as it disappeared in a flash. The Unknown began his descent down a long spiraling pathway; this whole chamber darker then the lab above, the only source of light the pulsing power circuits on the walls that glowed every few seconds.

The Unknown followed the path, the power conduits now pulsing on the walkway, but they did not guide him, merely showed him what he knew already to be there. He descended deeper and deeper…

And a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Master Ansem. Regarding the experiment; with your permission I'd like to proceed-"

A second voice interrupted.

"Enough! Forget this talk of doors, and the heart of all worlds."

The first voice persisted.

"But, master Ansem! I've been thinking-"

The second voice interrupted again, but it did not sound angry this time. It spoke in a scolding tone, like a disappointed teacher to his favorite student.

"Xehanort. These thoughts are best forgotten."

The Unknown came to a stop at the bottom of the pathway, before another sliding door.

He stood there for a moment.

Fool.

The door slid apart at the center and revealed a sleeker steel white hallway that contrasted with the darker lit one the Unknown had just traveled down. The cloaked figure entered the hallway, not sparing a glance at the multiple doors evenly lined up across from each other. They had bars and keypads for codes on each. And they were chained up.

It seemed whoever built these doors wanted to make sure whatever was kept in them stayed inside.

The Unknown finally reached the last door, this one larger with black chains built into its front, slashing lines under the chains. The door slid open as he stood before it and the Unknown stepped inside.

It was a large circular chamber built of the same white steel as the hallway. As the Unknown stepped inside, the door sealed shut behind him revealing it had two exact same symbols embedded on it, a reversed heart with three blade like 't' tips. Oddly enough, black chains connected to them. The chains were all around the floor and walls, but they weren't holding anything down.

The Unknown walked up to one of the only two things in this chamber, a large white throne with the reverse heart symbol embedded on its front. The Unknown slowed as he approached it, a black gloved hand caressing it. Then, he moved in front it and slowly sat down.

As he did, there was a loud hum and a sudden flash at the base of the throne. The dais the throne was on lit up, the light spreading into the chains on the floor of the room and up the walls to the symbols they each connected too. The Unknown watched the chains light up before him…

Illuminating the second object in this room, laying directly across from the throne.

The Unknown stared at it, a smile forming on his hidden lips.

"It's been a long time…"

He stared at the object, a feminine suit of blue, gray and black armor that lied sprawled out like a sleeping maiden. Impaled in the floor next to it…

It was a long blade, is hilt guard gray and black, the shaft of the blade itself blue with two diamond shaped holes near the guard. The blade teeth at the end was square in shape but the design sported three small bumps. Like a snowflake.

Dangling from the base of the hilt guard, slowly swaying, was a keychain designed to look like a series of water like drops.

The Unknown stared at the armor and blade for a long time.

What he said next was almost too soft to hear.

"My friend…"

---

He stared at the large canyon before him.

Once, long ago, it had just been an empty maw.

Now…

It was filled to the brim with writhing black insect like creatures, their yellow eyes all staring right up at the small figure over them.

This small person wore a black cloak as well with his hood raised like the ones before him. But this hood was shaped differently. Two large circular ears threatened to tear the whole thing apart.

The short big eared figure stared at the writhing black masses below him, his skinny black tail wagging a little.

The figure sighed.

"Gosh, if Ansem the Wise saw his home like this…"

The short figure shook his head.

With a thrust of his hand, golden light flashed.

Held reversed in his grip was a long golden shafted blade, its hilt guard silver with a golden mouse shaped keychain dangling from its end. The little figure held his golden keyblade and leapt into the black mass below him, beady eyes gleaming determinedly.