The day finally gave way to the night, the light to darkness, as the sun sank beneath the calm waves of Destiny Islands.

A silver-haired boy hailing from these very islands stared out at the fading light before narrowing his eyes in disgust at the tranquility of it all, for he'd never find what he craved on this little speck of land. "This world… is just too small…"

Many years later, the same person, now quite old, stared into the stars of the night sky, quietly pitying all other children who would be born and trapped in such a place.

In his arms with an azure-headed girl wrapped in a white sheet, more like a doll than a human as she registered nothing.

"There, you see?" Asked the man, her eyes were open, void of light, her body breathing, just barely. She had no reaction as the man placed her on the trunk of a tree he'd often sat at as a boy. "An empty world, like a prison. I imagine you'll be right at home."

The girl slowly closed her eyes, the sound of the evening tide cradling into slumber, one that she may never be able to awaken from.

The girl sank down, down, down until she at last landed upon a glowing surface. Other than the platform she stood on, the world around her was dark.

Suddenly, a bright light emitted somewhere and a glowing, crystallized orb appeared beside her.

"Who are you…?" The girl asked softly as it slowly floated towards her.

I'm a brand-new heart… I haven't received my name yet…

"A… brand-new heart…?" She repeated, her expression remaining blank. All emotions had been stripped aside from the purest emotion of all, the one that began this story: curiosity. "But… this is my heart… Why are you here…?"

I saw a light shining in the distance… and so, I followed it here…

"That light was mine…" The lost one nodded, placing a hand to her chest. She then looked over to see that one half of her heart had been broken off. That was right… her heart… something had happened to her heart… "My heart is broken… Soon, whatever's left of me will fade along with it…"

Her words echoed as she and seemingly the heart stared at the jagged edges.

… What if… you joined your heart with mine…?

It would be nice to be whole once again, plus it would mean she wouldn't fade or lose any other part of herself…

The girl gave a tiny nod,

The young heart glowed before the girl's own heart mended, a sign they were now together.

You won't fade away anymore and one day, you will be able to claim the part you lost. Until then and for far long after, our hearts share an unbreakable connection…

She placed a hand to her chest, feeling thankful tears come to her eyes as a warmth filled her. Thanks to this selfless heart, she would have the chance to reclaim her missing piece, someday. "Thank you…"

It's time to wake up, this isn't a time for lazing around… All we have to do is…

"Open the door."

At their proclamation, the light burst into petals, revealing her heart's true surface of her laying amongst a midnight blue circle with charms lining it.

The old man walked away, leaving the girl to fade away in the peaceful world he'd grown to despise. Suddenly, he felt something, something familiar. Could it be…?

The girl raised her hand to the night sky and in a flash of light, there was what he'd sensed, what he'd hoped for:

"The keyblade!"

The old man smiled as the girl opened her eyes to stare up into the darkness, the spark of life returned as her keyblade lit up the night sky.

How could he have forgotten?

Destiny was never left to chance.

Four Years Later…

Terra had stepped out for a breath of fresh air after not being able to sleep. How could he sleep when the Mark of Mastery exam was in the morning? It had always been his dream to be a keyblade master with the rest of his friends. If they proved themselves worthy, he and Aqua would fulfill that dream. What would be his new dream, he wasn't sure.

He headed to the training arena, having a feeling it would be empty. After all, Aqua knew that all the practice in the world wouldn't help her if she was running on only a few hours of sleep. Terra knew this as well, but never seemed to remember it until the next morning when he felt it.

The man arrived and was surprised to see Aqua was still there. It seemed anxiety had kept her up too. Or, it had, she was fast asleep now.

The woman suddenly stirred and seemed to see someone to the east of the arena. She grinned before running after them.

Terra already had a good feeling who she was following and hurried after her.

Terra came to the stargazing hill and found Aqua sitting with their other friend, Ven. The two seemed to be already deep in conversation.

"Aqua… y'ever wonder what stars are?"

The older students had gotten the answer from Master Eraqus. Despite this, Aqua couldn't seem to recall it. "Hmm… Well, they say…"

"That every star up there is another world…" Terra finished. He couldn't help looking a bit smug. After all, Aqua seemed to beat him at everything when it came to facts and figures, it felt nice to have the upper hand for once. They'd always been in competition like that but he loved every second of it. It made them stronger and gave them a bond like no other.

"Terra!" Ven beamed.

"Yep, hard to believe there are so many worlds out there besides our own. The light is their hearts, and it's shining down on us like a million lanterns."

"Huh? I don't get it." Ven muttered.

Terra laughed before giving a shrug, rephrasing it into something he might understand a bit better. "In other words, they're just like Aqua."

Just the stars, Aqua guides people with her light. And she's so bright and beautiful, you can't help but stare sometimes. Yeah… Aqua's just like the stars. Being around them both makes me feel warm, happy, and safe.

"Huh?" Aqua asked, looking a bit flustered. "What do you mean…?"

I told you once what I thought of the stars, don't you remember? Terra wondered, crossing his arms. He then blushed himself, realizing how embarrassing that was. Actually, nevermind…

"Ohhh." Ven moaned. He probably got it now, Aqua was their light. "I still don't get it."

"Something's gotta be wrong if I'm the only one who gets it." Terra laughed before sitting down beside Ven. "You guys are totally hopeless!"

"Wha-Are not!" Ven cried in slight anger, making Aqua and Terra laugh at his angry face. "Teeerrraa, take it back!"

About an hour later, a calm silence filled the air as they sat close together watching the stars.

"Oh yeah!" Aqua suddenly gasped, standing up. "Terra, you and I have our Mark of Mastery exams tomorrow. I made good luck charms!"

She showed off the glittering trinkets, they were pretty charms of metal and glass. Terra wondered if they'd make good keychains, imagining what the keyblade would look like after attaching it. Of course, Aqua had likely made them for sentimental value, not actual battle.

She tossed the orange one to Terra and the green one to Ven, saving blue for herself.

"I get one too?" Ven asked in surprise.

"Of course." Aqua smiled back.

Terra lifted his to the sky and was happy to see the stars glittered through them. Realizing he probably looked pretty dopey like that, he quickly teased Aqua. "You're gonna need it, Aqua!"

"Oh, and you aren't?" Aqua retorted, punching him gently in the arm before sitting down beside him.

"Cut it out, you two, you both don't need luck! You're gonna pass that exam with flying colors tomorrow!" There was nowhere Ven's smile couldn't reach.

"I saw it before in my dream or maybe my memory… a tree with star-shaped fruit."

Terra noticed she noticed she seemed a bit downhearted at remembering this. He glanced down to see her hand was seconds away. Should he..?

His fingers were about to intermingle with hers before she started talking again, making him take his hand away in embarrassment.

"I looked it up in Master's books and it says that the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. Sharing one means you'll always find your way back to each other. I think you're supposed to make it with seashells, but I did the best with what I had."

"So this isn't the real thing?" Ven asked in disappointment.

"That remains to be seen." Aqua laughed slightly. She then smiled mysteriously at him. "But I did cast a little magic on it…"

"Really? What?" Terra was desperate to know too, Aqua always cast a tiny spell on all her crafted presents to them, it was a bit of an extra celebration when they figured out what it was.

"An unbreakable connection!" She repeated, watching the stars twinkle through the glass. "No matter where we go, we'll never truly be apart. And that power will see us through, I know it."

Ven and Terra did the same, each lost in their thoughts.

An unbreakable connection… That sounds like us alright. Me, Ven, and Aqua are going to be masters one day, always together. Still… I can't help but worry they'll make better masters than me… I'm supposed to be the strongest, if I'm not… I've failed.

Terra pocketed the charm and summoned his keyblade. "The exam's tomorrow, anyone wanna spar?"

"I can take 'ya!" Ven grinned.

Ven was the exact opposite of Terra, he was able to dodge plenty of Terra's heavy hits with his speed alone. He made the man feel as if he was stumbling around compared to the boy, he was happy about that, since he knew Ven's enemies felt the same way.

Terra relied on steadiness and his body's power. Unlike Aqua and Ven, he wasn't as gifted in magic so he had to make up for it in pure physical strength. Part of him wished he could be more than a barbarian on the field, but his heart knew that just wasn't his style anyway. Having the ability to protect everyone with his body alone filled him with pride.

Terra was able to knock the keyblade out of Ven's hand, sending it soaring. He grinned before looking down at the boy. "You've still got a ways to go."

"Aw man!" Ven cried, landing promptly on his bottom.

"Try me now, Ven." Aqua suggested, summoning her own weapon as Terra left the arena.

Aqua was the opposite of Terra. She didn't stumble around the battlefield, she soared, making every move look like a well-rehearsed dance. Her magic always hit its mark. She had arrived without any memories of how to wield the keyblade and yet managed to catch up in half of what it took Terra to learn it all. Terra should've been happy for her, so why was he somewhat jealous? It was unbecoming of a master to feel this way.

She fired off ice after she and Ven parried a few times, tripping him up. "Ven! Are you okay?!"

"Ugh… yeah, I'm okay…" Ven easily got to his feet and grinned. "But wow, you guys are gonna clean up at the exam!"

"Speaking of, we ought to get some sleep before it." Aqua reminded them gently, crossing her arms.

Ven nodded sleepily, being tuckered out from the fights.

She and Ven ran off to the castle, not noticing Terra had stayed behind just a moment longer.

He held his wayfinder up to the stars once more, his heart uncertain. What if he wasn't strong enough to become a master in the morning? Ven and Aqua will be there too, still proud no matter what. "… We'll never be apart."

That was the last night they'd spend under the same stars

Far away, another young apprentice was training hard, balancing on an ancient tome as she tried to navigate some rough rapids.

The mouse princess had already faced so much with the loss of her Homeworld so she never backed down from any sort of training her master prepared for her, even if it seemed rather life-threatening. Suddenly, she was sucked down a whirlpool, making her cry out in panic.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the familiar tower.

Yen Sid, her keyblade master, nodded to her to come to him. "I regret interrupting your training, Minnie, but I'm afraid I must."

The princess scanned his face and saw worry written all over it. She'd never disappointed him before, was it something she did? "Master?"

"It is just… I cannot shake the feeling something terrible is about to transpire…"

Minnie placed a hand to her heart before glancing out at the stars twinkling in the sky, those were all worlds that could be in grave danger any moment, but never to a degree where her master had to step in. If there was an overwhelming amount of darkness in the worlds, she had to eliminate it. That was the job of a keyblade wielder, after all.