In a bright flash of light, Sora and Aqua found themselves standing on a single island floating in the middle of a strange yet colorful sea of energy. The ground beneath them was soft green grass. Sora and Aqua both looked around in awe of the place.
"Light. It feels so…refreshing to feel it again." Aqua said as she hugged herself in pure bliss of the feeling.
"I know. Light is always a great thing to feel." Sora said with a nod before Aqua turned towards him.
"I can't even begin to thank you for freeing me from that place. I feel like I owe you." Aqua said as Sora smiled and shook his head.
"Not at all. It was my pleasure to help. Besides, I feel like we've actually met before, and that helping you was like returning a favor or something." Sora said as Aqua looked at him curiously but with a smile on her face.
"I suspect that we might have met before. You do seem a bit more familiar as well now that I can see you in a better light." Aqua said as Sora smiled.
"So what are you going to do now?" Sora asked.
"Well, I figure I've got a lot of work to do. I need to work on finding a couple of old friends of mine. I know where one is but I don't know where the other one is or what's become of him. Oh but wait, I can't do anything. I have no way of leaving this world." Aqua said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.
"When I fell into Darkness, it was because I was trying to save someone from the same fate. I sacrificed my power so that my friend would survive and not fall into the darkness either. I don't know if I can even reclaim my old power back or not. So until I find some way to fight, I won't be of any use to anyone." Aqua said. Sora paused for a moment in thought before a thought occurred to him.
"Oh I know, maybe I could protect you. Then we could look together. I'm trying to find someone too so maybe we can find all the people we're looking for." Sora said earning a curious look from Aqua.
"You would be willing to protect me on both our quests? I'm honored. If only I had my old strength back, I might be of more help." Aqua said as Sora smiled up at her.
"Don't worry. I've been on my own before, and I can take care of us both." Sora said as Aqua smiled back.
"You're a brave boy, Sora. But I can't let you protect me all the time. I've got to find some way of helping you out. You did bust me out of the Realm of Darkness after all." Aqua replied as they both turned inland, away from the colored sea.
"Then let's start looking for a way to-…huh?" Sora asked in surprise as they beheld a single tall tower sitting on the surprisingly small island. The tower was made of gray stone bricks and the very top of the tower was a blue cone with white moon and star shaped windows all over it. Sora, and surprisingly Aqua, recognized the tower immediately.
"Wait! I know this place! That powerful Sorcerer lives here!" Aqua exclaimed. Sora looked at her in surprise.
"You know about this place too?!" Sora asked, earning an equally surprised look from Aqua.
"You know about it? Then you must know who lives here! Yen Sid, the mightiest sorcerer alive!" Aqua explained as Sora nodded.
"I know, I've met him before. He helped me out on my adventure before." Sora said as Aqua looked up at the tower with an expression of hope.
"Then let's go see if he's here. Maybe he'll be able to point both of us in the right directions." Aqua said as they approached the castle. They were unaware that the mighty sorcerer himself was watching them from through his window. After the dizzying climb up the stairs, Sora and Aqua were beat. Sora reared back his hand to knock on the door but it slowly creaked open on its own.
"Welcome. I have been expecting the both of you." Yen Sid said stoically, his back turned to them as he stood peering out the window behind his desk. Sora and Aqua silently and nervously approached his desk. Aqua then cleared her throat.
"I'm not sure if you remember me sir, my name is-." "I know who you are, Aqua, and I am pleased to see that you have survived these eleven years within the Realm of Darkness." Yen Sid said, still facing away from her.
"Thank you. I'm glad tha-…did you say eleven years? That I've been gone eleven years?!" Aqua asked with an expression of shock and horror. Sora was almost as surprised.
"Time flows differently between worlds. Not all worlds are the same. Much has changed since you disappeared Aqua, but rest assured that your return was not unforeseen. We all knew that you would come back." Yen Sid said as Aqua looked heartbroken.
"Then…what of-." "Your friends? They still survive. One still sleeps but his heart lives on…but the other…he is harder to see. He is almost exactly the same as when you last saw him. You know what I am referring too." Yen Sid said as tears again filled Aqua's eyes but this time they were tears of sadness. She dropped to her knees in anguish. Sora placed his hand on her shoulder, comfortingly.
"These are not the things you wanted to hear upon your return, but there is hope. For the heart of your friend, stands next to you right now." Yen Sid said, causing Aqua to stop crying and look up at the sorcerer confused. She then looked at Sora with a confused expression.
"What do you mean?" Aqua asked. Yen Sid finally turned towards them and approached his desk.
"Sora…look deep within yourself and you will find a memory buried deep within your mind that could never be tampered with." Yen Sid instructed as Sora looked confused for a moment yet complied. Aqua looked at him curiously. Then for a brief moment she saw it. Sora's entire form seemed to vanish and be replaced by that of a young blond haired boy with spiky hair.
"Ven." Aqua said breathlessly as the image of the boy faded, revealing Sora still standing exactly where he had been.
"Now your eyes have been opened." Yen Sid said as Aqua looked at a now hopelessly lost Sora.
"Aqua, what just happened?" Sora asked.
"Sora…I don't know how, but you somehow have the heart of one of my friends within your own." Aqua said as Sora blinked.
"It is true Sora. It is only one reason why you are able to wield the Keyblade. You possess the heart of another within your own heart." Yen Sid said as Sora blinked again.
"What?! Whose heart?!" Sora asked as he put his hands to his chest.
"His name is Ventus. I used to call him Ven. He lost his heart a long time ago…but, it still only seems like yesterday." Aqua said with a sigh.
"I guess that's why I feel like we've met before. We may or may not have actually met physically but our hearts have. So that's why I recognized you." Sora said as Aqua nodded.
"Our paths were meant to cross, Sora. You are the key to restoring everything to the way things were." Aqua said as Yen Sid nodded.
"Indeed. But your paths crossed for another reason." Yen Sid said, regaining both their attention.
"Huh?" Sora asked.
"Sora, your skills with the Keyblade, while formidable, are not strong enough to defeat a true master of the Keyblade. In order to defeat a master, you must be taught by a master." Yen Sid said as Aqua sighed.
"But Master Yen Sid, the last master alive was Master Eraqus and he died eleven years ago." Aqua said as Yen Sid nodded in agreement.
"You are only half correct. While master Eraqus did indeed perish eleven years ago, he did however successfully train at least one Keyblade Master. I believe you know of whom I speak." Yen Sid said as Aqua's eyes widened in realization.
"You don't mean…" Aqua said as she gulped hard.
"I do indeed." Yen Sid said before turning to Sora.
"Sora, did you know that Aqua is the last true Keyblade Master?" Yen Sid asked as Sora's eyes widened.
"What?! Aqua is this true?! Are you really a Keyblade Master?!" Sora asked as Aqua sighed.
"I…was." Aqua replied.
"Then…couldn't you use your Keyblade and escape from the Realm of Darkness on your own?" Sora asked as Aqua shook her head.
"I couldn't. Remember, I told you earlier that I had been forced to sacrifice my power in order to save my friend? Well that power was my power to wield a Keyblade. I lost my Keyblade a long time ago and I don't even know if I can regain it again." Aqua said sadly.
"You can indeed reclaim your strength." Yen Sid said, earning a surprised look from the two.
"I can?!" Aqua asked hopefully.
"Indeed. You must travel to Radiant Garden and search the deepest and darkest confines of the Castle that once belonged to Ansem the Wise. There you will find the embodiment of your power, waiting for you, its master, to reclaim it. Once it has been reclaimed, it will be yours to command once again." Yen Sid explained as Aqua and Sora both beamed excitedly. Aqua quickly leapt to her feet.
"Then that means…" Aqua said thoughtfully before she turned to Sora, "…That means you and I are definitely going to have to stick together."
"But what about our quests to connect with the people we're supposed to find?" Sora asked.
"You do not realize it Sora, but your two quests are the same. Aqua is one of the three people you needed to find. Ven is another one of them but his body has been hidden away, separated from you, the vessel for his Heart. His Heart is safe within you but it will remain there until it has awakened." Yen Sid explained.
"You mean Ven's heart can't be removed from him yet?" Aqua asked, confused.
"His heart must be awakened first, and the only way to do that is for Sora to become a true Keyblade Master, and you are the only one who can ensure that he does so." Yen Sid said as Aqua and Sora exchanged unsure looks.
"I guess I have no choice then Sora. Will you allow me to teach you to become a Keyblade Master?" Aqua asked as Sora smiled and nodded.
"You bet. We can search for Ven's body and the third guy while we're at it." Sora said as Aqua smiled slightly and nodded.
"Alright then. Well…we best not keep you much longer Master Yen Sid. But…how do we reach Radiant Garden from here? A Keyblade Rider's only supposed to support one person, and one person alone." Aqua said, causing Sora to look at her confused.
"What's a Keyblade Rider?" Sora asked.
"You don't even know what a Keyblade Rider is? Boy you do need a master. How have you been getting around from world to world all this time?" Aqua asked confused.
"Easy. I've been using a Gummy Ship the entire time. Although I kinda lost the one I had before I defeated Xemnas." Sora said, causing Aqua to arch an eyebrow.
"What's a gummy ship? And who's Xemnas?" Aqua asked.
"I'll explain it all to you, don't worry." Sora said as Yen Sid cleared his throat.
"I shall transport you to Radiant Garden, but first I must give the two of you a word of warning." Yen Sid causing Sora and Aqua to pause with worried expressions.
"A warning?" Sora asked.
"What kind of warning?" Aqua asked.
"The second you returned to these worlds Aqua, I sensed a sudden stirring in the darkness. It is probably safe to assume that the darkness is aware of the sudden reemergence of a Keyblade Master. If not, we must still face the possibility that the darkness will sense Ven's awakening heart and attempt to take it. Sora has encountered beings of darkness known as the Heartless and has successfully battled them on numerous occasions. Trust his judgment when dealing with these creatures." Yen Sid explained.
"So what about the Nobodies?" Sora asked. Aqua looked at Yen Sid confused.
"Nobodies?" She asked.
"The Nobodies are the empty shells of those who have lost their hearts. Consider them the opposite of the Heartless but they are neither light nor dark. Upon their defeat however they do fade into darkness. Sora has encountered these creatures as well and defeated them also. However they are not gone. There are a few left, still lingering in worlds that rest between light and darkness. I foresee that you will undoubtedly encounter Nobodies on your quest. Once again, you should trust Sora's judgment when dealing with them." Yen Sid explained.
"Heartless? Nobodies? They sound an awful lot like the Unversed." Aqua said, earning a confused look from Sora.
"Who are they?" Sora asked.
"The Unversed were beings of darkness. They were the precursors to the Heartless. Fortunately, they are now widely extinct since they came from half of a single person's heart. However I fear that if Ven's heart begins to awaken, that the Unversed will make a return. If you encounter them Sora, you should rely on Aqua's guidance to defeat them." Yen Sid explained.
"Sounds like we've got some things to learn from each other huh Sora?" Aqua asked as Sora nodded.
"Yeah. A lot has changed in the time you've been gone, and you're going to need someone to help you adjust to the changes. I think that's another reason we were supposed to meet." Sora said with a smile.
"The relationship between Master and Apprentice is like the two sides of the same coin. It is not just the apprentice learning from the master, but also the master learning from the apprentice. From learning the simplest of things to learning life changing secrets, both should benefit from each other's experiences and acquired wisdom." Yen Sid explained as Sora and Aqua nodded.
"Then I guess we should probably get going to Radiant Garden. I'm eager to see that place again." Aqua said as Sora nodded.
"Yeah, let's go…Master Aqua." Sora said as Aqua giggled.
"No need to be formal with me Sora. Aqua is just fine." Aqua replied as they turned back towards Yen Sid.
"We're ready to go Master Yen Sid." Aqua said as she and Sora joined hands.
"Very well." Yen Sid said as his conical blue hat with white moon and star shapes started to glow with a blue aura. He then thrust his hands out to his sides and in a great burst of light the two vanished, leaving the mighty sorcerer alone in his tower.
"Still think I'm delusional?"
"Yes."
"You are so full of it."
"Same could be said about you."
"I suppose so."
"I also thought that we were not on speaking terms anymore."
"Who else am I going to talk to?"
"You annoy me."
"Good, at least I'm still something you despise."
"You never stopped being something that I despised. You've always annoyed me."
"Well then, score one for me."
"Oh shut up you blathering fool."
"You first."
(Sigh) "Why?"
"Because you're an idiot."
"I WAS TALKING TO MYSELF!"
"…and you're losing it."
(Exasperated sigh)
In Radiant Garden…
In a bright flash of light, Sora and Aqua appeared within the Radiant Garden marketplace, facing towards the castle.
"Wait, where are we? Master Yen Sid, you sent us to the wrong place! You've sent us to some sort of…Hollow Bastion and not Radiant Garden!" Aqua yelled into the sky.
"Um, I hate to break it to you but…this is Radiant Garden." Sora said as he pointed towards the Castle. Aqua looked at it for a moment then in a flash, she saw a brief vision of the town's former glory compared to the semi-dismal wreckage that remained.
"Oh my…what happened to this place Sora?" Aqua asked.
"The Heartless happened. This place was consumed by the Heartless and plunged into darkness. It was one of the first worlds to fall." Sora explained.
"And why didn't anyone try to stop the Heartless? Where were you that whole time?" Aqua asked.
"It happened almost ten years ago." A voice from behind them said. Sora and Aqua spun around to see Aerith with a basket of flowers hanging from her arm.
"Aerith! It's good to see you again." Sora exclaimed with a smile as Aerith smiled back at him.
"It's good to see you again too Sora. Who's your friend?" Aerith asked, looking at Aqua.
"I'm Aqua." Aqua replied.
"She's my new Master." Sora said, earning a confused look from Aerith.
"Ah, he means that he's my apprentice. I'm training him to become a Keyblade Master." Aqua said as Aerith smiled and nodded understandingly.
"Oh I see. Is this your first time in Radiant Garden?" Aerith asked.
"Oh no. I've been here before. It's been eleven years since I've been here though and it didn't look anything like this. I remember when this place was much brighter and much cleaner." Aqua said, turning to look back towards the castle.
"Eleven years ago? That's interesting." Aerith said.
"She's probably older than she looks." Sora said, earning a glare from Aqua.
"Hey!" she groaned, with her hands on her hips.
"Uh, so how goes the restoration project?" Sora asked, quickly trying to change the subject.
"It's going great. We've hit a few snags though. Perhaps the two of you could help us out." Aerith said as Sora and Aqua exchanged looks.
"We'd be honored." Aqua replied.
"Great! Come on, we'll take you to our headquarters." Aerith said as the two started following after her.
End Chapter 2.
Please R&R.