{invitation to the unknown}

"What are we doing?" the girl whispered, her eyes widening as she carefully followed the boy around a few dreadfully sharp looking rocks. Her long, damp crimson hair framed her face. She reached up and grasped the edge of the cliff-like rock he was standing on, hauling herself up to get a better look at him. It was dark, and her vision was rather obscured by the air around her. He was peering at her with his eyes alight.

"I'm giving you your birthday present!" the boy cried, bending on his knees so he was eyelevel with her. She tilted her head, her dark red eyebrows furrowing. Her tail fin bobbed and splashed against the water, the strain too much to take. She felt herself fall back down, engulfed in a shimmering darkness. Water rushed into her mouth, and she breathed, her hair billowing around her head like blood swirling in the water. She leaned her head back, her tail splashing against the surface, and she pushed herself up again, her face breaking the barrier of ocean and air, and she felt the sharp sting of oxygen burn her face. Her friend's face was still relatively close to hers, as he was leaning over the side of his rock to stare at her.

"Ven, I can't go into the city!" the girl gasped, sinking herself into the water, her blue eyes drooping in sadness. "Remember what happened last time? Someone almost saw me!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ven waved this off, as if it was nothing more than senseless nonsense. This aggravated the girl to no end, because it was serious. She couldn't be seen by humans! "Look, we're not going to the city, and I've got this amazing plan, Kai, and trust me, you're gonna love it! Plus, it's daring. Be the brave little fish I know you are!"

"Brave, brave, brave!" Kairi cried in exasperation, flinging her arms into the air. Her hair went flying upwards, and Ven blinked slowly his eyes traveling from her face downwards. They lingered there for a small moment before he blinked back up at her face, his expression unchanged.

"Kairi, your hair," he remarked with furrowed eyebrows. Kairi felt herself turn her head downward to examine her hair, but she saw nothing wrong with it. She shook her head and looked back up at her friend.

"What about it?" she asked slowly, twirling a piece of her dark red locks between her fingers.

"I ain't really sure exactly why it's indecent, but I'm pretty sure it's kind of just not acceptable in regular human atmospheres to show your cleavage off." Ven shrugged, and Kairi turned her head down again to stare at her bare breasts, which were partially hidden by the water. She looked up at Ven, looking extremely confused.

"But… it doesn't bother me," she said slowly. "Why should it bother anyone else?"

Ven shrugged, laying himself on his stomach so he could rest his chin on his hands. He peered down at Kairi, moving his head from side to side, as if he was rattling an answer inside his brain. "Well," he said, glancing up at the sky, kicking his feet up. "Most humans aren't like me. They've got rules, and stuff. I ain't really sure, cause you know, you and Light are basically the only girls I've ever talked to for more than five minutes, but people just like to cover up their skin."

"You don't," Kairi huffed, sinking deeper into the water, blowing bubbles with her nose.

"I do!" Ven cried, straightening up. "Look at me, I look like a gentleman, see!" Kairi thought his new clothes were kind of overly odd, in all honesty. But she wasn't exactly an expert on clothing, so maybe humans did wear tight white fabric mixed with a looser black long thing. She didn't really know how to describe them.

"Well normally you don't wear very much humany clothes," she grumbled, splashing the water around her for a moment and glaring down into the abyss.

"Well, it's for a special occasion!" Ven jumped to his feet and gave Kairi a pout. "It ain't exactly for tonight, but I wanna wear it for your birthday, you see?"

"Not really," she sighed, ducking under the water, her face flushing as her hair curled up around her head in the gently nipping water. She curved around the rocked, her tail flapping against the surface, and she smiled as she turned herself, her head breaking the air, the freeness of the world above blinding her for a moment as she tried to regain her bearings.

"Don't worry, you're going to love this!" Ven's voice floated to her, despite him being rather far away now, his body floating on land, while hers was crushed by the sea. She wondered if he truly realized the extent of their differences. He never cared that she had a tail, but perhaps that was because he wasn't a normal human boy. It had taken him months to figure out human girls didn't actually have tails, and it still made him rather uncomfortable to talk about. Ventus was naïve to the ways of the world around him, even more so than Kairi, which was saying something, as she lived underwater, never greeted any human aside from the oblivious blond boy.

"Sure, Ven," she whispered, laying on her back and looking up at the stars, her long crimson hair floating gently around her head. "Just… please don't mess this up."

"Aqua!"

"God damn it," she growled, tying the pale blue kerchief around her head. As a lady, Aqua tried her best to be polite, because in her mind she really had no reason not to be, but it was just so frustrating. "I'm coming!"

It was late now, and Aqua had just gotten in after a short day with Terra. She was disappointed with how things had turned out, but there was always tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, until he left for a war. Of course, he insisted he wasn't going to war any time soon, but she didn't believe him. This country hated its neighbor with a burning passion, and it would be no surprise if a war sparked between them. She was just preparing herself for the worst, because when the time came that Terra could not be at her side, she could not mope about it. She had to be stronger than that.

"Aqua!"

"I'll be right there, Rosso!" Aqua cried, slamming the cupboard door shut with a force that shook the entire kitchen. Aqua blinked slowly, and looked around in shock. It seemed as if she didn't know her own strength sometimes.

Aqua shook her head to clear her thoughts and she hopped into her ragged old shoes, the rough inner fabric scratching at her calloused feet, and she sighed. She really was better off barefoot, it seemed. Perhaps…

She swallowed and grabbed the tray of tea from the counter top, thinking over her entire reason for staying in this wretched house. No, it had nothing to do with the footwear, she was just being stupid with her discomfort. She longed for the worn, fitted soles of her boy-boots, and these maid slippers made her fidgety! But she could deal with it.

Aqua always thought she owed her stepmother something. Ever since she was a young girl, she found herself dwelling on the fact that she could be dead, but she wasn't. And therefore she had to be grateful, and live in this hopeless life of hers until a war started for her to try to enlist in. It wasn't that she wanted to fight, of course! She was sickened by the idea of killing someone. But Aqua knew it well in her heart— if she had to, she would take a life. She was a soldier inside, and Terra taught her that. He made her tougher than any boy her age, and as selfless as a dire wolf protecting its kin. Well, she wasn't really sure about that, but it was what he said. He often told her that she was the bravest person he ever knew.

He would sometimes slip up when they were alone, calling her a man, but she never minded. This was all her choice, the cross-dressing plot, and she accepted that she made a better man than a lady. But this didn't sway her heart from her loyalty to the woman who treated her like a piece of excrement. Sure, Aqua knew she'd leap at the change to go off and fight, but for now… she just had to keep herself in this house. Her happiness was the cost of her morals.

Aqua carried herself as delicately as possible, her attempts at stifling her soldier posture keeping up as she moved slowly up the stairwell. She had to remind herself that she was a lady constantly, and that being a lady meant she had to be lady-like, and all that. Aqua didn't mind being a girl, of course, it was just that there were so many rules, and Aqua was just… too much of her own person to abide by them.

She nudged open the door to the sitting room with her hip, bowing her head a little in her stepmother's direction before setting the tray down on the table. She stepped back quickly, her eyes darting between her two stepsisters, and she swallowed. Rosso was watching her with a wild quality to her deep crimson gaze, like a panther watching its prey. Her red hair was slicked back, pinned with oval shaped clips to keep the ragged mess of curls from falling into her long face.

"It took you long enough," Rosso sneered, her words lilted by a foreign accent. When Aqua had asked, her stepmother had answered simply that Rosso had lived with her father for a few years while developing her speech mannerisms, and the accent stuck.

"I…" Aqua faltered, backing up against a wall. "My deepest apologies. I was running late from the market."

"Well," simpered Scarlet, the fair haired younger daughter of the merciful Lady, "you certainly look like you just came back from hunting chickens!"

Aqua looked down at herself, her cheeks growing hot in humiliation as she dusted off her apron, and folded her scratched and grimy hands behind her back. "I wasn't hunting anything," Aqua muttered self-consciously.

"It looks like the chickens won." Rosso smirked and pointed. "Look, mother, she's all bloody and battered. Wee Aqua's been in a skirmish."

Aqua avoided her stepmother's gaze, and instead ventured herself to gaze out the window beside her, seeing not much else but an old tree that swayed gently in the wind, and a short walkway that was stained yellow from the setting sun. She raised her hand, and her fingers brushed against the cut Terra had given her earlier to teach her a lesson. She'd have to warn him next time not to strike at her face again. Though he tended to be oblivious to her warnings when they were sparring. Sometimes he acted like a completely different person.

"Oh, don't let it bother you, Rosso, the pet probably just got too chatty with a grosser, or something similar to that. Men don't take kindly to young ladies who like to use their tongues."

Aqua scowled and glanced over at her stepmother, whose sharp eyes were glued to the girl's face. Aqua said nothing, sliding her tongue between her teeth and chomping down to keep her comments to herself. Her stepmother was very young looking, a rather beautiful woman with long blonde hair, and spectacles that she often peered over in a condescending manner. Her name was Jihl, and she was a viper in the skin of a noblewoman.

"Tell me, Aqua, have you placed anymore thought on going to the ball?" her stepmother asked, her smile tight.

Aqua swallowed, her stomach knotting up at the mention of the stupid event. She didn't want to go, she told herself. Only vapid, brainless women went to balls. She didn't want to go. "Yes, stepmother," Aqua said softly. "I do not want to go."

"You wouldn't have gone anyway," Scarlet snorted, and Jihl shot her a look. Scarlet straightened up and looked down at her hands, saying nothing else. Jihl looked back at her stepdaughter and gave her another empty smile.

"Very good, my dear," she said, rising to her feet as her daughters sipped their tea quietly, shooting glances at one another. "A ball is not for you, anyway. You might as well go on and serve the entire event, considering that seems to be all your good for."

Aqua's eyes narrowed. No, she thought boldly, straightening up and letting her hands fall at her sides. Shut up. You have no idea what I'm capable of. But she could not bring herself to speak. So she stood, staring at her stepmother, her heart never bringing her to the point of hatred— she was still just thankful she was alive. But she breathed in sharply, her face betraying all of her emotions. And then she began.

"You know," Aqua said icily, leaning her back against the windowsill. "You're completely right, stepmother, I guess I'm just too frail to go to the ball, or perhaps too unlucky? Wouldn't it be better to simply not—" A loud crack sounded directly behind her. Aqua jumped away from the window and spun around, her mind reeling in shock as she stared at it. Something had smacked against the glass. Something hard. Aqua squinted, and she noticed the faint crack in the window.

"What…" she whispered, rushing to investigate as Scarlet screamed, and Jihl asked stupid questions. Aqua raised her hand, her index finger grazing over the dent in the glass, noting that it came from outside. She blinked slowly before her eyes flashed downward once they caught sight of waving arms. She swore under her breath.

"The wind!" Aqua choked out, spinning around to face her stepmother and stepsisters. "It's very, um, windy right now, and, ah…" Aqua spat out her words awkwardly, feeling the odd cockney accent of her male alter ego slip onto her tongue. "A bunch of rubbish just blew into the walkway, so I'll just…" Aqua swallowed her accent, backing away from her stepfamily slowly. "Clean it up…"

"What?" Scarlet cried, jumping to her feet. But Aqua paid no attention to her, and she ran out of the room, abandoning her shoes on the stairwell, and leaping out the door. She stood on the porch for a moment, turning only to shut the door behind her, and she tried to calm herself down as she dropped down from her stoop, running around the house with her bare feet padding softly against the ground.

He turned around the moment he heard her coming, and he smiled a little. Aqua did not return the favor, and she did not stop running as she neared him. She grabbed his arm and dragged him forward, into the road, and she ducked down behind a wall, breathing heavily as she glared at her tan skinned friend.

"Oh my gods," she panted, leaning against the wall. "There is something wrong with you, Terra!"

Terra stared at her, looking obviously taken aback. "What?" he asked blankly, leaning away from her. "I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

"No!" she cried, shooting him a sharp look. His eyes widened, and Aqua flinched. "I mean— crap, Terra, you know I didn't mean it like that! It's just… my stepmother, and stepsisters could've seen you, and… and that could ruin everything!"

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, dropping down on his knees beside her. "I didn't… I didn't think—"

"Duh," she spat, rising to her feet. "Of course you didn't. If you had thought, you would've remembered how I specifically told you never to come to my house!"

"Aqua, calm down," Terra growled, glaring at the dirt.

"Terra," Aqua hissed, leaning forward so her face was level with his. "If they saw you, everything could be over. My training, hanging out with you, everything! They don't tend to be overly kind when I disobey."

Terra sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her down onto her knees. She did not struggle, but she gave him an irritated look as he glared at her. They sat like this for a minute or two, silently battling each other with gazes as sharp as swords. Aqua was breathing normally now, and after a while, they simply stopped glaring and sat in silence. Aqua turned her gaze toward the sky, which was darted now with stars, and Terra's eyes moved down toward the earth. He let his finger's slip from her wrist.

"Aqua?" he murmured without looking up.

"Hmm?" she hummed, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin against them.

"Come to the ball with me."

Aqua looked at him sharply, straightening up, and dropping her legs down. "What?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"Let me take you. Not as a courtship or anything, because I know you're not into that, and frankly, neither am I, but…" He sucked in a gulp of air, gritting his teeth as he felt himself flush red. "I mean, what the hell do we have to lose?"

"Our freedom for one," Aqua grumbled miserably. "Our manhood."

"Aqua," Terra said slowly.

She cracked a smile and looked up at him. "Admit it, that was funny."

"Awkward to think about, actually."

"Oh, shut up, I'm an awesome guy. I bet I'd be better looking than you if I really was one."

"You already are a better looking guy, smart ass." Terra rolled his eyes and leaned his back against the wall, his shoulder bumping against hers. "Eraqus says you've got ladies lining up. You could have a harem."

"Thank you," Aqua coughed, burying her face in her hands. "For that lovely mental image."

"I don't know, I kind of—"

"Finish that sentence, Terra, and you really will lose your manhood."

Terra glanced at her, and his eyebrows raised. "Point taken, Calder."

She looked up at him, and breathed in deeply. "Do you really want me to go to the ball with you?" she whispered, staring down at her hands, her lips twisting.

Terra blinked confusedly. "Uh," he said with a laugh. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to. You'd be the only thing worth going for."

Aqua stared at him, her mouth dropping open, and Terra felt suddenly very foolish. What a dumb thing to say! He was supposed to be encouraging her to come with him, and now he was pushing her off with stupid statements like that. He shook his head, and stood up. "Never mind," he muttered. "This was really stupid of me. If you don't want to go, you don't have to. Trust me, you might be better off. Parties are terrifying."

Aqua shook her head. "I…" she sighed, rising to her feet as well. She tested the ground for a moment, the dirt squishing against her toes. "Terra, I do want to go. But I can't. Not with Rosso, and Scarlet, and Jihl wandering around. They'd skin me alive if they saw me there."

Terra glanced at her, and his eyebrows raised a little. "You obviously didn't read the invitation," he remarked.

Aqua looked away fast, a scowl on her lips, before her eyes darted back to his face. "I wasn't allowed to read the whole thing," she muttered.

Terra nodded. "Yeah, figures." He smiled and slammed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jolt in shock. "Well, Aqua, it's your lucky day."

"What?" she gasped, pushing his hand from her shoulder. "Why?"

"The ball is a masquerade, miss Calder."

I finished this so early because I've been inspired by the series of faerie books that basically introduced me into the world of fey, so YEAH I WANTED TO WRITE SHIT ABOUT FAERIES. Not that there is anything next chapter with faeries. Except maybe the fruit thing.

So Aqua's Cinderella. I don't think a lot of you caught that? I don't know, Shanna was like, "SHE'S MULAN!" and I was like, "Um, kind of, but she never makes it to the army." I haven't told her that though, because I haven't finished replying to her review. Multiple fairy tale characters and shit.

Not much going on this chapter. OH. SHANNA, I CHOSE SCARLET AND ROSSO, BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE RED THEMED NAMES, AND THEY'RE BOTH FROM FFVII. Also, I didn't need to put much effort with their characters. WHICH BY THE WAY, ARE TOTALLY MADE UP, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW EITHER OF THEM. Filler characters suck, okay.

Jhil was a last minute decision that you don't have to take seriously. I don't really know how to write her, either. I just needed a name and a face. It's easier for her because she's not quite as villainous, as say, Terra's mother, who comes in for real next chapter, and I was just like, "Lol, you don't have a face or a name, sucker." It stayed that way. I just referred to her as 'the woman', or 'terra's mother'. Oops.

Gonna remind everyone that Calder is the name I chose for Aqua's boy self. I didn't want to give boy!Aqua a name, but I realized since she actually talked to people as a boy, and it took Terra a while to figure out she was a girl, she needed one.

I just want to write about faeries and shit, oh my god, why is that so far away.

Please review, if possible! =] Should go beta read. Tomorrow? Maybe? I don't know, I've been busy. I feel shitty when I push this off.

ARYA/GENDRY SHIPPERS IN THE HOUSE? sorry what, dani, shut up, omg, no one cares about your game of thrones feels

BUT IT'S SO CUTE. IT'S LIKE THE STARK/BARATHEON UNION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

I'm just going to shut up, seriously, ignore me, I'm shipping an eleven year old with a... I don't know, actually, he's probably around sixteen? Seventeen? Well, it could be worse, this is Game of Thrones. DONE NOW.

-Dani