Disclaimer: I own nothing written about in this story.

Pursuit

AN: If any of you didn't realize who Claire was before, then you should definitely be able to figure it out here... If not, then I'm sorry to say that you've missed out in life, my friend(s). Tsk-Tsk.

Chapter Thirteen – of Vengeance

Terra was surprised how much better he was feeling about the situation as he directed the ship to land at their first destination. Just knowing that Ven and Eraq were safe made everything much easier to deal with.

Aqua too, was responding well to the good news, and yet, even though her mood swings had abated considerably, she was still just as aloof as before. As if to prove his thoughts true, the woman had her safety belt unlatched and was standing almost the very instant the ship had touched down.

He sighed dismally in her wake as she marched through the cockpit wordlessly. It was as though they walked a parallel path together but were separated by an impassable, roaring river flowing between them. Both aware of the challenges the other faced but unable to help overcome them. So much tension and turbulence couldn't possibly be good for her, or the baby for that matter. It was a subject he desperately needed to discuss with her but this was neither the time nor the place. He also needed to get her alone for such an intimate conversation...

A shifting and a click made him turn to the young student occupying the seat directly behind Aqua's copilot seat. Claire too had watched after the Grand Master's exit but had calmly unbuckled herself and proceeded to stand, adjusting her gear as she waited for permission to leave the ship. Terra couldn't help but smirk at that. The rosy-haired student had a good head on her shoulders and she obviously paid attention in class.

As the final part of her gear check she unhitched the weapon now strapped to the small of her back in its compact holster. It was a prototype that Cid and Leon had developed for the advanced trainees; a Gunblade that somehow unfolded with the flick of a wrist and withdrew in much the same manner. She had only just recently graduated from the wooden training weapons and had the ignition mechanism safely disabled on the fierce metal blade until she had mastered her swordplay a bit more.

Claire shifted on her feet and looked over to Terra expectantly, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. He could sense that she was excited to be visiting her first world away from home, even if it was just Yen Sid's tower. He finally unlatched his own safety belt and moved toward the exit, gesturing her to follow. "Are you sure it's ok for you to leave your family on such short notice?" It was a little late to be asking, but it couldn't hurt to show a little concern, and Aqua was being anything but attentive toward her.

"It's fine," Claire replied and followed obediently. "Sarah can take care of herself, and the neighbors said they'd help out with my mom while I'm away."

Terra frowned as he headed down the ramp, realizing suddenly that he and Aqua were not the only ones with recent problems. With the death of her father about a year ago and her mother becoming bedridden soon after, it was all up to Claire to care for her eight year old sister and sickly mother. Even still, she continued to do her best in the Academy and continued to thrive there. She was serious-minded and kindhearted, rare qualities for her age group, though she no doubt got teased by her peers for it.

It boggled his mind as to why she hadn't been picked as an apprentice yet, although she was often regarded as one simply because of her advanced skills and intelligence. Aqua had often expressed her desire to take Claire as her apprentice but hadn't done so due to being too busy as Grand Master, and therefore lacked the one-on-one time she would need to provide.

"Master? Is something wrong?" Claire's voice cut through his musing and he realized he had halted at the bottom of a short staircase. The one that lead up to the oddly crooked tower and the double-doors that Aqua had apparently left ajar.

"No, nothing," he answered and headed inside, noting with surprise that Aqua was waiting for them, her attention drawn upward at the yawning staircase above, though this one would take a bit longer to ascend.

She turned her distant, azure gaze to him as he approached. "What took you?"

"I was just checking with Claire," Terra replied calmly. This foreign impatience of hers continued to astound him. "It's her first outing. I thought she might have concerns about leaving home."

"I'm fine, Master. Really."

As if suddenly realizing for the first time that they had a tag-along, Aqua turned to the young girl and blinked, her bright blue eyes seeming to clear of that same strange fog as before. "Claire," she said, stepping to stand in front of her and placed a hand on her rose colored hair. "This journey could get very dangerous. Make sure you tell us if anything is wrong, alright?"

Claire nodded her understanding and Terra smiled at the exchange. This was the Aqua he knew and loved; caring, protective and a bit bossy. "And don't let Master Yen Sid scare you," he told the student as they made their way upward. "He can be a little... Intimidating at first."

"Am I really that imposing?" the old wizard wondered aloud as the trio entered his study, causing Terra to cringe.

"Oh, um, sorry Master. I meant no disrespect." He hadn't expected to be heard from the long, spiral corridor but apparently the sage had more abilities than he gave him credit for.

"Merlin has contacted me about your plight." Yen Sid was standing by the crescent shaped window behind his chair, hands clasped behind his back as he regarded his visitors with that usual blank stare of his. He waved off Terra's apology and crossed over to Claire with a nod of acknowledgment. "Ah, I see you've brought a young prodigy with you. A strong heart, this one."

Claire stared, wide eyed and mouth agape for an instant before quickly clamping it shut and offering a bow of respect. "Thank you Master!"

Yen Sid nodded again with a smile, only for his expression to harden the instant his piercing gaze fell on Aqua. "Master Yen Sid, with all due respect, we're in a hurry. Did you happen to locate Ven and Eraq?"

"Master Aqua," Yen Sid responded, ignoring her question as his ominous eyes studied her with a careful scrutiny. "You exude an odd darkness, something I have not sensed from you before." He tipped his head in thought and held up a hand when she looked ready to argue the matter. "And yet... It is not your own."

Terra's brows furrowed at that, though he remained silent. He had certainly noticed it too, but had thus far passed it off as mood swings. Was it something more and should he be more concerned about it? "What do you mean?" Aqua wanted to know, folding her arms about her as though she had suddenly caught a chill. "I don't understand."

Yen Sid hummed contemplatively and turned from her without an answer. "Curious, that." Taking the seat at his desk, he proceeded to make various gestures in the air, a silver cloud materializing as he did so. "As for Ventus and young Eraq, I've been attempting to locate them. However, something has been interfering with my magic. Merlin mentioned something similar when he tried the same thing." As he spoke, the silver fog appeared as though it were forming an image but was swiftly overtaken by a black haze before dissipating altogether. "I may be able to dispel the interference but it will take some time. I suggest that you carry on with your journey and I shall contact you if I discover anything helpful."

Terra wanted to inquire further about the darkness, it worried him, and he could sense that it worried Aqua too, but she didn't press the matter. They both knew that if Yen Sid was going to elaborate, he'd have done so already. They both bowed in respect and turned to go, pausing briefly when the elderly man spoke up again. "Aqua, you carry many burdens." He glanced to Terra objectively. "You should look to those beside you for support, or I fear you may give out in the end."

"Thank you, Master."

Yen Sid merely dipped his head in farewell and the three departed. They didn't see him turn to gaze out the window, nor did they hear the words he spoke in an undertone. "Curious indeed."

Wentai had a really strong handshake, Ven thought as he noted the sword resting at the commander's hip. He got the sense this was a man that led his troops into battle and fought alongside them.

They had barely finished with their introductions when a commotion erupted somewhere on the other side of the camp. There was a frantic shouting and Ven felt his pulse quicken when he looked to see a handful of shadows either plowing their way through unsuspecting soldiers or weaving among them as if searching for easy targets.

Heartless, again.

"Battle formation!" Wentai bellowed into the frosty air and unsheathed his sword as he ran headlong into the fray, Ven's presence momentarily forgotten.

Wayward Wind was in Ven's hand before he even turned around to check on Eraq's tent. Relieved to see that it was still untouched, his attention was wrenched to a nearby soldier who had been tackled by a Neoshadow and was howling with fright as he hadn't drawn his weapon fast enough. The Heartless seemed to be appearing out of nowhere now, and Ven had to keep reminding himself to keep an eye on Eraq's tent. But he couldn't exactly just leave a defenseless man to die right in front of him either!

After dispatching the savage monster, Ven moved onto the next, casting a fire spell to keep from wandering farther from Eraq's location. That had been a mistake though, as the energy it sapped from him made the ground sway beneath his feet and he was caught off guard when an airborne enemy struck him in the shoulder. The blow had startled him more than anything and he retaliated instantly with an overhead slash, the monster exploding into black mist against the gray sky.

Taking a short moment to catch his breath and fight off his newest bout of dizziness, Ven felt a horrible sense of panic grip at his heart when he heard a screeching yelp of pain. The camp was in utter chaos, but the sound seemed to scream at him as though there were no other noises in the area. He turned, horrified to see the tent where he had left Eraq was suddenly ripped to shreds, a hulking centaur looming there, its long, jagged spear thrust down into the heap of cloth where Eraq had been laying, helpless.

Roaring with rage, his fatigue rightly forgotten, Ven lunged for the beast. Before he could reach striking distance however, his Keyblade shimmered and disappeared, replaced by six shining blades of light that arrayed themselves at his back. With a furious scowl he launched each celestial feather forward, impaling the Assault Rider one after the other until it resembled some sort of deformed pincushion.

The monster faded out of existence just as Ven reached the remains of the tent. His peripheral vision was picking up a lot of red down by his feet but he dared not look or he would no doubt lose all composure and thus be no longer able to fend off the enemy. Instead, he stood protectively over Eraq, his Wingblades resuming their original formation as a fresh wave of Heartless converged on him.

Closing his eyes, Ven tried to find a calm center among the chaos he was enduring in his heart. Protecting Eraq was all that mattered now, and he used that thought as his grounding point. The Heartless snarled, mere feet away, and he opened his deep blue pools to regard them insignificantly. The prism blades spun and slashed around him though he didn't lift a finger to direct them and they dispatched each shadow beast with multiple dying cries.

There was a hushed silence afterward, and Ven looked around to see any remaining Heartless fading away in retreat. The majority of the soldiers were all gawking at him and the unusual weapons that somehow hung in the air on their own. Ignoring their stares and with the danger finally passed, Ven dismissed his Keyblade form and dropped to one knee, suddenly all too aware of Eraq's sobbing.

But the boy was not the one in pain. He had managed a sitting position, though he was bent over Angelo's body and clutching at her neck fur. Ven could see now that all the blood he had been somewhat aware of earlier had come from the dog and a terrible wound across her withers. She must have taken the hit protecting Eraq. "Uncle Ven," the boy cried and looked up at him, tears flowing down his young face. "What do we do? She won't wake up."

Sighing wearily, Ven moved a hand to hover over Angelo's wound and tried to gather the energy for a cure spell, but he was wiped out. "Hold out your hand," he instructed Eraq, hoping the boy had at least a little bit of energy he could tap into. "Close your eyes and try to think of helping her."

Eraq sniffed and wiped his eyes with one hand while he obeyed and held out the other. Ven could feel the boy's magic rising to the surface, its soothing light seeping outward and unfocused, but Ven caught it without hesitation and channeled it down to Angelo. He blinking with relief as the wound closed up enough to stop the bleeding.

Eraq opened his eyes to look from the dog to his guardian with earnest concern. "Will she be ok?"

"I think so..." Ven wasn't sure himself, seeing that she had lost an awful lot of blood. "She needs to rest though."

Still snuffling, Eraq nodded in understanding and turned his worried gaze back to the canine as though she were his patient, stroking her head carefully.

"That was amazing!" Ven stood up to see the commander approach as he sheathed his sword and tucked his helmet under one arm. "How did you do that?"

Ven assumed he was asking about the Wingblades, but any explanation he made would only muddy the water. Instead, he sidestepped the question and hoped the commander's concern for his troops outweighed any curiosity he may have had. "You and your army should retreat before the next wave of monsters attack."

"Next wave?" Wentai's eyes widened and he gave the landscape a cursory glance, but there were no signs of the abominations for miles, their dark shapes no doubt obvious to see on the snow white tundra. "How do you-?"

"I just know," Ven pressed firmly. "Trust me, you need to leave now." He knew it was pretty unreasonable to expect Wentai to trust him after they had only just met, but really, who was he going to trust in the end? The guy that just slaughtered a bunch of the things when his own men couldn't touch them, or take his chances and stick around to see if another horde attacked?

Wentai studied Ven carefully for a moment, the gears in his mind nearly visible as he pondered his words. "You're not coming with us, are you?" It was more of an accusation than a question and one that needn't be answered as he scrutinized Ven's lack of a weapon in that instant. "You'll fight them on your own?"

"I thank you for your help, Wentai, but I can handle the monsters on my own." I hope. To be honest, Ven wasn't even sure how he was still standing at this point.

After scratching his head in bewilderment, Wentai turned to his wandering and frazzled troops and gave the order to mount up and move out immediately. He looked back to Ven and then gave a concerned glance down to Eraq and Angelo. "At least let us take the boy then. He'd be safer with us, right?"

Ven glanced around the area suspiciously, his mind distracted as he replied direly. "It's the boy they're after. Taking him with you will only result in more casualties."

Wentai let out a contemplative hum, though for some reason he withheld the question he no doubt wanted to ask. Why in the world are they after the boy? Ven was thankful for the man's foresight and understanding but was surprised when he suddenly moved to kneel down beside Eraq and the wounded animal. "She needs medical attention. With so much blood loss she'll die of hypothermia before nightfall."

Ven could only blink in confusion at the commander. Why was he concerning himself over a dog when some of his own men had been injured? He was either a fool or an unusually caring soul. Or both. He decided it didn't really matter though. Angelo needed help, but before he could even ask, Wentai had reached down and proceeded to lift the dog as he stood, eliciting a plaintive cry from Eraq as he did so.

"No, she needs to rest!" the boy cried and wobbled to a standing position in order to protest further. It seemed that with the right motivation he was able to move his body in a somewhat controlled manner. But Wentai carried on as if he didn't hear him, his steps swift and sure through the snow as he mounted his horse, brought to him by a frantic hostler.

"Uncle Ven, don't let them take her!" the boy whined and tugged at the blond's pant leg persistently.

Ven barely had the energy left to reply, though he placed a comforting hand on the boy's charcoal head. "It's ok Eraq, they'll take care of her until we find a way to get home." It was for the best really. She probably would die if she stayed here, and he didn't know how he would ever be able to face Rinoa if that happened.

Eraq grew very silent at that, only his sniffling could be heard and he kept fast hold of Ven's pant leg as he watched the commander wheel his horse over to them. He had the unconscious Angelo wrapped in a blanket and held her close on his lap. It seemed that he would be overseeing her recovery personally. "Lieutenant," Wentai called to a nearby soldier. "Prepare a fire pit for these two, and bring them blankets and supplies."

The Lieutenant nodded and ran off to obey. Ven looked up and met the commander's steady gaze. "Thank you again Wentai. For all your help."

"You should know, before we leave." Wentai offered a wide grin despite the dire situation. "As amazing as your performance was, you are not the strangest stranger I've met in my time." Ven felt his expression quirk oddly in question, though he could not find the required breath to voice it aloud. "Farewell Ventus. May Yin and Yang watch over you both."

If Ven wasn't confused before, he sure as heck was now. Who or what was Yin and Yang? This world's gods he guessed? Maybe they were benevolent like Hercules or something. He hoped they were benevolent, he could definitely use some of that right about now.

With a firm nod of finality, Wentai guided his horse to the front of his company, most of which had formed up to move out. By the time all the stragglers had joined the ranks, the lieutenant had rekindled the nearest fire pit and gathered various supplies in a heap, from extra blankets and food to more fire wood.

Ven could feel his body failing steadily as he tried to guide Eraq over to the warmth of the fire. The lieutenant said nothing but gave a nod of acknowledgment before he mounted his own horse and departed. "Why did they leave?" Eraq wanted to know, his gaze drawn to the army marching away. He still clung to Ven, his only source of comfort and protection now that Angelo was gone, and shifted his hold when the man sat down on the mound of blankets by the fire.

Ven simply didn't have it in him to answer, it was all he could manage just to pull the blankets around them in a tight bundle. He desperately needed to rest. Summoning Wingblade had drained him so completely, more-so than he ever thought possible. It had been so long since he was forced to use that form. Things weren't looking so good. If he never got a chance to rest then his body would take even longer to recover from the darkness it was purging from his system.

"Eraq," Ven called down weakly. He could hear the boy sniffling again, though he couldn't tell if that was due to more tears or just the frigid air. "I need you to keep a lookout for the monsters for a little while." He knew it was an unreasonable demand for the boy, but the situation itself was unreasonable. Simply put, if he didn't rest then he wouldn't be able to fight.

"What?" Eraq whined and looked up to frown at his uncle's drowsy face. "You can't sleep now Uncle Ven, what if the monsters attack again?"

Ven sighed in frustration but wrapped an arm around the boy and held him close. "Here, if they attack while I'm asleep, use this." He summoned his Keyblade and held it in his open palm for Eraq to take. He knew it was too heavy for him to actually use, but if just holding it would make him feel a little braver then problem solved. He didn't think it would dematerialize if he fell asleep so long as Eraq held it and was close by.

Hesitantly, the boy lifted the weapon from Ven's hand and held it close. He didn't exactly agree to the task but he wasn't complaining about it either. Ven couldn't help but smile slightly as he watched the boy scan the landscape, carefully attentive and listening for any movements.

Ven wasn't sure if he really would fall asleep, but he just needed to close his eyes for awhile. He wondered if Terra and Aqua were ok, and if they were on their way to help. He hoped so, because he wasn't sure how many hordes of Heartless he could fend off in such a weakened state.

Come quick you guys. I don't know how long I can keep this up.

"Aqua," Terra groaned. "This seems like a waste of time. Sora said he checked here first already. She isn't here."

"Maybe she wasn't here when Sora checked, but she is now. I can feel it."

Terra watched, frustrated as his wife strode through the tenebrous halls of Meleficent's old fortress. They had arrived in Enchanted Dominion with the intent of interrogating the dark fairy, yet she was nowhere to be found so far. The fortress was as quiet as a tomb, not even a single snorting or squawking minion inhabited the place now.

Terra turned to Claire as she trailed behind him, her gaze roving all around and her hand never left the hilt of her holstered Gunblade. She was on edge and watchful, no doubt sensing the thick darkness hanging in every corner of the building. Terra was sure that was all Aqua was sensing as well. He was starting to doubt his wife's unstable connections, especially ever since Yen Sid had noticed something was off about her.

His dark blue eyes reverted back to Aqua with a new determination. Although this may not be the best place, it was certainly the time. He could wait no longer to confront her, and realistically he didn't think any world they went to would be the perfect place for such a discussion. "Claire."

"Master?" the girl responded instantly, and Terra met her gaze briefly.

They had just entered the outer courtyard, where ramparts and gates littered the area. Aqua had pulled ahead and was examining a closed gate as though it might open for her if she glared at it long enough. "I need to talk with Aqua alone. Can you give us a minute?"

"Of course," she answered quietly and trotted away towards one of the ramparts. "I'll see if I can get that gate open."

"Be careful," Terra called after her as he crossed over to his wife with a purpose in his step. "Hey," he started gently and reached out to take her hand in his, but she didn't so much as look at him, instead opting to drop her eyes to the side.

"You think I'm imagining things. Don't you?"

"I'm worried about you. You and..." His eyes drifted down to her abdomen, the rest of his sentence caught in his throat.

She did look up then, noting his line of sight and quickly made the connection with a scowl. "It's too early to be worried about that." Miffed, she turned away again but he held tight to her wrist.

"Is it?" Terra questioned, though his tone implied more of an accusation. "You don't think the anger you're feeling will effect him? This revenge you crave?"

Aqua didn't fight his hold but she didn't turn back to him either. Closing her eyes, she breathed out a frustrated sigh and nodded. "I'm trying to suppress it, but I feel like someone is influencing me. I thought maybe Yen Sid would tell me, but..."

Terra felt relief wash over him; she was finally expressing her concerns. So she was aware of the imbalance, but why hadn't she mentioned it sooner? "We'll figure this out together, but for now, can we get out of here? It's depressing."

She turned up a glimmer of a smile and he offered a lopsided version in return as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze. A comfortable silence passed between them and they both blinked in surprised when the gate in front of them screeched open. They looked over to beckon Claire from the rampart and started for the fortress exit, hand in hand.

"What makes you think I'm giving you another boy?" Aqua questioned suddenly, noting absently how Claire followed at a distance.

"Huh?" Did she just make a joke? Or did she really want an answer? The look she was giving him seemed pretty authentic. "Well I just- I mean, I can't really say "it" can I?"

"Then we call her a "she" from now on," she told him pointedly, nose in the air stubbornly. "Since I've decided to have a girl this time."

"Can you really-" Terra aptly closed his mouth, inwardly smacking himself at how gullible he could be at times. He sighed, relieved that she could still find at least a shred of humor in that tornado of hormones she was containing. "Just promise me you won't corrupt her before she's born?" Releasing her hand he pulled her close by the waist, eliciting a yelp as he buried his face in her hair.

They were both unaware of Claire's suspicious gaze aimed up at the looming ledges above. As she trailed behind her masters and scrutinized closely the evil looking gargoyles perched there, she was sure one of them looked like a small fox. It was pitch black and had gleaming and very life-like yellow eyes. But it didn't so much as twitch as she passed, though she was sure its piercing gaze was following her somehow.

Feeling an uncomfortable chill crawl up her spine, the girl shrugged indifferently and broke into a jog to catch up with her masters. She didn't bother to mention it. Even if it was real, it was just a fox, right?