CHAPTER FIVE

Peace showered my dreams and lingered with me when I opened my eyes. I stretched my arms and sat up in my bed. But soon, I remembered it wasn't my bed I laid in. I tried desperately to cling to the peace, but like my dreams, the feelings were fleeting. I climbed up to my knees and unlatched the window. I pushed the frames away and took a deep breath of fresh, outside air. The ocean breeze was absent, but it still felt nice against my skin. I imagined the sandy shores of Destiny Islands, and it lifted my spirits a little. Once I deemed myself emotionally stable, I closed my window and slid on my red knee-high socks and tan, buckled boots. I tugged on my denim shorts, and my sleeveless, black, white, red, and pale blue striped tank top was wrinkled underneath my coat. I straightened the black, french lace, fingerless bridal glove on my left hand and ran my hand along the brown cords wrapped firmly around my right forearm. I longed to hear Sora's voice calling for me and to see him under my door frame. I took a deep breath and opened my door. I narrowed my eyes at the long hallway before me.

I walked down the hallway, listening to the way my boots clunked against the marble floors and echoed along the walls. I heard grunts and metal clanging together, and my heart picked up speed. I transitioned into a jog and followed the sounds outside to where I was first found. I saw Aqua and Terra fighting while Ventus watched intently on the sidelines. The three paused and looked over at me.

"Good morning, Hallie." Aqua panted and brushed some of blue hair out of her matching eyes.

"Morning." I said, slowly approaching the three. "Are you training?"

"Yup." Terra said. "Would you like to join us?"

"Sure..."

"I'll train with you, Hallie!" Ventus scrambled over. He summoned his Keyblade, Wayward Wind. He was the only Keyblade wielder I knew of who held his Keyblade backwards.

"Not today, little man." Terra ruffled Ventus's hair, then turned his eyes to me. "You'll train with me first."

I gulped quietly. I recognized Terra as someone who was more on the brutal offense. His biceps reflected how strong he was with the Keyblade.

"Um, okay." I said.

"No fair!" Ventus pouted.

Aqua rested her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "It's okay, Ven. I'll train with you today."

Ventus's ocean blue eyes lit up once more. "Awesome!"

Ventus and Aqua walked together to another training ground. Terra patted my shoulder.

"You ready to go?" he said.

I nodded and shuffled to the opposite end of the ground. We turned to each other. Terra summoned his Keyblade, Earthshaker. As I stared at him, I saw Lingering Will, posing in the same powerful battle stance in the barren canyon area. I hoped his fighting style remained the same, except without all of the crazy zooming back and forth on a vehicle and launching energy cannonballs. I summoned Ultima Weapon and struck my battle stance. Terra grunted and charged towards me. I rolled out of the way as he brought his Keyblade down. As it wedged itself in the ground, I scrambled behind him, jumped in the air, and shoved my feet into his back. He tumbled to the ground, but he quickly regained himself and wrenched his Keyblade from the ground. I ran towards him with renewed confidence and our Keyblades smacked together. I set my foot in the ground, but I couldn't stop Terra's strength from making me slide back.

"You're pretty good." Terra said with our Keyblades clashed and faces extremely close to each other.

"Thanks." I said.

Terra shoved me back, and I caught myself in a backhand spring. He lunged at me, but I backflipped away. I swiped my Keyblade down, and it slammed into his gauntlet. He cried out and dropped his Keyblade. I swung my leg in a high round kick. Terra backed away, but I felt my foot connect with the hair framing his face. Terra jumped away and rolled his shoulder casually.

"Impressive." Terra said.

I panted and stood up straight.

"Those high kicks are pretty strong, but you should be more wise with your timing. If you're not careful, your opponent could easily catch you in the move and strike when you're vulnerable." Terra said.

I giggled quietly in my palm and nodded. Funny how he was the one to give me this advice when he would use it when I battled his armor twelve years from now. "Thanks. You've got some exceptional strength. But you should compliment your power with a little magic. Give yourself some variety."

Terra held his chin in his hand. "Good idea. Thanks."

I nodded as Aqua and Ventus approached us.

"How was training?" Aqua said.

"Hallie really knows what she's doing." Terra said, patting my shoulder. "Did you train when you lived in Radiant Garden?"

"I trained in Olympus Coliseum after..." I stopped myself quickly. I couldn't tell them I lived there after Radiant Garden was swallowed by darkness, especially since it hadn't happen yet. Big time travel no-no. "After... uh, after I turned ten. I traveled there and trained under Philoctetes the satyr."

"Really?" Aqua said. "You know, if you continue training under Master Eraqus, I'm sure you'd become a Keyblade Master after a few years."

"Actually... I'm already a Keyblade Master."

The three Keyblade wielders came together in a surprised "HUH?!" I nodded and giggled uncomfortably.

"Then that means..." Ventus said. He bounced on his toes. "That means I could become a Keyblade Master! I'm so excited!"

"If they let someone like you become a Keyblade Master, then I'll pass on that." Terra smirked.

"Hey, what does that mean?!"

Aqua chuckled as Terra and Ventus shoved each other and laughed. I watched the three people giggle together, and warmth spread in my chest. I'd only really known these people for a day, yet I felt so comfortable around them. I felt like a part of their legacy.

We heard a low grumble, and Ventus's hand flew to his stomach. "Training today has made me hungry. Let's go eat!"

"It's all about eating and training with you, isn't it?" Aqua said.

Ventus smiled ignorantly. "First one there gets seconds!"

My stomach suddenly emitted a loud grumble; I hadn't eaten at all today. I was willing to eat my weight in food. A smile spread across my lips.

"Then I guess I'll have to share!" I said. I took off down the pathway.

"H-hey!" Ventus called.

I laughed all the way to the castle. When I heard Ventus's footsteps getting closer, I pushed myself to run faster. I ran to the cafeteria. Ventus stumbled in a few moments later and paused to double over and take deep, heaving breaths.

"No... fair..." Ventus gasped. "I've... been training... all day!"

"So have I, and I don't look like I'm gonna pass out." I giggled. I placed my hands behind my back and leaned forward. "But it looks like I win."

Ventus looked up at me and smiled. "Don't get used to it. I'll beat you next time, that's a promise!"

I felt a pang of pain sting my heart and my smile faded. I turned away and headed over to get dinner.


After dinner, I immediately retreated to my room. My journey down the long hallway started off as a power walk, and halfway it turned into a run. I ran into my room and slammed the door shut, though afterward I thought it seemed a little dramatic. But I was stuck twelve years in the past with the people who would shape my destiny- I had every right to be dramatic.

I kicked my boots off and leaned my head against the door, closed my eyes, and took deep breaths. I heard a soft ping hit the ground. I opened my eyes and looked at the ground. I gasped and crouched down to pick up a necklace. It was a silver chain, and attached to it was a crown pendant. Tears flowed into my eyes. This was Sora's necklace.

I recalled the night he fell asleep with me. Did his necklace somehow fall off and find its way into my coat pocket without any of us noticing? I remembered the day before we embarked to the Mysterious Tower so Sora and Riku could take part in the Mark of Mastery. He gave me this signature necklace, and I wore it proudly every second it was in my possession. I returned it to him, but now it had found its way back into my hands. I clutched the necklace in my hands and held it tightly to my heart as I once again began to sob.

Two days in a row? I'm on a roll. Soon I'll be all cried out... if that's possible.

As my crying settled down, I heard muffled voices. I sniffled, clipped on the necklace, and opened my door. I followed the quiet noises down the dark hall until I heard them on the other side of a door, the only one with the lights still on at this late time. I reached out and knocked lightly on the door, but it seemed more like a push, causing the door to creak open. I retreated my hand back to my side, a stomach-dropping embarrassment settling in me. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus were in the room; Terra and Ventus wrestled on the ground, with Terra holding Ventus in a headlock, while Aqua read a book on the bed and rolled her eyes at her friends' childishness. They all paused and looked at me.

"Hallie, you're still awake." Aqua said. She studied my face with concern and closed her book as I entered the room. "Are you all right? Have you been crying?"

I quickly wiped my eyes and face from the stale moisture. I bowed my head. Aqua gestured for me to sit next to her on the bed. I obeyed, nervously fumbling with my hands.

"I know you're still getting used to being here. You must be very homesick." Aqua said, resting a hand on my arm. I nodded, trying to keep my trembling lip under 8.0 on a seismograph. She smiled warmly. "Do you think, maybe, you could make this place your home, too?"

I looked at the three, all of them smiling brightly at me. The contagion spread to me, and I smiled back.

"I'll... do the best I can." I said.

"Yeah!" I heard Ventus cry.

I looked and screamed as Terra and Ventus leaped over the bed railing and landed on me. Their arms surrounded me- my shoulders, my waist, and my hips- limiting my movements, and their giggles filled my ears. I laughed along with them until it came out strained from how tightly they held me, feeling as if they tugged me in three different directions.

"If you ever need us, just say the word." Aqua said, hugging my waist.

"Yeah, you aren't going to get rid of us this easily!" Ventus said with a wide grin, hugging my hips.

"We'll always be here for you, Hallie." Terra said, hugging my shoulders.

Their laughter slowly died down as the realization of the late nighttime hit them all. The lights had automatically turned off after a certain amount of time, and I stared up at the dark ceiling with a small smile, feeling and hearing my friends' quiet breathing. One by one, they all fell asleep, their arms still securely around me and their heads using parts of my body as pillows: Aqua on my shoulder, Ventus on my stomach, and as I rested my head on Terra's shoulder, his head rested on mine.

My heart warmed with comfort. I had only been here, what, a day? Despite the little time I've been here compared to the years they had between each other, these three readily accepted a complete stranger into their lives. Into their family. I closed my eyes and peacefully fell asleep.