A/N: this story takes place just after the chapter: Seeking answers. in my other story "True friendship never dies"
the drawing of the black haired boy standing before Sora on held the memory of what transpired in the Realm of Darkness, but that memory did not explain why or how this dark hearted boy was within Sora. now I know...
I took a new drawing, one I have made not long ago, this drawing isn´t Sora´s, but the boy who has his face. that boy.
he is the half of Ventus, his Darkness. they fought once, and it almost killed Ventus when he made the last strike against his dark half, but Vanitas is part of him and so long Ventus lives; Vanitas will live as well.
for whatever they like it or not, those two are still connected, once the same person.
I just fear than they never will realize it before it is too late.
for the drawing before me told a fight against a creature of old times... a Fire Bird that will destroy them both, unless they realize their connection to the other, and reach after the power Ventus inherited from the one who passed the keyblade to him.
Ventus walked through a deep layer of snow, inside a great forest. the trees around all looked dead, missing their leaves and only the white snow gave this place a small beauty. the blond kept on walking, finding it slightly strange that he haven´t seen a single Heartless or those strange white things. this world was his first since his awaking, unless counting Radiant Garden as one. it has only been a few days since he left Radiant Garden in search for his friend Terra.
he stopped near a small tree watching it while muttering sad "no sign of Terra... or anyone" he remarked, glancing at the snow filled forest.
he left the tree, thinking of just leaving and search in other worlds.
but those thoughts escaped his mind seconds later. for around him, the snow began melting and life blooming once again. Ventus blinked at this sudden transformation from winter to spring. he looked around for the cause and saw it up in one of the huge trees.
up in the tree, a green young woman-like creature touched the tree and leaves grew back on to the branches. she glided down to the grown where grass has grown up, rubbed her hands near the ground and when she removed them, a small pretty flower has appeared.
"wow~!" Ventus gasped at the sight.
the Sprite turned to him, quite startled at having an audience. she quickly got over the surprise and turned back to the small flower, frowning that it wasn´t good enough. she took her hands back to the ground, rubbed harder and higher and when she stopped. Ventus stood with open jaw at the huge and very beautiful flower she have made.
she smiled sweetly to him, happy of his stunned face of her art. still smiling she glided over to the tree he stood at and showed him the beauty of spring. the small dead-like tree exploded in pinkish colors by the blossoms she made and to finish it off, she flew up in the air and threw a rain of blossoms.
Ventus starred both stunned and impressed at the work this playfully Sprite. he stood and watched the pink blossoms fall around him like a gentle rain, meanwhile the Sprite gave the forest new life with her powers.
"that is amazing!" he cheered impressed to the Sprite and ran over to her, saying with a huge smile "you´re amazing"
the Sprite looked slightly away, blushing of the praise, still she wanted to show her new friend more of what she could do and with signs with her hands to follow. she lead Ventus deeper into the forest.
the boy followed and had a good time around this spring bringing creature, for the moment, his worry and fear was gone, replaced by the wonder the Sprite showed him.
however, it all changed as they approached the mountain, here the Sprite´s powers somehow didn´t work and Ventus got back to reality when a familiar enemy appeared near a huge mountain.
"Unversed!" he sneered, there was no mistaking those blue monsters with the red eyes. he attacked the Unversed and turned to the Sprite who looked at where the Unversed have been with both fear and curiosity.
"you better keep close" he told her and took the lead. the Sprite nodded and followed him up at the mountain.
at the top, or rather the edge of the mountain, both Ventus and the Sprite looked down at the giant hole in the mountain's top. down in the hole, more Unversed walked around, but Ventus couldn´t see the reason why their master would send them down there.
"what is down there?" Ventus muttered, more to himself that to his spring giving companion. however... it wasn´t the Sprite who gave an answer.
"what about taking a look?"
Ventus´s head span around, but before he could defend himself, the other teen behind him, kicked him over the edge and Ventus fell down into the hole. the blond landed hard on the mountain hole´s floor, so hard that the world span around for the boy.
still he heard someone land on the ground not far from him, and when he could, Ventus turned his eyes to the master of the Unversed, a being that came from the darkness in his own heart: Vanitas.
"been a while Ventus" the black haired boy said casual, he had his mask on this time, hiding his face like the many other times in the past.
Ventus got on his feet, confused over his darker half was still around "but, how? I destroyed you"
"yes, you destroyed me" Vanitas admitted spiteful, hating it that his weaker half actually have defeated him, there was another reason why he hated the thought of being defeated, but he refused to even think about it, thinking about those thoughts would be a sign of weakness.
"and yet, here I am" he said, this time more composed.
"how?"
"I don´t know"
Ventus blinked, taken aback that Vanitas actually had no idea either why he still was around. he always spoke down to him, irritating him by knowing more of what is going on.
"and I don´t care" Vanitas added, he glanced to the huge stone in the middle of the hole "I was giving the order to retrieve something from that stone" he said, completely ignoring the Sprite moving curious towards the stone. he turned to Ventus, feeling a strong hatred against the blond, he wanted soo badly to destroy him and being trapped in the void for so long, he felt like a rookie in controlling his destructive impulses.
he called his keyblade, and said as he readied his body to strike "but I would rather get rid of the nuisance before me" and he attacked.
Ventus barely got time to block the attack, he gasped of the power behind that strike and realized that his body wasn´t as strong as when he last fought Vanitas.
that was really bad news for him. still he have to fight, and even with the strength disadvantage, he continued on fighting Vanitas. for if he didn´t, his darker half will surly finish him off.
their fight quickly escalated, and at one time Ventus thought he and Vanitas did not only fight physical, but also inside the heart like last time, however it was pretty short, for seconds after that wondering. Ventus found himself badly wounded on the ground, defeated by Vanitas.
Vanitas snorted unimpressed "that´s all?" he asked and pointed the keyblade at him "I didn´t even break a sweat. humph! you have gotten weak" he remarked annoyed to the other boy. it wasn´t enough to create the x-blade, but this fight had been enough to something else, Vanitas glanced to the small darkness that escaped his body and light seeping out from the fallen Ventus, the sign of this have been a battle against a Seeker of Darkness and a Protector of Light- Xehanort got what he wanted, but Vanitas didn´t.
he eyed the boy and somehow knew that forcing Ventus into creating the X-blade will not succeed. the only way now was... get rid of his weaker half.
"goodbye Ventus" he muttered, lifted the keyblade to make the final strike. a strike Ventus could not defend himself against, he was simple too weak.
but right the last moment, before Vanitas could make the dead blow, the Sprite had accidently awaken something inside the stone, something very old, and very, VERY angry.
one, three, six, turned into several beams of darkness shot out from the stone, one of them almost hit Vanitas, forcing him to back off from Ventus who also stared shocked at the destructive stone.
the dark beams stopped, and a second it seemed the danger was over. then, the stone exploded and out from its prisoner; a huge bird appeared. the bird was brown with lighter markings over its body, the wings, tail and the feathers on its head had two red colors. one, blood-red, the other darker. the bird´s pale blue eyes turned with a deadly glare towards the one who have awaken it: the Sprite. it flapped with its wings and fire fell out from them, making it rain with fire. the Sprite took the run for it as it realized it could not stand against the fire.
the fire bird struck after her a single time with its deadly talons, but she got away. the bird landed on the volcano's top and screeched out to the land in its fury, flapping its wings and more fire came out, setting everything close ablaze.
one of these fire got Vanitas and in his anger of being attacked and interrupted in getting rid of Ventus: he attacked the fire bird.
he struck it over the head, making the bird topple a little by the hit, but unfortunately for him, it quickly regained its balance and turned furies to its attacker.
Vanitas glared back at it, not at all faced by fear. that until the fire bird surrounded itself by fire, burned the boy who stood too close to dodge the attack. he barely got time to recover from that attack, for when he looked up, he looked right into the bird´s glaring eyes, right before it grabbed him with its talons, flew a little with him, before it slammed him with its whole weight behind into the volcano's side.
the bird did let go of him and it took flight, letting it rain with fire over this world.
Ventus got on his feet and as fast as his wounds would allow him, he ran up from the hole and saw the devastation this creature caused. the whole forest was on fire!
"no!" he cried to the fire bird, but all that did was it tried to give him the same trip as it had giving Vanitas.
fortunately for Ventus, his speed saved him from the bird´s talons. the bird screeched angry over the miss and let it frustration go over the Sprite who tried sought safety in the highest of trees. the bird dived into the fire and appeared again before the Sprite, trying to set her on fire as well.
and all Ventus could do was watch, he couldn´t defeat this creature, and he couldn´t run down to help the Sprite because of the fire.
Ventus noticed movement further down the mountain and saw it was Vanitas. he really took a beating from that bird, barely able to stand, still he forced himself to stand.
"does that thing knows who it is dealing with?" Vanitas asked and tore off his helmet, it saved his head from the attack, but the metal got bent and was rather painful. the black haired boy glared at the bird "I won´t allow such a stupid beast to defeat me!" and he summoned an small army of Unversed, all made from his anger. he ordered them to attack and those Unversed who could, flew towards the fire bird that tried to catch the poor Sprite. the bird at first didn´t seems to notice the attacking Unversed, which only pissed Vanitas off more and he called more and bigger Unversed. those Unversed was the Trinity Armor and the Metamorphosis, two of the strongest of the known Unversed Vanitas ever has created. that got the fire bird´s attention when those two attacked.
the bird screeched angry and attacked the Trinity armor, grabbing its arms with its talons, burning it with its fire. the Trinity Armor retaliated by firing lasers at the bird, but the fire bird didn´t even seems to notice it!
the Metamorphosis joined the fight, grabbing the bird around the head and trying to electrocuted it with thunder attacks. that the fire bird notice and it seemed to it did hurt, which was good. that until the fire bird returned the attacks, by setting itself and the two huge Unversed on fire.
the Metamorphosis let go, trying to get away from the fire, allowing the bird to get a better hold on the Trinity Armor there still was caught in its talons. the fire bird flew up into the air, and plummet to the ground, still holding the trinity armor, then just before hitting the blazing surface and ground underneath, the bird span around and threw the Unversed with such strength that the Unversed broke apart inside the fire and the inferno around finished it off.
Vanitas sneered of the pain he felt from the Unversed dying from the hit and the fire, still he ignored the pain and continued on sending more Unversed out, many of them got burned as well, causing him pain, but he continued on calling more, for he refused to let this creature win.
with the Trinity armor gone, the fire bird turned to the Metamorphosis, flew over the Unversed, grabbed its head with its talons and began peaking the Unversed with such strength that if it has been a real, living animal, flesh and bones would have been torn from the body. and as if that wasn´t enough, the bird finished it off by setting it on fire with its wings. with those two gone, the fire bird turned to the army of Unversed on the ground, those who had some resistance to the fire and was trying to get it with mere numbers. the Unversed screeched and dove down to the army, finishing them off with a flaming stroke with its wings. those who survived got torn to pieces by the talons.
Ventus couldn´t believe this, even with two of the strongest and even with an army of Unversed over it, this bird kept on fighting and winning. sure, the Unversed did get some attacks in, but that fire bird kept on fighting and took more Unversed down than they could harm it.
"Arggh!"
Ventus eyes snapped down to Vanitas, the black haired boy have collapsed on the ground, face twisted in pain, but why? Ventus did not know. was his wounds worse than thought? no, he was hurt, but not enough to make him collapse.
Vanitas knew he was reaching his limits, he usually didn´t send out so many Unversed at the same time, back when he let his monsters out to other worlds he did send many, but they did not all die at the same freaking time!
he felt every single death of his Unversed, he felt it like he got burned alive and torn to pieces by that bird. he wanted to continuing sending his Unversed at it, but... he couldn´t. and he hated himself for it.
up on the mountain, Ventus watched Vanitas squirm in pain, then he turned to the fire bird tearing the Unversed apart, and back to Vanitas who looked like it was him who got... hang on.
"you feel their pain?"
"they are what I feel" Vanitas repeated something he told Ventus the last time they faced each other, adding annoyed "idiot"
"if you feel their pain, why do you keep on sending them out? that is stupid!"
Vanitas flung around to the blond, enraged that Ventus had the nerves to call him stupid "because I am NOT WEAK! you are the weaker one Ventus!" he turned back to the bird who killed the last Unversed and turned its eyes to the two boys "you have always been the weak one. if it weren´t for your weakness, I would never have been here"
Ventus stared in disbelief at his darker half, barely comprehending what he was saying. was he suggesting that Vanitas would never be here if he have giving into the darkness and fought those Heartless those many years ago? even now, the thought of giving in, it frightens him.
not to mention that Master Eraqus have taught him that darkness has no place in the worlds, so there was no way he would give in.
"I could never do such a thing"
"because you´re weak" Vanitas repeated with a snort.
"I am NOT weak" Ventus gave back, not as spiteful as he wanted though, still deep inside his heart, he knew that what Vanitas said was the truth.
"I don´t need the darkness! and I don´t need you!"
for a second, it looked like Vanitas flinched by those last words, but it was gone before anyone could notice. the black haired boy glared back to the enraged boy "and I don´t need you"
Ventus opened his mouth to snap back, but he never got the chance, for the fire bird had decided to attack them head on. it got Vanitas from behind and threw him right into Ventus, both fell down to the dormant volcano.
almost knocked out cold by that attack, both boys struggled to get back on their feet, they both knew they have to for this bird wouldn´t give them any mercy.
Vanitas was the first who got up, he glared at the bird there taunting landed on the edge of the volcano, waiting for them. in a furies roar, he attacked the creature.
Ventus got on his feet at the black haired boy did and saw the bird almost tear him in half with its talons.
Ventus didn´t stand a chance, Vanitas didn´t stand a chance against this creature. there was only one way, and Ventus did not like this one bit
"we have to work together!"
Vanitas jumped away from the striking talons, made enough distance to turn in disbelief around to the blond of such a stupid suggestion. "no way I´m going to help you" he snapped and attacked the bird again "then I would rather die!"
he almost did by the bird´s beak, but just the last second, Ventus slammed it over the face, making it flinch and stop the attack. the blond landed beside him, looking angry as well over this "trust me, I would say the same"
that made Vanitas blink in surprise, for right in that moment, he saw himself in the blond. the moment was short, for the fire bird sat itself on fire, forcing both boys to jump away.
"but I can´t die here, I still need to save Terra!" Ventus continued, he turned his determent eyes to Vanitas "and if I know you right, you would rather be the one to strike me down than this bird"
he got that right. still Vanitas did not like this, not one bit. but they have to, if they both wanted to fulfill their goal.
"ugh, fine!" Vanitas growled and turned to the bird, adding sneering "don´t slow me down"
Ventus didn´t comment on that one and turned to the bird. both attacked the fire bird with a roar, for the first and what they both wanted to be the last, they worked together to defeat the fire bird.
their teamwork wasn´t perfect, but it did turn the table and from a successful strike from Ventus, the bird fell to the ground, lying deadly still.
both boys lowered their weapons, exhausted by the battle, still it wasn´t over. Ventus turned to Vanitas, readying himself, for the strange alliance was over.
Vanitas did the same, but before he went in battle stage, he admitted with a small smirk "you may be weak, but at least you´re not a scaredycat anymore"
Ventus blinked, now his turn to be taken aback by his other "um, thanks?" and before any words or movement could be made, the bird got on its feet. Ventus starred in disbelief at the creature "how much does it take?!"
"ugh, not again" Vanitas groaned, still he went in battle stage against the creature. "this time, no mercy Ventus"
Ventus turned to Vanitas, not sure how to react on that comment, so without a word, he went in battle stage as well. they charged at the bird, both leaping into the air, somehow, acting as one.
Vanitas used his full strength on that thing and Ventus did the same, no longer caring that the one fighting beside him was his worst enemy, right now, there was only them and the fire bird, nothing else matters.
the fire bird was at its limits and sat itself on fire, not only partly as the other times, no this time, it became the fire, but the boys refused to let that stop them and right there, in the heat of the battle, they was in completely sync with one another.
the fire bird screeched as something just as big tackled it down from the volcano and into the fire. a pair of jaws smacked around the birds neck, taking away its last strength.
the bird couldn´t handle the force and it dissolved in light and darkness, leaving behind a necklace with a red stone, held by metal behind. the fire bird´s attacker stood hidden inside the fire, only the figure of a four legged creature with wings could be seen. this creature; wherever it came from was unknown, only its kind could be said as it turned its blue eyes towards the volcano
protect and obey
and it was engulfed by the fire, leaving nothing behind. it was like it has never been there...
Ventus eyes wide of what he suddenly felt, he felt a tremendous form of loneliness, along with the knowledge that tears won´t give any pity. he felt hatred, but against what he did not know, he felt pain, as if he have been burned and pieced several times and haven´t died yet. there was so much, so much pain that he wanted to scream, he didn´t get it, where did these horrible emotions come from? he have never felt so much pain, he wanted it to stop, he begged it to stop.
"make it stop!" Ventus cried, opening his eyes, gasping of what he have just felt. then he notice that the pain wasn't gone, it was still there!
weaker, but still there.
he sat up, trying desperately to figure out a way to make the pain stop. he did forget about the pain for a moment when he notice that he was lying in the burned down forest, everything was turned into ash.
"oh no.." he got on his feet, walking around in the before so beautiful place, now turned into a nightmare. the place did suit the pain he felt. he stopped when he noticed a figure near the small three the Sprite gave pink blossoms. he went to the tree and saw that the figure was Vanitas, beside him sat a small and very sad looking Sprite. she looked in despair up to him, but Ventus couldn´t cheer her up, he felt too horrible to cheer others up. he eyed his darker half, Vanitas was still out cold, and looking at his face, he looked like he was having a nightmare.
Ventus would have shaken someone awake if they had a nightmare, but he honestly didn´t fell much sympathy for Vanitas. not after what he has done to him and his friends.
instead he turned to the Sprite who cried tears of the destructive the fire bird has done, Ventus felt for her, everything was gone.
"it looks like a graveyard"
Ventus glanced to Vanitas, he was awaken and was so weak he could barely sit up. the black haired boy watched the area with a monotone face. he glanced back to the crying Sprite, remarking "tears won´t solve anything"
"would you give her a break" Ventus snapped at him, making Vanitas looked with a surprised look at him "haven´t she been through enough?"
"humph" Vanitas snorted and turned his head away. Ventus blinked noticed something in what he felt seconds ago to the other boy´s words.
his eyes wide in realization "no way"
Vanitas glanced to the shocked Ventus, but he didn´t really give a darn why he was so shocked. so he turned his attention to the crying Sprite, he wanted to sneer that she should stop crying, for what would they help anyway? tears has never helped him.
then, to his great shock and surprise, green grew out from where her tears have felt. Ventus and the Sprite noticed it as well. the Spite first looked surprised, then with a smile she took to the sky. spreading out a dark carpet over the forest she made rain fell from the sky and everywhere the rain touched, life began returning.
Ventus began smiling at this, the smile turned into laugher as the Sprite made the forest return in full strength, stronger than before.
Vanitas watched her do it as well, but he did not understand, she cried, and that gave her the strength to bring the forest back?
'how can tears make you stronger?' he thought
"sometimes you have to cry to get back on your feet"
Vanitas looked up to him, not sure how to react on that it seemed the blond had just read his mind.
Ventus glanced to him and said with eyes back to the returning forest "and sometimes, you have to take the bad in to be stronger"
that made Vanitas raise a brow. which made Ventus think it was kinda funny, for the last time he saw his darker half´s face, it was with that evil smile on his face. he sat his hand on his aching heart, for the first time realizing what it meant to be forced away from the light, being on the edge and kept on pushing out by your master, leaving nothing but a rotten core behind.
he went over to his darker half, reaching his hand out to him.
Vanitas surprise was priceless, however it was quickly replaced by a glare "I don´t need your help, get lost" he snapped and turned away, or as much as his wounded body would allow.
Ventus ignored him, took his arm and helped him back on his feet, even granted him a shoulder. something Vanitas did NOT like.
"are you deaf and stupid?! I told you-!"
"and I don´t care" Ventus said back, collected, strangely enough, because, for the first time, he understood Vanitas and why he was acting the way he did.
Vanitas stared shocked at him "you don´t care?"
"yup" Ventus smiled and added "so let´s get you fixed up"
Vanitas gave him a glare, he did not like taking pity on "I don´t need pity, least from you"
"would you rather have my help or some of your "friends" finding you?"
Vanitas felt a small fear of the other members seeing him in this pathetic state, but he also felt humiliated over being helped by his enemy. Vanitas growled, not liking his options.
the blond took that response as a no and took him to a place he hoped they both could be fixed up.
he wasn´t sure he can, but Ventus wanted to try and save Vanitas, and even if the dark one hated it, Ventus couldn´t help but feel pity, now finally realizing how terrible he feels every single day.
"it require strength to admit that even the worst of the worst is not as bad as you think" I smile at the drawing of brave Ventus helping Vanitas against the Mysterious Tower. still, my eyes goes to the fire bird. they defeated it, but only by their united and hidden strength, that strength saved them, but now weak and lost in some other world. and I fear what would happen if someone got their hands on that Keeper that refuses to give up