A Heart and a Half

by RevengeRevisited

He kept her from going crazy. She made him more sane. Trapped within the Realm of Darkness, Vanitas and Aqua find each other to be unlikely allies. Surviving the Dark World is hard enough, but their greatest enemy just might be themselves. Aqua/Vanitas. Cover by BlueNightArts. Chapters 15/22 done so far. Chapter 16 is up next!

13. Sing Sweet Nightingale

Chapter 13: Sing Sweet Nightingale

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Vanitas reclined back on one of the plump red couches in the library, flipping to the next page of the book he was reading. It was the second novel he'd perused today, as he'd spent all morning and a better part of the afternoon reading comfortably on the fluffy pillows.

He'd felt drawn towards the library ever since yesterday morning, and overtaken by a sudden curiosity had picked a book off the shelf at random— some old fairytale called The Little Mermaid. It was a rather odd tale of a fish-woman who traded her beautiful voice for a pair of legs in order to woo a human prince, even though her new limbs caused her terrible agony. However, the prince had already fallen in love with someone else, and the devastated mermaid had perished from a broken heart.

Vanitas had found the ending extremely dissatisfying, and complained to Aqua about it over lunch. Aqua admitted she'd never liked that story very much. Apparently, the first time her mother had read it to her as a little girl, the ending had made her cry. He thought the concept of crying over a fictional character was odd, but he supposed he didn't actually know what it was like to be a young kid, as he couldn't remember what his and Ventus's shared childhood was like before the age of twelve. Vanitas vaguely wondered if Ventus's parents had read this story to him too, before shaking off the notion. It wouldn't do to fantasize about a life he'd never know.

Luckily Aqua had recommended him several different fairytales, assuring him these all had happy endings. Vanitas trusted Aqua knew what she was talking about, and that was how he now found himself reading in the library once again. He certainly felt this new story was much more to his liking than The Little Mermaid. The first book he'd picked from her list was titled The Snow Queen. It was about a young girl searching to rescue her younger brother from a wicked winter witch. The girl reminded him of Aqua, with her strong heart and unwavering devotion for the ones she cared about most.

His gaze flicked towards La Belle et la Bête, the worn book still laying on the couch where Aqua had left it. While he was enjoying The Snow Queen so far, there was something quite special about the fairytale Aqua had read to him, yesterday. Vanitas wished he could read it again, but he was having enough trouble deciphering text in a language he was actually fluent in.

It suddenly struck him that all these stories were centered around love— the mermaid who would endure any pain to be with the man she loved, a girl loving her brother so much she would brave the wrath of an evil sorceress just to bring him back, and Beauty's love which was so powerful it had lifted the bestial curse off the Prince…

Vanitas thought back to what Aqua had told him, her words as clear as if she were speaking right next to him… 'Love is when you care about someone with all your heart. So deeply that you'd do anything for them.'

He placed a hand on his chest, over where his heart was beating excitedly. A warm, bubbly sort of feeling was forming there, enveloping yet weightless, like a soft blanket… Some new, as of yet unidentified emotion which rose up inside whenever he saw— no, merely thought about Aqua. He knew he'd do anything for her— go to any lengths to see her happy.

Did… Did that mean he loved—?

Suddenly Bleu scampered into the room, skidding to a halt in front of the fireplace. The Unversed chittered loudly, hopping up and down in place.

Vanitas blinked in surprise and sat up, losing his train of thought as the bubbly feeling dissolved. "What is it? Did Aqua send you?"

The Flood nodded, his antennae bobbing in excitement.

"She's not in trouble, is she?" Vanitas asked quickly.

Bleu shook his head before scampering towards the open oak doors and looking back expectantly. Obviously, the Unversed was prompting Vanitas to follow.

"Fine," Vanitas sighed as he stood up, memorizing his page number before leaving the book on a pillow.

Bleu chirped happily and bounded out of the library. Vanitas followed the Unversed out into the hallway and down a flight of stairs to the second floor corridor, passing by his and Aqua's old bedrooms. He caught a glimpse of red eyes peering out at him from behind a door, but ignored it. As long as his free-roaming Unversed left Aqua alone, there wasn't any need to recall them, yet.

It was strange, Vanitas reflected as he walked. After his and Aqua's argument, Vanitas's heart felt lighter and freer than it had in a long time, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Who knew crying his eyes out while confessing —almost— all his sins would actually make him feel better? He still felt a little angry with himself for not trusting Aqua. Even if she wasn't perfect, Aqua was still the kindest, bravest, and most beautiful person he knew— inside and out. Of course she'd never leave him— her best friend in all the Worlds. That was a fact; how could he have ever thought otherwise?

Vanitas made his way towards the stairs leading down to the first floor, catching sight of Aqua as he walked past a window. She was working outside in the vegetable garden, kneeling in a patch of dirt near the greenhouse. He stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the garden, Bleu trailing at his heels.

"Hey, Aqua!" he called out to her, leaning over the white railing and waving to catch her attention.

She looked up in surprise, smiling as soon as she spotted him. "There you are! Come on down!"

Struck by a sudden spark of mischief, Vanitas shrugged and hoisted himself onto the balcony rail. He leapt off, twisted in the air, and landed on his feet a couple meters in front of her. Bleu followed him, splatting on the ground as a gooey puddle before popping back up cartoonishly, completely unharmed.

Aqua gasped and jumped to her feet. "Vanitas!" she admonished as he drew nearer. "Don't do that!"

"Why? Did I scare you?" he grinned, stopping in his tracks to look her over. She'd changed into a pair of black shorts since he'd seen her last, and her blue hair —which had grown rather long in the past few weeks— was tied back in a ponytail.

"No, because you could hurt yourself!"

"I'm fine," he snorted nonchalantly, bending down to stretch his legs. "You know, Xehanort used to toss me off cliffs all the time when I was twelve— only took me the first few times to figure out how to land properly without breaking my legs. Said it was to test my reflexes." Vanitas paused mid-stretch, taking in Aqua's shocked expression with grim amusement. "…Though honestly, sometimes I think he did it for fun."

Aqua's eyes narrowed as her lips pursed into a thin line. "That bastard," she muttered darkly.

Vanitas let out a bark of laughter as he straightened back up. "Whoa there Miss Master, was that a swear word I heard just now?"

"Obviously you've been a bad influence on me," she accused lightly.

Vanitas chuckled, grinning broadly. "I think you should blame Terra for that."

"Hmm?"

"He taught Ventus how to swear; how could I not sit in on every lesson?"

Aqua mock scowled. "I'll have to have a talk with him."

Just then, Bleu squeaked expectantly, peering up at her.

"Oh! How could I forget." Aqua squatted down to pat his head. "Good job finding him, Bleu," she praised with a grin, plucking a single white Merry Mint from her pocket and holding it out to the Unversed. Bleu took it into his mouth and sat on a small pile of dirt, happily chewing on the soft peppermint candy.

Vanitas was completely baffled by this entire exchange. He'd never seen an Unversed eat anything in his entire life— then again, he hadn't been quite sure Floods even had mouths until a certain blue bastard had bitten him, yesterday.

"I can't believe you're teaching my Flood how to play fetch," Vanitas muttered.

"He's a very fast learner," Aqua said honestly.

Vanitas scoffed and shook his head. "Whatever you say. Now, I'm sure you didn't get this thing," he pointed a foot at Bleu, who was pawing at Aqua's stockings for another treat, "To come collect me just to hear about my old training regimen," Vanitas quipped. "So, what're you up to?"

Aqua hummed thoughtfully, feeding Bleu another Mint. "I've been thinking we might try replanting some of these vegetables, so we won't run out." She indicated to a basket filled with whole potatoes and lettuce stalks. "I thought we'd start with these since they grow relatively quickly."

"Let me guess, you need my help?" Vanitas crossed his arms and smirked.

"I'd appreciate it. Think you could summon some Hareraisers or Mandrakes to help us dig?" Aqua asked, retrieving a garden spade which had been laying in the soil next to a freshly dug hole.

"Sure thing." Vanitas rolled up his sleeves and held out his arms, searching his emotions for the appropriate amount of Shame to summon the requested Unversed— but he wasn't able to conjure more than a wisp of Dark smoke. "Uh— sorry, no." He stared down at his hands, mystified. Well this was new. His Unversed had never refused to manifest, before. "I guess… I must not be feeling very negative, today…?"

Aqua blinked in surprise, but then smiled. "That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"I… I suppose it is," Vanitas agreed uncertainly. There'd been times when the Unversed were slow to summon, or occasions when he'd conjured a different type than intended, but they at least did come. Was he really so full of positive emotions that his negative ones couldn't get through, now? Or did he not have enough negativity at all? "Sorry…" he apologized again.

"That's alright, we can do it ourselves," she said earnestly, handing him a small shovel.

They set to work digging holes in the soil. Even Bleu helped paw up dirt with his tiny pointed feet.

"This reminds me of gardening back home," Aqua said after a few minutes. "We grow a lot of our own food. Master Eraqus brought in everything else from off-World— meat, bread, stuff like that."

Vanitas was very much aware of what they grew in the Land of Departure, seeing as he'd helped himself to plenty of fruit from their gardens. Aqua wouldn't be too upset if he confessed to thievery long after the fact, would she…?

"You know… I did take a few trips to the Land of Departure before the Mark of Mastery Exam," Vanitas admitted slowly.

"Really?" Aqua asked curiously, glancing up from her work. "I'm… surprised he let you leave," she said carefully.

"Yeah, well. As soon as I turned fifteen, Xehanort finally decided it was time to lengthen my leash," Vanitas explained with a sardonic smile. "Taught me everything I know about Dark Corridors and how to open them on my own. He didn't actually want me leaving the Badlands, mind, but I think he figured I'd need to know sooner or later."

"But you struck out anyway."

"Of course. I don't know if Xehanort never knew what I was doing or if he just pretended not to notice so long as I didn't get caught," Vanitas wondered aloud. "Originally, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to spy on Ventus, see if he was ready for— Well, the merge." He glanced away from Aqua's inquisitive gaze.

It'd been difficult to resist the urge to drag Ventus off to the Keyblade Graveyard, or even attempt merging with his other half right then and there —X-Blade be damned— or perhaps even kill Ventus if he'd proven too weak, just to put an end to it all… Nothing Aqua needed to trouble herself over, anymore. The deaths of Ventus or Sora didn't sound nearly as tempting as they had two months ago; just the thought of it left an unpleasant, ashy taste in his mouth.

"How often did you do that?" Aqua asked, scooping up another shovelful of dirt and tossing it aside. "Visit the Land of Departure, I mean."

"Often enough," Vanitas shrugged. "I never went inside the castle before the Exam, if that's what you're wondering; would've been too risky. No, I watched you guys train outside. There's some pretty good hiding spots in the trees out there."

Despite how simple —if not downright boring— Eraqus's training methods had seemed, Vanitas had felt both jealous and enthralled as he'd observed the three friends spar in their circle courtyard.

He'd been especially drawn to Aqua; even back then, she'd stood out from her peers— Her grace, beauty, and power… All qualities which placed her in a league above. Perhaps that, he now realized with a jolt, was what had motivated him to push himself harder in his final year of training— almost more so than the promise of finally acquiring the X-Blade. She had… intrigued him, and he'd wanted to best her most of all.

It wasn't so many months ago that he'd silently tailed Aqua through the underbrush as she'd taken an afternoon stroll in the woods, the wild thought of challenging her driving him forward. Ultimately he'd held back for the sake of his mission, but what if he'd made contact back then? Would they have fought? Or… would he have warned her of Xehanort's plans, just to spite the old man? Would she have even believed him?

It wasn't as if Vanitas hadn't entertained the possibility of running away from his Master and leaving the wasteland behind— but with Eraqus as its guardian, the Land of Departure simply hadn't seemed a viable option. He'd convinced himself that if he had called that World home, one so lush and green and full of life, he'd have gone soft like Ventus. But… didn't Aqua's strength prove otherwise?

Vanitas swallowed painfully. "It was really peaceful," he managed to say, picking a few pebbles out of the dirt and tossing them aside. "Just walking through the forest by myself, with plenty of shade and places to hide? It was… nice." 'Nice' didn't even begin to cover how wonderful it had been to finally visit a World without his Master's watchful eye dogging his every step.

Aqua nodded. "We go camping in the woods every summer— though Terra and I were too busy training for the Mark of Mastery Exam to go much, this year. We all love sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows, and Terra always tries to frighten me and Ven with ghost stories, of course." She shook her head, smiling faintly. "But there was one time we heard all these loud, spooky noises—"

"Oh?" Vanitas perked up. "Now that's something I remember. It was pretty fun screwing with you guys," he smirked. "The looks on your faces…"

"Wait a minute, that was you?!" she gaped.

"Just me and a few Unversed messing around," he grinned mischievously. "I scared you good, didn't I."

Aqua reached over and lightly punched him on the shoulder. "You jerk!" she shouted, though her expression wavered like she was trying not to smile. "We all thought there was a monster in the woods! Ven didn't want to go back for weeks."

Vanitas chuckled, batting her hand away. "That's nothing. I bet you'll never guess what happened to that Cherryberry pie you baked last fall." He'd stolen it right off the kitchen windowsill— An impressive feat, considering that particular section of the castle was precariously suspended over a flooded valley.

She frowned, then gasped in realization. "I knew it! I told Master Eraqus someone was sneaking around! And here Terra was convinced it was just a fox… He thought he could catch it."

Vanitas remembered the incident well, especially when the idiot had somehow managed to blunder right into his own homemade snare trap.

"Well, that wasn't the first time I stole food," he said, quite enjoying the rise he was getting out of Aqua. "You guys went out on picnics all the time… Remember last spring, when you went swimming?" He'd been daring enough to steal their lunch right from under their noses as they'd played in the ponds on the mountainside. "First thing I ever ate that I didn't hunt or make myself."

She thought for a moment before lightly clapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes going wide. "I'd wondered where those Nutty Nut and Jumbo Almond cupcakes had gone! I'd blamed Terra for it…"

Vanitas laughed loudly. "Well, I'm glad to inform you they were delicious."

Aqua gazed at him wistfully, lowering her hand. "It's so strange… You were right there with us the whole time, and I never knew." She sighed. "I wish I could've known you, before."

Vanitas stared at her, stunned for a moment. A brief flicker of imagination flitted at the back of his mind— Himself and Aqua, younger perhaps, walking through the forest together hand-in-hand under dappled sunlight beaming down through the trees, a light breeze on the warm air…

"No, you don't," he muttered, glancing away as the image receded. "I was a brat back then."

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "And you're not one now?" she queried in an innocent tone.

"Oh, now that's low…" he growled, playfully pouncing on her.

Aqua shrieked with laughter. "Van, don't! You'll get dirt everywhere!"

His breath hitched at the use of his new nickname as he gazed down at Aqua's flushed face, her pink lips parted slightly as her chest rose and fell gently. "Make me," he breathed.

She stared up at him in surprise, blinking her long eyelashes as her blue eyes began sparkling keenly. "…I'll never make that Merry Dairy pudding you like, ever again."

Vanitas chuckled. If it was a contest between Aqua and all the dessert in the Worlds, he would choose Aqua every time. Still, he'd take her warning seriously… for now.

"Alright, alright. You win." Vanitas withdrew and Aqua sat up, brushing her hair from her eyes; a few strands had come loose from her ponytail and her cheeks were still very pink.

The two of them began planting the vegetable scraps, packing dirt securely around them. Bleu zoomed around the vegetable patch as they worked, zigzagging between rows and leaping from pumpkin to pumpkin. Apparently this was what Floods were like on a sugar high.

"You know…" Vanitas began after a few minutes, glancing at Aqua out of the corner of his eye. "I uh, tried planting some stuff in the Badlands; thought a bit of greenery would liven up the place." Anything to make his Homeworld just a little less barren.

"You mentioned that before," Aqua nodded, looking instantly intrigued. "How'd it go?"

"Horribly," he confessed, picking another potato from the basket. "I tried in as many caves as I could get away with —so Xehanort wouldn't find out, you know— but the plants always died."

Aqua regarded him with gentle concern. "Oh, Van… You do know plants need water and sunlight to grow, right?"

Vanitas stared at her, rather dumbfounded. His expression must've been quite amusing as Aqua immediately giggled, blushing as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I'm so sorry; I shouldn't laugh," she said quickly, grimacing apologetically. "It's not very funny, is it."

"That's okay— it is pretty funny," Vanitas grinned awkwardly, his face warming with embarrassment. He really should've known better. Then again… He looked around at the trees surrounding the garden wall, their leaves silhouetted against the pitch-black sky. "What about here? There's no sun in the Realm of Darkness."

"I've wondered about that, myself," Aqua mused, following his gaze. "It's strange the trees here are fine without sunlight. It must be the same effect the Dark World has that keeps food from spoiling." She watched as Bleu stuck his head into an empty flowerpot. "That's why I thought it'd be safe to try planting these vegetables; they won't rot, so if they don't grow we can just dig them up again."

"Huh," Vanitas grunted as he began shoveling dirt over the root vegetable. "Well, it probably wouldn't have worked anyway— in the Badlands I mean. That place… It's like it's cursed."

"Cursed?"

"Yeah," he sighed, giving the soil one last good pat before sitting back on a patch of grass and crossing his legs. "It's… a World with a history of spilled blood." And plenty of it was his own.

"That sounds… very sad."

Vanitas nodded, swallowing before taking a breath. "Might even be haunted." He gave a rather forced laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "With all those old rusted out Keyblades? Who knows how many lost souls of ancient warriors might haunt the Graveyard."

"…You're teasing me," Aqua smiled wryly, her eyes squinting slightly.

"Naturally."

"And what happens when we meet a real ghost?"

"I'd protect you," he smirked.

Aqua's lips parted in surprise. "Is that so…" she murmured, briefly twirling a loose lock of hair around her finger before tucking it behind her ear. Aqua seemed like she was about to say something else, but looked away instead.

Was it just his imagination, or were her cheeks getting pinker…?

"If it makes you feel any better, the Graveyard's honestly not that scary," Vanitas shrugged. "I've collected plenty of Keychains and I've never seen a single ghost. Guess you could call it a bit of a hobby," he added at Aqua's nonplussed expression.

The Keychains must've been beautiful once, but were now as aged as the Keyblades they'd adorned, their colors faded and their charms worn down to rust. He'd tried a few of them on Void Gear, the ones that weren't completely deteriorated, but whatever Keyblade-enhancing magic had resided within them had vanished long ago— perished with their owners.

"How many Keyblades are in the Graveyard, exactly?" Aqua inquired, slightly tilting her head.

"A quarter-million," he answered simply.

"What?!" she sputtered, her eyes going wide.

"Well, technically it's only two hundred and thirty thousand, seven hundred and eighteen." Vanitas would know; when not training, he'd spent the days counting them all out of boredom. "Trust me, I remember every single Keyblade in that Graveyard. Counted several times, just to make sure."

"All those people died just to get their hands on the X-Blade?" Aqua asked faintly, looking more than a little pale.

"Not just the X-Blade," Vanitas stated matter-of-factly, though he took in Aqua's reaction with mildly growing concern. "They wanted the Light of Kingdom Hearts, itself."

Aqua laid down her shovel and placed her hands in her lap, staring down at her dirty fingernails. "What do you know about the Keyblade War?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm…" He leaned back and stared up at the black, featureless sky. "Not much more than you, I'd say."

She frowned, tugging at a few weeds in the grass. "…Master Eraqus didn't tell us anything about it," Aqua said slowly.

His eyebrows furrowed as he glanced back at her. "Seriously?"

She shook her head. "Nothing at all."

Vanitas nodded; typical Eraqus, incompetent as ever. "Right, well… It's like Xehanort said. Thousands of years ago, Keyblade Wielders from all over, Guardians of Light and Seekers of Darkness, clashed in battle and the X-Blade was forged." He thrusted his spade forward like a sword, pointing to where Bleu was now attempting to fit himself inside the flowerpot. "When I was younger, I wished I could've seen it— Armies of Keyblade-bearing warriors in full Armor fighting to the death? All that bloodshed, and the thrill of battle…?"

Vanitas paused, realizing how he must sound. Oh… That's what was bothering Aqua, wasn't it; he shouldn't speak so nonchalantly about violence.

"Told you I was a brat," he muttered, tossing his shovel into the grass.

"Oh, I think boys are always into that sort of thing, playing out old battles and wars," Aqua reassured him with a nostalgic smile. "Us girls are much more interested in which knight gets the princess, so to speak." She gazed at him oddly for a few seconds before blushing and looking away. "A-anyway, how do you feel about it now?"

"Well…" he grinned sheepishly. "I can confirm sparring with you is a hell of a lot more fun."

"Sounds like you've come a long way."

"Oh, please…"

"I'm proud of you; I really mean that," Aqua beamed.

That weightless, bubbly feeling was once again rising in his chest, his heart warming at the praise. Vanitas knew he'd changed a lot— more in the last several weeks than in the past few years. It'd been scary at first —if not downright terrifying— to acknowledge that he wasn't the same person as before. But now, he was grateful for it; Aqua had shown him a side of himself he hadn't known he had.

Vanitas cleared his throat, ready to steer this conversation back on topic. "Anyway, the legend goes that all the Worlds were one, once. It was the X-Blade, or maybe just the War itself, that destroyed the original World and split it into what it is today. I mean, it makes sense. How else would so many people live on different Worlds? Not everyone knows how to travel the Ocean Between."

"Mickey was using a magic charm to transport himself between Worlds— a sort of… Star Shard," Aqua pointed out. "It seemed a little unstable though, seeing as it whisked him away somewhere while we were talking to Kairi."

"Is that how the rat was getting around?" Vanitas mused. "You don't happen to be hiding one of those up your shorts, are you?"

"No!" she squealed, her face turning beet-red.

"Well, it'd be useful now, that's for sure," he laughed. Aqua was always so easy to tease.

"I should've borrowed it from Mickey before I went after Terra…" she sighed, the blush fading. "Although, I do wonder…" Aqua trailed off, lost in thought. "That story… Was it really all true…?"

"Which story?"

"Kairi's grandmother told her a story —more of a fairytale, really— about how people used to live in peace until they started fighting over the Light, and that's how Darkness was born in their hearts. And then she said— Well. That it was the Darkness that destroyed the World, but children rebuilt it using the Light they carried within their own hearts." She paused, peering at him inquisitively. "…Do you think that Light could've been Kingdom Hearts?"

Vanitas frowned. The story was similar, yet so different to what Xehanort had told him. "You mean, no one had Darkness before the War? But— How could that even be possible? There are only ever Seven Princesses of Heart at one time; they're the only beings with natural hearts of pure Light. And besides, where would the Seekers of Darkness have come from…?"

"Well… it's just a story," Aqua said uncertainly.

His brow furrowed, a sudden troubled feeling creeping up the back of his neck. Xehanort had researched the Keyblade War for years, decades even. What did some random old lady know? She must've gotten the story wrong… But then again, did he really want Xehanort to be right about anything?

It doesn't matter what you want, a voice hissed, its tone dripping with malice. The Master can't be wrong.

But that wasn't true, was it. Aqua had shown him Xehanort wasn't always right. His Master —former Master— was a… a liar.

He is NOT! Vanitas flinched inwardly as the snarling cry of frustration rang in his head. Master Xehanort created you, he raised you— taught you everything you know! You're nothing without him!

He was wrong about me, wasn't he? Vanitas snapped back. I'm not an… an abomination, and Aqua's taught me more about living than Xehanort ever did.

Just because Aqua thinks—

Exactly! Aqua's the smartest person I know— even smarter than… than him. Vanitas ignored the subtle twinge of guilt twisting his stomach. Xehanort didn't deserve his obedience; not anymore… Not that he ever had. Aqua's my best friend, and I'm hers. She won't abandon me, I know that now. She believes I'm human; that's more than enough.

…And if she's wrong? the voice growled softly, sounding almost uncertain even in its own accusation.

She's not. I trust her… More than I trust anyone.

His mind fell silent. Deep down in his heart, no matter how Dark it was, he knew what truly mattered was protecting the one he lo—

"Vanitas?" Aqua asked softly, placing a comforting hand on his. "You were spacing-out for a second."

He took a shuddering breath and looked up. "Right, sorry; just thinking to myself…"

"If there's anything bothering you, you know you can tell me, right?"

Vanitas nodded. "It's just… Xehanort taught me the World was born from Darkness, and the Worlds today have too much Light— That too much Darkness has been destroyed by the Light; neither can exist without the other." He glanced over to where Bleu had finally situated himself comfortably inside the flowerpot, purring loudly. "He told me someone needs to tear down the tyranny of the Light and restore the true balance of the Worlds."

Aqua frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe… maybe that's true. Just a little."

"What?" Vanitas breathed, astonished.

"What I mean is… I understand now, what Cinderella's Fairy Godmother meant about Light and Dark needing each other." She gave his hand a slight squeeze. "Before I met you, I'd thought all Keyblade Wielders were of the Light; that's what Master Eraqus taught us— that all Wielders have the sworn duty to protect the Worlds from Darkness and uphold the World Order," Aqua explained, gently rubbing his knuckles with her thumb. "But that's not true balance, is it. The Worlds need both Light and Darkness. I mean, night is half the day, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Vanitas murmured, intertwining his fingers with hers. "It is."

Aqua smiled faintly before staring up at the starless sky. "I never imagined Keyblade Wielders could turn against each other, but that's what happened during the Keyblade War. I refuse to believe all those Wielders of Darkness were evil, which means not all those Wielders of Light were necessarily good." She sighed, her eyes downcast. "I love Master Eraqus like a father, we all do, but it scares me to think that if he'd known about you… he would've had you put to death."

"Aqua…" He couldn't quite deny that statement, but… "If you'd vouched for me, then… maybe he wouldn't have."

"You really think so…? But what about what he tried to do to Ven?" she asked quietly. "The Master had me and Terra lie to Ven for years— to tell him he'd always lived with us. We weren't allowed to say anything about how he'd arrived to the Land of Departure or ask about his past."

Vanitas adjusted his position, bringing his knees up closer to his chest. He didn't have an immediate answer— In fact, he hadn't given it much thought at all, but it was odd that Master Eraqus would try to kill his precious, coddled 'Ven', even if the Worlds were at stake.

Then again, it was Eraqus's sworn duty as a Keyblade Master to protect the Worlds, so perhaps it wasn't so strange after all. What was one life compared to billions, right? That was what a Master of Light had to be, someone who put the good of the many above the good of the few. Except, Aqua wasn't like that. No… she'd try to save everyone.

Still, whatever Eraqus's reason for attacking Ventus, that wasn't the answer Aqua needed to hear right now. She needed comfort, and hating her Master would certainly be a burden on her heart.

"Maybe Eraqus wasn't trying to kill Ventus…" he said, thinking hard. Neither his other half nor Terra were particularly bright, and he knew Xehanort had at least partially lied about the incident leading to Eraqus's death… Vanitas suddenly recalled the golden chains which were unique to Master Keeper. "Maybe he was just trying to… lock him away."

"Like how Xehanort imprisoned you?"

"Aqua…"

"I'm sorry, it's just…" she trailed off, frustrated tears in her eyes. "I can't believe he kept so much from us. The Keyblade War, the Heartless… Ven's past… Everything."

Vanitas shifted a little. It was uncomfortable, seeing Aqua feeling so disheartened after she'd already been so miserable, lately. "…You know, Eraqus probably didn't tell you for your own protection," he said gently. "Maybe he thought it'd be better if Ventus didn't know he's half of the X-Blade."

She frowned. "But… Maybe if Ven had known, he'd never have run away."

Vanitas snorted. "Are you sure about that? The kid was bound to bail sooner or later. I mean, he's half of me, and I already told you how good I was at staying in one place."

That made Aqua smile, just a little.

"Besides, I know another certain someone who can be a bit overprotective, too." He stared at her pointedly, and she flushed. "Eraqus probably thought he was keeping you guys safe."

"…I hadn't thought of it that way," Aqua murmured pensively.

"I can't know for sure," Vanitas shrugged truthfully. "But I know from what I saw, Eraqus really cared about you, and Ventus and Terra."

"Okay," Aqua sniffled before taking in a steadying breath, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her glove. "I believe you."

Vanitas smiled encouragingly, before another thought came to him. "Hell, Eraqus might not've known all that much about the War in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"Xehanort was obsessed with the Keyblade War, yeah? Spent decades researching it. Maybe Eraqus just… wasn't interested in it enough to know much, himself. He's not the type to want anything to do with Darkness; plus he probably didn't want you guys following down Xehanort's path."

"I… Yes, that does make sense," Aqua nodded, sniffling again. "I just wish he'd told us…"

Vanitas reached out and wiped away her tears with his sleeve. He could guess what she was going through, just a little.

He had grown up thinking Xehanort had all the answers, that his Master knew everything there was to know about Light and Darkness, magic and nature… and felt Eraqus, by contrast, knew nothing simply because he was the 'other' Master. Like him, Aqua had held great faith in her own Master— a faith which she now questioned.

Perhaps the truth was that neither of their Masters held all the answers; they never had.

Vanitas took in a breath, settling his hands back on his thighs. "…I'm starting to think Xehanort was wrong about a lot of things," he admitted slowly. "And as for this grandma character, I doubt she was lying but her story probably isn't the full truth, either. The Keyblade War happened thousands of years ago; there's no way for any of us to know for sure exactly what happened. Whatever story anyone might tell about the War, or what they've heard… it might all be wrong." His fists curled in his lap. "Maybe it really was only a legend, after all…" he muttered bitterly.

"The X-Blade is real enough…" Aqua pointed out hesitantly. "And so is the Graveyard. But other than that…"

"It's in the ancient past," he stated resolutely, meeting her eyes. "Best not to worry about it."

"I think you're right," she nodded, reaching out to give his hand another affectionate squeeze.

Vanitas wrapped his fingers around hers and held on tight.

Whatever had happened during the Keyblade War, it had nothing to do with either of them.

It was, in a way, still… painful to think about. The X-Blade was the Ultimate Key to the Heart of All Worlds, the legendary prize fought for in that most ancient battle. It was the weapon Vanitas had been born to be, what he'd spent four long, painful years being tort— trained for… And all for what?

He'd been willing to risk his life for the X-Blade— unsure if he'd survive the second Keyblade War, or perish like those ancient warriors whose weapons marked the Graveyard… so that one day, under the hallowed Light of Kingdom Hearts, he would finally become whole.

His future had always laid with the X-Blade —his one and only salvation— and Vanitas hadn't given much thought to what he'd do once he was no longer broken. But he had long since realized his true purpose lay with Aqua. Wherever she went, whatever the future held, he'd be by her side.

"So… Who's Kairi, by the way?" Vanitas asked, looking for a change of subject.

Aqua blinked. "Oh! She's this little girl I met in Radiant Garden. I, uh… saved her from some Unversed."

He winced. "Right… Look, I didn't sic them on anyone in particular, you know. Just told them to cause a little chaos."

"It's alright, Van. She wasn't hurt," Aqua reassured. "Actually, I think the Unversed might've only been curious; they seemed drawn to her Light. Mickey called her 'extraordinary', since her Light was so pure…" Her eyes widened in realization. "Do you think Kairi could be a Princess of Heart?!"

"Possibly," Vanitas mused. "If she is, that makes her number four. Xehanort wants something with the Princesses. He told Maleficent to gather all Seven— Something about granting her a Keyblade of her own in return." He frowned thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, Xehanort promised the same thing to Braig if he helped him get to Terra. Old bastard was probably lying, again."

"Who?"

"Oh, you fought him the Keyblade Graveyard, remember? That castle guardsman from Radiant Garden— the one with the Arrowguns. I don't actually know much about him; never really talked to the guy."

"That shifty-looking man with the eyepatch…? But… what does all that have to do with the Princesses?" Aqua asked, bewildered.

"I dunno… But whatever Xehanort's planning, it can't be good. The Seven Princesses are Keystones to the whole World. Their hearts are special, and in more than just a pure Light sort of way. If Xehanort or Maleficent know about Kairi, then they'll be after her, next."

"That's all the more reason we need to return to the Realm of Light!" Aqua gasped, attempting to stand. "We need to protect her and the others!"

"Slow down, Aqua," Vanitas implored, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's probably too late. The Castle of Dreams is already down here in the Realm of Darkness; so are the Dwarf Woodlands and probably the Enchanted Dominion, too. If the Princesses were already removed from their Worlds, it'd be that much easier for those Worlds to fall."

"Then—!" Aqua choked as tears once again welled in her bright blue eyes. "Cinderella, Aurora, and Snow White… Th-they might already be—"

"Hey, I never said they were dead," Vanitas said quickly, scooting closer and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Xehanort or Maleficent might try to use them for their power, sure. But neither of them are stupid enough to murder a Princess of Heart. Their Light is too useful to just toss away." He leaned forward a little, trying to catch her eye. "Besides, you haven't seen Radiant Garden down here, have you? That means it hasn't fallen, yet."

Aqua took in a deep breath and met his earnest gaze. "You're right. I cast a protective charm on Kairi's necklace. If she's ever in trouble, her Light will lead her to someone safe."

"Sounds like she'll be fine," Vanitas nodded. "And if something does go wrong, well… I'm here if you ever need help staging a Princess rescue mission." He gave a lop-sided grin.

Ah, now that made Aqua smile. "Alright. We'll worry about it when we return to the Realm of Light, then," she agreed, wiping her eyes on the back of her wrist. Bleu took that moment to leave his flowerpot and wander up to her, giving her hand a comforting lick. "Thank you, Bleu," she said.

"So do the plants need water, now?" Vanitas asked, standing up and stretching his sore shoulders. Who knew gardening was such hard work?

"Mhm," Aqua nodded as she rubbed Bleu's head with her knuckles, pointing over towards the greenhouse. "I left a couple watering cans over there. Careful, they're full."

Vanitas retrieved the cans and he and Aqua both washed the dirt off their hands before beginning to water the vegetable patch. Bleu dashed through the sprinkling water, but stopped —albeit reluctantly— after Aqua calmly scolded him for wasting it.

"I'm all out," Vanitas reported as soon as his can was empty.

"Mine too," Aqua said, holding out her own watering can. "Here, could you fill this for me? I need to dry off Bleu."

Vanitas nodded and made his way into the greenhouse, passing by rows of potted flowers before walking into the apothecary. He paused halfway to the sink, staring at the chalkboard in the corner. The sketch of the Chrono Twister, his portrait of Aqua, and the attempt she'd made at drawing him were still there, but something had been added under the spot where he'd erased Ventus and Terra.

There were five newly scribbled stick figures. On the left was the tallest— it wore wide pants and had a hand on the shoulder of the shorter figure next to it, whose jacket was only half colored in. Following the pair was a tall figure with squiggly lines hanging off its waist like ribbons, which was holding hands with another short one sporting a mess of spiky hair. Near its feet was a small pointy blob he was sure was meant to represent Bleu. All of them were smiling.

Vanitas swallowed guiltily as he refilled the empty watering cans. So… Aqua knew he'd erased her drawings of Ventus and Terra. Why hadn't she confronted him about it…?

He returned to the garden to find Aqua wringing out a wet towel as Bleu shook the remaining water droplets off of himself. Vanitas handed over a watering can, not really looking at her. "Uh, Aqua…" he started apologetically, "About your chalk drawings…"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Van," Aqua laughed it off, making him look up in surprise. "I know you were upset. Honestly they weren't very well-drawn, anyway." She smiled a little sadly. "I just want us to be together— all five of us. You, me, Terra, Ven, and Bleu of course." She nodded to the Unversed, who voiced a happy chirp.

"…We will be," Vanitas murmured. He still wasn't entirely sure how the thought made him feel, but he knew it would make Aqua happier than anything to have all her friends returned safe and sound. And if she was happy… Well, what were a few extra tag-alongs?

Surprise briefly flickered in her eyes before she beamed brightly.

Together they continued watering the plants, Aqua humming a little tune as they worked.

"That's probably good enough for now. Should we head back in?" she asked as soon as they'd finished, setting down her empty watering can just inside the greenhouse door.

"Actually, I'd meant to ask…" Vanitas started, placing his can next to hers, "Think you could teach me Curaga?"

Aqua blinked. "Right now?"

"It'd be useful in a fight," he shrugged.

"True, it'd definitely come in handy; we can't be too careful anymore," Aqua agreed. "It's a level three healing spell so you'll need to learn Cura first, but since you already know Cure that shouldn't be too difficult. Honestly, I can't believe I didn't teach you this earlier…" She tapped a finger against her chin. "Now, what to practice on…?"

"What about the garden?" Vanitas suggested, looking around at the freshly planted vegetables. "It might make the plants grow faster, or something."

"Hmm… that just might work," Aqua nodded, impressed. "As long as there's no knives, this time," she added with a nervous giggle.

Vanitas snorted. She still hadn't let that go, huh?

"You already know the basics of healing magic, so just remember what we did last time," Aqua instructed, placing a hand on her hip. "Focus on something positive, and let the magic flow through you."

Vanitas closed his eyes and took a deep breath, drawing on his Mana as he sorted through his memories. He'd gained so many positive memories in his time here with Aqua, he didn't know which to pick; the spell fizzled at his indecisiveness. "Oh, whoops," he grinned abashedly as a sputter of tiny green sparks burst from his palm. "Uh, that one didn't count."

Aqua smiled encouragingly. "Go on, try again."

Okay, what to choose…

Vanitas refocused on his task, flexing his fingers as he attempted to select one memory among dozens. A thought surfaced at the forefront of his mind— all sweet and sunshine-yellow, the fun he'd had baking the Dancin' Lemon cake with Aqua. Settling on that memory, he poured his Mana into the spell and a cloud of green sparkles filled the air.

"How was that?" Vanitas asked, glancing back at her eagerly.

"Hmm… Looked like a regular Cure, to me," Aqua admitted honestly.

"Damn. I really thought I'd had it," Vanitas huffed. Baking the Dancin' Lemon cake was a happy memory for sure, but apparently not quite powerful enough. He supposed it made sense; he'd been so unsure of his own emotions at the time— an edge of sour buried beneath all that sweet.

"Don't give up. What about a stronger memory?" she advised.

A stronger happy memory…? If that one hadn't worked, then what about…

More memories washed over him; Aqua's warm embrace and sweet scent, her gentle voice and bright smile, every time she gazed at him with those beautiful blue eyes… Not a specific memory, but an overall positive feeling he experienced simply by being in her presence.

A sparkling green glow emanated from his palms and blanketed the vegetable patch, a shower of tiny glittering stars cascading upon the garden and sinking deep into the soil.

"That's it!" Aqua cheered as Bleu pounced on some of the sparkles, attempting to catch them as if they were fireflies. "Light, Vanitas. That was almost a Curaga, I think! What memory did you choose?"

"Oh! Well…" Vanitas cleared his throat, thinking fast. Should he tell her, or…? "I thought of you," he answered truthfully.

"Me?!" she exclaimed, her hand jumping to her heart as her face turned bright pink.

"Yeah, it's like you said. You make an excellent Merry Dairy pudding," he grinned teasingly.

"Oh, is that all," Aqua pouted, suddenly looking a little put-out. She shook her head and sighed. "In any case, you'll need more practice before you can cast Cura reflexively during combat."

"Right," Vanitas agreed, puzzled by Aqua's reaction. Why did she look so bothered…? He was probably just teasing her too much. Vanitas stared out across the garden. "You know… I had my own theory about the Keyblade War. I've never told anyone this, but…" He lowered his gaze. "I always thought maybe there was a chance the Badlands might've been green once, before the War."

"…Maybe we could change that, once this is all over," Aqua said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you'd ever want to go back."

Vanitas closed his eyes and considered the World of his birth, the years under Xehanort's boot. Beneath all the blood and pain, the Badlands were just… lonely. A lonely, windy wasteland.

Maybe with a little help, that World could heal.

"…Maybe," he whispered. "Maybe."

Together they stowed away the rest of their gardening tools in the greenhouse, Bleu hanging his head mournfully at the thought of having to go back indoors.

"I'm starving," Vanitas announced as the trio made their way back through the apothecary and into the Castle.

"Learning a new spell does take a lot of energy," Aqua said knowledgeably. "I'll go start dinner."

"Can I help?" he offered.

"Of course."

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"So what's on the menu tonight? More vegetable stew?" Vanitas asked as soon as he and Aqua entered the kitchen. He had to admit, despite all the hard work they'd just done in the garden, he was getting rather bored of eating vegetables for almost every meal. Aqua was conserving the last of the meat for only once every few days, and he was already beginning to miss the taste of roast beef; they'd used up the last of it the other night.

"Actually, I was going to try my hand at ratatouille," Aqua answered, stepping around Bleu who had curled into a ball on a mat at the foot of the sink, his red eyes narrowed as if asleep. "My mother used to make it all the time when I was little, and talking about her yesterday… Well, I guess it jogged my memory."

"Ratatouille…?" Vanitas slowly repeated, sounding out the foreign word with a slight tilt of his head. "Huh. I didn't know we had any rat."

Aqua stared at him for several seconds before closing her eyes with an oddly pained expression. "…You know what? I'm not even going to ask," she muttered with a shake of her head. Aqua opened up a cookbook and set it out on the counter, turning to a page featuring a strange yet colorful vegetable dish along with its recipe. "Why don't we make the confit byaldi version? It takes a little more work since it's a fancier plating, but I think it looks nice."

Vanitas peered over Aqua's shoulder and read down the ingredients list. To his disappointment, the dish was completely devoid of rat meat. Still, it looked interesting enough to try. He followed Aqua into the pantry and helped her gather an assortment of fresh garden vegetables along with some Prickle Peppers they'd won from one of the Prize Pods. Vanitas set out a cutting-board and knife while Aqua disappeared back into the pantry only to return with an armful of Dancin' Lemons.

"What're the Lemons for?" Vanitas asked, glancing back at the cookbook. "Those ain't on the list."

"We still have a lot of Lemons left over from when we baked the Dancin' Lemon Cake, so I was thinking we could make some lemonade!" Aqua said cheerily, retrieving the handheld fruit juicer and a glass pitcher from the cabinet. "We won't need a recipe; I've made this plenty of times."

"Sounds sour," Vanitas remarked with a frown. Drinking Dancin' Lemon juice didn't exactly seem appetizing.

"That's why we're going to sweeten it with sugar," Aqua laughed. "Think you can manage a Prize Pod, or…?"

"No worries; that I can do." Vanitas didn't have to concentrate hard for his Hunger to manifest as a Prize Pod. The green pot-shaped Unversed hovered over the countertop, glancing shyly at Aqua.

"Hey there, little one," she coaxed, speaking in a slow yet high-pitched tone which gave Vanitas the distinct impression of talking to a feral cat. "May we have some Crystal Sugar, please?"

The Prize Pod stared at her for one long moment, its uncertain gaze flicking between Aqua and its master before giving a deep bow, swinging open its lid and pouring out its contents. Little white cubes of Crystal Sugar scattered across the counter.

"Thank you," Aqua smiled as the Prize Pod righted itself, reaching out to rub the Unversed's lid. It squinted its eyes contentedly and gave a low purr.

"You really are corrupting my Unversed," Vanitas observed mildly.

"Oh, I don't know about that," she cooed, still petting the creature. "Prize Pods were always docile. Besides, I don't think he'd listen to me if you didn't want him to."

"That's true…" He reached towards the Prize Pod to reabsorb it.

"Wait, don't get rid of him yet," Aqua said quickly, throwing out a hand.

Vanitas paused, his fingers still outstretched. "Why not?"

"Well… what if we need more ingredients?" she asked, somewhat sheepishly.

Vanitas privately disagreed, but let the issue go. The Prize Pod settled down in a corner of the kitchen, watching them with unblinking eyes.

"We'd better start on that lemonade," Aqua said, handing Vanitas the handheld fruit juicer. "Remember how to juice a Lemon?"

"Of course I do," he snorted. It'd been quite fun, last time.

"Then I'll start the syrup," she nodded. "It's just sugar water."

"Remember to add lots of Sugar," Vanitas insisted. One couldn't go wrong with too sweet.

"Of course," Aqua gave a knowing smile.

Vanitas took up his knife and proceeded to slice each Lemon in half on the cutting-board, then squeezed them with the fruit juicer until the glass pitcher was full. He glanced over at Aqua, who was stirring cubes of Crystal Sugar into a pan of water heating on the stove. "I thought lemonade was supposed to be cold," he frowned.

"It will be," she assured.

It didn't take long for the Crystal Sugar to dissolve, the water thickening into a thin, clear syrup. Aqua carefully poured the hot Sugar water into the pitcher of Dancin' Lemon juice.

"There," she said, setting the Dancin' Lemonade into the icebox next to the last of the eggs and smoked ham. "That'll need some time to cool. Now, on to the main dish."

Vanitas washed off his knife in the sink while Aqua returned to the cookbook.

"Okay, so we have zucchini, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, onions, Peppers…" Aqua ran a finger down the list of ingredients, naming off all the vegetables laying on the counter. "Perfect! That's all we need. I'll start roasting Peppers for the sauce." She began sorting the garlic, onions, Prickle Peppers, and half the tomatoes to her side of the counter, leaving Vanitas with the rest. "Van, if you could start on slicing the zucchini into rounds? As thinly as you can, please."

He looked down at the assortment of colorful vegetables on his side of the counter. He knew the red ones were tomatoes, but the others all would've looked exactly the same if not for their various hues. "Which one's the zucchini?"

"Just choose any of them; it doesn't matter," Aqua waved a pair of metal tongs in his direction before placing the Prickle Peppers directly on the stovetop burners and turning up the heat. "They're all going to be sliced the same way."

Vanitas shrugged and grabbed a fancy purple gourd. He began thinly slicing the vegetable into neat circular rounds, carefully at first before confidently picking up speed. Just as he was settling into a swift, steady rhythm, Vanitas heard a heavy thud. He glanced up to see Aqua sitting on the floor where she'd collapsed near the stove, still clutching the pair of tongs.

She looked around, bewildered. "How did I…?"

"Aqua! Are you okay?!" Vanitas and Bleu were at her side in an instant, the former having left his knife buried deeply in the cutting-board.

Her eyes widened in fear. "Who—?" She blinked, and recognition seeped back into her eyes. "Van. Yes, I… I must've tripped." Aqua swallowed uncertainly, rubbing the spot where her pink chest straps crossed right over her heart.

Vanitas suddenly noticed that the silver pendant which usually adorned her chest was mysteriously missing. He helped her back up, noting with unease that her skin felt unusually cold to the touch.

"Wh—?" But before he could ask what'd happened or where her pendant had gone, she gasped, pushing him away from the stove where the burner flames were licking at the vegetables.

"Oh, the Peppers!" Aqua cried distractedly, quickly turning them over with her tongs.

Vanitas and Bleu exchanged worried glances. "Aqua…"

"Just keep chopping those vegetables, Van," she ordered firmly without looking at him, an almost imperceptible tremor in her voice.

He stared warily at Aqua's back as he sliced the rest of the vegetables, trying and failing to just forget about it and relax. It'd been over two weeks since the last time she'd fainted, and while this incident hadn't been nearly as horrifying as the last, it definitely wasn't a good sign. He was beginning to wonder… Was the Realm of Darkness really eating away at her Light, or was there another cause…?

Vanitas finished chopping the vegetables just in time, laying down his knife as Aqua turned off the stove.

"Alright, the Peppers are done," she announced, scooping them into a bowl with her tongs and setting it on the counter.

"They look a little burnt…" Vanitas observed, peering into the bowl. 'A little' was quite an understatement, considering the absolute state of the blackened Peppers. Looks like they'd need the Prize Pod's help, after all.

"Don't worry. That's just the skin, see?" Aqua said before Vanitas could order the Unversed to conjure a fresh batch of Prickle Peppers. She gingerly picked up a Pepper and began peeling off the black char to reveal a perfectly roasted vegetable beneath.

"Oh," Vanitas blinked. "Well, that's a relief."

"Mhm. Now, we don't have a blender, so…" Aqua thoughtfully tapped a finger against her chin. "We might just have to do this the old-fashioned way."

He watched with interest as she pulled a large fork from the cutlery drawer and began mashing the Peppers into a paste, along with a few more tomatoes and some onion and garlic. Aqua added some water to the mixture, turning it all into a thick sauce and pouring it into a pan.

Together, she and Vanitas arranged the vegetable rounds into rows of alternating color patterns and laid them over the Prickle Pepper sauce. When they were done, Aqua set their culinary creation into the oven to bake.

"That'll need an hour and a half before it's ready," she said as she washed her hands.

"You know, you did promise you'd teach me how to play piano, today," Vanitas reminded her casually, taking his turn at the sink when she was finished.

"In only ninety minutes?" Aqua asked, glancing worriedly back at the stove.

"Eighty-nine, now. Come on." He turned to leave the kitchen.

"How are we supposed to know the time—?"

A Chrono Twister popped into existence with a puff of black smoke. "He'll keep track of it for us," Vanitas explained.

"'He'?" Aqua asked with an amused look.

"It," he corrected swiftly. "We ain't keeping this one, so don't get any smart ideas about naming it 'Timey' or whatever."

"Surely I'd come up with a better name than that!" she laughed in amusement. "You said that the Shadow Stalker was a good name, right?"

"Yeah, yeah… It was," he grinned.

The party of four quickly made their way to the fifth floor, Bleu scampering ahead while the Chrono Twister bobbed along as it floated behind them, its curious red gaze fixed on Aqua. The music room was just as they'd left it— the brass and wooden instruments along the walls all covered in a thick layer of dust, save for the pristine grand piano standing in the center of the floor.

Bleu darted forward excitedly, dashing around the instruments while kicking up clouds of dust in his wake. The Chrono Twister followed him into the room, lazily gliding over the floor without disturbing a single speck.

"You wouldn't happen to have any feather duster Unversed, would you?" Aqua asked, waving away a few motes in the air as she closed the door behind them.

"You're better off doing that by hand, I think," Vanitas replied honestly. "The Unversed aren't exactly good for house keeping." Bleu squeaked indignantly, but Vanitas ignored him. An Archraven might flap away some grime with its wings, but he lacked the Dread to summon one and wasn't about to embarrass himself by trying.

Aqua took a seat on the piano bench, lifting up the fallboard to reveal the ebony and ivory keys beneath. "I learned how to play piano without any music sheets, but I could look for some, if you think they'd help," she offered, running a finger over the keyboard.

"Honestly Aqua, I don't even know what those are," Vanitas deadpanned, leaning against the piano and crossing his arms. He looked at her expectantly, wondering what song she'd play or if she'd sing for him; he'd love more than anything right now to hear her gorgeous voice again.

"Right…" She frowned slightly before shrugging. "Well, the first thing to know is your different keys. Each one plays a unique note, with every full section labelled as letters A through G."

Aqua ran through the different chords in sequence, starting with the highest note and making her way down to the lowest, explaining each one as well as sharps and flats— whatever those were. Vanitas tried to pay attention and memorize the information, but he was already struggling to remember the order of the alphabet. He hadn't realized reading was so integral to playing music!

As if reading his mind, Aqua paused in her instruction, evidently noting the perplexed expression on his face. "…You seem a bit confused," she deduced with a faint smile. Aqua scooted down the bench and extended a hand. "It's best if you give it a try, yourself," she suggested. "I'll help you play by ear."

"Sure," Vanitas shrugged, accepting her offered palm and joining her on the bench. He shifted a little closer to better access the keyboard, his thigh accidentally brushing against her leg. "Sorry," he apologized quickly.

"Don't worry about it," Aqua blushed, though Vanitas noticed she hadn't moved away. "…Do you think the Chrono Twister could be our metronome?" she asked.

"Our metro-what?"

"It'll help us keep the beat," Aqua clarified, turning towards the Unversed. "If you could follow along, please." She steadily tapped the top of the piano with her fingernail.

The Unversed's red eyes flicked towards Vanitas, apparently seeking confirmation. He sent it a mental signal of approval and the Unversed obliged, rhythmically ticking back and forth.

"Let's start with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," Aqua said in a teacherly manner, splaying her fingers across the keyboard.

Vanitas narrowed his eyes. "That sounds like little kiddie stuff."

She raised an eyebrow. "You'd rather start with Baa Baa Black Sheep?"

"…Stars are fine."

Aqua grinned knowingly and started up a simple, pretty tune. The way her fingers glided across the keyboard looked completely effortless. Vanitas listened closely, attentively watching her every key press. Even Bleu had ceased gallivanting around the room to listen with his head cocked to one side.

"Alright, now it's your turn," she instructed after finishing the song.

"Uh…" He stared down at the keyboard, completely at a loss as to where to place his fingers.

"Here." Aqua rested her warm palms over his wrists and gently guided his hands into position. "Ready?" she asked, and he nodded. "Repeat after me."

Vanitas attempted to copy Aqua's movements as she played alongside him, slowly pressing each key one after the other. He winced, pausing the moment he struck what was obviously the wrong note.

"Keep going," she encouraged.

After a few minutes and multiple repetitions, Vanitas was able to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star perfectly on his own.

"I did it," he breathed, astonished. Playing piano was much harder than Aqua made it seem, and he felt a bit embarrassed that the song was obviously meant for children, but he'd still done it!

"That was really great, Van," Aqua smiled broadly. "I think you're ready for something a little more complex." She began another light melody, one which seemed strangely familiar.

"Hold on, I've heard this before…" Vanitas's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Where exactly had he heard it? Surely not in Disney Town… "Cinderella was singing it!" he suddenly recalled.

"Really?" Aqua paused, observing him with interest. "It's called Oh Sing Sweet Nightingale."

"Yeah, that's what she was singing about—!" He blinked. "Wait, what's a nightingale?"

"It's a bird that sings at night."

"Huh." Vanitas briefly wondered if he'd eaten a bird like that before as Aqua resumed the song from the beginning. He listened for a little while before joining in, his hand accidentally bumping against hers in his eagerness. "Whoops, sorry," he apologized again.

"That's okay," she giggled softly.

They continued practicing until Vanitas had the tune memorized.

"You're getting good at this!" Aqua cheered, and Vanitas grinned. She glanced at the Chrono Twister, which was still steadily ticking back and forth. The top portion of the hourglass-shaped Unversed was now more than half empty. "Looks like we only have time for one more." She placed her hands back into position. "This is one of my favorites, but it's quite long so we'll only play the first few bars."

"Fine by me," he shrugged.

Aqua began performing a beautiful melody, her graceful fingers dancing over the keys in intricate patterns. There was something different about this song, Vanitas thought… It had a passionate and deeply emotional sound which reminded him of the one she'd played for him, last time.

As he began replicating Aqua's movements, Vanitas found that despite the song's complexity he didn't need to concentrate nearly as hard to follow along. Playing the piano was beginning to feel more natural, the complicated key presses adding themselves to his muscle memory.

"Now you're getting it," she said, standing up and walking around to the other side of the piano. "Here, do it again."

As Vanitas began replaying the opening notes of the song, Aqua took a deep breath and started to sing.

"When you walk away, you don't hear me say 'please, oh baby, don't go'. Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel, tonight. It's hard to let it go…"

Vanitas reached the last note in the sequence, the sound reverberating around the room along with the echoes of Aqua's angelic voice. "Teach me the whole thing," he said breathlessly, his gaze transfixed on Aqua. He wasn't the only one; Bleu was staring at her, too.

"Later," Aqua smiled, nodding to the Chrono Twister. "Dinner should be ready by now."

"Oh, fine…" he sighed, feeling a little disappointed. Vanitas wished to keep playing, but at least now he could enjoy more of Aqua's delicious cooking. He reached over towards the time-keeping Unversed before she could protest, reabsorbing it into his skin just as it was about to cast Stopga.

Vanitas gave one last longing glance at the piano as he followed Aqua and Bleu out the door, already making plans to practice music on his own, later…

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The three of them returned to the kitchen, finding it unoccupied; the Prize Pod must've wandered off somewhere. Vanitas headed for the icebox to retrieve the Dancin' Lemonade while Aqua donned a pair of oven mitts and pulled the pan of ratatouille from the oven. A wonderfully nostalgic aroma filled the air as she placed the dish on the counter.

She'd always found cooking relaxing, and eating with friends was even better. It certainly raised her spirits, and she was so glad for the opportunity to share a piece of her childhood with her best friend.

"Is the food done?" Vanitas asked as he set out a small stack of plates, glasses, and utensils.

"Not quite; it just needs a finishing touch," Aqua replied, searching the drawer for a metal ring mold. "Confit byaldi is all about presentation."

Aqua set the small mold on a plate and expertly spooned a colorful stack of roasted vegetable slices into an appealing arrangement. She carefully removed the mold and did the same for Vanitas's portion, before drizzling extra Prickle Pepper sauce around both dishes.

Perfect.

"To the dining hall," she instructed, handing Vanitas both plates while she took the Lemonade and glasses.

After they set the table, Aqua took her usual seat across from Vanitas. Bleu hopped up on the chair next to her, eyeing the dish curiously.

"So, can we eat?" Vanitas asked eagerly, his fingers hovering over his fork in anticipation.

"Mhm, let's eat!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

They dug in. The food was delicious— even better than what Aqua remembered from home. The spiciness of the Prickle Pepper sauce was offset by the richness of the vegetables— an almost meaty flavor she knew Vanitas would enjoy, all washed down with cool, sweet Dancin' Lemonade.

"How is it?" she asked after they'd both taken a moment to savor their meal.

"It's amazing Aqua!" Vanitas grinned, finally having mastered enough manners to swallow before speaking. "I told you, you make great food."

"Is that a compliment?" she asked with a playful smile.

"It's the truth."

Aqua gave a small laugh. "Thank you, Van. I did have some help, though," she reminded him as she allowed Bleu to nibble a bit of roasted squash off her fork. She didn't think the Unversed actually needed to eat, but the Flood seemed to enjoy it.

"True…" Vanitas's fork clinked against his plate as he watched the display, a single eyebrow raised in either amusement or annoyance— Aqua wasn't sure which. "So, your mom taught you how to play piano?"

"Mhm."

"What else did she teach you?" he asked, turning his attention from Bleu and back to his meal.

"Oh, just normal stuff like how to cook and sew. Basically anything that doesn't have to do with being a Keyblade Wielder, I suppose," Aqua explained, taking another sip of Lemonade.

"I see… Well, I guess I should thank her in person, then," Vanitas mused thoughtfully.

"Hmm?"

"If your mom hadn't taught you all those things, then you couldn't have taught me, and I wouldn't get to eat such amazing food."

"W-wait, you want to meet my mother?" Aqua stammered incredulously, her fingers slipping slightly as she set down her glass.

"Sure, why not. I mean, unless you don't want me to…?" He tilted his head with an inquiring yet cautious look.

Aqua felt rather flustered at the thought of bringing a boy home. Her mother had been pestering her to get herself a boyfriend for years. Every time Aqua dropped by for a visit, Mother always asked about Terra and Ven and which of the two she fancied more, no matter how many times Aqua told her they were only friends.

"No, I was just a little surprised, that's all. I'm sure she'd love to meet you, Van," she beamed. "Actually, she'd probably be delighted."

"Is that so…?" Vanitas grinned broadly, looking relieved. "I look forward to it."

Aqua took another bite of ratatouille. "So, how's your reading coming along?"

"Pretty decent, I'd say," he replied, taking a sip of his own Lemonade. "I'm halfway through that Snow Queen book."

"Oh, good!" She was glad to hear Vanitas had taken such an interest in reading. Aqua hadn't been sure if he'd enjoy the books she'd picked out for him. "Honestly, I'm surprised you're actually interested in this stuff— fairytales and romance."

"How come?"

"Hmm… I guess what I'm trying to say is, most boys wouldn't be into that sort of thing," she explained. "Terra and Ven —well, mostly Terra— would say they're too… lovey-dovey."

"Well, I'm not most boys, now am I?" Vanitas smirked, his golden eyes shining.

"No…" Aqua agreed, pressing a napkin to her face to hide her blush. You're something more.

"You okay?"

"Yes! It's good to have hobbies," Aqua said encouragingly. "You should try singing, next."

"I— No, I'd be terrible at it," Vanitas stared down at his half-finished plate, appearing somewhat flustered.

"Come on, you haven't even tried," she grinned.

He bit his lip and shook his head. "You've heard what I sound like."

Okay, sure his voice was a little rough, but the thought of him softly singing those love songs she'd taught him with that low, handsome growl of his would be—

Aqua coughed and quickly took another sip of Lemonade. "Oh, alright," she yielded reluctantly. "But you know, if there's anything you want to do that I haven't suggested, feel free to ask."

"Well, there was one thing…" Vanitas began slowly. "I'd like to learn how to read that book about the girl and the beast-prince— on my own, I mean."

"Oh?" Aqua's eyes lit up as she pondered his request. "Learning French won't exactly be easy…"

"Is that what it's called?" Vanitas asked in a restrained way, like he was trying not to sound overly eager. "That foreign language?"

Aqua nodded in confirmation. "We can certainly give it a try. You're a fast learner."

"I kinda had to be…" he shrugged before his eyes softened. "But thank you."

After dinner, Aqua and Vanitas cleaned up and headed for the library. They sat together in front of the lit fireplace with the copy of La Belle et la Bête laying between them. Bleu curled up on a plush chair, feigning sleep as usual.

"So where do we start?" Vanitas asked keenly.

"How about the title," Aqua said, scooting the book nearer to him.

"…La bell et la bet?" he guessed.

"Close," Aqua giggled at his flat pronunciation. "It's La Belle et la Bête," she corrected, slightly slipping into her native accent. "It means 'The Beauty and the Beast', see?" Aqua pointed out each word as she spoke.

"So… belle means beauty, and bête means beast?" Vanitas inquired.

"That's correct," Aqua smiled, opening to the first page. "Il était une fois," she said, reading the first sentence aloud. "Technically it translates to 'there was once', but I prefer to say 'once upon a time'."

"Right…"

"And you see that word there, une? It's the feminine form of 'a' or 'one'."

"Uh—"

Aqua paused, noting Vanitas's confused frown. "Hmm. Well, French words have masculine or feminine forms, and…"

Now he was staring at her with a completely baffled expression on his face.

"…Maybe I should go over some basics, first."

Over the course of the next hour, Aqua attempted to teach Vanitas how to read French. It was slower work than she'd expected. He had a lot of questions, some easy to answer, and others she wasn't quite sure of, herself. Still, Vanitas seemed to be catching on.

By the end of the lesson, he was able to recite the first sentence of the story with ease, and while reading a full paragraph was much harder, he was getting better at it with fewer mistakes.

"I think that's good enough for today," Aqua yawned, feeling somewhat sleepy. "It's getting late."

"Yeah, alright," Vanitas reluctantly agreed before turning to her and clearing his throat. "Merci, Aqua."

Her lips parted in surprise before brightening into a beaming smile. "You're welcome," she laughed, drawing him into a quick hug.

They sat together for a few more minutes, quietly enjoying the fire.

Vanitas's smile slipped a little as he looked into the flames. "…Aqua, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"It's about earlier, when you fell in the kitchen. Have you been feeling sick, again? Yesterday you told me you felt cold, and were losing track of time…"

"It's nothing to worry about, Van," Aqua answered quickly, dodging his question. "I… I was just stressed out about the Princesses, that's all." It wasn't a complete falsehood. Aqua was now even more worried for Cinderella and the other Princesses of Heart. At least now she could trust they were still alive.

"Aqua…" Vanitas gazed at her reproachfully. "You said no more secrets."

"I did, didn't I," Aqua sighed. "It… comes and goes. I was feeling a bit faint this morning," she confessed. "But I don't want you worrying about it."

"There has to be something we can do," he muttered in frustration.

"We'll figure it out," Aqua said, leaning towards him and laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

If it really was the Dark World making her sick, then the obvious solution was to leave— unfortunately their complete lack of progress on that front made it easier said than done. The other option would be shielding herself from the Darkness somehow, though sadly what protection she'd had had been sent up to the Realm of Light with Terra.

"If only I had my Keyblade Armor, this wouldn't be happening," Aqua sighed again, drawing her arms around herself to hug her bare shoulders.

"Why's that?"

"Keyblade Armor is made of a special Light-based metal that wards off Darkness. It's why we wear it to travel the Lanes Between."

"Can't you forge some more?" Vanitas frowned. "You're pretty amazing at crafts."

She shook her head. "Keyblade Armor is quite different from good luck charms. Besides, it's a lost art. My Armor was passed down from Master to apprentice since ancient times. Even if I knew how to craft it, I doubt the proper materials would be here."

Vanitas still looked deeply troubled.

"What's bothering you so much?"

"It's just…" Vanitas looked up at her with pleading eyes, "What if I'm the reason for your illness?"

"Huh?!" Aqua asked, startled.

"I mean, we thought it might be the Realm of Darkness, but this whole time I've been feeling more positive emotions, and you've been feeling less," he babbled, wringing his hands in distress. "You saw how I couldn't summon those Unversed, earlier. What if I'm the one stealing your Light, somehow? We've been sleeping together every night, so—"

At these words, Aqua turned a little pink. "No," she interrupted firmly. "This doesn't have anything to do with you, Van. Besides, the first time I fainted was before we uh, started sleeping in the same bed. Remember?"

"But—" He peered at her desperately, "That was right before I used Cure for the first time. And now you collapse right after I cast Cura? What if I really can't cast healing magic after all, and I've been draining your Light…?"

"Vanitas," Aqua said sharply. "That is not it." She took a breath, her tone softening. "Your feelings are your own. No one else's."

"I—" He stopped and swallowed. "Okay… If you're sure."

"I am."

He nodded, breathing out a long sigh of relief.

"Come here," Aqua beckoned, opening her arms.

Vanitas practically jumped at the invitation to hug her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

"I feel so much better when I'm around you, Van," Aqua murmured as she returned his embrace, a deep rumbling starting up in his chest as she stroked her hand down his back. "You're not doing anything bad to me."

Vanitas nodded as he purred against her neck before lowering his face to nuzzle between her breasts.

Aqua began blushing furiously. "Uh… Vanitas? That's not…"

"Hmm…?" he replied, the sound muffled against the black fabric of her blouse.

"N-nothing. Never mind."

They stayed like that for a long moment, Aqua pressing her face against his hair and gently breathing in his Darkness's sweet, cinnamon scent.

"…You're soft," Vanitas mumbled.

She combed her fingers through his dark hair. "So are you."

He glanced up at her, his golden eyes shining. "Oh…?"

"Mhm." Aqua brought her other hand up to stroke a tuft of hair. "You know, the way your hair sticks up like this looks just like a pair of cat ears. It's pretty cute," she remarked.

"I'm not a cat," he huffed with the sweetest little pout. "…And I'm not cute, either."

Aqua snorted softly. Vanitas really had no idea just how adorable he was…

Eventually they pulled apart, Aqua clasping his hands in hers.

"We'll figure this out tomorrow, okay?" she said resolutely. "Don't let it trouble you."

"Alright… We still haven't finished exploring the Castle grounds, yet," Vanitas suggested. "There could still be a way out through there."

"That would be a great place to start," Aqua agreed. "Think about it, as soon as we leave the Realm of Darkness, we'll be back at the Land of Departure."

"Yeah," Vanitas nodded. "I should uh… finish that book." He indicated towards the copy of The Snow Queen laying on the couch. "I've gotten to a good part and I really wanna see what happens next."

"Alright. I'll see you later tonight, then."

"See you…"

Aqua gave Vanitas's fingers one final fleeting squeeze before heading towards the pair of large oak doors. "Stay with him," she whispered as she passed Bleu, who was still pretending to doze on the chair. The Flood opened one eye and peered up at her curiously, but didn't follow as she went out into the hall.

She made her way up to the sewing room. Today had been so busy that she hadn't gotten the chance to give Vanitas his Wayfinder like she'd intended, but Aqua was feeling too emotionally overwhelmed at the moment; she would have to do it later. At least this way she could start working on a present for Bleu as well, and give them their gifts together.

Upon entering the sewing room, Aqua sat at the pinewood table and began unrolling a length of silver ribbon— suddenly realizing her eyes were wet with the tears she'd been holding back all afternoon.

Aqua knew it did her no good to constantly worry about those who still needed her help… nor would it do to keep dwelling on Master Eraqus's passing. However, she didn't think it was possible to just… let go and move on. It just didn't feel right.

Her grief and frustration felt all mixed up inside. Aqua didn't want to be angry with Master Eraqus, but she couldn't agree with what he'd done. And now that the Master was gone, he would never be able to explain the true intent behind his actions.

Aqua gripped the pink chest straps over her heart, her throat constricting from the pressure of keeping in her tears.

Enough crying… she scolded herself, wiping at her eyes. I'm sick of crying.

She wanted to believe Vanitas, to accept his interpretation of events. Aqua knew he was doing his best to comfort her, and she appreciated it deeply. Perhaps Vanitas was right; the Master had only wanted to protect them, and though his intentions had been good, he'd simply gone about it the wrong way.

Maybe if she focused on the good memories of Master Eraqus, the ones she cherished most, it would help ease the pain. The Master had been a good man, a good teacher, and a good father to her, Terra, and Ven. She couldn't allow herself to forget that.

Aqua sniffled, trying to steady her breath.

She needed to focus on the family she had left, and the family she had gained. Vanitas was so much happier now, probably happier than he'd ever been in his entire life… And if he was happy, then Aqua could be happy, too. She would take solace in that.

Everything will all be alright, Aqua told herself as she started working on her present for Bleu. She refused to believe anything less.

Later that evening, Aqua entered the royal suite to find Vanitas already asleep in bed, dressed in his burgundy nightshirt. He'd fallen asleep with The Snow Queen on his chest, which rose and fell with gentle breaths. Bleu was curled at the foot of the bed, raising his head as she closed the door behind herself. He chittered softly.

Aqua pressed a finger to her lips to shush him, pointing to his master's sleeping form. The Flood settled back down, folding his front legs under his body like a cat. Aqua silently crept closer and carefully pried the book from Vanitas's fingers, setting it on the nightstand next to the vase of moonflowers.

She stared down at Vanitas's peaceful expression. Smiling, Aqua gently brushed a few strands of dark hair from his eyes. Was he still having nightmares about hurting her, she idly wondered? He hadn't woken her last night, so hopefully he was feeling better. At least if it happened again, she already knew how to calm him down.

Aqua headed for the bathroom to change into her powdery blue nightgown and let down her hair from its ponytail. She brushed her teeth before quietly clambering into bed, over the nest of plush pillows and soft blankets to cuddle up next to Vanitas.

She was careful not to wake him as she snuggled closer to his warmth, her fingers lightly brushing his bare arm. Aqua gazed into Vanitas's youthfully round face, admiring his handsome features— his long, thick eyelashes, delicate pale skin, those soft pink lips— Why had she never noticed his lips, before…?

Aqua was suddenly overcome by an unbidden emotion she didn't dare quantify, something warm and fluttering like a dove beating its soft wings in her chest. The sensation made her nervous, but in a good way— a sort of giddy excitement she'd never felt before.

She grinned as she pressed her face into Vanitas's shoulder, taking in the calming scent of fresh pine and sweet resin. Aqua had come to find his Darkness comforting. It was the Darkness of a starry sky and a comfortable bed, of dappled shade, the kind of Darkness that came with the sleepiness of rest.

"Goodnight, Van," she whispered contentedly, closing her eyes before drifting off to sleep.

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Vanitas found himself laying on a bed of grass; the warm sunlight washing over him was dappled by branches of the forest canopy above. He closed his eyes, breathing in the fragrance of plants and earth while listening to the chatter of birdsong as the winged creatures flitted through the trees. Two indistinct yet familiar male voices called in the distance, only to be answered by a cheerful female one.

The soft crunching of leaves close by caused him to glance up; he was greeted by Aqua's beautiful visage— her dazzling smile framed by an ocean of blue hair which was ringed by a halo of sunlight. She offered him her hand, but he lazily waved it away.

"Van, you hopeless sleepyhead," she giggled.

"That's Ventus," he grumbled, causing her to grin again.

Aqua laid down next to him in the leaf litter, interlacing her fingers with his before staring up at the pale blue sky through the tree branches. After a few minutes, she turned to him and spoke. "…Van, you're not Ven; you're you. You know that."

Do I?

Vanitas glanced down to where their hands connected, noting with an odd sort of relief that there was no checkered wristband adorning his wrist— just pale, scarred skin. His gaze flicked upwards to stare into Aqua's blue eyes— so much like twin pools of water… his own yellow ones reflected in their depths.

"…Guess you're right," he laughed softly, running a hand through his black hair.

Aqua smiled again, propping herself up on one elbow as she pressed her soft, warm lips against his forehead. Vanitas closed his eyes as the warmth of her Light spread through him, like a pair of wings gently enveloping his heart.

For the first time in his life, Vanitas had a good dream.

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Thanks for reading!