Terra woke up earlier than he usually would have, which he knew was just because he was off and on sleep throughout the night. He couldn't stop thinking about Senna and wondering how she was feeling. Consciously or not, he soon found himself making his way over to the training grounds, as the sun was slowly starting to rise.
"Always seems like I'm the one responsible," he said to himself, remembering the time when he first met Ventus.
(Flashback- 4 years ago)
Both Terra and Aqua were in the throne room, just practicing new moves with their keyblades when they heard the door from below starting to open. Terra and Aqua quickly went over to the balcony looked down and saw two unfamiliar figures enter. The older one was a bald old man with a silver goatee and pointed ears. He wore a white and black coat, over a white shirt and while his hands were behind his back, Terra could tell he was wearing white gloves. The young boy next to him had blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a jacket that was half white on the right and black on the left. It unsettled both of them a bit seeing the sad and almost empty expression on the young boy's face.
Terra looked further below and saw Master Eraqus waiting for them, so he could only assume they must have been acquaintances with him. He saw the older man approach Master Eraqus and share a few words before the two of them started walking away, leaving the younger one behind.
Aqua turns her head back up to Terra "That boy- is he ok?"
"I'll go see," Terra said already turning around and making his way down.
The closer Terra got to the boy, he got more concerned seeing the blank and empty look in his eyes.
He was going to reach his hand out in gesture, but he could tell it didn't seem like the boy would be receptive at first.
"I'm Terra. What's your name?"
The boy lifted his head a bit before saying in a defeated tone "Ventus."
"Whew you can talk," Terra said relieved.
Terra then turned around and looked up at Aqua "Aqua C'mere"
Aqua smiled and laughed, looking like the boy was all right after all.
She quickly made her way down the stairs and quickly introduced herself "Hi, I'm Aqua."
"Terra… Aqua…."
Terra couldn't help but be curious about this boy and wondering why he was there.
"So, are you here to train with us? Where you from? Who was that man with you?"
Neither Terra nor Aqua noticed the more Terra started to ask the more pain Ventus started to feel.
"You good with a keyblade?"
It was at this question, that Ventus let out a painful scream as he fell onto his knees and held his head. Both Terra and Aqua raced forward to him in shock.
"Woah, what's the matter"
"Are you okay?
Suddenly Master Eraqus's voice rang out reprimanding both of his students "What did you do."
They turned around and saw Master Eraqus and his acquaintance walking towards them, with the old man going to Ventus, who by this point had passed out.
"Nothing, I- just asked him some stuff," Terra said already feeling bad he didn't know the boy was going to have a reaction like that to him asking some harmless questions, or at least he thought were harmless.
The old man held onto Ventus's passed-out form, as he looked up when Terra mentioned asking Ventus questions.
Master Eraqus looked at both of his pupils "Ventus cannot tell you anything because he cannot remember anything."
(End of Flashback)
Terra has always felt a tremendous amount of guilt for sending Ven into a coma for a few days after that day, and he vowed he would protect him and help train him in whatever ways he could. Now it seems like he might have been the cause of whatever was happening to Senna last night, as soon as she came into his line of sight that was when she fell to the ground clutching her head.
Soon enough Terra came upon the training grounds and was surprised to see that Senna wasn't in her usual spot on the stone chairs watching the sunrise. He didn't know what the tightness in his chest was all about, but it almost seemed wrong to him. Senna loves watching the sunrise and sunset, not seeing her out there doing what she loves was hard. Then suddenly the image of Ven lying in bed completely unmoving came into his mind, so Terra quickly took off back to the castle.
Terra was making his way down the girl's section of the castle when Aqua stopped him.
"I checked in on her just a bit ago, she's still sleeping. Maybe leave her be."
Terra turned around and saw Aqua outside her own door.
"Just wanted to see how she was feeling, she wasn't outside watching the sunset this morning."
Aqua raised an eyebrow as she softly smiled "So you went all the way out there to go check."
Terra could feel his face heating up "I just wanted to make sure you know; she didn't fall into a coma or anything."
Aqua immediately knew what he was worried about "Terra what happened to Ven wasn't your fault, you didn't know at the time. This has nothing to do with that, from the sounds of it, she had a pretty bad case of a migraine that's making her sick and now she's just sleeping it off. You just happened to be the one who caught her in the middle of it, and probably a good thing you did she might have passed out on the floor."
"I guess your right, maybe I'm just overthinking things," Terra said shaking his head.
Aqua scoffs a bit as moves towards Senna's door "You guess, overthinking is one of your worst qualities Terra."
She then opens up Senna's door a bit to show Senna lying on her side left side with her back towards the door, with her chest moving as she breathes.
"See, she's fine. Let's just let her sleep it off and come back around lunchtime to check in on her. She should be up by then and going to be really hungry."
Terra nods knowing Aqua is right.
Aqua then shuts Senna's door "All right we should get going then, Master will expect us to see Master Xehanort off."
Terra followed behind Aqua, but not before taking one last look at Senna's door.
They were all outside the castle doors, as both Xehanort and Eraqus both conversed with one another before he made his leave.
"Please give Lady Senna my regards when she is feeling better," Xehanort said.
Eraqus just nods "I will, safe travels my friend."
Xehanort then looks over to both Aqua and Terra "May I say I look forward to witnessing your mark of mastery exam that is coming up."
Both Terra and Aqua looked a bit confused until Eraqus stepped back in.
"Ah yes, I was going to mention it yesterday, but we were all a bit busy. In exactly one month's time, Terra and Aqua your mark of mastery exam will commence."
"Really" Both of them said at the same time, enthusiastic.
Ven looked at both of them extremely proud that the moment that they were waiting for was around the corner.
"Yes, I have invited Master Xehanort to come to witness a momentous moment as two of you become true keyblade masters. So, until the time, you two are dismissed from the remaining lessons, so you may solely focus on the upcoming exam."
Both Terra and Aqua both bowed to him "Thank you Master Eraqus."
"Well, then Eraqus I will see you in a month's time, until then," Xehanort said as he conjured up his dark portal and made his way in before it disappeared.
"Man, I'm so happy for you guys, you guys will sweep the exams with no problem. I'm so jealous." Ventus said putting his hands behind his back as he sat in one of the stone chairs outside.
Terra smiles "Your time will come soon as well Ven and just like you will be, Aqua and I will be there for your exam as well."
"That's right, and so will Senna. She might not be a keyblade wielder, but she is still one of us, and that means the four of us will always be one.
Both Terra and Ven nodded in agreement, as the three of them summoned their keyblades and raised them up.
"So was she feeling any better this morning," Ven asked.
Aqua just shrugged "She was still sleeping, no use in disturbing her. I think another day of rest will be good, I have had a pretty nasty migraine once myself back when I still lived with my parents, I was bedridden at least for a full day. Though I think it is almost time, to go and see if she will eat anything for Lunch. I don't want her to get dehydrated and at the very least make sure she keeps something down."
"Well, what are we waiting for Let's go," Ven said as he got up.
"We're only going in to see how she is doing and leave her food. She needs her rest" Aqua said gently reprimanding Ven.
Terra got up as well and rubbed Ven's hair "She's right Ven, by tomorrow she'll be back to her usual cheerful self, and be back to watching the sunrise, sunset, and stargazing."
Aqua just sighed, but more in a happy way at the way Senna's presence had affected them all.
They quickly got a tray of soup and a glass of water, which Terra was carrying as they made their way over to Senna's room.
"Remember we're just going to be in and out ok" Aqua reminded them as she gently knocked on the door.
"Senna it's us, we brought you some Lunch,"
With no answer, Aqua opened the door and found Senna was still in the same position as she had this morning. This caused Aqua to be a bit more concerned than she was this morning.
"Terra put the tray on the table right there."
Aqua kneeled down and gently shook Senna "Hey Senna, are you hungry."
There was still no response, besides her breathing, but Aqua could tell something was not right.
"Ven, go get Master Eraqus," Aqua said turning back to Ven with a serious expression.
"Is Senna, ok?
"Just GO," Aqua said raising her voice, hoping Ven would get it there's no time for explanations.
Thankfully he did, and he quickly ran from the room.
Terra kneeled next to Aqua "What's happening."
"She's not responding, at all."
Terra felt his heart drop at that, so he quickly put his hands on her shoulders and moved her on her back as she shook her as well.
"SENNA"
Still, there was no response, but was still obviously breathing, from the rising and falling of her chest.
Terra and Aqua looked on in shock as they saw a cut appearing on her cheek with blood seeping out of it.
"How did that happen" Aqua questioned.
It was at that moment Master Eraqus entered the room with Ven.
"What is going on?"
Terra looked up at the concerned face of his master "She's not waking up Master, we've tried shaking her, and now a cut has appeared on her face."
A look of realization hit Eraqus's face as he realized what was happening.
Terra and Aqua quickly got up as he also kneeled to take a look over Senna's form.
"So, this must be the technique I have heard so much about"
Terra, Aqua, and Ven just gave each other a confused look.,
"What are you talking about Master, what Technique" Terra questioned.
Master Eraqus closes his eyes and sighs "Remember how I told you how summoners are connected to a special world where their familiars reside"
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything"
"They have special techniques that allow them to send their spirits over to that world, while at the same time remaining tethered to their bodies. This was one of the techniques that Keyblade wielders of the past wanted knowledge of" Eraqus explained as he took out a piece of cloth to wipe away the blood on her cheek., which caught Ven's attention.
Ven looked nervous when he saw the blood "W-Where did that blood come from."
Master Eraqus just shakes his head "I cannot be certain, but it appears that whatever is happening in that world is affecting her body here."
All three of them looked at one another and then back at Senna with some distress in their expressions. Terra couldn't help but kneel back down, wishing that whatever was happening he could be there to protect her.
Author's Note
Alright here's the next chapter, and this was more like a setup for the next chapter. It was later than planned because I was debating whether this should've gone before the next one or come after that one, but I figured story-wise wise this would've been the best place to put this chapter into. I can't wait for you guys to read the next one because some realizations will be happening, and it's going to be one of my favorite moments.