Aqua had never been inside of a Gummi Ship before. In fact, she had never heard of a Gummi Ship before Riku and Mickey. It looked like something out of one of the science fiction movies Terra was fond of, only blockier and with a brighter assortment of primary colors, as if a handful of children had painted it. Garish as the colors were, it was still a welcome change from the bleak Castle Oblivion.
They flew through the Lanes Between—or Gummi Space, as Mickey called it. Aqua wasn't sure if the two interworld spaces were actually the same. She had never seen these strange flying Heartless in the Lanes Between, for one, and the colors all seemed distorted too. Plus, the Gummi Ship hadn't shot out a portal to fly through; it had simply risen up into space until they left the former Land of Departure far below.
She'd stared out the window, watching her old home disappear, while Mickey tried to explain the delay. Lea and Kairi kept interrupting with their own versions of the story.
"It was just supposed to be a quick vacation. More like an ice cream break, really. We were gonna bring it back before he even realized it was gone..."
"Axel didn't tell me that he'd never actually flown a Gummi Ship before."
"You never asked!"
Basically, it boiled down to the two redheads taking the Gummi Ship for a joyride while Mickey was meeting with Master Yen Sid, then crashing said Gummi Ship on a world called Twilight Town. It sounded so much like something Terra and Ven would've done that Aqua would have laughed—if not for the fact that their careless mistake could cost Van his life.
She tried to push that thought aside. They couldn't have known that, and they seemed willing to atone for their mistake by helping her find him. That was enough to make them friends in her book.
Trying to put her thoughts on a more productive track, she asked Riku, "Is there any reason we couldn't just use this Gummi Ship to reach the Realm of Darkness?"
He shook his head. "We can go anywhere in the Realm of Light, and most worlds in the Realm Between, but the Realm of Darkness is something else entirely. It doesn't exist on the same plane as normal worlds. I've learned a lot about it from the Organization's research, but even they didn't get it entirely. The best theories I've read guess that the Realm of Darkness occupies a different kind of space than the Realm of Light, but the two realms overlap in places. Worlds in the Realm Between are actually places where that overlap is more apparent. That's how Dark Corridors work too—they rip a hole between the realms, and you actually travel through the Realm of Darkness on the way to your destination. That's why I thought they were our best bet, but Mickey says Yen Sid advised against that."
"...Oh." Aqua took a few moments to process Riku's information-dump. She had never learned much, if anything, about the Realm of Darkness. She should have had Riku bring her a book about it for the journey. She could probably focus enough to read since she was forced to sit down anyway.
"Yeah. Hopefully he can explain more when we get there. In the meantime, I'd start thinking of another way to reach the Realm of Darkness."
She'd already done that while they were waiting on Mickey at Castle Oblivion, but it hadn't been much use. The only safe way she knew to travel between worlds was with her Keyblade Glider, which she no longer had. For some reason, only Rainfell and Stormfall would form the magical glider. She had tried to use Master Keeper several times while in the Realm of Darkness (and later on in Castle Oblivion, in case it was just the dark realm's interference), but it was no use.
Master Yen Sid would be able to help. Surely he knew something that the rest of them didn't. Even Master Eraqus had looked to the retired master for guidance.
She wondered if Gummi Ships were slower than Keyblade Gliders, or if she simply had unrealistic expectations of how long it should take to reach their destination. After what seemed like an eternity, Mickey finally landed them at the Mysterious Tower. It looked exactly as she remembered it, untouched by the past twelve years. A swath of bright stars pricked holes in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow across the crooked tower and its surrounding grounds.
"I think you'd better stay here," she told Drizzle, who had been staring out the window in awe through the whole trip. He tilted his head sideways as if to ask why he couldn't come, and she stifled a laugh. "The tower's pretty small. It will be crowded in there with all of us already."
That was one reason, though not the most important one. She had no idea how Yen Sid would react to the Inversed.
His antennae drooped as she left him and stepped outside. The world smelled pleasant and warm, like the dying days of summer.
"Axel!" Mickey called back towards the Gummi Ship before they made it inside.
"It's Lea," Aqua corrected, and was rewarded by the man smiling at her when he poked his head out of the ship.
"Yeah, maybe I'd come faster if you called the right name."
Riku led the way, and Lea and Kairi trailed behind. Aqua felt herself picking up on their apprehension, though she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like she would be in trouble. Unless Yen Sid reacted badly to her dark suit, too…
The Master certainly would, she thought, Eraqus's disappointed face suddenly flooding her mind. No, more than disappointed. He would be aghast to know what had happened to her. The thought had occurred plenty of times while in the Realm of Darkness, but somehow it felt more real here, with these people's light a stark contrast to her own lack.
At least she might not stand out too much next to Lea. He wore a black trench coat that fell all the way to his ankles. It didn't seem very practical in the Mysterious Tower's humidity; was he really from this world?
They climbed the spiral staircase, and she paused to take a deep breath before following Riku and Mickey into the room.
The first thing that struck here, again, was how everything was exactly the same, as if Yen Sid had been trapped in a vacuum just like her. He still sat behind his wooden desk, wearing the same blue hat and robes as before. Even his beard was no whiter than the last time she met him.
I wonder if he knows a thing or two about time spells. She shook away the thought and bowed slightly.
"Master Aqua." Yen Sid dipped his head in greeting. "Mickey informed me that you had returned. I am sure this is not a coincidence, with Xehanort's plan nearing fruition, that the stars would send you back to us. Our forces are in need of lights like you."
"Like me?" Aqua's fingers twisted in the rough fabric of her skirt, but the retired Master didn't pay attention to her dark clothing.
"Yes." His lips twitched upward slightly. It was the closest his face seemed to come to smiling. "I do not presume you escaped the dark realm unscathed, but it has not destroyed your light. Your star has returned and still glows brightly."
She looked away, hand instinctively reaching up to her heart. "But…"
"Perhaps it would be best if we discussed this in private," Yen Sid suggested kindly. "Mickey, will you keep Kairi and Lea out of trouble for the time being?"
The mouse chuckled. "Sure, Master."
"Hey, I can keep myself out of trouble just fine—!" Lea cut off when Kairi flicked him.
"Come on, Lea, it was our fault."
Riku shook his head with a chuckle of his own. "He's been a bad influence on you, Kairi."
"You crash a spaceship one time, and suddenly you're the bad guy again!" Lea threw his arms in the air.
"Alright, fellas, come on…"
Mickey led the three of them from the room. The door shut behind them, leaving her alone with the wizened sorcerer. His gaze felt heavier with no one else to bear it.
"Aqua, Mickey explained your plight to me. However, I believe it would be helpful to hear the tale from your own mouth."
She swallowed. She'd told the story twice already: of her travels through the Realm of Darkness, of nearly giving up, of befriending Van and feeling hope again, of being plunged into a darker night than she could've imagined. This time, however, Yen Sid's piercing gaze drew forth details she hadn't shared with Riku and Mickey. Her guilt and shame spilled from her lips like a waterfall.
"I'm not what you think I am, Master Yen Sid." Her voice trembled as she finished. "I'm not who I used to be. I… I may never be that person again."
It was the fear she'd left unsaid to anyone but Van. Van had never believed it; he had been confident that she would recover in the Realm of Light. And maybe she still would. If anyone would know, it would be Yen Sid.
"You may not," he answered with a nod.
Her blood ran cold. Voicing a fear was one thing; having it corroborated was another.
"I have seen many things in my days, but I fear you have experienced horrors even I cannot imagine. They will not be so easily erased."
"Then how can I—"
"However," he interrupted with a raise of his hand, "I never said that we need the person you once were. We need who you are now, Master Aqua."
"But I'm broken!" she burst out in spite of herself.
For the first time, His expression became a real smile. "Aren't we all?"
She froze, staring. Aren't we all? She had been to hell and back. But so had Riku; he had even been possessed too. Mickey hadn't, but he had faced the Realm of Darkness. Even the light-filled Kairi had lost her heart once. She hadn't caught Lea's whole story yet, but the hints they all dropped implied that he had once been their enemy.
And then, of course, there was Van. The one who had the most right to call himself broken. The one who had trusted her enough to find his way to the light.
If he could trust me, the least I can do is trust myself.
"Yes… I suppose we are," she admitted sheepishly. "I'm still confused, though. I've never had problems with my darkness before. Is it all from my own heart, or do you think part of the Dark Wind could still be inside me?"
He gestured her closer. "Come. This is a matter I can settle easily." As she stepped forward nervously, he explained, "Now, this will not hurt. A delving spell simply allows me to search out foreign presences in your heart."
That sounded like it had the potential to hurt a lot, actually. She wasn't thrilled at the idea of anyone else tampering with her heart, but it seemed like the only way she would know the source of her darkness for sure.
Yen Sid stretched his arm over the desk and placed his hand over her forehead. She closed her eyes. Her muscles tensed in anticipation of a shock that never came. Instead, a cool wave gently passed through her veins. Before long, he removed his hand and hummed thoughtfully.
"It is as I expected. You are free of any parasitic darkness—however, your own darkness presents a strange paradox. You say you have struggled with it, yet you do not seem to possess enough for it to cause a chronic problem."
"I… don't?" she asked. "Why would that be?"
He stroked his beard as he answered, "There is an explanation, I believe. You have always been gifted in magical ability. Before, that ability had always been channeled towards the light…"
"...But now my ability is working against me. Empowering my darkness. That's what you mean, isn't it?"
He nodded. She should have been happy; it sounded like her darkness wasn't as bad as it seemed. Still, it felt like a cruel twist of fate that the same gift that filled her with the power of light would also leave her susceptible to the darkness.
"Do not lose hope, Aqua," Yen Sid replied gently. "All of us, save perhaps Kairi, have had and will yet have our battles with darkness. Do not be discouraged if yours is more visible than others. I was once spurned by other Keyblade Masters for insinuating this, but your darkness is a part of you, as is your light. Because of this, it cannot be destroyed without destroying the very essence of your heart."
She paused, taking it all in. If what he said was true, then it sounded like she really would never be the same. Her darkness had somehow been unlocked in the dark realm, and it seemed there was no easy way to lock it back.
"Then… what would you suggest I do?"
"Go forth without fear," he said, as if it were that simple. "Trust that the light that has always been inside you will be enough to brighten the darkness. While the dark may never disappear, it need not control you. Focus on your journey ahead, and believe you will succeed. The light of hope is the strongest antidote to any darkness."
"I… thank you." Aqua bowed with her arms at her sides. While she doubted it would be as easy as he made it sound, the words did lift her a little. "I do believe. I'm going to find Van, no matter what it takes. Do you know a way we can reach the Realm of Darkness and return again safely?"
Yen Sid frowned. "If your keyblade glider is missing, I do not. The dark corridors that Lea and Riku once used would not be safe for you even if you still possessed your armor. The force you have unleashed in the dark realm would be able to traverse those far more easily than you. That cannot be allowed to happen."
She nodded emphatically. "Yes. I agree. But surely, there has to be another way."
"If there is, I do not know of it. My star shard would be far too unpredictable, and the Gummi Ships cannot fly there. You must understand, the only reason a keyblade glider could provide a way is because they can create portals of light."
He steepled his hands over his desk, fixing her with a grim stare.
"Master Aqua, you are the only one living who possesses knowledge of keyblade gliders and these portals. I believe it is you and you alone who can find a safe way into the dark realm."
A weight heavier than the mantle of mastership pressed down on her shoulders.
"I understand, Yen Sid. I will find a way."
"Yes. I have full confidence that you will." His lips formed an almost-smile again. "Now, will you send in the two troublemaking keyblade wielders?"
"Yes, I—wait, keyblade wielders? You mean Lea and Kairi—"
He nodded. "They are young and inexperienced, but in light of recent events, we will need every able-bodied wielder we can call to our aid."
She was still stunned, but she nodded.
"Of course. I'll send them right in."
She left Yen Sid and headed down the spiraling stone stairs. Kairi, a keyblade wielder? Aqua had never met another female wielder before, and to think, she had met her when she was a child! How had she not seen the talent in her? Unless—
Something happened that day. She remembered it vaguely. Brushing the young girl, a spark of power leaving her. But Aqua hadn't said the words! Had she really passed on the power? And if she had, then Kairi…
She would be my apprentice.
She thought back to a few days ago, when she had decided she would teach her future apprentice of both light and darkness, to protect her from the trials she had faced herself. The irony was so strong she could've laughed. Kairi would never face the temptation of darkness, the fear of being overcome against her will.
She doesn't need me to be her Master, Aqua realized sadly. Maybe she could have used the Master I used to be, but not now.
She guessed it was for the best. She had enough challenges to deal with without adding in the variable of an apprentice.
The four of them waited outside on the scraggy lawn. To her surprise, Drizzle had left the Gummi Ship and joined Lea and Kairi in a game of frisbee.
Lea stopped short when he saw her, and the frisbee Kairi threw hit him in the head. "Ow!"
"You're in the middle now," she said with a giggle. Even Riku cracked a smile.
Aqua shook her head. "He can't be. Master Yen Sid needs him."
"Hah," he grinned at Kairi.
"Fine," she huffed. "Riku, are you sure you don't want to play? Just because you're a Master now doesn't mean you can't still have fun."
"...I think I'll pass," he said, though he did sound a little wistful.
"Come on, I know how much you like running and throwing things."
"Actually, Yen Sid needs you too, Kairi," Aqua said, and Lea laughed.
"Yes! I'm not the only one in trouble!"
Kairi crossed her arms. "Only because you dragged me into it…!"
The two went inside, leaving her with Riku, Drizzle, and Mickey. The Inversed picked up the frisbee and sat on the ground, staring at it forlornly.
"Hey, they'll be back soon," she tried to cheer him up. "I'm glad you're making some new friends."
The white Flood purred and cuddled close to her, still holding the frisbee. She noticed that the plastic disc had a picture of a bomb on it, of all things.
"Was Yen Sid able to help?" Riku asked, settling cross-legged in the grass beside them.
"A little." She sighed and explained what the sorcerer had told her, both about her darkness and about finding Van.
"You've mentioned keyblade gliders before. Is there a reason you can't use yours anymore?"
"Gliders can be complicated," she explained. "They're not a regular form of keyblade. It takes a special kind of keychain to be able to transform them. I had two—Rainfell and Stormfall. Stormfall I lost when I rescued Terra. I still have Rainfell, but it isn't compatible with my current keyblade."
She summoned Master Keeper and rested it over her knees. The blade was simple, bearing a dull gray shaft with teeth in the shape of an 'E.'
E for Eraqus. No matter how long she used it, it would never truly belong to her. Changing its form seemed like desecrating her Master, but she had tried anyway. None of her keychains had affected it.
Riku hummed thoughtfully. "What about my keyblade, or Mickey's? Would either of them be able to form a glider?"
"Theoretically, it's possible…" She had good reasons to doubt it would be that easy, but she didn't verbalize them. After all, what did they have to lose by trying?
Riku summoned his keyblade, the strange dual-winged weapon that he called Way to the Dawn. Aqua accepted it and stood to get a better feel for its balance. It weighed more than Master Keeper, and felt too long for her, but that was to be expected. The question was, how would she know if it could form a glider?
"The process for summoning a glider is a little different than most spells or techniques," she explained, handing back his blade by the hilt. "In appearance, it looks similar to performing a Strike Raid, but it's actually quite different. Your keyblade has to understand what you want it to do."
He nodded. "So, I throw it, and imagine it turning into a glider."
"Well… sort of." It was difficult to explain; she'd been doing it for so long that it felt effortless, but she remembered the struggle when the Master had begun teaching them. It was one of the few moves that Terra had mastered before her. She could still remember his teasing… and how she'd frozen his arm in a chunk of Blizzard for it.
Good times. She smiled before returning her attention to the present.
"Your keyblade is a part of you. It can understand your commands to a certain extent. Having never had someone to show you before, though, I'm not sure how you can instruct it to create a glider. Then there's the technical factors like the blade's speed of rotation, its angle compared to the ground, and channeling the proper type and amount of magic."
"You make it sound like rocket science," he replied, shaking his head. "It's worth a shot, though, isn't it?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I shouldn't be so cynical. Even though it technically is rocket science."
He chuckled at that. "Fair enough."
Lea and Kairi must have been scolded for quite a while, because Aqua had plenty of time to try to teach Riku to create his glider. Unfortunately, for all that trying, they didn't have much success.
She should be honest: they didn't have any success. Way to the Dawn plunked, clanged, and stabbed into the ground more times than she could count, but it never showed a hint of transforming.
She shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Riku, but I just don't think this is going to work."
"Yeah…" He dismissed his keyblade with a grimace. "I'm supposed to be a Master now. Doesn't seem to be doing me much good."
"It's not your fault." She placed a hand on his shoulder, sharing his sentiment. "Even if you had a better teacher, it usually takes months to learn this technique. At least, it did for me."
He nodded. "I get it. It sounds like we don't have months, though."
"No, we don't…" She sat back down, shoulders slumping. There had to be a way. As desperate as she felt, she wasn't going to give up. "Mickey, do you think your keyblade could do it?" She asked the mouse, who had been distracting Drizzle with the frisbee while Aqua tutored Riku.
"Gosh, I don't know." He tossed Drizzle the plastic disc and summoned his keyblade. "Kingdom Key D is from the Realm of Darkness. I've been scared to try too much with it, but who knows? It could do lots of stuff I don't know about."
Drizzle leapt up and snatched the frisbee from the air, but was disappointed when Mickey and Aqua weren't watching.
"C'mere, buddy," Riku murmured to the Inversed with a hint of a smile. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep you out of their hair." He coaxed the frisbee from Drizzle's arms and jogged off to the other side of the grounds.
Aqua repeated the same process with Mickey that she had for Riku. She had more hope this time. Surely the King had seen her or her friends summon their gliders at some point, even if that was over ten years ago.
That hope turned out to be unfounded. Skilled as the mouse was, his efforts only resulted in more gouges in Yen Sid's lawn.
"Maybe it's because the Kingdom Key D isn't your original keyblade, like Master Keeper for me," Aqua held onto one last thread of hope. "Why don't you try with Star Seeker?"
Mickey rubbed one of his ears. "Ya know, it's been awhile since I've used that one. I'll give it a try!"
A new blade appeared in his gloved hands, the familiar crooked purple shaft topped with a crescent and star. Aqua held her breath as he concentrated and flung it according to her instructions.
Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. She didn't expect it to be. Disappointment was all she really expected anymore. That was likely the darkness talking, but it was hard to ignore.
Soon Lea and Kairi emerged from the tower, both with faces as red as their hair. Riku wasted no time in comforting Kairi, while Lea just plopped himself on the ground. Drizzle ran up to him and dropped the frisbee at his side.
"Heh, well at least someone still likes me…"
"I wouldn't put too much stock in that." Aqua held back a laugh as Lea scratched Drizzle's head. "He likes pretty much anyone."
At that, the Flood dove underground and slid across the grass, popping back up at her side and surprising her with a giant hug. It was as if he wanted to remind her that he liked her the most.
"So what's the news, fellas?" Mickey asked Lea and Kairi.
"I'm on board for the whole 'rescue Aqua's buddy' mission," Lea answered, then jerked a thumb towards Kairi. "We gotta drop off the Princess at Merlin's, though."
"As usual," she sighed.
"Sorry, Kairi," Riku said sympathetically. "This will be dangerous though. Trust me, you don't want to get any closer to the Realm of Darkness than you have to."
"I probably could've gone if I didn't have to be separated from a certain irresponsible somebody."
Lea ruffled his hair sheepishly.
"Hey, I would've thought you'd be glad to get rid of me."
"Well, I guess there's the silver lining," she muttered.
"Hey!"
Aqua shook her head with a laugh. Yen Sid knew what he was doing. If those two stayed in the same place for too long they'd drive everyone crazy, whether they broke anything else or not.
Mickey nodded. "Alright. Radiant Garden's where we're going anyways. There's some fellas there who might know a thing or two about getting to the Realm of Darkness."
Aqua couldn't imagine anyone else knowing more about the subject than Yen Sid, who seemed older and wiser than time itself. Mickey's connections had better be some really special people.
As they loaded back into the Gummi Ship, she remembered something important.
Radiant Garden was the last place she'd had her glider. What happened to it? A keyblade couldn't be destroyed. Surely someone had to have kept it.
Would Terra have kept it? Maybe she could kill two Heartless with one strike. A link to rescuing two different friends at once. It was almost too much to hope for.
The light of hope is the strongest antidote to any darkness, she repeated Yen Sid's words to herself. Unfortunately, hope had seemed too much like water lately. Pure and clean, necessary to sustain life...
But all too quick to slip through her fingers.