Aqua was lucky they were able to catch up to the Princess—Rapunzel, they'd learned her name was—after how much time she'd spent making out with Van. She couldn't really regret it, though. After spending so much of the day wound tight, his touch helped the tension in her uncoil. Maybe he had a point about her pushing herself too hard.
Regardless, his Inversed overhead led them back to Rapunzel. They exchanged initial introductions where Aqua and Rapunzel complimented each other's hair, but from then on, she and Van tried to be discreet. Not just because they were outsiders—Rapunzel and Eugene were clearly on a date, and she felt guilty enough observing from a distance.
She slowly managed to relax enough to enjoy the festivities. Van tugged her from stall to stall until they'd tried more food than she could imagine.
(There was still no sign of Ven.)
Van also tried to buy her a dress, but everything in this world seemed to require custom tailoring, and she didn't have time to stand in one place and get fitted. Maybe they could do that on a later visit.
In the meantime, they were busy keeping up with Rapunzel's relentless pace. Chalk drawing, reading at the lofty library, learning the history of the lantern festival—it felt like they were trying to fit a whole lifetime of activities into one day. She'd thought that Van might get exhausted by all the people, but he seemed brighter than ever.
"No one I have to look good for here," he explained with a grin. "I'm not terrifying to these people. I'm just like any other guy to them."
"Any other guy with magical creatures jumping out of your skin." She laughed.
As the day wore on, more and more people carried paper lanterns. She wasn't sure exactly when the lighting event would start, but she didn't want to be unprepared.
"What do you think?" she asked, holding up two lanterns in an outdoor shop. "Square or round?"
He shrugged.
"Whichever one you want. They'll both catch on fire."
She paid for two matching round ones and stored them in her inventory.
Buildings were beginning to cast long shadows in the evening sun. She'd been able to stave off her worry for most of the day, with so much to keep her busy, but still…
"Have your Archravens seen anything yet?'' She tried to keep her voice level.
He would have told her if there was any sign of Ven or a Xehanort. It didn't stop her from hoping.
"Archdoves," he corrected, apparently having given the Inversed a new name. He was funny about that. How much time had he spent turning over name ideas throughout the day?
"There's a lot more people out now." He scowled at some of the people who brushed too close to them. "It's hard for the Archdoves to get close enough to recognize anyone without being spotted. They don't have my sense of smell, either."
"Of course. Thank you for trying anyway."
She meant it, even if she couldn't quite force a smile. Ven would be okay. He had to be.
She couldn't—wouldn't lose him again.
"Course," he mumbled, his scowl softening a little. It was nice to see how much he cared, even if he still thought Ven was stupid.
Van might be right. But she still loved Ven. Nothing in the worlds could change that.
"Hey, you hear that?" he asked, head cocking to the side.
At first she thought he was attempting to distract her—which he probably was—but then she heard the sound of a fiddle drifting on the breeze.
"Come on, let's go check it out." He took both her hands, tugging her towards the music.
She laughed. He was definitely trying to distract her, but he was too good at it for her to mind.
More instruments came to life as they wove through the thickening crowd. Soft drums, deeper strings, bells.
And at the center of it all, a dance that thrummed with life.
"Oh." Van's gaze followed the dancers with the same intensity he put into studying new attacks. "How are they moving and spinning like that without tripping all over each other?"
He said that, but a few people did stumble. They were pulled back to their feet by new partners, who didn't seem to mind a few missing beats. The throng multiplied as those at the fringes pulled more spectators into the circle.
"Maybe it's a local tradition," she guessed. "It's probably something they've done before."
"Huh. Looks kind of like the way you fight." Van fiddled with a strap on his glove, though his eyes didn't leave the dancers. "Do you want to—ack!"
Rapunzel appeared just to tug Van into the dance, leaving Aqua gaping on the sidelines.
"You too, other magic hair lady." Eugene grinned and spun her into the throng before she could protest.
It didn't seem to matter that she didn't know the moves—townspeople spun her from partner to partner, all of whom knew how to lead, or were at least good at faking it. Eventually she learned the rhythm enough to keep dancing while peeking over her partner's shoulder to search for Van.
He was a few couples away, dancing with the little blue-haired girl, Hilda. Aqua wanted to save the carefree look on his face forever.
"Aqua?" her next partner squawked, and she jolted.
"Ven!" she practically shouted, startling one of the nearby couples into tripping. "Where have you been? Van and I were looking every—"
With a sheepish grin, Ven's arm unlinked from hers, and he spun away with a different partner.
She pushed down a growl. At least she knew he was okay. She would have chased him down, but the dance left no room for escape. Could she at least switch partners in his direction?
She tried to sidestep towards a brunette woman, but someone else linked arms with her first. That was fine. The music was crescendoing; surely it would come to a climax soon, and then she could grab Van, and they could chase after Ven until he told her why in the Void he'd made her worry like this.
"What an elegant braid," came the smooth voice of her next partner.
Light, he was tall. She wasn't short herself, but her eye level rested at the embroidered lapels of his black vest. She looked higher, past the pink braid woven with flowers resting over his shoulder, towards his small, polite smile. Pink and yellow petals danced as if carried by a phantom breeze, framing his face as she met his gaze.
"Thank y—" she cut off.
The man's eyes were gold.
Her blood froze in her veins. No. Not here. Not now.
"What a pity." He sighed, and she shivered at the darkness in his breath. "I was looking forward to experiencing the lanterns for the first time, but I presume you'll have other arrangements for me."
"I won't let you get Ven," she hissed, brushing off another pair of dancers who attempted to separate them.
They stood like a rock in the middle of a rushing river, but she didn't care if they stuck out. She wasn't going to let this man get away. Ven was out there. Thank the light she'd just seen him; if this Xehanort found him first—
"That name… The X-Blade's original wielder." The man's gold eyes widened. "His heart of light, or the Princess'—either serves the same purpose. It would have been wise of you to keep his presence here close to the vest."
She grit her teeth at his fake disappointment. What she wouldn't give to beat that look off his face, to make up for freezing last time she'd confronted one of his kind. But in a crowd like this, she was too likely to catch innocents in the crossfire.
"Take your time here. Keep the lights safe. I would rather not cast a shadow over either of them."
"What are you talking about?" Aqua demanded. "You're the one who's—"
A pink dust clouded her vision, snuck into her lungs.
"Apologies. I won't allow you to make a scene."
The violins shrieked to a fever pitch. The world spun off its axis. The dancing had never made her dizzy before…
"—qua? Aqua!"
Her head was lying in Van's lap. When had he gotten there? They were still in the central plaza, but the music had vanished. They hadn't even gotten to dance together…
"Finally, you're awake." He hugged her face to his chest, and she could feel his racing heartbeat. "My Esuna actually worked. I hope you're proud of me."
"Always." She smiled. "But what happened? I remember dancing, and then—"
It all came rushing back. Ven. The pink-haired man. The Sleep-inducing powder.
She tried to leap to her feet, and Van scrambled up to steady her.
"Don't push yourself," he said quickly. "Eugene caught you before you could hit your head, but that spell was nasty. It, uh, actually took me three Esunas to bring you back. Which is still impressive, I think."
"It was a Xehanort. He's going after Ven!" She clutched Van's hand desperately. "He was here. I was so close…"
"Are you sure he's looking for Ven?" Van frowned. "I thought the Norts wanted the Princesses."
"Ven's heart is full of light. He's basically the same thing to them."
She wanted to start running now. Every second she wasted was a second that Xehanort could destroy her friend.
"Well, we can't go after him and Rapunzel." Van frowned. "Unless you do want to split up. But I'm not leaving you until I'm sure you're fine."
She dropped his hand, proving she could stand without his help. She was strong. She had to be.
"I'll be fine. They need us, I can't—I won't let anyone down again."
Guilt churned in her stomach, turning her dizziness to nausea. She should've been more vigilant. If she hadn't let her guard down, if she hadn't gotten caught up in the festivities, in distractions—
"Is this still about Ventus leaving?" Van asked, and she stung at the reminder. "Look, I told you. It's not your fault he's stupid. And he has a keyblade—two keyblades. He can take care of himself."
"You don't know that!"
Her shout echoed in the empty plaza. Van took a step back.
"In case you forgot, he killed me, too." Van's mouth was drawn to a thin line. "He may be stupid, but he's not weak. He's got a better chance against any Norts than the Princess does."
"I don't care. He's my brother."
She clenched her shaking fists. She didn't need to be fighting, didn't want to be fighting—but she couldn't let him distract her again.
Maybe he didn't even want to find Ven. Maybe he'd decided he didn't want to share Aqua after all. It would explain why his Archdoves had been so useless.
"I'm going after the Xehanort." She turned her back to him. "I won't hesitate this time. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt Ven or the Princess."
"Okay. Okay. That's fine. We can—"
"We should split up. Your nose is better for tracking light. I'm better at tracking darkness. We'll be more likely to find them this way."
"You said you didn't want to split up!" His voice was laced with hurt. Another distraction she couldn't afford.
"And you said you'd help me find Ven." She summoned Stormfall. "If he can take care of himself, then so can I."
Van could handle himself, too. He was stronger than her right now. Without her to take care of, maybe he'd put that strength to better use.
She searched for the signal of darkness she'd felt from the man and took off running.
XXX
Vanitas punched a wall. It didn't make him feel better. It just made his knuckles crack under his gloves.
What had he done wrong? He'd just been trying to help! He was the one who'd stayed by her side, who kept her from running herself into the ground, who helped her smile when she was hurting. All Ventus had done was twist that hurt in deeper.
And she'd still chosen him. She'd still left Vanitas behind.
"You promised," he muttered. "You said we wouldn't change."
He'd been so stupid. Did he really think he could compare to the friends Aqua had spent her whole life with?
His hand brushed the Wayfinder hanging from his belt. He still had that. Ventus didn't. Ventus wouldn't appreciate his if he still had it, anyway.
He took a few deep breaths. His knuckles throbbed.
Lanterns floated up from the mountain and the coast, surrounding the island like a halo. Aqua had both of their lanterns. They'd missed their chance to light them together. Maybe she'd light them with Ventus, whenever she found him.
Vanitas shook his head. He knew Aqua loved him. She did. Why was it so hard to feel it right now?
He should just do what she'd told him. Find the Princess. Or Ventus. He kind of hoped that he found Ventus first, just so he could kick his butt a little bit.
The streets were finally void of people, the air cool and crisp. The perfect combination for tracking scents.
He drew the Archdoves' positivity back. They wouldn't be able to navigate through the clouds of lanterns. The returning emotions stabilized him, gave him energy to run towards the bleach-light smell.
That would be the Princess. Rapunzel. If that familiar Nort hadn't already found her, he'd need her help.
He needed to know if the man was the one he remembered—the one who had given him the keyblade, all those years ago. It could be a coincidence, but how many people in the worlds had pink hair?
Even if it wasn't him, Vanitas wasn't eager to see any Norts but the old man dead. The thought of being eliminated for harboring darkness hit a little too close to home.
He skidded to a stop when he reached the docks. Water. Fantastic. The smell led him further out, probably to one of those boats.
Muttering a curse, he summoned his keyblade and tossed it towards the sea. It came flying back as his glider, and he hopped on. Hopefully all the townspeople were too busy watching the sky to notice—and if not, spooking a few losers was the least of his worries.
He rode the glider as close to the water as he dared. The smell of light rolled over the sea in waves, nearly choking him. The Princess must be feeling some really positive emotions to give off a stench like that.
Too bad he was probably about to ruin that for her.
"Hey. Hope I'm not interrupting anything," he lied. It actually felt pretty cathartic to interrupt Rapunzel and Eugene's almost-kiss.
The two of them flung themselves away from each other, nearly capsizing their tiny boat.
"What in the—Vanitas?" Eugene gripped the sides of the boat, his gaze flickering between Vanitas and his glider. "How are you—what are you—oh, whatever. There's been so many weird things today, this might as well happen."
"Is everything alright?" Rapunzel asked. She seemed less concerned about the magical flying surfboard than her boyfriend. "Where's Aqua?"
Vanitas flinched. Anywhere I'm not, apparently.
"She, uh… needs some help," he said instead. "Magic help."
Rapunzel shared a look with Eugene.
"You've gotta admit, that's suspicious." He crossed his arms. "We're trying to keep people from finding out about her magic hair, even if you two seem happy to go around flaunting it."
"Eugene…" Rapunzel bit her lip. "She's like me. I trust her."
"You trust a lot of people. Not all of them deserve it." Eugene looked away, towards the opposite shore.
"Look. I get it," Vanitas told him. "If I were you, I wouldn't trust some random guy either. But Aqua, she's—she's to me what Rapunzel is to you."
Eugene looked up sharply. "We're not—I mean—"
"I have to help her," he interrupted the man's waffling. "I don't know how much time I have. Can I have your help or not?"
Rapunzel's green eyes met his. She gave a decisive nod.
"Fine. There's something I need to take care of, anyway," Eugene said. "Let's meet back at the bridge once we're all done."
Rapunzel took Vanitas's outstretched hand, and he helped her onto the glider in front of him. It definitely wasn't made for two, but as long as he held onto her, she should be fine.
"Hey, Vanitas?" Eugene asked before he left.
Vanitas reluctantly raised his heel from the gas pedal. He didn't have time for more small talk.
"Keep her safe," he said softly.
Oh.
Vanitas nodded. He didn't trust himself to lie convincingly without his mask.
He was bringing a Princess face to face with a Xehanort. That had to be the least safe place she could be. Was the risk worth it?
Well, it's either that, or Aqua kills the guy.
Vanitas knew what it was like to be on the other end of Aqua's rage. He couldn't help pitying any Nort who tried to face her.
They weren't all evil—Isa was proof of that.
Some of them were just like Vanitas.
He held on to Rapunzel, revved the glider, and sped back towards the island.
XXX
Ven smiled as his lantern floated higher and higher, until he eventually lost track of it among the sea of lights. The sight held a nostalgia he could remember—looking up at the night sky with Terra and Aqua, searching for constellations and falling stars. Back when they'd been the only friends he'd known.
His smile wavered. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about Aqua. He was just—trying to enjoy being alive again.
He hadn't expected to run into her while dancing. He hadn't expected her to waste time on anything fun when she was…
Looking for him. Again.
He kicked his heels against the side of the rock he was sitting on. Below, the waves lapped gently at the shore. He found the sound comforting—probably because of Sora.
He just wanted something that was his. At least one day. Not being what Aqua wanted, or what Vanitas expected, or what Sora reflected.
But the day was over. He would have to go back to camp soon, and face everything he'd been putting off.
He slid down from the rock, bracing himself for the argument that was sure to come—but then he heard footsteps.
Instinctively, he pressed his back up against the rock. If someone looked this way, the fog rolling in from the sea should obscure him.
"Ahh, there you are! I've been searching everywhere for you guys since we got separated."
Ven didn't move. Anyone meeting up in a dark place like this was suspicious, even if the stranger had an awfully cheerful voice.
"Hey, the sideburns are coming in nice, huh? You gotta be excited about that. Anyhow, just wanted to say, I shouldn't have split. The crown is all yours. I'll miss you, but I think it's for the... best..."
Definitely suspicious. He heard more people breathing, more footsteps. Heavier footsteps.
"Holding out on us again, Ryder?"
"What?"
"We heard you found something. Something much more valuable than a crown." The sound of a blade being sharpened cut through the fog. "We want her, instead."
"You can't—!"
Ven heard the crack of knuckles on bone and leapt out from behind the rock.
"Hey!" Missing Ache flashed to his right hand, Wayward Wind to his left.
The smallest of the three men was on the ground, groaning. The other two sized up Ven with confused expressions.
"Who the hell are you?"
Ven snorted.
"Wish I knew."
The fight that followed was laughable. The two brutes might have been bigger, and one even dual wielded, but they couldn't keep up with Ven's skill and speed.
After knocking them unconscious with the blunt end of his keyblades, he cast a Sleep spell—just in case. It might not be as strong as Aqua's would've been, but it should buy him enough time.
"Hey." He threw Wayward Wind towards the sea and held his hand out to the first man, who was now kneeling instead of curled in the fetal position. "We should probably get out of here."
"No kidding." The man coughed and wiped the blood dripping from his nose on the back of his sleeve. "Man, I could really use some magic hair right now…"
Ven didn't know anything about magic hair, but he could cast Curaga.
"Well. That works too." Eugene managed to stand with only a little shakiness.
Ven could probably support him if he had to. He still envied the growth spurt that Vanitas had gotten while he was asleep.
"Thanks for getting me out of that little altercation back there," the man said, then startled when Ven's glider came flying out of the sky. "You've got one of those too? Should've figured, with the giant keys and all… y'know, I've gotta get myself one of those."
"You've seen a keyblade glider before? Then—did you meet Aqua, or Vanitas?" Of course, she'd probably met just about everyone while looking for Ven. That didn't mean she had to show off her glider, though.
"Both of 'em. Friends of yours?"
"...Yeah," he said with a sigh, leading the man onto the glider. "I'm Ventus—Ven works fine, though. Who are you?"
"Name's F—uh, Eugene."
Huh. Sounded like Ven wasn't the only one who didn't know who he was.
"Alright, F-uh-Eugene. Where am I taking you to?"
Eugene laughed.
"Anywhere people aren't trying to kill me would be good."
Ven hovered over the water, uncertain which way to direct his glider. No one could try to kill Eugene here, where Ven could outspeed any boat on the waves. But he figured Eugene didn't want to be stuck clinging to Ven's back all night.
"The bridge should work," Eugene clarified. "Rapunzel and I were supposed to meet up there. Your friend Vanitas needed her to help his girlfriend. Do you know if they're alright?"
Ven shook his head. He didn't know who Rapunzel was, much less why Vanitas and Aqua would need her.
"Sorry. We, uh, got separated most of the day," Ven said as they flew towards the bridge. "Who's Rapunzel?"
"She's—well, she's got the longest blonde hair you've ever seen. Unless there's even more magical hair where you come from."
He'd briefly danced with a girl with a giant blonde braid. Though their arms had only linked for a few seconds, he'd felt the light radiating from her.
"She's a Princess of Heart," he realized. That might explain why Aqua would need her.
"A princess of what now? 'Cause the only princess I know of vanished eighteen years ago. Which is kinda the whole point of this lightsh—oh." Eugene stiffened behind him. "You've got to be kidding me. I had my suspicions, but I figured it was too convenient to be true. Plus, y'know, it's Blondie's first time out of her tower. Suggesting she might be the lost princess might be a bit much for her to handle."
Ven hadn't meant to imply Rapunzel was an actual princess, but it would be harder to explain what he'd really meant.
"First time out of her tower?" he asked instead.
"Yep. Apparently her mother was really overprotective or something."
Ven snorted.
"I know the feeling."
He landed on the stone bridge and dismissed his glider. Luckily the street was still pretty empty—most people must still be further up in the city, watching the few straggling lanterns.
"Well, thanks for the lift, Ven." Eugene clapped him on the shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a princess to go find."
The Princess would be with Vanitas. Who would be with Aqua. Ven wasn't eager to meet up with them, but…
If Vanitas asked for help, then they must really be in trouble.
"Wait." Ven clenched his fists, but took a step towards Eugene. "I'm going with you."
"Huh? Oh, sure! Wouldn't mind having some backup in case things get dicey. Which is far too often lately…"
Ven let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Eugene wasn't going to tell him to stay behind. He'd seen what Ven was capable of.
"Great." Ven grinned, summoning both of his keyblades again. "I can handle dicey."
XXX
Flower petals swirled through the air, dancing with the floating lights and sparks from Aqua's blade. The whirlwind battle edged dangerously close to the ocean, but she never let the Nort's massive scythe knock her into the water. She kept on the offensive with blasts of fire and swift, relentless strikes.
Vanitas could've watched her fight the pink-haired Nort forever. Unfortunately, he didn't want her to murder anyone tonight.
"You want me to heal… the man that Aqua's fighting?" Rapunzel frowned.
"Healing him will make him stop fighting her," he explained. "I'll keep them distracted. You just do your thing."
Rapunzel's brow hardened with determination.
"My thing. Right."
Vanitas gave her one last nod before running towards the fray. His heart felt stuck in his throat. The last time he'd fought Aqua had been…
He wasn't going to think about that. He wouldn't be fighting her, anyway. He was just a distraction.
"Van!" Aqua shouted, cartwheeling out of the way of the Nort's swing. "I told you not to follow me!"
He flinched. Those words stung more than any physical blow.
"I have a plan," he called out anyway.
"I've got it covered!"
She grit her teeth and threw up a Barrier, which survived two strikes before shattering. She used the momentum to skid back and shoot off a Firaga. The Nort blocked the blasts with a spin of his scythe.
"Your heart will be scattered!" he shouted, summoning a storm of petals.
Vanitas rolled his eyes. What a stupid battle cry. The lack of visibility could be difficult, though.
"Guess we're doing this the hard way," he huffed.
Hard for him, that was. He wished Aqua had taught him her barrier spell—he couldn't block her strikes and the Nort's at the same time.
I could if I'd gotten lucky like Ventus, he thought, wishing he'd been the one to get an extra keyblade.
But it didn't matter what he wished or wanted. He could take a few hits. He'd survived worse than some oversized farming tool.
He squinted through the storm of flowers until he saw an opening. Bracing himself, he dashed between the clashing blades.
"Van!" Aqua screamed.
His keyblade had blocked her strike.
It didn't block the scythe behind him.
"Huh," he grunted, falling to his knees. "That worked better in my head."
Aqua was shouting something else, but. Void. That was a lot of blood. Maybe he should've blocked the Nort's weapon instead. Aqua at least probably would've gone easy on him, if she'd been able to pull her blow in time.
Green light flooded his blurry vision. Arms were wrapped around his torso. He hoped they were Aqua's.
He blacked out for a moment, probably, because the next thing he knew his head was resting in Aqua's lap, and the sounds of fighting were further away. A few pink petals had gotten themselves stuck in her hair.
"Heh." He smiled. "Getting a little deja vu here."
She hugged him tight, around his shoulders rather than his waist. That was considerate of her. Despite the Curagas she'd certainly cast on him, his right side stung when his blood-crusted coat brushed the tender skin.
"What the hell were you thinking." Her voice was raw. It didn't sound like a question, but he answered anyway.
"Needed you to not kill him," he grunted. Yeah, talking was going to take more effort than he'd like. "Think I recognize him. Long time ago. 'Sides, he could be," he coughed, "like Isa."
Aqua let go, and he could see confusion flash over her face, along with too many emotions he couldn't place. Too bad she didn't have Unversed. Would make her feelings easier to parse out.
…Unversed. Void, he was an idiot. He should've made an Unversed or an Inversed to have his back, or even to break up the battle altogether. Why hadn't he thought of that? Had he just been that eager to get hurt?
Or had he just been that eager to get Aqua's attention?
"You… oh, light." Aqua breathed. "You want to purge the piece of Xehanort from him. With Rapunzel's light."
He nodded weakly.
"Why didn't you just say that?"
"Told you. I had a plan." He frowned. "You didn't listen. Again."
Aqua groaned, dropping her head in her hands.
"I'm so, so stupid."
He forced a grin.
"Not as stupid as the guy who ran out in front of a scythe."
She peeked at him through her fingers, her eye wide. Then she hid again, but he caught a muffled laugh.
"Maybe not. But close." She sighed. "I was just so worried… I was afraid you were trying to distract me."
He ran a hand through his hair, flipping it in the way that always made her laugh.
"I can be very distracting," he joked.
She didn't laugh this time. She wouldn't meet his eyes. How could he miss something as simple as her looking at him so badly?
"I thought you might not want Ven around after all," she murmured. "That you were keeping me from finding him on purpose."
Huh. Well, that explained a lot about how she'd acted. She was almost right, in a way.
"I was trying to distract you. But only because you were going to run yourself into the ground otherwise."
He reached out blindly, feeling across the rough stone until he managed to twine his fingers with hers.
"You worry about everyone else," he said. "But someone's gotta worry about you."
Pink spread across her cheeks.
"I'm sorry. For running away from you." She winced. "I was so upset about Ven leaving, but I did the same thing."
"Nah. You didn't leave a note."
She let out a snort. That was almost a laugh, at least.
"That would've been kinder than shouting at you."
"Heh. Probably. Did kinda feel like you were giving up on me."
He let his eyes close. He was talking too much. His shredded side wasn't thanking him for it.
Her hand brushed his bangs from his forehead. Her fingers trembled with the feather-light touch.
"Never, Van. I'm so, so sorry. I thought that… I knew you were strong. That you could handle yourself, no matter what happened. I… didn't think the same for Ven."
He opened his eyes to her staring guiltily off to the left. Where the clashing of blades still filled the air.
"I guess we both proved you wrong." Vanitas grimaced. "Sounds like he's taking care of the Nort right now. And I'm—well."
He gestured at his side.
"You wouldn't have put yourself in danger if not for me pushing you away." Aqua frowned. "I'll do better. You deserve better."
He looked up at her in disbelief. "Better than you?"
"Yes." She bit her lip. He wished he had the energy to kiss her, just so she'd know how wrong she was. "I thought it was just my darkness. But I was never… I've never been the person everyone thinks I am. The person I pretend to be."
"What, 'cause you screw up every once in a while?" He reached up and brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I think you're perfect. But that doesn't mean you have to be perfect perfect. You know?"
From the look on her face, she didn't know. That was fair. He probably wasn't making any sense, with the throbbing pain distracting him every few seconds.
"I just want to protect you both, instead of driving you away," she whispered.
"I told you. You're stuck with me, so don't worry about that." He grinned. "Ventus, though—he's going to do what he wants. I know, because I was him."
Aqua's thumb rubbed the back of his hand, but it seemed to be more for her own comfort than his.
"And… if he doesn't want me?"
It was weird. Before waking Ventus up, Vanitas never would've guessed Ven wouldn't want to stay with Aqua—but in hindsight, he should've seen it coming. Ven had never appreciated her enough. Vanitas's vision had just been too clouded with his own jealousy and worry of losing her.
"I don't know," he admitted. "He'd be stupid not to, but he's been stupid before. You… you'd be pretty upset if he left, though."
That was probably an understatement. If anything could break Aqua, it would be losing the people she loved—specifically, them choosing to abandon her.
That would never be him. But he doubted his love could patch up the hole left behind by her other friends.
"Yeah," she breathed. "I would. I told myself that I'd understand if he didn't want to stay, but apparently my heart wasn't convinced."
She brought her fist up to her chest. He squeezed her other hand that he was still holding.
"Hey. Why don't we let him pick our next stop?" he asked.
Her eyes flashed to his.
"What do you mean?"
"Next world. Place. Whatever. I don't care where we go, long as I'm with you."
"That… maybe that could work." She nodded thoughtfully. "There's nowhere we need to be right now."
Suddenly, light bloomed from the place where Ventus and the Nort had been fighting. There was no way that had all gone unnoticed, but Vanitas guessed no townspeople were stupid enough to go towards any supernatural light shows.
Slowly, the ethereal golden petals faded. Out of their shadow, the pink-haired man strode towards them.
"I'm told you're the one to thank for my freedom." His blue-eyed gaze flickered to Vanitas's side. "Sorry to have left you with an unpleasant gift."
Vanitas shrugged. "It happens."
He wasn't about to admit it had been his own stupid fault. He hoped the de-Norting had made him forget about that.
Ventus, Eugene, and Rapunzel came running after the ex-Nort. They all seemed perfectly fine—Vanitas couldn't pick out a scratch on them.
"I'm so sorry it took so long." Rapunzel knelt down at his side. Her hair was free from its braid, and she started… draping it over him? "Aqua, could you help me wrap him?"
Aqua's brow furrowed, and Eugene cut in.
"Magic hair. Didn't think you'd question it."
"...Alright. I already healed as much as I could, but I suppose it won't hurt for you to try."
Vanitas hoped it wouldn't hurt. The hair felt soft enough where his coat had been cut away, at least.
"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine…"
While Rapunzel sang, the blistering red skin became smooth, until he couldn't feel the injury at all. Huh. He hadn't thought there was a magic more powerful than Aqua's Curagas.
"Thanks," he said, finally sitting up from Aqua's lap. "For this, and for helping…"
He looked towards the pink-haired man.
"Lauriam," he said. "I can finally reclaim that identity."
Ven's brow furrowed. His mouth opened and shut again without saying anything. Had he expected to hear a different name? Even if Lauriam was the guy who'd given them the keyblade, they hadn't learned his name back then—unless more memories were trapped inside Ventus's half of their heart than he'd thought.
"Lauriam. Cool." Vanitas nodded. "I'm Vanitas, this is my amazing girlfriend Aqua, my idiot brother Ven—"
"Brother?" Ven choked.
"—Princess of Heart Rapunzel, and Eugene."
"What, I don't get a cool title too?" Eugene said as if offended.
"Ven…?" Lauriam's eyes lingered on him for a moment, before he dipped his head politely. "It's a pleasure. Now, excuse me. There is a companion I must locate now that Xehanort cannot prevent me."
"Wait!" Aqua stood. "Before you go, is there anything you can tell us about Xehanort's plans?"
"Or about giving a keyblade to a kid who looked kind of like him?" Vanitas jerked his thumb at Ventus, whose head tilted. Huh. Maybe he didn't remember after all.
Lauriam sighed. "Alright. But I'm afraid there isn't much to tell. The Vessels have been scattered since the fall of the Castle That Never Was. And since the demise of the Impetus."
"Vessels?"
"Scattered?"
"Impetus?"
"Well, this all sounds very important to all of you, so Rapunzel and I had better get out of your hair. Metaphorically, of course."
Eugene gave a lazy salute, and Rapunzel giggled. They wandered back towards the city's heart.
"You haven't a clue…" Lauriam shook his head, and a flower fell loose from his braid. It was a miracle any of them had survived the battle. Aqua's flower definitely hadn't. "Impetus is the one you may know as Xehanort's youngest incarnation."
"The one I killed in the Castle of Dreams," Vanitas realized.
"Then for that I owe you greater thanks. He delivered orders directly from Master Xehanort. Without him, each of us has been left alone… mostly." Marluxia frowned. "I could come and go as I pleased—so long as I did not attempt to contact Larxene. Even now, he fears our combined strength."
Ven stiffened at that name, but Lauriam continued.
"I was also required to fight any heroes of light I encountered. So here I've been, finding sanctuary within my home world. I didn't expect any of you to search for me here."
"We weren't searching," Aqua said. "We were just passing through."
"No matter. Your actions have only benefitted me, in the end."
He stretched out a hand, like he was about to make a dark corridor. Vanitas hoped he wasn't—but then, if the corridors were still haunted by the Dark Wind, how had Lauriam gotten here in the first place?
"What did you say about the Castle That Never Was?" Aqua asked quickly, before Lauriam could attempt another exit. "I fought Xemnas there. It was in the Realm of Sleep, right?"
Xemnas. Terra. It made sense that she'd worry.
"Correct. It was the original Organization's headquarters. And until recently, the current one's as well. Now its only denizen is a mysterious force of darkness."
Vanitas stiffened. Beside him, Aqua did as well.
"But… you guys were darkness, right?" Ven asked with a frown. "What was different about this thing?"
"I was fortunate enough not to be there," Lauriam said, his polite tone growing terse. "The Impetus only said that it arrived through the dark corridors. We were forbidden from using them to return to the Castle, lest the force escape to other worlds."
Vanitas shared a look with Aqua, who had to be thinking the same thing. Neither of them dared say it out loud, but hopefully this was good news. If the Dark Wind was trapped in the Realm of Sleep, then they shouldn't have to deal with it here.
"Now the Realm of Sleep is off limits to us—to them." Lauriam frowned. "Is that the last of your questions?"
Vanitas shook off his anxiety about the Dark Wind. He'd beaten it once. With Aqua's help, he could beat it again.
"The keyblade. Did you give us—well, Ven—one?"
"There's no way," Ven interrupted. "He doesn't have a—"
Lauriam reached out. In a flash of light, a keyblade of roses and thorns appeared. He seemed almost as surprised to see it as Ven was.
"Perhaps I did. I passed the burden to someone. At the time, I wished to be rid of it. And now that my heart is free, it finally returns…" He turned his back to them, tracing the vines encircling his blade. "You must understand. I have no intent to join your team. I will find my companion, and we will remove ourselves as far from Master Xehanort as possible."
"But—but you're a keyblade wielder!" Aqua gaped. "I thought that my friends and I were the only ones left! Tell me, were you given the traditional training? Do you know of any other Masters?"
Lauriam shook his head and chuckled sadly.
"Make no mistake—I am truly grateful for your help. But I will not allow you to dredge up memories best left forgotten."
Aqua opened her mouth again, but Vanitas squeezed her hand. He could practically see the questions on her tongue.
"Good luck, then," he said. "I hope you find your friend."
He meant it. Seeing more vessels of darkness getting a second chance… it reassured him in a way no amount of words could.
"Thank you. I hope we do not meet again."
Lauriam smiled over his shoulder before vanishing into the dark.
XXX
They'd won. The Princess of Heart was safe. Xehanort had one less Vessel on his side.
Yet as they sat around the fire at their camp, Aqua couldn't feel anything but a vague sense of unease. She'd pushed both of her friends away, and because of it, Van had…
She shivered despite the warmth crackling in front of her. She wouldn't be able to forget the way he'd collapsed, blood spilling from his side, dark and thick as ink. He sat in his pajama top now, his fairy-made clothes too stained and torn to be comfortable.
Ven sighed heavily.
"We should get this over with."
Aqua closed her eyes. They should. She should apologize. She should acknowledge his strength, thank him for holding off Lauriam while she tried to heal Van. She wasn't sure what she'd have done if Ven hadn't arrived in time.
None of those words would reach her tongue. Her mouth felt dry, no matter how much floral tea she sipped.
"I was avoiding you," Ven continued in her silence. "I wanted some space, and you came after me anyway."
Aqua's head hung. She knew that. The spark deep in her wanted to argue that he should've known how worried she would be for him. But she was too tired to do more than nod.
"I could have told you how long I'd be gone. I didn't."
She looked up, brow furrowing. On the other side of the flames, Ven's shoulders hunched.
"I didn't mean to make you worry."
"You have a funny way of showing it." Van snorted.
Aqua rested her hand on his knee and shook her head slightly. This was between her and Ven. She needed to handle it on her own.
"I pushed you away," she murmured. "You said you couldn't be the Ven I remember. But I can't be the Aqua you want."
"You mean you can't trust me." Ven sounded resigned. He stared into the fire with a vacant expression, as if it didn't matter what he said.
As if it didn't matter that he was here at all.
"I have a hard time trusting anyone," she admitted, sneaking a glance at Van. "Even people who've proven time and time again that they deserve it."
Van held out his hand palm-up, and she laced their fingers together, drawing on his strength. She took a deep breath.
"You do deserve my trust, Ven. I'm sorry if I made you feel that you didn't."
He squinted at her through the flames. Did he not trust her, now? There was nothing else she could do.
"Okay," he said finally.
Okay. Just okay? Was that it? She barely felt any catharsis from that short conversation.
Ven stood, and she thought he was going to head to bed. It was certainly late enough. At least he'd eaten dinner first, this time.
But he stopped in front of the log she sat on, and slung his arm around her shoulders in an awkward side hug.
"Goodnight, Aqua. Love you."
Her breath hitched. She hadn't heard those words from him in over twelve years. Even if his voice sounded a little strained, even if his hug didn't squeeze as tight as it used to, he was trying. He was reaching out to her.
She smiled up at him, her eyes watering.
"I love you too, Ven."