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Chapter 6: Dark Realm

"This place stinks."

"You have no idea." Aqua shivered. "We need to keep moving or else Heartless will surround us."

Terra's heart sank at the quiver in her voice. He hated seeing such a strong woman seem so terrified. She'd always been the one to comfort them in times of trouble, and she saved them both, to be trapped here.

Now they would be there for her.

After hours of walking, nothing seemed to change. The dark and empty landscape seemed to just go on and on.

Even for just a short time it felt maddening.

How must it have felt to be stuck alone for over ten years?

…

Horrible.

Aqua couldn't help but flash back to days stuck here.

Heartless assaulting her.

Finding empty places devoid of life.

Fighting dark versions of herself.

But, every time she stopped, every time she shuddered, a hand would take hers.

Ven's.

Terra's.

She wasn't alone this time.

And she felt their support and courage swell inside her every time.

"Heads up!" Ven tensed.

There they were.

Yellow eyes peering out from the darkness.

Heartless.

A group of Neoshadows dragged themselves out of the rocky terrain and swarmed the trio.

"Ready?"

"Always."

Charging forward, Aqua felt a rush.

Not of primal fear for survival as she was used to, but a slight joy in knowing she was not alone.

"I got one!" Ven shouted.

"I'm on two already." Terra called back.

"No way!"

"I'm catching up!" She yelled back as another fell by her blade.

And that joy grew as they turned a simple battle into a game, and for a moment, they forgot where they were. And they were back home playing a training game.

And then it ended.

"I got five." She could feel Ven's grin under his helmet.

"Seven."

"Five."

"Terra wins then." Ven laughed. "But next time, I'll be the winner."

"I don't think so." With a playful shove, Terra laughed and jogged forward a little.

And they began walking again.

Ever so often, they'd catch glimpses of Heartless watching them, but not attacking.

Ven's eyes caught a glimpse of one with red fingers, staring at them. His heart suddenly ached a little, a cold sensation covering him for just a moment.

"You ok, Ven?"

Oh.

He'd stopped walking and didn't even realize.

"I just got a weird feeling in my chest. I think it might be Vanitas."

"So he's still alive?"

"I think so…" Ven narrowed his eyes under the helmet. "Aqua, do you really believe what he said back in the Keyblade Graveyard?"

"I don't. I think he was just trying to get into your head."

Terra cocked his head to the side. "What did he say? I don't quite remember. That whole encounter was a bit of a blur until I saw you two in danger."

"He said that he wasn't half of Ven but was his own being that was just pulled out of Ven."

"Really?"

"If that's true," Ven whispered, "maybe that's why I can still feel him."

Terra sighed. "I doubt it. If anything, that might be a lie Xehanort fed to him to give him some hope of escaping you. You probably still feel his presence because he's part of you, and wants to be his own person."

"I guess so." The younger boy continued to walk on. "I feel so bad for him. I can't help but feel like I could've helped him somehow."

"Ven, it takes a special kind of person to feel empathy and sorrow for someone who hurt them as much as Vanitas hurt you." Terra put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "And I bet, no matter how much he would deny it, Vanitas is grateful that you feel that way for him. And I feel bad for him too. I was manipulated by Xehanort, so I assume he was too. I can only imagine the lies he was told to make him hate you that much."

"Maybe, Chirithy can help me talk to him, and I can ask."

"I think that's a great idea."

As time went on:

Hours-

Days-

Time moved strangely.

Only by checking their phones did they know it had been nearly 4 four days in the dark realm, but they didn't feel hungry or thirsty. It felt as if the darkness worked to keep them alive just to torture with its endless and maddening landscape.

Aqua's demeanor darkened with every day, despite the attempts of Terra and Ven to cheer her up.

"I have an idea." Ven smiled softly through his helmet as they sat, taking a break from walking.

"What is it?"

"Let's play a game! It's so quiet here, and we need to cheer you up, Aqua."

The woman gave a small smile at his concern. "What game then?"

"While we're walking, let's see who can tell the craziest story about those ten years we were gone! We can make them up. I can tell the craziest dream I had while asleep. You can say the weirdest thing you saw in the Realm of Darkness! And you can say the silliest thing Xehanort did while possessing you! Whoever tells the best story wins!"

Terra burst out in laughter. "I love it!"

"Who wants to go first?" Aqua chuckled as she stood back up and they all started to walk once again.

"I've got a great one!" Terra hopped ahead. "And it's based on something I wish would've happened. Xehanort going on a blind date!"

"WHAT!?"

"No way!"

Terra laughed. "It didn't actually happen, but I wish it would have. Bra- Xigbar, or whatever his name was, joked about setting him up on one, but it didn't happen."

"So, tell us this story. If he'd gone on a blind date, how crazy would it have been?"

Terra laughed to himself. "Well, first thing he did was beat the crap out of Braig for setting it up, but then he decided to go. And…"

"I need to take off my helmet!" Ven gasped, pulling it off as he doubled over laughing. "I can't breathe!"

Aqua took off her own helmet, covering her mouth as she shook with laughter. "That will be so hard to beat!"

Taking off his helmet, a smug grin plastered on his face, Terra laughed. "You'll have to think of a really good one to top it now."

"Challenge accepted!" Ven yelled. "I've got a great one!"

"Lay it on us!"

Ven grinned. "Remember how I told you, Aqua, that I sometimes could see Sora's adventures?"

"I do."

"Did you know he turned into a merman and was in an underwater musical?"

"No!"

"Really!?"

"Oh yeah!" Ven put his helmet back on, feeling the darkness creeping in slightly. "It was actually pretty fun and cool. I wish I could've joined them… but what if it went really bad?"

"Do tell."

"Well, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were underwater and…"

"That was amazing!" Terra laughed, his breath coming in short gasps until he took off his helmet.

"That one is just as good as yours, Terra." Aqua laughed.

Ven grinned, his hands resting behind his head. "I told you I had a good one. Your turn, Aqua!"

"Mine won't nearly be as funny as the stories you two told."

"No matter what, it'll be fun though." Terra put a hand on her shoulder. "And that's the point, keeping back the darkness with laughter and joy."

"You're right." Letting out a sigh, she stared up at the strange blue rocks around them. "Well, maybe I should tell you about the strange Heartless tea party I found one day."

"The what!?"

Aqua giggled. "I found a tea party with a bunch of Heartless drinking tea, all dressed up."

"Tell us!"

"Well, I was walking when I heard music. And you can already tell that it's way too quiet here. So, I followed the music and…"

And the darkness didn't seem to touch them as they let joy and laughter fill their hearts, pushing it away.

But still, they found no sign of Sora.