Hi hi! May is here! I honestly haven't been in a mood to write as much as before. But I managed to sit down and type this little bit out. If any of you have read my other fic, "Sora's Daybreak," let's just say the next two chapters have been stuck on halfway being done. Life, responsibilities, upcoming finals, you know. I'll hopefully have a chapter done sometime in June, so be on the lookout for that if you read the other story too. I also am trying my hand at other fics and other hobbies, hoping to get new ideas down on paper and new ideas in general.

I mention some KHUx stuff here of a particular winter scene when it's snowing in Daybreak Town, so fair warning to you there. So now, let me leave you to reading, and enjoy!

Title: Grandpa Ven - Part 3

Type: Story

Summary: Ventus may not remember everything, but ever since Chirithy came into his life again, he's been slowly recalling stuff. But his words don't sound all new to his friends, if anything, he's starting to sound like a grandpa.

Idea: "Back when I can remember, we didn't have the fancy Keyblade Armor to keep us safe… Back in the day, we had to walk through the corridors, we didn't have keyblade gliders to help us to the next world." (Not exact dialogue, but that's the idea I'm basing this around.)

Sub-Ideas: Xion's POV -Look for the rest at the bottom.

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Date: May 21, 2024

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Grandpa Ven Part 3: Wisps Of A Wistful Winter

There are a lot of things that Xion doesn't know. There's even a lot more she doesn't understand. But one thing she definitely could pick up on was the strangeness of Ventus. It wasn't the strange, "Oh my, Roxas and Ventus look alike," kind of strange, but strange as in the way he presented himself. Some days, he'd be so wide-eyed and playful, other days he'd be down and somber, but the strangeness truly came when words slipped passed his lips that didn't make much sense. It definitely made sense to him, and it definitely made sense to Chirithy, but not to any of them. Roxas seems to have some idea that Ventus is an avid reader and sometimes mixes up fiction and reality. As for what she thought, she honestly couldn't come up with much of an answer… Unless Ventus was somewhat like her and Roxas? Did he have some memories that he couldn't gain access to? Or maybe he's like Sora and has someone is sleeping inside his heart, sharing some memories that don't belong to him?

When she asked Aqua and Terra later on after the Medal Incident, they did confirm to her that he doesn't remember his past. It was looking like that those two and him were more alike than it seemed. Roxas didn't have access to Sora's memories and Ventus has no access to his past. But how could Ventus be more upbeat about it, having a more Sora like attitude? She has to wonder now, did Roxas just take all of Sora's negativity and that's why he's so upbeat? She was getting off track.

Well, it wasn't anything she could understand at least. Axel seems to have his own ideas about Ventus and Chirithy talking like an old grandfather, and sure she could agree that Ven did sound off at times, but what about her actual opinion? Could she be allowed to form one about him? They hardly knew each other, even with all the hanging out they did together. But the fact that she could observe and just have a weird knowing that he was strange was telling enough.

One day, on one of their hangout days in Twilight Town, Aqua, Terra, and Isa were asked by the Radiant Garden crew to do something over at the mansion. That left the remaining five to have a fun day together in town. Everyone had a good time exploring, shopping, and making conversation. The boys had complained it was too warm a winter here, hoping for some snow to come around. The winters in Twilight Town didn't offer much unfortunately, since it was in an area that was chilly but not enough to get that cold. The talk of the frozen crystals caused them to crave their usual treat of Sea-Salt Ice cream, and so Axel and Roxas left to get some. That left Ventus, Chirithy, and her alone to wait. The topic easily continued between the two of them and opened up the concept of winter.

That's when he asked, "So you've never actually seen snow before, Xion?"

"No Ventus, never. Even back on my missions with the Organization, never once was I assigned to areas that had snow."

He chuckles, "I told you Xion, just call me Ven. We're friends after all."

She smiles shyly and awkwardly at him, "I'm sorry Ventus, I'm still not quite use to it."

It's not that she didn't want to call him Ven, she just didn't feel as close to him to say it. He was kind, open, and friendly, but that was just it. They hadn't spent enough time together to really solidify their friendship as something more than just hanging out. With Ventus, there was just some odd disconnect she couldn't get over, from the child-likeness of his actions in certain time to the imparted ancient words of his scattered memories the next. Besides, if anything prevented their closeness, it was because he gravitated more towards Axel and Roxas more so than her. She never minded cause it gave her a chance to get closer to the others. Terra was much more quiet and calm than Ventus, and something about him just gave her the impression of a gentle older brother. Aqua had given her a similar impression as a reliable older sister. Those two made her feel more comfortable and at ease. Hmm, maybe she was just a more serene person than Roxas ever could be, and that's why she preferred their company? She did end up finding she liked hanging out with Saïx more, now that he wasn't working against all of them at least.

She looked at her friend who was only smiling happily, "Ah it's okay, Xion. You can call me Ven whenever you feel like."

She nods, gently smiling at him, "You know, I still want to visit that Kingdom of Arendelle that Jiminy mentioned in his journal."

Ventus' eyes brightened at the mention, "Oh yeah! I definitely want to meet those two new princesses of heart and that talking snowman! Wouldn't be cool to see a real walking, talking snowman? I've seen and done so much in my day, but when the snow started falling and we watched it together, I kept thinking I never did get to build a snowman with you."

"Huh?"

Xion looked at the way Ven's expression was sure and his eyes glazed over for a moment. It was the same way he had looked some days ago when they had talked about Sea-Salt Ice Cream, and he started talking about homework and not wanting to hand it in late of all things. It was also the same way he zoned out when he was talking about those medals for his keyblade, he had to be mixing up something again.

"It was winter, and I still wonder if it was also snowing at the same time as where we were. Or maybe it was a whole different season all together?" Xion couldn't find a way to interrupt him, really studying his face as he talked about a winter from his past so long ago. Then he gazed at her, his eyes briefly seeming far older and holding some pain and longing, as they were lost in an illusion. His head tilted to the side for a moment as he was fixed on her short coal-black hair and asked, "Did you cut your hair? Didn't it use to be longer?"

Finally, she didn't want to keep silent, "Umm, Ventus? Are you alright?"

He blinks, his eyes slowly refocus as his expression becomes clueless about what she asked, "Yeah, I'm alright. I was just wondering why you have short hair. For some reason I thought it was longer."

Ventus' Chirithy finally decides to chime in, "Ven, Xion's always had short hair. You're probably mixing her up with someone else. Maybe Master Aqua or Kairi?" But in a quiet breath, a small whisper escapes, "Or maybe her…" It wasn't audible to Ventus, but Xion had caught it.

Her? Was it someone both he and Chirithy use to know?

The boy looks at Chirithy for a moment before smiling, "Oh right, you do look similar to Kairi, but your hair length's more like Aqua's. I kind of forgot I guess, you two may be similar but you're both so very different. That's what makes you so amazing."

Chirithy's eyes smile in a mischievous way, "Oh, Ven? Are you trying to get on Xion's good side now?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" He asks curiously, with Xion as curious as he.

The little dream eater looked between the two before sighing, "Still so child-like. Never change Ven."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

And just like that, the conversation took a turn into the casual. But that moment wouldn't leave Xion alone. Even as Roxas and Axel came back with the ice cream and they sat together on the ledge of the clock tower, it still bothered her. Who did Ventus see and mix her up for? It couldn't possibly be Master Aqua, nor could it have been Kairi, especially since she hasn't been around in the time Sora's disappeared. It just felt different, especially not the same way how others saw her in the organization back when she was still incomplete. It was genuinely in his eyes only, his unknown memory was being relived and he hadn't the slightest idea what it was about.

But who was "she"? Who had he remembered? Would he ever remember his friend again?

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Sub-Ideas:

-Xion isn't up to date with Ventus and Chirithy, but still finds them strange.

-Xion and Ventus get to have a conversation.

-Ventus mixes up Xion for someone he once knew, not realizing again he's slipping into his lost memories.

-Chirithy redirects the conversation and Xion just wants to know what's up with the slip.

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So this part again has been sitting for awhile before finally deciding to rearrange it and type it down. In this, Xion's really been on the sidelines, since she's closer with Roxas and Axel. She somehow got closer with Terra, also with Aqua, but Ven is the only one she feels that distance with. It's not something she gets, but it just happened to be that way as the year moves on.

Just like Axel's, Xion's observation is rather vague and doesn't come to the expected conclusion. She just wants to know who in the world Ven was seeing and why? Unfortunately, Ven can't answer and Chirithy is avoiding taking about it, but we all know who he remembers, right? (*Cough* *Skuld* *Cough*) Oh whoopsie-daisy, I'm realizing that Chirithy's personality from my other fic's slipped through a bit there.

This is it for now! Thank you again for reading another little story idea! See you next time when a new chapter is up!