Distant Memories (Tag: Aqua)

[Riku]

It had been several days since the battle against the Chaos Hide, time Riku had spent assessing the state of Twilight Town on his own, thinking upon what he had witnessed. Those who fought against it suffered greatly for it, but it was clear that the appearance of Xion had been what decided their victory, even if the refugees had two other keyblade wielders aiding them. It hadn't taken long for Riku to come to the conclusion that the blue haired keyblade wielder was Aqua; she must have used the tear in the world created by the Chaos Hide to break through and help in their battle, and she fit the description that Mickey and Master Yen Sid had given him.

Judging from the appearance of this world and the fact that Aqua reached it meant that the separation between Twilight Town and the Realm of Darkness had become weak, the world beginning to reach the brink of destruction. He had been tasked with traveling through the Realm of Darkness to find Master Aqua, but much had happened since his time away from the Realm of Light. Where was Sora in all of this?

And that left the matter of Xion, who Riku began to remember quite vividly over the last few days. She had been a puppet, much like the one of himself he encountered in Castle Oblivion, though she had been created with the intention of housing some of Sora's memories. She had become a major setback to restoring Sora back then, but she eventually returned to him. But if she was back, did that mean something had happened to Sora? There was always the chance that Riku's bone-headed friend found a way to bring her back, he had a knack for doing the most unexpected things, but the state of Twilight Town did leave Riku with some room to worry. He'd have to confront Xion the next chance he got to see what she knew, but for now Riku decided to check back at the mansion and see if there were any clues to be found.

As he stepped out from the cover of trees into the clearing before the mansion, his icy blue gaze scanned the area, taking note of the broken and bent gate that left the path open into the inner courtyard. He sensed no particularly strong presence of darkness or light further in, at least from what he could tell from out here, so he proceeded further in, staying alert and quiet. Inside the mansion, a thick layer of dust coated most of the entrance hall, though it appeared some areas had been disturbed not too long ago, Riku presumed it had been either heartless, or refugees scavenging the area for resources and supplies. He glanced back towards the forest before shutting the door behind him and heading straight for what remained of the library, and hopefully of the lab hidden beneath it.

[Aqua]

Slow, rhythmic clinks of metallic boots rang against the cold stone pathways leading up to the mansion on the outskirts of Twilight Town. Their owner, new to this area - this world, really - shifted her gaze about methodically. Drinking in the sight of the abandoned building drudged up thoughts about her own abandoned home, flooding her mind with worries for Ven's safety; for Terra's as well. She sighed, dropping her eyes to her feet and flexing her fingers idly at her side.

She couldn't help but wonder if she'd made the right decision. If Terra had been allowed to fall into the Darkness during their last...confrontation...would anything have turned out differently? Ven had been safely locked away in Castle Oblivion - a place she still wasn't entirely sure they were going to be travelling to or not. If she had acted with her mind instead of her heart...

Aqua shook her head. There was no room for what ifs, could have beens, or if onlys. What mattered most now was the present and the actions she chose to take from here on out. Her arrival in Twilight Town must have meant that it was time for her to leave the Darkness and lend her hand to the fighters and keybearers struggling against Xehanort in the present. People like Sora.

And, she thought, catching a familiar head of silver hair as she stepped through the gate and into the courtyard, people like Riku as well.

She observed him for a while, surprised first and foremost by his height. She remembered the little boy she'd met by the beach, the air of cool confidence he put on in stark contrast to the grinning, boyish optimism of his friend.

An older, sadder part of her wondered if they were still as close as they had once been.

He was on guard, likely ready for the Heartless to jump out at any moment. Perhaps it was because he'd turned his senses towards the Darkness that he hadn't noticed her yet, or maybe she had just become good at hiding during her time away. Regardless, she made sure to stay out of his line of sight as he moved to shut the door to the mansion.

"You've grown, Riku," she said as he approached the staircase, surprised by the melancholy in her tone. Perhaps she wasn't able to fully ignore the guilt she felt over her absence.

"Last I saw you, you were rushing off to help Sora shut the door to the Realm of Darkness."

It was true. The little boy she'd met on Destiny Islands had been barely above her knee; the young man she'd caught a glimpse of later on still a head shorter than her or so. That difference had apparently shifted, and now she found herself looking up to meet his eyes.

"Tell me. Have I really been gone for so long?"

[Riku]

Riku paused at the edge of the staircase as a voice interrupted his train of thought. After a few moments, he turned to face Aqua, the Keyblade Master who had been lost in the Realm of Darkness since before he and Sora had even started their journey back on the islands. He glanced down briefly as she mentioned the last time she saw him, before speaking up, "I heard you saved me from the heartless back then, I never got to say thanks. I wish we could have returned the favor, Master Aqua." He gave a respectful nod to her, though his expression darkened as he recalled those times.

"It's been almost two years since we closed the door. And a man by the name of Xehanort has returned to start the next keyblade war. Mickey mentioned you and your friends fought this guy before, is that right?" Mickey and Master Yen Sid both filled him in on most of the details, but Aqua could have further insight. Though Riku understood that she would probably have far more questions than he did, and he'd do his best to catch her up to speed on current events.

As they continued their conversation he led the way into the library where most of the bookshelves were bare or turned over, and many books were scattered across the floor. The state of the room aside, it wasn't the library itself he was after, but what rested beneath it. Those who didn't know about it may not have spotted anything here, but after finding a loose floorboard, Riku revealed further secrets within. "Master Yen Sid sent Mickey and I to go search for you in the Realm of Darkness. You've seen the state of this world though, and with Xion back... I'm worried about what's happened to Sora." Once he created a hole large enough to enter, he dropped down into the dark room below. He glanced back up through the hole and called out to her, "I'll answer your questions as best as I can on the way."

[Aqua]

Riku's calm and cool demeanor hadn't changed much from when he was young, but the tension that flared to life as he caught her voice was certainly new. Of course, his bravery in the face of a stranger or an unexpected presence at that age was likely due to his inexperience. Staying on his toes, assessing a threat without striking haphazardly in a panic, that was the sign of someone who had lost just as many battles as they'd won.

But that didn't seem to have hardened his heart any, given the genuine way he thanked her for something that - for him at least - would have happened two years ago.

Aqua's expression soured hearing the name Xehanort pass the boy-turned-man's lips. A small part of her had hoped that the crazed old man had slinked off into a corner with Terra's body and died regardless of what she'd seen in the Realm of Darkness. Even if the worlds were still accosted by his evil, everything would be fine if he simply wasn't around anymore.

"Yes, I...we did," she corrected herself. "Xehanort is old. Impossibly so, I'm sure you're aware. His heart bathes in the Darkness, and his ultimate goal is to cover all the worlds in it. He'll do anything to see his sick curiousity satisfied."

A swath of hatred washed over her, and she had to stop just after the final step up the staircase to push it back down her throat and into her stomach where it belonged. She could not let Darkness beget Darkness.

"My friends - Ven and Terra - they barely survived the fight. Ven's heart was split in two by Xehanort years before then, and the dark half of him shattered Ven's heart even further before the fight was over. Terra..."

That's right. Terra had been the reason Riku was even here. She had to word this carefully.

"Terra was taken over by Xehanort; had his heart invaded and overrun by the Darkness. I'm not even sure he knows who he is anymore. All I know is that I sent him back to Radiant Garden before falling into the Realm of Darkness myself. Honestly, I think that may have been my biggest mistake. I let something terrible loose on the worlds when I should have just let it slink back into the pit where it came from, but..."

Aqua sighed, shaking her head and gripping her left elbow with her right hand in a nervous, mournful position.

"I kept hoping the glimmer of light Terra had left would shine through."

At his offer to answer her questions, Aqua paused. Did she have any? The source of the Nightfall, for one, though no one seemed too entirely sure about that. Who that Xion girl was, and why she had looked like Ven to her at first may have been a good starting point. Still, at the mention of Sora, Aqua couldn't help but smile.

"Sora, huh?" she breathed. "I still remember the first time I saw you two together. So happy and carefree. Now look at you, wrapped up cleaning the mess I've left behind and thanking me for doing the only thing I could have done while holed up in the dark."

Regret wracked through her chest. Suppressing a sob and doing her best to smile while holding back the tears, she shook her head. "If anything, I should be the one thanking you. You and Sora, really. I was selfish before to not give Sora a keyblade when I saw Terra had done so for you. I see that now. But somehow, everything seems to have worked out until now."

Honestly, in this moment, she really only had one question she could ask. She stopped, shoulders slumped and posture turned away from him as she sobbed out the question, tears falling freely.

"Do you hate me for it, Riku? For going away? For not coming to look after you two and letting Xehanort run wild in the Realm of Light? It's all my fault. Could you ever forgive me?"

[Riku]

What Aqua recounted so far lined up with what Master Yen Sid and Mickey had told him and Sora, and even what Riku had heard during their brief encounter with Xehanort and his Seekers of Darkness. She spoke of a boy named Ventus, who's heart had been split in two and who Riku recalled Xehanort mentioning he had tried to use him to forge the X-blade. And then there was Terra who's story was all too similar to his own, having fallen into darkness and manipulated by others. Including Aqua, these were the three keyblade wielders who he and Sora had to gather in order to fight against Xehanort and his twelve other vessels.

Aqua didn't return from the Realm of Darkness unscathed, Riku realized now, as it seemed her past still haunted her and she felt responsible for much of the state of the worlds now. Riku was quick to shake his head as he turned to face her.

"You didn't make this mess; Xehanort did. No one blames you for what he's done."

She turned away from him then, asking if he hated her for all this, and he could hear the tremor in her voice. Riku scratched the back of his head as his lip curled into a slight frown, and he was uncertain of how to respond to her. He glanced over to one of the dusty old computer monitors, remembering the last time he walked through these halls, bearing Ansem's face. He finally glanced back to her with a sad smile.

"I can't fault you for believing in your friends. I was manipulated once before, and I lost myself to the darkness because of it. If it hadn't been for my friends believing in me, I wouldn't be here today. As long as you still believe in Terra, then it's not too late." He paused for a moment, unsure if this was what she wanted to hear or not, "If there's a way to save Terra and Ven, we'll find it."

[Aqua]

There were times when Aqua had trouble adjusting to the fact that while no time had really passed for her while she was away, well over a decade had flown by for the rest of the world. While it seemed like only yesterday (and what a truly, horribly long day that had been) she had met the young man standing before her on the beach, she had to remember that any inkling he may have had of her was likely long gone and unreachable.

Breaking down crying in front of someone who hadn't seen her since he was four years old? Probably not the smartest move she'd ever made. Still, the sentiment was genuine, and even though the self-loathing, doubt, and guilt were likely all scars left on her soul from her time in the Darkness, the genuine need for human interaction was pure.

She shook her head, bringing long, slender fingers to her eyes and cheeks to wipe the tears away as she composed herself with a deep, steady breath. Riku was supposed to be the one relying on her. Not the other way around. There would be time to adjust - time to ask forgiveness - when her boys were back home safe and sound.

"Thank you," she exhaled, straightening her shoulders and bringing her arms to her sides. "I needed to hear that."

If there was a way to save Ven and Terra - because there was a way - they were going to find it. That's why they were here.

"You said you'd answer my questions, right? Could you tell me what Xehanort's been up to? If we can't find Sora, we need to assume the worst and take action. Some of the others were talking about shutting the Lanes Between, but we can't let them do that if Sora's in trouble."

That's right, she thought to herself, the war isn't over yet. No time for crying. Master Aqua is needed, not the girl who lost her friends. Thinking logically, rationally, was her best and only course of action. Anything else would be detrimental to their success.

Even if thinking logically had cost her friends and freedom in the past.

"And Xion...who is she? She looks a bit like a girl I met back in Radiant Garden years ago, but her name was Kairi. A younger sister? I'm a little worried about how she got hold of a keyblade, to be honest."

Her eyes wandered to Riku, looking him up and down and truly coming to terms with just how long she'd been drifting in the Darkness. Riku wasn't a child anymore. Whatever experiences he'd been through had shaped him into a man. Regardless of whether or not he'd needed to grow up fast, there was nothing she could do now but be grateful for his help.

"It's not that I don't trust her, it's just that she's so young it's hard to be okay with her fighting alongside us."

[Riku]

Riku gave a curt nod to her as he examined one of the darkened computer monitors, wiping off some of the dust with a sweep of his hand. It didn't appear anyone had been down here in some time. He glanced back to Aqua as she asked about Xehanort. "He's been trying to put together thirteen versions of himself, Seekers of Darkness he called them. He sent a younger version of him to gather them together in a world created by Nobodies 'The World That Never Was'. While Sora and I were working on our Mark of Mastery exam, he intercepted Sora to try and make him into Xehanort's thirteenth vessel. We managed to stop him in time, but there's no reason he wouldn't have tried again while I was gone."

He crossed his arms, his gaze falling slightly as he assessed the possibility that Sora may have been caught again, and it put Riku on edge. Worrying about it would get them nowhere, however, they had to focus on what they did know in order to find and help Sora. And then there was Xion, yet another link to Sora that had somehow appeared here in the ruins of Twilight Town. Another name Aqua brought up caught Riku's attention though.

"You know Kairi? She grew up on the islands with us, and now she's a keyblade wielder too." It was strange how Aqua had met all three of them before, like it was fate or destiny; just as Xehanort believed it was fated that they would all battle for the X-blade when the time comes.

As for Xion... Riku was quickly beginning to realize how confusing all this would be to Aqua if he didn't explain things well. With a deep breath, he scratched the back of his head, glancing back at the computer monitors. "Xion is... a long story. I'm still trying to remember all the details myself, really."

"There was a time, during our first adventure, where Sora gave up his heart in order to save Kairi. Mickey and I, as well as a man by the name of Ansem, worked on restoring Sora, but it took time. Meanwhile a new group was using Sora's vulnerable state to try and get its hands on a keyblade. For awhile they were manipulating his nobody Roxas, but when that didn't work, they created Xion. She was a puppet who housed Sora's memories, specifically his memories of Kairi, so that's probably why they look alike."

Riku glanced back to Aqua, unsure if she was following his explanation at all, but nonetheless he continued as he crossed his arms, "But she sacrificed herself to return those memories to Sora so he could wake up. I'm not really sure how she's back, or what this could mean for Sora."

[Aqua]

Xehanort was trying to create thirteen versions of himself? A younger version of himself? Nobodies? The World That Never Was?

The more that Riku spoke, the less Aqua understood. Was that younger version of Xehanort supposed to be Terra? Did that mean the old man had somehow left a piece of himself strong enough to suppress Terra's will inside her brown-haired friend while resuming his previous form? And was that Xehanort doing the same thing to others, smaller and smaller divisions of his Heart within people to root and take hold until they were swayed to his side by the Darkness?

And even if that was the case, what did that make a Nobody?

"Well, that's a lot to unpack," Aqua muttered, shaking her head. "But we can get to that later. For now, the important thing is that Xehanort is trying to start another Keyblade War to unlock Kingdom Hearts, which he wants to use to swath Darkness over all the worlds, right? That means that if we want any chance of stopping him, we can't close the Lanes Between."

"You said both you and Sora took your Mark of Mastery exams, is that right? How many keyblade wielders are out there that you know of, and how many of them are Masters like you two? If we want to start working against Xehanort, the first thing we need to do is rally our numbers. If we work together, we won't lose."

Off the top of her head, Aqua knew that Sora, Riku, Mickey, Xion, and herself were present in their number, but that didn't mean that Riku was still holding back information. Kairi was also apparently included now, and if they could find a way to wake up Ven, that would put them at six.

That was a number dangerously close to seven.

Seven lights, Thirteen darknesses. Xehanort had said something about that before, hadn't he? Of course, the plotting old man would make sure just enough pieces were on the board to complete this gambit of his. But if they could throw him for a loop...if other wielders could appear, and if they could rip Terra away from Xehanort, then his plan was as good as through, wasn't it?

Still, giving out keyblades left, right, and center just wasn't something she could do. There needed to be standards. Rules, requirements. The Master had bestowed both herself and Terra the power to wield a key only after years of training to do so. It may have been different in the old days, but wielders had since come to understand that keeping their numbers limited was a safety measure. No one wanted to see another keyblade war.

Nobody but Xehanort, that was.

[Riku]

Though it was a lot of information for Aqua to absorb, she seemed to take it in stride as best as she was able, focusing on what was immediately important. It certainly helped move things along, as they needed to be ready to take action soon, there was no telling when Xehanort planned to make another move. He always seemed to be several steps ahead of them.

As she brought up the Lanes Between, Riku offered a curt nod, "We'd just be locking ourselves in a cage, giving him all the time in the world to further his plans." He glanced up as she brought up his and Sora's exams, and he scratched the back of his head, "Well, we did take the exam, but Sora didn't actually pass. He's not a master. Master Yen Sid had planned for us to acquire the power to wake sleeping hearts, I think he wanted Sora to learn it so he could help your friend Ven. Assuming we could find him of course."

Riku began doing the math in his head as well, realizing that the people they had discussed so far, assuming they could save Ven, would give them 7 wielders, except, "Axel- or well, Lea. He's a keyblade wielder as well, he trained alongside Kairi. That makes four of us that are accounted for, we'll need to start looking for the others if we want to be ready for Xehanort."

And if the worst came to worse, they may have to start looking at the survivors of Twilight Towns for possible candidates to inherit the keyblade, but that was not a decision Riku would take lightly. He knew all too well the danger of handing that kind of power off. He had after all been the precise example of someone who inherited the keyblade only to fall to darkness. If they started handing out keyblades carelessly, it could end up benefitting Xehanort more than themselves.

"Well, it doesn't look like anyone's been here for a long time. There's nothing more to be done here, we should move on." He nodded towards the way they came, gesturing for Aqua to lead the way this time.

[Aqua]

A wave of relief rushed through Aqua as Riku agreed that it was in their best interest to keep the Lanes Between open. It seemed that all the wielders in Twilight Town were in agreement now - or at the very least the ones that she was aware of.

Still, this raised the question of how the people who may want to lock these keyholes and seal the pathways to other worlds off would react. Yes, it may significantly reduce the threat of the Heartless attacking, but it was like Riku said. Locking themselves in a prison and waiting for their enemies to make the first move would be a mistake.

She only hoped that the argument over their next course of action wouldn't lead to any unnecessary fighting.

"The power...to wake sleeping hearts?" Aqua questioned, grabbing Riku by the shoulders and looking. "So if someone's heart was damaged by the Darkness - torn in two, or maybe even shattered - could you wake them up if they'd been sleeping?"

It went without saying she knew where Ven was - she was the one who had brought him home to rest. If Riku could wake Ven up...

Was now even a good time to do that, though? If Ven was awake, that would just paint another target on his back for Xehanort to take aim at. Could she in good conscience allow that to happen to a boy she'd promised Master Eraqus that she would keep safe? She made that promise about Terra as well, come to think of it. And look how well that turned out.

Her hands fell from Riku's shoulders, and she brought freed fingers to the bridge of her nose. Was now really the time for this sort of moral dilemma? She knew what she wanted; her friend back. There was not time to worry about what ifs - she'd already made the mistake of almost revealing Ven's location to Xehanort back in the Realm of Darkness. They needed to go to him now.

Riku motioned her to the exit, and with a curt nod she made her final remark.

"Riku," Aqua sighed, "I know where Ven is. I can take us to him, but it's entirely possible that Xehanort is expecting me to go there. The reason I was even let out of the Realm of Darkness...I'm afraid this is just part of some grander plot of his, but I'm still willing to try. Are you with me?"

[Riku]

Before they started heading out of the abandoned lab, Aqua took him by the shoulders, requesting clarification about the power to wake sleeping hearts. Specifically she wanted to know if it would work on someone who had been damaged by the darkness, or maybe split in two; Aqua didn't quite seem to know for certain. "It worked when I brought Sora back, but can't say for sure. It's worth a try." He realized that she was emphasizing the importance on the question for a reason, but he didn't want to give her false hope when he had only successfully used it once. There was no telling whether Sora's situation was the same as the situation Aqua described, but he would do what he could.

When she brought up Ven, it didn't take much for him to put two and two together. He gave a reassuring nod as she explained that she knew where Ven was, but that it might be a trap. "I understand, and it's worth the risk. We can't give up on your friend." He paused for a moment to place a hand on her shoulder, offer a curt nod before they took their leave.