Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of Kingdom Hearts in ANY way, shape, or form. I own NOTHING!

Chapter 7

"If nothing turns up in Radiant Garden, it might not hurt to check a few nearby worlds before rendezvousing with the Masters," Terra stated as he followed Aqua out of Yen Sid's tower. She had blazed ahead of him and was gaining so much speed descending the stairs that he had to jog to catch up with her.

Aqua nodded but remained silent. He wasn't even entirely sure if she'd heard him.

She'd been unnaturally quiet since they left Master Yen Sid's quarters. Her mood had apparently taken a nosedive as the reality of their situation sank in yet again. She'd seemed lost in thought and a bit lost in general. Terra could practically feel everything weighing on her and it was affecting him as well. He could practically feel his back bowing over from the weight.

As they'd discussed strategy with Master Yen Sid, Aqua had regained her professional air. She'd turned into the Keyblade Master again, an entity who meant business. She was determined to find Ven but that determination was destroying her because it was so personal. When she was thinking of their plan of action, she was thinking about Ven, and thinking about Ven devastated her mood.

"So…I guess I'll see you in Radiant Garden?" he called after her as she opened the tower doors and searched for a good place to mount her glider.

"Right." She summoned Rainfell, took a deep breath, and paused. "What if he isn't there…? What then?"

"Then we stake them out at the Keyblade Graveyard like we planned. If Xehanort does have Ven, he'll have to return there at some point. Since that's the only place the χ-blade can be forged."

"That place is huge. You could wander that place for days and never stumble upon them. There are so many holes and craters…plenty of places for rats to hide… It would probably be better if we found them before they went there."

Terra shook his head. "It's either that or start searching world by world. What else can we do? What choice do we have? We're doing all we can."

"It's not enough. Xehanort is having his way with us again. I feel it. I feel exactly the way I did three years ago. He has us right where he wants us and he is just watching us and biding his time…"

Terra folded his arms and looked away, at a loss for words.

"I was in denial about it before. I underestimated him. I blew everything off and played right into his trap…just like you did. We may not be so different after all. The only difference was that he had a purpose for you. The only thing he wanted out of me was my death. I was his sacrificial lamb…except I wasn't being sacrificed for the greater good. He wanted to sacrifice me to destroy you," she continued.

"I won't let him hurt you or Ven," Terra declared, unflinching.

Aqua glanced back at him with sad, defeated eyes that made his heart ache. "How, Terra? You could barely save yourself—"

"Stop it," he scolded, grabbing her arms and spinning her around coarsely so he could look down at her. "I want you to stop. I know you don't trust me anymore. I'm not stupid…a bit gullible maybe but not stupid. I know you've lost faith in me, but I want you to believe me when I tell you that I won't let him hurt either of you."

Aqua shifted uncomfortably under his touch, trying to remove his hold as if him touching her caused her pain. She looked away and chewed on her bottom lip, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

She gave him absolutely no reassurance and that stung. She didn't cave or comfort him as she used to. This was normally the part where she relented and gave him peace of mind but now she couldn't even give him that. She wouldn't lie. She wouldn't give him false hope even if it did make him feel better.

There was a time when she would've defended him to the ends of the World but now…? Now she doubted him instead of trusted him. He'd betrayed her trust. Ven's too except he couldn't see Ven's distrust, but he could practically feel hers throbbing beneath his palms.

Seeds of doubt had been planted inside of her and he knew she would probably never trust him as she once had. She'd once been a pillar of resolve when it came to him, seeing only the light inside of him and standing by him with utmost confidence but all of that shattered when she learned the truth. It tore him up inside. He hated it and hated himself for causing it.

Now, instead of her faith coming first, doubt came first. She doubted him before she believed him. He'd ruined everything between them. She was different now, worn and weary.

"Let me go, please. We need to get going."

Terra wanted to say no. He wanted to hold onto her until she said she believed him. He wanted to squeeze that old trust she once had in him out of her again.

"Right…" His hands slipped off her shoulders and she walked away from him instantly. "I'll be…right behind you…"

Radiant Garden was lovely as always, all misty fountains, moss-covered rock walls, cozy cottages, and vibrant flowerbeds. The sky was tinted lavender, a beautiful contrast to the vibrant sea of multicolored flora below as they made their way through the outskirts of the town.

"Where to first?" asked Terra, knowing that Aqua was in one of her take-charge moods.

"I don't know Lea and Isa all that well. I know what Ven has told me of them. I've met them in passing but I don't know where they live."

"Well, I know even less about them so, it's your call."

Aqua folded her arms and brought one of her fists to her chin in contemplation. "We can ask around a bit, but I believe the square will probably be our best bet. They might pass through at some point today."

"So we're just gonna sit there and wait?" Terra couldn't guise the fact that he wasn't too fond of this plan. He wasn't one for waiting. Unlike Xehanort, he lacked the patience for tedious calculation and planning. Terra was a man of action and as a result, things like sitting and waiting felt like something akin to torture.

Aqua cocked her head at him. "Do you have a better idea?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Aqua!"

The voice belonged to a child. Terra recognized that instantly and turned to find the source of the small voice.

There was a flash of red, white, and pink and before he could pin the multicolored blur down, it was attached to Aqua's hip.

It was indeed a little girl. She had short, red hair and was wearing a white sundress with pink and purple trim. She was young, probably not a day over seven or eight.

"Oh," Aqua squeaked as she staggered a bit from the force. She looked alarmed at first, but when she recognized the child latching onto her, she smiled warmly and patted her head. "Hello, Kairi."

"Where have you been? It's been forever!" Kairi declared, looking up at Aqua but still holding her leg firmly.

Apparently, Aqua had some deep connection to this girl, which wasn't that surprising. This girl was bright inside, very bright; bright to the point Terra felt he couldn't look directly at her. The darkness inside him rejected that much light. It was too much but oddly pleasant at the same time. This light was different, something special. It was pure light.

His stomach rolled. A pure heart filled with light… It was a concept that had gotten him into trouble multiple times. He couldn't shake the feeling that this girl wasn't safe around him.

What if I lose control…? No. I'm better now. I've spent the last three years getting better. I won't let it take over.

"Who's he?" Kairi asked eagerly, her blue eyes mating with his.

Instinctively, Terra tensed. He felt like this girl could see into him, like she could see his black deeds, his dark heart, his dark soul…

Following Kairi's gaze, Aqua smiled at him and the tension and unease inside him uncoiled.

Aqua…

Aqua tethered him to sanity. Somehow, he knew she wouldn't let him do anything he shouldn't. She could protect him from himself.

"This is Terra," she stated warmly, a hint of affection in her tone that made his chest swell.

Kairi beamed. "The one from your stories? The one you grew up with?"

"Mm," the older girl replied and for a split second, Terra thought he saw her cheeks going rosy.

The redhead simpered. "Is he your boyfriend? Is he the reason you've been away for so long?"

Aqua paled and Terra began coughing as if he was choking on something.

"No. No, but he is my oldest friend," she replied coolly before her eyes focused on him. "Terra, this is Kairi."

The girl beamed again, this time at him, and waved enthusiastically.

"Hi." Terra unfolded his arms and gave a curt wave.

"It's nice to meet you." Kairi quickly looked back at Aqua, tugging on her sash to retrieve her attention. "How long are you staying?"

Aqua knelt down so she could be eye level with her. "Not too long. I'm just here looking for Ven. Have you seen him?"

Kairi frowned and shook her head. "I haven't. I'm sorry… The last time I saw him was when he came here with you."

Aqua nodded, not looking at all surprised by this news. She seemed to be growing more and more accustomed to bad news, specifically bad news regarding Ven. She was likely coming to terms with the fact that Ven was with Xehanort.

"Maybe you can still help me. I'm also looking for two of Ven's friends. They are about my age. Their names are Isa and Lea. Do you know them?"

Kairi blinked a few times as she mulled it over.

"One is tall and skinny? Spikey red hair? Green eyes?" Aqua rambled, desperately grasping at straws.

After thinking for another moment, Kairi reluctantly shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Aqua smiled and placed a hand on her cheek. "Don't apologize. You tried. That's what counts."

Kairi gave a nod as Aqua got back to her feet.

"So, you aren't staying long?"

"Not this time. I'm sorry."

Kairi deflated a little but not much. "But you'll come back soon? When you aren't busy?"

"Of course." Aqua smiled again. It was very obvious to Terra that this girl made her happy.

"And you can bring Terra back with you," she added.

"Well… I suppose… If he wants to come along, that is." Aqua gave him a quick glance.

Terra shrugged. "Fine with me."

Kairi's eyes darted back and forth between Aqua and Terra before her mouth contorted into a suspicious smirk. "Are you sure he isn't your boyfriend?"

"Yes," Aqua reiterated, her tone exasperated and a touch embarrassed. "Now run along. I'm sure your grandmother is out looking for you."

Kairi sighed, displeased but did as she was told after giving Aqua another quick embrace.

"It was nice meeting you, Terra," Kairi said and before he had a chance to react, she crashed into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Terra tensed and held his arms away from her in shock. "Uh, you too…"

Aqua giggled, hiding her amusement behind her hand.

Gathering his courage and his scattered wits, Terra managed to reciprocate by patting the top of her head. The action seemed to placate her and she pulled away almost instantly.

"Bye!" she called and with that, she was off, pausing only so she could turn around and wave again.

A warm, genuine smile blossomed across Aqua's face as she waved as well.

"She's one of them," Terra stated matter-of-factly, his dark eyes following Kairi as she scurried off.

"Hmm?"

"One of the pure hearts Xehanort was looking for."

"I know. She's special. I met her three years ago. I saved her from some Unversed... You know the last time we were all here together…" Aqua shifted from foot to foot and rubbed one of her arms, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

"Right." Terra nodded.

"Ven and I would come back here occasionally and I continued to visit her. I would make sure she was safe, and well, she's kind of grown on me. I just… I feel like it's my job to protect her and after I realized that her heart was pure light, I made it a point to come check on her. We aren't the only ones Xehanort has an eye on, you know?"

"Do you think they're his backup plan? In case Ven and I don't work out?"

Aqua frowned. "I don't know and I'd rather not find out."

Once they reached the square, Terra and Aqua agreed to split up. Aqua was content with the idea of waiting in the square itself in case Lea or Isa passed through while Terra took a more proactive approach by searching other areas and asking anyone and everyone for leads on their whereabouts.

Terra floated in and out of the square. He was pretty sure he had wandered the entire township at least three times so when he reentered the square for the forth time, he surrendered.

Aqua was sitting beneath one of the small trees surrounding the square, her long legs folded atop the lush green grass. She sat there quietly, clearly trying to enjoy the scenery and the serenity that accompanied the city of light.

"Any luck?" she asked as he leaned against the tree.

"Leave it to Ven to befriend two of the most illusive people in Radiant Garden," he grumbled. "Almost everyone knows them but they don't know where they are."

"They'll turn up eventually. We just have to be patient."

"I know." Terra cast his gaze towards the purple-tinted sky. "I still don't like all the waiting though."

"I agree but we have no control over it. It's just something we have to do… for Ven." Aqua's eyes fell. "But make no mistake, I hate this too."

It grew quiet again, the only sounds resonating around them being the hiss of spewing fountains, the chirping of birds, and the occasional giggle of children.

Terra admired and envied their innocence, their obliviousness. These children didn't have a care in the world. He could barely remember what that even felt like now. It had been so long since he'd felt that kind of joy. It was only a memory, a sweet taste slowly fading on the back of his tongue.

The minutes ticked by and Terra quickly lost track of how long they'd been waiting, but sitting still was already starting to get to him. However, having Aqua nearby did take some of the edge off. Whenever she sensed his unease, she would stop her own personal musings to talk to him and try to lure his mind away whatever dark corner it had wandered into. Her senses were keen and attune to him…so much so it astounded him although he supposed he should be used to it by now. Sometimes she would even sense it before he felt it.

Her bright eyes reflected some of the lavender of the square and her mouth would occasionally curve into a small smile when children dashed through the area or when a stray dog nuzzled her foot, demanding attention that she offered without hesitation.

Amongst her many talents, was the ability to find beauty in negative spaces, not that Radiant Garden was negative space, quite the contrary. What he meant by negative space was the time they spent in limbo between knowing if Ven was safe or if he was with Xehanort.

After a while, it grew quiet again and in that quiet, Terra had time to think and he really didn't like giving his mind the opportunity to wander. He didn't trust it. It would often go to dreary places if given the change.

Feeling uneasy for the umpteenth time, his hand instinctively slipped into his pocket so he could take hold of his Wayfinder. Perhaps it could ease his mind until he found another distraction.

"You kept it." Aqua smiled.

Terra jerked. Blinking, he muttered, "Huh?"

"Your Wayfinder. You kept it."

"Oh." He looked down at the good luck charm. Holding it had become so habitual at this point that he hadn't even really noticed he had taken it out. "Right…"

"I'm glad."

"Mm. Hey…Aqua…?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think…? Do you think they worked?" Terra ran his thumb along the cool metal of the orange charm.

"The Wayfinders?"

"Mm."

"Sometimes. I suppose we did technically find our way back to each other. I mean…you and I are together now. You came back home but Ven's not here with us. Maybe my magic is faulty or maybe it can bring Ven back too. Perhaps someday I'll get it right and we can all be together again but that's just wishful thinking. It's strange… I can't convince myself to believe like I use to. I lost the ability to…somewhere along the way…"

"Reality slapped all of us in the face when we left home. The harshness of everything out there tears at even the strongest of hearts. It's only human to react to it but I think you're wrong. I think you still believe. The only difference I see in you now is that you've learned that believing doesn't always work when or sometimes even how you expect it to. Things can still go wrong even if you do believe."

Aqua stared at him for a long moment with faraway eyes, her mind somewhere else; somewhere distant and he couldn't reach her there. Eventually, she nodded and cast her gaze away again.

He knew he'd played a major part in damaging her ability to believe. He'd let her down and by doing so, damaged her faith. He knew she and Ven both knew of the cruelty out there and how bad things could be. It was disheartening to see but it wasn't the same as experiencing someone you care about disappoint you. It was the ultimate blow to someone's self-esteem, their confidence, their faith in humanity.

Terra remembered lashing out at her that day, on the reactor here in Radiant Garden. He remembered how he felt when she divulged that she'd seen what he had done and that she thought he was too close to the darkness.

At that point, Ven still believed in him. He'd defended him like Aqua used to and Terra couldn't put into words how hard it was to watch her refuse to defend him any longer, to accuse instead of defend. She'd stood there, stone faced and cold, steeled with resolve and stared him down with no sympathy. She didn't even give him a chance to explain. Granted, he didn't try but he knew she wouldn't have understood.

That day, at that moment, he realized she'd lost her faith in him. Yes, she'd apologized. Yes, now, she knew what she'd done. Yes, she would probably take it back if she could but Terra knew that that faith hadn't been restored. That was why that moment had hurt so much. He knew that she would never look at him the same way again. In the back of her mind, she would always doubt him even if she didn't voice or show it.

He had always put so much weight on what she thought of him. To say that he cared what she thought of him would be an understatement and losing her respect was something that still shook him to the core if he thought about it long enough, which brought him back to his original point: he didn't like having time to think.

"Do you?" she asked, her voice penetrating his thoughts.

Terra blinked. "Do I what?"

"Think the Wayfinders worked?"

"I don't know what you wanted them to do but mine always makes me feel better. It's like a ritual. I don't know what I'd do without it. It's helped me through some really tough days but I think the ultimate effect—the one you were hoping for—is still yet to be seen."

Aqua smiled again and it was a genuine smile although he couldn't figure out what it was that he'd said that caused it. However, he did know that the silence around them was suddenly…bearable, which was a relief since they still didn't know how long they'd be here.

They were losing daylight. The sun was setting, which meant they would probably have to call it a day soon and assume that Isa and Lea wouldn't be found today despite all the searching, asking, and waiting they did.

"A part of me doesn't want them to find them," Aqua admitted, to distract not only herself but the man next to her as well.

Terra's brow creased and he looked over at her is disbelief. "Why?"

"To keep them from telling us that they haven't seen him. A part of me wants to stay here, in this fragile moment where I can still have faith that Ven is safe somewhere. I dread the certainty. I dread knowing that Ven is—"

"It'll be okay," Terra said flatly in a tone that was less than convincing yet comforting. His hand landed on her leg, patting it gently in assurance, his thumb ghosting along the sheer fabric of her black stockings.

Aqua forced herself to look at him and his mouth twitched into a brief smile. Without making the conscious decision to do so, she reached out and placed her hand on top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Time froze, their eyes mating and for a moment, there was nothing else, just the feel of his skin and the dull glow in his eyes and the oh-so-subtle upward curve of his lips.

Briefly, Aqua contemplated breaking the silence but before she had the chance, a flicker of red on the other side of the Central Square caught her attention.

"Lea?" she squeaked as she pried her back off the tree and leaned forward.

"What?" Terra inquired as his eyes tried to follow her gaze. "What is it?"

Gracefully, Aqua leapt from the ledge and sprinted across the square. She was so caught up in reaching the young man that all courtesy and tact left her. In her desperation and urgency, she forgot to answer Terra or even wait on him.

"Lea?" she called again once she was close enough to the boy in question.

He was a bit taller than she remembered and his hair was longer but she was quite sure this was the one she was looking for, and seeing the blue-haired, green-eyed young man next to him only confirmed her suspicions.

Both were a bit more mature than she remembered, their legs a bit longer and their clothes a bit different, but this was the duo.

The redhead's brow rose as he turned to address her. "Yeah?"

His green eyes wandered her form for a moment before something almost audibly clicked inside his head. "Oh, Aqua, right? Ven's friend?"

She gave a nod. "Right. Actually, I'm looking for him. Have you seen him?"

Lea shook his head. "No. I haven't. Why?"

"He's kind of missing. I haven't seen or heard from him in a while and I'm starting to get worried. You know Ven. You know he wouldn't run off without saying anything."

"True," Lea concurred, bobbing his head in subtle agreement.

"Yeah. Running off without saying anything is much more your style," Isa interjected with a playful eye roll.

Lea's eyes narrowed. "Your point?"

"Isa, have you seen Ven?" Aqua politely interrupted before a healthy debate broke out between the two. Normally, she wouldn't mind watching such events unfold but she regretfully had no time to spare.

Isa blinked a few times. "Not recently."

"Oh…" Aqua shrank at least two sizes.

Lea quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Whoa. Hey. We'll—We'll keep an eye out for him though! And if we see him, we'll let him know you're looking for him. 'Kay? Just don't frown like that anymore. You're makin' me feel bad…"

She forced a meek smile. "Sorry."

"Ven isn't in any trouble, is he?" Lea inquired, his tone going serious, sounding genuinely concerned.

"I hope not but it isn't looking good." Aqua looked down and away.

"Is…there anything we can do?" Isa asked softly, hesitantly.

She sighed. "Just…keep an eye out for him and if you see him, will you tell him that I'm looking for him and that he needs to come home?"

"Yeah. Sure thing," Lea replied, grinning a bit.

"Thank you," Aqua said lowly as she turned on her heel and made her way back across the square to Terra, her head low and posture screaming of defeat.

Terra's hand was on her shoulder instantly but she couldn't will herself to look up at him.

"What did they say?"

Aqua shook her head. "Nothing. They haven't seen him."

His hand gave her shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze but it did little for her feelings at the moment. It did help a little, however. In fact, she wasn't sure what she would do if Terra weren't with her now. This would feel so much worse if he weren't here.

"What do you want to do now?" he asked courteously.

"I suppose we should go speak with the Masters and inform them of the situation and see if they have heard anything from the King and the others."

"Agreed, but before we leave, there's one more place I want to check."

A bit reluctantly, Aqua had complied with Terra's wishes and followed him to his unknown destination.

He led her through the city's entryway, past the square and into the vast, spacious outer gardens.

The outer gardens were beautiful, full of flowerbeds not unlike those in the square. One could see the distant mountain ranges surrounding the township and most of the fountains from here. The jagged cobblestone beneath their feet was lavender, pale blue, and pink with a few splotches of green here and there.

There were so many fountains and waterways surrounding this area that the hissing of spurting water was almost all that could be heard. It was deafening.

Terra approached the strange structure in the center of the area and she was suddenly even more suspicious of where he was taking her.

The center structure almost looked like a fountain but not quite. It also looked a bit like a monument but a small pool of water surrounded it, a pool that Terra fearlessly stepped into.

"What are you—?"

Before she could finish her question, Terra was going into the stone structure. He climbed a few steps that laid beyond the pool of water and into a subtle doorway.

Aqua's eyes narrowed. She started to ask how he knew that was an accessible door but she had a nasty, gnawing feeling she didn't want to know.

They entered a long, rust-colored tunnel that led them into the town's purification facility. It was a huge underground water system full of huge, tawny pipes and lots and lots of water that cascaded down from the ceiling in long, rounded torrents.

In the center of it all was a circular platform, which was where she assumed they were headed.

The stairwells led down and down and the closer they got to the platform, the more she began to smell something faint, familiar…and foul. She began picking up on it the moment they entered but the further they descended down into the chamber, the stronger the grim scent became.

All at once, it hit her. She knew the smell and she knew it well but it had been clouded, disguised, and diluted by the abundance of water around them but once it hit her, she was overcome by it.

Darkness…

Aqua's hand covered her nose and mouth. "They were here…"

"You sense it too?"

"I…smell it…"

That was the difference between them. Terra sensed the power in this lingering darkness where Aqua sensed the danger, the odor.

They reached the end of the line, the circular platform, but nothing was there besides the smell.

Frantic for answers, Aqua's eyes began wandering the space. There were dents in the metal flooring as well as the railing that surrounded it. There were lacerations too, like someone had raked a sword (or Keyblade) along it or stabbed one into it. Some kind of struggle had taken place here.

Realization hit hard, causing Aqua fell to her knees. "We're too late…"

Ven had been here. Xehanort had been here and Vanitas had been here too. She sensed each of them but they were gone now. If they had only come a little sooner… His blood was still on the ground. They had been so close… They could have saved him if they only-

"They haven't been gone long," Terra's voice resonated clearly, forcing her out of her spiraling thoughts. "Maybe we can—"

Aqua shook her head. "They knew we were coming."

"Maybe they went to the Keyblade Graveyard. Maybe they left to try to forge the χ-blade."

She looked down at the blood splattered on the metal ground around them.

"No. He's training him…"

Terra's brow knitted with confusion. "Huh?"

"Ven and Vanitas have to be of equal power to forge the χ-blade. That was why he tried to lead Ven away from home last time, so he could fight the Unversed and become stronger. I bet he was doing something similar here. Vanitas must still be stronger than him." Aqua wrapped her arms around herself to repress the pain that racked her body.

Terra knelt in front of her. "It's gonna be okay. We'll find him and we'll find him before Xehanort can take him to the Keyblade Graveyard, just like we planned. Okay? If you're right, then Ven isn't ready and Xehanort can't make the Keyblade yet. He probably just relocated. We still have time. We can—"

"I want to leave…" Aqua looked like she might cry. "I can't stay here…where they've…where he…"

Terra nodded. "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't care as long as it isn't here."

A/N: Thank so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!