As promised, here it chapter three. Now, I will be updating once a week (probably on Sundays). Enjoy and see you next week!

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Chapter Three

"Sora?"

The name rattled off in Vanitas' ears and a sharp pain shot through his head. He gripped his head and let out a strangled cry as he fell over, voices and images rushed through his head.

"No! This huge black thing swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't… Ow!"

"Oh yeah? Well, you'll see. I'm gonna get out and learn what's out there."

"That's not true! The heart may be weak and sometimes it may even give in. But I've learned that deep down, there's a light that never goes out!"

"You're wrong. I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts... is light!"

"Whatever happens, we're friends!"

"Aw, c'mon, Riku. You've been hanging around darkness for too long. You gotta try and think positive."

"Kairi, I... It's just... they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am... because of them."

"Xemnas? This is impossible!"

"Axel and Roxas and Naminé, and that other girl. I felt what Roxas felt and...they laughed together, got mad, and they grieved. You have to have a heart to cry."

"'May my heart be my guiding key.' I've got it!"

"All right! Olympus Coliseum, here we come!"

Vanitas screamed again as he pictured faces of people he had never met, yet their names came to mind with ease. Sora… Riku… Kairi… Xion… Naminé… Donald… Goofy… Mickey... Roxas, or was that Ven?... no, that was Ven. Wait, since when did he call Ventus Ven?

Somewhere in the chaos of his mind, Vanitas heard Ven laugh, seeming to mock him. "You see it all now, too, don't you?"

Shut up!

"Here."

He opened his mouth and drank from the camel skin that was offered to him. He wasn't sure how long he had been out for, but his eyes were still closed shut. The warm water coated his raw throat and he winced slightly as he drank. Aqua took the water away and Vanitas grumbled in protest for a moment before he felt a warmth wash over him as Aqua mumbled, "Cure."

He opened his eyes and realized that Aqua was holding him in her lap, cradling him, as she waved her hand over his body to heal him. He wanted to shove her away in protest, not wanting to be coddled, but his head hurt too much for him to even begin to move. She ended the spell and looked at him, her blue eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Vanitas opened his mouth to give off a sharp retort, but the energy fled from his body and he shut his mouth, barely giving a simple nod.

"That's good." Aqua gently set him down and stood as she turned to the small pool of water and tore off a piece of the blue cloth around her waist and used it as a washcloth to soak up the water and pat Vanitas' head. Despite his mind screaming at his body to shove her away and demand that she never touch him again, Vanitas' eyes slowly closed and his body relaxed.

"What spell did you put on me?" he asked softly, unable to summon up the anger he wanted to pose the question with.

"I didn't put a spell on you," she said. "You're probably just too weak right now to do much of anything." He felt the cloth leave his head, but it returned a second later, colder than before. "What happened?"

Vanitas shook his head. "I… I'm not really sure. You said a name and suddenly I started hearing all these voices and seeing faces of people I didn't know but recognized." He frowned.

Aqua was quiet for a while, dabbing gently at Vanitas' head. "I'm sorry, you just look so much like him."

"You mean, Sora?" The name was out of his mouth before he could even think. His eyes shot open and, with renewed energy, he shoved Aqua away from him and scrambled to his feet. "What the hell happened to me? Why do I know his name and… and the names of his-." Friends. "Companions."

Aqua slowly stood. "Wait, you know their names and faces?"

"I-I don't know! After you said S-that name, I started hearing his voice and got flashes of people's faces and their names came to mind and then Ventus laughed at me."

Aqua's eyes lit up. "Ven? You heard Ven?"

Vanitas clenched his fists. "Of course you would focus on that! You're more concerned about that foolish friend of yours with the broken heart residing in Sora's chest than you are about what just happened to-." Me. Vanitas stopped mid sentence and turned away. "Forget it. We need to keep going." He stooped down and snatched up his helmet before he forced it back onto his head and began walking.

Aqua ran after him and caught his arm, stopping him. "Vanitas, wait." When the dark-filled boy looked to her she bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just… I've haven't heard from Ven or Terra for a long time, so when you said you heard him, I got-."

Vanitas tore his arm from her grasp. "I said forget it, Aqua. I don't care what your intentions were or what just happened. What I'm going to focus on is finding a way out of here and back to the safety of the upper realm. Otherwise the Heartless are going to attack us and I don't think you would last another battle right now." Without waiting for her response, Vanitas turned away and continued walking without looking back. He smirked to himself when he heard her walking behind him as she caught up. Foolish girl. As soon as you are strong enough, I'm going to slit your throat.

XXX

They found safety amongst a set of trees that "night". Vanitas had gathered nuts, berries, roots, and plants as they traveled and, once they decided on a good place to rest, he had gathered some rocks and stones to make a fire pit and carved out a pot and cups. Aqua sat quietly eating her portion of the food he had gathered as he stoked the fire and brewed some tea. He felt her eyes watching him and had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping at her.

Aqua cleared her throat. "Did you know that it's been ten years since we last saw each other?"

Vanitas paused for a second, but quickly resumed stirring the tea. "So?"

"Ven has been asleep for ten years because his heart is shattered. And Terra… Terra's been possessed by Xehanort. Since then, the worlds have fallen into darkness, but they were saved by Sora and his friends. I don't know how long it's been since I learned all this, but we need to find a way back to the realm of light."

Vanitas threw back his head and laughed. "Are you serious? Man, you're more of an idiot than I thought. I'm not going back there, Aqua, and I'm definitely not going to help you look for a way back."

"Vanitas-."

"No! No, I'm not doing that. I can't do that. The realm of light isn't meant for someone like me. The Heartless only go there because they have a unspoken job to collect hearts, while I-." Don't.

He blinked and looked away. I no longer have a job, no longer have a purpose. I failed to create the x-blade, my only job and my only purpose. I failed, and I no longer have a place anywhere.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks and he sat back, unable to stop the tears drip from his eyes. He was grateful for the helmet that covered his face, shielding his tears from Aqua. He barely registered her saying his name as he stood and walked away and vanished into the darkness.

A Hareraiser appeared in front of Vanitas and he stopped, Void Gear appearing in his hand. He gritted his teeth. "No! You weren't summoned, you don't get to appear!" The Hareraiser just watched him sadly and Vanitas' rage grew. A Wild Bruiser appeared and slammed its fists upon the ground, causing the Hareraiser to fall over, chatting wildly. Vanitas gritted his teeth and swung Void Gear down onto the Hareraiser then spun around to hit the Wild Bruiser. Both vanished and the negative emotions rushed back into him, piercing his heart. It had been too long since an Unversed had been created and killed; the impact of the emotion returning to him had him crippling to his knees in pain.

He felt Aqua's hand on his back and his body shook with a sob, another Hareraiser appearing as the sound escaped him. Aqua stiffened, but before she could summon Master Keeper to her, Vanitas shot a black ball of fire at the Hareraiser, the emotion hitting him once more. He curled into himself and Aqua pulled him into her lap as she gently rubbed his back, his tears streaking his mask covered face.

"The only way to be free from your suffering is by becoming the χ-blade. Battle Vanitas, form the X-blade, and end your despair."

I failed. I failed it all. Now, I will never know peace.