Edited: I am working on this story again. I have sort of lost touch with the previous chapters, so I am rereading them and editing as I go. For new readers, I am mainly going of the Kingdom Hearts wikia for Vanitas' personality. I would love to read the novels, but since I can't that is my only resource. As described in the novels, Vanitas acts hateful because of his own self-loathing and pain.

The boy opened his eyes taking the world in for the first time. His mind was hazy. He had the inclination that this was not the start of his life, yet he could not seem to remember anything before this moment. He lied upon a desolate wasteland of cracked gravel staring up at the burning sun. The boy wondered how he knew so much about the working of the world (such as that the sun circles the earth), but knew so little about his own self. He felt an emptiness inside, as if he were not completely there. He checked his body. It was a black mesh of naked limbs, which startled him, but nothing seemed to be missing or damaged. Why did he feel as if he were missing something? He wondered.

His eyes felt drawn to the body he discovered near him. This boy looked beautiful with spiky blond hair and smooth pearly skin. This boy radiated light where he radiated darkness. He looked back at the black mesh that was himself with revulsion. This boy of light sported a white and grey jacket with a red collar that was unzipped but fastened together in the middle of his chest with a pin and a pair of whitish grey pants. This boy seemed perfect in every way except for the fact that he appeared to be sleeping. Movement on the other side of him caught his attention. A dark skinned man touched the sleeping form. He shivered when he first met the man's eyes, but he did not feel fear exactly; it was more a sense of uneasiness that filled him.

"Took you long enough. I was worried I might have broken you both." The newcomer seemed to be more muttering to himself than actually addressing the confused boy. "Well, well. What shall we call you, then?" The man thought for a moment before a glint reached his eyes. "Ah, yes. How about Vanitas? Similar to Ventus but true to your nature. One empty yet full of vanity."

"Vanitas" the boy repeated feeling the word upon his tongue. "Who are you? Do you know me? How did I get here? Who is he?" He hated the pleading tone in his voice.

"I am Xehanort, but you shall simply call me Master."

"Yes, Master."

"You are born from the one known as Ventus." Xehanort pointed to the sleeping boy. "Try hard and I'm sure you can remember. You are the darkness from inside that heart."

Vanitas closed his eyes and focused his mind. He saw himself surrounded by black beings not too unlike himself. He could see a duller version of Ventus' white perfection which was his own body.

"Please don't do this, Master. I'm not strong enough." Spoke a voice; his voice, but different from his current one.

"No. It is because you are trying to hold it in. Let the dark impulses waken in the pit of your heart. Release them, here and now! Sharpen your fear into rage. You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course, it will wipe you from the face of the world, make no mistake! Do it. Embrace the darkness. Produce for your Master the X-blade!" came the unmistakable voice of Master Xehanort.

"Ehh!" he yelled as the dark masses engulfed him.

Vanitas reopened his eyes with certainty now. He was a part of Ventus. He was the dark side of him, the imperfections, the shadows…the emptiness. It hit him with full force. He was a hollow shell. That is why he felt empty; he was nothing but pure darkness. Why not let the darkness take him then, let him disappear into that which bore him? What could he possibly live for in the shadow-as the shadow- of this perfect light-being? Purposelessness and the desire to disappear overtook him causing his body to shake. The feeling swelled within him as it manifested into solid shape. What slithered from him was a bluish-black little creature with long grey claws and red eyes. It stood on two legs and resembled the creatures he now remembered as heartless.

"Interesting," Xehanort remarked at the new appearance. "Do you know how you created this being?"

"All I did was feel envious of what I now lack."

"Try it again. Make another," Xehanort demanded. Vanitas could not believe what was being asked of him. The creature was ugly, vile. Had he really given birth to it? He truly was a disgusting thing. His previous emtions remerged. A second, identical creature appeared.

"Very interesting. Shall we call them unversed?"

"Yes, Master."

The creatures repulsed him, but he knew he could not show weakness to this man. Xehanort's words repeated in his head. One empty yet full of vanity. How right that name was. All he could do was try and feel vain even if it was only an act. That seemed to be the only thing that he could currently do. Still the creatures seemed so impure to him. On impulse he rushed forward, flicking his wrist, causing the keyblade that he remembered using when he was still a part of Ventus to appear, and slashed out at the now-named unversed. They dissipated as if they had never existed to begin with, but at that same moment an immense pain overtook Vanitas.

Once the pain subsided what he found were even more unversed. 'No it can't be,' he thought. He could not destroy these creatures. He wondered vaguely if it was their deaths itself that hurt him or only the fact that it was his hand dealing the blow. Hate suddenly welled inside him. Hate for himself and for that perfect being. How dare he be so perfect and carefree while he was left in such a pitiful state? He lunged at the sleeping boy with the intent to kill when Master Xehanort blocked his way.

"No you don't, boy."

"Ha." Vanitas spat out at that remark. In what way was he a boy? He was nothing but a mesh of black limps. "And why is that? You were the one who gave me life, is that not correct?"

"Yes, yes it is. I take it you don't recall why it is that I separated you?"

"You had wanted me, us, to forge the X-blade, right? But wasn't that why you gave me life, because I can accept the darkness. Because I am darkness." The last remark hurt.

"Yes and no. I did need you, but I need him as well. You two must become one once again in order to form the X-blade. You too must battle, therefore you must wait for him to recover."

Vanitas stared at the boy of light with spite. "I don't think I can hold myself back. We need to be separated."

"Very well. I will send him away. We can train him to make him stronger. Then once he is ready you can battle him to your heart's content creating the X-blade. You too will reunite. You will be whole again and we shall gain the power we need to save all the inhabitants of the world."

"Yes, that sounds like a perfect plan, Master." He felt a spark of hope. He only had to hold on for a while. His future was not completely bleak. He would be whole again. He would also help to save the world.