Those Who Dreamed Prologue

"Aqua, can you tell me a story?"

Kairi added another log to the campfire, watching as sparks shot out onto the dirt before replacing the little wire rack on top. The stars shone brilliantly up ahead, their little campfire the only manmade light for miles.

They'd made camp here before the sun had set. A stream gurgled nearby, and they were resting at a clearing on the edge of a lush, dark wood. Sora had disappeared into it, off looking for more fuel for the fire, and Donald and Goofy were due to rendezvous with them tomorrow.

"What kind of story do you want to hear?" Aqua asked. She placed a metallic teapot onto the rack, followed by a pot filled with the bean and lentil soup that was going to be their dinner.

Kairi pulled three cups out of her bag, supplies Aqua had entrusted her with. One was blue, and the other two were orange and green.

"Hmmm, how about one about Terra or Ven?"

Aqua stirred the soup with a wooden spoon, a far-off look on her face. "I've got a lot of stories about those two. Any preferences?"

Kairi thought for a moment. "How about when Ven first came to live with you?" She was curious about what Aqua's life had been like before. Traveling with her the last few days as she and Sora practiced fighting together had made it clear how little she actually knew about her mentor.

"Let's see… well, when Ven first came to live with us, he was really withdrawn. Terra and I didn't know what to do to reach him. We had no idea what Xehanort had really done to him at that point." Aqua's expression hardened. "Anyway, one night, after dinner, Terra and I were sparring, and Ven was watching, just like he always did. He would just sit there and stare at us for hours at a time without saying anything."

Kairi tried to imagine Ven like that. She'd only recently met him, but the Ven Aqua spoke of was very different from the kind, caring person he was now, so full of life and light. In many ways he reminded her of Sora.

"But then I tripped on a rock." Aqua laughed, little crinkle lines forming around her eyes. "I was kind of clumsy as a teenager."

"You? Clumsy?" Kairi had a hard time believing it. Aqua was so graceful and refined now. The very picture of poise and control that Kairi wasn't sure she could ever live up to.

"Yes, absolutely. Terra used to tease me about it all the time. Not that he was any better when he hit his growth spurt. He would knock over everything – books from bookshelves, vases off counters – Master Eraqus was furious the day he accidentally knocked over one of the portraits in the castle! You should have seen his face!" Aqua wiped her eyes and smiled fondly at the memory.

"But anyway," she continued, "I had just tripped on a rock and was about to fall flat on my face. Then wind magic lifted me off my feet and set me back to where I was supposed to be, and Terra and I continued the match." She grinned. "I won, too."

"It was Ven who caught you, wasn't it?"

"Yes. We knew he could use the Keyblade, but that was the first time he'd used magic around us. And in that moment, Terra and I realized the kind of person he is. His first instinct was to protect me."

He really was like Sora. Or perhaps, his heart's influence had helped shape Sora into the person he was today.

"And when we fought Xehanort, Xehanort froze him." Aqua's grip around the spoon tightened, and she stirred the soup harder. "But he must have unfrozen himself to protect me. I was unconscious, but he refused to let Vanitas hurt me."

"Ven really is a kind person, isn't he?" Kairi stared into the fire and wondered how he was doing, training as he was with Merlin now to regain his strength. She hoped he would be reunited with Aqua soon.

"How about Terra?" she asked. "What kind of person is he?"

Kairi knew she was treading on dangerous ground, going by the pained look in Aqua's eyes. But she had to know. She had to learn more about the man they were trying so desperately to save.

"Well, when people first meet him, they only tend to notice how big and strong he is. But really, there's so much more to him than that. He's gentle and caring, for one. I… I lost my parents when I was young, and—"

Kairi clutched her necklace. "Aqua, I'm so sorry, I had no idea—"

Aqua waved her hand. "It was a long time ago. I miss them, but I have a new family now. Master Eraqus took me in soon after it happened, and Terra was already his student then. Those first few months, I would just spend hours laying on my bed and staring at the wall. But then one day, Terra knocked on my door and asked to come in. He'd picked a bunch of flowers for me and stuck them in a cup. You know, thinking back, they were probably just weeds. But to me they were the most beautiful flowers in the whole world. I kept them for days."

Aqua paused to remove the teapot from the fire. Kairi passed her the cups, and she poured hot water into them.

"Tell me more about him," Kairi urged.

"Yeah," a voice said from behind her. "This is a side of Terra I've never heard about before."

Kairi's heart sped up as Sora placed the wood in a neat pile next to her. He paused to give her a smile, then sat down next to her and put his arm around her. She snuggled up close to him and sighed.

There'd been some bumps and collisions along the way as they'd learned how to fight with each other, but being with him was worth every one of them. Together they listened as Aqua recounted story after story from her life growing up as they ate dinner. The more she talked, the clearer it became to Kairi how badly she missed Terra. Ven, too, but at least he was alive and safe and himself.

"Terra always sees the best in people," she said, scooping a second helping into Sora's bowl after she recounted her latest story. "I… I'm quick to judge them, but he's always willing to give people another chance."

"He really means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Sora asked. It was obvious, but perhaps not as obvious to Aqua as it was to Sora and Kairi.

A faint flush of color dusted Aqua's cheeks. "Well yes, of course. I mean, he's like family. I – I would do anything to have him back, safe and sound."

Sora smiled, satisfied with her answer. "Yeah. I want to see you and he and Ven all together again. I want to meet him again, the real Terra that you and Ven remember."

Kairi was with Sora. She wanted to see Aqua reunited with her friends. Sora and Riku's long absences always got to her, and she knew how Aqua must be feeling right now.

"That's what we'll be fighting for, when we go to the Keyblade Graveyard," she said.

"Yeah." Sora held up his orange cup. "For Terra."

Aqua clinked her blue cup against his, and Kairi joined in with her green one. "For Terra."

Later that night, Aqua gazed into the small fire before her, its warm orange glow soothing her worried mind. Reaching a hand out from underneath the blanket she had cocooned herself in, she brushed a strand of hair out of her face, wincing as she accidentally brushed against the bruise that had no doubt formed after her run in with those Emblem Heartless earlier today. A quick flick of her wrist, a soft glow of green light, and the skin on her cheek was as good as new.

She turned her attention to Sora and Kairi, who were sitting across from her. Unkempt red hair peeked out from underneath Kairi's maroon hood, her eyes shut from exhaustion and face dirty from the day's fighting. She leaned against Sora's shoulder, and he rested his chin on her head, his spiky brown hair less gravity defying than usual, as it was streaked with dirt. The steady rise and fall of their chests indicated they were both fast asleep.

Aqua yawned and stretched. It was her turn to take the first watch, but she wanted her two companions to be more comfortable first.

She found their sleeping bags easily enough. The good thing about magic was that they could pack nearly infinite supplies; all she had to do was shrink them down until they were ready to use again, a useful spell Sora and Kairi had both begged her to teach them.

She spaced their sleeping bags out, close enough to the fire to stay warm but far enough to give them a little privacy. A sleepy hand tapped her shoulder as she put the finishing touches on the pillows. She turned to see who it was.

"Thanks Aqua," Sora's tired voice slurred. "My turn for watch?"

He was holding Kairi, who was still fast asleep. Aqua smiled at the sight.

"Not yet. I just wanted you and Kairi to be more comfortable."

"Oh, okay." He frowned, his foggy mind figuring out what to do. After a few moments, he carefully lowered Kairi onto the nearest sleeping bag and zipped it back up. She stirred at the sound, reaching for his hand.

"Sora…"

He immediately kneeled and took her hand in his.

"What is it?"

A big, groggy smile spread across her face. "G'night." Then she rolled over and fell asleep again.

Sora sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.

"She'll be all right." Aqua knew he was worried, and while they had pushed Kairi hard today, especially for someone with little field experience, she knew her student could handle it.

"I know. She's been great. It's just that— Ah, never mind."

Aqua raised an eyebrow, but Sora didn't say anything else. He grabbed his sleeping bag and plopped it right next to Kairi's instead. Aqua couldn't help but crack a smile.

Sora noticed. "W-what? We had sleepovers like this all the time when we were kids!"

Aqua was fighting a losing battle against her twitching lips. She pretended to be busy with the fire, adding in another log that wasn't really needed yet. "Oh did you now?"

"Yeah," he said, all too quickly. "Besides, we both know Xehanort's after her. She needs someone to guard her."

She shook her head and grinned. "And you can do that really well when you're asleep." She took a moment to enjoy his flustered reaction before continuing. "You don't have to pretend. I'm not going to scold you for—"

"First Riku, then Donald and Goofy, and now you too." Sora shook his head in mock sorrow. "Seems like I'm gonna get teased no matter what."

"You do wear your heart on your sleeve."

"Yeah, well, at least I have sleeves."

Aqua laughed and gave his hair a playful tussle. "Okay, sleepyhead, time for bed. This conversation isn't going anywhere."

"Yes, Mom."

Aqua felt a pang as she watched Sora curl up beside Kairi. He was so much like Ven, who used to say those kinds of things to her, too. She was relieved they were both safe, even if Ven had to train again to strengthen his body weakened by years of sleep. And even if Sora's heart, which was more than okay now, going by the glowing expression he'd worn ever since his reunion with Kairi, had been—

That was still a painful topic. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out his screams as he'd taken Ven out of his heart. In a private moment he'd reassured her that he was fine, that saving Ven was worth the cost, that he'd been prepared to do whatever it took.

And that was what concerned her. She was beginning to wonder if he had any sense of self-preservation. Ven wasn't the first person he'd torn himself apart to save, but she hoped he would be the last. He'd promised not to do anything rash after what had happened with Ven, but it was easy to worry all the same. Especially since he and Kairi both wanted to find a way to save their Nobodies.

Taking out her Wayfinder, she looked at it and sighed.

Ven, I hope your training's going well. And Terra… I'm coming for you, I promise. When we're all together again, we'll have to make it up to Sora somehow. Sora and all the other people who have helped us. It's the least we can do, after everything they've done for us.

"Ventus, try that spell one more time." Merlin looked up from the book he was reading entitled Amphibians and You: Tips and Tricks for the Enterprising Wizard and adjusted his spectacles.

Ven wiped his brow and did as Merlin asked. He sent his Keyblade flying at the pile of electric blue goop in the corner. It came whirling back at him, goop and all, and he caught it just in time to splatter goop all over himself, the wall behind him, and Merlin. The book remained oddly unscathed. A spasm went through the muscles in his legs, and he wobbled as he tried to steady himself.

Merlin raised a goop-covered eyebrow and put a hand on Ven's shoulder to steady him. Curses. His body was still feeling the effects of his long sleep.

"You're tiring out already," Merlin commented. "Have you been practicing outside of our sessions?"

Ven let his Keyblade disappear and sighed. "Yes. I have to be ready. My friends need my help."

He was sick of feeling useless. He would get stronger. He had to. Terra and Aqua were counting on him.

"That they do, but you will be of no help to them in your current state. Patience, my boy. You must have patience." He pulled out his wand, and with a flick of his wrist, the goop disappeared from the room. His expression softened. "Go rest. It won't do if you injure yourself."

Ven sighed again but did as Merlin said. He entered the hallway with its maze of rooms, and his gaze briefly flickered to Kairi's old room. He wondered if she'd been this frustrated during her training, then shook his head and went to his room.

He kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the bed with its star-covered comforter. On instinct, he pulled out his Wayfinder. Green light flickered against the walls as he turned it this way and that.

"Terra, Aqua, hang in there. I'm coming as soon as I can."

"You still have that old thing?" Xigbar jabbed his finger at the orange star-shaped charm in Terra-Xehanort's hand and raised an eyebrow.

Terra-Xehanort frowned. He wasn't sure why he still kept it. It had emotional significance to Terra, of course, but he had no reason for holding onto it. And he wasn't really sure why he'd brought it out now.

Unless…

Aqua, Ven, I will set this right.

Terra-Xehanort clutched his head. It was Terra's mantra. After all this time, he was still determined to fight back.

Xigbar slapped his back. "Better be careful there. Looks like the kid is trying to come out again." His tone was joking, but his golden eye carefully scrutinized Terra.

No, not Terra. Xehanort.

"That won't happen." Terra-Xehanort's grip around the charm tightened.

Terra could try to fight him all he wanted, but Xehanort refused to relinquish control. This heart belonged to the darkness, and nothing could change that.

Not unless—

Well, only time would tell. The pieces were in place, and all they needed was one last push.

A/N: Hello everyone! It's been a long time coming, but here's the prologue to the sequel to Dear Sora. It's going to be called Those Who Dreamed, and I'll post the first chapter after this.

The story's already past 100,000 words and is looking like it'll be around 28-30 chapters. I have most of the rough draft written, I'm just rewriting later chapters so that they flow better (around Chapter 19 onwards, so I've got a nice buildup of material to post). My lovely beta FlowerLady-Aerith has been giving me really helpful feedback. My guess is that the overall word count will be around 120,000 words, but we'll see.

Updates will be weekly. I'm aiming for Fridays, but the posting schedule for the first few weeks is going to be a little wonky. By around Chapter 3 or 4 it'll fall into the Friday pattern. I want to post the whole story before KH3 comes out and my ideas get completely thrown out the window, so if that's sooner rather than later, the posting schedule might become more frequent! I'll keep you updated.

As always, thank you for reading!