A/N: So, I barely finished Dream Drop DIstance hehe. Yes, I know, shocking. Anyyyyyways, I was inspired to make this immediately afterwards. Enjoy :)

Published: 12/28/2017

Warnings: General spoilers here and there

Chapter 1

The Sky is Speaking

Ventus blinked.

Somehow, impossibly, he was back on Destiny Islands. Why he was here of all places was beyond him, but it felt kinda… Off. Why would it feel off? Hm. There was the sun, shining brightly in the sky, reflecting against the cool blue of the ocean around them. The sand beneath his feet was nice and warm, but not hot. Just the right temperature. The trees and vines that surrounded him looked strong and firm.

This place really did look like a paradise.

Although, why Ven was back was beyond him. He didn't even know where the world was. This is where Terra had instinctively sent him with a casual wave of his hand as he confronted their Master.

How exactly did that confrontation turn out, anyways? Wait, no. That wasn't what mattered right now. What mattered was what Ventus had been doing before he had woken up back on this quint little getaway. Ventus had been fighting someone. He had been fighting someone important, and the clash of him against the other had-

Suddenly, there was a loud painful oomph and an explosion of sand. Spinning, Ventus turned towards the noise.

As the dust cloud began to clear, Ventus paled rapidly before attempting to summon his Keyblade. Keyword here being 'attempt' as Ventus could only stare in horror at his own had as his precious Keyblade refused to answer his call. Never more did he need the blade more than now, and now was the time it had annoyingly decided to stop responding to him.

"Ah! Fuck! That hurt!"

Vanitas. The dark haired boy had fallen from the skies in a heap, facedown into the sand. Ventus lamented that the sand was warm instead of burning hot. If anyone deserves to have their faces burned by hot sand, it was Vanitas. Not that it would do much. Ventus had tried repeatedly to light Vanitas on fire, and it hadn't really phased the other at all.

Vanitas lifted himself onto his hands before pushing up, ending up on his knees as he glanced around, taking in the sights of the place around him. His cold yellow eyes snapped onto each and every thing before, at long last, landing on Ventus.

Ventus winced.

A heartbeat thudded audibly. Then, another. For several seconds, Vanitas seemed locked in shock, not moving, not doing anything at all.

Then, the inevitable.

With a roar, Vanitas tossed himself at Ventus like a crazed animal, fists and claws and teeth. Ventus could be forgiven for the shrill shriek he let loose as he was tacked into the ground by his rather furious dark half.

"YOU! WE COULD HAVE BEEN ONE AGAIN! WE COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETE! BUT, YOU JUST HAD TO RUIN IT, AGAIN!"

"Ah! Get the hell of you twisted psychopath! You were trying to hurt my friends! Get off!"

Despite the fact that Ventus didn't have a weapon on him, he was also a mage and a mage is never defenseless. Sure, it's better and more effective to channel magic through an object, like, oh, I don't know, annoying Keyblades that refuse to show up when called, but Ventus could improvise.

Vanitas was blasted back as a swirl of wind surrounded Ventus and pushed. Jumping to his feet, Ventus took several steps back as Vanitas twisted in the air, landing feet first and catlike. Vanitas shot his other half a glare before lifting his right arm above his head in a familiar stance.

Ventus paled. Shit. Vanitas was already stronger than him, physically. There was no denying that. Ventus was a twig and Vanitas was built like Terra. It had taken everything Ventus had to defeat the other, and with Keyblades taken out of the equation, he might still have a chance.

However, if Vanitas was armed with a weapon while Ventus himself had none,was not, there was no doubt how it would turn out.

Ventus wanted to scream.

What the hell had been the point of anything if it had just led them here, and Vanitas was going to win anyways? Weren't the good guys suppose to win instead? Except, apparently, fate had other ideas. Well, fate could go stick it where the sun don't shine, because Ventus had had enough and-

"What hell?" Vanitas stared at his own hand, stupefied. Waving it several times, he flexed his wrist and fingers repeatedly in an attempt to summon a blade that wouldn't heed his call. Vanitas lowered his arm, gripping it with the other hand at the wrist, shaking his right arm repeatedly. "Come on, stupid thing. Work!"

…

"Ha! You can't summon yours either!" Ventus cheered, pointing wildly as he resisted the urge to jump up and down like a toddler hopped up on chocolate bars and energy drinks. Vanitas stared him blankly as Ventus let out a near hysterical laugh. Then, Vanitas narrowed his eyes as his face twisted into a snarl.

Dropping into a hand to hand stance, Vanitas growled.

"Doesn't matter. I don't need a Keyblade to take out a weakling like you. I will break-

"Wow! Cool! Where'd these awesome swords come from? NEAT! I gotsta show Riku!"

Ventus and Vanitas both froze.

Absentmindedly, the pair of them stared at the sky, where the booming voice of a child had emanated from before looking back to each other.

"... That wasn't just me, right? I'm not hearing voices now too, am I?" Ventus couldn't help the small pleading in his tone, even if it was towards the literal source of all his problems. Vanitas, of course, did as expected and offered no sympathy. Instead, the dark haired boy sneered at him, expression ugly and furious.

"You were always crazy, Ventus. The only difference is, you've now infected me as well."

"Huh? Why are there voices in my head? Can you guys hear me too? Are yah there cause I let that pretty light rest in my heart?"

Once again, the sky boomed at them. Once again, both Ventus and Vanitas were left speechless. Then, Vanitas' form sagged as he face palmed. Ventus blinked in confusion.

"Seriously, Ventus? You merged with a fuckin' kid? For fu-"

"That's not a nice word! Riku says words like tha, but mommy says if she hears me sayin' 'em she's gonna make me eat a couple of jale-ja- those spicy thingies."

Vanitas responded to this statement by turning around, finding the nearest tree, and slamming his face against that instead, all while muttering about annoying other halfs that were apparently willing to merge with random children but not their literal other half.

Vanitas was only trying to restart a war that would tear apart the known universe into pieces on top of the broken corpses of Ventus' best friends. Was that so bad?

It was in that moment, looking at Vanitas slamming his head and looking at the sky from which the voice came, that Ventus realized that, amazingly, he was the sanest one here. With a wince, Ventus looked up and thought a quick apology to the poor kid up there.

"Huh? It's okay, mr shiny light. Glad I could help! Hm. Now… How to pull these heavy sword thingies!"

Heavy sword thingies?

Vanitas lifted his head from the tree, spinning to stare at Ventus as both of their eyes widened in a stark realization.

In the outside world, inside the confines of his rather messy room, a four year old Sora grunted as he attempted, and failed, to lift one of the two cool metal swords that had literally appeared out of nowhere when he was sleeping