Up, Up, and Away

[Reno]

Sora breathed in relief as ven missed his keyblade. He caught it with easy, hand tuightening around it securely. His head turned as well at the cry, blinking in surprise. riku had moved fast!

Terra grunted as the keyblade was laying atop his chest, his heart beating rapidly in panic. His weapon was too far for him to take any sort of offensive position. He shook, afraid he was about to die -

when Ven ltierally screamed and tackled riku. his eyes widened. "Ven!"

Sora blinked blankly at the display, his heart hurting a bit. Ven...Ven cared about Terra a lot. He couldn;t be... all bad could he?

Sora shook his head, remembering Roxas. Damn it he couldn;t lose sight of this... anger and rage rolled over him spurring him into action.

He rushed forward suddenly, just as Riku and Ven ran off. Terra was his now.

He snatched up the fallen mallet, the weight heavy to his arm, but he was famous for using his, opponents own force against them.

Terra struggled to his feet, blinking as his head turned and he cursed. Sora was advancing on him - and he now had two weapons. If the fight had continued with him and Ven vs. Sora... he wondered what the fucking brunette would have come up with them. "You're a little more evil then i gave you credit for."

"Ah thanks that really touches my half-soul jackass." Sora hissed. he swung the keyblade - knowing exactly which spell the other was weakest against. "FIRAGA! Wind!"

oh shit! Terra panicked, trying to run but the flames swept and swirled around him, the wind making it a wildfire catching the ends of his pant legs. He gave a sharp cry, jumping away, beating at the flames even as they licked his shins and arms.

And then Sora was there, swinging with Terra's own weapon.

He coughed, the weapon catching his stomach and he slammed into ground again. Sora stood above him, looking down evenly, the light of the fire dieing as it had nothing left to burn. the sand killing it.

He pointed the keyblade down at him but he did not strike again. He knew he couldn;t. He couldn;t kill him like he had tried to do to him. he had too much of a heart...

[Rikugurl]

The keyblades slashed together as Ven jumped off his and quickly picked it up. Riku growled as he was pushed back from Ven's speed. He didn't like separating from Sora... he was hoping that Terra would come after with his partner. He swung his keyblade at the other and only clashed it... doing this dance for a good while before Ven suddenly stumbled.

Riku frowned, noticing that Ven had winced and held his side. Riku didn't even touch him. He quickly looked down below, seeing that Sora had two weapons now and Terra was on the ground shaking. He looked at Ven and blinked. "You're connected..."

Ven growled at the other, his eyes darkening. His muscles hurt inside with a weak pain, obviously not his. So... the paopu fruit did do something... besides give them ridiculously violent and rough sex that night. A sudden blast of wind came from behind Ven, sending it towards Riku. However, that wasn't who he was after.

Riku became baffled a bit from the wind, sticking the keyblade in the ground to hold cover. The violent winds ran down the cliff, taking any piece of rock it could with it. It blew towards the bottom and then out towards Sora. The stones flying at him at alarming speeds and ripping the hammer from his hands.

[Reno]

Terra curled up, gasping as the wind shook over him, but it was harmless. Ven was on his side.

Sora grimanced as the winds tore at him once again, dodging a bit to the left as a stone came for him - but his sluggish moves made one of them able to smack into the handle of the mallet and once again it went flying. "wind!" he snapped again, the swirls of magic countered his winds again. He looked up the stones continuiong to fly - but then he charged, jumping up on them, able to move easily now - just like back at home- no -

Akbar. Destiny was his home...

Hisa eyes narrowed and he yelled. "Ventus!!" He was surprised - Ven had never told him his full name before how did he know it? It was a short back up the cliffside to where Ven and Riku were. "Thunder..." He hissed, but rather then bolts of lightning flashing from the sky, it crackled and collected in the keyblade, prepared to discharge the minute the keyblade connected with something. He swung at Ven.

Terra struggled to his feet - the moment Sora was gone, he stumbled for his weapon, picking it up. He grimanced, laying a hand across his side. they had sderiously underestimated both of them. he hadn;t fathomed that Riku could break the barrier with his fucking scary darkness. he didn;t think Sora would be able to make a fucking comeback let alone strike with the intents of doing some serious to fatal damage.

[Rikugurl]

When the wind faded, Riku growled and dashed towards the shorter blonde... but quickly to his surprise, Sora was soon at his side. How... did he get up there so fast? Probably that nice little trick that they had learned way back when when fighting in space. He took a stance, the Darkness growing in his keyblade again.

Ven blinked, his eyes catching Sora as he jumped up to the highland.
"Ventus!"
He... knew his name? He watched the electricity scurry up and down Sora's keyblade and frowned as he came charging at him. He couldn't do anything else but take it. He transfered his keyblade to his weaker arm then slashed his it to meet Sora's, the electricity running down through the metal and into his arm. It ran through his veins, making burn marks all the way up.

He screamed and stumbled in pain, backing away. His feet gripped the ground as he transfered the keyblade back to his strong arm. The electricity had ripped his muscles from the inside and his whole are soon started to turn black. Where was Terra!?

[Reno]

Sora blinked in surprise, almost feleing like Ven had just walked into the attack. His eyes narrowed as the eletrcity spread up and down the other's form violently and Ven began to scream. Something sickening tore at his stomach - this seemed so wrong!

Terra barked in pain feeling all of his nerves spark violently. It wasn;t his pain. He spun and started to run for then, jumping for the highlands as well. fury coated his mind as he came to the top, rushing at Sora and fiercely swung his mallet at the brunette's head. "Get the FUCK AWAY!"

cutting his attack short Sora dislodged his keyblade, ducking under the attack, and dodged rolled away, back to Riku's side.

"Ven! Ven!" Terra reached out, catching his injured friend, cradling him in his arms.

[Rikugurl]

Riku watched it too... it was like Ven wanted to get hurt. He frowned but blinked when he saw Terra tear right passed him. He watched as he flung at Sora, going to stop it himself only for Sora to duck and end up by his side.

Terra wasn't after them... but to aid Ven.
The twilight night breeze blew his hair forward, making the silver flap in front of his golden eyes.
It was a cold stand still... neither side got very far in this long and dragged out battle.

Ven collapsed back into Terra's arms. He winced as the electricity sparked from his arm here and there. It ran up his arm more, snapping his sleeves as it reached his shoulder. He panted a bit from the pain but it wasn't so bad now... with Terra.
He looked out at Riku and Sora, his eyes full of anger.

[Reno]

Sora stood shakily, catching his breath, looking down at Terra and Ven.

"Heal." he murmured softly, the green magic whispering over Ven in strong waves. He held the blonde protectively, scowling at Sora and Riku, fury and hate beginning to cloud his heart. He... was going to fucking KILL them for hurting Ven.

Silence reigned between the four, a slight breeze blowing past them, the moonlight of Kingdom Hearts shining on them. Under different circumstances... the palce would have been nice - peaceful even. Maybe even beautiful. The sunset must look gorgeous across the red sand - but these were not normal circumstances.

Terra's heart beat in his chest furiously. he and Ven had never been in a situation quite like this one before. the last time Ven had VEER gotten that close to dying was... was when they had fought Xehanort together. He growled. that was it - if he got the chance to strike either of them down permanently, he was going to fucking take it!

[Rikugurl]

Riku frowned at the sight... seeing the white majick wrapping around the blonde. Who was he? Why did he look EXACTLY like Roxas? And... obviously he was real... white majick worked on him.
He frowned more when he saw both deathly eyes looking at him and Sora.

A pale hand touched Sora's shoulder as he broke the silence.
"Return us back home! We're obviously too powerful for you both. However, unlike you two, we don't want to harm you... just bring us back and leave us alone! You obviously care for each other so--"

"Shut the fuck up!" Ven stood sluggishly from Terra's arms. The majick had made the pain go away for now.. but his arm was still a mess. He glared at the two and growled. "You're not leaving with those keyblades, damnit!" His keyblade shook as he talked, full of anger. He looked up at the twilit Kingdom Hearts, the Darkness of this world.

He pushed his keyblade towards the sky. Keyblades were Darkness... so... Kingdom Hearts... what will you do about it? A wind started to brew under his feet as he closed his eyes. The light pressed down on his body, the two forces seeming to clash. The wind started to become faster and stronger as it started to pull at his clothes.

He suddenly heard the sound of dove wings in his ear. The sound only familiar from when he was 'Awaken'. The wind grew stronger, making a mini tornado around him. His blonde hair whipped around fast as he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Thunderaga!"
Bolts of lightly pushed down towards the four, some of them getting caught in the tornado.

He swooshed the keyblade out towards Riku and Sora, sending the bolts their way. The wind suddenly stopped, chasing the bolts to add a keyblade to the mix, slicing towards Sora and Riku.

[Reno]

Terra stood slowly alongside Ven, his hands curling around his mallet securely. But Ven was the one to make the first move.

Sora grimanced as Ven stood and the wind began. the blonde eyes shut momentarily as the wind grew stronger and stronger, and then suddenly the eyes were open, boring right into his own. ven;s were bright yellow.

And it set off a chain reaction in sora. He gasped sharply, his eyes widening. The spark that he and Roxas had shared in the hospital suddenly came to full bloom. It had not been a normal static shock - but a transfer of memories finding their original home.

And they unlocked.

Soran giggled, watching his brother as he followed a butterfly. "It;s too fast!"
"No!" Ventus said, not giving up. He reached out for the butterfly as it landed on a flower - miraculously catching it. "ya!"
Soran blinked but hurried forward. Between the gaps of his twin;s hands he saw the ltitle insect fluttered desperately. "Let it go!"
"But-"
Soran pouted looking at his brother. "He doesn;t like it."
Ven paused, then slowly opened his hand, the butterfly fluttered away.



The darkness was overrtaking their home. the winds were fiercer then ever - it wasn;t normal! Soran heard Ven scream from behind and he looked back. "Ventus!" the little boy cried. his blonde brother was being sucked down in the ground. He cried in terror, rushing forward, seeing yellow eyes in that darkness.
His father gripped him in his arms. "Soran no!"
"Daddy Let go!" Soran cried, screaming. "Ventus! VENTUS!!"


"Call me Sora!" The little boy cried, tearing at his birth certificate.
"But Soran-"
"Sora!" he cried again. "I don;t like n's!" Tears racked down his frame, holding the two birth certificates close. Ven had disappeared- so he would too. He would make his old self disappear so maybe it would stop hurting.


"Yeah toast!" Sora said happily.
His mother smiled faintly. "yeah it's too bad Ven isn't-" The woman shut herself off, eyes widened.
Sora blinked. "Mommy who's that?"
The stout woman, unable to answer her son, turned away, tears in her eyes.
Sora, concerned, turning his head towards his dad. "Daddy why does mommy cry so much?"


Sora shivered under the blanket of his bed as the storm raged above. The winds were heavy and loud to his ears, the thunder scary like a monster roaring as it came for him. He held the blankets to his chin, close to tears. But then he looked across the room, imagining someone was there in the flashes of light. At first it terrified him more - but then he realized the image in his mind;s eye... was a nice person.
"hi... who are you?" Sora asked queitly. There was a long pause, as if he was hearing a response. Then Sora smiled. "Hello Ven. The storm is scary." Another pause, then the grin brightened. "You'll stay with me?! really?! You;re the best!"


Sora played with the block quietly, only half listening to wait his parents were speaking about to the doctor-person.
"But doctor - he claim... claims Ven... is his imaginary friend!"
"It is stress." The thearpist explained to the mother gentally. "A way for him to cope. His mind automatically shut away the memories."
The mother started to cry. the father held her, muttering. "so... he'll never remember..."
"He might - with time. But pushing the issue is probably unhealthy." The Therapist sighed. "I know this is a sensitive thing for you, knowing you have lost a son - but if you continue to try and make this little boy remember his brother, you might lose this one as well - maybe not physically, but mentally." The parents heeded the warning, and never mentioned Ven again.


"Come on Sora!" Riku beseeched.
Sora was standing on a stool, looking at his reflection. He was silent for awhile. "Mommy and Daddy said i'm too big for imaginary friends." He bowed his ehad. "Now i have real ones..." he sniffled, rubbing his eyes, unable to explain the sudden sadness in his heart. "Good bye Ven..." He jumped off the stool, vacating the bathroom, leaving his imaginary twin behind forever.

Sora gasped again, as if he were in pain, shaking all over. He couldn;t register the fact that lightning was racing for him and Riku - he didn;t notice the flashing keyblade coming for him and his lover ready to decapitate them. All he did register was, right in front of him - in flesh; living, breathing, alive fesh his twin brother stood before him. A brother he had thought he had lost... so very long ago.

He opened his mouth to scream his twin;s name when the double attack was upon them.

[Rikugurl]

Riku didn't notice Sora's train of mind, but he was a bit worried that Sora didn't react to the incoming threat. He glanced at the other, seeing him almost... paralyzed. Was it the view of Ven getting to him? He grabbed hold of Sora, making sure the bolts of electricity wouldn't harm him.

He threw his keyblade up, pushing Vet off and twisted to send him flying as far away as possible. Something was wrong with Sora! His own golden eyes started to look crazed again as he looked down at the canyon. He was sick and tired of this... it was going to stop now!
Ven quickly got to his feet and rushed at Riku again, jumping and slashing down at him...

Only to hit nothing at all.

Riku disappeared...

And reappeared behind him.

Ven's eyes widened as he felt...

A hand grasp the back of his neck... and held him up in the air.

This feeling...

Riku's hair whipped around in the wind as he held Ven up, over the edge of the canyon by the back of Ven's neck. Ven's body went into shock and panted. His golden eyes looked up at Kingdom Hearts and felt a terrible pain in his heart.


"Soran?" A little blonde boy looked over the small little bed.
"Come on, your brother needs some rest. He just has a little cold."
"No! I wanna stay! Please... he needs me to be here! I'll scare off the cold!"
His mother smiled softly, running her hands through Ventus's hair. "How are you going to do that?"
"Like this!" Ventus made an angry face and stomped his feet.
"Oh my! That is scary! Well, I guess I can let you guard him then since you do such a good job at it... just don't get too close or that cold will get you too."


"Come on Ventus, get in the picture!" A man called as his blonde son was being a pain.
"No! I don't wanna~"
"Come on!" Soran laughed as he grabbed his brother and hugged him tightly. "Smile!"


At the top of the Heartless floor, a little boy fell as he swung at the last of the Heartless. Tears started to run down his face as he started to cry. "Mommy! Daddy! Soran! Where are you!?" He looked above at the darkness, his blue eyes glowing.


"Hey kid, what's wrong?" A man walked up to a little boy.
The blonde looked up at the man and pouted. "Where am I?"
"You don't know where you are? This is Romsen City."
"Where's Akbar?"
"Akbar? I think you're far away from home little guy... What's your name?"
"Ventus... but call me Ven... I... I lost my other half..."
"Well Ven... my name is Bruce. I run the computers around here.. you can stay with me for now."


"I'm never going to see you again... am I?" Blue eyes looked down at his refection in the water. His reflection wasn't his own... but of his brother that he had lost so many years ago. "Damnit I miss you..." He closed his eyes as tears dropped into the water.
"VEN! Is my bath ready in there already?"
His eyes opened and splashed the water.
"Yea Aqua, it's ready! What am I? You're fucking slave!?"


"Ah...AHN!" His body was pushed into the bed more as his toes curled. It hurt so much... but it felt so good. The warmth around him... A warmth he hadn't felt in such a long time. His fingers tugged at black hair as he shivered.


Water ran over his body as a cloth was rubbed down his bloody chest. There was silence but the room was filled with words. A chin laid on his shoulder, blonde hair mixing with black.
"Come on... let me fix it for you..."
Some movement went on behind him and a needle soon pushed through the wound in his neck. Ven winced but was comforted by a hand in his hair. His blue eyes moved to meet another pair of blue eyes. A soft smile ran over his face. He again had someone he cared about... with those same blue eyes...


Cold wind blasted on his body as he squirmed in Riku's hand. Tears ran down his face as he cried.
"SORAN!! TERRA!!"

[Reno]

Terra felt panic overcome him, watching riku;s form flash, and then... and then he had Ven in his grasp. his heart stopped - seeing the blonde as he was getting frozen way back when - seeing him struggling in Xehanort's grasp, grunts and yells meeting his ears. He rememebred running... running... and then the earth exploded underneath him and he was shot into the air - and he lost Ven.

Oh god not again! "Let him go!" Terra screamed in fury, rushing for Riku. He had to protect Ven. He had to had to HAD TO! He wouldn't lose him again, couldn;t!! He needed power, NOW.

the mallet in his hand glew suddenly, and with a sharp spark and a blast of light, the weapon in his hand changed, the ringing of a chain meeting his ears, the weight shifting to something utterly familar as he thrust the keyblade for Riku's back.

Sora's head snapped up sharply, hearing his old name being called for the first time... in a long, long time. His eyes went wide at seeing the predicament his twin was in and screamed in horror and fear. It was like trying to save the butterfly... "Ventus! Riku... Riku put him down! Let him go!" He cried desperately - but then from the corner of his eye he saw Terra, eyes gleaming with fury thrusting a blade for his fiance's spine. "NO!" Sora screamed, running forward, stepping inbetween Riku and Terra numbly raising his keyblade to stop the attack. The two keyblades sparked as they connected Sora's arms shaking under the weight of the other.

Then Terra suddenly broke the stalemate, causing Sora to stumble forward. With a sharp kick Ultima went flying. he gripped the back of Sora's collar, pushing them back to chest, his keyblade - sharp as a razor and dark as the earth, was placed right up against the brunette's throat. "Let Ven go or I fucking swear..." He brought the blade closer, a thin line of blood running down Sora's throat. His eyes were crazed, wild, desperate. Everyone left him in the end... but he had finally found someone who was willing to try and stay with him... forever and... and he was about to lose him. He was ready to shed blood - to lose her heart - to give up everything... just to see Ven safe.

Blue eyes were wide, unable to even move lest he seal his death.

[Rikugurl]

Ven could hear the crying of Terra... and... Soran. He couldn't put his heart through this anymore. He thought he could... he thought he could get the keyblades no matter what... but he couldn't... he wouldn't... not by force... never by force... never again. His heart burned hearing his brother call his name again after... 19 years.

Riku shifted, hearing the cry behind him, seeing a flash and then... another keyblade? He suddenly looked at Sora, hearing the protest too. His golden eyes deepened, then felt Sora against his back. His breath caught, hearing Terra's threat. Riku wasn't going to do anything to Ven to hurt him... but this scene...

"Let me go!" Tears ran down the blonde's face

Ventus...?

"Hey, thank for letting me borrow the tapes. I promise when I'm done making the video, you'll get them back along with a copy I made." A box was held in Riku's hand as he waved good bye to Sora's mother.

At the house, Riku sat down to view the old home movies while Sora was at the school teaching. He leaned back and watched them, marking what to cut out. He went through the 11 videos and blinked as he saw a rather old one stuck on the bottom. Picking it up, he dusted it off and pulled it from its case. It had no label on it or anything. He wondered what it was.

He popped it in the player and watched. It was old and grainy, hard to really see anything.
"Awe... aren't they beautiful?" Riku squinted, trying to see. It looked like a woman with two babies in her arms... but he wasn't all to sure.
"Sora~~~ n Ve~~~~"
The tape suddenly broke and Riku blinked. "Ah shit! She's going to kill me."

His worry was now on how to tell her about the tape... not what was actually on it. When he returned the tapes, he brought up what happened and apologized only for Sora's mom to brush it off.
"Don't worry about that Riku... I thought I got rid of all those old tapes anyway."

Ventus and.... Soran?

His eyes widened, now understanding everything...
He slowly brought the boy down back to the earth, but shifted unexpectantly. The whole planet started to shake as the twilit Kingdom Hearts started to glow above them.

The cliffs around them started to fall as the planet shook more. Ven dropped to the ground as Riku looked over the side... gasping at the sight. Darkness... Darkness was swallowing this planet up and ripping it apart.

Dale rushed towards the group, squeaking and quickly jumped onto Sora.

Riku looked back at Terra and frowned. "We have to get out of here! NOW!"

[Reno]

Terra lowered his keyblade the moment he saw riku put Ven down, rushing to the blondes side, regardless of the shaking of the earth. earthquakes had never bothered him or even impeded his balance. He was one with the easrth afterall. He wrapped his arms around the other, holding him tight.

Sora yelped in surprise, feeling one little chipmunk jumping onto his shirt - then a second, Chip no doubt, followed. he wrapped his arms around the furry critters, holding then tightly.

Terra looked up at Riku silently fgor a few moments, then glanced back towards the darkness. He nodded hesitantly and a computered rip broke up behind him. He threw Ventu's arm over his shoulder, carefully, dragging him to his feet.

Sora watched Terra momentarily, then set the chipmunks in his pcket once more, hurrying to his brother;s other side, throwing his arm over his own shoulders. He trusted Riku to follow.

Terra glanced at Sora inj surorise, blinking blankly. Why... - no he knew why. Sora had rememebred in the course of this fight. idiot kid had too much fucking heart.

[Rikugurl]

Ven had fainted from the pain in his heart and the fear in his mind. His body was pulled into Terra's arms sluggishly and when pulled up, his whole body was limp. His other arm was pulled around another neck, the wounded, black arm.

Riku watched the display, looking back at the Darkness. For once... it was doing something helpful...
He quickly raced over and grabbed Ultima before jumping into the computerized rip. It vanished before Kingdom Hearts could consume it as well... and only a few minutes passed... before the planet of Raktas was no more. Just another lost star.

Riku moved into a large room, surrounded by computers. The rip closed behind him and his eyes soon became normal, the pressuring feeling of the Darkness gone and his heart settled. He looked around slightly, seeing a few too many keyboards near a chair and monitors that all showed a glowing Kingdom Hearts.

This was where the Chasers lived...
He stopped as he heard some movement behind. He looked back, seeing someone familiar.
"Aqua?"
She had come back to them...? No wonder they never saw her again... but... it looked like they didn't kill her for coming back. Seemed like they had a heart somewhere.

He looked across the room on the other side of where Aqua was at another bedroom. He only caught a second of Terra and Sora dragging the blonde inside.

[Reno]

Aqua awoke from her slumber, hearing a loud bang in the other room. she groaned, getting to her feet unseatdily. she walked to the door, opening it and he jaw dropped at what she saw. Ven was being schuffled along by Terra... and Sora. behind them Riku stood.

"W-what...?" she stuttered, unsure of how to react.

Terra didn;t pause, just tugged Ven;s body towards his room, Sora followed after without complaint.

Aqua stared at Riku quietly, unsure of what to make of all this.



About seven minutes would pass- in which Aqua would get hurried barking orders from Terra and no answeers and Riku would wonder why the hell Aqua was there and she would not answer and Sora would speak to his unconcious brother and treat the wounds he had helped cause. The chipmunks had curled up onto the desk in the comoputer room, prefering to stay away from all the hubbub.

Sora held Ven's burnt arm aloft, insuring that less blood would run through the arm and lessen the swelling that was sure to come. He stared at the darkened skin, his stomach tightening with sickness as he realized he had caused it. "We should get him to a hospital. it;s a third degree." he stated, his voice cracking a bit. He knew how bad they were - he had gotten a third from a fire heartless wen he was a teen - the scar was still on his leg - fading but there. they were dangerous and easily infected and impossible for any of their expertise to heal or treat. He knew the healing spells that he Terra and even riku and aqua had poured into the boy had speed the process - quite a bit of the lesser degree burns suronding the blackened skin had disappeared but it was still pretty serious.

Terra grit his teeth, looking away. "A hospital..." god... it was really that bad? Terra mind sort of went blank, unable tor eally take it all. ven was hurt... real bad... and he hadn;t protected him. He bowed his ehad, feeling guilt eating away at his soul.

Aqua looked down at Ven, then sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Okay." she murmured giving it up. this was horrible. she had already seen Ven die once, now she was gonna have to deal with this - and great hospitals meant he;d be bedridden which meant he;d be a fucking annoying nusances of screaming curses for days.

But he probably did need the extra attention. It had been a long, LONG time since one of them had been hurt like this before.