The Chasers: New World Locket

[Reno]

Sora grinned excitedly, ruffling both their hair laughing. "Hey, hey. hope you too have been learning!"

Lucina finally let go of Sora's leg to hug Riku's more fulyl, grinning. "We have promise!"

Sora laughed, nundging Gunnar to so and hug Riku;s other leg, then straightened, grinning as he saw the others slowly getting off. the ship had been sent on idle mode, still hovering like an airship over the water but it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Sora grinned at Olette. "Hey!" He brought her into a quick hug as well. "It;s good to see youi olette your looking well."

Seifer came up beside his wife, looking rather jealous and possessive - so Sora let go... and opened his arms to the other. "ah what;s with the sour look you need a huggie to-"

"Donlt even fucking try it." Seifer said, shoving him further past them. Sora only laughed good-naturedly, sharing a hug with Fuuji and then Aqua teasingly telling them that he and riku had a gift for them after all was said in done.

then the brunette practically tackled Ven with his major-hug of love. "brother!" He looked him over. "you look um... bad." he said blandly.

Terra, who got out last, nearly had to back up causing the two nearly fell into him. "oh jeez."

Sora looked up, grinning widely at Terra. "Need one too?"

"No." Terra said grumply.

Sora looked at Ven. "i think he needs one what do you say?" He grinned ischeviously at his twin, getting the sparkle in his eye. They could gang up on Terra and hug him! He knew this was serious but hey... they could still have fun - and it might cheer Ven up a little.

[Rikugurl]

Olette rolled her eyes as she saw Seifer pushed by Sora. There he went on his macho act. She shook her head and looked at Riku being swarmed with two kids. He looked a bit... over whelmed.

That was when a nearby door opened.
Bright hazel eyes looked passed strawberry blonde hair and then a sudden screech. "MOMMY! DADDY! LUCI AND GUNNAR ARE HERE!"
Namine rushed out to see the two and hugged them tightly. The three had always gotten along well... Namine just hated that they didn't live on the island with her...

Gunnar felt himself being taken away from Riku's leg.... but it was Namine! He laughed happily as he hugged her tightly.
Olette looked over to see Kairi at the door and they both waved to each other. She looked down at the three and smiled. "Hey... why don't you three go play at the beach huh??"

The three nodded and headed off, laughing and screaming.


Fuu blinked when she received the hug and blinked even more as Sora quickly said something about a gift. They shrugged at each other and found a boardwalk to sit on and settle their feet in the warm water. This visit was more for Venny than anyone else.


"WHAA!!" Ven was suddenly jerked back by a huge hug, almost falling on top of Terra. He steadied himself and looked at Sora. They were about the same high... obviously since they were twins. He chuckled softly as Sora pulled away bit his eyes grew darker as Sora put it bluntly that he didn't look so good.

He looked back at Terra who seemed out of it too and smiled softly. "I think if I hug him... he could quite possibly get a fucking boner... so he's all yours."

[Reno]

Lucina squealed, hugging Namine excited. "Nami!!" She was so cool! She knew all the cool games to play!

Tidus came to the thershold, yawning a bit. He looked around and chuckled. "Wow." He waved to everyone as well. He saw his daughter and her two friends run off. "Be careful!" he called after them, cocerned as ever.

Seifer just crossed his arms, sort of 'pouting'. What? It was NOT cool to be hugged by another guy - especally one as flowery as Sora.

Aqua smiled, sitting on the dock with Fuujin, clasping their hands together, kicking her legs, sending little sprays of water up on to have them fall back down. she laughed lightly.

Terra twitched at Ven;s words and without any warning smacked him over the head. "Idiot!" His cheeks were flushed and he stalked away, stomping, sending little sprays of water up in his wake.

Sora laughed faintly. "Wait your hug!"

"NO HUGS DAMNIT!" The brunette snapped, feeling much like Seifer in this respect. They weren;t cool.... even if he;d lvoe to start receieveing them (by Ven especally) but it just wasn;t him. He was the leader - no weaknesses.

Sora laughed faintly, seeing Ven swearing and rubbing his head delicately, but then his face fell into something more serious and sora knew what it meant.

"so uh..." Sora shifted from one foot to the other nervously. "uh... I have a feeling this wasn;t a vacation visit..." When he got the shake of the head, sora frowned more, "Uh..." He bit his lip, then took Ven's hand leading him off. "then lets go talk." he said simply. He had a feeling this was a conversation for privacy. and it was one... he was NOT going to like at all.

[Rikugurl]

Even if this wasn't a visit to relax for Ven... that didn't mean the others couldn't. They deserved a day in the sun and beach after all the hard work they had done in the past months. Besides... they needed to exercise that big dinner they had last night. This trip for Ven... wasn't going to be all laughs and games.

He blinked when Sora took his hand and they walked out of the water. His brow raised as he pulled his hand away slowly. It was.... just awkward. It was ok if they were younger... but not at 32. When they reached the beach, blue eyes looked back through blonde spikes at Terra who was standing and looking out at the horizon. He then looked back at Sora and shook his head.

"I also need to tell... mom and dad." He said softly as sadness ran over his face and eyes. Sora got the idea... and they headed towards the mainland.
Once there, black boots clanked on the dirt road. Some people stopped what they were doing and looked at the blonde in black. He walked with a sense of pride and looked pretty strong. No one would of guessed it was Sora's twin...

What caught everyone's eye was the odd silver symbol on his shoulder. What did it stand for?

When they finally reached their parents house, Sora walked in first.
An older man looked up and frowned, hearing someone walk into the house without even knocking. He got up from his desk and walked over to look in to the hallway.
He blinked when he saw the two.

"Sora...? Ventus...?" He asked. This was unexpected. What were his twins doing here??? And where was Sora's big smile he always had?

Ven looked at his father and smiled. "Hey dad.... is mom around?"
"Y-yea, she's upstairs."
He walked to the base of the stairway and called up. "Honey! Our boys are here!" He got a response and an older woman walked down the stairs.

After a small greeting, Ventus, Sora, and their parents sat in the living room. Three pairs of eyes looked at Ven... ready to hear what he had to say.

Ven took a deep breath and shook his head, looking down at the carpet before up at the three. Their faces were edger to hear... yet afraid.
His blue eyes saddened once more as he suddenly spoke softly.
"Last night... there was a beeping on my computer..." He started. "I got up to check it... and I learned that... that.... Akbar.... Akbar has lost it's heart.... and.... no longer exist anymore..."

[Reno]

Terra sighed, looking out at the horizen as Ven and Sora left the beach. He glanced back at them then at Riku, wanting to tell him to follow. He desereved to hear it too (especally since he knew sora would cry) but... Maybe this was a immediate family-only thing. Hell with as much knowledge as he had on it it was probably best not to interfere.

Sora blinked as Ven pulled his hand away and grinned apologetically. It was instinct by now - he and riku did it almost constantly when they walekd together and he held hands with all his kids too so... yeah he held hands a lot so it was like reflex to him. "sorry... habit." he mumbled, shrugging.


They soon, after many interesting look, got to their parents' home and wlaked inside. Sora looked at him dad solmnely, unable to even muster his smile. He didn;t know why but suddenly he felt very nervous and sick. This was going to be bad.

Their mother was soon called, and the old, frail woman hurried down the stairs. her hair was graying and wrinkles drew her face down a bit, but she still managaed a smile for her boy. "Ventus!" she hugged him. she knew... that her little boy wasn;t really happy with her or his father - maybe because it did seem like they had erased all traces of him in life - even his birth certificate was gone though that wasn;t exactly her fault. But what he didn't know was how much it had pained her to do that. She had to though - for Sora's sake. And when sora had gotten old enough to hear the news she had been too afraid to tell, afraid her only little boy would hate her - and instead found her OTHER little boy coming back to her.

How she hadn't died from shock was a mystery even to her.

She hugged him. "Ventus! It's so good to see you! You haven;t been sleeping well!" she chastised in a motherly tone. He was still hers even if he didn't accept her anymore.

Sora chuckled, but soon they were all led into the living room and Ven announced that they had to... talk. So... they did. Ven took a seat in the armchair and the other three took the couch, Sora at the edge farthest away from Ven. intentional? maybe.

There was silence as the three watched Ven gather up his breath and then it came out in a rush - so fast everyone was stunned into silence.

Sora's eyes had gone wide. Akbar was... "The heart..." He placed his hand over his heart, the pain blossoming as he put a name to the missing object and tears clouded his vision. "Akbar's gone?" His heart plummeted and he buried his head in his hands, wishing more then ever that he had invited Riku to come too.

Bryna was very silent, looking at the floor quietly. Akbar was completely gone now. But... she didn't feel very sad about it. She was a very old woman who in her life - had lost that world back in her thrities - three whole decades ago. she was wise, and kenw the pain of loss and how to deal with it. And even then it was NOTHING compared to who she lost. "I see..." she finally mumbled.

[Rikugurl]

Ven took his mother's hug lightly. No... he wasn't all happy about what his parents had thought best for Sora... but who said that Ven wasn't rash about things in the first place.


His blue eyes looked down as he felt an even more bigger drop in his heart as Sora felt the pain... and put two and two together. His blonde spikes shifted as he heard his brother's sniffles...

The older man sighed, hearing the news as well. Sora had explained to them how a world could lose its heart... that was what happened to Destiny. Darkness had taken it away and Traverse town was made... but for world that were abandoned for some reason or another... they disappeared... and never returned.

He held his wifes' hand and looked up at Ventus. "Well... you know... this news isn't so bad. At least... no one is hurt right? It could of been worse."

"It could of been worse."
....
"It could of been worse."
.....
"It could of been worse."
...........
"It could of been worse."


Blue eyes opened as Ven suddenly got off the arm rest. He glared at his mother. "'I see'?" Then his father. "'It could of been worse'?" His eyes darkened as he body started to tremble.
"Who.... who the fuck are you people!?" He demanded.

His breathing started to get harder as he shook his head. "You know... me and Sora.... NO! Me and SORAN... we were so close. We did everything together. We were born together on Akbar... We cried together on Akbar... we laughed together on Akbar.... we had our first birthdays together on Akbar. You two.... you fell in love on Akbar... you committed to have children on Akbar. And then... then the Darkness came.... and we were split.... not all of us..."

His blue eyes shot open. "ME! It was me who was lost! I was lost at the age of five. ALL ALONE WITH NO ONE BY MY SIDE! I had to fight heartless alone. I had to jump from world to world alone. But in my HEART.... All I thought about was Akbar... about my family... it kept me strong and hopeful that one day I would be united with them."

Water started to form in his eyes. "But YOU!" He pointed down at his parents. "You fucking erased me! Couldn't deal with the pain!? Couldn't hope that I was out there somewhere!?"

Tears started to roll down his face. "For fuck sakes.... Soran remembered me..." He choked. "And you ripped that way from him too. You convinced him that I didn't exist... and you made him forget me. You couldn't even let him hope. So there I was.... battling to find my way home... to a family who erased me from existence. And now.... and now you brush aside Akbar like it didn't even exist either. I was the one who kept it alive! I don't know about you... but Akbar.... was my homeworld... and still is. I didn't forget and push it back. I didn't have an easy life under a hot sun and tropical getaway. I didn't forget all my worries and pain... And neither did Akbar."

He slowly turned away, making a fist.
"So.... yea dad..... it could of been worse. That deal you made with your partner might of not went through. And yea mom... you see how your flowers might not of bloomed this summer. See.... that's much worse.... than a planet dying. You're right."

With that, he walked away... and out of the house.

[Reno]

Silence fell over them all again. A deeper one. And then soft crying filled the room.

Sora lifted his head, looking up in horror as his mom started crying. He hadn't... seen her cry since he was a little kid and back then he never knew why she cried.

"Then me and Ven can go out and play right?" Sora asked, nibbling on his breakfast.
"Yes sweetheart." His mother said, entertaining him.
"Okay!" Sora said. "We're going to be pirates today mom! and when we come back we;re gonna make you a queen! And you'll be queen of the umm... hermit crabs yeah!"
Bryna smiked softly, patting her child on the head. "thats wonderful... Sora."
He grinned at her. "Mommy... can we abopt Ventus?"
Bryna stared at her little boy blankly, tears gathering in her eyes. "Oh honey he;s always here... right next to you... he;s already a part of the family."
The ltitle by blinked, not understanding the siginificance of the words, only understood thathis mom was crying. "mommy... don;t cry!" His chubby hands reached up, patting at her cheeks clumsily. "Me and Ventus'll make you an extra speacial crown I promise." the boy was near panic when that statement actually made his mother cry worse.


Sora looked up at the doctor, now 13, and grinned. He forgot why he ever went to this guy at all! he wasn't crazy. "Hiya doc! what brings you here?"
"Oh just checking up on you Sora."
The brunette blinked curiously. His doctor was in the armm chair and he in the couch, swining his legs back and forth. "Okay..."


"wait!" Sora cried, seeing his doctor bat at a fly. "don;t hurt it!" He hurried over.
"Sora it;s just a fly."
"A life is a life! no matter how small!" The brunette declared, catching the fly quickly, cupping it between his hands. "nothing desereves to die... especally not by being smashed..."


Sora listened at the foot of the stairs, confused.
"Bryna," his psychiatrist started, sounding very, very weary. "Has Sora ever killed... any bugs?"
"Why... no." Bryna started. "Never. He has a very strict rule about taking them outside."
"Bryna... listen to me here. this is serious. Your son.... has a lot of heart. but it is VERY fragile. even observing him from afar I can see he never reacted to taunts and teasing well - and always thinks the best in others. If it wasn't for that Riku kid... well... lets me just put it relatively. If Sora's told... He could rise to the challenge and become stronger... or he could shatter. He'll most likely feel guilty and definitely sad or in worst cases won;t believe you at all. You longer have proof."
"but doctor he can;t keep living ignorantly!"
"It is up to you Bryna. i'm only advising you as a friend to a friend. If your willing to take the risk... go ahead."
She didn't take it. and a month later... sora was gone and Destiny was destroyed.

Sora stared at his mother quietly, her blue eyes shining with tears just as long ago. She was an old woman, with lines drawn in her face showing how much pain she had endured in life - those lines only other woman really recognized as being created from... losing a son. She was old, in her late sixties, and though she had the heart to follow after her boy, she did not have the body. Even still she shifted her body, getting to her feet, determined to go after her hurting boy.

Sora's heart beat with worry, protectiveness... and fury. He knew what it was. ever since he was young, he had wanted to be a hero. to protect his mom and dad from harm. To be a hero. And he had lost them once in life - when he was 13. he KNEW how Ven felt - but at the same time he didn't understand at all. What he DID know was that his brother had just treated his mom like crap and like the honorable, brave young 'boy' he was... he needed to protect his mom. Later Kairi, who knew a lot about psychology, would tell him that was how families with more then one sibling worked. When once brother or sister saw a fault in the actions of another towards a parent (typically unless it was Aqua's case) the brother or sister felt like they needed to correct the problem.

He wondered if they had all grown up together would these fights of happened more then just once?

Even still, the son got to his feet, hurrying to his mother's side, hugging her in his most comforting way possible. "Mom, don;t worry I'll take care of it." He kissed her forehead kindly, then glanced at his dad. "Take care of mom!" He let go, and hurried from the house, chasing after his brother who was a good way down the street by now, wind pratically working up a storm around him.

That white hot fury came back, stronger then before - strong enough Riku probably even felt it (and recognized it well). Cheeks flushing, Sora came up to his brother's side, grabbing his shoulder and spun him around. "You!" He cut him self off, and before he knew it, he had punched Ven in the cheek, sending him spiraling onto the ground, shocked blue eyes staring up at him as he blankly held onto the place his own twin had hit.

Yeah, this was why Riku recognized it. The last time he ever decked anyone... was Riku himself. And he was just as furious now as he had been then. "come here," he snapped, roughly grabbing Ven by his arm and dragged him up, yanking him off down the street at a furious pace. Ven probably was too shocked still to even try and escape.

It wasn't too long of a walk. It was on an inclination - high up enough that the tides that had destroyed destiny missed this area. It was built here for that purpose. No one wnated to lsoe this place.

The arched gating noted where they were - but even more was the sight before them. One Ven could clearly recognize but still didn;t seem to understand. Sora tugged him through, feet mechanically knowing where he was going - his heart leading him towards a place that in his childhood had caused him much anguish.

He stopped in front of it, and Sora pointed. "People don;t BURY people they erase." He snapped. No one had ever told Ventus of this. No one at all. It had never crossed their minds to remove it either.

Because standing before Ven, in Destiny Cemetary, was his own grave.

Ventus Holani
4567-4572
A son and brother, we miss you, we love you where ever you are

Sora was quiet for a few moments, knowing Ven was probably shocked into silence. then slowly, he started to speak. "Ventus... Akbar was home, yes. It was our home." He turned his head. "And we loved it. Hell, mom and dad... thought they had lost it years ago - and remember Ven they AREN'T keybladers. they don't understand the heart of the world like we do... thats our curse but when a world is broken into pieces it sounded gone to them. But... now... and EVEN back then didn't you think their was something else gone - something else millions of more times WORSE then losing a home that we had lost?"

He turned, looking his brother straight in the eyes. "they lost you Ven. they lost a son. And it tore them up inside. To you... at five, you didn;t even know what death was - I didn;t either mom had to TELL me. But our parents were older... and wiser i guess cause they understood the implications of what happened - knew how little hope there was. Even if you WERE alive, how would we find you? There wasn;t a way end of story. It fucking killed them inside, knowing they were helpless to do anything. Mom and dad... just weren;t mom and dad anymore, not without you."

Sora took a deep breath, then moved on, "Mom... mom couldn;t stop crying for so long... she missed you SO much Ven and dad was just... silent. less happy - no just UNhappy but he was trying to be strong for us. At one point he even told me to stop... talking to an imaginary friend... because it was you i thought i was talking to. After awhile... i stopped understanding though - why they were crying, why they were sad, why their hearts felt so ripped up."

He grit his teeth, tears in his eyes. "Don't you fucking DARE blame them for erasing you Ven in our lives. I took your birth certificate and mine too and ripped them up because i couldn't stand the thought of you being gone. I took my name and took out the N - wouldn't respond to anyone who dared call me Soran. I forgot you - I fucking forced myself to... And when I was six a psychiatrist told my parents that... until I got stable enough to take the news correctly to not mention you being my brother to me... ever. Or else they risked losing me too - maybe not psyically but mentally. And they were terrified of that just like any parent SHOULD be especally after having just lost one. So they did as he told... and by the time I was thirteen... I was still declared 'unstable.'"

Sora chuckled butterly. "Actually it was more... 'weak of the heart'. too sensitive. too... innocent." He frowned. "The keyblade chose Riku first - chose him to be it;s master. but Riku turned to the dark side and it was given to me. Who knows why. maybe jsut cause i was closest..." He sighed, knwoing he was getting off-topic. "the point is, they never forgot you Ven... never really. Just because they didn;t talk about yuo around me didn;t mean they NEVER mentioned you. They probably did, behind clsoed doors were my ears couldn;t reach." His first clenched.

"damn it Ven... I know you heart's still closed. i know your angry. you have every right to be... but i want you to stop making mom cry!" He snapped suddenly, "It doesn't take common sense!!" He looked ready to punch him again but held himself back. "We're never going to understand Ven - what its like to lose a child. Never completely at least." He turned away from the tombstone, staring at rows upon rows in front of him. "but mom and dad know... and they missed you so much but even when you came back you didn't... COME back. Every time you came to visit Destiny you came to visit me not them. every time I went to my parents house they'd ask about you - when I saw you, how you were doing, if you were sleeping and eating well... You blame them for erasing you... but I don't think it's one-sided now is it? I had to DRAG you to go see them for the first time."

Sora bit his lip. "I don't doubt mom and dad loved Akbar - cherished it as their first home and were sad when they lost it all. But... they just loved you a hell of a lot more. The only crime they ever had against you was loving US too much." He looked at his brother in all seriousness. "And if you don't understand that, then I'm done talking to you about it." Sora said, and walked past him, shoving his hands in his pockets.

[Rikugurl]

The man stood and held onto his wife, looking at Sora and nodded slowly as his second son left.

Ventus frowned as he heard his mother weep. His eyes lowered lowered but he pressed on. He walked out of door and down the dirt road, a slight bit of wind at his feet as he trudged through. Why did he bother telling them? Like he thought they would care...

He was almost out of the town when he heard footsteps behind him. When he felt his shoulder being tugged, he growled. "Lea---" That was when he was punched in the face. The force knocked him to his feet... so it was pretty hard.


Further away, a silverette shivered as he felt something boiling in him. He hadn't felt that in years... He could remember it well.... the same feeling he had before Sora punched him in the face the day.... before he fell....
His eyes darkened as he looked towards the mainland. Something was wrong...


Blood slowly came from his mouth as he opened it but was only pulled up harshly. He was in such shock... that his brother that couldn't even hurt a fly.... literally, just punched him in the face. He knew Terra was going to feel that too.
His blue eyes darkened as he was pulled up to a high ledge over looking Destiny. It was where the people fled when the tsunami hit.

He looked up at the cast iron arch and frowned. Why.... a cemetery? They passed tombstone after tombstone, going further and further back where old tombstones were. They were very old... but well taken care of. He frowned as they stopped and Sora pointed. Dark blue eyes looked at the brunette before he slowly looked at where he was pointing.

His voice caught as he read it.

Ventus Holani
4567-4572
A son and brother, we miss you, we love you where ever you are

....

we love you where ever you are

His eyes grew sad instantly... not minding his sore jaw and the bruise that was already taking pack on his cheek. Tears started fall from his cheek... as he looked at his own grave.

Aquamarine eyes looked out the window of the small hut. He blinked as he looked, seeing a woman walk around outside with a child in her arms. He stuck his finger in his mouth and he pointed out the window. "Mommy! Mommy!"

A silver haired woman walked over and looked out, seeing the woman and child looking around franticly. "Oh no.... not another one..." She sighed as she pulled her little boy outside. She slowly walked to the other woman and smiled. "Excuse me miss...."

"Have you seen him!?" The woman said franticly as she held a little brunette boy with spiky hair.

The silver haired woman blinked at the sudden question. From far away, she could heard a male's voice calling. "VENTUS!"
The woman shook her head. "Seen... who?"
"My little boy! He had spiky blonde hair... I can't find him anywhere!"
The silverette woman blinked. Most people were more drawn back that they landed on a new world... and then worried about where everyone else was.

"Well... I haven't seen any little boy... but... you're on a place called Destiny Isla--"
"I DON'T CARE WHERE I AM! WHERE IS MY SON!?"


Tears ran down a woman's face as she looked at a new tombstone next to some others... whose names she never heard of. A man held her close as he looked down at it too. They had looked all over the island... all over the mainland... even in the sea for a body... but there was nothing. There was no little boy... with bright blue eyes... and spiky blonde hair. He was... gone.


Blond spiky hair shifted as the wind blew through it and his pathetic little pony tail.

"Don't look so down Ventus. Things could be worse."
"What could be worse than being locked away in your room??"
"Hehe... well... I have my friends."
The blonde boy looked down and the woman knew she had said something wrong. "Well... I mean... I have a nasty step-mother... but you must have parents that really love you... right?"
The boy looked up and smiled softly. "Yea... they're out there somewhere."
"Well... you need to go find them!"
"But Cinderella! I'm stuck in here with you! We can't get out!"
The woman chuckled and pointed at the weapon in the little boy's hand. "Isn't that... a key?"

The bot blinked and looked down, then a huge smile rose on his face. "Hey! You're right!"


He blinked when he heard Sora.
"but i want you to stop making mom cry!"
He looked over at his brother as he started to leave. He looked back at the tombstone and sighed softly.
Fuck Ven... look at the kind of jerk you've turned into...
He still didn't like the choice his mother or father made when it came to his advice on how to handle things... but.... he understood it a lot more.

Sure... they could of hoped he was still out there somewhere... but... Sora was right... they weren't keybladers... they didn't know... traveling between worlds could happen. Even if he was out there somewhere.... there was a slim chance that he would return to them. And sometimes.... hope.... too much of it.... it broke a person. If they still hoped... after all these years... it would of been 20 years since they saw him... and who knew what they would be like... tired out... even more than they already were.

His life was much more harder than Sora's when they were young. He had his Awakening when he was five... and Sora had his when he was thirteen. Their fates changed... and so where the way they grew up. Sora always had Donald and Goofy... and Riku and Kairi... Ventus... he didn't have anyone until he was fifteen... when he first met Terra.

But that was just how it happened... and... he needed to find his own way... to forgive and understand. It would take much more than Sora... whose heart was always wide open and over-understanding... but... Everyone had it hard.
That's what he had to remember.

The blonde turned back to his brother who was now further away.
I've been having these weird thoughts lately.... Like, is any of this for real... or not?

"Sora."

His boots turned as he slowly walked after his brother who now stopped from the call of his name. When he reached him... he stood in silence for a moment before he spoke.
"You should... of told me about the grave before..." He looked away and closed his eyes. "I... had no idea. Now I look like a big jerk." He looked back at Sora. He pressed his finger on Sora's chest. "You promised you wouldn't make me feel bad." A lighter tone came into his voice.

"You have to make it up to me... by showing me your florist. I.... need you to help me pick out some flowers.... for mom."

[Reno]

Moments after Riku felt the white hot anger, terra stumbled holding his cheek as it throbbed with pain. "GOD DAMN IT VEN I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

"YOU OWE ME TWO MUNNY!" Lucina cried happily.

"DAMN IT!"

"FOUR!!!"

Terra twitched, growling and mumbled under his breath. "Ven you're becoming my fucking bane of existence."


As Sora walked away he rubbed his throbbing knuckles. He had punched the other pretty good. He was feeling a bit guilty already.

But damn it he needed to knock a little sense into his brother! He froze when his name was called, obligatedly coming to a stop as Ven came up to his side and started to speak softly.

Should of TOLD him about the grave? Well... that would of been awkward. 'Hey Ven did you know we all thought you were dead and we built you a grave?' Yeah a little morbid there and he never ereally thought of it before. After all... Ven was alive so therefore the grave didn't really exist anymore...

Well it did but it didn't too.

Sora looked at his brother, looking a little ashamed. Hey wait when did he promise that?! But when the florist was mentioned he grew a bright big smile. "Alright!" He wrapped his arm around the others shoulders leading him from the cemetary. "We'll find some real pretty ones!"

He grinned. "We used to do that all the time"

Soran tugging on the weeds with yellow flowers on them both hands, falling on his bum each time a new one snapped off. He added it too his big pile. "There!"
Ventus gathered them up. "Mommy'll love them!" The two bos traveled around to the porch where there mother sat in a swing-seat. Ventus and Soran learned the hard way that the swing sweat was NOT a piece of playgrouns equipment.
"mommy mommy!" Ven cried, holding his hands out, hands stained with the the dripping fluids of the stem -same with Sora's. "Look what we got you!"
"A bocky!" Soran announced, unable to pronounce boquet.
Their mother, who had been sewing, smiled largly setting her needle aside. "oh they're lovely." she stated, taking them happily. "My little boys are just so wonderfully good to me." she ksised both on the head. "Thank you Ventus. Thank you Soran."
The two grinned happily before running off to go play.


Sora's nose twitched as they stepped inside the flower shop, and were happily greeted by Mr. Nello the florist. Sra waved then let Ven go. "They best types of flowers to say 'i'm sorry' are roses or posies. But roses are for like... if you were dating someone, keep that in mind." he teased. "Poisies are good, and there are these pretty colorful ones mom likes too." He guided his brother further into the shop at a star-petaled flowers that came in a veriety of colors - red, pink,yellow and orange but all had crimson tips. "They're called Pheonix Stars." the little pricetag by them said 10 munny each and the ones by the poisies said 6 munny each. Sora kept walking.

"Ah Sora, be careful of the roses." Mr. Nello called.

"Oh don;t worry I know where they - oh you moved them." Sora said, seeing the beautiful and bright red roses... and then promptly sneezed. "Gah!" He backed up some, running into Ven. "Ah sorry!"

Yes, Sora was indeed... allergic to roses. He actually never knew it until Riku, trying to be romantic, had spread rose petals over there bed for a 'fun night of sex' a few years back... he had been 27 at the time.

Well the night never happened and Sora slept on the couch for a few days until Riku dis-pollunated the bed.

[Rikugurl]

Ven walked into the flower shop and looked around, seeing all the flowers. He hadn't seen so many since that one day in Radiant when he met a woman by the name of Aerith. She had so many flowers... She had said that the world she came from... no real things grew there....

His eyebrow raised as he listened to Sora. My god... he turned into such a.... pansy. A pansy that could throw a punch. He blinked when he felt his brother bump into him and straightened him out. He chuckled... realizing that his brother was allergic to roses. He wondered if he was too...

Not really wanting to check out, he walked to where Sora had been and looked down at the flowers. "Pheonix Stars?" He repeated as he ran his hand through them. She would like these... He pulled out a few.... quite a few. Things were cheap here on Destiny... or maybe... flowers were always this cheap...

200 munny of flowers laid down on the the counter as he looked back at Sora still looking around. He pulled out a pouch and pulled out the oddly shaped green diamond and yellow currency. He handed it over and the man wrapped the flowers up nicely. He didn't seem to recognized the blonde man... but that was because he wasn't from around here.

They left the shop and walked back to the house where they had come from. Before Ven could knock on the door, he looked down, seeing a pot outside the door step. It just had dirt in it and was old and worn from the tsunami. Flowers use to be there before it happened.
Slowly he leaned down and pulled the pretty wrapping away from the Pheonix Stars. He dug out some dirt and planted the flowers in the pot. Next to it... dandelions sprouted up. He smiled, grabbing them harshly... as if he was a kid.

He stood and wrapped them in the nice paper that the Pheonix Stars were in and smiled, knocking on the door.

[Reno]

Sora and Ventus walked back to the house together, Sora sniffling a bit. He rubbed his eyes some and yawned as they traveled back to home.

The brunette stayed back some, leaning against the porch railing as Ventus approached the door and knocked. He bit his lips a bit, waiting with bated breath. He hoped this made his mom happy again.


Bryna, her eyes slightly red from crying, was still in the living room when she heard the knock. Maybe that was Sora... back from talking with Ventus. She didn't expect miracles. Her boy was a very, very good speaker, she knew that for a fact...

But Ventus was very, very angry. And brothers didn't always listen to each other. That was just the way it worked...

That's why, when she opened the door, seeing a blonde haired man with a very kiddish smile, holding dandelions up to her, his hands stained with the fluids of the stems, tears gathered at her eyes once more. "Ventus..." She whispered, surprised yet thrilled to see him.

[Rikugurl]

Ven smiled as she opened the door, her face shocked.... but happy. He held out the dandelions more... as if he was a little kid. "For you..." He blinked. "Don't cry anymore mom..."

Inside his chest, a light flickered... and a little piece of the dark shell snapped off his heart.


They went back inside... and actually... had a good visit. It took awhile for the older man to cheer up about everything.
He still didn't like the way his son had come off before.

They talked about the things that were going on between Sora's school work to the tellable tales of Ven's missions. It lasted for hours... and before they knew it, the sunset was coming over the mainland and district.

Ventus finally left and waved good bye to his parents before he walked out of the door. He looked down and pulled out two flowers from the pot. He walked down towards the ship that was waiting for him and sighed. "Alright everyone!" He announced, seeing everyone stop what they were doing.

Aqua and Fujin were playing in the water together. Seifer, Olette, Tidus and Kairi were sitting at a table under the sunset, talking and drinking some tropical juices.
Terra was watching Luci, Namine and Gunnar play on the beach and Riku was brushing out Vi.

Everyone seemed pretty happy.
The blonde walked down to the beach where the kids were... and slowly handed the two girls a flower each. Namine got a pink one and Luci received an orange one. Gunnar crossed his arms, looking a bit bent out of shape. Ven laughed as he messed the little boy's hair. "Haha... you wanted a flower too?" The girls laughed at him and Gunnar growled.

"Alight..." Ven walked into the ocean more and looked through the clear waters, seeing something shiny. Reaching down, he pulled out something nice. A seashell. He handed it to the boy who looked at it like it was an amazing treasure. "Thanks Venny!!"


They said their small goodbyes as the sun started to set more over the horizon. Ven was the last to get on... and the ship started to pull away from the ocean when he waved down at the others.

Today... wasn't such a bad day after all.

[Reno]

Bryna couldn;t help it. She hugged her son as tight as she could, and almost couldn;t let go - well that was until Sora stepped in and told her she was choking her little boy.

The visit was fun for all of them. In just one day... they felt closer then ever even after all that had happened. Funny stories were shared - a lot of them about Sora's kids or Gunnar and Lucina and then of course their mother just had to bring in all THEIR embaressing times as children.

It was... wonderful. but time passed and the sky was soon a mesh of brillant colors. It was time to go home.

Hugs were shared cause they were a... huggy family. what you thought Sora was the only one?! And then the two boys were on their way back to the beach were everyone was having a good time. The two married (and straight) couples jsut seemed to be having a grand ol' time tlaking about nothing in general. probably there kids. Lucina, Gunnar and Namine were shireking with happiness as they chased each other around, the ever watchful Terra making sure no one got hurt. Invidia was flipping her tail happily as she was brushed down by Riku. And Aqua and Fuujin were laughing as they splashed each other.

Terra saw Ven and Sora first, not to mention the very... reddened skin on the blonde;s face. his eyes narrowed. The hell did he do now? ...and why the fuck was he carrying flowers? His blinking turned into agahst staring as Ven got closer to him and the kids. Oh donlt tell him -

Then Ven gave them to the two girls. Oh. okay then! he didn;t want any fucking flowers anyways. He looked away, nodding and trying to pretend he wasn;t jealous.

Sora blinked, noticing the look even if Ven didn't. He frowned just slightly. His heart really went out to the other - it musta been really hard, unrequited love. He had been...scared of that too. He couldn;t imagine what it would have been like to of ksised riku... and have him not rweturn his feelings. Oh that would have been awful!

He let his brother do his thing with the kdis, walking over to Terra and as a way of distraction, smiled and said. "sorry. Ven sorta pissed me off and I kinda forgot you;d feel it too. hope your not mad."

Terra blinked at Sora in surprised. "You... hit Ven...?" The littler brunette laughed nervously. "... okay... no its fine." he smirked. "I know you sometimes have to knock some sense into him."


After that goodbyes were shared - and Sora made a frantic dash for the house, picking up a basket with a blanket over it and delivering it to Aqua and fuujin - their gift he explained.

Sora and Riku stood out on the beach, waving to the ship as the door closed behind Ven and the flight took to space.

Aqua held the basket up curiously. "Wonder what it is..." she murmured, slipping off the blanket some, then chuckled fondly, grinning. She turned the basket so Fuujin could see as well. Inside were three very yummy looking star-shaped fruits. "paopu." she said chuckling. That was sora and riku the romantics for you. "How did i know?"

"So, now you'll be string forever?" Lucina asked, knowing the story pretty well. She just didn;t exactly understand the concept too much. Being intertwined - translated to her being in twine which was string according to her mommy so... they got to be string?

[Rikugurl]

Fujin blinked as she looked in the basket. Her face quickly flushed as she saw the star shaped fruit. She looked down at Luci as she asked the question... knowing that her mother had told her of the legend... and it was obviously true... because Terra and Ven shared the pain together...

She looked back at Aqua with her one red eyes, a smile growing on her face. "Yea... stringed forever." She said softly, her gaze never leaving Aqua's.



The rest of the night went quiet. They were headed back to the new connection... Connection 4. They had never been in this connection... and were a bit excited to see what the worlds were like. They would be very far from their medic now... but they could get this ship moving pretty fast if they needed to.

Seifer sat in his big chair, his two children on each leg as he did the flying. They were always so fascinated.

Olette, Aqua and Fujin washed the leftover plates again and Ven and Terra got the launching pad up and running again. They would need it soon.

When Terra retreated for his stock of muffins, Ventus got on his research computers and had them start looking for more keyblades in the new connection.

It was a typical, peaceful night on the Chaser airship.


Ven had fallen asleep on his chair... listening to death metal. It was something he hadn't done for awhile... and when everyone retired (Aqua and Fujin retiring before anyone else to... 'string' together) Terra found the blonde like he once was a long time ago.

The blonde was picked up lovingly.... and brought into his own bed as the brunette went into his.


A small smile appeared on Ven's face as he slept. The night grew deeper... and the sound of computers whirled around them.



The clock on Vens' night stand read 03:21. The room was quiet as the two males slept peacefully.

The blonde's eyelids twitched suddenly...

Doves....
The sound of doves.... flying by his ear.

The ship slowly pushed into the 4th Connection as everyone slept.

The man's finger twitched.

More doves flew pass him.

Beepbeep...... beepbeep...... beepbeep


A soft moan came from his lips as his eyes opened slowly. He looked out to his nightstand, seeing a green light flash from a rested watch and realizing he was in his own bed. beepbeep...... beepbeep....
The sound was faint and he slowly sat up, looking at it. He reached over, taking his watch and looked down at it.

Search Found Message

He looked over at Terra who was still asleep. Slowly he looked back at his and pressed a button on the side. A 3D computer screen made of green lights appeared in front of his face.

This was a system that Ventus had made a long time ago. It was a smaller system that looked for keyblades... on smaller worlds. Their main computers were too large to detect smaller worlds... but there right here... it could do it.

His blue eyes scanned the screen, seeing a root where it had picked up a keyblade. A search bar was moving... trying to find the name of it.... but soon... it came up as:


Ventus frowned, pressing the search again.... but.... still:


Slowly he stood from his bed and his keyblade appeared. If it was so small that there was no way to get a name... or that it wasn't even named.... he could see if he could get it himself... He put the watch on and the coordinates matched with his keyblade.... and slashed out.

A computerized portal opened... and he walked into it.

It closed behind him....


Whiteness surrounded him and his blue eyes widened, looking around. He could hear a chant in the background... not of the tongue he knew... but... it was breathtaking.

Where.... where am I?

He looked down... and suddenly.... doves flew up, passing him and listened to their wings beat.
He blinked... and the moment he opened his eyes... the whiteness was gone.

He looked around, seeing he was in the middle of a.... forest? The trees around him were bare... but they glowed a misting white. The path he was on was scattered with shiny blue rocks... and around him, little balls of light floated to the sky. The path winded upwards into the forest... but he looked to his right. The Chaser symbol on his shoulder glowed as he walked to the outskirts... seeing something odd.

It looked like bushes blocked his way... but he noticed... a hidden path? Everything in his heart told him to follow that one. That was where the keyblade was.

Slowly he pushed through the trees and bushes until he came to a cleared path. The blue rocks grew smaller as he turned the bend... then stopped. His blue eyes looked up at the sky.... seeing a large crescent moon and... a flow across it.... like a miniature galaxy. His mouth opened... the view... it was.... nothing that he had ever seen in his life.

He looked down, now seeing a spring down below... with a large tree in it. In the middle of the tree was a large, glowing, orange jewel. Slowly, he moved down the path, his boots rustling the blue pebbles as more small balls of light floated around him and towards the... 'galaxy'.

He stopped when he reached the spring and looked down at himself in the reflection. He squatted down and poked the water... making sure it wasn't poisoned or made of acid. It just rippled. He pulled his gloves off and cupped some of the water in a hand and washed it over his wrist, seeing what the temperature was like.... but before he could even care... his eyes widened.

When the water washed over his wrist... the scars from the burn... just seemed to melt off... and... disappear. He blinked, taking more water and letting it rinse over more of his arm... watching it instantly heal him.

"Ventus..."
The blonde man stopped and looked behind him at a brunette woman. "Yea?"
She walked closer and sighed. "I know you'll be traveling to many kinds of worlds... but... there was one... that I heard about... just a tale... about a... healing spring.... If... if you ever bump into it... could you take a picture of it for me?"
"A healing spring?" He laughed but nodded. "Yea, sure things Aerith."

His blue eyes narrowed as he pulled out his cellphone and put it to camera mode. The moment it did though... the phone shut off. He blinked, trying to turn it back on... but it was no use. "Fine... have it your way." He spoke softly as he stood, looking over the spring.
A healing spring huh...?

He frowned as he watched the small burst of light flow in front of him. Slowly he walked into the spring... heading right for the tree in the middle.

[Reno]

Aqua smiled as she cuddled in Fuujin arms, fast asleep. the leaves of paopu fruit were strewn about the room, the taste still sweet on their lips as they slept, legs tangled together in a loving embrace.

She'd have to send Sora and Riku a thank you card. Or something. It was amazing... sharing the fruit and feeling their souls connect. It was... more intimate then anything they'd ever done before. More impacting then a marriage, more memorable then their first kiss... It was hard to explain but the minute it happened she felt... at peace and happy - as if nothing could ever go wrong again.

How the hell weren't Ven and Terra in love?!


Terra groaned a bit, hearing the beeping and turned over on his bed, one of his arms slipping and dangling from the side. He faintly heard someone else shfiting around as he started to slip further away into dreamland.

He didn;t stir even as the sound of a crackling portal wafted over the room. didn;t flutter his eyes when someone suddenly was gone...

A tingling in his arm was what woke him up -rather nastily. "Nnngh..." His fingers twitched, sending pain throughout it. Ah fuck it fell asleep. He used his other hand to drag his arm up and laid on his back, slowly gaining feeling back into the limb - not really concious of the fact that it was the same arm that had Ven;s nasty scars and that it wasn't asleep.

He blinked blearily, looking at the ceiling silently. It was quiet other then the sound of the monitors... too quiet.

He turned his head, and just asd he feared Ven was gone. Terra sat up in a hurry. "Ven?!" He called, as if an empty room could answer him. his own voice echoed back at him. He frowned, getting to his feet. Damn, didn;t that bastard know how to sleep?!

Terra quietly walked out of the room, the sounds of a sleeping ship surronding him. The whole ship was dark, not even a light from the kitchen was on. So Ven obviously hadn;t been hungry...

He glanced at the bathroom door, seeing it was open. Okay well... were was he? The brunette male retreated to the research room, almost expecting to find Ven there, sleeping in the chair AGAIN. Well jeez if he just wanted to make that his bed Terra could put his and Ven's together and have a much bigger one all his own. He could deal with that.

But he didn't find Ven. The computers were on, whirring quietly as they worked... but there was no sign of his blonde friend. At that moment, Terra began to silently panic. Where the hell did he go?!

calm down He chastised himself. He could know if ven was hurt, sad, lost, or in trouble. Since he felt nothing but calmness i their connection he could therefore conclude that the other was alright.

The only other thing he could think of... was that Ven went off to another world without him. Terra glanced at the computers, seeing that none of them were detecting anything that idea was shot down - until he remembered that damn watch. That had to be it it could detect the little worlds and Ven usually went after them - on most occasions he never TOLD anyone he was leaving either.

"Damn Ven you need to start leaving notes." Terra grumbled. he drew his own keyblade, concentrating intensely on the conenction between them. It was like a string he was slowly drawing tighter, until it finally twanged and he found detercted the other.

Quicksand slashed through the air and he stepped through...

Only to gasp in pure shock at the new world that surronded him. He had seen hundreds by now - or at least it felt that way... but none quite like this.

Little lights floated up around him and he looked at the ground, seeing them... as they seemed to glow into place and then float up....

While Ven had been interested in the sky, Terra couldn;t get his eyes off the ground. blue rocks surronded him, reminding him very much of Delshad and the walls around it. Glowing crystals, shining like the moon, jutted from these rocks, creating a display more beautiful then even fireflies could.

Terra tentaitvely reached out, brushing his hand against one fo the crystals - from here he could hear the movements of water - very very faint because there didn't seem to be any wind here. Maybe a small lake? It wasn't even really cold, the temperature was invitingly warm and wonderful.

Terra smiled lightly, then looked up, glancing around. Where was Ven?