Familiar [Aqua]

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Radiant Garden had changed, to say the least. The once beautiful and prosperous town was mere shambles of it's former glory. Ventus could see that from the instant he got off of his Keyblade glider. Suddenly the thoughts of reuiniting with Isa and Lea were a very distant second to finding out what had happened to the town. The market place, the highest reaching place that he had seen to land, was practically empty except for the few shops that were open. He asked a few of the shop owners but most of them could only provide him with "Maleficent". Hadn't she been defeated in her own world? This all sounded too crazy for him. 

He didn't want to keep asking the same people the same things, so instead he found himself wandering to the stairs that lead down into what was left of the houses here. Ventus didn't knock on their doors though, instead he headed around until he saw stairs again, heading out to the Bailey to look out over the barren blue crystals that led to a castle that he had never seen before, different from the one that Lea and Isa had wanted to expore, instead this one looked as if it had once been more sinister than the skeletal remains that were now left. 

Ventus found himself staring for the longest time, zoning back into the zombie he had been when he had first come to live with Terra, Aqua, and the Master. So much had gone wrong at every turn for everyone. And even in his long sleep it hadn't been a reprieve. He remembered pieces now, the fights he had had with Vanitas day after day, the Darkling bruising and breaking him until he had finally cracked that shell.... 

And then there were flashes of things that made Ven's cheeks burn. Kisses, hugs, long discussions about what had happened to Vanitas for all those years.... and when Ventus had felt down? Vanitas had licked his cheeks like he had with wounds, trying to soothe the pain in the only way he knew how. It was all confusing, did that make them... boyfriends? Or what? Of course these things weren't his main concerns, instead he was worried about his friends. He could find Vanitas again. They still had time to talk. Hopefully before Vanitas could find Xehanort again. 

He wouldn't notice a friendly face creeping up on him. 

    She'd ventured around Radiant Garden for quite a while, thoroughly inspecting everything in her path. This place was so much more... Dull? The Radiant Garden she knew had been beautiful and lively, clean and proper. Now it seemed... Worn out. Tired. Well, in some places. In others, there seemed to be a sense of hope. Either way, it was a strange feeling knowing she'd walked these streets before when it had been a different place. 


    Aqua had spotted a castle earlier, and had decided to check it out thoroughly. The one that had been more easily accessible had already been explored to it's fullest. There had been a computer in the basement she'd tried to access, but it hadn't gone well at all. It seemed as though there was another place within it, like there had been in the book she'd found at Merlin's place, but she hadn't wanted to get side tracked. If there were any clues as where her friends were, or what Sora had been up to or where he was besides what the merchants had been able to tell him, she wanted to find them. 

    She tread her way up to the Bailey slowly, figuring it was the best way to see a path to the castle and continue her inspections. Of all the things she expected to see at the top, a kid with a mop of messy blonde hair was the last. Her heart stopped momentarily and she gasped, bringing a clenched fist to her chest. Could it be? "V-Ventus?' Aqua murmured softly, stepping a little closer and craning her neck to see better out of habit. The outfit looked like his, the hair looked like it had been styled while getting a swirly, they seemed to be the same height... Aqua rushed forward and called his name again, hoping she wasn't going crazy. This kid needed to be Ventus. Had to be.