Left to Pieces

When Kiera caught up with Aqua, they came to another massive courtyard, this time with a marble, complex flowery design on the ground. The Unversed that Kiera and Ventus had been chasing since they arrived at Radiant Garden, was floating threateningly off the ground. Ventus and Terra appeared, summoning their keyblades and ready to fight. Immediately the Unversed attacked. Terra dodged one of its attacks but was flung back. Ventus noticed and stepped in right before Terra could be struck again.

“Terra! Ven!” Kiera called.

Aqua and Kiera summoned their keyblades and raced after them. 

.

Kiera helped Terra up while Aqua and Ventus covered for them. 

“Lucky we showed up, eh?” Kiera joked.

Terra chuckled dryly. “Yeah.”

Kiera turned to Ventus.

“You okay, Ven?” she asked.

Ventus glanced over his shoulder and nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

With the four of them together, the Unversed didn’t stand a chance. With their combined powers, the Unversed was quickly vanquished.

“Ventus! D-link!” Kiera shouted.

Ventus nodded. 

“Right!”

Ventus pulled out his green wayfinder. Kiera pulled her red wayfinder from her pocket. The raised them into the air.

“D-LINK!”

The wayfinders turned into shining green and red orbs. The began swirling around Ventus and Kiera rapidly. The two lept into the air, floating back to back. They pulled out their keyblades straight forward, and began spinning around towards the Unversed. Terra and Aqua watched in awe at the magnitude of their power. With a battle cry, the two keyblade wielders burrowed through the Unversed, and banished it back into the realm whence it came.

“Got ‘em!” Terra exclaimed, proudly.

.

“That was amazing Kiera, Ven!” Aqua exclaimed.

Ventus and Kiera exchanged looks and giggled.

“Well you two did great as well! We make a great team!” said Ventus.

Aqua and Terra nodded with a smile.

“Yeah.”

.

“Oh yeah! I got something for ya” Ventus announced. 

He dug into his pockets and pulled out two of the Disney Town Passes. 

“For what?” Terra inquired.

“Lifetime passes to Disney Town” Ventus replied as he handed one to Terra and one to Aqua, “We got ‘em from from a new friend.”

“Yeah, he said-” Kiera added in an impersonation, “-‘To take tooh grown ups’.”

“Is that supposed to be him?” Ventus giggled.

Kiera snickered. Aqua and Terra were a bit surprised.

“You mean us, ‘grown ups’?” Aqua asked.

The two exchanged glances, then laughed. Kiera and Ventus laughed with them.

.

Soon enough, Aqua turned serious again, and faced the two young wielders.

“Ven, Kiera, you two need to go home” Aqua stated firmly.

Ventus grinned. “It’s okay, Aqua. Trust me, that guy in the mask is history. He’ll never

bad-mouth Terra again!”

Terra was surprised. He grabbed Ventus’ shoulders fervently.

“You’ve seen the boy in the mask?” he asked, alarmed.

“Uh, yeah” Ventus replied, surprised.

“We had a run-in with him at the Badlands” Kiera explained, “But we dealt with him, with a little help of course.”

Terra stared off into space as he released Ven’s shoulders. He seemed genuinely worried, as well as hiding something.

“Vanitas…” 

“Terra, do you know something we don’t?” Kiera asked.

.

“Ven, you need to let Kiera take you home” Terra firmly ordered.

“No way! I wanna go with you guys!” Ven insisted.

“You can’t. We have a dangerous task ahead of us. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“And what is this dangerous task, Terra? It doesn’t sound like what the Master told you to do” Aqua asked, a bit condescendingly.

“What?” said Kiera.

“It might be a different route, but I’m fighting the darkness” Terra replied, simply.

“I’m not so sure,” Aqua replied, now taking a tone of concern, “I’ve been to the same worlds as you and I’ve seen what you’ve done. You shouldn’t put yourself so close to the darkness.”

 ‘Listen to yourself, Aqua. Terra would never-” Ventus objected.

 “-You mean you’ve been spying on me?” Terra interrupted, “Is that what he said to do? The Master’s orders?”

 “He didn’t mean that, Terra!” Kiera defended, “He’s just been worried about you since the exam.”

“Kiera, you’re not seriously telling me you’re on Aqua’s side?” Ventus cried.

“I’m not on anyone’s side, Ventus!” Kiera snapped.

.

“I get it” Terra interrupted.

Terra turned his back on his friends, starting to walk away.

“Terra!” Ventus called.

“JUST STAY PUT!” 

Ventus jumped, his eyes widened in surprise. 

“I’m on my own now!” Terra snapped, “All right?”

There was stunned silence. Terra quietly marched out of the courtyard, and disappeared around the corner. Ventus looked down at the ground, hurt, his face pale, almost wanting to cry. 

“Ven…” 

Kiera gently placed her hand on his shoulder. Ventus halfway jerked his arm away frustrated, but stopped. He couldn’t be mad at her. Aqua frowned. She clearly didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings, or tear their friendship apart. Kiera glanced back at the path that Terra took. Suddenly, she decided to pursue him. She leaned into Ventus’ ear and whispered.

“I’m going to go talk to him.”

Before Ventus or Aqua could react, Kiera took off to pursue Terra.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Thankfully, Terra didn’t go too far. Kiera panted as she sprinted towards him.

“Terra! Wait!” she called. 

She honestly didn’t expect Terra to actually stop for her. But once he heard her voice, he paused and turned around. When she finally caught up to him, she paused and leaned on her knees for a minute to catch her breath.

“Kiera…” he stated, slightly cold, but with a hint of grief in his voice.

Once Kiera pulled herself together, she pleaded:

“I’ll admit: Master Eraques told me that the reason he partnered me with you was because he wanted me to look after you.”

Terra seemed surprised, even though he should’ve known that was the reason. Kiera looked up. She suddenly felt a great sense of guilt wash over her, and her eyes moistened.

“I didn’t just follow his orders because he told me too,” Kiera confessed, “It’s because I was guilty. I ruined your chances of becoming Keyblade Master! It was my fault, not yours! It’s my fault that our friendship is falling apart. It’s my fault everyone is doubting you!”

A tear fell from her cheek, and she slowly started to sob.

“I’m so sorry, Terra! Just please, don’t get mad at Ven and Aqua!” she pleaded, “Get mad at me! They care about you and they love you! I failed you! I deserve to-”

.

“Stop.”

Terra bent down to her eye level, and lifted her chin up. Slowly, he wiped her tears away. Kiera sniffed, her violet eyes meeting with his calm  brown eyes. Kiera wanted to stop, but could only cry harder. Without shame, she went in and wrapped her arms around his waist. Terra did the same. They stood still for a moment, him patiently waiting for his friend to cry out all her pain. 

“It is not your fault Kiera. It never was” Terra finally spoke, cooly, “You’re a good friend to me; and for that, I’m forever grateful. But my burdens are not yours to bear. It never was.” 

Terra raised her chin again. 

“Right now, I need to follow my own path, discover who I’m supposed to be; and…until I do, I need you to look after Ven for me.”

Kiera was surprised. “What?”

“Ventus is…fearless and driven, but he is still young. He doesn’t understand, and I’m afraid that me leaving is gonna make it worse. I need you to protect him.”

Kiera sniffed again, and wiped her eyes.

“Oh…oh-kay” She mumbled.

Terra smiled; and rubbed the top of her head. Kiera half groaned, half giggled.

“Again with the nuggies!” She hissed.

Terra chuckled. 

“I’ll see you soon, Kiera.”

Kiera slowly nodded. As he started to leave, Kiera spoke:

“Terra…I need you to promise me something too.”

Terra paused and turned around.

“What’s that?”

“I want you to be careful,” said Kiera, “I know you can handle yourself but…darkness is a serious matter. I want you to think carefully and not trust everything you hear, or who you see. Can you promise me that, Terra?”

Terra nodded. “Of course.”

Kiera raised her pinkie-finger.

“Pinkie-promise?”

Terra chuckled again. He raised his pinkie and grasped her pinkie with his.

“Pinkie-promise.”

The two exchanged smiles. Then, Kiera watched with a heavy heart as she watched her friend disappear into the horizon.