Winds of Connection Chapter 5

Aqua.

I don’t know why I’m writing this. There’s no way this letter will get to you before I do. But I can’t come see you right away so... Maybe if I just get my thoughts and feelings together you’ll be able to feel it, to hear them. Master Eraqus always said the power of the heart can do amazing things so... I can hope. I guess maybe a lot of me doing this is to make me feel better. I feel like I abandoned you. I knew there was a good chance I’d never see you again when I did what I did but what was happening, to you, to Vanitas, to me, to Terra, I couldn’t accept any of it. I had to do something. I’m just lucky I’m still here hoping I can make it right one day.

I guess I should explain, shouldn’t I? There’s so much you don’t know. So much I wish I could forget.

When I found out what Xehanort wanted for me, I remembered. I remembered everything. From when he first took me under his wing, to the years of... Of ‘training’ he put me through. It made me strong, but the kind of strong that when hit in just the right way I would break in exactly the way he wanted me to. When the time was right, he broke me like he always planned. Ripped my darkness away and used it to make Vanitas. But... He thought I was dead, or at least dying. So he took me somewhere, probably to abandon me. This beautiful island surrounded by an endless ocean. But while I was there... I don’t know how it happened, but another heart made contact with mine, it saved me, shared itself to help me recover. That stranger saved my heart and my life, gave me the chance to meet you and Terra. I can never thank him enough for that.

He didn’t deserve this.

I fought Vanitas. I fought him until he got what he wanted. But afterwards I convinced him that we were better off messing up Xehanort’s plans. Our hearts are now... Well I don’t think we’re one again, not quite. I think we broke again, just in a different way. The power of destroying the X-blade sent our heart adrift. And if not my body, there was only one other place it could go. So I found myself back on this island, hurting all over, in a body that isn’t mine. He’s just a little kid! I don’t even know his name! This is the second time he’s saved me and I don’t even know if I can–!

I’m going to find a way back to you, Aqua. I’ll borrow this body only as long as I need to for getting back. We can fix this, set it right. Together.

I love you.

-(-)-

Aqua.

I might’ve been a little too optimistic when it comes to getting back to you. I’m not ready. I know that now. Learned the hard way.

Everything hurts. I thought it would pass after a little while but it hasn’t yet. I sleep a lot. I’ve fallen asleep at night and woke up starving, still at night, but with a fuller moon. I think my body is compensating to help my heart recover but I can’t even start to understand how all this works. Master Eraqus was the expert on this stuff. All I know is I was starting to feel a little better. Well enough to try summoning my keyblade.

That was a mistake. I passed out from the pain, didn’t wake up for a long time. Took me right back to feeling as bad as I did at the beginning.

I have to wait. I’m so sorry Aqua. Both to you and to whoever this body belongs to. I have to wait, to recover. Without a keyblade I can’t do anything. I can at least feel the other heart in this body. Asleep. I don’t know how to wake it, or even if I should.

I’ve already lost track of how long I’ve been on this island. Months at least. I guess I should’ve kept track but if I’m missing entire days sleeping I don’t know how I could. Not accurately at least. At least this place is comfortable. It’s weird. For how built up this place is, with a huge treehouse, docks and stuff, I would’ve thought I’d see other people by now. But so far, nobody. It’s like this place is abandoned. I don’t know. I have shelter, food, drinking water, I guess I should be grateful for all of that, even if it’s a little strange.

-(-)-

Aqua.

If you really can feel me writing these letters you’re probably getting sick of the same thing over and over again, huh? Sorry. But I have good news! And... A lot of bad news, but most of the bad probably isn’t news to you.

I summoned my keyblade today. After so long, I finally got it. It still hurt but I’m used to pain... You know what? Forget I said that part. That part isn’t important. The important part is I can summon my keyblade again. For... A while. I’m still weak. I can’t keep the kind of focus I need for magic. It’s weird how frustrated I am. It’s a completely new feeling and yet it feels like something I’ve had experience with. I guess that’s how it’s going to be, adjusting to getting Vanitas’ memories. They’re... Not fun.

Still. Getting my keyblade back is a step in the right direction. If only it didn’t show me exactly how far away from my goal I am. Now that I have it, I know I can’t use it for what I really want. I was all ready, morphed it into its glider form only to realise the next big problem. I don’t have my armour. And it wouldn’t fit this body even if I did. Weak as I am, there’s no way I could possibly travel the Lanes Between to get back to you. The darkness would eat me alive. It’s not exactly a good sign that the Lanes are still open either. If you could have closed them I know you would have so if they’re still open...

No. I don’t believe that. I refuse to believe that. You’re out there. I know it. Still, the Lanes being open for years can’t be safe. Not that I can do anything about it. I don’t know how to close them. A keyblade can pretty much lock or unlock anything but locking all worlds at once is a little more complicated... Why am I telling you this? You know that.

I just... I’ll have to risk it. One day. This body, it’s grown up too much. I’ve stolen so much of his life. I need to train myself until I can pass through the Lanes. Until I’m strong enough to hold back the darkness long enough to reach home.

Please be out there. Please wait for me.

-(-)-

The Destiny Islands. It was a tight-knit community spread across an archipelago. Full of bright and happy people. Most of the inhabitants lived in the town on the mainland, the largest island at the centre of the archipelago. It was a peaceful place. A restful place.

And for teenagers looking for a little adventure in their lives, a boring place.

“Come on Selphie!” Wakka taunted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I know you’re curious for what could be out there!”

“Right?!” Tidus agreed, grinning at Kairi. “Maybe we could find the ghooooost!”

“Come on, Tidus! That’s not funny!” the redheaded girl protested with a concerned look at Riku. The silver-haired boy turned away from her.

It was a tragic story. In the past, there was an island that the community had built as a playground for the kids. Cleared out the dangerous wildlife, built some basic shelters and a treehouse. It was a place the kids could row out to and have fun by themselves. Of course they wouldn’t let the little kids go out there unsupervised, but by a certain age they were trusted to know how to take care of themselves and look out for each other. It was only a mild rowing distance away from the mainland so there wasn’t much danger.

So they thought. Until one of the kids went missing. His name was Sora. He had gone to the island with his friend Riku, but by nightfall only a terrified Riku came home. Search parties combed the island, trying desperately to find the lost little boy. Even as small as the island was, they searched for over a day. Found nothing. Not a single sign of him. No answer when they called his name. Eventually, the searchers could only come to the logical conclusion. The boy must have ended up in the water and been pulled away by the current.

The grief of the boy’s parents was one thing. Riku’s guilt for failing his friend, feeling the grief he experienced was wrong since it was his fault Sora was gone... The townspeople tried to be understanding. But knowing it wasn’t his fault and believing it were two different things. No more so than for Sora’s parents who wouldn’t even look at him anymore. Not that Riku blamed them for it.

He didn’t like to look at himself either.

“Come on Kairi, we’re just having some fun!” Tidus continued, not noticing or wilfully ignoring the upset he caused. “We’re just gonna go out there and have a look around. See the scary island everyone’s so weird about. What’s the harm?”

“Yeah, it’s not like we’re gonna drift out to sea like–” Wakka’s incredibly insensitive comment was cut off by an elbow to the gut from Selphie.

“Whatever,” Riku muttered, despite his obvious discomfort, “I don’t care.”

“See? He’s fine with it!” said Tidus, “Let’s get to the pier!”

“I’ll take a boat with Kairi!” Selphie volunteered. The blond with incredibly transparent intentions did about as well at hiding his frustrations as could be expected from a teenager. But he was at least savvy enough to not say anything about it.

Of course, Selphie didn’t make such a declaration without cause as she made clear on the row over to the mysterious abandoned playground island. She didn’t waste a moment before engaging in some girl talk away from the boys. “So, you and Riku, huh?”

Kairi didn’t pick up on the implication. “What are you talking about? Me and him what?”

“You know,” the perpetually smiling brunette teased, “Tidus really is barking up the wrong tree if he can’t see the way you look at mister tall, silver and broody.”

“What?” The redhead was legitimately surprised by the insinuation. “No, it’s nothing like that. I just feel bad for him. He’s so hard on himself for a mistake he made as a kid. I just want him to know he doesn’t have to live for that one mistake, that’s all.”

“Aww,” even disappointed, Selphie didn’t stop smiling. “Really? That’s sweet but not really the kind of sweet I was looking for, you know? Do you not like any of the boys?”

“Why would I?” Kairi frowned. “Tidus is an insensitive jerk and Wakka is the same. I don’t know how you put up with him being so grabby all the time.”

“I guess I don’t really have a problem with guys being honest about what they want. I guess I could do better but you’re only young once, right? If he’s interested then I can enjoy the ride while it lasts, don’t you think?”

Kairi couldn’t help but giggle at the easygoing attitude. “I don’t know if I could do that. If I’m gonna be with someone then I want it to be... Special. You know?”

“And that’s why you’re gonna be single until your thirties.”

“Hey, come on!”

At the very least the chat meant the girls were a fair bit more comfortable when they joined the boys on the deserted island’s dock. “Hey, you guys made it!” Tidus exclaimed, stepping over to put an arm around Kairi’s waist just a little possessively. “So tour guide, guide the tour! Where should we check out first?”

Riku rolled his eyes, his arms folded defensively. “You guys are the ones who wanted to check out a kids’ playground so badly. There’s a treehouse up that way,” he pointed up to the left of the group, the darkness of twilight obscuring the landmarks. “A pond over there, a hut under the pier that leads to that little islet. Then the other end of this beach there’s a door that leads to a tunnel to the other side of the island.” He shrugged. “That side’s less built up though. There’s a tower and zipline but I wouldn’t try it after ten years of no one looking at it. Probably rotted away.”

“You’re as fun as ever,” complained Wakka.

“Are you okay, Riku?” Kairi asked, pulling away from Tidus, putting a hand on the silver-haired boy’s arm in a comforting gesture that was immediately misread by everyone else but Selphie.

He smiled at her just a little in appreciation. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I, uh, I think I’ll take a walk around the beach. Just to think for a while.”

“Wakka and I’ll come with you!” Tidus quickly volunteered, confusing both girls.

Riku looked at the other boys, confused. He wasn’t ignorant of what they were trying to pull here with the girls. But, “Sure, do as you like.” He probably would have been less accepting if he knew he was about to get an earful for raining on their parade with his sad boy shtick.

“We’ll be back in a little bit, okay?” Tidus assured Kairi.

The redhead watched him run off to chase after Riku, generously assuring herself that when he patted her it was accidental that his hand missed her arm and landed somewhere more intimate. She grimaced and rubbed the upper curve of her backside as if to brush off the unwelcome touch.

Selphie, ever cheerful no matter the atmosphere, was quickly right with her again. “So, whaddya feel like doing? We could check out that pond Riku talked about. Or the treehouse?”

“I don’t know,” the redhead hesitated.

“Hey, we’ll have more fun looking around just us girls than with the guys hanging all over us, right?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. The pond?”

“That’s the spirit!”

The two girls were careful with their steps as they moved up along the long abandoned beach then up toward the cliff. They could see the miniature waterfall bringing fresh water down from the island’s low peak. “Wow, it’s kind of pretty. Relaxing,” Selphie observed, taking her sandals off to sit at the edge of the pond and dip her feet in the cool water.

“Hey Selphie?” Kairi spoke from behind the brunette.

“Yeah?”

“This place is supposed to be abandoned, right?” she asked, getting an affirmative hum in response. “Then what’s that?”

Selphie looked around to see her friend pointing. Following the finger she saw a line with fabric hanging from it. “Huh.” She watched Kairi approach what looked very much like a clothesline. “Maybe it got left here?”

“And stayed right where it was for ten whole years?” the redhead asked, running a hand over the rough fabric in the shape of a shirt. “It’s still damp.”

“Wait, do you think it belongs to the ghost?!” Selphie asked excitedly, getting back to her feet and rushing over to join her friend.

“A ghost that needs to do laundry?” Kairi asked with a wry smirk.

“Hey, hygiene is important!”

“Tell that to Wakka.”

Selphie’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Ugh, trust me, I have. He thinks his sweat stank makes him more masculine.”

Her friend giggled, returning to looking over the clothes. “Do you think someone is actually living here?”

“Or it’s the ghooooo–”

“Come on, Selphie!” Kairi complained with a smile on her face at her more energetic friend’s antics. But the smile disappeared as her eyes strayed upward. “Is that a light?”

“Hm?” As she turned around and looked up an enormous grin broke out on her face. “Oh wow! Someone really is here! Come on, let’s go find the ghost!”

Before Kairi could even say, “Wait, Selphie!” the other girl was already gone, forcing Kairi to chase after her up the ladder and around the wooden walkway. When she finally caught up, she found Selphie with her jaw hanging open staring inside. The redhead followed her friend’s eyeline and her own jaw joined Selphie’s on the floor.

There inside the treehouse lit by a single torch hanging on the wall, the two girls saw a boy their age. His hair was blond, his skin a light tan. And the two girls could very clearly see that tan covered his entire body as he was entirely unclothed. His knees hooked on a horizontal wooden beam as he hung from it facing away from them, letting out grunts of exertion as he did upside-down crunches. Both girls’ eyes devoured the way his muscles, clearly outlined by the shadows cast from the room’s single light source, seemed to dance with his movements. They could tell he wasn’t tall but that just made the densely packed muscle on his frame look more impressive. Not built like a bodybuilder but with his smaller stature it almost seemed like he was.

It was a different experience for Kairi. Seeing a boy she didn’t know so exposed like this. She’d seen some things from the boys she kind of wished she hadn’t, but it wasn’t like they were unattractive from an objective sense. She just knew them personally and so couldn’t take that objective perspective knowing they were… Kind of jerks.

But whoever this was, she didn’t know them at all. And so without that added baggage she could readily admit she liked what she saw. That being held by a body like that was a very appealing thought. Her legs shifted slightly, thighs pressed together, imagining  that hard body pressed against hers, the tension of his muscles under her fingers, his powerful hips pushing him inside her and showing her pleasures only a woman could know–

Neither girl knew what got his attention, but as the boy heard a pair of mildly lustful and appreciative hums, his eyes narrowed. With a flex of his calf muscles he fully rolled himself over the wooden beam and twisted around in the air to face whoever was there, the white flash of his keyblade appearing in his hand and readied behind him.

And yet the magically appearing key was not at all what the two girls’ eyes zeroed in on. Their faces already lit in blush glowed as they saw not only more of his sculpted physique but also his penis bobbing between his legs as he landed. Selphie grinned wider, her eyes lighting up. Kairi covered her eyes with her hand, though her fingers soon split just enough she could convince herself he wouldn’t catch her looking. “Uh... Hi?” the redhead tried, her voice coming out uncomfortably squeaky for her tastes.

“Are you a ghost?!” Selphie asked excitedly.

“A ghost?” the boy asked, relaxing just slightly on the two not seeming to be a threat. “No?” he tried as his answer. He didn’t think so.

“I, uh,” it really was difficult for the more reserved of the two girls to get words out while he was still naked. “Your name wouldn’t be Sora would it?”

“No,” he answered more firmly this time. “The name’s Ventus. Call me Ven.”

Well, that was good as far as Kairi was concerned. It would have been tragic if all this time Riku’s friend had been living here alone. Even so, “C-Could you put some pants on?”

“Aww, does he have to?”

“Selphie!”

“Sure, I guess,” Ventus shrugged. “I was doing laundry today, probably not dry yet but if it’ll make you more comfortable.” The giant key in his hand disappeared as instantly as it had appeared. He walked out the door past the two girls, offering them a slight smile as he did, then rounded the corner around the outside of the treehouse.

The girls looked at each other, wide eyed. “Wow,” Selphie breathed.

“Uhh, yeah, wow is,” Kairi swallowed, laughing nervously, “Wow is a word.”

“Heehee! Has Kairi finally seen a boy she likes?”

“I-I just met him!” she protested. “He doesn’t even know my name!”

“I didn’t say you wanted to marry him,” Selphie rolled her eyes, “But maybe you’re thinking about having some fun.”

“W-Well...”

“Hey, no need to be embarrassed!” her friend assured her, “Just us girls. And trust me, I’m right there with you. Like, wow.”

It was a good half minute of Kairi nodding, the picture burned into her mind’s eye. Something she would definitely be remembering in the future when in private. But as the image was filed away she finally noticed something important that had otherwise escaped her notice. “Did he make a key appear out of nowhere?”

“Hey!” The redheaded girl jumped as Ventus called out to them, the brunette having seen him coming. “So, sorry about before,” he offered, “It’s been... A while, since I’ve seen anyone else. Guess I got used to being on my own, not worrying about being naked.”

“You can be naked around me whenever you like!” Selphie immediately offered, getting a slap on the arm from her much more embarrassed friend. “What? He should feel comfortable too.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what you were thinking of. His comfort.” The sarcastic barb didn’t seem to bother the brunette at all, only got her to smile innocently. Kairi sighed. “How long have you been here?” she asked Ventus, glad to see he was wearing pants.

She was also glad to see he was only wearing pants. Looked like he took her request literally. He still had a sheen of sweat coating his skin from his exercise, making his toned physique shine in the flickering light of the torch.

... Was she staring? She might have been staring. Oh shoot, she was staring! Her eyes raised, her posture stiffened so she would very clearly be looking him in the eyes and nowhere else. Most of the time.

“I don’t know,” the boy admitted, ruffling his hair a little with one hand. “I just kind of ended up here one day, injured pretty bad. Can’t really get home so I’m training until I can travel again.”

“Injured?” Kairi asked.

“You look okay to me!” Selphie opined with a grin, not at all hiding how she gave him a thrice-over.

“Yeah, I got better,” he agreed, “But I’m still not strong enough. I need to make sure I get home safe. There are people waiting for me.”

The conviction in his voice struck something within both girls. Another kind of appeal beyond the physical. But it also brought back the thing Kairi desperately wanted to know about. “Is it something to do with that key?” She felt like she had seen something like it before but couldn’t for the life of her remember when.

“Oh,” the boy cringed, “You saw that, huh? Could you please not tell anyone? I’m not supposed to show it off like that.”

“You can show off for me any–”

The redhead’s hand slapped over her friend’s mouth, only making her eyes dance with laughter. “We can keep it to ourselves. But what is it?”

“It’s called a keyblade,” he answered, clearly uncomfortable. He decided his best course was to change the subject. “So you came from that other island? What for? No one comes here.” Convenient for him since it let him train in peace.

Selphie stuck her tongue between the fingers of the hand covering her mouth. “Eww!” Kairi whined.

Now free to talk, “There’s a story that this island is haunted by the ghost of a boy who disappeared here nine years ago. Some friends of ours wanted to check it out,” Selphie explained.

The blond nodded slowly, putting two and two together. “And his name was Sora?” the name the girl had called him before.

“Yeah.”

He nodded slowly. That was the name then. Sora. The boy he needed to save from himself. “Well I’ve lived here for a pretty long time, never seen any ghosts.”

“Yeah. The rumour was probably just somebody seeing you doing something like we did,” Selphie shrugged, rocking on her heels. “Want to come meet our friends?”

“Uhh, sure, I guess?” he hazarded. It was nice to meet people again so more couldn’t hurt. Though might get in the way of his training if they decided to come to this island all the time in future, knowing someone was here.

“Oh!” Kairi suddenly realised, “We never introduced ourselves! Sorry, I’m Kairi and this is Selphie. Nice to meet you, Ven!”

The group of three walked back down to the beach and along the coast until they found the other boys. Tidus and Wakka were less than enthused that in the ten minutes they’d been gone to chew Riku out the girls had found another guy to hang around with. Even worse that both of the girls seemed pretty enamoured with him already.

And though he said nothing to explain it, the silver-haired boy Riku. He wouldn’t stop staring at Ventus like he really was seeing a ghost.