Choices

"Shh! He's coming."

"You be quiet, Ventus."

They both watched Sora fall onto the cathedral. "He looks more like you. Humph."

"That's 'cause I'm better than you."

"I beat you, though!"

"But I came back."

"Whatever."

The doves fluttered out, and Sora looked around, confused.

"So much to do, so little time…" Vanitas muttered. Ventus glared, and said,

"Take your time. Don't be afraid." He refrained from adding, 'Van's just and idiot' to the end.

"The door is still shut." Van said, meaning it for Ventus.

Ventus sighed. "Now, step forward. Can you do it?" He asked kindly.

Sora walked to the center of the Snow White mosaic. Suddenly, three stone pedestals rose from nothing. A sword was on one, a shield was on the next, and the last one had a staff.

"Power sleeps within you," Van declared, earning a glare from Ventus. After all, most of the time Ventus was in a forced sleep. "If you give it form, it will give you strength."

Sora glanced around, eventually jumping up on the sword pedestal and picking up the blade.

"The power of the warrior." Murmured Ventus.

"Invincible courage," added Van. Ventus shot him a look of disdain.

"A weapon of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek?" Asked Ven, trying to play it down. To his surprise, Sora chose it without a second to think.

"Your path is set." Van smirked. "Now, what will you give up in exchange?"

Sora glanced around, and started for the staff, much to Vanitas' dismay. He wanted the brunette to give up the shield.

"The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. You give up this power?"

Sora nodded, letting it fade away. Ventus pumped a fist while Van glared at the floor.

"You've chosen the power of the warrior. You've given up the power of the mystic. Is this the form you choose?" The two chorused. Ventus hoped not. It was too much like Terra. Strength, and protecting his friends. He'd rather have Sora do protecting his friends and magic, like Aqua.

Sora nodded, making Ven groan silently and Vanitas nod, satisfied.

Suddenly, the pedestals collapsed inwards, and the floor crumbled, plunging a confused and slightly panicked brunette the ought the darkness and onto the next cathedral, with Cinderella instead of Snow White.

The sword appeared in Sora's hand.

"You've gained the power to fight." Declared Ventus.

"Thank you, captain obvious." Mumbled his counterpart.

Sora swung his sword a few times, getting a feel for the weapon.

"All right! You've got it." Ven exclaimed encouragingly.

"Use this power to protect yoursel-" Van stated, but before he could finish the last word, Ventus cut in,

"And others." Vanitas glared at the blonde.

"Don't interrupt me, Ventus."

The blonde quickly shushed him.

Suddenly, Vanitas smirked and said, "There will be times when you have to fight." Heartless started to form.

Ventus's eyes widened, "Vanitas! What are you thinking?! He could be killed, with us along with him!"

"As if I didn't know that. He needs practice before the really big ones start coming."

Ventus bit his lip. "Keep your light burning strong," He warned. It wasn't needed, as when Sora easily beat one shadow, the rest faded away.

More heartless formed soon after however.

"Behind you!" Ventus shouted.

"He'll be fine." Van mumbled.

The shadows faded away, and darkness spread over the mosaic. Sora started flailing, and sunk down into it like it was demonic quicksand.

He regained sight, thrashing, on a pink tile. He caught his breath, and glanced around, spotting the doors. The brunette frowned at it, and looked over his shoulder like a key was behind him. There was no key, but a chest appeared in a ray of light, sent by Ventus. ("Someone needs to provide help instead of hinder him.") Sora opened it by tapping it twice with his sword. A large crate appeared behind him.

Sora pushed it around a bit, and then decided to chop it up, which he did. Inside, he found a potion.

A barrel appeared also, which he then destroyed. The doors gleamed, becoming substantial instead of the ghostly versions they were before. They opened on their own, revealing a bright light, which Sora walked into like a moth.

Van snickered. "He looks like a zombie."

When the light cleared, Sora and the invisible Ventus and Vanitas were on a section of an island with Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus.

"Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, tell me more about yourself." Said Van, hoping that this would finally open it.

He walked up to Wakka, who asked, "What do you want outta life?" To which Sora answered,

"To be strong."

"To be strong, huh?" That was Vanitas, voice filled with approval, through Wakka.

Tidus asked, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Getting old."

Ventus giggled, while Vanitas nodded in agreement. ("I'd rather be young than end up like Xehanort or Eraqus.")

Ventus put words in Tidus's mouth: "Gettin' old? Is that really so scary?"

And finally, Selphie asked, "What's most important to you?"

"Friendship."

Selphie just nodded, smiling. Both Van and Ventus approved of that answer, surprisingly.

Ventus summed it up. "You want to be strong. You're afraid of getting old. Friendship is most important to you."

Vanitas cut in. "Your adventure begins at dawn."

"As long as the sun is shining, your journey should be a pleasant one."

Sora nodded confidently. "Sounds good."

"The day you will open the door is both far off and very near."

Ventus frowned at the raven-haired boy. "Can't you be straightforward when you meet someone for once?"

Vanitas grinned cheekily. "It's just the way I was taught."

Sora suddenly appeared on the floor with Princess Aurora on it. Within seconds, he was surrounded by shadows once again. Sora beat them easily.

Ventus caused a savior point to appear, allowing Sora to heal. A light split off of it, creating a mosaic staircase. They led to a cathedral with Belle on it.

Suddenly, Vanitas smiled. "The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes."

Sora's shadow started to rise off the floor. "But don't be afraid." Ventus attempted to comfort the frightened brunette.

"And don't forget…"

Vanitas materialized in the form of a giant Darkside. Sora ran away, almost falling off the cathedral. Vanitas attacked. Ventus gritted his teeth. If his counterpart defeated Sora like this, in his weakest stage, then Vanitas would get control of Sora's conscious.

The sword disappeared in a flash of light. Sora fell backwards, darkness appearing where he landed. The Darkside/Vanitas stared down at him.

"—But don't be afraid." The first part of Ventus's sentence getting lost in the battle. Dark energy started to wrap around his legs.

"You hold the mightiest weapon of all." Neither Ventus nor Sora could see Vanitas's mouth move, seeing that as a Darkside he had none, but his words echoes around the cathedral nonetheless.

The darkness climbed up him, and Sora reached into the air, looking for any bit of light to hold onto.

"So don't forget:…"

Sora, eyes wide open in panic, was enveloped, swallowed by the darkness.

"You will be the one to open the door." Vanitas's last words were chilling as Sora's presence faded from the Drop to the Heart.

…

"You—" Ventus was cut short by a yawn- "—just had to attack him and freak him out."

Vanitas didn't react.

"Seriously. You had to send him back through the darkness? I'm already concerned enough that he looks like a lighter version of you, that might mean something, or affect him, but that isn't that an ironic way to start him on a journey to save the light?"

"He was a sweet kid."

Ventus startled. "You met him when he was younger?"

"Yep. Though that just makes you worry more, doesn't it? If so, good. I'll worry you more. I preformed the Inheritance Ceremony or whatever on him when I met him."

Ventus stared at him, shocked. "…Oh Light no. He's going to lose himself to the darkness. Oh no oh no oh no, this is bad…" he rubbed his eyes. "I'm going to sleep on this. Wake me up in a couple days."

As Ventus started snoring, Vanitas smirked. He wouldn't be waking his counterpart up anytime soon. He was annoying. It would probably be a couple of years before he woke up again.