Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Last disclaimer of Shattered Hearts *sobs* Enjoy.

Chapter 25:

"Is this…?" Mai gaped.

"Yes, it is." Aqua nodded grimly, still reeling in shock. The doorway of light had led them to what little remained of their home. What had once been a sunny world filled with lots of memories was now nothing more than a dark shell of its former glory.

As if to mock the two girls further, they then saw Master Eraqus' keyblade laying out where he had fallen. Aqua picked it up, hearing his words in her mind and feeling an immense sense of failure. Mai, on the other hand, glared stonily at the weapon. Despite the fact that she now understood why their Master had attacked Ventus, it didn't make the action any less despicable in her mind.

"Can we keep going?" Mai hissed, barely managing to rein her temper in.

Aqua snapped out of her reverie. "Yeah, sorry."

They trudged up the staircase, and Aqua chose to hold on to their deceased Master's keyblade. If what he had told her were correct, then they would need it shortly.

The large doors ahead of them moved brokenly in the wind and the girls easily pushed through them without any resistance. The hall inside was completely dark and Mai muttered a quick spell to light it up. Debris and shattered glass decorated the floor and the girls took care to avoid stepping on any pieces. However, one was more adept at this than the other.

"Ouch! What the hell?" The blonde girl picked her foot up and winced when she saw a piece of shrapnel embedded in her sole. Of course, it would be me.

"Are you okay?" The bluenette inquired as she deposited Ventus down in a throne. They had reached the other end of the room and had been lucky enough to elude injuries up until that point.

"Oh, yeah; just dandy." Mai joked sarcastically. "I've only got a gigantic glass shard sticking out of my foot. No biggie."

Aqua sighed, resisting the urge to rub her temples. Boy, had it been a long day. The longest day of her life, in fact. "Let me pull it out for you."

Mai shook her head vehemently. "No, I've got it." She hopped awkwardly over to the chair next to her slumbering boyfriend and collapsed into it. Reaching down with her right hand, she lightly grasped the edge. "Here goes nothing."

After a silent count to three, she yanked it out. Her entire face melted into a mask of pain as she let out a curse. "F-"

"Language, Mai!" The older girl placed a hand over Mai's mouth. I swear her vocabulary has gotten worse in the past few weeks.

The girl's chest rose up and down as she tried to contain herself.

"You fall off a cliff, and you're fine." Aqua half-smiled. "But after a cut, you scream like a baby." She took her hand off her friend's mouth.

"Okay, okay. I'm good now."

"Are you sure?" Aqua hedged, shooting a glance over at the space behind the thrones. "I have something that really needs to get done, but I won't do it unless I know you're not dying of pain." That last bit came out a bit sarcastically, which caused Mai to raise an eyebrow. Sarcasm was rarely used by her motherly friend.

"What could you possibly have to do right now, of all times?" Mai tentatively placed her foot on the ground only to recoil at the sharp, stinging sensation that erupted from it. Bad idea.

"You'll see."

The bluenette walked behind the chairs, taking Eraqus' weapon with her. Mai twisted around curiously, wanting to see what her friend would do.

Light and darkness exist in balance here, and there are those who would abuse such neutral ground. Master Eraqus' voice rang in Aqua's ears, making her even more certain of her decision. She raised the keyblade and pointed it at the center chair. This is why our predecessors devised a certain… trick. A keyhole of light appeared on the worn wood. Aqua was sure that the only reason that the thrones had remained upright even through the dark storm was to fulfill this purpose. She blinked in surprise as a gust of air nearly unbalanced her. What exactly lay behind the keyhole that gave it so much power?

She shook her head and narrowed her blue eyes back on the task at hand. She pulled the keyblade back and then thrust it forwards. A blinding light exploded from the keyhole and Mai, who had been looking on, immediately shut her eyes tightly.

Just use the key, and this land will be transformed. From that day forward…

Aqua stood tall, watching as the light cleansed the building of its past; transforming it into something pure of pain.

… all who visit this land will be lost to oblivion, none ever able to solve the mystery.

As the light finally began to be too much, Aqua threw an arm in front of her eyes.

None, Aqua, except you.

After a minute, Mai slowly opened one eye, only to have both fly open in shock. Everything was white.

"Aqua… What did you do?"

Even the shape of the room had been transformed. What had once been a rectangular room had turned into a cylinder. Patterns of Mai's beret clip, of Ventus' jacket zipper, of Aqua's chest pendant, and of Terra's belt were splattered methodically on the walls. The chair that had been next to Ventus' had disappeared. Mai assumed that the only reason that the other two were still there was because they were both currently occupied.

"Master Eraqus told me a secret…" Aqua hesitated, unsure of whether or not she should tell it to Mai. Surely the young girl had proved that she was worthy of knowing such classified information. Master Eraqus had confided in Aqua that he was planning on testing Mai in a couple of month's time, anyways. Now that Aqua was the sole Keyblade Master in existence, shouldn't she have the right to make the decision? After all, she didn't want Mai to be 'lost to oblivion' inside the newly reborn castle.

"I think that under the circumstances, he would approve of me telling you it." She paused. "This whole journey has proved to be your Mark of Mastery examination, and I'm sure you passed with flying colors."

"Did I really?" Mai sweatdropped, remembering all the irrational decisions that she and Ventus had made, especially their continued refusal to come home.

"Well… No, not quite. But, I'm still going to tell you the secret anyways." Aqua amended clumsily. Mai let out an amused giggle. "There's a specific trick that a Keyblade Master can do in order to protect the Land of Departure. Our world is a station where light and darkness exist in balance, and if there is a power that threatens the balance, then the Land of Departure has the ability to be transformed. Our world is no longer what it was. It is now Castle Oblivion."

"Castle… Oblivion?" Mai repeated confusedly. "What does that mean?"

"It means that no one will ever be able to find their way through this castle to this room. No one, except for me, and you, too, now."

"Oh." Mai slumped in her chair. "Well, it's a good thing that we'll be sticking together, then. I'm pretty sure that I'll get lost anyways, what with all these white walls." She gestured at their surroundings.

"I know it's a lonely place, but you two will be safe." The bluenette ruffled Ven's hair, knowing what her spitfire friend would say next.

"You mean we'll be safe, right?" The blonde leaned forwards, piercing Aqua with her emerald eyes.

"Of course." Aqua straightened up from where she had been leaning over the boy. "I just need to go find Terra."

"Well, I'm coming with you." Mai stubbornly insisted. "You can't stop me."

"No…" The older girl agreed. "But, your injury can. There's no way you'll be able to keep up with me, even with a curaga spell."

Mai crossed her arms, knowing that her words were true. "Fine, but you better come back, Aqua."

"I will, cross my heart." Aqua nodded. "But, until then, please protect Ven."

"Heh, you don't even have to ask."

The younger girl finally managed to get to her feet, albeit painfully. She faltered, but Aqua immediately caught her in place. Mai took advantage of the situation and turned their awkward position into a hug, feeling her friend's warm breath on her hair.

"Don't forget about us." Mai teased, half-jokingly.

The Master kissed the girl's beret, then pulled back. "How could I ever forget about you two? I'll be back before you know it."

Mai rolled her eyes, trying to hide the tears building up. "If you say so…"

Aqua turned away after one final look at her friend. Nothing but the sound of her footsteps could be heard in the room.

"Good luck!" The blonde girl blurted out as the bluenette reached the door. One last time, Aqua sent a smile over to her before shutting the entrance firmly behind her.

Even as her friend left, something that Aqua had said to her back on Deep Space popped into her head.

"We don't know if I'll break my promise, because sometimes things happen that prevent me from returning. But, I do know that I will always come back for you in the end, whether it's here or anywhere else you may be. We're family, and we stick together."

"I hope you're right." Mai sighed as she returned to her throne. Once again, there was nothing but empty silence. "Please, come back soon."

And, as expected, there was no response.

Two days later…

Mai didn't know how long it had been. It was really quite difficult to tell when one had no means of telling the time, and when one hadn't been outside for at least two days.

She had ventured outside of the room, but not for too far. It seemed that there was a bathroom two rooms down, which she had discovered after slamming open many doors in desperation due to a full bladder. A kitchen was right next-door as well (she had found that after her stomach nearly ate itself). As for a bedroom, there was no sight yet. Mai wasn't as willing to explore at the risk of forgetting where Ven was. She supposed that the room Ventus was resting in had become her headquarters.

And, after much boredom, she had determined a name for the waiting place; the Chamber of Waking. It only seemed fit to have a positive name for what had become such a desolate place. Mai actually quite liked it because of the irony it portrayed.

Currently, the girl was lying splayed out on the floor. In another fit of boredom, she had thrown herself down, had a temper tantrum, and then had flipped herself over to look at the ceiling. Strangely, she couldn't find the end, no matter how hard she squinted.

"Aqua, where are you?"

Aqua was actually in the Realm of Darkness, facing a hopeless decision. After Terranort had stabbed himself in the chest with his keyblade, an enormous being of darkness had dragged him down into the floor. Aqua, not wanting to lose her friend, had dived in after him. And now, there was no going back.

Her armor was only meant to carry one person, and now it was being used to carry two. The entrance to Radiant Garden was rapidly closing and Aqua was forced to abandon herself to her fate. She placed Rainfell in Terranort's hand and gently tapped her armor. The two figures rocketed towards the gap in the blackness, leaving Aqua drifting behind.

"Ven, Mai, I'm sorry. I might not make it back as soon as I thought. But I promise I'll be there, one day."

One month later…

That was it; there was no way that Aqua was coming back.

Mai was doodling on the walls with a marker she had found in one of her pouches when the realization struck her. The red pen clattered to the floor as she stared at the number of tally marks on the back of the chair. It had been a whole month.

Well, a month and two days, but who was counting?

Certainly not Ventus. He was still out cold, and Mai couldn't help but wonder if he would ever wake up.

"Well, I'm not leaving this castle without him." She picked the marker back up and began doodling aimlessly again. "I guess it'll just be you and me, then, Ven. Friends forever."

A small smile perked up the corner of her mouth as she remembered his tender words inside her heart's platform. "You said you'd always be with me, so I'll always be with you."

She sighed. "But, please, wake up soon." Her lonely voice rang out as she finished her sketch. Two stick figures held hands with little red hearts blooming above their heads. Mai looked at it momentarily before scribbling it out.

"There's only so much solitude I can take."

Meanwhile, in the Realm of Darkness, Aqua had run into someone whom she had never thought she'd see again. A ball of cold hatred formed in the depths of her stomach as she summoned Rainfell.

"You… What are you doing here?"

A smirk crossed the figure's face. "Keep your pants on, Aqua. There's no need to fight anymore." The figure spread its arms innocently. "We're both stuck here, so we might as well get along."

Aqua stared at the figure in befuddlement before agreeing that what it said had been a valid statement. "Fine." She narrowed her eyes, banishing her keyblade. "But, this doesn't mean I have to enjoy your company, after all that you've done."

The figure's golden eyes flashed. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

And so, that was how the four friends met their ends. Terra lost his body to the darkness, but his soul still remained at the Keyblade Graveyard as the Lingering Will. Aqua became trapped in the Realm of Darkness with the embodiment of darkness itself. Ventus fell into a deep slumber for god-knows-how-long. And Mai became the guardian who watched over Ven's heart in Castle Oblivion.

Ten years later would be when everything began to change.

But, until then, the four friends found Birth by Sleep as they rested from their battles.

And Mai awaited the dawn, counting down the days with her little red marker.

She always counted.

That is, until her ink ran out. Then, she used fire magic and burned it up.

There was only so much patience a girl could have.

And, that's a wrap! Finally, all the depressing stuff is done. Next week, Shattered Dreams will begin and the protagonists will be Dayna and Noelle (or, should I say, Elleon *aggressively hints at plot twist for Shattered Dreams*)

All will be revealed in time, although I'm pretty sure you all can guess who the figure in the Realm of Darkness was.

Thank you guys so much for sticking with this story, even after the year hiatus. Stay tuned for Shattered Dreams!

- SoraMaiDay