An Unbreakable Connection✬

Winter was starting to melt away into spring, leaving the sidewalks finally cleared save the bundles of melting snow here and there, gathered by plows. It was refreshing, coming back to this transition. To see Hive City melting away it’s frost to reveal temporarily-clean streets and sprigs of flowers peeks between cracks in the pavement. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Aqua was at least relieved to know Hive City was relatively the same.

And, she hadn’t changed much either. Really, it didn’t feel like she had been gone at all, yet the clock on her phone begged to differ. Her caring nature stuck through time passed, spent in darkness and the unknown, so naturally Aqua wanted to lend a hand to those who were newer to the city. Perhaps it wasn’t any of her business, but the wooden sword on the grown mans back was a dead giveaway.

Aqua approached from behind, yet still noticeable from the peripheral.

“Sorry to bother you, but I couldn’t help but notice your sword. You’re new here, right--?” 

Aqua Kingdomhearts

Will Mom You

Will also fight to the ends of the Earth (and then some) for friends

Very familiar with Hive City already

Tragic but Acts Fine

She’s not fine

Aqua prided herself in being dexterous, dodging anything an enemy threw at her, always keeping balance and never taking a spill that she couldn’t recover from immediately.

Today, she did not.

Exhaustion had finally crept up on the keyblade master after all was said and done. She stretched herself too thin, worked too hard too often, and rarely allowed herself a reprieve from it all. It was sunset and the knight was heading home, her small poochyena right at her ankles, making a game of weaving between her steps. Normally she wouldn’t mind, easily dodging the pup and walking over and around him with ease, but he caught her off guard-- Aqua stumbled, and in an effort to catch herself, grasped a passing strangers shoulder. 

Immediately, Aqua let go and faced the teen with wide, apologetic eyes. Shadow, simply let out a bark.

Aqua was beat.

Between her job as a teacher (finals week was hectic-- she felt jaded that she was only a homeroom and gymnastics teacher) and trying to continuously find Ventus and Terra while still trying to get a way out of the city... Well it took a lot out of the keyblade master. She was juggling an actual life (she supposed) as well as her previous missions, and while Aqua was used to taking on many tasks at once... well, she was pretty over it. It was a familiar head of spiky brown hair that brought the knight from her tired aimless gazing at a cafe’s small outdoor table. The cup of coffee before her sat half finished and lukewarm, yet she felt no more awake.

      “Hah, thanks– I’m kind of into it myself.” It’s why she picked the alias, after all. 

          For a moment, she thinks the offer will be refused, but true to form for someone as nice as someone who’s never had a drink has to be, she does eventually accept.           Fun.            “Ahí va; then let’s go! I’ll even pay for it, since it’s my idea.” 

Aqua nervously tucks some hair behind her ear-- was this a good idea? She had to loosen up a bit maybe, plus it was for experience’s sake. She was never really fond of feeling anything other than coherent though.

But she had to be brave, and open to new things. That much she learned in Hive City.

It was only a matter of time, if Aqua thought about it.

Twelve years in darkness, and before that, losing not only both of her friends, but her master as well. She compartmentalized her emotions too well. Aqua convinced herself that blocking out these emotions, those of sadness and anger towards the events, that it would further her from the darkness. Perhaps she was right, that doing so was what helped her in the long run, allowing her to get through the Realm of Darkness.

But now she was free of that hellish darkness, in a city that had become too familiar to her in the nine-- maybe ten months she resided within it. She met people-- ones with both light and darkness within them, and a few that lied precariously in between.  She laughed and smiled alongside them, refusing to remember the memories that made her so sad. Of Eraqus, and Ventus and Terra. She tried to at least.

But when she was alone, without a distraction to make her laugh, or someone to make small talk with, Aqua was left to her own devices, and her mind would wander. For so, so long she was able to keep her chin up and jaw tight... But now, finally... she let herself go.

Alone in the Sector 03 park, sun setting slowly and reflecting it’s fiery hues on the lake she always visited, Aqua cried. She did not sob or make a noise other than a few choked gasps now and again-- still unable to let herself truly grieve. Crying was never something she allowed herself to do, lest someone find her, worry for her, that she would burden them with her own woes. It wasn’t in her makeup. Aqua convinced herself of that; after all, she was a Keyblade Master now. She should be able to handle anything.