Aqua sat on the edge of the bed in her borrowed room, the faint glow of the moonlight replaced by the dim grey wash of dawn. Sleep had not come for her, though she had tried. Hours had slipped by in silence, but her mind had refused to be quiet.
Her gloved hands rested on her knees, one thumb absently rubbing the fabric. At last, she exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes closed against the growing light.
'Skuld. Helios. That white haired girl named Kurai.'
Those names tangled together in her thoughts like threads pulled too tight. Every time she thought she'd made sense of the situation, another knot appeared. Skuld's loyalty was touching, but it unsettled her too. The girl who had once looked to Aqua for guidance now followed Helios so completely that it worried her. And Kurai — that white-haired girl, cloaked in shadows and danger — her very presence was a threat.
And then there was Helios himself. Unconscious, corrupted by a darkness that even her and Skuld's combined efforts barely contained. Aqua pressed her lips into a thin line. She had seen hearts falter under the weight of less, and part of her wondered whether Helios was strong enough to fully come back from this.
Her thoughts shifted, inevitably, to Terra and Ventus. Old wounds ached like reopened scars. She was supposed to protect them. She was supposed to keep her friends safe. And yet here she was again, in a strange mansion, watching another young wielder teeter between life and death while darkness circled all around.
"Every time I think I've found answers," she whispered into the silence, "the questions only multiply."
The quiet broke with a knock at the door.
Aqua blinked and straightened, her hand falling to her lap. Slowly, she rose and opened the door.
Zack stood there, beaming, his posture relaxed but his grin almost too eager.
"Aqua! You're up! Great timing!" His words spilled out quickly, bright as the sunrise just beginning to edge over the horizon. "I was just thinking, what are the odds, right? You come all this way, and I didn't even get to say hi properly yesterday. You must be tired, or busy, or both, but still, wow, I can't believe it's really you—"
Aqua gave a small nod. "Good morning, Zack. Yes it is a shame I didn't have time to greet you yesterday." Her voice was even, polite, though fatigue weighed on the edges.
Zack rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly awkward. "So, uh…" He hesitated only a moment before blurting out, "Want to go on a morning date?"
The words hung in the air. For a moment, Aqua only blinked at him. Zack looked ready to backpedal, his grin faltering into nervous laughter.
But then Aqua, to his surprise — and perhaps her own — said softly, "...All right."
Zack froze, eyes wide. "Wait, really?"
"Yes." Aqua stepped out into the hall, adjusting her gloves. "A walk sounds good."
They left the mansion behind, entering the forest as dawn painted the sky pale gold. The air was cool, touched with dew, and birds had just begun their morning chorus. The path wound gently between tall trees, their branches whispering with the breeze.
Zack walked beside her, a little too stiff, a little too energetic. He tried to fill the silence, as though afraid it might swallow him.
"So, uh, Olympus is pretty this time of morning, don't you think? Great air, nice view of the mountains. The training grounds are just over that ridge—oh! Did I tell you about the last tournament? I mean, wow, Helios nearly got cut in half, but you should've seen the way he—"
Aqua's eyes stayed forward. Her responses were minimal: "Mm." "I see." "Go on."
Zack scratched his cheek, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She was beautiful in the morning light, but her expression carried a weight that made his usual charm falter. He kept talking, though, because silence felt unbearable.
"Right, and Skuld — she's really something, huh? Always there, always healing, never complains. Sometimes I wonder how she keeps it up, honestly. And Kurai — well, I don't even know what to say about her. Cold, sharp, scary — reminds me of a drill sergeant, but scarier." He chuckled nervously.
Aqua remained quiet. The crunch of gravel beneath their boots filled the space between words.
Finally, she spoke.
"Zack." Her voice was calm, but it cut through his chatter like a blade.
He stiffened. "Y-yeah?"
"What have Helios, that white-haired girl, and Skuld been doing here in Olympus?"
The air seemed to shift. Zack felt his grin falter. He rubbed his neck again, suddenly aware of the tension pressing down on them.
"Well… uh…" He swallowed. "They showed up here pretty banged up. Helios especially. Skuld worked herself nearly to exhaustion healing him. Then, y'know, they started training again, entering tournaments, doing… whatever Helios does. I don't really get all his plans. He's always scheming something."
Aqua's gaze flicked toward him, sharp and searching. "And then?"
Zack shifted. "Then… they left. Didn't say where. Gone for a while. Came back later, more or less the same. Honestly, I don't ask too many questions. Helios doesn't exactly like explaining himself, and Kurai… well, she'd kill me with a look if I pried too much."
He gave a short, awkward laugh. "So, yeah. That's about what I know. If you want details, Skuld or Helios are the ones to ask."
Aqua nodded faintly, her lips tightening. "I will. I just needed a rough idea of what to ask first."
Zack exhaled in relief. "Good. Because honestly, I'm not the guy for big secrets. I mean, I try, but—" He cut himself off, realizing he was rambling again.
The two walked on in silence. The forest opened briefly into a small clearing where the sunlight spilled golden across the grass. Zack gestured toward it, smiling nervously.
"There's a good overlook up ahead. You can see all of Olympus from there. Thought maybe… y'know, you'd like it."
Aqua said nothing. She simply followed, her thoughts sharpening with every step. She had more questions now than ever — but at least she knew where to aim them.
The sun crested the trees, flooding the world in light. Zack smiled up at it, awkwardly hopeful. Aqua, however, looked ahead with quiet resolve. She would get her answers — from Skuld, from Helios, and perhaps even from Kurai herself.
And this time, she would not let silence stand.