In Their Memories: Two sides of one Heart part 3

A/N:
happens at the beginning of Replica returns and in Monsterpolis in my fanfic True friendship never dies.

on his way to Radiant Garden, Ventus encountered someone he also met on his first journey. inside a small, red spaceship; the creature known as 626 flew off the world and out to the unknown. curious, Ventus choose to changes his direction and follow the blue creature towards wherever it was going.
he speed up his glider and looked into the spaceship and facing 626. at first the creature did look quite confused, then it spoke happily in its alien language, only one word could be understood by the teen. "Ven!"

"where are you going?" he asked it, but all he got was more alien language he did not understand.
still he followed 626 through the Lanes Between and close to a world filled with islands and waters, very similar to Destiny Islands, yet different.
suddenly, out from nowhere; another spaceship appeared, this one bigger and far from friendly.
Ventus turned around, confused of this ship sudden arrival, but before he could say or do anything. the ship shot at both him and 626. several of the shots hit the red spaceship and caused 626 to lose control, which caused in the ship ramming into Ventus and both fell to the world.

meanwhile on the world, inside a house a few miles away from the city, a small girl rested her head on the window frame with an sad expressions. however her face lit up in a smile when her eyes caught the sigh of what looked like a green fire ball the crashed towards the ground.  "a falling star!" she cried happy and folded her hands to make a wish.
"I need someone to be my friend... someone who won´t run away" she muttered. her reason? this little girl did not have a single friend, and without knowing, the falling obstacle was granting her wish.

at the crashing site, the experiment jumped out from the wrack and ran over to Ventus who laid half conscious on the ground from the crash. 626 titled his head towards the boy, not sure how to solve this "problem" his time in Radiant Garden have taught him to be nicer around people, but he did not really have friends beside from Sora and those three who taught him about friendship for so many years ago. one of them was Ventus and 626 wished to help... he just didn´t know how.
"huh?" 626 turned around and jumped angry of the arrival of and small horde of Heartless. he shouted angry at them in alien language and attacked with his laser guns. he got most of them, and those who took the run for it, 626 followed and in a moment of battle lust, he forgot everything about Ventus and kept on following the Heartless out to an road.

Ventus opened his eyes of a pretty familiar sound, with a foggy sight he saw two Flood Unversed, both watching him with their angry eyes expression. Ventus wasn´t afraid of them, not anymore at least. now he took these fletching of emotions as a good sign and knew that somehow, Vanitas was nearby.
not long after, another Unversed appered, this one could´ve been mistaken for another Flood, if not for the more cat-like appearcne. Dark Lighting ran over to the blond, stroke its head against his with a few sad twitting. Ventus sat his hand on the Unversed head, ensuring Dark Lighting that he was still there. the Unversed twittered happy and more so when Vanitas arrived, and with only an grunt. the dark haired boy casted an healing spell and helped Ventus back up on his feet.
"thanks" Ventus muttered, feeling happy and grateful that Vanitas has followed him. he eyed the other boy, curious "how did you find me?"

"Dark is like a freaking bloodhound" Vanitas said and eyed Dark Lightning who looked up to them with a pretty cute expression.
Ventus couldn´t help but laugh of that fact that the Unversed with an personality knew how to track either of them down. "must´ve gotten that from you" he said, far too well remembering how annoying it were that Vanitas had a nag of finding him when he considered the raven haired as an enemy.
Vanitas only response was with an snort, then he changed the topic and asked while looking around the forest they have ended up in "so, found Terra yet in this jungle" voice filled with sarcasm

"very funny" Ventus snorted and explained of how he and the experiment 626 have been shot down to this world by some other spaceship. "and you arrived not longer after it ran after some Heartless"
he finished explaining just as a screeching sound of a truck trying to stop but fail. both boys turned to the nearby road where the sound came from and also where 626 went in persuit for the Heartless.

"and now its road-kill" Vanitas remarked dryly, he glanced to Ventus who gave him a glare for that one and said even it was more of a question "unless it can survive being run over by a truck?"

Ventus did not answer the quistion, for he wasn´t sure himself, but he hoped 626 could survive when it could easily handle a big Unversed the last time he saw the experiment, not to mention crashing to this world and leave without a scratch. shaking his head, he turned to the road, muttering worried "I sure hope its alright..." and he ran towards the road, but when he and the quite reluctant Vanitas arrived to the road, both the truck and 626 was gone.


early the next morning, the little girl who made a wish on 626 falling spaceship went to the local animal shelter with her older sister. inside the shelter, her older sister Nani explained to the keeper of the shelter what she and apparently her younger sister was looking for in the animal shelter.
"we´re looking for something that can defend itself... something that won´t die. something sturdy, you know?"
"like a lobster" the little girl said, and her older sister said in matter of fact to her "we have a dog door. we are getting a dog" she said and turned back to the lady at the desk "what do I need to get one?"

the lady at the desk took up a piece of paper and explained that Nani needed to write down her name and address, adding kindly to the small child "why don´t you pick a dog while we do this?" she opended the door and showed her inside the kennel.
the small girl went inside the kennel to find herself a dog, but just to her luck... there was no dog inside the cages "hello?" she called looking after a dog she could pick.
meanwhile inside in one of the lasts of the cages, a certain blue alien woke up of the girl´s calling.
"are there any animals in here?" the girl asked, beginning to get annoyed that no dog was in the cages. but if she have looked up, she would have seen that all the dogs has crawled up on the fences, all to avoid the alien.
626 crawled out from its cage, landing not far away from the girl, sniffing confused. sure he has seen children in Radiant Garden, but most (except from Sora) was afraid of him. still the blue alien wanted to say hi and went over to her. the girl turned around, surprised to see a "dog" more so when this dog did have blue fur. still it was a dog in her head and she greeted it smiling "hi"
to her bigger surprise, the blue "dog" copied her greeting and said "hi" with a kinda creepy smile. still the small girl did not run away as most did in Radiant Garden, so he tried something he have seen many do. he hugged her and the small girl was baffled "wow!" that instant she knew this blue, talking dog was the one. she smiled to 626, asked it to follow and the experiment followed her outside the kennel where her sister and the other lady spoke.

"oh, yes. all of our dogs are adoptable" the keeper of the shelter said and turned around as the girl appeared with her choice. quite startling, the lady jumped scared, yelling frighten "except that one!"
both adults ran over to the girl and 626, Nani took her younger sister, asking "that is that thing?" while the other lady removed 626 away from the girl "A dog, I think" the lady said hesitant and added still shocked to see it moving around "but it was dead this morning"

"it was dead this morning?" Nani asked in disbelief and the owner admitted they thought it was dead, after all; it was hit by a truck.

"I like him!" the small girl smiled and called for 626 who completely ignored the lady who held him and went over to the girl.
the two adults more or less failed in keeping the alien away from the girl.

"wouldn´t you like a different dog?" Nani asked while trying keeping the blue alien away from her younger sister, glancing to 626 as he picked his nose with his tongue.
the little girl Lilo shook her head "no, I want this one, he´s good. I can tell."
so Nani have to reluctant buying this "dog"


meanwhile in the town, Ventus kept searching for the blue alien with Vanitas casually following, not really giving a darn about 626.
while the blond boy was searching Vanitas did notice a little girl walking with a pretty strange blue dog and began wondering.. "hey" he turned to Ventus, asking still pretty casual "is that your alien friend?" and he pointed at the girl with 626.

Ventus followed Vanitas  finger and sighted in relief, he nodded to Vanitas, happy seeing that 626 was alright. he went over to the girl just as she bought two ice creams and gave one of them to 626.

626 noticed Ventus and began jumping up and down in sign of happiness, saying cheerful "Ven!"
the girl turned around, curious what her dog spoke (she found it awesome he could talk) about and notice a older blond boy was walking over to her with a dark haired boy not far behind.
the blond smiled to her dog as if he knew it "I´m glad to see you´re alright"
"you know Stitch?" she asked with titled head.
the  blond boy blinked, looking for a few seconds confused, then he smiled with a nod "yeah, he´s a friend of mine" asking with a small frown "why do you call him Stitch?"

"it's his name" Lilo said in matter of fact and explained the older boy that she have just bought Stitch from the animal shelter and now she owned him. the blond boy looked a little baffled, and the dark haired one looked like he was about to laugh. Lilo titled her head, confused over their reactions "something the matter?" she asked.

Ventus wasn´t sure how to explain this to the little girl without revealing that "Stitch" actually came from another world and was far from being a dog.
"well, it´s kinda of a long story" he began, not noticing that the small Unversed Dark Lighting has walked over to Stitch and looking curious at him. Stitch stared at the Unversed for a few seconds, then began growling; recognizing what Dark was.
"your dog, um... he´s not really-" Splat!
everyone´s attention was at Stitch. he has smacked his ice cream onto Dark Lighting´s head and the small Unversed fell over its own feet in trying to get the sticky stuff off.

"Stitch!" Lilo scowled at her dog and dragged him away from what she saw as a strange cat. the blond took the cat and removed the ice cream from its head.
while the black haired boy remarked amused "I´m beginning to like Stitch" and added grinning to the blond "for that was funny"
the blond gave him a scowl that he wasn´t amused.
Lilo wasn´t amused either over Stitch form of behavior "I think I need to train him in behaving..."
the blond sat the cat down again, suggesting kindly "mind we help?"

"keep me out of this Blondie" Vanitas scowled, no way he was going to help such a hilarious creature turning boring. Ventus rolled his eyes and turned to the girl, saying still with that annoying kindness "I´m Ventus, but you can call e Ven" he eyed the raven haired "and that is Vanitas"

"I´m Lilo, nice to meet you" the girl Lilo said and was more than happy to receive help to train Stitch. she wanted mostly their help because she wanted some company.

Ventus helped Lilo in different tasks but it did prove to be quite difficult making Stitch behave, time after another the blue alien made life really hard for some people. an old groceries store lady got one of her big watermelons on her head, Lilo's "friends" bikes got destroyed, a volleyball player got his own volleyball thrown right at his face and almost knocking his teeth out. the list went on and it was really hard to keep Stitch from misbehaving, mostly because he had no idea how to behave, he never really learned that in his time in Radiant Garden. Ventus did see one good thing in all of this; Vanitas was enjoying himself and sometimes even laughing, even it was when Stitch was causing trouble.
"at least someone is having fun" Ventus remarked to his dark haired companion, once again after having dragged Stitch away from some poor sod.

Vanitas snickered amused "of course it is funny, it´s not often I meet someone who likes to make people miserable just as much as me" he eyed Stitch who once again was misbehaving and Lilo's older sister dragging him and Lilo away.

"yeah but if he keeps this up-"

"we have to take him back" Nani said hard to Lilo, refusing to keep Stitch after what she have heard and witness of what he has done around town. and decided that Stitch was simple too much for her younger sister.

Lilo of course refused to let him go and yelled at her sister "he was an orphan and we adopted him!" asking hard "what about Ohana?!"

"he hasn´t been here that long!" Nani retorted angrily back, holding the struggling Stitch.

"Neither have I" Lilo gave back and said both hard and softly what Ohana meant "Ohana means family. family means..."

"nobody gets left behind" both said at the same time.
Nani had stopped struggling against Stitch. and Stitch have stopped as well, surprised over the sudden change. even Ventus and Vanitas could feel the change, even though they watched the scene from a distance.

"or?" Lilo pressed her sister and Nani said with a sight "or forgotten. I know. I know" adding scowling yet with a genuine smile "I hate it when you use ohana against me"  
Lilo stuck her tongue at her and Nani retuned the favor, although a bit more teasing. with a sight Nani let Stitch go and Lilo walked back to the two older boys, apologizing for the scene.

"that´s alright" Ventus said with a faint smile.
Vanitas stayed quiet for some odd reason with eyes looking quite distance in thoughts.
with a suggesting to leave and maybe find something to make Stitch behave a little better, Ventus noticed that a certain blue creature was missing "hey, where´s Dark Lightning?"

Lilo looked around as well, admitting "boy I didn´t even notice it gone"

Vanitas searched for his Unversed as well, but Dark Lightning has gone into thin air. he cursed under his breath, why did this Unversed have to be so darn curious? it has probably been killed by Heartless or some people. then again, he haven´t felt it "die"

"we better search for it"

"why bother?"

"don't tell me-"

"oh it's still alive" Vanitas interrupted, still he couldn't see the big fuss about it. it was just an Unversed. a rather unusual Unversed.... with a personality... but still an Unversed.

Ventus titled his head, pretty much oblivious what his darker half was thinking, yet he could make a rather good guess with the I-don't-really-care look Vanitas have in his eyes. Ventus saw Dark Lightning as a pet they had a responsibility for, while Vanitas... well he only saw the Unversed and even Dark as a monster or minion there easily could be replaced.
shaking his head at this, Ventus said quietly "let's go" and he left to search for the cat like Unversed.
Vanitas did follow, but only because he didn´t have anything else better to do.

***

meanwhile, just arriving to the world, Aqua walked through the town, wondering what the former captain of the huge spaceship was doing on this peaceful world. Aqua had decided to follow Gantu, just to see what the hotheaded alien was up to.
to her surprise and shock, the experiment called 626 suddenly appeared with a young black haired girl, and to her greater shock. Gantu shoot a net at them, completely ignoring he also got the little girl.

"and here I thought catching you would be difficult" he laughed and took the net with the experiment and little girl inside. not at all caring that he captured a human and simple laughed that he got a "snack" for the experiment.
he dropped both into a capsule, only turning around as Aqua shouted "let them go!"
he took a little while recognizing her, when he did, the memories weren't pleasured "stay out of my way, you have caused enough trouble for me already"

Aqua ignored him, right now, the two inside the capsule was what matters "you can't just kidnap a little girl because you want 626-!"
she jumped away from a plasma shoot he fired at her, enraged, Aqua called her keyblade, ready to fight.

Gantu placed the capsule with the two prisoners inside onto his back "and I say; stay out of my wa-"
his words got cut short by a dark haired boy striking him over the shoulder. fortunately for the alien, his thick skin protected him from deep cuts and turned enraged to the black haired boy with the furies yellow eyes. "why you..!" he aimed his plasma gun at the boy in the strange bodysuit.

"is that..?" Aqua gasped "Vanitas?" she have never seen the boy without the mask, which did shook her because the boy's face looked awfully similar to Sora's. but she recognized the dark body armor and the keyblade Void Gear to be the boy who have tried harming her and her friends more than once.
Vanitas, completely ignored her and in a roar, he charged at Gantu again. Aqua reacted, even though she did not like protecting this alien, her duty as Keyblade Master forced her to turn her attention towards the bigger threat: Vanitas.
so before the boy of pure darkness could make a strike, she blocked the attack and used his moment of surprise to strike him and force him easily down to the ground, which did slightly surprise her. shouldn´t he have put up more of a fight than this?
and if things did not get weirder, Ventus appeared and said something she never thought she would hear from him "Aqua, let him go!"

"what?!" she asked in disbelief, still holding her keyblade over Vanitas's neck. have Ventus forgotten what Vanitas did? "Ven, you can't be serious!"
and to makes things worse, Ganut choose to take this strange situation to make the run for it.
Aqua wanted to pursuit, but right now: Ventus odd behavior came first.

"I am serious, he's not evil"

"he is pure darkness"

Ventus did not like this one bit, of course Aqua would be hostile against Vanitas, but he did not have time to explain. the only good thing about all of this that Vanitas at least kept calm... for some odd reason.

"are you two done?" Vanitas suddenly asked, this talk about him being good began boring him. although Aqua's face was priceless. the only reason he even allowed Aqua taking him this easily down was only to get Ventus on his side, not to mention he wouldn't hear the end of it if he actually attacked one of Ventus' "best friends"

"Aqua, he's helping me" Ventus added in. Aqua looked really confused and he didn't blame her, she shook her head in confusions and asked with her blue eyes to him "how did it happen?" but before he could tell her, Vanitas suddenly used his dark teleportation to get behind Aqua and strike her down.
she gasped in shock and landed on the ground, barely moving.
"why did you do that?!" Ventus almost screamed at Vanitas, in disbelief he struck Aqua, one of his best friends down.

Vanitas gave him a deadpan look "we have someone to rescue, remember?" nodding towards the path Gantu ran through "and you would have giving her the whole darn story if I didn't stop you, idiot"

"but you didn't have to attack her!"

"I only knocked her out" Vanitas said pretty casually.

Ventus shook his head, still Vanitas was right. he eyed the raven haired boy, still angry "you are so going to apologies to Aqua after this" and he ran after Gantu with Vanitas short behind.


with no real worries, Gantu readied his ship for hyperspace, even felt so confident that he called the Grand councilwoman to tell her that he finally have found and captured experiment 626.

"Gantu what is going on?" the Councilwoman asked over the radio and Gantu replied quite proud of himself "I thought you'd like to know that the little abomination to 626 is-" he got interrupted by the ship shaking heavily, and the sensors running amok of damage. he turned around to the engines and saw the same blond haired boy who helped 626 in escaping the first time now stood along with the raven haired boy on the ship. both piecing their blades into one of the engines. he growled and said to the grand councilwoman "I will call you back" he turned off the radio and grabbed the steering, no way he would let two brats stopping him in his mission.

meanwhile on the ship, after have damaged the ship with Vanitas. Ventus quickly went to the capsule to save Lilo and Stitch. finding the capsule was easy enough, and with the warning of moving to the end of the capsule, Ventus struck at the capsule, but right as his blade hit the small prison. Gantu made the fire of the engines aim right at him.
"argh!" Ventus cried, literally got blasted away and fell from the sky, fortunately for him, he could fly. in a blast of light, he was in his armor and on his glider.


"Ven!" Stitch called after the small figure in pursuit after the ship, but the Glider was too slow for Gantu's ship.
in a growl Stitch got out from the small hole Ven's keyblade have made and went to the ship, only stopping when Lilo said almost begging "don't leave me okay"
"okay" Stitch said completely honest, the last thing he would was leave his friend behind. still he needed to deal with Gantu.
Stitch joined Vanitas on the ship and with a grin on both faces, Vanitas ran towards the edge, jumped off and Stitch jumped onto Vanitas's keyblade and the dark hearted boy hurled the experiment with such force into the cockpit that the glass broke and Stitch yelled with a huge grin on his face "Aloha!"

Gantu did NOT like the teasing and slammed his fits against the experiment, for each hit saying a new insult to Stitch

"you're vile!"

"you're foul!"

"you're flawed!"  
the last hit got Stitch, but being a creature created to destruction made him quite resisting to hits and he barely felt the fit against his small body. he took up the hand with his own remarks of what he was "also cute and fluffy!" and with that, he threw Gantu out from the cockpit, making the ship loose complete control.
quickly Stitch went back to Lilo and with a solid headbutt, he broke the capsule more than enough for him to get Lilo unscathed out.

"you came back" she said happy and he answered as taking her in his arms "nobody gets left behind" and just as the ship fell towards the island. Stitch leaped away from the ship and both him and Lilo got caught by Ventus who was more than happy to bring them down to safety.

on the ground:

"what took you so long?" Vanitas asked, sitting rather casual on a knocked out Gantu.

Ventus landed on the ground, armor dissolving and asked his darker half "how did-"

"dark portal" Vanitas shrugged, then notice that the blond was looking at Gantu "oh, I knocked him out"  not sure how he should feel that Ventus wasn't really worried of him falling from the sky.
however his sour mood did get a little better as Ventus gave him a smile and said "good thing you can teleport any time you want"
Vanitas smirked in response and turned to approaching footsteps. arriving came Aqua and the Grand councilwoman.
none of them looked very happy.
by the order of the grand councilwoman, some guard aliens captured Stitch.

Lilo wasn't happy about that "leave him alone!"

realizing what was going on Gantu got Vanitas off his back, rose and tried to explain to the grand councilwoman, but she did not want to hear his excuses "Silence!" and Gantu went quiet, allowing her to add hard "I am retiring you! and you!" she turned to Ventus who flinched that her anger was suddenly on him " if it weren't for you, Experiment 626 wouldn't have-"

"Stitch"

"what?" the councilwoman stopped and turned to the blue alien there repeated "my name Stitch"
"Stitch then" and she turned back to Ventus who almost hid behind Aqua. luckily for him, the  grand councilwoman realized that the experiment 626 actually spoke and was rather polite, she turned back to Stitch there asked "does Stitch have to go?"

"...yes" the councilwoman replied quite hesitant and shocked that the before so vile experiment now actually was really polite.

"can Stitch say good-bye?" Stitch asked, again getting the hesitant yes from the councilwoman. he thanked her and went to Lilo, Ventus, Aqua and even Vanitas.

"who are you?"

Stitch turned to the councilwoman, explaining "these are my friends" he looked at Aqua, Ventus and Vanitas "and she is:" he looked at Lilo "is my family. I found it all on my own. both are little and broken..."  he lowered his head slightly by that, but looked up with a genuine smile as he added "but still good" and with those words he went towards the councilwoman, ready to spend his exile as which he has avoided for so many years.

Aqua walked slowly over to Ventus there asked her sad "does he really have to go?"
she sighted "sorry, but you know the law; we can't meddle in other words affair"
even the councilwoman hands was bond by the laws of the council.
then to her great surprise, Vanitas said "you can't take Stitch away" he eyed Lilo, asking "you did buy him right?"

Lilo gasped, ran to the councilwoman and showed the papers that she bought Stitch at the animal shelter, telling her hash "if you take him, you're stealing."
that was more than enough for the councilwoman and with a smile, she allowed Stitch to stay on this world.
a happy ending for Lilo and Stitch, both have found a friend they so much needed.

Aqua was happy for that, still... she turned to Vanitas. no longer sure what to do about him, he hasn't tried once (except from when he knocked her out) attacking anyone. she watched him stand rather casually with the little girl Lilo and the experiment Stitch both leaping happy around, even cracking a smile as Ventus spoke to him.
was this really the same boy she fought those years back?
"Ven" she called and Ventus blinked turned to her. to her slight surprise, he gave Vanitas a look for support, before walking with head down towards her as if he knew he was guilty of something.
Aqua sighted and said to her younger friend "didn't I tell you stay back home?"
Ventus did not answer, just kept his head down. Aqua glanced to Vanitas, the raven haired boy had his eyes on her and he looked quite angry.
she ignored the raven haired and turned back to Ventus "why do you keep endangering yourself all the time? and what if... you could have been killed."

"would you give him a break?!"

Aqua turned to Vanitas, quite taken aback by this. Vanitas glared at her, furies "sure he says you says it because you care, but come on! stop holding him back already!"
Aqua eyed Ventus, surprised "Ven?"
he did not answer, so she turned to Vanitas, slightly angry by his outburst "why are you saying this? last time you tried to kill him"

Vanitas growled and snapped "that's none of you business"

"it is my business when someone tries to hurt my friends. you are the cause his heart went to sleep for over ten years"

"that -!"

"Enough!" Ventus said hard and looked at both of them "stop fighting!" he turned to Aqua "it wasn't his fault, Xehanort made him do it." his eyes saddens, yet still he continue "I'm the cause Vanitas exits"

"w-what do you mean?" Aqua asked, looking at both boys.
Vanitas did not answer, he turned away; still with those angry eyes. Ventus however "Vanitas is my darkness." the blond boy looked straight into her eyes, showing this was the complete truth "he is me"

Aqua eyes wide of those news, that cruel, dark hearted boy... was part of the so kind Ventus?

"so please don't hate him. Vanitas, well he's..."

"ohana"

Ventus turned around to the raven haired, first surprised, then smiled and nodded in agreement "yeah, ohana"

"what's ohana" Aqua asked, more and more unsure what to do. her duty as Keyblade Master told that Vanitas should be destroyed, but her heart said that he was no longer was a threat.
to her bigger surprise, it was Vanitas who replied.

"ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind..." he eyed Ventus who gave him a small smile. "or forgotten"
he turned to Aqua, telling her in matter of fact " so, if you want to hate me; fine, but I'm staying at Ven's side whatever you like it or not"

"yeah, like a team of brothers!" Ventus smiled kinda childish, making Vanitas mutter with a flustered tone "....don't push it Blondie..."

Aqua eyed them both, seeing that even with the dark introduction from the past, Ventus has somehow succeed changing Vanitas, he was right, they were a team and there even seems to be something more. Vanitas was right, this bond they shared was ohana.

they are brothers.

she sighted with a small smile "alright, guess I have to deal" and she went over to both boys and placed her hands on both their heads. Ventus looked slightly surprised and a little annoyed, Vanitas just looked annoyed. "and I wish you both come with me on a small mission"
she knew ordering them back to Land of Departure wouldn't work, beside, she was kinda curious about this bond they shared. was it possible that Master Eraqus was wrong? that darkness actually wasn't such a bad thing after all?
Ventus was right, she can't hate Vanitas, for that would be like hating Ventus. they were in some sense the same person, two persons of one heart.

_____

I finished the drawing of Ventus and Vanitas leaving with Aqua, off to another world. I turned around of the sound of a door and smiles to my friend.  

"how are they doing?" he asks, and walks over to me.  taking some of the drawings I have made of Ventus and Vanitas, his midnight blue eyes turn into a small scowl "isn't that.."

"Vanitas has finally found his true place" I tell him with a smile. my friend looks at me, glance to the drawing, then back to me, seemly rather confused. and I explain him what I mean:
"their story seemed to end in sadness and despair, but I think the promise in the void finally has come truth." I tell him and we both look at the drawing of both Ventus and Vanitas standing side by side "things did get better for them"
I turns to my friend "like it did for you"

he smiles weakly, but then turns his back to me, muttering unsure "but I still don't know my place..." he looks into the mirror I have placed in the room, the reflection of a dark haired and younger Riku meets him "I don't know who I am..." he turns away from his own reflection "I... don't even have a name..."

I walks over to him, takes his hands and answer completely honest "we'll figure it out, together" for like him, I know far too well the feeling of not knowing where to belong, I have found my place and I will help the Replica of Riku to find his and get real memories and not those fake ones I gave him in Castle Oblivion. these memories, they will be real, for the both of us.

"thanks, Naminé"