//------------------------------// // Terra's Mark of Mastery Exam // Story: My Little Pony: Sora's Misadventures in Equestria // by Codex92 //------------------------------// As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, Aqua woke up, ready or not for what she was about to do today. She was still being held by Terra as he laid behind her, breathing softly as his grip tightened slightly as she began to move. Gently moving his hooves away without disturbing his sleep, she got herself out of bed and tried to motivate herself for the day. Already, she was nervous, and this wasn't about her. This was about Terra. She needed some more time to compose herself, and some meditation before he woke up could be enough to help her relax and focus. As soon as she was presentable, brushing down her bed head and straightening her clothes, she wrote Terra a note, placing it on the side table for him to see, then left the castle to head out to the fields to meet him, but not without grabbing herself a quick snack from the kitchen so she didn't go on an empty stomach. A couple more hours passed as everyone else in Ponyville began to wake up and start their day. Terra squinted his eyes open, slowly waking up when he didn't feel Aqua beside him. He sat up when he didn't see her in the room, or even hear her in the shower, letting out a yawn and smacked his lips. As he got up out of bed, he noticed the note she left behind for him, rubbing his tired eyes as he read what she wrote. Terra, Sorry for getting up so early. I didn't want to wake you up. When you're ready, gather the others and meet me outside Ponyville in the fields. If you remember what I talked about last night about being ready for something today...Well, you'll find out soon enough. XOXO Aqua After Terra read the note several times, he grew curious and slightly nervous by whatever surprise Aqua had in store for him. Once his hair was checked over, still as spiked as it always was, he made his way to the dining room where he expected everyone else to be. Luckily, everyone had showed up for breakfast, the Mane Six and younger Keyblade wielders gathered around with plates of scrambled eggs, toast, and some fresh fruits. Ventus didn't seem to look too well, grimacing as he drank some liquid medicine to ease his upset stomach. "You alright, Ven?" Terra asked with concern. "He had a bit too much spicy food last night," Rarity said. "I'm surprised Pinkie isn't feeling the same way after all she had at The Tasty Treat." "I'm a bottomless pit," Pinkie stated. "I can eat anything and everything." "Uhh, what about those disgusting muffins back in Our Town?" Sora mentioned, making Pinkie's face turn green at the horrible memory. "You ate a dozen and a half of them." "Don't...mention...those muffins," Pinkie uttered, somehow winding up in a corner with a miserable aura around her with her mane drooped over. "They weren't that bad, were they?" Starlight asked. "It made me want to eat cardboard just to settle my poor tummy!" Pinkie exclaimed angrily, then went back to sulk depressingly while rubbing her belly with a whimper. "...Ok, they were terrible," Starlight admitted. "Even I hated them, and I wanted things to be equal for everything, including favorite foods." "Where's Aqua?" Kairi asked. "Is she still sleeping?" "No, she's outside Ponyville in those empty fields," Terra said, showing them the note Aqua left him. "Apparently, she's got some sort of surprise for me out there, and she wants all of us there." "A surprise!?" Pinkie asked, snapping out of her funk as she bounced onto the table, everyone pulling their plates away so her hooves didn't land on their food. "Like a surprise party!?" Terra wasn't given a chance to respond as the excited earth pony bounced around him, on his back, his head, all while he stared blankly at her rambling. "Why didn't she ask me to help throw you a surprise birthday party!? Oh, but then you'd know it was a surprise, so I'd have to counter that failed surprise with another surprise, only to surprise the surprisee from surprising of the prize to the sir prize and-!" Terra swiftly pressed his hoof on Pinkie's head, lowering her down to the ground calmly as he silenced her nonsensical surprise party planning. "It's not my birthday today. And...whatever Aqua's got planned, I'm kinda worried." He looked over at Rarity and Ventus, recalling how nervous Aqua was yesterday in the throne room. "Before you four went off to solve that friendship problem, Aqua was acting odd...And when she looked at me, she seemed really nervous." Terra tapped his hooves against the table, fidgeting with anticipation. "...Do...any of you guys know what she wants to do with me?" "Not really," Ventus said. "She never mentioned anything while we were in Canterlot." Terra stared at the note, trepidation seeping in at what Aqua wanted to tell him. He had to find out and avoid having another moment of mistakes that could cost them their relationship again. "Let's find her," Terra said. "I don't want to waste too much time standing here fearing the worst." He turned and made his way out the door, taking the lead as the others followed. Ventus was just as nervous as well, thinking that the same thing that caused them to split apart would happen all over again. Outside in the middle of the wide open spaces far from the town of Ponyville, Aqua sat beside the lake while she meditated, the same location where she wound up getting cornered by the Dark Hide the Halloween before last year. Some of the trees the "immortal" Heartless ran down were still broken, though it was a surprise to see how much the forest had recovered when she arrived. This place seemed like a perfect battleground, where no one could get hurt and no collateral would be taken, even though it had also sparked some terrible memories of encountering the demon beast of a Heartless and their final confrontation, at least for now if it ever escaped the Realm of Darkness. It didn't help that the weather team decided to make the weather cloudy today, creating a slightly dreary atmosphere for what was to come. "I found her!" Rainbow called out, Aqua's ears twitching from the sound of her voice as she snapped out of her trance. She stood up and turned around, finding the rest of their friends racing toward her, Terra leading them while showing just as much trepidation as she had. She sighed, taking in a few deep breaths as it was now or never. She calmly walked toward them, meeting them halfway before stopping within several yards from each other. "You're here," Aqua said. "Yes, but what's going on?" Terra questioned with great concern. "Is there something you're not telling me? That you're not telling us?" "Aqua, if something's bothering you, you know you can talk to us about it," Twilight reassured. "Don't hide it from us." "It's nothing like that," Aqua said. "I'm mentally stable, I'm not hiding anything, and I promise it's not anything bad. It's just...a bit nerve-wracking with what I'm about to do..." She took in a deep breath, calming her nerves as best as she could. Once she was calm enough, she looked at her friends, mostly at Terra. "As all of you are aware, those of us as Keyblade wielders are given the task of protecting the worlds from the threat of darkness, destroying the Heartless that invade those unable to defend themselves, and preventing those with evil intentions from destroying their own worlds with the power of darkness. The Keyblade is the bane of the Heartless, but those chosen by it can either be with the light, or abuse its power and side with darkness. So those deemed worthy while also choosing the side of justice can be great masters when they are ready." "Did she really plan a boring speech about what we know?" Rainbow questioned with a groan. "Well, if it makes it better, I'm not exactly in the know," Starlight responded. "Keyblades choose their wielders?" "Yes, but they can have a Keyblade inherited to them by another wielder by performing the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony, letting the future apprentice touch the Keyblade while given an oath, or they simply touch a master's Keyblade, whether on purpose or on accident," Ventus explained. "Huh...And, with them disappearing on me when you guys got your cutie marks back? Or when I tried to hurt Sora with his own when he beat me?" the unicorn asked. "Our Keyblades would realize it doesn't belong to you, so it returns to us on its own, or if we command it to," Sora said. "Startled me a couple times when I first got mine, and when I saw it do that when someone I knew named Leon held it, I thought it was a pretty cool feature. A sword you can never lose, even if you throw it away by accident." "Does that mean Keyblades are sentient, or is it some kind of magical force combined with its owner's heart that gives it the ability to return itself back to the wielder?" As much as Starlight wanted answers, Terra held a hoof up, silencing anyone else from questioning as he continued listening to Aqua's speech. "Light and darkness cannot coexist without one another, though they are forces that clash with each other," the Keyblade Master continued. "The spark of the Keyblade War that had cost thousands of lives from wielders alone was by the heart of all hearts: Kingdom Hearts. No one knows what truly is Kingdom Hearts: a place of worship, of great power, knowledge, et cetera. The wielders who were with the light tried to protect it from those sided with darkness, keeping them from gaining too much power, thus causing a massacre of fellow Keyblade warriors as they killed each other over a power no one knows could be real or not..." Terra can tell that Aqua's just delaying the inevitable as she told her speech she had been reciting for the last couple hours. "The Keyblade Graveyard is a reminder to us all just how tragic this war was, how it almost wiped Keyblade wielders out of exist-" "Aqua, quit stalling," Terra interrupted, making the mare wince. "All of us know about this." Starlight raised her hoof to voice her disapproval, but the stallion didn't give her a chance as he stepped forward to address what his girlfriend truly intended. "What does it all have to do with this surprise you had for me?" Aqua didn't answer at first, slightly irritated that her plan to ease Terra into this was abruptly ceased, but she was stalling because of the possibilities of his response if she told him. She stared at him, looking at him like he was as a kid when she first met him: eager to be a Keyblade Master, forcing himself to train to get better and try to beat her, all while showing that optimism and righteousness as a protector of the many worlds that were beyond the Land of Departure. He had a chance, but failed no thanks to his desperation calling forth his darkness, and their lives together ground to a halt by Xehanort, who tricked and manipulated Terra, stole his body as a new vessel for his supposed plans of immortality and gains of power, and being split up from each other for so many years where they had each presumed each other to be dead. Aqua closed her eyes and sighed once again, opening her eyes and staring at Terra's. "Terra, answer me this: were either of us ready to take our Mark of Mastery exam back then?" Terra was about to say yes, but stopped himself as he thought hard about Aqua's question. Back then, he thought he was ready, but Eraqus didn't believe he was after what he witnessed. He looked down at his left hoof, bringing back the memory of his and Aqua's duel during their exam, the darkness swirling around it out of his control, his desperation to win causing him to fail as he unintentionally called forth that dark power. "Are any of us prepared for what lies in wait for us? For what we expect, only to be met with unexpected events we always end up in?" He looked up at Aqua, who was still waiting for his response. Lowering his hoof, he began to realize what it was she had been planning for him, and despite his stoic gaze, he had butterflies stirring up a swarm in his gut. "...Whether we're ready or not, we don't have much of a choice to just go with it," Terra said. "Mistakes can be made, but we learn from them...Aqua, are you...?" Seeing him understand, Aqua nodded her head, straightening her stance a little as she summoned her Keyblade. "Terra, are you prepared for you Mark of Mastery exam?" The group behind the earth pony stallion gasped in surprise, especially shocking Ventus, Terra nodding his head in response, even if it was half true. "Excellent. For your test, Terra, you will face me in combat. I will judge you by your skills and how well you can keep your ground against me after the many times I've beaten you in the past when we were kids." "Ok," Terra said as he lowered his stance, but before he summoned his Keyblade, Aqua lifted her hoof up. "But...I want to see the full extent of your power," she said. "No holding back. I want to see you prove how strong you've gotten. If you can beat me, then I will pass you based on how well you did. But if I beat you, you will fail and have to train even harder for the next time." "G-Going all out!?" Ventus exclaimed. "Aqua, you want Terra to go all out in a fight to the death, or serious injuries!?" "Or until one of us yields in defeat," Aqua added to assuage Ventus's fears. "This place will be our stage, if you will. So, for the rest of you, I think it's best to stay pretty far back from here so none of you get hurt in the crossfire." Ventus grunted in frustration, not wanting to lose either of his best friends to such a dangerous fight that was Terra's exam to become a Keyblade Master. "It'll be alright, Ven," Terra said as he looked back at the worried teen. "Aqua and I aren't going to try to tear each other's throats out. It's just a test." "But...But what if..." Ventus looked down, unable to stop thinking about what happened during Terra's first, and almost last exam. He wanted both of them to be masters, and when he was ready, he could take his Mark of Mastery exam, too. As Ventus mulled over the worst-case scenarios for Terra if he failed again, Terra approached the anxious pegasus, placing a hoof on his head and ruffled his mane. Ventus winced at the contact, looking up to see Terra's calm grin. "I promise things aren't going to end up the same way," Terra said. To seal his promise, he performed the Pinkie Promise, crossing his free hoof over his heart, waved it up and down like it was a wing, then placed his hoof over his eye. "Pinkie Promise." Terra knew how serious it was to make a kind of promise like that, even Pinkie was flabbergasted by it as the stallion's promise definitely needed to be kept, otherwise it would not only jeopardize his friendships, but also cost him his life if he ever used the power of darkness again. Ventus believed him, reluctantly nodding his head in understanding, though he still doubted this was going to end well. With his test about to begin, the others left and gave them plenty of space as they watched from a safe distance, Starlight's curiosity peaked with how the Mark of Mastery is done and how one can tell who's a master or not. Once they were far enough away, Terra sighed and turned back to face Aqua. "Did you bring up our squabbling as kids and you beating me to tease me?" Terra asked curiously. "Or are you expecting me to actually succeed in really fighting you and coming out on top?" "A little of both," Aqua said, grinning slightly before looking serious again, waving her Keyblade in her aura to prepare for their fight. "Ready?" "As I'll ever be," Terra said, crouching low as he summoned his Keyblade in his mouth. The two wielders stared each other down, wind blowing against their manes and tails as they waited for the other to make the first move. After several intense moments at a standstill, Aqua and Terra rushed forward and met with a clash of their blades, giving each other an apologetic look before they got serious, slashing away to try to hit the other. Terra had incredible strength that Aqua couldn't match, but she was more limber and agile than him, concentrating on avoiding his strikes rather than block them. But after many years since he returned to his own body, Terra was more focused on observing his opponents than using brute strength and charging blindly. He wasn't going to fail this time, and he will prove it to Aqua, and their Master Eraqus. Aqua flipped away from another heavy swing from Terra, lunging forward and thrusted her Keyblade straight toward his neck. Terra barely managed to lean his head back in time, flipping backwards to avoid her oncoming thrusts, deflecting them away as he stood on his hind legs with his blade firmly grasped in his right hoof. This also happened in their duel for their test, but no matter what, he was going to refuse using the power of darkness this time, better able to control his power than before. Letting out a grunt, he managed to parry her last thrust, causing the mare to stagger and leave her open, hitting her hard with an underhanded strike that sent her flying back a few yards. Flipping back onto her hooves, Aqua shaking off the pain with a grunt. Terra roared as he leapt in the air, slamming his Keyblade down on her. She avoided his Keyblade with a backwards cartwheel, only to yelp as the earth beneath them rose around Terra, tripping her and smacking her up in the air. Quickly righting herself, she fired a barrage of Firaga spells on the stallion, Terra dashing away from the first one, but grunted as he got hit by the next few after. She then dove down and performed a signature attack of hers she called Magic Hour, teleporting above Terra and diving down on him repeatedly, disappearing and reappearing in a flash of light. Terra was struck by her dives, unable to break away as she appeared over him, even after he was knocked away from her initial dives. As soon as she dove down one final time, Terra managed to dash out of the way, then turned around and struck her hard in the chest with his longer, heavier Keyblade, knocking the wind out of Aqua and sent her tumbling across the grass, heading toward the lake. "How about a little dip!?" Terra suggested, dashing toward her, then followed up with another as he spun rapidly as Aqua stood up. Catching her while in her daze, he spun the mare around through the air, continuing his spin as he landed on his hooves, then flung her out over the water. Unfortunately, his plan to disorient Aqua didn't work as she recovered, shooting a Blizzaga spell in the direction she was flung, the giant ball of ice skimming over the water's surface and caused a rail of frozen water to form a trail behind it. Landing perfectly on the ice rail, she guided the spell with her aura as she surprised Terra by grinding across the water, turning herself around as her momentum from being tossed sent her straight back toward him. As she got closer, she thrust her blade through the ball of ice, shattering it into shards, then sent them flying at the stallion, who quickly hid behind his Keyblade as most of the sharp icicles struck his shoulders and hind legs. While using his Keyblade as a shield, he didn't see Aqua leap toward him, kicking the flat side of his blade, making it smack his face and send him reeling back, quickly going still when he felt her blade press against his neck. "Maybe you should chill out instead," Aqua teased with a smirk. Terra suppressed a groan at the horrible pun Aqua made, but his lips turned into a grin, catching Aqua in his trap. "Zantetsuken." Aqua gasped, Terra suddenly appearing behind her in as he slashed forward, the mare suddenly struck by several slashes of air, which was actually Terra's physical ability: one blinding flash strike that was really several in such a small timeframe. He followed up with a Stun Edge, flipping around and slamming his blade down on Aqua, causing her to get knocked back while also suffering from the paralyzing effects of the attack. His body began glowing as he shifted into the Command Style, Rock Breaker: a brownish-orange aura surrounding him as his strength increased immensely, able to feel the earth beneath his hooves as he dug his Keyblade into the ground. Aqua slowly recovered from being stunned, but she couldn't avoid Terra as he charged forward, dragging his blade behind him and picked up dirt as if it was magnetized to his weapon. She protected herself in her barrier right as he swung, sending earthly debris smacking into her defensive sphere that hit just as hard as a normal strike. Her barrier shattered after enough abuse, Terra slamming his Keyblade down on the top of the shield while also shooting up a spire of earth underneath Aqua, which sent her flying into the air. With Terra's elemental fighting style nearing its end, he unleashed Rock Breaker's finisher, slamming his hooves into the ground, sending three large spires of earth popping up around him, then sent them hurtling straight toward Aqua. Out in the distance, the others stared in awe as they watched Terra's Mark of Mastery exam. Aqua had managed to flip back upright, twirling around the rocks that whizzed past her as she fell back to the ground. As the two wielders clashed again, casting several different elemental spells with their Keyblades to try to injure the other more, Starlight was dumbstruck, her jaw hanging in shock at the true extent of a Keyblade wielder's power just from this duel alone. "This is so awesome," Rainbow said. "But...they could seriously hurt each other...Why am I not excited to see something like this?" "Awesome?" Starlight questioned. "Is this what it's really like for Keyblade wielders like you guys to go all out???...I think I'm kinda glad you held back when I escaped." "Did Terra hold back on us?" Sora asked as he looked at Riku, his friend shrugging his shoulders in response to their battles against him in the Struggle Tournament. Twilight wondered how her Mark of Mastery exam would be determined whenever Aqua, Riku, Kairi, or even Yen Sid knew she was ready. Riku and Sora had theirs take place in the Dream Realm, waking up worlds that were freed from being lost to darkness, though having fallen into a slumber that prevented them from returning, but for Terra's, she had to fight Aqua, without holding back anything, and would be judged on his combat skills. Would she face any of these challenges when her test comes, or will it be something else she wasn't prepared for? Ventus was incredibly tense as he was forced to watch Terra and Aqua fought, wincing whenever any of them were hit, whether it was minor injuries or any that were serious that could send them to the trauma center. He wanted Terra to pass and be a Keyblade Master just like they all had dreamed of being, but not while he watched him and Aqua beating each other up. Granted, the last time there were a few close calls between them, but Eraqus had stopped them after a while. What he was mostly afraid of was watching Terra accidentally unleash his darkness to gain the upper hand, and Aqua had ordered him not to hold back on her. Did they both realize what she actually meant and make him worry over nothing, or were they actually going to try to use the power of darkness to win over the other? Terra and Aqua continued their elemental slashing, their blades connecting and causing several sparks of various magical elements splashing out around them with each point of contact. Aqua struck again, shifting to a different Command Style like Terra had, the burst of energy sending the stallion skidding back a few feet. Aqua was now in her Spellweaver style, a faint pink aura glowing around her as she felt a surge of magical energy around her. From the distance between them, she flung her Keyblade as it hovered by her power and not with her unicorn telekinesis, sending it spiraling toward Terra. He blocked the spinning Keyblade, getting thrown off as it returned to Aqua and she flung it again as she got closer, stunning him as the next hit constantly made him stagger. He leapt away before the next few hits connected, only to get struck by an orb of light that was fired from her blade. Her style's finisher charged, Aqua began spinning rapidly on one hind leg, thrusting her Keyblade up in the air as she moved like a top toward Terra. He wasn't able to escape in time as her attack created a gale spread out a few feet around her, trapping the stallion as he was hit several times while still remaining caught. Above her, a large ice crystal began to form, energy inside of it growing substantially, making it glow brighter the longer she spun. Finally ending the painful tornado, she slashed down, shattering the ice and caused Terra to fly back, smacking the ground a few times before he managed to find his footing and dug his blade into the ground, skidding to a halt as he leaned against his weapon while panting heavily. Aqua panted as well, her legs shaking as she began to tire out, both wielders sporting some pretty bad wounds from the powerful abilities they unleashed on each other. She could call it a draw and avoid getting each other hurt any further, but this was Terra's test, and she wasn't going to give up until one of them falls. They both got their second wind, Terra pulling out his Keyblade as they both charged forward, clashing their weapons once again with all the strength they had left in them. "Hyah!" Terra grunted, he and Aqua in the middle of sparring practice while Eraqus watched over them to evaluate their progress. Both young apprentices yelled in exertion with each swing, their wooden training Keyblades clacking together with each strike. The master's eyes kept a close watch on their stances, their techniques, and their faults as they trained together, keeping his hands behind his back during his observations. In the end, as he expected, Terra was constantly focused on overpowering Aqua with his strength, and she always finds his weak spots with his stance and using too much force in his swings. She parried Terra's heavier training weapon, causing him to stumble forward, then get smacked in the chest by her lighter, thinner weapon. "That's enough," he ordered, both apprentices ceasing their sparring and stood at attention, Terra wincing as he rubbed his sore chest. "Aqua, amazing form and keen eyes, catching Terra off his guard using his own momentum against him." "Thank you, Master," Aqua said with a bow, beaming with pride. "And as for you, Terra," Eraqus said, approaching the young wielder. "You may think a great offense can be a great defense, but the same can be said in reverse. No matter how physically strong you are, trying to win with might alone won't allow you to best your opponents. Especially when your movements are far too easy to read." Terra wilted slightly, letting out a sigh after being told that several times, even by Aqua. "Analyze your opponents, attack when the time is right, and limit your strength so you don't exert too much in a long battle. Understand?" "Yes, Master Eraqus," Terra said on command. "Good." The Keyblade Master nodded, hoping his pupil will take this advice to heart without being lectured over and over. "That'll be enough training for today. Rest up for tomorrow. We will be learning about some more advanced spells, so be mentally prepared. Especially you, Terra. Magic in combat isn't always a bad thing." Terra rolled his eyes as Eraqus left his students to themselves, the two friends making their way outside to stargaze at their usual hangout. "I'm not really all that fond of using magic," Terra uttered. "We use our Keyblades to destroy the Heartless, so why even need magic anyway?" "Do you want to get yourself killed if you're surrounded by a large group by yourself?" Aqua questioned. "Magic can be beneficial to you in a crisis. Like the Cure spell. You don't want to stay injured and risk getting yourself hurt more and dying in a battle, right?" Terra just shrugged, making the teen huff irritably. They made it to the peak where they got together to watch the sky and scenery of the Land of Departure, sitting down on the bench while Aqua continued her lectureous ranting. "And there are Heartless out there that use magical elements, giving them a weakness that can easily destroy them with the exact opposite element. So, using Fire on a Blue Rhapsody will deal much more damage to it, and using Blizzard on it would end up healing it. There is strategy involved with-" "Bored now," Terra groaned, laying on the bench they sat on while pushing Aqua toward the other end with his feet. She grumbled, crossing her arms at how lazy her friend and sparring partner was with everything involving Keyblade training. "Brute strength isn't going to help you win all your fights, Terra. Master Eraqus knows what we need to improve on, so how about taking his advice and do some magic training? Maybe try focusing on studying your opponent while fighting as well so you don't keep getting smacked around by me?" "I suck at magic, though!" Terra exclaimed. "It took me months to finally shoot a Fire spell, one of the 'basic' of magic spells to learn, and I ended up burning one of the banners in the foyer!" He sat up, running his hands through his hair as he groaned in exasperation. "I try to read how to use those spells, but all the words seem to jump out from the pages and turn into gibberish...I figured using physical force alone would be enough, but if we're going to learn advanced spells tomorrow...I'm doomed." "You know, I could tutor you," Aqua offered. "Or do you think you'll feel embarrassed being taught everything by a girl?" "I keep getting my butt kicked by a girl, so my manly pride's already hit the lowest of the low." They both looked at each other, then laughed at the recollection of their first meeting as they joked about it. "Well, if you know a better way to teach me an easier way to cast spells, then I really appreciate the help. But, in exchange, I'm going to have to help you grow some muscle. Magic may help you, but if you can't defend yourself when you run out of mana, then you're screwed." Aqua rolled her eyes, but let out a small laugh, knowing Terra was right about that statement. "Alright. It's a deal." They both shook hands to seal the deal, then continued watching the sky as the stars began to come out. While wondering what each world was like from each star they saw, Terra began to wonder how their Mark of Mastery exam would go. He had no idea what exactly Master Eraqus would test them on, but all they got from his lecture on the important test for Keyblade wielders was very vague, where it'll be given to them like a pop quiz. Though the only thing ringing in his mind was if both he and Aqua could pass at the same time, or only one of them will pass while the other fails. "Hey, Aqua?" Terra said, getting her attention. "If we're both given our Mark of Mastery exam...Do you think the both of us are able to pass?" "...I'm...not sure," Aqua said. "There wasn't much about the Mark of Mastery exam to learn about in the library, just the fact it's a rite of passage for apprentices to become masters." "Huh...Well, if that time comes, I want us both to be Keyblade Masters together," Terra said. "But, if we can't and one of us passes, is it against the rules if we give each other a test after the first one's over?" "I don't think it works like that," Aqua argued. "Master Eraqus is our superior, so his judgement would overrule any of ours. And the master has to give their apprentices that test for the exam to be legitimate..." Aqua thought long and hard over what she guessed, wishing there was some more insight on the Mark of Mastery exam. She looked at Terra, who seemed to really believe that with the lack of rules for the exam, anything can go with the test, results, and who can give the test to whomever apprentice they meet. "...I...I'm not sure if I'm even right about what I'm theorizing." "You're such a nerd," Terra teased, earning a disgruntled leer from the girl. "But, when I become a Keyblade Master before you, I'll give you your own test." "Heh. As if," Aqua scoffed. "I'LL be a Keyblade Master before you." "...Eh, maybe," Terra said with a shrug. "But if you give me my test, can you make it easy for me?" "No! In fact, I'm going to give you a difficult test that I know you can't possibly pass just to spite you." Terra let out a groan, staring at Aqua in disbelief as she smirked at him. "Aww, come on! That's not fair!" he whined. "Are you still mad about what I said the first day we met!? I said I was sorry and respect you as a fellow wielder and friend!" "To spite you, yes," Aqua admitted, sticking her tongue out at him. Terra groaned and slumped over the bench as she laughed at him, only poking fun at him while thinking about his thoughts on them passing the Mark of Mastery exam together. "But, when Master Eraqus believes we're both ready...I want us to pass together, too." Terra lifted his head and looked at Aqua, a bit surprised by her similar wish for them to become masters together. He grinned, sitting up straight, both of them silently promising that the two of them will pass their exams when they are ready. "Well, if we both want to succeed...I kinda want to get some magic practice in," Terra said as he stood up. "Little help?" Aqua nodded and stood up as well, leaving the bench as they stood at the center of the flat peak, summoning their Keyblades as Aqua began helping Terra improve his magical skills, a contrast to how they met as Terra taught Aqua the proper methods of sword training. Rain began pouring down over the fields as Aqua and Terra were still in the middle of the stallion's test. It had been several hours since his Mark of Mastery exam began, and it had turned into a war zone with all the scorch marks from Fire and Thunder spells, torn up shreds of earth from Terra's abilities, and the ground getting more slippery with Blizzard spells shattered and melting around them. The others watching from a safe distance were protected by a magical barrier above them from Twilight, Starlight, and Kairi, keeping them dry for the most part. They could tell the wielders were running ragged, sporting more bruises, cuts, and slight scorch marks from each other's attacks, their clothes torn from each blow that struck them. They both clashed again, weakly trying to push the other back as their exhaustion was apparent on their faces. They were both tired, their mana reserves close to being completely drained, but neither of them were going to throw in the towel too soon. Aqua may have failed to keep her promise with Terra by passing their Mark of Mastery exam together and both become Keyblade Masters, she can at least have him promoted to that rank along with her to fulfill that dream they both shared. But that didn't mean his test was going to end now; she had to see him prove to her how strong he had gotten, and not just by physical and magical strength either. Terra shoved Aqua's Keyblade away, the mare quickly recovering as she blocked a downward swipe, wincing as she felt her legs shudder from the heavy impact. She couldn't risk getting hit by his overwhelming physical strength again, otherwise she's done for. She avoided another swing, nearly stumbling as she regained her footing, staying on the defensive as she ducked and side-stepped away from Terra's wide swings. "Aqua, we've been doing this for hours," Terra said as he attacked, slamming his blade down into the ground where Aqua stood before leaping out of the way. "We're just going to tire each other out...Can't we call this a draw?" Aqua winced, shaking her head defiantly. "Are you giving up?" she questioned, barely giving Terra a chance to respond as she struck back, now putting him on the defensive. "Do you want to fail another Mark of Mastery exam, Terra!? Wasn't this what we both dreamed of!? What we promised each other!?" Terra again couldn't answer as Aqua got more aggressive with her strikes. He clearly remembered their promises, their talk about the exam back then, every precious memory he had of him and Aqua together in the world they called home. "Is this your true strength, Terra!? Are you really giving it your all!? I told you to go all out against me, and you're still holding back!" Terra grunted as he continued blocking, knowing he was giving everything he had and used the full extent of his power, skills, and what magic he knew. "I'm...not...holding...back!" he shouted, swinging back as their Keyblades struck, sending sparks flying while also sending water droplets spreading out from each powerful impact as the rain fell on them. They were both running on fumes, but Aqua was able to summon enough adrenaline in her to match Terra's incredibly physical strength, but only for a short moment. Desperate to keep the test going until he was able to really overpower her, one wide open swing left her vulnerable, and Terra spotted the opportunity to finish the fight. Slowing down his own swing, their blades made contact again, but with a flick of his hoof, Terra parried Aqua, shocking her as she lost her grip on her Keyblade while stumbling forward in surprise and exhaustion. He followed up with one hard swipe, making sure he struck her with the flat end of his Keyblade as he hit her in the chest, making her wheeze painfully and sent her flying back. Aqua tumbled across the ground, stopping a few yards away from him, landing right by her Keyblade. She gasped heavily, struggling not to cough as her limbs shakily forced her exhausted body back up. Lifting a shaky hoof, she tried to call back her Keyblade, even with the help of her magic as her horn sparked slightly, only to fizzle out as the last of her energy was now completely spent. Aqua lifted her head, seeing Terra panting heavily as his own strength was waning, letting out a grunt while propping himself up on his Keyblade. "...T-Terra..." Aqua whispered, a smile on her face knowing she saw exactly what she wanted to see in him. She wasn't able to forfeit in time, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she finally succumbed to her exhaustion and injuries, collapsing on her side on the cold and muddy ground. Terra gasped, trying to run to her, only to wince as his adrenaline stopped as he almost tripped over from the pain in his body. "Aqua!" he called out, limping as quickly as he could toward her, the others watching running up to them to make sure they were alright. Ventus flew past Terra, stopping to a halt beside the unconscious unicorn to make sure she was still breathing. Sora and Riku stood beside Terra, catching him right as his legs gave out. "Hang on, we've got ya!" Sora said. Kairi and Twilight went to check on Aqua, seeing she was still breathing. "She's fine," Kairi assured the blue unicorn's long-time friends. "She just tired herself out." "I'll say," Rarity commented. "I grew exhausted just from watching such a battle." "Does that mean Terra's a Keyblade Master now?" Fluttershy asked. "He did win...right?" "Aqua did say it would be up to her if Terra did beat her," Twilight recalled. "But...since she's out cold, we won't know until she wakes up." "Let's get them inside before they catch their death of cold out here," Applejack suggested, the other girls nodding in agreement as the farm mare carried Aqua on her back. Twilight, Kairi, and Starlight kept their ethereal umbrellas over everyone as they made their way back to the castle. Terra knew that he and Aqua really never intended to harm each other this badly, but it still pained him to realize he had physically attacked her by his own will for his exam, not under someone else's influence or control. Aqua groaned as she woke up, her body sore and demanded she fall back asleep for just a few more days. Ignoring her body's protests, she grunted as she tried to move, recalling what had just happened before she passed out. She gave Terra his Mark of Mastery exam, they fought their hardest, using every skill and spell they knew to knock each other out, and in the end, she fell, and Terra won. Struggling to sit up, she noticed she was lying in bed, her covers falling off her to reveal her without clothes on, probably being stitched back up by Rarity after hers and Terra's outfits were badly messed up from their duel. There were even some bandages over her more serious wounds, but even in her exhausted state, she couldn't use Cure on herself with how drained she felt. She brushed a hoof against her chest, wincing as that last blow to her chest still hurt from the bruise hidden under her blue fur. She stepped out of bed, her legs buckling as she stood, but she at least kept her balance when they didn't start to turn into jelly. Thankfully, she was cleaned up from getting muddy during her duel, but with her dressed wounds, she wished she could take a warm shower to relax her aching muscles. Reaching a hoof to her ear, she got in contact with her fellow Keyblade wielders, wondering if they were in the castle or elsewhere. "Hey, guys. I'm back from the dead," she joked, waiting for a response from anyone. Instead of hearing someone after a minute, Ventus nearly slammed through the door as he barged in with a whole mess of medical supplies on his back. "Aqua, you're awake!" he exclaimed, rushing toward her and hugged her tightly, making her wince in pain. He backed away, fumbling with the bandages and assortments of medications in a panic. "You still in pain? Do your wounds need to be redressed? Should I just use Cure on you instead? How many hooves am I holding up? Are you breathing normally!?" "Ven, Ven, stop," Aqua said, waving her hoof to stop him from overreacting. She kind of understood how he felt when she kept babying him after he woke up from his long, heartless coma. "I'm a bit achy, but I-" "Pain medicine! Got it!" The mare sighed as the teen grabbed the bottle of pain pills. "Ven," she said firmly, gently pushing the medicine away. "Relax. I'm fine. I just need some rest, and I'll be good as new." Ventus let out a worried groan, only to go quiet when Aqua hugged him, gently petting his head to calm him down. "Now I know how you feel when I keep fretting over you since you came back." "...Yeah," Ventus admitted. "It gets a little...annoying." "And that's why it shows I care about you so much," Aqua added with a giggle, mussing up Ventus's spiky mane. "Where are the others?" "They're in the throne room," he said. "As soon as you contacted us, I quickly volunteered to get you, and make sure you're feeling well..." Looking back at the mess of supplies he grabbed in his rush, he grinned sheepishly. "Kinda went overboard with the medical stuff, huh?" "Clearly," Aqua commented. "You mind helping me to the others?" "Are you sure?" Ventus asked. "Maybe you should rest some more." "I've been resting for the last month. I don't want to spend another day in bed recovering from my injuries." The teen wanted to argue further, not willing to let her or Terra hurt themselves trying to get around. "Or, you can maybe carry me to the throne room on your back? Will that make you feel better?" "Uhh, that would look awkward," Ventus uttered. "I'll just...let you lean against me if you lose your balance..." Aqua chuckled at Ventus's embarrassment. They both left the room, the unicorn limping slightly as she took her time while Ventus stayed beside her to make sure she didn't collapse. They finally reached the throne room after several minutes, making their way inside to find their friends looking over the map, Terra sitting beside the table instead of in his throne like the others due to his own injuries. Like Aqua, his clothes were gone, Rarity busy sewing both their outfits back to normal in her seat, sporting a few bruises and bandages on some of his more serious wounds from their fight. They looked at the doorway as they heard it open, all of them relieved to see her awake, though Terra seemed a bit worried like Ventus. "Look who's back from the dead!" Sora said. "Even though Aqua was presumed dead before she got stuck in the Realm of Darkness." "You probably shouldn't be moving around," Kairi suggested. "Both you and Terra." "Well, the two of us can be pretty stubborn," Aqua said. "Although...one of us is more stubborn when trying to one-up the other." Terra scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I grew out of that back then." "Have you, now?" Aqua asked with a smirk. Despite messing around, the room grew silent as everyone stared at the blue unicorn. She knew they were waiting for her to talk about the results of Terra's test, all of them worried about her judgement, especially Terra. "...Alright. Getting down to brass tacks...Terra?" The stallion nodded, following her silent command as he limped toward her, standing before her at attention. "Your exam is completed, and you have bested me. After seeing how well you fought, with skills I knew involved much power, I have made a verdict after that last blow to the chest sapped the last of my strength. "Note that my judgement is not going to be biased because you are my friend and lover, Terra, nor is it because this was our dream to be Keyblade Masters together, something we promised many years ago. This is judged by my role as a Keyblade Master and what I expected of you during our duel." Though Terra remained stoic like a soldier standing at attention as his superior officer gave a morale-boosting speech, but it felt more like being scolded by a drill sergeant as his heart raced nervously, swallowing the lump in his throat as he prepared for the verdict. "Terra, I asked - no, demanded you to give me everything you got. I went as hard as I could against you, pulling off every single advanced spell, every technique, making sure our fight was like a struggle between surviving a deadly encounter with someone like Xehanort or else risk dying if you failed to use every ounce of strength you have. But...I feel like you didn't." "What!? Are you kidding!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "Maybe you didn't remember how he was somehow able to call meteors out of the sky and try to crash down on you before it started to rain! I don't know how he did that, but Terra clearly pulled every single punch if he could do that!" "Rainbow, settle down!" Twilight chided. "As interesting as it is to figure out how each Keyblade wielder can perform different, unique skills of that power, Aqua is the one who is allowed to pass or fail Terra. And if she felt he didn't give it his all...that's her choice." Terra began to feel despondent, his ears drooping slightly as he seemed like he was going to fail again. "I'm not done yet," Aqua said. "Terra, you remember what happened during our last exam many years ago, right? Why Master Eraqus failed you?" "...Yes," Terra said. "...Darkness came to me out of nowhere...I was desperate not to fail, but I didn't want to win using such power and fight fairly...Even then, I knew I wasn't going to pass, and I felt ashamed and disappointed in myself. I let Master Eraqus down, and I let you and Ven down, too..." He lowered his head, looking down at the ground as he felt that Aqua was going to fail him in his Mark of Mastery exam for not meeting the standards she requested, even if he truly did use all his power. "Better luck next time, then..." The room went silent again, all ponies present waiting anxiously for Aqua's ruling. Terra kept his head down, bracing himself for the failing results of his exam by his girlfriend as he clenched his eyes shut. Her hooves echoed as she limped over to him, a grin on her face that confused the others, stopping before the cringing stallion. "...Congratulations, Terra," Aqua said. "You passed your Mark of Mastery exam." Terra's eyes immediately opened wide, his ears perking up straight as he lifted his head in shock. The others around them gasped, taken aback by Aqua's decision and were just as surprised as the earth pony stallion was. Aqua nodded her head, his shocked expression asking her if she was serious or he was imagining things. "From this day forward, you will be known as Master Terra." "...W-What?" Terra uttered in disbelief. "He passed!?" Sora and Ventus exclaimed simultaneously, the former almost excited while the latter was still greatly confused. "Awesome!" Rainbow cheered. "This calls for a party!" Pinkie exclaimed, pulling out her party cannon from behind her throne and set it off, blasting the room with confetti and covering Terra in the colorful bits of paper. The others took a moment to process all this, some grinning as they congratulated Terra, while Riku, Kairi, Starlight, and Twilight were a bit baffled. "Wait, didn't she say he 'didn't' go all out?" Starlight questioned. "He clearly had, but...it sounded like Aqua was going to fail Terra...Right?" "Yeah," Twilight agreed. "Why did he pass?" "I think it was obvious," Aqua said. "What I said before about what he needed to do? I wanted him to go all out, use all of his strength to try to beat me...That included giving in to the power of darkness." The cheering stopped as everyone gasped in horror. "Y-You wanted him to what???" Fluttershy asked fearfully. "You mean you WANTED Terra to use the power of darkness!?" Riku asked. "THAT'S what you meant by him using his full power!?" "That's just it; I didn't want him to use darkness to his advantage," Aqua explained. "I tested him in combat to see what he would do to try to knock me out. If I saw so much as a fraction of darkness in his attacks or spells, I would have failed him on the spot. But I knew he would never use that power again. I knew he would fight me fairly, using his true strength...and actually beat me in a duel after all these years." Terra was utterly speechless, his brain still trying to catch up to passing his exam while also processing Aqua's true expectations in his test. Granted, he never wanted to use the power of darkness again after using it against the assassin who "kidnapped" Xehanort, Braig, against Eraqus while trying to protect Ventus from being killed by their late master, and using it against Xehanort, only to fail when the old man's darkness surpassed his and managed to take control of his body. Ever since he returned back to his old body after several years, he vowed never to use darkness again and bring himself back to the path of light he was meant to follow, which he thankfully had while living in Equestria. "...So...you were testing him...to see if he would use darkness again?" Ventus asked. "Right. I had my doubts, but after what Terra's gone through, I believed he would never so much as think about using darkness to fight with, and now he's a Keyblade Master." Aqua looked over at Terra, her grin faltering as he was still reeling from the shock of the good news and what she had wanted to see from him in his Mark of Mastery exam. "Terra? Aren't...Aren't you excited?" The stallion blinked, rubbing his head as he tried to find the words to express how he felt once he came back to reality. "...I...don't really know...I should be, but..." Terra bit his lower lip, feeling unsure if he really was happy to finally be a Keyblade Master. He really wanted to be one since his training, but after his first failed exam, almost losing his friends, and coming back with there being no hope of ever reuniting with Aqua and Ventus, that dream felt hopeless as the weight of his actions toward the path of darkness still haunted him. As excited as the others were, he was still shocked that this was really happening to him, and Aqua was the one to give him his test. "...Are you sure I really passed your test? You didn't make me one after that because you want me to be happy fulfilling an old dream of mine or because you love me?" "I swear, Terra," Aqua promised. She took Terra's hoof in hers, holding it tightly to assure him. "I didn't go easy on you. I didn't want you to win so easily. Don't you remember what I told you if one of us became Keyblade Masters and we were allowed to give each other another exam should either of us have failed?" Terra thought back to those days he and Aqua were apprentices while they were young. He remembered questioning what would happen if they both took their Mark of Mastery exam together, if they could both pass or one does while the other fails, and he recalled hearing her say if she became a master, she wasn't going to give him an easy test. And it truly wasn't easy; his magic spells paled in comparison to Aqua's repertoire she had studied for years, along with her agility, and at times, part of him was tempted to try to cheat his way to win by using the power of darkness, but he refused to let it ruin his chances again like last time. Aqua grinned when she saw his face, remembering every memory they had together, including their old promise to help each other become Keyblade Masters. Terra smiled, his excitement of being a master now coming to him, though he controlled himself unlike Pinkie, Rainbow, and Sora. Letting go of Aqua's hoof, he stepped back a bit and bowed his head to her, silently thanking her for this opportunity. Aqua, too, bowed to Terra, a mutual sign of respect to her fellow Keyblade Master, although Pinkie firing her party cannon again startled them, ruining the proud moment Terra had as he was covered in more confetti. "Whoops! Sorry!" Pinkie apologized. "My hoof slipped." Terra chuckled as he shook his head. "I'm sure it did." He and Aqua turned to Ventus, the young teen slowly snapping out of his shocked daze, happy to see both his friends were Keyblade Masters. "All that's left is Ven. I'm sure the two of us will find something for you as your test." "Don't forget Sora," Kairi added. "He still needs to take his." "Good luck finding a challenging test for me," Sora boasted as he reclined in his throne. "If it's going to be a six-on-one match between you guys, I'm sure to pass, even without using my Drive Forms." "And how long did it take for you to finally win in a three-on-one match with Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka back home when I beat them on my first try?" Riku smirked as Sora leered at him. "I'll take you all on right now!" Sora said. "Come on! Let's go outside and I'll show you how well I can fight against all of you!" "Sora, down!" Kairi commanded, shrouding the pegasus in her white aura and forced him down in his seat, shifting her magic to his mane as she pat him when he stayed put. "Good boy." "Ha ha," Riku taunted. "You got in trouble with your girlfriend." He then yelped as he felt a tug on his ear. "Ow! Twilight!" Twilight shook her head when Riku looked at her, her hoof pointing at Kairi, who gave him a warning glare. "And stop teasing Sora, Riku. You two have a bad streak of getting caught up in some rivalry that it can go a bit too far, and we all know who's going to come out on top in the end." "Yeah! Me!" both pegasi said, turning to each other with a glare, only to yelp as both their ears were tugged hard by Kairi. "No, that would be me," she corrected the two stallions. "Now, how about we focus on Terra's promotion than you two bickering like a married couple." "I'd ship that!" Pinkie said, pulling out a pencil and a piece of paper. "I'm gonna write my own shipfic, and it's gonna be juicy." She began scribbling the first few words of her fictional tale, only to grumble in frustration when all the words she wanted to write were either turned into gibberish or changed to something else. "Aww, come on! I can't even write anything mature rated that isn't even shown in writing! CURSE YOU AGE RESTRICTIONS! Now nopony will read my Soku fic!" "'Soku'?" everyone repeated, confused by the odd name Pinkie said. "Sora and Riku's names crossed together? Duh?" she pointed out as if everyone had no idea what she was talking about, which was the case. "All ships have names for couples everypony wants to see together canonically. There's Aurra for Aqua and Terra, Twiku for Twilight and Riku, Kaira for Sora and Kairi...Ok, that last one sounds a bit awkward, but MOST shipping names are combined names of the couples, or even something that relates to the two of them to be combined together..." Pinkie hummed, using the same paper she tried to write her made up story on to list down different shipping names. "Might have to go to the drawing board for some more good, creative names for every couple in this story. Especially for Venny and Moon Dancer." While Sora and Riku grimaced with flushed cheeks, disgusted by the weird thought of the two friends ever being in a romantic relationship, Ventus let out a groan in exasperation. "I am not in love with Moon Dancer! She's just a friend!" "That's not what some of the comments say," Pinkie sang almost teasingly, the teenage pegasus grumbling with his hooves crossed while leaning against his throne. "C-Can we just throw Terra's party and forget all this random talk about shipping?" Sora pleaded as he remembered a certain, teasing letter from Discord upon his second release from his stone prison and his comment on him and Riku being more than friends. "...Ok, fine," Pinkie said, tossing her materials as she shrugged. "Master Terra's graduation is the main focus of this chapter after all. Time for more confetti to lighten the mood!" Pinkie fired her party cannon again, covering Terra in more confetti as it began to irritate him now than the first two times. "Why am I the only one getting blasted by confetti?" Aqua giggled, using her magic to blow off the pieces of paper coating Terra's body, wincing slightly as her horn sparked a little from her mana still needing to be recharged. "Just think of it as Pinkie's way of rewarding you for this achievement." "From Pinkie, I would expect having a cake drop down on me and cover me in frosting." Terra looked up, actually expecting to see a cake hovering over him, but he breathed a sigh of relief when there was nothing but the ceiling and the tree root chandelier. "Ok. No random cake ready to plop on me." "That'd be weird," Pinkie commented. "And a waste of good cake. Speaking of cake...!" The party pony zipped out of the throne room, then came back a few minutes later, wheeling a cart that had a congratulatory cake for Terra sitting on it. She then pulled a phonograph from underneath the tablecloth draped on the cart, setting it down on the Cutie Map. "Let's dig in, play us some tunes, and party!" Pinkie put on some party music, starting the party as the others joined in by either dancing with Pinkie or stealing some cake. Even though Terra and Aqua wanted to celebrate his new status as well, they decided to just relax and listen to the music, both still really sore from their battle and could barely move enough to dance. Being called a Keyblade Master felt so strange for Terra, but he would get used to it in time. "Hey, Aqua?" The unicorn looked up at him, noticing the nervous look on his face. "If Master Eraqus were still here...do you think he'd be proud of me?" "I'm sure he would be," Aqua assured, giving Terra a peck on the cheek. "He would have wanted us to both succeed and carry on his wisdom and training to future Keyblade wielders." She nuzzled his neck, feeling him relax as he was assured Eraqus would have been very proud of where Aqua and Terra were now, even after the dark path Terra had taken at first and defying him while trying to protect Ventus. "Wish we could dance, but after the beating we gave each other, I think I'll look like I've got four left hooves." "I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?" Terra asked in concern. "I'll live," Aqua said. "Besides, I think you deserve to gloat after all the times I kicked your butt in our sparring matches. The score would be your one to my several hundred victories." "You did not beat me that many times," Terra argued. "I won in some of those matches." "Name one." He was about to speak, only to pause as he thought back to their previous fights, proving himself wrong as Aqua smirked. "Exactly. Even when I first arrived at the Land of Departure, I managed to beat you multiple times without any experience in combat." Terra frowned, but his lips curled into a smile, despite being teased. "Yeah...But I at least beat you once." Being careful of Aqua's injuries, he wrapped a hoof around her, nipping at her ear and made her squeak in surprise. "Just give me a few months. I'll bring the score up to a tie sooner or later. But I know something else I can beat you at." Aqua squirmed, feeling Terra's teeth nibble on her sensitive ear, regretting burying her face against his neck as she left her appendages open to her muzzle. "Mmmff...Terra, don't," she begged, letting out a squeaky moan when she felt him lick her ear along with his teeth gently grazing it. "I-I hate when you do that..." Terra let out a sinister chuckle as he kept teasing the poor mare, easily making her submit as she muffled her moans against his neck. He showed Aqua mercy and let go, lifting her blushing face to him as he leaned closer, giving her a light kiss. Due to their injuries, he knew they weren't going to enjoy anything too rough and passionate, but they were both content with a bit of cuddling and giving each other loving kisses. As the party continued on, Terra was going to make sure to work hard as a Keyblade Master, and help Aqua now that she was no longer alone with bearing the weight of shaping future apprentices in the true ways of the Keyblade and oversee the protection of every world from darkness. He wasn't going to let Master Eraqus's death be in vain, swearing to one day find a way to return the Land of Departure to its rightful form, freed of the darkness that clouded it upon the master's death, or create a new, peaceful world for the next generation of Keyblade wielders.