Ten years.

It's been ten years since I saved Akio's life.

Ten years since I've lost the powers Xehanort gave me.

Ten years I've been banished to the Realm of Darkness.

Ten years I've been staring at the same shore, hearing the water hitting the sand.

Ten years I've been wondering if I did the right thing.

Xehanort was mad that I lost Akio and my powers, so he decided I should be "punished". It was to show the others that he wouldn't tolerate failure, but I'm his favorite, so he just gave me an easy mission. He wanted me to find the lost Keyblade Master who was foolish enough to sacrifice herself for her friend.

Kind of like me.

He was always telling me how many years passed, and I had just found a bottle floating in the water. There was a slip of paper that said "X". That was all.

These past ten years, I've been looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. It hasn't felt like ten years, but time has no meaning here. But, this means that Akio has turned fifteen. So, I have to find a mouse.

Of course, I now know that it's that little king.

Opening a dark portal, I started to enter it when I heard footsteps. Turning around, I saw a woman stumbling forward. She had blue hair and lowered herself to the sand. She wrapped her arms around her knees, looking down. She seemed to staring at the same shore I was just moments ago before sobbing uncontrollably.

I just stood there, staring at her. It felt like an invasion of privacy, but I couldn't help it. I was in a trance.

After a moment, she became quiet, wiping away her tears.

"Terra...Ven...Please be okay," she whispered.

Anger suddenly filled my senses. Why does she still care about them when she's trapped here? Is she still holding onto some sliver of hope? Her friends won't rescue her. No one will. She's been forgotten. They all have.

I clenched my fists.

I've been forgotten.

Akio won't remember me. So why am I still doing this? Why do I still hold onto a sliver of hope? Ten years, I've been waiting for this moment to finally save her. Ten years, I've been telling myself it'll be worth it. Ten years, I've been fooling myself.

No. I won't think like that.

Ten years, she's been waiting for me. Ten years, she's been forgotten, too. Ten years, she's been trapped in her own prison.

I turned back around, entering the dark portal.

I won't wait any longer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stood in the shadows, watching as the little mouse sat on his golden throne. He seemed to be exhausted. Slipping away, I clutched the note I had written on tighter in my hand. I exited the throne room to find myself standing in a long hallway.

I whistled.

A yellow dog bounded towards me out of nowhere. Its floppy ears were flying in the wind as it ran over to me. It plopped in front of me, its tail wagging and tongue hanging out. I leaned forward, looking at its green collar.

No name on it.

"Huh," I muttered. I held out the letter, and the dog put it in its jaws. "Go give this to your master," I whispered. I pointed at the large door behind me. "Go, boy!" The dog ran into the throne room, and I heard the mouse exclaim in surprise.

I peered in the room to see him standing up, holding the letter. He was reading it quickly, his eyes practically popping out of his head.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed. He looked up, and we made eye contact for a split second before I disappeared. I watched as he ran into the hallway, no doubt looking for me. He looked both down ends before looking back down at the letter.

The small king pulled out a star-thing, holding it up.

"To the Keyblade Graveyard!" he yelled. It lit up, engulfing him in a bright light. He shot into the sky, and I sighed with relief.

My plan was working.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I arrived at the same spot I left Akio, and stared in disbelief.

She really did grow.

Her arms and legs were long, the clothes I put on her just fitting. She was sprawled out on her back, her long, thick hair surrounding her. Her skin had certain glow to it, and a slight smile was on her lips. Her eyelashes were long, her eyebrows perfectly arched, and she still had the hammer in her hand.

She was beautiful.

I walked towards her, kneeling next to her body. I couldn't help but stare at her. She looked so peaceful. I reached a hand out, brushing back a strand of hair from her face. Her fingers twitched, and I just noticed her chest rising and falling with each breath.

Was she breathing before?

I felt my heart beating, remembering what the spirit of Kingdom hearts had said. We were connected, and my heart was hers.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" a voice called out. I looked up to see a shadow of the small mouse king. He started towards us, and I disappeared once again.

"Huh? Is this the girl?" the mouse asked. He had reached her and was looking at the note again. "Either way, I can't leave her here." Akio's eyes fluttered open at that moment, and she shot forward.

She looked around, then down at her body. She looked at her arms, then legs. She noticed the hammer in her hand and dropped it surprise. Her hands were trembling as she touched her face, as if this was new to her. She finally looked up at the mouse king.

"Who are you?" she asked with uncertainty. The mouse smiled at her, holding out his gloved hand.

"The name's Mickey! Are you okay?"

"I-I think so...unless this is another dream..," Akio said, tears suddenly streaming down her face. "Please don't let this be another dream!" The mouse walked over to her, patting her back.

"It's okay. I'm real," he said. Akio wiped away her tears, looking up at him.

"Y-you said your name was Mickey?" she asked. The small king nodded. "Where are we, Mickey?"

"The Keyblade Graveyard. How did ya get here?" he asked, concern in his eyes.

"I don't know..I don't remember much...I know that my name is....is..."

Akio.

Your name is Akio.

"My name is Haku."

What?

"Well, c'mon, Haku. We better get'cha ya out of here! Do you have any parents looking for ya? Or a friend?" Akio shook her head. She suddenly looked to the right and whispered something. She whipped her head to the left and whispered again. She slowly turned around, staring straight at...me.

Those big, beautiful eyes were staring at me.

She blinked twice before standing up. She started towards me. Her hand reached out, her fingers running across the rocky interior behind me. She got closer to me before snapping out of it.

Akio stepped back, still staring at me, before shaking her head.

"Just a dream," she whispered.

Akio turned around, following Mickey out of the secluded area.

Just a dream, huh?

I followed them to see they had reached the area with all the Keyblades in the ground. They formed a four-way path, and the small mouse and Akio were standing in the middle. She stumbled, wincing in pain.

There was one Keyblade that was in the center of them all.

Lunaticus Estella.

Akio's mother's Keyblade.

Akio gasped when she saw it, grabbing her head. Mickey jumped in surprise as she collapsed on the ground next to him. He pulled out his star, grabbing Akio's hand.

"To Yensid's Tower!" he yelled. They were both swallowed in a blinding light, once again shooting into the sky.

I just stood there.

Forgotten.