“ WAK! Careful, Ven!” Donald ducked out of the blonds way as he nearly stabbed the duck as he turned toward him with the kitchen knife in his hand. 

“Sorry!” Ven apologized as he set the knife down this time before reaching for the other fruits to prepare. The duck eyed him warily as he stepped away from the danger zone. Goofy chuckling as he retrieved the glasses for drinks. Everyone else was busy in the library when he’d decided to prepare some snacks for the group. He wasn’t the best at studying, so all the research they were doing was making him antsy anyway. 

Donald and Goofy went on ahead with the drinks and glasses as Ven finished up, cleaning the knife and cutting board before gathering the two plates of sandwiches and fruit to head back to the library. 

Yen Sid led them down the stairs from the study but their impromptu exploration had barely started before they bumped into another one of their “captors”. The blond boy was around their age and stopped when he saw them, readjusting the plates of food in his hands as he gave them a smile. 

“Oh, hey! Glad to see you guys awake!” 

“Uh, yea. Glad to be awake.” Eraqus smiled back.

“You guys feeling okay? Forced sleep is the worst.” Yen Sid’s head suddenly pounded, his headache returning with a vengeance. He clutched his head with a hand as he screwed his eyes shut. 

“The boy’s heart is sleeping.” A man’s voice pierced his senses as a scene flashed behind his closed eyes. The form of the boy they’d just met slumped against a wall, unresponsive. The woman he recognized as Aqua kneeling by his side.

“When will he wake?” Her voice echoed in his mind. The vision fading back to black as the man’s voice answered faintly.

“I could not say.”

The pain in his head faded to a manageable level after the vision ended. Yen Sid blinked his eyes open to find the others staring at him in concern. 

“Headache again?” Xehanort asked him. 

“Yea, getting visions too.” He rubbed his temple. “I’m fine now.” 

“If you’re sure…”

“Anything interesting in that vision of yours?” Eraqus asked after they were sure he was okay. He was smiling at him, Yen Sid often shared his visions with his friends. It was fun interpreting them together and it was good practice. 

“Kinda?” he answered, turning his attention back toward the blonde the vision was about. “You… were you forced into sleep once?” the boys eyes widened.

“Heh, yea I was.. That’s what your vision was about?” He asked and Yen Sid nodded. “That’s pretty cool, looked like it hurt though.” 

“Just a bit.” he admitted. 

“Not too bad, I hope.” Eraqus voiced his concern this time and Yen Sid waved him off. 

“That’s good. Oh, I’m Ventus by the way. But call me Ven.” Ven smiled at them. “I’d shake hands but-” he raised the plates he held in explanation.

“Oh! Here, let me help.” Xehanort offers taking the plate of fruit off his hands. “Xehanort, but if that’s too long, just call me Xeha.” He grinned at Ven. 

“Eraqus. Nice to meet you, Ven.”

“Likewise.” Ven’s smile was gentle toward Eraqus before he looked back at Yen Sid. “And you’re Yen Sid, right? We met earlier.”

“Right. So, where you headed with all the food?” 

“The library. Figured everyone would be hungry. You guys want to come? Got plenty of food!”

And that’s how they found themselves having lunch in the tower’s library. 

“We’ve come with snacks!” Ven called as he approached the open doorway

“Took long enough, we thought you were right behind Donald and Goofy!”

“I got distracted!” 

Eraqus could feel the eyes on them when they entered behind the blond and he tried not to feel self conscious. But he knew Xehanort at least would feel the same. Sitting at a table past Ven, Eraqus could see the woman, Aqua, who had cast sleep on them. 

Despite the stares, Xehanort followed Ven and placed the plate he held next to the other on the table. 

“What do you know, Riku did say they’d be wandering around.” The tall brunette man said with an amused smile, breaking the awkward tension in the room. 

“Bumped into Ven coming down the stairs.” Yen Sid explained. 

“Yep! And I invited them to come eat with us.” Ven pulled napkins out of his pocket and set them near the food as he spoke. 

“Cool, we were meaning to go up there soon cause I think we all got off on the wrong foot back there.” Another blue eyed brunette stood from his chair and approached them smiling and holding out a hand. “I’m Sora! Eraqus and Xehanort, right? Yen Sid told us your names earlier.”  

Eraqus shook his hand first. “Right, I’m Eraqus.” He released his hand and Xehanort took it next. 

“Just Xeha for short.” He smiled back at the boy but the expression faded as he spoke again. Voice sounding serious as he addressed everyone in the room. “But I think you knew our names longer than when Sid told you. I remember her”, He pointed at the blue haired woman across the table. “saying my name before she cast that spell on us.” He crossed his arms. The previously severed tension in the room returning full force as the silvernette called them out. “Which reminds me..” He uncrossed his arms and fully faced the woman. And when he spoke next his voice was just as serious but less accusatory as he raised his hand to sheepishly scratch the back of his head. “I don’t know what I did to make you so mad at me, Miss. But I’m sorry.”

“I mean, you sure you didn’t hit on her?” Eraqus cheekily added, knowing that he hadn’t but couldn't help teasing him again. It had the desired effect too as Xehanort turned back to him, his face slightly pink. But he didn't expect what his friend did next. 

Xehanort grabbed his face in both his hands pinching and pulling on his cheeks. “I’ll hit on you if you keep bringing that up!” He grit through his teeth. The threat, meaningless as Eraqus laughed through the slight pain, trying and failing to push his friend away. The others in the room also laughing at their antics. The leftover tension in the room dissipating. 

They were introduced to the others then as everyone sat down to eat. Friendly conversation between all of them. Eraqus eventually asked if they were all keyblade wielders which led to many more questions. If they’d visited other worlds and what they were like, what kinds of heartless they’ve fought. The three young keyblade apprentices listened in earnest as the others recalled their experiences and told fantastical stories of the other worlds. 

That’s how the rest of the evening went, Xehanort, Eraqus and Yen Sid heading back up to the study as the others began leaving the library to find places to sleep.  Yen Sid stopped as they passed his grandfather's desk, then walking over to it. 

“What’s up?” Eraqus asked. 

“I’m worried about my Grandfather.” Sid began opening drawers. “He’s never been gone this long. I wonder if he left a note or anything.” He continued looking through drawers as Eraqus and Xehanort walked over beside him. 

In the bottom drawer, on top of a stack of papers was a strange looking item. A blue-green and yellow star shape, one of the points like lightning. 

“What’s this?” Xehanort reaches into the drawer to grab the object.

“Ooh, let me see!” Eraqus reaches for it too. 

“Hey! Don’t touch something you don’t know what it is!” Yen Sid goes to grab the star and put it back. His and Eraqus’ hands making contact with it at the same time. 

There’s a blinding flash of light and a sickening feeling in his gut. A sensation of the world lurching and his feet leaving the floor. He heard Eraqus and Yen Sid yelp as they felt it too. The feelings intensify and Xehanort once again curses his curiosity before losing consciousness yet again.