The Angel's Keyblade~ Chapter 18

"Will you sing me that song, oneesan?"

I smiled at the request as I tucked my baby sister in. "Of course, Chise." I sat on the edge of her bed. then cleared my throat and started to sing the melody our late grandmother had taught me.

See all the stars in the sky,
You are not alone.
For every star there is
You'll find someone's home,
You'll find someone's home.

And how true that song was, though it took having my family captured by the Heartless, my world swallowed by Darkness, and me to gain a magic weapon and angel wings to figure that out. Irony wasn't the word I was looking for, but there was some term that seemed to fit this predicament perfectly.

I looked at my sister and saw she was fast asleep, her face like that of a cherub. Once again, my heart wrenched in agony. Why did someone as innocent as her have to get involved in something such as this? I couldn't help but feel that it was my fault; My gift had brought the Heartless to my home, and I couldn't do a thing to protect those I loved. My body began to tremble as I was overcome with deep despair. I put my face in my cupped hands and sobbed pitifully. I was the cause of so much pain without knowing of it; Realization of this only caused me to cry more, but I left the small cottage before I could wake up Chise. On the porch, I sat there with my knees to my chest and my tears soaking my dress.

"It's my fault. It's all my fault," I cried.

"Please, don't think that, Hikari," Master Aqua tried to reassure. "None of this is your fault and don't you dare think otherwise."

I saw a golden light appear just below my eyesight, telling me that my necklace was reacting. I looked up and wiped away my tears as a transparent vision of Master Aqua appeared before me.

I had thought it before, but the light of the full Moon only furthered my belief of how beautiful Master Aqua was. She had a wonderful figure, silky blue hair, a warm and comforting smile that could melt even the most frozen heart, and those mesmerizing blue eyes that resembled beautiful sapphires, my favorite jewel.

"You must never give up on yourself, Hikari," she stated. She surprised me further when she kneeled down and wrapped her arms around me neck. Though she wasn't physically there, I could feel the faintest touch, and that in itself was comforting. "You have done so much good for those you have met. You have a gift; a gift that lets you touch people's hearts in ways no one else can. Do you know that?"

I simply nodded, the tears returning.

"Just promise me you won't give up on yourself?" Master Aqua asked me, stroking my hair.

I sniffled, then managed a weak "Yes."

"That's all I ask," my master replied, then slowly faded away.

I touched my necklace and smiled. "Thank you, Master Aqua."

XXXXX

The next morning, I was supervising the fairies' training. The Water and Light fairies were practicing techniques with controlling the water and sunlight, the Fast-flying fairies trying to increase their speeds by circling the Pixie Dust tree, the Garden fairies viewing over several types of plants that would be effective in battle, the Animal fairies speaking with several animals on how to protect themselves, and Tinker fairies creating several contraptions to protect their home. From time to time, some of them would call me over to help them with a technique or get a second opinion on something they had built.

The events of the previous night were behind me, my promise to Master Aqua holding firm. It was a new day, opening my eyes to the reality of things; nothing I could have done when darkness invaded my world and the Heartless took those I held dear to me would have prevented any of it. In a sense, I was glad I had been given this chance, otherwise I never would have met Ansem the Wise, the gang at Radiant Garden, Master Aqua, the King, and Master Yen Sid.

I was overjoyed when Chise joined be around noon to learn some basics in self-defense, but not as much as she was. She had always tried to prove she wasn't as weak as she appeared, for which I couldn't help but smile at. That night when she was near death had forever changed her, sparking something inside her that I would never truly understand.

Her wing was still in the process of healing, so I only gave her lessons that she could practice on her own without having to hurt herself. It was difficult to hide the fact that I was hiding much more knowledge that she could use, but where I was going to take her once that mess was all over, hopefully she wouldn't have a need to use them.

Close to around sunset, I left Chise with Fairy Mary to check on the location where Terence had met Genji. I could sense the darkness getting stronger the closer I got to my destination.

"Best be on your guard," Master Aqua warned me. "We don't know what you might find once you get there."

"I will," I promised, then descended to the earth when I could see the clump of sage Terence had told me of. What I found perhaps created permanent goosebumps all over my body.

Within a ten yard radius (fairy-wise,) all of the greenery had been sapped dry, leaving a completely dead clearing. There wasn't a single living thing; the animals seemed to have steered far clear of that place, and I couldn't blame them. I could feel my necklace shifting in balance, for it felt cold against my chest.

I wrapped my arms around my body, shivering. "How could this have happened?" The sun that shined down offered little warmth, but it did cause something to catch my attention. On the ground, something shimmered dimly, and when I got to my knees and brushed away the dirt on top of it, my heart dropped down to my stomach.

"What is that?" Master Aqua inquired.

My eyes filled with tears as I picked up the small, silver hoop earring. I looked on the inner part of it and found the familiar carved-in initials 'GJH.' "Chise was right, Master Aqua. Genji was the one that brought her here… as well as the Heartless."