In the Land Of Departure

Upon another world, a room sits in silence. Symbols and pictures line the walls of the room not covered in bookshelves, and upon a bed seated beneath a large window, lies a young golden-haired boy, gazing at the ceiling. He sits up, sighing, and looks out the window. He gasps upon seeing several shooting stars in the sky. He places his hands upon the glass in excitement)

Ventus: A meteor shower!

(He jumps off the bed and runs out of the room. It is evening at the Land of Departure. The stars twinkle in the night sky as Ventus runs out of the castle across the Forecourt)

Ventus: I can't see much from here.

(He runs to the Mountain Path and sees training equipment and smirks)

Ventus: I've got time to spare!

(He trains on the wheel-and-chain pole a bit before running over to the mobile)

Ventus: What? You want a piece of me too!

(He strikes the mobile with his Keyblade for a few minutes)

Ventus: Wait, what am I messing around here for? I'm gonna miss the meteor shower!

(He runs to the Summit and looks up at the stars)

Ventus: Wow!

(He lays down on the ground with his arms behind his head and watches the shooting stars)

Ventus: Why does this seem so familiar?

(He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep. Once he wakes up, Ventus sits up and looks to the town. He yawns and moves to lay down again, but is greeted by the face of a blue-haired girl)

Ventus: Whoa!

(He sits up suddenly and gets to his knees. She giggles)

Ventus: Gimme a break, Aqua.

Aqua: Ven, you hopeless sleepyhead. You know, you should've at least brought a blanket.

Ventus: But--Did I dream that place up? It really felt like I'd been there before...looking up at the stars...

(She pets his head)

Aqua: 'Cept you've always lived here with us.

Ventus: Yeah... I know.

(They walk to the edge of the hill and sit)

Ventus: Aqua...

Aqua: Hm?

(The lamppost above them shines brightly)

Ventus: Y'ever wonder what stars are? Where light comes from?

Aqua: Hmm... Well they say--

?????: That every star up there is another world.

(They turn around and see...)

Aqua: Terra.

Terra: Yep, hard to believe there are so many worlds out there besides our own.

(He walks over to them)

Terra: The light is their hearts, and it's shining down on us like a million lanterns.

Ventus: What? I don't get it.

Terra: In other words, they're just like you, Ven.

Ventus: What does THAT mean?

Terra: You'll find out someday, I'm sure.

Ventus: I wanna know now.

Terra: You're too young to know now.

(Aqua smiles)

Ventus: Quit treating me like a kid!

(Aqua laughs)

Terra: Hey, what are you laughing at?

Aqua: I can't help it. You two would make the weirdest brothers.

Ventus: Huh?

Terra: Huh?

(Aqua laughs. Ven puts his hands behind his head and starts laughing along with Terra and Aqua. They sit there a while)

Aqua (standing): Oh, yeah! Terra, you and I have our Mark of Mastery exams tomorrow.

(She reaches into her pocket)

Aqua: I made us good luck charms.

(She pulls them out. The star-shaped charms hang from thread. Terra and Ven stand up as well and she tosses the red one to Terra, who catches it in one hand)

Aqua: Here!

(Ven catches a green one)

Ventus: I get one too?

(She holds out a blue one)

Aqua: Of course. One for each of us.

(They hold them out together and compare)

Ventus: Yeah!

Aqua: Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit... and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You'll always find your way back to each other. Technically, I think you're supposed to make them with seashells, but I did the best with what I had.

Terra: Oy, sometimes you are such a girl.

Aqua: Hey, what do you mean "sometimes"?

Ventus: So this isn't a real good luck charm?

Aqua: Well, that's yet to be seen. But I did work a little magic on it.

Ventus: Really? What?

(She holds her charm high in the air)

Aqua: An unbreakable connection.

Terra: Well, tomorrow's the exam. Anybody wanna spar?

Ventus (summoning his Keyblade): I can take ya!

(Terra and Ven spar, with Terra fighting defensively)

Ventus: Quit goin' easy on me. You're not gonna win unless you stay on the offensive!

(Terra fights more defensively and wins. Aqua walks over to them)

Aqua: Well, that works fine if you're fighting one on one. But you need to know how to handle a crowd, too.

(Terra leaves Aqua to fight Ven. Aqua trains Ven on attacking multiple enemies)

Terra: Okay, let's wrap this up!

(Terra fights Aqua and wins)

Terra: It comes with experience.

(Ven fights Terra and wins)

Ventus: Told ya I'm good.

(Aqua fights Ven and wins)

Aqua: Looks like I win.

Ventus: Trust me, you guys are ready. You're gonna clean up at the exam tomorrow.

Terra: I hope it's that easy.

Aqua: It's like the Master said. Power is born within the heart. When the time is right, you just need to look inside yourself and you'll find it there.

(Ven stares at the night sky again)

Terra: Hey, we're gonna head back.

Ventus: Yeah. Me too!

(Aqua stands, holding her charm)

Aqua: Together...always.

(She joins Terra and Aqua and they walk back to the castle)

Terra, Aqua, & Ven: That would be the last night we ever spent beneath the same stars.

Meanwhile