One day seemed to stretch into the next, filled with the same repetitive activities without end: training, studying, meetings, training, studying, meetings. This wasn’t what Aced had imagined the life of an apprentice would be. He thought they would travel the worlds, defeat monsters, and come back to celebrate all together, their Master praising them for their hard work. He understands they need to be ready to survive on their own, he knows the expectations weighing heavily on their shoulders, but he is ready. He has been for so long now.

Though he is ready, he also knows some of his fellow apprentices are not. Some of them are young —have not made it yet into adulthood— and they need to learn to be prepared. It wouldn’t be fair to them if he begged the Master to let him venture into other worlds before they’re all ready, and Aced knows better than to leave his comrades behind.

He sighs. At least they finally get a day off.

“I see we’re not the only ones who thought to come up here to relax,” a feminine voice says.

Aced jumps out of his skin at the sound, immediately sitting up and turning toward the voice. Invi and Ava, two other apprentices, are walking toward him. His lips open in a greeting before he remembers he had taken his mask off when he had first laid down in the flower field. A blush rises to his cheeks as he frantically looks around for that god-awful bear mask somewhere in the grass.

“Ah, my apologies. I- I did not expect anyone to come here. Please, wait…”

Invi shakes her head. “No need to apologize, Aced; wearing the mask all day can be quite tiring. If you may, I will join you.” Carefully, Invi takes off her own mask to reveal deep blue eyes. She readjusts the veil covering her hair before turning toward Ava, a smile on her lips. “This will be our little secret, don’t you agree?”

With a crystalline laugh, Ava takes her mask and hood off as well, long red hair falling down her back. She jumps forward to meet Aced without crushing too many flowers and sits next to him, smiling widely. “I didn’t know there was a place so beautiful here. It’s so nice! We should bring everyone next time.”

“Ira is too engrossed in his training, good luck getting him out of town.”

“And I heard Luxu has been quite busy recently, helping the Master with his research.” Invi sits, gazing at Daybreak Town beneath them. “But maybe we can convince them once we have all become Keyblade Masters.”

The smile on Ava’s face fades. “You’re all so much stronger than me, you’ll graduate way before I do.”

“Ava, it’s not true. We just had more time to train than you.”

Aced puts his hand on Ava’s shoulder and gently squeezes it. “Besides, the Master never said you needed to be as strong as everyone else to graduate, nor that you should become the best Keyblade Wielder to be worthy in his eyes. You need to find how you want to fight, what makes you unique . You need to find your strength, that’s why people will choose you and not someone else.”

The two girls look up at him with wide eyes, surprise and awe mixing into their expressions. Aced’s eyebrow twitches at the lack of response. “Did I say something weird?”

“Aced, thank you!” Ava suddenly shouts, arms flying around his waist to hug him as best as she could. Invi laughs behind Ava, a hand covering her mouth.

“That was such a surprisingly good speech, I didn’t expect that from you.”

“I’m sorry?” He can feel heat rising to his face once more. “Invi, explain yourself!”

She doubles over at the sight of him and is quickly followed by Ava laughing into his chest, something small and genuine. He shakes his head, completely lost on the joke there. “I don’t understand what is so funny!”

As laughter echoes louder and louder in the field, interrupted here and there by bursts of Aced’s confusion, the wind picks up and ruffles their hair, slipping beneath their clothes and grazing their skins. It’s warm and comforting, yet ephemeral, just like the memory of this moment that would soon turn bittersweet.

The wind is changing.