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Finally rid of the Unversed in the foyer of the castle, Terra escorted Cinderella into the immense, high-ceilinged ballroom, which was decorated with rosy shades of pink on every wall and pillar. Hundreds of young women were dressed in fine gowns, waiting for their chance to dance with the Prince, who stood at the end of a long red carpet. As Terra looked at his surroundings, he could only think about the fact that he is supposed to go to a ball very much like this tomorrow. That is, he was supposed to--before all this trouble with the Unversed began.

"Oh, thank you, umm..." Cinderella started.

"Terra," Terra replied.

"Thank you, Terra," Cinderella told him with a sweet smile.

Remembering how he was taught to properly escort a lady into a ballroom, Terra put one arm behind his back and made a grand sweeping gesture with his left arm toward the ballroom while he bowed his head forward. Cinderella giggled at this, and grabbed her glistening white skirt to walk further into the ballroom.

Much to her surprise and to the surprise of all the guests in the ballroom, the Prince had already started to walk up to her himself, mesmerized with only one look at her. As he met up with Cinderella, he bowed and extended his hand for her to take it. She quickly curtsied and took the Prince's hand. Then the two walked toward the center of the ballroom and began to waltz to a soft melody.

"Maybe just believing is enough," Terra mused out loud, as he saw for himself that Cinderella's dream had indeed come true. Maybe the same could be said for himself, and his dream of becoming a keyblade Master.

As he continued to watch Cinderella and the Prince waltz, his thoughts strayed to all the stressful dance lessons he, Aqua, and Ventus had been taking for two weeks up until today. He and Aqua would be dancing alone in front of everybody just like this at the Mark of Mastery Inauguration Ball. But looking at how gracefully Cinderella and the Prince were dancing, and how they seemed to be looking at each other like there was no other soul in the room, the idea of waltzing with Aqua was starting to look not-so-dreadful now...

 

TWO WEEKS EARLIER...

"I wonder what kind of lessons Master Eraqus is having us take," Terra thought out loud as he, Aqua, and Ventus walked up a hillside very close to their own home. "He said it was related to attaining the Mark of Mastery."

"Maybe it's something to do with magic," Aqua suggested. "You do need a lot of help with that," she giggled.

Terra rolled his eyes at this. "I'm fine with the magic I do know! And besides, if he wanted us to learn magic, why wouldn't he just teach us himself?"

"The Master's a busy guy," Aqua qualified.

"If this has to do with the Mark of Mastery, why am I supposed to take these lessons, too?" Ventus curiously asked as he looked up at Aqua and Terra.

Terra turned to him. "I don't see why you can't take the same lessons as us. After all, you have been training nearly as much as me and Aqua. Maybe the Master thinks you're almost ready for your Mark of Mastery exam, too."

Ventus smiled at this and answered, "Really?"

Aqua smiled. "Well, whatever lessons we're taking, I'm sure that the three of us will be able to handle it."

They walked into a white, rectangular building and entered a room that was empty, except for a large, maple record player in one corner and a couple chairs. Oddly enough, one wall was made completely of mirrors. At the center of the room was a small, slightly wrinkled woman in a sparkling shawl of mixed shades of purple and blue. Her pale blonde hair was pinned up to the top of her head into a bun, with strands straggling out over her forehead. She turned to the three pupils and broke into a smile.

"Ah, welcome! Welcome! Terra, Aqua and Ventus, correct?" she asked.

"Yes," the students answered as they looked around the room in curiosity, wondering what kind of training they were going to take.

"Good! Now, you three just take your places standing in the center of the room. I apologize for the abruptness but we must begin as soon as possible," the older woman explained. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus took to the center of the room and then their instructor cleared her throat.

"Hello, Mark of Mastery candidates. My name is Master Olor and I will be teaching you the opening ceremonial dance for the upcoming Mark of Mastery Inauguration Ball. Generations upon generations of Keyblade Masters have held these balls as a celebration of young Keyblade Masters taking the first step into the next great journey of their lives. Keyblade Masters and candidates will be coming from far and wide to attend. Therefore, it is imperative that you present yourselves appropriately at the ball and participate in one of the oldest of traditions, the opening dance performed by the new Master candidates. Whether or not either or both of you show the Mark of Mastery, the purpose of the ball is to celebrate your development and coming of age. As you may already know, it is already considered an honor to be chosen as a Mark of Mastery candidate."

"Uh...no offense, but what does learning some old dance have to do with becoming a Keyblade Master?" Terra questioned. "Master Eraqus told us we would be taking important lessons with you."

"Terra, shh!" Aqua hushed through her teeth as she shot him a stern look.

Terra briefly glanced at her before turning back to Master Olor, who had marched right up to him so quickly, he flinched in surprise.

"Terra, is it?" she asked with a beady look in her green eyes while her ashy blonde hair stuck up out of its bun.

"Yes, ma'am," Terra answered with a gulp. Although she was much smaller and much older than Terra, Master Olor intimidated him.

"Every single person who has become a Keyblade Master has performed an opening dance for the Mark of Mastery Inauguration Ball since the tradition was started. Are you suggesting that you are not confident enough in your skills that you will be able to learn a simple dance that so many others before you have?"

"No, I just--"

"Then there is no point in arguing!" she tersely answered as she whipped around to walk back to the front of the room. "Unless, of course, you don't think you have what it takes to become a Keyblade Master."

Terra clenched his fists in annoyance. "No, Master Olor. I have what it takes!"

Aqua and Ventus both stared at Terra, who seemed to be getting a little too passionate.

"Oh, good," Master Olor replied with a smile. "Now, are there any more questions before we start?"

Ventus timidly raised his hand to the level of his shoulder.

"Er, yes... Ventus, is it? What is your question, my boy?" Olor asked as she clasped her hands together.

"Uh, well... If this is a dance for the Mark of Mastery candidates to learn, why am I here?" he quietly asked. "I'm not a candidate."

"Ah!" Master Olor exclaimed as if she had just remembered something. "Master Eraqus felt that since you three are so close, he didn't want you to feel left out. Of course, only Aqua and Terra will have to dance first--Oh, I might as well explain it properly, then now..."

She cleared her throat and addressed all three youths. "The ball will begin with a dinner, during which time will be allotted for Aqua and Terra to take their places on the dance floor--along with all the other current Master candidates--regardless of whether they pass the examination or not. After they finish their dance, guests at the ball will be encouraged to take to the dance floor as well. And that is all. Of course, there are ceremonial addresses for the elder Masters to give, but none of that you need to know about. For now, just focus on learning the dance."

Ventus raised his hand again.

"Yes?"Master Olor politely asked.

"So... there's no real reason for me to be learning if I'm not a candidate, is there?" Ventus said with a poorly hid smile.

Master Olor put her hands together. "Tell me, Ventus. Do you know how to dance the waltz?"

"Um, no," Ventus replied with a frown.

"Well you can't very well attend a ball if you do not know how to waltz!" Master Olor sang.

"But--"

"Think of it as early training for when you take your Mark of Mastery Exam!" Master Olor interrupted. "Now, no more talking! Let's get dancing!"

Terra winced and shared a look of dread with Ventus, while Aqua kept her eyes on Master Olor.

"Now first, I will give you the basics. First--the frame. Back straight, arms up above the waist, and boys, imagine your right arm around the waist of your partner and your left hand holding her right hand gently at the level of your shoulder. Good, now Aqua, your hold is a bit different--your right hand is holding the imaginary partner's hand while your left arm should be resting along their right arm--hand at the shoulder--good! Next, the waltz is a dance in a rhythm of threes. Three steps! Start with one foot, finish with the same foot. Now step! Step! And feet together! And now backwards--step! Step! Together! Now listen to the music and do what I do!"

Master Olor placed a record on the player and laid the needle down. Soon after she wound up the machine, music started to play out of the brass plated horn, a waltz melody full of trumpets and violins. She then started to pace the floor in a waltz, studying Terra, Aqua, and Ventus.

"Aqua--perfect! Terra, smaller steps, dear! And Ventus, do try and listen to the tempo of the song! Remember--keep the frame! That means a firm hold, no spaghetti arms!" she said as she tapped at Ventus's elbows, which easily wobbled at her touch.

Terra put a lot of effort into taking smaller steps while he was holding his frame so hard that his biceps were aching. Then his eyes darted to Aqua, who looked like she had done this her whole life. He was glad to see that Ventus looked just as nervous about this as he felt.

"You all are doing well for your first time!" Master Olor applauded. "Now, we move into the box step. We do a bit of traveling with this technique. Follow me and start with your right foot--now step, side, together. Remember to glide your feet across the floor and end with the foot you start with! Now forward with the left foot! Step, side, together. Now backward with the right foot--side, together! And backward again--you've got it! Now let me see it in action!"

Terra struggled with the box step, mostly knowing which way to side step, and getting confused when he lost the tempo. It got so bad, that at one point he stumbled over his own feet. Aqua giggled at this while she took her backward steps, and Ventus was too busy making sure he didn't stumble to notice.

"Just remember, step, side, together... You're doing much better, Ventus! Aqua, my darling, you're a natural! Terra, you're losing your frame, dear..."

Terra was starting to get frustrated from tripping over his own feet, and just felt like quitting. But as long as Aqua was making it look easy, like she did with everything else, he couldn't give up.

Master Olor went back to the front of the room and clapped her hands. You're all off to good starts! But now, we will move on to partner dancing--which is most important, as you and your partner will have to work together to keep the dance flowing. Now Aqua, you pair up with Terra. And Ventus, you can come up here with me."

Terra and Aqua glanced at each other first and gradually walked toward each other until they stood side by side.

"Alright, Ventus, remember how to hold your frame?" Master Olor asked him. Ventus held up his arms in the frame position while Master Olor took his hand and guided his arm around her waist.

Terra could barely hold in a snort, for which Aqua elbowed him in the ribs. Terra was massaging the spot where she hit him when Master Olor continued, "Now you two do the same, Aqua and Terra!"

Aqua and Terra turned to face each other. Terra gulped as he put his right arm around Aqua's waist, placing his palm on the small of her back, hoping his hands weren't sweating. Aqua grabbed his other hand with her right, placing her left arm across his tanned bicep and gripping his shoulder. Terra could have sworn he saw her blush, but if she did, it went away as quickly as it came. She seemed so much daintier to him, now that he was able to hold her close and note how much shorter she was than him, how small her waist was, and how small her hand was in his.

"Oh, just beautiful!" Master Olor praised as she led Ventus, while in hold, to stand just a few feet away from Aqua and Terra. "Now pay attention to the hold--you want to leave only a little space between the two of you so that you can travel the floor together. And boys, you notice her elbow resting on the inside of yours? That is to lock the hold in place. Now grip her firmly until you feel those elbows lock in place."

Terra held Aqua closer and tensed his right arm to squeeze around Aqua's elbow.

"Ow!" she whispered as she dug her nails into his left hand. "Not that firmly..."

"Sorry," Terra bashfully replied as he relaxed his grip.

"Boys, you are the leader," Master Olor continued. "So you must learn how to tell your partner the cues of where you want to go. Push against her hand with yours if you want to walk forward, and press into her back with your palm when you want to go backwards. We'll get to the more complicated stuff later. For now, practice leading your partner. Aqua, do not take any steps until you know where Terra wants to take you. Now, let's dance!"

Terra cleared his throat and pressed his hand against Aqua's--although, a little too roughly, since it sent her right arm swaying out of hold--then he stepped forward, landing on something round.

"Ow!" Aqua exclaimed as she sharply pulled her foot away.

"Oh--sorry!" Terra apologized as he tried it again, and this time waited for Aqua to move until he moved. But this time, he forgot to keep his feet together on the third step, and ended up crushing Aqua's foot again.

"Ow!" Aqua muttered again.

"S-sorry!" Terra stuttered out. He sighed, and this time, pressed his hand into Aqua's back, feeling the softness of her skin under his fingertips. He stepped backward, no chance of stepping on her feet again, and this time, they actually completed three steps without failure. Terra looked into Aqua's face and gave her a big smile of relief. She smiled encouragingly.

They moved forward for several measures, then a few measures backwards, and Terra only stepped on Aqua two more times.

"You're doing great!" Aqua told him with a bright smile.

"Heh, thanks," Terra replied, feeling both proud and embarrassed.

"Alright now, couples stop!" Master Olor instructed. "That was a good warmup, and now we start with the box-step in pairs. To keep us from bumping into each other, Ventus and I will stand over here," she said as she moved ten feet to the left of Aqua and Terra. "Now, begin when you feel ready."

Terra and Aqua turned their faces from Master Olor back to each other.

"Here goes nothing," Terra breathed out as he pushed forward on Aqua's hand so they could move forward.

Was it step, left, step or... step, right step... forward step? Crap! Terra thought to himself as he stumbled and bumped Aqua's forehead with his chin.

"Ah!" Aqua let out as she frowned.

"Sorry, Aqua," Terra hastily apologized.

"Just relax, Terra," she advised him. "Let the music carry your feet..."

Terra took in a deep breath and started again, stepping forward, to the side, carrying Aqua with him, and then moving their feet to rest together. He pressed his palm into her back and the two went backwards, to the side, then together again.

"Remember--don't look down!" Master Olor called out from Terra's side.

The warning from such a close distance shocked Terra so much that he missed his own steps and tripped over the ankle of his pants and started to fall backwards.

"Terra, let go--oh!" Aqua exclaimed as Terra brought her crashing down onto him, making such a big "thud" that the record player scratched for a second.

Terra had his eyes closed as he grimaced in pain from falling on his butt, but still held his hold with Aqua sprawled on top of him, their legs entangled together. She flushed and squirmed to get out of his grip, pushing herself off of his chest so she could roll onto the polished wooden floor.

"I'm sorry, Aqua," Terra sighed out as he let his arms fall to the ground.

"...it's okay, Terra," Aqua said as she stood up quickly, smoothing her tangled hair from her face. Terra stood up on one elbow, breathing out a groan. Aqua then bent low and extended a hand. Terra grabbed it and placed his other hand on the floor to help himself stand up.

Master Olor had been looking in alarm at the scene with her hands over her mouth until she finally spoke. "Well... I think that is enough for today's lesson. I will meet you all, same time, same place on Thursday! Well new students, have a good day!"

"Good day, Master Olor," Terra, Aqua, and Ventus said in unison before leaving the room.

 

 

 

Terra had been looking down at his feet the whole time it took him, Ventus, and Aqua to walk to their usual hangout spot, the grassy cliff side just outside their home.

"Aw, come on, Terra. Cheer up! You didn't do that bad!" Ventus told him with a smile.

"He didn't do bad at all," Aqua argued. Then she turned to Terra. "You were really doing great in there for a while!"

Terra slumped forward as he let his legs hang from the cliff side. "This whole thing just feels so unnecessary," he muttered. "On top of all the combat training for the Mark of Mastery Exam, now we have to learn this stupid dance, too. It's just... too much!"

"Oh, lighten up. It won't be so bad," Aqua told him with a smirk.

"Yeah, easy for you to say, Miss I-can-do-cartwheels-around-you-in-combat--literally."

"Well, maybe this will teach you a thing or two about grace in combat, Mister I-plow-my-way-through-everything-with-brute-force," Aqua joked back.

Terra narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, you have to wear a real dress for this thing, so we'll see how you do in that!"

Aqua rolled her eyes at this immature comeback.

"At least you guys get to practice together..." Ventus sighed as he put his chin into his hands. "I have to dance with Master Olor. And she wears way too much perfume," he said as he sniffed his palms and grimaced.

Terra and Aqua laughed at this.

"Well, you can find someone else to practice with, Ven," Aqua suggested. "After all, you're going to need to find a date to go to the ball with."

"A...date?" Ventus questioned.

"Yeah, it's a formal thing so all of us have to have dates," Terra explained.

"Can't I just go with you guys?" Ventus moaned.

Aqua giggled. "It doesn't quite work like that..."

"Ugh, but I don't even know any girls!" Ventus groaned with his hands outstretched.

"Yeah, that's why I'm glad I have Aqua, who's technically a girl," Terra told him with a grin.

"Don't be so sure you have me," Aqua said with a tilt of her head.

Terra's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait--but I thought--don't tell me you have some other guy you're dancing with!"

Aqua giggled. "And what if I did? Then you'd have to scramble for a date like Ven..."

Terra looked at Aqua in desperation and pressed his hands together. "Aqua, please! You know I can't do this with anyone else!"

"Yeah, Aqua, Terra doesn't know any girls, either!" Ventus added. Terra shot a venomous look at the blonde boy, even though his remark was well-meant.

"I don't know..." Aqua said, darting her eyes to the side playfully. "I mean, I'm only 'technically' a girl, right?"

"Come on, Aqua, I'm desperate!" Terra quickly replied with a look of anguish in his eyes.

Aqua scoffed. "And I'm sure that's what every girl wants to hear before she's asked to a dance."

Terra softened his eyes. "Aqua, please," he said slowly this time. "Will you go to the ball with me?"

Aqua sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, all right..."

Terra smiled jubilantly. "Thanks! You're the best, Aqua!"

"Now who am I going to go with...?" Ventus asked with a sigh.

 

The next dance lesson went over the same basic principles, adding the technique of turns. Both Aqua and Terra had a rigorous combat training session earlier in the day, so neither of them was particularly excited about taking dancing lessons the same day.

"Remember your frame!" Master Olor advised as Terra and Aqua went backward and forward in a slow tempo.

Terra looked ahead with a bored look in his eyes as he held Aqua limply and kept stepping on her toes.

"Terra--would you stop and look at where your feet are going for once?!" Aqua snapped.

Terra broke out of his daze and uttered, "Huh?"

"Grrr!" Aqua groaned as she let go of Terra.

"What--what did I do?" Terra asked.

"No breaks right now, kids! Now get back in hold," Master Olor ordered.

Aqua groaned as she reluctantly put her arms back into Terra's hold.

"I'm sorry I'm not a good dancer," Terra bitingly muttered in her ear.

"That's not it--it's like you don't even care if you mess up!" Aqua snapped.

"Well, maybe I don't!" Terra snapped back with a glare into Aqua's narrowed eyes.

"Aqua! Terra! That kind of attitude is only conducive to a tango, not a waltz. If you are not going to take this dance lesson seriously, then I suggest you leave now," Master Olor scolded.

Aqua and Terra didn't speak for the rest of the lesson, and they both went straight to their own rooms once they got back home. They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the night, either.

The next morning, Aqua awoke early, and began her routine of stretching, meditation, and spell exercises.

She had just been firing off a Blizzard spell as Terra walked into the room, where they usually met each morning to train together.

Terra stopped in his tracks once he saw Aqua, and twitched, looked down, then started to walk back out the door.

"Terra!" Aqua called out.

He kept his back to her and kept walking, so Aqua took off at a run to catch up with him. "Terra!" she called out. He continued to walk down the stairs.

"Terra," she angrily called out this time. "Are we really going to do this? Are you not going to talk to me anymore?"

Terra sighed and finally turned his head around to look at her with a hard stare. "I thought I'd train alone today." He turned back to walk out the doors.

Aqua, frustrated with his stubborn behavior, shouted, "Barrier!" A spherical sheer barrier conjured around Terra keeping him from leaving out the door.

"Aqua!" he angrily yelled out as he whipped his head around to glare at her as she ran down the stairs to meet up with him.

Terra growled in frustration and summoned his keyblade in an attempt to break out of the barrier. His efforts were futile, and it was only when he gave up a few seconds later, that it finally lifted. "What are you doing? Trying to show off? Don't you do enough of that in dance lessons?"

Aqua furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not trying to show off--I'm just trying to get you to talk to me."

Terra narrowed his eyes at her. "I already told you. I'm training alone today."

"Confuse," Aqua whispered as she raised her keyblade again.

"Aqua, what are you doing this time?" Terra grumbled. He turned and walked straight into the wall next to the door, hitting himself in the face. "Ahh--what the hell?!"

Aqua giggled as she watched Terra move in directions opposite to where he wanted to go.

"Aqua!" Terra growled in anger. After a few more seconds, he figured out how to make himself move in the right direction, once he just started thinking oppositely. "This isn't funny!"

Aqua continued to laugh as she bent over. "Actually, it is! You know, maybe the Confuse spell would help you in dance lessons..."

Terra's face grew red in anger. He started to feel something boil inside his chest. Something dark.

Where did that come from? Terra quickly shook his head as he tried to reason with himself. No, this is just Aqua. She's just having a little fun. Because she doesn't like that we're not speaking. I don't really like it, either.

His color went back to normal and he focused on walking up to Aqua. "You know, that was actually pretty good. I'm surprised you pulled a prank like that on me. What would Master Eraqus say?" Terra raised a teasing eyebrow to Aqua.

She was just happy that he had stopped being angry and was talking to her again. "What Master Eraqus doesn't know won't hurt him," she replied with a smile. Then it faded and she bit her lip. "Of course, I don't remember how to undo it..."

"What?" Terra asked in alarm. "Doesn't it wear off, like the Barrier spell?"

"Not exactly..." Aqua answered with a look of guilt on her face.

"Aqua!" Terra moaned as he wondered if his actions would be confused forever.

"Don't worry--I'll go get Master Eraqus!" Aqua said as she began to race up the stairs to find him, leaving Terra scared of moving at all.

 

 

At the third dance lesson, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus started off learning new steps solo. Then they got back into pairs to practice the new moves.

"Remember, it does not matter how far you travel the floor, just have fun with it!" Master Olor instructed them.

Terra firmly held Aqua to him as they started off with a box step. Today, they were supposed to have learned spins, but Terra was still working on the basic steps. Meanwhile, Ventus had really picked up on the new technique and was spinning around recklessly with Master Olor.

"Ventus, very good! But I can't keep up with you like this the whole time--slow down!" Master Olor said in between laughs as they rotated along the perimeter of the room.

"What's wrong?" Terra asked, looking into Aqua's less than enthused face. "I thought you liked dancing."

"No, I do," Aqua quickly defended as they moved back another box step.

"Then why do you look like you'd rather be anywhere else?" Terra said with a frown as he pressed into Aqua's back so they could move backwards.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be!" Aqua argued. "Of course I want to be here with you and Ven."

"But..." Terra started, raising an eyebrow.

Aqua frustratedly sighed as she looked down. "But would it kill you to try spinning us at least once? You know, since we were supposed to have learned spins today?"

Terra irritably frowned, feeling self-conscious about his dancing. He had felt bad about making them both fall down in their first lesson, so he was taking it easier this time. But now seeing that all his precaution went unappreciated, he decided to forgo it.

"Fine. You want to spin? We'll spin!"

After this, he decided to grip Aqua tighter and started to take larger steps, nearly dragging Aqua's feet from the floor as they turned and went around the room in circles. Aqua had to hold on tighter to Terra to make sure she didn't get dragged around too much, but she found herself having fun as she saw the room blur during each turn.

"Very good, Aqua and Terra! Perhaps just with a bit more grace..." Master Olor said as she went spinning around with Ventus in the opposite direction.

"Terra," Aqua said with a giggle, "You're dancing!"

Terra, who had been concentrating so much on landing all his steps, cracked a smile. "You know, I like this spinning stuff more than the box stuff!"

The two kept on spinning around the room, smiling in each other's faces as they glided. For the first time, Terra felt like he was having fun while dancing. He and Aqua danced on to the quick one-two-three rhythm of the classical song playing--until Terra bumped into Master Olor's chair and tripped over it.

"Terra!" Aqua shouted, but it was too late. This time, Terra had been considerate enough to let go of Aqua, but crashed to the floor, hitting his head against the mirror and making a large crack in the glass.

Aqua, already short of breath, ran up and crouched next to him. He had started bleeding out of the side of his head.

"Terra!" Ventus shouted as he also broke away from Master Olor to run up to Terra.

"I'm alright, guys..." Terra groaned as he put a palm up to his bleeding left temple.

"Oh dear..." Master Olor softly moaned. She stuck out her arm and summoned a white, feathery-looking keyblade into her hand. "Curaga!" she chanted as she pointed her keyblade at Terra. His wound was instantly healed.

"Thank you," he told Master Olor as he stood up.

She sighed. "In all my years, never have I had a student who ended up bleeding at a dance lesson. You are a special one indeed, Terra. Well, class is dismissed for today. See you all next time."

 

On the fourth day of lessons, Master Olor began to teach Aqua and Terra the official choreography of the opening dance. Since Ventus no longer had to learn more, he sat in the corner and watched.

"You two will walk into the ballroom," Master Olor started. "Then Terra, you let Aqua walk ahead of you. Bow, like this, one arm behind your back, head bowed. Sweep your left arm...good. And then when you two are a few feet apart, face each other. Start the dance with a bow, and a curtsy from you, Aqua," Master Olor started. "And then you two will move in synchronized steps. Now, you remember the first box step? You will do one while keeping your right arm extended up from the elbow with your palm curved in toward your chest, like such... and the other extended with your palm curved and facing the sky like this. Now one box step, good..."

Aqua and Terra both glanced at each other as they moved side by side.

"...then the next box step... See, you two are so close your hands almost meet? Well I want them to meet! So step until your hands meet, palms just barely touching."

Terra smirked at Aqua out of feeling awkward. She gave him a smile from the side of her mouth and a tilt of her eyebrows.

"Good! Now you two are going to walk in a clockwise direction while keeping your palms together and your other arms still raised. Yes...look at each other... oh, you're already doing it--such naturals! And now you extend your bent arms, yes... and go into the waltz hold. Perfect! Now try that a few times, see if you memorize it."

Terra and Aqua performed the introduction to the dance three times before they both got it down without forgetting, and then it was only a matter of simple box steps and specific turns they needed to get right. Master Olor continued to guide them through the rest of the dance, which included a simple promenade, turns, spins, and more box-steps. They went through the dance six times with accompanied music to get it memorized.

"And now the ending... just dip her slightly to the side--gracefully, Terra...and you're going to want to extend your toe..."

Terra had been concentrating so hard on the dance that he over thought his toe's position and ended up falling, catching himself on Aqua's shoulders as he stepped on her right foot. Aqua bit her lip to keep from verbally letting out the pain, although Terra still whispered out an apology.

"Well... we'll work on it!" Master Olor cheerfully said. "You two have your Mark of Mastery exams in only a few days, so I would prefer that you focus more on your preparation for that. But if you have any free time at all between the last two lessons, do not hesitate to start dancing!"

 

Later that night, Aqua had returned to her room from sparring with Ventus, when she noticed shadows moving across the hallway. Curious, she walked to the source of light and shadow, and was surprised to see Terra in his room, in a waltz hold, doing the steps that they learned today.

She smiled as she watched him whisper to himself as he progressed between the steps.

"Hey, why didn't you tell me you were practicing?" she asked as she leaned against the doorway.

Startled, Terra quickly put his hands by his side and looked down. "Aqua! How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long at all," she cheerfully answered.

"Oh. Good," Terra replied as his cheeks flushed a deep red.

"There's no need to feel embarrassed about it," Aqua continued. "I should be practicing the steps, too."

Terra scoffed. "Are you kidding me? You're a natural. You have nothing to worry about."

"That's not true. Every bit of this is as new to me as it is to you," Aqua told Terra.

"Yeah, well, it's a lot harder for me to pick up on," Terra said as he sat down on his bed. Aqua stepped into the room and sat next to him.

"Don't worry about it so much," Aqua told him. "You'll do fine. And more importantly, you're going to do fine on the Mark of Mastery exam!"

Terra made a sad smile. "You sure about that? I mean, I can't even learn a stupid dance. You were right, I'm not refined enough in my combat technique and I rely on strength to get me through everything. What if strength isn't enough?"

"Terra, listen to me," Aqua said as she placed a palm over his hand. "You're the best keyblade warrior I know--next to Master Eraqus, of course. And it's not just because you're physically strong. It's because you have a strong heart, too. You're definitely Keyblade Master material."

"Thanks, Aqua," Terra replied as he looked down with a grin. "You should know that I think you're the best warrior I know, too. You're a great fighter, and you're so good at magic, and you're real smart and responsible... Master Eraqus would be crazy not to name you Master."

"Well, we're in this together. And we'll help each other pass the exam--and get through this stupid dance."

Terra laughed. "You don't think it's stupid..."

Aqua closed her eyes. "Yeah, no, I don't... but I'm trying to make you feel better, okay?"

"Okay," Terra answered with a laugh. "You know, I should probably have Ven teach me some pointers, too. He's been getting awfully good with Master Olor..."

"Hey, I heard that!" Aqua and Terra heard Ventus shout from down the hall. Then they both laughed as he came running into the room with an angry frown on his face.

"Hey, eavesdropper!" Terra joked. "Tell me, do you secretly enjoy the perfume Master Olor wears?"

"Shut up!" Ventus shouted as he rushed at Terra and tackled him onto the bed.

"Oh boy..." Aqua muttered as she stood up, watching the two act like five-year-olds.

Terra had just grabbed a pillow with his right hand and hit Ventus in the face when Master Eraqus came bounding up the stairs.

"What is going on up here?!" he asked, looking cranky with his hands at his sides.

Aqua turned around and stood up straight. "Oh, they were just playing around. Nothing serious."

Master Eraqus smiled as he saw Ventus spring up to his feet with feathers stuck in his hair.

"I'm glad to see you all are having fun, even though you have your Mark of Mastery exams in only a few days..."

Terra scratched his head nervously. "Well, we've been working really hard, too, Master Eraqus. Everyday."

Master Eraqus warmly smiled. "I have no doubt of that, Terra. Well, carry on. I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight Master Eraqus!" Terra, Aqua, and Ventus all replied in unison.

"Hey, Terra, Aqua, why don't you guys do the dance?" Ventus asked as he laid on Terra's bed, resting on his stomach and looking up with bright eyes.

Terra and Aqua looked between each other sheepishly.

"Right now?" Aqua asked.

"Uh-huh!" Ventus answered.

Terra shrugged his muscular arms, so Aqua nodded to Ventus. "Okay, Ven. Just for you..."

Terra and Aqua bowed and curtsied, and moved their arms into the traditional poses, making box steps around each other and then meeting palms. Ventus looked on in awe as they moved into a waltz hold. Terra and Aqua smiled at each other as they moved around Terra's bedroom, nearly bumping into furniture and trinkets resting along the walls. Finally, Terra dipped Aqua to the side, but stayed balanced this time.

Aqua turned her head back up to Terra, whose face was only an inch away from hers. He was staring at her intently, which made her blush. She had looked at his face a million times before, but for the first time, she found something both enticing and intimidating about the way his blue eyes stared down into hers.

They heard loud clapping come from the hallway and Master Eraqus boomed out, "That was simply wonderful!"

Terra and Aqua quickly stood up straight and let go of each other, moving apart.

"Master Eraqus!" Terra exclaimed. "I thought you said you were going to bed!"

"Well, I was going, until I saw you two start the opening dance for the ball. It seems those lessons are paying off," he said as he left back down the hallway.

Both Terra and Aqua turned a bright shade of red.

"Well... I should probably go to bed, too," Aqua said as she tried not to look Terra in the eye.

Terra ran a hand through his brown hair. "Yeah, uh... I should, too."

"Aw, come on guys! Don't you want to stay up?" Ventus asked earnestly.

"Sorry, Ven. Goodnight guys," Aqua said as she left the room.

Ventus grumbled and turned to Terra. "What about you?"

"Sorry, Ven." Once he saw Ventus's sulking face, he raised his eyebrows and added, "Hey, you want to grow to be as tall as me, right?"

Ventus begrudgingly muttered out a "yes."

"Well, sleep is important for growing!" Terra brightly replied as he ruffled a hand through Ventus' feather-entangled hair. "So get yourself to bed!"

"Ugh, alright," Ventus groaned in disappointment. "Goodnight then, Terra."

"Goodnight, Ven," Terra replied as he watched him walk out of his room.

 

 

At the fifth lesson, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus had to wear their formal ball outfits to practice. Terra wore a starched black tail coat with a red waistcoat underneath, a thin, black silk necktie folded into his collar, and tan front trousers. Ventus wore an identical outfit to Terra's, except his jacket was white, his trousers were black, and his waistcoat was a golden yellow. Aqua wore a satin gown of midnight blue, with only one ruched sleeve wrapped around her left shoulder and a thick skirt that rippled into flounces at the hem. She wore delicately laced, fingerless midnight blue silk gloves to match.

The three had changed in the rooms provided in Master Olor's studio, and Aqua had taken the longest, making her the last one to enter the studio.

"Looking sharp, Ven!" Terra appraised his younger friend as they walked into the dance studio.

"You think?" Ventus asked as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Definitely! How do I look?" Terra asked as he straightened up.

"Uh... Sharp!" Ventus answered, not knowing what else to say. Terra softly laughed at this.

"Oh my...!" Master Olor had gasped. Ventus and Terra turned to face the direction in which she was staring. Aqua had just entered through the doorway, clutching her skirt at the sides, making sure not to catch it on anything.

"Whoa..." Ventus gasped out as he stared at Aqua. "She really looks like a girl now, huh?" he whispered to Terra with a smirk.

But Terra had no words as he stared at Aqua, admiring the grace with which she walked, and how perfectly the color of her dress complemented her hair, which had a few sparkling clips in it right now.

Aqua had been looking down and glanced at the mirror as she walked in. She said nothing to anyone, even as she walked up to her position next to Terra.

"Wow, Aqua--" Terra started in a loud voice.

"Don't say anything," Aqua sharply interrupted.

Terra looked away from Aqua and whispered, "I was just going to say...you look really pretty."

"Oh," Aqua starkly replied, feeling a blush creep up her neck. "Thank you."

She looked over at Terra, from top to bottom, noting how much more mature and refined he looked in his formal clothes. Aqua blushed even harder with the mortification of realizing she felt very attracted to him right now.

"You all look stunning," Master Olor praised at the front of the studio. "Now, I have asked you to wear your ball outfits, for dancing in an elegant outfit is a lot different than dancing in casual wear. Boys, you might find it easier to keep your hold, but also more challenging to move in such grand sweeps, so be careful. Aqua, it will be even more important for you to rely on Terra's lead with a dress like that on. And just as a general precaution, try not to fall down or damage each other's clothes.” She made a point of looking straight into Terra's face as she said this, at which he blushed. “Other than that, the dance will be the same. And just to be safe today, the boys will be dancing without their shoes."

Master Olor went to the record player and put on a slow waltz tempo while Terra and Ven took off their shoes and left them in one corner of the room. Master Olor then met up with Ventus, who had still not managed to find a date to go to the ball with, while Terra went back to Aqua's side. With her heels on, she was almost as tall as him now.

"Please don't step on my feet with those heels," Terra pleaded in a whisper to Aqua.

She giggled. "After you stepped on me all those other times?"

Terra bent his eyebrows up in that puppy dog expression of his, which Aqua was weak against.

"Alright, I'll try not to step on you," she said with a tilting smile.

"Now, let's start with simple steps. You may go forward, backward, do a box step, turns, spins--do whatever you like, just waltz!" Master Olor said with a sweeping flick of her hair.

Terra and Aqua got into hold, and Terra started to feel nervous. He had never seen Aqua look so pretty or so... grown up, he noted as he looked down at her slightly exposed chest.

"Eyes up here, remember?" Aqua told him as she took a hand and raised his chin up so that he was now looking straight on, just above her eyes.

"Yeah, I remember," Terra nervously laughed as Aqua replaced her hand on his shoulder.

"Remember, dear... handle your partner with care!" Master Olor sang as she and Ven already started waltzing.

"Ready?" Terra asked Aqua.

"Ready," Aqua answered with a nod.

They started off with a simple forward waltz, then two small side steps, a backward waltz, more sidesteps, and another forward waltz. Terra smiled. It did feel easier to be in hold with this outfit on, since he was already forced to stand up straight and the starched jacket kept his elbows locked in place. Now, he could finally relax and just focus on the steps (and not staring at Aqua too much).

"You're doing great," she told him as they did a turn, then moved forward.

"Thanks," Terra answered, while he looked in the mirror at himself and Aqua gracefully dancing. It looked like two completely different people from who they usually were. How did this happen in less than two weeks?

"Very good!" Master Olor praised as she and Ventus stopped. Terra and Aqua accordingly stopped. "Now Aqua, Terra, come to the center of the room, and let me see you practice your opening dance."

Terra and and Aqua obliged and stood a few feet across from each other. Master Olor went over to the record player to switch the dance track to the official song they were supposed to dance to at the ball. It was a slow, yet uplifting melody of violins and horns.

"Bow... good..." Master Olor commented as Aqua and Terra started. The two moved into that traditional pose with their right arms raised with the palm curved in, stepped around each other in box steps, and then met palms.

Terra's heart started to beat rapidly when he felt Aqua's fingertips touch his. He gulped as he thought to himself, Why do I feel like this? We've done this dance before... Hell, I was just holding her hand a minute ago!

Ventus watched in awe, thinking how much Terra and Aqua looked like a prince and princess as they circled each other with their hands barely touching and staring into each other's eyes.

Staring a little too intensely, Ventus thought to himself as he saw Aqua and Terra looking into each other's eyes, but neither of them looking particularly comfortable. It reminded him of when he watched them spar together--although, even then they looked a bit happier than they did now.

When it was time for Terra and Aqua to move into hold, he grabbed her right hand and felt it tremble. He raised his eyebrows at this and looked down at Aqua, who put a shaky left hand up on his shoulder. She wasn't looking him in the eye, but he could see her cheeks becoming rosy.

Is she nervous, too? Terra questioned in his mind. She had never shook like this during all their previous dance lessons.

"Terra dear, try not to look so nervous, and Aqua, soften your expression. Remember you two--this is a fun event, a celebration! So do look happy!" Master Olor kept advising.

Terra breathed in and out deeply through his lips while Aqua closed her eyes and tried to relax. He squeezed Aqua's hand and smiled at her just before taking a waltzing step forward. Aqua stopped trembling as she smiled back into Terra's face, and the two danced around the room without a stumble.

"Remember at the ball... to focus on the dance. Don't think about the hundred or so attendees whose eyes will be on you," Master Olor advised from the corner of the room.

A hundred...people? Terra thought to himself as he and Aqua were dancing in a backwards waltz step. Watching me and Aqua dance?

"Ah!" he was broken from his nervous thoughts as Aqua just stepped on his left foot.

"Oh--sorry, I felt you squeezing my back, so I thought we were supposed to move forward," Aqua hastily apologized as they momentarily stopped.

Terra cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Oh, sorry..." He hadn't realized he had been squeezing her unconsciously while all the nervous thoughts were going around in his head.

"Terra, it's just you and me, alright?" Aqua said as she looked up into his eyes. "Just keep your eyes and thoughts on me, and we'll get through this."

Terra nodded, and the two resumed their waltz. Just as she said, he only focused on looking at Aqua's eyes, lips, the way her hair perfectly fell across her forehead and barely moved as they spun around. He got lost in the music, somehow knowing all the steps and motions to do. It was only him and Aqua in the room.

Before he knew it, they had flawlessly finished the dance and Master Olor and Ventus were up on their feet cheering and clapping, bringing Terra back to this world.

"While that was positively sublime, I have decided to change up the end of the dance," Master Olor said after she and Ventus finished applauding.

"Change it up?" Terra asked. "How?"

"I thought this dance was supposed to be traditional..." Aqua also protested.

"Well, it's about time we shook things up, don't you think?" Master Olor suggested with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"If you really want to shake things up, then why don't we just not have an opening dance?" Terra suggested with a mutter.

Master Olor went on as if she didn't hear Terra. "Oh, it's just a little thing! Instead of dipping Aqua, I want you to twirl her, and then dip her. I think it will make for a more dynamic finish, don't you?"

Terra raised his eyebrows. "Twirl Aqua?"

"I will demonstrate." Master Olor walked up between Terra and Aqua and took Aqua into a hold. "You step back once, raise the hands up until her arm is fully extended, and then--twirl!" Master Olor had pushed Aqua by her waist, and sent her rotating into a 360 degree spin.

"Whoa!" Aqua said, catching herself from the momentum.

"Keep your hands together, you don't want her flying off," Master Olor instructed. "And Aqua, you must keep your feet on the ground at all costs. When she's back to facing you, Terra, you must catch her by the waist and then firmly support her back with your hand as she lets go of your other hand. Aqua, keep your left hand gripped on Terra's shoulder as you prepare to fall back."

"What?" Aqua asked in alarm.

"Trust me, darling," Master Olor said with a smile. "And Terra, you'll want to put your hand underneath her neck for support, so gracefully move into the position, and then bend your left knee, extend the right leg into a graceful line, and then guide her across your left knee and let her fall. Aqua, you'll bend your right knee, extend the left leg, and let your upper body fall and extend your right arm to the side."

Aqua's heartbeat quickened as she thought to herself, Oh no, Terra's not going to remember all of that at once...

Terra took in a big gulp. "Okay, I'll try it."

Aqua's eyes widened in surprise. He hasn't even seen Master Olor do it, and he wants to try it?!

Terra took Aqua into hold and started a small waltz, then he stepped back, raised their clasped hands up into the air and pushed her waist. It was effortless on Terra's part, but Aqua spun so quickly she almost lost her balance. Then he gripped her back, brought his other hand up behind her neck, and lunged down to the floor while Aqua nervously bent her right leg and let her other leg slide forward. After a couple seconds, she realized she had her eyes closed, and looked up to see Terra's concentrated face and the ceiling lamps shining behind him. He dipped her and she didn't hit the floor.

"Terra, you did it!" she happily exclaimed while she hovered just two feet off the ground.

Terra lost the concentrated frown on his face and broke into a smile. "I guess I did, huh?"

"Very good, Terra!" Master Olor rang out. "Now that is the kind of dynamic finish I like to see!"

Terra was still holding Aqua in a dip for a few seconds after this.

"Uh... Terra?" Aqua questioned with a bend of her eyebrows. "We can get up now."

"I... can't," Terra replied as he clenched his jaw in a struggle to bring his left leg back into a normal position.

"What do you mean you can't?" Aqua questioned, raising her right arm to grab onto Terra's shoulder.

"I mean... I can't get up! It's these stupid tight pants--and I think I stretched my back leg too far!" Terra hushed out.

Aqua growled out in a sigh. "Terra, just lower your knee onto the ground and--ahh!"

In trying to do so, Terra had slipped and fallen over to the side, letting Aqua fall completely to the ground while crushing her right leg in the process.

"Urrrgh... Sorry..." Terra grunted out as he tried to sit up. Aqua used one hand to massage the back of her head and her other hand to help herself sit up on the floor.

"Guess I still have a lot of work to do," Terra miserably said as he crouched and extended two arms for Aqua to grab. She looked up and took her hand from her head to grab Terra's hands before he lifted her up in one sweep.

"Hmm... yes, I forgot to warn you about that," Master Olor said as she put a hand on her chin. "You don't want to extend that back leg too far back. And perhaps with shoes on, this wouldn't have happened."

Aqua and Terra stood up, both directing looks of anger at their dance instructor.

Master Olor gave them a beaming smile. "Other than that little slip-up, you did wonderfully, my dears! I'm looking forward to the final product! Our last practice will be at the rehearsal the night before the ceremony. Good luck on your exams, Terra and Aqua--and remember, what makes a Keyblade Master is not just talent and skill. You also need heart and perseverance, which both of you have shown me during our time together. And most importantly, believe in yourselves, and you can accomplish anything. Good luck, Terra and Aqua."

"Thank you, Master Olor," Terra and Aqua replied in unison as they bowed to her.

 

 

After Aqua, Ventus, and Terra changed out of their formal clothes, the three started the walk back home on a lamp-lit path in the evening twilight.

"You know, I was kind of impressed with you today, Terra," Aqua told him as she looked over Ventus's head to meet his eyes.

He lifted his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah, the way you went for that last dip," Aqua replied. "You seemed so confident and you did it on the first try."

"Yeah, except for the part where I couldn't stand up and crashed us both into the ground," Terra scoffed.

"Hey, how did you even know how to do that?" Ventus asked. "All Master Olor did was tell you what to do--I couldn't understand any of it!"

Terra smirked down at him with a shrug. "I just imagined that Aqua was in danger, and the way that I would grab her if she was really falling."

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you used combat training to help you dance?"

"Combat training is a piece of cake compared to all this waltzing stuff," Terra said with a shake of his head. "I'm more worried about making a fool of myself dancing in front of a hundred people than I am about passing the Mark of Mastery exam."

"You won't make a fool of yourself," Aqua comforted him.

Ventus spiritedly added, "And if anything does go wrong, I'll just cause a scene to draw the attention away from you!"

Terra laughed and then exhaled as he stretched his arms behind his back. "At least our next dance practice isn't until after the Mark of Mastery exams, so now we can get back to focusing on our training. It's gonna take a lot more than believing to get me through that, despite what Master Olor said."

"But... she's right," Aqua countered. "Terra, you can do anything you set your mind to. All you have to do is believe in yourself."

"Hmm," Terra shortly replied, not completely convinced that it would be that easy.

"I mean, two weeks ago, it was like you had two left feet when you danced!" Aqua laughed. Terra frowned at this.

"But look at you now," Aqua continued with a smile. "You know how to waltz an entire routine and you didn't even step on me once today!"

Ventus smiled up at Terra. "Yeah, Terra, even Master Olor was impressed with you! If you can learn to dance, then you can definitely pass the Mark of Mastery exam!"

Terra bashfully scratched the back of his head. "Thanks, guys."

But I still think it's going to take more than believing to make me a Keyblade Master, he thought to himself. All my training, all my hard work, that's what really makes a difference.

"It's still crazy to think about, isn't it?" Aqua remarked as they walked on, and stars began to emerge in the indigo sky. "Becoming Masters, that is."

"Yeah, it's hard to believe that in two days, everything we've been working toward all our lives... It's almost here," Terra thought aloud.

"Yeah, for you two..." Ventus said with a sigh.

"Hey, cheer up, Ven! Pretty soon, you'll be taking your Mark of Mastery exam too," Terra comforted him with a pat on his shoulder.

"You really think so?" Ventus asked as he looked up at Terra.

Aqua smiled. "Yeah. And then when you have to do your opening dance, I'll be happy to be your escort."

Ventus brightened up. "Yeah, that would be great!"

Aqua and Terra glanced at each other and smiled.

Then Terra let out a shallow laugh and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'll be glad to never waltz again after the ball!"

Aqua looked down. "Really? I thought you were starting to like it..."

Terra looked over at her, worried he had said something wrong. "Well, it feels great when it all comes together, but all these lessons have been stressful. I've stepped on you and tripped over myself so many times, and in addition to all the combat training, we've had to memorize the steps for this dance--I mean, won't you be glad not to have to deal with all that stress anymore?"

Aqua blinked but still looked a little disheartened. "It wasn't all bad."

Terra could feel his throat closing up in the awkward silence that followed.

Ventus switched his gaze between Aqua and Terra, thinking fruitlessly of something to say to break the silence.

"Don't get me wrong," Terra weakly started as he stared at Aqua, waiting for her to look him in the eye. "It's been...wonderful...dancing with you, Aqua. Really." He smiled. "I couldn't have done this with anyone else. I'm really glad you chose me to dance with."

Aqua softened her expression as she looked up at him. "Terra, who else was I going to choose?"

Terra thought about this for a second until he realized the meaning of her words and that gentle gaze. Then he smiled in understanding.

Meanwhile, Ventus thought in his head, Well, there was one other boy she could have chosen to dance with--me! But he didn't want to ruin the moment, so he didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, about being desperate and you only technically being a girl..." Terra started.

Aqua nodded her head, waiting for more.

"Truth is, even if I had hundreds of girls in the world to choose to dance with, you would always be my first choice," Terra continued with a tender look on his face.

"Terra..." Aqua said in pleasant surprise.

*DING* *DING*

The clock had just struck 7 o'clock, and Aqua's eyes widened as she realized she forgot about the surprise gift she was supposed to be preparing for Terra and Ventus by tomorrow night.

"Oh--Um... there's something I have to do..." she started, not sure how to explain without being vague. "I'll see you guys later!" She ran off without another word back toward their home, determined to start off her preparations before they suspected a thing.

"Man... she sure is weird sometimes," Ventus remarked as he watched Aqua race off into the distance.

"Yeah, she is..." Terra answered as he also watched her with the same tender look on his face.

Ventus turned to look back at his tall friend, noting the unusual expression on his face. "Hey, Terra..."

"Yeah?" Terra asked as he turned to Ventus.

"Since you and Aqua are going to this thing as each other's dates, does that mean you guys are going to be... well..." Ventus struggled to find his words as he scratched his head.

But Terra seemed to get where he was going with this, and in response, his eyes widened and his cheeks started to burn. "What? No! I mean... We're going as friends, Ven. That's all."

"You think you two will ever be... more than friends?" Ventus asked, with a serious pondering gaze in his eyes.

Terra looked away sheepishly as he put his hands on his sides, wondering the same thing. "I--I don't know, Ven..."

Ventus didn't answer and stared ahead of him for a long time, thinking. Then he finally spoke. "You think that I'll get taller than Aqua by the time I take my Mark of Mastery exam? I don't want her to be taller than me if we have to dance with each other..."

Terra laughed. "Hopefully by then, you'll get to know some other girls you might be able to dance with!"

"But you like dancing with Aqua, right?" Ventus asked.

"Of course I do!" Terra answered with a smile.

I think I like it a little too much... he thought to himself.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

 

Terra broke out of his reminiscing daydream and returned to the present, where Cinderella and her Prince were still dancing together. For a second, he wished it were him and Aqua dancing.

Wouldn't that surprise her, he thought with a laugh to himself. That after all the complaining and arguing and foot stomping, now I'm actually really looking forward to that dance...