Aqua

Aqua, also known as the "Dancing Waters Forming Bonds" (絆繋ぐ舞水), is one of the main protagonists of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. From the view of the story, it is revealed she is one of the Keyblade Wielders before Sora. Like Terra and Ventus, it is her dream to become a Keyblade Master, a dream she is the only of the three to accomplish.

Her name is Latin for "Water", while Kairi's name in Japanese means "Sea". The only connection between the two is that Aqua met Kairi in Radiant Garden in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and put a protective spell on her necklace, which later brought Kairi to Destiny Islands. Kairi, by accidentally touching Aqua's Keyblade during this time, also inherited the Keyblade from Aqua.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
''The only one of Master Eraqus's pupils to have been recognized as a true Keyblade Master. A healthy rivalry and close friendship bind her and her training mates Terra and Ven together.''

''The only one of Master Eraqus's pupils to have been recognized as a true Keyblade Master. Her orders: to bring the Unversed situation under control, and to keep an eye on Terra.''

She is very concerned about Terra, as well as Ventus, who ran away from home to find him.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Aqua, alongside Terra, is one of Eraqus's pupils. Like Terra, Aqua also has a dream of becoming a Keyblade master.

One day, a suspicious man named Master Xehanort arrived and gave Eraqus a new apprentice to work with named Ventus. Terra calls out to Aqua, telling her that a new apprentice had just arrived. While chatting with Ven, Aqua and Terra asked Ven about why he wanted to train to become a Keyblade master, but this question, as well as a few other questions troubled Ven, so much that he couldn't take the pressure. He fainted and shocked Aqua and Terra.

Eraqus tells Aqua and Terra that the reason Ven fainted was because he lost his memories. Aqua decided to look after Ven, in case he woke up. Many days passed, but despite Ven being unable to awaken, Aqua would not abandon him. One day, Aqua saw Ven open his eyes and regain consciousness.

Since that day, she and Ven became close friends and rivals. Days have gone by, and she, Terra, and Ven became close like siblings, sparring with each other, sharing dreams and secrets. Aqua wanted to keep their bond strong, so one night, she surprised Terra and Ven with Good Luck Charms, made by her to commemorate their long lasting friendship.

The next day, she takes the Mark of Mastery exam along with Terra, and becomes a Keyblade Master, although Terra fails due to his inability to control his darkness. After Terra and Ventus left, Aqua was the last apprentice to be sent by Master Eraqus to bring Ventus back to the Land of Departure. Before she left, Eraqus wanted to ask Aqua to keep an eye on Terra, to make sure he is alright, and stays safe from the darkness in his heart. If Terra's heart would become too close to the darkness, Eraqus needed Aqua to bring Terra back immediately.

Aqua, Ven, and Terra come across many Disney characters along the way and fight of hordes of Unversed. Aqua later ends up at Radiant Garden with Mickey Mouse and meets the Princess of Heart, Kairi, who touched Aqua's Keyblade in fright, unintentionally performing a Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony. They protect her from a group of Unversed and in return Kairi gives Aqua flowers, which becomes the Keyblade, Destiny's Embrace. She also places a protective charm on Kairi to help her in the future. Aqua believes that their meeting may not have been a coincidence.

Aqua later meets up with Terra and Ventus, but the reunion is short-lived as they team up to battle a massive Unversed. They manage to defeat it, but things take a turn for the worse. Terra and Aqua begin to argue about Master Eraqus's orders, revealing to Terra that she was sent to watch him. Hurt by this, Terra leaves, and Ventus calls Aqua awful, claiming that she has let her new status as a Keyblade master go to her head. He then leaves to find Terra, as Aqua stays to contemplate.

After meeting Merlin at his house, Aqua goes to the town square and encounters the enigmatic Vanitas, who taunts her by inquiring about Ventus and if he has gotten stronger. When Aqua asks what he means, Vanitas attacks, the two fighting a vicious battle. Aqua emerges victorious, but Vanitas simply leaves via Corridor of Darkness, making an ambiguous comment about her being his backup plan. Aqua then resolves to stop Vanitas to protect Ventus and Terra. Ventus then appears, asking to go with Aqua. But Aqua tells him to go home and departs.

While in Neverland, Aqua encounters Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, joining them on their treasure hunt. They later find their treasure chest, filled with wooden swords and Ventus's wooden Keyblade. Peter Pan tells Aqua that Ventus left the toy there as he no longer needed it. Aqua then senses someone nearby and goes off to investigate. She then encounters Vanitas again, this time with Ventus's cherished Wooden Keyblade. The dark enigma cruelly mocks Aqua's actions and snaps the toy weapon in two. Greatly enraged by this, Aqua battles and defeats him again, but is left exhausted by the fight and passes out. While unconscious, she reminisces about the first starry night she spent with Terra and Ventus. She soon recovers and departs soon after.

At one point Aqua and Terra come to Destiny Islands and meet two young boys by the name of Sora and Riku. Aqua sees the strong bond between the two friends and advises Sora to help Riku if he ever falls into darkness; though she initially intends to grant Sora the power to use the Keyblade, she decides against it upon discovering that Terra had already done it for Riku, not wishing to put the two innocent children through the ordeals she and Terra have faced. Aqua later encounters an unconscious Mickey drifting in space and takes him to the Mysterious Tower, where she hears of Eraqus's death from Yen Sid and heads to the Keyblade Graveyard to meet up with Terra and Ven. They are confronted by Master Xehanort and his apprentice, Vanitas and a great battle takes place. After fighting Braig and then Ventus under Vanitas's influence, Aqua loses consciousness and she ends up at Yen Sid's Tower with Ventus, who has lost his heart. She takes Ven back to the Land of Departure and places his unconscious body in a throne. She takes Eraqus's Keyblade and transforms the world into Castle Oblivion to keep Ventus safe. She then tracks down a possessed Terra in Radiant Garden.

Failing to bring Terra back to his senses, Aqua fights and defeats Xehanort; subsequently, Xehanort stabs himself in the chest with his own Keyblade in an attempt to lock Terra out as a horrified Aqua looks on. As Terra-Xehanort falls through a portal into the Realm of Darkness, Aqua dives in after him, but quickly realizes that she will be unable to save them both. Instead, Aqua sacrifices her armor and Keyblade to save the dark being that had once been her dear friend, sending him back into the Realm of Light while she remains behind. Now stuck in the Realm of Darkness, Aqua is attacked by several giant Heartless and decides to just allow them to destroy her, but is saved by Terra and Ventus's Keyblades. She is then reminded of the people she's connected to. With renewed trust in her friends, Aqua continues on.

Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
Aqua's armor and Keyblade were briefly seen in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. They reside in the Chamber of Repose, a room constructed by the Apprentices under Radiant Garden for an as of yet unknown purpose. Xemnas visits the armor often, calling it "friend" and talking to it for long periods of time. This has piqued the curiosity and suspicion of Xigbar, who often eavesdrops on his conversations, and once shared this story with Zexion, stating that one time he heard "another voice" respond to Xemnas. In The World That Never Was, Sora encounters Xigbar, who mentions "other Keyblade bearers", referring to Terra, Aqua, and Ventus.

Blank Points
Aqua ends up at the Dark Meridian, where she meets Ansem the Wise, who was cast into the Realm when his machine exploded. He reveals that in the Realm of Light, it has been almost eleven years, and he explains the events that have occurred in Aqua's absence, including the actions of Sora. Knowing that Sora will rescue her and her friends, she sheds a single tear, while uttering Sora's name with renewed hope.

Kingdom Hearts coded
Aqua is alluded to by Naminé as one of those connected to Sora's heart and need his help, appearing as one of Naminé's mental images. Later on, after Mickey informs Yen Sid that they have located Ventus's heart, Yen Sid concludes that Terra is the only one left to find, implying that they have already located Aqua.

Abilities
Aqua is described by Tetsuya Nomura as being "tricky". A magic-based fighter with agility to boot, she's capable of doing cartwheels while attacking with her Keyblade. While she's more than capable physically, her prowess lies with a more magic-oriented fighting style, being versed in all forms of it. Aqua is second only to Master Xehanort in terms of magic amongst Keyblade Users, displaying superior skill to both Terra and Ven as well as later Keyblade users such as Sora and Riku. She has her own special variations of the Fire, Ice, and Thunder spells, and can cast the Reflect spell indefinitely without tiring, effectively giving Aqua a 360 degree defensive zone. She can also augment her jumping abilities with magic. She is the slowest of the trio, however her slender frame makes her a difficult target. Small petals also appear when she summons her Keyblade. Her known Command Styles are:

Level 1 Command Styles

 * Spellweaver: Her own exclusive Command Style; it utilizes the power of light to to hover her Keyblade in midair, swiftly attacking enemies while enhancing her magic capabilities as well. Activated by filling the Command Gauge with a variety of multiple magic-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua performing a magical spin attack that can be controlled with the analog stick. This was called "Magic Wish" in the Japanese release.
 * Thunderbolt: A swift Command Style that unleashes powerful lightning upon attacks. Activated by filling the Command Gauge with Thunder-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua summoning a ball of light over her Keyblade then thrusting her Keyblade into it causing multiple lightning bolts to come out of the energy ball and raining down on enemies.
 * Firestorm: A ranged and versatile Command Style that focuses the Keyblade to erupt in flames while attacking. Activated by filling the Command Gauge with Fire-based commands. This was named "Fire Blazer" in the Japanese release. The finisher consists of Aqua jumping in the air, charging energy, and hurling a fireball that erupts into multiple pillars of flame.
 * Diamond Dust: An ice-based Command Style that seems to specialize in crowd-control and dealing with multiple enemies, named after the common attack of the Blizzard-based summon Shiva from the Final Fantasy series. Activated by filling the Command Gauge with Ice-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua summoning a surrounding ice formation that shatter after a certain time and damages enemies.
 * Frozen Fortune: Another ice-based Command Style that uses an ice cream theme. Randomly activated by filling the Command Gauge with an Ice Cream item. The finisher consists of Aqua summoning multiple balls of ice that shatter after certain time and damages enemies. This was called "Ice Blast" in the Japanese release.

Level 2 Command Styles

 * Ghost Drive: Aqua's high speed Command Style and exclusive to her; it allows her to attack enemies at high speeds while using after-image illusions and tricky movements to her advantage. Activated by filling the Style Gauge with Thunder and Magnet-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua circling a certain area before creating an explosion.
 * Bladecharge: In this Style, the Keyblade resembles a Light-blue sword. A long-ranged style,it is activated by filling the Style Gauge with Fire and Ice-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua spinning her blade before smashing it into the ground.
 * Sky Climber: A style that gives Aqua a great midair advantage, it allows her to ride her Keyblade around to attack foes from above at high speed. Activated by filling the Style Gauge with evasive, or Zero Gravity-based commands. The finisher consists of Aqua mounting her Keyblade and hitting multiple enemies before heading skyward then crashing back down and finally, spinning on herself causing a small tornado. This was named "Air Rider" in the Japanese release.

D-Link
Aqua becomes a D-Link for Terra and Ventus, after they received the Wayfinder, Aqua made for the three of them. While in link with Aqua, the player can utilizes magic attacks.


 * Shotlock:
 * Prism Rain: Light in seven colors bursts from the Keyblade and chases after enemies. Press (  in Japanese versions) at the right time in the circle to input the command. It is named "Rainbow Shower" in the Japanese version.
 * Bubble Blaster: A giant bubble surrounds Aqua and releases smaller bubbles that chase after enemies. It is named "Bubble Blast" in the Japanese version.
 * Lightbloom: Aqua's strongest Shotlock. She twirls on the spot while shooting many orbs of white light. As it progresses, her spinning becomes more and more elaborate until she is spinning with one of her legs behind her head. It is named "Shiny Bloom" in the Japanese version.

Personality
Aqua shows some similarities to Kairi, which she shows by making good luck charms for her friends. She also has a devotion to her friends similar to that of Sora's, for she did everything in her power to protect Ventus from harm and even sacrificed herself to save Terra. Her personality is serious, kind, strong willed, and responsible, as she is the most reliable of the three. She is always worrying about Terra and Ventus, who are two of her closest friends. She has been shown to be blushing and embarrassed when Zack asks her to a date, shaking her head and arms in an attempt to compose herself. She seems rather modest, as despite becoming a master she still referred to herself as a trainee. The only time she referred to herself as "Master Aqua" was toward the end, when she fights the possessed Terra.

Appearance
Aqua looks slightly like Kairi, but older. She has similar blue eyes, but her hair is blue and shorter. She wears a black and blue, high-collared halter top, two pink, intersecting belts over her chest, and black shorts. She wears an odd silver badge similar to badges also worn by Ven and Terra, though Terra's is gold. On Aqua's arms are white bell-sleeves and tan, fingerless gloves. She also wears a small, segmented piece of armor on each of her upper arms. She wears what appear to be black stockings or socks on her legs which reach to about halfway up her thighs, leaving a small area of bare skin on her upper thighs. Aqua also bears two strips of blue cloth that drape over either side of her hips, along with a smaller, white strip of cloth tied around her waist, draped in the same manner. Finally, she wears pointed, armored, silver boots with a sharp "hook" on the outer side of each.

By touching the piece of armor hanging on her arm, Aqua will become full clad in her Keyblade Armor. In Birth by sleep, Aqua's armor is mostly colored in shades of silver, black, grey and blue. Notable additions include a silver breastplate resembling an upside-down crescent moon and a dark-visored helmet. Her helmet, like Ventus and Terra's, bears two prongs on either side, with her silver ones wrapping around the sides and angling diagonally downwards. Her cape is that of a dusty-rose color. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Aqua's armor remains largely unchanged, though she loses her cape and grey becomes a more dominant color than black or blue. She also gains more armor near her upper legs and hips.

During the development for Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Aqua's outfit was altered, as Tetsuya Nomura considered her exposed back to be too revealing, ultimately resulting in an outfit that is neither too conservative nor too revealing. As well, her eyes and hair were originally darker.

Artwork of Aqua from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep ' s promotional artwork shows her hair spiking near the back of her head and falling just past her neck, as opposed to the spikes being splayed to the side and the back stopping short of the base of her neck.

Other appearances
While she doesn't appear in the game, in the Kingdom Hearts Re:coded opening Aqua is briefly shown on the Dark Margin during her conversation with Ansem from Blank Points.

Quotes

 * ''"I promise you I will bring Terra back. Only this time, you'll see he has what it takes to be a Master."
 * ''"But why would you advise me not to fight darkness with light?"
 * ''"One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another. Someone to keep you safe."
 * ''"Oh, please excuse me, Your Majesty. Where are my manners?"
 * ''"Oh! You mean - No...I have to leave right away...Besides, I still have so much training to do..."
 * ''"You freak!"
 * ''"Xehanort is feeding the dark fires within you - making you fight. You'll go astray again."
 * ''"My name is Master Aqua. Now return my friend's heart or pay the price!"
 * ''"Ven, I'm sorry...I might not make it back as soon as I thought. But I promise I'll be there, one day, to wake you up."

Trivia

 * In Aqua's "Spellweaver" Command Style, she can control her Keyblade using telekinesis, similar to Sora's Master Form and Final Form. She also shoots "Magic Bullets", similar to Sora's Wisdom Form.
 * Aqua is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese versions of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, who previously voiced Paine in Final Fantasy X-2 and Kingdom Hearts II.

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