It had been a few days since her encounter with the Dark Hide and Aqua was feeling strange. Her body was lethargic and there was an unusual, heavy feel to it. In her wanderings the past few days, she had often found herself having to stop and rest more frequently, one hand inerrantly resting on her stomach.

Today she was feeling weirder than ever—bloated, even. She’d found it difficult to pull her shorts all the way up today. What was especially curious was that she’d had nothing to eat since arriving in the Realm of Darkness. Being its own universe, the Realm seemed to operate by its own rules. Rather than food, entities here—herself and the Heartless both—seemed to subsist mainly on strength of heart. So long she had inner light, Aqua herself would be sustained, just as the Heartless hungered for darkness.

But if she’d had nothing to eat, why was her stomach feeling so taut? Why did she have a sudden craving for foods she’d never liked—and would probably never eat again? Why was she moving slower, why did she feel heavier, why was she now sleeping on her side because she could no longer comfortably rest on her stomach?

As she rested, her back against an elegantly withered tree, Aqua stared down at her tummy. It was… bigger. Not terribly so—you’d never notice unless you knew what to look for. But there was a definite swelling to it. What on earth could it be? She idly stroked it a few times, lost in thought. Her keyblade was ready to be summoned at any moment, but Aqua increasingly felt no need. The Heartless had been leaving her alone after her encounter with the Dark Hide. Sometimes they observed her, but they never moved to attack, and she had no intention of provoking them.

Pondering over the questions, she drifted off into a fitful sleep.