Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lea had spent so much time and energy struggling and fighting to get his friends back, to find them and keep them safe, that he'd never had the chance to really consider what would come after. What they would do after he had them back and Xehanort and company were no longer a threat.

And now he'd done it. Roxas and Xion were alive, safe, and real. Isa was Isa again, even if he was currently in Radiant Garden under observations and being carefully monitored in case losing and regaining his heart twice caused issues. And yes, he still had no clue where that girl from over a decade ago might be, but Lea felt comfortable enough to leave that issue on the back burner until a new lead showed up. And yes, Sora had pulled a disappearing act after apparently pulling one too many impossible stunts, but no one was giving up hope of finding a way to bring him back and Lea wouldn't be surprised if he just showed up perfectly fine with half a dozen new friends. With everyone working on that problem, there really wasn't much that Lea could do to help at the moment.

For now, he'd found every friend that he currently needed to bring back. And that left him with the huge realization that for the first time in he couldn't even guess how long, Lea had absolutely no plan or idea where to go from there. He had no goal, no scheme, no ruthless boss, and no mission assignments. All he had was a Keyblade and two teenage toddlers who needed him.

Roxas and Xion needed him. They needed him. Lea never even finished school, spending a good chunk of his formative years as a Nobody and Organization XIII's assassin, but now he needed to figure out how to take care of the kids properly. Because they deserved normal lives. Or at least as normal as a couple of formerly-Nobody Keyblade wielders who were physically young teenagers and chronologically toddlers could possibly be. Lea needed to figure out how to give them real lives beyond fighting and keeping creepy old guys from plunging everything into everlasting darkness.

And the first thing that real people with real lives needed was a home.

He asked them, the half-pints still tired and overwhelmed by everything. He asked them where they considered to be home. Or where they would want to be their home. Because Lea would follow them anywhere. If they asked to stay in the Realm of Darkness, he would go. Though if they actually suggested they move there, he reserved the right to complain about it. But Roxas and Xion both said Twilight Town.

He really wasn't that surprised.

As part of the current working plan on searching for hints on how to get Sora back, everyone who ever spent time inside his heart would be spending the day at Radiant Garden. Being poked, prodded, and scanned in case there was still some form of connection that they could trace back to the missing Keyblade wielder. Most of the attention would be on Ventus, Roxas, and Xion since they'd lent Sora their strength before he disappeared. Though Lea thought he heard someone mention scanning Kairi too. And while part of him wanted to stay close to his half-pints, to keep them within his sight because some aching part of him kept whispering what if they disappear again, Lea wasn't certain that he could handle going back to that lab again. Not so soon after last time.

But if he was doing something productive instead, then he wasn't being a coward. He needed to be the responsible adult. Regardless of how strange it was to think of himself in that manner. Taking care of practical matters was the right thing to do.

That didn't stop him from forcing Gummiphones into their hands and making Roxas and Xion promise to call him immediately if anything happened, good or bad. He would definitely have to thank Chip, Dale, and possibly Ienzo for building all those Gummiphones right before the confrontation at the Keyblade Graveyard. He also tried to take comfort in the fact that there would be other people there to keep an eye on everyone. Riku and his replica. Aqua, watching over both Ventus and Terra, who also needed to be checked over after his long and complicated possession. He didn't know Aqua very well yet, but she seemed to be the protective and maternal sort. None of them would let anything happen to his half-pints. They would be fine.

And Lea's reluctance to return to Radiant Garden in general and the secret lab specifically didn't stop him from giving Kairi a hug and even squeezing Riku on the shoulder before the group left Master Yen Sid's tower. They deserved to know that he had their backs too if they needed it.

Lea might have got his best friends back, but that didn't mean everyone else was that lucky. Yesterday's loss would be the roughest on those two.

The first obstacle toward Lea's new mission of giving the half-pints a chance at a normal life wasn't as big of a problem as it could have been. Despite dropping out of school as a teenager due to losing his heart and being essentially conscripted into Organization XIII for a decade, Lea wasn't stupid. And he'd realized that with the exception of his sea-salt ice cream, there had been very little that the Nobodies could use munny for.

After all, they were supposed to avoid most people and that included shopping. And the one place where they were encouraged to buy items was set up on a point system dependent on how effective that they were at their missions. Only synthesizing required actual munny. The equipment, upgrades, and occasional potions were carefully controlled, ensuring that no one could get too much or grow too powerful. And to be honest, Roxas always spent more buying and synthesizing supplies from the Organization XIII Moogle than the rest of them. There had been no reason to collect and save very much munny in Organization XIII because it did them almost no good. The most reasonable thing would be to gather just enough to occasionally synthesize something useful.

But Lea wasn't stupid. Even as Axel, he recognized that not saving any munny ensured that he and Saïx would remain dependent on Organization XIII. And he'd always seen the group as a means to an end. They'd both squirreled away their resources. Items found in chests that he didn't need could be sold if he was careful about it. And Heartless tended to leave behind various bits of elemental material and even munny. Lea didn't want to think too closely about where that munny came from originally, but he figured that it either belonged to whoever they were before becoming a Heartless or else the creatures accumulated it by attacking other victims. Regardless, Lea managed to hide a decent stash of munny over the years and now he finally had a reason to use it.

Leaving behind his black coat felt strange after wearing one for such a long time. In some ways, however, it felt good. Like he was leaving that part of his past behind and fully embracing his new life. But it still felt strange not wearing the durable and thick material. It was familiar and memorable. And he hesitated before stepping through the dark corridor. He wasn't exactly comfortable risking his newly regained heart to the darkness so soon.

But the black coats for Organization XIII weren't exactly subtle. And he couldn't just hide in the shadows like he used to. He needed to interact with people and that meant blending in. He needed to wear something that didn't immediately draw attention. Something that didn't practically scream that he was untrustworthy and dangerous.

And if the fairies claimed that his new clothes would protect him from the darkness just as effectively as his black coat, he would just have to trust them. None of the others seemed to have issues with their outfits or the protective qualities. And they were at least semi-fashionable while complimenting the owners' preferences.

He didn't really have any complaints about the appearance of the clothes. Dark plaid shirt, black sleeveless jacket, a pair of durable dark maroon pants, and mid-calf leather boots all added up to something comfortable and practical that he could deal with, even if it was still strange to wear something new. The fairies did good work.

Though he did wonder about their recent obsession with plaid.

Twilight Town remained almost exactly how he'd remembered it. As the closest world to the World That Never Was, he'd spent a lot of time there over the years. And then, once he started the sea-salt ice cream routine with Roxas and later Xion, Lea spent even more time there. Even if it was only in the evenings and only on the clocktower.

The skies never strayed far from the time of day that gave the town its name. Golden light might shift towards reds and oranges before the sun slipped just barely below the horizon, leaving a rich shade of purple. But then the purples would return to the reds and oranges before melting back into the warm golden color. It never reached the black of complete night, the pinks of morning, nor the bright blue of midday. Just various shades of the different points of twilight. It existed on the edge of day and night, just as the world existed on the edge of light and darkness.

He knew the town, even with some minor recent changes. The clocktower had been built on the Central Station, the large train station that led to other districts of the city, out towards the countryside, and eventually a beach. The clocktower loomed over Station Plaza, which connected towards a neighborhood known as Station Heights. There were a few homes there and being relatively close to the clocktower had its appeal.

Lea also knew that Station Heights was part of the long, winding, and steep road called Market Street, which eventually led down to the Tram Common. Market Street also connected to the sandlot where they had their Struggle Tournament every year and where several kids and teenagers liked to practice. Furthermore, Market Street also connected to the back alley where the local kids had their hideout. The one under some of the train tracks. Any of the homes that were scattered around there would probably work out well. Roxas seemed to enjoy the Struggle Tournament in that data version of Twilight Town and Xion might like it. Assuming that the two of them could hold back enough to compete. Regardless, living near those familiar landmarks might encourage the kids to meet the locals a bit faster.

The Tram Common itself was more of a commercial neighborhood than a residential one, though there were still some people who lived there. Especially those who owned an apartment above their store. It was easier for him to see the changes there. One of the shops had been replaced by a fancy and expensive restaurant with a sign reading "Le Grand Bistrot" and an empty lot had been turned into an outdoor theater to watch silent movies. And the hole in the wall where it was easy to slip out to the forest and eventually towards the old mansion had finally been patched up. But mostly it remained an open-market area with a variety of different shops and a free tram circling around.

The old mansion itself was an option. It would take some work to make it habitable again and the hole in the wall being repaired made it harder to access than before. But it wouldn't cost any munny either. The place had essentially been abandoned and forgotten by everyone except adventurous teenagers wanting to scare themselves. The half-pints would have all the space that they could possibly want and could practice with their Keyblades outside without drawing any attention from the locals. But the big problem was the history of the place. It held too many unpleasant memories for Lea. Fighting both Xion and Roxas at separate points, both times his last encounters with the kids before they disappeared. And he couldn't imagine that their memories were any better. It would be easier to live somewhere else and avoid that entire minefield of potential issues.

Lea suspected that he would have better luck finding a place to live in Sunset Terrace. That district was more residential and tended to have larger apartments and homes. It was calmer and more peaceful. The biggest immediate problem was that it was away from the shops, the clocktower, and the more familiar parts of Twilight Town. To reach Sunset Terrace, they would either have to take a train from Central Station over to Sunset Station or they would have to walk through the Underground Concourse. Or they could take dark corridors, but that would involve making certain that they were wearing protective clothes that day. But on the other hand, it was a nice area and watching the trains on Sunset Hill might be as relaxing as sitting on the clocktower.

The half-pints might prefer living farther away from the bustle and noise of the more central locations. The World That Never Was couldn't exactly be described as a crowded place and Destiny Islands was pretty laid back. They might find the Sunset Terrace to be a better fit.

His original plan, as much as he'd actually planned things, was to find several places that were currently for sale or rent. Then he would go through and see which ones would suit their needs and that he could afford with his current stockpile of munny. Lea would fix up a list of possibilities. Then, on a later day, he would bring back Roxas and Xion and get their opinions on whichever ones that he'd narrowed it down to.

But after searching the newspaper and the various bulletin boards for listings and finding a few possibilities, Lea stumbled onto a slight hitch in that plan. He had munny. But he had no form of identification or any type of legal paperwork that would be valid in Twilight Town. Any proof that he existed as a person would be in Radiant Garden, assuming that it wasn't lost when the world fell to darkness. And unlike the people of Radiant Garden, Twilight Town was still ignorant about the existence of other worlds. He could already hear Donald screeching "world order" in his barely-coherent voice.

He couldn't just tell them that his birth certificate and all school records might have been destroyed when the Heartless attacked and that he didn't have a credit history because he spent his entire adult life as a Nobody. And the majority of the people with a property on the market didn't want to sell or rent a home to a stranger without any form of ID. Or if they did, then the price suddenly shot up in response to the perceived "risk" of such a "shady" buyer.

Though the experience did remind Lea that he would need to find someone to forge some paperwork concerning Roxas and Xion. Specifically, paperwork that would be valid in Twilight Town.

It felt like the entire day had been a waste of time. Lea was about two minutes away from just leaving entirely and postponing the search until he could figure out who could fix up some fake IDs for him. He suspected that Ienzo, Ansem, or Even could do the job if necessary, but they would probably be busy trying to figure out how to bring Sora back and then crafting a replica body for Naminé. Assuming that Even wasn't still unconscious since he apparently was the slowest at recovering from the destruction of his Nobody and reforming as a person based on previous experience. And assuming that Even would want anything to do with Lea.

But before Lea could give up and head back, he spotted an older woman pinning a new sheet of paper to the bulletin board. And some stubborn part of him compelled him to try one last time.

Gina, it turned out, was a bit more open-minded than the other people that he'd talked to all day. She looked old enough to be someone's young grandmother, her brown hair showing streaks of grey, but her personality seemed more like someone's adventurous aunt. The type who never settled down and had no interest in raising children herself, but would happily spoil her nieces and nephews when she visited. And it turned out that she loved to talk to people.

Gina was the type of person that polite people called eccentric. She was someone spontaneous and willing to take risks. Risks such as opening up a boutique in the Tram Common years ago where she sold and did custom alterations for dresses, suits, and other formalwear. The older building had been neglected for some time before that and had more space than she could possibly use, but Gina decided that was where she wanted her shop to be. She built her business from the ground up, investing everything that she had and managing to come out on top.

And she later took other risks. Such as recently renovating the building to give the first floor larger windows to display her work and deciding to continue renovations further, turning the unused second and third floors of the building into apartments to rent out for extra income. And since she'd managed to apparently buy the place at a lower price before the new restaurant and other changes in recent years had increased the property values, her asking price turned out to be a lot lower than most of the other apartments in the area. It was only luck that Lea found her and her flyers before someone else did.

Of course, that also meant that he couldn't risk waiting to see what Roxas and Xion thought about the place. Not if he didn't want someone else making an offer first. But when she showed him the apartment and it matched the short list of requirements that he'd been searching for earlier in the day, he knew that he wasn't going to find anything better and took the deal. Gina left him in the empty apartment while she went down to get some paperwork.

Even if she was willing to let the lack of identification slide, he apparently still needed to sign a few things.

Lea picked a wall and leaned against it, sighing tiredly. A few things were still aching from all the recent fighting. He was pretty certain that Ansem would have preferred that he take it easy instead of running all over Twilight Town. But this was something that he needed to do. And it wasn't like Lea was good at following advice anyway. Leaning against the wall and relaxing a moment helped though.

He pulled out his Gummiphone and stared at it. He wanted to call Roxas and Xion to check on how they were doing. But if it was anything like when they were scanning Sora's heart, there was a decent chance that they were sleeping through the process. He could try calling Kairi or Riku to see if they could fill him in on what was happening, but yesterday had been hard on them and Lea didn't want to push things just yet. He considered trying Aqua or Ventus and having one of them update him on the situation, but his mind finally drifted to another possibility.

Lea didn't even know if he had a Gummiphone yet, but Ienzo, Chip, Dale, and Jiminy were passing the things out like crazy. He had a feeling that anyone who was on the guardian's side for more than five minutes would have one. It was at least worth a try.

Lea poked at the device for a couple minutes before finding a way to contact him. Thank goodness for databases that automatically updated since there was only a limited number of Gummiphones anyway. It was much more convenient than having to manually update the thing every time that they added someone new.

The Gummiphone rang a few times before someone answered. And Lea couldn't help smiling at the familiar face looking back at him in surprise. Especially when he saw green eyes instead of that gut-wrenching shade of yellow.

"Hey, Isa," he said quietly. "How're you doing? I'm guessing that they aren't crowding you too much if they're busy checking over the kids today."

"Lea." Giving a short nod of greetings on the screen, Isa continued, "They've come to check on me a few times, but you're right. The others have been spending most of the day in the lab. I've been keeping my distance. I didn't think that it would be wise to force my presence on any of them quite yet. Especially not Roxas or Xion."

And because Isa probably didn't feel any more comfortable in that lab than Lea did. But he was right. Roxas and Xion might have agreed to give Isa a chance, but it would be hard to forget how Saïx treated them and it might be better for their first reintroduction to have Lea there to serve as a buffer.

"But you're doing okay? No unexpected problems?" asked Lea.

"I'm… Physically, I am feeling better. My previous weakness and exhaustion have mostly passed. While certainly not comfortable, my recompletion doesn't seem to be causing me any more issues than my previous experience." Pausing a moment, Isa added, "I did speak with Even earlier. He claims that reforming after his destruction via a Keyblade was easier and a preferable process to having his Nobody destroyed by a different method. Fewer lingering traces of damage and he is recovering more quickly. Since I met my fate at the hands of a Keyblade wielder on both occasions, I have nothing to compare it to and will have to take his word on the matter."

Lea tried to ignore the guilt that briefly washed over him. It wasn't as if he and Vexen were ever close. Not to mention it was over very quickly. But having a heart sometimes meant feeling bad about incinerating fellow members of the Organization. He wasn't certain if he felt worse about that death or when he used the Riku replica to strangle Zexion. Neither event was exactly his finest moment. And even if the destruction of their Nobodies helped reunite them with their hearts, he knew that it couldn't have been a pleasant way to go. His own demise wasn't exactly fun, but at least it was on his own terms.

He should probably apologize to Even at some point too.

"Good to hear that you're doing better, Isa," he said. "And how does it feel to have your own heart back? And more importantly, not have some weird old guy's heart jammed in you?"

"It's… an adjustment." His words came out slow and deliberate. "You were right that the emotions feel a bit overwhelming right now. It makes me thankful to have some peace and quiet to come to terms with things. Other than checking on Even briefly, I've mostly been keeping to the bedroom that they provided."

Giving him an encouraging smile, Lea said, "It'll get easier. Promise. And don't isolate yourself too much. You've got a whole castle of people who know what it feels like to suddenly feel a lot of strong emotions after a decade as a Nobody. They should be able to help. And Even, Ienzo, and even Ansem should be able to make sure that you're recovering the way that you should. They'll give you check ups and everything."

"I'm sure you were eager to turn yourself over to their care, Lea," he said dryly.

He couldn't help it. Lea laughed at the sarcastic comment. It was a small thing, but it felt so much like the Isa that he grew up with. He couldn't even describe how much he missed his friend.

After a couple moments, Lea said, "To be fair, I was a little busy right after. You know, trying to find you, keeping Sora from ending up Xehanort's new puppet, and trying to figure out how to summon a Keyblade. Those things are not nearly as cooperative as you might think. At least, it wasn't at the start. I'll have to tell you about some of the training I did with Kairi. For a Princess of Heart, that girl can be vicious when she's sparring."

"I could tell. She was difficult to contain as a prisoner before she began wielding a Keyblade. When I fought her yesterday, she demonstrated a surprising amount of skill for how long she's been training."

Trying to brush past the issue of the events of the day before, Lea rubbed the back of his head and said, "Yeah, there was a weird time thing going on. Merlin fixed it up. We were training and practicing somewhere that time didn't really work right. So we actually trained a lot longer than you'd think." Then, looking away from the screen, Lea added, "But listen… I'm currently getting a place in Twilight Town. Roxas and Xion like this world and after everything that's happened, they need a place to stay. Somewhere they can be a bunch of kids like we were back in Radiant Garden. But that doesn't mean I'm leaving you behind. I'm not. And I need you to promise me something. If you need me, you call me immediately. I don't care what time it is or what I'm doing. You call me, Isa. And I'll be there. You're still one of my best friends. I'm not abandoning any of you. And since you have a Gummiphone, you have no excuse not to call me if something happens or if you just need to talk or whatever. And if you need more than to talk, I don't have to wait for a Gummi Ship. I'll make this work. And maybe over time, things will smooth out enough that everyone can at least be friendly together."

"I should applaud your optimism," he said. Then, a little quieter and suddenly looking a lot more tired than before, Isa said, "I've missed that. I missed you. And… I'm grateful that you didn't die. When they said you were…"

"Hey," said Lea, interrupting the darker mood that was settling over his friend, "you're not getting rid of me that easily. I still had things to do. Friends to drag back. And I'm just letting you know, if you hadn't shown back up with your heart afterwards, I'd find a way to get you back anyway. You're not allowed to disappear on me either."

"I believe you. If you managed to regain Roxas and Xion, even when you had no memory of her existence and had no reason to be looking for her, then I'm certain that you would have found a way to retrieve me regardless of the circumstances."

"You bet I would have." Shifting slightly, Lea said, "I better let you rest some more. I'm sure one of the mad scientists will try to poke at you before long. And I should probably see what's taking the lady so long with the paperwork. Oh, and since you'll probably see him before I will, ask Ienzo if he or one of the others can try to fix up some fake birth certificates and stuff for Roxas and Xion. And probably me too since I don't think Twilight Town's versions look the same as Radiant Garden's."

"I'll pass the message along. Be careful, Lea."

"Come on. How much trouble could I get into around here?"

"Do you truly want me to answer that?"

Laughing lightly, Lea finally ended the call. It took longer for the smile to leave his face. While Isa had always been more reserved than him, he was already showing a lot more of his old self. Willing to tease and be snarky back at Lea without it turning cold or sharp-edged. He'd missed that.

He stared at the Gummiphone as he absently rubbed at his chest, wincing at the lingering pain of still-healing wounds. He still wanted to call Roxas or Xion. It felt wrong to have them out of his sight for too long.

Lea knew that they were both with people who would look out for them and protect them. And he knew that they were more than capable of protecting themselves. He knew that they should be safe.

But being away from them so soon, after already losing them once and barely getting them back, felt wrong. His chest ached in a way that had nothing to do with previous injuries. There was a tightness there. And the more he thought about how far away they were and how easy it would be for them to disappear, perhaps yanked away by their connection to the missing Sora, the harder that it was to breathe.

But they were fine. Lea forced himself to remember that as he reluctantly put away his Gummiphone. He knew they would be fine. They were safe. He would see them soon. And if anything happened, there were multiple Keyblade wielders present. And even if he wasn't down in the lab with everyone, Isa was in the same castle. No one would let the half-pints disappear again. He didn't need to call them in the middle of everything. He didn't need to interrupt their efforts to trace the connections to Sora and bring the kid home. Lea just needed to get everything ready and then he could meet them at Master Yen Sid's tower that evening. Everything would be fine. They would be fine.

"I'm sorry that I took so long," said Gina, coming through the door. "The paperwork somehow ended up in my pile of orders. I'm usually much more organized than that."

"No problem." He pushed himself away from the wall, appreciating the distraction. "It wasn't that bad of a wait."

"All right, let's see… Basic appliances come with the apartment. Stove, oven, microwave oven, fridge, the washer and dryer combo set… They can stack on each other to save space," she said, repeating some of the points that she'd mentioned earlier.

She passed over her handful of papers to him. Lea knew that everything she was explaining was already in the contract. That didn't stop him from reading it over anyway. Just in case she missed something or forgot to mention it. He didn't want any surprises.

"I've listed the deposit and the monthly rent. Water and electricity are a flat fee included as part of the rent. I don't have the patience to figure out it out and adjust it each individual month, so don't worry if you want to take a longer shower or something occasionally. No one's lived here yet and I just finished remodeling these floors, which means everything should be in good working order for quite some time. I'll cover the cost of general maintenance and repairs. Unless you've tried something especially dumb and you broke something as a result. If that happens, that'll come out of the deposit."

Gina gestured vaguely towards the walls as Lea flipped to the next page of the prepared renter's contract. The legalese was giving him a bit of a headache, but he could mostly understand it.

Sort of.

A little bit.

Yeah, he'd never really considered things like the cost of water, electricity, and a deposit before. They didn't come up working as the Organization's assassin. Today had been a hard lesson in exactly how little that he actually knew about these types of responsibilities. Turns out that being a Nobody for over a decade didn't actually prepare you at all for adult life. Who knew?

"They painted everything a pretty neutral color when they finished remodeling. Though I admit it also makes the place a bit boring. But I have no problem if you want to repaint, hang up some pictures up, or something. I just ask that you talk to me before you start knocking down walls or putting new ones up. And the walls of this building were already pretty thick even before the remodel, so noise shouldn't be too much of an issue. I remember being young and how loud I could get; I made certain that they did a good job with the soundproofing. Whenever someone rents out the neighboring apartment or the two downstairs, you shouldn't have to worry too much about disturbing them if you and your family get a little rambunctious. You mentioned that you had kids?"

"Yeah, I'm taking care of a couple of teenagers," he said, avoiding the complicated discussion of their physical ages versus their chronological ones. "I sort of stumbled into looking after them. It's a long story."

She smiled and said, "Well, it was still nice of you to take them in like that. I look forward to running into them sometime after you move in. Hopefully they'll like their bedrooms and don't argue too much over who gets the one closest to the bathroom. I remember that fight with my sister when we moved when I was twelve. I didn't speak to her for almost a week."

"Nah," he said with a small chuckle. "I don't think either of them will fight over something like that."

"What are their names?"

Lea smiled and said, "Roxas and Xion."

Xion opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the grogginess and the glare. Standing in front of her was Ansem the Wise and Ienzo, watching her reactions carefully. She wasn't completely certain that she enjoyed the feeling of being someone's scientific project. And while she didn't hate Ansem the Wise the same way that Roxas did, when he wasn't wrestling with his uncomfortable gratitude for his help when Lea needed it, Xion wasn't exactly comfortable around him either. Her limited experience with him during his time as DiZ wasn't the most pleasant, but it wasn't the worst treatment that she'd ever received either. She didn't really know Ienzo that well either; Zexion had left for Castle Oblivion back in those hazy early days before she'd even started going on missions or speaking.

But she could put all of that aside. Ienzo had been nothing except nice to her since she returned to existence, even reassuring her that she wouldn't harm Roxas like before. And whatever mistakes that he might have made as DiZ, Ansem seemed determined to make up for them. But most importantly, she was sitting in the chair in the lab and letting them scan her heart for a very good reason.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, no."

Xion looked past the others. For a second, she thought it was Riku who answered. But then she noticed the difference in height and hair length and mentally corrected herself. It was Riku's replica, standing over a different chair holding Kairi. Arms crossed and expression serious, he shook his head slowly.

Of the three chairs, she and Roxas were just waking up in their own. Ventus had already climbed out and was being looked over by the rather protective Aqua and Terra, which had clearly allowed Kairi to claim his chair. The more experienced trio of Keyblade wielders had withdrawn to a corner of the lab and were apparently telling Ventus the news themselves.

Riku wasn't in the lab anymore. He must have left after finding out that it didn't work.

"The connections between Sora's heart and the hearts of you, Roxas, and Ventus might have been strong before," said Ienzo slowly. "Strong enough that the three of you could share your strength with him for a time. But now… those connections are too faint for us to properly detect. That might be simply the result of whatever state his heart is in or wherever his location might be. Or perhaps it was an instinctive measure to keep the three of you from continuing to share your strength with him until all four of you disappeared instead of just him. Or perhaps those connections are simply something that our current equipment cannot measure. We cannot be certain without more information."

Ansem gestured towards the other chair and continued, "We are checking Kairi's heart as well in case her status as a Princess of Heart and the complete lack of darkness makes a difference, but I suspect that we will encounter similar results. At the very least, we can get some baseline scans of her heart that should aid us when the time comes to restore Naminé."

"But right now," said Roxas, climbing out of his own chair, "you have no clue how to find Sora or get him back."

Hesitating a moment, Ansem the Wise shook his head slowly. Xion could practically feel the mood in the room dropping.

"Not at the moment. But we have not yet exhausted all possible avenues available to us," he said.

Taking a step forward, one hand drifting up to her chest, Aqua said, "We can search through the library in the Land of Departure. There are ancient tomes of the past, filled with knowledge about hearts, Keyblades, and those who wield them. Perhaps there will be something that we can use to help Sora there."

"If you wish to share the knowledge of those ancient scholars, I would be honored," said Ansem. "Naminé offers yet another possibility. She has the power to influence the heart and specifically the memories of Sora and those who are connected to him. Perhaps after she is restored, she will be able to trace the connections to him in a way that we currently cannot."

"Unfortunately, it will take time to prepare her a body." Ienzo glanced back towards Kairi. "With Even's return and his research, we should be able to craft a replica for her. But it isn't the fastest process. Not if we want one that is stable and nearly indistinguishable from a normal human body. It is delicate work and some things are not worth the risk of rushing."

Xion knew that far too well. She had been one of the earlier models originally. And saying that there had been problems would be an understatement. She was meant to absorb some of Roxas's abilities. Enough to wield the Keyblade. But she'd kept absorbing more and more power and memories. She was broken in a way that no one could fix and the only way that she could stop it before her existence destroyed Roxas…

No. Naminé deserved better. She deserved a proper body that wouldn't end up broken, dangerous, and doomed to inevitable destruction.

She shivered, clasping her hands together in front of her. Xion didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about the possibility of her new body being flawed in some way. She didn't want to think about how it could break down or turn against her too. She didn't want to think about the idea that she was the problem and not her replica body, that she was doomed to the same destructive cycle. She didn't want to think about how something could go wrong with her and she might disappear again.

That wouldn't happen. She was stable this time. Ienzo even did scans before and said that she was no different than any other real girl.

"How long?" asked Riku's replica, still staring at Kairi. "You said it will take time, but how much time? How long until Naminé can be restored?"

His voice solemn and grave, Ansem the Wise said, "Months. Several months. I cannot give you a more exact estimation since the replicas are Even's creation, not mine. I can only go off of his research. But perhaps I am overestimating the necessary time. I will ask him for a more accurate timeframe once he has recovered a bit more from his experiences."

The replica's face showed a flash of frustration before settling into resignation. He gave Kairi one last look before taking a step away from her. Something about the tired, lonely, and miserably accepting look on his face made Xion approach him cautiously. She wanted to say something. She wanted to help. Mostly because she didn't like seeing anyone in that state, but it was more than that. He was the only other replica that she'd ever met. There was a connection between them.

"Do… you have a name?" she asked quietly.

Glancing up at her in surprise, he said, "Not my own. Not before. I've always been called Riku. Because that's who I thought I was at first. But I've been considering something that Sora suggested. A new name."

"Did you pick one?" asked Ienzo.

Riku's replica looked towards him, but didn't meet his eyes. And Ienzo took an involuntary step back when the replica turned his attention in his direction. Xion didn't know why, but there seemed to be an uncomfortable tension between the two of them. There was some unknown and unpleasant history lingering over them. She could see guilt from the replica and unease and maybe a faint thread of fear from Ienzo.

But at least they didn't seem as bad as Roxas and Ansem. The only reason that she believed that Roxas hadn't literally attacked the man at some point since their return was because he helped save Lea. That had earned the man a shaky truce.

"I did pick a name," said the replica slowly. "Kiru."

After a moment of consideration, Roxas said, "That's not bad."

"Then it is nice to properly meet you, Kiru," said Xion. "And don't worry. Naminé will be with us soon enough. We'll just have to be patient until Vex– Even can make her a new body. And it's better to take some time than to risk making her a body that isn't stable." Xion shook her head, not letting those fears about her own existence gain any ground. "And you're not the only one who would like to see her again. She was nice when we met, even if what she told me was upsetting. And when she's here, she might be able to help us get Sora back."

"Though that isn't the only reason that we want her back," reassured Roxas quickly.

"And while you wait, you can get things ready for her," she continued.

"Exactly," said Aqua from her spot next to Ventus. "I've heard a little bit about your histories, Kiru. And I know that you both came from… unusual backgrounds. Do you or Naminé have a place to stay? Clothes other than the ones that you're wearing right now? A home?"

Xion was actually thinking about getting Naminé some ice cream to welcome her back, but Aqua was raising some good points too.

Kiru's fist briefly squeezed shut before relaxing. He didn't look completely comfortable as the center of attention, but he seemed to be considering their suggestions. And he looked calmer. More thoughtful than his earlier frustrations.

"Riku told me that," he said slowly, "I could come back to the Destiny Islands with him. He said I could stay with his family. Or maybe at Sora's house until he's back." Kiru shifted slightly on his feet. "I don't know if that would work out long term and I don't know if Naminé would want to stay on the Destiny Islands. We both remember living there, but we never actually did."

Xion could certainly relate to the problems of remembering events from a life that didn't belong to her. The strange disconnect. Feeling that something was both familiar and foreign at the same time. And the desire for something that truly belonged solely to her.

"You're right," he continued. "I should use this time to make preparations for Naminé's arrival. She deserves to have a proper home." Kiru smiled slightly. "Perhaps I could also find her a set of colored pencils and a new sketchbook. She loves to draw."

Giving the replica a considering look as he straightened up, Terra asked, "How long have you wielded a Keyblade, Kiru?"

"Since yesterday."

Terra glanced towards Aqua. There was some form of silent communication taking place. She knew exactly what he was thinking and seemed to agree with his idea. Xion could tell. That type of deep understanding of each other without needing words seemed like a sign of a close and enduring friendship.

"You don't have to accept," said Terra carefully, "but you could come with us back to the Land of Departure if you want. It was always meant to be a safe haven for Keyblade wielders. That includes you."

Nodding, Aqua added, "And it is the responsibility of Keyblade masters to teach the next generation of wielders. It is only right for us to offer you those teachings. You wouldn't have to learn all on your own. We could give you formal and structured training from the start." She paused a moment with a slight frown. "Though we might need to adjust things from what we were taught. Recent events have revealed that Master Eraqus's teachings weren't always correct and that his views on light and darkness were… imperfect."

"I… May I think about it?" asked Kiru, looking a little overwhelmed.

"Of course. The offer has no time limit," said Terra. "You are under no obligation either way."

Looking up from the equipment with a heavy sigh, Ansem said, "I am having no better luck at tracing a connection between Kairi's heart and Sora than we did with the others. It would seem that Naminé remains our best hope to locate the boy."

"Then it's up to her," said Riku as he stepped back into the room. "And she's never let us down yet."

Lea found his half-pints sitting on the bed in their borrowed room when he returned to Master Yen Sid's tower. Not even finding a place to live had spelled the end of his day. The apartment didn't come furnished, so Lea spent the rest of the day scouring various second-hand and discount stores for the more immediately necessities. Including furniture. His larger purchases were due for delivery the next day. He'd also found a few smaller basics. Very simple and plain bedding, towels, and such. More personalized and better quality versions could be picked out later. For now, he was focusing on the bare essentials to get them started.

Which was why Lea was carrying a small bag of clothes. Plain white t-shirts and loose-fitting, soft, and comfortable black shorts. He'd bought a set for each of them, perfectly identical except for the fact his were much larger. It would give Roxas and Xion something to wear that wouldn't draw attention the same way their black coats would. They would work at least until they could go clothes shopping for themselves. And as an added bonus, the t-shirt and shorts combo were comfortable enough to be used afterwards as pajamas.

"Ienzo called earlier," he said, sitting down next to them. "No luck?"

Shaking his head, Roxas said, "They think that Naminé might be able to find him, but it'll take a while to make her a replica body. So everyone is stuck waiting."

"I doubt everyone will just sit around doing nothing the whole time," said Lea. "They'll be poking around the different worlds looking for clues in their spare time. I guarantee it."

Xion smiled slightly and said, "I do think I heard Riku mention to Kairi that he was thinking of doing some searching on the weekends while waiting for Naminé's return."

Leaning over to look at the bag, Roxas asked, "What's in there?"

"Surprises for tomorrow. Which is why I'm not telling," teased Lea. "You'll have to wait and see."

Scowling playfully, he complained, "No fair."

Giggling, Xion leaned over and wrapped her arms around Roxas. He started laughing as he tried to shrug her off. Lea took the opportunity to drop the bag on the floor and shove them back on the mattress, earning him twin yelps of surprise. He dodged their flailing hands to snatch up a pillow to lightly smack them a couple of times. The startled squeaks and laughter made Lea grin. The pair scrambled back upright, now with messier hair.

The play-fighting came to a sudden halt as they tried to tackle him down on the mattress too. Lea couldn't help the sudden gasp and wince from the sharp stab of pain to his ribs. He was healing, but not fully healed yet. The impact had agitated his injuries. The pair immediately scrambled back with guilty expressions as he recovered from the worst of it.

"I'm sorry," said Roxas quickly, eyes wide with worry. "I'm so sorry, Axel."

Looking equally horrified by their actions, Xion asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," said Lea, sitting up slowly. "It just caught me by surprise. That's my own fault. Shouldn't have tried roughhousing yet."

He was doing better. He honestly was. The actual lacerations were essentially healed over enough that bleeding was no longer an issue, though he was clearly adding another four scars to his current collection. Right next to the starburst burn scars on his sternum from his fiery destruction as a Nobody and higher up and on the opposite side from the rather ugly scar from Saïx's claymore. He'd honestly had too many death- and near-death experiences to be entirely healthy. But while the cuts were nearly gone, the colorful bruises and battered ribs would take longer. Especially after Saïx managed to hit him hard before banishing his weapon. That probably set things back a bit.

"I'm still sorry," said Roxas.

Reaching over to squeeze his shoulder, Lea said, "Don't worry about it. You know me. I'm tough."

That caused some relieved chuckles. Then he pulled them over in a careful hug. They might not have indulged in a lot of physical affection during their time in the Organization beyond some playful shoves and such, but there was something comforting about getting to hold his half-pints close. Holding them close and knowing that they were safe, real, and alive. Maybe someday he would get used to the idea that he had them both back. Maybe someday he wouldn't feel immediately calmer just by hugging the pair tight. But for now, Lea would enjoy the warmth and twin heartbeats that meant that Roxas and Xion hadn't disappeared again.

"We have a lot of things to sort out still," said Lea. "But tomorrow we'll head over to Twilight Town for that surprise."

Xion frowned thoughtfully and asked, "Didn't you say the surprise was in the bag?"

"It's a two-part surprise," he said, reluctantly ending the embrace. "And if you want to know more, you'll have to wait until morning. Until then, I'm grabbing some sleep."

In the past, that would be the cue for Roxas and Xion to tease him about wasting his time napping. But their overprotectiveness that emerged after his most recent near-death experience hadn't quite ended after the Keyblade War. Which meant there were no complaints about him getting more rest. Hopefully their worry over him would fade with time. He almost missed the jokes about his sleeping patterns.

Lea claimed a spot in the center of the mattress as Roxas turned off the lights. Then the two half-pints curled up on either side of him just as he managed to snag the blanket for them. And, making a mental note to add proper blankets to the list of things to get and not just the sheets that he'd already bought, Lea closed his eyes and settled down to sleep.

Chapter Text

It was strange seeing Axel— Lea wearing anything other than the familiar black coat. He was still mostly wearing dark colors, but it was still an unexpected change. He'd always worn the black coat from the moment that Roxas could remember. Because that's what they'd always worn in Organization XIII. And wearing something different was a firm statement that none of them were there any longer. A clear sign that he was no longer the Nobody that they first met. Roxas didn't know if he was comfortable with the idea of their friend being someone different, but Lea didn't behave that much differently than Axel. A little more open, but it was still him. Regardless of what he decided to wear, he was still their friend.

Putting on different clothes himself was equally strange. The only time that Roxas remembered wearing anything other than his own black coat was when he was trapped in the fake version of Twilight Town. But Lea pulled out some plain white t-shirts and black shorts from his bag as part one of the surprise. Light, soft fabrics that didn't offer protection against the darkness, but were still intriguing in their own way.

What immediately followed was a brief explanation from Lea. About how clothes were for more than protection from dark corridors. About not changing clothes in front of other people. And about how different worlds had different standards of decency. Which was why Donald didn't have to wear pants, the Beast didn't have to wear a shirt, and why Phil didn't wear anything even though everyone else in Olympus apparently did. But apparently places like Twilight Town, Radiant Garden, and Destiny Islands had strong opinions about human-looking people wearing proper amounts of clothing. Which Roxas kind of knew from his time in the data version of the town, but he hadn't really thought too much about it.

Honestly, it was simpler when the only rule about clothes was to wear their black coats at all times for protection. But the two of them listened to Lea's explanation and then put on their new clothes. They slipped their black coats on over the t-shirt and shorts briefly to travel through the dark corridor, but only until they reached Twilight Town. Then they went into the now-empty bag. Leaving all three of them in more normal clothes.

The outfits weren't the only thing that made the situation feel strange and almost unreal. Being back in Twilight Town itself seemed like a dream. Or perhaps another illusion. Roxas tried to bury the sickening feeling in his stomach, the gnawing doubt that he was still trapped in that simulation. It didn't make any sense; the fake Twilight Town wouldn't include Lea and Xion with him or his intact memories of the Organization, Sora, and the Keyblade War. But his mind couldn't help whispering what if…

But as long as he could ignore that quiet doubt, it was nice to be back in the quiet and familiar town. The warm colors, the distant chimes from the clocktower, and the faint sounds of the trains in the distance brought a smile to his face. Not all of his memories of the place were good. That final fight against Xion, everything to do with the fake Twilight Town… But there were far more good memories. He could practically taste the sea-salt ice cream.

"So other than the new clothes," he said slowly, "what's the other surprise?"

Grinning as he led them towards Tram Common, Lea said, "You'll see. And be nice to Gina when you meet her."

"Who is Gina?" asked Xion.

Gesturing at the three-story building ahead of them, he said, "She owns the place."

Roxas studied their destination. It was mostly a brick building with a few windows scattered on the upper floors, though the entire front of the first floor was glass to reveal a storefront. He could make out a few dresses inside, which told him what kind of merchandise it sold. Roxas briefly considered the idea that Lea had brought them there to find more clothes, but he didn't lead them towards the front entrance. Instead, he guided them down the side of the building towards a door near the back of the structure.

"Where are we going?" asked Roxas.

"Just wait and see."

Inside was a staircase that wove back and forth, another door that undoubtedly led back into the store, and a line of boxes with numbers and letters on them. Lea headed up the stairs with no hesitation. Roxas noticed that on both the second and third floor, there were two doors each. And each door had a letter and a number, the combinations matching the boxes on the first floor. Lea finally stopped on the third floor in front of a door labeled "3B."

"Where are we, Axel?" he asked.

Opening the door, he said, "Our new home."

Roxas and Xion stepped inside slowly, staring in startled silence. The main room that they first entered was a relatively large space, though that impression might be partially from the place being empty and painted white. The right side of the room seemed to be the kitchen. The entire wall seemed to consist of counters, cabinets, and appliances while also hosting the only windows in the room. Roxas spotted a refrigerator, a stove, an oven, a sink, and even a microwave that rested above the oven. And on the far side of the room next to the entrance of a hallway was a washing machine and dryer.

"They'll be delivering a couch for the other half of the room," said Lea, gesturing towards the empty space. "And a table and chairs. They're used, but in good shape. They should be here in a couple of hours. The beds, mattresses, and wardrobes since the bedrooms don't have individual closets will be here then too. Those are all cheap, but new. We can work on getting more or better furniture later. I just wanted to get the basic necessities first."

Still trying to wrap his head around it, Roxas kept exploring with Xion. The hallway had five rooms on the right and what looked like a couple of closets on the left. The first room seemed to be a bathroom, the tub half hidden by a shower curtain just as white as the rest of the apartment. The next four rooms seemed to be intended as bedrooms. Long, narrow, painted white, and each one with at least a single window that let in the warm golden-orange light from outside, the rooms seemed smaller than the ones in the Castle That Never Was or the illusionary one that Roxas had in the fake Twilight Town. But there was space for a bed, a wardrobe, and maybe a desk or a shelf if they didn't mind things ending up a little crowded.

"There's one more thing," said Lea. "This apartment has something that the others in the building don't. I think you'll like it."

At the end of the hall, right near a window that Roxas's mental map told him overlooked the front of the building, was a gap where it almost seemed like there should be another closet. Instead, there was a bit of extra space. Lea reached up and unfolded a ladder from the ceiling. Then he climbed up and opened a hatch. With a quick glance, Roxas knew that Xion had no idea what was going on either, so the pair followed him up.

"We're the only ones in the building with roof access," he explained. "Apparently that's just how the remodeling worked out. It gives us a little extra space."

"For what?" asked Xion, staring out at their immediate surroundings.

The building wasn't in the center of the Tram Common, so they couldn't spot the new restaurant in town that they'd glimpsed on the way. But they weren't stuck staring at narrow alleyways either. There would be a decent amount of foot traffic near the front of the store and they could already see several people walking by. But since very few people ever looked up, it was easy to watch things unobserved.

They might not have to avoid all contact anymore, but some behaviors took time to change.

Shrugging, Lea said, "Whatever we want. Sparring with Keyblades. Stargazing in the evening. We could probably plant a rooftop garden if either of you two are interested in that. And while the view isn't as great as it is on the clocktower, we could probably even have ice cream here sometime."

"It is a nice view," said Roxas slowly.

They weren't as high above everything as they were when sitting on the clocktower, but they could look down on part of the Tram Common and watch the people going about their lives. And even if they couldn't gaze out at the rolling hills and forests that surrounded the town, they should be able to easily watch the sunset and the shadows stretch with the fall of evening. Roxas would have to admit that while he would always prefer the view from the clocktower, sitting on the roof would work as a reasonable substitute.

"What do you two think?" asked Lea.

Xion turned back slowly and said, "This… This is ours? Really?"

"Already talked to Gina about staying here and everything. That's what I was up to yesterday. But if you truly hate it, we can try and figure something else out."

"I don't hate it," said Roxas.

And he didn't. Not at all. It was just taking some time to properly sink in.

It was theirs. It was theirs and it was real. They'd talked about running away together, just the three of them. Leaving Organization XIII and no longer worrying about missions, collecting hearts, and the increasingly obvious fact that they couldn't trust anyone. That fantasy never became real as they each fell, one-by-one. But now they were together, free, and happy. They could have everything that they could never have before.

And it wasn't at all like his room in the digital version of Twilight Town, He remembered it being on Market Street, his window overlooking the Usual Spot. The fake room was larger, with tall shelves and all sorts of books and toys. The types of things that a teenage boy would like. Or at least what Ansem the Wise assumed that a teenage boy would like. The real bedrooms were completely different than the digital one. The empty and white apartment reminded him uncomfortably of the Castle That Never Was, but not the fake version of Twilight Town. Roxas appreciated that.

"Come on then," said Lea, gesturing back down towards the apartment. "Time for you to pick out your rooms before the furniture arrives. The two closest to the bathroom are for you guys and I'll take the next one."

Doing some quick mental math, Roxas asked, "What about the extra room? The one closest to the roof access? In the corner of the building and with the window facing the front of the building?"

Lea hesitated a moment, perched right above the ladder. Then he continued climbing down.

"Having a spare bedroom is just a smart investment. Especially with how many friends and allies we've got scattered around now. You never know when someone might need a place to stay."

Roxas resisted the urge to scowl. He could fill in the blanks enough to know exactly who Lea might have in mind. And why he would position his bedroom to serve as a buffer between their rooms and the "spare." Roxas and Xion might have agreed to give Isa a chance. And Roxas might have felt bad when Saïx apologized to them as he faded. But that didn't mean that he'd forgiven him for everything that he'd done as Saïx and Roxas was certainly not comfortable with the idea of Isa staying with them.

But Roxas wasn't going to mention it right now. Instead, he was going to carefully compare the two rooms and see which one he should pick.

It turned out that moving into an apartment took longer than expected, even when none of them really had any belongings.

Putting the simple bedframes together took time. They weren't fancy things. Just pale and simple wood posts that held up the mattresses. But it still took time to get them put together. And the plain wardrobes were sturdy and heavy things that took some careful maneuvering to get them down the hallway and through the doors. Though they should be very useful. The wardrobes had space in the upper part to hang their clothes and a couple of drawers in the lower portion to fold them up.

The brown couch with slightly worn cushions was a nightmare to get up to the apartment. The size and shape of the bulky thing made it awkward to carry up a couple of flights of stairs. The table and chairs, the same honey-pale wood as the bedframes and wardrobes, were actually the easiest to handle. Xion only banged one of the chairs twice while hurrying up the stairs.

After the heavy lifting was done, Lea handed out the white bedsheets and pillows to get their rooms ready. He took responsibility for preparing the spare bedroom in addition to his own. The beds were a little larger than the narrow ones that they had in the Organization, a fact that both she and Roxas ended up excited about. Between sleeping at the castle in Radiant Garden and in Master Yen Sid's tower, she'd come to the conclusion that larger beds were better.

Lea's bed, however, ended up the biggest of them. According to him, upgrading to a king-sized bed was one of the perks of being the person buying the furniture. The downside was that it didn't leave him with much extra room. There was some floor space in front of his wardrobe and a smaller section on the far side of the bed near the window, just enough for him to stand there if he wanted. But there was no room for any other furniture. Roxas and Xion were already talking about maybe adding desks and she thought that maybe she could hang a few shelves on a wall, but Lea didn't have that option.

Xion chose the room closest to the bathroom while Roxas's bedroom was tucked between hers and Lea's. It was a cozy space that she spent too much time carefully arranging. She smoothed out the new white sheets on her new bed, looked in the wardrobe and all the available space, and opened up her window to let in a cool breeze. She liked her new room, even though the color reminded her of the cold, unwelcoming, and empty castle. As long as she reminded herself that they weren't in the World That Never Was, she should be fine.

"All right," called Lea from the main room. "It doesn't take half an hour to make your beds. I managed to fix up two rooms in the same amount of time. Hurry up. I need to introduce you two to another tradition of moving."

"Is it ice cream?" asked Roxas.

Laughing, Lea said, "Close, but not quite. Now, while I didn't help move much in the past, I know at least one important tradition about it. When you move into a new house, everyone involved in the process is rewarded for their hard work with pizza afterwards. I'd say we've earned it."

Frowning in thought, Xion poked her head out of her new room and asked, "What's pizza?"

"A hot, greasy, and delicious food. You'll see. We'll order one cheese pizza and one with pepperoni to give you a couple of options to see what you like." Heading towards the door, he said, "You two finish up and I'll go ask Gina if she knows anywhere decent that delivers."

Xion smiled at the description. Meals within Organization XIII tended to be plain, simple, and solitary affairs. They didn't tend to be more elaborate because that would require caring about the entire process and Nobodies weren't supposed to have strong feelings about things, let alone what they were having for dinner. But the three of them would always share ice cream together and the group breakfast after Roxas and Xion's return was nice. Communal meals were quickly becoming something that she appreciated. And Xion was certain that she would like eating pizza with her best friends.

Roxas was charging through the empty white hallways of the Castle That Never Was, clinging desperately to a fading memory of a girl and a final promise. Destroy the bright Kingdom Hearts in the sky that they crafted by collecting hearts and free those hearts from their captivity. That's what she wanted. If he did what she asked, maybe she would come back. Then everything would go back to the way that things were meant to be. The three of them together and happy. So he kept running.

The halls started out as empty, but that hadn't lasted long. While there had been Heartless out in the city, the castle had always been a place for Nobodies. And that was what came swarming out at him. Lesser Nobodies. Roxas kept running, cutting through the Dusks as fast as he could. They were trying to slow him down. They were trying to keep him away. But he couldn't let them. He had to reach Kingdom Hearts. He had to get her back. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't forget. He needed his friends back.

Roxas couldn't stop moving. He couldn't stop fighting his way forward. He'd fought through the waves of Heartless in the city and past the black-coat imposter. And now he was forcing his way through the swarms of Nobodies that seemed determined to stop him. They grabbed at him, trying to slow his progress. Trying to trip him or tangle his limbs. Anything to hinder him. But he couldn't let them stop him. He needed to get through.

The white hallways seemed endless and the sounds of fighting echoed along them. Twin Keyblades swirled and flashed as he moved, cutting through the writhing and attacking white mass of Nobodies. But for every one that he destroyed, at least two more took its place. Roxas gritted his teeth in frustrated desperation.

He couldn't let them stop him. He couldn't lose his friends. And if he didn't make it to the top of the castle and free the hearts, they would be gone. Both of them. He could feel it deep inside, beyond any doubt. If he failed, he would lose his friends permanently.

But the white halls were no longer familiar. He couldn't recognize any of the passages. The castle had become an endless maze, hostile and dangerous. A maze filled with lesser Nobodies. Nobodies that kept coming after him.

He was no longer welcome in that place. But he also couldn't escape it. He was trapped and lost. And saving his friends grew less likely with each passing moment.

Roxas couldn't stop fighting. But the Dusks kept coming in thicker waves. Thick enough that Roxas couldn't move forward any longer. Thick enough that the twisting and writhing creatures were entangling his legs and grabbing at his black coat. Threatening to pull him down to the ground and end the fight permanently. Roxas kept slashing away at them, but it never stopped.

His friends needed him. Roxas couldn't let them down. He had to keep fighting. He couldn't lose them.

They'd discovered the secret lab a long time ago with their sneaky investigating and exploring in the castle. Breaking in there repeatedly was how they'd found the lab and then the girl in the hidden underground cell. At least until she disappeared without a trace. Lea and Isa knew all about the secret lab and the creepy things hidden down there. Or at least, they knew about some of the things. And while a hidden door leading to a secret room should have been amazing, it was mostly unnerving.

But just because Lea and Isa knew about the secret lab didn't mean that they intended to reveal their knowledge. And they certainly didn't expect the other apprentices to intentionally bring the two of them down then. Not after spending the last month and a half keeping their distance from the pair.

It had been a strange day already. Enough that they noticed even as they poked around in places that they weren't technically meant to be. While Master Ansem tended to interact with them two of them only at the bare minimum, his focus usually on his own studies or his other apprentices, they hadn't seen him at all that day. There was no sign of the old man and his other apprentices had seemed different. Bolder and less restrained. But also wrong in a way that Lea couldn't quite describe.

And when they found the pair trying to pretend that they weren't snooping like always, they invited the boys to join them. They guided the two of them down towards the secret lab behind the hidden door, Aeleus resting a hand on each of their shoulders. The apprentices gave the teenage boys oversized black coats to wear and stated that they required some assistance with an experiment.

They grinned at the pair in a way that was probably meant to be encouraging, but the expressions didn't seem to reach their eyes. And there was something predatory about them. Enough to make Lea and Isa hesitate. And the friendly hands on their shoulders tightened into a death grip. The boys kicked, screamed, twisted, and fought to break free as Braig and Dilan wrestled them into the black coats. They fought as hard as they could, but Aeleus merely tucked the pair under his arms once they were garbed. He'd always been too strong to escape back when he and Dilan would toss them out of the castle. That had not changed.

"Are you certain that these clothes will offer the protection that you promised, Lord Xemnas?" asked Aeleus.

"That is why we must test the material," said Xehanort. "Even with no hearts left of our own, too much darkness may still be hazardous. We are nothingness incarnate. Rejected by both the light and the darkness. Without protection, that darkness could eventually swallow us whole and return us to that same oblivion. It is best not to tempt fate by being reckless."

Twisting and clawing at the painfully-tight arm wrapped around his waist and keeping him off the ground, Lea snarled, "Let us go! You can't do this!"

"And it'll be easy to test," said Braig, none of them paying any attention to what the boys were yelling. "I mean, we've already got that machine from when we were testing the effects of messing with darkness in people's hearts. Just turn it up and see if the kiddos turn into Heartless or not."

Hunched over a computer, Even typed something on the screen and caused a sudden click above. Lea stopped struggling for a brief moment as his head snapped up. A mechanical actuator came out of a panel in the ceiling and started lowering with a quiet hum. The robotic limb held something that reminded Lea of an oversized laser weapon from a comic book, though he doubted that it was anything as straightforward as that. It came to a stop a little above a gurney that Dilan wheeled into the room earlier. Lea didn't trust the new machinery nor the gurney with thick leather restraints.

"If we truly wanted to test the effectiveness of the material in a controlled environment and compare the results against having no protection, we would need to have one of the subjects with the black coat and one without," said Even. "Then we could adjust the machine to different concentrations and strengths, gradually increasing until we reach the minimal requirements to damage or lose the subject. We can only draw proper conclusions if we establish a proper baseline result. We would want reliable results, yes."

Scratching the back of his head, Braig said, "I mean, we could do that. But as long as we silence to two of them before they start spreading stories around, who cares how we do it? That's the goal. Can't get the whole town after us and messing stuff up. Testing out the coats is just a bonus."

Lea felt himself grow pale and immediately renewed his struggles. He knew what they meant about silencing him and Isa. And he wouldn't go down without a fight.

"People will come looking for us. My parents. You have to let us go. We won't tell," said Isa. "Let us go and I promise that we won't tell anyone. Just let me and Lea go."

Leave it to Isa to try and bargain their way out of danger. He always had a cool head under pressure. And it was the smarter plan. It wasn't like they were making any progress physically fighting them. Aeleus was too strong for that. And he seemed even stronger than normal.

"We will proceed as previously discussed," said Xehanort, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Our baseline for comparison will be our previous experiments on the heart. You still have that data, Vexen. It should suffice. Besides, proper science also requires repeating the experiment. It requires multiple results demonstrating the same conclusion. Both boys will wear the coats."

Looking away from his computer, Even said, "Very well then. Zexion, are you ready to record the results?"

The small boy in the corner nodded. The quiet and serious child had always been a little odd. But now, standing in the corner next to a tray of sharp instruments and wearing both a blank expression and his oversized lab coat, the kid had reached a new level of creepy. He held his clipboard tight with a pen at the ready. And he didn't seem at all disturbed about what was happening. There was no sign of any emotion on his face at all.

"Then let us begin," he continued. "Xaldin, select the first test subject and strap him down. We wouldn't want one moving. That could end up as an extra variable and disrupt the integrity of the experiment."

Nodding, Dilan said, "The two of them have always been meddlesome and slippery along with being too curious for their own good. Escape is a distinct possibility with them. We couldn't keep them out of the castle, so why should we have better luck at keeping them in?"

Then Dilan latched onto Lea's arm and pulled him away from Aeleus. Which kicked Lea's panic up a notch and caused Isa to try lunging in the man's iron grip.

"Lea!" His normal stoic personality dissolved under Isa's buried temper bubbling to the surface. "Let him go! Don't hurt him!"

But Isa remained trapped as Aeleus transferred him from being tucked under the man's arm into a more dignified hold. The aggressive kicking and clawing proved just as ineffective as before. And Lea's struggles did nothing to keep him from being slammed onto the gurney. Even as he snarled out threats and begged for them to let him go in equal measure, tight straps snaked around his ankles, his waist, his wrists, and across his chest.

"We have become quite knowledgeable with regards to darkness and hearts," said Xehanort coolly. "We know how to introduce darkness into the heart. How to cultivate and strengthen it. And how to overwhelm a heart until it is consumed by that darkness, collapsing under the weight of it. Returning to a heart's natural state."

"Let us go," said Lea, his voice shaking more than he wanted to admit. He strained hard against the restraints. "Please don't do this."

He was crying. Lea could feel the wetness on his face despite his best efforts. He knew that there was no point crying and he should focus on getting free. He should save his energy to escape. But he was absolutely terrified. The fear clawed its way up from the ice in his stomach to squeeze his throat. Lea wanted to stop crying, but he couldn't seem to stop the tears.

He shouldn't have suggested that they become apprentices. Lea wanted to help find the girl who vanished from the secret basement and it seemed like the best way to do that. But if he didn't have that dumb idea, none of this would be happening.

His tone still cool and detached, Xehanort said, "Tears. An appeal to my emotions. An attempt to earn sympathy. A meaningless effort. We are no longer controlled or swayed by such things. Unclaimed by light or darkness, we come from something quite different now. We—"

His monologue abruptly ended with a shout of surprise and pain from another. Lea twisted his head to see Isa scrambling away from Aeleus. Eyes wild with fury, he ran towards his bound friend. But any hope was immediately crushed when Dilan shot out his hand and a huge gust of wind slammed into Isa.

On the other side, Even shouted about delicate equipment and insulted the man for such recklessness, but all Lea cared about was the rough way that Isa crashed into the tray of sharp instruments with a yelp of pain. Ienzo barely missed being hit as well before hurrying out of the line of fire. Blood dripped off Isa's face as he staggered back to his feet. He didn't seem to even notice the cuts left behind. He was glaring at all the other apprentices as he held up one of the sharp-edged instruments he'd grabbed. Everything in his posture screamed his intention to attack them to free his friend.

But he couldn't win. No matter how furious Isa was, he was outnumbered and outmatched. Lea knew that. And the others knew that as they edged their way around to surrounding him, trapping him in that corner. Not approaching yet. None of them eager to get sliced or stabbed. But that stalemate wouldn't last.

"Don't hurt him! Don't hurt Isa! Leave him alone," shouted Lea desperately. "Just leave us both alone. Please stop it!"

His words fell on deaf ears. And strapped down on the gurney, Lea couldn't do anything to help. He could only watch as Isa lunged and slashed at the other apprentices any time that they tried to draw closer. He would lash out before darting back to his corner.

"The boy certainly has spirit," said Dilan.

A brief high-pitched whine was all the warning that there was. Then a blast of darkness shot across the secret lab and slammed into Isa, pinning him against the wall. Pure, concentrated, and intense amounts of darkness shot out. Washing over Isa and holding him in place as Lea screamed his friend's name. It lasted for what felt like an eternity. Powerful and impossible amounts of darkness streaming out in a terrifyingly strong stream.

Then it finally stopped. Isa crumbled to the floor roughly, any sign of consciousness fleeing. Blood dripped further from the cuts across his face. Lea felt a gut-wrenching fear twist inside him. Isa looked dead. He really looked dead.

And then, proving that whatever protection that the coats were meant to offer clearly had their limits, the limp and bleeding figure dissolved away into nothing. There might have been a flicker of color and light as he broke apart. But then it was gone in an instant. Isa was gone as Lea could only scream and cry at the loss.

As tears rolled down his face and he felt grief and fear tearing away at him, Lea knew that he was alone. Trapped, alone, and with no one left who would remember him or even care what would happen. His best friend was gone and it was his fault because Lea suggested that becoming apprentices would be easier than trying to break in all the time. It was his fault that Isa was gone and now he was alone.

"Zexion," scolded Even.

Stepping away from the machine that he'd fired, the boy said evenly, "He almost crashed into me, he was armed, and you weren't going to grab him without damage. And a damaged subject would provide poor data. It was the smart decision."

Shaking his head slowly, Even said, "Such a waste. But at least we have one test subject left to work with. Since full-strength is clearly too much for the protective material, we'll have to start at a lower intensity and work our way up." He stepped over and redirected the machine towards Lea. "Prepare to record the first data point, Zexion. We don't want any further mistakes."

Xion stood in the middle of the Round Room. The rest of Organization XIII sat in their white thrones, staring down at her. Staring, but not truly seeing. She could feel it. She shivered at the sensation of their combined gazes. It made her feel small, insignificant, and wrong.

She didn't know how she knew it, but Xion knew that they didn't truly see her. Not the real her. Not the person that Xion believed herself to be. The black-haired girl that she always saw in the reflection. That's not what they saw now. That's not what they ever saw.

Sora. Naminé. Roxas. Kairi. Ventus. A faceless doll.

Nothing.

They all saw someone or something different. But not her. Never her. Not even Axel or Roxas were seeing her, both of them staring down at Xion with the same unconcerned detachment as the rest.

She clutched her hands in front of her chest. Xion wanted to pull her hood up and hide from the white room and their judging gazes.

"Puppet," said Saïx.

"Tinker toy," said Larxene.

"Sham," said Xaldin.

"Failed experiment."

"Replica."

"Copy."

"Mistake."

"Broken."

"Useless."

Xion covered her ears, trying to block out their words. But she could still hear their voices. All of them. Even Roxas and Axel were telling her that she wasn't real. That she was fake and wrong. She couldn't block it out.

"I'm real," she whispered. "I'm me. I'm not a sham."

But her voice sounded weak and their words kept growing louder. Deafening. There was nothing except the bright white room, their cold eyes, and the voices of everyone that she knew telling her that she shouldn't exist.

And Xion couldn't help thinking that they were right. That she was merely a reflection of what others expected to see. Pieces of other people. Stolen memories with no substance of her own. There was nothing about Xion that could be described as truly hers.

"Fake."

"Lies."

"A waste."

"An illusion."

"Less than nothing."

"Forgettable."

She collapsed to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Hiding away. Though she didn't know what she was hiding. She didn't know what features that she wore. She could be anyone. Because she was less than no one.

"Replacement."

"A thing."

"Disposable."

"It."

"Not real."

He screamed and cried. A distant part of him was aware of Even calling out numbers and adjusting the stream of darkness pouring at him. At him and into him. But Lea couldn't focus. It didn't start out that badly, the black coat protecting him as promised. But they'd long since passed that point. And that brought pain.

A sharp pain deep in his chest. A building pressure. It felt tight and kept growing worse. Like something inside him was on the verge of exploding as too much darkness was forced into a small space. Lea kept panting and gasping as the pain and pressure worsened. He felt like he couldn't get enough air. He felt like the pressure was suffocating even though he could breathe. His limbs strained and his back arched, the boy held down only by the restraints. None of his reactions were voluntary. Everything was just too much.

And it wouldn't stop. The pain, the pressure, and the tears wouldn't stop. And Lea kept panting, screaming, and crying. He wanted it to stop. All of it. He needed that white-hot pain, the pressure trying to burst him apart, and the choking tears to stop.

It hurt. Everything hurt and he was terrified. Lea couldn't bear it.

His throat grew raw from his screams, his muscles ached from the strain, and it wouldn't stop. There was no end in sight. It would never end.

Then something gave way. The impossible pressure and the pain that wrapped around his heart finally caused something to shift, ripping it out. The horrible sensation made him gasp. Lea slumped, his vision going dark and the world fading around him…

…until Axel struggled to open his eyes to the white floors of the Castle That Never Was, a small figure sprawled in front of him. He didn't like fighting Xion and it took a lot more out of him than he expected. But he had no choice. He needed to bring her back. Xemnas left him no choice.

But it would be all right. Once Axel caught his breath and recovered a bit, he would get off the floor and pick Xion back up again. Then he could work on figuring out how to keep her safe. He could keep her and Roxas with him and safe. He could still fix things somehow. He just needed a moment to regain his strength.

Then a dark shape reached down and picked up the unconscious Xion.

Xemnas.

Axel wanted to reach out and snatch her back. To beg Xemnas to leave her alone. To stand up and do something. Anything. But his battered and exhausted body refused to cooperate. He could only watch as Xemnas carried her away.

No. Please, no.

His chest ached at the sight in a way that he couldn't explain.

They would do something to her. He knew it. Tie her down, experiment on the girl, and try to remake her. He knew that would happen. That knowledge burned in him. And he couldn't do anything to stop it.

No, no, no, no—

Lea jolted, eyes yanking open and his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. The deep gasps made his ribs ache dully and his ears were filled with loud pounding.

For just a moment, staring at the white walls, ceiling, and sheets, his sleep-addled mind thought he was still back in the Castle That Never Was and that Xemnas had Xion. It took a few blinks and trying to sit up to fully pull himself out of the remnants of the nightmare.

He was in Twilight Town, the purple-tinged darkness as close to night as it ever grew. The latest and darkest version of twilight. The locals would call it night, but it lacked the full blackness in the sky to qualify in Lea's opinion. Not the perfect blackness of the World That Never Was and its eternal night. He was in Twilight Town in their new apartment. Lea focused on that reality as his pulse gradually slowed and his breathing evened out.

It was only a nightmare. Or rather, a nightmare composed to two separate memories squashed together. Remembering Xion meant remembering how he failed her. That part seemed to be a natural enough thing to dream about. But the first part… Lea hadn't properly remembered the events of that day in the years since. He knew what vaguely happened, but not to that level of detail. He'd only remembered bits and pieces about losing his heart. Maybe it was the traumatic nature of it or maybe it was because of how most of his emotional memories turned vague and distant when he became a Nobody, but he hadn't remembered. And he hadn't wanted to remember.

Lea didn't know what brought those memories back to the forefront now. Maybe it was the return of his heart and some time to adjust that gave them back. Or maybe remembering Xion jostled loose a few other lost memories in the process. Regardless, he would rather bury them back down where they came from and forget about that day as much as possible.

Ironic for someone who cared so strongly about memory and being remembered, but Lea had to draw the line somewhere.

He sat in his bed and ran a hand through his hair. Should he risk sleep again? He had plenty of painful and awful memories that he would prefer to not revisit. Several of them connected to the Organization and the white room was serving as an unwanted reminder.

Then Lea heard something. Movement. And before rational thought or reason had a chance to weigh in on the decision, he was already climbing out of his oversized bed. He was down the hall to the closest room before he realized it.

While Lea was already using his t-shirt and shorts combo as pajamas, Roxas and Xion didn't have the luxury of new clothes from the fairies. They didn't have any other normal-looking clothes. They'd tossed their casual clothes into the washing machine after their pizza dinner. Which meant that when Lea looked into the boy's room, Roxas was sprawled on his bed while wearing his black coat. And just like in their Organization days, he didn't apparently remember to sleep under his white sheets.

But it wasn't a peaceful sleep. He could tell that much immediately. Roxas would twitch and turn, his expression tense and strained. Occasionally he would gasp quietly as he flinched in his sleep. Everything about Roxas spoke of agitation. Lea wasn't the only clearly suffering from nightmares.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Lea said, "Roxas. Wake up."

There was no reaction. Not even a twitch that wasn't obviously part of the nightmare. Roxas remained asleep, shifting and fighting against whatever visions filled his head. Lea's own nightmare earlier lost all importance in the face of the boy's distress. He needed to fix this. If he wanted to snap Roxas out of the nightmare, he would have to be a little more forceful.

Reaching over to shake the boy, he said, "Wake up."

It was like a switch flipped. One moment, Roxas was trapped in his uneasy sleep. The next instant, he shot up in a fully combative state, summoning one of his Keyblades in the process.

Lea didn't flinch. It was a skill that he perfected during the Organization, when such signs of weakness could be dangerous. Axel had managed not to react when Xaldin sent his spears towards his head close enough to clip his hair. Lea remained equally still when the tip of Oblivion was suddenly pointed at his throat. He didn't even look down at the Keyblade.

He couldn't react or show any sign of fear or worry about his own wellbeing. He'd known that instinctively even before the weapon appeared without warning. Roxas didn't need to see his friend being afraid. Roxas needed to know that Lea trusted him. The kid would never hurt him. Not even when he jolted right out of a nightmare. So Lea couldn't react. He couldn't let Roxas think for even a moment that he doubted him.

The boy stayed there, weapon drawn and panting heavily. Panicked and furious eyes slowly shifted towards confusion. Roxas blinked a few times, not quite comprehending what was in front of him. He just seemed disoriented and upset. Then he finally seemed to properly recognize that Lea was right in front of him.

"It's all right," said Lea. He carefully reached over and gently lowered the weapon from his throat. "It was just a nightmare. You're safe."

Roxas dropped his Keyblade and let it vanish before it even hit the bed. He glanced around, searching for enemies that only existed in his imagination. He was blinking rapidly against the moisture trying to form in his eyes. Then he rubbed his arms as if to banish a chill. The lost and uncertain expression caused Lea to start to reach out to the kid. But Roxas flinched at the movement, still too keyed up. Lea slowly lowered his hand and tried rethinking his strategy.

"You're safe," he repeated. "We're all safe. Nothing happened, Roxas. It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real."

After a moment, he started to look calmer. Not exactly calm, but better. Lea could work with that. Any improvement was welcome. He just needed to figure out what else Roxas needed. An embrace was clearly off the table. And unfortunately, ice cream in the middle of the night wasn't a practical solution either.

"Tell me what you need," said Lea. "What can I do to help, Roxas?"

Roxas looked up at him, wide-eyed and uncertain. Sitting on his white sheets, in his white room, and wearing his black coat, it was like Lea was given a glimpse into the past. Back to somewhat more innocent days. Back when there hadn't been so many betrayals, secrets, lies, and fights to tear away at them. It made his heart ache, even if he knew that those days weren't perfect either.

Swallowing, Roxas whispered, "Xion… I need to know…"

"You need to see that she's safe?"

He nodded shakily. Whatever the nightmare might have shown him, seeing Xion would help banish it. Lea could work with that. He smiled as he stood up and gestured for Roxas to follow. The pair quietly left the bedroom and headed towards the girl's room.

Lea hoped that seeing Xion sleeping peacefully in her bed, safe and alive, would be enough to reassure Roxas. It would be helpful for Lea too after his own nightmare. Not that Lea's nightmare seemed as important anymore. But regardless, checking on Xion would be calming in theory.

But when they opened her door and looked inside, her sleep was no better than theirs had been. She was curled up in a tight ball in the middle of her bed, whimpering quietly in a way that sounded like she was on the verge of tears. There was no hesitation. Roxas was across the room immediately.

"Xion, wake up. It's okay. Wake up. We're here."

She woke up and the tears followed her into consciousness. Her hands clutched tightly together in front of her chest as Roxas pulled her up into a hug, letting Xion bury her face into his shoulder. She shook with muffled sobs and Lea could make out a few scattered words. "Sham," "mistake," and "fake." None of which were comforting.

Kneeling on the floor in front of the pair and ignoring the way his stomach twisted at the sight of her tears, Lea said, "You're safe, Xion. That was just a nightmare. This is real. You're real. And you're both alive and have your own separate existences. You won't disappear again." Lea carefully took their hands and squeezed them. "Both of you are safe, alive, and real."

"I… I was back at the castle," she whispered, looking up at him. "And… and I am real?"

Roxas immediately said, "Of course you're real."

"Very real," said Lea firmly. "A brave, clever, strong, and selfless real girl who will never be forgotten ever again. Got it memorized?"

Xion managed a shaky smile at his words. Though Lea noticed that the expression weakened when she looked away from him. Specifically, when she looked at her white surroundings or the black coats that she and Roxas wore to bed. All rather visceral reminders of horrible memories. And a possible catalyst for the nightmares plaguing all three of them.

Lea suddenly regretted moving them into the apartment so soon. They should have stayed another night at the tower. He should have waited until they could have redecorated a little more. At least enough to make the place look less like a mini version of the Castle That Never Was. A few more splashes of color could have made a difference.

"What do you need from us, Xion?" asked Lea. "How can we help?"

Wiping away at the tears, she whispered, "I don't… I don't want to be alone."

"Then you won't be." Lea tugged at their hands. "Come on. Slumber party time in the big bed. Plenty of room for everyone."

"What's a slumber party?" she asked.

"I'll explain in the morning. For now, trust me."

He smiled at their twin nods and pulled them to their feet. Roxas and Xion kept hold of his hands as Lea led them back to his bedroom. A few minutes of crawling across the mattress and shuffling around, the trio settled down into a comfortable arrangement with the half-pints nestled on either side of him as Lea pulled the sheet over them.

He was quickly growing rather fond of the setup. It was reassuring to keep them close. Nightmares of them being snatched away couldn't take root when they were snuggled against his sides. He listened to their breathing grow slow and even as sleep reclaimed them. Lea would protect them from further nightmares, ready to wake them up again at the slightest sign of distress. They could protect themselves from most threats, but he could at least guard their sleep.

He had his friends back. Safe. Alive. Real. That knowledge and their twin heartbeats comforted him as much as a soft lullaby. Lea's arms curled around them, pulling the half-pints closer. Then he let the gentle tug of sleep drag him back under.

Chapter Text

They woke up earlier than Lea would normally prefer, but he had a plan for the day. After getting Roxas and Xion to change back into their t-shirts and shorts, he headed into town with them. All that time hanging around Twilight Town meant that he knew exactly where to look. A family hardware store that was tucked away near one of the tram depots had most of the needed supplies. And they opened early, before most of the foot traffic. He appreciated not having to deal with the extra people yet.

He knew that the nightmares probably had plenty of causes. None of them had exactly normal lives prior to that point. But there was at least one factor that he knew might have made things worse. A few paintbrushes, a couple of rollers, and several cans of paint would help banish any resemblance to the Castle That Never Was.

It took a little effort to convince Roxas and Xion that they could pick out any colors that they wanted for their bedrooms. Any colors at all. But that level of freedom and choice was never something that they'd been allowed before. Yet another reason to add to the list on why Organization XIII was horrible and Xemnas needed to be brought back specifically so Lea could set him on fire.

But after a while, they started eagerly comparing various shades. The excited conversation continued as Lea picked out a light tan color for the main room, hallway, and bathroom. There was nothing wrong with neutral colors as long as they weren't white. They'd had enough of the color white for a few lifetimes. They needed a home that didn't look like the Castle That Never Was and wouldn't remind them of the Organization. Which meant actual colors.

Eventually they all settled on their various choices. Roxas picked out a warm shade of sunset orange while Xion wanted a bright blue shade that looked like the ocean waves on a sunny day. Lea had a bit more trouble deciding on his own room. Despite his fondness for the color, a bright red didn't seem quite right. He did want a warm color though. Something not depressing or dark. He ultimately went with a cheerful golden-yellow. Not too bright or blinding, but something closer to the golden-light of Twilight Town before the reds and oranges started to creep in.

Lea picked a deep blue for the spare bedroom. A deep, rich, and soothing shade of blue. One that he hoped Isa would like. He knew that Isa wouldn't be staying with them any time soon; that would be a huge step that none of them were ready to deal with yet. There was too much history between… well, everyone. Including Lea and Isa. But Lea was optimistic. And he wanted to cling to the hope that all of his friends would be able to be around each other someday. So he would prepare for that distant day. He would give Isa a place in their home. It would be ready when that day came.

He also planned to get some glow-in-the-dark stars to stick all over the room. Because decorating the room like Isa was five years old amused him.

Carrying all the supplies back to the apartment was a little awkward. There were too many cans of paint and only six hands between them. But somehow they managed to get everything there without dropping a can and spilling paint all over the ground. Lea would consider that a victory.

Looking over the apartment, the sheer size of the project began to sink in. If they wanted to do things right, it would take all day to repaint the entire apartment. Possibly multiple days. But there were a lot of other things that needed to be done too. Which mean that the best way to handle the to-do list was to divide and conquer.

And that led to Lea handing over a decent chunk of munny to Roxas and Xion.

"First, get some more clothes. Normal clothes for Twilight Town. We'll try to get those three fairies to fix up some that can protect you from darkness later. For now, you two can pick out some that you like. Get at least one outfit today," he said, trying to ignore a tightness in his chest as he spoke. "And what you don't spend on new clothes, go buy some stuff to personalize your rooms. Blankets and comforters for the beds, pictures or posters for your walls, small rugs, or whatever you like. These rooms belong to you and should look like yours by the time we're done."

Looking at the munny, Xion asked, "Aren't you coming on the mission with us?"

Lea ignored her referring to the shopping trip as a mission. That was a conversation that he wasn't ready to start digging into yet. Missions were something familiar and easy for Roxas and Xion to understand. It was a concept that they knew. Besides, there was an uneasy feeling trying to form and it was very distracting. He didn't have enough focus currently to explain the difference between missions and errands.

"I'm going to be busy painting. I'm afraid you two are on your own with this one. Just stick together and you'll be fine. And no using dark corridors."

They both gave him faintly annoyed looks. As if they were dumb enough to try a dark corridor without their black coats. Lea couldn't help grinning at their expressions, even if he knew that the smile was a little strained.

"Fine," said Roxas. "We'll take our Gummiphones with us and call if anything happens."

"Sounds like a plan. Good luck and stay out of trouble."

Giving him a couple of nods, the pair headed out the door and out into town. And that unease from the idea of Roxas and Xion leaving rose into a terrified state of dread at the thought of losing them. Of the pair fading away like Sora. Of disappearing beyond his reach once more. Fear squeezed his chest and left him gasping. He needed to call them. Immediately. He needed to know they were all right. They were gone and there was no one to help protect them from disappearing again. Lea sank to the floor as he struggled to breathe past his mounting anxiety.

Don't fight it. Lea tried to hold onto that fragile thought as he continued to spiral down. Fighting his emotions wouldn't work. He could only endure them. It would pass. He just needed to ride it out. He could handle it.

They would be fine. He wouldn't lose them.

Sitting in the middle of the floor and struggling to breathe, Lea did his best to withstand the separation-anxiety-induced panic attack.

Locating a clothing store in Twilight Town wasn't difficult despite the fact that neither of them had ever gone clothing shopping before. They'd both explored the town plenty during their time in Organization XIII. There had been numerous missions there. Not to mention that their new home was above a store that sold clothes, though they realized quickly that Gina's merchandise was too fancy to be practical for daily life and moved on. The only real change was that they didn't need to keep out of sight of everyone. They could walk down the street without worrying about anyone seeing them because they weren't in the Organization anymore. They were allowed to be like anyone else. It was a new experience.

Well, almost. Roxas could remember walking around Twilight Town, open and relaxed. Feeling like he belonged there and didn't have to hide. He remembered being part of the community. But those memories were fake and that version of Twilight Town was equally fake. It was part of the reason that he would not be forgiving DiZ any time soon. Not completely. That illusion left him longing for something that wasn't real. He was grieving the loss of something that he never truly had. How sad was that?

Regardless, Roxas and Xion could go shopping without worrying about keeping a low profile. It was only habit that caused them to half-hide among the racks of clothes as they looked. They weren't actively concealing themselves. It just worked out that way.

Which might be why no one really noticed them in the store until someone bumped into Xion, causing her to stumble and fall since she wasn't prepared for the impact.

"I am so sorry. I didn't see you there. Are you all right?"

As Xion accepted the offered hand and climbed back up to her feet, Roxas struggled to regain his breath. It felt like all the air was driven from his body the moment that he heard the voice. A familiar voice that made him want to cry, scream, run away, and grab her tight all at the same time. Roxas stepped closer, moving around the clothing rack to spot the new arrival.

Though he was also actively trying to hide now.

A brown-haired girl with bright green eyes smiled at Xion apologetically. Her hair was shoulder length. And she wore a black tank-top with red detailing, red plaid capri pants, dark shoes, and a red-and-black bracelet and necklace. The clothes were different than what he remembered with regards to the colors, but the style was similar. There was certainly no mistake. It really was her.

"Are you new to town?" she continued, still speaking to Xion. "I don't remember seeing you around, but you look a little familiar."

Nodding a little nervously, Xion said, "We just moved here. But we've visited a few times before."

"Olette?"

Another familiar voice and two more very familiar boys approached. A black-haired boy in a black-and-white shirt with a skeletal dog design and the words "Dog Street." He also wore dark baggy pants, a headband, and an orange-striped bandana. The other boy had spiky blond hair. He wore blue denim capris, a white t-shirt with a stylized skull-and-crossbones design, and a short vest with red plaid detailing that matched the detailing on his shoes.

All three of them. All three of his friends from the simulated version of Twilight Town. Roxas knew that he would eventually run into the real Hayner, Pence, and Olette. He couldn't avoid them forever now that he, Xion, and Lea were living in Twilight Town. He'd just hoped that it would take longer. He'd hoped that he would have more time to prepare himself for the encounter.

"Did you find the shirt you were looking for?" asked Pence.

Shaking her head, Olette said, "Not yet. I got distracted when I bumped into…"

She trailed off before turning back to Xion. The dark-haired girl was silent for a moment before realizing what Olette wanted.

"Xion. My name is Xion."

Roxas swallowed the forming lump in his throat. It would be fine. They didn't know him. The real version of the trio had only met him briefly during his time in the Organization when their paths crossed. Not even enough to leave a lasting impression. Roxas would be a stranger, regardless of his memories of a fake life.

He suddenly understood why Axel reacted so badly when Roxas didn't remember him. Even thinking about it hurt. But it wasn't their fault that he was haunted by lies crafted by DiZ.

Something apparently catching his eye, Hayner turned slightly in Roxas's direction. And he froze when he spotted the boy tucked among the clothes racks like a misplaced jacket. Then a surprised and excited grin broke across Hayner's face.

"Roxas!" Hayner grabbed his friends' arms and spun them around. "Guys, it's Roxas."

As waves of shock, confusion, and disbelief washed over Roxas, all three of them lit up as they saw him. They were saying his name and he didn't understand why. Why were they saying his name? Why did they recognize him? They didn't know him in the real version of Twilight Town. Why were they reacting like their best friend had just shown up?

"You know Roxas?" asked Xion.

They didn't. He knew that they didn't. Not really. And yet they seemed to recognize him.

Was he back in the simulation somehow? Was he about to encounter a glitch or witness the world freeze around him? That quiet gnawing doubt turned into a roar. His throat tightened as the feeling of panic mounted. He wanted those illusionary friendships desperately, but he couldn't go back to that data version of Twilight Town. He couldn't get trapped in those lies again.

"Technically, we've never actually met Roxas," said Olette, "but we know about him. Sora told us about him when he was searching for Roxas."

"And," added Hayner, "he was our friend in the other Twilight Town."

As the reasonable explanation settled Roxas's frayed nerves a little and his panic calmed, they dug out a photograph. One that he recognized. It showed them posing in front of the old mansion. All four of them. A picture from a life that never existed. Roxas took the photo from them, staring down at it. A small and nostalgic smile tugged at his mouth.

"The… other Twilight Town?" asked Xion quietly.

Right. He never fully told her about what Ansem the Wise did. Not in real detail.

Nodding excitedly, Pence said, "Yeah. There's this whole other version of Twilight Town you can access through a computer in the hidden basement of the old mansion. Well, you used to be able to access it. Didn't work last time we tried it. But we did help Sora get there once."

"The old mansion has a lot of weird things about it," said Olette. "Like that old man in the black coat that we saved from the other guy in black."

Hayner grinned proudly and said, "It was great. I would have kicked him in the face if it wasn't for the black monster with him."

"And you would have got squashed like a bug if it wasn't for the squiggly white things that the third guy sent to help us," teased Pence.

That prompted Hayner to shove his friend, but it was more playful than genuine annoyance. While he was abrasive and even aggressive towards strangers or outsiders, he was actually a loyal and nice person once you got to know him. He had his flaws, but he was a good friend. And even with his impulsiveness and temperament, he was fun. Roxas remembered that much. The memories might be fake, but it still seemed like an actual reflection of the group's personalities.

It would be easy to reinsert himself back into the group dynamics. And Roxas wanted that. He wanted that life even if it wasn't real and part of him kept screaming that he was trapped in another illusion.

"Anyway," said Hayner after a moment, "since we were friends with you in that other Twilight Town, we all agree that we'd probably be good friends here too. I mean, any version of me would be a good judge of character. That's why we tried to help Sora find you."

As if it was that simple. As if being friends in a fake town and Sora believing in him was all that it took. And judging by how Hayner grinned and the other two nodded, they did think it was that simple.

Glancing between Roxas and Xion, Olette asked, "Are… you two related? You're dressed alike. But Xion… You also look a bit like another girl that we met. Her name's Kairi."

"We know Kairi," said Roxas slowly. "We saw her a few days ago before we moved here."

He didn't know how to answer the first part of the question. Were they related? Roxas came from Sora and Xion was originally a replica that copied Roxas and made from Sora's memories of Kairi. They were connected by their origins, but nothing about their origins were standard. They both had Lea as the adult who taught them, protected them, and cared about them. Which was apparently the definition of a parent. Roxas was still a little uncertain on the difference between friends and family. He honestly didn't know if any of that meant that they were related or not.

Apparently unconcerned with their silence on the topic, Olette said, "So you're both staying. That's great. And you're shopping for new clothes?"

"And bedding and maybe a few other things for our rooms," said Xion with a nod.

Grabbing Xion's wrist, Olette said, "Great. Looks like we're turning this into an all-day shopping trip. I'll help Xion and you two can help Roxas pick out something. We meet back here in an hour with what we find. Then we can figure out where to go from there."

And with that, they vanished into the clothing racks as Olette dragged her along. The boys could only stare in silence for a moment. Then, shaking his head, Hayner turned back towards Roxas.

"Whatever. What kind of stuff do you have already?"

Gesturing towards his t-shirt and shorts, Roxas said, "Uh… This?"

"Not even the stuff from the photo?" asked Pence.

Roxas shook his head. Despite wearing them in the datascape, he actually liked the black and white outfit. They weren't like Sora's clothes and now he knew that they weren't like Ventus's outfits. If he wanted to over-examine it, Roxas might consider the idea that the style was somewhere between the two. But not quite. Regardless, the clothes were uniquely Roxas's. Not a reflection of the others. And having at least one part of his identity that he could claim as his own felt important.

But those clothes were lost when he vanished into Sora.

"That settles it." Hayner gestured for him to follow. "Come on. I think we can find everything in the photo."

The anxious feeling never faded. He couldn't get rid of the horrible feeling in his stomach and his chest. Nor the irrational fear that Roxas and Xion would disappear before they made it back. But the choking feeling of panic that left him collapsed on the ground and struggling to breathe had lessened after a while.

And with that small achievement, Lea could focus on the task at hand. Painting the apartment was a decent distraction. He needed the distraction.

He worked on Roxas and Xion's bedrooms first. He wanted to get them done as quickly as possible. Their rooms needed to be fixed before the white walls and reminders of the Organization could cause further nightmares. It was only after he started getting a headache that Lea realized that he should have opened all the windows to get some fresh air first because paint fumes were a bad thing. He needed to climb up to the roof and gulp some fresh air when he started feeling really off. Once the headache faded and there was a steady breeze through the apartment, he moved on to his own room and the spare.

The project took longer than he expected. Lea also realized that he should have started painting before the furniture arrived. Then he wouldn't have to wrestle four different wardrobes out of the way. But he tried to be careful and not strain himself while moving heavy loads. Lea was healing and he didn't want to set things back again. He could take his time and be careful. Working slowly meant that the distraction could last longer.

They would be back soon. Roxas and Xion would be all right and would come back. They wouldn't disappear again. Lea kept mentally repeating those reassurances as the roller slid across the wall and erased all signs of the whiteness. He wouldn't lose the half-pints.

The warm golden-yellow light streaming through the windows had gained an orange tint and the distant bells were chiming the hour when Lea heard the front door open. He nearly dropped his painting supplies in his hurry to get out there. Roxas and Xion stumbled in, trying not to drop the numerous bags in their arms. Lea felt the tight knot in his chest loosen. They were back.

He really needed to work on his issue with having them out of sight. The kids were too independent for him to hover over them constantly.

"How did it go?" he asked, sounding surprisingly casual for someone who spent the day as an anxious mess.

Smiling as she set down the bags on the table, Xion said, "Great. We met a few friends of Roxas and Olette helped me pick out a nice outfit."

They'd already found the local kids? Lea shouldn't be surprised. The trio had a tendency to pop up often. And at least Roxas didn't look upset, so the encounter must have gone well.

"We both got some clothes, some blankets because Olette suggested we get a few since some evenings get cooler, Roxas got a skateboard even though Hayner told us that 'fad' has passed," continued Xion, shrugging at the unfamiliar word, " and Hayner also found some posters. I didn't want one, but Roxas liked the one about the Struggle Tournaments."

"Sounds like a busy day," said Lea.

Nodding, Roxas said, "We completed our mission."

"It wasn't exactly a mission. This isn't the Organization after all," he said. "It was just some errands." Scratching the back of his head, Lea said, "Look, I got the bedrooms finished, but we might need to let the paint fumes air out first before sleeping in them. Thankfully the skies should be clear this evening and it shouldn't be too cold at this time of the year. We can toss a few pillows and blankets on the roof this evening and see how many stars we can spot."

"Okay," said Xion. "That sounds nice." Then she started digging into one of the bags. "I almost forgot. We told Hayner, Pence, and Olette that we just moved here. They really want to be helpful. Especially Olette. She looked up and wrote out what we need to register for school."

Lea's thoughts came to a screeching halt. He mentally went back over her words. Then he did it a second time. It didn't change what he'd heard.

School.

Registering the teenaged toddlers for school. Like normal children instead of a former Nobody and the replica created to copy him. Neither of which had any legal documentation or experience in a school environment.

And starting school would involve them spending most of the day away from him. Out of sight and unable to call on their Gummiphones. No way of knowing if they were safe or if something bad happened to them for at least several hours a day. No way of knowing for certain that they hadn't disappeared somewhere that he couldn't reach them.

"Right," he said quietly. "School."

Chapter Text

As an energetic and impulsive teenager and someone with a deep desire to be memorable, Lea spent a rather large portion of his youth in the principal's office. Generally it involved dragging Isa into trouble as well. But sometimes he managed a little chaos on his own. Regardless, Lea couldn't count the number of times that he sprawled in a chair while the principal lectured him about the latest misadventure while threatening to contact his parents, both of them perfectly aware of how little good that would do. He spent more time squirming under the principal's unwavering gaze than he did actually learning in school.

It turned out that uncomfortable, exposed, and intimidating feeling didn't just disappear because he was on another world, facing a completely different principal, and wasn't even a student anymore.

The principal was a black-haired woman who sat in her well-lit office filled with bookshelves and her desk, both carved from dark wood that contrasted with pale yellow walls. She sat there like a queen surveying her kingdom, completely poised without a single doubt of her control and power. Her hair was pulled into a fashionable ponytail and she wore a black skirt and a maroon blouse. She peered through her glasses as she looked over the forged birth records and other paperwork that Ienzo sent over.

Lea was mildly amused by the names that Ienzo and possibly Ansem came up with for the nonexistent parents. Apparently Roxas's fake parents' names were Sora and Aqua while Xion's parents were named Kairi and Even. Clearly no one had the creativity to make up any new names and simply picked some random familiar ones.

The other records that listed Lea as their guardian didn't so much amuse him as it formed a lump in his throat and a feeling of warmth in his chest. He knew that they weren't any more authentic than the birth records, but it somehow made the situation feel more real.

Lea sat quietly across the desk from the woman, trying not to fidget. Did they teach all principals how to induce guilt with their mere presence? It seemed like a shared skillset. At least she let Roxas and Xion wait outside in the hallway, listening to the distant sounds of students and teachers in their various classrooms. They didn't have to face her inscrutable expression, but they were still close enough that he didn't have to worry about them. They were just on the other side of the door.

He silently went over his story in his head. He would stay as close to the truth as he could for most of it. That would make it easier to keep track of things and avoid contradicting himself later. He'd alter what he needed to, but only enough to keep things plausible. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best that he could come up with.

"According to this, you've only been the children's guardian for a short span of time," she said finally, straightening the small stack of papers. "I am surprised to find someone as young as you are as the recent guardian for a pair of teenagers. I feel like there is a bit of a story behind that set of circumstances."

Scratching the back of his head, Lea said, "Yeah, you're right. It is a bit of a story, Ms…"

"Ileana."

He nodded and continued, "But sometimes things happen and you end up with a couple of great kids who look up to you and don't have anyone else. And you know it is a lot of responsibility, but you accept it anyway because you know that they deserve better than what they've had so far and you want to give it to them." Lea took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "They've been through a lot in the past. And what Roxas and Xion really deserve is a chance to be normal kids. That's why we moved to Twilight Town. It's somewhere safe and where they can be happy. And being normal kids means going to school, making friends, and probably complaining about homework eventually."

"And I'm to assume that their previous homelife wasn't a happy or healthy one?" asked Ileana.

Lea couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped at her question. That would be an unbelievable understatement. The Organization was practically the definition of an unhealthy homelife. Of course, trying to explain about them would take some creative interpretation.

"I'm going to be completely honest about this," he lied. "Until recently, they were being raised in a cult."

Ileana's eyebrows shot up. And Lea thought it was a rule for all principals to always act like they'd seen it all. But apparently his explanation was a new one for the woman. Her eyes darted towards the door briefly, as if she could see the pair waiting in the hallway. As if she would see them covered in weird tattoos, chanting ominously, or other clear signs of cult influence. Then she seemed to shake it off, probably reminding herself that it wouldn't be that obvious on the surface.

At least she seemed to be accepting the story.

"Is that what happened with their parents?" she asked quietly. "Are they're still in the cult or are they…?"

Avoiding the question, Lea said, "Roxas and Xion were there their entire lives and never knew anything different until recently. They are out now and safe. But it means that they don't know about a lot of normal everyday things. They missed out on learning and experiencing them because that cult didn't give them the chance. They have that chance now." He shifted slightly in his chair. "That's why they need to go to school. Maybe it would be easier to catch them up with everything with some homeschooling and private tutors. I'd love to keep them close and safe. But they need a chance to be normal and that means spending time around other normal kids. And they're both smart and pick things up quick if you give them a chance."

"I'll have to let their teachers know," she said after a moment. "If there ends up being any problems or issues, they'll need to be warned ahead of time so that they can be prepared. I'll try to place them with some of our more patient and experienced teachers, though Roxas and Xion will still need to take a few placement tests to give us an idea about their education levels to ensure that they end up in the appropriate grade." Giving him a careful look, Ileana said, "I assume that their therapist suggested that they attend school to help them integrate into normal society. Did their therapist make any other recommendations that I should pass onto their teachers?"

A therapist. Lea resisted the urge to laugh again. Even if he could find a therapist who could handle the tangled mess caused by Organization XIII, Nobodies, replicas, and getting trapped in Sora's heart after giving up their own existences, that person wouldn't have the context for those problems. And it would be difficult to explain it all to someone. Most people didn't like having their views of reality shattered.

At best, a therapist wouldn't believe them and would think that Roxas and Xion were making it up in order to deal with their "real" problems. At worst, they would try to take the two half-pints away for treatment because the therapist assumed that they were seriously deranged. Not that locking them up would work since, you know, Keyblades. But that would still be the end of them living in Twilight Town.

Occasionally it might be smarter to listen to the barely coherent duck and protect the world order. At least when it came to authority figures like a school principal or a therapist.

"If at all possible, keep them together," said Lea. "Keep them in the same class. And there's as trio of local kids that they've already made friends with. Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Everything is already going to be new and strange to them. Having someone familiar will help. And tell the teachers not to ask Roxas and Xion about their pasts or why they don't know about certain normal and obvious things. If the kids have questions, just answer them plainly without complaining about how everyone knows about it already."

"Because it'll remind them about the cult?"

"Essentially, yes. And it'll just remind them about how different they are from everyone else and don't fit in. They don't need that."

Nodding thoughtfully, Ileana stood up from her desk and straightened her skirt. She stepped over to a filing cabinet and, after a little searching, pulled out two stacks of papers. Then she moved towards the door and opened it.

"Roxas? Xion? Could you come in here for a moment?"

The pair stepped into the office with wary looks. But when Lea gave them an encouraging nod, they relaxed a little. Just enough that he didn't expect them to summon Keyblades to defend themselves immediately.

Roxas had somehow recreated his look from the simulation of Twilight Town. The clothes that he wore when he first formed in the real Twilight Town when Sora temporarily lost his heart, before Xemnas gave him the black coat and the boy was a complete blank slate. When he was at his most zombified. Roxas wore a black, high-collared jacket with a zipper that somehow resembled part of the Nobody symbol. Lea didn't know how that happened, but apparently even the most oblivious people in Twilight Town had eventually noticed a few Dusks and such on their world. And rather than getting disturbed about it, used them to inspire fashion. People were weird.

Over that black jacket, he wore another jacket. An unzipped and white one with several black block designs and a gray hem on the end of each sleeve. The outer jacket's collar was red and pleated and folded back. Neither jacket had very long sleeves, which suited the comfortable temperature of Twilight Town. He also wore a pair of two-colored pants; the legs of his pants were beige with several of what looked like buttons on the hem that appeared to attach the legs to the rest of the dark-colored cloth. Roxas's shoes were colored in shades of gray and black with red straps in place of laces. Finally, Roxas wore a wristband with a black-and-white checkerboard pattern on his left wrist and a pair of rings. A plain black ring on his left index finger and a plain white ring on his left middle finger.

Yeah, someone went to a lot of trouble to recreate his old look.

Xion, on the other hand, had never worn anything other than the black coat and the very generic t-shirt and shorts that Lea had provided for her a few days ago. There was nothing for her to recreate. Not unless she wanted to start wearing pink like Kairi, which seemed like a horrible idea to him. Xion needed and deserved to establish her own identity just like Roxas did. But she seemed excited with what Olette helped her find.

She wore a black, sleeveless, double-buttoned, collared shirt with a black belt. The closest thing that it had to sleeves were these loose, flowy, and pretty little bits of fabric that covered her shoulders and gave the shirt a more feminine touch. She also wore a short, white, pleated skirt that appeared close to the length that both Kairi and Naminé seemed to prefer. Though, now that Lea thought about it, Naminé likely didn't get much say in what she wore either. But both the shirt and skirt were things that looked pretty, but wouldn't hinder her too much if she needed to fight. Rather like Kairi's outfit from the three fairies. And to finish it off, Xion had a pair of black boots with beige trim at the top that reached up to her mid-shin. They looked durable and even the heels were thick enough for stability while giving her a little more height.

Why were so many Keyblade wielders so short? Terra seemed to be the only other one around with any actual height.

"It is very nice to properly meet you both," said Ileana politely, "and we're very lucky that you'll be attending our school. I'm going to set you both up in the library with a few tests that I would like you to work on. Just answer the questions as best that you can. Our librarian, Jun, can collect them when you are finished. In the meantime, I'll have your guardian finish up some more paperwork. When we get all of that taken care of, we'll see which classroom that you'll be in."

Roxas and Xion both looked at him, silently questioning. Lea gave them a small smile and another nod. Reassured, they accepted their stacks of papers and pencils that Ileana gave them.

"You'll do great," he called after them as the principal guided them back towards the door.

"Thanks, Axel," said Xion.

At Ileana's puzzled look, Lea shrugged and said, "It's another long story. Just think of it as a nickname."

This time when she led the pair out of the room and towards the library at some unknown corner of the school, Lea managed to brace himself better for the immediate waves of dread and anxiety that washed over him. Unlike before, the emotions didn't manage to completely drag him down. He didn't collapse. He stayed upright and even managed to maintain a calm façade. Having a breakdown in a principal's office wouldn't work out very well.

He needed to stop freaking out every time that the Keyblade wielders were out of sight. It would be awkward if he was forced to lurk outside their classes once they started school.

"All right," said Lea, grabbing the empty bowls from the table. "You've got your backpacks?"

Smiling, Xion said, "Yep."

Their old backpacks from their Organization days. Tough, durable things that could hold more inside than it first appeared and could be hidden under their black coats to avoid Heartless snagging them in a fight. They'd emptied their usual supplies from the backpacks, leaving only a few potions for emergencies. Everything else inside them were new additions from their brief shopping trip that Lea dragged them on after their visit to the school. The same shopping trip where they picked up things that he assured them that they would need for school, some sturdy plastic dishes for their breakfast, and some boxes of cereal with varying amounts of sugar.

"You have your notebooks? Pencils? The books that they told you to bring?"

"Yes, Axel," said Roxas.

"And you remember the rules? No talking about other worlds. No summoning or using Keyblades. No fighting except with fists and only if necessary. You're both too good at it and it wouldn't be fair to any of the other kids. You've got to level the playing field a bit if you need to beat them to a pulp. And no magic. Apparently they never did much with it and not many people learn it here."

Rolling her eyes slightly, Xion giggled and said, "Don't worry. We know the rules. We've got it memorized."

Lea reached over to ruffle their hair. Xion shoved his arm away while Roxas tried to duck, but she was still smiling at him. She tried to ignore her nerves as they seemed to flutter around her stomach. That morning would be their first official day at school and she didn't know what to expect. But it couldn't be harder than some of her missions for Organization XIII. They didn't have to even fight any Heartless. They would be fine. And it was what she wanted: the chance to be a real and normal girl.

The tests that they'd taken were different than the various assessments and challenges that the Organization gave them to determine their various combative capabilities. They were less physical. All that they did was write down answers to different questions on paper. Which, according to Lea, was closer to what school was normally like. But according to those tests, they were both reasonably competent when it came to reading and writing, they'd picked up a decent amount of science from Sora the same way that they did their fighting skills, Xion was better at math than Roxas, and both of them would need to take "remedial history." None of them had ever been judged by those subjects before. If that was what they would be learning at school, it would be a new and interesting experience.

"Don't forget. I'll meet you two afterwards," said Lea. "Stay close to the school and keep your Gummiphones. I don't want to chase you all across Twilight Town."

Slipping his backpack on, Roxas said, "We'll meet you then."

"Come on," said Xion, grabbing his hand. "We don't want to be late."

Even as they hurried out of the apartment and scrambled down the staircase, Xion took a moment to glance back up. Lea stood at the top, watching them go with a complicated expression on his face.

All day. They would be gone all day. Anxiety and dread twisted in the pit of his stomach, reaching up to choke him. Lea was quickly growing to hate the feeling that struck whenever Roxas and Xion were gone.

They wouldn't disappear. They would be fine. They would come back safe and sound. He knew that. He knew that nothing would happen, but part of him refused to get with the program.

He stalked around the apartment, trying to distract himself and burn off his nervous energy. But nothing could hold his attention for long. He started making his bed before stopping halfway to wash the plastic dishes in the sink. Next, Lea summoned his Keyblade, giving Flame Liberator a few practice swings before banishing it once again. He pulled out his Gummiphone, not certain if he wanted to call the kids or Isa. Then he tucked it back away.

He wanted to go after them. Lea wanted to chase after Roxas and Xion to make sure that they were safe. But he couldn't do that. They used to go on missions all the time on their own; they could take care of themselves. They needed to have this independence. It wouldn't be fair to hover over them constantly now.

A distraction. Lea needed a proper distraction. Something productive and useful that would keep him busy and away from the school. Something that wouldn't give him any time to think or dwell on everything that could go wrong.

Lea brushed his hands briefly along the fabric of his new clothes. Fabrics enchanted to protect his heart just as thoroughly as the thick black coat. No darkness would sink into him and consume his heart, even if the clothes felt much lighter and ordinary. It still didn't seem possible to be as safe with them. But he knew it was true. He'd traveled this way already and nothing happened. And with that brief reassurance, he opened a dark corridor.

It wasn't immediate teleportation. They were paths. Hallways. Corridors. He still needed to walk along the strange and impossible passages. Paths used by Heartless and Nobodies to move between worlds. Betwixt and between everything else.

It was along one of those paths that Axel faded into nothingness. Lea couldn't help wondering if the dark corridors should bother him more after that. But they still didn't scare him. The dark corridors were dangerous without protection, but they didn't make him uncomfortable like he felt when he was in Radiant Garden.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Lea slipped back out into a round room with a short hallway. The cozy space was familiar. He remembered the strange neighboring room with the sentient narcoleptic doorknob and a pair of bottles that could change someone's size. A room that could be flexible with gravity depending on how he entered. Beyond that was a hedge maze, an oversized forest with unique flowers, and a deranged queen who ruled over her playing card soldiers.

Wonderland was one of the weirder worlds that Lea knew. And more importantly, even after everything Sora and the others did to protect the worlds and ensure that they didn't fall to darkness, there were still some Heartless lurking in dark corners. Not in huge numbers, but enough.

If he had trouble finding an apartment, Lea couldn't even imagine how hard it would be to find a job for someone who never finished school and his only "work experience" was with Organization XIII. His skills as an assassin didn't exactly translate over to working in customer service. But he needed a source of income because his stockpile of munny wouldn't last forever. And the only thing that he was good at was fighting.

Lea summoned his Keyblade to his hand, giving it a quick spin. Heartless didn't always leave behind a lot of munny, but he could build up a tidy pile and reduce their population at the same time. And if they dropped rarer items, he could try selling them later. A few hours of hunting could be very productive if he was lucky.

Not to mention that throwing himself at the largest and strongest swarms of Heartless would keep him from thinking. He wouldn't have time to worry. He could keep himself busy until school was finished. It would keep the tight knot of anxiety in his chest from suffocating him. And he was being productive while he waited.

With that decision held firmly in mind, Lea headed deeper into the insanity of Wonderland.

Roxas shifted slightly in his chair, trying to copy down what the teacher was writing down on the chalkboard. The teacher, a blond man named Tackett, told them that it was important to take notes because what they were going over would be on a quiz. Which was apparently another kind of test. And Lea told them that taking notes meant writing down everything that the teacher wrote or drew for them so that he and Xion could look over everything again later. School was turning out to involve a lot more writing than he ever did for his reports to Saïx or in his journal.

While he'd vaguely understood what school was during the simulation, it was a distant and imperfect understanding of the concept. He'd only known enough that Roxas could understand what a summer vacation and homework were supposed to be. Now that he was actually experiencing what school was like, he didn't know if it was good or bad. But it was unmistakably normal.

After a short introduction that morning, one that seemed more relaxed and casual than when they'd been presented to the members of the Organization, Tackett sent them to a couple of empty desks near the back corner. Their seats were thankfully close to Hayner, Pence, and Olette, the girl claiming one a little closer to the front. From there, other than some questioning looks from the other kids in the room, there hadn't been much time for anything to really happen. Tackett simply started talking about one of the books tucked in their backpacks and asking various questions of the students, moving forward with the lesson as if everything was normal. And everyone acted like Roxas and Xion joining them was normal too.

Normal. Everything was normal to the point of verging on boring. And in many ways, that made the experience stranger and more surreal. Outside of the fake version of Twilight Town, Roxas had never experienced normal.

The classroom was filled with small desks facing the teacher's desk and the blackboard near the front. The walls were white, but they were also covered in colorful posters that alternated between being educational and simply being encouraging. And along one wall was a long line of windows that looked out across the open street in front of the school. And there were other kids. Fifteen of them other than Roxas and Xion, though he knew there were more in other rooms. It felt a little weird to be around that many people at once and having none of them be Keybearers or Organization members.

School was different than anything else. There were more people. There was a lot of writing and sitting quietly for hours. Even the way that Tackett taught them about things was different than how Lea did it.

If Roxas was honest about it, he preferred asking Lea questions. He didn't have to raise his hand first. A mistake that the teacher gently corrected and that caused a couple of kids to snicker until both Roxas and Hayner glared at them. It would take a little adjustment to get used to basically getting permission before he could ask about something. It would be simpler to just wait and ask Lea.

But even with everything that was different and new, it didn't seem bad. It would just take some time to get used to it.

As Tackett finished writing down another jumble of numbers and asked if anyone could solve the equation, Xion's hand slowly crept up. He gestured towards her.

"Is it… one point three?" she asked timidly.

Nodding, he said, "That is correct, Xion. Very nicely done."

Tackett turned back to continue the lesson, but Roxas was watching Xion. A slightly surprised look shifted towards a small proud smile. Olette twisted around briefly to flash her a grin and Pence reached over to nudge her excitedly. The happy and increasingly confident expression on her face from someone in authority praising her instead of insulting her truly proved that school was absolutely nothing like Organization XIII.

And if it made Xion that happy, confident, and proud of herself, then Roxas officially liked school.

Chapter Text

The bell that rang at the end of the school day was louder and more shrill than the ones that chimed over the train station. But after a long day of class, it was always the most beautiful sound to Hayner. As soon as it announced the end of the day, the hall filled with excited students. Running and shoving their way past each other for the exit. Everyone eager to go do something fun instead.

He didn't rush this time. Hayner, Pence, and Olette took their time, keeping an eye on Roxas and Xion since the pair seemed a little overwhelmed by the rushing crowds. The trio had been doing that all day. With the exception of when the two of them were ushered out for a separate class with Caran for history, the trio had done their best to watch out for their new friends. It wasn't just because they were new in town. There was something about the questions that the pair would ask or the way that they would exchange looks that made it clear that Roxas and Xion were in over their heads. Hayner knew it was their responsibility to help.

There was a simple logic to his thought process. Roxas had been their friend in the other Twilight Town. And since any version of Hayner would be a good judge of character, he'd decided to be friends in this one too. And since Xion was obviously Roxas's friend or possibly sister, the exact relation wasn't very clear yet, then it made sense to be friends with her as well. As Hayner's friends, that meant they were under his protection. He stuck up for Pence and Olette for years, ever since all three of them were small children who got into trouble if they snuck off without supervision. That wouldn't change with his new friends.

He didn't make friends easily. But when he did, Hayner took it seriously. And when he decided that he and the others would take the newcomers under their wing, they didn't do it halfway.

"How did you like your first day at our school?" asked Olette as they finally stepped out the front door.

Xion tilted her head thoughtfully and said, "It was… different than anything else. But it was nice. I liked knowing the answers to the teacher's questions."

"It is a good feeling," she agreed.

Smirking, Hayner said, "Is that why you always work so hard on your homework?"

Olette shoved him playfully, making him laugh. Pence wrapped an arm around Roxas's shoulders, encouraging him to join in on the fun. It took him and Xion a moment to start smiling along with them. Not yet certain how they fit in yet, but trying. That would take time. But at least they were enjoying themselves.

"Have you two seen the new outdoor theater yet?" asked Hayner. "It shows silent movies. Well, not completely silent. There's music, but no talking. Older movies. But they're good. And if you ever want to earn a little extra munny, they always need someone to hang some posters for the different movies."

"Or we could head to the Sandlot." Pence grinned at them. "I don't know if they had Struggle matches where you came from, but Hayner is great at it. He can help teach you if you want."

While Hayner smiled proudly, Roxas said, "I… I've tried it before. It was fun." He glanced at Xion. "You'll like it. We use soft bats against each other and basically spar. Sometimes there are competitions and you can win a trophy."

"That does sound fun," said Xion with a shy grin. "Maybe we can try it out another day. Roxas and I have to meet someone soon."

"Right," he said, craning his neck to look around. "Where is he?"

A hand landed lightly on Roxas's shoulder while another ruffled Xion's hair, startling all five teenagers into yelping and jumping away. The tall figure nearly fell over laughing as they scrambled apart. After a moment, Roxas and Xion grinned and threw their backpacks in his direction. He twisted away, dodging the attack as he smacked the backpacks out of the air. The two seemed more amused than upset when their belongings tumbled to the ground.

But all Hayner could focus on was the stranger. A tall red-haired young man that they'd seen before. Last time, he was dressed in the same black coat that a lot of weird or creepy people wore and he appeared through a dark swirling portal to snatch up Kairi. The dangerous kidnapper.

And now he was back. He was back and after Roxas and Xion.

Not on Hayner's watch.

It was almost like they planned it out. Pence and Olette yanked the startled pair behind them while Hayner charged forward. He didn't have room to attempt a flying kick this time, so Hayner took a swing. The man dodged back a step. Almost blinking in surprise, as if the act was automatic rather than intentional. Hayner immediately attempted a second haymaker. And failed.

"Well, that's not very friendly," muttered the stranger.

"Back off," shouted Hayner, his third swing also failing to connect. "You can't kidnap anyone this time."

"Axel?"

Hayner glanced back to see Roxas and Xion trying to edge their way around Pence and Olette's protective stances. Confused and uncertain expressions crept across their faces. But not fear or worry. Meanwhile, the man mostly seemed bemused. Bemused and maybe a little embarrassed.

If Hayner had a Struggle bat, the kidnapper would be a lot more than just embarrassed. He would be sporting a broken nose.

"Why does Hayner think you want to kidnap someone?" continued Xion.

Scratching the back of his head even as he twisted out of the way again, he said, "Yeah, funny story… Remember when Roxas disappeared and I mentioned how I didn't handle it well?"

"Axel, what did you do?" asked Roxas.

Growing frustrated, Hayner decided to abandon his attempts to punch the redhead. Instead, he went for something more direct. Hayner charged forward to tackle him with his full weight. The man slid to the side, shoving the teenager to the ground as he charged past. Hayner rolled back to his feet like he was in a Struggle match. He wasn't giving up that easily.

"He kidnapped Kairi," said Olette.

"Axel," said Xion, her tone making it sound like she was scolding him. "Why?"

Grinning awkwardly, he said, "Not my finest hour. I'll admit it. I got a little desperate." He scratched the back of his head again. "Would it make a difference if I mentioned that me and Kairi are friends now?"

"Seriously? You kidnapped Kairi?" Roxas shook his head as he crossed his arms, no longer trying to get around Pence and Olette. "No wonder they are suspicious of you. And come on. You're smarter than that. Why would you do it?"

The man shifted uncomfortably, not meeting anyone's gaze. His grin looked more like a grimace now. Hayner silently debated if it was worth trying to land a hit while the redhead was distracted.

"Told you. I was desperate. It was a dumb plan to get you back that probably wouldn't have worked anyway," he mumbled. "She forgave me. And it worked out in the end."

"You honestly expect us to believe that you and Kairi are friends now?" asked Hayner sharply. "We saw you drag her out of our usual spot. She was trying to get away from you."

Glancing at Hayner, he said, "I can prove it."

It felt strange to be back on the island again. After everything that had happened recently, it didn't seem quite real. Like she was in the middle of a dream. Or perhaps everything that happened before was instead the dream and she'd finally woke up to her normal life.

Kairi didn't have as much experience going on dangerous adventures and then needing to return to her everyday life afterwards. The first time that she left, tucked away in Sora's heart, the Destiny Islands were gone. Swallowed up by the darkness. No one noticed her absence because everyone was lost during that time. It was like she never left. The second time was when Axel tried to kidnap her and she dove into the dark corridor to escape. Her return after that short absence was overshadowed by Sora and Riku's return, their absences for much longer.

Purposefully leaving for Keyblade training and then participating in the Keyblade War was somehow different. With her training outside of normal time, she felt like she was away for much longer. And coming home afterwards was even harder. Those experiences weighed on her in a way that she couldn't quite explain.

Nothing was the same anymore.

Telling people that Sora was gone was painful. She and Riku had to decide how much to share with different people. How much to reveal or explain and how much to hide or remain vague about. Their childhood friends didn't get anything close to the full story, but they were the easiest. Telling Sora's mother was heartbreaking.

She knew how much it hurt Riku to confess that they didn't know if or when they would bring him back. It tore away at him and he'd been avoiding everyone ever since. Kairi had ended up crying into her pillow after it was over.

His painful absence wasn't the only change. They brought someone else home with them. Someone who remembered the islands so well, but had never truly been there himself.

Kiru was still trying to find his place. Trying to find a space where he could belong. And somewhere that would someday be a home for Naminé as well. He kept switching between the three houses. Kairi's adopted parents were always willing to open up their home to someone in need, Sora's family were trying to fill the empty void with distractions of caring for another, and Riku's parents wanted to make up for missing out on several years of their son's life by being supportive of the replica.

Not that anyone really understood who Kiru was in relation to Riku. Some of the people on the island suspected that he was a distant cousin, but were too polite to ask. She didn't know where to even begin when it came to explaining about replicas. But everyone seemed determined to be supportive of him and to welcome him into the community. They were confused, but friendly. Just like they were when Kairi washed up on the beach as a child.

That didn't prevent him from seeming tense and uncertain every time that Kairi saw him. She suspected that Kiru would eventually break down and accept the offer to stay at the Land of Departure within a few months. It would give him a fresh start somewhere new. Somewhere that he didn't have Riku's memories trying to confuse him.

She'd left him currently sprawled on the couch downstairs while she was in her room. He'd dozed off early, the rhythmic pattern of the evening shower tapping on the roof serving as a soothing and hypnotic lullaby. Kairi had ended up curled at her windowsill, staring out at the gray skies.

The weather suited her mood. The quiet of the house, the overcast skies, and the general emptiness of the place made it hard to silence her thoughts. And they'd turned towards darker directions. She felt weighed down by the guilt, grief, and heartache. Her mind kept going back to that moment where Sora disappeared with a smile. It wasn't as raw, overwhelming, and painful as everything felt that first night. But she couldn't ignore the dull ache or the lonely feeling during the quieter moments.

They would see Sora again. She believed that with all her heart. At least, she did in her better moments. That didn't stop Kairi from missing him any more than it stopped Riku from blaming himself.

Her heavy thoughts on that dreary day were abruptly interrupted by a cheerful tune ringing out, pulling her gaze away from the rain outside. Her Gummiphone's screen lit up, eagerly awaiting her response.

Not knowing who could be calling or why, Kairi hesitated a moment. Then, remembering that only a handful of people could even call her and that none of them were people that should be ignored, she answered. Lea's face immediately filled the screen. He looked slightly uncomfortable, but mostly in a good mood.

"Hey, Kairi," he greeted. "You doing all right?"

She smiled at him. An imperfect smile that felt a little unsteady, but it wasn't completely fake. It was an actual smile.

"I'm fine."

"Do you really mean that?"

Her smile shrinking slightly, Kairi admitted, "Not completely. But I'm a little better."

"Considering everything that's happened, that's not bad." Scratching the back of his head, Lea continued, "Listen I don't want to bother you if you're busy, but I need a small favor."

Straightening up, she said, "Of course. What do you need?"

"Could you tell these three that we're friends now and that you aren't mad at me about kidnapping you anymore?"

The screen suddenly spun around to show her three new faces crowded together. Three faces that she knew from her brief visit to Twilight Town. Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The last time that she saw them was when they tried and failed to stop Axel from dragging her into a corridor of darkness. Now they were staring at her, as if they didn't actually expect Lea to contact her.

"Hey," she said.

"Kairi?"

All three of them shouted her name in unison. All three of them sounding completely stunned. The entire situation managed to startle a laugh out of her as she waved at them through the screen.

"Hayner keeps trying to punch Axel because he thinks Axel wants to kidnap us," called Roxas from somewhere out of view.

And that turned her brief and startled laugh into something longer. Kairi nearly fell from her perch on the windowsill as she laughed loudly at the idea. She half-expected to wake up Kiru downstairs. Hayner scowled slightly at her reaction, which only made her laugh harder. And after a few moments, even Olette giggled.

When she managed to calm down, Kairi reassured them, "It's fine. Axel and I sorted everything out. And he's definitely not kidnapping anyone again."

"And you two are friends now?" asked Hayner, not sounding completely convinced.

"Good enough friends that he still lets me call him 'Axel,'" she said.

"Wait, that's not his actual name?" asked Pence.

"Not for you three, it isn't. The name's Lea," he said. "Got it memorized?"

Smiling, Kairi said, "It's complicated. But I promise that you can trust him. He's… had a bit of a change of heart since the last time you saw him."

Then Lea turned the Gummiphone back around and Kairi could see him grin at her again. He seemed calmer than when he first called. He should be fairly healed by now, but it was probably better that he didn't need to dodge Hayner's attempts to attack him anymore. Just in case.

"Thanks, Kairi. I think that they might actually believe me now."

"You're welcome," she said. "I'm always happy to help."

Giving her a serious look, Lea said, "And you know that if you need anything, the same holds true. All you have to do is ask. That's what the Gummiphone is for. I'm just a call away and we both know that I have access to plenty of shortcuts."

Meaning that if she needed him, he would take a corridor of darkness to come and help her. Kairi smiled at the sentiment. The world always seemed brighter with the reminder that she wasn't alone and that her friends would always be there for her. Just like all of Sora's friends wouldn't give up on him.

When the rain passed, she would need to remind Riku of that fact. That they wouldn't be facing any of this alone. And that with everyone working together, they would find a way to bring Sora home. Riku needed to be dragged out of his darker thoughts and given that hopeful reminder just as much as she needed it.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said. "Try to stay out of trouble."

Chuckling, Lea said, "Why does everyone think that I always end up in trouble?"

"Because we know you, Axel," called Xion from off-screen, earning a good-natured eyeroll from the redhead.

"Take care of yourself, Kairi," he said.

The call ended, leaving her alone with only the rain for companionship. She smiled at the Gummiphone before tucking it away. Then she stood up to dig out her collection of crafting supplies from the box on the shelf.

Moping and dwelling on things that she couldn't yet fix wouldn't do any good. There wasn't much that they could do until they were ready to give Naminé a body of her own. Kairi could only feel her heart sleeping deep inside if she concentrated hard and her Nobody was stirring. She couldn't use that connection to find Sora.

Until then, Kairi needed to be more positive. She needed to get her mind on more useful topics. And being productive had always cheered her up in the past. Perhaps she could work on some good luck charms for her other friends or something to give Sora when they got him back. Or maybe she could make something for Kiru or Naminé to make them both feel welcome. Kairi could find a project to occupy her time.

And when the rain stopped, she could grab Riku and try to pull him out of his own guilt-ridden thoughts. Possibly with some sparring. Something active to keep them from dwelling. Distractions helped. Even a short distraction like a call from a friend.

Tucking his Gummiphone away, Lea said, "See? We're friends. No more kidnapping." He gave Hayner a firm look. "And if you try to hit me again, I'll actually do something about it."

He was mostly healed by now, thanks to some powerful healing spells and potions. But there was still the occasional twinge if he twisted the wrong way. He'd figured that out in Wonderland. Hayner's clumsy assault hadn't caused any issue, but Lea's patience with it was limited.

"If Kairi says that you're all right," said Olette slowly, "then I guess you two really did get over everything."

"And if Roxas and Xion don't seem scared of you, then I guess it's fine," added Pence.

Nodding, Roxas said, "Axel is our best friend. You can trust him."

That statement shouldn't hit him as hard as it did. But after the various lies in the past and when he pushed things so far that Roxas flat out admitted that he couldn't trust Axel any longer, it felt nice to know that they apparently forgave him for his mistakes. At least enough that they trusted him again.

And Pence and Olette seemed willing to go along with everyone who was vouching for him, though Lea could tell that Hayner still had his suspicions. He wasn't as quick to trust as some people. But he wasn't trying vainly to attack Lea any longer either. Which meant that he didn't need to scorch Hayner's hair. That would be good enough for now. Lea could work with a tense truce.

"Well, as fun as this has been, we've got things to do and places to go," said Lea.

Tilting her head, Xion asked, "Oh?"

Lea grinned at the pair as they moved away from their protective new friends. He reached over and pulled them close, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.

"You both completed your first day of school. That's quite the accomplishment. You deserve to celebrate a little."

Slowly smiling with realization, Roxas asked, "The icing on the cake?"

Climbing back up to the clocktower without the benefit of dark corridors should have been trickier. But the door to the stairway was tucked out of sight and they didn't even bother to lock it. Not that a locked door would have stopped them. All three of them had Keyblades. It was easy to sneak up.

It seemed a little strange to be up there again. The last time that Xion was up on the clocktower, she wasn't really herself. It was when she was forcing Roxas to fight her. When she was forcing him to destroy her. And then she disappeared from existence, gone and forgotten. Dissolving away right in front of the train station. And those memories hurt.

But there were so many other memories of the three of them perched on the clocktower. Happy, warm, and bright memories. Memories that she deeply treasured. Those sunsets together were the ones that she chose to remember.

And now they were back.

Part of her couldn't believe it was real. They were scattered apart and lost. Separated with no hope of ever seeing each other again. And yet they were once more finding comfortable spots to sit on the sun-warmed ledge, legs dangling over the edge as they stared out at the orange and red skyline. As if no time had passed.

Lea carefully handed out the blue ice cream, smiling at them in a familiar way. She'd seen the same scene more times that she could easily count. All that was missing were the heavy thick coats.

"You know," he said slowly, "if we try hard enough, we might be able to spot our house from here."

Frowning with concentration as she looked out across Twilight Town, Xion said, "Maybe. Everything looks different from up here."

"Maybe over there?" suggested Roxas, pointing out towards a distant corner.

"Nah. That's too close to the restaurant," said Lea. "It has to be a little further to the left."

It felt right to be there. All three of them together again. Sitting on the clocktower, watching the sunset. It was a feeling of home and belonging. It was everything that they'd ever wanted.

It was what she always wanted. Just getting to exist. To be with her best friends without having to be afraid of disappearing or hurting them with her presence. Xion never expected to have a happy ending and yet everything seemed perfect.

She took a small bite of her sea-salt ice cream. The cold sent a brief shiver down her spine. The salty and sweet flavor, the perfect balance between the two, seemed as perfect as it did the first time that Roxas brought her up there and the first time that the three of them all managed to share ice cream together.

It was their routine. Their special moment together. Eating sea-salt ice cream together was her first experience with friendship and it was the foundation for so many precious pieces of their lives.

She smiled as she took another bite. Xion couldn't imagine anything better than that moment.

Chapter Text

There were several spots in Twilight Town that were great for skateboarding. All the raised walkways in the Tram Common offered a wealth of possibilities. But Roxas had a particular fondness for the long hill of Station Heights that led to the nice section of railing on the ramp right before the street split in two directions. The hill would let him build up plenty of speed before grinding along the rail or using the drop off of the ramp to pull off multiple tricks in midair before landing.

Hayner, Pence, and Olette were waiting near the railing, right where they would perform the Grandstand routine with the ball for spare munny. Today, Roxas was going for a new record. The longest string of tricks combined together without the board touching the ground. The long steep hill would help, but it would take skill and careful timing. It would be hard. But he was confident.

"Go, Roxas!" shouted Olette.

"You've got this," added Hayner from their position beside the ramp, barely visible from Roxas's spot near the top.

Holding up his camera, Pence said, "Ready whenever you are."

Grinning, Roxas kicked off. He didn't allow himself much distance to build up speed before he jumped, both him and the skateboard leaving the ground. A quick Method Grab before hitting the wall on the left, shoving off and up to gain further height. A series of 360 degree spins as he moved further along the street. And just as he started to lose altitude, Roxas reached the right side of the street. He managed to sneak in a brief air walk before hitting another wall to kick off, shoving both him and the skateboard up again.

Listening to the excited cheers from his friends as he neared the wider open area, Roxas alternated between 360 degree spins and Method Grabs. His acrobatics disturbed a pigeon, but he couldn't be distracted. Looking for one more way to extend it out a little longer, he grabbed the edge of the board with one hand while reached down with the other. His fingers managed to wrap around the railing of the ramp. Twisting his body until he was upside-down, Roxas was briefly doing a one-handed handstand before shoving himself upward to complete the flip.

The following air walk, 360 degree spin, and final quick Method Grab were anticlimactic in comparison to the flip, but he'd certainly broken all records. Roxas landed with practiced ease, beaming proudly before turning to face his cheering friends.

Who weren't cheering.

Silence greeted his achievement. No voices, no distant bells or trains, no wind, and not even bird calls from the pigeon frozen in midair. Motionless. Like his friends. The trio frozen in the middle of their excitement. Unblinking, unmoving, and unaware. The world halted and leaving only Roxas untouched.

"Do not concern yourself. Another glitch, I'm afraid. Soon to be straightened out."

Roxas spun at the voice. Walking down the ramp was a robed figure. One with most of his face concealed by red wrappings until a single amber eye was left as the only visible feature. And the boy's guts immediately twisted into knots as soon as Roxas saw him.

"DiZ," he whispered. "No. You can't be here."

"Did you think that this was real?" asked DiZ, sounding bemused. "That you could have all of this?"

Shaking his head sharply, Roxas said, "No, no,  no . I got out. I have my own life."

"A Nobody with a life of his own? How absurd. That is as ridiculous as a Nobody with his own heart," he sneered. "You shouldn't even exist."

Roxas summoned Oblivion and Oathkeeper to his hands. He charged forward, leaping over the edge of the ramp and swinging both Keyblades hard. But they passed through the man in a cloud of data and numbers.

A simulation. An illusion. A fake.

All of it was fake. Twilight Town. The pigeon frozen above them. Even Hayner, Pence, and Olette. All of them were fake. A dream of a perfect life to keep him pacified and calm. But none of it was real.

Roxas swung at him a few more times, shouting in frustration. But it was just as useless as before. He couldn't touch the man.

"You don't deserve a perfect existence because you don't even exist. A false life for a Nobody," he continued.

"Wake up, Roxas. You need to wake up."

"Shut up!" snarled Roxas, lashing out at DiZ.

Not even pausing as the Keyblades continued to pass right through him, DiZ said, "It was too perfect, wasn't it? A heart of your own? The right to exist as your own person? Friends? A home? Everything that you could possibly want? I am a little surprised that you didn't question the simulation more."

"Come on, Roxas. Wake up."

"No matter. I will sort out these glitches and let you go back to your fantasy. You'll return to Sora soon enough."

Swinging harder and harder, Roxas shouted, "Never again. I'm not Sora. Leave me alone."

"That's your sole purpose. To dwell in this programmed simulation until Sora needs you to return."

"I made it out. I have a life of my own. I exist."

"None of that was real. It never was."

"Roxas."

He bolted up, hands flailing briefly as they grasped nothing. Panting raggedly, chest pounding, and blinking rapidly, Roxas's head jerked in every direction as he tried to take it all in. The warm orange shade on the walls, still distinctive even in the dim light from the purplish skies outside. The Struggle tournament posters. His black-and-white skateboard in the corner of the room. The dark brown bedspread under him.

His room. His bedroom in Twilight Town. The real one. Not the one from the simulation.

The mattress shifted as Lea sat down next to him. At least Roxas didn't summon his Keyblades like he did during his nightmare on their first night in their new home. He'd been horrified when he realized later that he'd nearly attacked Lea, his Keyblade pointed directly at him. But Lea didn't even flinch that night. Roxas was simply thankful that he hadn't hurt his friend then or after the nightmares since.

Because there had been more nightmares since that first one. Not every night, but they happened. For him and Xion. Enough that Lea came up with a set of rules and a routine on how they should handle it.

"You're safe," said Lea firmly. "You're alive. You're real. We're safe, alive, and real. It was just a nightmare."

Roxas swallowed hard, letting the calm reminders help ground him. He needed to remember what was real. He needed to remember that it wasn't just another simulation.

"Sorry," he said quietly.

Carefully placing a hand on his shoulder, Lea said, "Don't apologize. Remember the first rule?"

He nodded slowly. The rules that they came up with were very clear. Never apologize for nightmares. They weren't anyone's fault. And none of them would get upset if someone's nightmare woke them up. In fact, Lea insisted that if any of them had a bad nightmare, they should go wake up one of the others because they shouldn't be alone. Not that Roxas had needed to do that part yet. After everyone started leaving their doors open at night, Lea tended to wake up first and pull them out of the nightmares before they reached that point.

Roxas did feel guilty sometimes. Lea was the only one who wasn't having nightmares, but he had to help Roxas and Xion with theirs all the time. It didn't seem fair for Lea. But the first rule was no apologizing and he never complained about the loss of sleep. He probably took naps during the day while they were at school.

"What do you need?" asked Lea, continuing the routine.

"To hit DiZ in the face a few times," he muttered.

Giving a breathy chuckle, Lea said, "Understandable. I would have set Master Ansem on fire myself except he helped bring you and Xion back."

"And he helped save your life," he said.

That's what made it complicated. Roxas hated DiZ for everything that he did to him. But as Ansem the Wise, he helped keep Lea alive when Larxene's knives buried into his chest and he nearly died. And for that, he would be forever grateful. The conflicting feelings were awkward. Roxas had settled into an uncomfortable truce where he did his best to ignore the man's existence.

Smiling wryly, Lea asked, "What else do you need?"

Roxas frowned with thought. Now that he was calming down from the nightmare, he wasn't certain what he needed. He rubbed his arms, trying to banish the chill.

"You do know that you're supposed to sleep under the blankets, right?" teased Lea.

Roxas shoved his arm, earning a quiet laugh from Lea. The redhead ruffled his hair briefly before standing up.

"Come on. Plenty of room in the big bed for a half-pint."

That was one of their preferred solutions for nightmares: pile together to go back to sleep. Roxas smiled as he slid out of bed. It was a bit like the first night. But rather than his heavy black coat, they were both wearing their matching white t-shirts and black shorts. They turned out to more comfortable to sleep in.

"Xion sleeping okay tonight?" asked Roxas softly.

"Yep. Apparently she was overdue for some pleasant dreams," he said as they stepped into Lea's bedroom. "But she had some problems last night. We got her some water before she tried to fall back asleep. Not too late if you need a drink."

Shaking his head as he crawled into the oversized bed, Roxas said, "No, thanks."

Dropping roughly on the mattress, Lea tossed a blanket over them before yawning and flinging an arm over Roxas. The boy snuggled closer to him, enjoying the warmth radiating off Lea. He was solid and real. All of it was real; he was in reality with his best friends, not a simulation. Clinging to that reassurance, Roxas tried to doze back off.

In the short time since his recompletion, Isa had found himself to be rather busy. The first few days mostly consisted of resting and having various tests run on him. Both Ansem the Wise and Ienzo were keen to run some proper studies on the effects of having a heart restored to a Nobody. And while Even was their preferred candidate since they could compare the results that they recorded after his first completion, Isa ended up being poked and prodded by them more than he cared to be. Lea's avoidance of the apprentices seemed like a wiser decision every day. But at least they determined that Isa didn't seem to be suffering from any obvious problems after everything.

And when they weren't running tests to reassure themselves that the former Nobodies were recovering well, the various inhabitants were working on other important projects. Working on a replica body for Naminé. Trying to recover old files from the computer systems with Tron's help. Updating the defense system protecting Radiant Garden. Sorting out various records from over a decade ago. And all of those projects could use someone with management and organizational skills, which Isa possessed in large amounts.

Lea was right when he suggested that idea.

He found ways to help the more scientifically-inclined people using his skills. It kept him busy and he preferred to be productive. It kept Isa from dwelling on his guilt. When he didn't keep himself distracted with work, he ran the risk of letting his emotions overwhelm him like that first day. Having a heart again was an adjustment.

Isa had claimed a small room in the main part of the castle to serve as a temporary office. Far enough away from the hidden lab that he could avoid disturbing the others as they worked, but not too far that it would be difficult to find him if they had need to. There was just enough space inside for a chair, a desk, and a shelf that he mostly used to pile anything that he couldn't fit on the desk when it became crowded.

At the moment, the desk was covered in several stacks of paperwork. He needed to work his way through some of the hardcopy files that they found in an old storage room. He was supposed to determine if they were files from Master Ansem's original studies of the heart, Xehanort and the other apprentices' later tests involving darkness and the heart, Maleficient's work after she claimed the castle, or something completely unrelated. He'd already found dozens of pages describing the materials ordered during a renovation of the castle from about twenty-five years ago.

It was slow-going, but a necessary task.

He'd been working on it for a couple of hours that morning. Not long enough for the muscles in his back to knot up. But long enough to make some headway into the project. Until a crumpled-up ball of paper bounced off Isa's head.

"You're not working too hard, are you?"

And there was Lea. Leaning against the door frame with a smirk. As if it was natural for him to be poking his head into Isa's impromptu office rather than being on a completely different world with his pair of Keyblade wielders.

"Lea," he greeted, smiling slightly as he stood up.

Stepping closer, he asked, "Miss me?"

"You call me every other day. You don't give me much of a chance to miss you."

But if Isa was honest, it felt good to have Lea there. Talking to him over the Gummiphone was comforting and helped the two of them start reforging their frayed bonds of friendship. They had a lot to rebuild after everything that happened over the last several years. But even the best technology couldn't replace seeing his oldest friend in person.

Tilting his head as he studied Isa, Lea said, "Picked up some new clothes? Definitely a step up from the black coat."

Isa glanced down at himself. While not as professional as the lab coats or the guard uniforms, he felt relatively comfortable in his new outfit. A long-sleeved, knee-length black duster jacket with black pants, there were some design similarities to the black coat. A piece of familiarity to carry with him in his new life. Along the length of the jacket, the sleeves, and the pants were a line of gray camouflage patterning. A combination of silver buttons and a long zipper closed the jacket. And on the upper-left part of the jacket was a small gold medallion with a star and a crescent moon on it. Not exactly an outfit that screamed authority figure, but one that seemed to suit him the same way that Lea's new clothes seemed to fit.

"Riku dropped off a suitcase the other day when he came to discuss the progress with Master Ansem," said Isa.

A fool's errand. It would be highly optimistic to expect any news on the replica body for Naminé or an update on Sora at this stage of events. Isa couldn't imagine the situation would be sorted out in only a couple of weeks. And if there was any news, he suspected that everyone with access to a Gummiphone would be immediately informed. There would be no need to travel to Radiant Garden for an update.

But Isa could also recognize the need to do something. Riku needed to feel like he was working towards his goal. Isa could understand that impulse. It drove him to chase weak leads and faint possibilities to find that missing girl for years.

Tugging at a jacket sleeve, Lea said, "Sounds like the three fairies sent you some of their enchanted garments. Should be durable, comfortable, and protective against darkness without being as heavy as our old coats. You should feel lucky that it isn't in plaid." As Isa pulled free, he added, "I think they're waiting to give Roxas and Xion a chance to figure out what they like first before giving them some enchanted clothes."

Isa pushed aside the twinge of jealousy that mentioning the pair caused. He was getting better at handling that specific emotion. It didn't hurt as much to think about the three of them anymore. He recognized the jealousy for what it was and could see how pointless it was. Lea's presence in his office was proof of that. Perhaps someday soon he wouldn't even experience that unpleasant twinge.

"Come on," continued Lea, grabbing his arm. "We better get started."

"Wait, what?" he asked, stumbling as his friend yanked him out of the office and started dragging him down the hall.

Not even slowing down, Lea called over his shoulder, "We're getting out of here and you're taking a break. Roxas and Xion are spending their day off with their new friends, so it's just the two of us today. And we're going to have some fun."

While school introduced a structured routine that reminded him of his old missions, it also brought along the concept of regular days off. Apparently after every five days of class, there were two days where they didn't go to school. Those days were for homework and hanging around with their friends. And even though Hayner, Pence, and Olette seemed to accept that Lea was no longer the villainous kidnapper that they expected him to be, they weren't eager to hang around with the young man. After some careful discussion, Roxas and Xion figured out a plan. They would split the weekend; one day with their trio of new friends and the other day with Lea.

Today was Hayner, Pence, and Olette's day. Lea had gone off-world while they were busy. Roxas knew where he was and who he was with, but he didn't want to think about that. He and Xion might have told Lea that they would give Isa a chance, but that didn't mean he was eager to see him again. Not yet. He would rather put it off and just focus on having a good day with his friends.

They'd lounged around the Usual Spot at first, a cozy and half-hidden space between a few buildings under the train tracks. There was a relaxed and lazy feeling to the whole thing. Casual and comfortable. And other than Xion and Pence having a friendly competition over a game of darts, the biggest accomplishment was the decision to start looking for more seating for their larger group. The worn green sofa, the wooden crates scattered around, and the unknown machinery with the pipe connected to the back building offered some possibilities, but it might be nice to track down some other options. Pence's attempt to perch on top of the empty oil drum ended with a noisy crash and a promise to keep an eye out for alternatives.

And, after poking around for any seating being tossed out as junk or a giant wooden spool that the hardware store had emptied of wound cable, they decided to do something fun and head towards the Sandlot. Hayner seemed determined to give Roxas and Xion a crash course in Struggle matches. Apparently Roxas's experience in the other Twilight Town didn't count in the teenager's opinion. But it was at least entertaining and Hayner was having a good time.

"There are two main strategies that people tend to focus on," he described. "Some people try to stay defensive, blocking and dodging to avoid losing points. Me? I prefer to go on the offensive. Keep pressing the attack and never give them a chance to retaliate. The best way that I've found to earn a lot of points would be to knock your opponent off their feet and steal as many points as possible before they can recover. Which means the key to victory is knowing how to knock someone on their back and how to regain your own footing in a hurry."

Giving a few practice swings as they walked, Hayner demonstrated his favorite moves. A strong overhead swing. A sideways hit. A low move designed to sweep the legs out from under an opponent. None of them particularly hard to dodge or block. But it was like Lea said; most people didn't have as much experience when it came to fighting as Roxas and Xion did.

Everyone except Pence were carrying the blue padded Struggle bats. There were three main variations of the mock weapon. The basic offense model, the basic defense model, and the advance model designed specifically for more complex and specialized techniques that took time to master and could completely disrupt most strategies. Olette preferred the tricks possible with the advanced model, though she didn't spar as much. Everyone else picked offensive models of bats, with Roxas carrying both an offensive bat and a defensive one.

He liked dual-wielding. And even if he could only use one for the practice match, he liked having options.

"And what are you doing here?"

Hayner abruptly stopped talking, head snapping around at the voice. Roxas also immediately recognized it. The speaker set his teeth on edge. His hands tightened on the foam bats. He had to remind himself not to summon his Keyblades instead.

He was a jerk; not a Heartless or Xehanort.

There were three figures hanging around the Sandlot. And the one in the center was the speaker from before. A black knit hat, a blue crop-top vest, a long sleeveless white jacket, baggy dark-purple pants, and black combat boots, Seifer looked exactly like he did in the simulation. On the left was Rai, a tall and black-haired guy in an orange shirt and dark sweatpants. And on the right was Fuu. Dressed in a sleeveless blue jacket and capri pants, she watched the group's approach with the one reddish-brown eye not hidden by her silver hair.

The Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee. The trio that Roxas remembered being frustrating and infuriating. And yet he'd never met them before.

"We're teaching our new friends about Struggle battles," said Pence, a little wary.

Crossing his arms, Hayner asked, "And when did you three get back? I thought you went on some kind of 'warrior's journey' or whatever."

Taking a few steps forward, Seifer grinned at them. There was something about him that rubbed Roxas the wrong way. Even knowing that every past interaction never actually happened, he couldn't bury that immediate urge to smack Seifer in the face with a bat.

"After those weird white things showed up and we had to depend on that one kid to help stop them, we realized that we weren't living up to our name," said Seifer. "We're supposed to be the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee. Can't really claim that if we're not the best and capable of defending the place. So yeah, we spent some time traveling around and training until we reached our full potential."

"If those white squiggly things come back, we'll be ready, y'know," added Rai. "They won't know what hit them, y'know."

Nodding, Fuu said, "Thrash them."

"So you're new around here," continued Seifer, eyeing Roxas suspiciously. "And you want Hayner to teach you?"

Glaring as his free hand tightened into a fist, Hayner snapped, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're a joke," he said.

"Hey," snapped Olette, barely beating Hayner to the sharp outburst.

"Have you seen his technique? He doesn't know the meaning of the word 'defense.'"

"Pushover," added Fuu.

Roxas glared at Seifer, tense as a coiled spring. He wasn't exactly wrong. At least the simulated version of Hayner fought purely offensively with minimal defensive abilities. But that didn't mean that he wanted to hear Seifer point it out.

"Give me five minutes and I'll show you who's a pushover," growled Hayner, moving his bat into a combative position.

"We both already know the answer to that. After all, which one of us is the Struggle match champion?" he asked with a proud grin.

Stepping forward and clenching his fist in front of him, Rai said, "He completely crushed you in the tournament, y'know."

It shouldn't have surprised him. Of course the results of the tournament were different in reality than in the simulation. Roxas didn't compete and Vivi wouldn't have been replaced by a Dusk in disguise. Things would have played out differently. He shouldn't be surprised that Seifer won, though it could have been Hayner instead.

"If you intend to teach them," continued Seifer, "they'll be just as easy to thrash."

As Roxas contemplated showing Seifer exactly how easy of an opponent that he was, a flash of black-and-white motion darted forward. Xion crossed the distance between the two groups in an instant. She slid right next to Seifer, facing his side before he could turn. She used the most basic three-hit combo, but with blinding speed and brutality. A strike to the stomach, driving the air out of Seifer. Then Xion swung low, sweeping his feet out from under him. And before he hit the ground, an overhead swing slammed into his chest and sent Seifer crashing roughly down.

Roxas winced in sympathy. Xion could hit hard. Seifer was extremely lucky that she was using a Struggle bat.

Rai and Fuu stared down in shock as Seifer lay sprawled on the ground, coughing and wheezing as he tried to breathe. Xion didn't even look at them as she walked back over to her friends.

"You seem like a good teacher to me, Hayner," she said. "Knocking someone off their feet does work great."

And when she gained a small proud smile, everyone took it as a cue to crowd around Xion and brag about how impressive she was. They would need to figure out some more ground rules if they wanted to continue having Struggle matches with everyone. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair. But for now, they could enjoy wiping the smug look off Seifer's face and making Hayner practically crow with pride. The only thing that would have made it better would be if someone got a photo of the entire thing.

Lea didn't think that he would ever be comfortable in Radiant Garden again. Or at least not for a long time. Anxiety and discomfort churned in his stomach for multiple reasons, even as he hid it. But he did immediately feel a little better after dragging Isa out of the castle.

Though he didn't quite manage to convince Isa to try sneaking past Dilan and Aeleus for old time's sake. Or rather, he did convince him, but it was the most half-hearted attempt that Lea had ever seen.

They spent most of the day taking a trip down memory lane. Back to their childhood before things became complicated and everything started falling apart. Exploring old neighborhoods to see what had changed from when they were teenagers and what looked the same. The flower gardens that his old home world was known for seemed just as bright and colorful as he remembered. And when they found the elaborate fountains, tall structures that stretched up the wall and perfect for kids to splash in during warm days, Lea nearly shoved Isa in. Because that's what they used to do. It didn't work because Isa had a better sense of balance than he did at eight, but it earned Lea an amused chuckle. Lea would call it a victory.

What they did not do was go near where they used to live. They didn't want to talk about it, but neither of them wanted to risk encountering their old families. It would just be too much.

Isa wouldn't want to face his family, to admit what he'd become in the years since they last saw him. He wouldn't want to see them over a decade older and know that they spent that time as refugees on other worlds. But he also wouldn't want to see them exactly as they were before, meaning that they were lost during the fall of Radiant Garden and only returned after the world was properly restored. Neither option would be pleasant for someone who was involved in working for Xemnas in those final days. Before the world lost its heart to darkness, but after they did.

Lea didn't want to risk running into his parents for a different reason. While it would be awkward to see Isa's family again, they would be grateful to see their grown son alive and well. That went without question. But Lea knew that if he saw his own parents, it would be worse. They probably didn't even remember that he ever existed.

As the day shifted towards afternoon, Lea slipped away for a moment. The history of the ice cream shop in Radiant Garden was a complicated one. It was originally run by one family during their childhood, creating the perfect sea-salt ice cream recipe. Then Radiant Garden fell and was restored, but they didn't immediately return to running the shop. There was too much work involved in repairing Hollow Bastion in those early days. But Scrooge McDuck arrived, recreated the recipe from his memory of tasting the frozen treat, and started making a bundle. And when he left to open a restaurant off-world, he arranged for someone to run the business in his absence while continuing to collect munny. All of these details were quickly relayed by the chatty young man as he collected the sea-salt ice cream that Lea purchased.

Lea and Isa found a comfortable spot on the stone wall surrounding the town. It wasn't late enough for the sun to be setting and it wasn't a clocktower, but they could sit up there with their legs dangling over the edge and stare out across the surroundings. And just like when they were young, they quietly ate their sea-salt ice cream.

But they weren't kids anymore. And as fun as it was to pretend for a day, they couldn't avoid more recent topics.

"Did you find out anything about her yet?" asked Lea quietly. "The girl who used to be in locked up down there?"

Shaking his head, Isa said, "Nothing. I spoke with Master Ansem about her, but he doesn't know what happened either. Her disappearance convinced him that he needed to take a step back, look at what he was doing, and stop his experiments on the heart. A wakeup call, if you will."

"Not that it stopped Xehanort and the others from continuing," he muttered.

"Apparently, Xehanort's Heartless was equally curious about what happened to her."

"That narrows it down. If he and Master Ansem don't know and the rest of the apprentices haven't brought it up yet, that either leaves some unknown person or force snatching her away or…"

"Or Braig has even more secrets than we thought," finished Isa.

Grinning sharply, Lea said, "Guess we'll have to find his recompleted self and ask a few questions then."

"I'll keep searching for clues until then. He was here for a long time and he must have left some hints behind."

Lea nodded thoughtfully before taking another bite of ice cream. Isa could keep looking through paperwork, searching for clues. But they could also spread the word around for everyone to keep an eye out for Braig. They were already searching for Sora. It wouldn't take much extra work to watch out for an extra person.

"And what about you, Lea? Have you been keeping yourself busy?" asked Isa.

Shrugging, he said, "Got an apartment, got everything set up, got the fake paperwork from Ienzo to show that the half-pints exist, and got them into a school. That gave me plenty to do for the last couple of weeks or so."

"Sounds expensive and difficult, taking care of all of that. Are you doing okay, Lea? Do you need help?"

"I'm fine." Hesitating a moment, he lied, "Got a job and everything like a responsible adult."

That wasn't exactly a lie. Going out to fight Heartless for munny was almost like a job. It was hard work, exhausting, and occasionally painful. Maybe he could call it being self-employed.

"You? Responsible?" asked Isa.

Lea shoved him, earning a quiet chuckle from his friend. Then Isa took another bite of his ice cream. Like he was still the sensible and stoic Saïx instead of the person that Lea grew up with, the one with the subtle sense of humor and a bit of a sarcastic streak. It fooled no one. Isa did his best to look innocent and Lea seriously considered pushing him off the wall.

"Roxas and Xion seem to be happy though," continued Lea. "They have nightmares, but they seem happier now. More like normal kids. They have a home, new friends, and the life that they deserve. The kind of life that they've never had before. And I've managed to keep them safe and alive since we got them back. Sounds responsible to me."

He saw the brief flash of discomfort on Isa's face at the mention of the Keyblade wielders. Jealousy and guilt. But then he swallowed and the emotions slipped away. Isa was working on his issues with the pair, but he wasn't ready to face them yet. Just like Roxas and Xion weren't ready to confront Isa either.

It would take time. But Lea could be patient. He had hope.

"They have plenty of reason to have nightmares," said Isa simply. "I… I may be the reason for some of those nightmares."

Lea winced slightly, but he couldn't argue against it. Mostly because he didn't always know what they dreamed about. They didn't always share. Sometimes Lea could guess from what they said afterwards, but not every time.

"We both have reasons to feel guilty about how things worked out. I hurt them too," he said quietly. "But we also both have the chance to make things right."

Lea took a final bite of his ice cream, leaving the stick bare. Unlike in Twilight Town, there weren't any sticks with "Winner" written on them. There was no reason to check or keep them. No reason to tuck one away in his pocket to remember someone who was gone. He twisted the wooden stick between his fingers.

"And what about you, Isa?" he asked. "Any nightmares?"

Isa looked away, but not before Lea caught a glimpse of the grimace on his face. Lea's hand moved to settle on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. The gesture coaxed Isa into turning back towards him.

"I told you to call me if you needed me. That includes nightmares," said Lea gently. "Doesn't matter what's going on or what time it is. If you need me, call me. I'll be there."

"I told you that I would."

"Promise?"

Sighing tiredly, Isa said, "I promise that I'll call next time that something happens."

Lea grinned to himself. Then he slowly stood back up, brushing off his clothes.

"I wish that I could stay longer," he said. "But it is getting late and I need to be getting back."

"Roxas and Xion are expecting you?" asked Isa, climbing to his feet as well.

He nodded. Lea was doing better at bundling away the feeling of anxiety and distracting himself from the emotions. That was the only reason that he'd managed to handle the day at all. But those feelings were still there and just as strong. And he couldn't ignore it completely. As nice as it was to spend time with his oldest friend, Lea would feel better once he could see Roxas and Xion. Once he could reassure himself of their safety. He knew that it made him paranoid, but he couldn't help it.

"I can walk back to the castle with you first," said Lea. "I can spare a few more minutes."

Smiling wryly, Isa said, "You don't want to try sneaking in? We used to be good at it."

Chapter Text

Warm, drowsy, and cozy, Lea lingered on the delicate edge. Balanced between consciousness and slumber. He knew that he would have to get up soon. He'd vaguely noticed when Roxas had climbed out of the king-sized bed. That meant that he would need to get up soon and figure out some breakfast. But Lea found it hard to convince himself to wake up fully and start moving.

He was tired still, but he tended to remain that way. But at least there were no nightmares for himself last night. He always slept better with at least one of the half-pints within arm's reach. Last night had been one of Roxas's rough ones. One of the nightmares that hit early and left Roxas ready for a fight when he woke up. He did better once Lea calmed him down. And after the boy settled in, Lea slept like the dead.

And now he didn't want to get up. He just wanted to bury his head under a pillow to block out the early reddish-orange light.

Just a few more minutes.

A few more minutes and he would get up. He would get up and toss some cereal and toast onto the table for everyone. Lea would get breakfast for them before they headed off to school. He just wanted to stay warm in his oversized bed for a little longer.

"Axel, help!"

The terrified, desperate, and frantic shout from Roxas had Lea dashing out of his bedroom and scrambling down the hall before rational thought had a chance to form or for him to even comprehend the words. Panic gripped him hard, pulse racing and horrible scenarios flashing through his head. He nearly crashed to the ground as he flung himself into Xion's room, the source of the cry for help.

Both Roxas and Xion were present, which should have been reassuring. Except the twisted and rumpled bedding was stained with blood smeared on it and Xion pressed her back against the headboard, half-curled and pale. Pale and absolutely petrified. She almost seemed to be hyperventilating. Roxas held Oathkeeper tightly, his hands shaking. Both of them looked frightened, eyes wide and staring at the blood as the faint green glow of a Cure spell faded.

They looked frightened and incredibly young.

"It isn't working," said Roxas, looking up with wild eyes. "I keep trying, but it isn't working. What's wrong with her? Why won't it work?"

Fears screamed in Lea's head. He could barely think through his own terror. Fears about something being wrong and the Keyblade wielders being seriously hurt. Fears that there was something horribly wrong with their new replica bodies and they would fall apart. Fears of them being wounded, bleeding, dying.

There was blood smeared on Xion's sheets, on her curled legs, on her black shorts…

A memory from before he lost his heart, from health class back in school, hit hard through the panic. A lesson that had half the students snickering or squirming with discomfort. A lesson that he didn't remember many details from, but Lea remembered enough to put the current horror scene into context.

It made sense, now that he thought about it. Xion was originally one of the earliest versions of a replica. And during their Organization days, Xion's physical appearance depended on who was viewing her. She wouldn't have really been any specific sex at that point. She had been even less like a human than the rest of the Nobodies, at least physically. And despite having to teach them about almost everything, there had been no point where Axel felt compelled to explain puberty to Roxas or Xion. But now, about three and a half weeks after claiming a more human-like replica body, they were being confronted by certain biological facts of life.

Facts that Lea was in no way equipped to help them handle.

But there were two terrified half-pints who didn't know what was wrong and who needed him. Which meant that ready or not, it was time for him to step up.

Though he really regretted not paying closer attention in class that day.

Swallowing back the remnants of his earlier panic and his new overwhelming uncertainty, Lea tried to figure out a quick plan. He needed to get things under control. And that meant prioritizing. Xion was terrified into a silent, wide-eyed, and shaking ball, staring at the mess without apparently seeing anything and her arms curled around her middle. She seemed completely traumatized by her body betraying her. After everything that had happened to her over her short existence, he knew it had to be a horrible feeling. But pulling her out of the blind terror would take time. Lea knew it would.

It would be simpler to handle Roxas first. The boy looked like he was experiencing every traumatic memory of loss. He'd already seen Xion disappear once and he'd seen Axel fade away through Sora's eyes. And now he was confronted with Xion, bleeding and hurting in a way that he couldn't heal. Roxas was just as scared of losing her as she was of what was happening.

But Roxas hadn't sunk to that same level of unresponsiveness. Calming Roxas would be faster. And once Lea helped him, he could focus on Xion.

"Roxas," he said firmly, making the frantic boy's head snap around. Lea took his arm and pulled Roxas away from the bed. "Listen carefully. I know what's happening. It's going to be all right."

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm down, he banished his Keyblade. Roxas stared at him. Silently begging for answers and wanting to trust him. Lea pulled him gently towards the hall. Xion would be able to see them if she looked through the doorway, but it would give them some space to talk.

Gripping Roxas's shoulders while crouching down to his level, Lea said evenly, "She's going to be fine."

"She's not broken? She's not dying?" he whispered.

"No, she's not. There's no danger. But I need you to go ahead and get ready for school."

"I can't leave her."

"But you also don't want to stress her out more than what she is right now, right? Because she needs us to be calm. Roxas, I need you to go and get Xion's homework. And tell the teachers that she's sick today. I need you to go to school like normal and not worry the entire day. If you can do that, I can focus on helping Xion. Can I depend on you to do that while I fix this?"

"I thought you said she wasn't broken," he whispered frantically.

Wincing, Lea admitted, "Okay, bad choice of words. Not fix then. I need to sort it out."

"But you aren't explaining anything," he said desperately. "We agreed no more secrets. Why won't you just tell me what's wrong with Xion?"

"Because it is complicated and will take a while to explain properly. And the longer that I spend explaining what's going on with her, the longer Xion will have to wait before I can help her. Right now, Xion needs to take priority. So can you trust me when I promise to explain everything after you get back?" Knowing how hard the request was considering their history, Lea said, "Please trust me for now. Go to school, tell anyone who asks that Xion isn't feeling well, and try to keep your friends from coming to visit. Xion probably isn't going to feel like company."

Roxas stared at him silently for a moment, a hundred different emotions and thoughts flashing across his face. Then he glanced towards the bedroom and the terrified girl. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he nodded.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Lea said, "Good. Now… Change clothes, get a bowl of cereal, grab your backpack, and get to school. You handle that and I'll take care of Xion. Okay?"

He hesitated a moment longer, clearly reluctant to leave. He'd never been happy to go when something was wrong with his friend. Even if he couldn't do anything, he just wanted to be there for them. But somehow Lea must have earned back enough trust with the boy that he finally headed back to his room to hurry through the normal morning routine.

Lea closed his eyes for a brief second. That was one half-pint dealt with for the moment. Now he needed to work on the bigger issue.

He moved back towards the bed, trying to figure out how to approach things. Xion was still curled in a shaking ball with blood smeared on her. And as he edged closer, Lea could tell that she was trying to say something. Barely breathing out the words. Only occasionally audible sounds. Some form of denial. Too upset and scared by what was happening to properly scream or cry.

No wonder he didn't realize anything was wrong until Roxas shouted.

"Xion," he said gently. Lea reached out to cup her face. "Look at me."

Blinking her bright blue eyes, and those were definitely tears running down her face, Xion finally seemed to see him. Something in Lea squirmed uncomfortably at the sight of her tears and how unprepared he was for this conversation. But he couldn't give up now. She needed him.

"I'm broken," she whispered, still shaking. "It's broken. My new body's broken too. I don't want to disappear again."

Brushing back her black hair, Lea said, "You're not broken. You won't disappear. We won't let that happen. And I know what's happening and we'll sort it out." She took a shuddering breath at his words, almost like a relieved sob. "How about we start by cleaning up a bit? You'll feel better with a warm bath."

Xion managed an unsteady nod. But she made no further movements. She couldn't even bring herself to uncurl from her tight ball.

She wasn't a coward by any definition. He knew that Xion would face down any Heartless without hesitation. But having her body turn against her was something completely different.

Lea moved carefully, slowly scooping her up in his arms and lifting her off the bed. Then he carried her to the bathroom and set her on her feet. He waited until she seemed to shrug off the worst of her state of shock before he moved his arms away.

"Leave your clothes outside the door and run yourself a warm bath," he said gently. "I'll get some laundry started."

Still too pale and shivery, Xion gave another nod before closing the door. Lea headed back towards her room. He stripped the stained sheets from the bed, carried them to the main room and the washing machine, nodded towards Roxas as the boy hurried out the door, and measured out the heavy-duty detergent that he'd picked out from the store specifically to remove tough stains considering the types of adventures that they get dragged into. He moved with purpose, giving every outer appearance of being calm and in control.

But on the inside, Lea was mentally screaming.

The last time that he thought about the topic was when he was twelve and health class went over puberty. He wasn't even certain what his grade on the test afterwards ended up being. He might have flunked it for all that he knew.

He certainly didn't think about it at all during his Nobody days. He didn't worry or consider it when he first got to know Xion; he assumed that she either already knew or that it wasn't an issue for a Nobody. It wasn't like he'd asked Larxene if she had problems once a month.

Lea didn't know what he was doing. His memory was pretty good, but not on this particular subject. Some barely remembered facts from a textbook that he read over a decade ago was not enough to qualify him to explain what was happening.

Hands braced on the edges of the washing machine and taking deep breaths, Lea tried to settle his frantic thoughts. They kept spiraling in a faster and faster circle.

He needed to help Xion. He didn't know how. He needed to help Xion. He didn't know how. He needed to help Xion, he didn't know how, he needed to help Xion—

Lea shook his head sharply before ducking back into the hallway to retrieve the stained clothes. He tossed them into the washing machine with the rest of the laundry, starting up a longer cycle. Then he washed his hands before heading back. He could hear the water running, gradually filling up the tub.

He couldn't help her. He didn't know what to do to make everything all right. But Lea had one desperate idea on how to get Xion the help that she needed.

Knocking quietly on the door, Lea asked, "Xion? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," she said, her voice muffled by the wood.

"Everything is going to be fine. Just take a nice warm bath and relax until I get back."

"You're leaving?" she asked, a hint of panic slipping out as the pitch of her voice rose.

Leaning his forehead against the door, Lea said, "I have to go. I'm getting someone to help. I promise that it won't take long and then I'll be back." An idea sparked suddenly. "Can you hear the washing machine on the other side of the wall?"

"Yes?"

"Just stay in the tub and listen to it. I'll be back before it stops running. Okay?"

Hesitating a moment, Xion quietly answered, "Okay."

Lea moved quickly, heading back towards his room. He couldn't waste any time. He yanked on his old black coat from the wardrobe and threw it over his shorts and t-shirt. Then, creating a dark corridor at the end of the hallway, he raced out.

Xion turned off the water when the bathtub was full and slowly climbed in. She hissed as she sank into the almost scalding temperature of the water, but only took a couple of moments to adjust. And the heat sank into her body. Calming her despite her fears and soothing the sharp ache in her lower stomach.

The pain hurt, though not as much as being hit by a Heartless. But it scared her. The deep pain combined with the blood that seemed to come from nowhere, not a single visible wound on her while it dripped from between her legs. Something in her must be broken. Her new body was broken. Just like when she absorbed too many memories that didn't belong to her and ended up transformed to look like Sora. Something was wrong and Xion didn't want to fade away again.

She drew her legs up and hugged them close to her chest. She didn't want to disappear again. Xion didn't know what would happen to her if she did. Would she return to Sora? They didn't even know where he was. Would her heart join with Kingdom Hearts instead? Or would she simply cease to exist without a trace?

She didn't want to go away. She just wanted stay. To be with her friends. To have a life. It wasn't fair.

Xion took a shaking breath, wiped at the tears on her face, and listened to the quiet rumbling of the washing machine. Lea said that she wasn't broken. That he was going to get someone to help.

Probably someone who knew about replica bodies like Vexen— Even.

It would be all right. Lea would fix everything. She had to trust that. He wouldn't let Xion fade away again. Neither he nor Roxas would let her go. And if he couldn't prevent it, he would find a way to bring her back.

So she sat in the lightly-steaming water and listened to the washing machine on the other side of the wall, trying to remain calm. He would be back soon. And when he got back, everything would be all right.

The walk to school in the morning should have been a quiet experience, giving Kairi far too much time with only her thoughts. It would be easy to dwell and let herself sink into that guilt, grief, and loss. But while her path to school didn't take her by Riku's home, she didn't walk alone.

Selphie was a little younger than Kairi, but a very friendly and sweet girl. And she was perfectly happy to fill the silence with her chatter as they followed the path towards school, enjoying the early morning sun and the occasional calls of seagulls. She would talk about different things that she, Tidus, and Wakka would do. Or recently, Selphie would discuss her theories concerning Kiru. She seemed curious about him. About where he came from, how he was related to Riku, and if she should invite him to visit the play island sometime. Kairi suspected that Selphie might have a crush on him.

And the more that she thought about it, the more that Kairi thought it would end badly if her friend did have a crush. Kairi didn't know what exactly the relationship between Kiru and Naminé might be beyond the drowsy, warm, and bright feeling from the heart resting inside her. But she suspected that Selphie wouldn't have much luck if she tried to pursue Kiru.

Perhaps it was time to warn her. Before Selphie got her feelings hurt.

"—And I know that he looks exactly like Riku did at that age," continued Selphie, swinging her white bag back and forth in her arms as she walked, "but he really is kind of cute in a quiet and withdrawn sort of way. He has that mysterious loner thing going on and you just want to… find that sweet side that you know is inside."

Trying to keep her tone casual, Kairi said, "I'm sure he'll open up more once his friend comes back."

"His friend?"

Nodding, she said, "He's waiting for her. Naminé. Kiru would do anything for her. I know that he misses her deeply, but he looks forward to when they are reunited and he won't have to worry anymore."

Rather than look disappointed by the revelation, Selphie seemed delighted. Her eyes lit up, her face erupted into a bright smile, and she practically squealed in excitement.

"That sounds so romantic," she said. "Is it true love? Did he promise to wait for her forever?"

Laughing slightly, Kairi said, "I don't even know if it's like that. They could just be really good friends."

"Should I ask him about Naminé? Do you think that Kiru would tell me about their love story?"

"Don't do that, Selphie. It would be like asking Riku something like that. You'll just end up with someone bright red and unable to answer any questions for the rest of the afternoon."

She chuckled at the idea. But Kairi's attention was immediately yanked away by the feeling of darkness and a familiar sound. Both she and Selphie spun around to see a swirling corridor of darkness behind them. And a tall figure in a black coat with the hood pulled up stepped through.

Kairi's hand shot out and she gathered power, ready to summon Destiny's Embrace and cast a strong fire spell. She refused to be kidnapped that morning.

Then he shoved back his hood to reveal a rather frantic-looking Lea, who immediately dove to grab her extended hand.

"I need you to come with me," he said quickly.

Kairi opened her mouth, intending to ask what happened and what was wrong. But there was a sudden shout and a jump rope snapped against his forearm. Lea yelped in surprise, letting go.

"Run, Kairi!"

Her head snapped around to see Selphie bouncing around in her school uniform, her bag on the ground and the girl holding her jump rope like a weapon. Which raised the question of why she was bringing a jump rope to school, but apparently that was something that she decided to do. And now she was trying to drive off a stranger in black using a toy.

"Why is everyone trying to attack me?" complained Lea, shaking his arm briefly.

"Because you came out of a corridor of darkness to grab me, Axel. Again," said Kairi before turning towards the other girl. "It's fine, Selphie. He's a friend."

Still balanced on the balls of her feet and holding her jump rope aggressively, she asked, "Really? 'Cause he looks really creepy and dangerous."

"He is sometimes, but he won't hurt us." Kairi turned her attention back towards him. "What happened, Axel? Why didn't you call me?"

Wincing, he said, "Calling. Right. Wasn't thinking. But I need help, Kairi, and you're the only person that I can ask." Running an anxious hand through his hair before scratching the back of his head, Lea admitted, "Well, I could try Aqua, but I don't know her that well, Xion doesn't know her that well either, and the whole thing is awkward enough to ask about without trying it with someone who is still that new to us."

He was rambling. Lea was rambling. He didn't ramble like that. Whatever was wrong really had him frazzled.

Kairi turned and said, "Selphie, can you cover for me at school? Sounds like we've got a bit of an emergency. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You got it," she said, her stance relaxing as she started winding up her jump rope. "Tell everyone you're home sick?"

Nodding, Kairi said, "Everyone except Riku. You can tell him that I went to help Axel."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need to hurry back. I told Xion that I wouldn't be gone long," he said, taking a step closer to the corridor of darkness. "I promise I'll explain on the way, but we need to go."

Kairi wasn't wearing her bespelled clothes that the three fairies gave her. She was dressed only in her ordinary school uniform, practically identical to what Selphie was wearing. And there was nothing unusual in her durable brown bag. She was not equipped for a proper adventure. But she didn't need the protection from the darkness and she could summon her Keyblade if she needed it. She would be fine. Kairi didn't need to pause or grab anything before following Lea into the dark corridor.

Stepping into the apartment, he could tell that Kairi clearly wished that she could look around properly. She craned her neck briefly, trying to take in every inch of their new surroundings. She was a curious girl and he knew that she wanted to explore beyond the light tan hallway that they emerged in. But after Lea explained what happened, she seemed to understand the urgency. She'd pulled out some paper and a pencil from her bag at some point and started scribbling as they hurried through the dark corridor. Kairi seemed to be putting together her plan of attack.

At least one of them knew what they were doing.

The washing machine buzzed briefly, signaling the end of the cycle. He managed to keep his promise to Xion. Which was good since he definitely didn't want to risk upsetting her worse. Lea knocked gently on the bathroom door.

"Axel?" she called a little desperately.

"Yeah, I'm here." Lea smiled weakly. "I brought someone to talk to you. You remember Kairi?"

Stepping over to the bathroom door, Kairi said, "Hey, Xion. Can I come in and talk?"

There was a brief hesitation before an uncertain "okay" came through the door. Then Kairi shoved the piece of paper into his hand.

"I'll handle Xion," she said quietly. "Can you go pick up everything on that list?"

He didn't want to leave again. Not until he was certain that she would be all right. But Kairi would be able to help her more than he could. He could trust her. The best thing that he could do was exactly what Kairi asked. He could make certain that Xion would have everything that she needed.

He had a plan now. Change out of his black coat, move the laundry to the dryer, and then shopping for emergency supplies. Lea could handle that much.

Kairi slipped inside before closing the bathroom door behind her. It was a long and relatively narrow space, painted the same light tan color as the hallway and simple white tiles on the floor. There was a sink on the left side and a toilet on the right, both of them made of white porcelain. And the far end was dominated by a tub half hidden by a white shower curtain. Kairi carefully edged closer before sitting on the tan rug beside the bathtub, settling her bag beside her.

The shower curtain might have hidden part of the tub, but not everything. Xion sat curled up in the water, chin resting on her knees and watching with uncertain eyes. The lost expression broke Kairi's heart. At least she'd known what was happening back when she first experienced the same thing. Some science classes at school and her adopted mother explained everything ahead of time. Xion didn't have that advantage. Her body just started doing new things for no apparent reason.

"Axel told me what happened this morning," said Kairi gently. "I guess that scared you a bit. I know how you feel."

Raising head, she asked slowly, "You do?"

"The sudden bleeding? Maybe some aching down here?" she asked, touching her lower stomach to demonstrate.

"Yes?" said Xion, uncurling slightly.

Kairi started digging through her bag and said, "You're based a little on me. Or at least, Sora's memories of me. But the important thing is that you're like me. And that's what happens with girls like me."

She frowned briefly in frustration. Why did this always happen? Whenever she needed something from her schoolbag, it always ended up at the very bottom? No matter what she wanted to grab, it always migrated to the hardest spot to reach.

"I don't know what happens with people from other worlds. Like the mermaids that Sora met in Atlantica, Mrs. Potts from the Beast's Castle, or Queen Minnie and Daisy at Disney Castle," she continued, mentally going through the various worlds that she'd never had a chance to truly visit with Sora like they'd talked about. Kairi shook off the sad stray thought and focused more on the present. "But for girls like you and me, this happens when we're old enough. Boys like Sora, Roxas, and probably Axel go through different things as they age, but it's part of this process called puberty. It just means we're not quite little kids anymore and are slowly getting closer to being adults. It isn't fun for us, but it is a normal part of growing up."

"This is normal? I'm not broken?"

"No. You're perfectly normal," said Kairi, yanking out her textbooks, notebooks, and pencils from the bag to make it easier to find what she was looking for. "The bleeding, achiness, and stuff? When your body gets used to it, it'll happen in a regular cycle. The bleeding will stop in about a week and then it'll be gone until next month."

Victory. Kairi's hand finally wrapped around the spare emergency pad that she kept in her schoolbag. She pulled it out and held it up to show Xion.

"Until this cycle is over, you'll need to use one of these. I'll show you how to put them on and we can talk some more if you want. But first, how about you drain out that water and take a warm shower? The water in the tub is probably getting cold by now."

Lea stared at the shelves of the local grocery store silently for several minutes. He glanced back down at the list before looking back up towards the shelves of products. Apparently, the brands on the Destiny Islands didn't match the ones for Twilight Town. Which made Kairi's list a lot less useful.

Some of the items were easy enough to figure out, even if they weren't exactly the same as what she requested. He'd already added some bars of chocolate to the basket. Chocolate was chocolate, regardless of the name on the wrapper. But for the more important items, there seemed to be dozens of different products in different sizes and styles. And Lea didn't know enough about feminine supplies to even fake it.

Should he just grab a box of each one? He could get a little of everything and let Kairi figure out which one was the closest to the ones that she bought on her home world. That could get expensive. But it would be better than not finding what Xion needed.

Lea reached out and grabbed the arm of a passing stock boy. Someone a few years older than Sora and the others, but far too spindly and gangly to swing a Keyblade properly.

"I need some recommendations," said Lea, gesturing at the numerous products.

The poor employee immediately blanched when he realized what Lea was asking about. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It wasn't like Lea was forcing him to come back to the apartment to explain how to use them to Xion, step-by-step.

Though if he hadn't found Kairi, that might have ended up as a possible backup plan.

"Lea?"

He turned at the sound of his name. Gina walked over to him with a concerned frown. The older woman was carrying her own basket with more normal groceries like bread and rice. She glanced between him and the poor stock boy that he was currently holding hostage. Then she looked towards the shelves. Finally, an expression of realization and comprehension blossomed across her face.

"Oh, dear," she said. "Your girl? Xion?" Gina studied his expression a moment longer. "And I'm guessing that this is the first time that this has happened. Most girls that I grew up with started younger, but there's nothing wrong with being a late bloomer."

Grimacing, he admitted, "Yeah. Bit of a new experience for both of us. Caught us by surprise."

"Would you like some assistance? I don't have to deal with that issue myself anymore, but I have a few decades of experience with the matter. I might be able to offer some help," suggested Gina carefully.

Lea hesitated a moment. Then he released his grip on the stock boy and let the young man flee for the safety of the registers. Gina took the gesture as acceptance and took a step closer.

"First, ignore all of these," she said, gesturing towards a row of teal boxes. "Those usually work better when girls are closer to grown. Unless she wants to go swimming, I would suggest staying with pads for the first few years. Her body is still growing and adapting, after all. Her cycle probably won't even be regular the first few times anyway."

Gina picked up a pink box and a purple one, considering them carefully. Then she set down the pink box before grabbing a green one. Lea couldn't really tell much difference, but apparently the mysterious and cryptic descriptions meant something to her. The older woman nodded thoughtfully before handing the green box to Lea.

"They came out with a new material for them a few years ago," she continued. "Much nicer than what they used in my day. Now the pads can be thinner and lighter while being just as effective. Which will feel much more comfortable and less bulky, especially for someone who is still getting used to pads in general. And always make sure to buy the ones with wings to help keep them in place. I'm sure that Xion will appreciate that." She picked up a different green box. "The smaller size will work for lighter days, but these longer ones are better for wearing at night while she sleeps or if she plans to be particularly active. Less chance of leaks."

Lea dutifully placed the second box in his basket. He hoped there were instructions in the box just in case Kairi didn't explain everything. Because he certainly couldn't help Xion with that part. Though now that he thought about it, asking Gina would have been simpler and faster than snatching Kairi from another world.

Of course, he trusted Kairi and she knew more about Xion's background than Gina. She knew how young Xion truly was. Less chance of misunderstandings or missing important information because she assumed that everyone already knew about something basic.

"Do you have a teapot?" she asked suddenly.

Blinking in surprise, Lea said, "No?"

Gina started walking and, after a moment of hesitation, Lea followed. She led him towards a different corner of the small store. And once there, she started hunting among the small containers.

"I believe that I have an entire tea set that I never use. You would be doing me a favor by taking it off my hands. I have too much clutter at the moment." Gina smiled and said, "Normal potions only help somewhat with the cramps. They can dull pain to an extent, but there is nothing there to really heal. And while they make medicine specifically to help, I always preferred tea. Ginger tea always seemed to work best for me, though it tends to have some bite to it. If the ginger is too spicy, raspberry tea can also help. Xion might prefer the more fruity and tart flavor instead. Even peppermint does a decent job, though I wouldn't rely on that one as much when it comes to cramps."

"Ginger or raspberry tea," repeatedly Lea dutifully.

Should he be taking notes? He didn't have anything to write with. Maybe he could get Gina to write down everything later.

"At night, don't use the other teas. They'll just keep her awake. A cup of chamomile tea before bed. You might like it as well," she said. "It'll help Xion, but chamomile tea is also good when it comes to calming down, relaxing, and sleeping."

"Anything else?"

"You're already doing well with the dark chocolate. Salty foods tend to make the symptoms worse, but chocolate helps for some reason. And on the worst days, it might be worth investing in a heating pad or a hot water bottle." She reached out and took his arm, leading him away casually as if they often went on shopping trips together. "Let me show you which stain remover works best on blood."

Notes. He definitely should be taking notes. Or maybe he could pick up a book afterwards. He remembered seeing a bookstore at one point over the years. He'd done enough reconnaissance in Twilight Town over the years that he should be able to find it again.

When Lea made it back to the apartment, his arms loaded down with bags of supplies, he found two teenage girls curled up on the couch. Xion seemed calmer than earlier. Wrapped in Lea's oversized black bathrobe, Xion was leaned in close to Kairi, both of them messing with a Gummiphone. Judging by the sounds, they were playing a game.

"Everything all right here?" he asked as he closed the door.

Glancing up, Kairi said, "I think so. I stole a bathrobe for Xion to wear since she said her pajamas were still in the dryer. Also, your bed is impractically big and amazing. I'm extremely jealous."

Lea grinned as he set his load on the table. In addition to everything that he found at the grocery store, he did swing by the bookstore to find a backup resource. Then there was the box that Gina thrusted at him when she ran into him again before Lea could make it back upstairs. He was very much aware that the green teapot and four matching teacups were clearly brand new and she probably bought them while he was in the bookstore. But Lea wasn't going to complain about it.

"Did you explain what's going on?" he asked.

Grimacing, Kairi said, "I talked about the basics of what's happening and what she'll need to do about it. Anything more detailed or anything to do with the actual…" She gestured vaguely as her face reddened. "Sorry, but I left the rest vague."

"Once a month," said Xion, looking up from the Gummiphone, "for a week. And it goes on forever."

"Well, not forever," she muttered.

Pulling the oversized and plush fabric tighter around herself, Lea's large bathrobe nearly swallowing her up, Xion said, "It's not fair. Can we go talk to Even and ask him to take out the stuff that makes it happen?"

"First, I'm impressed that you remembered his name is Even now," he said before flopping on the couch next to them, dragging a hand down his face. "And second, can we wait until you've known about everything for more than a few hours before you decide to ask a mad scientist to rip out your organs? That's not too much to ask, is it? Just give yourself some time to consider it before making any rash decision, please. If you still feel like it later, we'll go talk to him about it. Deal?"

Xion gave a slow nod before turning her attention back towards the Gummiphone. She seemed to be enjoying the game. Lea had poked at them before and found it amusing that each Gummiphone seemed to use a tiny, pixilated version of the owner for the games. Which mean a tiny version of Xion was moving across the screen.

"There's some pads in the bag and some chocolate," he said. Lea reached around to squeeze her with a one-armed hug. "Give me a moment or two and I'll fix up some tea I want you to try. Gina told me it should help."

Lea didn't stand back up immediately. He just wanted to relax after the stressful morning. Just a chance to sit, do nothing, and not have to worry about his half-pints. They should have a few calm hours before Roxas made it home. Lea didn't feel comfortable leaving Xion alone while he took Kairi back, so he needed to wait until Roxas could stay with her.

Of course, when Roxas made it back, Lea would owe him a few explanations. He did promise. And he would have to explain more than just what happened with Xion. He would have to explain to them about everything. The book that he picked up, "My Changing Body," might give them plenty of general information. But they would have questions. They always had questions and he would need to answer them. The book would only delay the inevitable.

Suddenly, he was dreading Roxas's return.

Isa closed the door behind him, rubbing the back of his neck. Ansem the Wise provided him with a room in the castle for as long as he wanted to stay, along with a surprisingly generous stipend for his use to furnish it however he might want and a high wage for his help that practically reeked of guilt. It wasn't much of a room, but it was a small space to call his own. A bed, a desk, a chair, a dresser for his meager collection of clothes, and a small green rug so that he didn't have to immediately step on the cold stone floor in the morning. Plain and practical, just like him. But the important thing was that it gave him a place to rest at the end of the day when he needed to get away from everyone else.

Though it might not be his room for much longer. There had been discussions about setting up a secondary location. With most of their current resources in the lab being gradually dedicated towards the work on Naminé's future body, a project that would take months to complete, Ienzo suggested making use of the computer systems and pods that they left in the Old Mansion in Twilight Town. They could borrow one of the pods to house the replica during the construction process and have the computer work on unscrambling some of the corrupted files, freeing Tron up to focus on system security again. And it never hurt to have a backup.

But before they could properly utilize the secondary site, someone would have to work on restoring the old building. It wasn't decrepit or on the verge of collapse, but most of it could use some work if they wanted to consider it truly habitable. Hard work and patience. The project would keep them busy for a while.

And while Isa did intend to keep searching for clues about the long-missing girl, he did see the appeal of working on a physical project. There was something reassuring about having a goal where he could make tangible and noticeable progress. Fixing the mansion was one such goal. And he could stay there during the restoration process. Living in Twilight Town would make it easier to see Lea more often than his calls on the Gummiphone or a visit once a week.

He missed his friend.

Of course, as soon as he decided to move to Twilight Town, he wouldn't be able to avoid Roxas and Xion any longer. Isa would have to face them and all of his past crimes against the children. He didn't look forward to that confrontation. Not even slightly. But it had to be done.

Isa couldn't put it off forever.

He wandered over to his bed, sitting on the edge. Isa reached up to tug at the zipper. But before he could shuck off his jacket, an insistent jingle interrupted.

Isa expected to see Lea when he answered his Gummiphone. What he didn't expect to see was his friend holding it up while burying his face into a pillow.

"Rough day?" asked Isa, raising an eyebrow.

Lea groaned into the pillow. Add a yellow checkered bandana around his neck and it would be exactly the same as his teenage years, with Lea complaining dramatically about their homework assignment or Aeleus catching them yet again trying to sneak into the castle or even the time that they were out of sea-salt ice cream for a week and he refused to try any other flavor on principle. Isa waited patiently until Lea slowly raised his head.

"Xion's started puberty."

Frowning, Isa said, "Since her appearance is based on Kairi and she had already started to develop physically, I am fairly certain Xion is already in the middle of puberty."

Groaning dramatically again, this time without the pillow to muffle the sound, Lea said, "No, I mean the rest of it. Even's new replicas are much more human than her old body. She's a normal human girl and that includes all the complicated parts of puberty."

Isa almost asked for a better explanation of what he meant, but he could connect the dots. And he could mentally work out a general idea of what happened with Xion. It must have been a very awkward day for everyone involved.

"How did that conversation go?" he asked.

"Kairi gave her some basic information, but mostly just on what's happening to her at the moment," said Lea. "Not the rest. Not why those changes happen or what they mean or…"

He groaned as he dropped his head back down on the pillow again. Isa waited patiently until Lea eventually gathered up the willpower to look at the Gummiphone again.

"I gave Xion and Roxas a book to read," he continued. "It seemed to explain all the body part names, even for the inner organs. And it talks about the different changes. Deepening voices, body hair, and so on. But that will only delay things for a little while. They'll ask questions. Lots of questions."

"Someone will have to give them the Talk," said Isa. "And that is typically the job of a child's parents or guardian."

The next groan was the longest, loudest, and overly melodramatic one yet. It took a lot for Isa not to grin at his behavior or at least roll his eyes. Over a decade later and not even slightly more mature.

"I don't want to give them the Talk," he complained tiredly. "Can you do it? You're older than me."

"By one year."

"That still counts."

Keeping his expression completely stoic, Isa said calmly, "I'm sorry. I can't hear you. Something must be wrong with the Gummiphone."

Lea narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. Isa refused to let his expression change. He refused to react. But Lea knew him better than that.

"You big liar. There's nothing wrong with the Gummiphone," he said, glaring through the screen.

"Still can't hear you. I think I'm losing the signal."

"Isa," he said, sounding like he was trying to be annoyed while also fighting back laughter, "don't do it. Don't you dare."

"Such a shame about the Gummiphones. So unreliable."

"Isa, I swear I'll—"

A quick press of the button and Isa ended the call. Then he started laughing. A full-body laugh that shook his shoulders and left him falling back on the bed, his face hurting from the size of his smile. He hadn't laughed like that in a very long time.

Isa knew that he would pay for that the next time that he saw Lea, but it was worth it. He had faith that Lea could handle the situation. It wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be. He wasn't panicking when he called Isa. Merely complaining and groaning about it. Isa knew Lea. That meant that everything was fine. And it also meant that Isa could laugh about his dramatics without guilt.

Chapter Text

There was an interesting optical illusion that all the local kids thought was the weirdest and most amazing trick. It had to do with the way that the sun reflected off the ocean, bending the light at just the right angle.

Except for in the very early morning, it was impossible to see the main island from the play island. It was like the larger island didn't exist or was invisible. Which gave the kids a sense of being alone and on their own while they ran across their domain.

And in reverse, the play island couldn't be seen at dawn from the main island. But the rest of the time, the play island looked much closer than it actually was. Which could be annoying when you were trying to row out to it and your arms were tired, but the rest of the time it was neat.

It was a strange optical illusion. The teachers gave them a simplified explanation when they first started school. But Riku missed the more complicated and scientific description that they provided when the students were older. It was apparently during the time frame that he was gone. He'd missed a lot of school by being off world. He was actually repeating a grade because of how long he was gone.

While none of the three of them spent as much time anymore on the Destiny Islands in general and the play island specifically, at least not since the first time that they left their world, Riku still occasionally found himself drawn there. There was a familiarity to it that was sometimes comforting. They'd spent a lot of time there, running and climbing over every inch of the island. They'd explored every part of it.

Where once that familiarity was suffocating, he now appreciated the comfort of knowing his home world that well. He remembered climbing every tree. He remembered scrambling and running along the obstacle course that they'd set up. He remembered them creeping into the darker secret place where untold numbers of kids over the years had scribbled drawings on the rocks. He remembered where it was safe to swim and where it wasn't, the places that were blocked off by boards as warnings or how just a little past the small islet it would suddenly drop off and every parent warned about the undertow. Riku almost knew the play island better than the main island.

But as comforting as it might feel to be there, it also felt wrong now. It felt wrong being there alone. There should have been three of them perched on the small islet. They should be together, like when they were younger.

But he was alone, leaning against the tree as he stared out at the ocean. Sora was gone. Gone and they were left with only the faintest idea of how to get him back.

They only had a few separate pieces of the overall puzzle and were seeking out more. Jiminy Cricket mentioned that the youngest version of Xehanort talked about Sora being doomed to a dark abyss. If he meant that literally, then that would hint at him ending up somewhere in the Realm of Darkness. But it was rare that any form of Xehanort was that straight forward when it came to telling someone anything useful. If he meant the warning metaphorically, then Sora could be anywhere. The connections to Roxas, Xion, and Ventus were either gone or weakened until they couldn't be detected. Aqua, Terra, and Ventus were gathering books from their library and Master Yen Sid scoured his ancient tomes. And Riku knew that Mickey was searching some of the closest worlds for hints alongside Donald and Goofy.

Riku found himself doing the same thing on the weekends.

Guilt burned in his chest almost constantly. Riku and Kairi knew that Sora had a tendency to risk everything for his friends. He'd done it before. They'd sat there the day before the battle, watching the sunset and talking about how they needed to keep an eye on him. But even knowing that Sora might try something reckless, they didn't protect him. They didn't do anything and now he was gone.

They had to get him back. Sora had saved them more times than he could count. Riku would never forgive himself if they couldn't bring him home.

A faint scraping sound made Riku turn his head, spotting Kairi climbing onto the bent tree. He hadn't even noticed her rowing to the island. He must have been more distracted by his thoughts than he expected.

"Did you come here right after school?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged and said, "At least I didn't skip class completely. My parents might be willing to let Kiru stay at home for now, but they want at least one version of their son to finish school."

"It is nice that we're in the same classes now."

"Because I was held back a year."

"Well, that's what happens when you miss an entire year of school because you were running around in a black coat and a blindfold. You could have at least stopped by at some point to let me or your family know that you were all right."

Shifting awkwardly, Riku muttered, "It didn't feel right coming home without Sora. It would have felt like I was giving up or that I'd failed." He briefly clenched his hand in a fist at his side before letting the tension bleed out of him again. "How are Axel and the others? Any more problems since then?"

Kairi accepted the change of topic without question. She shook her head, turning her gaze back towards the horizon. She hadn't explained much about what happened a few days ago. Kairi just came back and claimed that Xion needed some advice. But Selphie made Lea's arrival sound very dramatic and impressive.

She also mentioned that the tall redhead was "hot" in a "bad boy" kind of way, but Selphie had a tendency lately to develop crushes on almost anyone. Riku was simply thankful that she hadn't developed one on him.

"I called Axel yesterday to check on them," she said. "Everyone seems fine now. How about the others? Have you heard anything?"

Crossing his arms, Riku said, "Terra contacted me. They are adjusting to everything still. It's been a long time for them, but they're coping. And Isa asked me if I could help him move a few things with the Gummi Ship in a couple of days or so. They want to do some renovations and improvements to the Old Mansion in Twilight Town."

"Well," she said slowly, "I'm sure that Axel will appreciate having him on the same world. The other two might need some time to get used to the idea though." Leaning forward, Kairi asked, "Did you and Roxas talk? About everything that happened?"

Riku grimaced slightly. He didn't regret doing everything possible to bring Sora back when Naminé needed to straighten out his memories. But he did regret what his actions did to Roxas and Xion. They didn't deserve that. He would never be able to undo what happened, even if they were back now. He should have tried to find another way. And part of him dreaded talking about those mistakes with Roxas or Xion.

He'd made a lot of mistakes over the last several years. Confronting them never got any easier or less painful.

"You know that you owe him a proper apology," she said gently.

"I know I do." Pausing briefly, Riku added, "I also owe him 5000 munny."

Dropping off the tree trunk, Kairi asked, "What?"

"In the simulation," he said uncomfortably. "I… stole it from him?"

"Riku," said Kairi sharply.

"DiZ said we couldn't let them go to the beach. He didn't program one because it would give the Dusks another way in. So I had to stop them. The simplest way to do it without hurting anyone was to keep them from buying train tickets. So I took his munny."

"Riku."

And that turned out to be the breaking point. Of all the things that happened and all the mistakes that he'd made since the moment that he accepted the invitation into darkness in order to have the power to leave home, this was what Kairi decided to scold him about. Riku stealing data munny from a simulated world. Maybe it was the stress and guilt, but the absurdity of the entire thing made him snort. Then a quiet chuckle followed before gaining enough strength to transform into actual laughter.

He laughed and Kairi shoved his shoulder, joining in with some giggling of her own. They kept laughing until Riku lost his balance and collapsed on the ground. Kairi quickly followed. By that point, they weren't even laughing about anything specific. They were laughing simply because they were laughing.

It was the kind of ridiculous moments that would have left Sora beaming next to them, barely able to contain his own laughter. It made Riku miss their friend even more. And that thought finally made his laughter die down.

Kairi took a moment longer to realize that he'd stopped. But then she fell silent too, a concerned frown forming.

"Riku," said Kairi, nudging him. Uncertain, she said quietly, "If you're…"

Kairi fell silent, biting her lower lip. Then she leaned against his side. They sat on the ground in silence for a few moments. They couldn't see the main island at that time of day, the optical illusion ensured that, so there was nothing blocking their view of the sunset currently.

"We're allowed to be happy," she said finally. "We can laugh. We can smile. Sora wouldn't want us to stop living just because he's missing. Laughing or having a nice day with your other friends doesn't mean that you've given up on finding him."

Smiling weakly, Riku said, "I know."

It just didn't feel like it sometimes.

Saïx was fighting. Fast and brutal. Instinctively fighting with no thought or strategy. Trapped in the power and rush of his Berserk state.

His opponent was a thin and agile thing, twisting and dodging. But he could not let it escape. And more importantly, it would not get past him. He must stop his opponent from getting past him. It wanted something deeper in the castle. He could not allow it to reach its goal.

Saïx swung his claymore, but he couldn't seem to land a solid blow. The opponent refused to stay still. It spun metal circles with flames. Blocking and deflecting his weapon when it couldn't move out of the way fast enough. It was strong, but he was stronger physically. It hit hard when it landed a strike and its flames were vicious things. But his Berserk state ensure that he barely noticed or cared. He kept pushing forward.

Stop the opponent. Destroy the opponent.

His claymore twisted and sliced through the air. The weapon smashed down, cracking the floor beneath them when he missed. Each blow was meant to be fatal and final. Destructive and deadly as the Nobody wielding the claymore. If he could land a proper hit, the battle would be over.

His opponent suddenly dashed forward. A powerful punch to his jaw, metal and flesh landing the blow. Hard enough to knock Saïx to the ground. Too stunned to immediately moved.

Then it stopped fighting. It assumed that he was unconscious from the strike. It turned its attention away from Saïx, intent on heading deeper into the castle. A mistake.

Saïx flung himself to his feet and swung his weapon hard. The claymore connected, burying deeply into his opponent's side. Driving out a broken gasp of shock and pain.

Only then did details of his opponent register. Details that finally made it through that battle haze of his Berserk state.

A black coat. Red hair. Twin chakrams dissolving away.

A familiar figure facing away from him, the claymore cutting deep into him and nearly slicing him in half.  Saïx's  claymore.

Axel.

His claymore was buried into Axel.

No.

With another choking gasp, Axel staggered away a few steps while clutching at his wound. And then Axel turned slightly, looking at him with eyes dulled with pain and shocked betrayal. Silently asking why Saïx did that to him.

Saïx wanted to dismiss his weapon. He wanted to stop, beg for forgiveness, and find a way to heal the deep wound that he'd caused. But he took a step towards Axel, as if part of him still wanted to finish the job. The claymore was still in his hand as he lifted his arm.

Flames flared up, summoned by the wounded Nobody. Separating Saïx from Axel as he stumbled back a few steps. Clutching at his side, he managed to summon a dark corridor. Gasping and his eyes never leaving Saïx even as he kept his defensive barrier of fire under control, Axel moved backwards towards his escape route.

Then, as he stepped back into the dark corridor, Saïx noticed thin tendrils of nothingness flaking off the injury.

Axel was starting to fade away. To dissolve into nothingness.

Saïx finally regained control of himself enough to throw himself through the flames after him. But the dark corridor was already closing. Taking his dying best friend with him.

No. He couldn't let it happen. Axel couldn't die.

No. No.  No.

Isa bolted upright, a shout of absolute horror dying in his throat. His hand fumbled in the dark for the object that he needed. His fingers shook as he poked at the screen. He couldn't think past the deafening pounding in his chest and ears. He was frantic. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be real.

Some of his scrambled thoughts began to settle as the Gummiphone rang. Then Isa felt foolish. It was just a nightmare. It never happened. But before he could hang up, someone answered.

"Isa?" said Lea in a groggy, confused, and increasingly concerned voice. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called," he said quietly.

"No, it's fine. And don't apologize."

Isa could see him yawn on the screen before dragging a hand down his face, looking more coherent by the moment. Lea was obviously in bed, his head resting on a pillow as he held the Gummiphone above him. It was yet another reminder that he'd just woke his friend up over a dumb nightmare in the middle of the night. He didn't even wake up his own parents over nightmare after he was six years old. Isa's initial horror was being replaced by guilt and embarrassment as Lea studied his expression.

"You're safe," said Lea firmly. "You're alive. You're real. We're safe, alive, and real. It was just a nightmare."

The calm and practiced words shouldn't have been as comforting as they were. But there was something grounding about them. Perhaps it was just his tone of voice. Or perhaps it was because Lea was alive to say them.

If Lea was talking to him, then the nightmare hadn't come true. He hadn't killed his best friend.

Isa took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was just a nightmare. A figment of his imagination and nothing more.

"What do you need?" he continued softly. "It might take me a little while to get there, but I can head over to Radiant Garden if that's what you need."

He shook his head and said, "No, I'm fine. I shouldn't have woken you up. I'm sorry for that."

"No apologizing for nightmares. That's the new rule," said Lea. "Besides, you weren't the first tonight."

He tilted the Gummiphone first one way and then in the other direction. Isa watched the screen as Lea revealed that Roxas and Xion were curled on either side of him. The pair were sleeping. Clearly undisturbed by the quiet conversation.

"They had a rough night too," said Lea. "I think Xion's nightmare had to do with Larxene's knives, but Roxas didn't talk about his." He turned the screen back towards his face. "See? You didn't wake me up."

Isa didn't know how to respond to that. Even if Lea was already awake, he felt bad about disturbing him over nothing.

The nightmare was awful, but it wasn't real. He never killed his friend. Not even when Xemnas was pushing them to fight during the Keyblade War. They'd fought at different points, but Axel or Lea always managed to walk away from those fights. Even the fights that Isa couldn't remember clearly because of his Berserk state always ended with them both surviving.

He never killed his friend. It was the other Nobodies and his fire attack on them that made Axel fade away the first time. And Saïx managed to banish his claymore before he could finish Lea off in their most recent fight. The nightmare was nothing more than his imagination conjuring up his worst fears. Nothing worth getting worked up over.

But he didn't want to dwell on that nightmare. He didn't want to think about the idea of his weapon buried deep into Lea's side. He didn't want to think about how real it felt in that dream, almost like a memory if he didn't know better. His imagination was too good. Isa would rather focus on anything else. Anything other than that vivid nightmare. And he eventually settled on something to distract himself away from that.

"Are you three wearing matching pajamas?" he asked.

Lea snorted quietly. The more that Isa studied the screen, the more certain that he was. Identical white t-shirts on all three of them. A bit plain in style. Certainly more plain than the blue plaid-patterned pajamas that Isa chose.

"Their normal clothes are a bit more interesting," said Lea quietly, "but at least the t-shirts and shorts are comfortable. And yes, they match."

Isa considered what else to say to him. He should probably mention that he would be heading to Twilight Town soon. It would be a nice surprise, but not one that he should risk springing on Roxas and Xion. On the other hand, it was probably not a conversation that they should have in the middle of the night. And when he saw Lea trying to smother a yawn, he knew that he was right.

And now that the lingering panic from the nightmare had faded completely, his own weariness was creeping back in.

"Doing better?" asked Lea, his voice still low.

Nodding, Isa said, "I'm fine now. I should let you get back to sleep."

"Try to get some sleep too. It's late and you look tired."

Sleeping should be easier now. Seeing Lea alive and whole helped banish that previous fear. Isa shouldn't have any more trouble with that nightmare.

He would never hurt his friend like that. He wouldn't kill his best friend, even in the depths of his brutal Berserk state. It would never happen. Isa comforted himself with that knowledge.

He threw the twin burning circles through the air, sending them flying towards the large Heartless. They struck hard at its small head before returning to Lea's hand, transforming back into his Keyblade. Then he dashed forward.

The round, large, and tough Heartless could be tricky to handle. Fat Bandits, rather similar to the sturdy Large Bodies, were nearly invulnerable except for their heads. The main difference between the two varieties was that the Fat Bandits wore orange vests and had a tendency to breathe fire at their opponents.

He'd fought a lot of these things over the years. Fire was less of a threat to Lea than most things. They also left behind a reasonable amount of munny when destroyed. That made them decent Heartless for him to deal with currently. And the Cave of Wonders in Agrabah tended to hide plenty of Fat Bandits.

Lea watched the Heartless take a deep breath as he ran towards it. And at the last second, he twisted out of the way of the stream of fire and leapt up. He swung his Keyblade down hard and the Fat Bandit shattered apart. The freed heart floated away while Lea leaned down to scoop up the munny.

He mentally counted his funds. While they weren't in trouble, Lea had burned through a surprising amount of munny during the last month. Getting their new lives started was expensive. And even though he was tired and could use a nap, Lea knew that he should keep going longer. They could use the extra funds.

Besides, the half-pints would still be in school for a couple more hours. He needed the distraction.

Lea knew that there was treasure hidden in the Cave of Wonders. Gold and gemstones piled together. He hadn't explored the place as often as Roxas and Xion, but he'd had a few missions in there before the end. But he also knew better than to risk curses or traps by going after the treasure itself. Fighting Heartless was safer, even if it was more time consuming.

He had a little time left. He just couldn't risk staying too long. Otherwise he would be late meeting the half-pints after school. What Lea needed was a more powerful Heartless who would drop more munny when he destroyed it. Stronger opponents meant bigger rewards and faster results. And finding stronger Heartless would involve heading deeper into the Cave of Wonders.

Lea balanced Flame Liberator on his shoulder and walked towards the entrance to the next chamber. The various parts of the cave had a tendency to change over time. Sometimes from semi-natural causes like sections collapsing, but other times it seemed to happen with very little warning. Different passages hidden and revealed. A variety of switches to trigger new paths. That was what happened when someone decided to explore a mystical cavern. It would be easy to get lost among the flickering torches and underground rivers if he didn't pay attention. And every time that Lea thought he'd learned the new arrangement, he discovered a new secret.

As he stepped into one of the larger chambers of the vast cave system, Lea heard a clang of armor and immediately dove to the side. There was a swish of air from the punch barely missing him. Then Lea twisted around to spy another large and round Heartless. One protected by red and gray armor.

It took him a moment to remember the less common sub-variety, but he identified the Heartless as a Solid Armor. Essentially a tougher and more durable Large Body. It didn't even have the threat of fire that a Fat Bandit would. But it should still be stronger. Which meant it was more likely to provide a decent amount of munny when he destroyed it.

Spinning his Keyblade in his hand, Lea waited patiently. Getting too close risked a punch or getting swiped. No fire breath, but they could hit hard. Patience was his ally. He needed to wait for his opening.

And then he saw it.

The Solid Armor leapt up high. And right before it landed, he jumped over the shockwave towards the Heartless now helpless on its stomach. Lea unleashed a flurry of fast combos before finishing with a flash of fire. Then Lea hurried backwards and out of reach.

Almost out of reach.

Lea didn't manage to brace himself in time. A large fist slammed into his stomach, knocking both the wind out of him and sending him flying back. And he immediately crashed roughly into the wall. Pain exploded across his back.

Gasping desperately to regain his breath, Lea barely kept his feet under him. Stupid. He should have been able to dodge that. A lack of sleep was murdering his reaction time. But that's what happened when he was faced with Roxas, Xion, and Isa having nightmares all on the same night. He shouldn't have pushed his luck with tougher Heartless. And now his back was going to be one giant bruise.

He jerked sideways just in time to avoid the Heartless sliding towards him. Like a kid sledding down a snowy hill, but more lethal. But with Lea dodging out of the way, it crashed into the wall. Which gave Lea the opening that he needed. Spinning the Keyblade briefly in his grip, he struck hard and fast. He linked together a series of rapid spinning combos. He didn't give the Heartless a chance to climb to its feet or retaliate. Being the Organization's assassin for so long meant that he could be brutal and vicious when necessary.

And when the Solid Armor tried to break free and shove itself up, Lea fell back on his specialty. Fire swirled around the Heartless in a bright explosion of heat and light. Enough that even that particular variation of Heartless couldn't withstand it. The creature shattered just as the fire died down.

Breathing hard, worn out, and aching from the fight, Lea smiled. There was a decent amount of munny and a Lightning Gem left behind. He tried not to wince when he leaned over to collect his reward. His back was going to be very colorful by morning. But compared to his now-thankfully-healed ribs, it was more annoying than hindering. He might need to use some of his hard-earned munny to restock some potions though.

"Guess it's quitting time for the day," he muttered. "Advantages of being self-employed, after all."

Lea tossed his Keyblade up on his shoulder. Then he summoned up a dark corridor. He needed to head back to Twilight Town and get cleaned up. The half-pints would be getting out of class before too long.

Chapter Text

While he certainly enjoyed spending time with his friends, there were certain things that Pence liked that they weren't as excited about. Investigating the strange and mysterious phenomena around Twilight Town was one such example. He always hoped to find at least one real Wonder. And if he wanted to be honest, he did technically have one thing that he could almost consider a Wonder: everyone and everything connected to Sora and his friends.

No one knew where he came from or where he'd apparently disappeared to now. Just like no one knew where Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Ienzo were from. And even Roxas, Xion, and Lea were connected to Sora and equally mysterious. They knew that Roxas came from another Twilight Town, but Pence wasn't convinced that the other two were from that same place. He was currently building a theory that there must be at least a third world out there. One where the other strange people were from. And they might even use those dark portal things to move between the different worlds since both Kairi and Lea-when-he-was-evil showed up through them. Pence had an entire notebook in his room where he was collecting his information about all of these mysterious things, but he wasn't ready to bring any of it forward. And he certainly wasn't ready to ask Roxas or Xion about it.

But in addition to his investigations, Pence had a fondness when it came to computers. He liked tinkering with them and exploring the possibilities. The only problem was that the others didn't understand his fascination. They supported him, but they didn't feel the same way.

But Pence had a new long-distant friend who shared his interest in science, technology, and computer. And he would occasionally send Pence small tasks that he could help with over the shared network. Mostly tedious and easy tasks, but ones that Ienzo assured him was helpful to whatever big project he was working on.

And on the days where the others were busy or no one had any real plans for what they wanted to do, it was easy enough for Pence to head to the Old Mansion and access the computer system. There were advantages to knowing about a secret high-tech underground lab.

They'd finally repaired the crack in the wall surrounding the town, but Pence knew there were other ways out. A quick trip through the Underground Conduit would bring him out to the forest, as long as he didn't mind the smell. It wasn't as nice as the actual Underground Concourse with the path to the Sunset Terrace, but the Underground Conduit wasn't exactly meant for the public.

Not many people went to the forest anymore regardless. No one wanted to risk spending time there. There were dark monsters with yellow eyes lurking in the shadows. Different than the white squiggly things, but still dangerous. They didn't always attack, but it was a constant threat to keep in mind. And they were yet another reason why Pence didn't head to the Old Mansion more often than he did. It wasn't safe.

Though he had noticed that the creatures seemed to show up more back when Sora was in town. Almost like they were attracted to the boy. Or his Keyblade.

Definitely something to ask about sometime in the future. And another observation for Pence to add to his notebook when he got home.

The Old Mansion was a mysterious place. No one seemed to remember who used to live there. The building simply existed beyond the town limits, abandoned and nearly forgotten. A constant feature that had been there for as long as anyone could recall. People rarely thought about it. Except for kids telling the occasional ghost story about it and the Wonder of Twilight Town that turned out to be a white curtain instead of a mysterious pale figure, there was no real reason to think about the place.

It was there. Old, empty, and in relatively good shape for its age. Some of the stone structures out front had collapsed, but there weren't any leaks in the rooms, collapsing floors, or crumbling walls. Even the numerous unicorn carvings and such were intact. And there were a lot of unicorns when Pence actually started poking around and looking. Whoever built the place or lived there previously clearly liked the creatures. But for as long as Pence could remember, he did not recall anyone ever mentioning who actually built the Old Mansion or who might have once called it home.

Perhaps not one of the Wonders of Twilight Town, but at least a mystery. Like Sora, Roxas, and all the others were a mystery.

But the important thing was that the Old Mansion had been more or less abandoned for ages. And weird stuff happened there. Hidden labs. A portal to an alternate Twilight Town. Scary men in black coats. Which meant that anything new or different about the place was bound to be interesting.

Which was why Pence was both surprised and excited when he stepped out of the forest and discovered stacks of crates outside of the building.

Naturally, Pence couldn't resist immediately poking his head into some of those crates. He couldn't help it. The temptation was too strong. Investigating was in his nature. And while some of them seemed to contain books and stacks of paper, others held computer equipment. Very expensive-looking, high-tech equipment. Stuff far beyond any technology that Pence had ever seen outside of the secret lab. Part of him wanted to snatch up some of the equipment and mess around with it.

Not exactly steal it. Just… borrow some of it. He'd bring it back. Eventually. No one would have a chance to miss it. Not with all those other boxes.

"And what do you think that you are doing?"

Pence jumped, scrambling away from the crates and stammering out apologies. A tall figure strolled out of the Old Mansion. Long blue hair, scars across his face, and a calculating frown, he didn't look familiar. Certainly no one that Pence had seen growing up. Yet another mysterious stranger connected to the Old Mansion

At least he wasn't wearing one of the Black Coats of Kidnapping.

The strangers suddenly hesitated, studying Pence carefully. His frown deepened for a moment.

"You… seem vaguely familiar. Not one of the individuals that Sora defended from the Nobodies, but I've seen you around the town," he said quietly.

"You know Sora?"

Nodding briefly, he said, "Not as well as some. Our paths have crossed a few times."

A stranger who knows Sora. While it didn't technically mean anything, it fit the pattern. Unusual people who show up without warning who know Sora? That fit the description of the others. People like Kairi, Roxas, Xion, and Lea. And since those four also knew each other, then…

"Are you another friend of Roxas?"

Grimacing, the young man said, "Not exactly. We've had a… difficult history. I have made mistakes in regard to Roxas and Xion… and Lea. I am here partially to try and make up for those mistakes."

"Well, if you're at least trying to be better, then I'm sure they'll forgive you someday." Reaching out a hand, he said, "My name is Pence. Nice to meet you."

He smiled wryly. Then he stepped closer, took Pence's hand, and shook it carefully.

"Isa." After a moment, he added, "I believe that Ienzo mentioned you. 'A local contact,' as he described it."

"You know Ienzo?"

"Much better than I know Sora. Ienzo, Even, and Master Ansem are the ones who wanted some work done on site and I volunteered. That is the other reason that I am here."

Pence grinned at the news. It was nice to hear that Master Ansem was doing all right after they rescued him from the other scarier man in black. None of them had heard anything about him since that dramatic rescue.

"So you're here to help fix things up?" asked Pence. "Like just the building or upgrading the systems too? Can I help with anything?"

Isa stared at him thoughtfully for a few moments. Then he gave him a brief nod.

"Riku helped drop everything off, but he needed to head home. If you wish to help move everything inside, I wouldn't be opposed to the assistance. It would make things easier."

Pence took a second or two to glance around at the numerous stacks. The crates came in a variety of sizes. He poked around until he found one that seemed to be a decent size without being too heavy to manage.

"Did you invite the others to help you move in?" he asked, hefting the box into his arms. "I mean, Roxas doesn't like coming out to the Old Mansion. He's mentioned that before. But the others would help." Heading towards the front door, Pence added, "Especially if you pay them or buy them pizza. That's kind of traditional when it comes to helping people move."

Wincing, Isa admitted, "I… haven't told them yet."

"What?" he asked, nearly dropping the crate as he stumbled.

They'd called it a day earlier than normal. Pence had his own plans for after school and Olette wanted to work on an extra-credit project. While they could have found something to do with Hayner, Roxas and Xion ended up going home instead. They only paused long enough to wave at Gina through her shop window before heading around back towards the stairs.

Roxas made it through the door first, which immediately summoned Lea from his room. He'd clearly just finished getting dressed after a shower. His hair was still damp. The young man grinned at them as the pair hurried inside. Lea took a moment to ruffle their hair before flopping face down on the couch with a tired groan.

Giggling, Xion sat on the edge and said, "Long day?"

"Maybe," he mumbled into the cushion before lifting his head. "And what about you two? Good day at school?"

Roxas shrugged and said, "It was all right. There was some weird math thing that we talked about. Xion was better at it than me."

"I'll help you with it later," she said.

Roxas smiled at her and nodded. He preferred to think about that part of the day. It was better than dwelling on how some of the other students still looked at them strangely or snickered when they asked certain questions. He never knew which questions would get that reaction. And if they didn't ask questions about some of the stuff, then they would risk messing up on the assignments.

Roxas didn't know what the consequences would be for failure on school assignments, though something told him it wouldn't be as serious as what would happen in the Organization if they failed in their purpose. No one would threaten to turn them into a Dusk if they could not prove their use. But he didn't want to find out regardless.

That meant that he and Xion had to ask questions. And that meant that sometimes the other students would snicker, roll their eyes, and scoff at them. Roxas and Hayner spent a lot of time glaring venomously at people. But he didn't want to dwell on that. He would rather look on the bright side. And that meant focusing on Xion's growing confidence and self-esteem every time that their teachers told her that she did something right. Not to mention how they were surrounded by friends in their corner of the classroom, keeping the more judgmental students at a distance.

"How about you two finish your homework now?" suggested Lea. "Get it out of the way early. Then we'll figure out what to eat afterwards."

"You just want to take a nap," said Roxas dryly.

Chuckling under his breath, Lea said, "You caught me."

Before they could tease him further, a cheerful song chirped out. Lea groaned quietly as he sat up and dug around in his pocket. As soon as he pulled out his Gummiphone and answered it, Lea's expression shifted to one of surprise.

"Isa? Everything all right?"

Roxas fought back the scowl that tried to form at the name. He and Xion promised to give him a chance. They would give Isa a second chance despite how much Roxas wanted to beat Saïx's face in. He was Lea's friend once and he did try to help them in the end. Isa would have a lot of work ahead of him, but they needed to give him that chance. Which meant that Roxas needed to set aside his instinctive anger.

Unfortunately, unlike Ansem the Wise, he couldn't just avoid the man and pretend that he didn't exist.

"I'm quite fine, Lea. I simply have some news that I wanted to share," said Isa. "While things are progressing slowly at the castle, they want someone to work on repairing, updating, and improving the secondary site. And I volunteered for the job."

Frowning as he leaned over Lea's shoulder, Roxas asked, "Secondary site?"

The screen suddenly twisted and moved as someone surprised Isa enough to wrestle his Gummiphone away. There was a muffled question from the young man before the screen seemed to settled. Then an unexpected face popped into view.

"He's moving into the Old Mansion," said Pence. "He's going to fix up the place. And judging by some of the stuff he's packed, I think he's planning to stay for quite a while."

"Pence? What are you doing?" asked Roxas.

Grinning, he said, "I'm helping him move a few boxes in. Then I was going to get on the computer and check on a few things that Ienzo was talking about last time."

Roxas began to strongly regret never telling his friends the whole story about his and Xion's past. Part of it was the habits that the Organization drilled into him about keeping a low profile and secrecy and another part of it was because everyone talked about the world order thing. But he really wished that he'd at least warned his friends about Isa and some of the others. Roxas hoped that Pence didn't somehow end up best friends with Isa because no one needed that extra complication.

Abruptly the screen jerked again as Isa plucked the Gummiphone from the boy's hands. Xion joined them to crowd around the small device. Sparing her a concerned look, Roxas leaned against her in an attempt to comfort her. Saïx was always worse to her than he was to Roxas. He didn't want her to get upset.

"You're moving to Twilight Town?" asked Lea.

Nodding, Isa said, "Yes. At this very moment."

"When did you plan to tell us?"

"When it became relevant. Which is obviously now."

"And you couldn't mention this last time that we talked?" said Lea with a small laugh.

Roxas took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As much as he still wanted to beat Isa up, knocking the man to the far side of Twilight Town and back again with his Keyblades, Roxas had to admit that it seemed to make Lea happy. His face split into a bright smile at the idea of his oldest friend being on the same world. And he and Xion wanted Lea to be happy. That was part of the reason why they were giving Isa a second chance.

Roxas exchanged looks with Xion. The silent communication left them both in agreement. They could deal with Isa existing in Twilight Town. Neither of them spent much time near the Old Mansion and it would be easy to keep their distance if they spotted him in town. A temporary solution, but one that was manageable.

Their paths would cross eventually. He was quite aware that they couldn't avoid Isa forever. But maybe a little while longer.

The Gummiphones were handy devices overall. Portable and durable methods of communication that worked between different worlds. Definitely useful for a group who tended to be scattered around and who ended up fighting something dangerous almost constantly. There were numerous perks to the things.

Unfortunately, they were limited to contacting other Gummiphones. Which meant that when Ileana tried to contact Lea, she didn't have much luck. Especially since their apartment didn't have a telephone. There was no direct way for the principal to contact him. A rather serious oversight. Lea didn't even know anything was wrong until Gina was there waiting for him when he returned to the building.

Thank goodness that he did provide her shop's phone number when he was filling out all the paperwork to register the half-pints for school. It was clearly the smartest decision that he'd made that day.

By the time that he made it to the school, Lea found a small crowd outside the principal's office. Roxas and Xion were perched on a pair of chairs, unharmed and annoyed. A fact that immediately reassured Lea. The anxiety that had blossomed the moment that Gina told him that something was wrong eased and the beating in his chest slowed.

But in addition to the half-pints, he could spot their new trio of friends and a few adults who must be their various parents judging by the way they were glaring at the kids. He could tell that he was arriving towards the end of some lectures. All the teenagers looked a little scuffed up and in various states of emotional discomfort.

And a short distance away from the others was another teenage boy and a frustrated mother. Not anyone that Lea recognized. He wore a red jacket and his black hair was a bit on the longer side. And he was at least close to the same age as the local trio that Roxas and Xion befriended. But the dark-haired teenager was nursing a black eye, a busted lip, and disheveled clothes. And he refused to meet anyone's gaze, including his unhappy parent.

Lea glanced between the strange boy and his half-pints a few times. Then, once he was certain, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fighting?" he asked.

"Yep," said Hayner proudly, earning a sharper glare from his mother.

"Did he deserve it?"

Crossing his arms, Roxas muttered darkly, "Yes."

Lea didn't have to ask who won. Nor did he have to ask if Roxas and Xion held back. If either of them went after the teenage boy with their Keyblades and magic, they would have left behind far more damage than a black eye. Considering this would be their first fight against an opponent who wasn't actually that dangerous, they'd done a good job at not mangling the kid.

"Vincent did not deserve to be ganged up on like that," said the boy's mother sharply. Then, glaring at the now-identified teenager, she added, "Though we will be discussing some of his behavior when we get home. You know better. I did not raise you to act like that."

"To be fair," said Olette quietly, "Pence and I weren't really fighting. We were just trying to break it up before someone got hurt."

Before Lea could ask for any further details or the other adults in the room could demand his name, Ileana opened the door. Just as professional and strict as the last time he met the woman. He filed into the room with Roxas and Xion. The half-pints claimed the two waiting chairs while he took up position behind them.

"Getting called to the principal's office," he said. "I would have thought some things would have changed over the years. Used to end up in trouble a lot as a kid. Still feels the same."

Sighing tiredly as she moved back behind her desk, Ileana said, "I am afraid that we had a bit of a disturbance today. It took me some time to unravel the sequence of events. From what I've been able to determine, a few students that I haven't identified yet were making some comments. Eventually Vincent said something particularly unkind to Roxas and Xion."

"Unkind" was apparently an understatement based on the way Roxas's hands curled into fists in his lap and Xion clutched her hands to her chest. Lea was already considering what he should do about this Vincent person in retaliation. He could hunt the boy down and set his hair on fire. Or he could drag Vincent into the surrounding forest for Heartless to chase. Or he could toss him to Even and the others for a test dummy.

Lea immediately suppressed a shiver at that idea. No, using the boy as a test subject was not a line he was going to cross. Too many bad memories with that one.

"Roxas lashed out, causing Vincent to retaliate by taking a swing at him. Xion attempted to help and Hayner joined them by tackling Vincent. Pence and Olette became involved soon after. The other students scattered by the time Tackett interfered. Thankfully, the fight didn't last long." Ileana shook her head. "Vincent clearly didn't realize how quickly he would be outnumbered."

Lea nodded, trying to keep a straight face. If that Vincent boy thought that being in a fight with maybe five opponents was tough, with Roxas and Xion purposefully holding back, he would never survive against a swarm of Heartless.

That meant he would just have to set the boy's hair on fire. It was the only option that would be truly humane.

"Now, Vincent has admitted to provoking them and there were witnesses to this fact," she continued. "And we're willing to overlook a few missteps due to their… special circumstances."

Right. The whole "raised in a cult" thing. That backstory was definitely a good idea. It could excuse almost anything. Lea was increasingly proud of it.

"But we don't want to encourage fighting in our school. I've already spoken with the other parents about today's incident. Vincent's mother isn't happy about his injuries, but she is more upset about his behavior and has promised to handle it appropriately. I reminded her that we have a low tolerance for anything that could be considered bullying. But I want to ensure that you speak with Roxas and Xion about how violence is not always the answer. I don't want a repeat of this incident."

Keeping a straight face after her comment about violence was a challenge. Fighting had been their entire lives prior to moving to Twilight Town. That was not a lesson that was going to stick.

"I'll talk to them," he said carefully.

"Then we'll settle for a warning this time for everyone involved."

Lea recognized a dismissal when he heard one. Or at least a potential exit. And he didn't want to linger any longer than necessary. Ileana might be acting reasonable and understanding, but she was still a principal. Lea's early teenage years had taught him to be wary of them. They could sneak up on him with an unexpected trap to trick Lea into confessing to some form of mischief. It was safe to leave before she could verbally trap them.

By the time that they made it back to the hallway, the rest of the crowd had dispersed. Parents dragging their children off to scold and lecture them. Perhaps with some ending up grounded.

Lea waited until they were outside. He wanted to be certain that there would be no lurking teachers to overhear. And it gave him a chance to see how the half-pints were handling things after Ileana's explanation. He noticed that Roxas and Xion moved a little stiffly, uncertain of what would happen next.

But they relaxed when his hands settled on their shoulders while they walked, squeezing them reassuringly.

"Thanks for not breaking the brat," he said, "but next time… Either let him throw the first punch or wait until you're away from school. It gives you a better defense if anyone gets upset about it. Don't start the fight if you can help it, but you can certainly finish it."

"It felt weird punching someone," said Roxas, flexing his hand with a grimace. "I don't like it as much as using my Keyblades. It hurt."

Glancing towards him, Xion said, "Not as much as it hurt Vincent. He went down hard."

"Do you even know how to punch properly?" asked Lea.

Crossing his arms stubbornly, Roxas said, "Plenty of Heartless have tried punching us. And Sora saw people like Hercules throwing punches." Pausing a moment, he added, "And then there was the time that Lexaeus hit me."

"Wait, what?"

"He was teaching me about Limit Breaks."

Lea shook his head. Note to self: have a serious and clearly overdue conversation with Aeleus.

"Okay," said Lea slowly, "I guess I need to ask so I know how much to terrorize the kid later. What exactly did he say that caused you to try punching him?"

And that question immediately darkened the mood. Roxas glared at the ground as they walked and Xion clutched her clasped hands back to her chest. Lea would definitely be getting them ice cream after this. They needed something to cheer them up.

"He called us stupid," said Roxas, sharp and quiet.

Eyebrows shooting up, Lea asked, "What?"

"Some of the other kids were talking about all the questions we ask and kind of laughing about it. Then Vincent said something about how we keep asking about things that only idiots don't know," said Xion quietly. "And that we take remedial history because we're too stupid for the normal class with everyone else."

Well, that settled it. Vincent was going on the list of people that Lea needed to burn to death. A full-on, Castle Oblivion-level, Organization's assassin type of assault. Incineration from the inside out.

…Okay, maybe Lea wouldn't murder the brat. But if he ever encountered the boy alone, he could certainly find a way to traumatize Vincent.

He shoved down his anger. Then he tugged both of his half-pints towards the closest place to sit. Which turned out to be the edge of a ramp. Lea took a moment to carefully consider what to say. He needed to handle this right. Because Lea could not let them believe that boy's words for even a moment. This conversation couldn't even wait until they made it up to the clocktower.

"You are both incredibly smart," he said firmly. "Vincent has no idea what he's talking about. None of them do."

Not meeting his eye, Roxas said, "More than just Vincent thinks that. They just didn't want to stick around long enough to get hit."

"And he's right," added Xion. "We don't know things that everyone else does."

"How old do you think they are? The other kids in your classes?" asked Lea.

"I don't know." Roxas shrugged weakly. "Fifteen? Sixteen?"

"And you two?"

"Well, Sora was about fourteen when he lost his heart, so—"

"Two years old," interrupted Lea, making them both look at him. "You both have existed for about two years. And that's only if you include the time that you spent in Sora's heart. But if you only include the time that you had your own bodies and existences, then it is only a year and a couple of months. I don't know if Roxas is still counting the exact number of days, but that's a rough estimate."

Lea shifted slightly, pausing as he scratched the back of his head. It was hard to believe that he'd only known Roxas and Xion for that long. They'd made such a huge impact to his life.

"I can guarantee that when Vincent was your age, he was still learning his colors and shapes. You can't expect to know everything that it took someone else fifteen years to learn. That doesn't mean either of you are stupid. Not knowing something and asking questions doesn't make anyone stupid. You're just catching up. You take remedial history because you need a little extra help catching up with that specific subject." He smiled encouragingly. "But you're both very smart and you learn fast. They have a head start, but you'll catch up soon."

The smiles that they gave him weren't as strong and bright as Lea would have preferred. But they were actual smiles, which warmed something deep inside. His reassuring words managed to cheer them up. It felt good to get this part right.

"And next time, wait to attack people like Vincent until you're outside of the school. Less chance of upsetting the principal or teachers," he added. "Well, I think we could all use some sea-salt ice cream after that. How about we grab some and head up to the clocktower?" Smirking, Lea suggested, "Or we could try kidnapping that Vincent kid since apparently that's my specialty?"

That comment earned him some groans mixed with laughter before the pair knocked Lea over. Thankfully, his recent Heartless battles had gone well and he wasn't too battered to enjoy the impromptu roughhousing. He simply chuckled as he tried to wrestle Roxas and Xion off. Not that he was trying too hard to get rid of them. Lea was perfectly happy being partially trapped under two wiggling and laughing Keyblade wielders.

Especially since he had long since discovered that the pair were ticklish.

Lea suspected that if he could lift his head away from the squealing and squirming kids, he would probably spot at least someone staring at the spectacle. Roxas and Xion were both trying to keep him pinned while twisting away from his attempts to find ticklish ribs. Their play-fighting in the middle of Twilight Town wasn't exactly subtle, even if they weren't on one of the more populated streets.

But they were laughing and playing. Roxas and Xion were two of the most dangerous people that he'd ever met and they were playing around like actual kids. He couldn't complain about that.

"So just the ice cream then?" asked Lea once he could catch his breath, still chuckling.

Chapter Text

Roxas and Xion waited patiently at the table as Lea pulled the teapot from the stove. Gina's gift to them was getting a lot of use. It had become a regular part of their evening routine. A way to finish off the day. They might try out different types of tea during the day, but they would always go for chamomile tea before bed. It was a relaxing and soothing way to end things.

And maybe it was the tea or maybe it was the way that they were gradually becoming more comfortable with everything, but it was getting easier to sleep all the way through the night. The nightmares didn't happen quite as often. Sometimes he and Xion could both make it a few nights in a row without either of them waking up in a panic. It was a nice change.

Lea came over, handing out the delicate green teacups until they all had one. Roxas took a slow sip, enjoying the warmth. Across the table, Xion rubbed at her eyes. She looked particularly drowsy as she drank her tea.

"I'm not going to ask Isa to come to the apartment," said Lea carefully. "Not yet. Not until both of you are comfortable with him and say that you want him here. This is your home and I want you to feel safe."

Roxas nodded, his hands tightening around the teacup. Xion refused to look up from her drink.

"But with Isa living in Twilight Town, it is only a matter of time before we run into each other. It might be better to have it happen on our terms instead of when you don't expect it," he continued.

"Where do you want to do it?" asked Xion.

Taking a slow sip of tea, Lea suggested, "A neutral location. Not here and not the Old Mansion. Any preferences?"

Roxas shrugged. He didn't know what they were supposed to do. The location didn't seem to really matter. It wasn't easy to imagine them moving forward, regardless of where they decided to meet.

It was hard thinking about Isa. Roxas couldn't help remembering every instant where Saïx made a cold comment, treated Xion like a useless tool, or any of the other moments of cruelty. Not to mention the time that he and possibly Xemnas arranged things so that he and Xion nearly destroyed each other in Halloweentown when they didn't recognize each other. An entire year of that kind of awful treatment. But Roxas also remembered Even claiming that Saïx helped him work on smuggling out their new replica bodies. And he remembered Saïx offering a weary apology before fading away. That wasn't enough to erase what happened before, but it certainly complicated his feelings.

"Can we think about it, Axel?" asked Xion.

Smiling, Lea said, "Of course. Finish your tea and try to sleep on it. When you two decide on a when and where, I'll call Isa and let him know."

Roxas smothered a yawn before drinking the last few sips of the chamomile tea. Then, stretching slightly as he stood up, he collected the teacups from the table. It was his night to do the dishes. He took a few minutes to wash them in the sink, dry them, and put them away in the cabinet. It was easier doing the chore than it was dwelling on things.

"We're off in a couple of days," suggested Xion shyly. "And there's supposed to be a fair. Olette said they're fun."

Ruffling her hair as she tried to bat his arm away, Lea said, "We can try it. And it might be nice to see what kind of fairs that they have around here."

"They have another fair near the end of summer vacation," said Roxas dully, rubbing at his arms. "Or they did in the simulation. I think Hayner mentioned that there's a real one too."

He didn't notice that Lea moved until he was squeezing Roxas on the shoulder. A subtle gesture of comfort, but one that he appreciated. Roxas leaned into the contact before shaking his head to banish the memories. He wanted to focus on what was real. He wasn't going to let those handful of days in the fake Twilight Town have that much power over him.

Almost every world had some form of a yearly celebration. Most of them multiple celebrations scattered around. Lea remembered Radiant Garden's Spring Festival when all the flowers were in bloom. He remembered the one that happened on the last day of school. And he especially remembered the Christmas decorations. All of them were fun in their own ways. All the games, food, and gifts seemed amazing to him as a child.

Lea didn't think that apples were as important to Twilight Town as the bright flowers were to Radiant Garden. The place wasn't named for the orchards that lay a fairly good distance from the town itself. But apparently the people in the past decided to create the Apple Fair regardless. Complete with pie competitions, bobbing for apples, and little stalls with various handmade crafts. They didn't have the Struggle Tournament at that time of year, but there were plenty of interesting tings to do or see. The entire Tram Common was barely recognizable with everything decorated and crowded with all the stalls.

In comparison, the Sandlot was deserted. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had invited the kids to join them that day. Hayner even insisted, though that might have more do with his continued suspicions regarding Lea. But Roxas and Xion turned them down, promising to meet up later at the fair. For the moment, there were only four people in the Sandlot.

Isa was waiting patiently as they approached. Roxas remained on Lea's left while Xion stayed close on his right. There was a stiff tension to their movements. They weren't backing down. They were meeting the challenge the same way that they did everything else that they'd faced. Heartless, Nobodies, and various versions of Xehanort. Though Lea noticed that Xion's hand slipped into his when they got close.

Lea squeezed her hand in return. This might be between the kids and Isa, but Lea would be there for moral support for all three of them.

"Roxas," said Isa solemnly, giving them a nod. "Xion."

"Hello, Isa," she greeted, her voice firm despite her unease.

Taking a deep breath as he bowed his head, Isa said, "I know that I have already apologized to you both once, but it seemed insufficient in the face of everything that I have done."

"You've got that right," muttered Roxas, some of his quiet anger slipping out.

"Roxas," she hissed.

Isa didn't let the quiet exchange deter him from what he had in mind. Slow and deliberate, he carefully lowered himself down to his knees. And then he lowered himself further, hands resting on the stone as Isa bowed forward until his forehead pressed against the ground.

Lea's breath caught in his throat as he recognized what Isa was doing. Different worlds had different cultural gestures. Some overlapped, but not all. He didn't know enough about Destiny Island to know if it held the same meaning for them. And Twilight Town seemed more casual about such things. But that particular bow meant something in Radiant Garden.

It wasn't common. It was a gesture reserved for only rare occasions. Usually for the most desperate and incredibly immense favors, the types where you were literally begging for help… or the most serious apologies. Performing it was as good as admitting that you had made a grave mistake or a humiliating failure to the point that you had no chance of undoing the damage. It carried the implications that you were worthless and you could only hope that the person would forgive you for your shameful actions. It was an old, rarely-performed gesture that carried a lot of weight and humility.

The kids may or may not get the implications and cultural weight of that particular form of bowing, but Lea certainly did. It was surprising enough to hear Isa's admission of guilt and apologies in the Keyblade Graveyard. This hit even harder. Even understanding why Isa would do such a thing did little to ease Lea's second-hand discomfort.

"I know that I've hurt all of you. And what happened cannot be undone." Isa slowly straightened enough to look at them again, but remained kneeling on the ground. "I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I am sorry. I wish that I could tell you that it was solely due to what Xemnas or Xehanort's influence was doing to me. But part of it was my own jealousy and anger. Emotions that I couldn't identify or accept. Nothing that I did to you was right. To any of you."

Isa's eyes briefly met Lea's gaze. And it suddenly became clear that while most of the apology was directed towards Roxas and Xion, Isa was including Lea as well.

"My treatment of you would be inexcusable towards anyone, but especially towards children," he continued. "I simply couldn't see what I was doing." Isa shook his head slowly. "I couldn't even see Xion properly."

Taking a small step forward, Xion asked, "What did you see when you looked at me back then? Sora?"

"No. I knew that you were a replica from the beginning. I visited Vexen's lab once while he was still working on the project," he said solemnly. "I could only see the pale faceless figure in a dark hood that Vexen first showed me. Something that seemed even less human than a Nobody. I didn't treat you as anything more than his artificial creation because that was all that I could see when I looked at you. Not the young girl that your friends could see. And I am deeply sorry that I refused to treat you as a person."

Silence hung over them for a moment. Isa remained kneeling on the ground, looking smaller than he had been in years. It was the first time that he wasn't looming over the young Keyblade wielders. Roxas and Xion slowly exchanged looks. Lea didn't know if their knack for silent communication was due to them being friends for nearly their entire existences or because they both came from Sora in one way or another. But they seemed to come to some kind of decision together.

Isa seemed a little surprised as the two shorter figures reached down to pull him back to his feet.

"We agreed to give you a chance," said Xion. "Thank you for the apology. And even if Saïx wasn't that nice to us, we would like to know Isa better."

Giving him a sharp-edged grin that reminded Lea of a shark, Roxas added, "That doesn't mean that we forgive or forgot what happened. You do anything to hurt us or our friends again? I will make you regret returning as a complete person."

"Roxas," groaned Lea, dragging a hand through his hair, "how many feuds do you plan to form?"

"I don't know. I mean, Riku still owes me a rematch and I don't like Vincent. And Seifer isn't fond of me, though I think he's more upset with Xion right now."

Turning towards Lea, Isa asked, "How is he collecting so many enemies? I thought you were supposed to be keeping him out of trouble."

And of course, there was only one possible response to that. Rolling his eyes, Lea shoved Isa and twisted out of the way when his oldest friend tried to retaliate.

"Come on then," said Lea. "There's an entire fair to explore. The local trio are waiting for the half-pints and I'm looking forward to finding out if Isa is as bad at fair games as he used to be."

"Wait, what?" asked Roxas, his face lighting up.

Turning his eyes skywards, Isa groaned, "Lea."

"Axel?" prompted Xion.

Lea grinned before turning to walk away. A moment later, they followed. The Keyblade wielders in excitement and Isa reluctantly dragging his feet.

"Who wants to hear the story about Isa and the ring-toss?"

"Lea," he said in warning.

"That was the year that they exiled you from the entire row of game tents."

"Lea."

"It was worse than the dart game and that one involved minor bloodshed."

"I was seven. And everyone knows those games are rigged."

"They're rigged to make them hard to win. They don't rig them so kids will accidentally stab someone by throwing darts."

Lea rather enjoyed the quiet giggling from the half-pints as they trailed after them. Hopefully hearing about Isa's childhood misadventures would help them see him as more than Saïx. Not to mention that it was fun teasing him.

There were certain traditions to be observed when it came to the annual Apple Fair. Certain expectations of what to expect and what the three of them always tried to do. Olette always enjoyed the fair. It wasn't always the most exciting thing in the world, but they could generally have a good time.

There was a routine to the day. They would start by finding which stalls were selling snacks. Then they needed to debate between the merits of the different options in order to decide what to try first. The various pies, the baked goods with homemade apple butter, dried apple chips, and the classic caramel apples. And after they decided on a snack, they would start exploring the other stalls to pick out their souvenirs and which games had the best prizes. And finally, they would go watch the pie-eating competitions.

Olette knew that Hayner wished that there were some more physical competitions like the Struggle Tournament, but they had fun cheering during the pie-eating contest. One year, Pence decided to enter. It didn't go very well, but it gave them a great story for a while.

She was currently picking over the table covered in various handcrafted accessories when she caught sight of a familiar faces. Faces that they'd been expecting. Roxas and Xion were looking over a few carved knickknacks at the tent across from her. And watching their investigations was Lea and a tall blue-haired man. Lea seemed rather amused by the entire proceedings, occasionally pointing out something that they'd missed. But even if they were moving as an obvious group together, the stranger was clearly feeling awkward. He kept Lea between him and the two teenagers like a buffer.

"That's Isa," said Pence, coming up beside her. "I told you guys about him. He's moving into the Old Mansion."

"Roxas and Xion don't seem to like him," said Hayner as he crossed his arms. "Or maybe he doesn't like them."

"You just don't like him because I told you that he's a friend of Lea's," he said.

Hayner didn't immediately respond. He simply scowled and looked away, making Olette roll her eyes at him. They didn't know much about Isa yet beyond Pence's first meeting with him, but they did know that he was supposed to be Lea's friend and that there was some kind of history between the small group. And his friendship with Lea was apparently enough to earn Hayner's suspicions. Even after Roxas, Xion, and Kairi vouched for the man and confirmed that he wasn't a creepy kidnapper, Hayner didn't quite trust Lea.

One of these days he was going to try attacking Lea again. Olette was almost certain of it. It was simply a matter of time.

Hopefully Lea wouldn't bruise Hayner's ego too much when it happened.

"Come on then," said Olette. "We can give them the grand tour of the Apple Fair."

And she could show Xion some of the cute hairclips that she'd found. The beautiful hand-painted things shaped like apple blossoms, ranging from white to a pale pink to a shade approaching a reddish-rose color. They would look nice in Xion's short black hair. And since everyone did some odd jobs around town the day before, Olette knew that they should have some spending munny to buy a few fun things.

Xion was excited when they headed down to the hidden lab in Radiant Garden. They'd come because they'd heard the news. It finally worked.

They found a small crowd of people already waiting. Master Ansem, Ienzo, and Even nodded in greetings as she, Roxas, and Lea walked in. Kairi, Riku, and Kiru were smiling brightly as they encircled one of the chairs. And sitting in that chair, waving shyly at them, was a newly restored Naminé.

She looked exactly like she did the last time that Xion saw her. Right before Axel showed up outside the Old Mansion. Naminé wore either the same white dress or one identical to her old one. Her longer blonde hair, her withdrawn body language, and the same facial features that Xion and Kairi shared. She was truly back.

"Did you hear the good news?" asked Kairi.

Smiling brightly in a way that Xion had never seen from him before, Riku said, "Naminé knows how to get Sora back."

"That's wonderful," said Xion.

"I knew you could do it." Lea sounded particularly proud of her, probably remembering whatever happened in Castle Oblivion. "And it is good to have you back, Naminé. You always did deserve better."

The girl ducked her head briefly at his words, uncertain how to accept them. Kiru reached down to squeeze her hand before helping her to her feet. She slowly smoothed out her dress. Trying her best to seem like she was comfortable being at the center of attention when she was clearly unfamiliar with the situation.

"Welcome back, Naminé," said Roxas. "We're happy to see you again. And you said that you know how to bring Sora back?"

Nodding, Ienzo said, "She just finished explaining it in detail. It is actually rather interesting how simple the solution is. We should have realized it sooner."

It took a moment before Xion noticed something strange. They were all staring at her expectantly. Naminé, Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Even Master Ansem, Even, and Ienzo were looking at Xion like they were waiting for her to do something.

"If we wish to bring Sora back," said Naminé, "there is only one way to do it. To bring back Sora, Xion must disappear like she did before."

"What?" whispered Xion.

Something fluttered frantically in her chest as cold dread washed over her. She must have misunderstood. Naminé couldn't have said that.

"A simple exchange," said Riku. "One for the other."

Kairi nodded with her bright smile and said, "He could be home before nightfall."

Xion took a step back, her hands moving up to chest level as she clutched them together. She didn't want to fade away again. She finally had a life of her own. And now they were asking for her to give up everything a second time.

Even worse, they looked happy about it. No reluctance or indecision. Xion knew that they wanted Sora back, but couldn't they be upset about what it would cost. Didn't they care?

Didn't she matter even a little bit?

"There must be another way," she said shakily, taking a few more steps back. "He wouldn't want to come back like this. Not at the expense of someone else."

"It is the most sensible course of action," said Master Ansem, brushing aside her protests. "Bringing back Sora after everything that he's done is only right. And it would only require the loss of something that shouldn't have existed in the first place and that no one will even remember losing. A more than fair exchange, wouldn't you agree? The ideal outcome for all involved."

No, not everyone involved. It wasn't fair. Nothing about what they were saying was fair. Panic and dread coiled in her chest. It wasn't right. And any moment now, someone would point that out. Lea and Roxas wouldn't—

"If it is the only way," said Roxas slowly, "then I suppose we have no choice."

Xion spun around, feeling like his words slapped her across the face. Roxas and Lea weren't grinning cheerfully like the others, but they looked thoughtful. As if they were considering the idea. As if they didn't see any problem with sacrificing her.

Fighting past the tight knot in her throat, Xion whispered, "Roxas? Axel? Please…"

"Xion, wake up. It's all right."

None of them were defending her. They wanted Sora. Not her. She didn't matter. They wouldn't even remember her when she was gone. Her throat tightened further and her chest ached. It wasn't fair.

She didn't want to disappear again.

"You'll bring Sora back, right?" asked Kairi.

"Of course, she will." Riku took a step towards her, he and the others starting to crowd her. "Xion will do the right thing."

But it didn't feel right. It felt awful. How many times must she give up every part of herself? Her life, her existence, and even the very memory that others shared of her? When would it be enough?

"Come on. Wake up, Xion."

She knew that she should help. Sora would do the same for any of them. In fact, Sora was gone because he tried to save everyone. Xion, Roxas, and Ventus tried to help him before. She should try helping him now. She should want to do it.

But she was scared. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to fade away again, vanishing into Sora's heart or completely disappearing.

She wanted to exist. Was that so wrong?

A hand on her shoulder and a quiet voice called, "Xion."

She blinked a few times, finally pulled out of sleep. Xion sat up slowly, wiping away at the wetness that she found on her face. Lea waited patiently, sitting on the edge of her bed. Smiling reassuringly at her.

"You're safe," he said firmly. "You're alive. You're real. We're safe, alive, and real. It was just a nightmare."

Familiar words. Comforting words. Grounding words. Words that waited for her after every nightmare to remind her that it was over and nothing would hurt her now. That she wasn't alone.

Continuing with the routine, Lea asked, "What do you need?"

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and swiped away at the tears again. Then Xion raised her arms slightly.

"A hug?" she whispered.

He didn't even hesitate. Lea pulled her close, letting Xion bury her face in his chest. Her fingers dug into his white t-shirt as he held her tight. One hand cupped the back of her head while the other arm wrapped around her body firmly. As if she was something precious that he couldn't bear to lose.

After a few moments of enjoying the hug and feeling wanted, Xion asked quietly, "You wouldn't let me disappear again, would you? Even to bring Sora back?"

"Never. I won't let that happen," he said immediately, his tone forceful as his arms squeezed her a little harder. "They would have to find another way because I'm not losing you again. Not you, Roxas, Isa, Kairi, or anyone."

"Really?" she whispered.

"Promise. And even if something happened, you know that I'll always be there to bring you back. Nothing would stop me."

Xion sank further into the hug. Relaxing and calming as the nightmare seemed to grow more distant. That awful possibility couldn't stand up to the soothing reality. Now that she was awake, Xion knew that nightmare would never come to pass. She knew Lea and Roxas wouldn't let it happen. Not when they'd both fought so hard to save her in their own ways. They wouldn't give up on her that easily.

"I didn't really want to go," she admitted quietly, immediately feeling guilty as the words formed. But she kept going. "Not back then. Even to help bring Sora back to his friends. I knew it was the right thing to do and I was hurting Roxas, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay. Even if it was impossible, I wanted to stay. Is that wrong?"

Shifting his grip until he could tuck her head under his chin, Lea murmured, "Of course not. Nothing that happened back then was fair. To anyone. There just weren't any good answers. You shouldn't have ever faced that impossible choice. And it isn't selfish to want to live."

They stayed that way for a few more minutes. And when her weariness crept back on her, Xion slowly released her tight grip.

"I think I can go back to sleep now," she said.

Lea finally let go and stood up, but looked surprised when she chose to settle back on her pillow instead of following. This was her first nightmare in over a week. They were getting better. Xion felt confident that she could sleep through the rest of the night in her own bed without any further problems.

A strange expression briefly flashed across Lea's face. Then he swallowed hard and gave Xion a reassuring smile.

"If you change your mind, there's plenty of room in my bed. You two are always welcome for a slumber party," he said slowly.

Pulling her blanket closer, the girl finally getting used to the idea of using one without needing to be reminded of it, Xion murmured, "I know. Good night, Axel."

He lingered at the doorway for a moment longer, almost looking like he wanted to say something else. But he didn't. With a strange amount of reluctance, Lea headed back to his own bedroom alone.

Chapter Text

With no school that day, they'd planned to spend it together. The five of them having a good time with one another. And the goal for that weekend was to make sure that everyone could skateboard. It wasn't as popular now, but Roxas loved it. And while Hayner, Pence, and Olette could skateboard with varying levels of skill, Xion had never tried it. That made her the focus of the impromptu lessons.

But despite her normal athletic skills and her knack for picking up new abilities, Xion was turning out to be horrible at staying on the skateboard.

After landing roughly on her back for the dozenth time, she groaned in frustration. She should be able to stay on the thing for longer than five minutes, but it just wouldn't work. No matter what she tried, it always ended with her tumbling off. Her balance was a disaster when she involved wheels.

Reaching down to pull her back to her feet, Roxas said, "I think you're getting better."

"Really?" asked Pence, earning a sharp nudge from Hayner.

Peering at Xion carefully, Olette said, "Maybe different shoes would help. Those heels probably aren't helping. Do you have any others? Something flat?"

Xion blinked in surprise. She'd vaguely noticed that Olette wore very different style shoes than her, but it hadn't really registered. She'd even noticed that Kairi's boots were very different than hers. But that never seemed important. It never seemed to apply to Xion. She'd always wore shoes similar to what she wore in the Organization. Even her new boots had the raised heels that her older narrower shoes did. Maybe part of her still believed it was what she was supposed to wear.

All the girls in the Organization wore and fought in heels like that. Though to be fair, that would only be her and Larxene.

After a moment, Olette glanced around at the entire group. Then she came to a decision.

"Okay," she said. "Change of plans. We grab a train over to Sunset Terrace and shop for some proper shoes for Xion. I know a place. And maybe we can hang around there for the afternoon instead. Poke around and see if there's anything new over there to try. Sunset Hill isn't paved, but it should work well enough to figure out the basics for skateboarding after."

Shrugging, Hayner said, "Sounds fine to me. I've got some spare munny. Might as well see if there's anything good in the shops over there."

Xion and Roxas exchanged brief looks. They'd told Lea when they'd be home. But as long as they made it back in time, it shouldn't really matter which part of Twilight Town they were in. And they'd learned that sometimes it was necessary to adjust the mission. It should be all right as long as they weren't too late getting back.

Hayner always assumed that the stereotype regarding girls and shopping for shoes was something that people made up. But it turned out that they really did take a long time. It felt like Olette brought over every single pair in the store. And it lasted long enough that the boys started stacking discarded boxes into mini-castles for lack of anything else to do.

It earned them some glares from the staff, which prompted them to try something a little less likely to get them kicked out. Hayner was surprised by how many games that Roxas and Xion's weird phones had on them.

Xion quickly rejected any of the more colorful options. Which Hayner had to admit made sense. Both Roxas and Xion still preferred to wear primarily black-and-white clothes. Even Xion's new apple blossom hairclip was white. She certainly wouldn't wear yellow or pink athletic shoes.

She tried the various styles of white sneakers. And while she seemed to like them to an extent, they didn't seem to suit her. She needed the stability of flat footwear, but she wasn't used to anything comfortable and light. Xion seemed to focus on the boots, but most of the ones in the shop were made to be more fashionable than practical. They weren't sturdy enough for her taste. It really made Hayner wonder how they'd managed to get through Roxas and Xion's first shopping trip as smoothly as they did.

She liked her black boots. But while they might be good for most things, they clearly weren't ideal for balancing on a skateboard. And that meant they couldn't give up.

Pence was the one that found them. Sturdy black sneakers with the tiniest scalloped frills around the top. Not as tough and durable as a pair of boots, but still practical. And to Xion's surprise, they turned out to be very comfortable. From the way that she reacted, she'd never worn comfortable shoes before.

Once again, Hayner wanted to ask for more details about their past. There was so much that they technically didn't know about their friends. Where they came from, where Sora and Kairi came from, how they were all connected, why so many things seemed to be new to them, and so on. Wearing comfortable shoes shouldn't be as surprising and new to her as they were. It was just another thing that raised questions. But as always, he kept his mouth shut. They would tell the rest of them when they were ready. For now, all that mattered was that Roxas and Xion were their friends.

Though the staff of the shop did make them clean up their mini-castles and put up the shoeboxes before they could go.

After that, which took even longer than expected, they headed up to Sunset Hill. As Olette suggested, it turned out to be a nice place to continue Xion's lessons and they could watch the trains somewhat while hanging out. Hayner and Roxas focused mostly on helping her with skateboarding. Pence and Olette alternated between offering moral support and playing more of the games on the weird phones until the batteries ran down. It took time. But the new shoes seemed to really help her actually stay on the skateboard.

Once she stopped falling off every time, Xion picked up the basics amazingly fast. Her natural athletic capabilities served her well, just like when they were learning about Struggle battles. She wasn't quite as smooth as Roxas, but it didn't take too long for her to start picking up some easy tricks.

But after a while, the excitement began to die down. The group moved together until they were sitting near the edge to watch the distant horizon and the occasional train running along the rails. Lazy conversation gave way to comfortable silence as the warm afternoon coaxed them into a state of drowsiness. Eventually Hayner reached the point that he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

He rather liked it. Sometimes friendship meant having adventures and excitement. Other times it meant dozing off on a hill as sunset approached.

Shifting slightly, Olette asked, "What time is it?"

"I don't know," he said, not really wanting to wake up enough to find out.

They were far enough from the clocktower that they couldn't rely on their most common method of finding out the time. And Hayner didn't wear a watch. If he wanted to find out what time it was, he'd probably have to head down the hill and find someone to ask.

"I told my mom I'd probably be out late, Pence's parents don't have a strict curfew on the weekends, and I know yours are used to you missing yours. What time do Roxas and Xion need to get back?"

Hayner glanced over at the pair. While Pence lay sprawled on his back, snoring softly, Roxas and Xion were sitting up just enough to lean against each other. Side by side with their heads lolling slightly. Relaxed and drowsing peacefully. Lulled to sleep by the warm sunlight.

"Let them sleep a little longer," said Hayner.

"And what about Lea? What if he starts wondering where they are?"

He couldn't help scowling at the reminder of the man. Hayner still didn't know what his angle might be or what he was up to. He didn't completely trust him. Hayner needed some real proof that the man had changed. He was giving Lea a chance because Kairi, Roxas, and Xion vouched for him. But that didn't mean that he liked him. Until he saw proof with his own eyes that Lea wasn't the same guy who kidnapped Kairi and dragged her into one of those weird dark portal things, Hayner was going to hold onto his suspicions.

"He'll be fine," he said. "He can deal with some annoyance for a bit."

Lea had gotten better when it came to being separated from the half-pints. Or at least he thought he was. When they were at school and he knew exactly where they were and when they would be back, that feeling of anxiety seemed more distant. Easier to bear and no longer overwhelming. As long as Lea knew they were safe and would be home soon, he could handle it. He thought that he was getting past his problem.

When Roxas and Xion were five minutes late, Lea tried to remind himself that there was no reason to worry and that five minutes meant nothing. When they were ten minutes late, he tried to remember that they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and that there weren't that many threats in Twilight Town that they couldn't handle. And when they were fifteen minutes late, Lea was struggling to remind himself that they used to go on dangerous missions alone all the time and came back unharmed. That didn't stop him from nearly hyperventilating and it didn't banish the anxiety that left his skin crawling as he struggled to stay in the apartment.

Then he tried calling their Gummiphones. Such wonderful devices. They were supposed to work even if they were scattered across multiple worlds. That's how the devices were explained to Lea. They needed to be recharged occasionally with either a Thunder spell or by connecting them to some source of electricity, but the signal could reach almost anywhere. They could always make a call. But when Lea tried to reach either of their Gummiphones, the calls refused to connect.

As if they were gone. Like they didn't exist.

He knew their normal places. And it didn't take him long to check them. The Tram Common where they did odd jobs for munny, the Sandlot, Market Street where they went skateboarding, the spot under the train tracks that the other kids used as a hideout, and even the clocktower. And with each failure, his anxiety and panic mounted.

Lea couldn't block out the voices in his head screaming at him. Telling him that Roxas and Xion were gone, that he'd lost them again, that he'd failed them, and that he would never see them ever again. It wasn't logical or reasonable, but Lea couldn't stop it.

He had to find them. He had to get them back.

Lea couldn't seem to breathe. His chest felt tight, like a metal band wrapping around him. Constricting tighter with every second. He could feel the racing beat pounding against his ribs. And he couldn't think. Everything just felt awful.

Roxas and Xion were missing. He couldn't lose them again. He couldn't forget them. He needed to find them.

He needed help.

Lea didn't know how he managed to rein in his panic enough to look like he was even slightly in control, but he did. Years of having no heart and pretending to have emotional responses, at least until certain Keybearers coaxed his new budding heart into developing enough, meant that Lea could put on a decent façade. He could hide how much he was mentally and emotionally freaking out. Or at least appear slightly less freaked out than he really was. And once he shoved down his panic enough, he took a dark corridor straight to the Old Mansion.

"Isa," he called as soon as he stepped out.

In hindsight, appearing without warning might not have been his best idea. Rather like his attempt to grab Kairi when he needed her help. While he startled Isa into swinging around the piece of wood he was carrying and forcing Lea to step sideways to avoid it, Lea was very lucky that his friend didn't instinctively summon his claymore instead. But Isa did drop the board and fell out of his defensive stance when he recognized Lea a second later.

Brow furrowing slightly, Isa asked, "What happened? What's wrong?"

Well, that figured. While Lea was hiding the worst of the anxiety and fear scraping his nerves raw, he couldn't hide all of it. Especially from Isa. They'd known each other for too long.

Swallowing past the tight knot in his throat and trying to slow his breathing down, Lea said, "I can't find them. Roxas and Xion. They're almost an hour late and I can't find them."

The words didn't come out as frantic and desperate as Lea felt. Just somewhat worried. He would call that a success.

"Did you try calling them yet?" asked Isa, always the practical one.

Lea nodded sharply. His skin and nerves felt like they were buzzing. He needed to move. He needed to find them. Standing in the foyer of the Old Mansion, surrounded by signs of construction and repair from Isa's efforts, Lea wanted to smash something or set it on fire. Anything to deal with the nervous, frustrated, and frantic energy. Keeping still and in control was almost torture. He needed to do something. Anything to drive out those fears screaming that Roxas and Xion were gone forever.

"I tried calling, but it won't connect," he said. "I can't reach either of them."

Taking a step closer, his hand opening and closing at his side as if debating with himself about trying to reach out to Lea, Isa said, "I doubt they've left the world, which means that they must be somewhere in town. And while I'm certain that they are safe, we'll go look for them. I assume you've checked the closest locations to your apartment. I'll start looking farther away if you want to go and leave a note for them back at your home in case they come back while we're out."

Lea tried to smile, but it wasn't his best effort. But at least with Isa to help, they could cover twice the area in the same amount of time. Maybe that would be enough to get them back. If Roxas and Xion were still in Twilight Town, one of them should be able to find them.

It had to work. It had to be enough. He couldn't lose his half-pints again.

He lingered long enough for Isa to head for the door of the Old Mansion before summoning another dark corridor. Not back to the apartment, but the clocktower. He didn't really expect to find them there since he'd already check there. But it gave him a semi-private spot to collapse, shaking and trying to breathe as he emotionally fell apart.

A heart and all the emotions that came with it could still hit hard and catch him off guard. He was getting better at existing properly again, but he'd been a Nobody for over a decade. Sometimes the intensity could still surprise and overwhelm him.

Get up. He needed to get up and keep looking for them. Lea's rational mind knew that. Just like he knew that they were probably fine.

But his rational mind didn't have a chance in this fight. Not when he was drowning in the awful feeling of loss, desperation, and fear. As if he knew that they were already gone forever. As if he already knew that he'd failed them both and lost them again.

Lea scrubbed the wetness from his face, trying to reclaim some measure of control. Trying to breathe properly. He needed to get going and find them. He couldn't give up. He would always be there to bring them back.

Groaning as she stretched slightly, Xion asked, "What time is it?"

Hayner shrugged awkwardly. He shoved down the odd spark of guilt, trying to look innocent. He'd actually dozed off briefly and now he had a feeling that they'd stayed even longer than he actually intended. While it initially seemed like an amusing way to annoy Lea, he was starting to have second thoughts about it. What if Roxas and Xion got into trouble for being late? He didn't want that. He should have thought things through a bit more first.

Well, they didn't get in much trouble even when they got in a fight at school. He couldn't imagine Roxas and Xion being a little late causing a worse reaction.

"No idea," mumbled Pence, rubbing his eyes.

Roxas climbed to his feet and stretched his arms above his head. But when he glanced towards the horizon and the setting sun's relative position to it, he froze. A moment later, he snarled something under his breath and frantically dug out his weird phone.

"We're late," he said sharply. Then, glaring at the device in frustration, Roxas added, "And our Gummiphones are dead. We've got to get back fast."

Biting her bottom lip, Xion muttered, "And no black coats mean no shortcuts."

Before Hayner could ask about the odd statement, Olette shot him a sharp glare. Then she grabbed Xion's hand.

"Come on. The way that you two run, the tunnels will be faster than the train. Let's get you back."

Shrugging off the remaining traces of sleep, the five of them raced towards the path down the hill. Fast enough that they nearly slammed into the tall, broad-shouldered, and blue-haired figure who was coming up the hill.

"Saï— Isa," yelped Roxas.

The smile from the man was a little awkward and couldn't quite be described as a happy expression, but Isa nodded as he pulled out his own weird phone. He poked at the screen a couple of times.

"Found them. They're over at Sunset Hill," he said before hanging up. Then, turning his attention towards the uneasy Roxas and Xion, Isa said, "Did you two lose your Gummiphones?"

"Sorry," said Pence. "We were playing games on them and that killed the batteries."

Then Hayner heard it. Distinctive, familiar, ominous, and unexpected enough to make him jump and spin around. The strange rippling darkness had materialized hind him. One that he'd seen before. And a tall lanky figure stumbled out.

Hayner caught sight of Lea's face in that split second after he arrived. Right before he managed to hide behind a mask of calm. And that moment was enough for him to recognize that look of blind terror, worry, and desperation for what it was. He'd seen it from his mother that handful of times that he pushed his luck too far as a kid and got into serious trouble. Lea immediately tried to hide behind that wall of control, but Hayner saw enough in that raw and honest moment to know one thing with absolute certainty.

Lea really did care about Roxas and Xion.

"There you two are," said Lea quietly. "I thought you'd be back earlier."

"Sorry, Axel," said Xion, rubbing her arm. "We came to find me some new shoes and—"

"It's my fault they're late," interrupted Hayner. "I'm sorry. We accidentally ran down the batteries of their phones and lost track of time. We'll be more careful next time."

"Okay." Lea nodded, giving them a slightly shaky smile. "Okay. Just… give me a heads-up next time?"

Xion moved closer to Lea, letting one arm curl around her protectively. Roxas took up a similar position on his other side. And slowly some of the man's tension seemed to melt away."

"Okay, can only Lea open the weird dark portal things like that or can anyone try it?" asked Pence.

Crossing his arms, Isa said, "Those are corridors of darkness and they can be very dangerous without proper protection. If any of you ever try traveling through them, I will ensure that you regret it. Severely."

Something in the man's calm and even voice still had enough force to make Hayner flinch. A reaction that Roxas and Xion mirrored. Pence simply crossed his own arms in response.

"That doesn't answer my question, Isa."

Lea stared across the deep chasm. Far too deep and wide to cross without the aid of flight. And the chasm stretched out forever in either direction. There was no way around the impossible obstacle.

And standing on the far side was Roxas and Xion.

"How did you get over there?" he shouted across the vast distance.

Neither of them responded. They simply stood on the edge as mist rolled in. Dread prickled along the back of his neck. Lea couldn't help feeling like something awful was happening.

"Are you hurt?"

That time they managed to shake their heads. A tiny sliver of relief followed their responses. At least they could hear him. And they weren't hurt. Lea shifted back and forth, wanting to reach the pair and yet knowing that it was useless. Part of him wanted to move. He wanted to pace along the edge like a caged animal. But he refused to move away from Roxas and Xion to search for a solution. Something ominous was looming over them. He refused to let them out of his sight until he knew what was happening.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We're going back," said Xion, her slight figure getting harder to make out through the worsening fog.

"Back where?"

"Where we belong," said Roxas.

That feeling of dread grew stronger. He knew what they meant when they said that, even if he was trying to avoid thinking about it. He clung to that denial hard, using it to push down the growing fear and panic. The fog making it harder and harder to see them wasn't helping his mental state either.

Eyes scanning desperately for anything that he might have missed, Lea said, "Just stay there. I'll find a way over and we'll go home."

No matter where they might go, he would always be there to bring them back. Lea held tight to that conviction. It had kept him going even when it seemed impossible. It would keep him going now as well.

"We're not going home with you," said Roxas. "But you already know that, don't you?"

"You knew it was too perfect," added Xion calmly. "You knew that you wouldn't get to keep your friends. Not after everything."

They were just dark shapes in the fog. Barely visible. Lea needed to reach them. He knew that he couldn't just jump the chasm. He couldn't even see where the far side might be. Trying would be a guaranteed way to break his neck. But he desperately needed to get over to them before it was too late.

His voice sounding faint, Roxas said, "Don't worry about it too much. We were never meant to exist in the first place."

"You'll barely remember us when we're gone," said Xion, so quiet that it was barely a whisper.

"That's not true," shouted Lea. "Roxas! Xion!"

A breeze stirred, pushing away at the fog until a large gap opened. And Lea could see the far side of the chasm again. But there was no one there. Just an empty space where his best friends were supposed to be.

"Roxas! Xion!" he yelled, his voice echoing across the emptiness. "Where are you? Roxas! Xion!"

His voice strained as he screamed for them. But there was no answer. No sign. Nothing at all. As if they never existed. They were gone and he didn't know how to save them. All he could do was scream himself hoarse.

It took him a few moments to notice. Far too long. But then he realized that his memories were slipping away the same way that they'd vanished into the fog. The sound of Xion's laugh. Roxas's annoyed glare when he wasn't really that annoyed. The way that they both moved on the battlefield, natural as breathing. Those tiny pieces were disappearing before he could even recognize their loss. Lea clung hard, trying to remember. He couldn't forget them. He needed to memorize them so he could find them again.

What did they look like? It was getting hard to picture them both in his mind. Roxas was Sora's Nobody, but he wasn't identical to the other boy. He knew there were differences. Wasn't he also similar to Ventus? And Xion… She was a blur of other people. Kairi, Naminé, and Sora, but not any of them either. Was her hair dark or light? What color were their eyes? Lea couldn't remember their eyes. Their faces felt like blanks in his memories. Vague shapes taking up space in the background of the last few years. Indistinct and unimportant.

Which was wrong. They were painfully important. His heart ached sharply as those pieces of memory fell away into the empty abyss. He was losing them in every way, not just in reality.

…What were their names? He knew their names a moment ago. He'd already lost their appearances, but he couldn't forget their names. There should be an X in their names somewhere. Xemnas would have ensured it.

Why? Why would Xemnas have anything to do with those two? Why did Lea have anything to do with them? Who were they?

He couldn't remember. He could feel the strange empty spaces in his mind and in his heart, but he didn't know who or what was supposed to be there. All he knew was that it hurt.

Gone. They were gone. Whoever they were to him, he'd lost them. And even without knowing anything about them, Lea knew that they must have been important to cause him so much heartache.

He fell to his knees, gasping at the pain in his chest and the emptiness. It felt like something had been carved out of him. Loss and grief tearing through him, even if he could no longer remember the source.

"Come back," he whispered, arms wrapping around himself. "I need you back."

He took a deep and shaking breath that turned into a broken sob. And that awful and jagged sensation of grief managed to shake him awake. Lea lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness. He was in his own room in Twilight Town. And he hadn't forgotten the half-pints currently sleeping in their rooms down the hall. He swiped at the forming wetness on his face as he laid there, trying to breathe through the sobs without making a sound.

Another nightmare. A heartbreaking one. They were becoming more common since Roxas and Xion's nights grew more peaceful. They didn't need him as much anymore.

Lea wanted to get up and check on them. A part of him desperately needed to see them safe. But he forced himself to stay in place. They were sleeping. Roxas and Xion didn't have as many bad dreams now and could make it through the night. He couldn't disturb their sleep. Not for some dumb reason. As much as he wished to hold them until the awful sense of loss faded enough to let him sleep, Lea would be fine. He could handle it on his own.

Pressing his eyes closed, Lea pulled the blanket up further. Everything was fine. Roxas and Xion were in their own rooms, not gone forever. They were quiet because they were sleeping peacefully, not because they disappeared. He should be happy that they could sleep without him needing to comfort them. They were fine. It was completely fine. He just needed to force himself back to sleep for a few more hours. As upsetting as the nightmare was, it was over now. Lea didn't want to spend the rest of the night, or Twilight Town's version of it, staring uselessly at the ceiling until the first hints of daylight returned.

Unfortunately, based on previous experience, he suspected that he either wouldn't fall asleep at all or would just stumble back into a worse nightmare than before. Neither would be a fun option. But Lea would just have to deal with it and try because he couldn't keep operating on next to no sleep.

He was fine. He would be fine. Everything would be fine.

Chapter Text

An unexpected and unforeseen development that no one could properly explain was the local trio suddenly growing more welcoming of Lea to their group. More specifically, Hayner occasionally invited him to join them. Pence didn't understand the change any better than Isa did, but he was perfectly willing to keep the man updated whenever he came to the Old Mansion to help.

And he came to help quite often. Especially considering how much time school and hanging around with his other friends took. But he kept appearing underfoot, helping with repairs or poking at the computer systems while talking about what the teenagers had been doing recently and asking Isa all types of questions. His curiosity was never fully satisfied and he had an investigative streak that was almost admirable. Isa honestly couldn't say which was more surprising: the fact that he'd apparently befriended the local boy by accident or that somehow he'd been dragged into participating in gossip with him.

But it was certainly entertaining to hear Pence's description of Lea joining them to watch one of the silent movies or when they tried to teach him to skateboard. Which involved a lot more crashing than Lea's version of the story. They'd finally admitted defeat on the lessons. Thankfully before Lea set something on fire out of frustration.

Isa knew it shouldn't be as amusing as it was. But Pence talking about all the ways that Lea failed at learning the relatively simple skill reminded Isa of the time that he tried teaching his friend how to swim. With equally pathetic results. Lea just seemed to have the buoyance of a brick and was better off avoiding deep water. Skateboarding was simply another activity that was not within Lea's capacity either.

But despite Pence including him in all the gossip about their recent adventures and Lea still attempting to spend time with him, Isa hadn't expected to be invited along with everyone else. But apparently everyone was invited that day. They wanted to have an impromptu Struggle tournament between the various kids. And somehow Lea and Isa were volunteered to serve as referees and keep things from being completely one-sided.

Pence explained that while he and Olette weren't as enthusiastic about Struggle matches in general, Hayner was excited to see how well his "lessons" for Roxas and Xion turned out. He wanted to really push himself and see how good he was against some proper opponents. Hayner was always the most competitive, but everyone would be trying their hardest. The losers would buy the winner ice cream for a month. Very high stakes.

The plan, as far as Isa had been informed, involved him meeting them at the kid's usual spot under the train tracks. Their little hideout from the other adults who weren't invited. Once everyone arrived, they would gather their Struggle bats and head over to the Sandlot for the competition.

What he didn't expect was to find Lea leaning against the wall while Hayner, Pence, and Olette crowded together on the couch. With Roxas and Xion demonstrating their Keyblades while Lea talked.

"—and while the older Keyblade wielders can do some cool tricks with their Keyblades to reach those other worlds, most of us use Gummi Ships to travel," he explained.

"Or we can use corridors of darkness," added Roxas, spinning both his Keyblades in his hands.

"Right, but that's more dangerous. Try it near the World That Never Was and you might run into some lesser Nobodies since they travel that way too. Not as many as there used to be though. No one's there ordering them to guard the pathways to the world now. But if you try using dark corridors without proper protection, the darkness can swallow your heart. Not the safest option if you don't know what you're doing."

"Lea," hissed Isa, trying not to think about darkness swallowing hearts.

Turning, Lea said, "Hey, Isa. Just in time. You want to help describe Atlantica when we get to that part? I didn't spend time there on missions, but I know you read all the reports."

"Lea, what are you doing? What are you telling them?"

Secrecy concerning other worlds was one of the constants. From Organization XIII with the orders to avoid the locals to the Keyblade wielders trying not to interfere. Isa could practically hear the duck wizard squawking about protecting the world order.

Smirking briefly, Lea said, "Roxas? Xion? You two can handle the next part while I talk to Isa."

"Are you going to talk about the white squiggly things soon?" asked Hayner.

"We'll get to that part," he said, waving dismissively. "Lots of stuff to cover."

And then Lea slung his arm across Isa's shoulders and he was guiding him back to the side street. As if they were still a pair of teenagers getting ready to get into trouble. Any moment now his friend would start describing the latest idea that he'd had. Isa wanted to grab Lea and shake him until sense returned.

"Why are you telling those three everything?" he asked sharply. "At what point did you decide to dismantle the world order for Twilight Town?"

"Isa," said Lea in an incredibly patient voice, "there is no chance that those three won't be dragged into more trouble. They're friends with Roxas, Xion, Sora, and Kairi. They've already run into Heartless and Nobodies. They've seen dark corridors multiple times. And they were already figuring everything out. They knew about the possibility of other worlds because of the digital simulation of Twilight Town. Which they figured out without any outside help. They've noticed that Roxas and Xion don't know all the things that kids their ages should know by now. And Pence isn't as subtle with his questions as he thinks."

Now that he mentioned it, Pence did seem oddly curious when he came to see Isa. And his inquiries did seem rather targeted in hindsight. He asked questions about Isa's childhood, how he met Roxas and Xion, where he used to be before moving to the Old Mansion, and where dark corridors led. Pence was not one to stop until he found the answers that he sought.

"I already discussed it with the half-pints first. It'll be easier to catch the three of them up on at least some of the basics rather than try to hide everything. I'd rather give them some info on other worlds, on the dangers of Nobodies and Heartless so that they don't try anything dumb, and give them a general explanation of where Roxas and Xion came from instead of just coming up with more and more flimsy excuses that they aren't going to believe. Besides," he continued, "the way that I figure it, they'll be getting Keyblades of their own soon enough."

Blinking briefly, Isa asked, "What?"

"They are too tangled up in this stuff and have too many friends who are Keybearers. They can't avoid it, Isa. There's even three of them."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"The Keybearers always seem to come in threes," said Lea, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Haven't you noticed? You've got Terra, Aqua, and Ven. Then there's Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Or Riku, Kiru, and King Mickey, if you want to go for a different trio."

"Then you, Roxas, and Xion," said Isa, not completely certain if his friend was serious or not.

Nodding with a grin, he said, "Exactly. And if you go back far enough, then apparently Master Xehanort, Master Eraqus, and Master Yen Sid were a trio before things went wrong."

"Lea, that's ridiculous. Just because there's three of them doesn't mean they'll end up with Keyblades."

"Maybe. Or maybe not. All I know is that Keyblades seem to be contagious and those three spend a lot of time with Roxas and Xion. It seemed smarter to be prepared."

Isa studied him a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes, crossed his arms, and scowled slightly.

"And?"

"And what?" asked Lea.

"And why else did you decide to tell them?"

Lea glanced away while dragging a hand through his hair. Which confirmed that Isa was right about him hiding something. He was always good at it and spending about a decade without a heart improved his acting skills, but Isa could still sometimes catch on when Lea hid secrets.

"Look, Kairi called the other day," he said slowly, "and she's worried about Riku. She thinks he's getting too obsessed with the search for Sora. These kids never do things halfway. She asked if we could help distract him for a bit. So I thought we could head to Destiny Island in a week or two for a beach day. And I figured that with more people, Riku and Roxas are less likely to go after each other. Or at least they might hesitate before coming to blows."

"And since you plan to bring Hayner, Pence, and Olette to serve as a buffer, you needed to let them know about other worlds first," said Isa.

"I mean, you're coming too. But yeah, I'm tossing them in a Gummi Ship when the time comes and letting them loose on the island."

"This is your idea of inviting me?"

"I planned to ask you about it later, but I guess now's as good a time as any."

Isa chuckled and said, "Fine. But when Donald finds out, I'm not helping you. You'll have to sit through his entire lecture."

"Not that I'll understand half of it." Smiling, Lea said, "Come on then. We have an official Struggle tournament to referee. Remember the rules. No magic, only basic combos, no Keyblades, no gliding…"

Shaking his head, Isa followed Lea back into the hideout while listening to the extensive list of limitations. Xion was demonstrating a very weak Blizzard before sliding along the ice to her friends' impressed cheers. Even with the extra rules, the other children were going to be struggling hard to beat the Keyblade wielders.

Hayner crashed hard on his back again, knocking the wind out of him. He knew that he should roll out of the way, but his body had decided to surrender. He could only lay there, struggling to breathe and wondering how many bruises were on him now.

"Okay, I'm calling time," said Lea.

Part of him wanted to argue that he was fairly certain that he still had another thirty seconds left. But considering that he was still trying to get his breath back and was currently incapable of speech, it might be best to accept his loss.

In hindsight, maybe this entire thing wasn't his best idea.

With five people competing, they'd needed to be creative with their rounds. Pence and Olette fought the first match, with her winning with some clever moves. Then she went against Hayner. He won that round. But previous sparring matches had taught him that while Roxas and Xion could go against each other, they always seemed uneasy about it. They were overly cautious and uncomfortable facing each other. As if terrified of hurting each other. Hayner's solution was simple: he'd take them both on.

Not both at the exact same time. Hayner wasn't completely crazy. It was a tag-team arrangement. Since Hayner was the one with the most experience at Struggle matches, he would fight them in one-minute intervals. Roxas and Xion would share points and trade out. It seemed like the perfect solution.

At least until he actually tried taking on both of them.

"You okay?" asked Lea when Hayner still hadn't managed to get up.

Groaning, he said, "Do you know how much ice cream that we'll be buying? Roxas and Xion eat a lot of it in a month."

That earned him some relieved chuckles. Isa offered Hayner his hand to pull him back to his feet. Roxas grimaced as he scuffed his foot awkwardly on the ground and rested the Struggle bat on his shoulder. He couldn't look more sheepish.

"Look on the bright side. You lasted longer than I did against Olette," said Pence.

Olette nodded, spinning her preferred Struggle bat. Her technique always made her a more complicated opponent. She didn't fight as often, but she could always throw a few unexpected curve balls.

"Sorry," said Roxas. "I should have been more careful."

"It's fine. It just means that I'll have to train harder," he said. "We'll keep working on it. By the time that the official Struggle tournament comes around, Seifer won't know what hit him."

"At least let me make it up to you," said Roxas.

He handed his Struggle bat over to Xion, the girl offering her own apologetic smile. Then Roxas summoned one of his Keyblades. The colorful one that he'd identified earlier as Oathkeeper. Despite Pence's questions, they didn't get a good explanation for why Roxas had two Keyblades. They'd learned a lot of complicated and strange things like other worlds, Kingdom Hearts, Nobodies, and replicas, but Roxas having two of the weapons was one of the few things that they didn't have an answer for.

Not that Hayner could completely understand everything that they told him. Like the crazy guy with the black coat and the monster bodyguard having about a dozen other versions of himself or how weird time travel apparently was. Or how Roxas somehow used to be part of Sora and how Xion was connected to both Sora and Kairi in a complicated combination of memories and science. Hayner only understood the basics of what they'd told him. But he didn't need to understand the weirder parts. He knew that Roxas and Xion were his friends and that was enough.

Though he should really figure out if the whole Nobody and replica situation made the two of them siblings or not.

Holding Oathkeeper in front of him, Roxas said, "Hayner!"

A cool green glow washed over him, soothing away the pain from the forming bruises. A bit like a high-quality potion. Hayner grinned at the sensation. Magic was pretty amazing.

"All things considered, you demonstrated a reasonable amount of skill," said Isa. "Even with the agreed upon limitations, holding your own against either Roxas or Xion is quite an accomplishment. Take pride in that."

"Wow," muttered Roxas. "That almost sounded like a compliment. Didn't know Isa could even do that."

Xion nudged him in the ribs, earning a quiet apology. Isa shook his head slowly.

"I can acknowledge his skills as well as the two of you," said Isa. "And I may not have told you before, but I have never doubted your skills in combat."

Slinging an arm over his friend's shoulder, Lea said, "Isa's in such a generous mood today. Next thing you know, he'll be talking about how he's always known that I would be the most dangerous fighter in multiple worlds."

"Yes," said Isa dryly, "you've always seemed dangerous, Lea. Especially that time you hit yourself in the head with your own frisbees."

Hayner couldn't help snorting as Lea groaned, rolling his eyes up. And he wasn't the only one struggling to smother laughter.

"Come on, Isa. Spill it," said Pence. "I've got to hear more about that."

"—and if you arrange the taller Stargazer, Tiger Moon, Starlette, Rosella's Dream, and Heartstring lilies together, they will provide some shade for the smaller species that cannot thrive in full sunlight. As long as you keep in mind that with the sun remaining in the same direction on that world at all times, you will need to place the later specimens on the far side to ensure their protection from the light. That arrangement will ensure the best outcome, yes. The differing points at which the various lilies bloom will also provide color and fragrance over an extended period of time along with an assortment of different shades over the course of the flowering season."

Xion nodded as she wrote down the names to her growing list. She had a few memories about flowers, but they were tropical plants from Destiny Island. Twilight Town wasn't nearly as humid. Not to mention that Sora hadn't ever spent much time learning about growing plants. He'd seen them and maybe learned a few names, but he rarely thought about them. Or if he did, those memories didn't seem to linger with her. She needed some suggestions.

She'd considered asking Lea for help, but she wanted to surprise him by planting a small rooftop garden. Her own project. One that she was doing because she'd decided to do it for herself, not because it was expected, ordered, or simply necessary. It was something that she wanted to do and decided to work on by herself. Xion had already been sneaking various pots, planter boxes, and bags of potting soil up there. And she'd asked Lea not to go up there until she was ready to show him. That meant that she needed to ask someone else. And while she'd considered talking with Isa about picking out some plants, figuring that he would know about what kind of flowers that Lea might like since they were friends and Radiant Garden's weather was similar to Twilight Town, Xion wasn't ready to take that step. She was trying to give Isa a second chance, but she wasn't ready to approach him alone.

Instead, she called someone that she didn't know very well, but knew all about her.

"And ensure that you select a few tall and sturdy shrubs to offers some greenery and a windbreak," continued Even. "You want to protect the flowers from damage, yes. Strong winds can knock over flowerpots if there is nothing to block it. Once you select some plants from my recommendations, let me know. Different species require different levels of nitrogen, potassium, and moisture for optimal health and growth. It is a delicate science."

Smiling at the Gummphone, Xion said, "Thank you, Even. I appreciate all the help."

Nodding towards her on the small screen, he said, "Growing up in Radiant Garden ensured that I collected a wealth of information regarding botany and horticulture, whether I intended to learn about such topics or not. At least that knowledge is being put to good use."

"I should probably finish picking out the first few plants," she said. "Roxas and Axel won't be grocery shopping all morning and I told them I'd meet them at home in an hour. I'll need to sneak the plants up to the roof before they get back."

"If you have any questions about a specific plant's viability, be certain to ask me." Hesitating a moment, he added, "Or if there is anything else that you wish to discuss. I have rather enjoyed getting to know you as a proper individual, Xion. I could have never imagined the bright girl that you have become."

"Thank you," she said, ducking her head briefly. "I'll remember that. And good luck with helping Naminé."

"I appreciate the sentiment, through my intellect ensures that luck is mostly unnecessary for success. We are making good progress. The development for her replica is perfectly on schedule, yes. I should get back to work, however. Ienzo should be returning shortly."

Xion nodded as they ended the call. Then she turned her attention back towards the rest of the store. The rows of seeds, bulbs, and young plants seemed less intimidating now that she had a list of recommendations. With the munny that she'd saved, she should be able to manage a decent start to the rooftop garden.

While Riku could handle almost anything after spending the last couple of years running around multiple worlds and clawing his way back from where he'd fallen into darkness, that didn't mean that he couldn't be caught off guard. And after spending every weekend searching for Sora, he was tired enough that he wasn't ready for a sneak attack. Not on Destiny Island. It came out of nowhere.

He'd intended to head for the Gummi Ship as soon as school was over for the day. That plan didn't last very long. Kairi's surprise tackle hug caught Riku at just the wrong moment, knocking him to the ground. But she didn't continue the hug afterwards. She moved to pin him in place on the ground and Kiru appeared out of nowhere, his foot perching on Riku's chest.

"Kairi told me to help," said Kiru with a shrug, as if it explained everything.

Kiru didn't have on a school uniform that Riku and Kairi currently wore. Nor did he wear the skin-tight outfit that he did back in his original body or the black coat that came with his new one. Instead, Kiru wore a sleeveless yellow-and-white jacket with navy-blue detailing at the bottom edges, dark blue pants with black belt-like bands around the legs, a yellow belt, and navy-blue wrist guards with yellow detailing. Similar to Riku's tastes and some of his old clothes, but still distinctively different. Unique to Kiru instead of an exact copy of Riku.

Glaring down at him, she said, "Sorry, Riku, but you've been running yourself ragged. You're taking this weekend off. I already called Axel and the others. We're hanging out with them tomorrow on the play island. You're coming too."

"And if you try to get out of it, I get to help Kairi drag you back," added Kiru, sounding far too amused and interested in the idea.

Blinking in surprise, Riku asked, "Are you threatening me into having a good time?"

Grinning down at him, Kairi said, "You better believe it. And Axel said he's bringing Hayner, Pence, and Olette with them, so Roxas probably won't try to fight you."

Riku wasn't quite certain that would be enough to stop him, but Roxas did deserve to confront him about everything that happened. He hadn't done so in the middle of the Keyblade War chaos. There were bigger issues on the line. But Riku knew it was coming. He did a lot of things to help Sora after everything that happened at Castle Oblivion and Riku would never regret getting his friend back, but he knew that he caused a lot of collateral damage. That part, he regretted a lot. If Roxas needed to lash out at him, he would understand. He would be ready when that happened.

If Roxas wanted to fight it out, so be it. If he decided to keep the peace a little longer, Riku wouldn't complain.

Kairi was right. Riku owed Roxas a proper apology. And he couldn't put it off. Not anymore. Time to face the consequences of his actions.

Though maybe he should check and see how much munny that he'd saved. In case he needed a small gift to help smooth things over. A tiny gesture of apology.

"If I promise to join everyone tomorrow," he said slowly, "will you let me up?"

"We all know that you can knock us off at any time," said Kairi.

Smirking, Kiru said, "I don't know. There's two of us and I haven't fought him in a while. Not since I got my Keyblade. The two of us together might be able to stop him."

Matching his replica's expression, he said, "We'll spar again someday."

After Sora was back. After everything was right again. After Riku stopped dreaming about his best friend disappearing and waking up with the awful guilt that he should have done something more to save him.

Perhaps Kairi was right. Maybe a weekend off would be good for him. Sora wouldn't want him to run himself ragged or to emotionally tear himself apart. And he wouldn't be able to help Sora if he didn't take care of himself.

It was hard. He knew that Kairi was right and that he was allowed to be happy, but it was hard. But Riku was used to doing things that were hard. Even if what was hard was spending the day at the beach with his friends and people who were friends of his friends.

"I really would like to get off the ground now," said Riku. "Will you let me up or do I have to make you get off?"

"Will you come to the play island tomorrow?" asked Kairi, not yet moving.

"Yes. I promise."

Chapter Text

Packing everyone into a single Gummi Ship for the trip to the Destiny Islands was trickier than expected.

Not simply due to space issues, though that was a minor concern. Five teenagers and two tall young men crammed together inside the cockpit. It reminded Lea of everyone traveling together to the final showdown against Xehanort and the others. It was even the same Gummi Ship since he kept forgetting to return it to King Mickey. It was crowded, but manageable.

No, the real challenge was keeping everyone organized. It was like herding a bunch of cats. First it was Hayner, Pence, and Olette's reaction to the Gummi Ship. The trio kept going on about how cool it was and Pence asking dozens of questions about how it worked while Roxas and Xion watched in confused amusement. It only got worse as they piled inside. While the half-pints concentrated on actually getting them to their destination, flying and shooting as they navigated that chaotic space between worlds, the trio practically plastered themselves against the window. Staring out at the surroundings in wide-eyed shock, equally entranced by the broken fragments of shattered worlds and prowling Heartless forces alike.

Which meant that Lea had to keep yanking them to sit down whenever things grew rough. The evasive maneuvers would have tossed them around the Gummi Ship if they remained on their feet. Isa tried to help, but only when the flight grew the most turbulent. Mostly he just watched the antics with a faintly smug look. Far too amused and thankful that he wasn't the one responsible for everyone after years of always being the one in charge. Lea almost wanted to dunk his oldest friend in a frozen lake.

But they somehow made it to the warm and tropical world without anyone getting hurt. A minor miracle. And as soon as they landed on the far side of the island, everyone tumbled out on the sand.

"Wow," said, Hayner, squinting up at the blinding sun, "that's really weird."

"What?" asked Roxas.

"Just… the sky," he said. "Never seen it that color before."

Nodding, Olette said, "It's such a bright shade of blue. We're really on another world, aren't we?"

"That's what it looks like on a lot of worlds in the middle of the day," said Xion. "It'll look more like Twilight Town's sky later on."

Pence pulled out his camera from his bag, snapping a couple of pictures of their surroundings. Undoubtedly, he would be going home with an entire stack of photos. He was clearly already enjoying the trip.

Along with bringing some towels in the bag that Pence was carrying for them, they'd all dressed for the occasion. Hayner and Pence wore dark green and red swim trunks respectively, already pulling off their t-shirts as they eyed the ocean eagerly. Olette brought a modest orange one-piece swimsuit with a floral pattern skirt that tied around her waist. She would probably untie the skirt whenever she got ready to head into the water.

And after a brief trip to the shops, Roxas and Xion found similarly-styled outfits to their friends in black and white. Roxas wore black swim trunks with white stripes along the sides and Xion's black one-piece came with a flowy white modesty skirt. The two of them had been confused at first that they needed new clothes for a day at the beach. Apparently they remembered Sora and Kairi both swimming in their usual clothes. But since everyone on Destiny Island likely spent a lot of time in and around the water, they probably preferred fabrics that weren't very absorbent and dried quickly. Something that Twilight Town didn't focus on as much. They needed actual swimwear or they'd be stuck in heavy and soggy clothes all day.

Even Isa showed up with a set of blue swim trunks and a white t-shirt that would undoubtedly be shed as soon as Isa felt like swimming. That man wasn't as enthusiastic about the water as someone like Demyx, but Isa always had a fondness for the ocean. He would be drawn towards the waves the same way that the ocean was pulled by the moon.

Lea, on the other hand, had absolutely no intentions of tempting fate by setting foot in the ocean. Oh, he certainly picked up a pair of black swim trunks with red and yellow flames stitched on. But he wasn't swimming and he didn't plan to take off his yellow t-shirt at any point.

There were too many scars that he didn't want the others to see. Scars that would ruin the mood for the entire day. The thin lines from knives. The almost sunburst pattern from burning himself out as a final attack. And the deep and ugly thing that wrapped around his side from a claymore that no one could know about. It was better to keep his shirt on and avoid people seeing them.

Not to mention that Lea tended to burn in the sun. Keeping his shirt on would prevent his whole body from ending up the same bright shade of red as his hair.

"Axel! Roxas! Xion!"

Lea looked up to spot Kairi running towards them across the sand and waving at them, leaving two similar-looking boys to approach at a more sedate pace. She beamed at them, looking absolutely thrilled.

"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" she continued. "And Isa! You made it."

Bracing himself, Lea caught Kairi as she flung herself at him in a hug. She laughed as he squeezed her back. And when they finally broke it off, Kairi moved to giving the others a similar welcome. Isa preemptively stepped back to avoid a possible tackle hug.

"Hello, Kiru," said Xion, waving at him. "It's good to see you again."

Nodding in greeting, Kiru said, "Hey, Xion. And…"

At that point, Kiru trailed off awkwardly as he realized that he didn't know the others, only briefly met them during the battles, or had complicated history with them. Lea knew that he fell into the final category. He needed to apologize to Kiru for using him as a weapon to destroy Zexion.

Lea needed to sit down someday and write out a proper list of people that he still needed to apologize to.

"Oh." Kairi hurried back to grab the arms of the two silver-haired boys to yank them over a little faster than they were walking. "Hayner, Pence, Olette? This is Riku and Kiru. When I first met you three, Riku was still missing because he was running around in a black coat—"

"Causing a great deal of trouble, if I recall," muttered Isa.

"—so you didn't get to meet him before," she continued. "And Kiru is…"

When she trailed off, clearly debating over what she was allowed to tell them, Hayner said, "Let me guess… Riku's Nobody?"

"Replica, actually," said Kiru.

"That's cool," he said with a shrug. "A bit like Xion."

As Kiru smiled faintly at the comment and most the teenagers moved into a conversation, Lea turned his attention towards the next possible crisis. A stare down between Roxas and Riku was underway. Without the distraction of Lea almost dying or a Keyblade War in progress, the tension was a nearly tangible thing hanging between them. Lea didn't know if the fight would be verbal or an impressive clash of Keyblades. But hopefully enough time had passed that they wouldn't go for anything lethal.

Riku made the first move. He walked over to the other boy, shoulders squared and head up. Roxas scowled slightly as Riku stopped in front of him. That scowl vanished as Riku held out his hand, Roxas's eyebrows immediately shooting up. He clearly didn't expect the older boy to offer him a small plain drawstring purse.

"What's that?" asked Roxas.

"I gave Sora the original from the simulation, so I had to find a new one to put it all in," he said. "I know it isn't much compared to everything that's happened, but… Inside is the 5000 munny that I took from you before. I'm sorry, Roxas. For everything."

Roxas blinked, opened his mouth, and then closed it with a swallow. Several expressions shifted across his face. He even glanced towards where Isa was hanging back before looking back towards Riku. Then Roxas seemed to relax slightly and took the offered goodwill gesture.

"I get it," he muttered. "I still don't like it and probably never will, but I get it. You wanted to get your friend back. And when you want to save someone, sometimes you're willing to do anything to get them back. When Xion disappeared and I could barely remember her, I turned against the Organization and tried to release all the hearts they'd collected because I thought it might bring her back. And Axel…"

When Roxas trailed off, Lea grimaced. When he tried to save the people that he cared about, Lea also abandoned the Organization. Along with kidnapping Kairi, sacrificing himself against a swarm of lesser Nobodies, bullying his way into getting a Keyblade, fighting impossible odds to defend the secret lab…

Yeah, people did crazy things for those that they loved. And Lea loved his handful of friends dearly.

"Anyway," said Roxas, "I don't think I can completely forgive you for everything that happened, but I think I understand why you did it and I've been trying to get past it. If we can give Isa a second chance, then you deserve one too." He shrugged slightly. "But if you try anything like that again, I'll break your other wrist."

Grinning weakly, Riku said, "I never confirmed that you actually broke the first one."

"You didn't have to confirm it. I know exactly what I did in that fight."

"What are you two talking about?" asked Hayner from where he and the others had been getting to know each other.

Shrugging, Roxas said, "Just the past. It's a long story."

"Come on," said Kairi. "Let's show you around the island. We've got the obstacle course for racing around the cove. And there's the Secret Place behind the waterfall. Oh, and Wakka said that he and Tidus have been repairing the shack and the platforms on the tree."

"Obstacle course?" Olette smiled brightly. "That sound fun. Do you want to try it out, Kiru?"

"I call dibs," said Hayner.

They ended up spreading out across the island, drawn towards different activities.

It didn't happen immediately. First, Kairi and Riku had showed them around the island while Kiru trailed behind them. And with some prompting, the pair started sharing stories from childhood. Various misadventures and games that they'd played. There had been some hesitation when they brought up Sora's antics as a little kid, the loss still stinging, but they eventually relaxed and chuckled about those adventures as well.

After the tour, Isa had pulled out a frisbee from one of the bags. Which immediately made Lea laugh and ask where he found it. And that led to a few rounds of tossing it across the beach. Roxas and Xion did their best to meet the challenge and Hayner got just as competitive as he did with a Struggle match. Unsurprisingly, Lea had completely dominated the game due to his years of experience throwing chakrams.

Only after Hayner finally admitted that Lea was the official frisbee champion did everyone drift towards their own things. Xion and Kairi went seashell hunting almost immediately after the game. Olette vanished with Kiru to try out the obstacle course briefly while Hayner, Pence, and Riku splashed around in the shallow water for a little while. Apparently Hayner and Pence both agreed that it wasn't a real trip to the beach until someone got wet. But eventually Hayner decided to swap out with Olette in order to give Kiru a "real" challenge and even convinced Riku to serve as a judge for the pair as they ran the obstacle course a few times. At that point, Pence and Olette decided to build something out of the damp sand. Isa and Lea claimed the end of the dock, letting their feet dangle in the water while keeping most of the teenagers in view.

Roxas had drifted around at different points. He'd found a few colorful seashells for Xion. Then he tried to help Pence and Olette. But his attempt to build a sandcastle with them kept collapsing the structure. And while he was working on getting along with Isa and Riku, he wasn't quite willing to seek either of them out for some individual fun. Eventually he wandered over to the little islet, claiming a seat on the bent paopu tree.

It was strange being there. Destiny Island felt like home, but not really. It was just lingering memories from his time in Sora's heart. Poor Sora might not have gotten to spend much time back on his home world after Roxas returned to him, but he was there for a little while. But Roxas himself had barely spent time on that world, regardless of how familiar it felt.

The contrast between how he felt and reality left him feeling oddly contemplative. He couldn't help wondering what it would have been like to live there. Spending his time on a calm and peaceful island with no knowledge of other worlds, Heartless, Nobodies, Keyblades, or anything similar. Roxas couldn't even imagine what that was like.

The salty breeze stirred his hair. Even within Sora's heart and half-asleep, Roxas noticed enough to know that his Other spent a great deal of time around the ocean. Not just on his home world, but on others. Places like Atlantica and the Caribbean. He always seemed happy around the sea. Maybe that was part of the reason that Roxas and Xion always seemed to like the idea of going to the beach someday, though part of it was probably because Axel was the one who suggested that they could do it together on their next day off. Roxas could faintly remember Sora's enthusiasm when they visited worlds with oceans. Diving into the waves like a fish, sometimes climbing on something tall first in order to make a bigger splash.

Perhaps that would be fun.

The problem with collecting seashells was that Xion didn't have anything to put them in. That meant that she and Kairi were limited by the amount that they could hold in their arms. Their first solution to that issue was trying to pick up only the intact and perfect seashells. None of the ones that were chipped or broken. And when they still found more than they could carry, the two of them started stacking the seashells in a small pile on the beach.

"I don't know where I'm going to put all of these," said Xion, holding up another Thalassa shell. "We put some shelves in my room, but there's so many of them here. I normally just pick up one or two when I visit a beach."

Smiling, Kairi said, "Sometimes I make things out of the seashells. Like charms, windchimes, or pictures to hang on the wall. If you want, I can teach you. That might make it easier to keep everything. And it can be fun and relaxing."

A faint memory that wasn't hers. A small object crafted of Thalassa shells. A lucky charm. A gift from Kairi to Sora. Xion smiled at the idea of making something similar. Perhaps even making them for Roxas and Lea if she could find enough that matched.

"Or, if you don't want to take them all home, we can use some of them to decorate the sandcastle the others are building," she continued. "Have you ever tried building a sandcastle before, Xion?"

She shook her head before following Kairi over to where Olette and Pence crouched. There was some kind of structure under construction, vaguely like a miniature version of the Beast's Castle.

"Most of the time, sand comes apart immediately," explained Kairi as she started digging with her hands. "But if you mix it with a little water, the sand sticks together enough to build things. Some people get really good at it. You guys should come for the Paopu Festival this summer. It lasts a whole week while we're off school and there's a sandcastle-building contest on the second day. They can get really elaborate."

Xion carefully scooped up a handful of the damp sand, squeezing it experimentally. She watched how it behaved as she studied the gritty material. Kairi was right. She could probably make something out of it that could support its own weight. Adding water made a lot of difference.

Grinning, Olette said, "That sounds fun. The Apple Fair doesn't last a whole week."

"What's paopu?" asked Pence.

"A yellow star-shaped fruit," explained Xion eagerly. "There's even a story about it."

"I can't believe you found my old frisbee," said Lea, nudging Isa in the side. "Seriously, where was it? It's been over a decade and there's been a lot of destruction to our home world since I last saw it."

Smiling faintly, Isa said, "That will remain my secret."

Lea's grin was less subtle as he sat there, letting his bare feet drift through the cool water. He couldn't help it. Today was turning out to be a good day. No fighting or arguing despite what he halfway expected, everyone was having a good time, and he was spending the day with several of his friends.

Bringing Hayner, Pence, and Olette to help serve as a buffer had turned out to be a good idea. They not only helped avoid any awkwardness between Roxas and Riku, but they also helped space things out enough that the half-pints didn't have to stay too close to Isa if they were feeling too sensitive. Some days Roxas and Xion were more comfortable with Isa than others. It was a work in progress. And with that buffer, it meant that everyone could actually enjoy the earlier game of frisbee without any awkwardness.

And from his current position on the dock, Lea could keep an eye on his friends. With Isa sitting next to him, Kairi and Xion wandering along the shoreline in search of colorful seashells, and Roxas perched up on the small islet, he could see all of them easily. Reassuring him that nothing would happen to them. That they were safe and nothing would snatch them away. Lea couldn't remember the last time that he felt as calm and relaxed.

Reaching up with both arms to stretch out any stiffness and enjoying the warmth of the sun, Lea groaned quietly. It felt rather nice. He was half-tempted to find a comfortable spot to take a nap. Of course, he knew that the half-pints would tease him for sleeping away their beach day, but it sounded like such a tempting idea.

"Any luck with finding information about the girl?" he asked, trying to distract himself from a possible nap.

Not needing any further clarification, Isa said, "Nothing definitive. Though I do have an idea. Since we suspect that Xigbar might be involved with her disappearance, I thought that researching Braig's past might offer some insight. Both about his time as an apprentice to Master Ansem and about his history before he took the position."

"Let me know if I can help. I'm not as good at research as you are, but I'll do what I can."

An appreciative smile twitched on Isa's face. Lea shared his own brief grin before turning his head back towards the rest of the beach, checking on the others again.

Everyone still seemed fine and having a good time. Kairi and Xion were moving to join the sandcastle construction. And over on the islet, Roxas was pulling off his t-shirt. Either getting too warm or planning to go swimming. Lea had already explained to the half-pints that there were slightly different rules regarding modesty during a trip to the beach. Roxas knew that he could go without a shirt and Xion knew that she could wear her skin-tight one-piece swimsuit without getting random stares like she might if she wore it wandering around Twilight Town. They didn't quite understand why the rules of modesty changed with those circumstances, but they accepted his word on the matter.

But the important thing was that everyone was accounted for and safe. Which meant that Lea could focus on different matters. Like the fact that despite Isa's enjoyment of the water, he hadn't tried swimming yet. Probably too busy wanting to spend time with Lea.

"Would you drag me into the water if I shove you off the dock?" asked Lea, giving his old friend a smirk.

"The water is fairly shallow over here. I might risk it."

Lea snorted while Isa maintained an innocent and stoic expression. They might not be teenagers anymore, but they certainly had their moments.

Roxas left his t-shirt draped over the bent tree. Then he looked towards the ocean, considering the bright blue water. Just jumping off the islet into the water might be fun. But he knew that Sora always seemed to prefer making a bigger splash when he jumped off the ship when he explored the Caribbean. He'd even climbed to the top of one of the smaller islands on that world before diving into the deep pool of water. In order to pull off something similar, Roxas would need to get creative.

Climbing one of the tall palm trees would give him the height that he wanted. But he knew that he needed some deeper water for the dive. And that meant a simple high jump wouldn't give him enough distance. Roxas needed something more.

Thankfully his visits to Neverland and repeated exposures to pixie dust left him with the ability to glide even after he left that world.

"Try and beat this, Riku," he muttered under his breath.

Granted, Riku was on the other side of the island and wouldn't see what was happening. That didn't lessen the cool potential.

Roxas scrambled up the sturdy palm tree until the green fronds were brushing against the top of his head. Then, bracing his feet against the trunk of the tree, he launched himself off, twisted in midair, and glided along the salty breeze. And after a few seconds of heading towards the deeper water that waited just out of reach, Roxas dropped the rest of the way. Dropping with a graceful and satisfying splash exactly as planned.

He had a few seconds of pride and satisfaction as he landed in the water, grinning as he twisted around trying to figure out which way was back up. Then Roxas felt the water pulling at his limbs as he tried to get them moving. His arms and legs didn't want to move quickly or easily, the resistance from the water making it hard. He remembered how easily Sora always cut through the ocean. But while so many skills came across instinctively, he couldn't seem to move his arms and legs the way that they were supposed to.

A few seconds after diving into the deep water and feeling the undertow pull him deeper and further from the shore, Roxas discovered that he didn't actually know how to swim. And that excitement transformed into the beginning of startled panic.

"We should have brought some cold drinks or snacks," said Lea.

Nodding thoughtfully, Isa said, "If we attempt such a thing again in the future, we will have to keep that in mind. It is quite easy to get dehydrated in a tropical environment without noticing." Pausing a moment, he added, "And I suppose there would be something appropriate about eating sea-salt ice cream by the sea."

Lea briefly considered telling Isa about how they'd already shared ice cream on the beach right before the Keyblade War. He didn't want to remind him too much about that stressful time though. Back when Isa was still under Master Xehanort's control and believed Lea died from Larxene's knives. Perhaps it was better to leave the matter alone.

Lea's gaze swept across the beach again, taking note of everyone's location. Isa sitting next to him. Xion and Kairi working on the castle with Olette and Pence. And Roxas—

He straightened, anxiety prickling faintly while a cold chill crept down his spine. There was no one on the islet, which made sense since he'd glimpsed Roxas diving into the water a few moments ago. Even climbing higher and gliding first, which was certainly something any teenager would try if they had the abilities available to them. Who wouldn't want to make their diving more impressive? But Lea couldn't see him now. Roxas's head should have been bobbing above the waves by now.

He didn't want to panic yet. He shouldn't panic yet.

Where was Roxas? Why hadn't he surfaced yet?

Cold fear joined the anxiety as Lea climbed to his feet. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. Roxas was nowhere in sight. Where was the boy? Why couldn't he see Roxas? Why hadn't he surfaced?

"Lea?" asked Isa carefully.

Far too cold for that warm beach and his lungs feeling empty of air, he whispered, "I can't see Roxas. He went into the water, but I can't see him now."

Roxas twisted and fought desperately against the current. But it wasn't like facing a Heartless, Nobody, or Unversed. The ocean was not an opponent that could be defeated. And struggling only made the burning in his chest worse.

Air. He needed air. His body begged for it even as he tried to figure out a way to escape.

Which way was the surface? The water left him weightless and the salt burned his eyes too much to see which way was lighter. He couldn't figure out which way was up. Not that it would help much. His movements were sluggish and slow, the water resistant to his efforts. Roxas couldn't pull off any of his usual acrobatics without any solid surfaces to work with. And he apparently couldn't mimic Sora's movements to propel himself through the water. He was powerless and helpless. There was no escape. There was nothing except the pull of the ocean dragging him somewhere.

A new form of terror had taken root. His chest burned and threatened to burst. A deafening pounding beat in his ears. His vision filled with black spots. And while the rest of him couldn't swim, his head certainly was. He couldn't think. All that filled his mind was a desperation to breathe.

He needed to breathe. He needed air. He couldn't bear it. But he fought the impulse because there was no air to breathe. Only the merciless and endless water.

When Roxas couldn't hold back any longer, the air in his lungs exploded out in a burst of bubbles. And despite knowing that he shouldn't, that it wouldn't do any good, he instinctively tried breathing in.

He thrashed wildly, choking and coughing as the salt water rushed in to fill his mouth. Pouring down his throat. But even as his body spasmed, trying to expel the liquid, it didn't help. More water kept rushing in to replace what he tried to force out. There was no way to stop it. Terror and panic filled his mind, banishing rational thought from his mind in a way that combat never did.

Air. He needed air.

He couldn't breathe. Roxas spasmed and thrashed, instinctive desperate movements. He needed air. He needed help.

But he couldn't keep going. Everything darkened. His body grew heavy. He couldn't fight, so his limbs went limp. The pounding in his head grew slower and quieter. His thoughts unraveled.

He couldn't keep fighting…

Was he returning to Sora's heart? He didn't want to go…

His mind was falling away. Falling… Falling into darkness…

Something long and sturdy –like a metal bar– curled around his chest tight. Pulling him through the water as he lost his grip on consciousness…

Riku knew that Kiru certainly shared the most similarities to him, but Hayner's competitiveness couldn't help reminding him of his younger years. Before he ever left the island or re-earned the right to carry a Keyblade. Watching Kiru and Hayner run the obstacle course for the sixth time in a row was like watching him and Sora running around the cove when they were kids. It was a nice reminder of happy and innocent times.

Kiru had the advantage of knowing the area better. Both because of his artificial memories and his time on the island. He'd even run through it a few times earlier against Olette. But Hayner's enthusiasm and determination made the races much closer than they could have been. Kiru mostly used the zipline while Hayner either flat-out ran across the sand or jumped between the tops of palm trees. Sometimes Riku would shout out suggestions to them to make it more exciting.

Crossing his arms, Riku watched them scramble across the wooden bridge. Neck-and-neck. Almost too close to call. Kiru and Hayner grinning as they ran, the replica purposefully avoiding his more unusual combative skills to aid his speed. Making it a fair race.

Then Hayner stumbled and fell through the trick board on the bridge. Landing roughly in the shallow water below just as Kiru reached the finish line.

"Why do you guys even have that?" asked Hayner, laughing as he climbed to his feet.

Smiling at the memories, Riku said, "At first, we were just really bad at carpentry. But after a while, we kept it like that because it was funny. Even years later, we still occasionally forget which board it is when we're in a hurry. Sora tends to fall through a lot, but Tidus does it more often. Wakka is the worst at remembering."

"Are you all right?" asked Kiru, watching Hayner climb back up to where the other two were.

"Give me a minute to catch my breath and we'll try again," he said.

"Seventh time's the charm?" asked Riku.

Grinning eagerly, Hayner said, "That's right. And once I beat Kiru, you're next."

Riku chuckled lightly, shaking his head. Kairi was right. Taking a break to relax and spend some time around people for fun was probably good for him.

But before he could respond to Hayner's challenge, yelling erupted on the far side of the island. Where they left everyone else. Not excited yelling either. Panicked and upset yelling that immediately put Riku on high alert.

"Come on," called Kiru, already breaking into a run. "Something's wrong."

Roxas was yanked out of the darkness, coughing and vomiting up sea water. Trying to remember how to breathe past the way his chest spasmed, jerked, and ached sharply. His body forcing out the water now that there was the chance to finally reclaim air for his desperate lungs. Someone rolled him from his back to his side, making it easier to expel the choking liquid without the danger of swallowing it back down again.

He kept coughing and gasping for air. His chest hurt deeply with every cough that wracked his body. Like he was battered and bruised across his ribs. But the pain was worth it. He could breathe. For now, that was enough.

Someone was talking and brushing back his hair from where the water plastered it to his face. He couldn't make out the words over the way water clogged his ears still and the sounds of his own painful attempts to get enough air finally. Sand clung to him, sticking to his body and itching. And despite the way this body shivered and the way the ragged coughs shook him further, Roxas just wanted to stay still. He didn't want to move. He just wanted to regain his breath, exhaustion weighing him down.

But eventually his coughing began to slow and weaken enough that he felt more stable. Stable enough to risk an attempt to open his eyes. Blinking reluctantly and wincing at the bright sunshine, Roxas managed to make out a few blurry shapes. Shapes that slowly solidified into familiar and worried faces. Some crowded right against him and some watching from a little further away.

"Take it easy and just breathe," said Lea, leaning over him and brushing back his hair again.

Roxas grimaced as he realized that he was at the center of everyone's attention. He didn't like everyone focused on him with worried expression. He didn't like the idea that he'd upset everyone or that they'd all seen exactly how dumb he'd been by diving into the water without making sure he actually knew how to swim.

He reluctantly pushed his head up from the sand, ignoring the pounding headache and the way his breathing scraped at his raw and salt-irritated throat. Lea reacted to the change of position by pulling Roxas up against his chest while Xion grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. Despite not wanting everyone making a fuss over him, he did appreciate the support. He still felt worn out from his struggles against the ocean.

Blearily, he took a moment to figure out where everyone ended up. Lea, Xion, and oddly Isa were practically on top of him. To the point where Isa was occasionally dripping on him. Riku and Kiru were crouched behind Kairi, who was just a little past Lea with her hands curled into fists in her lap. Hayner was even further back with Olette and Pence, none of them apparently in the mood to tease Roxas for his idiotic mistake. Unfortunately, the lack of people calling him out already did nothing to lessen his embarrassment over it.

Despite how DiZ treated him or even Saïx did back in the day, Roxas wasn't an idiot. He was smart enough to avoid most obvious problems. At least he liked to think he was. Today was throwing that assumption into question.

"What happened?" asked Hayner.

"Roxas tried to scare me to death," said Lea shakily. "That's what happened."

Looking even more uncomfortable than normal, Riku said, "I'm so sorry, Roxas. We should have warned everyone about the undertow. Everyone around here knows not to go very far past the small islet, so I didn't even think to mention it."

"It's not your fault, Riku," said Kairi. "I didn't think about it either. No one did this on purpose. It was just an accident."

His thoughts weren't working very smoothly yet. He couldn't focus very easily on what everyone was saying. All that really registered was that he felt better now that he could breathe and that everyone knew that he'd messed up badly. Nothing else seemed important enough to think about much. Though Roxas did notice that not all the shivering seemed to be coming from him. Lea seemed to be shaking a little from where he was holding Roxas against him.

"Are you okay?" whispered Xion, eyes wide. Her expression reminded Roxas of how pale and shaken she'd looked when Lea was hurt right after their return to existence, their friend silent and still on the floor. "You weren't breathing when you came out of the water."

He squeezed her hand briefly, trying to reassure her while getting his unsteady and ragged breathing under control. Roxas already knew that his voice would come out rough whenever he got around to trying to talk. Unavoidable with how his throat felt after trying to inhale half the ocean. He didn't want to try talking to anyone right now. He just wanted to rest. He felt exhausted.

"Roxas?" Isa wore a slight and thoughtful frown as he looked at him. "How much experience do you have at swimming?"

Swallowing back another coughing fit, Roxas rasped, "None."

Stiffening and tightening his arms around him, Lea asked shakily, "Do you know how to swim?"

"Sora… does…."

The sharp inhale and brief shudder told Roxas that wasn't the best answer. And judging by the looks exchanged by most of his friends further away, it didn't go over that well with them either. From the way that Lea sounded as he tried to breathe slowly and quietly, he wanted to say something, but was biting back the words. Struggling against the impulse.

"Roxas," said Lea, voice strained and tight. "What were you thinking?"

"We know how to do a lot of stuff because Sora does." Xion looked up at Lea with an uncertain expression. "Wouldn't swimming be the same?"

Shifting awkwardly, Pence muttered, "Apparently not."

"'M fine," mumbled Roxas, not wanting to look at anyone.

"Roxas, you almost drowned." Lea sounded like he was struggling to keep his tone even and his voice under control. "Heartless, Nobodies, and creepy old men with identity theft tendencies aren't the only things that can kill you. You've got to be more careful. Don't assume that just because Sora can do something that you can do it too. You and Xion aren't him."

Lea's words managed to remain reasonable and understanding, but his breathing wasn't very steady or even. Though to be fair, neither was Roxas's breathing, even if it was improving. But Lea was managing to keep calm despite apparently feeling rather upset about the whole situation. He pulled Roxas a little closer, the boy's wet clothes soaking his t-shift where they touched.

Wet.

Somehow that detail stuck in his mind. Except for where Roxas was touching him, Lea's t-shirt was dry. He was only wet from the waist down. As if he'd run into the surf to help drag Roxas to shore, but hadn't swam out to where the teenager remembered diving into the water. But Isa was completely soaked. His hair and swimwear were plastered to him. And he'd been bone-dry before when he and Lea were sitting on the docks. There was only one logical reason why Isa would be wet now.

Roxas knew who pulled him out of the ocean. He knew who saved him. Lea might have helped, but he wasn't the one who reached him first.

"Sorry, Axel," he mumbled. "Won't do it again. And Isa?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

Chapter Text

Axel dove out of the dark corridor, barely worrying about being spotted. It wasn't like the locals weren't used to things popping out suddenly to try scaring them. They wouldn't care about him. And Axel didn't have time to care about them.

It took him too long. Far too long. Saïx wasn't eager to answer Axel's curious questions about Roxas and Xion's missions, but years of experience made it a little easier to extract the necessary details.

Halloween Town. One of Zexion's last remaining illusions being put to use. Removing the redundancy.

Tricking Roxas and Xion into fighting unaware until only one remained.

He ran frantically, searching the world for the young Keyblade wielders. There weren't any Heartless as he passed through the main part of town. No sounds of fighting. But he couldn't stop or slow down. His best friends were in danger. He couldn't fail them.

He couldn't let them accidentally destroy each other.

Axel burst into the graveyard, half-expecting to find the pair locked in a frantic battle of Keyblades and magic. And there were signs of combat there. Scorch marks on the tombstones. Patches of melting ice on the ground. But no active fighting. The moonlight shone down on what looked like a silent and peaceful graveyard.

Until Axel spotted the two cloaked figures sprawled limply on the ground.

"Roxas!" he shouted, running towards the pair. "Xion!"

They weren't fading. They hadn't disappeared into nothingness. Axel reminded himself of that. They were Nobodies. As long as they weren't fading away, Roxas and Xion would be fine.

Another mysterious bout of unconsciousness was better than being gone.

He reached Xion first. Axel dropped to his knees, rolling her over and pushing back her hood. And immediately froze, the air driven from him. A pale, featureless, and lifeless replica. Not Xion's dark hair and familiar features. An empty shell of who she was meant to be. A body left behind, but no will left to fuel it.

Something deep inside his chest twisted sharply. His throat and ribs tightened until he struggled to breathe. His eyes burned. And some awful nameless sensation clawed and tore at him.

"Xion…," he whispered shakily.

Somehow Axel forced himself to turn away from what was left of Xion. He couldn't do anything more for her. He needed to get Roxas out of there. The boy couldn't wake up and see Xion like that. It would break him. And if the Organization was willing to make the kids fight under the illusions of being powerful Heartless, what else would they do? Axel needed to get his friend somewhere safe. Somewhere that he could protect the boy and figure out the next step.

Grab Roxas. Escape. Figure out a lie about what happened to Xion and work out an actual plan later. Organization XIII would come after them. The two of them would need to be ready for that. But getting Roxas somewhere safe was the first step.

This time, Axel rolled him over and pulled him into his arms in the same motion. But somehow it was even worse than what he found with Xion. A pale, almost bluish-gray face. Slack and lifeless. When Axel brushed his hand along his face, shaking and desperate to coax some sign of hope out of the Keybearer, Roxas felt wrong.

No pulse. No breathing.

"No," he whispered, struggling to breathe himself. "No, no, no. Roxas…"

Not Xion. Not Roxas. Not both of them. Not his half-pints. Not his friends.

He couldn't lose them. He was supposed to keep them safe. He wasn't supposed to fail them.

"Not them…"

One hand cradling the limp body to his chest and the other wrapped around Xion's wrist. Axel clung to both of them as something sharp carved jagged and invisible wounds deep in his chest. An impossible agony. He couldn't breathe.

Gone. They weren't fading, but they were gone.

Not just gone. Dead.

Nobodies can't feel. Axel knows this. He knew what he was feeling couldn't be real. All the pain, the shuddering gasps that seemed more like sobs, and the burning in his eyes from tears refusing to fall? Couldn't be real.

And yet the misery wouldn't disappear. It sat there heavily. Like the weight of his half-pints' bodies in his arms. Any spark of life extinguished.

Dead. He'd let them die. They were gone. They were gone because Axel let them die.

It was his fault.

Roxas. Xion.

They were dead, dead, dead—

Lea woke with a sob strong enough to shake his entire body, teeth instinctively clenched to keep any sound from escaping. He barely paid any attention to his surroundings, his darkened bedroom and tangled bedding, before he grabbed a pillow and pressed it to his face. Muffling the terrified and heartbroken sobs. Crying roughly into the pillow as he sat up and curled his legs close.

He couldn't banish the image from that afternoon. He couldn't forget what happened.

Lea shook as he continued crying into the pillow. He'd been useless. Even when he realized what was happening and that Roxas had vanished beneath the waves, Lea couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't a strong enough swimmer and he wouldn't be able to reach the boy without probably drowning himself. But Isa, who grew up with him and knew exactly how bad Lea's swimming skills were, didn't even hesitate. He'd dove off the short pier, cut through the water like a knife, and hauled Roxas back to the surface.

An arm curled around Roxas, hooked under the boy's armpits and around his chest, Isa had fought back against the current to tow him along. And while Lea had run into the shallows to help drag Roxas to shore, he'd immediately known something was still wrong because the boy wasn't fumbling around and trying to climb to his feet. Then they'd managed to lay Roxas on the sand. And there had been no denying the seriousness of the situation.

It had been exactly like what Lea had just seen in his nightmare. The pale and slack face, tinged a bluish-gray. His chest motionless. His skin cool to the touch and no pulse. In that moment, Roxas was as good as dead.

Lea squeezed the pillow tighter, holding it with the same desperation that he wanted to cling to his half-pint.

While Lea hadn't paid much attention in health class and had regretted it multiple times lately, Isa remembered enough that he had started chest compressions on the limp figure. Brow furrowed with concentration, he'd worked at forcing air into drowned lungs and making the still organ in the boy's chest continue to work. It had lasted an eternity until Roxas started coughing and vomiting up seawater. Lea couldn't breathe until Roxas had started breathing again.

The rest of the day hadn't been nearly as exciting. Kairi managed to heal Roxas's battered ribs, giving him a bit more energy to the weary teenager after the ordeal. And with everyone worked up over what happened, there was a silent agreement that they were finished with their beach trip. A quick exchange of farewells and the group piled back into the Gummi Ship. By the time that they managed to make it home to the apartment, any extra energy from the Cure spell was wearing off and Roxas crawled to bed early.

Roxas was in his room. Safe and alive. Both Roxas and Xion were alive and safe. Lea knew that. And yet part of him doubted it. A sharp and broken pain twisted and tore at his chest. He could feel that raw and ragged loss tearing away at him.

He knew what it felt like, what it looked like, to see one of his half-pints dead. And that had been worse than when he lost them before. Before, they vanished when they were out of sight. Lea never had to see them lose their lives or existences. Not in person. But now Lea would have to carry that image with him.

The sobs gradually slowed. His fingers reluctantly loosened from where they'd been digging into the pillow. The anxious energy left him still trembling though.

Lea desperately wanted to go and reassure himself that both half-pints were still safe and breathing. But the dark apartment was silent. They didn't need him to comfort them after nightmares. They were sleeping soundly. And after the day that they'd experienced, they needed all the rest that they could get. He shouldn't risk disturbing them.

He didn't need to comfort himself by risking their rest by checking on them. He didn't deserve it. Lea failed to protect Roxas from harm and then he failed to even save him. Isa managed to do it instead. He could have lost the kid. Absolutely useless.

Thankful that the pillow soaked up both the noise and the tears, Lea uncoiled and set the pillow back down on the bed. Sleep wasn't a real option. Not when closing his eyes would make him see a lifeless Roxas or Xion again. But he could at least lie down for a few more hours until Twilight Town's skies began to lighten again.

And tomorrow, Lea could work on trying to get the half-pints some swimming lessons. Or maybe he could contact Donald and see if he could take a break from searching for Sora to cast some anti-drowning spells on them.

Next time they tried something new, it would need to be something safer. For his own peace of mind, if nothing else.

It took some time for them to agree to the idea. Lea originally suggested the idea weeks ago, though he also clarified that they wouldn't try it until they felt comfortable with it. But after their trip to the beach, Roxas seemed more willing to welcome Isa beyond that bare minimal acceptance.

And while inviting Isa into their home, the safe haven that solely belonged to them and where Xion knew that nothing would ever hurt her or her friends, was a big step for them, it came with certain conditions that everyone agreed to from the beginning. Isa would stay in the main room and away from the bedrooms. Xion's room was still her space and she wasn't quite ready to welcome him in despite all the progress that they'd made. And he wouldn't stay the night. Regardless of the fact that the fourth bedroom's unspoken purpose remained the same and everyone knew who it was intended for, Isa would not be using it yet. Other than those conditions though, they would all get to enjoy what Lea had described as a classic group activity…

Game Night.

It sounded fun. Everyone gathered around the table and playing a boardgame, eating snacks, and spending the evening teasing each other when they made a poor move. The way that Lea described it made Xion excited to experience it.

And while she knew he would enjoy playing with her, Roxas, and Isa, Xion had planned an extra surprise. One that she thought Lea would like.

"Okay," said Lea, giving the main room a final look over. "Everything is straightened up and looks good to go. Snacks are in the bowls. Do you two want tea or apple juice?"

"Juice," said Roxas, putting away the broom. "What kind of boardgames are we playing? Do we even have any?"

Shrugging, Lea said, "Xion told me that she wanted to find one. I left her in charge of that part."

The closest thing to a boardgame that they ever played back in the Organization was when Luxord snatched someone to join him in a few rounds of cards. Xion managed to pick up a few rules, but not enough to have a chance of winning. And once they moved to Twilight Town, she and Roxas played a few games with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Mostly physical games, though they'd tried various games on the Gummiphones. And their teacher sometimes gave the class trivia-based competition games with everyone on teams in order to see how well they retained the lessons. But they didn't actually own any boardgames. It hadn't come up yet. Which was why Xion decided to call for assistance and to invite him over to join them.

A light and rapid knock pulled Lea's attention toward the front door. There was a slight frown of confusion on his face as he headed over to answer it.

"Doesn't sound like Isa," he muttered, opening the door.

Grinning brightly like a particularly sunny day, Ventus stepped in. Lea laughed in startled delight and clapped his shoulder. Xion's special surprise was apparently going over well. Though Roxas did shuffle awkwardly as he moved closer to greet the person sharing his face. Another good reason to invite Ventus. They needed to get used to him and get past any lingering discomfort. Otherwise things would never improve.

"What are you doing here, Ven?" asked Lea, still smiling broadly.

"Xion invited me to Game Night. It sounded fun and I haven't spent much time with you since returning."

"Did you tell Aqua and Terra that you were coming to visit or did you run away from home like the first time?"

Looking a little embarrassed, Ven said, "I told them, Lea. Didn't want them to worry and chase after me again. But it did feel nice breaking out the glider again."

"We still can't do that," complained Roxas.

"Remind me again sometime and I'll teach all of you to use your Keyblades to travel. It's not easy and it takes a while to learn, but it's a lot of fun." Tucking his hands behind his tilted head, Ventus said, "But this evening, I'll teach you how to play Command Board. We might need to make some minor adjustments though. Xion said we'd be playing with five people, right? I've only ever tried it with up to four players. Me, Aqua, Terra, and… Master Eraqus," he said, some of the cheer melting out of his voice towards the end. Then Ventus managed to shake it off and added, "But just because you're new at the game doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

A firm knock on the doorframe and a cautious voice called, "Lea?"

Right. They should have closed the door when Ventus arrived. But at least it made it easier to drag Isa inside. Xion grabbed his arm and tugged him into the apartment.

"Welcome to Game Night," she said.

"I'm grateful for the invitation," said Isa. "Both to play a game this evening and into your home. It is quite lovely."

Waving at his friend briefly, Lea asked, "And how are the renovations to the Old Mansion going?"

"Slowly. Carpentry and wiring are not skills that I honed during our time in Organization XIII. There has been a learning curve involved." Pausing for a moment, he said, "Though Pence has proven to be a valuable source of assistance, especially in regards to the more technological projects."

"Well, when you get to the painting part of the job, remember to open some windows. Those fumes can really mess with you."

"I feel like there's a story there, Lea."

"Not much of one."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," said Ventus, "but where do you want to set up the game?"

Snagging his doppelganger's sleeve, Roxas tugged at him and said, "Since we don't have enough chairs around the kitchen table, let's drag over the chair from next to the couch. The one you pull a switch and it lays back."

"I claim the recliner. Sorry, Isa," said Lea, slipping his arm around his friend to push him along.

Xion expected it to feel strange to have Isa there. In their home. Or at least, she expected it to feel stranger than it actually did. Especially after Lea's discussions about boundaries and comfort zones, not wanting to push them too fast if they weren't ready. She thought it would bother her more to have Isa there. Like he was invading their space a little. She thought it would remind her more of being back in the Organization. Back when Saïx was at his worst and she was at her most miserable.

But having Isa in the apartment didn't actually bother her. Maybe if he came over sooner, when she hadn't had as much time to get used to Isa instead of Saïx, things would have been different. Maybe it would have stirred up too many unpleasant memories. But now all she could think about was the stories that Lea told them about Isa's disastrous skills at fair games and wondering if he was any better at boardgames.

"Ven? Isa? We've got apple juice or tea, if you two want some," said Lea.

"What kind of tea?" asked Isa.

"Ginger, raspberry, peppermint, and chamomile."

"Peppermint."

"Juice for me," said Ventus. "Just give me a few minutes to get everything set up for the game. I need to warn you guys though. People can get a little intense and competitive when they play."

Tilting his head slightly, Roxas asked, "Why? It's just a game."

"Oh, come on!" yelled Roxas as Xion practically cackled in victory.

Smiling, Ventus said, "That's a perfectly legal move."

"One that's destroying the chances for the rest of us."

"What are you complaining about?" laughed Lea. "I'm the one that's in last place."

Command Board turned out to be more complicated than expected. The layout could be adjusted to different versions, creating different pathways for each game. There were dice and cards and blocks that needed to be taken into account. There were tricks to gain advantage or send the other players crashing down. They needed to claim various spaces on the board and collect the different colors. But mostly the purpose of the game seemed to be to pit various loved ones against each other, creating conflict to rival the Keyblade Wars.

The competitiveness between the various people ensured that, despite the lack of physical actions like a Struggle match, they were all working hard to win. Each move was carefully considered. Every gain and loss celebrated or mourned. Cheers and groans erupted in equal measure. And when things grew seriously heated, popcorn was thrown.

While Ventus had dominated the first few games due to experience, Xion quickly picked it up. And now she and Ventus were competing for first place while Roxas did his best to catch up. It was like Xion and math. Something just clicked with her.

"That's it," said Roxas, burying his face in his hands. "We should just give up now."

Smiling faintly, Isa said, "But it is still my turn."

He laid down several cards at once, stealing points from both Ventus and Xion to their horrified shock. Then he rolled the dice. The elaborate path that he chose allowed him to hit a panel that sent him across the board to the finish. Then he leaned back in his kitchen chair with a look that could only be described as smug.

"And I believe that would be game over," he said. "I win."

His calm declaration was met with yells of complaint and more aerial popcorn.

"Thanks for inviting me," said Ventus as he finished picking up the rest of the game pieces, grinning at Xion. "It was fun."

Fighting back a yawn, she said, "We had fun too. You should come by again sometime. You can meet the rest of our friends. Olette wou—" She broke of briefly as the yawn escaped. "Olette would love this game."

Lea smiled as he ruffled her hair. Both of the half-pints looked a little drowsy. Game Night had run later than expected and everyone was getting tired. Most of the time, they'd already be crawling off to bed.

"It's still weird that you're grown up, Lea," said Ventus. "Not to mention how tall you ended up."

"Not my fault almost all of the Keyblade wielders ended up short," he said.

"But it doesn't feel like that long ago when you were my age."

"Do you need a ride back to your world?" asked Isa. "Or you could stay the night at the Old Mansion. You shouldn't risk traveling alone while tired."

"I'm fine. It isn't quite as late back in the Land of Departure." Ventus grinned and said, "I'm not that sleepy. I can make it home fine."

Smiling, Lea said, "Well, I enjoyed seeing you again, Ven. Let me walk you and Isa out." He paused a moment to glance over his shoulder. "Roxas, could you get started on the chamomile tea?"

"Of course. It shouldn't take too long."

It was never fully dark in Twilight Town. But the sun had long since set below the horizon and both the stars and the moon shone above them. Brightly enough that Lea had to keep reaching for Isa's elbow to guide him when his friend grew distracted. He was used to Isa's fascination with the moon after years of friendship. They walked through the darkened streets, enjoying the peace and quiet for a little while.

"How have you been since coming back, Ven?" asked Lea gently. "I mean, how are you really doing?"

It took a moment before the teenager let some of the cheer fade from his smile. Ventus scuffed his foot against the cobblestone as they walked. His gaze remained down as he considered the question.

"Haven't been sleeping much," he admitted. "I guess it reminds me too much of… I slept a long time in Sora's heart. And while it was nice there, protected and safe in his light, I don't really want to go back to that. That's probably why I don't like sleeping anymore." Kicking at nothing, Ventus added, "I don't think Aqua or Terra are sleeping much either. But I think they're trying to hide it."

Resting a hand on Ventus's shoulder, Lea said, "I wish I knew how to help. I have better advice for nightmares than I do insomnia. Only thing I can suggest is some chamomile tea before bed. And you can call me any time, for any reason. That's what friends are for, right? If you need me, I'm not that far away."

"Thanks, Lea," he said, ducking his head with a slight grin.

"And thanks for coming by for Game Night, Ven."

"It was fun visiting with you guys," said Ventus. "This wasn't as exciting as when we first met, but definitely fun."

Grinning, Lea asked, "You mean when I tried fighting a Keyblade wielder with a couple of frisbees?"

"I wasn't using a Keyblade back then. I used Terra's old practice toy to make it fair."

"And yet Ven beat you anyway," said Isa.

Lea shoved him lightly, which only made Ventus laugh and Isa give him a smug look. Then Ventus tucked his hands behind his head and tilted it slightly. The gesture seemed extremely reminiscent of Sora. All those kids had rubbed off on each other.

"Well," said Ventus slowly, "I should get going."

His hand went to the pauldron on his left shoulder. Armor surrounded him in a flash. A practical and durable form of protection against darkness, though Lea would always prefer the mobility and flexibility of his black coat or his new clothes from the three fairies.

He pointed his Keyblade and opened a passage to the Lanes Between. Ventus tossed his Keyblade in the air, letting it transform into a new shape. A board-like vehicle that he rode through the gate, vanishing without a trace.

"Okay, that looks like a lot more fun than traveling through dark corridors," said Lea.

"Considering how those skateboarding lessons went," remarked Isa dryly, "it might be safer to just use a Gummi Ship."

Another playful shove made Isa chuckle. Then he gave Lea a thoughtful look. The kind that always suggested that Isa was trying to see something below the surface.

"Have you been getting enough sleep, Lea?" asked Isa. "You look tired. I noticed it at the start of the evening."

Grinning sheepishly while scratching the back of his head, he said, "I guess work has been making it hard to get a decent nap and I've been falling behind on my rest a little."

Technically true. Fighting Heartless to collect munny kept him busy. He couldn't curl up on the sofa for an afternoon nap if he wanted to keep up with everything.

But Lea knew that the real reason that he looked tired was the nightmares that kept haunting him. Ripping him out of his sleep with increasing frequency and intensity. Roxas and Xion rarely had issues anymore, but Lea's subconscious seemed determined to make up the difference. Mostly he endured a variety of ways where he lost the two of them, one way or another. Sometimes Isa was included as well. Lea watched them disappear, abandon him, get stolen away, die in his arms…

It made a restful sleep difficult to achieve.

His nightmares might be worse than they were a few months ago, but he could handle it. Lea could handle it. He didn't need to disturb Roxas and Xion. Not when they were finally settling down. Getting plenty of rest, going to school, making friends, and having normal lives. He needed to focus on taking care of them, even if they didn't really need him much anymore. He couldn't afford to be selfish because that's how he lost everyone the first time. Even his attempts to help and protect them back in the Organization was done in the worst and most selfish ways possible. Being selfish would make one of his nightmares come true. Lea's problem wasn't worth worrying about. Keeping the half-pints safe and happy the right way was much more important.

Nightmares would pass. He would get over it after a while. Then he could catch up on his sleep.

While not looking completely certain, Isa seemed willing to let the matter drop. He instead turned his gaze back to the purple of the late twilight skies, where the moon and a scattering of stars shone. The sight seemed to sooth and relax him.

"I think Game Night went well," said Lea. "Sorry that you can't just crash on the couch for the night."

Nodding distractedly, Isa said, "I understand. After everything that I did to them, it will take time for the Keybearers to fully trust me. But we are making progress. Allowing my presence in even part of their home is a step in the right direction. I appreciate that small amount of trust from them and I would not wish to overstep."

"We'll have to do it again sometime. I think Roxas wants a rematch after that trick you pulled."

"You're just jealous that you didn't do the same thing to win." When his words managed to coax out a brief laugh, Isa gave him a slight smile and said, "Try and get some sleep, Lea."

Smiling as his friend turned to go, he said, "See you, Isa."

Chapter Text

Xion surveyed her collection of ceramic pots and planter boxes with a careful eye. She was almost ready to show the others what she'd been working on. The small rooftop garden was mostly crowded together, taking up about one-third of the roof. A variety of greenery and bright flowers that she was nurturing into something beautiful and vibrant. Something that was hers.

The garden was hers. Even with Even's advice and carefully calculated schedule concerning watering and plant food, the project was Xion's work. It was her idea. And it was something that she wanted to do. It wasn't something that came from Sora or Kairi. It didn't come from Organization XIII. It wasn't even something that Lea or Roxas introduced to her. Every part of the rooftop garden belonged to Xion.

She watered the plants, rather enjoying the quiet and the warm sunlight. Maybe after she let Lea and Roxas come up there, Xion could talk them into getting some chairs up there. It might be nice to sit up there with everyone. Or they could at least get some blankets and spread it out to sit on. That might be soft and comfortable. Or they could perch on the ledge like they did on the clocktower.

But she wanted to wait a little longer. There were a few plants that were just starting to bud. Xion would rather wait until they were blooming brightly before showing everyone.

"Xion," called Roxas from below in the apartment. "Hurry up. We're going to be late."

She smiled at his eagerness. Hayner wanted to start training for the tournament at the end of the summer, even if that was some time off. After their informal Struggle matches where Hayner figured out that challenging Roxas and Xion at the same time wasn't exactly easy, he decided that regularly sparring with them would "keep his skills sharp." And she had to admit that Hayner was improving.

Though Roxas kept quietly commenting that a visit to the Coliseum for some training would probably help. But he only mentioned it to her because if Hayner found out about the idea, he would jump at the chance for off-world training.

"I'm coming," she called back, setting down the water can.

While both the castle and inhabitants had changed drastically since the old days where the Organization lurked around, Lea still called it the Beast's Castle. Like most worlds, there were fewer Heartless scrambling around than in the past. But some still hid in the dark corners of the basement. And Heartless always tried chasing people with Keyblades, which made it easier to track them down for munny.

There had to be a careful balance. Weaker Heartless were safer to handle, but he would have to fight entire swarms in order to make a decent amount of munny. Fighting stronger variants would produce more munny in less time, but that was more dangerous. The last thing that he needed was to attack something too powerful alone and end up hurt or killed in the pursuit.

Today, Lea was trying something both safe and profitable. It was just difficult to find the creature. They were rare. But if he could find one, he should end up with a decent amount of munny.

He crept around for a few hours, taking out small patches of weak Heartless. But there was still no sign of what he was looking for. Lea started seriously considering creeping up to one of the hallways, the one lined with suits of armor leading towards the West Wing. That increased the likelihood of someone spotting him, but he halfway remembered it being the Heartless' preferred spot to hide. Lea couldn't help considering the idea as he lurked around in the dull grey passages below.

Until sudden colorful movement caught his eye.

Fast and agile, the sturdy little Heartless moved. Not attacking, but simply dodging and running around. And Lea immediately gave chase.

The Bulky Vendor wasn't a particularly aggressive Heartless type. Resembling a red-and-silver vending machine with colorful capsules in a clear orb, they preferred to run away from opponents. They would escape completely if given enough time. But if Lea could keep it running long enough without actually escaping, he could—

Now!

Lea threw his Keyblade, knocking the racing creature off its stubby feet. Then he dove to tackle it before the Heartless could recover and vanish. A quick twist of the knob and Lea was left with a decent reward instead of the cowardly Heartless. Both munny and rare items that could be sold.

He grinned as he climbed back to his feet. He would have to count and doublecheck, but Lea was relatively certain that he should have enough munny for the surprise that he had in mind. Lea couldn't wait to see their reaction.

"What's that?" asked Xion.

It seemed to be a decent-sized piece of technology that reminded her vaguely of a computer. But there was no keyboard and only a few buttons. Lea seemed excited as he positioned it on the small table in front of the couch. Whatever it was, he was looking forward to showing it off to her and Roxas as they perched on the couch.

"This is a television," he said as he hooked up some wires. "You know the films that they play at the outdoor theater? Well, a television lets you watch things like that at home."

"Really?" asked Roxas, leaning forward with an eager expression.

"Not just movies. Cartoons, shows, and anything else that they might broadcast on this world. Probably some news reports, but those aren't fun to watch."

Xion exchanged a brief look with Roxas. That sounded fun. They liked going to watch the movies with their friends. They were entertaining and it was interesting to see all those other people reacting to the same thing. Laughing, cheering, and getting excited over what the characters were doing. Sharing the same feelings together. It wouldn't look as large on the television as everything did when they projected the films on the wall. But it might be nice to watch something with her friends in a smaller group.

"Movie Night isn't usually as exciting as Game Night," he continued. "Less competition involved. But we could make some popcorn, get everyone together on the couch, and watch something. They used to have some hilariously bad movies about giant monster bugs back in Radiant Garden. Me and Isa used to watch them in the middle of the night. He'd complained about how unrealistic they were and I'd complain about how bad the acting was."

"Wait," said Roxas. "If you both were complaining about them, why would you watch the movies?"

Finally satisfied with the setup and stepping away from the television, Lea said, "That's the thing. Once the quality reaches a certain threshold of badness, it becomes hilarious. You can't help laughing about it. Like the idea of Demyx working hard on a project. You just can't help finding it funny."

He was right. Xion couldn't help grinning at the mental image that he'd conjured. Roxas barely held back his own laughter, his shoulders shaking with the effort as he tried to prove Lea wrong. No one had really heard from Demyx since his involvement in delivering replica bodies for Roxas and Xion, but there was no doubt that he was out there somewhere. And wherever he was, he was certainly not working hard. Demyx would be slacking off and playing music on whatever world that he'd vanished to.

"You want to invite Isa over for a Movie Night, don't you?" asked Roxas.

Shrugging, Lea said, "It might be nice, but only if you're both fine with that."

"He can come," he said, giving his own quick shrug. "I won't mind."

Xion smiled at him as she nudged at Roxas, earning a small shove back with a chuckle. Things were improving with regards to their relationship with Isa. This was the first time that Roxas actually suggested that Isa join them instead of just accepting Lea's suggestion.

"Okay," said Lea, flopping on the couch between them. The dramatic act produced some giggles from the pair. "We'll manage a Movie Night and invite Isa to join us."

"You're squishing me," giggled Xion, trying to wiggle free as his long arm draped across her.

"Oh no." Lea smirked, somehow his limb feeling even heavier. "I didn't realize."

Trying to shove the man, Roxas said, "Yeah, right."

From there, it devolved into laughter and roughhousing that started on the couch before moving down to the floor. Lea's long limbs gave him the advantage. Even outnumbered, he could hold his own. Especially with his knack for finding the most ticklish spots on their ribs. He was almost more dangerous at that than he was with his chakrams.

Somehow wiggling free of Lea's grasp, Roxas rolled away and ran. Leaving Xion alone as the man continued to tickle her.

Flailing and laughing, Xion managed to choke out, "Tra–traitor!"

"Abandoned by one of your best friends," said Lea. "Guess you're stuck now."

"Axel," she giggled, trying to pry his hands away.

"Sorry, not my fault that you're ticklish."

He paused his efforts briefly at the sound of running feet. Lea looked up just in time for a pillow to smack him in the face. Then Roxas tackled Lea with a laugh. Which gave Xion the opening that she needed to grab his arm to pin it down.

"Time to see how ticklish you are, Axel," she cackled.

Buried in the partially-gutted electronics of a control panel, Pence called, "Okay, try it now."

Isa pressed the power button. And while the machinery hummed briefly, it stuttered roughly a few moments later and died. While it wasn't the most necessary piece of equipment, the apprentices having already taken one back to the castle, Isa had added it to his long list of things to repair in the Old Mansion. And whenever Pence decided to show up to help, it was best to work on technology.

He didn't quite trust the boy with a power saw yet. Power tools were dangerous enough due to Isa's long hair running the risk of getting caught; he didn't want to add the kid's inexperience to the mix. That limited the help that he could provide on carpentry projects.

"Nothing yet," said Isa.

"Give me a minute," he said. "I'll try something else." A few quiet metallic sounds followed. "And tell me again what we're working on?"

"The controls and diagnostics systems for some of the auxiliary stasis pods. The ones that were used a few years ago are in good condition, but these were left alone for too long. Judging by some of the lesser-used technology, I believe that Master Ansem may have cannibalized some parts for his invention that he used in his DiZ days. The one he tried to turn against the artificial Kingdom Hearts."

"Yeah, you're going to have to explain what DiZ is about. I don't think you guys covered that part."

"Perhaps another day. It is not my story to tell."

"Fine. I'm guessing that 'stasis pod' is self-explanatory, so why do we have them?"

Glancing at the rows of egg-shaped containers lined up in a storage space built into the wall, Isa said, "They have a variety of uses. One of their original purposes from what I have researched was medical in nature. Ways to preserve the body while the heart is in need of a chance to recover."

Or to preserve a test subject during the experiments on the heart. But that wasn't something that he wanted to discuss currently.

"When Sora needed to have his memories repaired, he stayed in one of the stasis pods for a year," he continued. "But they have mostly been used to hold replicas during the creation process. At least that would be what I have seen them used for the most often."

"Sounds useful," called Pence. "Okay. Try again,"

This time, the machinery hummed to life and finished powering up properly. Isa clicked a few more buttons to doublecheck, but the systems seemed to be operating correctly this time.

"I believe that you've done it," he said.

Crawling back out, Pence said, "Cool. Glad I could help." He took a moment to dust himself off. "Any other plans for today?"

"The floorboards on the upstairs landing need replacing. Several sections are worn down or are cracked badly enough that they should be removed. I also intend to check the state of the support beams underneath." Studying the boy for the moment, Isa said, "First, the boards will need to be pulled up. I have a spare crowbar if you want to help."

"Sure," he said. "And if we don't get that part finished, Hayner might want to join us this weekend to help rip something apart."

"A little controlled destruction can prove a useful incentive to gain volunteers for chores."

Chuckling, Pence said, "Sometimes it works better than offering munny. Breaking stuff can be fun."

"Any idea what Xion has been working on up there?" asked Roxas.

Shaking his head, Lea said, "It's her surprise, not mine."

Roxas stared up at the rooftop access. They hadn't been allowed up there for a while, but he knew that Xion had been working extra odd jobs around town to earn munny. She had a special project that none of them could look at until it was ready. Something that she'd been keeping secret.

But it wasn't a bad secret. Not the kind that everyone was keeping at the Organization. Roxas had been learning that sometimes things were kept secret for a short span of time for good reasons, either because it wasn't an ideal time to explain things or because it could be more fun to share things at the right time and place. Surprises weren't the same as secrets. They weren't meant to hurt. Though they could make him curious.

And today, Xion said that she wanted to show them what she'd been working on. Now the two of them were waiting for her to make a final inspection before letting them up on the roof.

"Okay," she called. "It's ready."

Smiling, Lea gestured and said, "After you, Roxas."

He climbed to the roof. And immediately froze when he caught a glimpse of what she'd done with the place.

Instead of the empty and open space from when Lea brought them up the first time, one corner of the roof was turned into a lush landscape. Like a miniature garden. Clay pots, planter boxes, and such were carefully arranged around a few wooden boxes that were apparently intended to serve as seating. Various sturdy shrubs and bushes provided them with thick greenery, the leaves a variety of shapes and sizes. Those plants almost hid the little sitting area from the view of other rooftops.

And mixed in with everything were flowers. Bright and fragrant flowers arranged in colorful and deliberate groupings. White, light blue, and dark blue. Red, orange, and yellow. Purple, pink, and cream. And a large collection in the middle with particularly unique patterns and multicolor petals.

"Wow, Xion," said Lea. "I'm impressed. How did you get all of this up here by yourself?"

Ducking her head as she stood in front of her rooftop garden, Xion said, "I might have used a shortcut to make it easier."

"A shortcut?" asked Roxas.

"A dark corridor was easier than climbing all those stairs with everything."

Lea chuckled as he reached out to ruffle her hair, causing Xion to half-heartedly try avoiding it. Not that she or Roxas had a problem with him messing with their hair. Complaining and trying to dodge it was just half the fun.

"I left most of the roof alone in case anyone else wanted to do something else up here," she continued. "And I… I'm…"

"You're happy with how it turned out," said Lea, smiling proudly. "You did a great job. There are professional gardeners in Radiant Garden who couldn't do a better job."

Nodding, Roxas said, "You know what this calls for?"

Apparently following his train of thought, Lea smiled and said, "The icing on the cake?"

"Give me ten minutes and I'll be back with the ice cream," said Roxas.

Kiru watched the waves. Rolling up and down the beach. The peaceful ebb and flow. There was nothing to disturb him. Just the warm sunlight in the bright blue skies and the cool sea dancing across the shore. Sitting on the beach alone in the quiet and calm, Kiru's thoughts drifted. His mind being pulled along by the tide, back and forth.

He was alone. The others were at school and he'd snuck away to the play island for some privacy.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate everyone letting him stay. The various families were very kind in that regard. Sora's parents, Kairi's adopted family, and even Riku's family were all doing their best to make him feel welcome. Even if he didn't know if they completely understood him and who exactly he was despite the various explanations, they treated him well. Everyone wanted him to feel like he belonged.

But Kiru didn't. He didn't belong. Not the way that he thought that he should.

Destiny Island held too many memories and very few of them were his own. He knew that he wasn't Riku and everyone generally did a good job of remembering that. Though sometimes Riku's parents slipped up a little. And he was making some friends there among the others, though Kiru wasn't exactly sure why Selphie acted so weird around him. But living on the island made it harder to separate Riku's memories, the fake memories, and his actual real memories.

He might like living there and he might like the people, but he needed to reconsider it long term.

Kiru would stay if Naminé decided that she wanted to live on Destiny Island. She deserved the freedom to choose what to do with her life. She'd been used enough already. Forced to do things that she didn't want to do. She should be allowed to make her own choices from now on and he would support her. But it might be easier for them if they considered other options.

And it would certainly be "they." Kiru wouldn't leave without her. Even if he knew that most of his memories of her and his promise to keep her safe were the result of her power over memories rather than anything that actually happened, Kiru would make the same promise to protect her if given the chance. He would make that promise a thousand times. He wanted to stay by her side and guard her from harm. And he wanted to get to know her better. Without any lies, manipulations, or the threats from the Organization using them.

Maybe he could convince her to stay in Twilight Town. Some of the others seemed content there. And Kiru knew that Naminé spent time there while working on restoring Sora's memory, though he wasn't certain if that time frame was one that she would consider good or bad.

He summoned Dawn's Reflection to his hand, the weight of the Keyblade rather comforting and reassuring. Perhaps he could claim a Gummi Ship and explore the worlds with her. They could see all the possible wonders and meet new people. Maybe she would enjoy that kind of freedom. Especially after being trapped in Castle Oblivion for so long.

Kiru didn't know what she would prefer. He just wanted to find a home for them. Somewhere they could be safe and happy. And he wanted to find a way that they could make a new life where both of them were satisfied.

She would be joining them soon. Naminé's new replica body should almost be ready. And when she was back, Kiru could talk about what they wanted with their new existences. Until then, he would just have to try to deal with is inability to feel like he truly belonged.

Maybe someday he would find a place for them to call home.

Chapter Text

She liked to think that they were still like the rest of their friends on Destiny Islands. That they hadn't changed that much. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate meeting other people and expanding their horizons or even finding out exactly where she was from. But sometimes she wanted to pretend that she and the others hadn't changed that much.

Of course, most of the teenagers that they went to school with didn't go to other worlds after classes.

But Kairi knew that was exactly what the three of them needed. Riku especially wouldn't take a break unless someone literally forced him. Which was why she invited him and Kiru to come with her to Twilight Town.

Besides, she had to make up for that day at the beach. Roxas almost drowning wasn't the way that she'd wanted their visit to go. They deserved something better. They all deserved some normal fun without someone getting hurt or almost killed. And she hoped that they would have better luck on their home turf than they did on Destiny Island.

Their journey through the dark corridors always felt strange. Like it should be more uncomfortable than it was. The darkness surrounded her and tried to press down on her. But it also slid off her, unable to get a grip on her. Kairi was immune to the darkness. She didn't need any protection against it getting a foothold in her heart.

She did sometimes wonder how it felt for Riku. He didn't need the protection for a different reason, even if they both wore clothes with protection woven into the fabric. Riku embraced his darkness and used it without succumbing. His immunity was different and the dark corridors probably felt different to him.

They weren't certain if Kiru had any form of natural immunity. He wasn't Riku and they couldn't assume that he would have the same careful balance that let the older boy move through the darkness without being lost to it. Kiru didn't fear the darkness, his own or otherwise. But it wasn't something that they wanted to test unless it was necessary. They'd already learned that Roxas didn't have all of Sora's skills. It was better to err on the side of caution. But once Kiru threw on his old black coat, they were good to go.

The distance between the worlds was hard to judge. But it was never as far as she would have expected before they emerged into the warm golden light of Twilight Town.

It took a moment for Kairi to get her bearings. Then she recognized the alleyway outside the local kids' hideout. Somewhere off the beaten trail enough not to catch anyone's attention. Which was probably why Riku brought them there.

"All right," said Kiru, peeling off his coat. "Where are we supposed to meet them?"

"They're supposed to be waiting at the Sandlot," she said.

Looking around, Riku said, "You still haven't told me what they have planned."

Kairi grinned and said, "It's a surprise. Xion helped me organize it with Hayner."

Grabbing both of their arms, she pulled them along. Kairi and Xion had wanted to find something fun that they could try with everyone. They'd considered watching a movie at the outdoor theater, but Kairi didn't think that Riku would be able to sit still that long without feeling guilty about not using that time to search for Sora. Something more active and with less time to dwell on his thoughts would work out better.

The entire group was waiting at the Sandlot. Hayner, Pence, and Olette were unloading a pile of different Struggle bats. Roxas and Xion were already testing out a few of them, give a couple of swings before trying a different one. Even Isa and Lea were standing around, waiting for them to arrive.

Noticing them suddenly, Pence waved and called, "Hey, guys. You're just in time."

"In time for what?" asked Riku, crossing his arms.

"Well," said Xion, "we thought it might be fun to spar a little bit. But with Struggle bats instead. That way we can all try it. Winner of each round buys the loser of the round ice cream."

Swinging his own bat a few times, Hayner said, "And as good as I'm getting by practicing with Roxas and Xion, I should probably test my skills against some other opponents. That way I'll be at my absolute best by the time that the big Struggle tournament rolls around."

Crossing his own arms, Isa said, "I still question the wisdom of this. It might get out of hand."

At least with certain opponents. Kairi knew which combinations that he was worried about. But she had more confidence in everyone than that.

"And that's why we volunteered you as the referee," said Lea.

"No magic, no complicated combos, no aerial combos, no flying," recited Olette.

Nodding thoughtfully, Kiru said, "I could try. You'll have to teach me the rest of the rules though."

"We'll fight a round," said Hayner as he stepped over to him. "Don't worry. I taught Roxas and Xion everything that they know."

Pence moved to grab Riku's arm and pulled him to join him and Olette. Kairi could hear him about the importance of cheering everyone on and how big a responsibility it was to have a proper audience. After all, an excited and enthusiastic audience to the matches would make the entire thing more fun and people need encouragement. Kairi hoped that Riku would use it as a chance to relax and enjoy himself.

But Kairi didn't want to stand on the sidelines. She needed a little action. She needed to burn off some energy.

"You two can try next," said Kairi, bending down to grab a Struggle bat. "I call dibs on the first match though." She grinned and pointed her chosen weapon. "What do you think, Axel? Want to see how we've both improved?"

Blinking in surprise for a moment, Lea returned her grin with one of his own. Clearly eager to spar like they did in training. He accepted a Struggle bat from Roxas. Then he struggled a moment to find a grip that he could work with. After years of wielding his chakrams and then a Keyblade with a hilt with a similar shape that he could hold the same way in battle, he needed a moment to adapt some to the Struggle bat's design. No curved shape, but instead a more straightforward handle. But he seemed willing to try.

Kairi didn't have that problem. It wasn't quite the same as her Keyblade; the heft was off and it didn't feel connected to her the way that Destiny's Embrace did, resonating with her heart. But the general shape and the hilt were similar enough. And while the sword fighting games were more of Riku and Sora's thing growing up, she'd swung around the toy sword a few times. She should be able to manage.

She swung the bat a couple of times to get a feel for it, an action that Lea mirrored.

"This should be interesting," said Riku with a small grin. "I don't think I've ever seen the two of you go at it before."

Hayner, Pence, and Olette exchanged worried looks. Kairi could understand their concern. They'd never seen her fight and especially not after her training. They didn't know how much she'd learned. Meanwhile, Lea was taller, more physically imposing, and was the one that they remembered dragging her away so easily in their first encounter with the man. From their perspective, Lea seemed like the obvious choice to win.

It would be fun showing them how much she'd grown since they all met.

"Try not to break him too much," said Isa.

"Hey," said Lea with a laugh, "we've been friends forever. Shouldn't you be on my side?"

"I'll let Roxas and Xion support you. I'm going to be realistic about your chances."

Laughing harder, Lea grabbed at his chest briefly and complained about betrayal and being wounded by their words. Unsurprisingly, Isa didn't look remorseful. Nor that surprised by the dramatics. Seeing the lack of sympathy from anyone, Lea eventually shook his head slowly and tried to settle into a combative stance. Balancing the Struggle bat on his shoulders looked more awkward than with his Keyblade, but he seemed ready to go.

"Fine," he said. "Everyone is turning against me. But when I win, I expect that ice cream promptly."

Grinning brightly, Kairi said, "You'll have to help me pick out a good flavor when I win, Axel."

This felt familiar. The two of them facing off against each other, the sky painted with gold above them. It was like they were back in the Secret Forest in a way, where time seemed frozen in a single moment and training could last as long as they needed. Sparring and practicing with their new weapons. It would be nice to do it again.

"No cheating this time," said Lea.

Chuckling, Roxas said, "Kairi wouldn't cheat."

"I grew up with her," said Riku dryly. "She isn't prone to it, but she's absolutely capable of cheating."

"Real fights aren't fair," she recited faithfully.

"Well, this isn't a real fight," said Lea. "Which means no cheating."

Smiling briefly, Isa said, "Don't worry. I'll be keeping watch for any cheating."

"And I don't need to cheat to win, Axel," she added, balancing on the balls of her feet and ready to move. "I can beat you regardless."

She was practically bouncing by the time Isa declared the start of the match. But she didn't immediately attack. She was watching and sizing Lea up. Trying to get a decent idea of how to proceed. He might have learned some new tricks and she couldn't use all her abilities. She had to keep it simple. And that meant taking her time.

They circled each other. Testing the waters a little. A quick swing in their opponent's direction before dancing back out of range. Neither of them making contact. But both of them were grinning fiercely.

"Quit wasting time and fight," called Hayner, earning a sharp elbow from Olette. "Let's see some action."

"If you're that impatient," said Lea back, "you can try fighting Kairi next. I'd love to see her knock you on your back."

Recognizing his brief distraction as he yelled at Hayner, Kairi dashed forward. She swung hard and fast. Unleashing a simple, yet brutal three-strike combo, Lea barely spinning his bat around in time to block her. Then she jumped back out of range as he tried to counter.

Lea spun around, closing the distance again and forcing Kairi to drop into a dodge roll to avoid his swing. And then she immediately rolled back to her feet and brought the bat up to block his next strike. Then she forced him back with her own swing.

She was vaguely aware of the surrounding cheers and encouragement from the audience. Riku and Kiru's voices were similar, but she could pick them out individually. And Olette sounded surprisingly enthusiastic. But she couldn't focus on the actual words. Not if she wanted to avoid the swinging bat trying to take off her head.

Not that she was afraid of getting hurt. They used to spar with Keyblades. A padded bat was nothing.

From there it turned into a rapid exchange. Striking and blocking. Twisting and dodging. Neither of them pausing or slowing. Kairi enjoyed the almost brutal pace. And she loved how Lea didn't hold back when his bat struck hers.

Back and forth, the two of them maintained a stalemate. Lea's greater combative experience matched by her using a weapon closer to her Keyblade's design. She loved the way it made her feel as the match continued. The pounding in her chest, the blood racing through her veins, and the exertion making her muscles burn pleasantly. And Lea's grin suggested that he was enjoying himself as well.

Then, trying to spin the Struggle bat in one of the same moves that he would with his Keyblade or chakrams, Lea fumbled. The simple handle the wrong shape for it to work right. And Kairi took advantage immediately, diving forwards to smack his bat from his clumsy grip. Disarming him. Then another quick swing, with enough strength and low enough to knock him off his feet. And then she tried to finish the combo by swinging her bat downwards—

—only to be blocked by a glowing Keyblade that Lea instinctively summoned for protection.

"And you're done," said Isa. "I'm fairly certain that breaking out an actual weapon is forfeit, Lea."

Banishing his Keyblade and letting his head drop back, he said, "Yeah, I messed up a bit. Kairi won that one. I'll buy the ice cream after everyone is done."

Kairi smiled as she reached down. Lea accepted the offered hand and let her help him up to his feet.

"Okay, I should have taken a few pictures," said Pence. "That was awesome."

Grabbing Kiru's arm again, Hayner said, "Then you should at least take pictures during our match. And unlike those two, I'll show you how the scoring actually works."

The match between Hayner and Kiru wasn't nearly as intense or long as Kairi and Lea's match, but both of them had fun. And Hayner was shocked that he'd never tried sea salt ice cream before. Something that everyone agreed needed to be corrected. Roxas insisted rather strongly. It just wasn't right for the replica to have missed out on that important life experience.

There were other matches after that. Kairi and Xion exchanged blows a few times. Roxas and Hayner did their own familiar matches. Pence tried challenging Isa, but settled for a round against Olette when he refused. Then there was a match with Kairi and Olette and a different one with Kiru against Xion. And all the while, Isa kept careful track of who won and Lea kept track of who owed which person ice cream.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Everyone was having a good time. It would have been easy to avoid any problems or complications.

Of course, Roxas was never one to do things the easy way.

He chose his Struggle bat for his next match, giving it a few practice swings again. Then he walked over to his next chosen opponent.

"Riku," he said, making the older boy turn towards him. "You owe me a rematch. Ready?"

It was the best time to try it. With people around to keep an eye on them and padded weapons to avoid injuries. Ensuring that neither of them would go too far. Roxas was doing his best to get along with Riku, moving beyond their complicated history. But it still seemed safer to have some precautions in place.

Riku paused for a moment. Then he gave a short nod. Xion offered him a Struggle bat, which he accepted without complaint.

"You two sure you want to try this?" asked Lea as the pair moved towards a good starting position.

Grinning sharply, Roxas said, "It'll be fine. I promise not to break his wrist again."

"I never said you broke it," said Riku.

"Then why did you need that cheap trick to knock me out?" he asked, shifting into a more combative stance. "But fine, keep living in denial. Let's see if you can keep up with me."

Settling into his own stance, his bat held overhead like his old sword, Riku said, "I'm more worried about you keeping up with me."

Isa raised his arm and said, "Keep it civil. Get ready and… Struggle."

As the man dropped his hand, Roxas dashed forward. A flurry of fast and vicious strikes that Riku blocked just as quickly. The padded bats didn't clang with every hit like Keyblades. They were quieter. But the quieter impacts weren't any less aggressive.

They struck at each other before dashing back. Then they would race towards each other again, striking viciously before separating again. The entire Sandlot served as their battleground. Their friends were merely obstacles to weave and twist around. Neither of them ever stopped moving or even slowed down.

The stakes were lower than their last fight, but they were taking it equally seriously.

Roxas knew the rules. The very specific rules that they put into place to ensure that the Struggle matches were fair. But he also knew that not everything was covered by those rules.

Diving for the pile of spare bats, Roxas snatched another one up as he rolled back to his feet. Then he raced back towards Riku. Dual-wielding was always his greatest advantage.

"Oh, I see how it is," said Riku, smirking at him.

Finishing another quick combo, Riku suddenly broke off to run towards the closest wall. He leapt up, shoes hitting the wall, and kicked off in a vicious spiral that flew towards Roxas. The abrupt reversal was enough to get a solid hit in, knocking Roxas away. He hit the ground and rolled back to his feet with the same momentum just in time to block Riku's follow up.

"No rules against Flowmotion," he said, still smirking at Roxas's scowl.

Roxas tightened his grip on both of his Struggle bats. If that was the way he wanted to play it, then so be it. Any tricks that Riku could pull off, Roxas could match with his own skills.

Time to bend some rules.

Ever since he was publicly humiliated by a tiny girl knocking him flat on his back in mere moments, Seifer hadn't been near the small group. Not purposefully avoiding them since that would sound cowardly. And he certainly wasn't intimidated by Hayner's strange new friends. He wasn't that type of person. He wasn't afraid of the newcomers. He was just giving them some space. As he told Rai and Fuu, he was merely being generous and taking it easy on them until they got settled in. It was only fair. And if he decided to use that spare time to sharpen his skills, that was simply a coincidence.

But it wasn't possible to avoid them completely. Twilight Town wasn't big enough for that. And when the trio headed to the Sandlot, Seifer caught a glimpse of Hayner's group across it.

"Hey," said Rai, "maybe you should arrange a rematch against them, y'know."

An interesting idea. Though there seemed to be more around than normal. Seifer could see that Xion girl standing next to a new girl with reddish hair and similar features. Probably a relative. There was also a strange silver-haired boy next to Hayner. And the two adults were standing around.

But his attention was yanked away from the group by a flash of movement. Almost literally. The chicken-wuss, Roxas, was flitting around the Sandlot with another silver-haired teenager. Attacking each other with Struggle bats. But Roxas was dashing around fast enough at points that he almost looked like an orb of light rather than an actual person. And his opponent bounced off the walls of buildings and twisted in the air in ways that seemed to defy gravity.

It wasn't the impossibility of their abilities. The impossibility of the battle that was unfolding in front of them. That wasn't what hit Seifer. It was the absolute skill involved. Beyond the speed and flexible relationship with gravity, the actual fighting was astonishing. These people knew how to fight in a way beyond anything that he'd ever faced.

It was like when Sora fought the weird white monsters. The same feeling of glimpsing someone far beyond his ability to match.

There had always been a bit of a rivalry between Hayner's friends and the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee. Not quite equal; Seifer, Rai, and Fuu were certainly better than those three. But now Hayner was surrounding himself with powerful and dangerous new friends. And Seifer didn't like how outmatched it made him feel.

He felt like he was being left behind. Like he was turning into a joke in comparison. Incapable of defending the town despite their latest training. Because no matter how hard he might try, Seifer knew he would never be able to match them.

Even if he could respect their skills, that didn't mean he had to like it. Seifer could come up with all the excuses and justifications that he wanted. But the painful truth was that what he was experiencing was a mixture of jealousy and crushed ego.

"Those losers don't deserve us wasting our time on them," he said sharply. "We've got better things to do."

"Movie?" suggested Fuu.

Grinning, Rai said, "That sounds like a great idea to me, y'know."

Kairi was rather impressed by how the match was going. Roxas and Riku were actually having a friendly sparring session. Granted, they were going at it rather hard. But she grew up watching Sora and Riku competing against each other, participating in an eager attempt at one-upmanship and striving to be the best. While Roxas and Riku's relationship didn't share the same form of friendly rivalry, it was close enough to feel familiar.

Leaning towards them, Hayner muttered, "Uh, should we intervene? They're getting kind of intense and I'm pretty sure they are bending the rules really far."

"They're both intense by nature," said Lea. "That's nothing new. And they aren't actively trying to kill each other. Honestly, letting them get it out of their systems like this would probably be good for them in the long run." He smirked slightly. "That's how I made friends with Ven. Challenged him to a showdown first time we met."

Isa nodded and said, "That's true. Lea lost that fight. It wasn't even a close competition."

"Did you have to add that part?"

"Who's Ven?" asked Hayner.

"We'll introduce him next time he's in town," he said. "He's another Keyblade wielder. Cheerful, energetic, and looks a bit like Roxas. You guys would probably like him too."

Of course Lea thought that they only looked "a bit" similar. Being good friends meant that he could pick out their differences quite easily. That thought made Kairi grin.

"Sounds great. I look forward to it," said Hayner before turning his attention back towards the match. "Get him, Roxas! You can beat this guy!"

Laughing, Kiru yelled, "Come on, Riku. Is that the best that you can do?"

Kairi didn't know which one that she should be cheering for, so she'd mostly been clapping during the match. They both deserved support. And she was excited to see them putting in that much effort without slipping into something darker and more aggressive.

Okay, they were hitting hard enough that someone would fly back several feet whenever they landed an actual hit. But they tended to roll into the impact. Hitting the ground before bouncing back to their feet. Or twisting around for a better landing. They were both too experienced for anything else. Especially with foam bats. So it was a friendly match by their standards, even if it would still seem a bit ruthless for anyone else.

But then a cheerful and chirpy sound started playing. Kairi dug into her pocket as her Gummiphone rang. Considering that most of the people that she would talk to on the Gummiphone were already present, she didn't know who would be calling.

Maybe it was Sora.

Kairi didn't want to get her hopes too high, she knew the chances were slim and there was probably a dozen more reasonable possibilities, but she couldn't help that momentary thought. Just like she couldn't help that moment of disappointment when Ienzo's face appeared on the screen instead of Sora's bright smile.

She missed that smile.

"Hey, is that Ienzo?" asked Pence, peering over her shoulder. "How are you?"

"Actually, I'm doing quite well, thank you," he said. "I have some rather good news to deliver for once. Kairi, could you come to Radiant Garden at your earliest convenience?"

Leaning over her, Lea said, "Ienzo? What's going on?"

Kairi vaguely noticed the sounds of fighting had stopped, Roxas and Riku undoubtedly noticing that something was happening. But her focus was on a quiet, uncertain, and warm feeling in her that Kairi knew wasn't actually her emotions. The realization of what Ienzo was calling about was causing a sleeping heart to stir.

"It's ready," he said. "The new replica body for Naminé."

Chapter Text

Even though Hayner, Pence, and Olette only knew about Naminé from description and never met the girl, they wanted to come along. For moral support and to greet a new friend. Because of course these guys immediately decide that she should be absorbed into their friend group without hesitation. They weren't quite at Sora's level of friendship, but it was impressive.

But the unnerving secret lab with a nightmarish history would already be crowded enough without bringing them along and having to introduce the trio to everyone. There would be so many explanations involved. Not to mention that no one was eager to discuss the newest breaches to the World Order with Donald. That was a topic that Lea was happy to procrastinate on a little longer.

It took a little convincing, but the trio eventually agreed to stay in Twilight Town. Mostly because Kairi pointed out that adding even more people might be overwhelming for Naminé. Though they did want to meet her when things calmed down.

And rather than wasting time with half of them running across town to get their black coats from home, they decided to just pile everyone into the Gummi Ship. Corridors of darkness were useful, but sometimes it was easier to travel in a group by other means. Lea, Isa, Roxas, Xion, Riku, Kairi, and Kiru crowded into the cockpit and set a course for Radiant Garden. With the half-pints piloting, they made the trip in almost no time. Though they certainly left a lot of destruction in their wake.

In a Gummi Ship or with a Keyblade, they continued to wipe out large numbers of Heartless wherever they might go.

Lea felt tense and uncomfortable the moment that he set foot on his old world. And that anxiety only worsened when he followed the rushing Keyblade wielders into the building and down into the depths. He absolutely hated the lab and always would. Too many bad things happened there. But he could endure it if necessary. He shoved down the unsettling memories of those past nightmarish events because they had more important matters to deal with.

"Hello, Kairi," greeted Master Ansem as they arrived. "It is good to see you again."

She gave him a small and hopeful smile. Roxas, on the other hand, edged closer to Lea and Xion. He would probably never be completely comfortable with the man. And that was completely understandable. DiZ caused him a lot of pain before his more recent attempts at redemption. As long as Roxas wasn't attempting murder and Master Ansem behaved, Lea was willing to leave it alone for now.

Like the attempt to retrieve Roxas and Xion from Sora, the chairs with the attached scanners were back in the middle of the room. And occupying one was a replica body. But not the pale featureless version. They'd apparently already uploaded enough information to make it look like Naminé. Kairi and Xion's face, but the palest blonde hair that reached a little longer than shoulder length. And instead of cloaking the replica body in a black coat, they'd provided a white dress very similar to the one that Naminé once wore. Lea didn't know if it was Master Ansem or Ienzo who was responsible for recreating her outfit, but he knew it wasn't Even's idea. It was too sentimental for him.

As expected, the lab was crowded this time. In addition to Ansem and his apprentices, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were on one side of the room while Aqua, Terra, and Ventus were on the other. Lea gave Ventus a brief nod of greeting while Goofy waved at Kairi. It was definitely a good thing that they didn't bring the other three kids. Hayner, Pence, and Olette would have had to wait in the doorway if they'd come along.

"I'm sure that you remember the explanation from the last time you were here, Kairi. Let's see if this will go more smoothly," said Ienzo, gesturing towards the empty seat. "Hopefully there are enough people here to discourage any attacks in the middle of proceedings."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Lea added, "Not that there are many people left who might want to attack us."

The reminder of what happened— when he, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy fought to hold off waves of Heartless and Nobodies until Marluxia and Larxene arrived to tip the scales— did not go over well. Roxas and Xion edged in closer to him. As if trying to guard him. Lea had his collection of bad memories associated with Radiant Garden and the kids had theirs.

"Please take a seat, Kairi," said Even, typing something on the screen in front of him. "A more recent scan of your heart is needed, yes. A deeper scan that you'll simply sleep through. No effort required on your part. Once finished, an emotional trigger will be necessary to draw Naminé free and allow her to join her new body."

Smiling slightly, Kairi said, "Sound simple enough."

"And is it safe?" asked Riku.

"Are you doubting my genius?" asked Even. "I am far more than capable and intelligent enough to retrieve the newer heart from the primary one without causing harm to either one. There is no danger beyond my annoyance over such inane questions."

"Wow, he's got an ego," muttered Ventus, earning a slight nudge from Aqua.

Both Riku and Kiru accompanied Kairi the short distance as she claimed her seat. Offering her their silent support. Letting her know that she wasn't alone. If the place wasn't already crowded, Lea would have tried to slip over briefly to ruffle her hair as his own form of reassurance.

After all that time waiting for a new replica body, Naminé would soon be back. And, if things went right, they might be bringing Sora home not long afterwards.

Kairi opened her eyes. She was met with light. Not a blinding or painful light that burned at the eyes. A warm and gentle light. Powerful, but soothing. Welcoming. She couldn't see much else. The light hid any possible surroundings and the theoretical horizon. There weren't even any shadows. Just pure and endless light.

But she wasn't floating in the light. Blinking slowly, she looked down. Kairi found herself standing on a bright and colorful surface. A large and round stained-glass floor.

It was beautiful. There was a pink background and border of smaller circles with the stylized shape of her necklace inside. Kairi could identify the background as Destiny Island at dawn, though she couldn't help wondering if the numerous flowers were influenced more by her fragmented memories of Radiant Garden. In the foreground was the image of herself, asleep and holding her Keyblade lightly. And around her head were small round portraits of Sora, Riku, and Lea.

She smiled faintly. Even if it was only a stained-glass image, it was good to see Sora again.

Her boots echoed as Kairi turned. Behind her was another tall column topped by another stained-glass surface. Mostly white, but still beautiful from what she could make out. But most of her attention was on the pale figure standing there. Slumped slightly and wobbling on her feet like a sleepwalker, her eyes closed.

"Naminé," she said.

Her other half. Not a normal Nobody. Kairi was a Princess of Heart, without a single speck of darkness. She could never become a Heartless. And yet she had Naminé. Formed when Sora freed her heart when Kairi hid it inside him. Naminé was a unique and special Nobody.

And Kairi couldn't wait to spend time with her again in the real world.

"Naminé," she called again, stepping closer to the edge of her platform. "Can you hear me?"

Her head shifted slightly, blonde hair brushing against her shoulder. The faintest sliver of blue peeked from Naminé's eyes. Not quite awake, but trying to stir. Trying to react to Kairi's words.

Of course, it wasn't Kairi that was meant to get the sleeping heart to respond. The plan called for someone else. It called for someone who had known Naminé longer and formed a different connection with her.

"Are you… Can you hear us, Naminé? It's time for you to come back to us. Come back to… me."

The voice could have been Riku's, reaching so far down to them, but there was a slight difference to it. Both younger and far too world-weary in a different way. That's how Kairi knew it wasn't Riku. Those distant words came from his replica.

"Kiru," whispered Kairi.

"I… Come back…?"

Naminé's voice came out soft and fragile. Uncertain and nervous. Her eyelids fluttered. But sleep refused to release its hold.

"That's right," encouraged Kairi. "You can come home."

"But I… belong… here? Supposed… to be… here…"

"You don't have to stay here. Not anymore. You can be your own person." Smiling reassuringly, she said, "Your friends all want to see you again. Like Riku… and him."

"Please," continued Kiru from some distant place beyond the brightness, "I want you to come back."

Naminé raised her head. And her eyes opened.

Kiru thought that he was prepared. He'd spent months waiting, silently going over everything that he wanted to say to Naminé when she returned. What he wanted to tell her. The questions. The explanations. His occasional doubts that still lingered about the blurry line between real and fake memories. There was so much to talk about and he thought that he was ready. He really believed that he was prepared for that moment.

And yet, when Naminé opened her eyes for the first time, all words fled him.

He didn't know what he was feeling, but it was a lot. He'd wanted to bring Naminé back. He'd even been willing to surrender an available replica body and his own chance of returning until Riku essentially threatened him into survival. And now she was back. The reality of it felt overwhelming. Kiru didn't know what to do.

But when she blinked at the brightness of her surroundings and raised one hand, he reacted instinctively. Taking her hand gently and helping Naminé stand up. She smiled at him uncertainly. Kiru returned it with a bit more confidence. He was supposed to protect her. That certainty gave him the direction that he needed. Not because of a promise born of altered memories, but because that's what Kiru chose.

And it felt good to see her smile. She'd rarely smiled in Castle Oblivion.

"Hello," said Naminé quietly.

Still smiling at her, he said, "Welcome back. You can call me 'Kiru,' if you want."

"You chose your own name?" She ducked her head shyly. "I like it. The name suits you."

He wasn't going to lie. Hearing that felt good. His face and his memories might have originally come from another, but Kiru's name belonged only to him. It was something that he'd chosen and made him unique.

"It is good to have you back, Naminé."

Riku's greetings helped remind Kiru that he and Naminé weren't alone in that moment. Most of their audience was watching them, both patient and happy for their reunion. Riku was standing next to Kairi. Their position strongly mirrored Kiru and Naminé. Aqua, Terra, and Ventus seemed a little more uncertain, as if they were intruding on a private moment, but they were offering friendly smiles.

Meanwhile, Even looked like he was barely restraining himself from asking countless questions of Naminé to satisfy his scientific curiosity. Which was an improvement over Even looking at her like he wanted to dissect her.

Neither of them had many good memories of the Nobodies back in Castle Oblivion, for one reason or another. The last thing that Naminé needed was for the former Organization members to make her uncomfortable too.

"Hi, Naminé," said Goofy, waving at her.

Giggling, she said, "Hello."

"Naminé," said Master Ansem gently. She stiffened as she immediately recognized the voice and Kiru shifted in front of her protectively. "Welcome back. And I know that I can never apologize enough, but I am deeply sorry for how I treated you back then."

"Oh… um… I don't…"

She shifted awkwardly, her hands not knowing what to do without a sketchpad or coloring pencils to occupy them. Kiru wished that he could press those art supplies into her palms and let her work on drawing to calm down. It always seemed to sooth her back at Castle Oblivion. If he'd had more warning, he could have brought her something. A gift to reassure and welcome her. Instead, the best that he could do was slip his hand into hers and give it a squeeze.

"Naminé?" called Riku gently, pulling her attention away from the man. "We need to ask you something."

Closing her eyes, she said, "You want me to find Sora."

"Can you?" he asked.

Eyes still closed, Naminé's face took on a look of deep concentration. Her fingers twitched as she held her hands in front of her, as if she was trying to sketch something. Or she was sorting through invisible threads or chains. Kiru watched her expression carefully. And he saw when her brow furrowed and a frown crossed her face.

"I… There's something wrong," she said slowly. "I can trace the memories of his friends. Riku, Kairi… Donald, Goofy… Even Roxas, Xion, and Ventus… I can follow those chains of memories and even those people who are connected to his friends instead of him. But where they are supposed to connect Sora…" Naminé shook her head, staring at them with big blue eyes. "It's empty. They just disappear into a dark hole where I can't reach. He's cut off from those connections. I… I can't follow those connections. I'm sorry. I can't find Sora."

And as awful as Kiru felt hearing that, several of the others seemed absolutely gutted. Kairi looked like she might cry. Riku turned away, the hand by his side curled into a fist. The three who once hid in Sora's heart seemed to be drowning in guilt anew. Goofy and Donald were exchanging devastated looks. And even King Mickey was shaking his head slowly.

One of their main hopes for finding Sora had just been crushed.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"It's not your fault," said Riku, somehow giving her a strained smile despite everything.

"Gosh, of course not," said King Mickey. "You did your best to help. You tried."

Kiru squeezed her hand. Naminé smiled weakly at his silent reassurance. She was blaming herself despite what everyone was telling her. It cast a dark shadow on her return. Turning what should have been a happy moment into something bittersweet.

Then it seemed to become too much for him. Riku hurried out of the lab, bumping into Roxas on his way. Kairi flashed a quick apologetic look before following after him. Someone needed to go with him, after all. Even King Mickey seemed divided on the idea of trying to chase after him to check on Riku. If Naminé was blaming herself, Kiru couldn't imagine how much Riku blamed himself.

Well, Kiru could imagine. One of the benefits of being Riku's replica.

"So one plan to find Sora fell through," said Lea carefully. "No problem. There's no reason to give up. I still say he's going to show up someday perfectly fine and probably dragging along half a dozen new friends." Walking over and putting a hand on Naminé's shoulder, he said, "It is good to see you again."

"Thank you," she said. "I… I don't know what to do now."

"Anything you want," said Roxas, taking a step forward. "That's the thing. We don't have to do anything that we don't want to. The Organization is gone and our friends aren't like them. No one can make you do anything anymore."

Lea smiled proudly at the boy. Naminé glance between the two, uncertain despite the reassurances. Facing that much freedom was overwhelming. Especially when someone was used as a tool for their entire existence. Kiru knew that better than most people.

"You can go back to Destiny Island with Riku, Kairi, and me," said Kiru carefully. "You can start a life of your own there. Maybe make some friends with the other kids who live there."

"Or you're welcome to stay with us in Twilight Town," said Lea. "You've at least spent some time there in the past. And we have some space in the apartment. We might even add a bunkbed."

Tilting her head, Xion asked, "What's a bunkbed?"

"I'll explain later," he said, reaching one of his long arms over to ruffle her hair.

"Or," said Master Ansem, his voice gentle, "you can remain in Radiant Garden, if that is what you wish. It would not have to be in the castle if you would be uncomfortable with that. I could try arranging something in the town for you. Sora's friends would be almost certainly help. And it would be the least that I could do for you, Naminé."

Bringing her hand up and resting her knuckle against her lower lip, Naminé looked thoughtful. Uncertain, but thoughtful. Then she turned towards Kiru.

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

"Me?" Kiru blinked in confusion, his mind immediately going blank. "I don't… I haven't really thought about it." Shifting slightly, he said quietly, "I just want… to stay with you."

Naminé's cheeks darkened briefly as she ducked her head. He immediately looked away. He'd overstepped a little. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Perhaps," said Aqua carefully, "I could make a suggestion?"

She exchanged looks with Terra and Ventus. Making certain that the three of them were still on the same page on whatever she had in mind. Something that they'd clearly discussed before. Maybe even multiple times.

"I know that we discussed this with you before, Kiru," she continued. "But the offer has no time limit and still stands. You're both welcome to come and stay at the Land of Departure. It was always meant to be a safe haven for Keyblade wielders. That includes you. And even if Naminé does not have a Keyblade of her own, we would love to have her as well. It… feels a little empty at times. From what I've heard, I know you were both originally from there when it was Castle Oblivion, so that makes it your home. And I know you have probably been practicing on your own since you gained your Keyblade, Kiru, but can offer a more formal and structured training. We've been trying to adapt Master Eraqus's teaching into something less rigid. And Naminé?" She turned towards the younger girl. "I would like the chance to get to know you better. Our home has more than enough space for you both and it could be a safe haven if that if what you want. We can offer you both a peaceful and quiet world to stay if that is something that you might need after everything that has happened."

They had indeed made that offer before. He'd almost forgotten. Buried the idea away. It didn't seem worth considering seriously until Naminé returned. Keyblade training might be nice. Learning everything properly instead of learning solely by being tossed in the middle of everything. But it was easier not thinking about it. Wanting something for himself was harder than just focusing on taking care of Naminé.

His original role was her protector. It was hard to move past that sometimes. He was working on it.

And it might be nice. To start somewhere new. Somewhere away from Riku's shadow where he could build something of his own. It would be good for them both to stay somewhere safe and away from danger and fighting. A peaceful life, but one without the complication of foreign memories always pushing their way in.

No one trying to use Kiru or Naminé. No one using them, holding them captive, or turning them into their weapons or tools. He knew better than to assume it would remain peaceful forever. Something always happened. But they could have a calmer and quieter life for a little while.

"Maybe… we could at least visit," said Kiru slowly. "Maybe see what it is like before making any decisions? The Land of Departure has changed from Castle Oblivion, right? We should get to see it first. See how different it might be."

Smiling, Naminé said, "That sounds like a nice idea."

That could work. They could try staying there for a few days to try it out. Kiru could give her the art supplies that he left on Destiny Island. He'd accumulated quite a stash for her in the months since Sora's disappearance. She could draw or sketch or paint while Kiru practiced with his Keyblade. They could see what it would be like.

"There you go," said Even. "The girl's living arrangement is sorted, yes. And we'll need to start concentrating on alternative methods of locating Sora. But for now, everyone who is not required should leave the lab. We are not releasing the girl until after the planned tests to ensure a stable integration of her heart into her new replica body. I have data to collect."

Axel kept to the shadows as he moved, both chakrams held in tight grips. He knew better than to be caught off guard. Not that anyone paid any attention to him as he hurried past. He didn't even need stealth. The chaos of his surroundings did the work for him.

There were screams and panic all around. Packs of Heartless roamed the night. Their numbers carefully encouraged by the Organization. The more Heartless that spread and stole the hearts of the local people on the soon-to-be-doomed world, the more hearts that the Organization could eventually collect in order. Bringing them one step closer to regaining hearts of their own.

Not that they had a way to actually collect those hearts yet. Unless Vexen cooked up something in the lab, the only way to supposedly collect those hearts would be with a Keyblade. But Lord Xemnas claimed that he would reveal the next part of the plan soon. And with it would supposedly be the answers to that dilemma. Axel held some suspicions about why he would be concealing that next step, but it wasn't worth investigating too deeply yet. Saïx would be the one in a better position to figure it out.

Regardless, he wasn't overly concerned about questioning the mechanics of their future heart collecting venture. It would take up too much energy and he would gain too much attention. He'd find out more soon enough. Until then, Axel would play his part.

He couldn't let himself be distracted by the cries of fear from everyone around him. Someone with a heart would feel sorry for them. They were terrified. And they didn't understand what the Heartless were or what was happening to their world. It was dark, horrifying, and beyond their comprehension. Sheer panic filled the population. They fought, they fled, and they hid, but nothing would save them. There was nothing that they could do to stop what was happening.

Their world would fall into darkness. They would all lose their hearts. The only ones who might survive would be those with strong enough hearts to make it to places like Traverse Town when their world vanished around them. Just like what happened with Hollow Bastion.

But Lord Xemnas felt that it would be a waste to squandered those potential Nobodies by letting those people with strong hearts and wills slip away so easily. Which was why he sent Axel. To ensure that certain targets lost their hearts.

He couldn't actually kill the targets directly. Not if he wanted to produce a Nobody out of the encounter. But wounding someone and leaving them helpless for the Heartless to finish off was a viable strategy. And sometimes Axel needed to take out those who got in his way.

That was his role. His purpose. The Organization's favorite assassin. A weapon for Lord Xemnas to direct in whatever direction served him best.

He'd lost count of how many had lost their lives or their hearts due to his actions, but Lea had long since earned his deadly reputation. Not that it bothered him. It couldn't bother him. He couldn't feel bad about what he was doing or what was asked of him. Without a heart of his own, it didn't really matter.

Perched on top of a building, Axel saw his target. Already cornered by Heartless, but weaker ones. His target might even be able to fight them off enough to escape. That would not be allowed.

Movement out of the corner of his eye. Two teenagers watching him. A boy and a girl dressed like him. As if they were members of the Organization. Something in him screamed not to do it and that he couldn't let them see what he was about to do, but Axel dismissed it. As long as they stayed out of his way, they didn't matter. He had a mission to fulfill.

He dropped down in the middle of everything, chakrams spinning. And while surprised, his target briefly seemed to believe that the redhead stranger might be there to help. A momentary flicker of hope.

But Axel turned away from the Heartless, arm lashing out with the chakrams—

—only to encounter empty air. Panting hard and blinking rapidly as he sat there trying to clear his vision, Lea needed a moment to regain his bearings. His racing heart began to slow as he managed to take in a few details of his room. And, swallowing hard, Lea banished the chakram from his hand and lowered his arm.

Summoning a weapon in his sleep was a new one. The kids had done it a few times in the beginning, but not Lea. He was a little surprised that it wasn't his Keyblade instead. He figured that would be the weapon more likely to respond to his distress and it always had a mind of its own.

Lea ran a hand through his hair briefly before flopping back down on his pillow. This was stupid. It wasn't even that bad of a nightmare. Some guilt-stained memories from the old day, twisted and combined together. It wasn't a specific memory or event. Rather, it was an amalgamation of numerous missions, turning into something vague and yet unnerving. More focused on his actions rather than any specific victim.

And then to twist the knife, his crimes were witnessed in the dream. He hadn't recognized them in the dream, but two figures watching him attack were clearly Roxas and Xion. Which was further proof that it wasn't real because neither of them would have existed yet. No, none of what happened was accurate. But it was close enough to reality to serve as a reminder of the kind of person that he used to be.

The kind of person that he didn't want to be. Not anymore. He couldn't afford to be that person. Roxas and Xion needed more than that. They deserved better. He needed to be better.

They needed him to be more than an assassin. A weapon to be turned against them at the whim of another. Everyone needed him to be more than that.

They needed him. Lea needed to be better. For the half-pints. For Isa. For Kairi, her and Riku dealing with the heartbreaking disappointment. Even for Naminé, Kiru, Ventus, and the other kids that he'd grown attached to. He needed to be better for all of them.

If he wasn't good enough, if he failed them again, Lea would lose all of them. He knew that he would. But he wouldn't let that happen. Lea wasn't that person anymore. He wouldn't let them down.

He wouldn't survive if he lost everyone again. He wouldn't be able to bear it.

Closing his eyes, Lea flexed his hand a few times. Trying to banish the memory of slashing through someone and the weight of his chakrams. He shouldn't dwell on it. He was exhausted and it wouldn't do him any good anyway.

He was fine. Everything would be fine. It was just an unpleasant memory.

Chapter Text

The Keyblade War was over. Kingdom Hearts and all the worlds were safe. Xehanort and the real Organization XIII were gone forever. Everyone was back in the Keyblade Graveyard. They should have been celebrating.

But Roxas felt exhausted. His muscles ached from the fatigue of his long day of fighting and the glaring sun beating down didn't help. But it was a deeper and more intense weariness that was pulling him down. An exhaustion that had nothing to do with his body.

He couldn't stand. He couldn't even lift his head or arm as all his strength abandoned him. Lea was trying to somehow support both him and Xion. Ventus was in similarly bad shape. They'd all three made the same decision and were paying the same price. But Roxas wasn't dwelling on that. All of his focus was on Sora.

Sora. Smiling brightly even as his heart cracked and splintered. Trying to comfort even as he was falling apart. Once again, putting everyone else's lives before his own. Sacrificing himself to save his friends. Roxas, Xion, and Ventus were the only things anchoring him to existence.

They had to hold on. Roxas couldn't stop. Couldn't let him slip away. Sora needed his strength or he would be lost. If Roxas ran out of energy or lost his grip on the damaged heart connected to his own, they would lose Sora forever. He knew this on an instinctive level. Sora would be gone and they would never get him back.

Roxas couldn't fail.

He didn't want to. He didn't want to let go. And he might have spent a long time not knowing that he had a heart, but Roxas was confident it was strong. Strong enough to share that strength with his Other. But that strength was fading fast. All of it pouring into Sora. More than Roxas could spare. He could barely keep his eyes open as exhaustion pulled him down.

What would happen if he gave all of his energy to Sora? Would he keep going forever? Would Sora pull them all down with him?

It didn't matter. They had to hold on. All three of them. Roxas had to keep him from fading.

Then Roxas felt something inside of him snap. A connection severing like someone sliced it with a knife. And before he could even comprehend what just happened, Sora disappeared. Dissolving into fragments of light. Vanishing without a trace like he never existed.

Gone. He was gone.

Guilt and regret stabbed him in the chest. Painful and sharp. Sora was gone.

Gone forever.

Tears prickled at his eyes. He'd tried. He was exhausted and weak, but he'd tried to hold on. To hold onto Sora.

Sora found a way to bring him and Xion back. Something that should have been impossible, but he did it because he cared that much. Yet Roxas couldn't do a thing to save him. He'd failed. He couldn't save Sora.

Gone.

The word rang through his mind like the bells of the clocktower.

Gone. Sora was gone. Gone forever. Gone beyond their reach. Gone and never coming back.

He didn't wake suddenly or with violence. There was no flailing or shouts or struggles. Roxas simply blinked up at the ceiling, trying to remember what was real as he swiped at the faint tears on his face. The awful feeling of guilt and loss weighed him down. Like a heavy weight sitting on his chest and pinning him to the mattress.

Roxas slowly sat up, dragging his hands through his hair. It had been a while since he'd had a nightmare. And it wasn't even as bad as some nightmares that he'd experienced before. It just left him feeling sad and disappointed in himself about things he couldn't change. A quiet and depressing type of feeling. An unpleasant memory dragged up by recent disappointment.

It wasn't that bad of a nightmare. But there were rules. He had to wake someone up when he had a nightmare. They couldn't be alone to wallow in their misery or fear. Roxas pushed himself off the bed and crept out of his bedroom.

Roxas barely made it to the hall before Lea appeared. As if he'd already been getting up despite the uncivilized hour. He probably heard Roxas crawling out of bed. Despite the ongoing joke about Lea's fondness for naps, he didn't seem to be a heavy sleeper. At least, not that Roxas had noticed since moving to Twilight Town.

"Roxas?"

Shrugging slightly, he mumbled, "Nightmare."

Lea gave him a sympathetic smile, reaching over to pull him slowly into a one-armed hug. Roxas wrapped his own arms around his middle. Even if the nightmare wasn't that bad, the warmth and sturdy embrace felt nice.

"You're safe. You're alive. You're real," said Lea. "We're safe, alive, and real. It was just a nightmare."

Roxas smiled into Lea's t-shirt. He didn't really need the reassurances this time, but there was a routine. And that routine felt comforting to hear.

"What do you need?" he continued.

Pulling his face away, Roxas said, "Not much. Maybe… some chamomile tea? Might help me get back to sleep."

Chuckling quietly, Lea said, "I think we can manage that."

Roxas let himself be pulled along to the kitchen. Enough light came through the windows that they could see what they were doing. Lea pulled out everything silently, trying not to wake Xion. It was a little impressive how quietly someone as tall and lanky as him could move when he wanted to. The tea took a little while to make, so they sat down at the table to wait. Lea even managed to take a seat without the chairs making a sound.

"Did I wake you up?" asked Roxas quietly.

Shaking his head briefly, he said, "Nah. Was just sort of lying there. Guess my thoughts were too riled up for much sleep. Yesterday was a lot."

Naminé returning from Kairi's heart. Finding out their best lead on saving Sora wouldn't work. Lea was right about it being a lot. It made sense that he would have trouble falling asleep with all of that to think about. Roxas could also admit that might explain his nightmare.

"Brought up a few memories, I guess," said Roxas with a shrug.

Smiling weakly, Lea said, "I know the feeling. You never know what will drag up memories that hurt. They can hit you in unexpected ways. Sometimes big things, but sometimes it is small things. And sometimes those memories bother you enough to make you think about completely different things that also hurt. Because it is the emotions that are dragging up the memories instead of events." He gave his own shrug before scratching the back of his head and glancing away. "I'm not really fond of visiting Radiant Garden much anymore. And I definitely don't like going down to their secret lab. Not the best memories. It's where a lot of things started going wrong. I'm not fond of the person who came out of there."

"You still came with us to see Naminé," he pointed out. "And you were there when they had replicas for me and Xion."

When Lea nearly died protecting them. Roxas didn't want to think about that day too much. He didn't want to end up with another nightmare later.

"Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I can't handle it. Especially when it is important. Just saying that everyone has things that remind them of stuff they'd rather not remember too much." Lea shifted in his seat. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you? About those memories?"

Roxas didn't immediately respond. He just stared at the table. Lea eventually stood up, poured him a cup of tea, and then slid it in front of him. Roxas wrapped his hands around the warm and steaming drink.

"I was dreaming about when Sora disappeared," he said slowly. "It's been months and now we don't know how we're going to find him. It's not fair. None of us really remember what happened. We don't remember why he had to save us. But something went wrong and he pulled us back. He did so much for us… I spent a lot of time hating him because people kept comparing us, acting like we were the same, or just wanting him instead and I needed to disappear so they could have Sora instead."

Roxas closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to settle the emotions that threatened to bubble up as he remembered those turbulent days. He'd hated Sora for a lot of reasons. And then he'd really hated him when Axel sacrificed his life to save Sora. But it was hard to hold onto that hatred the more that he got to know his Other. Sora had a knack for wiggling into people's hearts.

"But Sora always treated me like me and he cares about everyone. He deserves better than to just… save his friends and not get to come home after. Everyone got to come home except him."

Including Roxas and Xion, who should have been gone forever trapped in Sora's heart. Where everyone said that they belonged. But they came back. And now Naminé was back. They'd pulled off the impossible to bring everyone home. Everyone except Sora.

"It's not fair," he mumbled.

"Unfortunately, things aren't always fair, Roxas. That's why we have to fight to make them fair sometimes. And we're still working to bring him home."

"I should have done something more."

"You did everything that you could. You, Xion, and Ven bought him some more time."

"But he's still gone, Axel."

"He might be for now, but not forever. He's Sora. I know that yesterday was a setback and I know it doesn't feel like we're making progress. But Kairi waited a whole year for Sora and Riku to make it back to the Destiny Islands. And I…" Lea swallowed, looking away again. "It took a while to get you and Xion back. And there wasn't much hope then. No one else was even looking for a way at first because... But Sora thought it was possible and I wasn't going to give up on you. We found a way eventually. So don't give up on Sora just yet. He'll be back."

Despite the numerous lies and secrets that he kept as Axel towards the end, it was hard for him to doubt Lea when he sounded so certain. Roxas smiled faintly at him as he sipped his tea. It felt warm and soothing, brushing away the final traces of sadness from the nightmare. He didn't know if it was the taste or the heat, but he was starting to feel drowsy. He should be able to get back to sleep soon.

Watching Roxas smother a yawn, Lea said, "Feeling any better now? Or is there anything else that you need? Anything else I can do to help?"

"Not really. It wasn't that bad of a nightmare," he said, rubbing at his eyes briefly. "Just a little sad."

He finished the rest of his tea. Then he put the teacup in the sink as quietly as possible.

"It's funny. I haven't had a nightmare in a while," he continued. "Maybe they'll stop completely someday. Then I won't need any of this and none of us will be waking up in the middle of the night. Wouldn't that be great?"

Hesitating a moment, Lea whispered, "Yeah… Won't need any help from me before you know it."

Aqua wished that she wasn't, but she was a little jealous of Naminé and Kiru when they came to the Land of Departure. Jealousy was unbecoming of a Keyblade master and they were good kids. They had done nothing wrong. But learning to accept that darkness was not inherently evil and that Master Eraqus's teachings were occasionally too extreme meant that Aqua couldn't deny the brief moments where she envied them.

For the most part, she didn't regret inviting the pair. Moving them in went smoothly enough. They didn't have many belongings, though Kiru had accumulated a few things during his time on the Destiny Islands and Naminé ended up with a small collection of gifts from various people. There were several empty rooms for them to choose from. Rooms from the distant days when the halls were filled with students, long before Master Eraqus was put in charge of protecting their sanctuary on a world at the edge of light and darkness. There was more than enough space for Kiru and Naminé, but they ended up choosing neighboring rooms that looked out on the beautiful countryside. They wanted to stay close.

Naminé seemed particularly happy about the view. She mentioned loving the bright colors and hearing the distant birds.

The first attempts at training Kiru were admittedly more of an opportunity to see where he was as a student rather than trying to teach. It was a chance to put him through his paces while Aqua, Terra, and even Ventus tried to work out how to proceed with their first student. He was young. Both physically and chronologically. But Aqua couldn't help being impressed with his skill and strength, just like she was when she first saw Riku in action or when she learned that he was made a master so young.

Though she was mildly surprised by his Keyblade's appearance at first. She originally thought he might have changed it with a keychain, a charm born of powerful memories attached to a token that could alter a Keyblade's outward appearance and capabilities, even if it remained the same weapon underneath. But no, it was its natural state. Vaguely shaped like an elongated batwing with a feathered wing serving as the teeth of the key and another helping to form part of the hilt, a gemstone of the palest blue rested in the hilt. None of the colors were particularly intense. Instead, they were softer shades. Silver, lavender, light blue, pale red, and cream. The Keyblade didn't quite seem like him, the darkness-wielding replica with a fondness for dark blue and yellow in his wardrobe. And yet, it was clearly his. The weapon was perfectly in sync with the boy.

It just goes to show that it was impossible to know the true nature of someone's heart just by looking at their appearance.

And it was nice having the pair stay with them. Their home felt too empty sometimes. The arrival of company helped. Ventus was excited to show Kiru and Naminé around, sharing all of his favorite spots. The training grounds where he could show off, the hill where he liked watching shooting stars in the old days, the library, and the various hiding places where he would try to avoid chores that Master Eraqus had pretended that he didn't know all about. Terra taught Kiru and Naminé how to play Command Board and found some of the stories that Ventus used to read when he first joined them. And Aqua started showing Naminé how to sew and how to craft decorative frames for her drawings.

But when night fell, Aqua couldn't help being jealous.

While occasionally nightmares would wake the girl, Naminé and Kiru mostly slept through the night. Aqua was not nearly that lucky. She couldn't relax at night. Even now, the urge to keep moving and to remain on guard for danger persisted. Sleep eluded her most nights and she was too busy during the day to catch up on the rest that she was missing.

Aqua sat on her bed, drawing her knees up against her chest as she stared at the way moonlight and shadows painted her blanket. She wanted to move. To pace the halls and keep going. Never stopping or resting because that would make her an easier target. But she forced herself to stay in her room and to mostly stay in her bed because she refused to disturb everyone else. She refused to worry her friends.

She didn't want to admit it, but she didn't feel safe at night. Which was ridiculous. Aqua knew better than that. And yet she was behaving like a foolish child instead of a Keyblade master. A little girl jumping at shadows. There was nothing that would harm her. There was no need to stay on the move. There were no threats. And yet she couldn't help the lingering feelings of anxiety and nervous energy that washed over her when darkness arrived at night.

Maybe part of her was still afraid. Afraid that she would open her eyes and find herself back in the Realm of Darkness. As if the last several months would turn out to be a dream and her friends would be illusions dissolving away into smoke. Or maybe she would wake up to all that darkness trying to swallow her back up again.

She couldn't stop remembering how it felt, the darkness sinking into her… corrupting her thoughts and emotions. She remembered the way it felt as it tried to smother the light in her heart. She remembered how the darkness, the sorrow, the misery, the fear, the hopelessness, the resentment, and the anger took over until that was all that was left. She remembered how the darkness felt on her skin and inside her, how it looked as it wrapped around her, and how it smelled as it filled her lungs. Twisting her until she became someone that she couldn't recognize. Someone that Aqua couldn't bear to become again.

Sometimes she thought about that small lamp in the room Master Yen Sid gave her in his tower. A small light to keep away the shadows and the nightmares. But Aqua needed to be an example for Terra and Ventus. They'd gone through so much. They needed her to be strong. To prove that they could heal and move past what happened to all of them. And that meant she couldn't rely on a nightlight to comfort and sooth her like when she was a small child.

Besides, it wasn't as bad as when they first saved her from the Realm of Darkness. She knew that a few shadows at night weren't enough to truly harm her. There was no blind terror and she managed to stay in her room rather than wandering the halls.

But she was still uncomfortable enough that sleep often eluded her. And she missed having a full night's sleep. She envied Naminé and Kiru their rest.

Aqua could pretend during the day that she was fine. And she, Terra, and Ventus had settled into a new form of normal. Trying to figure out how to move forwards without Master Eraqus. They were managing so far. Rebuilding their bonds and moving forward. And she was happy to be with them, even if she needed to pretend to be fine occasionally when she wasn't.

But sometimes she caught hints that she wasn't the only one pretending. While Aqua couldn't sleep at night because the darkness put her on alert and she was left fighting the urge to keep moving like she did in the Realm of Darkness, Ventus seemed to be avoiding sleep on general principle. He was the last to head to bed and the first to rise in the morning. Sometimes she wondered if he actually slept. She thought that she could occasionally hear movement from his room at night, but that could be coming from Terra's room instead. She'd noticed that he tended to toss and turn, the bed creaking as he struggled to sleep. And during the day, there would be moments that Terra would grow distant and withdrawn. An expression on his face that she couldn't completely decipher, but could at least recognize that it wasn't a happy one.

Aqua didn't know how to help them. She couldn't seem to even help herself. Ventus had started drinking chamomile tea in the evening and offering them some, but it felt like it was treating the symptoms of the problem rather than the source. They were all hurting from what happened over a decade ago. When their lives were shattered and left in ruins. They were hurt, but trying to move forward. Pretending that they weren't carrying their scars and hoping that if they pretended long enough, they would eventually stop hurting as much.

Rubbing her arms briefly, Aqua turn to stare out the window. Beautiful stars twinkled high above. A reminder of how vast and wonderful it was out there. So many worlds and people in the realm of light that she could now enjoy. Focusing on that made her feel a bit more hopeful.

Maybe having a couple of new faces around would help. A distraction from their healing wounds. New people to breathe new life into their home. A little light to brighten things.

And maybe when they started really working on Kiru's training, they would all wear themselves out enough to sleep soundly through the night.

Lea collapsed on the sofa with a pained hiss. The potion was helping with the pain and encouraging the bruises to start healing, but it wasn't enough to get rid of it all. Honestly, he should have tried a hi-potion or even elixir after the day that he'd had. The Heartless was worse than he'd expected to encounter. But he couldn't try something stronger to heal him. He needed to save his munny for more important things.

He'd unfortunately figured out a flaw in his plan to earn munny by fighting Heartless. No matter how good he was at dodging, occasionally a hit would land. And he wasn't as durable as a human. Which meant either using healing items or letting the injuries heal slowly while hoping the half-pints didn't notice.

Weaker Heartless would run fewer risks of injuries, but they didn't leave as much behind. Lea would need to spend all day fighting them and might still not bring home enough to make the effort worth it. More powerful Heartless would provide bigger rewards in less time. But that also involved bigger risks and Lea ended up needing to spend more munny on healing items, which were expensive.

Lea was doing his best to make it work. But he was running himself ragged trying to keep up and the lack of sleep wasn't helping. His reflexes and stamina ended up suffering, which led to more sloppy mistakes and more injuries that he should have avoided. Which led to using even more healing items. Spending more munny that he could have used. It was a vicious cycle.

He wasn't quite desperate for funds yet. They still had enough coming in for their daily needs and he hadn't missed a rent payment to Gina so far. And the half-pints hadn't noticed anything different. But he hadn't quite realized how many expenses there were when it came to being a real person. A real person with a couple of teenage toddlers that he was responsible for. Lea wasn't desperate yet, but his tidy stockpile of munny saved from his time as a Nobody was gone.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Lea groaned tiredly. He would figure something out. He refused to spend more time fighting Heartless. That would take time away from seeing his friends. He wasn't even certain if he would be able to handle being away from them more without falling apart from anxiety and dread. He was getting better at being away from Roxas and Xion, but he wasn't ready to push those limits. His only option was to stick with fighting stronger Heartless and only using potions when necessary. A few more bruises healing the long way. He could manage that.

He could do this. He would just have to be more careful. Couldn't afford those sloppy mistakes anymore. Not if he wanted to be there for everyone. Lea would make it work somehow. He could handle it.

Isa could barely comprehend how he'd ended up where he was. Sitting on the recliner while Lea, Roxas, and Xion sprawled on the sofa, a rather laughable monster movie with oversized lizards and special effects by visible wires.

The simple explanation was that he was there because they invited him. Lea found the movie and declared that it would be absolutely awful in the best possible way. But it turned out to be Roxas and Xion who invited him to join them. Apparently they decided it would be a reasonable substitute for the increasingly-common Game Night.

But considering the full implications of what his presence meant, Isa could scarcely understand how he'd reached that point. Not that long ago, they were all part of Organization XIII. He'd been cruel to the children and cold and distant to his oldest friend. He'd fought them. He'd hurt them all back then. And all the apologies in the world could not erase that harm fully. Isa gave them more than enough reason to hate him.

And yet he was there. With them. Not simply tolerated, but wanted. After everything that happened and everything that he'd done, Isa couldn't quite understand why. He didn't know why any of them would forgive him. He was simply grateful for this second chance that he didn't deserve.

Isa might not know why he was allowed to have this life… a life where he could be friends with Lea again, could try repairing some of the harm he'd done to Roxas and Xion, to make new friends like apparently Pence… He might not understand why he was allowed to have all of this, but Isa would not squander it. He would simply enjoy what he had.

Which meant that he could spend the evening watching a movie where everyone was screaming about an iguana with cardboard horns.

Isa rather enjoyed watching the film alongside them. Chuckling over the special effects and the clunky dialogue while Lea whispered explanations to Roxas and Xion. At least until Lea drifted off, one arm slung around each of the Keyblade wielders snuggled up next to him. Then Isa had to occasionally explain something about the film to the pair. He didn't mind. The whole experience left a warm feeling nestled in his chest in a rather pleasant manner.

But eventually his thoughts grew slower and heavy, making it harder to focus on the so-called plot. Magic hummed under his skin as the familiar pull of a stronger force tugged at him. The sun had long since set and even if he couldn't see it, Isa knew that the moon hung in the purple twilight skies. Specifically, a full moon. A relaxing, soothing, and empowering presence that he couldn't ignore. He didn't want to ignore it. Isa wanted to see the full moon. To stare up at it even through the solid ceiling.

He'd always loved the night sky as a child. Drawn towards it like gravity. But it wasn't until he began wielding magic that the moon gained a stronger hold on him. His magic waxed and waned with the moonlight. It gave him greater strength as the moon grew full and bright, bathing him in the silver light. But it came with the side effect of claiming an even greater hold on his thoughts in return. He could be distracted on a normal night, but a full moon could pull his mind away to an even greater extent.

The heavy and sluggish thoughts could easily slide in a few different directions. Into the mindless fury of his Berserk Form, for example. Pulling that magic to the surface and fueling his strength until he could not be stopped in battle. Or he might instead be drawn towards the night sky, completely unaware of the passing hours. Or Isa may simply let his slow and heavy thoughts quiet further until he plunged into a deep sleep where the moon filled his dreams instead. It all depended on how much he resisted or how strongly the power hummed through his veins. Regardless, he would have to fight that pull if he wanted to focus on anything else until the full moon faded from the night sky.

Oddly enough, when the constructed Kingdom Hearts shone down on the Castle That Never Was, he'd felt his strength increase without his mind clouding as much until he purposefully plunged into Berserk Form. Probably because Kingdom Hearts wasn't a true moon, no matter the similar appearance. It had been something else. Something far more.

"Isa?"

Blinking blearily, he tried to pull himself back to his surroundings at the sound of Lea's voice. The movie was over, the television screen showing the credits at the end. Roxas and Xion were stretching and rubbing their eyes as they stood up from the sofa. They looked drowsy and ready for bed. And as he turned around further, Isa glimpsed the moon through one of the kitchen windows.

The full moon. Bright, warm, and soothing. Silver light that called to him. Beautiful and enthralling in a way that he couldn't escape. Nor did he want to. It called to him, mesmerizing and powerful as the magic in him rose up in response. He could do anything with that power. Destroy any foe. Or he could let it sink back down, letting his mind follow until it lulled him to sleep.

"Isa," called Lea again, patient and careful.

He managed to pull his eyes away to find Lea. He was setting out a pair of teacups that were steaming quietly. Isa hadn't even noticed when he woke up or moved, let alone start making tea. Clearly the full moon was affecting him particularly strongly that evening.

"Okay, yeah, you're not walking back alone tonight," said Lea, shaking his head. "Roxas? Xion? You two can go ahead and drink your tea. I'll escort Isa back so he doesn't get stuck somewhere staring at the sky all night. Shouldn't take too long."

Lea came back over and pulled Isa to his feet. He didn't know if he felt energized or like he was about to drift off. Isa had never been able to properly describe the almost paradoxical way it affected him when the moon was at each peak. He tried to focus on anything other than the magic warm and powerful beneath his skin or the moon pulling at him. He tried to focus on Lea instead.

Did Lea look tired? That nap on the couch during the movie didn't seem to have done him much good. Were those circles under his eyes or was Isa imagining things?

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Smiling, Lea said, "I'm fine. You're the one we need to keep an eye on. Promise that you won't stay out all night after I get you back to the Old Mansion. You'll be exhausted in the morning."

Isa wanted to dig a little deeper on Lea's current state because something nagged at him that his friend wasn't telling him everything, but his eyes drifted back towards the window. Towards the moon's pale light. And any other thoughts tried to slide away.

"It's late. Maybe… Isa could stay?" said Roxas slowly.

Lea stiffened in surprise. Xion was staring at him with wide eyes. And the words were enough to even pull Isa back briefly. Things might have improved between him and Roxas, but none of them would have expected the boy to make that kind of offer. Even Roxas seemed surprised by what he'd said. But he didn't take it back.

"Are you both all right with that?" asked Lea. "That's a big step."

Roxas nodded stubbornly, refusing to back down. He was never the sort to give in or give up. But Isa noticed the hesitation as Xion glanced back towards the bedrooms, clutching her cup of tea tightly.

"Perhaps," said Isa gently, doing his best to focus on the situation, "I could stay on the couch. I wouldn't wish to intrude on a space that belongs solely to you."

Smiling faintly, Xion nodded in gratitude. Isa returned with his own smile.

The children finished drinking their chamomile tea as Lea retrieved a few blankets and a pillow from the linens closet. It only took a few moments to turn the sofa into an impromptu bed. Granted, the sofa remained a little narrow for a proper bed and Isa's height complicated the sleeping arrangements further, but it should work. And it should be harder to be distracted by the moon since it would face away from the window. Once he lay down, Isa should be able to let his sluggish mind slow further and fall asleep easily enough.

"Time for everyone to crawl off to bed," said Lea, ruffling the two children's hair. "And that includes you too, Isa."

Chapter Text

"We've been discussing this," said Hayner, leaning back and kicking his legs from his perch on the wooden crate, "and we've decided that since you two took us to the beach—"

"On a completely different world," added Pence from the old couch with Olette. "Which was really cool."

"—we wanted to do something for you," he continued. "Something that you haven't tried before. When we were little, our parents would let us spend the night at each other's houses sometimes. We'd stay up late playing games, eating junk food, telling scary stories, and things like that. It was fun. Honestly, I've missed doing it."

From the wooden spool that they'd eventually added to the Usual Spot to accommodate the extra people in the group, Xion asked, "They why did you stop?"

The trio exchanged glances, looking faintly uncertain. Either about their reason or how to explain it.

"After a certain point, boys and girls don't spend the night together as friends anymore," said Olette carefully.

"Why?" asked Roxas.

Shrugging, she said, "It's just how it usually goes when we're growing up… But I guess there's no reason why. Not really."

"Anyway," said Hayner, "I talked to my mom about it. I told her that Roxas and Xion missed out on a lot of things growing up. So we were wondering if you two would like to come over to my house for a sleepover this weekend? We'll camp out in the living room with a bunch of blankets and pillows like when we were six. Give you the entire sleepover experience."

They were getting better at guessing what types of things the two Keybearers would ask about. That was probably why Hayner started explaining what a sleepover was first before even calling it that. Her friends did a good job. Though a sleepover sounded a little like Game Night combined with a slumber party where they piled together in Lea's bed to sleep, except without the prior nightmares.

She exchanged a look with Roxas. It sounded like a lot of fun. And it was nice that their friends wanted to do something special for them. It was nice that they liked Roxas and Xion enough to arrange it.

Maybe they should actually consider taking Hayner to the Olympic Coliseum and let Phil train him instead of simply joking about it. As a way of saying thanks. He would like the chance to improve his skills. Not to mention that all three of their friends had fun visiting another world. Maybe they could arrange something in the future like that.

"So," said Pence slowly, "what do you think of our idea?"

"I think…" Roxas paused a moment thoughtfully. "I think we should try it. Tell us when the sleepover is exactly and we'll let Axel know."

Xion nodded. They would certainly need to let Lea know. He would probably be excited for them. He was always happy when she and Roxas got to experience something new and normal.

Lea couldn't say no. Not when Roxas and Xion looked at him with their big blue eyes and such excitement to spend time with their friends. Not when it was something so innocent, ordinary, and far removed from their time within Organization XIII. He used to sleep at Isa's place all the time growing up. Granted, that was partially because Isa's parents worried about him and Lea's own parents would barely notice his absence anyway. But for the half-pints, it was a chance to be just a couple of kids having a good time. He couldn't say no. He could only grin at them, tell them to have fun, and remind them to call him immediately if they needed anything.

His anxiety when he couldn't see them had improved somewhat over the past few months, turning into a form of background noise. He could handle a few hours at a time when he knew where they were and when they would return. But Lea doubted that he would be able to handle them being gone all night quite as easily. He needed something to distract himself from what it would be like.

He could try fighting Heartless. Just keep fighting them until he was too exhausted to think or feel. It had worked plenty of times in the past. But he couldn't risk fighting them while that distracted. Not anymore. He was trying to be more careful to avoid injuries and using healing items. If he wanted to keep himself busy, he needed something less physically dangerous to keep his mind occupied.

Lea considered visiting Isa for the afternoon. Maybe help with renovations or looking through the files for clues regarding the missing girl from the underground cell. But Isa was too observant for his own good and had been asking questions. Nothing too specific or prying yet. Just enough that Lea knew that he needed to be more cautious. Isa had known Lea for too long. And without the half-pints around as a buffer and distraction, there was no way that Isa wouldn't use the chance to dig a little deeper. He didn't want to worry Isa over nothing. He was fine. But it would be hard to convince Isa of that if he spent the entire evening with him while quietly freaking out about something happening to Roxas and Xion. If he was going to end up a bundle of barely-contained anxiety, being around Isa the entire time was not the best way to hide it.

He honestly wasn't quite certain why he finally decided on his plan. Maybe because he'd put it off for too long. He'd even ignored the perfect opportunity to talk when they'd gone to welcome back Naminé. He'd spent the entire time ignoring the man's presence. Or maybe he decided to do it because he figured that if he was already going to feel anxious about the half-pints being gone all night, he might as well go ahead and deal with another stressful issue. Couldn't make it worse, right?

Regardless of the reason, on the day of the planned sleepover, Lea put on his bespelled clothes and summoned a corridor of darkness. Not his old black coat. He didn't want to risk reminding the man of their last real encounter too strongly. It would be uncomfortable enough for both of them already without purposefully trying to antagonize him.

Lea followed the strange and familiar paths between the worlds. Following them back to the one place that he never wanted to return. He followed the dark corridor to the world that he once called home. To the hidden lab where he'd lost his heart and then gained it back.

The room was mostly empty when he arrived. Just as cold, clinical, and uninviting as always. The only soul immediately spun around at his arrival, summoning his shield defensively. On guard against the unexpected surprise.

Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Lea said, "Yeah, I guess I should have called ahead. I really need to get better at that."

Scowling, Even said, "And why are you here?"

Lea didn't immediately answer. He just studied the scientist for a moment. The way that he kept his back against the computer and hadn't banished his shield. The guarded and suspicious expression. The way his eyes flickered as if trying to search for anyone else who might be willing to interfere if things turned violent. Or perhaps ensuring that Ienzo was far way and safe. He'd undoubtedly heard what happened to Zexion by that point. Lea had vaguely noticed that when they arrived for Naminé's return, Even did his best to keep his distance from Lea and yet still stepped between them a couple of times when Iezno got too close. Protectiveness winning out over fear. He wouldn't want Ienzo there now.

He still looked at Lea like he was the same dangerous and murderous assassin. Even continued to see him as a threat.

"I'm not here to hurt you," said Lea.

Still eyeing him, Even said, "No witnesses. No one knows you're here. If you ever had any intentions of further unsavory actions towards me, this would be the ideal circumstances to get away with them without a hint of suspicion."

"But I wouldn't have any reason to harm you. Especially when your replicas are why the kids are here again." Crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe, he said, "Trust me. I come in peace."

Lea's reassurances didn't seem to calm Even much. Not that Lea felt at ease either. He absolutely hated being there. He hated the room and he wasn't thrilled about the company. Even was the last person that he wanted to be in the lab with.

At least being uncomfortable because of bad memories of the creepy lab was better than stressing himself out about Roxas and Xion's absences.

"You will have to excuse me for my skepticism," said Even dryly. "We have avoided each other as much as possible recently, yes. Pretending that the other does not exist. And now you wish to change that dynamic by appearing without warning, where you have me cornered and alone? Considering that our last conversation was in the Keyblade Graveyard before my second destruction and the one before that was back in Castle Oblivion when…"

Lea winced and said, "That's what I came to talk to you about. What happened at Castle Oblivion—"

"You mean when you incinerated me without provocation?" he snapped sharply. "Do you have any comprehension of the sheer degree of pain such an experience causes?"

Actually, yes he did. Granted, burning himself out had most of the flames focused outwards while using himself to fuel the explosive attack and what happened to Vexen was focused inwards instead. Not to mention that Axel's destruction was on his own terms, not anyone else's. But destruction by fire couldn't be that different either way.

"Marluxia ordered me to eliminate the traitor," began Lea awkwardly, "but—"

"You burned me out of existence, what little that I had as a Nobody," he continued, unconcerned with Lea's explanations. "You had no knowledge that such an action would lead to my recompletion. You intended to end me in an excruciating manner without a shred of mercy or regret."

"Nobody, remember? Being heartless is kind of in the job description. But I am—"

"You waited until I was vulnerable and struck me down. Unprovoked and without warning. Burning me from the inside out when I never did anything to you and—"

"Even," said Lea.

The scientist stiffened and fell silent at Lea's tone. His voice came out cold enough that it gave the illusion that the two had traded elemental magics. Lea didn't know what his expression might look like in that moment, but Even's face turned paler than normal. Lea straightened from his casual slouch, shifting almost instinctively into something more aggressive. Old pain and anger washed over him, but it was a cold fury. For a moment, it was Axel, the assassin of Organization XIII, who was standing in the lab instead. Dangerous and ruthless.

Even months after regaining a heart, strong emotions could be overwhelming and difficult to control. But Lea held his temper tight. He refused to do something that he might regret later. No matter how tempting now.

Glaring coldly at Even, Lea said, "I know that you must have quite the impressive collection of victims that you experimented on until their hearts or bodies gave in, so I can understand that you might have difficulties recalling every life you stole or ruined in the pursuit of science. Perfectly reasonable. Just another data point in your research, right? But maybe it would be polite to remember when one of those people that you destroyed in this very room then spent a decade as your coworker. Burning out of existence maybe have been painful, Even, but it was far faster than what you put me through back then."

At least Even had the decency to look ashamed of himself. His head bowed at Lea's words. At the reminder of their history in that place.

"You are right. I should not have said such a thing. I caused you more harm than I can possibly apologize for," admitted Even. "I suppose I gave you every right to want revenge."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, trying to release some of his tension at the same time, Lea said, "It wasn't personal. I mean, the method might have been a bit of vengeance if I'm being honest since I could have probably taken you out a different way. But I took you down because it made it easier to get close to Marluxia and figure out what he was planning. And then, you know, make sure he was destroyed too. What happened between us was mostly a means to an end." Rubbing his arm briefly, he said, "But you didn't deserve what happened. And it is past time that I apologize for what I did that day."

"Neither of us are innocent. We both have blood on our hands," he said. "We've both done things that can never be undone. I suppose that if you can move past my actions enough to come here today, I can try to forgive you for the destruction of my Nobody." Even paused a moment. "On two conditions."

"Oh?" asked Lea, crossing his arms.

"First, you understand that if you ever lay a hand on Ienzo again, I swear that I will send an icicle straight through your chest. Do I make myself clear?"

Nodding, Lea said, "That's reasonable. And the second condition?"

"My second condition," he said, his eyes regaining some of their normal gleam of curiosity, "is that you finally get those scans of your heart that they should have done when you were first completed. We need more data points for our sample size."

Hayner's mother seemed nice. They'd met her briefly when she came to scold her son after they got in trouble at school for fighting, but the two of them hadn't really focused on her at the time. When Roxas and Xion arrived, their backpacks carrying their other clothes, she was quick to usher them into her home. She mentioned that she would be ordering pizza for everyone, but would otherwise be giving them space for their sleepover. Then she turned the pair loose in the living room.

It was a large room with pale blue walls covered in numerous paintings of the city at sunset. On one side of the room was a large window with a sill large enough to sit on and stare out towards the street. A pair of tan sofas, some wooden side tables, and the television set filled part of the space. The rest was a pile of blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags that lay scattered across the tan carpet. Hayner, Pence, and Oletter were already in there trying to arrange the improvised bedding.

"Hey, Xion," said Olette, waving at her. "I've got a spot fixed up for you over here."

Smiling, she said, "Thanks."

The folded blankets and pillows reminded Xion of when she, Roxas, and Lea all slept under the stars after painting the apartment. Though the carpet should make it more comfortable. She set her backpack on her makeshift bedding. Olette had set her up next to the window, giving her a good view of the outside.

The various blankets and sleeping bags were arranged in a semi-circle towards the television. She suspected that they would be watching a movie later in the evening.

Flopping on his sleeping bag, Pence said, "This is great. We haven't done this in ages."

"So what do we do?" asked Roxas, sitting down slowly.

Shrugging, Hayner said, "Whatever you want. We've got some games and some movies that we can pick from."

"Though we should save the scary stories until after the sun sets," said Pence. "They work better when it gets dark."

"How about we try a game first, watch a movie when the pizza gets here, and then decide on what to do next after that?" suggested Olette.

Hayner shrugged before grabbing a deck of cards from the side table. As he shuffled the deck, Xion caught a glimpse and could see enough to tell it wasn't a normal set of cards. They were too colorful.

"Have you two ever played Uno before?" he asked.

With the replica for Naminé finished, it felt good to have time for his other projects again. Though Even did intend to start working on a spare replica eventually. Considering the past history, there was a reasonable chance that someone else would need one in the future. Perhaps Sora, depending upon his state when he was located. But until then, he had different research that he wished to investigate further.

Even didn't need the deeper scans of the heart for his purposes. Not the ones that would involve the subject being unconscious. Well, he could try a deeper and more thorough scan. That would give him more date to work with and he needed all the information that he could get his hands on considering that there was such a tiny available sample size. But Ienzo had been trying to get Lea to come in for a proper check of his heart and how well it was reincorporated into his body since before the Keyblade War. The man was stubborn. Even highly doubted that he would be able to convince him to go along with anything that would leave Lea unable to defend himself.

After getting Lea into the chair and setting up the equipment, Even started pulling up the correct program on the computer. He tried not to let his hands tremble as he typed the keys. An unpleasant side effect of regaining his heart. That brief glimpse of his more deadly aspects, a reminder of his previous Axel persona, brought up unsettling memories and left him unnerved. Both of them might be trying to find redemption for their pasts, but that didn't mean that he was completely comfortable with the young man. Intellectually, Even knew that he was safe. Emotions were not nearly as rational.

Perhaps it would be easier to focus on his work rather than Lea.

"It is fascinating that the heart is as resilient as it is," he said, setting the parameters. "The fact that it can be torn from someone or plunge into darkness of its own accord and yet can then manage to reunite with the person's body if both Heartless and Nobody are destroyed is truly miraculous, yes. And certainly unexpected initially. Though I have reason to believe that there are limits on its ability to reconnect in such a way and I would like to gather enough evidence to corroborate that theory."

"Why do you say that?" asked Lea in a strained voice.

"While all the Nobodies were restored to their previous state of completed Somebodies upon their initial destruction, we have not observed that as clearly after the events of the Keyblade War. Myself and Isa managed to return a second time. The restored forms of Marluxia, Larxene, Luxord, and Xigbar are still missing without a trace. Despite everyone searching the various worlds for Sora, no one has reported finding the others." Satisfied with the current settings, Even started up the scan. As a light moved up and down Lea's body with a faint hum, Even continued, "Now, I will admit that there are other possible explanations for their continued absences. Perhaps their Heartless have not been defeated with a Keyblade yet. Or perhaps they are on a world that we have not yet explored. There are too many variables to draw solid conclusions based only on the evidence of their absences. That's why I need more data."

The numbers started appearing on the computer screen. It would have worked better if he could have gotten the initial scan soon after Lea's recompletion. They knew that a heart could heal if provided the right stimuli and time. The scans of Ventus's heart and the reports of his heart shattering over a decade ago made him an effective case study of the extent of a heart's capacity to recover from traumatic damage. That complicated Even's studies of Lea's recompletion since he might have improved in the months since.

But he couldn't change what happened in the past. He would have to work with what he had. And Even did at least have a baseline of Lea's heart prior to the initial loss. Those old experiments on the heart had been mostly recovered from the computers and the corruption of the data repaired. That should include when they threw a black coat on the teenage boy and tried to see how long he could withstand varying levels of darkness.

Thinking about what they did back then caused another spark of guilt, making Even scowl. He needed to stop dwelling on it. It wouldn't do him any good. He could only move forward.

"My theory is that the viability of a heart and a body being able to reconnect may involve a number of variables," he continued. "For example, losing the heart repeatedly could make subsequent recompletions more difficult. Hearts are not meant to be lost and recovered again and again. As stated before, while not conclusive, the absence of the others after their second destruction as Nobodies support this hypothesis. As does the results of the readings on my own heart when comparing my first return to my second. Not enough data for a proper conclusion, but the best that I can do with my current limitations. Other possible factors that may affect whether or not a heart and body can reunite might include the method of destruction of the Nobody, whether via a Keyblade or by other means. Perhaps even the circumstances of losing the heart could influence if the person could be recompleted. A Heartless attack, succumbing to their own darkness, or…"

Even trailed off awkwardly. He may not have the greatest emotional awareness, but he had enough tact to realize that it might be better not to list artificially introducing darkness into a heart to someone that he did just that to.

He glanced away from the computer, trying to decide on a new topic while debating whether silence would be a better option. Then he noticed that Lea was sitting rather stiffly in the chair. His eyes were pressed shut tightly and his hands were clenched into fists as his sides. And no matter how many nightmares that he might have about Axel snapping his fingers to seal his fate, Even didn't feel any satisfaction over Lea's silent distress.

All right, maybe a little satisfaction. He wasn't completely above a little payback.

As soon as the scan finished, Even said, "And that should be it. You can get up now."

If Lea got up faster than strictly necessary, Even was polite enough not to mention it. Nor the brief way he rubbed at his wrists like he needed to banish the feeling of phantom restraints that were never there or that he seemed to be focusing more on the floor than the rest of the room.

"I will tabulate the results later," said Even slowly, "thought I suppose I should head upstairs for now. Ienzo has a tendency to worry if I work through dinner, yes."

Smiling weakly, Lea said, "And no one wants that. I'll get out of your way then." He paused briefly before adding, "I really am sorry, Even. For what I did to you."

"As am I for what I did to you."

One corridor of darkness a moment later and Even was alone in his lab again.

Hayner never thought that he would regret making friends with Roxas and Xion. But then, that was before he was on the receiving end of a chain of "Draw Four" cards courtesy of Xion. She had to be cheating somehow because no one could end up with that many of the things randomly. She was surprisingly evil when she put her mind to it. And when they moved onto Twister, Roxas seemed to ignore gravity as he bent and twisted around to reach each color. No one else had a chance.

But Hayner wasn't giving up yet. He was having way too much fun.

"Okay, I didn't originally plan to try this one out," said Olette. "But it is a classic for sleepovers. And we want Roxas and Xion to get the full experience. So it is time for a few rounds of… Truth or Dare."

Hayner slowly grinned. Not his usual choice of games, but he could work with it. The sheer chaotic potential was too tempting. They could certainly make it interesting.

"What's Truth or Dare?" asked Roxas.

Still grinning, Hayner said, "You'll see."

After a short lecture from Hayner's mother, a few new restrictions for Truth or Dare were quickly established. Rather like their rules for Struggle matches. Apparently, they needed to limit some of their more ambitious dares for "safety reasons."

Hayner didn't see what the big deal was. It wasn't like anyone was in any actual danger of falling off the roof.

Gina was locking up her shop when she caught a glimpse of red hair. There weren't that many people in town with hair that bright shade or as spiky. And even fewer who were also that tall and lanky. He seemed to be the type of person who was meant to stand out in a crowd.

"Lea," she called, waving briefly in his direction.

He paused at her voice before detouring in her direction. Gina rather liked the young man best out of the people that she was renting the apartments to. She couldn't help approving of anyone that would take in a couple of teenagers like that. She never had any children of her own, but she knew that it was a lot of hard work and responsibility. And he took it all on himself.

She could see how much he loved his two children. It had been clear from the moment that she met Lea. He absolutely adored Roxas and Xion. It was sweet. Gina enjoyed listening to them running around, laughing and excited without a single care in the world. He worked so hard to take care of the pair and give them a good life.

Though Gina had to wonder if he was working a little too hard. Being a single parent could be difficult and he'd seemed tired the last few times that she'd saw him.

"Hey, Gina," he said. "Busy day?"

Smiling, she said, "A few alterations. Enough to keep me from being bored. How are you doing? I don't see Roxas or Xion this evening."

"Yeah." Lea scratched the back of his head. "They're actually at a sleepover. They won't be back until tomorrow."

"Well, I hope that they have a good time. And what about you? Any big plans for yourself, Lea?"

"Not really. Might try cleaning or something for a couple of hours. Keep myself busy."

Patting his arm gently, she said, "Don't work too hard. Try to get some rest while you have a quiet evening to yourself."

"I'll try," he said softly. "Have a good evening, Gina."

"—And no one ever saw them again," said Pence, voice pitched low and a flashlight held under his chin for spooky effect.

"Boo!"

Hayner's sudden shout from the darkness and grabbing Roxas and Xion's shoulders right at the end of the scary story seemed like a good idea at the time. Until Keyblades were summoned in a flash, forcing him to fling himself to the floor to dodge them and Olette to turn back on the lights. Everyone remained frozen from a moment. Then the weapons vanished and the pair looked apologetic.

"Sorry," said Hayner. "Just me. It was just me."

"Are you okay?" asked Xion.

"I'm fine. Sorry. Scaring people like that during scary stories is tradition."

"It's all right." Roxas rubbed his arm briefly. "So… the story isn't real?"

Shaking his head, Pence said, "Nope. I made it up for fun."

"Oh," said Xion quietly.

She started giggling, hands pressed to her mouth. A moment later, Roxas was laughing with her. Then the others joined in until all five were laughing hard enough that staying seated upright was a challenge. And none of them were likely to stop anytime soon.

They tried to run away. To leave the Organization. It wasn't safe for them anymore. But Organization XIII wasn't exactly something that someone could quit. The only real choice was to remain or perish. Trying to run away was essentially an unforgivable betrayal.

And there was only one possible fate for traitors. The fact that they told Axel to bring Roxas and Xion back alive was more generous than he expected.

He found Xion first. Outside the Old Mansion in Twilight Town. The girl saying that she had no choice, that she needed to return to where she belonged. Which would mean he would lose her forever and Axel couldn't let that happen regardless of the cost. And when he made it clear that he wouldn't be leaving without dragging her back, all Xion could do was tell him not to hold back.

Axel didn't.

He wasn't quite certain how he managed to win that fight. But it ended with him standing while she sprawled unconscious on the grass. Limp like a puppet with its strings cut.

No. Not a puppet. Xion wasn't a puppet.

Axel moved inside and found Roxas. A vibrating bundle of fury, hurt, and misery, ready to lash out at everyone because his entire non-existence was a lie. Unable to trust anyone anymore. Cornered like a wild animal. For a Nobody, Roxas always seemed to have incredibly strong emotions. And Axel knew that there would be no reasoning with the boy. Another brutal battle of fury and flames followed, twin chakram against twin Keyblades. And somehow Axel remained standing.

Exhausted and sore, Axle managed to end up with both Keybearers. Both of his friends. He hadn't wanted to hurt them, but it was his only option. It was the only way to keep them all together and safe. He would play along with the Organization's game if that's what it took.

It wasn't safe there for the kids anymore. They were in danger there. Axel knew that. But he needed to keep them together. He refused to let go. If he could keep them close, he could protect them. Somehow. With enough time, maybe he would figure out something else. Roxas and Xion could hate him all that they wanted as long as he didn't have to let them go.

A small part of him whispered that he was selfish. Selfish, stupid, and blind. Axel ignored that part of him.

Despite being short, Roxas and Xion weren't exactly weightless. They were pure muscle and willfulness. But somehow Axel managed to sling one over each shoulder and stagger through a dark corridor. And he carried them back to the Castle That Never Was. To the white halls and cold emptiness that threatened to swallow them whole.

Axel didn't even notice when Xemnas arrived. He was simply there. Standing by his side as if he'd always been there.

"So you managed to retrieve the traitors," said Xemnas. "Exceptional work, Axel. You have always been reliable when it comes to dealing with traitors. Bring them this way. The others are already waiting to begin."

Xemnas gestured towards a door. Not one that Axel particularly remembered, but identical to every other door in the endless white hallways that filled the castle. Completely unnoteworthy.

Except when Axel followed him through the door, the room was far too colorful. Too much silver metal, machinery, strange red and yellow lights against one wall while the opposite wall was a window looking out towards a larger space. It didn't belong in the Castle That Never Was, but was familiar in a gut-wrenching way. He'd stepped right into the secret lab in Radiant Garden.

"There's my specimens," said Vexen. "Next time, do attempt to be more prompt. I do have other matters to attend to."

Axel saw that while not every member of Organization XIII was present, there were several of them. Vexen, Zexion, Xaldin, Laxaeus, and Xigbar. Xemnas walked over to join them.

He blinked, trying to clear his vision. It was hard to focus. Were they wearing black coats… or white lab coats?

"Axel?"

His head immediately snapped around as Xion's frightened voice. When did they take the kids from him? Because they were no longer on his shoulders, but across the room strapped to a pair of gurneys. She and Roxas were awake, blue eyes wide with confusion, fear, and betrayal. And above them, perfectly identical and ominous, was a pair of strange laser-like machines that—

"No!" shouted Axel, recognition jolting through him like lightning.

He lunged towards them, but Lexaeus grabbed him. His grip was unbreakable and ruthless. Axel couldn't break free. And thanks to the fighting earlier, he was too tired and drained to burn his way loose. He might as well be strapped down like the children. That didn't stop him from struggling.

"Let them go!" he yelled. "You can't do this!"

"Zexion, are you ready to record the results?" asked Vexen. "We would want reliable data, yes."

"Axel," called Roxas.

Tears choking her voice, Xion begged, "Axel, please help."

"Let them go," shouted Axel. He twisted and fought the iron grip on him. "Please don't do this."

No one seemed to be paying attention to him. Axel didn't matter. Only the Keyblade wielders restrained on the gurneys. The Keyblade wielders that he brought to them. He was responsible for what was about to happen. What would happen with Roxas, Xion, and those accursed machines that produced concentrated darkness that were aimed right at them.

Another experiment about to unfold.

"Don't hurt them! Don't hurt Roxas and Xion! Leave them alone," he shouted desperately. "Just leave us alone. Please stop it!"

A brief high-pitched whine was all the warning that there was. Then a blast of pure, concentrated, and intense amounts of darkness shot out of the twin machines. Slamming into the Keybearers.

A scream tore out of his throat as Axel finally broke free. He lunged forward, stumbling and scrambling to reach them. Trying to save his half-pints as Lea nearly tumbled onto Roxas's empty bed. Tears rolled down his face as he gasped and sobbed. Unable to separate reality from those tangled threads of horror.

When did he end up in Roxas's room? He didn't remember leaving his own.

Where were they? His friends. He needed to find them. They were in danger. That fact seemed to burn through him. Making the rest of his murky thoughts irrelevant.

Xion's room? A brief hope flickered. Lea threw himself out and stumbled towards her room. And sobbed hard when it was empty, the bed perfectly made and neat.

Gone. Both of them. He collapsed to his knees, struggling to breathe through the pain stabbing through his heart. The choking emotions and jumbled thoughts were clear enough for he to know one thing. He'd lost them. They were gone and he would never get them back.

Grief, horror, heartache, and loss tore at him. Adding a thick cloud of sorrow to his thoughts, making it even harder to concentrate. He could only curl in on himself as he sobbed. But eventually he unraveled the tangle of conflicting memories until he could remember the truth.

Sleepover. The half-pints were at a sleepover. That's why they were missing. He didn't take them to that awful lab. They weren't filled with pure darkness until they disappeared. They were safe. Lea knew that they should be fine.

But his heart refused to accept what his head was saying. He needed to see them. To hold them. To reassure himself that he hadn't lost them again due to his selfishness and stupidity. He needed them like he needed air to fill his lungs as tears continued to choke him.

Lea curled further in on himself as he sobbed quietly on the floor. No matter how much his heart ached and misplaced grief cut at him like broken glass, he knew that he couldn't go to see them. They were having a good time with their friends. He couldn't ruin everything because of his overactive imagination. They deserved better.

He would be fine. He just needed a moment to pull himself together. After that, he could figure out a way to distract himself. Maybe go practice with his Keyblade on the roof. Cool night air and the scent of Xion's flowers might help ground him a little. Regardless, he would be fine in a minute or two. Lea would be fine.

Chapter Text

Isa could feel the ache in his back burning, telling him that he would need to take a break soon. He'd spent to long hunched over reading. But after plenty of combing through the barely-recovered files from the old computer system, he might have something at least relevant. It was Xehanort's notes on experiments on the heart on Subject X. The details that the man recorded about the girl in the cell.

Her limited and fragmented memories. Nothing solid or intact. Scattered pieces. Nothing that Isa didn't already know from those distant past conversations with her through a locked cell door. But reading them now, after learning and gaining far more knowledge in the decade since, those fragments held more potential than they seemed to back then.

A bygone world, like one out of fairy tales…

The question may not be where she came from, but when…

And the words she muttered, "May your heart be your guiding key"…

He shouldn't jump to conclusions. It was rather weak and circumstantial evidence. There could be dozens of other explanations for what Xehanort recorded about her. A misunderstanding or wild theory on his part. Or perhaps her dreams created fanciful things to fill in for her lost memories. But Isa didn't believe in coincidences.

A young girl who knew of other worlds, who may or may not have traveled through time, and who spoke of keys…

Could she have been a Keyblade wielder?

It offered another path of inquiry. If he couldn't trace where she went after vanishing from the underground cell, perhaps figuring out where she came from would provide new clues. A new way to find her. If she was a Keyblade wielder, perhaps that was something that he could use to get her back.

He needed more information. Information on possible Keyblader wielders from another time. And Isa knew where to possibly find information on that topic.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Isa sat up straighter with a groan. He should call Lea and see if he wanted to arrange a visit with an old friend.

Aqua barely looked up from where she was sitting, letting Naminé shyly show off her latest sketch. She was too familiar with the sounds of someone arriving via the Lanes Between to be overly concerned. Besides, it felt more important to finish complimenting Naminé on her artwork and improvement. She was such a quiet and almost timid girl. Helping her confidence seemed just as important as helping Kiru to master his Keyblade.

Though Aqua was mildly amused by how many of her more recent sketches were of Kiru.

Aqua did finally turn her head when Terra banished his armor, set down two suitcases, and crouched down next to them. He peered over Naminé's shoulder before adding his own nod of approval.

"That looks very nice," said Terra. "You could practically frame that picture of the training grounds."

Naminé blushed and tried to hide behind her sketchbook. But Aqua could see her shy smile. Terra took the opportunity to nudge the girl encouragingly.

"Thank you," she said. "It was such a sunny day and it seemed wrong to waste it."

Nodding, Terra asked, "And where are Kiru and Ven? I figured that they would be here," he said, gesturing out at the actual training grounds, "getting some practice in."

"Ven is showing him something. You know how he likes exploring some of the hidden corners of the castle," said Aqua, smiling at the memory. "Remember how good he was at hide-and-seek once he started opening up and talking with us? And now he has someone close to his age to explore with."

"I think Kiru is enjoying it too," said Naminé, standing up and brushing off her dress. "I told them I'd meet up with them later. Ven mentioned that there is a window up in the attic where you can see across the entire surrounding valley."

"There's an attic?" When Terra's far-too-innocent-to-be-authentic question made Naminé giggle, he continued, "Go on then. You guys have fun."

Naminé nodded as she gathered up her art supplies. Then, clutching her sketch pad protectively to her chest, she hurried back down the mountain path. Aqua watched her for a few minutes before finally climbing back to her feet and gathering her own craft supplies.

Peering at the bits of metal and glass, Terra asked, "Are you working on new Wayfinders?"

"Maybe," she admitted. "Though I was mostly showing Naminé how to make them. I thought she might like sharing them with Kiru." Glancing at the twin brown suitcases on the ground, Aqua asked, "How did your visit with Master Yen Sid go?"

While Master Yen Sid had turned down the offer of a Gummiphone, he did have ways of contacting them. That was how he warned Master Eraqus about the appearance of the Unverse swarming into the various worlds. But he preferred to speak with them in person. Which meant that Terra would head over to his tower every couple of weeks for a short visit.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't have any news on Sora or any useful updates. I think he mostly wanted to check on me and is using these updates as excuse. He did invite you to see him when you get the chance." Terra gave Aqua an expectant look, but quickly moved on. "But when I mentioned that we're going to have visitors soon, he sent a few things. Apparently, the fairies prepared some enchanted garments for Roxas and Xion."

Smiling, Aqua said, "That was nice of them. I suppose they would prefer more flexibility than armor would offer. It's kind of funny, you know? None of the newer Keyblade wielders wear armor. I never would have thought that would be something that got left behind."

"Considering how much magic is woven into the fabric, they have plenty of protection." Nudging Aqua slightly, Terra said, "Come on. We should probably make sure that everything is ready. We haven't had visitors in a while. Maybe we should make some cookies for them. I bet all of the kids would enjoy them."

"I think we have time for some baking tomorrow," she said, smiling at the idea. "Let's dust off those old recipe books."

While Lea had visited the world countless times when it was Castle Oblivion, he'd always traveled there through the corridors of darkness. It would have been simple enough to do the same when Isa suggested the visit. He and Lea had the clothes from those three fairies with magical protections woven into the fabric and Roxas and Xion still had their black coats.

Lea almost suggested it. But he'd known Isa for most of their lives. They were practically like brothers growing up. He'd noticed Isa's discomfort when he'd led him out of the Castle That Never Was after being recompleted and how Isa had avoided traveling that way since. It took him a little while to put it all together, but he did eventually. Which was why Lea and the others were traveling there via Gummi Ship for the first time instead.

His first impression when they arrived was amazement over how much the place had changed. It had never been the most cheerful of locations back when Organization XIII began using it. But the transformation left it barely recognizable. The odd structure that jutted out in various directions as it loomed over the bottomless chasm and the narrow pathway, standing tall against the darkened sky was nothing more than a memory now. A nearly forgotten memory, which Lea could admit was a bit ironic.

The Land of Departure was beautiful. Set up high in the grassy mountains and surrounded by flowing water, the building nearly shone in gold and white. Gold chains ran from the structure. The Gummi Ship landed on the circle of stonework in front of the staircase to the transformed castle. Despite being perched on the edge of light and dark specifically in order to defend the balance, the place seemed bright enough to banish any possible shadow. It was a place of light. Everything about the place seemed like a paradise.

Hard to believe that it was the site of so many murder attempts and the destruction of various Nobodies. Several of them because of Lea's time as Axel.

"Wow," said Xion as she climbed out. "So pretty. It's so different."

Jumping out after her, Roxas said, "I didn't get to see much of Castle Oblivion before, but it definitely didn't look like this."

Lea and Isa followed them in a calmer fashion. The Gummi Ship wasn't exactly as subtle as dark corridors, so it didn't take long for three small figures to hurry out. Ventus practically flew down the stairs while Naminé and Kiru walked after him. All three of them were smiling, though Kiru's was somewhat subdued since he seemed eternally serious and Naminé looked shy.

Shy was better than traumatized, timid, and scared as she was pushed around by members of the Organization like Larxene, Vexen, and Marluxia. Lea preferred her coming out of her shell slowly and being happy. Just like he preferred Riku's replica being his own person rather than letting someone use him.

Had Lea apologized to Kiru yet? He couldn't remember. There had been so many people that deserved one and he was too tired to dig through his memories at the moment for uncomfortable past conversations.

"Hey there, Naminé," greeted Roxas. "Is that a new dress?"

Smiling as she spun around to show it off, she asked, "Do you like it? I drew it out first on my sketchpad and Kairi sent me the beads when I told her about it, but Aqua helped make it. She is so talented at making things."

"You're very good at that as well," said Kiru.

Naminé blushed at the boy's honest praise. And Lea had to admit that they were right about her new dress, even if it was similar to her old one. A little longer in length so that it reached her knees, white beads sewn along the hemline that sparkled like miniature rainbows when they caught the light, and short scalloped sleeves with some more beading along them. Relatively simple changes, but the effect was nice. The outfit wasn't exactly ideal for fighting nor was her sandals, but she wasn't really the combative type. And that wasn't a bad thing. There were enough young Keyblade wielders already and she didn't have to follow that path. Her new dress suited the blossoming artist quite well.

"You two have some new clothes too," said Ventus. "Terra brought a couple of suitcases back when he visited Master Yen Sid."

Tilting her head, Xion said, "Oh? That was nice of him."

"Maybe you three should show them where we put their new clothes."

Lea looked back towards the stairs at the sound of Aqua's voice, the young woman and Terra walking down to join the group. It had been a while since he'd seen the pair. Probably not since the immediate aftermath of the Keyblade War. While he'd been busy taking care of Roxas and Xion, they'd been caring for their own group of half-pints while also researching clues to find Sora like responsible adults. That didn't leave a lot of free time for social visits.

It was kind of funny to realize that the two of them and Ventus were technically older than they looked. All three were at least a decade older than they appeared due to getting trapped in the Realm of Darkness, having his heart shattered so that it ended up in Sora, and getting his body stolen by Xehanort respectively. By sheer number of years, Aqua and Terra were older than Lea and Ventus should have been about the same age instead of looking like a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old. It was the opposite situation to Roxas, Xion, Naminé, and even Kiru looking like teenagers while being only a couple of years old.

Being a Keyblade wielder apparently guaranteed the weirdest lives.

"Thank you for welcoming us to your home," greeted Isa politely.

Smiling back, Aqua said, "All of you are always welcome here. The Land of Departure was meant to be a safe haven for all Keyblade wielders."

"And their friends," added Terra, placing a hand gently on Naminé's shoulder.

Ventus nodded in agreement. Then he dashed forward to grab Lea and Isa's hands, trying to tug them along.

"Come on," he laughed. "I can give all of you the tour. I want to show you everything."

"As much as I might enjoy that," said Isa, a small smile tugging at his face, "I'm afraid that I have a few things to take care of first."

"Right." Terra stepped forward. "You asked about searching through our library. Something about finding information about a possible past Keybearer in connection to someone you know?"

Both Roxas and Xion gave them questioning looks. Which reminded Lea that somehow he'd never gotten around to explaining to the two of them about the nameless girl locked up in the hidden underground cell. It wasn't exactly a secret. At least, not an intentional one. It just slipped his mind. But he knew that he should correct that before they started wondering if he was hiding things again.

"There was a girl that we were friends with when we were kids," he said. "She disappeared one day. We've been looking for her for years. Isa thinks this might finally give us a clue to help find her."

Giving a wry smile, Roxas said, "We really do spend all of our time losing and finding our friends, don't we?"

Lea couldn't help the faint chuckle. He wasn't exactly wrong. But at least they'd always found their friends eventually. It gave him hope that maybe they would finally find that missing girl someday.

"So much sarcasm," he teased, trying to ruffle Roxas's hair before the boy batted his hand away. "Don't know where you got it from. Sora's not nearly as snarky."

Trying to hide his faint smile and not completely succeeding, Isa said, "Perhaps he picked it up from his first caretaker."

It was unfortunate that Isa was out of reach. That comment deserved a smack to the back of his head. The short glare that Lea gave him didn't have the same impact.

"I would be happy to show you the library," said Terra, still looking faintly amused by the entire exchange. "There are books written across the entire recorded history of Keyblade wielders, from Master Ephemer's journals describing the founding of Scala ad Caelum and his original teachings for those first students after the World was divided into many… to the more theoretical and academic writings of Master Brain from during Master Eraqus's youth. There's even a copy of the Book of Prophecies, originally written during the Age of Fairy Tales from before the World was shattered. There's not much left about that time period, leaving it shrouded in mystery, but Master Eraqus made certain to guard what little information remains about it. If there is any record of your lost friend being a Keybearer, it will be here."

Taking Lea's hand with both of his, Ventus said, "Well, while Terra and Isa are busy in the library, you can come with us. We can show you around, let Roxas and Xion try on their new clothes, maybe have some sparring so Kiru can show off what he's learning, and then stop by the kitchen. Terra, Aqua, and I baked cookies earlier. We used the peanut butter blossom cookie recipe that Master Eraqus used to say was in his family for generations. Not even Kiru or Naminé have tried them yet."

"Though Ven hasn't stopped talking about them," said Kiru.

Laughing slightly, Lea said, "I'm definitely trying those cookies before we leave." Then, reluctantly pulling free from Ventus's grip, he said, "But why don't you guys go ahead and get started while I catch up? There's a couple of things that I wanted to discuss with Aqua first."

She blinked in surprise, but neither she nor anyone questioned it. Of course, Lea hadn't originally planned to have a private conversation with Aqua when he first arrived. They weren't really that close. But then he'd seen her.

Ventus had mentioned before that he was worried about her not sleeping. And maybe she could hide it to an extent, but Lea hadn't seen her in months and that made it a little easier to notice the difference. Lea also had a little experience in the matter. He knew where to spot the signs. A little too pale in the face with some hints of shadows under her eyes, her hair duller than it should be, and a weariness in her gaze. All subtle and easy to miss when they were around her daily, the changes happening gradually. But it was enough that someone should check on her.

Aqua looked haunted. Lea could understand the feeling. While it didn't carry quite as many painful memories as Radiant Garden, he carried a lot of guilt about his time in this world that tried to whisper at the back of his mind. It was easy for the past to haunt someone. And considering what happened to her and her friends, she had more than enough reason to lose some sleep.

Shaking his head ruefully, Ventus said, "Fine, but I can't promise that they'll be any cookies left if you take too long."

"Guess I've got a good incentive not to take too long then," he said with a smirk. "I'll catch up soon. Promise."

Taking Roxas and Xion's hands, Naminé said, "We left the suitcases inside. Do you want to try them on?"

There was a brief moment of hesitation. The pair glanced towards Lea. Not silently asking him for guidance or clarification on anything. Lea knew that expression on them quite well after how many times they'd directed it towards them over the last few years. This was something a little different. They were searching, but not exactly certain what they expected to find. Then they let their friends lead them away.

Isa tried not to stare as he followed Terra. He knew the history of what happened to him. How Master Xehanort stole his body, but lost his memory of his identity in the aftermath and became Ansem's apprentice. And when he became the first of them to lose his heart, the resulting Nobody was Xemnas. The body of Terra with no heart, but carrying the memories and personality from his time as an apprentice and the subconscious ones from Master Xehanort.

Isa knew that they were different people. He understood it. They didn't even dress alike. Terra wore a dark shirt, red straps across his chest, and tan pants of an older style than was worn in Radiant Garden. Xehanort had worn a white lab coat with a purple cravat when Isa knew him and the Superior wore the same black coat as the rest of the Organization.

And yet whenever he looked in Terra's direction, something in Isa twisted sharply. His hair might not be silver and his eyes might not be gold, but it was the same face. A decade younger than Xemnas at the end, but the same features. Nearly identical to how he looked when Isa first lost his heart. The entire effect felt disconcerting.

But it wasn't Terra's fault. And hopefully spending more time around him would help Isa grow more comfortable with him. Maybe it would make it easier to remember their differences as he got to know Terra better. He would need to put in the effort to try.

It couldn't be more difficult than gradually working to improve things with Roxas and Xion.

"Your home world is quite nice," said Isa. "I'm sure that you are relieved to be back."

Terra glanced over at him, rubbing his arm awkwardly as they walked. He gave Isa a faintly uncomfortable smile. It would seem neither of them were certain how to proceed. But small talk was at least a start.

"It is nice to be home with my friends again," he said slowly. "Especially after all that happened. But I suppose that I should explain that the Land of Departure is not my original home world. None of us are originally from here."

Raising an eyebrow, Isa asked, "Oh?"

"Master Eraqus came from another world where there were several Keyblade wielders. Scala ad Caelum. A world with an entire culture and rich history of distinguished masters and entire family lines of Keybearers. Some were recruited from off-world, but most were raised within that way of life. But even with Scala ad Caelum, they kept the Land of Departure as both a safe haven and the first line of defense against the darkness due to how it is positioned on the border between the two realms. Perfectly balanced between them. Most people lived in Scala ad Caelum, but there would always be a group here to guard it or to study in seclusion from most of the others. His master, Master Odin, was the protector of this world in addition to Master Eraqus's teacher. And eventually he named Master Eraqus his successor. But at some point, something happened to that world of Keyblade wielders. Master Eraqus never told us what it was, but Aqua and I always suspected that it had something to do with darkness." Terra shook his head slowly. "Whatever it was, that world was left empty and only a handful of Keyblade masters remained. Everyone else was gone. Master Eraqus found me and Aqua years later…"

His voice grew quieter. Quieter and heavy with emotions. Grief, loss, regret, but also nostalgia and pained longing for what he'd once had.

"He found Aqua first and then me a few months later. She was eight years old. I was ten. We were young and alone, but Master Eraqus… He saw something in us… in me. He brought us here. He raised us, trained us, and… gave us a home. A purpose. Ven joined us later and even now he doesn't remember where he came from originally." Terra smiled ruefully as he paused in front of a pair of elaborately-carved doors. "Aqua and I were so young when Master Eraqus found us that I only have scattered memories of my old world. There wasn't much back then that I'd wanted to remember anyway. And I doubt that Aqua remembers much more about her own world either. The Land of Departure may not be our original home worlds, but it is certainly our home."

And with that assertion, Terra threw open the doors to reveal the library. Just like the rest of the transformed world, it was nothing like the white maze-like Castle Oblivion that Isa once knew. It held a large and open space with pale wooden shelves lining the walls and warm light streaming down from the skylight above. Long tables ran along the middle of the room, the same type of light-colored wood as the shelves. Perhaps oak or something similar. The floor was made of polished cream-colored marble with only the thinnest veins of gold woven through the stone like stray threads. But in the center was a section inlayed with gray stone in the same shape as the symbol that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus all wore.

Everything about the library made it seem bright, warm, and welcoming in a way that Castle Oblivion never was. But it also made it clear that it was originally built with the expectations of there being far more Keyblade wielders dwelling there than the current numbers.

"You'll have to give me a few minutes to locate the lists of previous Keybearers," said Terra. "Aqua was always more familiar with the organization system and a few things were jumbled up when we were researching what might have happened to cause Sora to disappear."

While the original plan was to let Roxas and Xion try out their new bespelled clothing, maybe seeing if they could convince Naminé to show off some of her latest artwork since Ventus knew Kiru had one of her pictures hanging on his wall, he was struck by a bit of inspiration along the way. He caught sight of a ledge up near the ceiling that was supposedly purely ornamental. And it reminded Ventus of a discovery that he made a long time ago while exploring. One of the smaller secrets of his home. Not as elaborate as the transformation into Castle Oblivion, but still interesting. It was a secret that he hadn't shared with Kiru and Naminé yet and it was one that Lea wouldn't be able to enjoy unfortunately. So wouldn't it make sense to show it off before he came to join them?

He couldn't resist the temptation. And his four new friends didn't take much convincing to join him on a slight detour.

All that it took back then was a carefully-controlled Aero spell. A small whirlwind to boost himself up to the narrow ledge and the hidden secret. A concealed door that blended into the wall. A small door that Ventus easily opened with his Keyblade years ago. It wasn't the most dramatic or amazing discovery ever made, especially in comparison to his later adventures off world. But at the time, it seemed like the best thing that he'd ever found. Too small for Terra or Aqua to explore, but perfect for him.

Ventus cast Aero like he did back then. Kiru was the first to use it, jumping on top of the whirlwind and letting it carry him to the ledge so that he would be able to catch Naminé when she followed. Roxas and Xion probably didn't need the extra help, but they let him do it. Ventus explained that doing it this way was part of the fun and they accepted it without question. The ledge was getting crowded by the time that Ventus landed lightly next to them, but he managed.

"So where does this go?" asked Roxas, gesturing towards the small dark tunnel that couldn't be seen from ground level.

Smiling brightly, Ventus said, "All sorts of places. You can sneak into the kitchen, pop out in a hidden corner of the library, or come out on the roof. Even the rooms that you can't reach, you can usually see and hear what's going on inside."

"They're like the Underground Concourse, but for the building instead of the town," said Xion excitedly. "That's so neat."

"Where are we going?" asked Naminé, tilting her head.

Pointing up, Ventus said, "A spot on the roof that you can't reach any other way. If you thought the view from the attic was amazing, just wait until we get there."

"Lead the way," said Kiru, gesturing towards the tunnel.

They couldn't walk through the tunnels and it wasn't comfortable to just hunch over the entire way. They ended up crawling in a single file line through the shadows. Ventus in the lead, followed by Roxas, Xion, Naminé, and Kiru bringing up the rear. Light came through grates and hidden cut-out designs disguised among elaborate carvings on the outside, but those were scattered and scarce. Mostly they explored the hidden secrets of the Land of Departure in the dark.

As bright as the world might be, especially during the time when Master Eraqus was its protectorate, it still had its darkness. But that was the way things were meant to be. They were meant to be balanced together. Trying to deny and remove darkness completely would only lead to suffering.

Ventus pulled his thoughts away from that direction. He didn't want to dwell on the topic too long. Otherwise he would start thinking about Vanitas and all his complicated emotions concerning his other half.

He'd hoped that the others would enjoy this. It was hard for him to imagine someone who wouldn't like it at least a little. Exploring hidden and secret places was fun. Ventus had learned that a long time ago. And from his fuzzy memories of dreaming within Sora's heart, he'd enjoyed it just as much. Crawling all over his island and then later the various worlds that he visited. Because of that, he strongly suspected that Roxas and Xion would enjoy it just as much. Naminé and Kiru were the only ones that he didn't know for certain would have a good time just crawling through the secret tunnel system. But hopefully they would appreciate the view from the roof regardless.

As they tried to pass another grate, golden light filtering through, a voice made him pause.

"Do you want to have some tea while we talk?"

Aqua?

Curiosity was hard to ignore. Besides, he did want to know what Lea wanted with Aqua. It wasn't like the two of them had spent much time together previously. He couldn't pass up the opportunity. Ventus crept a little closer and peered through the grate.

Their hiding place overlooked the kitchen from an unusual angle above some of the cabinets. The kitchen was a large one of brick, green tile, and pale wood, originally built for a decent-sized staff to cook for several Keyblade masters and their students who would eat in the dining room. But none of them could remember a time like that. With Kiru and Naminé joining them and bringing their numbers up to five, that was the most people dwelling in the Land of Departure that Ventus could ever remember. They rarely used the dining room other than special occasions and mostly ate at the worn table that they'd dragged into the kitchen ages ago. They took turns cooking over the magical flames on the stove or in the oven and the deep sink let them wash up afterwards, which tended to be one of Ventus's usual chores. And today, sitting in the middle of the table and waiting for all of them, there was a large plate of—

"Do you smell cookies?" asked Kiru.

"Shh…" Ventus gestured vaguely at the grate despite knowing that Kiru was too far back to see him. "I want to hear."

Roxas and Xion tried to crowd closer as Ventus peered down. Aqua was pulling out a box of tea from the cabinets while Lea trailed after her, poking around curiously at anything that caught his attention. He snagged a kettle and dangled it enticingly.

"Sure, tea sounds great," said Lea. "I guess Ven took my advice about the chamomile tea."

"That was you? I was wondering why he started drinking it," she said.

"Want me to heat it up for you?"

Turning her head towards him, Aqua asked, "You're not going to do it with magic to show off, are you? From what I've seen, you have a knack for both fire and theatrics."

"Tempting, but no. I'll admit I've got pretty good control over fire magic, but it would be too distracting to maintain something like that while we talk."

Lea pulled out one of the chairs and gestured towards it. Aqua hesitated a moment. Then she took the kettle, put it on the stove, and then accepted the offered seat. Lea sat down across from her.

"What do you wish to discuss, Lea?" she asked.

"When did you last sleep?"

Ventus couldn't see her face from his current angle, but he could see the way she stiffened at Lea's question. She turned her head to stare at the kettle instead of risking eye contact.

"Which is it?" he continued. "Insomnia keeping you up at night or nightmares waking you up?"

"I'm fine."

Shaking his head, Lea said, "Yeah, I don't believe that for a minute. Ven already told me that he doesn't sleep much anymore, you look like you haven't seen your bed in two weeks, and I'll bet that Terra isn't getting enough rest either. I don't know about Naminé and Kiru—"

"They're sleeping fine."

"—but the rest of you are almost definitely having issues. Want to talk about it?"

Aqua didn't immediately respond. Ventus could hear the others trying to crowd a little closer to watch and listen to the events unfolding below them. All of them curious and unwilling to crawl away to give the discussion some privacy. They couldn't leave now. Not without finding out more.

"The three of you went through a lot," continued Lea. "No one would ever deny that. Sometimes that means you aren't fine. And that's all right. There's nothing wrong if you guys have some problems after everything. It just means that you might need a little support." Scratching the back of his head briefly, he said, "I've got a bit of experience at helping people out with these sorts of things by now. Turns out I'm a pretty good listener." When she still didn't respond, Lea shifted in his chair and said, "Look at it this way. If your friends are having problems, you'd want to help them, right?"

"Of course I want to help them," she said, finally turning back towards him. "I just…"

"You don't always know how?" suggested Lea carefully. "I get it. It can be hard to fumble your way through stuff, acting like you know what you're doing when you're still learning it yourself. How about I make a few suggestions and you give them a try? They might help Ven, Terra, and you. Can't promise they'll solve everything, but I can at least tell you what seems to help Roxas, Xion, and even Isa and Kairi when those two call me for help."

From somewhere behind Ventus, Xion whispered, "Axel is talking about the rules, isn't he?"

"What rules?" he asked quietly.

"The chamomile tea is a good start," said Lea, preventing the spying Ventus from getting an answer. "It's a good way to relax in the evening before bed. We've made it part of our routine. And keep your doors open at night. That makes it easier to hear if someone has a nightmare or needs help. Because there's a decent chance the first few times, they'll not want to bother you with their problems and you'll need to have the doors open to notice. And there needs to be rules. You'll need to sit down and establish some rules together. Rules like going and talking to someone after nightmares and not apologizing for them. Figure out what you need and what would help calm you down, building it into the routine. Maybe some reassurances, piling together in the same bed, or—"

"Or a nightlight?" asked Aqua softly.

She immediately cringed, as if regretting the words as soon as she spoke. But Lea simply nodded.

"If that helps," he said. "Plenty of people need a nightlight."

"Children. Not Keyblade masters."

"Okay, first? The vast majority of Keyblade wielders running around are children. Including Riku, the newest Keyblade master, and our currently-missing Sora, who has more than earned the right to the title even if he doesn't believe it. And second, there's nothing wrong with needing a light at night for whatever reason. We know better than most that there are monsters that lurk in the dark."

Aqua shifted in her seat, crossing her arms and drawing them close. Ventus wished that he could see her face. But her back was to his hiding place, so he would just have to be satisfied with deciphering her body language. And it was fairly closed off at the moment. She just sat there as Lea stood up to finish tea preparations, sliding a mug in front of her before reclaiming his seat.

Then he snagged one of the waiting cookies. Because apparently he didn't want to wait for everyone to get one. Which wasn't fair because Ventus hadn't even tried one yet and he'd helped bake them.

"You were trapped in the Realm of Darkness for a long time," he said slowly. "They never gave me all the details, but it sounds like it was pretty bad."

"Worse than you can imagine."

"Trust me. I can imagine some pretty bad stuff after what I've seen. But my point is that you're allowed to be uncomfortable after that."

"No. I'm not. I can't be."

Her words came out as a faint whisper. But the tone broke Ventus's heart. He just wanted to burst his way through the grate and give her a hug.

"Aqua," said Lea, gentle and firm. "I get it. You need to be the strong one for the others. You can't have any weaknesses or vulnerabilities because you need to be there to support your friends, right? But sometimes you need help too, Aqua. Sometimes you might need support as well. Otherwise, you won't be in any shape to take care of them. So yes, get a nightlight. Maybe pile together in the same bed as a slumber party if that helps. Comfort each other after nightmares. And if you need someone to talk to, you can call me on our Gummiphones. Don't care what time it is. If you need something, I can get here fast. Or I can just listen. Whatever you need. Got it memorized?"

It took a moment for her to respond. Then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, giving a small nod as some of the tension melted out of her shoulders.

"You are determined to take care of everyone, aren't you?" she said quietly. "I never would have guessed that when we first met."

Scratching the back of his head, Lea said, "I mean, someone's got to keep an eye on everyone. I've been taking care of Keybearers for a while and you looked like you needed a good night's sleep, so… Yeah,"

"A little sleep might help." Aqua took a small sip of her tea. "I will… try to take your advice. We are all having to adjust and relearn several things since returning. And several habits and assumptions that Master Eraqus taught us need to be… re-examined. You are right that there might be healthier ways to handle my insomnia. Perhaps by not reaching out to the others for help, I might be discouraging them from asking for help in return."

The entire conversation was giving Ventus plenty to think about. He would need to keep an eye on Aqua moving forwards. Terra too. He'd suspected that she wasn't sleeping well, but now he had confirmation. And all those rules that Lea gave her were things that Ventus could do for Aqua in return.

"Come on," whispered Kiru. "We've eavesdropped on them long enough. They deserve some privacy."

Ventus nodded before turning. He glimpsed some rather thoughtful looks on Roxas and Xion's faces, but he didn't linger on it. Trying not to make much noise, they started crawling back through the tunnels. They still needed to see the view from the roof and get back down in time for the pair to try on their new clothes.

His separation anxiety whenever the two half-pints were out of sight had never fully disappeared. Merely quieted down to a dull roar that he could ignore enough to function during the day. If they were in Twilight Town, he could almost pretend that he didn't have that awful feeling that they would disappear forever the minute he couldn't see them. Twilight Town was familiar and safe and comforting. And every time they went to school or to hang out with their friends, they came back unharmed. In Twilight Town, that feeling of dread and worry could be pushed aside as long as they showed up when they were supposed to.

But apparently being off-world changed things. It wasn't too bad at first. They were with Ventus and that kid would keep an eye on them. He wouldn't let anything bad happen. But after a little while, that constant fear of losing them again started clawing its way back to the forefront of his mind. The Land of Departure didn't look like Castle Oblivion and didn't behave like it. No endless white rooms scattered across dozens of floors, shifting and changing to confuse the occupants with doors that refused to unlock without cards crafted of magic and memories. It wasn't a place of traps, mazes, lies, and betrayal. But even if that confusing and unnerving castle had been replaced with the more welcoming original, he couldn't forget how much was lost there.

Not Sora's memories. That was Naminé being manipulated and used by the Nobodies with a variety of agendas. No, he was thinking more of those who were destroyed within those walls. Lexaeus. Larxene. Marluxia. Zexion. Vexen. Some fell to Riku. Others to Sora. But some, directly or indirectly, were destroyed by Axel's actions. Yet another reminder of what he used to be at his worst and who he couldn't allow himself to become ever again. The Land of Departure may be beautiful and peaceful now and those who were destroyed may have been recompleted rather than truly lost, but it didn't change the violence and cruelty that might still stain those halls. And those memories did nothing to ease his anxiety the longer that Roxas and Xion were out of sight.

But he hid it behind a smirk and a few smart-alecky remarks as Aqua ended up giving him a bit of a tour after their conversation in the kitchen. She already had enough to worry about without bringing up his insecurities about the half-pints and a few unpleasant memories about her home. After all, he'd already gone to the trouble of trying to offer the young woman some advice. He didn't want to undo all that work. Still, he managed to keep his sigh of relief silent when the kids finally tracked them back down.

Lea had to admit that the three fairies seemed to do good work and had a knack for matching everyone's preferred styles. There weren't many differences between what Roxas and Xion chose for themselves and the new clothes, but that just meant that the half-pints would like them.

For Roxas, the interior of his jacket was now a black-and-red plaid instead of simply bright red and there was a strip of more red plaid along the bottom edge. He had an actual hood now that he could pull up if he wanted. His bi-colored pants were now divided a little differently, mostly black with the cream-white color running from the knee down along the front of the pants like oversized shin guards.

For Xion, she had some black leggings under her skirt that only reached down to her knees. She wore a sturdy pair of black boots with no raised heels, a section of dark red plaid that wrapped around right above her ankles, and zippers instead of laces. It took Lea a moment to notice that the silver zippers were shaped like Thalassa shells, but it was certainly a small detail that he knew she would like. And in addition to the scalloped sleeves being a little longer, they and the collar of her blouse were also the same dark red plaid as on her boots. Almost as dark as Lea's own shirt.

But the most important part was that, unlike their previous clothes, these came with protective spells. Magic woven into the very fabric to protect their hearts from the darkness and probably some more general defensive magic as well. More subtle than their black coats, but just as effective.

So just like with Naminé, Lea made certain to offer his opinions on their new clothes and enjoyed the smiles that followed. Some hair-ruffling turned those smiles into giggles and mock complaints for him to stop. Then Ventus was grabbing at his arm again and insisting on a visit to the training grounds to show off. Which turned into an impromptu lesson among the younger Keyblade wielders that proved, once again, that Lea still had a long way to go on the Keyblade thing.

He wasn't even going to try that Shotlock stuff that Ventus was teaching his half-pints. Lea would leave the gravity-defying stuff to Xigbar, wherever that guy ended up after being destroyed in the Keyblade War. But at least Roxas and Xion seemed to enjoy it. And he was perfectly willing to sit down to watch with Naminé from the sidelines.

By the time that Isa showed up to join him, sitting on the grass next to him as he watched the children playing around by being terrifyingly-powerful in combat, his earlier anxiety seemed like just a memory.

"Any luck?" asked Lea as Isa settled into place, he taking the right side since Naminé was on the left.

"A few possible candidates that might be her," he said. "It is difficult since we don't have a name and very few of those listed have a picture or description. It is mostly a matter of locating Keyblade wielders who would have been around her age when they vanished from the records and trying to determine if they could have been her."

"If she was a time-traveler, she may have gone back to the past and continued with her life like before." Lea scratched the back of his head. "I mean, I didn't get all the time-travel stuff completely, but isn't that what happened with that youngest version of Xehanort? He ended up going back to the past when Sora beat him and didn't remember anything afterwards? If that's how it works, she could have gone back and lived the rest of her life without remembering us at all. It would explain where she disappeared to when we were kids."

Sighing heavily and shaking his head, Isa said, "True. But for now, I would rather work under the assumption that she has not returned to the past and that she is still in our time. I do not wish to give this up as a lost cause. Not yet." Pausing a moment, he said, "I would have expected you to be in the middle of all… that."

Isa gestured towards the training grounds where Roxas and Ventus were busy pretending that gravity didn't exist, seeing how many aerial combos that they could combine together before hitting the ground and Xion and Kiru worked on some kind of spinning magic-based attack that was leaving a lot of ice on their surroundings. Occasionally Aqua would offer some advice to whichever Keyblade wielder caught her attention, but mostly she seemed content to watch from the other side of the training grounds. But with Terra's return, she seemed to be considering a little playful sparring of her own.

"Considered it," he admitted, before jerking his head towards Naminé. "But I was seeing if I could convince a certain someone to fix me up some art for next time I visit."

Smiling shyly, she said, "He asked if I could draw him, Roxas, Xion, and you sometime. And that he'd bring me some ice cream if I did."

"Is ice cream your solution to everything?" asked Isa.

"Hey, I also said I'd bring some paint and brushes too. I see you didn't mention that part," he complained teasingly, nudging her just enough to make her giggle before hiding behind her sketchpad. "I just thought that my room could use a little decorating. Roxas has some posters and Xion has her seashells. I figured that I could commission our resident artist to help me out."

"Still," said Isa slowly, almost cautiously, "I would have expected you to be out there with the others. If nothing else, I would have thought that you and Ventus would have a rematch from your first encounter."

"You mean where I tried to take on a trained Keyblade wielder with a pair of frisbees and was crushed?" he asked.

"Being outmatched has never stopped you before. I was just wondering why they haven't dragged you over already. I'm just surprised that you are sitting here instead. There's nothing wrong, is there, Lea?"

Scratching the back of his head as he turned to look back out across the training grounds, he said, "Nah, of course not. I'm fine, Isa. Just a little tired, I guess. It's been a long day and work's been a bit rougher for the last little bit. Plus, like I said, I was just hanging out with Naminé. Haven't gotten a chance lately."

He purposefully ignored the way that both Isa and Naminé were looking at him. As if they were uncertain whether or not to believe him. Which was annoying because he was absolutely fine. There was nothing to worry about. And he was telling the truth. He was tired and, since fighting Heartless was essentially his job, work had been rough lately. He was a little rundown, but it wasn't anything that he couldn't handle.

"I suppose that makes sense," said Isa finally, still not sounding completely convinced. "Neither of us are quite as young and energetic as we once were."

"Come on, we're not that old," he complained, turning to mockingly glare at Isa. "We're not fourteen and fifteen anymore, but I'm not decrepit yet. Don't know about you."

"I'm only a year older than you," said Isa, falling into the familiar argument. "As you've said numerous times through our childhood, that barely counts."

"Hey, you're the one who is acting like our youth is over."

"I suppose I was somewhat hasty in that assumption. After all, you barely have the maturity of twelve-year-old."

Shoving him hard, Lea said, "Slander and lies. Do you hear how cruel he is to me, Naminé? And he's my oldest friend." Grinning, he added, "And I mean that both as I've known him the longest and that he's absolutely ancient."

As Naminé tried to hold onto her sketchbook as she giggled over their antics and Isa tried to figure out a dignified and stoic way to shove Lea into the dirt, they both seemed to be distracted from whatever previous doubts that they might have had about how Lea was doing. Which he considered to be a good thing. There was no reason for the two of them to be worrying about him. He was fine. Perfectly fine.

Chapter Text

The bright white walls of Castle Oblivion weren't so different to the bright white walls of the Castle That Never Was. For the unobservant, it would be extremely easy to forget which location was which. It was already difficult enough navigating Castle Oblivion with its shifting rooms. There simply weren't many useful features for determining your location. But Axel had spent enough time in both of them to be able to tell the difference at a glance as he stepped out of the dark corridor. And judging by the large open room with a door at one end and a staircase at the opposite side, he knew it was one of the numerous floors of Castle Oblivion. He wasn't certain which one or even if it was above ground or in the basement. Axel was simply following where he was led.

Xemnas had brought him there without explanation. And Axel obeyed.

Marluxia and Larxene approached the two of them, bowing slightly in greetings towards Xemnas. They didn't acknowledge Axel's presence. He didn't really matter to them. He was simply there. Not a person. None of them were. That was what it meant to be a Nobody. He was merely his role. He was the Organization's assassin. Nothing more.

"Axel," said Xemnas, cold and impersonal.

He pointed across the room at two figures in black. Vexen and Zexion. Both of them watching leerily. Axel would almost call the look on their faces one of fear except Nobodies didn't have emotions. But they did have a survival instinct and the two seemed to recognize the approaching threat to their non-existences.

Axel only had one purpose. Only one reason to be there. He was Organization XIII's assassin. Their tool. Their weapon.

Ready to kill upon command. Whether it came from Marluxia, Xigbar, Saïx, or Xemnas himself, the outcome would always be the same.

Stepping forward, Marluxia ordered, "You must eliminate the traitor."

His chakrams materialized in his hands as he darted forward. Vexen shoved Zexion behind him as he summoned his shield, ready to defend. But Axel slid towards the right even as he sent one chakram flying over their heads. Vexen twisted, trying to follow Axel's movements in order to keep the shield between the two of them and the assassin. And he did manage to block Axel's quick slash with the weapon in his hand.

But Vexen failed to keep track of the other one as it ricocheted off the far wall. Allowing it to bury itself into Zexion's back.

A wet and choked gurgle. His eyes widened in shock and pain. And then he collapsed forward, grasping at Vexen's black coat as he fell.

Something in Axel rebelled and cried out against what he'd just done. Hating himself for it. But it didn't matter. Axel didn't have a heart. The pain, guilt, and regret weren't real.

Nor was Vexen's suffering, regardless of the horrified sound that he made as he spun around. The denials falling from his lips as he tried to hold onto the younger Nobody. The sudden wetness on his face. They didn't matter. What he felt wasn't real. And it only lasted a moment. As Vexen lost his focus and left himself vulnerable, Axel lunged forward. A downward slash with his remaining chakram sent a stream of fire to engulf him.

Vexen screamed as he burned. And something in Axel screamed just as strongly against what he was doing. He didn't want to do this. He wanted to stop.

But that rebellion was solely an internal and futile struggle. On the outside, Axel simply stared down at the limp unfading bodies for a moment before turning back towards Xemnas.

Xemnas didn't comment on the way the two bodies remained sprawled on the ground, not fading into nothingness as they should. And it certainly wasn't because they survived. One look at Vexen's smoldering remains proved that he was deceased. Their bodies were simply lingering as if they were real people instead of Nobodies. But no one was treating it as anything strange.

Instead, Xemnas gestured sharply at Larxene and Marluxia. The pair staggered back a few steps, eyes widening in surprise.

"You must eliminate the traitor," ordered Xemnas.

Knives and a scythe materialized in the same instant that Axel's chakrams returned to his hands. Larxene didn't wait for him to make the first move. She dashed forward, crackling with electricity as she slashed at him with her blades. Axel twisted and dodged as she continued the assault, barely avoiding Larxene's knives. He kept moving as he watched for the right opening. Waiting patiently. She was fast, but she wasn't perfect.

Axel abruptly slid to the side as Marluxia spun past him like a living sawblade. Then he slammed his magic down. The floor ignited. Flames flared up and out, hitting them both and knocking the pair off their feet. Axel didn't give them a chance to recover. He slammed one chakram into Larxene's chest hard enough to rip through her black coat and deep into her body.

He threw the other at Marluxia. But even still partially stunned, Marluxia managed to get his scythe up in time to deflect it. But Axel was already closing the distance before his opponent could regain his footing. Chakrams rematerializing in his hands, Axel spun in a swirl of flames that he sent to wrap around Marluxia. Both the fire and screams died down at the same time.

That rebellious and horrified part of Axel despised what he was doing. Even if he wasn't fond of the pair, they had worked alongside him for years. And yet he killed them without hesitation or thought, just as he did Vexen and Zexion. How could he do something that heartless, as if all that history didn't matter?

Because being heartless and cruel was part of being a Nobody. And he was merely an emotionless weapon to be turned against any target that Xemnas named. It was all that he was good for.

So the awful gut-wrenching guilt at what he was doing, the loathing, and the frustration that he couldn't stop himself wasn't real. It couldn't be real. Because his emotions weren't real.

Xemnas pointed across the room. Axel didn't know when they arrived, but there were two teenagers staring at the bodies in horror. A red-haired girl standing behind a white-haired boy wearing a blindfold and dressed in one of the Organization's coats. A treacherous imposter who'd been running around causing trouble for them.

The part of Axel that was screaming out against what was happening immediately recognized Kairi and Riku. It screamed, struggled, and fought back because it knew what would happen. And yet, despite that recognition and desire to refuse, Axel couldn't stop what was happening.

"You must eliminate the traitor."

Axel wanted to shout out that they weren't traitors, that they couldn't betray something that they'd never been a part of, but being an imposter was apparently close enough and his body was already moving. Already obeying his Superior's command.

A few quick slashes to test Riku's reactions, but the boy was quick with his sword. He blocked Axel's every move. Metal clanged loudly with every impact and Riku was putting all his strength into the fight. Refusing to back down. It was admirable. But Riku also made certain to keep between Kairi and the threat. And even if part of him desperately tried to resist, Axel could certainly recognize a vulnerability and knew how to exploit it.

He flung one chakram high and sent a stream of fire low. Riku managed to avoid both, but he wasn't Axel's target. Kairi screamed in pain, collapsing from the burn to her leg. And when Riku was distracted, his blindfolded face twisted with worry as he instinctively turned towards her, Axel closed the distance. One arm wrapped around the boy's body to pin his limbs down. And with the other chakram, Axel slashed the boy's throat. A few painful jerks within Axel's grip and then Riku slumped.

Another death to the total. And he wasn't just counting those in that room.

A wordless gasp of horror yanked Axel's attention towards the stairs. Sora stared at the sight before slowly shaking his head. Trying to deny the very brutal reality in front of him. Tears and fury welled up as his Keyblade appeared in his hand. Axel barely dropped Riku's body in time to block as Sora launched himself across the room, trying to slash the assassin in half.

Sora was brutal, ruthless, and almost animalistic in his rage. A terrifying force of nature that his human body could scarcely contain. Axel could barely keep up with the kid's speed and ability as he came at him from every angle. Every impact jolted painfully up Axel's arms. There was no chance for him to do more than defend against Sora. It was all that Axel could do to keep himself alive through the assault. Striking back was impossible.

Sora would stop him. Axel clung desperately to the idea that Sora would certainly win and stop him. The kid was strong enough to take him down. Axel didn't know if he would survive the fight, but Sora would keep him from harming anyone else.

Riku didn't deserve to die like that. He was a decent kid, stubborn and trying to do the right thing. He didn't deserve it. Axel wasn't even certain that his fellow Nobodies deserved what he'd done either. They weren't as innocent, but it still didn't feel right. And Axel didn't know if any other way to make himself stop except to hope that Sora could. He needed Sora to beat him down the same way that he did every other dark and horrible monster that the kid faced.

Because that's what Axel was. He was just lucky enough to give off the illusion of humanity still.

A particularly powerful strike knocked Axel sliding back. And with the increased distance between them, Sora paused for just a moment. Keyblade held in front of him as he glared at Axel with those bright blue eyes. Eyes so painfully familiar. Eyes that tore through Axel, practically impaling him with the boy's anger and pain. Eyes that momentarily flickered to the side.

Axel followed his gaze and spotted Kairi trying to hobble away. Slow, clumsy, and struggling to move on her burned leg. He felt awful about what he'd done to her, hurting her that badly. And Axel felt even worse as he recognized the perfect opening that she provided.

Spinning both chakrams briefly, Axel threw both his arms and magic forward. Sending a scorching wall of fire racing across. Not towards Sora, but the vulnerable Kairi. She stumbled desperately, unable to escape. But with no concern for his own safety or well-being, Sora flung himself between her and the threat. Shielding his friend with his own body, blocking the flames from her. Leaving him hurt, wobbling weakly, and barely upright, but both of them alive. His bespelled clothes and accessories gave him enough magical protection to survive his act as a human shield.

But not enough protection to stop the chakram that suddenly flew through the fire to bury itself in the boy's body. Kairi screamed as Axel felt sick. Those bright blue eyes grew dull as Sora collapsed lifelessly to the floor. His impulse to protect others regardless of the cost to himself had finally caught up with the Keyblade wielder.

The chakram dematerialized from the deep wound and more blood pooled out. The room didn't quite look as white anymore between the stains and scorch marks. Axel's crimes were splashed across every surface and with every crumpled body.

Kairi tried crawling away. Sobbing and shaking as she tried to drag herself away from both her friends' dead bodies and the assassin responsible. Heartbroken by the losses and terrified by her helplessness.

Axel tried to stop himself. But it was like he was watching someone else control his body except he could feel everything that he was doing. He could feel his hand grab her throat and yank Kairi off the ground. He could feel the weight of her as she struggled and clawed at him, trying to break free. Trying frantically to breathe past his viselike grip. Her feet kicked uselessly in the air, unable to reach anything. She didn't have enough air to make a sound, but there were tears and her mouth was wide open.

Axel wanted to stop. He wanted to let her go. Kairi was his friend. That thought shrieked through his mind. They were friends, but he couldn't stop squeezing her throat. Even as every part of him was screaming and struggling to break free of the unbreakable compulsion. Even as her face darkened, her eyes turned bloodshot, her arms dropped limply to her sides, and she grew still. He maintained his ruthless grip until all life drained from Kairi's body. He couldn't stop until he crushed every spark of light from her eyes. Only then did Axel let go.

He tried to look away as she fell roughly on the ground, his chest aching sharply as the horror and wrongness of it all clawed and tore at him. He hated what he'd done. He hated himself for doing it. Why couldn't he stop? He couldn't stop himself from killing anyone.

Just the Organization's assassin. Their unfeeling tool. Their weapon to be aimed and turned loose, unthinking and uncaring beyond that role.

Axel finally looked away from Kairi's body, turning back towards Xemnas. But the Nobody wasn't alone. Battered and clutching at his ribs defensively, Saïx kneeled in front of Xemnas. The Superior stood behind him, staring coldly down at the Nobody. Visibly bruised and barely conscious, Saïx was the obvious victim of a brutal assault by Xemnas. The marks from the Superior's lasers were rather distinctive. And there was only one possible reason why Xemnas would attack Saïx and reduce him to that state.

He knew. He knew about Saïx's ulterior motives and agenda. That his loyalty wasn't as unquestioning as it seemed.

He knew what was coming, but desperately wanted to be wrong. Axel mentally screamed and begged for it not to happen. He clung to denial. Saïx was his oldest friend. Axel spent more time in his home growing up than he did his own. They were practically family throughout their childhood. He couldn't hurt Saïx, no matter how their relationship might have strained over the past decade. He couldn't hurt his oldest friend. But he also knew that he wouldn't be able to stop himself if—

"You must eliminate the traitor," ordered Xemnas.

Saïx's golden eyes widened momentarily at the command. But then the pained expression of dread on his face shifted into quiet resignation. He took a deep breath and bowed his head. Accepting his fate without resistance. Knowing that he was too injured to fight back and that Xemnas would never allow it anyway.

Axel couldn't stop. His body refused to obey him. It was too busy obeying the will of another.

Flames licked along his chakrams. The razor-sharp discs of metal and fire flashed through the air. And Axel watched both of them hit. Saïx barely made a sound. A choked gasp as the impact jolted his body and then silence. Xemnas absently shoved him to the side and out of the way.

Axel wished that Saïx had screamed. He wanted to scream himself. It wasn't fair. He didn't want to be this awful and cruel monster. He didn't want to turn against his friends like this. He didn't want to kill everyone. He wanted to stop.

He wanted someone to stop him. Axel wanted to beg someone to stop him. Anyone.

Xemnas pointed behind Axel. And he knew that there would be another target. Someone else that he would kill. More heartache, pain, guilt, regret, horror, and sickening self-loathing that would keep piling on. He was already smothering under the weight of it. He couldn't bear any more of it. He didn't want to look. He didn't want to see who would die next at his hands.

But why should what he wanted matter? He was just an emotionless Nobody. Something that shouldn't only exist. He didn't deserve anything because he was less than nothing. He was only good for doing the icky jobs as Organization XIII's assassin. And he would never be anything more.

Axel turned around. And his breath caught in his throat.

No. Please, no. Not them.

"You must eliminate the traitors," commanded Xemnas, merciless and tolerating no misunderstanding.

Standing among the carnage, despite how much Axel wanted to deny it with every fiber of his non-existent being, was Roxas and Xion.

Initially, Roxas wasn't certain what woke him up. All that he knew was that something pulled him out of a deep sleep, leaving him blinking blearily up at the ceiling. The deep purple outside of his window meant that it was either very late or extremely early. An hour that he'd grown familiar with due to his past nightmares. But this time, he couldn't tell why he was awake. He'd actually avoided any nightmares recently.

Dragging a hand through his hair while swallowing a groan, Roxas stared at his Struggle Tournament poster in the dark and tried to figure out what happened. They'd had a pretty busy day visiting the Land of Departure. And it had been a good one. Sparring with Ventus, learning how to perform one of those Shotlocks that those three seemed to prefer, and trying out some delicious cookies that they almost forgot until late in the evening. And while he'd overheard a few things that he would need to consider carefully, especially with how they seemed to resonate with some unnamed worries about Lea that neither he nor Xion could quite explain or identify yet, nothing had happened during the visit that might lead to him waking up now.

Then he heard it. A quiet creak, a rustle of movement, and a heavily-muffled sob. Roxas sat up, frowning with worry. Xion must be having a nightmare. It was the only explanation. Isa had stayed over on the couch and Roxas wasn't certain if he had nightmares often, but he would be too far away from Roxas's room to hear. Isa having trouble sleeping wouldn't be enough to wake him up out of a sound sleep. It had to be Xion.

He heard the soft distressed sounds again as he quietly slid out of bed. Roxas clearly needed to hurry up. Though it was a little strange that Lea wasn't already checking on Xion. He was always the first to respond to their nightmares. But maybe it was better that Roxas woke up instead. Lea had seemed a little off lately and maybe worn down compared to normal. He could probably use the rest.

Moving silently on bare feet, Roxas moved down the hall and into Xion's room. He was already shaking her shoulder before he realized that something was wrong. Xion was sleeping peacefully. Not a single hint of distress.

Xion wasn't having a nightmare. That wasn't what woke him up.

"What?" mumbled Xion, rubbing her eyes. "Roxas?"

This time, the creaking and rustling movements were somehow both louder than before and farther away. Roxas frowned briefly. It wasn't Xion. And since her room was closer to the rest of the apartment, the noises would have sounded closer if they were coming from Isa on the couch. But they sounded farther away from her room than Roxas's bedroom. And that left only…

"What is it?" she asked, sitting up.

Glancing towards the doorway, he said, "I think it's Axel."

Axel tried everything to reclaim control of his body. To force himself to stop. To do anything other than stalk his way towards the two Keybearers. His friends.

Why weren't they fighting back or trying to get away? Roxas and Xion could clearly see what Axel had done. The broken, burnt, and bleeding bodies were strewed around the room. His crimes on full display. Impossible to miss or ignore. And yet they weren't trying to escape while they still could. Nor were they summoning their Keyblades.

Couldn't the recognize the danger that they were in? Why weren't they trying to defend themselves? They were supposed to fight back against him. Axel wanted them to fight back. He couldn't win. Not against both of them at once. He needed them to fight back. He needed them to survive.

But they weren't trying to fight. Xion was clutching her hands in front of her chest and Roxas was as tense as a drawn bow, but they weren't fighting or running away. They were just staring at him with their matching bright blue eyes. Confused, uncertain, a little unnerved, but trusting despite everything. Trusting him even now. Trusting Axel despite all the evidence of why they shouldn't and how dangerous he was.

Axel wished that they trusted him less. He didn't deserve that trust. And he wouldn't be able to stop himself from betraying that trust.

He stopped within arm's reach of them. Close enough that Axel could have ruffled their hair or shoved them playfully. Xion took the tiniest step back but neither of them were running. No matter how much Axel tried to scream and beg for them to escape. Frantic and desperate to make them understand the danger.

He didn't summon his chakrams. Nothing to slash at them and nothing to properly channel his magic through. Axel just summoned the flames directly. The fire engulfed them both. Hungry and merciless flames swallowing them in an instant as his magic poured into the uncontrolled inferno. The screams hit him harder than the wave of heat that washed over him. But they grew silent far too soon and the blackening figures fell. They continued to burn hot and bright under his power. It wasn't the most controlled or efficient way to wield his fire magic, but Axel kept it going. The smell of burning hair and flesh made his eyes sting. Everything kept burning. Flesh vanished, muscles sizzled, and bones blackened.

Then Axel was free of whatever compulsion held him prisoner. He stumbled backwards, cutting off all magic and extinguishing the flames. But it was too late. There was nothing recognizable left. Certainly nothing alive.

He collapsed to his knees, grabbing at the sides of his head and screaming. Pouring out all of his pain, horror, and grief into the desperate and ragged scream. Unable to contain the anguish and hatred. He screamed until he ran out of breath and couldn't regain it because he immediately slipped into sobs. It felt like his chest was filled with shards of broken glass and he just wanted to claw it out. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't bear it. It was just too awful. He wanted to tear out his eyes or maybe his entire memory because he couldn't stop seeing their burnt husks.

Roxas. Xion.

He killed them. His best friends. And not just the two of them, but everyone. He'd turned against them all and murdered them in cold blood. Without a single hesitation.

No hesitation, but countless regrets.

"You must eliminate the traitor."

Axel's head snapped up, the dry sobs still choking him. Please, no more. He couldn't stand anyone else. He couldn't bear what he'd already done. But this time, there was no one new in the room. No more targets waiting to die. Only himself and Xemnas.

"Leave me alone," he whispered, his voice rough and broken. "I'm not doing any more icky jobs for you. Got it memorized?"

"Oh, you will want to finish this one," said Xemnas smugly. "The final traitor and the worst of them all. His betrayal outstripped them all. He betrayed everyone that mattered to him. Allies. Friends." He grinned in a predatory way. "Even the children entrusted to his care."

Axel was already struggling to breathe through the absolute misery, but realization drove what little air remained from his body. He was talking about Axel. What Xemnas was suggesting was awful and terrifying to contemplate.

But he wasn't wrong. Axel betrayed and murdered them all. The horror, guilt, misery, and sheer awfulness of it all was too strong to endure. He was drowning in it. And it would never end because he could never take it back. He didn't deserve to be there when so many were gone because of him. Axel deserved to suffer for what he'd done.

Zexion. Vexen. Larxene. Marluxia.

Riku. Sora. Kairi.

Isa.

Roxas. Xion.

Burnt. Bleeding. Stabbed. Slashed. Scorched. Incinerated.

Dead.

His fault. Because this was all that he would ever be. Nothing more. Organization XIII's assassin. The ruthless Nobody. The ultimate traitor.

And there was only one fate worthy of a traitor. Especially one of his caliber.

"You must eliminate the traitor."

Bowing his head, Axel whispered, "Yes, Lord Xemnas."

It was harder to burn yourself with your own conjured fire, but there were a few circumstances. Using too much power. Being too tired or weak to control what you created. Using too much of yourself to power the spell. Or purposefully turning it on yourself. But after everything that he'd just done, when he'd destroyed everything that mattered to him, Axel was plenty motivated to try.

The traitor would burn.

Roxas and Xion hurried towards Lea's bedroom, bare feet barely making a sound despite their speed. Stealth was a hard habit to break completely. He didn't know what they would find, but they knew that Lea needed help. And as soon as they reached the room, they were proven right.

Lea's rest was clearly not a peaceful one. His blankets and sheets were wadded up and tangled from tossing and turning, one pillow had fallen off the bed completely, and even his white t-shirt was somewhat twisted around him. His eyes were pressed closed, his teeth were clenched, his face was damp and furrowed with distress, and his breathing came harder and faster than it should while he slept. But as concerning as it was to see his head twitching back and forth in the throes of an obvious nightmare, there was something worse. A faint smell of smoke, the patches of charring fabric, and the flickers of flame trying to take hold. His fire magic trying to burn despite him being asleep.

A nightmare. A bad one. Roxas had summoned his Keyblade a couple of times, but he'd never used magic during a nightmare. He didn't think it was possible. Magic took control and focus. But Lea was very good with fire.

Xion stepped closer, reaching for his arm slowly. The flames were flickering brighter and lasting longer. Getting stronger. Even with his resistance to his own fire magic, Lea might start feeling it soon. They needed to wake him up before he could get hurt.

"Axel?" she called gently. "Wake up, Axel."

He was already twitching and tossing in his bed. But the moment that Xion touched him, it was like a switched was flipped. Fire flared out, causing her to yelp in surprise and stumble back while cradling her hand to her chest. Meanwhile, Lea practically flung himself away. Pressing into the corner of the room on the far side of the bed. Hands clenched against the side of his head, wedged into that tiny bit of floor space, sobbing hard enough to shake his body, and wrapped in a more aggressive fire. Crackling, roaring, and trying to burn.

For a second, Roxas couldn't move. He was trapped in Sora's heart again, watching Axel pour everything into a final fiery act in Betwixt and Between. Watching Axel destroy himself.

"Axel!" called Xion desperately. "Please wake up!"

And then Roxas shoved away that paralysis. His thoughts raced. He needed to do something. Now.

But they weren't enough. Trying only made it worse. They couldn't handle it alone.

Burn. Axel needed his magic to burn stronger, but it kept trying to slip away. Like he couldn't focus hard enough to maintain. But he kept going. Kept pushing harder even as he felt himself being burned faintly. Axel needed to keep going until he was done. Until there was nothing left.

Eliminate the traitor.

"Axel!"

Someone was calling, but it didn't matter. No more orders. Just pour more power into the flames until nothing remained. Burn away the pain. Scorch away the grief, sorrow, guilt, self-loathing, and raw anguish. Keep burning until there was nothing left behind.

He deserved it. He deserved to burn for what he'd done. Axel would destroy the final traitor even if he had to force his magic to cooperate.

It would stop soon. He would leave nothing but ash and charcoal. Just like what he'd done to Roxas and Xion.

Sobbing roughly, Axel coaxed the fire higher. Letting the flames lick across his chest, along his arms, and flickering towards his face. The fire stung where it touched, but it hurt less than the grief and guilt tearing away at him. He just needed to force it to be a stronger fire.

Isa was already starting to stir, distant voices tugging at the edges of his awareness. Not enough for him to really wake up and listen to the words. Just enough to start pulling him a little closer, making him shift on the sofa slightly. If it had been a full moon, it wouldn't have been enough to do even that much.

Running bare feet pulled him closer to consciousness. And a desperate and frantic voice yanked him the rest of the way.

"Isa! Wake up!"

He flung himself upright, immediately falling into a combative stance. And then barely resisted the impulse to lash out at the short figure dashing towards him before he fully recognized his surroundings. But Isa managed. Roxas grabbed his hand and pulled sharply. Isa let himself be yanked towards the short hallway that he never dared approach.

When Roxas dragged him into a bedroom, Isa froze in horror. Unable to fully comprehend the scene. A terrified Xion cradling her hand. And Lea standing in the far corner, eyes pressed tight even as he was wreathed in fire. Flames directed towards himself.

"Wake up, Axel!" begged Xion.

Isa didn't even realize that he was moving until he was in that small space on the far side of the smoldering bed. Close enough for the heat to be unbearable. But despite the flames, Isa didn't hesitate to grab Lea's shoulders.

Axel wanted to vanish into a raging inferno, but he couldn't seem to concentrate hard enough. It was taking too long to burn. Would he have to incinerate all of Castle Oblivion to do it? Was that what it would take to make everything stop?

Strong hands grabbed his shoulders, startling Axel's focus enough for the flames to flicker. But not die down. He still held tight to his magic. Refusing to stop. Xemnas couldn't change his mind now. Axel was done. No more lives. He wouldn't take any more lives. Just eliminate a final traitor.

"Stop it. You have to stop. Look at me."

Axel didn't want to obey the strained and tense voice. But he blinked vaguely and tried to peer through the veil of flames. A familiar face, teeth gritted and expression stubbornly set. The person gripping his shoulders tight. But it was impossible. Axel knew what he'd done. He couldn't be there. And that doubt made it even harder to concentrate.

"Saïx?" he mumbled.

The hands tightened as if trying to force him to pay attention. And admittedly, his head did feel a little muddled along with the general awfulness. Axel could feel his grip on his magic slipping away, unable to concentrate on it as he tried to understand. He killed Saïx. Left him lying on the ground dead. How was he standing in front of Axel?

"No, Lea." The words were firm even if the voice was still strained. "Look at me. Really look. What's my name?"

Hearing a different name than before sparked something. And Axel forced himself to try a little harder. To take in more of the details. The old scar, long blue hair, and pleading green eyes.

Green. Not gold. A familiar shade of green.

This wasn't right. Everything was off. Details didn't fit. And those details were breaking through the sorrow and heartache.

Taking a ragged breath and letting go of his magic, the flames extinguishing, Lea mumbled, "Isa."

"There you are," he said, a look of pure relief washing over Isa.

He was alive. Lea didn't kill him. He wasn't exactly certain what really did happen, everything still jumbled badly, but he didn't kill Isa. That thought should have eased the grief and guilt.

But it didn't stop the way his body was shaking in Isa's firm grip, the tightness in his chest, or the way he couldn't seem to breathe. Not merely because of the wracking sobs, but also because his entire body refused to cooperate. He could feel his pulse racing and pounding in his ears. Lea felt like he was about to fly apart. And there was nothing that he could do to stop it.

"You're safe."

Lea managed to turn his head slightly at the sound of the voice. Roxas. He spotted him. Right there. Also alive. On the other side of the bed. And so was Xion.

He didn't kill them. He hadn't burnt them to death. So why wasn't he fine now?

"You're alive," continued Roxas, firm and even. "You're real. We're safe, alive, and real. It was just a nightmare."

Lea wanted to laugh with realization. He knew those words. The familiar routine that he'd always used to comfort them after nightmares. Now Roxas was using them in return.

But Lea couldn't even manage to get his breath, let alone laugh. He was too busy struggling through what he vaguely recognized as a panic attack.

A panic attack. After a clear nightmare. And his friends, who were clearly alive and safe, were witnessing the entire thing. He didn't know how to explain it away. He couldn't hide this mess. And that realization did nothing to ease his current distress.

Lea's head dropped back against the wall behind him and he let his arms fall to wrap around his chest. He couldn't catch his breath. The air felt too thick, smokey, and hot. Lea didn't get hot easily, but he felt like he was suffocating. He couldn't think through the loud and muddled flashes of nightmare still raging through his mind. Everything was awful and he couldn't stop shaking and shivering.

They were alive. They were fine. Why couldn't he stop shaking?

Edging into view, Xion asked gently, "What do you need?"

Lea shook his head weakly. He didn't know. He had no idea what he needed. Or rather, Lea knew what he needed, but didn't know how to get it. He needed air, he needed his body to stop acting against him, he needed his heart to stop aching over something that never happened, he needed to regain control of everything before he completely ruined it, and he especially needed them to forget the entire night.

"Okay," said Isa, quiet and purposefully calm. "Xion, could you open the window and let in some fresh air? And Roxas, could you take off the ruined bedding?" Even if he was speaking to the half-pints, his eyes never left Lea's face. "Then if you could get some potions and a glass of water, I think that should help."

The pair immediately went to work the moment that they were assigned a mission. They seized the sense of direction and a plan. Scorched bedding was stripped away as Xion climbed over to get the window. The cool night air immediately washed over Lea, raising goosebumps enough to make his shiver and soothing the faint stinging of burns that he was just barely starting to notice. But mostly the gentle breeze made it a little easier to breathe.

Cradling her hand to her chest in a rather worrying way, Xion said, "We'll be right back, Ax— Lea."

His nearly-hyperventilating gasps caught briefly at her words. She was such a clever girl. She'd recognized that his head was still somewhat muddled, the nightmare and reality bleeding together. The visions of all of them dying at his hands still far too vivid and real. He needed the reminder of who he was now. He needed to be Lea instead of Axel.

Lea managed to give her a small nod of acknowledgement. Then he closed his eyes. He needed to concentrate of breathing and riding out the rest of the panic attack. It wasn't like he could stop it. But once he got back in control, he could focus on getting everyone to forget about what happened. He just needed to calm down and breathe.

Just breathe, wait for the tightness in his chest to loosen, and the trembling to stop. Then he would be able to think clearly. He would be fine. He could fix this.

Chapter Text

Lea did his best to keep breathing, trying to slow it down enough to think properly. That's what he tried to concentrate on. Focusing on shifting it to a slower and more even pattern. It was a struggle. It was as hard as it was to stop shaking. But he knew that if he could get his breathing back under control, everything else should follow.

So he tried to breathe. The cool breeze brushing across his face from the window helped a little. It made him feel less like he was suffocating. The sensation helped to settle him. His breathing finally began to slow enough that he could shift towards trying to fix things.

Swallowing hard, Lea muttered, "I'm fine now. It's good. You can let go."

"You're not fine," said Isa firmly. "You were using Fire magic in your sleep."

"Sorry," he muttered, shaking his head. "Didn't know that would happen. Stupid mistake. I could have burned the whole building down and hurt all of you."

While Lea was already against the wall, that didn't stop Isa from managing to slam him against it harder. Which immediately alerted him to the fact that Isa was glaring at him. And that he seemed to be barely restraining himself from giving into his Berserk Form. If it wasn't a new moon that night, Lea suspected Isa's eyes would already be glowing.

"Forget. About. The apartment," growled Isa. "You were burning. That's what we care about. You were trying to burn yourself to death, Lea. Do you have any idea…"

He trailed off, but the intensity of his glare didn't diminish slightly.

"Oh…"

Lea took a deep and shaking breath. If he wasn't still frazzled, he would have avoided saying that to Isa. He would have known that his friend would take it the wrong way. At least the half-pints were out of the room when he slipped up.

He needed to stop messing up. He had to fix everything before he made it worse. He couldn't keep making it worse. He needed to calm down enough to regain control of the situation.

Isa's grip on him shifted, pulling Lea into a hug. Crushing him against his chest. And Lea found out that he wasn't the only one trembling.

Yes, Lea had definitely made a mess of things. He had to fix it. He had to take care of all of them.

"You burned yourself out once. This time, I was here. I saw it almost happen," said Isa, his voice unsteady. "Don't do that to me. Please, Lea. Don't make me watch you die."

Letting his head fall forward to rest against Isa's shoulder, he mumbled, "I'm sorry."

He'd messed up. He was hurting his friends again. He needed to pull himself together and reassure them that it was fine. He couldn't let himself fall apart over nothing. It was selfish and stupid. Lea needed to shove it all aside and make sure that his friends were all right. Everything else could wait.

Just pull himself together. He could do it.

Isa forced himself to calm down, letting his anger and fear wash over him instead of consuming him. Letting his buried temper run free wouldn't do them any good. Not for him, not for Lea, and not for the stability of the building. But it wasn't easy.

When Axel had been destroyed, they only received reports from a few spying Dusks who stayed back to gather information and avoided the fate of the others. He'd only heard about Axel using all of his strength into a final fiery attack. He hadn't been there to witness the event. Just as he'd only heard about Lea's presumed demise before the Keyblade War as a second-hand story from Larxene and Marluxia. Though that turned out to be wrong and Lea survived it. He hadn't even seen the moment that Lea originally lost his heart since Isa lost his first.

But when he stumbled into the bedroom and saw his friend wreathed in flames and nightmares, Isa had been certain that he was about to watch Lea burn himself to death in front of him and the children.

That didn't happen though. Lea was alive and safe. A little shaken, streaked with ash and soot, and with some minor burns along his arm, neck, and probably on his chest under the ruined shirt, but clearly alive. That would have to be enough for now. At least enough for Isa to get his temper under control.

Thank goodness for the darkness of a new moon.

But they would have to worry about some other issues later. Issues like Lea apparently being more concerned about collateral damage to the building or the others than his own well-being. That was something that Isa would not be forgetting.

Lea lifted his head when he heard the children returning. Some of the anxiety disappeared the moment that he caught sight of them. He wasn't comfortable when the Keyblade wielders were out of sight. Isa had glimpsed it before, but he'd assumed that it was due to the children being late and Lea not knowing where they were. But perhaps it was something constant that he was simply better at concealing normally.

He did look a little better though. He didn't look as pale anymore and he wasn't shaking as badly. But even if he was trying to look like he was in control, Lea couldn't hide the cracks in the façade. Not when Isa knew to look for it.

"I found some more sheets," said Roxas, holding them up. "I don't think we can really wash the old ones. They're pretty scorched."

Following after him, Xion said, "And I brought the water, but there wasn't much in the first aid kit. But I had a few potions in my room."

And hopefully used one of the potions on herself. Isa had vaguely noticed her clutching her hand earlier. If Lea accidentally burned her, they definitely needed to avoid letting him know. The guilt would be too much. It would be bad enough when Lea realized that Isa grabbing his shoulder while Lea was on fire was bound to have consequences.

Isa wasn't going to look at his hands yet. From the stinging pain and throbbing, he could already guess that they were burned halfway up his forearms and there were probably some blisters on his hands. He'd been hurt worse over the years, but it was still annoying. He would definitely need a potion later. It would heal, but a potion would speed it up.

"Thanks, half-pints. Sorry to wake everyone up," said Lea, trying to give them a reassuring smile.

Tossing the sheets on the bed, Roxas said, "You're not allowed to apologize for nightmares. That's the rule, remember?"

"Here," said Xion, moving around the bed and reaching out the glass of water.

He smiled and tried to accept the offering. Isa let go of him carefully backing up to let Lea move around him. Except Lea suddenly grabbed his wrist and Isa couldn't help the surprised hiss of pain. A dark look flashed across his face as he looked at Isa's burned hand.

"Did I do that?" he asked quietly.

"No, I did that by grabbing someone who was on fire," corrected Isa. "I knew exactly what would happen. That's why I had them bring some potions. There's no one to blame except myself."

"I'm still sorry," said Lea, sounding rather subdue.

"You heard Roxas. You're not allowed to apologize," he said.

Lea didn't immediately respond. He simply took a slow sip of water. It seemed to help steady him a little more. Not enough for Isa to let him keep the glass though. Once he seemed finished with the drink, Isa took it from his trembling hands and set it on the window sill out of the way.

"Didn't mean to cause such a fuss," muttered Lea finally. "Isa, you should use those potions and all of you should head back to bed. I can finish straightening up."

Clutching her hands gingerly in front of her, Xion said, "I don't know. Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," he said, giving a small shrug. "I can handle it. Besides, it's not my first nightmare. It'll be fine."

Isa was about to argue that no, Lea clearly couldn't handle what was going on since trying to turn his Fire magic against himself wasn't a good sign. It was hard to use your own magic against yourself like that. It was hard to hurt yourself that way. Summoning more than you could control was one thing, but turning it against yourself in such a direct method required more effort. It required focus and intent. The only reason that the damage wasn't worse, that Lea didn't succeed in burning himself to death in the throes of a nightmare, was because being asleep kept him from focusing enough to finish the job.

A thought that did nothing to help Isa's boiling emotions.

But he saw the frowns flicker across Roxas and Xion's faces, confused and worried. And Lea stiffened. As if he realized that he'd said something that he shouldn't have.

"What do you mean that this isn't your first nightmare?" asked Roxas suspiciously. "Are you talking about nightmares before we moved here or after?"

Lea hesitated. And that was enough for the Keyblade wielders to know the answer.

"How many nightmares?" he asked, the boy's voice shifting towards something darker and angrier.

Looking away, Lea mumbled, "Not that many."

"And you didn't tell us?" asked Xion. She shook her head. "But we're supposed to tell each other about nightmares. That's the rule, remember?"

"Yeah, that's the rule…"

"But you didn't tell us," snapped Roxas. "You didn't tell us anything. You just kept hiding everything until it all blew up on you. You promised no more secrets. You promised."

The worry and fear were still there. It hadn't disappeared. But now it was morphing into anger and frustration. The boy lashing out verbally because of his fear for Lea combined with old pain. And Isa didn't know if trying to step in would make it better or worse considering his own past with Roxas.

"I know," said Lea, "but—"

"But you're doing it again," he continued, growing louder. "The secrets and the lying. Something's wrong and you're hiding it. And now you're getting hurt, but you still don't trust us. You won't let us help."

"Roxas, I—"

"Why? Why are you doing this again? What other secrets are you keeping from us?" There was a glint in Roxas's eyes that might be a hint of frustrated tears. "Why is it so important to keep everything to yourself, even when it hurts you? Why don't you tell us anything? Don't you trust us even a little bit?"

"It's not—"

"Then what is it?" he demanded, his anger building to a terrified and hurt inferno. "Why won't you tell us anything? Why didn't you say something was wrong? Why are you pretending everything is fine? Why don't you trust us to help? Why—"

"Because I can't be selfish again!" shouted Lea suddenly.

The outburst silenced the boy. And everyone in stunned silence of their own. Lea's arms curled around himself and his eyes fell to the floor. Isa saw him shiver again. Clearly regretting what he'd said, but not knowing how to take it back.

"I can't… I can't…"

"What do you mean?" asked Xion quietly. "Did you think… telling us what was going on would be selfish?"

Shaking his head, Lea said, "You shouldn't be worrying over me. I'm supposed to take care of you. Keep you safe. Keep you happy." His eyes flickered up to Isa. "All of you. I have to do things right. I can't make the same mistakes again."

"What mistakes?" Roxas still sounded worried, but concern was winning out over his previous anger. "Because keeping secrets… Axe— Lea, please talk to us."

"I don't understand," said Xion. "You have taken care of us. You've always looked out for us. Even in the beginning."

"Lea." Isa kept his voice firm, searching his friend's face for clues. "Nothing that you've done for us could be considered selfish."

The rough and broken laugh almost sounded like a sob. Lea shook his head sharply before dragging a hand through his hair. Isa suspected that he would be pacing if he wasn't trapped in the corner. Words started tumbling out of him, like he couldn't stop himself.

"I've been nothing but selfish," he said. "Selfish and stupid, ruining everything. I failed to do anything right." Slumping back against the corner even as he curled in on himself, Lea whispered roughly, "I messed up so many times. I can't mess up again. I can't make any more stupid, selfish mistakes. I have to get it right or…"

"Or what?" asked Isa carefully.

"Or I'll lose everything again."

Isa took a deep breath. He was starting to get a clearer picture. But he was also realizing that the problems that led to the events of that night ran deeper than he expected. And had probably been festering for a long time.

"Every selfish and stupid mistake I made as Axel… Lying, manipulating, letting one friend slip away while hurting the others by trying to keep them in the worst possible ways… Hurting everyone… So many times…" Lea took a shuddering breath, eyes pressed closed. "And because I was selfish, I lost everything. I lost all of you. One way or another, I lost all of you because I failed. I was selfish and failed you. And I can't… I can't be selfish because… Because I can't lose any of you again. Not again."

There were tears on his face. And Lea's voice was low and rough. Whatever he'd been using to hold himself together for the last several months was clearly crumbling apart. Breaking under the pressure.

"If I make a stupid, selfish mistake… If I don't keep everyone all right… If I fail… If I mess up this second chance, I'll lose everything again. You'll be gone because of me. And I… I can't bear it… Not again. Not again."

Ignoring his burned hands, Isa pulled Lea away from the corner and into a hug. Holding his friend close. It was as easy as when he used to do it when they were both small and Lea ended up in tears. Roxas and Xion scurried over to join in, wrapping their arms around Lea. Trapping him in the group embrace.

"I'm sorry we disappeared," said Roxas. "We didn't want to leave you. It wasn't your fault."

"Lea." Isa kept his voice gentle, yet firm. "You can talk to us. You can talk to me. You can ask for help. You don't have to be responsible for everyone. Not at the expense of yourself like this."

Because that was what Lea had been doing. Isa could see that now. Not just raising and supporting Roxas and Xion on his own, but reaching out to everyone. He was there for Isa whenever he needed support from his friend, night or day. Promising to come whenever Isa asked for help or needed to reassure himself after a nightmare. And he tried to do the same for everyone else. Making the same offer to Kairi, to Ventus, to Naminé, and even to Aqua. Volunteering to be their emotional support and to be there for them. Offering to carry the weight of everyone's various traumas. Ready to give them pieces of himself to each one until there was nothing left.

But while he was prepared to serve as the metaphorical rock to support and steady all of their friends all by himself, Lea never asked for help. He tried to carry it all alone. Trying to bear the weight of it on his own.

No wonder it ended in disaster.

Lea managed to hold himself together for a moment longer. Then his control slipped and he collapsed against Isa, hands grabbing at the loose shirt that Isa wore when he slept over. The tired and exhausted sobs were silent, but they shook Lea's body. Which only made his friends tighten their embrace. Holding him close as if they would never let go. And Isa suspected that the children might be in tears as well. It had been a long and stressful night for all of them.

"You went through a lot," said Xion slowly. "No one would ever deny that. Sometimes that means you aren't fine. And that's all right. There's nothing wrong if you have some problems after everything. It just means that you might need a little support."

"I get it." Roxas spoke just as carefully as she did. "You need to be the strong one for the others. You can't have any weaknesses or vulnerabilities because you need to be there to support your friends, right? But sometimes you need help too. Sometimes you might need support as well. Otherwise, you won't be in any shape to take care of us."

For some reason, Lea gave a very weak laugh. Almost as if he recognized the words.

"You don't have to be perfect," added Xion shakily. "And you don't have to do everything by yourself. We just need you to be all right."

Isa lost track of how long that they stood there. But eventually Lea started to relax in the group hug. His grip loosened until it felt more like he was returning the hug instead of clinging desperately to avoid being washed away by overwhelming emotions. His breathing evened out as he calmed down. Simply letting himself enjoy being surrounded by the others.

"I'm sorry I got mad," mumbled Roxas.

Pulling away enough to turn and ruffle the boy's hair, Lea said, "Can't blame you. I didn't mean to keep secrets again. It just sort of happened." He was calmed down, but still subdue and probably exhausted by everything. "I… I might not be fine."

"We can try working out the details moving forward and what needs to change sometime in the morning," said Isa. "But let's start with just the basics tonight. How long have you been having nightmares?"

Not meeting his eyes, he said, "A while. They weren't that bad at the start. Just every now and then. And I was busy enough not to worry about it much. But they've been happening more often lately and they're worse now."

That answer didn't seem to comfort the kids much. Xion reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to comfort Lea.

"Is there anything that we can do to help?" she asked. "Something to help with your nightmares?"

Lea hesitated a moment. Then he swallowed hard and closed his eyes.

"Could… Could you," he asked, the admission made reluctantly, "stay… with me? I… I sleep better that way. When you're here… and I know you're safe."

Smiling, Roxas asked, "Slumber party? I think we can manage that."

Lea didn't know what he felt as he watched his friends pull the bed back together, putting on the sheets and straightening the blankets. Uncomfortable that so many things that he'd tried to hide was now exposed? Relieved that so many things that he'd tried to hide was now exposed? Both? He couldn't tell. Between the nightmares and the confession, he felt emotionally drained and exhausted.

But the panic attack had passed, the pressure in his chest had loosened, and the shaking had stopped. The stinging from his minor burns had lessened because they forced him to use a potion, though he also managed to get Isa to use a couple of them too. And his heart seemed a little lighter; he hadn't realized how much it had been weighing him down until that point.

He didn't know how he felt, but mostly Lea would have to say that he felt better. Tired, but better.

"This should be a sufficient number of pillows for everyone," said Isa, returning to the bedroom and dropping two more pillows on the bed. "Lea, do you want to get rid of your ruined shirt? I don't think we can salvage it."

Lea nodded wearily. It was barely worth calling it a shirt, scorched and burned through in places until it was better to describe it as a collection of tattered strips of fabric that barely connected and just so happened to drape on him. And there was no need to smudge soot and ash onto the clean bedding. It would be better to take it off and use the bathrobe as makeshift pajamas with the intact shorts he was already wearing. Then he could try sleeping some more.

Sleep would do him some good. And with the half-pints there, he should be able to rest. No more nightmares. At least for now.

"Could you grab my bathrobe from the wardrobe?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Trying not to wince at the motion as it made his minor burns sting despite the potion, Lea pulled the ruined t-shirt up and over his head. He was about to let the scorched fabric drop to the floor, but a sudden gasp made him freeze. Freeze and realize what he'd done.

Lea reluctantly looked up at them. All three were staring at his bare chest with varying levels of horror, worry, and guilt. Staring at the scars that he normally kept hidden. Roxas and Xion's eyes briefly landed on the starburst burn scar near his sternum and the thin lines on the upper left part of his chest. From his final attack in Betwixt and Between and from where Larxene's knives nearly killed him. But eventually their eyes moved down to join Isa staring at the thick, ragged, and long scar that wrapped around his right side at the bottom of his ribcage, cutting about a hand's length into him. The one that none of them knew about or expected to see.

He especially didn't like Isa's expression. The slowly dawning realization. It made something in Lea's stomach squirm. And when he tried to lunge for the bathrobe in Isa's hand in order to hide everything away again, his friend pulled it away.

"What happened?" asked Roxas.

Not wanting to talk about it and trying to delay things a little longer, Lea said, "Well, some of them came from Larxene. And then when I burned myself out as Axel…"

"And that one?" asked Xion, pointing towards the thick and ugly scar that he was trying to avoid.

Trying and failing again to snatch the bathrobe, Lea said, "Just an old scar from a fight. Nothing to worry about."

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to reassure them. Not after how much he'd hidden from them lately. When it came to his own well-being, they clearly weren't going accept his claims to be fine without further proof. He'd scared them too badly.

Stupid nightmare. Lea might be willing to admit that he wasn't quite fine, but letting everyone else know that had certainly complicated things.

Though, after it really started to sink in what exactly happened during that last nightmare, it was a little scary for him as well. They were right. He couldn't continue the way that he had been going.

"And that fight," said Isa unsteadily, his tone making it clear that he already suspected the answer, "when was it? Who were you fighting?"

"It doesn't matter," he said without hesitation.

"It does, Lea. Answer the question."

Staring down at the clean sheets and blankets, Lea said reluctantly, "It was back when I kidnapped Kairi and then Organization XIII took her. I tried to get her back. It went badly. I was hurt in the fight, but managed to retreat to Betwixt and Between. You know what happened after that."

"I'm the one that prevented you from retrieving Kairi. I fought you. I did that," he said quietly. "I didn't remember. Not what I did to you."

"What?" asked Roxas sharply.

Keeping his voice firm, Lea said, "That wasn't really you, Isa. Xemnas had his claws in you and you were in your Berserk Form. We both know that you aren't yourself when you fight like that. I shouldn't have turned my back on you when you were in that state. I should have made certain that it was safe. That was my mistake. I knew better. And you wouldn't hurt me normally. I don't blame you. Never did." He gave Roxas and Xion a quick look. "And I don't want you two blaming him either."

"But I could have killed you," said Isa shakily. His eyes refused to leave the large scar, undoubtedly thinking about how deeply the claymore must have buried itself into his friend's body. "That should have killed you. How did it not… Was I the reason you faded?"

"No." Lea surged back to his feet, grabbed the bathrobe, and yanked away as he glared down his oldest friend. "I survived that fight. You landed a pretty bad hit, but that wasn't what destroyed me. I destroyed myself by putting my entire non-existent being into a powerful attack when I didn't have the strength to pull it off. That's it. You had nothing to do with it, Isa. Got it memorized?"

None of them looked entire convinced. But Lea didn't have the energy to argue further. It would have to wait until morning when he was hopefully less emotionally drained. Assuming that he didn't sleep the entire day away. He was exhausted.

Pulling on the bathrobe, Lea said, "I think we've had enough uncomfortable reveals for one evening."

"Right," said Isa quietly, subdue even for him. Gesturing towards the bed, he said, "You need your rest."

Lea settled back into the middle of his large bed. The open window had cooled the room off while clearing out most of the burnt and smoky scents, which helped more than he could describe. Roxas and Xion crawled in next to him on either side. Lea pulled the blankets over them. He could feel the tension melting out of him as they buried themselves into the spaces against his sides.

Safe. Alive. Real.

Everything was all right.

Sitting on the bed and leaning back against the headboard, Isa said slowly, "I doubt that anyone is going to be in any condition to go to school tomorrow, but one day off won't hurt anything. Do you think your boss will let you miss a day of work, Lea?"

He stiffened briefly. Oh, right. Another secret. Another issue that his friends wouldn't be happy about. And another discussion that he didn't have the energy for that night. Isa was being practical and sensible like always, trying to work out the logistics, but it was approaching another conversation that no one was going to enjoy. Maybe Lea could delay it for at least a little longer.

"It should be fine," he said evasively.

Eyes narrowing, Isa asked, "Where do you work? I don't believe you've ever said."

"I don't know either," said Xion, rubbing at her eyes drowsily. 'Did you tell us and I forget?"

"Ax— Lea?" asked Roxas.

"You can still call me 'Axel' if you want. It's fine. I'm calmed down now," he said.

Not accepting the distraction, Isa said, "You haven't answered my question."

Wishing that he could burrow into the pillow under him and disappear, Lea mumbled, "Don't have a boss. Sort of… self-employed?"

"Lea," he said sternly, "what exactly have you been doing for munny?"

And there went any chance at avoiding the topic. Lea cringed into the bed, trapped under Isa's firm gaze. His friends were not going to be happy with him. Not as mad as the "hiding his nightmares and then almost burning himself to death while asleep" situation, but definitely not happy. But he couldn't lie. And he couldn't' keep any more secrets from them.

"I've… been fighting Heartless. For munny," he admitted quietly. "That's about the only thing I'm good at. Fighting and destroying something. Takes a while, but I head off world all day and try to collect everything possible. Not that different from the old missions. Some days I make more munny than other depending on what I fight. But I've been managing so far."

"You've been going off world and fighting Heartless alone?" asked Roxas, sitting back up again. "What if you got hurt? We wouldn't know where you were or how to find you."

"We wouldn't be able to come get you if that happened," added Xion.

"It was fine. I've been taking care of myself for longer than you two have existed."

Isa took a deep breath and pressed his eyes shut, visibly struggling not to say something. Forcing himself to keep silent Then he breathed out slowly and shook his head.

"We will add that to the list of future topics to discuss further," said Isa wearily. "Needless to say, there will be some changes around here. For now, I recommend getting some rest. It's been a stressful enough evening already."

Everyone except Isa settled back into bed, trying to get cozy and relaxed. He remained sitting up against the headboard. He tucked a pillow behind him to make it more comfortable and let one hand rest on Lea's shoulder, but Isa was acting more like he intended to keep watch rather than get any sleep. Lea would have tried convincing his friend to rest, but he could recognize a losing battle when he saw it. And having all of them close, having undeniable proof that they were safe and with him, was as irresistible as the familiar lullaby that Isa's mother used to hum. Lea's eyes were too heavy to keep open. It didn't take him long to succumb to sleep.

Isa was used to going without much sleep, though it was mostly on the nights of full moons. And when the moon was less distracting, it gave him time to think. And he currently had plenty to contemplate as he sat there, keeping watch as Lea and the children slept.

The obvious anxiety that Lea had been hiding… The amount of pressure that he had been putting on himself… The guilt and self-loathing that must have fueled his nightmare in order to turn his Fire magic against himself… The scars that Isa caused Lea during the middle of his Berserk Form… Lea believing that the only thing he was good at was fighting… Lea throwing himself into countless fights against Heartless in order to keep a roof over their heads…

How could they have missed all the signs? How could no one have seen that something was wrong? That it had been building and building until it reached an ignition point? Lea tried so hard to save everyone else, but no one had saved him from drowning under the weight of it all. He'd been trying to handle it alone and failed.

They wouldn't let Lea continue like that. Not alone.

Isa would have to make some plans on how to keep this from happening again. Steps that they could take to help Lea and watch out for him. Isa could work out the details while they slept.

Though he had an idea for the munny issue. Isa knew how much munny that a Heartless could provide and it wasn't nearly enough to cover rent and the various necessities for three people. Not without exhausting him and running far too many risks. Lea needed a steady and safe source of income. And Isa knew how to get him that munny. It would only require a short phone call.

Fighting the urge to tighten his grip of Lea's shoulder despite the remaining pain from his healing burns, Isa watched his oldest friend sleep with Roxas and Xion wrapped around Lea like he was an oversized teddy bear. Lea helped them build new lives after the Keyblade War. It was time to repay the favor.

Chapter Text

Just as Twilight Town didn't have a true night, their mornings weren't actual mornings. It was merely a brighter form of twilight. But golden sunlight was creeping through the window when Roxas felt the mattress shift. The arm slung over Lea tightened instinctively as he blinked his eyes open. But it wasn't Lea. He was still asleep. Instead, it was apparently Isa trying to ease off the edge of the bed after spending the evening sitting there.

When Isa noticed that Roxas was awake, he said quietly, "I will return shortly. We need supplies to fix the damage to the wall. And the ceiling. The landlady might complain about the scorch marks."

A quick glance towards the corner made Roxas grimace. The yellow walls now had a black patch with soot smeared around it. Impossible to miss in the daylight. And impossible to pretend that what happened the previous evening didn't actually happen.

"Please keep an eye on him until I return," he continued softly. "And let him rest for as long as he will. It might do him some good."

Roxas managed a small nod of acknowledgement. He didn't want to risk making a sound. But Isa seemed fine with that.

When Isa's hand left Lea's shoulder as he stood up, Lea frowned briefly and stirred as if he was on the verge of waking up. But Xion moaned quietly and snuggled closer to him. Which seemed to settle him back down, letting Lea's breathing even back out as his head shifted against the pillow. Isa took the opportunity to silently slip out of the room.

Which left Roxas alone with his thoughts. And all of them focused on recent events.

Nothing that had happened the previous evening had been good. Not finding Lea trapped in a nightmare as he tried to burn himself out, engulfed in his own flames. Not Xion getting accidentally burned when she reached for him, though they healed it when they'd left the room briefly. And not when Lea spilled out so much pain, guilt, regret, and self-doubt that none of them expected from him.

It reminded Roxas far too much of what they'd overheard while exploring the secret passages of the Land of Departure. What Lea had told Aqua while encouraging her to take care of herself. Roxas and Xion repeated it to Lea in the aftermath of his nightmare, but he didn't understand why Lea didn't follow his own advice already. Why was it so hard to let himself be helped? Why did he have to keep everything a secret?

Roxas tried to ignore the unpleasant twinge in his chest. He knew that Lea didn't mean to keep all of those secrets and that it wasn't like before. But it still reminded him too much of how everyone kept hiding things from him in the Organization. And those secrets tore them apart, leaving Roxas alone and unable to trust anyone. He didn't want to go back to that. Roxas hated secrets, especially when they concerned the well-being of his friends.

But that wasn't the important part. What mattered was what they did moving forward now that they knew what was going on with Lea. And who they would need to help him.

It was a lot. Everything that Lea had been hiding that was wrong turned out to be a lot. All that worry, fear, and stress that he'd kept bundled away. Going of world to earn munny without telling anyone. The scars of old wounds, both known and unknown.

He scowled darkly. Roxas didn't like the reminder of how many times that his friend was badly hurt. But he especially didn't like finding out that Saïx nearly killed their best friend. And maybe part of Roxas wanted to take a Keyblade to his head, but Isa wasn't the same as Saïx. He'd shown how much he'd changed and worked hard to be better. Roxas didn't want to go back to hating him.

Besides, Roxas had his own history of hurting his friends without meaning to or wanting to. When he attacked Xion when she was disguised as a Heartless by an illusion, the two of them barely stopping in time. And when the two of them fought at the clocktower. If Xion didn't blame Roxas for what happened that day, leaving her gone and forgotten, it was probably wrong to hold a grudge against Isa.

That didn't mean that he would be forgetting about it.

Suddenly rubbing at her eyes, Xion mumbled, "Roxas?"

"Shh…" He glanced at her on the other side of Lea. "Let him sleep a little longer."

"Mh-hm…"

She shifted slightly until her head was resting on Lea's chest instead of the pillow. Xion smiled drowsily, probably enjoying the warmth radiating off him. Lea always felt warm.

Except for the one time that he didn't feel warm. When Lea nearly died from Larxene's knives, when Roxas and Xion went to see him in the aftermath and he was lying in a bed while wrapped in gauze and bandages. He'd felt too cool and clammy then. Roxas never wanted to see Lea like that again.

Nor did he or anyone else want to ever see Lea wreathed in flames that were directed inwardly like the previous evening again.

It would take time to fix everything. Isa might have his plans, but Roxas had a few ideas of his own. Mostly along the lines of making sure that someone was always around to keep an eye on Lea. And lots of slumber parties in the future. If knowing where his friends were made Lea feel better, then Roxas would try to help him with that.

The walk to the hardware store gave him a chance to clear his head. Moving gave him something to focus on instead of his thoughts, his worries, and his guilt. Isa needed that. But he stopped partway there, leaning back against one of the brick buildings as he dug out his Gummiphone.

As important as it might be to fix the bedroom, there were a few things that should take priority.

It took a few moments, but Master Ansem's face filled the screen. A confused frown greeted Isa. Most of his communications with the people of Radiant Garden since he'd left were with the man's apprentices. Not that Isa was purposefully avoiding Master Ansem or that the older man was avoiding Isa instead. It was merely how it worked out. Master Ansem certainly wouldn't be expecting a call from him this early in the day.

"Good morning, Isa," he said. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"I hope so."

"Did something happen at the mansion?"

"No, things are progressing well on repairs, renovations, and research. Though I need to talk about Lea."

"What about him?" asked Master Ansem with a slight frown.

Taking a deep breath to preemptively calm down, because he knew going over it would be upsetting, Isa said, "After over a decade as a Nobody and not finishing school, apparently his career options are limited. He's been trying to pay rent, buy groceries, and run a household for himself and two teenagers using what he could collect fighting Heartless. That is not sustainable. And since you never officially fired either of us from the role of your apprentices, perhaps Lea could assist me in the renovations and repairs. If you would be willing to provide him with a similar stipend to what you provide me."

This was Isa asking nicely. Because this would be the simplest solution. It would provide a safe and stable source of income and would make certain that Isa could keep a close eye on Lea. He could keep watch over his friend during the day while Roxas and Xion could stay close at night. It was the ideal way to handle things.

If Master Ansem refused the nice version of the request, then Isa would have to move to the next strategy. He had several possibilities. Logical and rational reasoning. Invoking guilt over past mistakes. Maybe threatening the man with his claymore if he ran out of options and Master Ansem turned out to be stubborn.

"Lea has been without a reliable method source of income this entire time while taking care of Roxas and Xion on his own?" asked Master Ansem slowly. He reached up and dragged a hand down his face tiredly. "You're right. I took both of you on as my apprentices and I failed in my responsibilities towards you. In more ways than I can count. But I can meet that responsibility now. Give me a little time to make arrangements. Lea will start receiving stipend to provide the essential requirements and support that the young Keybearers in his care require. Along with payment for any work that he might do for us."

Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Isa said, "Thank you."

"It is the least that I can do to help. And to make up for my mistakes towards the two of you and the children. I don't delude myself into believing that it repairs all the harm that I caused, but it is a start. And please keep me informed if there is anything else that I can do to help."

The call ended after that, a heavy weight feeling like it had been lifted from his shoulders. At least one problem had been dealt with. There were plenty of other issues to sort out.

Including the twisting and writhing guilt in his gut that Isa couldn't quite ignore. Because no matter how Lea might claim not to blame him and he might argue that it wasn't really Isa's fault what happened in his Berserk Form, that didn't erase the thick and ugly scar that cut deep into Lea's body. Or the damage that it must have caused.

But even if that guilt refused to be smothered, at least one worry was dealt with. At least one item was ticked off the list of problems to solve.

Next on that list of tasks to accomplish was to finish gathering materials to fix Lea's bedroom.

Lea couldn't begin to describe how much a truly restful sleep seemed to help. It had been far longer than he wanted to admit since he'd managed some proper sleep. He'd barely realized how utterly rundown that he'd been recently, the exhaustion ground deep into his very bones. It was only after some of that weariness was brushed back that Lea could truly comprehend the sheer extent of it.

He slept long after the sky turned gold and he should have been up. And he didn't want to get up. Lea felt perfectly content to stay there with a couple of half-pints. But unfortunately, he knew that he couldn't put it off forever.

Too much had been exposed to sweep it under the rug. And they would have to discuss it.

Lea waited until he heard Isa moving around the kitchen and he could smell breakfast. And the moment that he sat up, Roxas and Xion popped up on either side of him. They watched him closely as he scratched the back of his head and rolled of the bed. Then he managed to chase them off long enough to get dressed.

They were waiting outside the door for him afterwards though.

Blueberry pancakes were already on the table when they made it out there. Isa's mother used to have a great recipe for pancakes, though she liked to use a variety of different berries and fruit depending on her mood and what was in season. Of course the careful and meticulous Isa learned how to replicate it. Lea knew they would be delicious. But the breakfast would come with a lecture and more guilt. That lessened his enthusiasm for the meal slightly.

As soon as everyone was seated, Isa said, "Let's start with the basics. For now on, we do not hide it when someone is having nightmares. Because keeping quiet to avoid worrying everyone clearly doesn't work."

"You're supposed to get someone when you have a nightmare anyway," reminded Xion. "That's the rule. There aren't supposed to be exceptions, Axel."

"Sorry," he muttered, poking at his pancake with his fork.

Shaking his head, Isa said, "As long as you don't do it again, I believe we'll forgive you. But no more hiding your nightmares. Or anything else that's hurting you."

"And me and Xion are staying in your room," said Roxas firmly, glaring at Lea to make it clear that there would be no arguing.

Lea smiled faintly. He still wasn't comfortable with everything being dragged out into the open and having everyone know exactly how badly he'd messed up. But they seemed determined to take care of him. And that was a little heartwarming. Not to mention that he was rather looking forward to being able to sleep through the night. Keeping them close and knowing that they were safe helped.

"You might need to choose a different bedroom for a while," said Isa, gesturing towards a few pieces of drywall and cans stashed next to the front door. "I don't know how much damage there is under the soot and scorch marks, but your room needs a few coats of paint at a minimum."

"We'll need to open a window when we paint." Lea shrugged briefly. "The fumes can mess with you more than you'd expect." Scratching the back of his head, he added, "And yeah, I'm sorry about the damage."

Shoving his shoulder, Xion said, "No apologizing for nightmares, Axel. That's one of the rules, remember?"

"And that includes for the damage that the nightmare caused," added Roxas. "But you can apologize about keeping secrets from us and not letting us help take care of you."

He did feel guilty about that and how it unfolded. Lea tried to keep them from worrying and only ended up worrying them even more. Maybe it would have been easier to bring up some of his issues a little sooner. To avoid the dramatics of the night before. It wouldn't be easy for him either way, but maybe it would have been simpler for the others. Or at least less stressful.

Offering the syrup, Isa said, "And because fighting Heartless is not the best or safest way to make munny, I think it might be best for you to assist me at the mansion instead. I'm certain that Master Ansem will be willing to pay for your help the same way that he does me."

"You've already talked to him, haven't you?" he asked suspiciously.

"After everything that happened," said Isa, "it is certainly not too much to ask that he help his former apprentice. Consider it compensation for his past mistakes if you like."

He chuckled quietly. It was probably the least that the man could do. Considering how much guilt that he carried around for what happened to his apprentices and his behavior as DiZ, Lea had to admit that it was surprising that Master Ansem wasn't already throwing munny at them.

Thinking for a moment, Lea said, "Wait, you're going to make me sort through paperwork and stuff, aren't you? I'm going to be bored out of my mind."

"If the other option is last night's excitement, I think we could use some boredom," said Isa.

Xion climbed up to the roof, biting her bottom lip as she went up. Everyone else was currently working on fixing Lea's room. And she'd been helping for a while. She was simply taking a short break from the task. She'd claimed that the reason was that she needed to water her plants. Which was true. But she also needed a moment alone. There was something else that she needed to take care of.

She watered her rooftop garden and looked over a few new flowers. Then Xion tucked herself among the greenery, slightly hidden from sight. Giving her a little privacy in case someone came looking for her.

Xion pulled out her Gummiphone. A few rings later and Aqua's face appeared.

"Oh. Xion?" she asked, blinking in surprise. "Is everything all right?"

Not an unexpected question. They weren't the closest of friends yet. They didn't usually call each other and they'd just seen Aqua and the others the day before.

And to be honest, things weren't all right. They hadn't been all right since Roxas woke her up last night and they checked on Lea. Actually, things hadn't been all right for even longer. Lea had just been hiding it before then.

Xion hated that none of them realized it before. Maybe she and Roxas noticed that something was off with him, but not enough to know for certain. And even his peptalk to Aqua wasn't enough to figure it out before everything fell apart. Why didn't any of them put together the clues sooner?

But she couldn't change the past. All she could do was try to prevent it from happening again. Which was why Xion was calling.

"I was hoping that you could do me a favor," she said.

Smiling encouragingly, Aqua said, "Of course. What can I do for you?"

"Can you teach me Water magic? Sora learned it after Roxas and I came into existence, so we didn't learn those spells from him the same way that we did the others. Even being back in his heart for a while wasn't enough. Well… Roxas was 'back' in his heart. It was my first time there, even if I came from his memories."

Aqua's expression briefly flickered. The smallest frown of confusion. As if needing a moment to remember Xion's unique situation and origins. As if Aqua barely remembered that she, Kiru, Naminé, and Roxas weren't normal people. It was nice to imagine that someone could know all of the truth and still forget that Xion wasn't like everyone else.

"I would be happy to teach you Water magic. Or any other spells that you want," she said.

The only spells that Xion needed to learn would be Water magic. Because she'd felt helpless last night. Fire wrapping around Lea, trying to consume him as the nightmare trapped him. One of her best friends had been in danger and there had been nothing that she could do to stop it. Even trying to help had only gotten her burned. She never wanted to feel that helpless again.

Lea specialized in Fire magic. It came to him naturally and she had never seen him use any other form of magic. If something else ever happened, it would probably involve fire. And the best way to protect him would be to learn how to cast Water.

"Would you be more comfortable coming to Radiant Garden for the lessons on Water magic," asked Aqua, "or would you prefer for me to come to Twilight Town?"

"Could you come here?"

While Xion could easily travel between worlds through dark corridors, she didn't think it was a good idea to leave Twilight Town for now. She didn't want to worry Lea. If he was more comfortable with everyone piled together in the same bed at night, letting him keep an eye on his friends and know that they were safe, then she would try to stay close. At least for a while.

"Then let me know when you would like me to come over. We're still trying to help find Sora, but there is time in the day to do both," said Aqua.

Nodding, Xion said, "It might take me a few days to figure out a good time. But we could train in the woods outside of town. Sometimes Heartless still lurk there. They should be good to practice on."

"I look forward to it."

"Do you still get anxious when you're away from them?" asked Isa softly, nodding towards the two sleeping figures nestled around them on the couch.

Lea stiffened slightly at the question. Not enough to disturb Roxas and Xion though. But then again, they'd had a stressful night and they were bound to doze off the moment they all decided to take a break while the fresh paint dried. The four of them settling on the couch with some cartoons. Low stress and relaxing. Lea could almost pretend everything was normal. At least until Isa started asking questions again.

He knew that there would be more questions. He knew that he'd given all of them plenty of reason to worry and wonder. And Lea knew that he should be honest. Hiding things clearly always made it worse. Lea could agree with that. But it didn't mean it was easy for him.

Vulnerability was not something that was safe to admit. Not when he was in Organization XIII and certainly not when he was their assassin. Vulnerability was a lot like weakness. And weakness in those circumstances was dangerous.

A decade of habits was hard to break. It was why he had so much trouble not keeping secrets even when he promised.

Not to mention that overwhelming urge to keep everyone from worrying about him. That was another reason to keep quiet. At least, it was before it became clear that he was only worrying them worse.

Lea knew that he should answer honestly. But his first impulse was to deflect.

"What would give you that idea, Isa?"

"When Roxas and Xion were late getting home that one time and you could not contact them with the Gummiphone, you were… extremely distressed," said Isa carefully. "At first, I assumed that it was a one-time event. But after everything that has occurred recently, I am reconsidering that assumption. You've proven that you can hide your problems quite well. It may simply be the only time that you let that mask slip."

Breathing out slowly, he admitted, "It's not as bad as it used to be. There maybe have been… panic attacks… when they were out of sight. At least at the beginning. I guess part of me was… afraid that they would disappear again the second that I take my eyes off of them."

Another painful admission. Hearing it out loud made that fear sound so childish and dumb. Like a small child frightened of monsters lurking under the bed.

But there were monsters that dwelled in the dark. And there was always a chance that something would happen to drag them back into Sora's heart. Though Lea would resist it with every fiber of his being. He wouldn't let that nightmare come to pass.

"An understandable fear after everything that's happened," said Isa gently. "You lost them once and I know how far that you had to go to get them back."

"I would have gone just as far if… It was different with you, Isa. You were with Xemnas or under Xehanort's control, but you were still there. I knew you were there and that I could get you back. I… I hoped that I could get Roxas and Xion back, but I didn't know. I didn't know if it was possible. But if it had been you that disappeared where I couldn't reach you, where you might be gone forever, I would have gone just as far to bring you back."

"I know, Lea," he said. "I believe you." Smiling faintly, Isa added, "I am not jealous that you worry about them. I have been working on that and I rarely have that problem now. And when I do, I'm better at recognizing what's happening."

Xion shifted slightly, not quite waking up. The television had switched from cartoons to a black-and-white movie at some point during the conversation. Roxas had drifted off first and Xion took a little longer. They looked so peaceful. But Lea would need to interrupt their nap soon or else they wouldn't be able to sleep once the sun set.

For the moment, however, he just reached over to brush back her hair. Xion's hair might be shorter than Kairi or Naminé's, but a few strands could still manage to end up in her face. Lea moved them out of the way. He didn't mind letting her drowse a little longer.

"It is getting easier," said Lea quietly. "Letting them out of my sight. Most of the time, at least. As long as I know where they are and when they'll be back. I still have nightmares about losing them, but I don't panic when they aren't with me and I don't have to try so hard to keep myself distracted."

"You know they would stay with you if you asked them, right?"

"They have school, Isa. They have friends. And you know how independent they are. Roxas and Xion were running around on missions on their own for ages. I can't smother them now."

"Then I suppose we shall need some form of compromise. We'll work on something where you aren't as stressed out and they can still maintain their freedom," said Isa. Standing back up slowly, he said, "In the meantime, I should apply the second coat of paint in your room."

"Do you want some help?"

Shaking his head, he said, "I can handle it. Besides, you would disturb the children if you move."

"Not to mention that you get to start your exciting new job, helping me over at the Old Mansion. Lots of renovations and going through old files."

Grimacing, Lea complained, "Ugh."

"Don't be like that."

"I warned you. I'll die of boredom, Isa."

"You will not. You're too skilled at surviving."

"Not a single hint of sympathy from my oldest friend. That's just cruel."

In the driest voice possible, Isa said, "Yes, because paperwork is the pinnacle of cruelty. Everyone knows that."

Pizza for dinner simplifies things. No cooking. Minimum clean up. Roxas went out to pick the food up, but he also took a short detour to grab a few surprises.

It wasn't the same as sitting up on the clocktower. But the four of them sitting on the roof with ice cream, enjoying both Xion's garden and the view of the neighborhood, was pretty nice. The sunset looked different from that angle, but they still ended up watching it. It was relaxing. Even with the differences, watching the sunset together was something familiar and comforting.

Roxas wasn't certain who made the decision for Isa to stay. It didn't even seem like an actual decision. Everyone seemed to just assume that he would be staying. Just like Roxas and Xion knew that they would be piling into the big bed with Lea again.

But there was a short and quiet conversation between the two on a different topic. One that ended with Roxas and Xion coming to a decision that would have seemed impossible a few months ago. Things had changed. Some of those changes happened slowly. Others happened instantly the moment that they asked Isa for help and the man didn't hesitate.

"Come on," said Roxas, grabbing Isa's arm as he automatically tried to head for the couch. "You're not sleeping sitting up again. Or scrunched up on the couch."

Letting the teenager pull him along, he asked, "And where are we going?"

It wasn't the frantic race down the hallway like the previous evening when Lea was trapped in the fiery nightmare. They moved at a calmer pace to the room at the end of the hall. The one next to the roof access that had been sitting unused since they first moved in. The blue bedroom that they'd always known the purpose for. Roxas almost shoved him through the door.

"Here," said Roxas. "It's yours."

Despite getting along better with Isa, Roxas didn't want to talk about why they were comfortable with letting the man stay there now. He didn't want to explain how Isa's help last night with Lea shifted the balance. He didn't want to talk about gratitude and trust. He didn't want that awkward conversation. It would be too uncomfortable for everyone involved. He just wanted to let Isa know that he was welcome and wanted there without needing to say the words.

"Good night," he continued quickly, heading back towards his room to change clothes before joining Xion and Lea.

That didn't prevent Roxas from overhearing Isa's bemused words. Or the wild cackling from Lea in his own room that followed.

"Why are there glow-in-the-dark stars in here?"

Chapter Text

"This is absolute torture," groaned Lea, letting his head drop on the keyboard.

"That's the third time you've said that. And yet it still hasn't killed you."

"Isa, please, my brain is melting. You're making me to go through old files and I've spent the last two hours reading requisition forms for machine parts from twelve years ago. Have mercy on me."

"Have you decided to emulate Demyx?"

Lea raised his head to glare at Isa. He wasn't surprised to spot hints of a smirk on his friend's face. The urge to throw something at Isa was hard to ignore.

Unfortunately, there was nothing at hand. The lab hidden in the basement, while continuing the tradition of secret underground laboratories with disguised entrances, didn't have many random knickknacks lying around for ammunition. It was a sleek and pale space that reminded him of something that belonged in Castle Oblivion or the Castle That Never Was. He would have expected Vexen to be responsible for the place rather than Master Ansem. Or rather, DiZ.

"Not every file that we recover will be relevant to locating Braig, Sora, or her," said Isa. "But we have to work our way through them regardless in case there is something pertinent that is not immediately evident. And it is useful to sort this information out in general."

"Yeah, I get why someone has to do it," he muttered. "But research is more of your thing. We both know that I'm not that great at this part of things. That's why you handled it while I took care of the icky jobs."

"Maybe we can work on renovations to the mansion later this afternoon. You might prefer the more physical tasks."

"Sounds less boring at least."

Lea turned his attention back towards the computer screen. It had not grown any less boring. But he reluctantly forced himself to resume reading through the forms. Maybe it would list a shipment of mysterious girls with amnesia headed for an unknown location. It would be a nice change of pace for answers to drop in their lap.

"There's something that you said the other day," said Isa slowly, "and what you just said reminded me of it."

Glancing back at him Lea said, "I've done a lot of talking lately. Remind me what I said."

"You said something about fighting being the only thing that you're good at. Which is certainly not true."

Isa turned away from his own computer to look towards Lea. Staring at him firmly. Trying to make it clear that there would be no arguing. That what he was saying was the full and honest truth and that it was vital that Lea believed him as he continued.

"While no one would argue that you aren't capable in combat, you have far more to offer than just that. If nothing else, you have always been better than me when it comes to dealing with people. You knew how to help Roxas and Xion to grow and learn about the world. Teaching them to be real people and not just tools for the Organization. You managed to forge a friendship with Kairi despite multiple attempts to kidnap her in the past. You navigated all the obstacles involved with setting up a household, getting the children started with school, helping them navigate challenges ranging from bullying to puberty, and offering emotional support for everyone with a Keyblade. You have always been more than a pair of chakrams, Lea."

Chuckling dryly as he ducked his head, he said, "When you put it like that, it sounds more impressive than it really is."

"I disagree. It sounds exactly as impressive as it is."

"Yeah, well," said Lea with a small shrug, "you should probably know that I've been making it up as I go along."

"I'm quite certain that everyone raising children is improvising as well," he said. "They only seem to know what they are doing because we were children at the time."

"I don't know, Isa. Your mother definitely knew how to handle us." Smiling faintly, he said, "She always seemed to know when we were up to something when we had sleepovers as kids."

"If that was true, we wouldn't have gotten into nearly as much trouble."

Hesitating a moment, Lea said cautiously, "While you were staying at Radiant Garden after being recompleted… Did you try to find your family?"

"I was busy with my recovery and my work," said Isa, looking away suddenly. "I didn't have time to locate them."

Lea nodded slowly. He could only imagine how difficult it would be to see them again after everything that happened. They would ask what happened to Isa and Lea. And there was no way to explain about their involvement with Organization XIII that wouldn't sound awful. In one way or another. Isa wouldn't want to see his parents' disappointment or worry. His avoidance made sense.

Of course, Lea hadn't sought out his own parents either. But their relationship had always been different than the one that Isa shared with his family.

"If you and the half-pints intend to encourage me to take care of myself better," said Lea carefully, "perhaps you should also consider trying a few things that are good for you too. I'm sure they would like to see you."

Isa's parents would be happy to know that he was alive and safe, regardless of what might have happened since he disappeared. They would forgive him for his actions as a Nobody. That was the kind of people that they were. As opposed to Lea's parents who probably didn't even notice that he never came home one day. Isa should at least try to salvage his relationship with his parents.

Still refusing to look at him, Isa said, "Perhaps… But not today. We still have work to do."

"Urgh," he groaned. "Back to brain melting."

Despite being scattered across multiple worlds, Kairi tried to keep in touch with the others. Calling Naminé and Kiru regularly. Exchanging pictures with Roxas and Xion. Asking for updates on the search for Sora. The Gummiphone helped keep everyone connected.

And yet some people refused to tell her anything.

Snagging a spare Gummi Ship wasn't hard. A sharp glare and Riku loaned her one of King Mickey's extras. Flying it was trickier, but she managed.

The warm golden light of Twilight Town might have been calm, soothing, and comforting for most people. Unfortunately, it didn't extinguish her anger. She stomped through the weaving streets, eyes dashing from face to face as she searched. Looking for the familiar figure that she needed to find. Not Sora, but someone else. The tall redhead that she was looking for. He tended to stand out in a crowd.

Kairi turned a corner and there he was. Lea's eyes widened in surprise and he smiled. Then he seemed to properly notice her expression. He took a small step back, earning a look of confusion from the other three.

Good. He'd realized that he'd messed up.

She broke into a run. And, wearing his magically-enhanced darkness-resistant clothing, Lea apparently decided his smartest move was to retreat through a dark corridor. Except Kairi wasn't afraid of those things. Not since the first time she risked diving into one. And she dove in now, chasing after him before it could close.

Lea didn't travel far along the pathways through darkness. He couldn't escape from her and he was smart enough to realize it. Kairi emerged at the top of the clocktower. The height above the city slowed her sprint to a more cautious speed, but it didn't stop Kairi. When Lea held his hands up in surrender, she kicked him hard in the shin.

"Ow," he complained.

"Hypocrite." Kairi glared up at him. "After all of that time telling me to talk to you if something was wrong, you… you…" She kicked him again. "I had to find out from Xion what happened."

Grimacing, he asked, "She told you?"

"You've been having nightmares and setting yourself on fire, Axel," she snapped. "That's not all right. You should have told me something was wrong."

"I'm sorry," muttered Lea, scratching the back of his head. "I get it. I messed up. I already got lectured about it. Got it memorized and everything."

Kairi glared a moment longer. Then she lunged forward to trap him in a tight hug. His arms curled around her in return as her anger gradually melted away. Leaving only worry and relief behind.

"You do that again and I'll shove you off this clocktower," she mumbled into his jacket. "I can't lose any more friends."

She didn't mean to let that last part slip out, but it was true. With Sora still missing, Kairi refused to let her other friends disappear. She would fight to keep them safe.

"I'm not going anywhere. And I'll try to do better at taking care of myself moving forward."

"Good," she said firmly.

Golden light filtered down through the trees. A steady breeze stirred the leaves, making them rustle quietly high above. And occasionally a soft scratching came from the shadows. The soft scratching of Heartless scurrying around the edges as they watched with glowing yellow eyes and waiting for their chance to pounce. They didn't always attack when someone set foot outside the town walls, but it was unspoken fact that there were monsters lurking in the woods.

But as always, the Heartless were drawn out in larger numbers by the power of the Keyblades and the strong hearts wielding them.

One of the Shadows grew bold, flattening to the ground as it slid forwards like a true shadow as it tried to close the distance. It circled the trio of Keybearers before choosing the easier targets. Three children sitting on a log observing events. Their hearts were strong with only faint traces of darkness and they held no Keyblades to protect themselves.

But when the Shadow rose up and slashed at them, it discovered that the trio of ordinary teenagers were armed with Struggle bats. Hayner swung hard, knocking the Heartless back with his combo.

"Water!" shouted Xion, Keyblade directed towards the bold creature.

The Heartless wasn't strong enough to withstand the magically-summoned burst of water that struck. A few bright pieces of munny tumbled to the ground.

"No matter how many times that you guys do that," said Hayner, "that's still cool."

She grinned at him, Pence, and Olette as Roxas sent his own spell at a Heartless. Their friends had decided to join them for the magic lesson. Which had involved a small lecture from Aqua on the importance of maintaining the world order, that each individual world had its own individual understanding of how things worked, that it wasn't their place to force a different perspective or rules on other worlds since they wouldn't have a full understanding of that new world either, and that most people couldn't easily handle the disruption to their worldview. It was an impressive speech. One that sounded either practiced or memorized from someone else. Probably Master Eraqus. But since they couldn't exactly go back and un-tell their friends, Aqua didn't complain too much.

Water magic didn't turn out to be that difficult to learn. Certainly easier than Gravity or Stop magic. She remembered Sora learning those spells. Or rather, she remembered remembering it. Water magic turned out to be somewhere between Fire and Ice magic. A few minutes of instructions from Aqua and both Xion and Roxas were ready to test out the spell on the local Heartless population.

"Over there," said Pence. "There's a different one."

Xion looked where he pointed. Rather than another familiar Shadow, it was a monkey-like Heartless with blue fur, sharp claws on its large paws, golden bracelets and anklets, and an emblem on its chest. Agile and fast, Xion recognized a Powerwild when she saw one. They weren't much stronger than a Shadow, but they were better climbers. It would be easier to take out the Heartless before it took to the trees.

She exchanged a quick look with Roxas. Either of them could easily handle the creature. It was mostly a question of which one of them wanted to practice with the new spell.

Except Aqua cartwheeled towards the Heartless. Cloaked in a white aura, she flashed towards the target. Four fast strikes from different directions, leaving behind trailing wisps of energy until they surrounded the target. A final downward slash sent it all crashing in a powerful shockwave. The Powerwild shattered in a shower of munny as a freed heart floated away.

"What was that?" asked Olette, standing up suddenly.

Smiling slightly, Aqua said, "Ghost Drive. I haven't used that technique in a while." Turning her attention back towards Roxas and Xion, she said, "I hope you don't mind my assistance with that one."

"Of course not. Maybe you can teach us that trick later," said Roxas.

"I wish you could teach us that." Hayner gestured towards the spot where the Powerwild used to be. "That was amazing."

Smiling politely, Aqua said, "Thank you. It isn't something that anyone can do. Not even every Keyblade wielder can perform the same fighting moves as another. Each person is unique and you have to take that into account. Terra has always been better at physical combat while I have always preferred a stronger use of magic. But we can adapt another's abilities to suit our own strengths and fighting styles." Turning back towards Roxas and Xion, she said, "I am impressed on how quickly you've both picked up the spell."

Xion smiled to herself. Sora always learned new spells and fighting moves quickly. It just came naturally to him. And apparently she and Roxas shared that same knack as him. But it was nice to actually learn things by practice rather than simply knowing it. School had already shown her that she enjoyed learning. Aqua's tutoring just gave Xion more opportunities.

"I appreciate you taking the time to come teach us," she said.

"It is nice to visit your world. Twilight Town is beautiful," said Aqua. "And to be honest, it is a nice change of pace. We've been researching possible ways to locate Sora, training Kiru, and… working on a few issues. Including Terra and I trying to get past our problems addressing our own darkness. I appreciate the distraction and the change of scenery."

Grinning, Roxas said, "Next time, you're welcome to invite Terra and Ventus to join us. They might like the chance to relax also. Kiru and Naminé too."

"We still haven't met them," said Hayner. "They should definitely come by. We could teach them how to have Struggle matches."

Looking towards their friend, he said, "You're planning to teach everyone how to play, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You guys always push me to the limits and make me try harder. With all of you to practice against, I'm definitely going to win the tournament this year."

"As long as Roxas and Riku don't compete," said Olette with a smirk. "No one else would have a chance."

"Come on," laughed Roxas. "I follow the rules."

"Except against Riku," reminded Xion.

Nodding, he agreed, "Except against Riku."

While her friends briefly chuckled, Xion took a moment to pull out her Gummiphone and sent a quick message to Lea. She didn't want to interrupt things enough for an actual call, but the devices could send typed out message too. And they had been trying to keep Lea informed about how she and Roxas were doing. He'd said that he did better when he knew where they were. She didn't mind checking in with Lea more often if it helped him.

As she finished up the message, Xion heard the scratching sound drawing close again. The Heartless were getting bold with the pause in the violence. She put away her Gummiphone and summoned her Keyblade to her hand again. Time to work on the spell some more.

Riku clenched his fist at his side before relaxing it. Another new and strange world. One that was filled with equally new and strange people that he'd glimpsed at a distance. But like the others that he'd searched, he didn't find what he was looking for. His best friend wasn't there.

He was losing track of how many worlds that he'd been exploring on the desperate mission. And that didn't include the worlds being searched by King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. No matter who far they looked how hard they searched, there was no sign of him.

It was getting harder to keep hoping.

Before, when Sora was gone for a year, Riku at least knew that he was safe. He was safe, sleeping, and having his memories repaired link by link. This time, he didn't even have that much reassurance. No one knew where he was or how to bring him back.

If they could bring him back.

Riku shook his head. He couldn't think like that. This was Sora. He would never let his friends down.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring out at the village. Sora would have loved visiting this world. He would have enjoyed meeting the family who lived in the magical house and making friends with people who were super strong or could control the weather. Maybe when he found Sora, they could come to visit sometime. Him, Sora, and Kairi could come there and maybe visit all the other worlds that Sora been to. Riku held firm to that dream.

His hope might be frayed, but he refused to let it die.

He would keep searching for Sora, no matter how long it took. But for now, Riku needed to return to Destiny Island. He didn't always see the point of trying to maintain his old life. School seemed so frivolous. Especially with more important duties as a Keyblade Master. But he'd promised to try. For his parents and for Kairi's sake.

And Riku knew better than to risk disappointing Kairi.

"Yes," said Gina, nodding decisively, "that is certainly a beautiful shade for your hair and complexion."

Smiling and giving a short twirl, Olette asked, "Really?"

Xion nodded in agreement. The long dress was different than what Olette normally wore, but it was a beautiful blue-violet color and went past her knees. Not very practical for running around or fighting. But it was pretty. Like a flower. And sometimes it might be all right to set aside practicality in favor of appearances. At least, that's what some of the other girls at school seemed to think.

"I hope so. My aunt's wedding is next month and she has high standards," she continued. "I wouldn't want to embarrass her."

"Thankfully, I have just as high standards when it comes to my dresses," said Gina, tugging at the fabric carefully. "A few minor alterations and it'll be a perfect fit. Everyone will be staring because of how lovely you look. Just let me pin the hem and take in the seams a bit." As Olette straightened up and Gina picked up a few straight pins, she said, "And what about you, Xion? See anything that you would like to try on?"

Xion blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected the question.

"Yeah, you should find something that you like and try it on for fun," said Olette.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Something that you think is pretty, but you would never wear normally. Maybe something colorful."

She frowned, but gave a short nod. Then she turned her attention back to the rows of dresses that she'd been looking through earlier. But that was when they were trying to find something for Olette. Now she was searching for herself.

It was easier now. Thinking about what she actually liked. That didn't mean it was a fast process. Especially when she tried to introduce color into the ensemble. She still tended to lean towards black.

She let her fingers run along the fabric. Silk, satin, velvet, cotton… Feeling the soft textures. Nothing durable and nothing with protective spells. But they were pretty and some felt nice to the touch. She wasn't the best when it came to colors, but maybe she could find a material that she liked.

"How about that one?" suggested Olette, trying to point without moving as Gina worked.

Xion paused to look at the dress a little closer. A satin dress that went past her knees, gathered at the waist as if tied at the hip, and with sleeves that reached to her elbows. The collar looked like it belonged on a blouse. And the smooth fabric was a deep maroon shade that seemed to shimmer in the light.

"Since I'm wearing blue, I thought you could try red," said Olette. "They sometimes have school dances. You could wear a dress for that if you want to go to one someday. It might be fun. Especially if we can get all of our friends involved."

"What's a school dance?"

Smiling, she said, "I'll explain later. Or you can ask Lea when you get home. But for now, go try it on. I want to see it."

"You know you don't have to babysit me," said Lea dryly. "You could have gone out with your friends."

"I wanted to hang out, Axel. Besides, they've all got plans. Hayner needed to work on his extra credit project because of his grades on the last test, Olette took Xion shopping, and Pence wanted to bug Isa."

Lea smiled and dropped the issue. It wasn't as if he really wanted Roxas to go anyway. The two of them were sprawled lazily on the sofa as cartoons played on the television. He'd barely been alone a moment since that evening, but at least the feeling of being watched in case of a repeat issue had faded. That tension and unspoken fear was gone. Now it felt more like they were keeping him company. And it did make him feel better to have them around.

He was actually able to sleep.

They weren't all piling into the same bed anymore. The half-pints had clearly discussed it at some point out of his earshot. Roxas and Xion were alternating evenings, trading out who stayed in his room and who stayed in their own. And even one of them within arm's reach helped. It kept the nightmares at bay. And it was probably safe to say that Isa had officially moved in because he'd stayed in the apartment every night since.

"I'm thinking that we should get pizza this evening," said Lea. "We'll have to figure out when Isa and Xion will make it back though. We wouldn't want their food to be cold."

"How about some ice cream too?" he asked.

"I mean, Isa would probably recommend adding a vegetable to the menu instead."

"We'll order him one with onions, mushrooms, olives, and red peppers. Those are vegetables, right?"

Chuckling, Lea said, "Close enough."

His Gummiphone chirped brightly, causing Lea to dig it out. On the screen was a picture of Olette and Xion. Both girls were wearing smiles and formal dresses. The maroon dress and the ribbon pulling her short hair back made her look so different than normal. And very different from Kairi and Naminé. Soft, delicate, feminine, and maybe a little older. Maybe he was catching a glimpse of what she would have been like if she had never been part of Organization XIII or a Keybearer. If she truly had been just a normal girl.

On the other hand, if none of that had happened, she wouldn't be his half-pint.

Turning the screen to show Roxas, he said, "Looks like the girls are having fun."

"Huh…" Roxas frowned thoughtfully. "Xion and Olette… They look really different like that."

"Yep. It's like their swimsuits. Different clothes for different purposes. Dresses like that are made to look extra pretty on people."

"It reminds me a little bit of what Belle wore at the castle, but not exactly. It's longer than the skirts that they usually wear. And they're tighter than the black coats. I guess they aren't fighting clothes."

"Afraid not. But not everyone fights and not every moment of your lives is about fighting." He smiled faintly. "But it is a nice color, right?"

Giving his own smile, Roxas said, "You just like the color red."

"Yeah," he admitted with a laugh. After a moment, Lea said, "Hey, Roxas, do you know why the sun sets red?"

The question earned him a groan as Roxas tried to smack him with a cushion. Lea couldn't help laughing as he tried fending it off.

"I've got that one memorized, Axel."

"I figured that you did."

Chapter Text

Xion sat on the edge of the roof, feet dangling over long drop and swinging slightly as she bounced her heels against the building. Her bright and colorful garden was flourishing behind her, but that didn't currently hold her attention. Her mind kept turning over her day at school. She needed to decide what to do about it.

She didn't think it was bad. Olette and even Pence seemed excited about it, talking about how much fun it would be. But Xion knew that she was at a slight disadvantage. She believed Lea when he told her that she wasn't dumb, but she had only been going to school for a few months. All the other students had years of experience.

Xion knew that she could try to do it alone. Or she could ask her friends for help. Olette already offered. Roxas would do whatever he could to assist her, but he shared the same disadvantage of being new to school projects that she did. And after his comments about Isa and Master Ansem trying to bore him do death, Xion didn't plan to ask Lea. Especially after everything that had happened recently. He'd had enough stress. Lea deserved a break.

There was one person who would be perfect to ask. But she didn't know if she should involve him in something so small. Yes, she went to him for advice regarding her gardening plans, but that felt different. Besides, it almost felt like cheating to involve him. Did his advantage balance out her disadvantage or did it simply make it unfair for everyone else?

Xion stared down at the Gummiphone in her hands. She shouldn't bother him. He was busy with his own projects. And yet, Xion couldn't ignore the possibility.

He'd said that he would enjoy getting to know her better. He wanted her to ask him things.

Biting her bottom lip, Xion touched the Gummiphone screen. Calling him before she could change her mind.

She waited through the ringing until someone finally answered. The screen filled with Even's curious frown that quickly shifted towards a surprised smile. He set aside what he was holding in his other hand and sat down, ensuring that she had his full attention.

"Greetings, Xion," he said. "How are your floral endeavors proceeding? Is there something that I can help you with? I have been wondering about the progress."

Smiling, he said, "It's going great. I can send you some pictures later."

"I look forward to seeing the results of your efforts, yes. But if it is not the fruits of your labor that you wish to discuss, then is there something else on your mind?"

Feet kicking slightly as they dangled over the edge, Xion said, "Well… There's something at school coming up. We don't have to do it if we don't want to, but my teacher said that he thought I might enjoy it and that I might be good at it. I just wanted some advice first." Hesitating a moment, she said, "It's something called a 'science fair.'"

Even's expression immediately lit up as a grin spread across his face. A rather unnerving grin that sent a shiver down her spine like she was hit with Blizzard. It reminded her of how he looked during the Keyblade War. The more manic elements of the scientist were shining through.

"I don't want to distract you if you're busy with more important things," she said hurriedly, wondering if it was such a good idea after all.

Waving his hand dismissively, Even said, "Nonsense. A child's school project might normally be a waste of my talents, yes. But I would be delighted to assist you in this endeavor. I used to collaborate with Ienzo occasionally when he was younger and it was a rather agreeable occasion. Not to mention that such collaborations serve as an effective means to evaluate the cognitive development and current knowledge reserves of young minds. I hope that your science fair project will be similar. So tell me, Xion, do you have any preferences on what type of experiment to attempt? Or perhaps a specific topic that you would like to investigate?"

"Are you sure that you'll be all right?" asked Roxas.

Smiling, Lea wrapped one arm around him in a hug. The teenager returned the gesture without complaint. At least until Lea's free hand snaked around to ruffle his hair. Then Roxas tried to wiggle free enough to duck his head. The light-hearted struggle ended with laughter and Lea shoving his friend on the couch.

Xion eagerly took his place, her arms wrapping tightly around his middle. Hugging him in a silent gesture of reassurance, encouragement, and comfort. But there was a little tension in her short frame. Just like there was in Isa's worried gaze from where he sat in the chair.

All three of them were worried about him. And to be honest, Lea could feel his own anxiety coiled in his chest.

The kids were returning to their own rooms tonight. Both of them. As much as Lea might have liked keeping them close, it wasn't a long term solution. He wanted to be able to sleep on his own without nightmares plaguing him. And he'd been doing better. Lea knew that he'd been improving since that really bad night. He wanted to try this.

"You remember the rules, right?" said Xion, practically mumbling into his chest.

Nodding, he said, "Door stays open. And if I have a nightmare, I have to tell someone."

"And no apologizing for nightmares," added Roxas as he sat up from the couch.

"Right. I've got it memorized."

Crossing his arms, Isa said, "And you will actually obey the rules this time?"

Lea grimaced slightly. Yeah, he probably deserved that. He scratched the back of his head while giving a short nod.

"I promise that I'll get one of you if I need you," he said. "No more hiding it or keeping secrets, even unintentionally."

As Xion released her hug, Lea headed over to the kitchen. He'd shared his plan for the evening and reassured them that he would be fine. Now it was time to get started with the tea.

Morning came, the purple skies shifting back towards red and then golden-orange. The apartment came back to life as the inhabitants stirred. Not a single one touched by nightmares.

"This is a bad idea," said Xion, clearly ignoring the fact that she was actively helping to carry everything.

Roxas grinned at her. She wasn't exactly wrong; it was absolutely a bad idea. But it would certainly be a fun one.

They weren't running through the streets of Twilight Town. The pair had chosen a more sedate pace. It gave them more time to reconsider the whole thing. It was the weekend and they were supposed to be hanging out. Isa agreed to stay with Lea; Roxas heard them talking about going to watch a movie at the outdoor theater. As long as they kept their Gummiphones, it should be fine to spend the day with Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

It was their plans that were questionable.

"Hey," called Hayner as they reached the hideout, "what took you guys so long? And what's the surprise?"

Grinning at the trio, Roxas gestured towards Xion. The two of them were wearing their fairy-provided, darkness-shielding outfits. And in her arms was a pile of sturdy black material. Pence immediately stood up from his spot on the couch, eyes wide.

"Wait, are those the Black Coats of Kidnapping?"

"What?" asked Xion.

Waving him off, Olette said, "Never mind. Pence is being weird about it. What's going on?"

"Remember when we took you to the Destiny Islands?" asked Roxas. "We're going somewhere else today."

"But we aren't taking the Gummi Ship." Xion started handing over the black coats. "We wanted to leave it here for Axel and Isa in case they need it while we're gone. Oure clothes are fine, but you'll need these."

Still grinning at the black coat in his hand, Pence asked, "Are we going through the weird portal things?"

"Didn't Isa threaten us that if we try traveling through them, he'll make us regret it?" asked Hayner, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you have a problem with that?" asked Roxas.

"Nope." Pence started fumbling with the thick material as he tried to get it on. "I'm in."

Roxas and Xion had brought their own black coats, but they had three friends. They'd ended up raiding Lea's wardrobe to "borrow" his. It wasn't like he would be wearing it while watching a movie with Isa. Unfortunately, Pence ended up swimming in the huge black coat. Oversized sleeves that draped over gloves with extremely long fingers and the hem of the outfit dragging along the ground. The ridiculousness of his appearance produced chuckles.

Trying to adjust the hood enough to get it out of his eyes, Pence complained, "It's not that funny."

Roxas strongly disagreed. Which was why he paused briefly to snap a picture with his Gummiphone. That earned a groan of complaint from Pence and more laughter from his friends, Hayner nearly falling over in the process.

"Never try this without us and protective clothes," said Xion. "Isa's right. The dark corridors can be dangerous. They can erode at your heart."

Nodding, Roxas added, "And they're rarer now since there's no one to command them, but Nobodies can still use these paths. The risk is greater near worlds like here and the World That Never Was. There's a chance of running into one of them. Doesn't happen often, but it can."

He remembered the swarm of Nobodies in Betwixt and Between. Roxas remembered it vividly from within Sora's heart. They would no longer be guarding against intruders, but they might still cross paths if someone was unlucky. And their friends didn't have weapons and they weren't Nobodies themselves. It would be their first time traveling like that with people who didn't have any way to protect themselves. Roxas and Xion would have to be extra vigilant.

Summoning Oathkeeper and Oblivion to his hands, he added, "Stay close, guys. We'll keep you safe."

Xion's Keyblade materialized in her hand and she summoned a corridor of darkness. Their friends took an involuntary step back, but eager grins quickly followed. Xion went through first, though Hayner and Pence immediately dove in after her. Olette approached it more cautiously. Roxas had already decided to bring up the rear in case of trouble. Between him and Xion, nothing would get near the others.

But despite their caution and concerns over possibly encountering a threat, the trip turned out to be extremely routine. Like the hundreds of past missions that always started with traveling through dark corridors to new worlds. Straightforward and simple. The only change of pace was the way that Hayner, Pence, and Olette kept trying to gawk at their surroundings like they did when they were in the Gummi Ship. It took regular reminders to keep them moving.

While Roxas and Xion were sometimes surprised and amazed by things that the trio considered ordinary, it was nice to see them in awe of things that the two of them barely thought about anymore.

They emerged into bright sunshine steaming down on tan stone. Tall walls built from it surrounded the courtyard. A large set of doors were next to them, leading out towards the rest of the world. Across from them were towering golden statues holding swords that crossed above the small platform towards another set of doors. Tall columns supported a small overhang. Scattered around the courtyard were braziers, fires burning despite not needing the extra light currently. And when Roxas glanced over his shoulders, he could see the ranking boards on the wall behind him. The familiar sight brought a small smile to his face; he could almost hear the fanfare in the air.

It was good to be back at the Olympus Coliseum.

"Another blue sky?" murmured Olette, already shedding the black coat.

Banishing her Keyblade, Xion said, "Most of the worlds that we've been to have blue skies except at sunset or at night."

"That's weird," said Hayner. "But I guess its kind of cool to know our world is special like that."

"Look, we can't tell anyone that other worlds exist," said Roxas, "or that we're—"

Waving him off, he said, "We know. We remember hearing Aqua lecture you two about it. We can keep quiet about it. But you still haven't explained why we're here."

"You keep talking about wanting to improve before the Struggle tournament at the end of summer. I knew that there's still some time, but we thought that you could use some help. I know someone here that trains heroes. His name is Phil and I don't know if he'll agree, but he might be willing to give you some training too."

"Hero training?" Hayner grinned. "For real? I'm in."

"That could be fun," agreed Pence.

Shrugging, Olette said, "Sure, let's give it a try."

When they were planning the visit, neither Roxas nor Xion considered the possibility that Phil wouldn't be there. Not until he let his Keyblade vanish and the smallest doubt crept in. They might be wasting their time. But Phil had been there every time that Roxas showed up on a mission. And this time turned out to be no different.

The foyer looked exactly as it did when Roxas was there last time, though he vaguely knew from his time in Sora's heart when he still refused to sleep that the entire coliseum had been destroyed and must have been rebuilt since then. The same tan stone walls and displayed trophies were back. One of the trophies was currently being polished by a short man with hooves and brown fur on his goat legs.

Not looking up from the trophy, he said offhandedly, "If you're here trying to get Herc's autograph, you're out of luck."

"Autograph?" asked Roxas, frowning in confusion.

The trophy hit the stone floor with a metallic clang as Phil spun around. Wide yes locked onto the teenager. He didn't move for a moment. Then the satyr dashed towards him, grabbing Roxas's hand and yanking him down to his level.

"Roxas!" Phil grinned brightly. "It is you. Where have you been? You disappeared without a word. What were you thinking, scaring a guy like that? I'm glad you're all right, kid."

"Thanks?" he said uncertainly. "I didn't mean to disappear like that. I didn't think you'd really notice."

"Me? Not noticing when someone with that much promise and potential, the most that I've seen in ages, suddenly vanishes one day and never comes back? Of course I noticed when you stopped coming by. I halfway considered asking Herc to go down to the Underworld to shake down Hades himself to see if you were there."

Taking a step forward, Xion said, "You seem really excited to see Roxas again."

"Of course I am. This kid is a future hero in the making and I want to help him reach that potential." He smiled proudly at Roxas for a moment before turning his attention back towards the others. "And who are your friends?"

Gesturing towards them, he said, "This is Xion, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. I was hoping that you could do us a favor."

"What sort of favor?"

"There's a tournament in our hometown. Nothing as big as the Games here," he explained, slinging an arm across Hayner's shoulders. "But this year, Hayner wants to win. And the best way that I know to help him is to see if we could get some training from the best."

Phil puffed up his chest slightly at the praise before turning towards the others. He eyed Hayner up and down a few times. Then he turned a similarly appraising look towards Pence, Olette, and Xion.

"I don't train just anyone, but… Today's a slow day and if he's got Roxas's vote of confidence, I suppose I can run him through the basics and see what we have to work with. In fact…" Phil stroked his goatee "Two words: group training session."

Roxas instinctively started counting along on his fingers and he saw a couple of the others doing the same. Pence even opened his mouth to correct the count until Roxas shook his head. It wasn't worth the effort.

"And don't think that you're getting off easy, Roxas," he continued, pointing at him sharply. "I plan to put you through your paces. I have to make sure that you haven't been slacking off."

Lea knew that the movie would be starting soon. A light-hearted silent movie at the outdoor theater. Today was the part of the weekend when the half-pints were supposed to be hanging out with their other friends and he would spend time with Isa. They might all be spending more time doing things together than they did when the arrangement began, but there was nothing wrong with having some quality time in smaller groups. The half-pints would be having fun while Lea and Isa would be perched on the wooden bench, having some time for themselves that didn't involve working with dull paperwork or renovating the Old Mansion.

It felt nice to know that Roxas and Xion were having a good time somewhere in Twilight Town. And he barely noticed that gnawing sense of anxiety and worry. Especially compared to several months ago. The lack of panic or the need to distract himself with combat to avoid worrying about them was definitely a welcome change of pace.

A bright chirp had Lea digging for his Gummiphone. Isa leaned over to look.

"Everything all right?" asked Isa.

Reading the message, he said, "Xion was just checking on me and letting me know what they're up to. Apparently, they are helping Hayner train for the Struggle tournament that they have at the end of summer break. I guess they'll be at the sandlot all afternoon."

"Sounds like they're having a good time then."

"And they don't want me to worry about them."

"You probably will always worry about them," said Isa. "Just like we'll always worry about you. And Riku and Kairi will almost certainly worry about Sora when he returns. That's what happens when you care about someone. Especially since we all live dangerous lives."

And because several of them had disappeared at various points. That gave their friends more than enough reason to worry over them. Every scar on Lea's body offered clear evidence why they should worry about him specifically.

"They'll be fine," said Isa.

"I know. I'm not panicking. I promise."

"Then let's try to enjoy the show," he said. "They'll call if they need you. And if they do, it would take us five minutes to get over to the sandlot."

Smiling faintly, Lea said, "Thanks for putting up with me being irrational every now and then."

"I've been putting up with you since we were kids," he said with a smirk. "That'll never change."

Further conversation fell to the wayside as the projector kicked on and the gathered crowd fell silent. The title appeared on the screen. Lea settled on the bench and tried to let the movie sweep him along.

Thebes looked better than the last time that they visited. Nothing was on fire, the buildings had been repaired during the last several months, and Heartless weren't chasing people through the streets. The agora was alive and filled with the chattering of the latest gossip. Children ran around underfoot while parents bought the various wares. Somewhere he could swear that he could smell something backing. It was the type of peaceful and happy world that they rarely got to visit.

Sora would have loved visiting the place like that.

Donald wished that the boy was there with them, neck craning to take it all in. Dashing around while dragging him and Goofy behind him as Sora explored every corner to discover the world's secrets. As much as he might enjoy King Mickey's company, something that had been in short supply the last few years, it felt wrong to be there without Sora.

But that was why the three of them were searching world after world. They needed to find any possible clues that could lead them to their missing Keyblade wielder. Sora was not gone. Not forever. They would get him back.

"You've been to this world before, right?" asked King Mickey.

Nodding, Goofy said, "Yep. Lots of times."

"And you said something about access to the Underworld?"

"Yeah," said Donald, scowling darkly. "That's where Hades is when he's not causing trouble."

No one wanted to suggest the possibility that Sora might actually be dead. Not any of their friends wanted to say the words. But the idea lurked at the back of their minds. And they needed to eliminate the possibility. They'd come to that world in order to see if Sora had ended up in Hades's clutches after the Keyblade War.

And if so, they would beat him to a smoldering pulp until he gave Sora back.

They wouldn't give up. They'd already searched through so many worlds. Speaking to all the different people that Sora had befriended on those various worlds. Searching for even the smallest clue. Donald knew that they would keep looking for however long it might take. But he had to admit that the search felt endless. He'd almost call the search hopeless…

But none of them were ready to surrender that hope.

"Donald? Goofy?"

They spun around at the familiar voice. The crowds parted easily around him like a large stone in the middle of a river. Tall, broad shouldered, and muscular, he looked too perfect to be human. Though their last visit had revealed some rather divine parentage, which explained a few things.

"Hercules," greeted Goofy, waving at him.

"It's been a little while," he said. "Who's your new friend?"

Gesturing, Donald said, "This is King Mickey."

They'd done these introductions before. Various friends of Sora's on different scattered worlds who recognized Donald and Goofy, but had never seen the king before. He'd always traveled alone or with Riku. His presence instead of the familiar boy always drew questions. And it made Donald's chest ache when they eventually asked—

"I'm happy to meet you then, your majesty. And where is Sora?" asked Hercules. "I don't think I've ever seen the two of you without him before."

Frowning, King Mickey said, "Gosh, that's the trouble, I'm afraid. He disappeared after facing a powerful foe. We've been searching for him or a way to bring him back."

"Have you seen or heard anything about Sora since the last time that we were here?" asked Goofy.

"I'm afraid that I haven't. It's been rather quiet here lately," he said, shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry that I can't be more help. Maybe Phil knows something. He hears things from all the candidates who travel to the coliseum to try out for the Games."

"We should go ask him next," said Goofy.

Taking a deep breathe, Donald asked, "And what about Hades?"

"If Hades had Sora in his possession or knew anything about where he might be," said Hercules, "I'm quite sure that he would be up here bragging about it."

"And time," shouted Phil.

Roxas and Xion banished their Keyblades as they turned away from their separate collections of barrels. Destroying barrels and vases seemed to be one of his preferred training methods. Phil never seemed to run out of them. He probably had someone that he specifically hired to make them for the coliseum. Though Roxas didn't know why he used them. Fighting a target was different than smashing a wooden container. But Roxas and Xion could use them as a nice warm-up. And it would let them prove to Phil that they were both in fighting shape even if neither of them went on regular missions anymore.

"Nicely done," complimented Phil. "I really need to put you two in the Games. You'd both clean up the competition."

Roxas grinned proudly. He'd always enjoyed when he visited the Olympus Coliseum. Granted, he didn't really understand what it meant when Phil talked about having high expectations back then. He'd thought he was doing something wrong and not accomplishing what he should, that Phil expected him to do better. But now he understood what he meant. He believed in Roxas. Phil was proud of him. It was nice.

Turning his attention towards the other three, Phil said, "So, now that you've seen how its done, its your turn. I'm starting each of you off easy. Break twenty barrels within thirty seconds. Then we'll move up to twenty-five barrels within a minute, but with some more challenging terrain to navigate."

Hayner stepped forward, clearly ready to go. Since they didn't have Keyblades and didn't bring their Struggle bats, the three of them received dull practice swords from Phil. Metal and certainly heavier than Struggle bats. But Hayner seemed eager to accept the challenge regardless. And Pence and Olette seemed willing to go with it.

Roxas sat down on the stand as Hayner got into position to go first. Xion walked over to give Olette a little advice. Despite both of them agreeing it was a bad idea to sneak their friends to a different world, he rather liked how it had turned out. Everyone was having fun.

Hayner dashed forward on Phil's signal, sword swinging towards the first barrel. Hitting hard as the blade buried deep into the wood. And immediately got stuck. Forcing Hayner to brace his foot against the barrel as he tried to wrestle it free. Not the best start.

"Ven?"

Roxas turned his head towards the entrance. A tall, muscular, and red-haired man in armor stared back at him, a surprised and confused smile spreading across his face.

"It's me," he continued. "Hercules? I haven't seen you in years. You haven't aged a day."

Standing back up and shoving aside the brief twinge of frustration, Roxas said, "I'm sorry. I know Ven, but I'm not him. I'm me. My name's Roxas."

"Oh, Roxas. Phil told me all about you. He said that you have the makings of a real hero. I'm so glad to finally meet you."

"Thanks," he said, ducking his head with a smile.

"Gah," yelped Hayner, falling backwards as the sword tore free. "I'm okay. Might have to restart and try again though. I might have run out of time."

Roxas shook his head slowly. Maybe not the best start, but the training sword was different and much heavier than the Struggle bat. That might take a few times to get used. He would need to adjust to those differences before he could really use it. But he knew Hayner and the others could pull it off.

"Not a bad first attempt. Not the best, but not bad. We'll give it one more try, kid," said Phil. "Then one of your friends get a turn while you work on some pushups. Maybe that'll put some muscle on your skinny arms."

"Hey, they aren't that skinny."

"Then I better see some broken barrels this time."

Three familiar figures crowded around Hercules at the entrance. King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. All with varying levels of surprise on their faces. Though Roxas did notice the way that the magician's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Hayner, Pence, and Olette swinging around their practice swords.

"Uh-oh," said Xion quietly. "World order speech…"

A few scattered claps of applause rang out as the movie came to a close. And Lea had to admit that it wasn't that bad. There were definitely worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Nudging him, Isa asked, "Was my movie choice that bad?"

"Nah, that was fun. You did good. The half-pints would have liked it too."

"Next time, we shall invite them. Today was their day with their friends. It's good for them to spend time doing normal things with children their own ages, right? Or at least their physical ages, if not their chronological ages."

"Yeah, I did say that," said Lea with a chuckle.

A cheerful chirp announced another message on his Gummiphone. He dug into his pocket.

"Another check-in from Roxas and Xion?" asked Isa.

Reading the message Lea frowned and said, "No, it's from King Mickey. Well, from his Gummiphone, but apparently Donald sent the message. He's a lot easier to understand when he isn't actually talking." He rubbed at his eyes tiredly. "Apparently the kids decided to have a field trip to the Olympic Coliseum. All of five of them. I think we need to implement a new rule. Maybe something about at least leaving a note before heading to another world?"

Isa gave him a look, raising an eyebrow and purposefully not commenting on how Lea used to sneak off to fight Heartless without telling anyone. That didn't mean the message didn't come across quite clearly. Isa was too good at silent communication and the two of them knew each other far too well.

"Shut up," muttered Lea. "I get it. But it would have still been nice to know about it ahead of time."

Smiling faintly, Isa said, "We'll discuss it with them when they make it home. They are reasonable. I'm certain that they will have no qualms about better communication regarding trips to other worlds moving forward."

Chapter Text

Lea ran. Over rough and broken terrain, slipping and stumbling as loose stones gave way underfoot. Clawed fingers grabbed at him. Forcing him to tear his way free. Lea ran as hard as he could through the shadows. Chasing the distant glimmer of light.

He kept running even as he chest burned with the effort and his pulse pounded in his ears. He couldn't stop. He couldn't slow down. He needed to reach them. They needed him. He needed to get back to them.

Sharp talons and yellow eyes chased after him. Grabbing and clawing and trying to drag him down. Heartless. Shadow Heartless, among other variations. They maintained their aggressive pursuit. Hungry and vicious.

He couldn't stop. Couldn't slow down. Couldn't give them a chance.

"Axel?"

Xion.

"Where are you?"

Roxas.

They were ahead. Lea kept running even as his lungs burned and the rough ground threatened to send him tumbling down. He had to reach them. He couldn't stop.

Not because the Heartless were after him. Not because they were trying to tear his heart out once more. Escape wasn't as important as reaching his friends. The Heartless were just as much a threat towards them as they were towards him. He needed to reach them so they could all get out of there.

"Lea?"

Isa.

That tiny speck of light didn't seem any closer, but he thought he could glimpse something in it. Several people. Roxas, Xion, Isa, Kairi, Ventus, and others. Ahead of him in that glimmer of light. Waiting. Lea just needed to reach them. He couldn't let them down.

But no matter how hard that he ran, they remained a distant collection of figures. Too far to reach them. Always beyond his grasp. He couldn't get back to them.

But Lea also couldn't escape the clawed hands and the pursuing Heartless. They tore through his clothes with their talons and left deep scratches along his arms, his legs, and his sides. They were slowing him down. And it was getting harder and harder to stay on his feet.

He needed to keep running. He had to get back to them. Lea needed to reach his friends. Everything would be all right if he could get to them.

And then talons grabbed at his ankles, digging deeply into the flesh before he could tear free. He shouted in pain as Lea fell forward, hands reaching uselessly for his friends despite them still being out of reach. The impact with the ground jolted through his entire body. His eyes never left the spark of light that held everyone that he cared about.

But a moment of weak vulnerability was all it took. The dark, vicious, and shadowy Heartless swarmed in. Clawing, tearing, ripping ravenously for his heart. He screamed, thrashing against them. Trying to call up some form of defense, but it was like he'd never fought a day in his life. No weapon or magic responded to his desperation and fear. There was only chaos, pain, and countless Heartless scratching and tearing at him.

Then something gave way. The chaos and the pain finally caused something deep inside him to shift, ripping it out. The horrible and terrifyingly familiar sensation made him gasp. Lea slumped, his vision going dark and the world fading around him—

Lea fought back the scream that tried to escape past his clenched teeth, his hand grabbing at his chest. He could feel the racing beat pounding behind his ribs as he struggled to catch his breath. He trembled with the anxious energy, an echoing remnant from the running in the nightmare.

A nightmare. Different than most of the ones that he'd suffered from recently, but still a nightmare. Lea let his head slump back onto the pillow as the worst of the emotional fallout washed over him. More fear and desperation rather than dread, grief, heartache, and loss. That didn't make it any easier. Just different.

He let one hand sprawl across his face. He was fine. Nothing would take him away from his friends.

He wouldn't lose his heart.

Lea shivered slightly. The way that he originally lost his heart might have been very different from the nightmare, but the end result was the same. Losing it to a Heartless tearing it out couldn't be better than what happened in that lab. But he wouldn't let that happen. Between his Fire magic and his Keyblade, he could protect himself and others from such a fate.

He should go back to sleep. It wasn't that bad of a nightmare. There was no reason to disturb anyone over the matter.

Except Lea promised that he would follow the rules. And that meant that he couldn't be alone after a nightmare. He had to tell someone. He couldn't break that promise after what he'd put them through.

With a tired groan, Lea sat up in bed and ran a hand through his hair. Then he pushed himself to his feet. By the time that he made it to the doorway, he was silently debating who he should wake up. Who did he really need at that moment?

Roxas and Xion would be to the left in their own respective bedrooms. After a brief hesitation, he turned right.

Isa's bedroom door was open, just like the rest of them. His window lay on the left wall instead of the far one, overlooking the front of the building. The bed and nightstand were on the opposite side of the room from the door. Not quite the same layout that the rest of them had for their space. The walls were dark blue that looked even darker after sunset. But plastic stars spread across the ceiling in chaotic patterns. Glowing a soft neon green in the darkness. Peaceful and soothing. And under the patchwork quilt that he'd bought at the Apple Fair, undoubtedly dressed in those blue plaid pajamas of his, was the rather large and bulky lump that was a sleeping Isa.

Lea tried to remember what phase of the moon that he was dealing with. Not a new moon, but thankfully not a full moon either. He wouldn't be completely distracted. If he decided to wake Isa up, that is.

He hesitated at the doorway, unable to bring himself to proceed. He was fine. The worst of the fear and anxiety had faded. He didn't need to wake up anyone. The nightmare wasn't that bad and Isa needed his sleep. The moon's hold could sometimes keep him up far too long. There was no reason to disturb him.

Except that he'd promised. And Lea was done breaking promises.

Taking a deep breath, Lea silently crossed the room. He was relatively certain that as long as he was careful, Isa wouldn't wake up fighting. They both had some fairly strong combative reactions if startled the wrong way. A decade in the Organization would do that to a person. But since Isa wasn't the one waking up from a nightmare, Lea wasn't likely to end up with a weapon to his throat.

"Isa," he called quietly, shaking his shoulder gently. "Isa."

Green eyes snapped open, but Isa didn't lash out. He sat up while blinking and trying to focus on Lea, brushing away the lingering effects of sleep.

"Lea? Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm…"

Lea stopped and looked away, scratching the back of his head. He had a feeling that claiming to be fine wouldn't go over well. Even if the worst of that terror and desperate panic had faded by now.

"Look," he tried again, "I'm only here because all of you would beat my skull in if I wasn't, so I'm sorry about this. It wasn't that bad, but…"

When Lea trailed off awkwardly, Isa asked, "Was it a nightmare?"

"Yeah… Just a small one. Barely worth mentioning."

"I'm afraid that I am not as practiced with the routine and reassurances that you and the Keybearers have developed," he said as he pushed off the blanket, "but I do believe that you are not allowed to apologize for nightmares. That was one of the rules, correct?"

Lea chuckled roughly and shook his head. He wasn't wrong. But it was hard. It was hard admitting this vulnerability, it was hard believing that he could ask and deserve help when it felt like his friends needed it far more, and it was hard not apologizing for needing them instead. But Lea was working on it.

"Do you wish to discuss your nightmare?" asked Isa calmly.

"No. Not yet," he admitted.

"Then what do you need?"

"I don't know. Not really. I would have just tried going back to sleep, but…"

He shrugged. Lea didn't know what else to say. He could have handled it himself, but his friends wanted him to reach out when something was wrong. And he was trying to take care of himself a little more. Or at least let them take care of him occasionally.

Isa studied him carefully. As if he half-expected Lea to burst into flames. An understandable reaction after everything that had happened, something that he deeply regretted putting his friends through.

"If you believe that you can go back to sleep, then how about some tea to help you with that?" suggested Isa.

Nodding, Lea said, "Sounds good to me."

Isa swung his legs around to get out of bed before the two of them shuffled their way towards the kitchen. Gina's gift of a teapot and teacups certainly earned their place in their household. And while Lea had more experience at preparing tea in general and even preparing it quietly in the dark specifically, Isa took over the task and stubbornly sent him to wait at the table. He was clearly intent on taking care of Lea that evening.

But despite less experience, the first warm sip proved that Isa was more than adequate.

Lea quietly held his tea, drinking it slowly. Savoring the warmth and flavor. Letting it ground him in the safe and solid reality of their apartment. No wonder it worked so well to sooth Roxas and Xion's nightmares.

"It wasn't… anything bad happening to you or the half-pints," he said quietly. "Not this time. But I couldn't reach you. I tried. As hard as I could. I couldn't get back to any of you." Lea stared down at the cup in his hands. "They tore me away from everyone. They tore me away from me."

That was why he'd gone to Isa. Roxas and Xion were born as Nobodies, growing into their hearts and emotions over time. They had never had their hearts ripped out of them while leaving numb and empty shells behind. They had their own painful issues to work their way through. This one was something that Isa could relate to far easier.

"It wasn't like what really happened to us," he continued softly. "Heartless, a whole swarm of them, instead of… Instead of how it actually happened."

"Do you truly recall what happened back then?" asked Isa.

The lab. The black coat. The restraints. The machine. The pain, pressure, and overwhelming darkness.

Looking up at him, he said, "More than I used to remember. More than I want to remember. You?"

"Only bits and pieces. Enough to know that you were there longer than I was."

"It was… bad. I can't imagine that losing your heart to a Heartless would be any better though," said Lea, shaking his head.

Isa watched him silently for a moment. Letting Lea take another sip of his tea as he apparently contemplated everything that was said so far. Weighing his response carefully before he continued. Then he crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

"You have spent most of your time fighting to bring your friends back," said Isa. "And we would fight for you in return. Without a single hesitation. And while you are certainly skilled enough to protect yourself from most Heartless, do you truly believe that you would face any threat alone? None of us would let you lose your heart a second time. If you were lost and could not find your way back to us, we would retrieve you regardless."

Lea smiled ruefully and whispered, "You'll always be there to bring me back."

"Something like that," he said. "And bringing you home after losing a heart would be easier than retrieving Xion and Roxas from Sora's heart or bringing me back from under Xehanort's thrall."

"Would have done it a thousand times over to save you all," muttered Lea.

"And we would do the same for you."

Bare feet rarely made much of a sound, but it was enough for both of them to turn. Rubbing her eyes blearily and her white t-shirt rumpled from sleep, Xion padded into the room. Lea couldn't help smiling at the way that her hair was sticking up in all directions.

"Hey there, half-pint," he said softly. "Did we wake you up? Didn't mean to."

"You okay, Axel?" she asked, concerned even in her barely conscious state.

"I'll be fine. Promise."

Still drowsy, Xion nodded before coming over to wrap him in a hug. Lea's arms automatically wrapped around her in response, tension that he hadn't realized was still there melting out of him. She buried her face into his shoulder and curled into him. Trying to go back to sleep even while standing up. Lea turned slightly in his chair in order to scoop her up and pull Xion into his lap, letting her curl against him.

"You're just volunteering to be a giant teddy bear, aren't you?" he said with a chuckle.

"Mmm… Warm," she mumbled.

Shaking his head, Isa said, "I think that we should head back to bed before you end up buried under a pile of Keybearers."

Roxas had never seen Hayner look like that. Eyes bloodshot, nose red, and alternating between coughing and sneezing from his blanket cocoon on the couch, mountains of tissues scattered around him. Hayner's mother had warned them when she opened the door that he wasn't feeling well and that they probably shouldn't be around him, but Roxas and Xion had insisted on seeing him. Even if she asked them not to stay long or get too close. But her warnings had not prepared them for what she meant.

He looked absolutely miserable. Hayner looked worse than when Xion dissolved away to return the stolen memories, when Axel faded away in Betwixt and Between, or when Sora vanished at the Keyblade Graveyard. The only reason that Roxas wasn't more worried about him, other than the lack of panic from his friend's mother, was that he didn't look as bad as Lea did in the aftermath of the fight in Radiant Garden.

"What happened to you?" asked Xion, clutching her hands in front of her chest.

Sniffling loudly, Hayner croaked, "Flu."

"What's a flu?" asked Roxas.

"The flu is—" Hayner collapsed into a coughing fit that sounded like he was being murdered by a pack of Neoshadows, needing a few moments before he could continue. "I'm just sick. I'll be better in a few days. People get sick sometimes. The flu's one of those sicknesses."

"It doesn't look fun," he said.

"Not really. Sorry, but you'll have to go without me."

Roxas frowned, a little reluctant to go through with it. That was why he and Xion came by that morning when he didn't show up at the Usual spot with Pence and Olette. They were all supposed to meet up. They had big plans for the day.

Plans that Roxas didn't want to miss. Because part of him that had been quiet for months had started whispering the night before that it wouldn't work, they wouldn't be able to go, it wasn't real. He didn't want those doubts to reclaim any ground. They had to go.

Everyone assumed that Hayner overslept. They knew he wouldn't want to miss out either. That was why Roxas and Xion agreed to go grab him and meet everyone at the train station. But apparently that wasn't going to happen.

He didn't want to miss it. But he also didn't want to leave Hayner behind.

But Hayner wanted them to go without him.

"Are you sure?" asked Xion. "I'm sure that everyone would be happy to wait until next weekend. You'll feel better by then, right?"

Waving vaguely from under the blanket, Hayner said, "It's fine, guys. I can miss one trip. You'll just make it up to me next time. I'll spend the day sleeping and drinking orange juice. You guys have fun."

"If you're sure…," said Roxas slowly.

"Go. Time for you to hit the beach."

The train ride took longer than a dark corridor would have taken. Not to mention the munny it cost for tickets for everyone. But Lea was carefully not suggesting Isa go through any dark corridors. Not to mention that Olette stated that the train ride itself was part of the experience, which Roxas and Xion seemed excited about. Even if there was a certain unease from Roxas as the time drew near.

Still, the kids were excited. So how could Lea resist? The travel time and the price for four teenagers and two adults was more than worth it.

They took up most of a single car and were lucky enough no one else tried to join them. That let them relax. They stared out the window as the scenery went by, rolling hills and beautiful forests. There were explanations about the flu, about how Cure worked better on injuries than illnesses, about how people get sick, and how to tell the difference between a fairly mild illness and something more serious. Lea didn't know if their replica bodies could catch the common cold, but he suspected that Even's attempts to make them as close to normal as possible meant that they could. He just hoped that Roxas and Xion wouldn't end up with Hayner's flu in a few days.

The beach on this world was nothing compared to the one on Destiny Island. Darker and coarser sand. Smaller and dull-colored seashells compared to those that Xion had collected with Kairi. No palm trees, but there were patches of beachgrass along the shore. While warm, it didn't have the same humidity as a tropical island. But there was a boardwalk with a few shops for snacks. That was something that Destiny Island didn't share.

Pence went after the watermelon almost immediately after arriving. Lea went to interrogate the ice cream shop on what flavors that were available.

The kids were excited when they arrived, though there seemed to be some oddly unexpected relief in Roxas's smile. They were quick to dump their towels on the sand and head towards the main reason for the trip.

He wasn't going in the water. Lea wasn't going to even attempt it. He could barely keep his head above water no matter how much effort that he put into it. He certainly didn't float like Olette when she hurried into the sea like a citizen of Atlantica. Lea was not a natural in the water and felt quite certain that he never would be.

But his eyes remained locked on the shallow water and the figures splashing in it. Isa and Olette were carefully supervising Roxas and Xion's clumsy attempts to practice swimming. Making certain that they were safe while teaching the pair the skills that they didn't learn from Sora. Lea tried to stay calm when their heads would briefly disappear beneath the waves. But he couldn't help feeling relieved whenever they reappeared. The memory of Isa dragging Roxas's limp body out of the ocean, pale and not breathing, was too strong.

"They look like they're going great," said Pence, the boy sitting on a towel beside him with his slice of watermelon.

"They've always been fast learners," he said absently.

Roxas and Xion were only about waist deep in the water, but they were still taking their practice seriously. Mostly it involved doggy-paddling rather than anything more complicated, though Olette kept showing off how to do a backstroke. He knew they would be fine. Isa was supervising them closely. Lea knew that Isa would never let anything happen to them, but Lea couldn't look away. Just in case.

He'd known that the visit to the beach would make him anxious. But it would be better for them to learn how to swim. Lea had been meaning to do something about it since their visit to Destiny Island. He just hadn't managed to work up the courage to do anything about it. But they needed to learn. They needed all the survival skills that he could give them. Or rather, that Isa could give them.

"Isa's good at teaching," said Pence. "He taught me some carpentry skills before you started working on the Old Mansion."

Nodding, he said, "When we were kids, he tried to teach me how to swim a few times. Not his fault that I have the buoyancy of a brick." Gesturing at them with an ice cream stick, Lea said, "Roxas and Xion clearly don't have that same problem."

Despite his anxiety still prickling as he watched, he had to admit that they had been improving the entire time that Lea had been watching. Enough that Roxas was starting to play around. He would duck his head under the water occasionally on purpose instead of accidentally sinking. Maybe Lea would be able to relax eventually and trust that they would be fine. Maybe he would be able to believe that they wouldn't drown.

"So you're really not going in the water at all," asked Pence, setting aside the watermelon rind.

Lea tugged at his t-shirt that he was wearing with his swim trunks and said, "I fry in the sun and I can barely swim. Isa is busy enough without having to drag my sunburnt hide out of the surf."

"Yeah, I guess it would be nice to have a day at the beach without anyone getting hurt."

"And what about you? Do you plan to go swimming today?"

"Maybe," said Pence with a shrug. "Or I can hang out with you for a while."

Lea watched as Olette tried to teach Xion how to float on her back.. It only lasted a few minutes until Roxas decided to splash them both. Sputtering and laughing, Xion surged to her feet to retaliate. The swimming lesson quickly devolved into chaos. Even Isa seemed amused by the antics.

"Smiling, Lea said, "Well, it is shallow water. Change of plans then." He climbed to his feet and dusted off some of the sand. "How about it, Pence? Want to try knocking Isa off his feet and dunk him?"

Terra knew that it wasn't a formal meeting. It never was. They hadn't summoned everyone to the Mysterious Tower. It was more of a casual update on progress. They'd done this several times in the previous months. Only a few of them had gathered there to discuss things.

Terra and Aqua had come rather than just one of them, but Ventus stayed back at the Land of Departure with Kiru and Naminé. King Mickey was there, taking a break from the constant searching rather than simply calling with an update for them. He'd sent Donald and Goofy back to Disney Castle since they hadn't been home in a while. Kairi and Riku refused to stay behind, but she'd told them that Lea, Isa, Roxas, and Xion already had enough to worry about and that she would tell them about everything later. And of course, Master Yen Sid was in his tower already.

Six of them trying to go over what progress that they'd made. Which wasn't much.

"Another five worlds," said Riku, a tight fist at his side while he refused to meet anyone's eyes. "Not even a single sign of him."

Reaching for his arm, Kairi said, "It's not your fault."

"I could have searched more already."

"Not without missing more school. Do you want to repeat another grade?" she said, giving him a sharp look. "We'll find him."

"Don't blame yourself, Riku. We've managed to visit another dozen worlds," said King Mickey, shaking his head, "but we didn't find anything either. I did get a small update from Chip and Dale though."

"Oh?" asked Aqua.

"They say that they should be able to track a Gummiphone to a limited extent."

"How limited?" asked Terra.

"They can track it to the last place that it was used to make a call."

Crossing his arms, Terra said, "I don't know how helpful that would be. If Sora called us, couldn't we just ask him where he is?"

"Chip and Dale did admit that it of very limited use," he said. "But maybe we'll get lucky."

"Lea says that he and Isa haven't found anything in the old files that they've been working on," said Kairi. "A lot of it is still corrupted data or disorganized, but they're working on it."

"So are Master Ansem and the others at Radiant Garden," added King Mickey.

Master Yen Sid nodded from behind his desk. Then he turned his attention towards Terra and Aqua. Terra tried to straighten further under his gaze, his arms dropping back to his sides and raising his head.

"And how does your research proceed, Master Aqua and Master Terra?" he asked.

Terra tried not to react to the title. It still startled him every time that he heard it, though not as much as Riku jumped whenever someone called him "Master." It was still a change that he was adapting to. Master Yen Sid had decided to honor Master Eraqus's final words on the matter. A parting reassurance and apology before his heart left to join Kingdom Hearts became an official declaration of mastery. Maybe someday it would feel real.

"Despite our search through the library," said Aqua, "we haven't found anything describing what happened to Sora or any way to retrieve him. At least, not yet. We aren't completely out of leads."

Terra frowned and looked away. One of the possibilities that they were all considering without directly admitting it was that Sora might be in the Realm of Darkness. It made sense on what Jiminy relayed about the brief conversation between Sora and the youngest version of Xehanort. Ominous warnings about Sora condemning his heart into the depths of a dark abyss. They'd hoped that he was being poetic with that description. But a more literal interpretation would point towards the boy being lost in the Realm of Darkness like how Aqua was. Or possibly in worse condition.

That would be infinitely more difficult to deal with than any other option. The Realm of Darkness was vast, difficult to navigate without being lost or corrupted, and dangerous. It took over a decade for Aqua to escape.

And Terra wanted nothing more than to keep her from returning there. She didn't deserve to be harmed like that again. But she would feel that it was her responsibility to take that risk since she was a Keyblade master and Sora helped rescue her. She wouldn't want anyone else to face that danger. And Terra knew how badly it would hurt her; she was still recovering from the last time she was there.

It wasn't just Aqua. Terra was still healing from his own past as well. But Master Eraqus asked him to look after her and Ventus. And keeping her out of the Realm of Darkness seemed like a decent way to start.

They hadn't exhausted all other options yet. They might be able to bring Sora home without having to set foot there. She didn't need to risk herself like that just yet.

Terra was learning how to accept, control, and use his darkness. He, Aqua, and Ventus were trying to unlearn certain lessons that Master Eraqus taught that were… rigid and extreme at times. They were all working to understand that light and darkness were not simple. That darkness was not inherently evil. But that didn't mean that she was ready to return to the place that she was lost for over a decade.

"My own research through the tomes have not yet yielded answers either," said Master Yen Sid solemnly. "I have a few avenues left to explore. We should not lose hope."

"Hercules is fairly certain that Sora is not in the Underworld," said King Mickey, trying to put some optimism into his words. "Contacting Will Turner was more difficult, but Donald and Goofy insisted that we try. And Sora isn't in the Locker either. We have no reason to believe that he's dead." He scanned the room, giving them all a look of determination. "There is still a chance to bring him home."

"We have to," said Riku quietly.

"Thanks for letting us know," said Lea, scratching the back of his head. "I appreciate you keeping us in the loop. You take care of yourself, Kairi. And smack Riku on the back of the head if he starts dwelling on things too much or blaming himself."

"Thanks, Axel. It's been… hard. For all of us. I think everyone feels worse after one of these updates."

"Makes sense. You've spent a lot of time waiting for Sora. Took over a year before you found him and Riku at the Castle That Never Was, right? Then all these months since the Keyblade War. Trust me, I get it. But we're not giving up. We'll figure something out."

"I know we will," said Kairi.

Isa tried to continue working on the banister of the Old Mansion as Lea finished up the conversation and put away the Gummiphone. But he couldn't completely ignore what Kairi was saying. Not a single scrap of progress on locating Sora. The search was feeling more and more like his efforts to find the girl from the cell. The only difference was that there were more people trying to help.

And more people being hurt by the continued failures.

"We are running out of leads on finding the Keybearer," said Isa evenly.

Shrugging, Lea said, "Yeah, but there's still a few possibilities that people are working on. And maybe we'll come up with some new ideas. You never know."

Isa frowned thoughtfully as the two of them worked on sanding away the splinters from the wood. He took his time, considering everything carefully. Weighing the potential reward against the risks. It had been a long time since he attempted such a thing. He knew better than to try that particular trick lightly. But as he and Lea worked on the replacement banister, Isa turned it over and over in his mind.

The others had worked hard at bringing Sora home. And the boy was responsible for his freedom from Xemnas and Xehanort, among other things. They all owed him a heavy debt. Should Isa not do more if he was able?

"I may have an idea on how to locate the boy," he said evenly.

Looking up, Lea asked, "Really?"

"There is a full moon in a couple of nights," said Isa, keeping his tone calm, neutral, and careful.

"No," he snapped, his expression immediately darkening.

"Lea, please be reasonable."

"Not happening."

"It might provide us with answers on how to find Sora or at least a new avenue of inquiry—"

"Not a chance, Isa."

"—and perhaps we'll also find a clue about her this time as well."

Tossing down the sandpaper and glaring at him sharply, Lea said, "And how did that work out the last few times that you tried it? Because I think we're remembering it differently."

Isa looked away. Lea wasn't wrong. There were risks to his proposal. And only limited success during his previous attempts with that aspect of his power. Otherwise, he would have found the girl years ago.

Becoming a Nobody had enhanced all of their magical potential, though it also had severely limited its versatility. Yet another way that Roxas and Xion broke the mold. Axel could use Fire magic in ways that almost no one could match, but he couldn't use the weakest Blizzard, Thunder, or Cure. Saïx relied more on strength than spells because his power was connected towards the moon rather than any direct elemental influence. But the gifts that the moon provided him could be volatile.

His Berserk form was the most obvious form of his power, but there was another side of it. Another way that the moon could hold sway over his mind. The two main abilities so close together that it would be easy to stray across the line from one to the other. And yet so different, like comparing a pale full moon with one bearing the reddish tint that it took on rare nights.

The reason why Saïx was also known as the Luna Diviner. A rarely employed gift. The power to see true visions of the past, present, and future.

There were limits. He couldn't control or direct what those visions showed him. He could almost push it more towards a particular time frame, but even that was unreliable. The subjects or events were random. They were also always true and could not be changed. Not merely the past and present, but even the glimpses of the future would come to pass. Once the future was seen, those events were set in stone and could not be altered regardless of what they might be. Possibly dooming them to a terrible outcome. And then there were the risks that came with inviting those visions.

"Looking into the past or the future never works out for you, Isa," he continued, frustration trying to hide the worry in his tone. "I remember the strain it puts on you, leaving you exhausted in the aftermath. And lets not forget what happens when you're actually scrying. You either get trapped in those visions until they decide to free you or you slip into your Berserk form if someone tries to keep you from slipping too deep. You nearly broke Xaldin's neck when he interrupted you once and had to try containing you. And even Xemnas ordered you not to use that power when it left you comatose for nearly a week last time."

Closing his eyes and shaking his head to banish the memory of seeing those visions for days before he managed to resurface, Isa said, "It took nearly another month to straighten out the mess that Xigbar made of the paperwork in my absence."

"Isa, I'm not kidding," said Lea. "We're not that desperate yet. Please don't try it. Don't risk harming yourself like that."

He looked back towards his friend. The desperate pleading and worry in his eyes impossible to hide. Maybe back then, he couldn't convey how much he hated it when Isa became lost in those visions, trying to find the girl while claiming to be furthering the Organization's agenda with his scrying. But Lea could make it clear now. Isa could read it in his expression. Lea was honestly scared that he would get hurt or perhaps get lost in those chaotic visions.

Letting the moon's power pull him like that might bring him knowledge, but it did not give him the answers that he'd sought for so long. And perhaps there was no real guarantee that it would ever let him go or that Isa would be able to surface again. He may simply drown in those visions that he let flood his mind.

Whether in his Berserk form or his scrying, Isa always risked losing himself when under the sway of the moon. One held more danger for others and the second held more danger for himself.

And his friend was scared of that danger towards Isa.

"Very well then," said Isa slowly. "I will put aside the matter for now. But I cannot promise that I won't offer my services in the future if we run out of safer methods of searching for Sora."

Breathing out a clear sigh of relief, Lea said, "That's all I ask. Is it so wrong that I want to keep you guys safe?"

"You are not going to lose us. I promise," he said. Pausing a moment, Isa commented dryly, "At most, you may have had to deal with working on repairs here alone while I recovered."

"Yeah, there's no way that's happening. You'd leave me with all the paperwork and old reports."

Pale moonlight and star beams streamed through the window. But the shadows of the night held no power there. Aqua's room was filled with a warm glow.

Ventus, Naminé, and Kiru had presented her a small gift a few weeks ago. The efforts of all three studying non-combative magic as a surprise. A small creation of crystal, copper wire, stained glass, and their magic. A unique and handmade lamp that the three of them designed and put together. It looked like a strange hodgepodge, but it glowed with a steady light. Casting patches of red, blue, green, orange, yellow, and white on the walls as light from the crystal shone through the pieces of glass.

A nightlight. They'd made her a nightlight.

It didn't always solve her insomnia. But Aqua could relax at night, the dread caused by lurking shadows and the need to keep moving silenced. Even that much relief was better than the constant tension. And she was sleeping more than she did before.

Lea's advice turned out to be more effective than she could have guessed. For all of them. Building a routine to calm down in the evening before bed with tea or warm milk. Leaving the doors open at night. Trying to talk about what was wrong. The last one was more difficult than the rest. But Lea also proved to be right that by opening up about her own struggles, they would be more willing to share their problems as well.

Ventus couldn't bring himself to sleep much anymore because he'd slept so long in Sora's heart. And Terra dreamed of Master Xehanort stealing his body, of causing Master Eraqus's demise indirectly, of being lost for so long until they finally brought him back. She couldn't solve their problems. But she could be there for them and listen. And that seemed to help ease their burdens a little.

Just like her beautiful and colorful nightlight helped sooth her rough nights.

But a nightlight could not protect her completely from what was coming. Aqua knew what they needed to do. It had been months of searching and researching for everyone. Months of trying and failing to bring Sora back. They needed to try something else.

They needed to look somewhere else.

Aqua shivered slightly, pulling a blanket tighter around her shoulders as she sat on her bed. She knew what she needed to do. And maybe it wasn't befitting a Keyblade master to feel that way, but she was scared of going back to the Realm of Darkness. Not merely of being lost and trapped there again. She was afraid of what she might become.

But… she couldn't simply suppress and deny that fear. That darkness within her. It wasn't inherently a bad thing. That was her darkness. She needed to accept it as a part of herself and use it towards the light.

It wasn't what Master Eraqus would have told her. He would have said that they shouldn't allow even a speck of darkness to take root and grown. That she was letting it control her by giving the darkness even that much power.

But while it could corrupt and could be very dangerous, darkness was not inherently evil. Riku used the darkness, using it while being a guardian of light. Terra was learning to harness it. Lea, Roxas, and Xion all traveled through darkness even though Master Yen Sid and King Mickey both occasionally scolded them for that recklessness. Even King Mickey wielded a Keyblade of Darkness. It was not as simple as Master Eraqus taught them.

Aqua could be afraid. She could acknowledge and accept that fear. But she couldn't let it dictate her actions. She knew in her heart what needed to be done.

"Aqua?"

She glanced towards the door where Ventus stepped inside. He studied her for a moment before carefully approaching. He clambered onto her bed, slipped behind her, and wrapped his arms around her middle as he buried his head into shoulder. Blinking in surprise, she hesitated a moment before placing her hands over his.

"Terra told me about the meeting," he said quietly.

"No new leads," said Aqua quietly.

"We know what you're thinking."

"Do you?" she asked.

Ventus hugged her tighter. As if he thought that she would try to leave that very second. She faintly wondered if he was awake because of his normal issues with sleep or because he was worried about her.

"I'll be fine," she said.

"We just got you back. We're finally together again. You can't go."

"Sora is still missing. What if this is the only way to bring him home? I can't leave him there if he's in the Realm of Darkness."

"You don't know that he's there."

"And we don't know that he is not."

"There are still other options that we can try," said Terra from the doorway, making them both jump in surprise.

He looked tired as he came to sit on the bed next to her. Sleep clearly eluded him this evening as well. Aqua hadn't even told them her plans and yet they'd figured out enough for their worry to cost them rest. She didn't mean to worry any of them.

"We still have time before we need to take drastic measures," continued Terra. "But if you decide that it the best way to bring Sora home, then we'll support your decision."

"Terra," said Ventus, letting go to climb around to sit on the edge of the bed with the rest of them.

"But," he continued, "you will not be going to the Realm of Darkness alone, Aqua. We have a better chance if we go together. All of us."

Shaking her head, she said, "I can't ask that of you."

"We're offering," said Ventus. "You're our friend. Please let us help you."

"Ven…"

"And Sora saved me. I owe him so much. We all do. Let me help bring Sora home."

"We don't have to make the decision to go right now. There's still time and other possible ways to find him," said Terra. "And we would have to talk with Kiru and Naminé before we go anywhere. But if we decide that the only way is to search the Realm of Darkness, then we go together or not at all."

"And if you try to go alone, we'll just chase after you," said Ventus firmly. "No running away from home. It'll be easier for everyone if you let us go with you from the start."

Somehow, their support and refusal to let her face the Realm of Darkness alone brought a smile to her face. She didn't want to put them in any danger. But they were Keyblade wielders and Terra was a master in his own right. Facing the darkness was what they were raised to do. And it was easier to face those fears if she wasn't alone.

She had to let them in. She had to accept their help when they reached out a hand to her like that.

"Very well," she said. "When it is time to search for him in the Realm of Darkness—"

"If," corrected Terra, firm and kind.

"—then I will not go alone. I promise."

"That's all that we ask," he said.

Wrapping his arms around her in another hug, Ventus said, "Thanks, Aqua."

Chapter Text

There were only a handful of Gummi Ships available for them to use. King Mickey had collected enough Gummi Blocks with his travels to put together a few of them. Even the one that Sora normally piloted originally came from the king; it was currently being used by him, Donald, and Goofy for their search. Lea and the others kept one around for trips that they didn't want to use dark corridors for. Then there was the one that Riku used for his own searching.

They didn't need too many Gummi Ships. Not when so many of them had alternate ways to travel. Dark corridors and transformed Keyblades could let many of them travel between the worlds quite effectively.

But Naminé, Kiru, and Ventus couldn't use those options. While Naminé technically knew how to create a dark corridor, even if she rarely used that ability, Ventus didn't trust them. And Kiru hadn't learned how to transform his Keyblade yet and she didn't have one of her own. Traveling by Gummi Ship was the best way for them to travel together.

Ventus could have gone ahead without them on his own while Kiru wrapped himself in his old black coat to travel with Naminé. But it didn't feel right. Especially since they knew that Ventus might be leaving soon; him, Terra, and Aqua warned that they were might search the Realm of Darkness for Sora in the coming weeks.

Instead, the three of them asked Roxas to pick them up in the Gummi Ship and bring them back to Twilight Town. They learned that Ventus's style of piloting left a lot to be desired when Roxas offered them each a chance to try steering. But they made it to the world in one piece. And she was sure that the trip would be worth it.

Naminé smiled to herself as they walked the familiar stone-paved paths that she was only now getting to explore properly. She'd mostly stayed in the Old Mansion during her time on that world, but she did have access to the data version for a little while. The warm golden skies and the sleepy feeling of the town left her feeling nostalgic. It may not have been the best time for anyone, trying to help fix what she'd done to Sora and destroying more fragile lives in the process, but Twilight Town was the first place that she'd ever went outside of the endless white rooms of the empty Castle Oblivion. She liked seeing it again.

"Having fun?" asked Roxas.

Nodding, Naminé said, "It's a beautiful world. I can see why you and Xion wanted to move here when offered the choice."

"And it's really twilight here all the time?" asked Ventus, trying to look at everything at once.

"It is," she said. "And the sunsets are amazing."

Roxas smiled proudly as he led them towards the Sandlot. A small group was already there, composed of both familiar faces and new ones. Naminé paused briefly, gripping the strap of her tan bag tightly. It was a little overwhelming still. Meeting new people, especially several of them, was still a new experience. But Kiru appeared by her side as support almost immediately. Silently letting her know that she wasn't along. Ventus appeared on the other side of her, giving her a bright grin.

A boy in a short red plaid vest noticed them approaching. His arm shot up and waved at them. Roxas chuckled at the enthusiastic welcome.

"Hey," called the boy.

"That would be Hayner," said Roxas. "Come one."

Naminé abruptly remembered seeing the boy before. He had been in the data version of Twilight Town. Him and the other two were friends with Roxas there. And clearly that remained true in reality.

In addition to the three new people, she also saw Xion, Lea, and Isa. She didn't know Isa as well as she did the others, but she'd liked him when they saw each other at the Land of Departure.

And seeing all these people and the ones that were accompanying her? People that she didn't need to manipulate their memories and who didn't want to use her?

She'd come a long way from those empty and lonely days trapped in Castle Oblivion.

"Nice to finally meet both of you," said the brown-haired girl. "My name's Olette."

"I'm Pence," said the black-haired boy. "And that's Hayner."

Smiling shyly, Naminé said, "Hello."

Hayner crossed the distance. He eyed Ventus, studying him up and down carefully. Then he glanced over at Roxas for a moment before looking back towards the other boy again. Finally, he turned back towards Lea.

"You're right," he said. "He does look a bit like Roxas."

Grinning, Ventus held out a hand and said, "Call me 'Ven'."

Hayner reached out to grasp it, the two of them shaking hands. Then he nodded in greetings towards Kiru. The replica returned the gesture. Naminé was so distracted with watching the interactions that she didn't notice Lea approach until his long arm snaked over to ruffle her hair slightly.

"Good to see you both," he said. "Someone will have to give you the grand tour."

"I thought you invited us to see a movie at that outdoor theater you were talking about," said Ventus.

Xion took a step closer and said, "Yes, but we have time before it starts. Do you want to explore a little first? There are shops, places to skateboard, and the small corner where they sell ice cream. Or we could have a Struggle match."

"Roxas told us that you like to draw, Naminé?" said Olette. "If you want, there's a store over at Sunset Terrace that has art supplies. There should be time to head over there and make it back in time for the movie."

Naminé smiled shyly. That actually sounded like a nice idea. She could use some new colored pencils, paints, brushes, and a few canvases now that she was trying out different things. She went through a lot of them when she was in a creative mood. And it might be fun to see what materials and new projects that they might inspire.

But that did remind her of something.

Digging into her bag, she said, "I have a present for you, Axel."

"Oh?" he asked.

Being careful not to mess it up, Naminé eased the picture out of her bag. She'd been experimenting with watercolors. She liked the almost dreamlike quality that they gave her artwork. And she'd been improving since she first picked up her colored pencils and notebook back in Castle Oblivion.

Lea had asked for something to hang in his room. A picture with him, Isa, Roxas, and Xion in it. And she'd decided to portray them on top of the clocktower at sunset. It felt the most natural way to show them and it gave the painting a warm and bright appearance that she was rather proud of. Both Kiru and Aqua had complimented it when they saw the finished piece and Ventus made a joke about stealing it. But even their praise didn't prepare her for the way that she blushed a little when everyone immediately crowded in to admire the picture.

"You've outdone yourself," said Lea. "Looks like I owe you that ice cream and the munny for those art supplies. Good thing Olette already offered to take you to the shop."

"That's not everything that she's made lately," said Kiru, pulling something out of his pocket.

He held up the small star-shaped charm, like a paopu fruit. Or the false lucky charm that she implanted into the mind of Sora and Kiru years ago. A bright yellow creation of silver wires and stained glass. A wayfinder similar to those that Aqua made for her friends. Naminé made one for Kiru, a real one instead of a fake charm, before she created a white one for herself. She rather enjoyed how they turned out. Making wayfinders was extremely different than drawing, but satisfying in its own way. And a bit addicting.

"I haven't finished them for everyone yet," she said slowly, "but I do have a few more done."

Naminé pulled them out of her bag and handed them out. A reddish-orange one like a sunset for Roxas. A dark purple that was nearly black towards the center for Xion. And the deep red one that she'd barely finished in time for Lea.

"They're beautiful," said Xion softly, holding her wayfinder up to the light.

Smiling faintly, she said, "I can work on the rest and bring them next time we visit. If you would like one."

"Absolutely," said Pence. "Can I request a green one?"

Pulling out his own wayfinder, Ventus said, "We'd match."

"Or I can use another shade of green," said Naminé. "If you want."

Pence grinned and said, "I'll let you decide then. I'm sure you'll pick out a great color."

Now she had to make them. Naminé already planned to make one for Isa to match the others, but she would need to make three more. They seemed to excited about the idea that she couldn't imagine not giving them wayfinders as well. She would also need some for Riku and Kairi.

And Sora. He would need one when they brought him home. Naminé would make him a nice wayfinder to welcome him back.

"How does this sound?" said Hayner abruptly. "Olette and Naminé can go pick up some paint and stuff at the store, me and Kiru can have a rematch now that I've learned a few new tricks and he knows how to Struggle, and everyone else can decide which they would rather do? Then we all meet back up to watch the movie."

She saw a flash of uncertainty from Kiru at the idea of separating. Even after everything that happened and how far that they'd come from their days at Castle Oblivion, he still took his promise to protect her seriously. A promise that started as a lie before becoming real. Naminé did occasionally worry if it was because of her manipulation of his memories. But they'd grown since then. He'd made his own memories that she'd never touched. His decisions were his own. And his worry over her was born of friendship and real feelings rather than any false memories.

"I think," she said slowly, "that would be a good idea. Kiru would have more fun sparring and I do need more wire for all those wayfinders."

Hesitating, Kiru asked, "Are you sure?"

"It'll be fine. Promise."

"She'll be in good hands," said Olette.

Holding up a hand to volunteer, Pence said, "I'll go with you guys. Naminé probably has never heard about the Seven Wonders of Twilight Town."

"Ven, you'll love Struggle," said Lea. "More entertaining than me and you going after each other with a toy Keyblade and a couple of frisbees."

"If you're supervising the matches here," said Isa carefully, "then I suppose I could accompany the others on their shopping trip and ensure that we return in time to watch the film."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he said, grinning brightly.

Grabbing the blue-haired man's arm, Pence shouted, "Yes! We've got Isa."

Naminé giggled as Isa sighed and turned his eyes skyward. But he accepted the boy's enthusiasm with good humor. Not exactly the person that she'd pictured going with them for art supplies, but his company would be interesting.

"Do not forget the munny that you promised for Naminé's art supplies," said Isa. "The ice cream can come later. If you went to the trouble of commissioning a project from her, you must live up to your promised payment."

After a few rounds and switching between different opponents, Roxas was sitting on the ground next to Xion, Hayner, and Ventus. The three of them watching as Kiru and Lea worked on their own duel. The sound of Struggle bats striking each other as they sparred in a rather relaxed and casual manner. Any competitive edge had died down after the match between Lea and Ventus, who absolutely loved the game. Now everything was calmer and more playful. At the moment, Lea and Kiru were trying to land the most unusual, ridiculous, and over-the-top strikes against each other, regardless of how impractical that they would be in actual combat.

"So," said Hayner, leaning back slightly, "Sora has a Keyblade. Roxas and Xion have Keyblades Lea's got one. Riku, Kiru, and Kairi have them. You," he said, gesturing at Ventus, "Aqua, and someone named Terra all have Keyblades."

"And King Mickey," added Roxas.

Shaking his head, she said, "That's a lot of them. And when you guys were explaining everything to us, I don't think you told us how people even get Keyblades in the first place."

"Well, traditionally, a Keyblade master or someone with similar amounts of power chooses someone to inherit the ability to gain a Keyblade," said Ventus. "There's a whole ceremony where the wielder does it called a Bequeathing. It's usually done by a master choosing a successor or at least a student. It doesn't immediately give them a Keyblade of their own. Just the ability to have one someday. They test the strength of their heart by letting the potential future wielder hold a Keyblade and there's a speech about what it means to accept the responsibility. 'In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking… its wielder you shall one day be.'" Ventus smiled fondly to himself. "Apparently Terra met Riku when he was very small and performed the Bequeathing ceremony for him."

"Not us," said Roxas. "I've always been able to use a Keyblade and Xion picked it up from me. There wasn't any ceremony."

Nodding, she said, "I started by borrowing it from Roxas, but now its mine even if it looks like Kingdom Key."

"I didn't get a ceremony either," said Kiru, letting himself be distracted from the match by the conversation. "Riku's broken Keyblade turned into Dawn's Reflection when I was fighting Larxene."

Shrugging vaguely, Lea said, "I bullied my way into getting a Keyblade and was too stubborn to take 'no' for an answer."

Because even without knowing if it was possible to retrieve Roxa and not remembering Xion yet, Lea didn't give up. He fought for any chance to save and protect his friends. He never gave up on them.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised that most of you didn't get your Keyblades the standard way," said Hayner, chuckling slightly. "My friends are too awesome for that."

"Not to mention," said Lea, spinning the bat in his hands, "most of the current Keyblade wielders running around didn't get all the traditions and training that they had in the old days. I think everyone is just making it up as they go along by this point."

"Things are different from what they were like training under Master Eraqus," admitted Ventus. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The worlds are changing and maybe we need to change with them. We have to adapt what he taught us and maybe make some new traditions."

"Like trying to fight Heartless with a stick because someone borrowed your Keyblade," said Xion mischievously.

Reaching out to shove her," Roxas complained, "Xion. Knock it off. I was trying to help you. And at least I wasn't unarmed."

"Roxas," she said dryly, "it was a stick."

Leaning forward with an eager grin, Ventus said, "I want to hear that story."

Between Naminé's careful and timid selections, the more enthusiastic efforts by Pence grabbing anything that he thought might be useful or that simply caught his eye, and Olette's more sensible suggestions that were made after studying and comparing the options, Isa found himself carrying a rather large bag of supplies for the blonde girl. He even had an easel balanced on his shoulder. It made Isa question how much munny Lea gave Naminé before sending them off, but Isa knew how much the stipend from Master Ansem was and didn't worry too much about it.

In fact, he was mildly surprised to realize that he wasn't worried at all. About anything. With Pence chatting about his investigations into the secret Eighth Wonder that he'd never uncovered a natural cause before the shaking tree vanished and Olette showing Naminé the new drawstring purse that she made two months ago, Isa couldn't help feeling calm and content. He chuckled fondly as Pence demonstrated how the shaking tree would supposedly make the entire forest shake, the impression making Naminé laugh and Olette shake her head with a smile. It was nice.

It was nice in a way that would have felt impossible less than a year ago.

As they turned a corner and spotted the rest of their waiting friends, Isa smiled faintly as Lea and Xion waved towards them. Urging them to hurry up before they missed the movie.

Honestly, if Lea had his preference, he wouldn't return to Radiant Garden nearly as much as they did. It wasn't his home anymore. And it hadn't been for a long time. Home was his friends, being surrounded by the people that he cared about and fought to get back. Radiant Garden held nothing except bad memories. Memories that only got worse the closer that he got to the no-longer-secret underground lab that unfortunately seemed to be their usual destination whenever they came to that world. He could handle it if necessary, but it was never fun. He never liked going there.

But Even wanted them to come in. Something about checking on the state of Roxas and Xion's replica bodies after several months to ensure that no unexpected complications were developing, though Even included some haughty comments about how unlikely it was that any of his creations would have issues. Lea also suspected that he would love to get some scans of his and Isa's hearts for his data points to compare to whenever he last scanned them, though Lea had no intentions of being one of his experiments unless he was actively dying. But making certain that the half-pints were fine? That made the trip acceptable.

That wasn't their first stop though. They weren't supposed to meet Even until that afternoon. But as Isa pointed out, Roxas and Xion had never seen anything of Radiant Garden except for the castle. They deserved to see more of the world. And Isa didn't share that same discomfort with Radiant Garden. They piled into the Gummi Ship early so that they could spend the morning showing Roxas and Xion everything from their childhood.

Lea couldn't help smiling at them when Xion's eyes lit up when she saw the colorful flowers in all the carefully tended beds or when Roxas laughed before running to climb the elaborate fountains that stretched up the wall. Both of them absolutely delighted by the same familiar sights that he and Isa grew up with. He showed them where he met Ventus the first time and where they used to buy sea-salt ice cream. It was easy to ignore the bad memories when he was busy showing them all the good ones. And maybe creating some new ones.

"And what's over that way?" asked Roxas, point towards another street.

"If you follow it far enough," said Isa, "you would be able to climb the wall. It can provide a picturesque view of the sunrise, though Lea rarely wanted to wake up early enough to see it."

"It's not my fault that dawn comes way too early in the morning," he grumbled, earning some chuckles from his friends.

Walking a little further ahead of them, Xion asked, "And what's that, Axel?"

That made him frown slightly as his eyes followed where she was pointing. The large bulletin board on the wall was new. Or at least, it wasn't there during his childhood. So relatively new. Lea hadn't been back to that particular corner of town since Radiant Garden fell. It could have been in place for months. The weathering on some of the posts and photos suggested that they'd been there for a while.

That's what the board was covered in. Posts and photographs from different people, covered in scribbled pleas. All begging the same thing.

Have you seen my husband? Have you seen my daughter? Have you seen my brother? My sister, my children, my aunt and uncle, my grandfather, my parents, my best friend? Dozens of people begging to know where their loved ones might be.

"Most of the people who were lost and scattered when this world fell to darkness returned when Sora sealed the Door to Darkness."

Lea turned his head and spotted a vaguely familiar young man. Straight brown hair not quite to his shoulders, a faint scar that started on his forehead on the right before ending below his left eye, and a serious expression that rivaled Isa's. A light-colored shift under a black short-sleeved jacket with a white-furred collar. On that jacket was a red lion symbol on the sleeve matching the silver necklace around his neck. He wore black gloves, black leather pants, and black sturdy boots. Brown belts wrapped around his left forearm, several brown and black belts rested loosely around his hips, and a few buckles ran along the sides of pants as if the already-present zippers there wouldn't be enough.

He vaguely recognized him from when Organization XIII were still provoking and manipulating Sora, even if Axel never got too close to him. When the reconstruction still in the progress and the world still called Hollow Bastion. The man running around with a gunblade to take out the Heartless. But it was more than that. Lea recognized him from over twelve years ago. He'd seen him before. They weren't in the same class, but he faintly remembered seeing him from school.

Frowning with thought, trying to drag up those old memories, Lea said, "Squall?"

"It's Leon," he corrected.

Lea shrugged in apology. If the guy wanted to go by a different name now, who was he to judge?

Gesturing towards the bulletin board again, Leon said, "Most of them were restored or came trickling back from where they ended up. But not everyone. If their Heartless has not been destroyed by a Keyblade and their hearts released, then they cannot be restored. They remain lost." He shook his head slowly. "There used to be far more posts like these when we were still rebuilding and no one knew who might have survived. Back when dozens of people were returning every week. It's slowed down now. Almost everyone that come back after all of this time has returned already. But some people still hold onto the hope that their loved ones survived and that they might see them again. They hold onto that hope and keep their loved ones close in their hearts."

Hoping for a reunion despite all the evidence that it was impossible. Lea understood that all too well. His own efforts to get his friends back was simply a more violent version of pinning something to the bulletin board, desperately trying to find them.

But all those messages and photos also reminded him of all the harm that was done. All the lives lost. Not merely from the world falling into darkness, but also those other people who were experimented on in the depths of the secret lab in the castle. Both before and after Lea and Isa were added to that count. And that was only considering the people of Radiant Garden. There had been countless other worlds. People swallowed by the darkness, their hearts stolen away. And Organization XIII encouraged it to happen.

He'd encouraged it to happen.

But before the thought could drag up the guilt trying to resurface, Lea spotted something among the scraps of paper. A bit of red and blue. An old photo with a pair of teenage boys. A redhead with a yellow plaid bandana and a boy with blue hair with his turtleneck jacket with the crescent moon. One grinning proudly and the other with a more subtle smile, the pair standing in the middle of the square. He even remembered when the photo was taken. And at the bottom of the picture, in neat and careful handwriting, was the simple plea so similar to all of the others on the board.

Have you seen them?

Reaching out and taking it down, Lea said, "I can't believe that your hair used to be that tall, Isa."

"You're one to talk," he said, looking away from the picture.

"That was you?" asked Xion, trying to get a look.

"A long time ago." Isa still refused to look at it. "A lifetime ago."

Before they found the girl in the cell. Before they both lost their hearts. Before they spent all those years in the Organization. Before all the cruelties, destroyed and stolen lives, and betrayals that they'd left in their wake. Before they clawed their way back towards the light.

"They still want you back," said Lea, gentle and yet firm.

"You don't know that," he said softly.

Holding up the photo, he said, "I have some fairly compelling evidence that they do. We both know that it wasn't my parents who put this here."

"They want him. The boy in the picture. And I'm not him anymore. They wouldn't want the person that I've become."

"Should they be the ones to decide that?" asked Leon before turning to leave. "They live a few houses down from Merlin if you decide to see them. They might surprise you."

Because of course the guy knew exactly who put the picture up. He probably knew everyone that was still missing family members. It seemed like the sort of thing that he would know and possibly blame himself for.

But it was the same place. The exact same place that they used to live before Radiant Garden fell. Maybe the house would be different after being rebuilt, but it was still the same place. They might even still have crocuses planted in front of it like they used to.

"Isa, you don't have to see them. I won't make you," said Lea. "But they deserve to know that you're alive. Send them a not or something if you have to, but at least let them know."

Finally letting himself meet Lea's eyes again, Isa said quietly, "They'll hate me. If I tell them what I've done… If I tell them who I've become… they'll hate me."

"Look," interrupted Roxas bluntly, "I don't know who you're talking about, but I know you're wrong."

"What?"

"Xion and I had plenty of reason to hate Saïx," he said, "but that's who you were. And Isa's actually all right. Maybe they'd hate Saïx, but they wouldn't hate who you are now. And if we could forgive you, anyone could."

Isa didn't seem to know how to respond to that. He stared at them silently for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and slowly nodded.

"I am many things that I am not proud of," he said slowly and deliberately, "but I have never been a coward. You're right. They deserve the truth." Isa opened his eyes and looked towards one of the other streets. "I need to face them."

Patting his friend's shoulder, Lea said, "You don't have to face any of it alone if you don't want to. Whatever happens, we're with you."

Isa took a deep breath and started walking. Back straight, head held high, and fists firmly at his sides. Moving like a man marching towards his scheduled execution. But he was moving forward. Heading down the familiar paths that they traveled along their entire childhood.

"Axel," said Xion quietly, moving to walk beside him as they followed, "who are we going to see?"

Staring at his friend's back, Lea said, "Isa's parents."

Chapter Text

The house wasn't exactly the same as Isa remembered. It was close. Close enough that a casual glance might miss the changes. They were all small details. The cracked stone in front of the entrance was gone. The door was a slightly different shade of brown. The pattern of stones that constructed the door frame were different than the ones that he memorized before he was old enough to wander the town alone. But even with these minor changes, Isa felt like he'd stepped back in time to his childhood.

Part of him wished that he could simply step inside like he was a teenager again. He wished that he could go into the family kitchen, smelling his mother's cooking. Maybe help set the table for dinner. Or climb the stairs to his old bedroom. As if he might still find the bookshelves filled with astronomy, botany, and all manner of science books mixed in with a few adventure novels and the bunkbeds against the wall that his father added when it became clear how often Lea slept over.

But that was impossible. He couldn't go back to those innocent days. He couldn't pretend that the last several years never happened. He couldn't return to who he used to be before he lost his heart.

Isa stared at the wooden door, ignoring Lea and the children waiting patiently behind him and willing to support his decision. A door shouldn't be that intimidating. Stepping over to knock on it should be easy. Far easier than anything else that he'd done in the last twelve years. And yet Isa couldn't bring himself to approach it.

This was a bad idea. He knew that he shouldn't have come there.

Turning around, he muttered, "We should go. This was a mistake."

"Isa?"

He stiffened as he recognized that voice instantly. He would always know her voice. He'd heard it through his entire childhood. Giving loving encouragements, singing soft lullabies, scolding him gently, and saying thousands of little things from the moment that he was born until he left for the castle one morning and never came home. Isa never thought that he would hear that voice again.

Isa saw her further down the street. She was holding a tan cloth bag filled with groceries and looked exactly as she did years ago. Taller than Larxene by a couple of inches and with a sturdy build with actual muscles, she was more than capable of wrestling around heavy loads even in her butter-yellow dress with the white trim. Her hair was still the same dark blue shade, verging on indigo, without any white hairs mixed into the long braid that draped over her left shoulder. She must have been lost to the darkness when Radiant Garden fell rather than spending the intervening years somewhere like Traverse Town; that realization made Isa's heart ache. But her hazel eyes were wide as she stared at him in shock, taking a hesitant step towards him.

"Isa, that is you… isn't it?" she asked hesitantly.

Smiling weakly, he said, "Hello, Mother."

The bag of groceries hit the ground as she broke into a run. Her arms wrapped around him as the impact knocked him back a step. Embracing him tightly as her fact buried into his dark jacket. His own arms came up more slowly, but they eventually curled around her back timidly. Trying to return her hug despite all those doubts still lurking within him.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, his voice a little strained.

"We didn't know what happened to you. No one knew anything about what was happening back then. You just didn't come home one day and we didn't know why. I didn't want you working in the castle, I know that you heard the same rumors that I had, but I never thought you'd not come home," she said, speaking quickly and shakily. "We tried to find out where you were. I swear that we looked for you, Isa. But everything started going wrong not long after that. The Heartless, people disappearing, and—"

"And the world fell to darkness," said Isa, unable to speak above a whisper.

She reluctantly broke off the hug enough to look at him. Her hands reached up to cup his face. There were tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. A bright and relieved smile that both warmed his heart and made it ache. He didn't deserve this. After a moment, her brow furrowed as she studied his face. Isa could guess what had caught her attention.

"It's an old scar," he assured her. "An accident. I fell into something. It's long since healed."

"Doesn't stop a mother from worrying," she said. "But look how much you've grown. You've gotten so tall and handsome."

Closing his eyes, Isa said, "I… I have not been… The last several years, I was…"

"Isa," she said, her thumb brushing against his cheek. "We all know what happened in the castle by now. Everyone in town knows the truth. The secret experiments, what became of the apprentices in that place, what happened after… If that happened to you as well, then you don't have to explain any further. I can't begin to imagine what it might be like to live without a heart or how someone might behave without one. But all that matters right now is that my son is alive and safe. Anything else can wait and be forgiven with time."

Just like that. As if it was all that simple. As if his past actions didn't matter. She wanted to forgive him the same way that she did his more innocent childhood mischief. Isa couldn't speak; a lump had formed in his throat and his eyes burned.

"See?" said Lea. He stood behind them with the others, Roxas holding the abandoned groceries. "I told you that it would be fine."

Her eyes lit up in recognition. He would undoubtedly be pleased to be remembered that easily. She stepped away from Isa as she looked over the tall redhead. And her smile was just as bright as when she saw her son.

"I should have known that, no matter what happened over the last several years, the two of you would end up together," she said. "You've grown like a weed, Lea. And your hair is so tall now."

She reached up to ruffle his hair. Lea groaned in quiet complaint, but he was grinning and he actually bent down to make it easier to reach.

"It's good to see you again, Mrs. Celena," he said. Gesturing towards the children, Lea said, "These are my friends, Roxas and Xion."

Nodding in greeting, she said, "I am pleased to meet you both. Would you like to join up for dinner? I'm certain that Koray would be thrilled with the company. We have cause to celebrate. In fact…" Isa's mother turned towards the house and called, "Koray, could you come out here?"

"Unfortunately, Roxas and Xion are expected up at the castle later," said Lea carefully.

Isa knew what he was doing. He was providing Isa with a way to end the encounter and escape if it was too much. But he was also giving him the option to visit with his parents alone and talk about things without an audience. Lea was giving him the choice of how to proceed while keeping it subtle. Supporting whatever he might want or need.

He knew that he shouldn't, but part of Isa wanted that. To spend time with his family, who knew at least some of what transpired and yet still wanted him back regardless. And still seemed to love him. Isa could spend a few hours with his family and perhaps turn back the clock for a little while.

Perhaps it was foolish. But Isa would be the fool if that meant he could return to his family, even if only briefly.

"Perhaps I could meet up with you afterwards," said Isa slowly. "I might like to visit with my family for a little while."

"Sound good to me." Then, scratching the back of his head and looking away, Lea said, "I guess I should ask, Mrs. Celena. Do you know if my…"

He trailed off, but Isa knew what his friend was asking. As did his mother. She looked away as well with a dark expression. A familiar expression that Isa had seen often enough. Like she wished that she could strike out at the source of that quiet anger.

Isa believed that she would have wielded his claymore quite well if given the opportunity.

"Kasai and Homura are alive and well," she said slowly.

If she intended to elaborate further, the door opening to the house interrupted. And a tall and broad-chested man, one built along the same lines as Aeleus and strong from his work in construction, stepped out and immediately froze when he saw Isa.

Dressed in a white shirt, a brown vest with several buckles, navy pants with a black belt, and sturdy brown boots, he also didn't look that different than the man that Isa last saw on his final morning that he left for his apprenticeship in the castle with his heart intact. His father hadn't aged a day. Mostly clean-shaven except for a few strands on his chin, his pale-blond hair tied back in a short ponytail, and the same blue-green eyes as Isa, he was just as painfully familiar in every detail as the man's wife.

"Isa?"

"Father," he said with a faint smile.

"So," said Xion slowly, taking Lea's hand as the three of them walked in the direction of the castle, "those were Isa's parents? They seemed nice."

"They are," he said, nodding briefly. "Nicest people that you'll ever meet. Right up there with Sora. And they're the reason that Isa can make the best pancakes. I swear that Mrs. Celena could make anything taste delicious. And Mr. Koray might not always be able to help with homework, but he would listen to whatever you were excited to learn about that day."

Not to mention Celena singing lullabies and rubbing his back when he was small and crying. Or Koray building those bunkbeds so that Lea would stop camping out on the floor. Or the way that the teachers eventually started calling them instead when Lea got into trouble.

"They seemed happy to see Isa again," said Roxas.

"Of course. They didn't know that we ended up as Nobodies. At least, apparently not until recently. All they knew was that Isa and I disappeared one day and never came back. They were worried about him and didn't know if they would ever see him again."

And that was worse than what happened with Roxas. At least Lea knew what happened to his friend when he returned to Sora's heart. Isa's parents had no clue about their son's fate until years later.

Squeezing his hand, Xion asked, "What about your parents? What are they like?"

Lea stumbled briefly before he kept going. He should have expected that. With the trip down memory lane and meeting Isa's family, they were bound to grow curious. He just didn't expect to discuss that aspect of his past that day. But they were asking. They wanted to know.

Slowly and carefully, Lea said, "My mother's name is Homura—"

—Straight, copper-bright hair that went a little bit past her shoulders. Emerald eyes. Thin and willowy with delicate hands. Her favorite dark lavender blouse and long olive-green skirt. Graceful movements like she was constantly dancing to music that only she could hear—

"—and my father's name is Kasai—"

—Shorter dark red hair with a fuller beard than Ansem the Wise, but much shorter than Merlin's. Blue eyes. Normally dressed in a maroon shirt, dark brown pants, sturdy black boots, and black belts at his hips. A deep voice that rumbled in his chest—

"—and… Well, they were very different from Isa's parents," he concluded quietly.

Looking up at him with an uncertain frown, Roxas asked, "Do… Do you want to find them and let them know that you're okay too, Axel?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sure that Isa's family will pass along the news eventually if they want to know."

"But why wouldn't they want to know?" asked Xion. "Wouldn't they be worried about you too?"

Lea stopped walking this time. He scratched the back of his head before looking around, choosing a short wall to sit on. Roxas and Xion followed to sit down next to him with worried expressions. Silently asking him what was wrong.

"Do you remember when I was explaining what families and parents were?" he asked.

Nodding, Roxas said, "Parents are the people who raise you. Parents are adults who raise kids. Parents take care of them, teach them, keep them safe, and love them."

"Like you do for us," said Xion, which still hit him hard when he thought about it.

"Right," said Lea quietly. "But do you remember when I told you that some people are better parents than others? And that sometimes the people that you're related to don't act like family?"

"Yeah?" asked Roxas suspiciously.

Sighing tiredly, he said, "My parents… were not some of the better ones. I mean, there were certainly worse ones out there, but…" He shrugged vaguely. "I couldn't exactly depend on them to remember or prioritize me when I was growing up. They didn't seem to notice when I wasn't around or care that much about it. They just seemed to forget about me most of the time. And no matter what they might promise me that they would do or promise to show up or promise to actually remember this time since it was important… they would forget the moment that I was out of sight. Honestly… Honestly, I don't know how long it would have taken for them to even realize that I was gone when I lost my heart. I don't know if they even tried to find me. Or if they would have wanted me back."

Even after all these years, it hurt to put it into words. He'd known and understood that he couldn't depend on them for anything beyond the basics: food, clothes, and shelter. He'd known that he wasn't worth remembering to them. That he wasn't important to them. He'd known it, Isa knew it, Celena and Koray knew it, and even his teachers had known it. But flat out saying it, laying it out directly like that, still hurt. An old hurt and one that he could bear, but he didn't enjoy poking at it.

But he promised no more secrets. And they wanted to know.

Arms wrapped around him. Roxas and Xion squeezing him from both sides in a tight hug. Lea chuckled softly before letting his own arms coil around them.

"Family is complicted," he said. "And sometimes you have to build a new one when the one that you're born into fails you. My parents didn't act like my family. But I had Isa and his parents even back then. And now I have you two." Lea smiled and squeezed a little tighter. "That's all that I need. I don't regret what I have. Got it memorized?"

"Completely memorized," said Roxas.

Quietly, Xion said, "We're still sorry. We won't forget you, Axel."

"I know you won't," he said.

"Do you want us to go beat them up?" asked Roxas, a faint scowl on his face.

Laughing softly, Lea shook his head and said, "No, they aren't worth the effort. Now come on or else Even will spend twenty minutes lecturing us on punctuality."

"How did the visit go?" asked Lea, sitting outside the Gummi Ship patiently.

Smiling faintly, Isa said, "Better than I could have hoped. It was… good to see my parents again."

He sat down next to his friend, setting the container beside them. His mother refused to let Isa leave without taking something with him. She gave him a rather large amount of the vegetable stew that she'd made for dinner with clear instructions to share it with his friends, "especially those two children that were with you because growing boys and girls need to eat." And it was true that Roxas and Xion could probably use some more vegetables in their diet to balance out the ice cream.

"So you were all right after we left?" asked Lea, sounding a little uncertain. "I figured that if the conversation got too tense, you wouldn't want an audience. Or the half-pints asking questions in the middle of that."

"You're right. It was easier to talk about… what happened… without other people around. That does not mean that it was completely easy. I could not describe my full transgressions as Saïx, but I confessed some of the worst."

"And?"

Isa turned his eyes towards the sky. Night had already fallen, stars glittering across the dark sky and the moon reduced to a silver sliver of light. Not enough to overly distract him, but enough to sooth him a little. It was a beautiful night.

"And they forgave me," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "They even asked if I would come see them again sometime."

Nudging him slightly, Lea said, "See? Told you so. They love you too much for anything else."

"And Roxas and Xion?" he asked, shifting the topic.

"After complaining about us being late and fully blaming me for it, Even ran his tests and declared them to be in perfect health. Not a single thing wrong."

"That's good to hear."

"Yeah, it really is. I figured that they were fine, but it is reassuring to have some confirmation. But I think that we've had a long enough day already. The half-pints are on the Gummi Ship, playing games on their Gummiphones. Do you want to join them and head home?"

Isa glanced around their surroundings slowly. They'd landed away from most of the town to avoid people bothering the Gummi Ship or drawing attention but he could still make out the distant lights of the buildings. Radiant Garden still held a special place in his heart and probably always would. And now that he'd taken that first step towards rebuilding his relationship with his parents, he expected that he would be returning regularly.

But Lea was right. When he thought about home, he didn't imagine Radiant Garden. Not fully. All the nostalgia and warm memories couldn't change that. He knew where he belonged.

"Yes. Let's go home."

The warm sea breeze stirred Riku's hair as he stared out at the ocean, waves quietly washing up the beach. The water never reached him. Only at high tide would it have a chance of reaching his position. The sun set a while ago, but the sand was still warm. Only the stars and the moon reflecting off the sea broke the complete darkness of the night.

Riku wasn't afraid of the dark. Not his own or anyone else's darkness. He respected the dangers of the darkness and its power, but he didn't fear it.

What did scare him was that they might never find Sora. After months of searching on multiple fronts for any hint of how to bring him home, they were not closer than they were when he first disappeared. They'd failed him.

Riku had failed.

His fist tightened briefly before he let go. But his eyes never left the horizon. Almost glaring at it. No matter how far that he explored beyond those borders, it wasn't far enough to find his friend. It was never enough.

He was wasting his time returning so often for school and other unnecessary reasons. Searching only on the weekends wasn't enough. Riku knew that his family and Kairi would want him to have a life outside of searching. And he knew that he'd fallen so far behind with his classes over the last few years. And he knew that they all cared about him. But dividing his time like that hadn't accomplished a thing. He needed to focus. He needed to find what mattered.

Riku took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Kairi wouldn't be happy with him. Not even slightly.

But he couldn't come back to Destiny Island this time. Not unless he was bringing Sora home with him. Riku would go out there and put all of his time, effort, and heart into a single purpose: finding his friend.

No more dividing his attention. No more being distracted.

Riku wouldn't be coming back without Sora.

He opened his eyes and stared back towards where the dark sea met the night sky on the horizon. It might be a long time before he saw his home again. That thought hurt more than it did a few years ago when they built their raft, intending to sail away and never look back. He wasn't the same person as he was back then. He knew that he would miss everyone. But it was the right decision.

His adventure would begin in the dead of night. His road wouldn't be easy, but a rising sun awaited his journey's end.

Xion had essentially taken over a large part of the apartment. Paper carefully arranged across the couch, wires and bits of machinery scattered over the floor, and cardboard panels arranged in the corner. Neat letters written in markers, creating a colorful display to go with her bright charts. Her device slowly came together to the point that she could start attaching clamps to people, showing them pictures of different things, and recording the results. She worked hard on the incomprehensible mass of chaos with a serious expression. Completely focused and excited by the project, but keeping quiet about the details because she wanted to surprise them.

During the last month before summer vacation, there was a science fair that students could participate in. And Xion had joined with her mystery project.

Olette apparently had entered the competition as well. But Lea was less concerned about her because she wasn't the one covering their home with their project. Xion was the one that was excited and eager about the upcoming fair, counting down the days on the calendar stuck to the fridge. She didn't even care about the school dance the day before, focused solely on preparing her work.

Granted, Roxas didn't seem that interested in the dance either. Probably because neither of them had a firm handle on the concept of romance, crushes, dating, or attraction despite their physical ages. Something that Lea was extremely grateful for because they had enough complications already. All the Keyblade wielders did.

Olette had resigned herself to the idea that school dances needed to wait until next year.

Lea couldn't help much with Xion's science fair project. Not with the way that she wanted it to be a surprise. But he let her hook him up to the creation and record the mysterious results after showing him pictures of puppies, rainbows, and miserable-looking cats that had a bucket of water dumped on them. Just like she did with Roxas, Isa, Hayner, Pence, Olette, and even Gina, talking about needing a proper sample size. And he provided her with snacks when she needed to write up the report. Supporting her as best that he could.

And eventually the big day arrived. Xion practically bounced in her seat throughout breakfast, vibrating with nervous energy. She was distracted and kept missing questions from everyone at the table. She was excited, but Lea was also afraid she would get too anxious about it and forget to breathe at some point.

Everyone pitched in to help carry everything down to the school. They were directed towards a large room with long lines of tables where other students were already putting up their displays and experiments. Xion's project went up in no time with all four of them helping. Maybe Lea was biased, but Xion's machine looked more impressive than someone testing which paper towels worked best or what music made plants grow taller.

"Olette should be here soon," said Roxas as Xion gave everything a final inspection.

"Any idea what she's working on?" asked Lea.

Crossing his arms, Isa said, "According to Pence, she was doing a study to determine if there is any correlation between when a child is born and the phases of the moon."

"And do they?"

"Pence didn't say. I suppose we shall need to view her display to find out."

Lea watched Xion straightening her cardboard display, shifting around the stack of papers for her report, and repositioning her machine multiple times. The girl wasn't hiding her nerves very well. Not fear, but a mixture of excitement and worry. She was hoping that it would go well and not knowing how to ensure that. Comparing her work to other people while authority figures judged her results? That could be unnerving for any kid, but he knew how long it took for Xion's self-esteem to improve after Organization XIII. It was a big step for her, volunteering to do this. And now that the big day had arrived, so had a little stage fright. Or whatever the science fair equivalent might be.

"Hey," he said, reaching out to take Xion's hand and causing her to pause, "you'll do great. You've worked hard and everyone will see that. So don't stress out. No matter how this goes or what the judges might think, we're proud of you. Nothing will change that. Got it memorized?"

Nodding firmly, Roxas said, "You've got this, Xion."

She smiled slightly and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Letting some of the tension melt out of her body as determination burned in her eyes. Ready to face the challenge like she always did.

"Perhaps you would feel less nervous if you could practice what you plan to say before the judges arrive," suggested Isa calmly. "Why don't you explain it to us? What is your experiment?"

"She is demonstrating that emotional states can produce measurable forms of energy," said a definitely-not-Xion voice from behind them. "Mostly because of a lack of available resources and this world's lack of study regarding the effects of light and darkness upon the heart limiting her to such rudimentary testing."

Lea turned to find two people wearing lab coats, looking out of place among the teenagers. Ienzo might have been able to blend in if he tried, but Even was his normal haughty self as his eyes briefly raked across the other exhibits before turning his attention back towards Xion's project.

"You came?" said Xion, sounding surprised and happy.

"Of course," he said, "After investing all that time and effort, why would I not wish to see the results? A great deal of work was put into your project and it is time for you to share your findings with your peers. A vital part of any study, yes."

Holding up a hand, Lea said, "Wait, why is Even here? Did he— Did you help Xion with this?"

"She requested my expertise in the field of science. Merely as a direction to start from and suggestions on how to build the necessary equipment to take measurements."

"Since when do you talk to Xion?"

"We've been in contact for months. We started communicating about horticulture, but now we've expanded our range of conversational topics. I wanted to connect with Xion and get to know my creation properly since I was denied the opportunity previously. It only seemed appropriate considering my vital part in her existence. And she deserves a suitable role model when it comes to the pursuit of scientific endeavors since she clearly takes after me intellectually."

Something about his words raised Lea's hackles. Or maybe it was merely Even's unexpected presence that did it. Despite the two of them settling into a truce and trying to move past their uncomfortable history, the man still rubbed him the wrong way.

"Don't think that you can show up and play mad scientist parent. You may have created the Replica Program," he said, quiet and tense, "but you have nothing to do with who she's become. You weren't there when she and Roxas were developing personalities."

"Mostly because I was destroyed during that time frame," hissed Even darkly.

"You had Kiru. Considering what happened to him even before anything happened to you, it was probably best that you were uninvolved with any of the others."

Isa's hand settled on Lea's shoulder. Silently warning him to rein it in, but also offering his support. Xion and Roxas were looking at them uneasily. Lea had told them about what he'd done in Castle Oblivion, but this was the first time that they had seen the tension still lingering between the former Nobodies. He also didn't tell them about Vexen's role in him losing his heart.

When Even opened his mouth to retaliate, Ienzo grabbed his elbow. Startling him into silence.

"We are all here to support Xion," said Ienzo calmly. "Though I do hope to see Pence while I'm here."

"Pence and the others should be here soon," said Roxas, inserting himself between Even and Lea. "Olette is competing too."

Still holding the scientist's arm and trying to pull him away, he said, "Perhaps we should go find him and come back when the fair is truly underway."

And it would give Lea and Even time to withdraw to their respective corners and calm down before they were around each other again. Maybe they would handle it better then. When it wasn't such an unexpected surprise. Lea knew that he needed to get better at dealing with Even now. Ignoring him or snapping at each other and immediately needing to apologize was not a sustainable strategy. But it would hopefully get better with time.

He should have kept quiet today. It was Xion's big day.

"Sorry, Axel," she said quietly.

Turning towards her, he said, "You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. You're allowed to be friends with Even, even if the two of us don't get along the best." When she didn't look completely certain, Lea added, "We just have a complicated past and our personalities clash a bit."

"Like fire and ice?" suggested Roxas.

"Exactly," he said. "You can talk to Even and get help with school stuff. That's not a problem, Xion. I promise." Lea ruffled her hair slightly, keeping it light enough not to muss it too much since she would be talking to judges later. "And I will try to get along with Even as you impress everyone with your hard work."

They had all gathered in the courtyard outside. It felt like the ideal place to say their farewells and set off on their new journey. Aqua wasn't looking forward to it. None of them were eager to step foot back into the Realm of Darkness, but they would be together.

They could do anything if they stayed together.

"We will try not to be gone very long," she said, keeping her voice even. "But time does not flow at the same rate in the Realm of Darkness. It could take longer than we expect."

Smiling encouragingly at Naminé and Kiru, Terra said, "We are entrusting the care of the Land of Departure to both of you in our absence. It is home to all of us and I know you will keep it safe."

"Of course, if anything happens, you can use your Gummiphones and call for help," reminded Ventus. "There's enough of us now that someone would be able to get here fast. But nothing is going to happen."

Naminé nodded shyly, but Kiru drew himself up to his full height, back straight, and head up. Preparing to accept the responsibility and guard their home with his life. He was a great kid, but Aqua had noticed that he had a tendency to take everything very seriously. She tended to be similar, but it felt different coming from someone younger.

Much younger. Aqua had to remind herself that several of her new friends were much younger than they appeared. Kiru and Naminé weren't even three years old yet.

"Keep up your training while we're gone," she said gently. "Both with the Keyblade and with magic. And I left some books out for both of you to study."

Because teaching Kiru meant more than combat training. Both he and Naminé could learn some magic, the history and traditions of Keyblade wielders, about numerous worlds, and more general knowledge. Especially since they did not attend school like the others. They still needed a well-rounded education.

"We will," said Naminé.

Aqua smiled at the pair. Then, exchanging looks with Terra and Ventus, they activated their armor. Magic and metal wrapped around her body. Shielding her from the darkness and hiding her face enough that she could let some of her dread leak through in her expression. But they didn't need to see her face to know. Terra and Ventus took small steps closer to her as if trying to protect her from the memories and what they were about to face.

She appreciated their support. But she could handle it.

They could handle it.

Stormfall materialized in her hand. Terra held our his hand for Ends of the Earth and Ventus summoned Wayward Wind. Their Keyblades ready for whatever they might face. Only when they were armed and properly shielded did Aqua open up passage to the Lanes Between. Not connected to any world within the Realm of Light, but somewhere much darker and more difficult to reach. And to escape.

Hesitating a moment longer, Aqua led her friends into the Realm of Darkness.

"I would like to thank everyone for coming out today," said the announcer, a stout dark-hair man with a small mustache. "And I want to thank all of the students for their hard work on all of these amazing projects."

Some polite applause from the audience followed his words. While Lea had noticed that Xion relaxed after she finished speaking with the trio of judges, she started getting tense again. Anxious over finding out how she did. But she had the support of a large chunk of the crowd. The local trio of friends, Lea, Roxas, and Isa. She even had the support of Even and Ienzo, the two of them wandering back after they took a break to explore and returned with strong opinions on the other exhibits. Xion would have plenty of people with her regardless of how it went.

Lea had already made a few inquiries. Other than the first, second, and third place awards, there were also a handful of honorable mention ribbons that would be given to projects that were creative or impressive even if they didn't win. And watching Xion excitedly explain her experiment made him hope that she earned one of those small yellow ribbons.

"First place or dead last," said Lea quietly, pitching his voice low for only Xion to hear, "we're all proud of you. Even coming this far is impressive. I couldn't build anything like that when I was your age. No matter how well anyone else does today, you're amazing. Got it memorized?"

Smiling faintly, she whispered, "Thanks, Axel."

"Our judges have considered all of these wonderful projects," continued the announcer. "And they have made their decisions. Our honorable mentions go to… Hagan… Olette… and Lona!"

Cheers and clapping followed the names. Hayner nearly knocked Olette over as he hurried to sling an arm over her shoulder, thought she needed to shrug him off in order to go up to accept her ribbon. There was a brief flash as Pence snapped her picture with his camera. All her friends were excited for her. Even Xion seemed happy for Olette, as if she was the one who won honorable mention instead.

"In third place, we have… Zacarias!"

More applause as a brown-haired boy went up to the announcer with a bright smile. His apparent family waved as he was handed the white ribbon. A couple of other teenagers yelled his name loudly, clearly his friends and thrilled for him.

"Our second-place winner is… Xion!"

Lea wasn't prepared for the explosion of cheers and shouts from his corner of the crowd. All of her friends practically tackled her as Xion stared in shock. All of them laughing and hugging the girl to the point that Lea forced himself to hang back. She was already having trouble moving forward to receive the red ribbon proving her victory. Pence continued to be the capable photographer and captured the moment.

But one voice cut through the rest and made it impossible for Lea to hear the next announcement about the science fair winner.

"How dare you?" shrieked Even. "Can none of you lesser minds recognize true scientific excellence when you witness it? I collaborated with her and can confirm that there is nothing here that compares. What half-brained idiotic criteria did you use to come to this preposterous conclusion? Because I'm seriously questioning the effectiveness of this educational facility and—"

"Come on," interrupted Ienzo, doing his best to drag the scientist away. He called back over his shoulder, "Congratulations, Xion. We'll talk later when he calms down again."

"This entire competition is a sham," he snarled before being pushed out the door.

Rubbing his eyes, Lea muttered, "Should have known Even and a school science fair would be a bad combination."

"It could have gone better," said Isa. Then he turned his attention towards the girl as she returned with her swarm of friends. "Congratulations on winning second-place, Xion. And well done on your honorable mention, Olette."

"Thank you," said Olette before glancing over her shoulder. "I've got to go let my family celebrate a little. I'll see you guys later."

After she hurried off, Hayner and Pence following after waving at Xion a final time, Lea finally managed to get closer to his half-pint. Even with the ribbon in her hands, she didn't look like she believed that she'd earned it. Roxas slung an arm around her shoulders.

"See? I told you that you were smart," said Roxas. "All the science and math stuff if what you're good at."

"You have indeed earned that second-place ribbon," said Isa. "And you did it after nine months of school. You should be very proud of yourself."

Ducking her head, she said, "Thank you, everyone."

Lea reached out. But he didn't ruffle her hair this time. Instead, he clapped Xion on the shoulder, smiling at her.

"I'd say that you've more than earned the icing on the cake," he said. "How does this plan sound? We'll take everything home and put it away. Then we'll head to the clocktower."

Lea's suggestion was met with twin grins. They didn't always go up there for ice cream like they used to. Sometimes they ate on the roof of their apartment surrounded by Xion's garden. Or they sprawled on the sofa watching old movies or cartoons. Or they played board games while nibbling on popcorn. They'd adopted dozens of new tiny ways to spend time together. But that didn't mean that the clocktower and sea-salt ice cream wasn't important to them.

He noticed Isa nod and start to turn away. Except that Xion dashed forward to grab his hand. Stopping him. She exchanged a brief glance with Roxas. The two of them were too good at silent conversations because that look and a small nod from Roxas was all that they needed.

"You don't have to help carry my project home, Isa," she said. "You can just pick up four sea-salt ice creams and meet us at the clocktower."

He stiffened and blinked in surprise at her words. Not that Lea had been prepared for it either. The clocktower had always been their place, even more so than the apartment. They kept taking small steps towards welcoming Isa further and further into their lives. And yet, this particular step somehow felt like the biggest one of all. And it was all their idea.

"Are you certain?" asked Isa quietly.

Offering a half-smile, Roxas said, "I mean, you can buy yourself another flavor if you want. It's your munny."

A quiet and breathless laugh slipped out and Isa shook his head, closing his eyes briefly before he seemed to regain his composure. A faint smile returned to his face.

"No, sea-salt ice cream is perfectly fine," he said. "And thank you for inviting me to join you."

"Of course," said Xion as they started heading back towards her project.

"Friends are the people that you eat ice cream with," said Roxas.

Chapter Text

After they helped her carry her display and emotional-energy-measuring invention back to the apartment, Xion had told them to go on ahead while she put them away in her room. This led to Roxas and Lea climbing up to their spot on the clocktower alone. They sat down on the ledge and, for just a moment, it felt like those first few weeks. Before they knew Xion and Roxas was still practically a zombie. Just the two of them sitting up there as the golden skies began gaining hints of orange.

Lea had his right leg drawn up and his arm resting on his knee. Sitting of Roxas's right as he stared out at the beautiful view. If it wasn't for their clothing, it would have been exactly like it was back during the early days in Organization XIII.

But they'd done a long way since then.

Roxas watched the slowly shifting colors of the approaching sunset and the trains following the tracks away from town. The only sound was the quiet turning of gears inside and the wind rustling their hair. It was a comfortable and peaceful silence.

Movement caught his eye. He turned his head as Xion sat down next to Roxas on his left. She smiled at him and Lea, brushing out her skirt and settling into a more comfortable position on the ledge.

"Did you find a good spot for your ribbon in your room?" asked Lea.

Feet kicking slightly, she said, "I put it on the shelf next to my jar of seashells."

"Sounds perfect," said Lea. "I was going to suggest that we could hang it on the wall like I did Naminé's painting."

"Maybe. I'll think about it."

Two sea-salt ice creams appeared between Roxas and Xion. Held out by an arm covered in the sleeve of a jacket, black with a strip of gray camouflage. They looked back to see Isa, his left hand outstretched with the offered treat. His right hand held the ice cream for him himself and Lea. He smiled faintly as they accepted.

"Thanks, Isa," said Roxas.

"Thank you so much. I'm glad that you could join us," said Xion.

"I can see why you prefer coming up here to share ice cream," he said, handing Lea his treat before taking a seat on the far right side. "The view is quite breathtaking."

"Best view in all of Twilight Town," said Lea, gesturing with his ice cream towards the horizon.

It really was. They were sitting at the highest point in Twilight Town, letting them see all the other buildings and streets. Beyond that was the forest on the far side of the wall. If Roxas looked carefully, he could barely make out a glimpse of color among the trees that marked the Old Mansion's location. Then there were distant fields, orchards, rolling hills, and farmland that blurred together in the distance. And the light from the slowly setting sun painted everything a warm reddish-orange.

He knew the view better than any other part of his home. It had been part of his life from the very start. Axel brought him up there on his very first day, even if he couldn't remember it because he was still too new and zombie-like. From his first week in the Organization, Roxas stared out at that view from the clocktower. And it was something that felt right to share with his friends. Including Isa.

Right as Roxas was about to take a bite of his sea-salt ice cream, excited laughter caught his attention. Coming around the corner of the building was Olette, Hayner, and Pence. Waving and carrying their own ice cream.

"Hey, guys. Xion invited us," said Olette.

Shrugging, she said, "She got a ribbon too and earned the icing on the cake. She deserves to celebrate with us."

"Plenty of room for everyone up her," said Lea. "As long as no one minds."

Roxas grinned before gesturing towards the ledge. Olette sat down right next to Xion, followed by Hayner and then Pence at the end. Seven people perched at the top of the clocktower with their ice cream. The warm sunlight shining on them even as it slipped gradually towards the horizon. They'd come a long way from when it was only Roxas and Axel up there. And it wasn't even all of his friends; there were so many people in his life now. People who cared about him rather than just seeing him as useful. Roxas wouldn't change that for reason.

He took a bite of the sea-salt ice cream. The sharp coldness hit hard like always, but not enough to give him a headache. Roxas was fairly good at avoiding that by now. The familiar and comforting flavor flooded his mouth.

"Salty," said Isa, nostalgic, quiet, and content, "and yet sweet."

"You can't be that surprised," teased Lea, nudging him gently. "It's not like you haven't eaten sea-salt ice cream since we were teenagers. You've had it recently. Not like they've had time to change the recipe."

"I believe the company and the view improves the flavor," he said.

Smiling as he stared out at the sunset, Roxas said, "I think you might be right."

They sat there for a few moments in silence. Everyone enjoying their ice cream and savoring the experience. Then Roxas saw a small smirk spreading across Lea's face.

"Hey, Hayner," he called. "Do you know why the sun sets red?"

Lea didn't head to the Old Mansion with Isa first thing that morning. It was the final week before summer vacation. And while he could have gone grocery shopping at any point, he decided to take care of it then. Mostly because he wanted to hunt down a cake for Roxas and Xion to celebrate the occasion. He wanted to order a chocolate cake and pick it up on their final day. It would even have their names on it. He thought it would be a nice surprise. Isa had commented about trying to give them a sugar rush when he shared the plan, but agreed it was a good idea.

The morning went smoothly. The bakery promised to deliver the finished cake at the end of the week and he found everything else on the grocery list. Including the obscure vegetables and fruit that Isa wanted. He even managed to get the groceries back to the apartment and started putting them away without even the slightest complication.

And then a cheerful jingle started coming from his Gummiphone.

Tossing the juice in the fridge, Lea hurried to answer the call. Kairi's face filled the small screen. And her expression immediately put him on alert.

"What happened?" he demanded, brow furrowing. "What's wrong?"

"Riku has been gone for weeks," said Kairi, somewhere between angry, frantic, and scared. "He should have been back by now. He goes out searching for Sora, but he always comes back in time for school. That's the agreement. But he didn't. And he's not answering his Gummiphone, but they don't seem to connect if you're in dark corridors or the Realm of Darkness. So I don't know if Riku is traveling or lost in the Realm of Darkness or ignoring me or dead—"

"Kairi," he interrupted, "breathe."

She stopped, taking a deep and shaky breath. Trying to calm down a little. And it did seem to help. But when Kairi's emotional distress managed to settle, there was still something burning in her gaze. A form of determination that usually meant that she was about to try taking his head off with her Keyblade during training.

"I am done being left behind." She glared defiantly through the screen. "If Riku thinks he's disappearing on me again as well, he's wrong. I'm not staying on the sidelines. I am going after him. And I need you to go with me, Axel."

"What?"

"It would be stupid to go looking for my friends alone and it'll go faster if we could travel through dark corridors. And you have experience going to other worlds."

"Yeah, but you do remember that I didn't deal with people on those worlds, right?"

"That's still more experience than I have."

"We both know that's not the only reason you called me. I'm the only one crazy enough to consider it." Lea shook his head and muttered, "Anyone else would try talking you out of running off without a plan when Riku possibly decided to go searching the Realm of Darkness alone because of course he would."

He absolutely would. Riku might have been doing better about not trying to do everything alone, but that boy's guilt complex still lingered.

"You know that I can't just disappear without warning, right?" he continued gently. "Isa, Roxas, and Xion would kill me."

"Please, Axel? I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't just wait around on the island when my friends are in trouble. I refuse to stay behind. My friends need help. I know it." Kairi's expression hardened, a fire in her eyes flaring up. "I'm going to look for Riku, with or without you. I would prefer with you. My backup plan was to fight Maleficent and make her open up some dark corridors for me."

Lea didn't ask how Kairi intended to find Maleficent. He didn't doubt her abilities. If she decided to do something, nothing ever seemed to deter her. She escaped his kidnapping attempts twice, left him with countless bruises during training, and survived a fight against Isa in his Berserk form. She would find a way.

All that Lea could decide was if she would be charging out there alone or with someone to watch her back.

Groaning as he scratched the back of his head, he said, "I definitely prefer Plan A… Okay, don't do anything until I get there. Except maybe grab some potions and ethers. We'll need supplies."

"Really?" she asked, perking up.

"I'll need to take care of a few things first, but yeah," said Lea. "We'll go find Riku and drag his thick skull back home."

"And beat him over the head with my Keyblade when I find him."

Laughing, he said, "He's earned that much."

As soon as the call ended, Lea dragged a hand through his hair. This wasn't how he'd imagined his day going. Not even slightly.

But Kairi was right. They couldn't just ignore Riku vanishing without a trace during his clearly guilt-fueled search for Sora. He might have crossed the line from stubborn thoroughness to reckless desperation. Lea knew that line far too well. And he knew enough about Riku to know that he could easily decide to do something drastic to bring Sora home if he was left unsupervised.

He'd seen what Riku did last time to bring Sora back. It cost Roxas and Xion their existences and Riku his appearance, though all of those were recovered eventually. What might he risk this time?

And he couldn't let Kairi run off alone. Not even Sora traveled the worlds by himself. He went around with Donald and Goofy there to help him and support him. And he'd been swinging a Keyblade for far longer.

When viewed like that, it made perfect sense. There was only one possible decision. But that didn't mean that Roxas, Xion, and Isa would approve. At best, they would want to come with him and Kairi.

Which would normally be fine and would certainly keep Lea from worrying about them, except it was Roxas and Xion's final week before summer vacation. They shouldn't miss it. A responsible guardian would make them go to school for those last few days. But Kairi wouldn't wait that long. He was lucky that she didn't charge out the moment that Riku was late returning home. That meant that Lea couldn't wait for the end of the week either.

It was a mess. A frustrating mess.

The first thing he did was put away the rest of the groceries. Then he grabbed a piece of paper. After their little field trip, they made a new rule about letting everyone know when they were going to another world. Leaving a note instead of sending a message over the Gummiphone might buy him some more time before he had worried friends calling him frantically and demanding to know why he didn't bring them with him. Lea carefully considered his words as he wrote the note.

Roxas, Xion, and Isa,

Riku has gone missing. Kairi and I went out to find him before he does something stupid. I promise we'll be fine. Finish this week of school. If we're not back by then, you can come and join us. Otherwise, try not to worry. I'll call as soon as I can.

Lea

P.S. Sorry to spoil the surprise, but I ordered a cake. They should have it ready to pick up at the end of the week. It's already paid for. Just go to the bakery. Save me a slice if I'm not back by then.

He looked over it one final time before leaving it on the table where it would be easy to find. Then he went to his room. All the potions, ethers, a couple of elixers, and some panaceas that he'd collected since he stopped fighting Heartless for munny was quickly piled on top of his bed. Lea didn't want to risk running out, even if Kairi was a natural with Curaga. This would probably not be a simple day trip. Riku wouldn't make it that easy.

Lea looked in his wardrobe at the black coat. He considered it for a moment, but ultimately left it alone. Several months ago, it had felt strange to go anywhere not wearing it. And even now, part of him thought that he should put it on for a longer trip to face unknown situations. There was a comforting weight to it that felt more protective than the fairy-enchanted clothing.

But he didn't need it. Not anymore. The black coat was the ultimate symbol of his time as a Nobody, a member of Organization XIII, and their assassin. And that wasn't him. It was past time to close that chapter of his life. His boots, dark maroon pants, sleeveless dark plaid shirt, and sleeveless jacket would serve him well.

Lea packed away his supplies. And then reached into his pocket and felt the tiny handful of tokens. A worn ice cream stick with the word "winner" printed on it, a Thalassa shell, and now a new wayfinder that Naminé made him. Lea smiled as his fingers brushed against them. Tiny trinkets, but comforting.

He'd managed to get Roxas, Xion, and even Isa back. Finding Riku couldn't be more difficult than that.

Lea opened a corridor of darkness in the hallway. No more procrastinating. Going over his mental checklist one final time, he stepped through. Leaving behind his home and his closest friends to chase after a missing Keyblade wielder.

His peaceful and normal life was over, at least for a little while. Time for the return of "Dark Rescue." At least he was pretty good at it.