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The Sea Salt trio’s wish had finally been granted. They stand on a beach in the Destiny Islands, but instead of thick, heavy black robes that would’ve absorbed the sunlight, they are instead wearing their summer clothes they bought from a peculiar little shop in Twilight Town that sells warm-season clothes year-round.
They are all sitting on their own beach towel, and Axel laughs. “Hey, Roxas, didn’t you mention some talking carpet you saw once?”
Roxas licks his Sea Salt popsicle, “Yeah, I did. It was really weird…”
Meanwhile, Xion is quiet, listening to them, as she casually flips through a book, and adjusts her umbrella. Her replica body was more fragile to sunlight, so she doesn’t want to risk getting a burn, and goodness knows how Vexen would react to her having an injury not from the battle with Xehenort, but from a careless tropical vacation.
Saix arrives with some food he bought from a stall, pale as a ghost, and Xion jumps. “Woah! Saix, what happened?”
“The sun and I…don’t get along well.” Saix answers, “So I used as much sunscreen as possible.”
Axel nods, “You’ve been like that since Radiant Garden, right?”
Saix gives a begrudging smile, “So you remember…” He sits down on his beach towel, which has a beautiful moon hanging over a starlit sea. He’s overtly stiff as he hands all the food to each one who requested it, and Axel gives him that “Saix-We’re-Friends-Not-Enemies-Why-Are-You-Still-Doing-this?” look that Saix never knows how to handle.
Social skills were never his speciality, that much was known. He was never as “bad” (Saix felt grading social skills was rather stupid) as Vexen or some other members, but the subtleties messed with him often enough that he could still vividly imagine Xemnas’ disappointed sighs.
But here? He knows he should feel more open, but…he had clashed with them just a mere few months back, and here they are, offering their popsicles, their in-jokes, their dream vacation with him, the former enemy.
“Hey, Saix, don’t feel so weird.” At first, he swears it’s Axel saying that, as he’s the only person who ever talks to Saix casually like that, but when Saix looks, it’s Xion looking up from her copy of I Wanna Be Your Canary and speaking to him. “We’re all kind of still reeling from it all.”
Roxas turns over to them both. “Xion’s right. I mean, Axel has a keyblade like me and her now, that’s a lot to take it.”
Axel gives an understanding nod. “Really, Saix, I think it would be weirder if you were calm.”
Saix sighs, and takes a reticent lick of his popsicle, before gagging. “Why does this taste so…different, then the one we have back home?” He winces saying “home”, thinking of the coldness of the castle, and not the sunlit warmth of their new home.
Xion licks hers, “Oh wow, yeah, it is a different recipe then the one in Twilight Town…is that a thing?”
Roxas scrunches his nose up, “I don’t like it.”
Axel covers his mouth and snorts. “I didn’t realize you were all that picky. It’s not the worst thing. I think the burgers are, though.”
“What’s a burger?” Xion asks.
“You don’t know?!” The boys all shout in unison, hearts united in horror at this.
“This cannot be allowed, she must know what a burger tastes like,” Saix says under his breath, and stands back up. “I shall return.”
“Hey, make sure to spill some blood– I mean, ketchup!” Axel cracks, “But seriously, don’t give her one of these unless you want her to hate burgers. These are the worst.”
Saix sighs and sits back down. They all stare out at the sea for a bit, and Saix realizes that he’ll get to see the moon rise up and shine above the sea, just like on his towel. Not a heart-shaped one, but a round circle, or a crescent; Just like what he always wanted to see.
“Thank you, for…inviting me.” He says quietly, looking away from the trio.
Roxas casually shrugs, “It’s better than leaving you to brood and scare Pence and everyone else.”
Saix snorts a laugh, surprising himself. “I often forget how little non-Nobodies understand us, or our strange tics.”
Xion gives a tired nod, “Tell me about it. It’s exhausting sometimes.”
“You are correct,” Saix answers. He notices Axel digging into the beach bag, “Axel, please don’t tell me–”
“Yep, I brought some fun for us!” He pulls out a bucket and some shovels, “We’re going to make our own Sandcastle That Never Was!”
Everyone, including Saix, bursts into laughter.
“But” Roxas becomes serious, “I want to finish my popsicle.”
Axel raises his brows, embarrassed. “Oh. Yeah. I forgot about the food…” He reaches for his hot dog and takes a bite, “After we eat, we’ll make it.”
“Isn’t it getting a little late, though?” Xion asks.
“It is, but…maybe we could…watch the moon rise?” Saix asks in a meek voice.
“That would be…great, actually.” Xion answers, hoping no one notices her hesitance. She never thought she’d get to see a moon rise again, and that the fateful day she and Roxas fought at the clocktower would be the last sunset she saw. To see it rise again scared her a bit.
Roxas notices her hesitance and reaches his hand out to hers. She gives it a squeeze, “Thanks,” she whispers under her breath to him.
Axel pouts in that way he always does when he’s thinking. He hadn’t considered how much the others would carry still, admittedly from how tired he still is from his keyblade training and hopes this vacation will provide them the respite they all so desperately need.